Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Boggabilla suffers significant storm damage

Boggabilla suffers significant storm damage

ABC - December 29, 2008, 7:49 pm

Emergency crews are reporting significant storm damage at Boggabilla on the New South Wales - Queensland border.

The Rural Fire Service says a number of homes, shops and the local post office have lost their roofs.

Power lines are down across the town and a section of the Newell Highway has been closed.

Meanwhile Faux News is also reporting that medical staff are treating emergency personnel for extreme laughter caught while attempting to say the town's name with a straight face.


Family forgives killer of son

Truly a tragedy but also a very amazing story. I don't think I would have the moral fortitude to do such a thing. And I praise the parents with high praise for their act of forgiveness. May God bless them abundantly even more for this great feat.

Having said that - I think the killer ought to be hanged or locked away forever. Murder is murder. Society can't allow people to go around stabbing people and getting away with a slap on the wrist or jail time in a funny farm.


**************************************************

The family of a teenager stabbed to death at a Sydney railway station have gathered for the much-loved youth's funeral, saying they forgive his killer.

Andrew Motuliki, 17, was stabbed in the chest with a large fishing knife allegedly after a fight broke out between two groups of teenagers on a train at Campsie station, in Sydney's south-west, on December 21.

Passengers on the train tried to give the Marrickville teenager first aid but he was pronounced dead on arrival at St George Hospital.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with his murder, as well as affray and custody of a knife in a public place.

He was refused bail in Parramatta Children's Court the day after the stabbing death.

"This boy who did this to my son, I forgive you," Andrew's father Etikailahi Motuliki told the Ten Network.

"Pray to God, pray for forgiveness."

His mother, Ane Motuliki, echoed the words of forgiveness, happy for the murder-accused to be dealt with by the courts, saying: "(I) leave up to whoever (to) deal with him".

Shortly after the killing, the Motulikis made a tearful public plea for people not to carry knives.

"I would like to appeal to kids everywhere not to carry knives," Mr Motuliki said the day after his son's death.

"They need to find out another way to solve their problems."

Following Monday's funeral, family and friends gathered at the scene of the stabbing, singing and praying for Andrew who was killed on his way to church just days before Christmas .

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Short term work - Travel and Write. Interested?

I got this email - unfortunately I don't write about food very well - but if anyone is interested read on:

******************************************************************************

I'm currently looking for a contract writer for 4 months, from mid-
Jan to mid-May. Pay is about 1.8K per month, looking for a diploma-
grad with at least 1 year of writing experience.

The work is for an F&B Trade magazine, and a gourmet website, so
candidate needs to have a basic understanding of cuisine.

This job requires at least 10 days of travel to Abu Dhabi, to cover
an event which another department in our company is organising.

Writer really needs to work without much supervision, and be able to
submit relatively clean copy. As web-writing is involved, writer
needs to be able to double-check his/her on work effectively.

This is a basic breakdown of the work involved:

For Gourmet Abu Dhabi: Writer to be stationed in Abu Dhabi from at
least 5 to 14 Feb. Work includes daily, post-event updates to the
website (one short para for each event attended, and photo captions).
This means writer needs to attend the events during the day and then
post the write-ups, etc by next morning.

During the event, writer also needs to cover 3 personality profiles
(2 chefs, 1 patissier), and work on a post-event coverage article. 4
articles in all. The deadlines on these are extremely tight.
Submission of articles is expected when writer is overseas.

AFTER GOURMET ABU DHABI:
Writer is to write and organise collaterals for World Gourmet Summit,
see to the vetting processes, etc. Magazine work might be included as
well, and writer will end contract with daily coverage of World
Gourmet Summit, same as Gourmet ABu Dhabi.

Interested applicants, please do email your resumes to:
christine@asiacuisine.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Killers given 2 years jail - Australian Justice is FUBAR

Two young men who killed an innocent pedestrian for fun - yes, just for the hell of it - have been given a sentence of just 2 years in a counseling centre.

Dr. Zhongiun Cao, 41, was on his way back from work to his wife and child when he was attacked by a group of teenagers. They punched him and kicked him to the ground. Then while he was unconscious, they bashed his head in.

No, this is totally fubar. WTF is going wrong with Australia's justice system.

The Judge in sentencing said the two young men had a good chance of rehabilitation. ... (which does what exactly for the justice of the late Dr. Cao?)

December 22, 2008 04:03pm

TWO teenagers who were part of a vicious gang that kicked a man to death for fun will only spend around two years in youth detention.

In the Supreme Court today Justice David Harper said the attack on Dr Zhongjun Cao, 41, took place during "several hours of mad, senseless criminality".

He said the two youths, who are both 18 and can only be named as MBA and WH, set out with six others to find, attack and rob an innocent victim in Footscray in January this year.

"You both agreed to be part of a gang, the aim of which was seriously criminal," Justice Harper said.

"You did not want or expect that anyone would die as a result. Robbery involves the use of force, or at least the threat of it.

"You were prepared to be involved in that."

Dr Cao, a research fellow at Victoria University of Technology was on his way home when he was confronted by the gang at the intersection of Kinnear and Eldridge Streets.

Justice Harper said he was punched and then flung to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement.

As he lay stricken another member of the gang kicked him in the head and then his wallet and phone were stolen.

The father of one died four days later in hospital.

“Partly out of a totally misguided sense of entertainment, and partly because members of your pack wanted to steal Dr Cao’s mobile phone, he was set upon by you and your friends,” the judge told the two teenage killers.

Justice Harper said both teenagers came from good families, had no previous convictions and had good prospects of rehabilitation.




Short term work - Travel and Write. Interested?

I got this email - unfortunately I don't write about food very well - but if anyone is interested read on:

******************************************************************************

I'm currently looking for a contract writer for 4 months, from mid-
Jan to mid-May. Pay is about 1.8K per month, looking for a diploma-
grad with at least 1 year of writing experience.

The work is for an F&B Trade magazine, and a gourmet website, so
candidate needs to have a basic understanding of cuisine.

This job requires at least 10 days of travel to Abu Dhabi, to cover
an event which another department in our company is organising.

Writer really needs to work without much supervision, and be able to
submit relatively clean copy. As web-writing is involved, writer
needs to be able to double-check his/her on work effectively.

This is a basic breakdown of the work involved:

For Gourmet Abu Dhabi: Writer to be stationed in Abu Dhabi from at
least 5 to 14 Feb. Work includes daily, post-event updates to the
website (one short para for each event attended, and photo captions).
This means writer needs to attend the events during the day and then
post the write-ups, etc by next morning.

During the event, writer also needs to cover 3 personality profiles
(2 chefs, 1 patissier), and work on a post-event coverage article. 4
articles in all. The deadlines on these are extremely tight.
Submission of articles is expected when writer is overseas.

AFTER GOURMET ABU DHABI:
Writer is to write and organise collaterals for World Gourmet Summit,
see to the vetting processes, etc. Magazine work might be included as
well, and writer will end contract with daily coverage of World
Gourmet Summit, same as Gourmet ABu Dhabi.

Interested applicants, please do email your resumes to:
christine@asiacuisine.com

Short term work - Travel and Write. Interested?

I got this email - unfortunately I don't write about food very well - but if anyone is interested read on:

******************************************************************************

I'm currently looking for a contract writer for 4 months, from mid-
Jan to mid-May. Pay is about 1.8K per month, looking for a diploma-
grad with at least 1 year of writing experience.

The work is for an F&B Trade magazine, and a gourmet website, so
candidate needs to have a basic understanding of cuisine.

This job requires at least 10 days of travel to Abu Dhabi, to cover
an event which another department in our company is organising.

Writer really needs to work without much supervision, and be able to
submit relatively clean copy. As web-writing is involved, writer
needs to be able to double-check his/her on work effectively.

This is a basic breakdown of the work involved:

For Gourmet Abu Dhabi: Writer to be stationed in Abu Dhabi from at
least 5 to 14 Feb. Work includes daily, post-event updates to the
website (one short para for each event attended, and photo captions).
This means writer needs to attend the events during the day and then
post the write-ups, etc by next morning.

During the event, writer also needs to cover 3 personality profiles
(2 chefs, 1 patissier), and work on a post-event coverage article. 4
articles in all. The deadlines on these are extremely tight.
Submission of articles is expected when writer is overseas.

AFTER GOURMET ABU DHABI:
Writer is to write and organise collaterals for World Gourmet Summit,
see to the vetting processes, etc. Magazine work might be included as
well, and writer will end contract with daily coverage of World
Gourmet Summit, same as Gourmet ABu Dhabi.

Interested applicants, please do email your resumes to:
christine@asiacuisine.com

Killers given 2 years detention - Australian Justice is FUBAR

Two young men who killed an innocent pedestrian for fun - yes, just for the hell of it - have been given a sentence of just 2 years in a counseling centre.

Dr. Zhongiun Cao, 41, was on his way back from work to his wife and child, when he was attacked by a group of teenagers. They punched him and kicked him to the ground. Then while he was unconscious, they bashed his head in.

The Judge in sentencing said the two young men had a good chance of rehabilitation. ... (which does what exactly for the justice of the late Dr. Cao?)

No, this is totally fubar. WTF is going wrong with Australia's justice system.

One of the killers were very pleased with the sentencing and nearly laughed at the judge's decision to be nice to him and not put him in an adult jail.

The widow has told she has lost her best friend and soul mate.


If Dr Cao had a gun - and used it to shot the assailants and killed them even in self defence - he would probably have been sent to jail for a longer time than these two idiots.

BTW, the murderers' name are discussed here on Dr Cao's blog. One of the killers is a Chinese guy. Two of them are Muslims... Arabs probably. And the other is an Italian.

http://tls.vu.edu.au/ZhongjunCao/ZhongjunCao.cfm

December 22, 2008 04:03pm

TWO teenagers who were part of a vicious gang that kicked a man to death for fun will only spend around two years in youth detention.

In the Supreme Court today Justice David Harper said the attack on Dr Zhongjun Cao, 41, took place during "several hours of mad, senseless criminality".

He said the two youths, who are both 18 and can only be named as MBA and WH, set out with six others to find, attack and rob an innocent victim in Footscray in January this year.

"You both agreed to be part of a gang, the aim of which was seriously criminal," Justice Harper said.

"You did not want or expect that anyone would die as a result. Robbery involves the use of force, or at least the threat of it.

"You were prepared to be involved in that."

Dr Cao, a research fellow at Victoria University of Technology was on his way home when he was confronted by the gang at the intersection of Kinnear and Eldridge Streets.

Justice Harper said he was punched and then flung to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement.

As he lay stricken another member of the gang kicked him in the head and then his wallet and phone were stolen.

The father of one died four days later in hospital.

“Partly out of a totally misguided sense of entertainment, and partly because members of your pack wanted to steal Dr Cao’s mobile phone, he was set upon by you and your friends,” the judge told the two teenage killers.

Justice Harper said both teenagers came from good families, had no previous convictions and had good prospects of rehabilitation.




Monday, December 22, 2008

Killers given 2 years jail - Australian Justice is FUBAR

Two young men who killed an innocent pedestrian for fun - yes, just for the hell of it - have been given a sentence of just 2 years in a counseling centre.

Dr. Zhongiun Cao, 41, was on his way back from work to his wife and child when he was attacked by a group of teenagers. They punched him and kicked him to the ground. Then while he was unconscious, they bashed his head in.

No, this is totally fubar. WTF is going wrong with Australia's justice system.

The Judge in sentencing said the two young men had a good chance of rehabilitation. ... (which does what exactly for the justice of the late Dr. Cao?)

December 22, 2008 04:03pm

TWO teenagers who were part of a vicious gang that kicked a man to death for fun will only spend around two years in youth detention.

In the Supreme Court today Justice David Harper said the attack on Dr Zhongjun Cao, 41, took place during "several hours of mad, senseless criminality".

He said the two youths, who are both 18 and can only be named as MBA and WH, set out with six others to find, attack and rob an innocent victim in Footscray in January this year.

"You both agreed to be part of a gang, the aim of which was seriously criminal," Justice Harper said.

"You did not want or expect that anyone would die as a result. Robbery involves the use of force, or at least the threat of it.

"You were prepared to be involved in that."

Dr Cao, a research fellow at Victoria University of Technology was on his way home when he was confronted by the gang at the intersection of Kinnear and Eldridge Streets.

Justice Harper said he was punched and then flung to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement.

As he lay stricken another member of the gang kicked him in the head and then his wallet and phone were stolen.

The father of one died four days later in hospital.

“Partly out of a totally misguided sense of entertainment, and partly because members of your pack wanted to steal Dr Cao’s mobile phone, he was set upon by you and your friends,” the judge told the two teenage killers.

Justice Harper said both teenagers came from good families, had no previous convictions and had good prospects of rehabilitation.




Sunken Treasure in the Java Sea

More precisely, the Gaspar Straits, Sumatra - about ... 100 - 200 miles off Singapore. An Arab merchant ship sunk here over a thousand years ago - and with it - 63,000 pieces of gold, silver, porcelain and precious objects from the Tang dynasty. It also included the largest ever gold cup made by Tang artisans found.

In 2005, the Singapore Government paid $50 million dollars for this treasure to put into the new museum.

There should be plenty more of such treasure ships under our seas waiting to be discovered. :)

For news on that discovery click here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7675866.stm

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Sunken Treasure in the Java Sea

More precisely, the Gaspar Straits, Sumatra - about ... 100 - 200 miles off Singapore. An Arab merchant ship sunk here a thousand years ago - and took with it 63,000 pieces of gold, silver, porcelain and precious objects from the Tang dynasty. It also included the largest ever gold cup made by Tang artisans.

In 2005, the Singapore Government paid $50 million dollars for this treasure to put into the new museum.

There should be plenty more of such treasure ships under our seas waiting to be discovered. :)

For news on that discovery click here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7675866.stm


Sunken Treasure in the Java Sea

More precisely, the Gaspar Straits, Sumatra - about ... 100 - 200 miles off Singapore. An Arab merchant ship sunk here over a thousand years ago - and with it - 63,000 pieces of gold, silver, porcelain and precious objects from the Tang dynasty. It also included the largest ever gold cup made by Tang artisans found.

In 2005, the Singapore Government paid $50 million dollars for this treasure to put into the new museum.

There should be plenty more of such treasure ships under our seas waiting to be discovered. :)

For news on that discovery click here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7675866.stm

True Love

I just rewatched the end scene of the miniseries John Adams- its very moving and poignant.

They corresponded regularly by mail. Such love must seem rare in today's world.

Click here to watch it

http://ymchiam.multiply.com/video/item/50/Love_letters_-_John_Abigail_Adams_

Saturday, December 20, 2008

True Love

I just rewatched the end scene of the miniseries John Adams- its very moving and poignant.

They corresponded regularly by mail. Such love must seem rare in today's world.

Click here to watch it

http://ymchiam.multiply.com/video/item/50/Love_letters_-_John_Abigail_Adams_

True Love

I just rewatched the end scene of the miniseries John Adams- its very moving and poignant.

They corresponded regularly by mail. Such love must seem rare in today's world.

Click here to watch it

http://ymchiam.multiply.com/video/item/50/Love_letters_-_John_Abigail_Adams_

Friday, December 19, 2008

Another reason to avoid eating out

Melbourne Restaurant Pho Bo Ga Mekong at Swanston Street gets busted for stinking kitchen.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/filth-bugs-cost-city-restaurant-owner-10000-20081218-71lv.html

Rick Warren the Evangalist goes to Washington

Yes, Rick Warren, the famous writer and pastor has been chosen by Obama to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

This must have really pissed off Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who was probably looking forward to giving that sermon and publicly condemning the White Race for racial discrimination in the NBA, Slavery, Aids, Michael Jackson's gay love for young boys, the extinction of Dinosaurs, the Ice Age which froze a lot of brother's asses off and why Scarlett Johannson's inexplicable refusal to check out his bedroom moves.


But seriously Rick Warren's appointment - perhaps symbolic - shows the pragmatism of Obama. Hopefully, we'll see more of that spirit in his administration.

Click here for more.
http://www.watoday.com.au/world/christian-right-gets-voice-at-obamas-inauguration-20081218-71l4.html?page=1


Another reason to avoid eating out

Melbourne Restaurant Pho Bo Ga Mekong at Swanston Street gets busted for stinking kitchen.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/filth-bugs-cost-city-restaurant-owner-10000-20081218-71lv.html

Rick Warren the Evangalist goes to Washington

Yes, Rick Warren, the famous writer and pastor has been chosen by Obama to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

This must have really pissed off Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who was probably looking forward to giving that sermon and publicly condemning the White Race for racial discrimination in the NBA, Slavery, Aids, Michael Jackson's gay love for young boys, the extinction of Dinosaurs, the Ice Age which froze a lot of brother's asses off and Scarlett Johannson's extraordinary refusal to check out his bedroom moves.


But seriously Rick Warren's appointment - perhaps symbolic - shows the pragmatism of Obama. Hopefully, we'll see more of that spirit in his administration.

Click here for more.
http://www.watoday.com.au/world/christian-right-gets-voice-at-obamas-inauguration-20081218-71l4.html?page=1

 

Another reason to avoid eating out

Melbourne Restaurant Pho Bo Ga Mekong at Swanston Street gets busted for stinking kitchen.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/filth-bugs-cost-city-restaurant-owner-10000-20081218-71lv.html

Rick Warren the Evangalist goes to Washington

Yes, Rick Warren, the famous writer and pastor has been chosen by Obama to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

This must have really pissed off Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who was probably looking forward to giving that sermon and publicly condemning the White Race for racial discrimination in the NBA, Slavery, Aids, Michael Jackson's gay love for young boys, the extinction of Dinosaurs, the Ice Age which froze a lot of brother's asses off and why Scarlett Johannson's inexplicable refusal to check out his bedroom moves.


But seriously Rick Warren's appointment - perhaps symbolic - shows the pragmatism of Obama. Hopefully, we'll see more of that spirit in his administration.

Click here for more.
http://www.watoday.com.au/world/christian-right-gets-voice-at-obamas-inauguration-20081218-71l4.html?page=1


Thursday, December 18, 2008

A Letter from the Past

It happened in the evening as I was walking in the garden with my fiancee, Eve. The roses and lavenders were in full bloom. It was sunset, and the sun had bled the sky a fiery red crimson. We stood in awe and watched, holding hands and enjoying the moment together.

We walked back to the grand house, that red brick fortress of tranquility. The land had been in my family since the time of
King George the 5th. It wasn't just a home - it was a heritage. The tiles of the old gray slate roof was covered with ancient lichen. The front oak door still bears the marks the scars of a Japanese soldier's rifle butt. Walking inside you'll feel the old dark teak flooring cut from mammoth trees in Borneo and gaze upon that fabulous Turquoise mosaic fresco that grandfather ordered from Jaipur.

A
nd then I saw him, standing by the stained glass windows of the attic. The teal colored glass almost hid him. But there he stood. Arms akimbo - as imposing as Raffles' statue. Surprisingly, Eve saw him too. "Who is that? She whispered. I didn't know we were having guests."

"That's not a guest. Eve. ... That's my father."

"But I thought he was dead."

"Yes, he is. 10 years ago."

"Then...????" And Eve's eyes widen in disbelief.

"Yes. Then." I replied. I'm not sure why. But I didn't seem surprised. Oh, he's back.

I quicken my pace and walked straight up to the attic. Eve, with a great deal of vocal trepidation, followed behind. She didn't want to go. I told her to stay downstairs - but she didn't want to be alone. I told her to make up her mind rather rudely. She was about to launch into a lover's tantrum but swallowed her wounded feelings as I started up the stairs. She gripped my hand like a child.

"I guess you don't want to be alone." I teased her.

"Shutup." She said. And I did.

The wooden staircase leading to the attic creaked and groaned like a grumbly old Cantonese amah woken up too early to do a morning chore. Dust from eons of neglect rose up to greet us. Here and there a frightful spider scampered.

I pushed aside the old European oil paintings (kept there because they disturbed my Grandfather's 1st wife) - brushed away the cobwebs. Light from the dying sun gently glimmered against the stained glass windows where my father stood. But he was not there.

An unfathomable spasm of fear gripped me all of a sudden. Did it just get so cold??? It smothered my desire to call out to my father. What would happen if he actually appeared? Would he look like Obi-wan Kenobi and talk to me about some crazy secret like... "There is another Skywalker." Nutty thoughts were making a New York style traffic jam in my brain.

I walked deliberately and slowly to the window. And stood in the same place my father's ghost has stood. How bizarre. I looked out. My God what a view. You could see the whole garden from here. The sun gleamed molten gold as it disappeared behind the horizon. Now why? Why here?

Eve was the first to notice it. "Oh Look. A pretty wooden box", she said. Her love for beautiful objects had overcame her misgivings at following me up this dark loft.

It was under the window, by the wall. It was very very old. And it was sitting there. Waiting. For me.

To be continued...
(This is a fictional story)

An Epic Voyage : From the Ends of the Earth - From Kyoto, Moscow, Damascus, Ecuador to ???

Hey all. If you like travelling and travel stories - check out Teddy's journal. The girl is undertaking an epic journey - travelling right around the whole freaky world from Kyoto - Moscow - Ecuador - etc... all by herself. She's going to more capital cities than Phileas Fogg. And she writes very nicely too. But I talk too much- check her travel journal out. She's currently in Ecuador.

Teddy's Epic Travel Blog: Kyoto, Shikoku, Mongolia, Budapest, Moscow, Madrid, Palermo, Jordan, Damascus, Iguazu, Mendoza, Arequipa, Quito and on, and on an on...

Did I mention she writes very well too?

http://teddyursa.multiply.com/journal


Wednesday, December 17, 2008

A Letter from the Past

It happened in the evening as I was walking in the garden with my fiancee, Eve. The roses and lavender were in full bloom. It was sunset, and the sun had bled the sky a fiery red crimson. We stood in awe and watched, holding hands and enjoying the moment together.

We walked back to the grand house, that red brick fortress of tranquility. The land had been in my family since the time of
King George the 5th. It wasn't just a home - it was a heritage. The hard edge tiles of the slate grey roof was covered with paleolithic lichen. The front oak door still bears the marks the harsh scars of a Japanese soldier's rifle butt. Walking inside you'll first feel the sleek dark teak flooring cut from ancient mammoth trees in Borneo, then walk upon the Boukara Persian carpet given by a Prince from Mecca before gazing upon that fabulous Turquoise mosaic fresco that grandfather ordered from Jaipur.

A
nd then I saw him, standing by the stained glass windows of the attic. The translucent teal colored glass almost hid him. But there he stood. Unmistakable. Arms akimbo - as imposing as Raffles' statue. Surprisingly, Eve saw him too. "Who is that? She whispered. I didn't know we were having guests."

"That's not a guest. Eve. ... That's my father."

"But I thought he was dead."

"Yes, he is. 10 years ago."

"Then...????" And Eve's eyes widen in disbelief and mild horror.

"Yes. Then." I replied. I'm not sure why. But I didn't seem surprised. Oh, he's back.

I quicken my pace and walked straight up to the attic. Eve, with a great deal of vocal trepidation, followed behind. She didn't want to go. I told her to wait downstairs - but she didn't want to be alone; she was terrified now of every little sound the old house made. I told her to make up her mind rather rudely.

She was about to launch into a lover's tantrum  but terror swallowed her wounded feelings as I raced upstairs. She gripped my hand tightly like a frighten child.

"I guess you don't want to be alone." I teased.

"Shutup." She snarled.

I wisely did.

The wooden staircase leading to the attic creaked and groaned like a grumbly old Cantonese amah woken up too early to do a morning chore. Dust from eons of neglect rose up to greet us. Here and there a frightful spider scampered.

I pushed aside the old European oil paintings (kept there because they disturbed my Grandfather's 2nd wife) - brushed away the cobwebs. Light from the dying sun gently glimmered against the stained glass windows where my father stood. But he was not there.

An unfathomable spasm of fear gripped me all of a sudden. Did it just get so cold??? It smothered my desire to call out to my father. What would happen if he actually appeared? Would he look like Obi-wan Kenobi and talk to me about some crazy secret like... "There is another Skywalker." Nutty thoughts were making a New York style traffic jam in my brain.

I walked deliberately and slowly to the window. And gingerly stood in the same place my father's ghost had stood. How bizarre. How utterly bizarre. Surely we weren't dreaming this up. I looked out. My God what a view. You could see the whole estate from here.
The sun gleamed molten gold as it disappeared behind the horizon.

Now why? Why here?

Eve was the first to notice it. "Oh Look. A pretty wooden box", she said. Her eye for beautiful objects had overcame her misgivings at following me up this dark loft.

It was under the window, by the wall. It was very, very old. And it was sitting there. Waiting for me.

To be continued...
(This is a fictional story)

An Epic Voyage : From the Ends of the Earth - From Kyoto, Moscow, Damascus, Ecuador to ???

Hey all. If you like travelling and travel stories - check out Teddy's journal. The girl is undertaking an epic journey - travelling right around the whole freaky world from Kyoto - Moscow - Ecuador - etc... all by herself. She's going to more capital cities than Phileas Fogg. And she writes very nicely too. But I talk too much- check her travel journal out. She's currently in Ecuador.

Teddy's Epic Travel Blog: Kyoto, Shikoku, Mongolia, Budapest, Moscow, Madrid, Palermo, Jordan, Damascus, Iguazu, Mendoza, Arequipa, Quito and on, and on an on...

Did I mention she writes very well too?

http://teddyursa.multiply.com/journal


A Letter from the Past

It happened in the evening as I was walking in the garden with my fiancee, Eve. The roses and lavenders were in full bloom. It was sunset, and the sun had bled the sky a fiery red crimson. We stood in awe and watched, holding hands and enjoying the moment together.

We walked back to the grand house, that red brick fortress of tranquility. The land had been in my family since the time of
King George the 5th. It wasn't just a home - it was a heritage. The tiles of the old gray slate roof was covered with ancient lichen. The front oak door still bears the marks the scars of a Japanese soldier's rifle butt. Walking inside you'll feel the old dark teak flooring cut from mammoth trees in Borneo and gaze upon that fabulous Turquoise mosaic fresco that grandfather ordered from Jaipur.

A
nd then I saw him, standing by the stained glass windows of the attic. The teal colored glass almost hid him. But there he stood. Arms akimbo - as imposing as Raffles' statue. Surprisingly, Eve saw him too. "Who is that? She whispered. I didn't know we were having guests."

"That's not a guest. Eve. ... That's my father."

"But I thought he was dead."

"Yes, he is. 10 years ago."

"Then...????" And Eve's eyes widen in disbelief.

"Yes. Then." I replied. I'm not sure why. But I didn't seem surprised. Oh, he's back.

I quicken my pace and walked straight up to the attic. Eve, with a great deal of vocal trepidation, followed behind. She didn't want to go. I told her to stay downstairs - but she didn't want to be alone. I told her to make up her mind rather rudely. She was about to launch into a lover's tantrum but swallowed her wounded feelings as I started up the stairs. She gripped my hand like a child.

"I guess you don't want to be alone." I teased her.

"Shutup." She said. And I did.

The wooden staircase leading to the attic creaked and groaned like a grumbly old Cantonese amah woken up too early to do a morning chore. Dust from eons of neglect rose up to greet us. Here and there a frightful spider scampered.

I pushed aside the old European oil paintings (kept there because they disturbed my Grandfather's 1st wife) - brushed away the cobwebs. Light from the dying sun gently glimmered against the stained glass windows where my father stood. But he was not there.

An unfathomable spasm of fear gripped me all of a sudden. Did it just get so cold??? It smothered my desire to call out to my father. What would happen if he actually appeared? Would he look like Obi-wan Kenobi and talk to me about some crazy secret like... "There is another Skywalker." Nutty thoughts were making a New York style traffic jam in my brain.

I walked deliberately and slowly to the window. And stood in the same place my father's ghost has stood. How bizarre. I looked out. My God what a view. You could see the whole garden from here. The sun gleamed molten gold as it disappeared behind the horizon. Now why? Why here?

Eve was the first to notice it. "Oh Look. A pretty wooden box", she said. Her love for beautiful objects had overcame her misgivings at following me up this dark loft.

It was under the window, by the wall. It was very very old. And it was sitting there. Waiting. For me.

To be continued...
(This is a fictional story)

An Epic Voyage : From the Ends of the Earth - From Kyoto, Moscow, Damascus, Ecuador to ???

Hey all. If you like travelling and travel stories - check out Teddy's journal. The girl is undertaking an epic journey - travelling right around the whole freaky world from Kyoto - Moscow - Ecuador - etc... all by herself. She's going to more capital cities than Phileas Fogg. And she writes very nicely too. But I talk too much- check her travel journal out. She's currently in Ecuador.

Teddy's Epic Travel Blog: Kyoto, Shikoku, Mongolia, Budapest, Moscow, Madrid, Palermo, Jordan, Damascus, Iguazu, Mendoza, Arequipa, Quito and on, and on an on...

Did I mention she writes very well too?

http://teddyursa.multiply.com/journal


Granddad was a Crook - the Bernie Madoff Scandal

70 year old Bernie Madoff was a pillar of Wall Street. He was the former Chairman of the NASDAQ. He had been in the business for decades and had built up a considerable reputation. Presidents, Bankers, CEOs trusted Uncle Madoff. It looked like he was running one of the best and most stable trust funds that delivered conservative, consistent returns, and had the support of blue chip bank like HSCB, the very rich elite etc...


But he was a crook (apparently). His fund which was estimated at 70 billion dollars. Yes, 70 BILLION DOLLARS. That's $70,000,000,000.00 - roughly the amount of a small capital city - or enough money to buy you wagyu steak with a hot date (or two) and a top suite in the Waldorf Astoria for all eternity. OK, got that? But the only business he was involved in - was defrauding investors - a Ponzi scheme. A Ponzi scheme is this - you promise high returns to investors - say 10% every year. They pass you their money - but instead of investing it wisely - you take... say 50% of it ... and spend it on hot women and fast cars or Wagyu steak. However you still give out that 10% back to the investors. But the thing is - its their money. Not an investment return. And they won't realize they're duped until 6 years from now, when the money runs out and the pay checks run out.


This is really horrifying. Madoff was trusted... he was the former chairman of the NASDAQ for @#$% sake. But then when you think of the crazy share prices movements and rallies that's been happening on Wall Street since 1996, you have to wonder whether the whole damn thing is a big sham.


Anyway, smart people with business degrees and MBAs from Harvard etc.. trusted the old bastard. Adults who should have known better. Alarm bells should have been ringing when his business plan looked dodgy and his auditing was being done by a small outfit in the middle of nowhere - and run by a couple of old deaf and blind pensioners from Florida. (Hey, what's that sonny? Speak up I cant hear ya)


In fact, it was suspected that he was cheating. But - get this - the funny thing was that people were putting money into his hands because of this rumor - they thought he was cheating using insider trading. The dude can't lose - he's using his connections to cheat the system. So no business plan... hush, hush, consistent returns, wink, wink, you know I mean. FFS, this guy makes the James Bond's villians look like amateurs. Uncle Madoff would make Le Chiffe look like a girl guide brownie.


Unfortunately, some people have put in their life savings with this joker.

The great fear is - how many other similar conjob are running in Wall Street??? And worse, maybe Madoff was just a frontman patsy for a larger more sinister organization?

For more information click here:

Financial Advisors who shouldn't be allowed to work as Lollypop workers.

I knew Bernie Madoff was a Cheat so I invested with him... duh

And meanwhile can we tar and feather the regulatory authority yet? These idiots were either asleep or brain dead or working for SMERSH or

S.P.E.C.T.R.E. as they slept through the subprime mortgage scandal and now this. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole damn financial and political institutions are orchastrating this horror story.





Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Granddad was a Dirty Crook

70 year old Bernie Madoff was a pillar of Wall Street. He was the former Chairman of the NASDAQ. He had been in the business for decades and had built up a considerable reputation. Presidents, Bankers, CEOs trusted Uncle Madoff. It looked like he was running one of the best and most stable trust funds that delivered conservative, consistent returns, and had the support of blue chip bank like HSCB, the very rich elite etc...


But he was a crook (apparently). His fund which was estimated at 70 billion dollars. Yes, 70 BILLION DOLLARS. That's $70,000,000,000.00 - roughly the amount of a small capital city - or enough money to buy you wagyu steak with a hot date (or two) and a top suite in the Waldorf Astoria for all eternity. OK, got that? But the only business he was involved in - was defrauding investors - a Ponzi scheme. A Ponzi scheme is this - you promise high returns to investors - say 10% every year. They pass you their money - but instead of investing it wisely - you take... say 50% of it ... and spend it on hot women and fast cars or Wagyu steak. However you still give out that 10% back to the investors. But the thing is - its their money. Not an investment return. And they won't realize they're duped until 6 years from now, when the money runs out and the pay checks run out. Meanwhile, the Ponzi scheme is growing and growing - and more and more people are giving you their cash. And they will - right up to the point when someone stops giving, and more customers start calling back their capital. Face it, most people are gullible like sheep. People aren't after the truth - they want to buy a dream, even if its a fake dream. Throw up a 100 page financial jargon disclosure statement behind "a 20% rate of return gurantee!!" and people's eyes will roll up and they'll hand you their money.


This is really horrifying. Madoff was trusted... he was the former chairman of the NASDAQ for @#$% sake. But then when you think of the crazy share prices movements and rallies that's been happening on Wall Street since 1996, you have to wonder whether the whole damn thing is a big sham.


Anyway, smart people with business degrees and MBAs from Harvard etc.. trusted the old bastard. Adults who should have known better. Alarm bells should have been ringing when his business plan looked dodgy and his auditing was being done by a small outfit in the middle of nowhere - and run by a couple of old deaf and blind pensioners from Florida. (Hey, what's that sonny? Speak up I cant hear ya)


In fact, it was suspected that he was cheating. But - get this - the funny thing was that people were putting money into his hands because of this rumor - they thought he was cheating using insider trading. The dude can't lose - he's using his connections to cheat the system. So no business plan... hush, hush, consistent returns, wink, wink, you know I mean. FFS, this guy makes the James Bond's villians look like amateurs. Uncle Madoff makes Le Chiffe look like a girl guide brownie.


Unfortunately, some people have put in their life savings with this joker.

The great fear is - how many other similar conjob are running in Wall Street??? And worse, maybe Madoff was just a frontman patsy for a larger more sinister organization?

For more information click here:

Financial Advisors who shouldn't be allowed to work as Lollypop workers.

I knew Bernie Madoff was a Cheat so I invested with him... duh

And meanwhile can we tar and feather the regulatory authority yet? These idiots were either asleep or brain dead or working for SMERSH or

S.P.E.C.T.R.E. as they slept through the subprime mortgage scandal and now this. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole damn financial and political institutions are orchastrating this horror story.





Granddad was a Crook - the Bernie Madoff Scandal

70 year old Bernie Madoff was a pillar of Wall Street. He was the former Chairman of the NASDAQ. He had been in the business for decades and had built up a considerable reputation. Presidents, Bankers, CEOs trusted Uncle Madoff. It looked like he was running one of the best and most stable trust funds that delivered conservative, consistent returns, and had the support of blue chip bank like HSCB, the very rich elite etc...


But he was a crook (apparently). His fund which was estimated at 70 billion dollars. Yes, 70 BILLION DOLLARS. That's $70,000,000,000.00 - roughly the amount of a small capital city - or enough money to buy you wagyu steak with a hot date (or two) and a top suite in the Waldorf Astoria for all eternity. OK, got that? But the only business he was involved in - was defrauding investors - a Ponzi scheme. A Ponzi scheme is this - you promise high returns to investors - say 10% every year. They pass you their money - but instead of investing it wisely - you take... say 50% of it ... and spend it on hot women and fast cars or Wagyu steak. However you still give out that 10% back to the investors. But the thing is - its their money. Not an investment return. And they won't realize they're duped until 6 years from now, when the money runs out and the pay checks run out.


This is really horrifying. Madoff was trusted... he was the former chairman of the NASDAQ for @#$% sake. But then when you think of the crazy share prices movements and rallies that's been happening on Wall Street since 1996, you have to wonder whether the whole damn thing is a big sham.


Anyway, smart people with business degrees and MBAs from Harvard etc.. trusted the old bastard. Adults who should have known better. Alarm bells should have been ringing when his business plan looked dodgy and his auditing was being done by a small outfit in the middle of nowhere - and run by a couple of old deaf and blind pensioners from Florida. (Hey, what's that sonny? Speak up I cant hear ya)


In fact, it was suspected that he was cheating. But - get this - the funny thing was that people were putting money into his hands because of this rumor - they thought he was cheating using insider trading. The dude can't lose - he's using his connections to cheat the system. So no business plan... hush, hush, consistent returns, wink, wink, you know I mean. FFS, this guy makes the James Bond's villians look like amateurs. Uncle Madoff would make Le Chiffe look like a girl guide brownie.


Unfortunately, some people have put in their life savings with this joker.

The great fear is - how many other similar conjob are running in Wall Street??? And worse, maybe Madoff was just a frontman patsy for a larger more sinister organization?

For more information click here:

Financial Advisors who shouldn't be allowed to work as Lollypop workers.

I knew Bernie Madoff was a Cheat so I invested with him... duh

And meanwhile can we tar and feather the regulatory authority yet? These idiots were either asleep or brain dead or working for SMERSH or

S.P.E.C.T.R.E. as they slept through the subprime mortgage scandal and now this. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole damn financial and political institutions are orchastrating this horror story.





Sunday, December 14, 2008

Your England damn powerful

We shouldn't laugh at other people's ignorance. But lets do it anyway.




The reason for the low population growth in Singapore









The reason why the Eqyptians lost the Israel's War of Independence 1948, Suez Canal Crisis 1956, 1967 "Six Day War", and 1971 Yom Kippur War against Israel, as well as that Red Sea Crossing fiasco.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Your England damn powerful

We shouldn't laugh at other people's ignorance. But lets do it anyway.




The reason for the low population growth in Singapore






This is the reason why Eqypt lost the War of Israel Independence 1948, the Suez Canal Crisis 1956, 1967 "Six Day War", and the 1971 Yom Kippur War against Israel, as well as that Red Sea Crossing fiasco.












Not a friendly neighbor.

Your England damn powerful

We shouldn't laugh at other people's ignorance. But lets do it anyway.




The reason for the low population growth in Singapore









The reason why the Eqyptians lost the Israel's War of Independence 1948, Suez Canal Crisis 1956, 1967 "Six Day War", and 1971 Yom Kippur War against Israel, as well as that Red Sea Crossing fiasco.

Friday, December 12, 2008

A Rampant Drug Culture: Doing Cocaine is Acceptable

So you've a young professional working in the Attorney-General's Department, nominated as Young Australian of the Year, you get caught doing coccaine... and the response is....???

"I'm not ashamed of the fact that I have used cocaine. I know I took drugs but I still did a good job."

"happily admit" to the District Court to snorting 3g of cocaine a week...

Your former boss, Assistant Director-General Michael Talbot, even gives evidence that the Attorney-General's Department wants you back despite the criminal charges she faced. "There was no impediment of her returning to work."

and you get a long string of defenders...

Read the rest of the crazy news here.
I'm pretty sure (cocaine, ganga etc..) drug use in the Western World will soon become legal. What an irony isn't it? 100 years after the West forced China to accept the Opium trade, the former sellers are in turn corrupted by it. Talk about "sins of the fathers"...

When I read this sort of fubar news about a Society falling apart - I realize that Civilization and decent behavior is a very fragile thing. I'm also reminded of the ancient Greek proverb: "Those that the Gods want to destroy, they drive insane first."


Sunken Treasure Ships in Malaysian Waters

For over a thousand years, merchant ships have been sailing down the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea - carrying gold, silver, spices, and beautiful pottery for trade.

There are thousands of shipwrecks littering the bottom of the sea floor. Most probably too deep for a human to dive down to.

Click on the photo for more information.

But the likelihood of finding a treasure ship filled with precious objects tantalizes me.

Wouldn't you just love to part of a team that finds one of these ships? It'd be awesome if it contained gold but I'd just be happy if it contained beautiful teapot.

I hope that someone will conduct a survey of the sea floor in the region one day - and show us the hidden past and glories of our ancestors.

Jennifer Aniston naked on the Cover of GQ

Hmmm... thats pretty good for a woman pushing 40.As DV would say, "Most impressive."

Still I really wish that her marriage with Brad had worked out and that they'd be a happily married couple by now. I hope she gets married soon and settles down. As you grow older, your circle of friends tend to dwindle, the parties bore you, and you just want to sit down on a comfy sofa with your family and loved ones and enjoy their company.

I'm not too sure whether Jen would look so alluring when she's in her 50s or 60s. There's a time for everything under the sun - and an old woman trying to look like a  young and sexy 18 year old is just very sad.

(for more info on the photo click here
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,24789062-7485,00.html
)

Facebook Security Flaw

I really don't like Facebook. Its got a whole heap of spam programs that I find irritating to say the least. Plenty of annoying bells and whistles. But everyone is on the mother.

Anyway turns out that Facebook had a big security flaw which will enable hackers to access your system and do nasty things to you.

Facebook however is taking its time fixing the security gap. 4 months and counting.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/10/four_month_old_facebook_hole/


Yet another reason not to logon Facebook I think.

Waiting for dinner

By my favourite contemporary artist - Judy Drew. I've got one of her original works in my study.

Her color combination are beautiful.

Doing Cocaine is Cool!!!

So you've a young professional working in the Attorney-General's Department, nominated as Young Australian of the Year, you get caught doing coccaine... and the response is....???

"I'm not ashamed of the fact that I have used cocaine. I know I took drugs but I still did a good job."

"happily admit" to the District Court to snorting 3g of cocaine a week...

Your former boss, Assistant Director-General Michael Talbot, even gives evidence that the Attorney-General's Department wants you back despite the criminal charges she faced. "There was no impediment of her returning to work."

 and you get a long string of defenders...

Read the rest of the crazy news here.


I find it amazing that the Attorney Generals office takes such a light hearted view on drug use. Goes to show how utterly fubar the NSW legal system has become. Read here how the Assistant Attorney General says the druggie is cool and valuable despite her addiction.

I'm pretty sure (cocaine, ganga etc..) drug use in the Western World will soon become legal. What an irony isn't it? 100 years after the West forced China to accept the Opium trade, the former sellers are in turn corrupted by it. Talk about "sins of the fathers"...

When I read this sort of fubar news about a Society falling apart - I realize that Civilization and decent behavior is a very fragile thing. I'm also reminded of the ancient Greek proverb: "Those that the Gods want to destroy, they drive insane first."


Aila's birthday

Start:     Dec 16, '08 11:00a
Location:     Berwick
My niece Aila turns 1 years old. Oh glorious day!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sunken Treasure Ships in Malaysian Waters

For over a thousand years, merchant ships have been sailing down the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea - carrying gold, silver, spices, and beautiful pottery for trade.

There are thousands of shipwrecks littering the bottom of the sea floor. Most probably too deep for a human to dive down to.

Click on the photo for more information.

But the likelihood of finding a treasure ship filled with precious objects tantalizes me.

Wouldn't you just love to part of a team that finds one of these ships? It'd be awesome if it contained gold but I'd just be happy if it contained beautiful teapot.

I hope that someone will conduct a survey of the sea floor in the region one day - and show us the hidden past and glories of our ancestors.

A Rampant Drug Culture: Doing Cocaine is Acceptable

So you've a young professional working in the Attorney-General's Department, nominated as Young Australian of the Year, you get caught doing coccaine... and the response is....???

"I'm not ashamed of the fact that I have used cocaine. I know I took drugs but I still did a good job."

"happily admit" to the District Court to snorting 3g of cocaine a week...

Your former boss, Assistant Director-General Michael Talbot, even gives evidence that the Attorney-General's Department wants you back despite the criminal charges she faced. "There was no impediment of her returning to work."

and you get a long string of defenders...

Read the rest of the crazy news here.
I'm pretty sure (cocaine, ganga etc..) drug use in the Western World will soon become legal. What an irony isn't it? 100 years after the West forced China to accept the Opium trade, the former sellers are in turn corrupted by it. Talk about "sins of the fathers"...

When I read this sort of fubar news about a Society falling apart - I realize that Civilization and decent behavior is a very fragile thing. I'm also reminded of the ancient Greek proverb: "Those that the Gods want to destroy, they drive insane first."


Facebook Security Flaw

I really don't like Facebook. Its got a whole heap of spam programs that I find irritating to say the least. Plenty of annoying bells and whistles. But everyone is on the mother.

Anyway turns out that Facebook had a big security flaw which will enable hackers to access your system and do nasty things to you.

Facebook however is taking its time fixing the security gap. 4 months and counting.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/10/four_month_old_facebook_hole/


Yet another reason not to logon Facebook I think.

Waiting for dinner

This painting is by my favorite contemporary artist - Judy Drew. I've got one of her original works in my study.

Her color combination are beautiful.

You can purchase her works at the Melbourne Fine Art Gallery.

http://www.melbournefineart.com.au/gallery.php?id=17&pid=227

Sunken Treasure Ships in Malaysian Waters

For over a thousand years, merchant ships have been sailing down the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea - carrying gold, silver, spices, and beautiful pottery for trade.

There are thousands of shipwrecks littering the bottom of the sea floor. Most probably too deep for a human to dive down to.

Click on the photo for more information.

But the likelihood of finding a treasure ship filled with precious objects tantalizes me.

Wouldn't you just love to part of a team that finds one of these ships? It'd be awesome if it contained gold but I'd just be happy if it contained beautiful teapot.

I hope that someone will conduct a survey of the sea floor in the region one day - and show us the hidden past and glories of our ancestors.

Facebook Security Flaw

I really don't like Facebook. Its got a whole heap of spam programs that I find irritating to say the least. Plenty of annoying bells and whistles. But everyone is on the mother.

Anyway turns out that Facebook had a big security flaw which will enable hackers to access your system and do nasty things to you.

Facebook however is taking its time fixing the security gap. 4 months and counting.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/10/four_month_old_facebook_hole/


Yet another reason not to logon Facebook I think.

Schoolboy gets shot in the eye with Arrow... and SURVIVES!!

OMG!! Check out the photo. GROSS.

But not to worry the kid survived this.

The kid got "accidentally" shot in the eye by an arrow. They were doing archery for their school sports.

Frankly, the archer who did this ought to get a very good beating to teach the idiot a lesson.

"If the arrow had been shot with just a bit more force, it would have come out the back of his head," said medics at Jida Hospital in Changchun, eastern China.

Surgeons chipped away at parts of the boy's skull for more than four hours to remove the arrow, which had sunk more than four inches into his head
.

Waiting for dinner

By my favourite contemporary artist - Judy Drew. I've got one of her original works in my study.

Her color combination are beautiful.

Drugs = Get out of Jail Early Card

This is reflective of the fubar nature of Australian justice. A young man kills a father - the killer gets away with a manslaughter charge- lessen due because he was high on drugs.

Some people will say - it takes two to tango - in this case, it took a bunch of druggies with a cricket bat to ruin the lives of a honest family.

Read below for more... (headsup by Andrew Bolt)


The WA Supreme Court yesterday sentenced Mathew Roy McDonald, 22, to five years in jail for the manslaughter of pastoralist Bill John Rowe, 49, last year…

The Supreme Court heard the Rowe family had decided late on Christmas day to go to the beach to play a game of cricket with a new kit that Mr Rowe had given as a present to the family.

While at the beach, an argument had begun between some of the young Rowe and McDonald family members, and that spread to a physical confrontation between the two groups.

The court heard that as the Rowe family left the beach for their cars, Mr Rowe, carrying the family dog, walked up to McDonald to ask him to hand him the family’s cricket bat that he had taken.

McDonald then swung the bat, striking Mr Rowe across the face, fracturing his skull and forcing him to the ground.

(T)he fiance of Mr Rowe’s daughter was admitted to hospital with a broken jaw and collarbone.

The court also told McDonald:

- “you consumed prodigious amounts of cannabis and alcohol, cans of bourbon, cans of full strength beer and an abundance of cones, so that by the evening you were well and truly intoxicated”.

- “this was not your fight in one sense”

.
- “I am at a loss to know why it was necessary for there to be a confrontation in the first place, even on a version which has your family as the wronged group.”

- “You can offer no explanation as to why you took the cricket bat”

- “Mr Rowe - who by all accounts was a gentle man, then 49; he would have been 50 today - offered you and nobody else either any violence”

- “You already have a record for violence but much of that is as a result of your drunken behavior”

- “(You had already been convicted of the) crime of unlawful wounding, (and given an) order of suspension of sentence ... for a period of 9 months”.

The court judge explains:

You are an Aboriginal person. I am well aware of the disadvantages faced, particularly by young Aboriginal men. It is a notorious fact, one which should fill all members of this West Australian community with shame, that although comprising only 3% of our population, Aboriginal people comprise 45% of our prison population. The background and privations of many young Aboriginal people are well-recorded and your story, looked at in isolation, would arouse feelings of pity in many people and anger that a young person, as you were growing up, has to live with those privations in 21st century Australia. As a community we have probably come desensitised to the depths of abuse suffered by Aboriginal children in their journey to adulthood. Your background is typical in that respect and needs to be factored into any sentence as part of your overall criminal responsibility. There are parts of your background that have led you and I inevitably to come face to face today because of the disadvantages that have been put upon you from an early age by others.

Fubar. He probably won't even serve the full term.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Race+Drugs = Get out of Jail Early Card

This is reflective of the fubar nature of Australian justice. A young man kills a father - the killer gets away with a manslaughter charge- lessen due because he was high on drugs.

Some people will say - it takes two to tango - in this case, it took a bunch of druggies with a cricket bat to ruin the lives of a honest family.

Read below for more... (headsup by Andrew Bolt)


The WA Supreme Court yesterday sentenced Mathew Roy McDonald, 22, to five years in jail for the manslaughter of pastoralist Bill John Rowe, 49, last year…

The Supreme Court heard the Rowe family had decided late on Christmas day to go to the beach to play a game of cricket with a new kit that Mr Rowe had given as a present to the family.

While at the beach, an argument had begun between some of the young Rowe and McDonald family members, and that spread to a physical confrontation between the two groups.

The court heard that as the Rowe family left the beach for their cars, Mr Rowe, carrying the family dog, walked up to McDonald to ask him to hand him the family’s cricket bat that he had taken.

McDonald then swung the bat, striking Mr Rowe across the face, fracturing his skull and forcing him to the ground.

(T)he fiance of Mr Rowe’s daughter was admitted to hospital with a broken jaw and collarbone.

The court also told McDonald:

- “you consumed prodigious amounts of cannabis and alcohol, cans of bourbon, cans of full strength beer and an abundance of cones, so that by the evening you were well and truly intoxicated”.

- “this was not your fight in one sense”

.
- “I am at a loss to know why it was necessary for there to be a confrontation in the first place, even on a version which has your family as the wronged group.”

- “You can offer no explanation as to why you took the cricket bat”

- “Mr Rowe - who by all accounts was a gentle man, then 49; he would have been 50 today - offered you and nobody else either any violence”

- “You already have a record for violence but much of that is as a result of your drunken behavior”

- “(You had already been convicted of the) crime of unlawful wounding, (and given an) order of suspension of sentence ... for a period of 9 months”.

The court judge explains:

You are an Aboriginal person. I am well aware of the disadvantages faced, particularly by young Aboriginal men. It is a notorious fact, one which should fill all members of this West Australian community with shame, that although comprising only 3% of our population, Aboriginal people comprise 45% of our prison population. The background and privations of many young Aboriginal people are well-recorded and your story, looked at in isolation, would arouse feelings of pity in many people and anger that a young person, as you were growing up, has to live with those privations in 21st century Australia. As a community we have probably come desensitised to the depths of abuse suffered by Aboriginal children in their journey to adulthood. Your background is typical in that respect and needs to be factored into any sentence as part of your overall criminal responsibility. There are parts of your background that have led you and I inevitably to come face to face today because of the disadvantages that have been put upon you from an early age by others.

Fubar. He probably won't even serve the full term.

Aila's birthday

Start:     Dec 9, '08 9:00p
Location:     berwick
My absolutely adorable baby niece - Aila - turns One! I was there at the time of her 1st day in the world and I will be there at the time of her 1st birthday.

Drugs = Get out of Jail Early Card

This is reflective of the fubar nature of Australian justice. A young man kills a father - the killer gets away with a manslaughter charge- lessen due because he was high on drugs.

Some people will say - it takes two to tango - in this case, it took a bunch of druggies with a cricket bat to ruin the lives of a honest family.

Read below for more... (headsup by Andrew Bolt)


The WA Supreme Court yesterday sentenced Mathew Roy McDonald, 22, to five years in jail for the manslaughter of pastoralist Bill John Rowe, 49, last year…

The Supreme Court heard the Rowe family had decided late on Christmas day to go to the beach to play a game of cricket with a new kit that Mr Rowe had given as a present to the family.

While at the beach, an argument had begun between some of the young Rowe and McDonald family members, and that spread to a physical confrontation between the two groups.

The court heard that as the Rowe family left the beach for their cars, Mr Rowe, carrying the family dog, walked up to McDonald to ask him to hand him the family’s cricket bat that he had taken.

McDonald then swung the bat, striking Mr Rowe across the face, fracturing his skull and forcing him to the ground.

(T)he fiance of Mr Rowe’s daughter was admitted to hospital with a broken jaw and collarbone.

The court also told McDonald:

- “you consumed prodigious amounts of cannabis and alcohol, cans of bourbon, cans of full strength beer and an abundance of cones, so that by the evening you were well and truly intoxicated”.

- “this was not your fight in one sense”

.
- “I am at a loss to know why it was necessary for there to be a confrontation in the first place, even on a version which has your family as the wronged group.”

- “You can offer no explanation as to why you took the cricket bat”

- “Mr Rowe - who by all accounts was a gentle man, then 49; he would have been 50 today - offered you and nobody else either any violence”

- “You already have a record for violence but much of that is as a result of your drunken behavior”

- “(You had already been convicted of the) crime of unlawful wounding, (and given an) order of suspension of sentence ... for a period of 9 months”.

The court judge explains:

You are an Aboriginal person. I am well aware of the disadvantages faced, particularly by young Aboriginal men. It is a notorious fact, one which should fill all members of this West Australian community with shame, that although comprising only 3% of our population, Aboriginal people comprise 45% of our prison population. The background and privations of many young Aboriginal people are well-recorded and your story, looked at in isolation, would arouse feelings of pity in many people and anger that a young person, as you were growing up, has to live with those privations in 21st century Australia. As a community we have probably come desensitised to the depths of abuse suffered by Aboriginal children in their journey to adulthood. Your background is typical in that respect and needs to be factored into any sentence as part of your overall criminal responsibility. There are parts of your background that have led you and I inevitably to come face to face today because of the disadvantages that have been put upon you from an early age by others.

Fubar. He probably won't even serve the full term.