Citizen speak?

How lucky are those of us who were born in Australia? We never had to go through the largely ridiculous mine-field of Q & A being put together by those doyens of language, values, sporting stats,  and gawd knows what else masquerading as a federal government in Canberra at the moment. I imagine most of us 'natives' would fail the test now being prepared for hopeful immigrants seeking citizenship in Australia. We'd probably fail the present test for that matter(?)

The preferred level of English required of future applicants is said to be 'level 6 university'... whatever that is. My only recent exposure to 'university' standard language has been viewing a variety of professors being interviewed as expert spokes-persons on ABCTV news programs seeking input on matters of education and its role in the social sciences. I've been appalled by the number of them who start virtually every sentence with the word 'SO' and pepper their statements with other now hackneyed business world expressions such as 'around' instead of about; 'reaching out' instead of seeking; 'going forward' instead of ahead or future; and lately the ancient Roman 'cohort' in lieu of group or crowd! Is this the 'university standard' rubbish prospective Australians need to learn in order to fit in with the new order of things?

Well, at 82 y-o-a I don't propose using that version of English any time soon, so why should new-comers be compelled to?

Jack Frost calling...

This cartoon first saw the light of day during 2012 in support of a blog dealing with a run of then
extraordinarily COLD weather in the greater Melbourne area. During the past week or so, the same pattern of foggy, freezing starts to each day has been repeated enough to justify a second run for Mr. Frost as well.

Originally drawn @12 x 12cms (to suit the space provided for illustrations in the host web-site), it was also fortunately constructed in a Vector application which has enabled me to increase its size to 20 x 20cms without any loss of clarity or sharpness of line.

Taking a Liberty?

Here's a bonus post of something I did c. June 2012 when the then projected TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement) was first out-lined to the public in nations expected to participate.

I recall one onerous factor was the proposed built-in ability of Multi-national corporations (mostly U.S. based) to sue any member nation they felt might have stunted their profiteering 'rights'.

The drawing of 'Liberty' was actually made in 2009 for another illustrative purpose. The smile, eyes and URL tag on the fold of her gown were added to support the TPP disquiet.

Three blind mice?

Many of our so-called elected officialdom strive mightily to convince us that they are fit for the task of representing us despite our collective doubts to the contrary... then do something which proves the basis of our doubts to be correct.

Just stupid!

Mrs May's dismay?

When you allow EGO to dominate your vision of what's possible in politics... you often end up with Egg 0n Face. Such is the fate of British PM Teresa May who thought a snap election would increase her power profile for up-coming Brexit negotiations with the EU. Wrong! The 3 year early general election has left the Tories with a 'hung' parliament instead of the anticipated 100 plus seat majority they and Mrs May thought they would  have.

As I've said elsewhere... I think it is poetic justice especially for extraordinary hubris displayed by a so-called political 'leader'. All others of the MAY ilk beware!

D-day, June 6th 1944.

This is a re-run of a cartoon first published in 2012 to celebrate the day when Allied forces invaded German occupied Europe thus invoking the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler and his Nazi forces.

I was 9 years of age at the time of the actual event and still remember the childhood fear of radio news war reports which had always seemed to engender a feeling that the German/Japanese axis was invincible. After D-day... I think I was finally able to resume being a child and to enjoy life normally outside of the black shadow of war.

Budget Land

In tabling the 2017 Federal Budget in May, the Treasurer made a big deal out of a scheme to release a parcel of Defence Dept. land in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong to enable development of a housing estate to help alleviate a severe shortage of stock in the current Victorian market. On the face of it, the proposal  would potentially allow construction of 3000 homes in an attractive river-side environment... forming what could become a new and desirable suburban area out of an otherwise waste-land.

It's only now, several weeks after the Treasurer and his government colleagues have been basking in the aura of their wonderful 'gesture', that we learn the site is heavily affected by almost 100 years of pollution with by-products of a munitions factory established in 1908. To restore the site to suitability for human habitation is going to cost 'someone' tens of  millions of dollars in clean-up costs and a waiting period of between 2 and 6 years before actual development of housing can begin!

Still, we could start thinking up names for the housing precincts of the future. Asbestos Acres, Hydrocarbon Heights or even Toxic Towers come immediately to mind.

Rogue ASSteroid?

Actually launched myself into scribbling a new original cartoon late yesterday... and further surprised myself by completing it today.

Credit where it's due... thanks for your continued stupidity Donald!

Grey Nomads 2

Here's another c2012 cartoon I've fished out of my archives to entertain the reader should I fail to post something new based on the world today.

Bugged by the June Bug?

Posting new cartoon material has proved to be 'a bridge too far' over the past month or so. The mental block started because I simply got tired of the political theatre we were being fed by the slapstick and custard pie material generated from our Canberra masters, which was only topped by the hapless tedium emanating from the top billing in Washington/London/EU et. al.

The trouble is, IMO you can't make a joke of stuff already replete with comedy material. So, to ease back into some form of 'new' material, I'm selectively using some of the daily stuff I was publishing before my current blog site was inaugurated. Hope it helps restore my own sense of the ridiculous thus providing the reader with a modicum of enjoyment for their effort in bothering to look in on my day(s).