Just a quick note today.
I see that the Premier has promised “never to raise water restrictions again”. That just seems like a big ask for me. In all honesty the science is a bit beyond me but this article has a fair go.
I guess my problem is the assumption that he has made that he has rendered drought (or at least extreme drought), a thing of the past. Fresh water for all! Water everything as much as you like! Point the hose in the air and simulate rain for all the children under 7 who don’t know what you’re talking about!
History is littered with the abandoned cities that assumed they had as many resources as they would ever require. Not that I think that is likely to happen here. It’s just that the announcement that you’ve instantly solved (despite the loud complaints of many other actors), a chronic feature of the Australian landscape seems a bit much…
I’m reminded of a job I had in my younger days working through uni. I was working for, shall we say, a major clothing brand and I absolutely hated it. On sundays I had to open the shop at the ungodly hour of ten and sit bored until about one when my first customer would walk in, avoid my eye and leave again. One particular Sunday morning was cruel because I had a late night and at some stage in the morning, a falling tree cut all the power. My alarm clock at the time relied on the mains. It wasn’t one of these fancy new ones that has a battery and you can make phone calls on.
Suffice to say I was late.
When I opened the shop (30 minutes late), I had the manager of another store checking where I was. Apparently some mighty machine in the heart of their dark empire goes ping when a store doesn’t open on the dot. Within another 30 minutes I had the Area Manager bustle up to my shop to abuse me. She was a scarily keen women with the intense attitude and uncomfortable staring of a true believer. She fucking loved that store, or rather brand. She was a high priestess and couldn’t understand how us lazy, proletariat scum didn’t give thanks on bended knee at every opportunity. Just for the righteous gift of working there! Blessed be!
So I let this woman who was four-fifths hair do lecture me for a while. I explained, nodded, yessed and aha’d and all the right spots. Then she wanted me to promise that it would never happen again. Not just being late, but that entire story.
I was still young enough to know everything so I tried reason. I pointed out that while I regretted being late, I couldn’t guarantee I would prevent falling trees in future. Anything else I would certainly combat.
No good! Swear! Swear dammit! You have dismayed your high priestess!
In the end I tried to guess where she was amongst all the curls and swore. Yea verily, I would never be on the receiving end of a blackout again.
Like the Victorian leader, nature will never affect our business.
