THIS week will be a good time for protesting students to go on strike for climate action ('Students raise voices for action on climate', Newcastle Herald 16/7), being school holidays. They may also learn about the Milankovitch cycles and the Coriolis effect, and look up volcanoes (Krakatoa in 1883 is a good one). After they become familiar with science, they will be able to make up their own minds. rather than via fear and political pressure.
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John Maxwell Hollingsworth, Hamilton
WHEN the religious freedom laws are enacted and God's word overrides common law, I'm going to need some guidance. Exodus 21:17 says "And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.'' We still have a fondness for our teenage daughter, so is there a humane way to go about this? Also, Exodus 35:2 clearly states that on the Sabbath "whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death." My neighbour is a shift worker in the mines and works Sundays. Am I obligated to do him in or can I get the police to do it? Deuteronomy 17:5 demands that anyone worshipping other gods means I "shalt stone them with stones, till they die". My mate reckons the Storm's Cameron Smith is God. My question is, how specific are the rules with stones? It will be quicker if I can use those large pavers that are pretty cheap at Bunnings to do the job. Can I? All advice appreciated.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
INTERESTING letter from Bob Hawes (Letters 16/7) about referees being abused and disrespected. I firmly believe part of the reason younger players have no respect for the officials can be attributed to the way Cameron Smith treats NRL referees with absolute contempt and disrespect. He sets a very bad example, in my humble opinion. I can't wait until he retires and becomes the first ever referee to be made an Immortal.
Matt Ophir, Charlestown
AUSTRALIA is a basket case that is in crisis. While there will be those that are travelling along all right who will scoff at this, prove me wrong by countering my claims that this is the case. On any day you would be hard pressed to find a media outlet that does not inform or describe a crisis, breakdown or failure in any of our systems, services, laws or legislation. Importantly, it is not as if these problems have just popped up with no warning. They have been there for decades and warned about from countless inquires, expert panels and royal commissions. The default response from government these days is "it is a complex situation, we will have to take our time and get the balance right". Mostly the complexity comes from the government's own incompetence, ineptitude and lack of will. The world at the moment could be described as being one big refugee camp, and just because we have one of the best quality tents in the camp, there is no reason to not hold incompetent governments to account.
Allan Earl, Beresfield
I HAVE loved owning dogs. However, the only thing worse than a constantly yapping little (or barking big) dog is the constantly yapping (or barking) dog's owner for not stopping the rotten dog's rotten behaviour.
