The Myths of Heaven: The Blizzard of Lies
In the vast abyss before time, self
is not, and soul commingles
with mist, and rock, and light. In time,
soul brings the misty self to be.
Then slow time hardens self to stone
while ever lightening the soul,
till soul can loose its hold of self
and both are free and can return
to vastness and dissolve in light,
the long light after time.
Ursula K. Le Guin
They were out now, like blood hounds, sniffing the surrounding domain, searching for linkages, searching for those that if they could not trust, at least would show some remnant integrity. There wasn't much of that going around right now.
The old soldier had shown what he had thought at the time was a flash of recognition, but was in fact that classic Australian response to perceived madness: "We've got a live one here!!!"
But in fact that odd exchange in that backyard, with "Gay Phil" and Ben the tiler and that mad knucklehead ex-army officer, in the midst of those early months of the pandemic when everyone was frightened, had been the beginning of the entwining between the pedestrian and the fantastical, science and science fiction, between the realm as most humans perceived it and the realm as it really was.
Between those who thought they were the evolution of the species and those who had been here before the species was even born.
Linkages. In that grand coupling and decoupling, was what this particular turning point was all about.
The dishonesty of the nation's politicians continued to stagger.
Governments like and this government lied absolutely.
But far more shocking than that was the gullibility of the people.
That old game, the first one to mention the Nazis loses, was now being frequently lost; as that time in history came frothing into the public imagination for no apparent reason; except that all the portents of that terrible time were now being played out in the open air.
And that beginning? Well, I wouldn't worry. Your disgrace will ebb away. All the shallow contretemps, all the misguided insolence occasioning disbelief, all the limited imaginations with which we were blessed, from the top down, all of it would wash into history in barely a blink.
The cursing of that time came from a perversion of Christianity; there had been so many. Christ, who had intended to lift up the people, would be appalled at what was being done in his name.
Even now. Two millenia later. On the opposite side of the world.
There were many divines, but few that left their mark in that way.
Old Alex had grown up in a Christian cult, the belief in The End Times vivid in everything, was it even worth going to university, considering the world was going to end and nothing would ever be the same again.
As a child, his family had been preparing for the world to end in what had seemed in those barren suburbs, surrounded by the rustling of trees, a fearful moment, the uplifting.
1972 was the date when Christ was scheduled to return; the same year he became the first person in his extended family to ever go to university.
And the world didn't end, but chaos encroached on many youthful enthusiasms.
But that was another story.
Linkages. Couplings. Connects. Trans urban systems which would unite one realm with another.
And integrity. Contract contract.
This was the next step. We don't come along very often. I'd take advantage of it if i were you.
HEADLINES
Australia border closures and COVID-19: We risk becoming a hermit kingdom
The revelation from Brendan Murphy, the erstwhile federal chief medical officer now health department secretary, that Australians will be unlikely to be able to travel overseas until next year, risks Australia becoming the hermit kingdom of the western world.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/he-has-sent-signals-major-parties-prepare-for-spring-2021-federal-election-20210121-p56vzv.html
He has sent signals’: Major parties prepare for spring 2021 federal election
Senior members of the federal government and opposition are preparing for a 2021 election, with October or November shaping as the most likely month for the first COVID-19 national poll.
Party preselections are getting under way across the country, with Liberal Party officials in some of the government’s key target seats telling members to get ready now for a poll they believe will be called for the spring of this year.
Liberal officials in the ultra-marginal seat of Eden Monaro, held by Labor by 735 votes, have told members they “need an improved and more representative structure to be ready for the potential challenge of a federal election during spring 2021 - August to November”.
Party officials in neighbouring Gilmore, held by Labor by 2.6 per cent, believe a November 2021 election is the most likely, after the NSW local government elections in September. The Liberal National Party’s Queensland’s senate ticket is to be decided by May 1 and Western Australia’s Liberal senate ticket is already locked in.
Labor is looking to lock in candidates for lower house seats between February and April - though seat re-distributions in Victoria and WA will cause a delay in those two states.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday "2022’s the election year, that’s when it’s due, [there is] too much to do this year. This year is about jobs, and that’s where my focus is".
The Coalition holds a small lead in published opinion polls, the prime minister enjoys strong approval ratings and the government has benefited from a bump that most incumbent leaders around the world have received during the pandemic.
‘Clear criteria’ needed to extend CHO’s pandemic powers, advocates urge
The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties has warned that the emergency powers granted to the state’s Chief Health Officer cannot be extended indefinitely.
The council was one of many advocacy groups that gave submissions to the public hearing of the parliamentary committee examining a proposed extension of Jeannette Young’s powers.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says she doesn’t use her special powers lightly.CREDIT:JONO SEARLE/GETTY
They are set to expire in April and the extension would move the end date to September 30.
All bodies that gave submissions supported the current extension of powers, but with significant caveats that they had to be balanced with consultation and oversight.
The council’s president, Michael Cope, said while it supports the current extension, the government needs to spell out a clear set of criteria that would justify extending the CHO’s powers beyond September.
“These are the most draconian measures ever put in place during the state,” Mr Cope said. “It didn’t happen during any war, it didn’t happen during the Spanish Flu outbreak.
“There needs to be a clear criteria laid down as to what would cause a further extension to these powers.“
Mr Cope said if the powers continued to be rolled over again and again without appropriate justification, there was a risk they could be stretched out indefinitely.
ABC:
Here is a summary of what happened on Sunday:
Two new overseas-acquired cases in Western Australia, one with the UK COVID-19 variant
Case previously thought to be linked to the Australian Open reclassified
New Zealand health officials investigate probable community COVID-19 case
Zero new cases recorded in South Australia
Zero new local cases and three overseas cases recorded in NSW
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg calls for consistency on border restrictions imposed by state premiers
Zero new cases recorded in Queensland
Zero locally acquired cases in Victoria
More COVID-19 viral fragments found in Queensland waste water