Category: General Musings

In light of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II I refer to notes by my father as he describes the last days of HMAS Sydney. The Sydney was sunk on 19 November 1941 with the loss of all hands.

It was from the mine sweeper Olive Cam stationed at Fremantle in the second year of the Second World War that I was drafted to the Sydney, a cruiser in the Australian Navy. She was the pride and joy of the Navy Board at the time after sinking the Italian battle cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni in the Mediterranean. I was at that time Able Seaman in the RAN drafted with a potential batch of Leading hands and Petty Officers and we were drafted to the Sydney as Cruiser time was an essential part of any sailors promotion. Continue reading »

Good news from Bad News Central

AN Australian who was missing in New Orleans “probably had one too many and got loud” before being found safe and well today – in prison. Tourist Ashley McDonald, of Narre Warren in Melbourne’s south-east, was arrested in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina hit last week his sister Jasmine Mutnansky said this morning. Australian Federal Police contacted the family and said: “Good news – he got arrested.”

Good on ya’ son. Hurricane coming…let’s get pissed.

It’s bad enough that Howard is castigated for not giving his undivided attention to the self inflicted troubles of all the Aussie druggies in SE Asia, he is now expected to save individuals from their own folly or misfortune whilst travelling. The disaster that is Katrina is so huge, so devastating that the US themselves are having trouble tagging tens of thousands of their own citizens without the Australian and other governments barging in and demanding preferential treatment. A Brisbane woman, Ms Fiona Seidel was caught in the disaster area and allocates blame for her presence and slower than instant excavation.

“I have mixed emotions about John Howard,” Ms Seidel told the Seven Network from the US. “I’m a good Australian, I pay my taxes, I work, I own a home, I do the right thing, I don’t commit crimes and he pretty much wasn’t there for me when I needed him.”

Nothing mixed about that. I do however have mixed feelings about MS Seidel. The report says she arrived in New Orleans two days before Katrina struck having been in the US for a week or two. How could you possibly be touring through the US and not be aware that Katrina was about to strike New Orleans. Don’t you think that that knowledge would have caused Ms Seidel to think, just for a moment…..should I go there? And then, after she had decided to ignore all warnings and found herelf in an imminent diaster area, did she heed the calls to evacuate? It appears not. And, would she, for example, still have mixed feelings about Howard even if he flew over personally and saved her. I think so. Husband Andrew Glendinning says

… both the Australian and US governments have been very supportive of his attempts to get them home, but the scale of the devastation has outstripped all contingency plans for the category five storm.

Maybe Fiona and Andrew could have a chat when she gets home about who put her in the bad situation to begin with. I do of course have pity for her but am still having trouble with this ‘Blame Game’ mentality. All unsavoury outcomes in life can be, it appears, sheeted home to the government. Whatever happened to adults being responsible for their own decisions or, the fact that sometimes in life you occupy unfortunate time and space and it really isn’t anyones fault. John Howard clearly needs to lift his game and have DFAT brief him every morning on the million odd Aussies overseas who may, or may not be in danger. UPDATE: I received an emaill from a reader and post it in it’s entirety.

Having been invloved from the start with the Seidel case, I need to clarify a few points; 1. They arrived on the Saturday, 2 days before the Hurricane. The news they were given by US experts was the Hurricane was NOT going to be a threat to the Gulf Coast 2. They attempted to evacuate, but there were no hire cars nor buses available. The airport had closed by this time 3. Contact with what was happening was through us here in Australia. It was us who had to put pressure on DFAT to actually call Ms Seidel and Ms McLean. They were in a Hotel Room with telephone connection. There is no excuse DFAT took 4 days to finally call them. They had complete details as set out in Smart Traveller, room number, phone number. Yet 2 radio stations here in Australia managed to speak with them on a daily basis. And DFAT’s Excuse is…????? So when 2 young ladies have seen and experienced what they had, and were rescued by a Sheriff from another county, what do you think they are to say of our own government? Oh, and was there a DFAT official at the airport to meet them when they returned? What do you think?

I would actually expect a sherriff from the host country to rescue them…how the hell could Australian authorities do so. I think the young ladies had an unreal expectation of what their country could or should do for them in the first couple of days. The readers says DFAT were phoned exhorting them to phone the ladies – to what end? They, like the officials of every other country with nationals in the disaster area, couldn’t do anything until the US had control of the situation. I was overseas in Vietnam when the Tsunami struck and returned home in a plane full of victims. They were suffering minor injuries and were processed, very efficiently I thought, on landing at Brisbane by authorities including DFAT. I can’t see how DFAT would change their protocols in a matter of months so can only assume as the young ladies weren’t injured there was no welcome. I wasn’t welcomed (other than by my family) and didn’t expect to be – there was nothing wrong with me. I cannot begin to imagine how any US Expert could say, on Saturday, that Katrina was not going to be a threat but in light of the apparent confusion/ineptitude and politicking I can almost believe it but suggest the expert may have been less than informed . Sat was the day when evacuations were ordered and Katrina was predicted as having a 45% chance of hitting NO as a cat 4 or 5 blow. I repeat, I do feel sorry for the young ladies but the blame game is not the answer and I think it’s a long bow to draw to sheet the blame home to Howard. So long that I think a ‘pre-trauma don’t like Howard’ syndrome existed. I believe the reader believes the events happened as he states but each of us view such events from a different perspective with some expecting all and others doing all they can for themselves. I certainly wouldn’t think to blame Howard for my location in a given disaster area for some days. I would look at other aspects. But then I’m not a young lady.

If there is sadness at having lost my father many years ago it is balanced by joy of having my five children and their partners dine with me on Fathers day and that of course, is life. One son-in-law was unfortunately on shift in a hospital but the other wannabe/bettersoonbe son-in-law dropped by to join us. We went to Racecourse Road for brunch and I got some great loot including a voucher redeamable at the local hardware store and an electric toothbrush. However, the highlight was this card from my eldest son, the tonsorially challenged one, with the note “Thanks Dad” Although I still have a full head of hair, albeit white/grey/blonde, I burst out laughing on seeing it. Their presence was enough, the gifts a bonus, the card a hoot and all of it organized by my son’s fiance (and as of next Saturday, bride) who brings serenity, grace, humour and organization to our large family. Her family were there as well enjoying themselves as they adjust to the irreverant humour and frivolity of my tribe. Doesn’t get much better and I know my father would enjoyed himself no end.

I, for one am sick of it. The debate on Katrina is swamped by a tsunami of people blaming Bush. Read this and tell the Bush haters to shut the hell up. Even this from Dreadnought

The image of the President flying over the abandoned city, looking out the window at people who were dying, dead or worse, was magnificently obscene.

Presidents and Prime Ministers have been visiting disaster sites since Noah had to check out the Great Flood. I would say that Bush has been the only leader ever, in recorded history, to have the word ‘obscene’ used to describe his doing so. Get over it you fools.

THE Victorian Education Department will spend up to $500,000 on legal fees fighting a discrimination case brought by a deaf boy denied a classroom interpreter.

The boy’s mother, Robyn Beasley, believes an interpreter would cost about $35,000, but says the department would rather spend hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting her son Dylan in court.

Reality check, Robyn. If the Department don’t fight the case they will be forced to supply an interpreter in each class that has a deaf student. If they lose, each and every deaf kid in the state will turn up at the local state school with their parents demanding a place in a class and an interpreter. I’m sure sending your hearing impaired child to the local school would be a lot cheaper for the parents than the current set up. It would cost millions. But what do the lawyers care.

Hi res satellite image of New Orleans via Donald Sensing. For local updates visit The Times – Picayune and Mississippi Coast Area News For news on the military contribution visit The Mudville Gazette Florida Cracker covers the story of the relief chopper being fired at and makes this point;

I’m sure this situation is exactly the reason they didn’t want to evacuate the city in the first place –the dregs of society would stay behind to have a field day.

Poor buggers. It just keeps on getting worse. Outside the Gateway reports;

An explosion at a chemical depot has added to the misery in New Orleans. No word yet on whether it was related to the Hurricane, a criminal act, or sheer coincidence.

From Vodka Pundit

Now for the really painful part, said not with anger, but with a heavy heart: As sad and awful as it is, Louisiana in general and New Orleans in particular did a lot of this to themselves.

UPDATE: The Blithering Bunny has a good post on BBC biased reporting, all of it designed to make Bush look bad. UPDATE II: As usual Zoe Brain has a good post on the inaccuracies of the ‘Blame Bush’ brigade and touches on the inhumanity of some left wing haters. UPDATE III: A post at American Daughter outlines Katrina’s time line as she heads towards New Orleans and local authorities procrastinate. It is well sources and apolitical.

A link to the New Orleans Post for those interested in the plight of others. I note that they link a lot to Aussie sources. On further reading I note they link a lot to the Guardian particularly to an article by Sidney Blumenthal that lays the blame for the tragedy on Bush leading with;

President Bush is to blame for the scale of the disaster as a result of his administration’s policies and actions.

Simple then, isn’t it? Impeach Bush and no more natural disasters. Now, how can I blame Cyclone Tracy on Gough Whitlam?

BUY A BADGE DURING LEGACY WEEK! Some readers may be aware I am a Legatee, a veteran dedicated to helping widows of mates left behind in foreign lands or who later died back home due to their war service. During Legacy Week we remind the public of the essential role we play in the community – providing services such as welfare, support and education to 130,000 widows Australia-wide, and over 1,900 children and disabled dependants. ADF personnel, high school students and volunteers will be pounding the pavements and paddocks of city and country during Legacy Week. Please support Legacy by buying a Badge and wearing it with pride. As Legacy does not receive government funding, we are reliant on the generosity of the Australian public on Badge Day to ensure we can continue to care for our extended family. For over 80 years Legacy has been caring for the families of defence force personnel killed in war or other hazardous service, in peacekeeping operations or in accidents whilst training for war, or who have died subsequently. You will see us everywhere this week so as you go through your daily life, through the shopping centre, down the mall or at the railway station look for these volunteers and help us help all the war widows and their children.

News to hand indicates Fats Domino is missing in the New Orleans disaster.I grew up with Fats on the radio and can still sing all the words of Blueberry Hill.

Domino has sold more than 110 million records in his long career, including the legendary singles Blueberry Hill and Ain’t That a Shame. His 1950 recording of The Fat Man is sometimes called the first real rock ‘n’ roll record. He was among the first honourees to the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame. New Orleans police could not confirm if Domino was missing, nor if any official search had been made.

There are indications that New Orleans may not be rebuilt but I find it hard to imagine a world without it’s cosmopolitan face and hope it isn’t true. I can only offer my heart felt sympathy to those inflicted by natures savagery. Meanwhile PM Howard offers practical assistance:

“We have been in touch overnight Australian time with the Federal Emergency Management Authority which is the key body in the US co-ordinating relief and we have offered a special emergency team of up to 20 experts from Australia which we will send to the US immediately in order to help.”

UPDATE: A lot of people are busy trying to work out how to blame President Bush for the disaster and when they can’t, they misquote Bush to make him appear stupid. Tim Blair has a post on this very subject where Tony Jones of ABC Lateline fame waves the flag of Bush’s so called stupidity. Bush refers to Hurricane Katrina and says;

We are dealing with one of the worst natural disasters in our nation’s history.

The ABC reporter Norman Hermant edits this to read;

The recovery, he said, will take years, from what could be America’s worst natural disaster in a century .

And Tony Jones, seeing a chance to make Bush look stupid says;

President George W. Bush says the recovery may take years and he’s called this one of America’s worst natural disasters this century.

Which would have had all the ABC Luvvies nodding their heads wisely at Bush’s stupidity. I find it very annoying and would think a good proportion of ABC viewers and young people actually think Bush is stupid all based on this type of unbalanced reporting. Bloody ABC.