Technology

Over the past 3 or 4 years I have been  respondent to a number of common interest on-line forums all of which have been closed down. Predominantly, the reason has been volunteer site management fatigue. However, there have also been instances of the forum concept becoming subsumed by newer and more popular advances in I.T. formats. Now, another 'old' style forum is wobbling on the brink of being sub-sumed by what could be termed its own off-spring.

Very disappointing for those of us who have adored the warmth and companionship of 'old' things and systems... but also somewhat of an indictment of modern communication systems which contain within themselves, the seeds of their own destruction.

Caveat emptor?

Job search

When begging and borrowing fail to land a job... stealing is the only option left?

Conjecture in today's media about frustrated job seekers turning to crime perhaps gives some traction to the latter methodology?

Land HO!

The "they will never set foot on Australian soil" vow has apparently been watered down to accommodate unforeseen circumstances?

Now, should we expect expect another wave of slogans covering lack of comment on 'land matters'?

Luke Hartsuyker

I was unaware of this person's existence until hearing of his dictums on the government's review of rules of engagement with unemployed youth. Apparently he is the Assistant Minister of Employment.

Luke the heart-sucker of young hopefuls in the community?

The ABC of funding cuts?

Indications are that the slash and burn brigade are preparing to give the ABC and SBS another whack in their maniacal endeavour to 'make savings' whilst at the same time, now declaring that 'there is no budget crisis'.

Beats me!

Look out boys, here comes a Bobby...

One hundred Australian policemen with supporting military personnel to secure the MH17 crash site? A noble endeavour which will be greeted almost universally (on face value) as 'the right thing to do'.

One small point overwhelmed by attention concentrated on the main idea. Approval for its implementation apparently rests with the rebel militia who not only control the area of Ukraine involved... but also figure as the main suspects responsible for the atrocity in the first place.

Hmmm...

Daniel in the Poo?

The ALP, handily ahead in the opinion polls leading up to a November state election, allegedly have  been trying to ice the cake by launching a dirty trick straight from the political filth pond. They are accused of releasing a stolen private tape of a former Liberal premier running down his government colleagues in pretty explicit terms.

When is enough ever enough for these fruit cakes?!

Puppy bites.

Jacqui Lambie may not have thrilled everyone with her radio outburst yesterday... but, isn't it refreshing to hear any politician throw off the mask of office to tell it like it is in his or her mind?

Facing the Bill.

Bill Clinton weathered a confrontation with 'Robin Hood tax' supporters at the world AIDs congress today and went on to deliver a fine speech to a large audience. I had never heard of the proposed Robin Hood tax on stock exchange transactions, the proceeds of such a levy to be used in work to achieve eradication of AIDs. A splinter group idea I suspect... but the singling out of Mr Clinton to highlight their aims probably wont achieve that end, nor did it visibly harm Bill's continuing popularity among a wide variety of people.

Socked in for days?

First it was trial by cold. Now we are beset by dense fog for the next few days according to the weather nabobs. As I've noted before, we live on the same plateau as Tullamarine International airport...so, when it's socked-in,,, so are we. A number of arriving flights had to be diverted interstate this morning.

Meanwhile, we denizens of this locale just remain constantly 'diverted' by the crappy weather in general.

Brass Monkey weather?

Last night recorded the second lowest temperature for the year in Melbourne. It was a freezing 4.9C at around 6am... and the B.O.M. reckons the next 2 days will bring more of the same, if not worse!

Brrrr.

Men and their sheds

 Today (time permitting) I've been kicking around a few ideas for submissions to the annual Coffs Harbour Rotary Cartoon competition. Here's one of them prompted by this year's lead topic Men and their sheds.

Vlad the impaler 2?

Words fail me on the dastardly mid-air destruction of MH 17. The actual perpetrators of this horrendous crime appear to have identified themselves in unguarded conversations recorded by Western intelligence services. It so, who provided the maniacs with the means  necessary to commit such a criminal act?

Not really rocket science?!

Direct action - first step?

Directing the action?

Joe's 'Own goal'.

Mr. Hockey uses his head once too often for his team's liking?

Pets 'n' Vets

Last weekend the Australian Veterinary Association predicted that the Government's University funding reforms will eventually create a dearth of local vets because potential candidates for the 6 year degree course will not be able to mange an estimated cost of $250,000!

This will be bad news for Australia's extraordinarily high number of pet owners (who, of course also vote!).

On the other hand, the actual animals themselves will probably greet the prospect of avoiding dreaded Vet. visits in a totally different way?  

Pro Female Bishops?...

According to media reports, the Anglican Church seems to be warming to the ordination of female Bishops. Well, not everyone shares that mind shift. The Chinese press has declared themselves to be somewhat less than enamoured  with at least one Australian Bishop?

Sticking the boot in?!

Several ways to look at the government's (aka ADF) refusal to purchase strategic goods from long established Australian manufacturers.

They don't care about Australian jobs?

They don't give a hoot about our armed forces having to punt on the quality of overseas produced
el cheapo goods and/or chance the lack of a secure supply chain should they be employed in future off-shore campaigns?

Money is their over-riding interest in all administrative endeavours?


  

The Muir, the merrier?

Ricky, the newbie MP has warmed to Tony Abbott after learning that TA once owned an Austin 1800.

So did I, but it didn't lead me to postulate as a Prime Minister of the country!

The 'Babe'.

One hundred years ago today (11 july U.S. time) George Herman 'Babe' Ruth (b.1895 d.1948) played his first game of Major League baseball for the Boston Redsox. He later moved to the New York Yankees franchise were he spent the bulk of his long career and went on to become arguably the most famous all-round baseball player in the history of a game with which his name is synonymous.

The Bradman of baseball as it were.

Puppified?

Went into the red house like a rabid dog and came out...

High 'n' Dry?

I haven't paid a visit to Camshaft Newbroom country for quite a while.

Here's a quick look-see at what's been cooking there recently...

Rocking with Shinzo

Japanese cars to be cheaper under the newly signed trade agreement? The story of my life... always the lastest with the leastest.

As a  senior 'senior', I bought what will be my last Honda back in 2011!

The Magnanimous Seven?

I don't think so...

Rendezvous 2

The political rhetoric in public forums of today is almost identical to the dialog depicted by the late Sir David Low in his famous 1939 cartoon Rendezvous, penned in the shadow of WW2.

Chilling stuff.

Back-up?

It has just been revealed that the Victorian state government has invoked an arcane law which establishes serving police personnel as 'sworn officers of the law' and thus, not actual employees of the government.

So what?

This enables the state to wriggle out of range of O.H.& S legislation dealing with compensation for injury and/or death suffered by police whilst on duty.

Hmmm.

Kumar the Cabby.

Tamil migrants already established in Australia must be seriously concerned about the government's somewhat flippant reference to 'ordinary Australians not knowing (and, by implication- not caring?) about Sri-Lanka's alleged barbaric treatment of their brethren back in their former country'?

Australian Spiderman.

A local exhibitionist, who dubbed himself with the above title, has been brought to book by the law after making a nuisance of himself by dangerously clambering up and down multiple-storied Melbourne CBD structures- both established and under construction. His 'dare-devil'(?) feats were widely displayed on social media until he allegedly damaged a crane and, thus finally became tangled in a legal web which has led to his stunts being curtailed.

The American way?

An American Nobel Prize winning economist thinks the Australian government has erred badly in trying to implement US style systems of Education and Health Care. He maintains both examples have completely failed the american people and should not be adopted in any shape or form.

Over to you Mr. Rabbit!

Nick Kyrgios!

The young man pulled-off an almost impossible upset with his defeat of the world #1 at Wimbledon.

Good on him!

(BTW the 'apology' arises from an 'in-joke' among cartoonists in relation to a 'ball thingy' which Neil M.  almost always includes in his weekly OP/ed cartoon appearing in a Brisbane sunday newspaper. It looks like a tiny tennis ball.)

The new Senate

What a strangely ambiguous welcome to new members by Senator Abetz? After absolving the group from the gratuitous nick-name motley crew... he then presumes all are religious believers by describing them as 'God's children'.

Wouldn't it have been easier and more respectful to have simply welcomed the new people as
'senators'?

After all... I guess at some time in early life Adolf Hitler and others of his ilk might've been thought of as 'God's children.