If you are reading this, thank a Teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a Soldier
She smiled then said, “About the hotel – it was once owned by a wealthy Vietnamese couple who bought it from a French company. During the American involvement here, it housed mostly American military” “So I’ve heard” “Yes. Then when the Communists came to power in 1975, it was taken over by the government. It remained a hotel, but it mostly housed North Vietnamese party officials, Russian, and Communists from other countries” “Nothing but the best for the winners” “Well, I understand it became a pigsty. But sometime in the mid-1980s the government sold an interest in it to an international company, who managed to get rid of the communist guests. It was completely renovated and became an international hotel” From Up Country by Nelson Demille pp98-99
A couple of Tiger beers followed by a couple of Black Label scotches soothed the soul as Stu and I sat and talked about things in general. The Rex was as far removed from my war as Brisbane is and thus didn’t conjure up many recollections, but alcohol loosens the mind and some surprising events resurfaced from repressed memories.
Over by the crown and elephants a Philipino Quartet played and I was reminded of a time when I was last in Vietnam and suffering from malaria and a kind nurse offered to push me down in my wheelchair to a visiting Philipino show near the hospital at Vung Tau.
There were lightly clad, pretty Philipino girls doing a song and dance routine that quickly degenerated into a ‘simulated sex with the microphone stand’ routine and then went straight on to a ‘real and naked sex with passing soldiers’ routine. Military Policemen found God and converted from being athiest bastards to followers of religion of the type quoted by Protestants and Methodists and stopped the show, while my chaperone giggled, squealed and quickly wheeled me out of the theatre.
“Your’e not well enough for anything like that yet Kevin, your’e not even strong enough to walk”
All my protestations about it being a horizontal sport made no impact on the determination of the Lieutenant to deliver me safe and sound back to my hospital bed.
I lived to fight another day but I always felt the last chapter of that story never got written. Sadly, we’ve learned just recently from unconfirmed reports from Iraqi sources that he’s passed away,”There is going to be an investigation as well.
“We are trying to confirm that and the investigation, of course, will cover that most carefully.”The guy gave all indications he was leaving a bombed up vehicle near the digger’s accomodation, was told in Arabic to behave himself and when he still looked iffy someone topped him. Seems reasonable to me yet the commander is ‘sad’ and we’re having an investigation. Funny way to run a war.
ATSIC commissioners plan to sell some of the agency’s $8 million in property and assets ? including a $3 million collection of indigenous art ? to fund a legal battle with the Howard Government.Like the Tanks, artillery pieces, APCs and M16 rifles of the 70s, I’m of the opinion that anything ATSIC owns is actually a part of the National assett base and thus belongs to the taxpayer, not some miscreant grabbing for money and power out West. Can’t we just send in the removalists and bury this beast. ATSIC is dead and the corpse is starting to stink.
ALMOST half the women serving in Britain’s Royal Air Force had suffered from sexual harassment, it was reported today.
More than 1000 of the 2500 women surveyed internally by the RAF had been victims of sexual harassment over the past 12 months, reports in the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror said.I simply don’t believe it. Maybe ten percent of this is harrassment and inapropriate behaviour. It’s been my experience that most men are reasonble when dealing with the lifelong pursuit of the pleasures of Venus and know NO when they hear it. Life goes on. Men try and women mostly accept their approach. Some blokes come on too strong but mostly they end up accepting failure and try elsewhere. My Corps, Infantry, have a perfect record on this type of behaviour. It could be due to a total lack of women in the work place but I’d like to think it’s because we are gentlemen of the old school. It’s life’s major game-play and someone suggests fifty percent of this is harrassment or inapropriate. No way!
HMAS Ballarat
At approximately 4pm Sydney time, the Australian Navy’s ANZAC Class Frigate HMAS Ballarat ran aground at Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. The ship was engaged in Operation Relex II, a border protection activity, at the time. No one was injured. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed but there is known to be damage to the ship’s rudder and propeller. The ship’s hull was not holed. Navy will conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the grounding as soon as possible. Navy will not be able to decide whether the ship will be able to proceed under her own power for repairs until the full extent of the damage is known. No further information is available at this time.It’s never a good career move to navigate one of our navy frigates onto rocks. Update 24 Jan From this mornings Australian
Locals reported that several ships had run aground in the cove over the years as the seabed level changes dramatically near the jetty.and from Defence Media
Since grounding on Christmas Island on Saturday 22 January, HMAS Ballarat has undergone a number of trials to assess the impact of the damage to her propellers and possibly the steering gear. These trials, conducted in consultation with Navy engineers and the ship’s builder, will determine whether the ship will be able to undertake the passage to Fremantle under her own power or whether she will have to be towed. The trials should be completed, and a decision made on whether a tow is required, by late evening Monday 24 January (AEST). The frigate HMAS Canberra sailed from Fleet Base West, near Fremantle, late on Sunday 23 January and is now enroute to Christmas Island. This ship will either escort or tow HMAS Ballarat to Fremantle, depending on the outcome of the trials. She should arrive off Christmas Island late on Wednesday 26 January. An investigation team of two Navy officers will arrive in Christmas Island today to begin preparations for the Navy Board of Inquiry that will convene as soon as possible once the ship arrives in the mainland. The ANZAC-class frigate HMAS Arunta will sail from Fleet Base West mid-morning today to take over duties in Operation RELEX II, on which HMAS Ballarat was employed.
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