If you are reading this, thank a Teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a Soldier
PRIME Minister John Howard today defended Australia’s use of the ageing Sea King helicopter, as the nation prepared to bury nine Australians killed when one of the craft went down in Indonesia.“Defended Australia’s use…” comes from an ABC interview trying to get mileage from the tragedy before the bodies are even recovered. Neil James has an article in todays Australian that comes down fairly heavily on the Government for not replacing the Sea Kings. Neil James has an extensive military background but demands a perfect solution in a non-perfect world. Someone has to make the decisions as to what equipment is replaced and when and obviously priorities are placed on certain aspects. The tank drivers want the latest tank, The Fleet Air Arm – the latest helicopters, the fighter pilots – the latest jet, even truck drivers want the latest truck but everyone can’t have everything. Compromises are made and a balance is sought. I’m not suggesting that the debate shouldn’t happen, just that it should happen in a different venue and at a different time. By all accounts the Sea King is a good aircraft albeit the initial air frames, power plants and avionics are 70s based. Of course, this ancestory has little to do with the aircraft currently deployed on Kanimbla. I think you will find they will be like Grandads axe my father gave me. It’s had numerous handles and heads over the years but it’s still Grandads axe. All types of people with differing agendas will come to the fore over the near future and the likes of the ABC will pursue any story for it’s anti-Howard potential but what we should remember is this. Australia has lost nine highly qualified and dedicated people serving in very trying circumstances to help others in need. The flow-on of the feelings of dread and emptiness goes well beyond the immediate families. It includes the crew of the Kanimbla, their families, the service society generally and all those who hold dear the efforts of the Defence Forces. If you have ever basked in the recent praise of Australia’s humanitarian efforts in Indonesia then remember, it is due to the untiring efforts of these people.
The 10-year-old Perth boy who had three limbs surgically reattached after they were severed during a game of backyard basketball was awake and smiling yesterday, despite still being in considerable pain.The dangers of ‘slam dunking’ are well known with three teenagers killed in Victoria within recent times. It makes sense that a basketball hoop secured to a brick wall with a couple of dyna-bolts would never pass an OH&S audit but unfortunately most parents aren’t aware of this.
The basketball hoop.
What started as a birthday party, then moved on to unspeakable tragedy, has now progressed, through the wonders of medical science and it’s practitioners, to hope for a full life.
A hospital spokeswoman said Terry was being released from the hospital’s intensive care unit yesterday.I’m a bit confused about the tense of the sentence but happy with the result. He had one leg and both hands amputated by falling masonry on Saturday and now, only four days later he is released from the ICU. Amazing. I heard on radio that the doctors operated in teams with the boy spread like an ‘X’ so they could operate on all effected limbs simultaneously.
The boy – Terry Vo
Full credit to the medicos. Their families and the nation should be proud of their efforts. In a blow to Michael Jackson’s defence, a judge has allowed prosecutors to introduce evidence about five other boys – including two Australians – the pop star allegedly molested or got too cozy with.Sick bastard.
Sure, son. He won’t be any problem.
His name is Reg and he is a ADH inflicted, amphetamine consuming, red cordial drinking teenage male Staffordshire Terrier with a disposition not unlike the Tassie Devil from the old Walt Disney cartoons .
When he visits, my 11 year old Retriever just sits and blinks. All the frantic activity is too much for her and when I came home tonight, her whole neck was wet from Reg ‘worrying’ her. She is too slow to hide
She’ll adjust and if not there is always the meat hook.
No running around up there, Reggie boy.
Note for signed up PETA and/or Green members or children: He’s hanging on a full double ‘D-ring’ harness, not his collar. I wouldn’t want him to vomit on my courtyard. 
…and a lot of it. CAN’T get out of bed in the morning? Scientists at MIT’s Media Lab in the United States have invented an alarm clock called Clocky to make even the doziest sleepers, who repeatedly hit the snooze button, leap out of bed. After the snooze button is pressed, the clock, which is equipped with a set of wheels, rolls off the table to another part of the room. “When the alarm sounds again, simply finding Clocky ought to be strenuous enough to prevent even the doziest owner from going back to sleep,” New Scientist magazine said today.Don’t you just love it? Reminds me of my early Army days when I was often obliged to play Reveille. Wise counsel from the Pipe Major suggested I move while piping…make yourself a harder target, Kevin. I was an infantry NCO but had made the huge mistake of admitting to bagpiping skills. This foolish statement come to the ears of the Colonel who loved bagipes, thus everytime the band performed I was dragged into the lineup. Once, we decided to do a full-band reveille at the Officer’s Mess at the traditional time of 06:30. more commonly referred to as oh-dark-thirty. Playing, in single file up though the Officer’s quarters, was poorly received to say the least. We knew that they had a Dining-in Night the evening before and few, if any of the Subalterns would have been in bed for more than an hour before the skirl of the pipes woke them from a sherry/beer/white wine/red wine/port and more cleansing ales type troubled slumber. Tee hee hee. Later, in Vietnam, Pipers were called upon to play ‘The Flowers of the Forest’ at the Fire Support Base on any evening that we had lost a soldier. For reasons of prior engagements, ie being on patrol, I never had to do this, but it certainly gave the Piper reason to remember the advise…keep moving
Cpl Cameron, Piper, 7RAR, hoping ‘Charlie’ misses…moving target etc
Just like ‘Clocky’ above 
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