wallabies and kookaburrah
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Refugees allowed to stay.
The power of polls and blogs! The Australian Government has announced that almost 10,000 refugees are closer to being allowed to stay in Australia after a pre-election softening of the Howard Government's asylum-seeker rules.
The story even made the Guardian in the UK.
Locally in Canberra support for Afghan refugees is superb, and in regional areas opportunities have been increased. I am well pleased!
The power of polls and blogs! The Australian Government has announced that almost 10,000 refugees are closer to being allowed to stay in Australia after a pre-election softening of the Howard Government's asylum-seeker rules.
The story even made the Guardian in the UK.
Locally in Canberra support for Afghan refugees is superb, and in regional areas opportunities have been increased. I am well pleased!
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Life goes on outside the wired world...
Out on Saturday night to a book party, the things one does to get three hours with spouse, after 5 1/2 days in the bookshop I go to a bookparty!!
Childrens birthday parties, removing old grout from bathroom tiles and applying white silicon - tubes are neat, much better than mixing up grout, please comment if you have any suggestions for partially used bags of grout mix! Walking to the local shops for Sunday Morning Coffee, NO video of bellydance forthcoming....the lads are still playing the computer games.
Spare a thought for those, though rich, that live in some degree of fear, I often remember Isa in my prayers...
Meanwhile AIDS is referenced by Mathieu and again and by moi aussi at agonist.scoop which is now beginning to real move.
And according to this a fellow blogger got the finger by ~POTUS~!
Out on Saturday night to a book party, the things one does to get three hours with spouse, after 5 1/2 days in the bookshop I go to a bookparty!!
Childrens birthday parties, removing old grout from bathroom tiles and applying white silicon - tubes are neat, much better than mixing up grout, please comment if you have any suggestions for partially used bags of grout mix! Walking to the local shops for Sunday Morning Coffee, NO video of bellydance forthcoming....the lads are still playing the computer games.
Spare a thought for those, though rich, that live in some degree of fear, I often remember Isa in my prayers...
Meanwhile AIDS is referenced by Mathieu and again and by moi aussi at agonist.scoop which is now beginning to real move.
And according to this a fellow blogger got the finger by ~POTUS~!
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Monday, July 05, 2004
Of Greeks and balls and blogs and floorboards.
We are all Greek today! Well done, one goal and match won! Little work will happen on Olympic Games preparations today methinks.
Meanwhile in the land of blog: Bubby, known offline as Lillian Tashlik, is an 88-year old, American-born great-grandmother who began her career as an award-winning blogger eight months ago at the behest of her granddaughters. Good work, Bubby! (and family). Featured in the Jerusalem Post registration required!
Well almost finished the flooring! 21.5 sq metres (approx 210 sq ft) is a lot of work. I bashed my knee at work on Friday so found it hard to get up and down all weekend as I laid the flooring.
On top of all that diverticulitis came back and I spent Sunday night thru to Monday morning tossing and turning in pain, too exhausted to get out of bed and get some Buscopan.
We are all Greek today! Well done, one goal and match won! Little work will happen on Olympic Games preparations today methinks.
Meanwhile in the land of blog: Bubby, known offline as Lillian Tashlik, is an 88-year old, American-born great-grandmother who began her career as an award-winning blogger eight months ago at the behest of her granddaughters. Good work, Bubby! (and family). Featured in the Jerusalem Post registration required!
Well almost finished the flooring! 21.5 sq metres (approx 210 sq ft) is a lot of work. I bashed my knee at work on Friday so found it hard to get up and down all weekend as I laid the flooring.
On top of all that diverticulitis came back and I spent Sunday night thru to Monday morning tossing and turning in pain, too exhausted to get out of bed and get some Buscopan.
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Of election bribery, allergies and flooring
Most Australian families over the past week have received a $600.00 per child payment from the Australian Government. If you are lucky enough to have moved or changed circumstances ( est. 2200 families) the Centrelink Payment has been paid twice, yippee for some lucky families. The Minister for Family And Community Services (FACS), and the Prime Minister are sparring over families paying back the overpayment. Fun and games indeed for those having a baby after12MN on July 1 the government gives them $3000.00!
No word on when the Australian election will be called though.
Meanhwhile, allergic skins reactions in Master 19 have led us to rip the carpet up out of his bedroom and begin installing wooden panel flooring....
Thank you, Mr Howard for funding the flooring. However, you have not bought my vote. Sadly, although I have been a liberal lover for over 25 years the treatment of refugees and the participation sans UN in the invasion of Iraq have soured my love affair. My vote will be going elsewhere.
Most Australian families over the past week have received a $600.00 per child payment from the Australian Government. If you are lucky enough to have moved or changed circumstances ( est. 2200 families) the Centrelink Payment has been paid twice, yippee for some lucky families. The Minister for Family And Community Services (FACS), and the Prime Minister are sparring over families paying back the overpayment. Fun and games indeed for those having a baby after12MN on July 1 the government gives them $3000.00!
No word on when the Australian election will be called though.
Meanhwhile, allergic skins reactions in Master 19 have led us to rip the carpet up out of his bedroom and begin installing wooden panel flooring....
Thank you, Mr Howard for funding the flooring. However, you have not bought my vote. Sadly, although I have been a liberal lover for over 25 years the treatment of refugees and the participation sans UN in the invasion of Iraq have soured my love affair. My vote will be going elsewhere.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Updates on Darfur and Sudan
Summary: over 30,000 dead, upto 1 million displaced. Widespread rape continues of western Sudanese women. Genocide is becoming a likely point of intervention for the USA. Posturing re terrorism and the cessation of the 21 year war between Christians and Moslems is also of interest to the USA. Recent Washington Post articles are also referenced here:
Darfur updates at
hattip Candy
Summary: over 30,000 dead, upto 1 million displaced. Widespread rape continues of western Sudanese women. Genocide is becoming a likely point of intervention for the USA. Posturing re terrorism and the cessation of the 21 year war between Christians and Moslems is also of interest to the USA. Recent Washington Post articles are also referenced here:
Darfur updates at
hattip Candy
A happy foetus is a smiling foetus!
A professor at London's Create Health Clinic has poineered a new type of ultrasound scan which gives us, for the first time, pictures of foetuses as young as twelve weeks walking, yawning, moving their arms and legs, and at 18 weeks, opening their eyes, and even smiling at 26 weeks.
The new technique gives much more detailed pictures than conventional ultrasound, and according to Professor Stuart Campbell,
"This is a new science for understanding and mapping out the behaviour of the baby. Maybe in the future it will help us understand and diagnose genetic disease, maybe even conditions like cerebral palsy which puzzles the medical profession as to why it occurs."
He's compiled a book of the images, called Watch Me Grow, and provides 10 beautiful sample images linked within the original article from the BBC. hattip imrdkl
A professor at London's Create Health Clinic has poineered a new type of ultrasound scan which gives us, for the first time, pictures of foetuses as young as twelve weeks walking, yawning, moving their arms and legs, and at 18 weeks, opening their eyes, and even smiling at 26 weeks.
The new technique gives much more detailed pictures than conventional ultrasound, and according to Professor Stuart Campbell,
"This is a new science for understanding and mapping out the behaviour of the baby. Maybe in the future it will help us understand and diagnose genetic disease, maybe even conditions like cerebral palsy which puzzles the medical profession as to why it occurs."
He's compiled a book of the images, called Watch Me Grow, and provides 10 beautiful sample images linked within the original article from the BBC. hattip imrdkl
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Proper blogging technique requires a heading.
Then a link unto the site that discusses what makes a weblog a weblog.....
So now we have a proper blog entry.
Then a link unto the site that discusses what makes a weblog a weblog.....
So now we have a proper blog entry.
Monday, June 28, 2004
news:
Blogging boom gives Iranian women a voice Jun 23, 2004, 18:25 AP
Take one exasperated Iranian woman. Add a computer. Hook it up to the internet. "And you have a voice in a country where it's very hard to be heard," said Lady Sun, the online identity of one of the first Iranian women to start a blog - a freeform mix of news items, commentaries and whatever else comes to mind.
Initially created to defy the nation's tight control on media, these web journals have turned into a cyber-sanctuary - part salon, part therapist's couch - for the vast pool of educated, young and computer-savvy Iranians.
But conservatives have formally reclaimed control of parliament and will step up pressure to censor the internet. continues @ AP link above!
After Chaos, a Forced Silence in Sudan Refugees Warned to Keep Quiet During Visits by Foreign Leaders Washington Post Foreign Service By Emily Wax Sunday, June 27, 2004; 7:01 PM
ABU SHOK, Sudan, June 27 -- The Sudanese villagers in this western region of Darfur were bombed. They were raped. Their huts were burned, and their grain pillaged. Now those who fled the chaos say they are being silenced.
The Sudanese government dispatched 500 men last week to this sweltering camp of 40,000 near El Fashir, capital of North Darfur state, the refugees and aid workers say. The men, some dressed in civilian clothes, others in military uniforms, warned the refugees to keep quiet about their experiences when Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan visit the region next week.
Darfur has been the scene of more than 16 months of conflict between residents of the region and Arab militiamen backed by the government. Aid workers say 30,000 have been killed by the militia and more than 1 .2 million forced to flee their homes.
"They kicked us and said, 'Stop talking,' " said Malki Ali Abduallah, 25, who fled the fighting six months ago with six children and a cooking pot. "I said, 'no, no, no. I am angry. I am tired. I don't want to be quiet.'
continues @ Washington Post Link above!
Blogging boom gives Iranian women a voice Jun 23, 2004, 18:25 AP
Take one exasperated Iranian woman. Add a computer. Hook it up to the internet. "And you have a voice in a country where it's very hard to be heard," said Lady Sun, the online identity of one of the first Iranian women to start a blog - a freeform mix of news items, commentaries and whatever else comes to mind.
Initially created to defy the nation's tight control on media, these web journals have turned into a cyber-sanctuary - part salon, part therapist's couch - for the vast pool of educated, young and computer-savvy Iranians.
But conservatives have formally reclaimed control of parliament and will step up pressure to censor the internet. continues @ AP link above!
After Chaos, a Forced Silence in Sudan Refugees Warned to Keep Quiet During Visits by Foreign Leaders Washington Post Foreign Service By Emily Wax Sunday, June 27, 2004; 7:01 PM
ABU SHOK, Sudan, June 27 -- The Sudanese villagers in this western region of Darfur were bombed. They were raped. Their huts were burned, and their grain pillaged. Now those who fled the chaos say they are being silenced.
The Sudanese government dispatched 500 men last week to this sweltering camp of 40,000 near El Fashir, capital of North Darfur state, the refugees and aid workers say. The men, some dressed in civilian clothes, others in military uniforms, warned the refugees to keep quiet about their experiences when Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan visit the region next week.
Darfur has been the scene of more than 16 months of conflict between residents of the region and Arab militiamen backed by the government. Aid workers say 30,000 have been killed by the militia and more than 1 .2 million forced to flee their homes.
"They kicked us and said, 'Stop talking,' " said Malki Ali Abduallah, 25, who fled the fighting six months ago with six children and a cooking pot. "I said, 'no, no, no. I am angry. I am tired. I don't want to be quiet.'
continues @ Washington Post Link above!
Friday, June 25, 2004
Well down they go for the fourth time in a quarter final, another penalty kickoff and Becks kicks above the cross-bar, pints are drunk and many other Englishman will feel as wretched as Beckham no doubt does. Portugal can feel proud but I wonder about that patch of dirt that Sven-Goran complanined about.
Meanwhile the filthy zionists have been excluded from participating in the chess competition in Libya. Apparently Gaddafis new won acceptance by the west does not extend to allowing Israeli Chess Masters to play within Libya. BOO! HISS! Fortunately many players are boycotting the 'games'.
I will raise a glass of wine with Portugal and ponder the ongoing state of things.
I have been meaning to mention the new Agonist - link at lower left... It has rapidly developed into an excellent news resource. The lively 'family' atmosphere that used to permeate the Bulletin Boards is gone, a more nuanced measured response to posts is the order of the day.
The scoop format appears to be taken seriously and posters are not (yet at least) confident enough to let some exuberance out in the diaries and comments. I am well pleased with the transition, the usual team of suspects has worked hard and it is a real credit to their efforts.
If you are interested in world events dip into the site.
Meanwhile the filthy zionists have been excluded from participating in the chess competition in Libya. Apparently Gaddafis new won acceptance by the west does not extend to allowing Israeli Chess Masters to play within Libya. BOO! HISS! Fortunately many players are boycotting the 'games'.
I will raise a glass of wine with Portugal and ponder the ongoing state of things.
I have been meaning to mention the new Agonist - link at lower left... It has rapidly developed into an excellent news resource. The lively 'family' atmosphere that used to permeate the Bulletin Boards is gone, a more nuanced measured response to posts is the order of the day.
The scoop format appears to be taken seriously and posters are not (yet at least) confident enough to let some exuberance out in the diaries and comments. I am well pleased with the transition, the usual team of suspects has worked hard and it is a real credit to their efforts.
If you are interested in world events dip into the site.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
forgotten fluffy favorites:
The smallest deed is greater than the
grandest intention. Patti Labelle
It takes less time to do a thing right than
it does to explain why you did it wrong. Henry Longfellow
Life is a series of moments.
To live each one is to succeed. Corita Kent
Do a little more than you're paid to;
Give a little more than you have to;
Try a little harder than you want to;
Aim a little higher than you think possible;
And give a lot of thanks to God for health, family and friends. Art Linkletter
Do your little bit of good where you are; it's
those little bits of good put together that
overwhelm the world. Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Wise sayings often fall on barren ground; but a
kind word is never thrown away. Arthur Helps
You must have long-range goals to keep you
from being frustrated by short-range failures. Charles Noble
The smallest deed is greater than the
grandest intention. Patti Labelle
It takes less time to do a thing right than
it does to explain why you did it wrong. Henry Longfellow
Life is a series of moments.
To live each one is to succeed. Corita Kent
Do a little more than you're paid to;
Give a little more than you have to;
Try a little harder than you want to;
Aim a little higher than you think possible;
And give a lot of thanks to God for health, family and friends. Art Linkletter
Do your little bit of good where you are; it's
those little bits of good put together that
overwhelm the world. Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Wise sayings often fall on barren ground; but a
kind word is never thrown away. Arthur Helps
You must have long-range goals to keep you
from being frustrated by short-range failures. Charles Noble
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