Hunted Down, Frightened

"Society is changing so rapidly it's becoming difficult to navigate. There's no longer a set of rues for appropriate behaviour. At the same time, technology is enabling us to opt out of difficult situations and causing become to become more insular. People shop online, they listen to their iPods, rather than the radio - and they email or text each other rather than talk. What we have is an increasingly complex social environment, combined with less practice at dealing with it because of technology."
Robin Abrahams.

The dog Lucky barks incessantly in the neighbours bark yard; one of those mad-eyed German Shepherds that's been locked in a concrete backyard for years on end. Other dogs in other houses are much loved; but Lucky is ignored; and mad. I wonder about ringing the RSPCA, but they would only put it down; bringing us to those old age questions, is it better to be alive and mad...

Parts of APEC have officially started; and the world leaders start jetting in shortly. George W tomorrow; I think. His good friend Johnnie; strange to see with the country on a pseudo-election footing all year; and Howard lost if he's not campaigning. You'll have to dynamite him out of there, he's addicted to it, people say, wondering why he just doesn't do the right thing and retire. He has the reputation for being a manipulative little rodent; utterly self-serving; and I watch as he makes the dash through the shopping malls. Nothing sinks in. People tell me different. It all washes off; and I don't know why I take it personally.

Because, I guess, I'm fed up with paying taxes to support a bunch of total and complete prats; and I'm sicking of watching everybody pay taxes to see it so grossly mismanaged by bloated public bureaucracies and incompetently managed mentally ill institutions. They are pathological, sick, greedy; and they are feeding off us.

It's summer already in Sydney, or so it feels; the days suddenly warmer still after one of the warmest Augusts on record. It might be the first days of Spring, but it's already t-shirt weather. I've finished the Jerranderie stuff, the ghost town in the centre of the Blue Mountains world heritage national park. It was difficult; compelling all the different threads into a single narrative; I the cypher for other people's stories. The news is full now of the pictures of the ugly concrete and steel fence which has gone up to block off the city's icons; and the mixed messages suggesting tourists should come anyway look pretty hollow. You won't be able to see anything. Cops are everywhere. And the parade is about to begin.

THE BIGGER STORY:

ABC:

Howard to APEC protesters: support us, don't attack us

Posted 1 hour 7 minutes ago
Mr Howard has blamed the extra security precautions on people who are threatening violence as part of their protests [File photo].

Mr Howard has blamed the extra security precautions on people who are threatening violence as part of their protests [File photo]. (AAP: Alan Porritt)

* Map: Sydney 2000
* Related Story: Activists charged after APEC protest
* Related Link: Full coverage of APEC 2007

Prime Minister John Howard has appealed to people considering violent protests at this week's APEC summit to change their minds.

The summit is under way in Sydney, with the main leaders' meeting beginning on Friday.

In a video posted on YouTube this morning, Mr Howard acknowledged there has been a focus on the potential inconvenience the meetings will cause to people in Sydney.

But he again blamed the extra security precautions on people who are threatening violence as part of their protests.

"I simply ask them to stop for a moment and consider that if they really are worried about issues such as poverty, security and climate change, then they should support APEC, not attack it," he said.

Meanwhile, the New South Wales Government is hoping Sydney workers will leave their cars at home during APEC and catch public transport.

However, NSW Transport Minister John Watkins says rail and bus commuters may also experience lengthy delays.

"We've put every extra bus and train out there on the system but be aware that there will be extra congestion on our rail system as well as our road system and buses," he said.

"But this is because APEC's in town. We'll get people to and from work as best as we can but people should expect there to be delays."