"No Guarantees" is about my life...and I guess yours in some ways, about spirituality, relationships and being. There are not too many things that are 100% guaranteed in this life. This blog is one of them!
I sometimes make things in my shed from wood, I drink coffee with people for a living, I read, I walk, I paddle, I spend time discovering stuff about a person called Jesus and I live with and love Mikaela, Andy and Sophie my three kids and Christine my amazing wife...and Max my Border Collie...and some chooks...and a rabbit called chook.
No Guarantees 
too old i think Scott!
Agreed. I think kent was younger than me amd I’m not 49. 🙂
(I’m a tad older than Hamo but I’m not 49.)
That post raises some interesting questions for those of us in the mining industry.
Great site eh!
Oh by the way… tag, you’re it!
http://cragglesmusings.blogspot.com/2006/02/four-meme.html
As the Rock Doctor said the mining companies have a lot to answer for, ripping apart our country and destroying such valuable pastoral land all in the name of ensuring geologists can drive cruisers!!!!
Whoooo thems are fightin’ words!
Educationalist Waffler makes an interesting point. Do mining companies rape and pillage pastoral land all in the name of profit. I reckon the answer is often no as most mines are situated in remote areas such as Kalgoorlie, the Pilbara, Broken Hill, Mt Isa etc that have limited agricultural capacity. More interesting for me though is the frequent assumption that farming is good – mining is bad. I don’t always agree with this for the following reasons.
1. Broad acre farming and associated land clearing in Australia has demonstrably caused the rising of water tables and associated dry land salinity across huge tracts of Australia.
2. Much of this damage is near irreversible such that fair chunks of WA are completely “stuffed” for the foreseeable future.
3. I question the socioeconomic benefit of some of these struggling farms and the amount of money required to keep them afloat. One farmer told me the secrete of making 1 million out of farming – start with 2 million.
4. Mining on the other hand causes intense environmental degradation (a whopping big hole) but over a very small area. Furthermore, there’s a requirement for appropriate remediation, particularly in areas closer to civilization.
5. The royalties paid by mining companies, in conjunction with the taxes paid by the highly paid mine workers, contribute significantly to the local and Australian economy thus funding schools, health etc.
My point here is not to trash the farmers, most of my family rely on this sought of subsistence. However I do think there is point were mining becomes much more environmentally friendly, and of greater socioeconomic benefit, than farming. The marginal farming areas of the Western Australian wheat belt would be an example.
Now we are getting somewhere! I like having discussions on my blog about something other than emerging church issues (although in my opinion, still a Kingdom issue!)
So Rock Dr, what is the alternative to our current mode of farming? Better farming parctices? Smarter farmers spending more money on more environmentally ethical practices or mass produced genetically engeered crops and herds etc? Maybe those big sheds with piggy wiggies and Chickies all lined up in rows look horrific but are better for the environment?? Not sure I like what happens to piggy wiggy though!
I reckon farmers could/should ask the question – can we farm here in an environmentally, socially and economically viable manner. So I would argue for some, if not many areas of the wheat belt in WA, the answer to possibly all of these is no. For isolated mines in the wheat belt, if the grades where sufficient, I would say the answer could well be yes to these questions. Just because you can grow wheat doesn’t mean you should grow wheat if you know what I mean.
Too full on for me. I just wanted to let on how jealous I am that I don’t have a CRUISER????? I mine for worms sometimes when I fish and farm out the kids so I can go out with the wife alone……
You started it!
Kids! I thought this was going somewhere and you guys bailed on me!
Oh well, looks like we didn’t fix the worlds environmental issues today.
I just get sick of the mining companies spending thier profits on hiring people who will only push the party line. It is time that the mining conglomerates be held responsible for the state that the world is in. Cars can run on water but the miners just keep buying the patents……
Ok we are back in the ring…in the red corner we have the Rock Dr (not sure if he has been awarded the Doctorate as yet, but what the heck!!) And in the Green corner we have the Waffler, and educationalist waffler no less, in fact one who said that this educated talk was ‘too full on’! We will see where this one lands us all…on a bio farm, nudist colony, with dreadlocks and hairy armpits…wait a minute…I already have some of this!
Ever thought of having chooks?
What arm-waving nonsense is waffler on about. I (as do most educated people) restrict the term “miners” to people who mine minerals. I assume waffler refers to the oli industry when he speaks of the supposed purchase of patents?
Everyone involved in the mining/exploration industry always has an answer (excuse!!) for the behaviours that they partake in. The sooner that they realise that we are all part of the same world and suffering the same consequences for the actions of a few the sooner we will be able to enjoy our wonderful world with confidence in the future. I am saddened by the Rock Nurse’s view of what is going on and his “Rose Coloured” view of his industry.
Own a car do we waffler?
What about a bike?
Live in a house?
Walk on floor tiles?
Have a fridge?
Have a tin roof or tiles?
What about books – do you read those?
All rely on mining I’m afraid
The fact is our world/lives are heavily dependant on the mining industry. We can bury our heads and say “no not me, I hate mining”, but I challenge any one to not use at least a dozen things in their day to day activities that are not produced from minerals.
Are there reckless miners yes
Are they the majority – no
Rock Nurse???? Now when I invited you all back into the ring I never expected name calling!!!
Drive a car waffler?
Walk on tiles?
Have a tin roof or tiles?
Fertilize the lawn?
Make a phone call?
Watch TV?
All mining I’m afraid
I reckon you better consider joiner Troglodytes anon.
Just because we use something does that mean that we have to be held responsible for its origins? What brand of shoes do you wear? Who makes your clothes? Are you responsible for slave labour???? I bet that you are a labels type of person, always wearing Pierre Cardin or Colarado?????
Nice post Vaws, must be creeping up to 1st place.
$20 on the rock doctor.
“Just because we use something does that mean that we have to be held responsible for its origins”. Now that’s a good one. I’m sure I recall three wise monkey’s that tried to live in this state of nirvana.
The three wise monkeys were all individuals with thier own view on life. The ability to combine the three attributes that they were demonstrating is unrealistic and utopian. Sharing of responsibility and consequences is the key to a more caring and ubiquitous world. Do you wear labels?
The three wise monkeys stuck there fingers in their ears, eyes and noses as an attempt to separate themselves from the harsh realities of life.
And yes I do were shirts with labels on. I prefer to buy Australian made to support the farmers of this country. You know, the ones the stuff up the environment
It is sad that you still believe that any clothing is made in Aust… With such a poor foriegn exchange rate and inflated wage pressures nearly all products are produced off shore. Maybe one of the only things that you can purchase that is Australian made is sea sickness patches. Do you wear these? In the bath……
Enough of this fallacious nonsense. I reckon we’ve gone close to breaking the record for the most posts waffler. I declare myself the Winner. I reckon you owe Bergs the $20.
BTW I think RM Williams are still OZ made. But should we buy them – that is the question? In fact no, that’s not my first question. Mine is can I afford it? Somewhat begrudgingly the answer is a resounding no.
Good job boys…what will you put the $20 toward? A new pair of RM boots?
Can you declare yourself a winner and take the $20??