I hate supermarket chains – especially the big ones. I’m a market shopper. I love going to a market for my fruit and vege, I like to go to a butcher for my meat and a fish monger for my seafood. I do my best to avoid supermarkets. Upon one of my recent forays into a supermarket I realised that there is one good thing about them – they make choosing something easy. There was only 1 option for fair trade coffee type, 1 option for recycled tissues and it seems this is the case across the board. One token socially or environmentally responsible choice for the minority who care. And guess where these products were – at the top of the shelves, out of sight to most except those really looking for them.

I confess I haven’t been to many different places in Melbourne for yum cha (3 to be exact) but I don’t think I’ll be trying anywhere else after today.

Normally I go to Shark Fin Inn on Little Bourke St (which was recommended by a Melbourne friend) but it was booked out today so we went to:

Dragon Boat Restaurants
149 Lonsdale St Melbourne VIC 3000

The food was amazing. There were 9 adults (including my brother who can eat!) and it only cost us about $20 per person. We had loads of seafood, duck, pork and the other usual yum cha suspects too.

I started looking into purveyors of socially responsible superannuation funds recently (being unhappy with my current employer default superannuation plan) and ended up choosing Just Super.

I thought that I would share my choice here, for anyone who may be looking to invest their super socially responsibly. I have to say, it was pleasing to see Australia actually has quite a few SRI superannuation options.

Also Just Super’s website was far better than any of the competitors at the time which was the icing on the cake for me.

If I was on time to work yesterday (18/6/07) I would have been very close to being involved in this senseless and fatal shooting.

My thoughts go out to the victims wife and 3 children. He was a courageous and honourable man.

[CHORUS]
Whether long range weapon or suicide bomber
Wicked mind is a weapon of mass destruction
Whether you’re Soaraway Sun or BBC 1
Misinformation is a weapon of mass destruct
You coulda Caucasian or a poor Asian
Racism is a weapon of mass destruction
Whether inflation or globalization
Fear is a weapon of mass destruction
Whether Halliburton, Enron or anyone
Greed is a weapon of mass destruction
We need to find courage, overcome

Inaction is a weapon of mass destruction (x3)

My dad came into my room holding his hat
I knew he was leaving,
He sat on my bed told me some facts.
Son, I have the duty, calling on me
You and your sister be brave my little soldier
And don’t forget all I told ya
Your the mister of the house now remember this
And when you wake up in the morning give ya momma a kiss
Then I had to say goodbye
In the morning woke momma with a kiss on each eyelid,
Even though I’m only a kid
Certain things can’t be hid
Momma grabbed me
Held me like I was made of gold
But left her inner stories untold
I said, momma it will be alright
When daddy comes home, tonight

[CHORUS]

The skin under my chin is exploding again.
I’m getting stress from some other children
I’m holding it in.
We taking sides like a politician
And if i get friction we get to fighting.
I’ll defend my dad he’s the best of all men
and whatever he’s doing he’s doing the right thing.
It’s frightening, but it makes me mad,
Why do all of these people seem to hate my dad?
And if that ain’t enough now i get these spots.
I go to sleep every night with my stomache in knots
And what’s more, i can hear momma next door
Explore the radio for reports of war.
And all we ever seem to do is hide the tears.
Seems like daddy been gone for years.
But he was right, now i’m geared up for the fight
and he would be proud of me.
[CHORUS]

My story stops here, lets be clear.
This scenario is happening everywhere.
And you ain’t going to nirvana or far-vana,
you’re coming right back here to live out your karma.
With even more drama than previously, seriously.
Just how many centuries have we been
waiting for someone else to make us free?
And we refuse to see
that people overseas suffer just like we:
Bad leadership and ego’s unfettered and free
Who feed on the people they’re supposed to lead
I don’t need good people to pray and wait
For the lord to make it all straight.
There’s only now, do it right.
‘Cos I don’t want your daddy, leaving home tonight

[CHORUS]

As sourced from http://www.sing365.com/ 

Melbourne rentals – crazy!, originally uploaded by jmansfield.

This is the state of the Melbourne rental market at the moment. This 3 bedroom house in Brunswick had around 80 ppl viewing it – I don’t like our chances :(