Vale Spike Jones

Everyone's a good bloke when they're dead, but Spike Jones was a good bloke when he was alive. He was the only broker I knew who didn't drink - because "I'm like this sober" - and sober he had been known to crash tackle people into water coolers, instigate insane bets and create mischief at every opportunity. All in good fun. And the thing was, it just about never crossed that line.

But the reason the world is little poorer today, is that Spike really cared. He was one of those people who listened to the answer when he asked how you were. I can't say I knew him well, just as a bloke I worked with for a good many years, but still, on a couple of occasions when Crash asked for his help, he didn't just oblige, he put his all into it. Richard started a "Shave for the cure" day which he roped me into early and it looked like we'd raise a few thousand. Then Spike bought in. It turned into a major bash at a pub in the city that raised about $65k. He had that infectious enthusiasm that makes every occasion an Event. He always worked Christmas Eve, because he always organised a champagne breakfast for everyone who had to be in the office - a rare gesture in the broking world.

I can't do the man justice here, I just don't write well enough. He helped his daughter survive losing a leg to bone cancer as a child, worked for the Children's Cancer Institute for many years and sadly lost his own battle with cancer yesterday.

We'll all miss you Spike, I'm sure the markets were a bit quieter today in your honour.

Rest in peace, mate.

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out

Apparently the greenies of the world have a new strategy to save the planet - kill all the people.

This week Sen. Bob Brown introduced a private member's bill into Parliament which would allow for NT and ACT to legalise euthanasia.

In Canada, the leader of the Greens apologised for not smoking dope, and wants to sell it through government agencies.

Greenies will let you kill yourself in your choice of ways. Definitely a great way to minimise human impact on the environment.

Well, ok, maybe not. Yay! for common sense. It's great to see some filtering into government. I sincerely hope Bob Brown's legislation gets up, there is no excuse for allowing people to die hideous, painful deaths. And if you've ever wondered under what circumstances you might be able to find the line in the sand for yourself, that point at which you would choose to take the ultimate sleeping pill, just have a look at this story about one of the worst ways to go I know of. Be warned though, it made me cry.

And although I hold out little hope for it, I'd love to see marijuana legalised and sold in a regulated way, along with ecstasy while we're at it. Imagine a world filled with chilled out, blissed out people instead of liquored up, belligerent ones. I figure people will find a drug regardless, let's at least offer a range of less harmful ones and let them choose the one that works best for them. (And for me, I am not pretending I am too good to self medicate.)