The Almighty Train
They came crashing through the scrub with spears drawn. They came from a place where there was no constant. A place where intelligence had evolved billions of years ago, in an infinite place, where the evolution of intelligence took them all by storm; and they arrived here breathless from so many wars, encased in an oceanic sense of being and a fighting chance, here at the end of all that was possible, and curled in their luxury fragrant temples. And he lay a hand on a shoulder, and he caught himself quivering alone, and he did indeed see the armies of the Lord, and he did worship at the alter of a human sacrifice, and he called, called, only to be found in a miasma of pain and deception and treachery; amid these strange mammals, whose capacity to destroy themselves lay beyond comprehension.
So it was, then, that Australia destroyed itself.
The capacity of strangers; the infinite bewilderment, the curious scratching of heads, how could they have let this be, and there it was: lockdowns were destroying everybody's lives.
The government's were pushing vaccines as if their very lives depended upon it; billions rushing out the door, a population with scant regard for their own safety, easily manipulated. And Old Alex just pondered and waited and the world turned on a dime.
If the stats were to be believed, he hadn't done them exactly, there was, say, a one in a million chance of dying from the "jab"; the vax being so heavily pushed upon the population. So if the government was pushing the injectable onto children over 12, did that mean some of them would die? Did that mean the politicians so desperately trying to dig their way out of the hole they had dug themselves should have their own children injected in front of the cameras.
And see how they liked playing Russian roulette with the lives of their own children.
And the nation would cry: "Monsters."
These were the conundrums and darks alleys the political and bureaucratic classes had dug themselves, as millions upon millions upon millions of Australians watched as their own lives, their own social networks, their businesses and personal welfare and everything they had held dear went straight down the toilet.
With the connivance of everyone who helped them.
With a blinkered disgust.
With an increasingly disgusted public, who after 18 months of endless diktats and lockdowns and stay at home orders and social distancing and a bewildering blizzard of announcements where they had placed themselves front and centre of everybody's lives, would be wound through to facing themselves: and all they would see was the devil.
As the bile of the population rose to eat their flesh alive; as the falcons picked grubs out of rotting corpses, as history turned and turned on every compromise and dark art and malfeasance, and the country died.
NEWS
OzSage modelling suggests higher level of deaths in NSW at 80% than 70% vaccination rate
Figures suggest two-step reopening would result in second, larger peak of hospitalisations and deaths, but findings not supported by other studies
Tue 14 Sep 2021 06.54 BST
Lifting lockdown restrictions in two stages in New South Wales could overwhelm intensive care units for up to five weeks over the Christmas period, according to modelling from a new expert advisory group.
Easing restrictions when 70% of NSW adults are fully vaccinated and further relaxing rules at 80% would lead to a “worst-case scenario”, suggests OzSage, a recently formed advisory group of experts in epidemiology, health and economics.
The modelling also suggests that waiting for an 80% vaccination rate – estimated to occur in November – to ease any restrictions would result in greater infections, deaths and peak daily ICU beds needed than if restrictions were eased at 70%. It predicts 689 deaths in NSW by February 1 if restrictions are eased at 70%, compared to 1,004 deaths at 80%.
The finding is at odds with separate modelling from researchers at three universities, which last month suggested that reopening at an 80% vaccination rate for adults would result in 4,000 fewer deaths across Australia than reopening at 70%.
Inside Gladys Berejiklian's 'heated' meeting with leaders of LGAs of concern amid calls to end curfew
The mayors of Sydney's 12 local government areas of concern met with Premier Gladys Berejiklian to share their concerns about lockdown restrictions and call for an end to the curfew.
Bryant HevesiDigital Reporter
2 min read
September 14, 2021 - 4:00PM1 comments
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian to meet with local mayors
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Frustrated mayors from 12 COVID-19 hotspots in Sydney will be able to share their concerns with Premier Gladys Berejiklian today. Ms Berejiklian will…
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian's long-awaited meeting with the mayors of Sydney's local government areas of concern has been labelled a "PR stunt" by one council leader.
Ms Berejiklian spoke to mayors including Canterbury-Bankstown's Khal Asfour, Cumberland's Steve Christou and Burwood's John Faker on Tuesday amid calls to end the curfew in hotspot areas and relax restrictions.
Mr Christou said while he appreciated the chance to share his concerns with the Premier, he did not get the answers he was looking for.
"While I was pleased to finally get a hearing with the Premier today after weeks requesting this opportunity, I am most concerned that this was a PR stunt and just paying us lip service," he said in a statement after the meeting.
"The Premier listened to our concerns and I gave her a reality check about what is really going on in Cumberland and the shocking impact it is having on our residents and businesses.
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NSW records lowest number of new local COVID-19 cases in almost two weeks
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New South Wales has recorded its lowest number of new local COVID-19 cases in almost a fortnight. On Tuesday it was announced the state recorded 1,127 new local COVID-19 cases.
"(Ms Berejiklian) continues to hide behind the health advice and could not offer any solutions or concessions to afford our residents the same opportunities as those in the East and other areas. The Premier claims police assured her they are policing everybody fairly. That point is debatable."
Mr Christou said he explained how the majority of his community were unable to work from home because of the jobs they were employed in.
"She needs to understand this is a human crisis and tragedy, with desperate people struggling to pay the mortgage, rent, bills and feed their families," he said.
"I also asked the Premier why, as we are the leading Local Government Area for COVID, we are not deemed essential for a Vaccination Hub. We have gone out of our way to advocate for this and have offered the use of free venues and any support that was needed. Again, nothing."
Mr Asfour, who said he spent several weeks trying to schedule a get-together with Ms Berejiklian "to raise issues ranging from curfews, to more vaccines and financial support", said the meeting became heated at one stage.
"I raised a number of issues on behalf of my community from pool closures, to business anger over check ins and curfews," he said.
"The meeting got quite heated when the issue of people being discriminated against because of the area they live in was raised.
"The health advice was being questioned and it was suggested by (Fairfield) Mayor (Frank) Carbone that maybe the Government needed new health advice."
But Mr Asfour said he was grateful the Premier listened to the issues and concerns raised and as she was taking notes "let's wait and see how she responds".
Mr Faker said he pleaded with Ms Berejiklian to have Burwood no longer listed as an LGA of concern.
"I was advised that the health advice on LGAs of concern is based on number of cases per 100k of population. Still doesn't seem logical and I urged her to take our concerns to crisis cabinet and take us off the hotspot list," he said.
Stricter stay-at-home measures apply to those living in the LGAs of Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield and some suburbs of Penrith.
Greater Sydney's lockdown - which began on June 26 – remains in place until the end of September and until the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage is achieved, as part of NSW's roadmap to freedom.
Restrictions will be eased in the state for the fully vaccinated on the Monday after the state hits the vaccination target.
Ms Berejiklian was contacted for comment.
Join the conversation (1 comments)"(Ms Berejiklian) continues to hide behind the health advice and could not offer any solutions or concessions to afford our residents the same opportunities as those in the East and other areas. The Premier claims police assured her they are policing everybody fairly. That point is debatable."
Mr Christou said he explained how the majority of his community were unable to work from home because of the jobs they were employed in.
"She needs to understand this is a human crisis and tragedy, with desperate people struggling to pay the mortgage, rent, bills and feed their families," he said.
"I also asked the Premier why, as we are the leading Local Government Area for COVID, we are not deemed essential for a Vaccination Hub. We have gone out of our way to advocate for this and have offered the use of free venues and any support that was needed. Again, nothing."
Mr Asfour, who said he spent several weeks trying to schedule a get-together with Ms Berejiklian "to raise issues ranging from curfews, to more vaccines and financial support", said the meeting became heated at one stage.