A national survey has found that Australians consider Australia Day the most significant day in the calendar. (AAP, 12 January 2012)

More than Anzac Day.

More than Christmas Day.

It is certainly being boosted by the political and media would-be opinion-controllers.

Municipal Councils are all hosting community breakfasts, sporting events etc., trying to beat up some interest.

Our Australian Aborigines are given at least a token mention in the publicity.

* * *

Australia Day commemorates the fact that on January 26, 1788, the “First Fleet” of European colonisers landed at Sydney Cove.

From that day on it became progressively more difficult for Aborigines to maintain their culture and way of life.

Since the 150^th anniversary of the First Fleet’s landing in 1938, some at least of the Aboriginal community, have taken to referring to January 26 as “Invasion Day and “a day of mourning and protest”.

It’s an unresolved problem.

The Christian gospel could be the factor that truly “reconciles” invaders and the invaded groups inhabiting Australia.

Generosity and fairness shown by the whites — and forgiveness and good living by the blacks – those are all it would take.

Grandstanding and slogan-quoting will not be enough.

If you have an unused mobile phone lying about, take it to your nearest Saint Vincent de Paul Centre and hand it in.

For every phone, they are able to get $3.

So you benefit by getting rid of a bit of clutter – meanwhile benefiting one of our most reliable charities.

And this recycling is obviously good for the environment.

* * *

The historical Saint Vincent de Paul, living in the 1600s, was into practical Christianity.

He said:

“To practise the love of Christ, acquire the habit of keeping him at all times present in our minds — in three ways:

(1)  when performing any action, consider the manner in Our Lord acted here upon earth, and imitate him.

(2)  remember that he continually looks down on us from heaven, offering us his grace.

(3)  and recognise him in the person of our neighbour.”

* * *

The modern-day St Vincent de Paul Society does all these things.

Vinnies Op Shops and Relief Centres are great examples of number (3).

Everyone is treated as a neighbour with generosity and respect.

Last year girls’ jewellery company DIVA ran — alongside their promotions for Disney Princesses etc. — Playboy accessories including Playmate and Miss January pendants.

Over 6800 Australians signed a petition complaining about this . . . .

And by early November received assurances from DIVA that the offending promotions would stop.

Which they did.

* * *

However there are stores which still continue to exploit clothing-porn . . . .

Including T-shirt depictions of naked female body parts — and demeaning anti-women slogans.

According to women’s issues website, Collective Shout, offenders include CITY BEACH AUSTRALIA, COTTON ON and ROGER DAVID.

Thinking Australians should definitely complain about this.

They should buy nothing from these outlets until certain that they have cleaned up their act.

For more details visit: www.collectiveshout.org

Last week Michael Clarke, captain of Australia’s test cricket team, made 329 runs.

The newspapers showed photos of him waving his arms in delight when he reached the 300 mark — arms bearing numerous visible tattoos.

Why would a grown man get himself tattooed?

Why would a cricketing nation put a tattooed person in charge of a team?

* * *

“Tattoos are a form of self-expression,” according to some.

It’s how you can “make a statement”, they say.

A statement, yes.

Doesn’t every tattoo make the same statement?

A statement that, “I am incapable of making a statement any other way except drawing attention to myself by mutilating myself.

“I am also incapable of not following every mindless fad that comes along.”

Municipal Council tips are full of discarded analog television sets whose cathode ray tubes contain toxic components and cannot be recycled or just left lying around.

It costs a council about $20 each to have them properly disposed of.

One suggested alternative is to sell such sets off cheap as spare sets to put in children’s bedrooms . . .

* * *

No, please.

Already our children are mentally obtunded by the television seen in the lounge room. Shouldn’t we be discouraging such harmful passivity, not encouraging more of it?

And what will they be watching in the privacy of their room?

If a person entered your children’s room, swore continually, committed violent acts and indulged in acts of adultery in front of them, wouldn’t you get him/her out in a hurry?

Why install a machine which continuously portrays foul language, violence and adultery . . . ?

* * *

Think about making yours a television-free home.

If we don’t watch it ourselves, we’ll find more time to spend with our children

Help them become less dependent on artificial electronic amusements – to enjoy doing things, making things and reading decent books.

In the last 20 years the population of Russia has FALLEN 3 percent.

The average number of children per family is currently 1.4, well below replacement rate.

The Russian government has enacted a scheme which pays mothers $10,000 approx for having more children – but with no effect.

It recently voted to ban abortions beyond 12 weeks into pregnancy – hoping to reverse the downhill trend.

But it hasn’t.

There are built-in loopholes.

For those in “economic hardship”, abortions will be allowed up to 22 weeks.

Some of the injustices of the past still persist. Consent of husband is not required.

For under-age girls, consent by parents is not required.

Doctors with conscientious objection to exterminating the unborn are not exempted.

The new legislation at least acknowledges that Russia is aborting itself out of existence — but the bullet hasn’t really been bitten.

They will need to pass further, more realistic, laws.