bernie
Current mood: awake

I play music for a living. Been flat out recently, working with The Huckleberry Swedes, Barnesy and rehearsing for the Adelaide Guitar Festival. Now, it's time for a 'Dear Reader' moment.
Last night Bernie Banton died. He contracted an asbestos related cancer, mesothelioma. This was discussed (a long time ago) in an Oils' song, 'Blue Sky Mining'.
James Hardie came good by awarding him compensation just before he passed. Bernie bravely represented the hundreds of victims of the disease, with hundreds more diagnosed every year in what has become the biggest cover up in Australia's history.
His silk said: "He wanted to see his compensation case finished, which happened last week; he wanted to vote in the election which he did last week and see a change of government; he waited for his sister to be by his bedside."
Now he can let go. Vale.
There is relief in the community about the election result. The Giant is dead.
A generational change. Howard represented his generation, growing up in the 50's, now we have a team 20 years younger who are more MY generation, people who grew up in the 70's. Labor have worked hard to get their hands on the levers and ran a good campaign. Out with the old, and Howard was that and more: divisive, backward looking, and a friend of GW Bush (one of the few he has left). The republic in tatters. Climate change something to be ignored. The rights of working families, an inconvenience.
OK the economy is important, we must all live within our means. But let us all hope we are moving into a more compassionate zone. James Hardie too has seen it. We live in a society, not an economy.