Debts unlimited?

The upcoming federal budget is reportedly being built on a framework of debt, good, bad and presumably, indifferent? A veritable 'truckload' of debt,

By the way, whatever happened to the once upon a time celebrated debt truck?

The MARS 'bar'?

Among his latest grand ideas Donald Trump has included a shade of JFK admiration (or one-upsmanship?) by suggesting the US should put a man on Mars during his presidential incumbency.

Why not go the whole hog and volunteer to be that MAN himself?

Art from the Heart.

At the risk of being seen as out of step with mainstream thought in Australia, I have to tell my reader that I do not share the belief that various military undertakings by Australian forces during the so-called War to end all Wars were central to the building of our reputation as a nation state. To the contrary, I think the enormous casualties attributable to that un-holy conflagration served to set back our nation-building efforts for almost two decades due to the cavalier waste of human resources in a conflict that had absolutely nothing to do with antipodeans (i.e. Australia and New Zealand) other than as outposts of European Empires fighting among themselves... and ALL destined to be defunct within 50 years of the 'Great War' anyway!

The only sentiment I share with mainstream 'opinion' is astonishment at the bravery of those adventurous young men who were slaughtered at the alter of crass imperialism. The war had absolutely nothing to do with 'freedom' as we accept the meaning of that word today. It had everything to do with greed for power, xenophobia and elitism. The treatment of troops in the field by  military and political leaders of the day was nothing shy of barbaric and most would've been charged with war-crimes if judged by the legal imperatives of today.

Circa mid-1950s I was moved to make a pencil sketch of a scene which might illustrate my attitude to WW1 in the face of ANZAC Day 'celebrations' of military prowess which I find mis-placed. I can't remember doing any research preparatory to the sketch... thus I consider it is more a product of heart rather than mind alone. It speaks to me of humanity, which I believe would not have been lost by ordinary combatants despite the horror they found themselves facing day after day.

 

Into the UN known?

Even Oligarchies suffer dog days when nothing seems to work...

Fertiliser?

About a decade ago I was driving to an Apple computer users* weekend meeting on the other side of Melbourne when I was delayed in Mt.Alexander Road by a huge green truck backing out of the Essendon plant farm after making a delivery. It was emblazoned with a well known fertiliser Company's name (not Mutual) supported by a slogan which had both pedestrian and motorist spectators in stitches.

When I got to the meeting, even the most straight-laced elderly members couldn't hide their amusement when I related the en-route experience.

* AUSOM... Apple-users Society of Melbourne.

Manus mess

Well... here's something you don't see very often (in recent times anyway).

That's it!.. a cartoon and blog post originally drawn/composed by yours truly AND posted to various social media outlets within 24 hrs!

Will wonders ever cease?

Oh... the subject there-of? The 'brass-alloy' response of our Prime Minister to news media questions about what the government is doing in the aftermath of shooting violence at the Manus Island 'detention' centre' was to gesticulate with his hands whilst blurting out 'that's PNG's problem!'

What???!

Traffic jams

The things that destroy any latent joy which may have attached itself to motoring in the past.

Speaking of the past, this cartoon originally accompanied a blog during the second half of 2012, almost certainly after some massive motor-way screw-up affecting commuters in the Melbourne area. These occurrences are by no means unusual, but the sign tells me that either Roads or Government 'authorities' must have reacted to the grid-lock in a cavalier fashion which did nothing to assuage the anger of motorists caught up in the mess(?)

Shock Jocks...

... you've gotta love 'em or despise 'em.

Back in September 2012, I fell squarely in the latter group where I remain firmly entrenched today. Mr. Jones' trumpeting must've especially stirred my bile at the time for me to conjure up this depiction of him. It accompanied an entry in an old blog of mine but the text element of that post is temporarily out of reach on a HD trapped inside an old computer which ceased operating only a few weeks ago.

Yes, I know...BACK UP, BACK UP!!

Labour Day?

I'm currently in a bit of a miasma over the medical tests aftermath of a fall from an exercise machine in our local municipal park last Monday morning. The momentary brain fade was identical to a series of the same 'VASA VAGAL' fainting incidents I had become familiar with during a long surgical battle with twisted bowel syndrome from 2005 to 2008. As often happens in these circumstances, the accident itself did little physical damage beyond the odd bruise and minor soreness, but an X-ray has thrown up a couple of ancillary mysteries which require more elaborate scans from next Monday. IMO, the medical tests treadmill is always far more stressful than actual treatment for disorders.

It also hogs your mind to the detriment of creative thoughts like lampooning the news or social behaviour in cartoon form. Hence, I am left to post re-runs of older work for a while until the medical test tunnel is fully negotiated. Today's slightly re-worked post is from my blog for Labour day in March 2012.

April fool?

Feeling quite wan in recent days. This is just a bit of fluff illustrating a random comment from a conversation with my son a couple of days ago.