Holy Smoke!

Bacon, anyone?

Refugees

Australia's refugee problem

May you live......

in interesting times......(Chinese malediction)

The twittering classes have been at it , this time signing off on a tweet posted to the ABC program
Q & A with what has been labelled a "lewd" twitter.
All this caused a bit of a rukus with the Minsiter for Communication, Malcolm Turnbull, demanding answers from the ABC , again.
It's been an interesting week with signs that the giant manufacturing economy of China bursting at the seams and investors' cash  quickly evaporating into cyber space .
A bit nervy all round with governments assuring one and all that this is merely an overdue correction.  Hope this appeals to the highly illogical markets..they're all a bit mad, even at the best of times.!

Re: Cycling

 A better way

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.

H. G. Wells

Rank and authority a la Aussie

Irreverence?

 No respecter of authority the Aussie larriken is the stuff of legends. There's a certain vicarious thrill experienced by Ron, Gordie or Bazza at seeing company executives fisticuffing away on the street or giving the Bronx Cheer to pompous Colonel Blimps. 

However a funny thing happens where kids are involved ;this is where irreverent behaviour is not the done thing. In the womb,   Aussie foetuses are already genetically equipped with  footy boots, tennis racquets,cricket bats and budgie smugglers. They are then moulded and shaped by the elder generations based on sporting models and heroes. This is where larrikenism stops. Dead in its tracks.

Bad show , Nick! (Kyrgios).Not a good example for kids.  The fact that he is temperamental hasn't helped..if he were to win a bit more might it be a different story?

Public Opinion

Far from the maddening crowd........??

Seems to be much ado ..about what?

Making a small fortune

into a smaller one....

 The Shanghai stock market has turned into a shock market.The bears are running amok.Real Estate gurus are hinting that this will have a flow on effect on the Sydney property market. Why? God knows. More than likely it's the Chinese Mr and Mrs Cheungs who have taken a mega hit; the tabloids identify them as the Mum and Dad investors. These have been gambling like billy-oh , shovelling housekeeping yuan into brokers' pockets like there's no tomorrow. 
The big investors, the multi rich ,some of  whom make Murdoch look like a pauper, will have been  cleaning up. It's called shorting.
There are a few universal truths that prevail in global stock exchanges. Firstly only invest what you can afford to lose, secondly do your homework and last but not least, don't panic.
Simples. Innit?

The more things change..

the more they are the same.

It's been going on for a while now and it's not looking as if it'll die down anytime soon.
New ways and new ideas can be particularly scary. 

The Texan country singer, humorist and columnist , with the appealing name of Kinky Friedman once remarked "I support gay marriage.I believe they have the right to be as  miserable as the rest of us."

 So, then, is marriage miserable? Based on figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics one in three marriages end in divorce . To be fair however this rate has been decreasing of late 

So what impact will same sex marriages have on statistics? No idea, because in reality the whole question is complex , too complex to untangle. It's a bubbling, seething quagmire of emotions and chaos. Get just two human beings together and you automatically have an frustrating  conundrum.

Finally, while on the subject  ,according to Discovery, the U.S. television channel,  there exists a hermaphrodite worm which has sex with its head.This method of reproduction is known as "selfing" not to be confused with "selfies" .

 Selfies involve heads, don't they? 
 Read into that whatever you will!

Stuck between a moussaka and a hard frickadelle

Own Goal or levelling the score?

This has been going on for so long I'm getting a thumping headache from the endless to-ing and fro-ing. Heartily sick of it, actually.

It must be the Greek way to live in an endless stat of chaos, where tomorrow will look after itself and yesterday is something to be talked about and analysed "ad nauseam" !

Anglo Saxon observers outside the European Union may be regarding this as the Armageddon of policies and high minded but impractical ideals where it all  unravels...at last!

From the sides there is the deafening sound of silence as fellow members of the basket case coterie, Spain, Italy and Portugal watch the endless procession of concerned dignitaries and ministers traipse between  EU member countries.

When will it all end? Hopefully soon and peacefully; peace after all was one of the prime objectives of the Union.

Vlad and Kim

 New relations

Having displeased his traditional ally , China, Kim Jong-un  is shifting his attention towards Russia  . Vladimir has  made himself unpopular with the West as a result of his actions in Crimea and Ukraine and is feeling the heat.
Putin has cancelled some of North Korea's debt and both countries intend to step up their trade in the coming year.
Kim, the Great Leader beloved everywhere in Pyongyang has not met one single world leader. Perhaps they don't like his haircut. It seems that Kim  might be plumping for Putin to make this  first major step outside his North Korea.
It seems both pariahs are looking for a meaningful relationship.....Aw...

                "Go on big fella.Gimme a hug!"

Vale Malcolm Fraser

RIP

1930-2015

There have been numerous reports as to the whereabouts of one, Vladimir Putin.
I one were to string all the rumours together you'd get the following story behind his absence,
Vlad went off to Switzerland to visit his mistress who is in the process, it is said, of delivering another little Vlad into the world. While waiting he went for a walkabout to Ukraine but just after his arrival he was struck by the                over-sixties disease,  a condition viewed by those under thirty as terminal, seriously terminal. On hearing this a coup was plotted and executed by those who didn't approve of Vlad's handling of Ukraine. His ETA back in Russia is unknown but the place is in a state of chaos as nobody else can handle Russia.

Something small

Kids

Haven't had much time recently. I've been following a course. I know what she feels like!  .So I thought I'd put this in again as it's one of my favourites.
Kids have a magic way of combining intensity with innocence.

Overpopulation issues

More than 700 koalas secretly culled in Victoria because of overpopulation issues.

The Curious Contraption of Mr Abbott

"We are continuing to govern the country...despite Canberra gossip.."

Image taken from The Curious Contraptions of Heath Robinson

It won't go away..will it? The P.M. insists that all is well and there's nothing to worry about.Well he would,  wouldn't he? In the meantime, Mal's purring like a Rolls Royce running on aviation fuel as he softly denies any intended or even unintended treachery.

A Hairy experience

"A storm in a teacup" so says the P,M,

The rumblings continue with quite a number of backbenchers unhappy with the P.M's political adviser, Peta Credlin. Hubby is a senior Liberal party member . Credlin was Malcolm Turnbull's Chief for a while and there was no outcry at the time. However, the discontent within the party has quite a bit to do with the P.M's leadership, despite the slight rise in his favour in the opinion polls.

Hair - the new theatrical

Trouble and strife this way comes

He's the best pussy cat ,ever!

There''s trouble for the PM in polly land with him and his political adviser under attack from within the Liberal party. Boil and bubble, blah,blah!

Live Baiting

Quite a scandal with the revelation that many greyhound trainers have been using live bait to train their dogs. Not all of them but quite a few across Australia. Heads have rolled. The PM probably feels a bit like live bait at the moment.

Thought for the day

.Read this the other day on a Facebook post...

The thing about farts is not to hold  ' em in. If you do they rise to your brain and give you shitty thoughts.

The elephant outside the room

Love's Labours Lost

After a short time in office and their hard work to get re-elected, it's all a bit of a mess for the government.

It was probably not the economy which concerned the public , nor Mr Abbott indeed,  while campaigning, but more likely the debacle with the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd game of musical chairs.
In their first few months the coalition seemed to rush in like bulls in a china shop believing they had an absolute mandate to do what they liked. It would appear that the recent election results in Queensland  has dented that belief  Desperate to see himself as a  good guy, the Prime Minister is clutching at any straw that blows his way.
Can he recover? That is sixty-four thousand dollar question. In politics it is a question of knowing when to be patient and when not.

Captain's Pick

Trying out the new whip

Some other Australian news

Good news

After the dismal shenanigans of politics and in particular the Abbott government, it's nice to be able to report some positives on the Australian scene.

After their Asian Cup win over Korea, the Australian soccer team have shot up 37 places to No 63 in the FIFA world rankings. After years of languishing on the fringe of sporting interests, it seems that soccer or football, depending on where you live, has come of age. 

The Special Broadcasting Corporation , or SBS, has been promoting soccer for oinks and it seems ironic that the win over Korea was broadcast by the ABC whose interest to now has been perfunctory. But as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. 

Remaining on SBS programs, Australia has been invited to participate in the Eurovision song contest. Now beat that !

Let's hope Angela Merkel doesn't start to worry too much by these startling developments .

Needs must

"If sir doesn't like it, we have something else on the menu"

The latest mantra,  which the party faithful trot out at every interview possible , concentrates on the "mess inherited" from the previous Labor government.
y

With regard to the government's  attempts to implement draconian budget proposals, Mr Abbott insists they "hear what people are saying". To demonstrate his good faith, the PM argues that should any new, or old,  proposed budget measures not work, he will endeavour to serve up different options.Sounds like a deal? Probably more a question of mutton dressed up as lamb.

Inexplicology

Oppa!

A 'ferocious energy'

The current situation with Greece and the Eurozone members is intricate in many ways. Economically, Greece has a  credit history riddled with defaults.

.According to Matthew Lynn, a freelance columnist who has contributed to the Spectator, the Hellenic Mediterranean paradise, since its formation  in 1821 has defaulted four times .
In the post-war years Greece barely managed to catch up with the industrialised Europe. Cut off by the Carpathian mountains it was far removed from the mainstream of European culture and science. After the Nazi occupation, it endured a civil was followed buy the rule of the Colonels who, true Luddites to the core, resisted change and modernity.
Ash Omar, a journalist of Greek background, living in San Francisco wrote an analysis of the Greek character.In it she states that Greeks have a ferocious energy and being night owls ( the owl is the symbol of Athens) will bargain until the sun goes down or up.
Gregory of Nyssa, venerated as a saint ,  wrote of Athenians in the 4th century, "if you ask someone to give you change, they philosophise,if you enquire about the price of a loaf, they theologise,if you ask 'ís my bath ready?' they dispute doctrine with you. 
Given the sometimes pedantic nature of institutions , it is clear that the confrontation between new Europe and old Greece will be hard to resolve in a convenient way . But then again, they don't call Economics the 'miserable science' for nothing.
For an in-depth look see the links below:

http://www.historytoday.com/matthew-lynn/greek-economics-drachmas-debt-and-dionysius

http://thisismyhappyplace.net/2011/10/04/the-greek-personality-an-urban-study-of-a-people/

And some people have leadership....

................thrust upon them

It's over.The leadership spill has been and went and by two thirds roughly, the PM survived despite the gloomy predictions of some. Whether he will be the Phoenix rising from the ashes remains to be seen.
Reports of his pending demise have , in retrospect, been greatly exaggerated.  However, there it is. Such excitement.

Liberal Leadership Spill Monday

Is Tony Plucked?

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day
Monday, Monday, it just turns out that way
Oh, Monday, Monday, won't go away
Monday, Monday, it's here to stay

Oh Monday, Monday
Oh Monday, Monday

(The mammas and the pappas)

Mad Men

At least, in the early 60's, they weren't into drugs...

           Not really...

An Ohio man who sold fake urine and other products meant to help people pass workplace drug tests has pleaded guilty before a federal judge in Pennsylvania.

David Neal, 61 of Middletown, Ohio, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to defraud the United States and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. He faces up to six years in prison when he returns to Pittsburgh for sentencing May 13.

Associated Press Feb 3 2015

http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/ohio-man-pleads-guilty-selling-fake-urine-drug-28686090

Doing Europe

Flexibility?

The new Greek government# has been on a soothing tour of Europe , trying to allay fears of a "grexit" from the Euro zone. It seems to have worked to some extent , however , in view of past events , there's a certain amount of caution in the air.
Conditions in Greece for its population are not improving out of sight and when the austerity measures were first introduced it was on the Euro zone's assumption that conditions  would be almost back to normal within two years. It is now three years and as of August 2014 the country's unemployment rate was 26%. Contrary to popular belief Greece has actually achieved a budget surplus.
There are a number of proposals on the table including restructuring of the loans or other measures but for the moment it seems that the European Central Bank's flexibility is the unanswered issue while the future of the currency is still a bit wobbly.

Peter Greste: Australian journalist on his way home

The time has come.....

To speak of many things

 He might survive , he might not.It's all looking a bit "iffy" for the PM. Being a cyclist he's probably a past master of back-pedalling which he'll have to do like greased lightning over the next few months. Probably he's feeling a bit numb, that's what happens when you lose the touch.
Who knows? Six months, in politics, can be an eternity when a week's reputed to be a long time.

Riding wildly in all directions at the same time....

All together now

The controversy of the  Australian knighthood awarded to HRH Prince Philip continues to appear in the press.

"My leadership style's a bit different but we'll get there.." 

 Lots of spin from the PM's senior colleagues. changing the subject by those who don't have an opinion and mutinous rumblings from backbenchers.

If one displeased the ancient Moguls it was a question of "Off with his head"  and your head would be an integral  part of a jolly game of polo amidst a blur of whinnying horses and clouds of dust in the middle of the Steppes. Today's Moguls are a little less bloodthirsty but nevertheless, the physically wilting Murdoch (it's the story of Dorian Gray come to life, Rupert looks like he has to screw his hat on ) has called for Peta Credlin's head (Abbott's top aide)  to be delivered on a salver.The press and others are having a field day and the saga continues despite apologies and "Mea culpa" acknowledgements . 

The PM's leadership style seems to be one of looking back to the future.But as with everything , there's only so much one can make out of the episode...this,too shall pass.

A fillip for Oz

His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, KG (Knight of the Garter), KT (Knight of the Thistle), OM (Order of Merit), GBE (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire), AK (Knight of the Order of Australia), QSO (Companion of The Queen's Service Order), PC (Privy Counsellor).

Furore, outrage, huffin' and  puffin' , righteous indignation.These were some of the emotions that greeted the announcement that Prince Philip had been awarded an Australian knighthood. Tony's the man that done it! Captain's pick,purred he, then a couple of days later told everyone to take it easy, calm down, take a step back etc etc.  

In a hut in remote Yaohnanen on the island of Tanna in the South Pacific,  there is a shrine dedicated to The Duke of Edinburgh with clippings, correspondence and portraits, Children on the island are taught about a god who lives overseas in England and who will one day return , sleep in a hut and hunt for pigs with the villagers. Should be fun, he's always been a keen sportsman.

So, no furore here, not so perhaps,  amongst the pigs.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-27/prince-philip-the-styles-and-titles-of-the-british-royal/6048142

Same old, same old.....

The RePUBlican issue again

Off we go again..having lain dormant for quite a number of years this rather emotive issue of Australia as a republic is being taken up by the opposition leader. Bill Shorten.

I am not going to argue for or against just to note that the newer generations of Australians will no doubt, because if their background, be more flexible in the way they regard Australia. The older generation will buck the trend..it will still take a while as the ways and means as to how to arrange the whole thing has still to be sorted out. 

The appointment of the sage and true is a notoriously complex issue. Not without reason do they say that the bumble bee is a bird designed by a committee. 

It's a man thing

Venus or Mars anyone?

Once men lose their ability to open jars or bottles for the fairer sex, they will be done for. Women, in most Western countries, are coming to the fore in all areas of activity.
The male of the human species has, as do women, unique traits. For example he does not like the feeling of helplessness unless of course some little bimbo flutters her eyelids at him, turning his knees to jelly. Women being the more canny know this and use this to their advantage. A sure fire way for the female to escape a speeding ticket is to break down into tears this works a charm. Unless the officer is herself female, then all bets are off.
In Germany, a landlord sued his tenant for damage to the bathroom marble floor caused by, you guessed it, splashes and dribbles. The landlord demanded about Euro 1500,99 in damages. The judge in Dusseldorf dismissed the claim ruling that the man's method was "within cultural norms".
There is a debate in Germany concerning the man's right to urinate standing up as opposed to sitting down.Some public toilets, in fact, have signs that indicate urinating in an upright position is verboten and those who choose to urinate sitting are referred to derogatorily by their colleagues as sitzen pinkler. 
While domesticated man's position in the household, in the West, is morphing dramatically and household arguments over ways and means are increasing as a result, the judge's ruling was a message to "p... off" .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30937492

Australia Day 2015

Up a gumtree

In 1980 , Australia had a population of about 15 million, Today that figure is a little over 25 million. We'll obviously have a job catching up with China and India's numbers but frankly who cares? In 1980 , one of the topics of conversation was Australia's population sustainability but the dark mutterings of doom and gloom seem to have abated.
Australia has sun, sand sea and endless beaches but is also populated by venomous insects, arachnids, sharks and monstrous  salties . They thrive in the temperate climate. Then there are the big red kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, possums , brumbies and bilbies.  Too numerous to mention are other unique fauna like the cross between a duck and a mole, the platypus , or the egg-laying anteater, the echidna. Lastly , as far as the weather goes there's feast or famine with either too much or too little rain.  
So there we are. Many reasons and more to celebrate . 
What do you reckon?

"Barbecued gum leaves doesn't do it for me, I'm sorry"

Money,money,money

It's a rich man's/woman's world

They have an armed bicycle unit, knives, milk chocolate, cow bells, mountains, cheese fondu and cuckoo clocks. They are also very wealthy. It's one of the few places where I have seen a used Rolls Royce Silver Cloud for sale in a used car lot. 

Both admired and criticized for their long held position of neutrality in world affairs , the Swiss however, have been unable to avoid being dragged into the wild and whacky world of international finance.

This week, the Board of the Swiss Central Bank effectively muttered a collective "Bugger it!" and unpegged the Euro from it's Swiss Franc 1.20 counter value where it had been since 2011.

Briefly, investors have been looking for security and have been buying U.S.Government Bonds and Swiss Francs. The incoming tidal surge  of Euros put the country in an intolerable position according to economists, Switzerland's currency reserves accumulating to 70% of its GDP.

Panic set in and as well as banks being unable to handle the demand for Euro as the Swiss went on a buying spree (the value dropped to parity eg 1 on 1 a twenty percent appreciation against the Euro ) a number of hedge funds went belly up. In Freiburg , just across the border from Basle, locals vented their spleen on talkback radio at the hundreds of Swiss citizens whose cars filled all available parking spaces while they frolicked through department stores buying, buying, buying.

Long criticised by many, amongst them the Pope himself, for its inertia and sluggish approach to their economies, the Eurozone is beginning to see the light and talk of stimuli is rife in thousands of classy Michelin star restaurants ( over bottle of red  ) not just any old plonk but Chateau stuff .

With the Greek elections and much marking time as the reforms are considered, it would seem the Euro is in for another rough trot.

No Show

No Way!

..and he was sent The Bill

It was reported in the press that the parents of a five year old boy who missed a birthday party , given by a school friend, received a bill for $25.00 from the birthday boy's parents.The bill was to cover costs incurred.

Not nice stuff, Bickering parents, unhappy school friends and an unpleasant after taste.

A number of years ago in the U.S. someone tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of a train, The driver was able to stop and death avoided. A number of weeks later, the relative transport authority was sued by the unhappy survivor , citing that his right to commit suicide had been denied. 

Perhaps he should have sent the city transport a bill instead. As a race we have risen from the mud through millions of years to become the dominant intelligent species. Suppose that is the grist for the mill for writers,artists and philosophers and talking of bills ......lawyers. 

A beautiful noise?

Sorry, I can't hear you

The good old days, by all accounts, were not that crash hot. Life was a bit less hectic and slow but if you survived birth, still possessed teeth at the age of thirty and did not reek like an ambulating septic tank, you were lucky.

Winter was enough to freeze the nuts off good King Wenceslas, while food was scarce and appalling and drinking water hard to come by. If you didn't mind doffing your hats to your betters and superiors, life was a breeze. Fortunate enough to be born into the upper echelons of society, bored dowagers held big balls while the menfolk dressed up in dandy clothes and sallied forth to war.

We are more democratic today and tend to live longer and better than our ancestors but eventually our eardrums will wear out. The groundwork for a generation of geriatric deafies has been laid. Life today is noisy.

Now, take a deep breath…….

Life wasn't meant to be easy....

It has not been a good start to the year. Each year we say to ourselves “Next year’s got to be better!” At the end we look back and you know what? Lousy!


Unfortunately for us in our quest for freedom and as the Americans put it, the pursuit for happiness , we believed that we all wanted improvement and change, regardless of nationality or creed. “Improve education, help them to help themselves” was the catch cry of the seventies and eighties. The quest has partially succeeded but with the good comes the uncomfortable.Change.

The Russians, no matter how miserable  their existence under Stalin and the yolk of communism now hanker for the good old days when they were a force to be reckoned with. Today we have a clash between old Islam and the new modern Islam.

In the 70’s and 80’s we saw the emergence of the Red Brigade, responsible for numerous killings of political leaders, the rise of The Black Panther movement in the U.S., followed closely by numerous terrorist hijackings and kidnapping by the PLO. The war in Lebanon should not be forgotten where kidnapping and assassinations were on the daily menu.

New communities, new countries freed from the colonials, new generations, new set of rules are to the fore as we enter another year. The trouble will be to maintain our equilibrium.

"Here you are, my lovelies! This might help!"
(Guest appearance of the witch by courtesy of Disney and Snow White)

Declining Possum

<p>Back to School (?)Reminds me of those awful schooldays. Our Latin master was an international Rugby Referee and as such put us in awe and fearsome dread. We sweated over reading out loud which was an excruciating task,perspiration dripping onto the desk... ..but then we didn't have possums to help us ....<p>

'..and so on -estis , -sunt

What a difference a day makes ..........

Je suis bête

It's been a heavy few days. Unprecedented scenes of camaraderie and solidarity. Funny that it takes a shock,like the events of last week,  to unite us. Why can't the EU continue in this vein?
Doubt it. We're a funny mob capable of all sorts of things . Side by side with the throngs that crowded Paris streets , we have anti-islamisation demonstrations in Germany.

The Human Rights Watch reports that in six months of 2014  Boko Haram have killed , in Nigeria, more than 2000 innocent men,women and children , the annual figure ir reported to be nearer 10000; recently, too, in Pakistan more than 130 school children were gunned down in cold blood in the name of belief.

We are convinced our democratic ideals are true and are shocked to find those who don't agree. It's like the old Guru, smugly secure, in splendid isolation , atop a high mountain who,  when told that the meaning of life was not a deep well , replied thunderstruck, "It isn't?"

People can get killed for their convictions but  their beliefs and faith live on. Time is the sole evidence and proof of validity.

Alas, stupidity too, lives on. This is an ideal time for those arguing the case for bigotry to emerge from the shadows.

Bigotry is worse than stoopid.

He was told to stick the bomb in a jumbo jet's hold

Je suis Marianne

Liberte

Eugène Delacroix 

What's that about the pen?

Charlie will live..

The cold blooded killing of twelve in Paris is a shocker. No excuses, no matter what the cause.

Dangerous Missions

TTFN... 

Without so much as a cheery "Ila al-liqa'a" Prime Minister Abbott was off to Iraq on a secretive mission.The media were not invited due to the "heightened Security risk" Presumably the foreign Press were not subject to these concerns.Secrecy was again the order of the day.

Mr Abbott, it seemed, was a little more welcome in Iraq than he will be in Queensland where Campbell Newman is holding a  swiftie state election later this month. 

After discussing methods and strategies, the PM then visited Australian troops thanking them " very, very much" for their presence ( who sent them there?) and adding that "fair dinkum" Ozzies admired their efforts. His effusive thanks no doubt were reflected in their recent 1.5% pay rise. Although a tad below the inflation rate it was a move designed to encourage conversation at the ensuing official barbecue (snags and onions no doubt). 

History has shown that when one is in trouble at home politically, it's a good move to shift one's focus elsewhere. 

As they say in France, the more things change the more they remain the same.

Ho, Hum!

Mr Abbott arrives "ïncognito"in Baghdad