Category: General Musings

My computer plays up and after wasting a morning trying to recover I give up and call in a guy who’s more nerdier than me. Because I can’t open the big box to get the codes for broadband I hook up an old Pentium 2 laptop to dial-up How did I ever survive at these non-speeds. I opened my 7RAR Association website and it took 4.5 minutes to display the full screen with just a few pics. Give up, watch the idiot box and see Faulkner gloat over a non-victory. I should get the box back tomorrow and then all will be well. Tomorrow night I have a dinner date with a bunch of ex and serving Infantry Officers at the United Services Club in Brisbane. It promises to be a good evening with old friends and as is always the case, a younger, still serving Officer at about Brigadier level will brief us on what is happening. I bet Iraq gets a mention. Otherwise the laptop makes it too slow to blog so will be off and do something useful for a change.

MPs fear backlash on gay marriage. I don’t think that the twenty or so people in each electorate who believe marriages can be anything you want them to be when you wake up on any particular morning will impact on the upcoming election. Misha Schubert, who must have a degree in Social Engineering conjures up dissent where there is none in this article in the Australian I posted on this subject some months ago and have found no arguement to change my mind. I said then;

The Prime Minister rules out supporting ‘Gay Marriages’. Way to go John. Stick with it. Same sex relationships are just that – relationships. Marriage is between a couple, male and female, for the purpose of procreation and providing a secure base for the next generation. Relationships, including ones legaly defined, certainly don’t need to borrow ‘Marriage’ as a base. Why do a small proportion of society feel a need to change that? Maybe they fight to get ‘alternative’ lifestyles accepted as the norm. Well it isn’t, they aren’t and never will be. This is not an anti-gay post as I’m happy to accept ‘different stroke for different folks’ but hey, us hetro’s thought up marriage – you think up something else.

The important matters have been dealt with.

The superannuation changes would allow gay couples, elderly siblings who live together, or parents of a disabled child to leave their superannuation to each other without the present 30per cent tax penalty for someone other than a spouse, de facto spouse or child.

That’s as it should be. Misha quotes Howard as ‘Defending his plan’. Against whom, Mischa? You?

Whenever I hear the words Annesty International I am reminded of a world map they produced years ago with small icons depicting human rights abuses across the globe. It was on the notice board at Nudgee College Brisbane and what struck me as odd was there were no icons in the USSR, China, North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, Africa or the Middle East. Plenty in Europe, The US and Australia though. The report is available here. Read it but it doesn’t contain much that hasn’t been said previously. I see the AmnestyUS site has a photo of Susan Sarandon pleading for funds to stop torture. Sarandon on Bush;

We stand a chance of getting a president who has probably killed more people before he gets into office than any president in the history of the United States.

Enough said.

Confirming what a small leap it is from apes to humans, a women is in hospital after her dogs attacked her.

Neighbours said Daniella Donaldson, 34, was trying to separate the dogs when they attacked her. She managed to flee inside her home after a neighbour heard her screams and came to her aid. As Ms Donaldson lay bleeding inside, the dogs turned on other terrified neighbours. Armed police finally escorted rescue crews on to the property, where they treated her.

The four of them had attacked and killed the neighbour’s 10 year old jack russell. A council dog catcher arrived just before 8pm and captured one of the dogs about an hour later. She had four. Yep..four pit bulls..like a pride of lions. He then dropped this classic understatement

“Pit bulls are most affectionate dogs, but they have a tendency to snap, especially when in a pack,” the council officer said.

Understatement of the year. Yes… they do have a tendency to snap especially when in a pack and kill people and other dogs In fact they will turn on anything that’s still moving. People will still buy them and train them to kill. Makes it hard to feel sorry for them. Don’t jump in front of speeding buses, don’t go into lion cages, don’t front up to poisonous snakes and don’t buy pit bulls. Simple, isn’t it?

Back from leave – will commence blogging in the morning

I’m not a proffessor and I didn’t do maths beyond high school so the news that a Professor in South Australia wants police to stop letting drivers off the hook for speeding ‘just a bit’ has me confused.

DRIVERS are given too much leverage by police before being booked for speeding, the traffic safety guru responsible for the gradual lowering of the suburban speed limit to 50km/h has warned. Professor McLean uses the analogy of the limit on blood alcohol level to back up his suggestion to cut the police tolerance of speeding. The legal limit of 0.05 per cent blood alcohol level was chosen because statistically that level doubles the chances of a car crash. “So travelling at 69km/h in a 60km/h (zone) is like travelling at 60km/h with a blood alcohol level of 0.1 per cent,” Professor McLean said.

It’s the last sentence that has me confused. I think it’s a case of any figure will do and now I’m in the news again, maybe I’ll finally get that grant. The people who make my car will not guarantee the speedo accuracy to anything closer that 10% so I’m out on a limb here. I guess if I don’t drive in South Australia I should be safe but the ‘Nanny State’ wankers are after me. More>>

I received this email from Defence.

Minister for Defence Media Mail List Monday, 29 March 2004 AUSTRALIA AND VIETNAM DEFENCE MINISTERS MEET WHAT: Photo opportunity Defence Minister Robert Hill will today meet with his Vietnamese counterpart, Senior General Pham Van Tra. It is the first time a Vietnamese Minister for Defence has visited Australia.

I have advise for Robert Hill Control your breathing, Remember to take first pressure, and Aim for the centre of the seen mass. After firing shout Dung Lai! (Halt!) At least I think that’s how we used to do it.

Warning. Emotive blackmail post Now into my third week of helping set up an auction for Brisbane Legacy time to blog has been at a premium. One of the staff stalwarts at Legacy had the temerity to fall ill and I’ve had to double as data entry chick person. All involved agree I’m far from an improvement and wish her well and back at work soon, as do I. If your into collectables and antique militaria you are invited to Legacy House Merrival Street, South Brisbane on Saturday for viewing and Sunday at 9:00 for viewing and auction start at 10:00. 600 lots of history. A Japanese Officer’s Samurai from the surrender ceremony at Singapore, uniforms from the Boer War, 18 century cutlasses, Light Horse webbing and equipment from the famous Beersheba stoush. Photos, documents. medals, bayonets, commando daggers, trench art and first edition books. Something for everyone with an interest in Australia’s military history. 20% of proceeds go to Legacy helping widows and children of Australian servicemen killed in defence of Australia. No politics here, just doing the Australian thing and helping those in need. Stories of gallant deeds of men never seem to mention the gallant deeds of the widows left to ‘soldier on’ with little Government help. Not being a voting block, the 120,000 war widows in Australia seldom get a mention in the media. Telephone bidding and catalogues can be organized by ringing 07 3846 4299. What about some of you armchair warriors pitching in? If you do I undertake to give you a full brief on whatever you buy.

The crowded beach Good house, good wheels Locals stop by looking for a handout. Why did I come back? Niall forcing me to think. Legacy want more work. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing – damn.

Last week I posted on the demise of the Huey and now the bloody C130 Hercules is under threat. Airbus A400 new Military Spec Aircraft Looks good but it has a long way to go beat the Herc’s record and of course Lockheed may have something to say about sales. They are not going to roll over without a fight. My career covered Herc modes ‘A’ though ‘H’ and while business executives notched up air miles in 707s, 727s, 737s and 747s I did it in Hercs. Few creature comforts but we could smoke and drink (mostly) and a hammock always beats an airline seat. The ingenious amongst us could get comfortable but poor insulation made it very cold and the noise made conversations difficult for days. I flew from Townsville to Perth when I was stationed in the West and we set some sort of record for slowness. 11 hours beating into a 200 mph headwind. An example of why soldiers get hard lying allowances In Thailand with US forces during the Vietnam War, the Commander gave us an Easter leave pass. A Colonel offered me a seat in a Herc to Sydney and back and I felt compelled to ask him if he had done such a long haul in a Herc before. He answered in the negative and so did I. You’ll spend most of easter in the air, Sir – Jesus had a better deal than that. The Colonel had one day of the four at home but he did bring back some ‘four and twenty pies’ and VB so at least some of us benefited. Which brings to mind the senior Aussie Sergeant Major who stated he was staying in Bangkok for the break while the rest of us took of to Pattaya. I said ” four days and four walls’ is not good for a man. He replied ‘Four days, four walls and four legs! Silly me! More>>> (on the A400)