A couple of thoughts

For Obama:

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you,then they fight you, then you win."

Mahatma Gandhi

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."

Albert Einstein

Because...

"Because in our time of lies and hate it seems appropriate to be
reminded of the beauty of saying yes to the chaos of truth"
(Molly Bloom's soliloquy from James Joyce's Ulysses)

Infiltration

It is:

Lav, WC, Toot, bog, head, thunder box, lavatory, Little girl's room, Powder room, shit house, dunny, Water closet, Ladies, Gents, comfort stop, piddle parlour, Toilet....etc

But in Australia it was never EVER "bathroom".
A "bathroom" is where you clean yourself, wash your hands, shower, take a bath, clean your teeth, shave, and generally beautify yourself.

It is NOT somewhere where you relieve your body's functions!!!

And now our youth have not only been infiltrated with the word 'Zee' for Zed ( the correct word for the last letter of the alphabet) but have now taken on this euphemism for Toilet used in American English.

I HATE it!

Next we will be saying "God Bless Australia" and when that day comes I will become spare with rage and spit the dummy!!


POST SCRIPT

When the Yanks allow the world to see THEIR nuclear reactors, weapons and such they will then be able to demand other nations to be open.

We don't believe you anymore, America. You blew it on the WMD issue in Iraq.

First get back your credibility...then start gaining the world's trust...THEN and only then can you demand anything of any other country.

AND:
Your health system STINKS!!!

ANZAC DAY

Another day comes and goes and it is in memorium
that I remember my father.
At last there is hope for our troops to return
From a misguided and misjudged war
Where we followed our so called 'Ally' into
the valley of darkness.

He, my father said, before his demise, that, on this day
as he marched up George St in Sydney each year
"You would never get to meet such a bunch
of pacifists anywhere, ever!"
They forgot to tell us.

And so the day has become a rabble rousing ruse
That makes a young nation stir
through the commercialisation and the nonsense
Some of us remembers to remember
"Lest We Forget".
Coz we did.

To dad and your mates,
To my grandfather in the past,
To my brother being called up for the
"Un-popular War"
I am sorry we forgot
And marched once again into the
Valley of thunder.

I was going to go to a service today
Because of our change of Government and heart.
But the nonsense blocked my way
The disrespect and 'Americanisation of Emily'
(ie of our National day)
brings me to my knees once again
And I long for the time when we did it
The Australian Way.

Quietly, singularly, with a sob in our singing
of "Abide With Me" and "Lord Of Our Father's"
For even as an Atheist it moves me
To remember...ANZAC DAY
A day we lost, a day of failure, a day of thanksgiving.

LEST WE FORGOT!!

Manipulate - Control

So I wrote the facts, which is the important part of genealogy, about her marriage.
So she wrote to me and said:
"Remove it now!!!"
I did not reply because you cannot remove a fact even if it is not in your writing it is
(naturally and in fact) in the records of the State.
So I was silent and forgave her for her silliness and tried contact every now again
on a gentle non committed level.

And, finally, she writes;
"Still hanging out for a reply on the removal of the marriage!!"
No 'dear' or 'love'...blah blah...

Well you can't wipe out the real world, your mistakes are there
for all to see
After all...see mine???
Over and over and over you can see mine!!!

So I delete (the email not the facts)and wait
and the dreams are of our mother talking quietly about
the happy times (the few she had) when she was loved and accepted.
I awake and talk to my man and he says:
Her problem, her need to manipulate you
to regain control once again of something that is beyond her control.
She can't so she is doing that to you.

This (the genealogy) is private.
I should have known.
You can't share 'private'
And see?
You are bound to repeat what you don't learn.
Australia..
America..
Fools..
Polly!

Now
Let it be.

Why did the chicken cross the road?





DR. PHIL : The problem we have here
is that this chicken won't realize that he
must first deal with the problem on 'THIS'
side of the road before it goes after the
problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road.
What we need to do is help him realize
how stupid he's acting by not taking on
his 'CURRENT' problems before adding
'NEW' problems.



OPRAH: Well, I understand that the
chicken is having problems, which is
why he wants to cross this road so bad.
So instead of having the chicken learn
from his mistakes and take falls, which is a
part of life, I'm going to give this chicken
a car so that he can just drive across
the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.



.
GEORGE W. BUSH : We don't really
care why the chicken crossed the road.
We just want to know if the chicken is
on our side of the road, or not.
The chicken is either against us, or for us.
There is no middle ground here.



COLIN POWELL : Now to the left of the
screen, you can clearly see the satellite
image of the chicken crossing the road...




DR SEUSS : Did the chicken cross
the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes,
the chicken crossed the road, but why
it crossed I've not been told.



ERNEST HEMINGWAY : To die in the rain.
Alone.




GRANDPA : In my day we didn't ask
why the chicken crossed the road.
Somebody told us the chicken crossed
the road, and that was good enough.




JOHN LENNON : Imagine all the chickens
in the world crossing roads together, in peace.



ARISTOTLE : It is the nature of chickens
to cross the road.



BILL GATES : I have just released
eChicken2007, which will not only cross
roads, but will lay eggs, file your important
documents, and balance your check book.
Internet Explorer is an integral part of
eChicken. This new platform is much
more stable and will never cra...#@&&^
(C% ......... reboot.



ALBERT EINSTEIN : Did the chicken
really cross the road, or did the road
move beneath the chicken?



BILL CLINTON : I did not cross the
road with THAT chicken. What is your
definition of chicken?



COLONEL SANDERS : Did I miss one?



DICK CHENEY : Where's my gun?






KEVIN RUDD: I am so sorry that he had
to cross the road, I apologise on behalf
of all Australians.


BRENDAN NELSON: I too am sorry that
the chicken crossed the road but don't
expect us to pay for him to get back!

"Cold As Charity"

Now there are three women of a certain age!

A visit from my brother brought with it a longing for family once again.

He being a 'self made man' has no time for apologys, birthdates, anniversaries or such nonsense and is often heard saying;
"Don't let anyone do anything for nothing".
Charity is indeed something to be stepped into only with very specific instructions.
Charity for the those who live in your neighbourhood, but not overseas.
Charity for those who look like you.
Charity under very special hard looked considerations.

Charity beginning at home really starts and ends with IMMEDIATE family. ie children

These are his guidelines.

So it is with great reluctance as once again we set out to make guests comfortable, welcome, warm and well fed, we find ourselves being in the middle of a bind.

With food proffered ( left overs) and two bottles of wine we feel we are well satisfied at our hospitality being accepted.

BUT as they left and cleaning up the next day money was found secreted under the computer's mouse.

I was reminded, by nothing in particular, of the saying of 'cold as charity'.
This does nothing for either participant.
The giver is made to feel that their offering is worthless and cruel ( so don't do it) and the receiver is made to feel that that which they need so badly as to accept gratis, is disgusting and shameful.

Where did the saying originate?
It feels like Dickens, and somewhere in Britain where the middle classes were struggling with the idea of equality of the masses. This has never concerned the upper classes as it is as foreign as a different language.
The upper classes never had manners, but what was imagined by the middle classes was set by them not by their betters at all (all thus according to HWMBO).
The lower classes were free of the need for manners, but did have a certain honour system, similar to that 'amongst thieves'. Those whose needs were so great could not stand on ceremony.

So the middle classes were the ones to set up the rules of etiquette, rules of law and were the ones to lead the masses into revolution.

And so back to the realisation of cold charity.

What was that 'rule' that 'maxim' suppose to offer?

So with a dry taste in my mouth and after much quiet discussion with HWMBO I accepted the gift , without fuss..a simple thank you.

But it tastes awful and is not made more palatable because of the attitude of the person, my brother, who gave it.

There is a way to receive gifts and a way to give gifts. He, poor man, can do neither well.

So I sit here hoping that he feels a little lighter in heart feeling that he gave to his poor-cousin-sister and she received without fuss or bother.

Ahh the freedom money must allow the wealthy...
Freedom of twisted logic, freedom from churned accepting of charity.

And so my lessons continue.

On the Turps

After 6 beers



After 2 glasses of wine




After 2 bottles of wine - Shared of course



After too many margaritas



After 3 Kamikazes




After 7 rum & cokes



After 1 large purple haze



After 3 martinis



After 1 bottle of tequila

Well Der!

You are a Social Liberal (73% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (8% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

For Ardlair

Independence Day not far off

for Scottish bravehearts

Sean Connery
April 10, 2008

There are few more cherished American ideals than independence.

With Sunday's celebration of Tartan Day, established as April 6

by a US Senate resolution in 1998 to commemorate one of the inspirations

for the Declaration of Independence - Scotland's Declaration of Arbroath -

it is as good a time as any to tell the uniquely Scottish story of independence.

In 1320, Scots penned the Declaration of Arbroath. In lines that would

echo through the ages, they wrote: "It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

Many are familiar with that part of the story - of the patriot

William Wallace and the Scots who stood up for independence.

What is understandably less familiar is that in 1707 a group of

Scottish noblemen sold Scotland's independence and joined with

England to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

It wasn't a popular move. In fact, Daniel Defoe wrote that

"for every Scot in favour, 99 is against". So it is not surprising

that some people have been working ever since to change it.

More interesting than the past, though, is the national conversation

going on in Scotland now. What is so special about it is that the world

has an example of a completely democratic process in which the

people are considering their future, and in which their voice will

be the final word.

In 1997, Scots spoke loudly when they voted to reinstate their

Parliament. When the Scottish National Party president, Winifred Ewing,

was able to say: "The Scots Parliament, adjourned on 25th March 1707,

is hereby reconvened", she touched hearts across the country.

The Scottish Parliament has authority for health, education, courts

and the environment. The British Parliament retains control over

most taxes and foreign affairs.

The question now is, what next? The present Scottish Government

is the first in modern times that wants to see Scotland reclaim its

independence.

The best part of this debate is that it is based on ideas, not ethnicity.

Conversations about the best future for the country are happening

in the Scottish Parliament and in homes and workplaces across the country.

The Scottish Government wants Scotland and England to become

independent and equal nations, with the Queen and her successors

continuing as the common head of state of both - similar to what

happened in Canada and Australia in the 20th century.

In other words, we would move towards becoming united kingdoms,

rather than the United Kingdom.

Debating their constitutional future does not stop Scots from

contributing to today's important international issues.

Last week, the Scottish Government, with the support of the

National Geographic Society, announced the Saltire Prize, a

$21 million award for innovation in renewable energy, as a

challenge to the world's scientists.

The message that Scotland is open for business came across

clearly last week as Scotland dropped its business taxes to be

even more internationally competitive.

My whole adult life I have waited and worked for the day that

Scots are able to decide democratically if they wish to rejoin the

community of nations as an independent and equal member.

A recent poll showed that two-thirds of Scots would welcome

that opportunity under certain circumstances.

I believe that day - Scotland's independence day - is closer than ever.

Sean Connery was knighted by the Queen in 2000 and

has appeared in more than 60 films. This article first

appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

I wish for further Independence than this for Australia.

I wish for a true Republic. It has been mentioned by our new

PM whilst he was in England, so there is hope rising once again.

Autumn Tones

Cool air wafts and sways under the leaden sky
Finally the 'season of mellow fruitfulness' has arrived
And the ground is sodden with Autumnal rains
So long since they have been here.

The soils musty damp rises to the senses
And the plants spring to renewal under the wet
the red blush of the bottlebrush is replenished
a second coming this time around.

Sounds of birds squabbling to find a roost
brings back the memory of a man's whistle
As he wends his way back up the garden path
knocking his boots against the cement underfoot.

The smell of apples cooking in the kitchen
the fire newly lit in the lounge room
my schoolgirls uniform damp from the walk home
caught in the downpour of Autumnal rains.

Melancholy visits far too often now
and the dreams of the past and the past's future is dulled
with the children grown and the parents dead
Autumn brings with it a mournful breath.

Then the call of the loved one raising me from the mist
of past and future and dull present
Raises the heart and the hope once again
As he smiles and reminds me of my Autumn tones.

He Said

He said;
What a pathetic father I made
My son never came to me for advice, guidance, solace or experience.

He said;
What could I have done differently
Since I was working so much and sick so much

He said;
What good a father to such a son
When the latter never seeks out as much as a days investment in a relationship in over ten years.

He said;
I must move on
but how will he feel when he is 55 and thinking back over his life?

She said;
And your father?

He said;
It is true. The way I treated my father is the way my son treats me.

This coming from a gentle, loving, sweet and approachable man of great warmth, insight and generosity.

Isn't it time for we, the Baby boomer parents, to stop thinking it is all our fault.

It is time for the 31 year old son to stand up and see his father before it is too late.
It is not as though he hasn't experience the near loss before.
Or is that the very reason?
"He nearly died, he didn't, therefore he probably won't for a long time yet."

Lightening Up!!

The End of Being Used.

She squints her eyes against the searing scorch of the Summer sun
And lazily raises her arm to shade her face.

She turns her back and realises that she is in fact standing
stock still seemingly near a steep slope.

Looking up there is the future, a haze and not real
streaming away into the distance of a setting life.

Over her shoulder there is a memory of kindnesses given,
thoughts shared, questions asked and stories relayed.

I am tired, she thinks, I am tired of hearing about the adventures of others.
I am tired, she sighs, I am tired of being attentive to their needs.

Looking down the precipice of her next step she decides
That it is enough she has given in consideration of the others.

Hunching down she marvels at the edge of her own realisation
that this is enough, that she has been what the others wanted for long enough.

Smiling, sensing the simmering heat lowering in the past
She takes up her self and nods in agreement to her new found commitment.