© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Bad advice on masks was a deadly scandal

Well before the Covid-19 pandemic, my wife's stepmother was in a hospital where influenza had taken hold. Elderly patients were quarantined in separate wards in the hope of keeping them away from the virus. Of those who were infected, some became gravely ill. We were allowed to visit: Sylvia's stepmother was in hospital for an orthopaedic procedure and didn't have the flu. She was in a four-bed ward with other elderly folk and when we visited we were asked to wear disposable gowns, foot coverings and masks. It was standard procedure, we were told. when dealing…

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Language, marketing and racism

Coon cheese is finished as a brand. The most surprising thing is that it took this long. The brand's owner, Saputo, has decided it will move with the prevailing tide of public opinion and change a name that some have perceived as racist. And while it is certainly true that the name doesn't have racist origins - it was named after famous cheesemaker Edward Coon - the company has evidently opted to take the same line so recently taken by other big food product makers. That is, if the brand-name is upsetting a growing number of…

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Bring back Parliament, and democracy

On the face of it, the proposition that the COVID-19 pandemic makes it too dangerous for the Australian Parliament to sit might seem to have some almost reasonable basis. When Parliament sits, lots of politicians and their staff descend on Canberra, circulating around the city and potentially creating opportunities for the spread of the virus. Many would come from virus-stricken Victoria, it is argued, and the risks are too great to contemplate. Like I said, it almost sounds a bit reasonable, and yet I don’t buy the story. This is a democracy – so we are…

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