Sunday, October 29, 2017

Book Launch – Delay!

Please be advised that the proposed book launch of my memoirs, "The Long Journey from B to C,” through one of Mario Calanna’s pharmacies, will be delayed due to ill health.

Being a self publisher, my book is always available direct from me, at Yorkey's Knob/Cairns.
Ph: 0498 316 145.  However, I’ll be in Townsville for a heart operation on November 20. 2017, and will be away from home for at least a week.

Go to my blog for more details and reader comments: www.wernercairns.com 
Scroll down to the previous posting. Book price: $25.00.

I’m pleased to announce that my book can now also be purchased at the two Calanna Pharmacies in Cairns, at Woree and North Cairns. See Calannas’s Facebook Page.
The Mario Calanna pharmacies in our areas are well known in North Queensland for their friendly service, and expert advice on medication for good health.
This is an excellent family business, and Mario’s family had been in this area for
a long time and his parents were sugar cane farmers in Woree where now the Woree pharmacy is. I had the pleasure to meet Mario’s parents, and was helping them out planting cane in the 1970s when they couldn’t get labor. Please Support the Calanna pharmacies and experience the wonderful service; the pleasant ambience and the wonderful staff. Werner
 
Here is what Mario says: I wish every customer to be able to say: “When I walk into a Calanna Pharmacy I feel comfortable and able to trust the person who serves me. I hear some laughter, feel people smiling. I am greeted and helped like I'm part of the family. I feel at home. I can find the solution, the advice or information to improve the quality of my life. I am acknowledged and welcomed. I leave the Pharmacy feeling good about my experience and knowing they have my health at heart and are a key part of my health care team. I know I can come back to Calanna and have this same experience time after time”. Founder MARIO CALANNA

READ THE CALANNA STORY.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

The Long Journey from B. to C.

My life story is now available in book form and one third of the second print is already sold. A book launch in Cairns is my plan, but at the moment I have a health problem to overcome and a date cannot be set till this is resolved. I’m self-publisher and the book is not available in bookshops, but only from me direct. The price is $25.00 plus postage. Postage within Australia for one book is $8.50 and for two books $13.80. Only a limited number of copies are now available and if you want this unique book, be quick to contact me.
For obvious reasons I can’t give my contact details here. Please circulate this widely to your family and friends and give them my e-mail address or my residential address or phone number. Most of you receiving this mail will know all this. However, you can also give me your contact detail through comment’s at the bottom. This is save to do and nobody will see your details except me.

Some of you might wonder what is the book about, and what the B and the C stands for. So here is the blurb that will explain it to you. - Werner
***
This book is an account of the life of Werner Schmidlin, and his long journey from the picturesque village of Bischoffingen on the Kaiserstuhl, in the southwest corner of Germany, to Cairns in tropical North Queensland, Australia. The thrust of the book lies in the journey - mental and physical - between the two salient points of Bischoffingen and Cairns. It is a migrant's story.
***

Werner describes growing up under the Nazi regime, and experiencing the ravages of WW2. He explains what young people did in their spare time, without any of the mod cons young people have today. He describes in detail why he, his wife and their young daughter migrated to Australia, and why Werner and Karola had to wait 50 years to get their wedding photo. And he recounts the steep learning curve confronting him and his wife as they faced language barriers, and adapted to new customs in their adopted country.

Cr Tom Pyne,( dec'd) AM, former Mayor of Cairns wrote:
This book is full of humor, pathos, disappointment, perseverance, determination and triumph. It also is a remarkable journey of discovery, spanning continents and many years. It is truly a migrant's story, and one from which we all can learn and perhaps better understand how important the individual's role is in helping create the whole. (This is only part of the foreword, the original foreword is found in the book.)

Mario Calanna, a well-known Cairns pharmacist said:.
Werner I have admired your tenacity, your intellect, your willingness to debate and learn from more than one aspect of a topic or issue. The most important value is that you have found your passion and purpose in life. You have continued on your journey through writing, listening, challenging and acting on it - day after day. Year after year. Passion + Purpose + Perseverance = Legacy and a Life of Significance. I enjoyed reading your story, you write so well. - Mario

Front cover: Me in 1964. Photo, courtesy of John Carnemolla who gave the picture free of charge. Originally from the front cover of “Queensland in Colour” published in the 1970s. The picture was taken at Fosters Road White Rock in 1964, now Mt. Sheridan. I was 34 years old then. The leaves in the sugar cane had to be burned off in these days to make cutting easier for the manual cane cutters. After 1964 mechanical sugar cane harvesting machines were progressively introduced, and today all sugar cane is cut without being burned.

This book will make an excellent present for any gift occasion. Following are comments from readers of this book.
***

Michelle, the graphic designer from Joshua Books who designed the book cover, and formatted the book text, wrote:

Werner, my congratulations on this fabulous family history. You have done a great job of it, and I can’t believe the things I HAVE LEARNT along the way. A truly husband and wife team who have done themselves and Australia very proud. My favourite part (For numerous reasons) would have to be the ‘Baby crocodiles in the kitchen’ – I’m still snickering about it now! A job well done, Werner – this book is a credit to you (and your family.) Thank you, Michelle.
***
While I was waiting at the hospital a lady sat next to me and put the book she was reading on the empty chair separating us.
I asked her if it was an interesting book and if it was fiction. She confirmed that it was a good book and fiction. I asked her then if she only reads fiction or also other books like biographies etc. “Oh I read all sorts of books including biographies," adding, "I love reading." So I introduced her to my Life Story. I explained the picture on the front page and gave her the comment from Michelle to read. She said that this was a powerful endorsement of my book, and asked “Where can I buy it?” I told her and she handed me the money. After reading a few pages, she picked up her other book from the chair and put it into her handbag, and continued reading my book.
***
Ilse - Adelaide, who lived in Bischoffingen prior to migrating with her husband and children to Australia, wanted to ring me after her three books had arrived. However, Ilse started to read and couldn’t stop reading till she came to page 60 – then she remembered to phone me and did.
***
Angelika - Adelaide wrote: Angelika is the daughter of Ilse.
Hullo Werner, I was very happy when Mum gave me a copy of your book.  What a read!!  Both Franz and I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a few things in common with you;   I was born in Freiburg and lived in Bischoffingen as a child, having returned many times.

I have been very fortunate to have had my father tell me of the happenings in Bischoffingen over the war years. I read with much interest your book speaks of things he also spoke of. On page 93, I believe that is my Uncle Fritz with the wooden leg, as Dad’s brother was Fritz (with a wooden leg) and a great lover of a glass of wine, to over indulgence.
 
A fascinating read of your early years in Australia, it is unbelievable what you and Karola endured.  Ah but you both, along with my parents, came from a tough upbringing and you took on a new country with the underlying desire to make it your forever home. Franz and I hung onto each word and paragraph, not wanting the book to end, Great stuff Werner!!! May you be in good health, to the extent that is possible, and with a happy heart. - Kind regards, Angelika
***
Dymity from the Gold Coast, wrote:
Dear Werner, this is just to tell you how I am enjoying your book. You have written it so well that it is very easy to read and so interesting. The recall of your childhood is excellent and I can see you were a not only mischievous, but also a very inquisitive young lad, which I am sure, accounts for you being a very clever man today. I look forward to reading some pages each night as I want to take my time enjoying it all.

Even the paper is very special in comparison to some other books I have read. Thank you so much for sharing your childhood with us and it gives me a greater understanding of what life was like in Germany, in particular Bischoffingen, both before and after the war. Many thanks, take care, Dymity
***
Here is the second e-mail from Dymity after she had read the book.
Dear Werner, I have now completed your book, although initially I decided to start reading it slowly, towards the end, especially when you had all your health issues, I just could not put it down. I was saddened to read, when after numerous tests, it was revealed to you that you had a rare kind of leukaemia. What a terrible shock that would have been for you.

However through it all you maintained a positive attitude, preparing yourself for the worst case scenario, whilst consistently working hard when your health allowed it.  I of course thoroughly enjoyed it and maintain it is by far the best non-fiction book that I have ever read.

It is truly a remarkable story. You worked so very hard, especially after your arrival in Australia. I really cannot imagine any other migrant working that hard. Also the hardships you and Karola had to endure. Karola was certainly an incredible woman, the way she had to adapt to living in so many archaic dwellings with so few facilities available to her.

I am sure she would very rarely have complained, just taking everything in her stride and of course meanwhile working hard also. You both overcame every obstacle placed in your path. Nothing was impossible for you to overcome.

My daughter is now looking forward to reading your story. I must congratulate you on writing this incredible book which I feel should be compulsory for every school child and immigrant to read. I do hope your health improves and you are able now to have some very well deserved rest. With very Best Wishes, Dymity
***
Zachary - Melbourne writes:
Thanks Werner, a great review from Dymity, I totally agree. I have got to page 222 in the book, so I am now on the "home stretch". It is really well written, a great read and many thanks for taking the time and effort to write it all. It was also great meeting you in person in Cairns that was very pleasant for us. -With kind regards,   Zachary
***
Jill - Trinity Beach Qld. wrote:
Hi Werner, re your book, I am enjoying it so much, I’m rationing it to a few pages each day, as I don’t want it to finish!!!  You have done an amazing job Werner, it is beautifully and interestingly written, and more so because you’ve written it in your second language....... well done!!!! Love, Jill
***
Jamie- Edmonton Qld. wrote:
Dear Werner, I started reading your book yesterday (Sunday, I needed a rest from my chores) and could not put it down! Brilliant writing and so funny, as we know you are!  Interesting learning about the history of the war from a "local" point of view, having been to Berlin myself, and seen a lot of the photos and stories there. My family heritage (great, great, great; great grandfather), was from Prussia, not sure which village, will have to check it out. I am up to page 138, had to stop to make some dinner! Look after yourself my friend, and I will see you soon.  Jamie.

PS: Jamie bought a second book and showed it to the cancer patients at oncology at the Cairns Base Hospital. One cancer patient from Yorkeys Knob started to read in it and couldn’t let go of it and then asked if he could take it home to finish reading it, to which they said, “Yes.” So on Wednesday he and his wife called in and bought three books. (Thank you Jamie - this was a nice gesture. - Werner)


Paul, a man from Yorkeys Knob, who bought a book on Wednesday, rang me telling me that my book was soooo interesting and so well written that he would call in and buy two more books as a present for friends.
***  
Roslyn – Warregah Island NSW. She is the daughter-in-law of Tom Lewis who is mentioned in the book.
Dear Werner, I finally finished your book and found it a very good read.  It also was a great first hand narrative of just how difficult life was for our “new Australians” after the war.  I really admire what you & Karola endured in your life together – you made a great team!  The book should be compulsory reading for all teenagers & newly-weds, just to show them that their life is really a breeze by comparison.  Milton hasn’t had a chance to read the book yet, but I have retold so much of it to him that he will feel déjà-vu when he does find time to peruse it. I have loaned my copy to a friend who is recovering after surgery for prostate cancer. He was the fellow whose farm we were planting cane on Chatsworth when you appeared to us after all those years.

I personally handed the second copy of the book to the acquisition officer for the Maclean Historical Society last Saturday.  Carol was delighted & said that she was going to read it herself while she had the chance.  I have no doubt that she will contact you as I gave her your details.
***
Julian - Cairns Qld.
Werner, I've already started reading the book and am up to the part where you buried your mother's watch in the garden and told her about it many years later. Hilarious! From what I've seen, this is a very special book written as though the reader was sitting under a tree somewhere listening to you speak. I'm very impressed mate.
***
Silvia – Germany. Silvia speaks five languages and writes to me in English.
Dear Werner, I am half through with your book - and could write a thousand comments about it .... What a very, very impressive life-story!!! And how brave, "zäh" and fleissig you two have been ... incredible. I am deeply moved.

I LOVE YOUR BOOK
. It's deeply moving and makes me laugh out loud at some passages and cry at others (and sometimes both emotions at the same time). It's one of those books that you can hardly put down once you have started reading ... Silvia
***
Bob, Smithfield Qld.
Hi Werner, I have just finished reading your book and enjoyed your life story, I did not realize you were so multi-skilled; it brought so many memories of old Yorkeys and Cairns. - Cheers Bob
***

Marg Ferrier, NSW.
Werner, I have loaned your book to a lot of my friends who, like me, just love it.  You have done a wonderful job since arriving here and you are to be commended, particularly on your language. I would hate to think how my German would be if I had to go to Germany, and face everything you did.  You are a fabulous person. I do hope you are feeling well after your heart operation – you are sounding very positive and well. Cheers Marg

**
Donna Waldman. Werner, I am reading your book. I had to laugh about Karola driving between the two cars. I'm often laughing as I read. I will be sad when the book comes to an end.  This should be a best seller! Your book is a priceless gem of history. No money can account for that.
**


Grant Phillips.
Werner, my wife, Margaret, bought your book a few months ago and I have just finished reading it. I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. A great read, very entertaining and well written. I found the early days in Germany particularly interesting and your description of the "Bruised Highway" brought back memories of my family's many trips from Sydney to Rockhampton in the 1950's - the dust, potholes and mechanical dramas were something's I will never forget.
**

Megan Jeffery
Thank you for writing this book. It is heartening to read back on the experiences which lead you and Oma here to Australia. I felt as if I was there with you both as you journeyed from Germany to Australia. It was very moving to read some of the difficult times you went through. I will treasure owning this story which I can pass on to my own children, so that they can gain an understanding of what life was like for their great-grandparents.
***


This will give you a fair indication that this is not an ordinary book.  If you are interested in this book, be quick. The first print of 100 books was presold within two months without being in the public domain. From the second print one third is already sold – no third print run is contemplated. - Werner
***
Blog comments, how to do it.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Australia is at the crossroads.

We have reached a stage in our country where our politicians should make very important decisions for the betterment of this country and its population. However consecutive governments since the ascendancy of Kevin Rudd have failed badly to bring Australia back to where it once was – all they have done is put us in debt beyond the proverbial eyeballs. A lot of our malaise is caused by our immigration policy: by letting people in who want to foist their ancient cultures on us; who won’t assimilate and integrate into our community, and instead form enclaves in our country where most Australians avoid going.  Most of them are on welfare and a burden to the Australian taxpayer.

The following article was written by Richard Douglas "Dick" Lamm,
who is an American politician, writer, Certified Public Accountant, college professor, and lawyer. He also served three terms as 38th Governor of Colorado as a Democrat (1975–1987) and ran for the Reform Party's nomination for President of the United States in 1996. He is currently the Co-Director of the Institute for Public Policy Studies at the University of Denver. (Wikipedia)

What he wrote can also easily apply for Australia. There is so little difference and it is frightening. And here is a Disturbing Message to all Americans from former Defence Minister of Canada. Click here. - Werner

The Chilling Truth.
This is a very interesting and frightening read. We know Dick Lamm as Governor of Colorado. In that context his thoughts are particularly poignant. Last week there was an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, DC, filled to capacity by many of America's finest minds and leaders. A brilliant college professor by the name of Victor Hansen Davis talked about his latest book, 'Mexifornia,' explaining how immigration - both legal and illegal was destroying the entire state of California. He said it would march across the country until it destroyed all vestiges of The American Dream.

Moments later, former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America. The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States . He said, 'If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then let's destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall and that 'An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.'

'Here is how they do it,' Lamm said: 'First, to destroy America, turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country...  History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar, Seymour Lipset, put it this way: 'The histories of bilingual and bicultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy.' Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy , if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, Corsicans and Muslims.'

Lamm went on:
'Second, to destroy America, invent 'multiculturalism' and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture. Make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal; that there are no cultural differences. Make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds.

'Third, we could make the United States an 'Hispanic Quebec ' without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic Monthly recently: 'The apparent success of our own multi-ethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentric and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together.' Lamm said, 'I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with the salad bowl metaphor. It is important to ensure that we have various cultural subgroups living in America enforcing their differences rather than as Americans, emphasizing their similarities.'

'Fourth, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated. I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to our population. I would have this second underclass have a 50% dropout rate from high school."

'My fifth point for destroying America would be to get big foundations and business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of 'Victimology.' I would get all minorities to think that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority.'

'My sixth plan for America's downfall would include dual citizenship, and promote divided loyalties. I would celebrate diversity over unity. I would stress differences rather than similarities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other - that is, when they are not killing each other. A diverse, peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precept. People undervalue the unity it takes to keep a nation together. Look at the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common language and literature; and they worshipped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic games. A common enemy, Persia , threatened their liberty. Yet all these bonds were not strong enough to overcome two factors: local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions. Greece fell. 'E. Pluribus Unum' -- From many, one. In that historical reality, if we put the emphasis on the 'pluribus' instead of the 'Unum,' we will 'Balkanize'  America as surely as Kosovo.'

'Next to last, I would place all subjects off limits. Make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of 'diversity.' I would find a word similar to 'heretic' in the 16th century - that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like 'racist' or 'xenophobe' halt discussion and debate. Having made America a bilingual/bicultural country, having established   multi-cultum, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of 'Victimology,' I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra: That because immigration has been good for America, it must always be good. I would make every individual immigrant symmetric and ignore the cumulative impact of millions of them.'

In the last minute of his speech, Governor Lamm wiped his brow. Profound silence followed. Finally he said, 'Lastly, I would censor Victor Hanson Davis's book 'Mexifornia.' His book is dangerous. It exposes the plan to destroy America. If you feel America deserves to be destroyed, don't read that book.'

There was no applause. A chilling fear quietly rose like an ominous cloud above every attendee at the conference. Every American in that room knew that everything Lamm enumerated was proceeding methodically, quietly, darkly, yet pervasively across the United States today. Discussion is being suppressed. Over 100 languages are ripping the foundation of our educational system and national cohesiveness. Even barbaric cultures that practice female genital mutilation are growing as we celebrate 'diversity.' American jobs are vanishing into the Third World as corporations create a Third World in America Take note of California and other states. To date, ten million illegal aliens and growing fast. It is reminiscent of George Orwell's book '1984.' In that story, three slogans are engraved in the Ministry of Truth building: 'War is peace,' 'Freedom is slavery,' and 'Ignorance is strength.'

Governor Lamm walked back to his seat. It dawned on everyone at the conference that our nation and the future of this great democracy is deeply in trouble and worsening fast. If we don't get this immigration monster stopped within three years, it will rage like a California wildfire and destroy everything in its path, especially The American Dream.
***
My thought for today. – Werner
History, in general, only informs us of what bad government is. Thomas Jefferson

Monday, May 8, 2017

A morning tonic - lemon water and salt.

More and more people today are concerned about the ever increasing ill health in our country and many starting to look at alternate medicine and remedies – away from chemicals if possible. Following is an interesting article by Stephen Seifert, from “The Alternative Daily.com”  Stephen Seifert is a writer, professor, adventurer and a health & fitness guru. His flair for travel and outdoor adventure allows him to enjoy culture and traditions different than his own. A healthy diet, routine fitness and constant mental development are the cornerstones to Stephen’s life.

He explains the potential benefits of a rather unusual daily drink tonic. As you might know real sea salt (not processed refined salt) is actually very good for you in moderate quantities and has many health benefits, including supplying your body with dozens of trace minerals.  Science has also proven that moderate levels of sea salt is actually GOOD for your heart health and does not negatively affect blood pressure like was previously believed years ago.  This may sound unusual, but the health benefits are real.

I tried this “Tonic” now several mornings and it makes me really feel good, however I used “Murray River Salt” (MRS) which in my opinion is better than the Himalayan Salt. MRS is the only salt I’m using now. Werner

Murray River Gourmet Salt Flakes are produced using the pristine mineralized brines from ancient saline aquifers of the Murray Darling basin. The stunning pale pink hue of the salt flakes is a result of the mineralized brines which are particularly high in magnesium, calcium, and to a lesser degree, potassium and iodine. Murray River Gourmet Salt Flakes are very soft and fragile and create a superior texture to your dish. It has a delicate flavour; is highly mineralised and naturally pink. What is the difference between Murray River Salt and Himalayan Salt? Click here.

Nutrients:   
Per 1/8 cup (30ml)    Per 100g (3.5 oz)
Sodium, Na    3.89g    37.25g - Chloride, Cl - Ion    5.95g    57g - Potassium, K  0.0003 mg 0.003 mg - Magnesium, Mg 76.2 mg 730 mg - Sulfate, S    0.1g -  Calcium, Ca    8.35 mg 80 mg - Iron, Fe 0.4 mg 3.9 mg. - Iodine, I0.0005 mg    0.005 mg

Himalayan Rock Salt is mined.

Unlike artisan sea salt flakes that are extracted and evaporated from sea water, or Murray River Salt Flakes that are evaporated from naturally-saline groundwater resources, Himalayan Rock Salt is extracted from the Khewra salt mine in Pakistan, not sourced from the pristine Himalayan Mountains like the name implies.

This involves using conventional mining methods (with their associated environment impacts including land disturbance and greenhouse gas emissions) to extract a non-renewable resource, which leads me onto the next point. I hope you find this interesting and wish you all good health. - Werner
***
Balancing Benefits of This Two-Ingredient Morning Tonic.

By Stephen Seifert
Many of us have morning routines that are wonderful health practices — a morning meditation, a few yoga poses, a brisk walk around the neighbourhood, or a delicious fruit-infused smoothie. Daily routines are vital to health and happiness, and this is especially true at the start of the day.

How about a quick and simple glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt? This simple drink can boost your morning health and wellness regimen — and it’s so easy to make. There are a number of professional athletes and Olympians who start their morning with lemon and salt water, which may say something about its effectiveness.

A 10-ounce glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt in the morning can increase your immune function, decrease uric acid to fight inflammation, improve digestion, and balance your body. These benefits can be attributed to the vitamin C content of the lemon juice as well as the essential minerals contained in Himalayan salt. This simple morning drink promotes vitality, health, and overall wellness, and may even improve your sex drive! Let’s take a closer look at 19 of the balancing benefits of water, lemon, and salt, all in one cup. Lemons are excellent for fighting inflammation. Lemons can help dissolve the uric acid in your joints, and also have been found to help build and repair tendons, ligaments, and bone. This anti-inflammatory property may be especially beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, according to an American College of Physicians study on osteoarthritis, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2000).

It aids in proper food and water absorption. A daily glass of lemon water with Himalayan salt may provide a better overall mineral balance, which promotes proper food and water absorption in your body, allowing essential nutrients to get where they need to be. Balances your body’s acidity (pH). The alkalizing effects of lemon and natural salt are highly useful for managing your body’s delicate pH balance, which is crucial for optimal functioning of the body’s systems.

Boosts immune function. One lemon serves up 139 percent of your daily value (DV) for vitamin C. Squeezing one lemon into your morning is a natural alternative to that vitamin C supplement you may be taking. It’s a detox for your cells. The all-natural Himalayan salt mixed with lemon juice and water helps to pull toxins from your cells, reducing cellular toxicity. This may reduce your risk for various chronic diseases, as well as make you feel generally awesome! It reduces problematic cellulite. Natural salts like Himalayan salt have been used for centuries for skin care. Interestingly, most spa treatments for cellulitis contain some form of salt and/or citrus blend. A few daily gulps of lemon and salt water in the morning may firm up a few of those unsightly areas. Clears up skin and adds a fresh glow. Using natural salt for skin problems, such as psoriasis and eczema, dates back to ancient Roman times. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ doctor, Galen from Pergamum, used sea salt for skin diseases, according to Science Tribune (1999).

Useful for allergy season. It has been suggested that the combination of lemon and salt, specifically mixed into warm water, acts as a natural antihistamine for allergies. It may be the perfect alternative to those pink pills that leave you feeling drowsy.

Paves the way for better sleep. The natural hormone-balancing properties of lemon and Himalayan salt can be more than useful when it comes to bedtime. Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential for physical health, mental health, productivity, and much more. This hormone-balancing beverage can make an effective nightcap.

Helps controls blood sugar. The fibre content of lemons helps to balance blood glucose levels, which is useful for type 2 diabetes patients and prediabetics alike, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2000).

Lemons may help detoxify your liver. Vitamin C is essential for producing glutathione, which plays a foundational role in detoxifying the liver. It also has antiseptic properties that are useful for liver function, as well. Freshens breath! Lemon and Himalayan salt may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of fresh breath. However, the lemon and salt in this simple morning drink help kill the bad breath bacteria that build up while you’re sleeping. It may help you chill out. When you get stressed out, do not be so quick to reach for those prescription pills. You may be able to chill out and return to that state of Zen by boosting your vitamin C levels first thing in the morning.

Useful for reducing blood pressure. Lemons are not all about vitamin C and fiber. They also boast potassium, which is vital for flushing excessive sodium from the body. Boost your libido! The vitamin C content and hormone-balancing properties of this morning beverage can help lift your mood. This might be all it takes to boost your libido, without the need for that little blue pill. Gets you hydrated right out of the gate. Many people forget how important hydration is, especially after a seven or eight-hour sleep period with no water. Start your morning off right and get hydrated. The water, salt and zesty lemon will get your day off to the perfect start. An antioxidant powerhouse vital for, well, everything! Lemon offers up a wealth of vitamins and minerals, while Himalayan salt boosts your mineral and trace mineral levels even more. The antioxidant and detoxifying properties of lemon saltwater pack a powerful, free radical knockout punch. May improve your heart health. Lemons and real salt are both exceptional for increasing heart health on their own. However, when you combine the two into one vibrant morning drink, you get even more vital heart-thumping health benefits.

Natural salt supports electrochemical reactions in the body, while negative ions assist in healthy heart rhythm. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is, “associated with lower endothelial dysfunction in men with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes,” according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006). Promotes digestive health. A glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt before breakfast, or any meal, helps signal your liver to produce the essential bile needed to clean out harmful gut bacteria. The fiber content and natural salt will also promote digestion.

Are you ready to commit to this simple and health-promoting morning drink? I have been drinking warm lemon water with a little bit of  Himalayan salt every morning for months, and I absolutely love it. My energy levels are up, and I feel as cool as a cucumber throughout the day. Want to join me? Combine 10 ounces of filtered water with one whole lemon, squeezed, and half a teaspoon of Himalayan salt.  (Note:  Add your favourite greens powder mix in here too if you desire…it actually tastes even better with the right greens mix in here too.
***
Here some comments from readers of the above articel about the good and the bad fluoride.

Connie Russo
Do you know anything about the supposedly high fluoride content in Himalayan salt and whether or not the type of fluoride is different than what is added to water and mainstream dental products.

Tina Geesey
Widely distributed in Nature, Fluoride makes up 0.03% of the earth's crust. It appears mainly in the form of the minerals cryolite (sodium fluoride) and fluorspar (calcium fluoride) which are made from the non-metallic hydrogen element fluorine and combines with other elements to form fluorides.

The trace element fluorine is also present in the body, almost entirely in bones and teeth, in the form of fluoride. Fluoride serves as a catalyst for both the mineralization of enamel on the developing tooth prior to emergence and for ongoing remineralization of surface enamel. Cavities are caused by bacteria, which multiply when food is ingested to produce organic acids. Fluoride protects the teeth by changing some of the tooth crystal into a crystal that is less acid-soluble called fluoropatite.

Fluoride is part of Nature's system for maintaining teeth, and occurs in very small amounts in many foods and natural water supplies.

The form of "fluoride" dumped into our drinking water is NOT naturally occurring sodium or calcium fluoride, but fluorosilicic acid, a liquid by-product of fertilizer manufacturing and is corrosive and highly toxic. The Material Safety Data Sheet warns "do not breathe vapour...do not get in eyes [or] on skin." When heated, or when it reacts with water or steam, fluorosilicic acid decomposes almost instantly into corrosive and toxic hydrogen fluoride as a gas or liquid.

The amount of fluoride from fluorosilicic acid that is present in drinking water supplies may even cause or contribute to cancer, genetic damage, mottling of the teeth, and neurological injury. It accumulates in our bones, making them more brittle and prone to fracture.

Sodium and calcium fluoride are present throughout nature and are, essential to health.

A laboratory test was done on Himalayan Salt, which found fluoride to be present in the salt at 0.1 part per million. Indeed, since fluoride is widely distributed throughout nature, one would expect to find a trace of fluoride in a natural, unrefined salt.

Fluoride is present in Himalayan Salt in the form and amount determined by Nature to be optimal to life. It also contains all other naturally occurring elements, including arsenic, uranium, plutonium, mercury, gold, and more. Recently, it was discovered that Himalayan Salt contained the element Promethium in minute amounts it is rarely found on Earth. Its presence in Himalayan Salt was an important discovery as Promethium is only found in infants in the first three to four months after birth and is directly linked to the development of the body's immune system.

Although there is fluoride in Himalayan Salt, it simply cannot be equated to the fluoride found in tap water. Fluoride in tap water is a hazardous waste material that causes harm to the body; the natural fluoride present in Himalayan Salt is a beneficial material that contributes to the health of the body.
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My thought for today. – Werner
Health is like salt, you only notice it when it is missing. German proverb.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

A difficult moral conundrum, and dilemma.

Here is some food for thought for you. Africa, it seems, is a basket case. This is an awfully sad story. The summary by Yuri is spot on. And what an interesting insight by Kevin Meyers. - Werner

What a difficult moral conundrum!  On hand the hand, we should do whatever we can to preserve and prolong human life.  On the other hand, we realize that had this happened in any other period of history, these millions would have died instead of being "saved" to live wretched and non-productive lives in their future.  At least that is what is being intimated in this post.  As population increases in the most poverty-stricken countries on earth, the problem of famine, unemployment, poor health conditions, and even the spread of war and disease can become endemic.  How do we deal with current as well as future issues when such conditions arise?  Yuri

Irishman's Insight on Africa.

Kevin Myers (born 30 March 1947) is an Irish journalist and writer. He writes for the Irish edition of the Sunday  Times, having previously been a columnist for the Irish Independent and a former contributor to The Irish Times, where he wrote the "An Irishman's Diary" opinion column several times weekly. Until 2005, he wrote for the UK Sunday Telegraph. His articles criticize left-wing opinion and the "liberal consensus", sometimes incorporating hyperbole, sarcasm and parody. This essay appeared in The Irish Independent:

Somalia is not a humanitarian disaster; it is an evolutionary disaster. The current drought is not the worst in 50 years, as the BBC and all the aid organizations claim. It is nothing compared with the droughts in 1960/61 or 73/74. And there are continuing droughts every 5 years or so. It's just that there are now four times the population; having been kept alive by famine relief, supplied by aid organizations, over the past 50 years… so, of course, the effects of any drought now, is a famine. They cannot even feed themselves in a normal rainfall year.

Worst yet, the effects of these droughts, and poor nutrition in the first three years of a child's life, have a lasting effect on the development of the infant brain, so that if they survive, they will never achieve a normal I.Q.

Consequently, they are selectively breeding a population who cannot be educated, let alone one that is not being educated; a recipe for disaster. We are seeing this impact now, and it can only exacerbate, to the detriment of their neighbours, and their environment as well. This scenario can only end in an even worse disaster; with even more suffering, for those benighted people, and their descendants.

Eventually, some mechanism will intervene, be it war, disease or starvation. So what do we do? Let them starve? What a dilemma for our Judeo/Christian/Islamic ethos; as well as Hindu/Buddhist morality. This is beginning to happen in Kenya, Ethiopia and other countries in Asia, like Pakistan. Is this the beginning of the end of civilisation?

AFRICA is giving nothing to anyone outside of Africa - apart from AIDS and new diseases. Even as we see African states refusing to take action to restore something resembling civilization in Zimbabwe, the begging bowl for Ethiopia is being passed around to us out of Africa, yet again. It is nearly 25 years since the famous “Feed the World” campaign began in Ethiopia, and in that time Ethiopia's population has grown from 33.5 million to 78+ million today. Why on earth should I do anything to encourage further catastrophic demographic growth in that country? Where is the logic? There is none.

To be sure, there are two things saying that logic doesn't count. One is my conscience, and the other is the picture, yet again, of another wide-eyed child, yet again, gazing, yet again, at the camera, which yet again, captures the tragedy of children starving. Sorry. My conscience has toured this territory on foot and financially. Unlike most of you, I have been to Ethiopia; like most of you, I have stumped up the loot to charities to stop starvation there.
  

The wide-eyed boy-child we saved, 20 years or so ago, is now a low I.Q., AK 47-bearing moron, siring children whenever the whim takes him and blaming the world because he is uneducated, poor and left behind. There is no doubt a good argument why we should prolong this predatory and dysfunctional economic, social and sexual system but I do not know what it is.

There is, on the other hand, every reason not to write a column like this.
It will win no friends and will provoke the self-righteous wrath of, well, the self-righteous hand wringing, letter writing wrathful individuals; a species which never fails to contaminate almost every debate in Irish life with its sneers and its moral superiority. It will also probably enrage some of the finest men in Irish life, like John O'Shea, of Goal; and the Finucane brothers, men whom I admire enormously. So be it.

But, please, please, you self-righteously wrathful, spare me mention of our own Irish Famine with this or that lazy analogy. There is no comparison. Within 20 years of the Famine, the Irish population was down by 30%. Over the equivalent period, thanks to western food, the Mercedes 10-wheel truck and the Lockheed Hercules plane, Ethiopia's population has more than doubled.

Alas, that wretched country is not alone in its madness. Somewhere, over the rainbow, lies Somalia, another fine land of violent, AK 47-toting, khat-chewing, girl-circumcising, permanently tumescent layabouts and housing pirates of the ocean.

Indeed, we now have almost an entire continent of sexually hyperactive, illiterate indigents, with tens of millions of people who only survive because of help from the outside world or allowances by the semi-communist Governments they voted for, money supplied by borrowing it from the World Bank!

This dependency has not stimulated political prudence or common sense. Indeed, voodoo idiocy seems to be in the ascendant, with the president of South Africa being a firm believer in the efficacy of a little tap water on the post-coital penis as a sure preventative against AIDS infection. Needless to say, poverty, hunger and societal meltdown have not prevented idiotic wars involving Tigre, Uganda, Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea etcetera. Broad brush-strokes, to be sure. But broad brush-strokes are often the way that history paints its gaudier, if more decisive, chapters. Japan, China, Russia, Korea, Poland, Germany, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the 20th century have endured worse broad brush-strokes than almost any part of Africa. They are now - one way or another - virtually all giving aid to or investing in Africa, whereas Africa, with its vast savannah’s and its lush pastures, is giving almost nothing to anyone, apart from AIDS.

Meanwhile, Africa's peoples are outstripping their resources, and causing catastrophic ecological degradation. By 2050, the population of Ethiopia will be 177 million; the equivalent of France, Germany and Benelux today, but located on the parched and increasingly protein-free wastelands of the Great Rift Valley.           

How much sense does it make for us to actively increase the adult population of what is already a vastly over-populated, environmentally devastated and economically dependent country?  How much morality is there in saving an Ethiopian child from starvation today, for it to survive to a life of brutal circumcision, poverty, hunger, violence and sexual abuse, resulting in another half-dozen such wide-eyed children, with comparably jolly little lives ahead of them?
 
Of course, it might make you feel better
, which is a prime reason for so much charity; but that is not good enough. For self-serving generosity has been one of the curses of Africa. It has sustained political systems which would otherwise have collapsed. 

Oh good: then what?  It prolonged the Eritrean-Ethiopian war by nearly a decade. It is inspiring Bill Gates' program to rid the continent of malaria, when, in the almost complete absence of personal self-discipline, that disease is one of the most efficacious forms of population-control now operating. If his program is successful, tens of millions of children who would otherwise have died in infancy will survive to adulthood, he boasts.

Oh good: then what?
I know, let them all come here (to Ireland) or America, or to Australia.
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My thought for today. – Werner
Nothing lasts forever - not even your troubles. Arnold Glasow

Friday, March 17, 2017

Editorials, par excellence!

Julian Tomlinson, (JT) the Regional Editor in Chief (Innisfail Advocate, Atherton Tablelander, Tablelands Advertiser, Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette) is a rare kind of Journalist, he writes as it is; his editorials can be described as - par excellence. JT is a true blue Australian and a shining example for many Australians who treasure free speech, and detest political correctness. The latter is destroying the Australian character and the unique Australian spirit; it is time that this folly is stopped. JT is not frightened to write about controversial subjects and  deserves to be applauded.
 

I will share with my readers Julian’s editorial in the Cairns Post, to which a friend remarked: “Yet again, Julian Tomlinson has used his sharp pen with courage and skill to parry and thrust against the blatant distortion of truth by those who would make Stalin and Hitler’s henchmen simpletons in the art of scare tactics and propaganda.”  We need more pens and public voice to support such journalism in the fight against such mischief and hysteria.  Well done, Sir Julian, our knight in shining armour, but watch your back and be alert for sharp knives and witchcraft. – Werner
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Green hue to sea of hysteria.

A NEW wave of bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef has given the go-ahead for anyone with a green axe to grind to start gloating about how evil humans are causing climate change. The added benefit is that jittery governments desperate to win votes from inner-city elites, are more willing to fork out millions to scientists who claim they can defeat nature.
 
Even before the latest bleaching, the World Wildlife Fund issued a press release saying that last year’s bleaching had set back Australia’s Reef protection efforts by 20 years.They also took the chance to remind the Federal Government that it had admitted a funding gap of between $143 and $408 million to implement Reef 2050 Plan actions. Of course, it said that even this amount is “under-estimated”.
 
Last year, the feds pledged $1 billion to protecting the Reef from climate change and water-quality issues.It really means giving money to scientists to think up new ways to impose even more red tape on miners and farmers already drowning in it.
 
This is also despite a Queensland Government report in 2015 admitting that even if every farmer in North Queensland adopted the world’s best strategies to manage run-off, they have no chance of getting anywhere near the punishingly high targets set by the green mafia. In December 2015, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency said we were experiencing the strongest El Nino weather event on record. And the Bureau of Meteorology believes there’s a 50 per cent chance of another one this year. El Ninos produce dry conditions on land and warmer water in the Pacific, about 3C higher than normal this time around.

A perfect one-two combo to increase the chances of coral bleaching. But El Ninos do end, and it makes sense to save our pennies and see what happens to the Reef when more favourable conditions resume.
 
But this doesn’t suit a green movement that relies on emotion-charged hyperbole to convince everyone that it’s man-made emissions that are killing the Reef and goes into all-out attack when challenged, especially when rivers of government funding are at stake.
 

They also seem intent on destroying the North’s tourism industry with their claims “the Reef” is dying, and then dodge scrutiny. For example, a major Queensland newspaper has been trying to commission scientists to join a reporter on a tour of the GBR to independently see just how bad the bleaching supposedly is. So far, there have been none willing to take them up on it.
 

There are some people who believe water warmed by undersea volcanoes in the South Pacific could be causing coral to bleach. Others point to studies showing oxybenzone in sunscreen worn by millions of reef tourists harms coral.
 
I put both scenarios to James Cook University and it directed me to its ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. Three weeks after I emailed ARC’s communications team, they finally told me to go back to the JCU team.
 
You would think that JCU/ARC – the main “man-made climate change is killing the Reef” alarmist body in Queensland, if not Australia – would jump at the chance to quash alternative theories, but there’s total silence.
 
Australia is being held to ransom by militant green groups intent on making us believe humans are killing the planet, and that giving them huge amounts of money will prevent it.They are depriving Australia of job-creating industries, they hold up major developments in the courts, they demonise farmers and use loud noise, threats and ridicule to silence even the most rational, fact-based counter-arguments on climate change, dredging or fossil fuels.
 

There also appears to be a “science for hire” mentality by which if you receive funding to combat climate change’s effects, you’ll make sure you find problems – or at least hypothesise on possible problems.
 
As public man-made global warming scepticism grows, and sceptical politicians gain popularity, bodies that rely on “doomsday scenarios” to continue existing, have to get louder and more hysterical to stay relevant.
 
This is despite a string of failed predictions, the most recent being the lack of cyclones this year. Scientists predicted at least 11 cyclones to form in 2016-17 we’ve only had three. Then we’ve had the “Climategate” emails, and revelations that US scientists mishandled climate data to suit a government agenda. But according to MMGW alarmists, weather/climate scientists can’t be wrong or even questioned.
 
It’s time we had a government that applies scepticism to all environmental claims, stands up to international environment bullies, and that realises nothing we do in Australia is going to make a noticeable difference to the world’s temperatures.
***
My thought for today. – Werner
We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. Konrad Adenauer

Monday, March 6, 2017

Interesting fruit seed facts for good health.

I have written in a previous posting about the nutritious avocado seed. I came across an interesting article by Carly Fraser, which shows that there are other healthy seeds beside the Avocado seed. You will also find interesting seed facts about the seeds mentioned in her posting below. So I will share it with you. – Werner
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Carly Fraser has her BSc (Hons.) Degree in Neuroscience, and is the owner and founder at Live Love Fruit. She currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a determined life mission to help inspire and motivate individuals to critically think about what they put in their bodies and to find balance through nutrition and lifestyle. She has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals to re-connect with their bodies and learn self-love through proper eating habits and natural living. She loves to do yoga, dance, and immerse herself in nature.
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6 Fruit Seeds You Can Eat To Improve Your Health and Prevent Cancer.
Fruit seeds you can eat? Nonsense! This is the main reaction I get from people when I tell them I eat apple seeds (or more so, the core of apples) or watermelon seeds. Contrary to popular belief, these seeds will not poison you, and they won’t sprout a mini plant inside your stomach. In fact, a large majority of fruit seeds contain beneficial amino acids, vitamins and minerals that you normally wouldn’t get if you just threw them away.

Now I am not saying that you should go and eat all the seeds I mention below in exorbitant amounts (as with anything – moderation is key) – but I am simply trying to get rid of the myth that eating these seeds isn’t good for you. If you happen to consume those 5 apple or pear seeds from a fruit you ate as an afternoon snack, you aren’t going to convulse in some poison-induced seizure. In fact, you’ll be just fine. A couple times a month I may take a bit of inner portion of an avocado seed (whilst preparing a salad), and eat a bit of it. Again, everything in moderation. So, without further ado, here are 6 fruit seeds you can eat to improve your health AND prevent cancer!

Avocado Seeds:
Who doesn’t love avocados? Not only is it one of the most nutrient dense fruits around, but you can eat their seeds too! In fact, the seed of the avocado (or the “pit”) is one of the best sources of soluble fibre on Earth, and is rich in antioxidants and potassium. The pit contains a small amount of tannins that are only toxic in extremely large quantities (like, who is going to eat 10 avocado seeds in a sitting? That would be silly!)

Avocado seeds contain over 70% of the antioxidants found in the whole avocado, and helps to lower cholesterol, prevent cardiovascular disease and prevent strokes. They also help to reduce inflammation in the GI tract and ease bowel issues. Antioxidant activities from the avocado seed have also been found to induce apoptosis (cell death) of cancer cells as well as inhibit cancer cell growth and induce cell cycle arrest.
 
Apple Seeds:
Everyone is scared of apple seeds because they have heard of the cyanide content in the seeds. The truth is, you would have to eat so many apple seeds in order to get any toxicological effects from them. Don’t be afraid to juice the whole apple, or eat apple seeds from apples you eat. A tin amount of cyanide is normal to normal cells, and in some scientific studies has even been found to kill cancer cells.

Vitamin B17, otherwise known as laetrile, is also found in high amounts in apple seeds, and has been found to help cure cancer. Although this vitamin has been controversial amongst the health and medical community, it is clear that it has beneficial effects.

I’ve been eating apple seeds since I was a child, and I have never been healthier! Don’t be afraid of those apple seeds – but also don’t go eating handfuls of them at a time.

Pear Seeds:

Pear seeds are incredibly small and soft, and it is usually impossible to tell whether you have eaten them or not (especially if your fruit is organic). Similarly to apples, pear seeds contain a small amount of cyanide, which again, will definitely not kill you if you aren’t eating stupendous amounts at a time. Pear seeds contain more antioxidants and essential fatty acids than they do cyanide, and considering they are so small, you could probably eat 8 pear fruits, seeds and all, without any effects.

Papaya Seeds:
Papaya seeds are commonly consumed by those who live in tropical areas to help prevent parasite infestation in the body. They contain a proteolytic enzyme, papain, that literally rids your body of parasites by targeting parasite eggs and digesting their proteins. Papaya seeds also contain an anthelmintic alkaloid called carpaine, that also helps kill parasitic worms and amoebas.

Papaya seeds contain a beneficial glucosinolate (a sulphur-containing glucoside) called glucotropaeolin, which when metabolized by the body, creates one of the strongest anti-cancer compounds called isothiocyanate.

Papaya seeds have a very intense flavour, almost like black peppercorns (and can even be dehydrated and made into a natural “papaya pepper” instead of black peppercorn pepper), and can be eaten fresh, right out of the fruit!) (I use fresh papaya seeds in smoothies. - Werner)
 
Citrus Fruit Seeds:
All citrus fruit seeds are safe to consume, given you are juicing them or happen to bite into some while eating an orange or grapefruit. I regularly juice citrus with seeds inside, and haven’t discovered any adverse reactions to them.

Lemon seeds actually contain trace amounts of salicylic acid (the main ingredient in aspirin), so eating a few lemon seeds here and there won’t particularly harm you, they’ll just give you some ache and pain-relieving benefits!
 
Watermelon Seeds:
One of my all-time favourite seeds – watermelon seeds! I remember spitting out the black seeds as a kid because I was concerned that a watermelon might grow in my stomach – but now I crave them as much as I do the watermelon flesh!

These seeds are incredibly high in zinc, which regulates over 100 different enzymes in the body and is crucial for proper immune function. Unfortunately, this mineral is not stored in your body for long periods of time, so ensuring that you get plenty of zinc in your diet every day is important.

Watermelon seeds are also high in the amino acid arginine, which helps regulate blood pressure and treats coronary heart disease. They are also rich in the B vitamin, niacin, as well as the mineral magnesium, which over 80% of the population is deficient.
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Blending Fruit Seeds In Your Green Smoothies – Beneficial or Dangerous? Click here to read more.
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My thought for today. – Werner
"He/she who has good health, has hope; and who has hope, has everything." Arabian Proverb

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

GetUp - do you know what’s up?

I’m sure that you all have come across the ubiquitous left-wing propaganda organization “GetUp.” However there is more to it than meets the eye and, which you mightn’t know. For you elucidation, following is a good take on GetUp from our Australian Senator Eric Abetz, written on 8 October 2016.  What a corrupt world we live in. – Werner
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Eric Abetz
. The Left’s foreign donors.
A few weeks ago a trove of hacked documents detailed the international web of organisations nurtured by George Soros via his Open Society Foundations (OSF).

Soros is a United States-based hedge fund operator, currency speculator, convicted insider trader and prolific supporter of left wing causes – worth $25 billion.

The documents illuminate Soros’ extensive support of groups promoting open borders, climate action, abortion, Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) against Israel and a range of other left wing issues.

In April 2005, Soros met likeminded multi-millionaires and billionaires in Scottsdale, Arizona to examine why George Bush won the US election. At least 80 wealthy individuals pledged $1m or more apiece to fund a network of left wing advocacy groups.

The same month Purpose Campaigns – founded by Jeremy Heimans and David Madden – posted an ad on the Harvard Institute of Politics website, which described itself as a new progressive political campaigning organization. Also the same month Purpose Campaigns Pty Ltd was registered in Australia by Heimans and Madden, as was GetUp two days later.

GetUp thus became Soros’ local Australian franchise, operated as a joint venture for the Greens, Labor and the unions, whose proxies populate its board.

Heimans and Madden later co-founded a global platform called Avaaz – facilitated by seed funding channelled by another group which received $850,000 from Soros’ Open Society Institute (OSI) specifically earmarked for Avaaz.

Foreign donations?
A hacked 2010 memo to Soros discusses facilitating the Global Campaign for Climate Action with grants to Avaaz, which it describes as ‘already an OSI grantee and close collaborator’.

The pattern of Soros backed activist organisations nurturing others has spread to Australia, with Avaaz giving GetUp a total of $195,618. GetUp also recently received $42,961 from its German equivalent, Campact, and $39,060 from Purpose – a total of over $275,000 from overseas-based organisations in two years – despite GetUp endorsing a ban on foreign donations!

Apart from Heimans and Madden, Brett Solomon, GetUp’s Executive Director from 2005-08, went to Avaaz as Campaign Director. Phil Ireland, recently appointed to GetUp’s board, was a senior advisor at Purpose and is Vice-Chair of the Global Campaign for Climate Action of which Avaaz is a partner organisation. He is Purpose and Labor’s guy at GetUp, having been Labor’s Campaign Director in the Hunter region and convenor of the Labor Environment Action Network.

Support for BDS (The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Movement.)

The hacked documents also detail numerous grants to groups advocating for BDS and worse. A review by OSF (formerly OSI)s’ Arab Regional Office discusses exploiting the rise of the BDS movement. Outlining ‘The Way Forward’ it says:…grantees and other actors have been extensively engaged…particularly in relation activities in the settlements. Groups are actively investigating business interests of international corporations, banks, pension funds and other channels through which to exert legal and financial pressure… While politically Europe is not as critical as the U.S., economically it is Israel’s primary trading partner, with impact already showing; in 2013 Israeli farmers in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank lost 14% of their revenues, with further declines expected in 2014. The campaigns also appear to be negatively affecting public opinion of Israel, at least in Europe, with some signs of greater awareness in the United States (eg, Soda-Stream sponsorship in the media). Whether or not OSF does advocacy in its own name in support of this new agenda or merely finances and does light touch organizing behind the scenes, we will still have to contend with the possibility of public scrutiny whether in the media or elsewhere, though we have avoided such attention to date.

This is compelling evidence of Soros’ support for the ugly BDS campaign. Avaaz is also involved, recently vowing that it will: ‘keep pushing until all companies financing the occupation of Palestine withdraw their investments.’

It’s no surprise that, in Australia, GetUp has also edged closer to advocating for Palestinian causes and BDS.

In 2009, BDS activist Antony Loewenstein said GetUp contacted him to begin an online debate about Palestinian issues and this year GetUp appointed Palestinian activist, Sara Saleh, to its board.

Saleh has long supported BDS. In 2014 she criticised Kmart for stocking Soda stream. This BDS campaign saw Sodastream close its West Bank plant and hundreds of Palestinian workers lose their jobs.

Existential anxiety.

Recently Saleh said Israel must be forced ‘into a perennial state of existential anxiety’. She also said GetUp would definitely be happy to support the Palestinian cause ‘in their propensity, and maybe in the future as well’.

So, in its operating model, financing, personnel and its agenda, GetUp faithfully perpetuates the concerns of its progenitor, George Soros.

If any organisation illustrates the sinister aspects of foreign donations and interests influencing Australian politics, it’s GetUp.

Next time GetUp members are ‘consulted’ on priorities or receive GetUp’s glib takes on topical issues, they should realise whose agenda is really being pushed.

The post The Left’s foreign donors appeared first on The Spectator.  
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My thought for today.
- Werner
The naked truth is always better than the best-dressed lie.
Proverb.