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Russelj

I neglected addressing one aspect of your post. That being the part about whether its good manners (from the Elder's point of view) to pound the shareholders etc. etc.

Communicating with GOT seems an impossibility for everyone at the moment. Communicating with Governments is more straightforwad both at a formal and informal level and the ALC and the TO's do both. I'd love to post some of the off the record conversations I've had with politicians, and journalists too for that matter, but I don't think it ould be appropriate and I'd imagine that some posters wouldn't believe what I posted.

Is what I'm doing good manners per se? I don't even think its an issue re this forum, I mean to say look at some of the abuse I cop...it's a forum that provides the licence to post opinion and positions bearing in mind the posting guidelines which are policed by the moderator. I simply take advantage of the opportunity.

The "Elders", although in Anindilyakwa there is in fact no word or phrase meaning that- they have a different construct of leadershio and decision making than the classic "tribal" hierarchical model of leadership and decision making; in my opinion, if they had their way, would solve their differences with GR by physical confrontation as would be the case if their Law was in play. The TO's that are around at my place tonight, when I posed your question to them, simply said "go for it".

My approach of posting using repetition and variations on a theme, sometimes with the introduction of new information, may, or may not be paying dividends...although it appears that some posters are interested in the arguments I put forward, with one or two even suggesting they are reconsidering their originally held positions. I know it hardens the resolve of others and that I obviously annoy some and that I really get right up the noses of some.

But my "pounding" for example has resulted in establishing that the song lines are a reality...something that some posters appeared determined to disbelieve.

On a personal level I find it helpful in sharpening my own thoughts and broadening my knowledge of the issues by reading all the posts; this results in me being able to articulate the issues readily in other contexts while antcipating the arguments with which I might be met.

Members of the forum always have the option of blocking me.

I think though that we're getting to the stage that we're all just anticipating what will happen next, and that the tit-for-tat occuring now will wane a bit. Until the next developmemt.

I think that one "service" I provide if you like is that I'm quickly privvy to the nature of the changes re the concrete of the situation and that I will post that sort of information here as it comes to hand.