Afghanistan - Bring the Diggers Home

I started this post as "When will we get out" in March 2012 as events seem to be getting worse - at bottom an update 17 April
Today 18 April following on from General Alan Stretton,  I am now saying "Bring the Diggers Home"

The inside story of how a rogue soldier massacred 16 Afghans | News.com.au

Why was this man serving there - with his war record he should have been placed in some safe place at home. 

Why are we still in Afghanistan?  Invading Iraq before ensuring stability for the Afghans was a mistake. Now what are we trying to achieve? Obama has plan to pull out by 2014. What will change in two years?

Britain has fought 4 wars in Afghanistan. 1830s 1870s 1919 and now.   Last week more British soldiers killed. Australians are trying to help the people but are still involved in fire fights etc....

 15 March 2012 We will complete Afghan mission: Obama : World News Australia on SBS
Still 2014 - note warning to Iran

 Karzai slams US after shooting suspect flown abroad : World News Australia on SBS

   "This is by all means the end of the rope here," added Karzai

All that is happening is the people are getting more and upset - civilians still being killed - then that ghastly video of disrespect to dead enemy - the Koran burning - has there been a rational explanation. And now this poor traumatised man allowed to have weapons.
March 21 a very disturbing article Accused soldier has 'no memory' of Afghan massacre | News.com.au

A good article
Inevitable injustices in unjust war - The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)


Now 17 April  Diggers tipped to be in Afghanistan after 2014 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) following last nights Four Corners with so many experts saying nothing being achieved. Including an Australia general who commanded our troops in 2010 and still worrying. Our War/Defence Minister Stephen Smith spoke well on achievements in last 18 months and talking about the success of Afghan security forces in Afghan officials blame attacks on Haqqani | SBS World News - the attackers all seem to have been killed. Note they were the attackers and they are said to from a 10,000 strong group called Haqqani. Karzai says NATO intel failed BUT is there no Afghan intel?

And now today we hear this promise Gillard to bring troops home early - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) BUT some will stay
PM announces early Afghan withdrawal | SBS World News - vague as anything 
In the meantime
Hundreds of prisoners at large after Pakistan jailbreak - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

And now 18 April 2012
 Australian general says Afghan deaths in vain - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Four Corners had General Cantwell and now today it General Alan Stretton
"I support retired General (John) Cantwell who questions whether the Australian mission in Afghanistan has been worth the loss of Australian lives."


April 18 it gets worse Barack Obama Condemns Soldiers In Afghan Body Parts Photos





and so it gets worse - wanton killing of civilians - burning Koran and now this gruesome trophy business.



and
Over and out: Gillard's surprising Afghan war speech - The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) ok he is a Green but most of his article is sound

 Parliament - Bring the Diggers Home

Ron Lankshear's Faith Page

Thank God it's Good Friday
I don't know where you are in your thoughts about God
Perhaps try a prayer today something that seems meaningful to you
Or even just something like "Dear Jesus, please show me you are real"
Please visit
Ron Lankshear's Faith Page

Ridiuclous use of Similies and Minister moves to stamp out Customs corruption

28 March 2012 saw this interview on ABC Breakfast - Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare was there because of a major arrest of  drug runners in co-operation between AFP and SE Asia Police.
He then went on to talk about the Asylum boats and wanted to push "send them back to Malaysia if only Tony Abbott would allow it"
He compared current effort in trying to stop the boats as like trying to stop water out of a garden hose by putting your finger over the hole. He said "we should do is send the boats to Malaysia to turn the tap off". This is utterly confused logic. It is like pouring the hose into a bucket and taking the bucket back to the water tank so it all pours through again.
The reporter was obviously enjoying the discussion as he then said "what is being done to turn this tap off?
and hence the story
Minister moves to stamp out Customs corruption - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I am very sad to hear  of this corruption as in UK I was an Officer of C&E

Historian uncovers Australia's censored books and my time in HM Customs

I was only discussing when I was a UK Officer of Customs and Excise yesterday and censorship and then today
Historian uncovers Australia's censored books - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Note article mentions Children's comics. Well I remember seizing comics under the 1953 Children's Harmful publications Act. These were Horror Comics. Even nowadays Horror Films are X rated some are banned and these comics of ghastly content were in a format that appeared to a kid's comic. No question they should be banned..... What I had was a shipment of samples and when I seized them the importer said he was only bringing them in to see if he would publish. I said that was the point and why I was seizing them...

I did disagree with a fellow officer who had to inspect a suitcase coming in as freight and wanted to seize a man's photo album as he had some very personal photos of himself. I didn't think this was covered by the intent of any law...

Then some other officers at London Airport wanted to seize some Harold Robbins book "Carpet Baggers?". We were at the newspaper stand at lunch time and there was same book on sale....

PS I wonder if the ban on books from certain Paris publishing houses is still in force

Farewell?: Dame Edna

Dame Edna Everage, announced her impending retirement from live - or what she calls ''flesh and blood'' - theatre.
Not your average Edna

Amazingly Edna has been "''To be the most loved woman - I won't say in the world" since 1955....
Ah the trick was not to be arrive late at his/her show as you'd be up the front and have words and gladdies thrown at you....
Fortunately Sir Les seems to have retired BUT I do miss Sandy Stone....

The LAST show may appear somewhere near you anytime in this decade

Blogger: The 'pencil' icon for editing is missing

Google high-handed ness again.
Last year I was using Google Reader but then they changed the interface and it became unusable so I switched to Feed Demon
Now they have added a country specific address to blogger so that access my blog and you get redirected to http://ronlankshearreviews.blogspot.com.au/ - they have added .au - if a Blogger was in UK then it .uk etc
I suppose they will keep the Re-direct in place so I hope all the places on which I put my blog address will not fail to find it.

In meantime there at [IMPORT] The 'pencil' icon for editing is missing and so is gadget quick editing tools - Google Groups folk are discussing what to do and a Google person did acknowledge but as yet they have fixed the edit tool problem...


Anyhow I've just bookmarked the Edit page so its the long way round when I want to fix a page....

Next blog probably Wordpress

Today on the Message forum a guy in Canada posted his URL and I clicked it came up with AU at the end - he is in CA not AU
 It seems it is deliberate
Why does my blog redirect to a country-specific URL? (ccTLD) - Blogger Help
which now means when you see AU at end of URL it might not mean site is by someone in Australia just that google thinks it OK for Australia....

Gillard agrees Carbon Tax will cause a Tax direct on families

The day started off with

Carbon tax may be unconstitutional: Abbott : World News Australia on SBS

Then I watched question time
Member for Ryan: Can PM advise why school children on buses will pay carbon tax and children in their parents cars will not

PM: No No The tax is not direct - we have computed that into the income tax cuts so parents will be reimbursed

Alas PM you made the point yourself - the parents with cars will get the tax cut so will the parents whose kids travel on the buses but they will have to use the cut to pay the fare increase ie the Carbon Tax whereas the car drivers will be able to use the cuts to buy whatever they want...... a holiday

And of course even that is based on the computation work that increases will be offset by the income tax cuts.. How long before the carbon price means everyone pays....

of course to me the only point of a carbon tax is to force people out of the bad energy BUT INTO WHAT?

Do something about global warming and stop playing around with this silly tax

Domesticated foxes in Siberia:

A while ago saw a docoon why dog behaviour and it included a coverage of this work with Silver Foxes. One fox bred appropriately was as friendly as any dog. Another bred the old way was still a Wild animal - tried to get the zoologist through the cage bars....



Domesticated foxes in Siberia: An experiment in peril. - Slate Magazine

African Despots - Campaign To Make African Despot Famous..or Infamous

My prayer for Africa is that Goodness and Mercy will triumph
 
March 2012 was first time  I had heard of Kony
Kony 2012 | Campaign To Make African Despot Famous... | Stuff.co.nz
To me Joseph Kony should be infamous

Then my cousin invited me to a Facebook group Kony 2012 New Zealand
and now a resource page  Kony 2012 - Urban Opine » Urban Opine

And same day this was on SMH
Child in Kony 2012 defends film


12 March 2012 Some of the conflicting opinions Good warlords, bad warlords and the #kony2012 campaign - The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 Next Day Ugandans say Kony film is 'misleading', 'too late' | News.com.au 
 They says that was Uganda 6 years ago and it is different now and people should help them with their businesses. The Point as I understand it is that Kony is still out there somewhere and people need to see justice happen.and followed by
Kony 2012 director answers critics of video - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)


12 March 2012 Some of the conflicting opinions Good warlords, bad warlords and the #kony2012 campaign - The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Comments about nobody had heard of Kony last week and now all this fuss. Well that is the point
Like 12 March 2012 some good justice announced Lubanga guilty of using child soldiers
Who knew of Lubanga - these bad guys are creeping under the radar - they need to be denounced and arrested and tried


 George Clooney ‘Surprised’ By Success of Kony 2012 Video - ABC News
and next day George Clooney arrested at Sudan protest -   Note also the people arrested with him - the World has to do something about these African Warlords

 'Tasteless': backlash over Kony campaigner's meltdown - looks after he had trauma with all the backlash


 Zimbabweans face jail for Mubarak overthrow talk - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Just check that talking about Egypt means overthrowing their own beloved leader.....

Farewell: Cheetah dead at 80 -

Amazing I just did not realise he was still around
Tarzan's chimp Cheetah dead at 80 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I liked "He could tell if I was having a good day or a bad day. He was always trying to get me to laugh if he thought I was having a bad day. He was very in tune to human feelings," Ms Cobb said.

I would say Cheetah was the best actor in those movies - a great comedian - ok Maureen O'Sullivan tolerated all the hokum well.

I actually saw Johnny Weissmuller at Earls Court Hall London in 1948. Dived into a small pool from a very high board and also filled the place with the famous Tarzan call.....

Ah they were fun movies.

Computers: News/RSS Readers - reommnded FeedDemon

I like to read news etc via RSS Feeds. RSS was rumoured to be on way out BUT still seems to be healthy.....

I used to use Bloglines then they dropped off.... So I switched to Google Reader but alas this month they changed the layout to something they implied was simple - BUT its ghastly absolutely useless for quick eyeball scan of Headlines etc.

So I went looking - Wanted features - able to read import the google reader subscription list - clearly highlights the Unread sites (I don't want to see all my subs listed) and work through them - and finally a quick for each sub as I scan "Mark All Read " ---- PLUS LOOKS GOOD

sites recommended various tools
and I tried these four
BlogExpress
SharpReader
Awasu
OmeaReader
All handled the Import of sub list and mostly looked ok
But they usually failed on the Mark All Read button and the Only the Unread.....

The Winner was
FeedDemon - Free Windows RSS Reader

handled everything I wanted and looks good - even handles Facebook notifiers
but alas not Twitter - looks like it used but Twitter changed and stopped it working

Ron and Christine Lankshear's Christmas News

Merry Christmas
please see
Ron and Christine Lankshear's Christmas News

Farwell Svetlana Stalin

Stalin's daughter dies aged 85 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)


Well I just have to acknowledge such a momentous historical moment. I must say I was surprised Svetlana was still alive - so much suffering in her past and the pressures on her as HIS daughter. I always felt sad for her.... The last few years seem to have been reasonably peaceful

Farewell: Director Ken Russell

Director Ken Russell dies in his sleep - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

They mention his major commercial films

Ken Russell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But to me Ken is the man who wonderful films at the BBC during the 1960s about classical composers

As Wiki says

"job at the BBC, where he worked regularly from 1959 to 1970 making arts documentaries for Monitor and Omnibus. Among his better-known works were: Elgar (1962), The Debussy Film (1965), Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World (1967), Song of Summer (about Frederick Delius and Eric Fenby) (1968) and Dance of the Seven Veils (1970), a film about Richard Strauss. He once said that the best film he ever made was Song of Summer, and that he wouldn't edit a single shot."

I agree with Ken about the Delius film it was a joy. The music was so lyrical and the unselfish work that Eric Fenby did for Delius was wonderful.....
And then the fun Percy Grainger arrives to his bouncy English Country Garden music and charges up, throws a tennis ball over the house and runs through the corridor to catch ball the other side....

And poor Isidora Duncan who driving in an open car managed to get her long trailing scarf around the back wheels and ...........

Elgar cycling over the hills with all his wonderful music the thought of it just brings the English countryside to life for me.........

Thanks for all the enlightenment Ken

Computers: News/RSS Readers - recommend for FeedDemon

 I like to read news etc via RSS Feeds. RSS was rumoured to be on way out BUT still seems to be healthy.....

I used to use Bloglines then they dropped off.... So I switched to Google Reader but alas this month they changed the layout to something they implied was simple - BUT its ghastly absolutely useless for quick eyeball scan of Headlines etc.

So I went looking - Wanted features - able to read import the google reader subscription list - clearly highlights the Unread sites (I don't want to see all my subs listed) and work through them - and finally a quick for each sub as I scan "Mark All Read " ---- PLUS LOOKS GOOD

sites recommended various tools
and I tried these four
BlogExpress
SharpReader
Awasu
JetBrains OmeaReader
All handled the Import of sub list and mostly looked ok
But they usually failed on the Mark All Read button and the Only the Unread.....

The Winner was FeedDemon - Free Windows RSS Reader

handled everything I wanted and looks good - even handles Facebook notifiers
but alas not Twitter - looks like it used but Twitter changed and stopped it working

Farewell: Edmundo Ros

While I was on a whole of one day at sea on our cruise
Edmundo Ros - died 21 Oct

Also here on Whirligig site British 1950s TV and Radio

When I was very young Edmundo was a big star in England - I remember his very infectious and very rhythmic music and always so happy........ and happy he must have been to live to over 100

Who did write Shakespeare

When I was on cruise and touring Messina in Sicily, the guide told us William was actually Italian and from Messina.
First I had ever heard of that.........
Strangely I come back to Sydney and just appearing locally is Anonymous (film) -
The film is proposing that the plays were written by Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.
The society that pushes him has some comments on the film Shakespeare-Oxford Society » Anonymous, The Movie
Quote "Of course Roland Emmerich and the screenwriter John Orloff took cinematic liberties with history in creating the film but that’s what storytellers do."
So even they say the film is not history!!!

This seems a sound discussion on Shakespeare authorship question - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Analysis says that Shakespear's works were all written by one person.
This discusses the claims for Francis Bacon, the 6th Earl of Derby, Christopher Marlowe, and the Earl of Oxford.
I understand that Oxford has replaced the other men as the main claimant.
Edward de Vere mentions some works that he wrote - I could not see any evidence that these have been analysed for similarities to Shakespear's works? De Vere died in 1604 and yet new Shakespear plays were being performed upto 1613. If Oxford had his actual own works published why would be shy about his Shakespear works? And he had his own group of players - why would he provide his Shakespear works to another group of players?
The claims for him seem to be based on his European tour and that he visited Italian places that Shakespear used in his plays. Nothing is known of Shakespear going outside England and so Oxford must have written these works. Hardly convincing - as he was around theatres perhaps Shakespear listened to his memories of these places or some other tourists.

I'll probably see Anonymous as it covers one of my favourite periods of English history and the graphics of London are said to be excellent but its ideas are nonsense.....
A review of the film - the writer supports Shakespeare
Shakespeare speculation and conspiracy tales - The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
and he makes the point that Emmerich makes very Inventive history movies - well basically real history drops of of sight - for the sake of the story

Messina: The Forgotten Home of Shakespeare « Shakespeare Politics and Italy Blog
Willy or Won't He?: Crollalanza = Shakespeare?
Etheric Warriors Forum :: discusses Michelangelo Florio Crollalanza Aka The Bard?
One comments states "It's a pity the videos are not subtitled because they are very accurate with a lot more insights and coincidences; for example, one of those scholars states that one of Michelangelo Florio Crollalanza's teachers at Padua appears in one of the plays. "
Now that is interesting........

Now if this Michelangelo could learn English so well to write Shakespear and invent so many words then I think he must be a greater genius than his namesake the artist of the Sistine Chapel.
But do read the forum above - it has a lot to say - has anyone confirmed the facts etc

In meantime I'll stick with good old William of Stratford

Katakolon

Ship docks almost in the town just a short walk and you are there. Tours to Olympia shown at 10 euros. But just another ruin. We just wanted a restful day. Plenty of lovely shops and a cute little museum for 2 euro of Greek inventions with working models which the lady demo'd - some very funny ....
Water front coffee shops saying free Wifi but I did not bring netbook with me. Ship left at 2pm

Corfu

Corfu - Noordam docks around 200m from port entrance - a free bus takes to entrance - then shuttle to Corfu town is $8usd - leaves you at entrance to old fort.. Just across the public park/square from town.
overcast and rain around but we missed actual downpour.
We went on the Achillon Palace tour. A lot of coaches and other ships also doing this.  Just a short drive down the coast. Roads around the palace very narrow and cars had to back off for our coach. Coach parking also overloaded.
Our guide Anastasia had a lot of detail about the life of Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Sissi had  a lot of personal tragedy. 2 girls died as infants. Her only son Rudolf committed suicide. Her palace is looking old and tired. It will be interesting to compare our 1965 photos. Sissi had the dying Achilles statue with arrow in his heel. The Kaiser took over the palace and replaced that statue with the Achilles with spear ....

After Palace to Kononi promontory for shots of Mouse island but overcast day..... I bought a panama hat for 10 euro s and Chris a pink hat for 6...

On to Corfu town and the sun came out. Anastasia left us at start of List Street .... in old days  you had to be on the list to be allowed in the street. Everyone comes here for coffee... Anastasia would return at 140pm for trip back
We had Greek coffees and frappes and plate of meze - which was really excellent. All in 17.50 euros for 2
We were next to pick up point but guide never appeared so at 2pm we caught shuttle to ship.
Next free time - ask re what happens if guide vanishes???
Still a lovely day

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik - lovely but very busy.
Just too many people - most off of cruise ships.
Nice boutique shops - kuna seemed to be around 7 to a euro... some shop prices seemed expensive.
They took euros.
We had an excellent coffee at old harbour - they charged in euros and it was a reasonable price...
Getting up to the top of wall looked steep and we thought it would be too exhausting.
Many of side streets had long flights of steps.
Walking around the centre of the town was fun.............
The churches were interesting but discouraged photography.


Noordam provided a shuttle each way for $7USD it was too far to walk... 2+km

Noordam

Dear All (some first thoughts written on 2nmd day)
Well Roma was a bit messy but we enjoyed the time
there ... especially the food
Trip to Civitavecchia (Ci pronounced Chee) was
great - Merc van delivered us right to the wharf
Noordam very concerned about health - antiseptic
hand wash everywhere. for 2 days buffet is not
self serve...
So we had to answer a questions on paper re any
colds etc...........
On board fairly quickly
Noordam - luxurious
Food - wonderful - so varied and well cooked
Staff - excellent - friendly and helpful
Decor - very nice
Bed - very comfortable
Cabin - spacious
All that Irena said it would be ...........
Met folk that I had chatted with on internet at Crows
Nest bar with drinks provided by ship and an
officer spoke and said Santorini would be a
highlight and there would not be many ships in port... At the
time we were sailing through Messina Straits -
wonderful clear view of Italy and Sicily. Passed
by Stromboli volcano around 645am - plume of smoke
coming out
Drinks tonight with Captain Scott

Trade: TravelManagers - Irena Bryant

Shortly we are off on a Mediterranean Cruise. It started at a North Epping school fete. There was Irena with a table and cruise booklets.
Irena has kids in our grandkids classes. Irena operates from her home and comes to you......... Very helpful and has arranged our whole trip.
The flight with Emirates. Stopover and tours in Dubai. Then hotel and tours in Roma. And the train to Rome port. And of course the cruise itself.

Our friends agree about the help and recommended Irena to other folk and they were pleased also.......

So if you are around our part of Sydney and want to travel.............

Check out TravelManagers - Irena Bryant

Has Noah’s Vineyard Been Discovered? | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

We have often discussed at Bible Studies the story of Noah starting wine making and getting drunk and what happens with his sons.....
Now could it be the storage area has been found..... Very close to Mount Ararat.... hmmmmmm
check what my good friend Claude has to say ............
Has Noah’s Vineyard Been Discovered? | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

A very good blogger - check other stuff on his pages example Who Killed Goliath? | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

Claude was recently on a vacation cruise and visited places I will be at next month
No Dollars Accepted Here | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament
including the excursion to Ancient Corinth and the podium as used by St Paul

And today Claude posted
The Wall Paintings at Catalhoyuk | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament
Probably the earliest Town in the world - do visit and follow the link - I've posted my thoughts

BALVENIE Distillery - Google Maps

Fife Arms in Dufftown - Google Maps

I stayed there for a week in 1960 as a trainer Officer of Customs and Excise. Dufftown was then the most concentrated distillery town in the world. Six active and another used as a giant warehouse.

The distillery we were visiting to find out how the Excise controlled them was The BALVENIE.

We came by railway from Aberdeen and the station was just up the road from Balvenie and the road had been cleared of snow into the town. A nice brisk jaunt.

I remember the local officer's wife cooked some potato scone things just right for the freezing cold......

And the Malt whisky was great

Travel: Turkey Istanbul Hotel Neorion

A very high recommendation for an Istanbul Hotel from a friend who had a coach tour of Turkey in August 2011.
Let me tell you they had severe food poisoning elsewhere from  help your self buffet. So must have been outstanding service that caused Jill  to be so pleased with this hotel.

The Boutique hotel in the heart of Istanbul was the Neorion, Orhaniye Caddessi No. 14 Sirkeci Istanbul/Turkiye phone +90 212 527 90 90  www.neorionhotel.com 
 

The Turkish are an amazing race of people and in Istanbul they did speak enough English for us to get by very, very well.   

Also, I mentioned the wonderful 'birthday treat' the people at the Neorion gave me. Which included large cake and even a lovely gift .....
I'm not sure of the restaurant we went to on the rooftop of hotel just around another corner and which had a connection to our hotel, I have asked our friends to forward the name, if they cannot remember I'll email the Neorion as also want to thank them for the birthday treat.

We had a drink at a cafe/bar just around the corner, it was called 'Home Made', the address is complicated as has those little curly things, would be best for people to look up the web site www.homemadeistanbul.com

the people at the bar were amazing, we sat in a huge open window 1 metre from the tram line and trams full of commuters whizzing by, what an experience.   Our friends whom we were meeting that night for dinner were walking by on the other side of the road, we called out to them and they came and chatted through the huge open window.   The proprietor called them in and said, please sit with your friends and have complimentary apple tea, which is very much served everywhere, like warm apple juice.   Then after we finished our drink and our friends had gone they gave us complimentary apple tea.

Ephesus Excusion options

Holland America Noordam schedule is arrive Kusadasi 11 October 7am and leave 7pm I understand they normally are on time. HAL own tours - one starts at 745am and then two at 8am and then others at later time.
A good site on Kusadasi - Turkey | Kusadasi Hotels, Guide, Real Estate and more!...

Ephesus is a place we've wanted to visit for a long time....
this gives detail of places to be seen

Ephesus ancient city. Artemis temple, Virgin Mary house, Saint John basilica. Ephesus Turkey

Many people will be doing shipping company tours but friends there in mid 2011 heard many complaints from those who did.
Their tours there did not seem to be as good as at other ports......

Some people recommended this company Ephesus Tours, Private Ephesus tours and Ephesus excursions in Kusadasi

Our day in Ephesus organised with Liman Hotel - friends did a tour with the hotel this year and highly recommended Hasan... Plus when having a coffee you can use the free WiFi

Liman Hotel -is just outside the gates of the harbour. I could see it in a photo from deck of the ship.(no not this photo)... We just have to set time with Hasan for driver to be there at exit with my name on a placard - perhaps 8 need to get to Ephesus before the crowds although October should be a bit less....


If you have organised with me for this of course we need to touch base on ship and have cash ready for the day. Note it is Euros but have the cash before we get there as Turkey has its own currency so an ATM will not issue Euros. And a little bit extra as presumably we have a driver and a guide....

Eight of us at moment - perhaps 8am and finish towards 5 - back in Kusadasi there is a market and perhaps a carpet factory to visit...

So as things are I've set seeing what Hasan says are the "importand" sites
and including at 10 euros extra the Terrace Houses for a total of 75 euros each

We can be flexible on the day except I think Hasan wants around 8 hours or so.... But he said he is flexible
so if we find time at end of the Ephesus events we may add The Cave of the Seven Sleepers.
And I would like to go on to Sirince Village which will be for extra 5 euros.

8 people should be Mercedes-Benz Vito (2011)

now if we get to more than 10 people price comes down 10 euros and would be in a Mercedes-Benz - Sprinter

> To quote Hasan 

İf i know what time you will be out of the ship and what time you must be at the ship i would  tell you excatly how much time we need each > places... but as i said before please leave it on me i  would arrange it all end everyone happy.

Ephesus Tour
(1)Virgin Mary's house
(2) Ephesus, (at least 2 hours at this wonderful site)
Terrace houses in the Ephesus another 10 Euro each person entry fee!
I would like to add as pictures I have seen look tremendous)
(3) Temple of Artemis
(4) St John church
(5) place to stop at lunch

Terrace Houses 

Seven sleepers is also nice and we can stop and see it also but as i say it is all depends on time.

Above tour including Terrace Houses will be for Eight 75 Euros each
and if Ten or more it will be 65 Euros.

If we have time and decide we would like to do on the day we will go on to Sirince village for an extra 5 euros each Hasan for Liman Hotel said I belie we discuss this when you are here and tour better! you may like to spend more time in one place or you may don't want to spend much time in one place. Please leave it on me and I would do my best to make it beautiful tour..I am also trying hard to knowing by travellers. and I know best way doing business is do your best guest are happy ward of mouth..

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Well we decided to get to town by taxi or bus - I think means getting local currency.
Once in town - up on the town wall and walk round
Look at the old harbour
It is a lovely town - well it was on my last visit in 1965

Farewell: Googie Withers

Googie Withers dies aged 94 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Film star Googie Withers star of The Lady Vanishes, dies at 94 | Mail Online


Googie was a major film star - she was part of my growing up - some of the great British films
like One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) - IMDb

and she one of the cast in my great favourite Hitchcock comedies
The Lady Vanishes (1938) - IMDb

She married the Australian actor John McCallum and in 1958 they came here to live. They made many films together.
A great lady.......

Carbon Tax

Sunday was the day when the PM told us what she planned - of course we'd heard it from the Greens already.
Then Monday was Q&A and a good reception for the PM - and several Tweets saying how wonderful she had been. She was All absolute spin proposing that Her Tax will fix the problem. All a Tax does is "encourage" people to do something - providing there is something to do. Has high tobacco tax stopped people smoking?

PM quote - by 2050 we will achieve reductions equivalent to taking 45,000,000 cars off the road. She mentioned we have 12,000,000 cars at moment and she is not taxing them because that would cause harm to families. And of course cost her votes. But the 45 million quote makes me think she sees cars as a major problem. So why nothing about moving to electric cars etc??????

One young person on a web question asked would we have 100% renewable energy sources by end of decade. She had to say well around 40%.

So lets get it clear the tax is to get people off carbon but there isn't anything really in her plan that creates energy in non carbon ways. So what we have is just a TAX not really direct action on alternatives.
 
Yes under the tax I could receive benefit providing the treasury costings are sound.
See here  to work out impact on you Clean Energy Future – Household assistance estimator

A possibly dubious Poll Carbon tax: Heat rises as voters reject Julia Gillard's plan | Herald Sun

Some good recent articles

Considered action on climate change - The Drum Opinion (ABC
Detailed discussion of Coal power station and the tax etc
Comments are also good and note Nuclear power is mentioned - surely the only way out from Coal power

How the carbon tax made me a Liberal - The Drum Opinion - A vote for the Labor Party's carbon tax is a vote for wealth redistribution. (ABC)

Abbott baits PM, Wong over carbon tax : World News Australia on SBS
"The finance minister couldn't explain the cost of the (carbon) tax," he told reporters. The opposition leader was referring to an interview Senator Wong gave on Monday when she said the revenue from the sale of carbon permits was $18 billion, when government papers say it is $25 billion. "And we now know the prime minister couldn't explain where the money was coming from ... to buy out Hazelwood (power station in Victoria)." Ms Gillard on Tuesday said an undisclosed amount of money to buy back 2000 megawatts from the nation's highest-polluting coal-fired power stations would come from the budget's contingency fund. "It's just not good enough," Mr Abbott said.

Farewell: Lionel Rose

Well the other day Henry Cooper and now Lionel
Wow he was en exciting boxer
It was great for Australia when Lionel won


Vale Lionel Rose | Daily Telegraph Miranda Devine Blog

Pessah in Jerusalem: 1882, 1935 and 1948

Pessah in Jerusalem: 1882, 1935 and 1948

Amazing British Princes visited Jerusalem in 1882 - one the future King George V
I never knew that

Farwell: Former heavyweight champ Henry Cooper

Former heavyweight champ Henry Cooper dies at 76 : World News Australia on SBS

Back in days when I followed Boxing - well my father had fought in the Marines and he liked to watch - back then Henry was a hero.
I can remember listening on car radio to an excited moment for commentator Barrington Dalby in the 1963 fight with Cassius Clay when Henry put him down.
I just didn't believe it. And of course Cassius picked himself up and stopped playing around BUT Henry did put him down in spite of all that brilliant foot work and shadow boxing etc Henry got through.
Sadly Henry was easily cut on the face and his career was doomed but he was a nice guy and I remember him well.

Christian Writing from the First Century

24 Mar 2011 Amazing books from early days

Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament: Christian Writing from the First Century

has link to
BBC News - Jordan battles to regain 'priceless' Christian relics

Dr Claude mentions an image in one book
"There is a cross in the foreground, and behind it is what has to be the tomb [of Jesus], a small building with an opening, and behind that the walls of the city. There are walls depicted on other pages of these books too and they almost certainly refer to Jerusalem."
It is the cross that is the most telling feature, in the shape of a capital T, as the crosses used by Romans for crucifixion were."

5 Apr 2011 Well a lot of people saying 

Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament: The Ancient Christian Codices: A Modern-Day Forgery

There will be more on this

Farewell: Liz Taylor: She’ll always own that place in the sun - The Globe and Mail

Only 79 and one of the greats has gone.
So good in so many things - National Velvet
and this article remembers A Place in the Sun.

Liz Taylor: She’ll always own that place in the sun - The Globe and Mail

And so many events in her life................

Jesus Said, "I Am the Aleph and the Tav"

Revelation 1:8 New International Version

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

John 1:1 KJV"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Well Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. But those words in Revelation were most likely said in Hebrew or Aramaic "The Aleph and Tav"

Do you wonder about the Bible saying I am the Alpha and Omega - is that what Jesus really said. Most likely it as said in Hebrew or Aramaic

And if he said Aleph and Tav then check how that appears in Genesis 1:1

Please do read these two pages


Jesus Said, "I Am the Aleph and the Tav"

and also 

Yeshua and the Hebrew Alphabet

Moghlai Chicken Curry

Moghlai Chicken Curry
A wonderful curry so creamy and tasty.
The poppy seeds add this lovely surprise.
We make in batches and freeze portions.


2 kg (4 Ib) chicken .pieces

1/2 cup (125 g) butter
1 tablespoon paprika
3 onions, chopped
2 cups (500 ml) coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
1 cup (250 g) yoghurt
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
5 whole cloves
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) cream
2 Tomatoes, quartered
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons lemon or lime Juice
2-3 tablespoons curry powder

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions and garlic until
golden brown.

2. Stir in the bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves and simmer for five minutes.

3. Add the chicken and cook for ten minutes.

4. Stir in the tomatoes, salt, curry powder, paprika, coconut milk, yoghurt,
ginger and poppy seeds. Cover and cook over a low heat until chicken'is
tender.

5. Stir in the cream, saffron and lemon or lime juice and heat thoroughly.

Serves 6.

World News Australia - Australian Coptics protest persecution

Australia's Coptic Christians are demanding the federal government use diplomacy to pressure Egypt to better protect members of their faith.

World News Australia - Australian Coptics protest persecution

More than 500 Coptics and their Muslim friends marched in central Sydney, calling on Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to address the issue, after a bomb blast killed 21 people during a New Year's Eve Coptic church service in Alexandria, Egypt.

"We understand that Mr Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard have not personally issued statements of condemnation," said the spokeswoman, who asked not to be named for safety reasons.
"We don't understand why they're silent and other leaders aren't."

Farewell: Susannah York

Susannah York - 1939-2011

She of the cropped hair cut. She just meant 1960s British films for me

So many good films - just thinking of early one - Tom Jones - A Man for All Seasons - Battle of Britain.

Merry Christmas

Well its Christmas - I've played the role of Santa and the original man would appear to be have been a good bloke but Santa was not divine and even if the wrong date Christmas is to remember God's gift of Jesus for OUR benefit. Merry Christmas and do "try" to visit a church tonight or tomorrow or Sunday and ask somebody about Jesus.

If you are on Facebook - go here and click LIKE
GodVine - Let's Get Ready for a Christian Revival

Or Twitter and where ever else you can Share

and perhaps visit me at Ron Lankshear's Faith Page

Farewell: Pink Panther director Blake Edwards dies at 88 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Pink Panther director Blake Edwards dies at 88 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Strange coincidence Geoffrey Rush film of Peter Sellers "Life and Death" was on TV last night and of course Blake was shown having great fun as well as strain working with Peter.
But what wonderful films they made. Such memorable moments. Peter spinning the big office globe of the world and crashing to the floor. The word games in French. Ah Blake knew how to get Peter performing.

And of course "Breakfast at Tiffany's" what an icon that has become.

And I just found out this
Edwards began his career as a scriptwriter for radio. In fact, one of his early breaks was writing dialogue for Orson Welles’ famous 1938 production of War of the Worlds.
Now that was major - that Radio show was so authentic that is caused panic as people thought the Martians were coming. Orson and Blake's great success.





All our sympathy to Julie Andrews for her loss

Tangy Lemon Cake

Christine's recipe for Lemon Cake
3 large Lemons - now we are talking Tangy
1 cup butter / marg
1 cup sugar + 3 tablespoons of sugar for juice
1 + 1/2 cups white self raising flour and sift it
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
pinch of salt
some cornflour
spray oil for cake tray

Grate rind from both lemons - and put juice aside.
Cream Butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add grated rind to cream mixture.
Add both eggs - one at a time and mix well.
Mix in sifted flour and milk.
Alternately starting and ending with flour.
Spray cake tray with oil and then dust with cornflour.
You could place baking paper in bottom - if you like perhaps not. 
Pre Heat oven and Bake at 200c for around 30 minutes
test with skewer to see if cooked

Take juice from lemons  boil with 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Loosen cake in tin first and then
Pour hot mixture over cake whilst still hot

Lest We Forget

11 November 1918 fighting in the Great War finally finished. Let is remember those who were sacrificed in this awful conflict

Lest We Forget

Recipes: Dhal

Dhal

1 tablespoon oil

6 oz. (3/4 cup) red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes and drained

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 pint (2 1/2 cups) stock

l/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

sea salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, coriander and curry powder and cook for a further 2 minutes over a low heat.

Add the lentils, stock and seasoning, cover and cook gently for 50-60 minutes until the lentils are quite soft.

Dhal should be the consistency of a very thick pea soup. Adjust the seasoning and serve with a curry.

In India often served thinner and more like a gravy BUT we like this one

Farewell: Tony Curtis

US actor Tony Curtis dies - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz in New York City on June 3, 1925.

Was in one of the great comedies "Some Like it Hot" what a scene he had with Marilyn and the Shell for Shell

"Spartacus" so well supporting Kirk Douglas

So many more memorable movies and some that were just Hollywood hokum

Politics: Quo Vadis

Sky News: Power struggle to continue after vote


Independents vow to work together - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The three sitting independent MPs have promised to work as closely together as possible as a political deadlock continues to hang over the country.


Call another poll if talks fail: Oakeshott
Sounds good to me


'Spin and fakery' as Labor infighting starts - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Mr Iemma, who was forced out of office in 2008 when Mr Bitar was then the secretary of NSW Labor, says Mr Bitar needs to take responsibility for Labor's failure to secure a majority.

Tony Windsor Says Show Us The Money
Independent MP Tony Windsor will ask the two main parties to submit all their election policies to the Treasury for costing so negotiations to form a government can begin with an agreed budgetary starting point.

Greens want debate on Afghanistan | The Daily Telegraph
As Gillard pointed out at conference re death of a brave trooper today - the Defence Minister has made reports and debates took place then. Presumably the Greens want everyone to accept that it is time to pull out - But I suppose I see Gillard's point Lets Train Afghans to fight the Taliban.

Live Results - 2010 Federal Election - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Well latest is Lib 73 Lab 72 and ONE Green and 4 others. Off to see 3 of the Others on Press Club lunchtime

Politics: Is this Goodbye Maxine - Friday final thoughts on Election

World News Australia - ALP poll suggests 20 marginals could go
The ALP polled 1650 voters this week across 10 NSW marginal seats and 10 Queensland marginal seats.
The poll showed a three per cent swing against Labor in the NSW marginals, which would see the government lose seven seats with three at risk, the Seven Network reported.
Seats which would fall to the coalition if the internal polling is accurate are: Robertson, Macquarie, Gilmore, Macarthur, Bennelong, Eden-Monaro and Page.
Those at risk are: Dobell, Greenway and Lindsay.

The 7.30 Report - ABC Antony Green's election preview - possibilities of Hung parliament

Poll puts leaders neck and neck - ABC News

The primary vote for Labor 35% Coalition 44% Greens' 14%.

Gillard Says State Labor Is Indefensible "Julia Gillard draws attention to her positive agenda and contrasts it with Tony Abbott's negative stance of cancelling out Labor's mistakes, but it's not quite enough"
Positive??? All I hear is her going on about Workchoices. And grocery prices. Than she talks ad nauseum re NBN and nothing about ETS.
and same old labour nonsense "Julia Gillard says she'd be devastated if the nation wakes up on Sunday and finds it's elected Tony Abbott Prime Minister on the back of a protest vote against Labor."

Sky News: Newspoll lineball, Galaxy tips ALP
But a Galaxy poll, published in the Herald Sun newspaper, predicts a narrow Labor win with a 52-48 two party preferred result.

Here in Bennelong
Maxine has been very nice to meet - she and Kevin were very supportive over the horrible murder in our street last year.
However I've been very annoyed at the mess that State Labor has made over the Epping Road. At least Greg Smith the state liberal MP is promising to change the Bus Lanes back to Transit Lanes.
But alas Maxine looking at the numbers particularly your party's own poll it sounds like the swing will exceed 1.4 % ........

PS Just heard Bob Brown says Greens will hold balance of power and if Labor are in a minority he will support them to be the Government. What - go over the people's head. At least the Liberals in UK went with the majority party.

ABC Elections for the election calculator etc


PS Saturday morning this interview appears
Julia Gillard: My carbon price promise | News.com.au

After days of mentioning NBN mantra suddenly she will have a mandate for the ETS or CPRS

Joseph in Egypt

Some folk often say there is no trace of what the Bible says about the Hebrews or Israelites in Egypt.
Well look at
Bahr Yussef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

which means A canal or waterway of Joseph.

This is an ancient irrigation work.
The Bible says Joseph was appointed by Pharaoh to help Egypt through the years of plenty and then a drought.

-- 

Books: Iran: My Grandfather by Ali Alizadeh

M/C Reviews - A harrowing history – Iran: My Grandfather by Ali Alizadeh

Iran: My Grandfather · Readings.com.au

Yes indeed a harrowing book. A history of Iran in the 20th century told through scenes from Ali's grandparent's lives. Rather like a novel but does show us the trauma of Iran. Salman is a police lieutenant and is excited by the Shah's attempt to modernise Iran. Part of which involves banning the Barqa and there is a scene when Salman confronts a woman who really wants to wear the thing. He realises banning is not the answer. Eventually he realises the Shah is a dicator and helps depose him. Suffers prison under the new Shah.
If you want to know why Iran is the way it is then do read this beautifully written book

Books: The imperial cruise : a true story of empire and war / by James Bradley

The imperial cruise : a true story of empire and war / by James Bradley

I picked the book up thinking it was about the World Cruise of the Royal Navy in 1923 which took my father to many countries. But it is about the 1905 diplomacy voyage on which Teddy Roosevelt sent his daughter Alice and the Secertary of War Taft to the far east.

James Bradley (author) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia also wrote Flags of our Fathers which covered WW2 and I have seen the Clint Eastwood film. James is very concerned about the impact on his father's generation of WW2 and in this new book
he lays the blame on Teddy Roosevelt and his encouragement of Japan in 1905.

The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists ( star ratings) for some good comments on the book.

Yes its PC history BUT a lot of what he says seem justified. It is not just a history of 1905 he goes back to the Mexican War and 1853 Perry threat to Japan. His point is a racism in American policy and because the Japanese decided to become industrialised and started wearing western suits including top hats that USA was convinced they were above the other Asian countries. Then LeGendre advised Japan to take over Okinawa and Taiwen and Korea. Bradley seems to say that all was peace in Asia before the USA intervened - he does not mention the invasions of Korea by Japan in the 1590s.

The whole push of the book is that Roosevelt conducted secret and illegal agreements with Japan. He seems to imply he has seen confirmation of this and yet we are also told that Roosevelt continually wanted assuances that Japan would not attack the Phillipines. The book also goes into the horrible mess of USA involvement in the Phillipines.

It seems that Teddy Roosevelt was not altogether as wise he he appeared in Ron's "reviews": David Fromkin’s new book: The King and the Cowboy when he was dealing with the Kaiser and King Edward in Europe.

Bradley's book is very readable history. And you can follow the romance of Alice Roosevelt. All comes to a rather sad end.

Politics: Polls

World News Australia - Labor back on track: pollster

"The Nielsen poll, published in Fairfax newspapers on Monday, shows federal Labor leading the coalition 52 to 48 per cent on a two-party preferred basis."

I did an on line SMH survey that had a question that went something like

"Do you agree with  Gillard's strong Timor Policy - Yes - No - Don't Know"

How do you answer a question like that? Do I think its strong - Do I like the policy - Is Timor the right place - Do I approve of Gillard?
What does it mean? How would a pollster use the data?
I answered NO - mainly to avoid a positive on Gillard but how would others see it
The Nauru centre seemed to work BUT
Timor seems a bad place - it is a sensitive place - severe trouble there in recent times - many locals don't like the idea.
And Gillard handling of it was appalling

Back in Poll land I heard on ABC radio a pollster reporting a strong poll saying Timor was a good idea BUT a negative on how Gillard handled it. Is that support for Gillard - no I don't think it is.

Meanwhile
Sky News Australia - News Vote
Who is your preferred Prime Minister?
Tony Abbott         72%
Julia Gillard         28%

Those numbers have been static for over an hour
And that is a clear question not inferred from some vague question on policy

Politics: Things Get Worse

2nd item on agenda for "fixing the government that had lost its way" was Asylum seekers.
Julia Gillard's gaffe on Dili solution no consultation of Xanana Gusmao | The Daily Telegraph

Is this real - announce a plan and it is not yet arranged with the country involved!!!!!!!!

Asylum seeker processing centre not a new idea, says Prime Minister Julia Gillard | The Daily Telegraph "What's new is my determination to relentlessly pursue it."

Gillard yet to speak with Timor's Gusmao - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Ms Gillard says she is not putting a timeframe on negotiations with neighbours
Well that is "relentless"

Meanwhile in TV Ad land
Health legislation won't be passed before election - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
includes "Ms Roxon says it will be two years before people can be moved from long-term public hospital surgery waiting lists to private hospitals.She says the Government is being up-front about when people might expect changes such as the surgery plan. "That guarantee, for example, comes into play progressively from July 1, 2012," she said."It is a complicated process both for elective surgery and for emergency departments because it is staged according to clinically recommended times for having the surgery undertaken. "We don't want to pretend to the public that tomorrow every problem in the health system will be fixed."

Hype ads on the TV and nothing is passed yet and the wanted changes are way off

And here we already into the 3rd item on agenda for "fixing the government that had lost its way" Julia Gillard on the climate change attack | The Daily Telegraph
except "Today, Ms Gillard emphatically ruled out a price on carbon before 2012 as she prepares to release a new policy on climate change."

Do read article and what Abbott has to say "We've committed to an emissions reduction fund, which will build up to $1 billion a year in order to purchase abatements in ways that improve the environment."

WWF climate change spokeswoman Kellie Caught attacked Ms Gillard's inaction.
"She has continued Labor's backflip on climate change and ignored the public's sentiments...."

I thought she was going to achieve the things that Rudd had put aside........

Later same day Gillard won't confirm East Timor preference - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) - Looks like Gillard has been advised about diplomacy and is trying to backout. I saw Tony Jones interview Ramos-Horta and he was quite gracious and trying to help BUT of course no way he would take all those people in Indonesia detention. They should be processed!!

Politics: Meanwhile in Bennelong

We're allies, says McKew - Government - News - Northern District Times

"NEW Prime Minister Julia Gillard can bank on the full support of Bennelong Federal MP and “close ally” Maxine McKew in the aftermath of last week’s history-making events in federal politics."

Phew the PM is an "Ally"  - I'd have preferred a "Friend"

"Maxine agreed with Ms Gillard that Mr Rudd was not successfully selling Labor’s message, which was the reason he had to be replaced, according to the party"

"Ms McKew was seen walking side by side with Mr Rudd down the corridors of Parliament House in Canberra the day he was sacked by his own party. “I owed him a lot,” Ms McKew said. “I owed him to be there on this most difficult day.” ``It was unprecedented in Labor history for a Prime Minister to go in this manner,’’ she said. ``But Julia was correct: It was difficult to sell a clear message of the good things Labor is doing. We were not able to get our message out.’‘

Politics: PM gives ground on mining tax

World News Australia - PM gives ground on mining tax

The tax has been given a new name - the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT). It was previously known as the Resource Super Profit Tax.

The headline tax of 40 per cent has been reduced to 30 per cent, despite the federal government's previous refusals to back down on the rate. The reforms will be limited to iron ore and coal projects, and will only apply to 320 companies.
The government says the reduced rate will make the industry "internationally competitive".

Petroleum resource tax extended
The MRRT will apply to iron ore and coal. However, the current Petroleum Resource Rent Tax will be extended to cover all onshore and offshore oil and gas projects. There will be no rebate for new exploration costs.
To finance the changes, the company tax rate will now only drop to 29 per cent, instead of the promised 28 per cent.

The federal government estimates the reforms will reduce revenue by $1.5 billion in the forward estimates.

---------------

well that is a 25% reduction in the tax which would have meant 3bn but I suppose the other changes bring it down to 1.5bn but still not as good as the budget planned!!!

Which way round does the battery go? Microsoft are fixing it

Microsoft unveils Instaload technology to banish battery bungling | The Daily Telegraph

"The US technology colossus overnight unveiled 'InstaLoad' technology
that lets batteries energise devices regardless of how the negative and
positive polarity connections are in place."

Wow - one of my big cripes - which way round does the battery go.?
So many gadgets and they "chart" is usually black on black and hard to see.
Go for it Microsoft

Et Tu Julia - reflections on the events June 23 onwards

Barrie Cassidy on ABC put it well "The King is dead, Long life the Queen".
Gough would have said "Well of course Julia is the feminine version of Julius". Hang on it was Julius that was stabbed.

I find it deeply disturbing that a Prime Minister was deposed in his first term simply because someone else wanted the job. Especially when the PM had turned his party's fortunes round and won in a landslide even losing the previous PM his seat. It was Kevin 07 - have you ALP folk forgot that? Kevin then contained with enormous popularity in the polls until just recently. Strange the big problem for John Howard was the advertising campaign against him over work choices and the problem for Kevin was one against him over the Mining Tax. I actually thought the tax was a real socialist issue. Surprising the ALP want out.

The Union person on lifeline had me chortling - it was Kevin asking his chief staff to find out opinions that caused them all to say time. Really its clear you all had already decided. Shorten on Q&A was saying it was Wednesday when he advised Julia to challenge. I though she said she made her own mind up! Shorten also said "it was a hard decision" - really should I feel sorry for you. What about the man you dumped. Surely he should have been allowed to go an election.

Mark Latham really did a bucket job on the party. And strange that he said that Swan hates Gillard as I see him arrive at G20 and announce himself as "Wayne Swan Prime Minister of Australia sorry deputy....."

More from Barrie Cassidy ABC The Drum - Rudd's downfall: he never really got it
in which "and she cut the ground from under the Coalition by conceding "a good government had lost its way."
I just find her repeating of that as weird - her cabinet is essentially the same - so apart from Kevin its the same as the one that lost its way - poor little lambs. Were the serious cabinet meetings at which everyone disagreed with what Kevin was doing? Did anyone resign on principle?
Lindsay Tanner has gone and his job is now combined with Foreign Affairs - sort of makes sense but will it continue like that. Kevin may after next election be back in the ministry? Is all this real?
Now media rumour is an election announcement this Friday. Really what about all the things that were going to be fixed because the government lost their way. Being left to after the election? So here we go again - we'll fix carbon - notice Gillard talks about carbon price not ETS.

Gillard won't play religion card - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) "Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she has no intention of pretending to believe in God to attract religiously-inclined voters." Well it wouldn't have fooled us Julia - it is fairly obvious you do not believe in God. Are you saying Kevin was pretending? Well at his sad speech Friday morning when he bubbled he did say something about giving thanks to God "him or her" - was he joking?

The last time I voted ALP was for Bob Hawke - then unlike Julia I decided God was for real and realised the ALP didn't see things that way.
Anyhow I was in India trying to serve God and came back to Australia to find that Keating thought he knew better than the people. And just under 20 years later Gillard does the same thing. Yes our first female PM but winning an election was the way that should have been not his "I decided"

Only last week Maxine was talking in local paper about a Rudd government plan. And her bulletin came and was full of photos with Kevin. Sad.
So will Maxine be a one term member for Bennelong?

Some additional items since I wrote above

How Abbott found an unexpected ally over climate change in the Gang of Four "IN THE inner sanctum, Julia Gillard had urged that the Rudd government not honour its election commitment for an emissions trading scheme unless the opposition's Tony Abbott agreed to one. The deputy prime minister argued strongly with her cabinet colleagues that the government should dump the scheme "because it's hurting us too much" politically, according to cabinet members."
Perhaps that explain why she talks carbon price instead of ETS

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard does not support legalising gay marriage | The Daily Telegraph

Film: Molière

Molière (2007)

The great French playwright Jean-Baptists Poquelin aka Molière (wonderfully played by Romain Duris)

Very enjoyable - makes a great effort to create the language etc that made Moliere so funny and famous

Really good - have seen it twice

David Fromkin’s new book: The King and the Cowboy

David Fromkin's new book: The King and the Cowboy

"The King and the Cowboy: Theodore Roosevelt and Edward the Seventh: The Secret Partners".

Actually I think it should be "The King, the Cowboy and Autocrat" or whatever you want to call Kaiser Willie.
The book suggests that the King and the President colluded to stop the Kaiser's plans in the Moroccan crisis of 1905 and this set the stage for WW1 and hence WW2 etc.

It is very well written history and short as well so well worth reading to understand what happened in Europe at the transition from Queen Victoria into the 20th century. Goes into how Victoria and Albert tried to educate Edward and that Victoria may well have hated him. Similarly explores the strange upbringing of Willie and his personality problems. Willie was actually visiting his grandmother when she died and he loved British uniforms etc. And yet he set out to oppose Britain - even though many protest that his expansion of the German Navy was not to oppose Britain.

From this book a case is well established that Edward had much more say in policy than the subsequent Kings of England.

A very good read

Just read: Robert Lindsay - Letting Go

RobertLindsay.net - Official: Robert Lindsay - Letting Go

Robert Lindsay (Stevenson) I first remember seeing in Jericho - a wonderful recreation of foggy London in the 1950s - and upsetting too - what was going on. Well Robert was what was going on. And then My Family which I only started watching when it had been around some time - some episodes were really funny but always a sad undercurrent. This book is about his first sixty years and is a very enjoyable read. He really goes into his acting style. It seems he likes to play the part and also play to the audience. Which can be threatening and one actor actually punched him.

Playing Henry II with Derek Jacobi as Beckett - he relates Derek as being a bit grumpy when Robert tried to be amusing - later he recounts Derek had Mrs Thatcher as a dinner guest and she invited Robert which he refused as being from the working class he did not like her politics - no wonder Derek was grumpy. Robert does reveal a lot about himself. Always having a laugh about himself. It was good to read about his career. Being "down under" for 40 years means I've lost touch with "new" actors etc in UK so this book was revealing.

I knew "Me and My girl" the 1930/40s Lupino Lane musical with the "Lambeth Walk" had had a rerun but I just did not know that Robert with Emma Thompson had been the stars - he took the show to a success on Broadway and met everyone including Miss Hepburn.

I'll be watching more of Robert if his shows get down here

Giants In the Land of Canaan - well yes but not this find

Sadly another fake story
A friend sent me the email exactly as described here
Giants in Greece - Nephilim - Giant Skeletons [Analysis]
Above is page 6 with comments on how photos were faked - previous pages have all the photos

Here is site with above photo
Archeologists Discover The Ancient Bones Of Biblical Giants-Fiction!

It is so sad that people do this
This is worth reading and has photos of an actual very tall man.

The Bible is true - these fakes stories are not needed. I've started a new category of FAKES

Our Garage Sale

Garage Sale - Saturday 8 May - North Epping | Garage Sale & House Clearance | Gumtree Sydney

We have some some Linen and new Giftware ideal for Mother's day
Cheap Furniture - stools - kitchen steps - computer desk – cupboard
Bird cage - aquarium - mouse house Videos - books - Fax machine

We decided late and missed Hornsby Council and Northern District Times cut offs

Still made Gumtree and they are great and free unless you want a highlight on front page etc and they have lots of categories and I will be checking them

The Ark of Noah is it finally found - no it isn't -or is it

More news coming in I will update below

We've heard for some time that various Noah's Ark had been found. Some geologists said were natural structure and not fossilised wood
Only Easter weekend there was a TV show recounting the saga of "finds".

Now this week a team from Hong Kong and Turkish archaeologists are reporting a 99% confidence that they have the real structure

Breaking news from Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament is very good on news re Biblical archaeology : Inside Noah’s Ark

And the team themselves The Days of Noah - Apocalypse

The news is all over the web - do look maybe some updates. I've not seen anything on TV in Sydney re the press conference reported above.
I hope we hear some substantial archaeology and scientific research soon

Two pictures inside the structure - a room and a beam




























Don't worry it was a fake and the news was all over the web

Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament: Inside Noah’s Ark: A Hoax

Picking up stories that appear to support faith is dangerous

PaleoBabble » Noah’s Ark PaleoBabble Update

The Hong Kong team web site just read like they wanted to find something so something happened





























May 2010

Now there are more interviews etc on The Days of Noah - Apocalypse

most of these are trying to refute what Randall Price said and say he was not there when they made their discovery and has not been near it. I could not see any video of the discovery. Some pics of the interior - one an enormous space.
They also seem to say this was same site that has been found before 1883, 1948 etc. There must be TWO such sites because one appears to be in an ice bound area and the other I have seen in TV shows is not.

Here is Randall Price on what was said about him and his involvement
World of the Bible Ministries Biblical Archaeology
And partly he says
Therefore, the only public statement he wishes to make at this time is that he believes that the greater the claim the greater the evidence needs to be to support it and urges the Chinese-Turkish team to make their collected samples from the structure available to scientists and scholars for comparative analysis. While he has reservations about the nature and procedure of the Chinese-Turkish expedition and the artifacts related to it, he believes that a decision concerning this matter must wait until independent examinations of the site and the structure can be made and published.


This site has lots of data and links
The Explorers Of Ararat: And the Search for Noah's Ark

which includes link to News to Note, May 1, 2010 - Answers in Genesis
in which concludes “Adding to our skepticism about the find is that the volcanic activity on the mountains of Ararat as well as several earthquakes make it doubtful that even parts of a wooden structure could have survived for over 4,300 years. Furthermore, much of the wood would have most likely been scavenged right after the Flood to erect forms of shelter and to build fires, etc.”

And the very good Bible research site Associates for Biblical Research has Noah’s Ark Discovered Again?
At this point we are skeptical of these new claims but would rejoice in the end if they proved to be true. -
Amen

Well November 2011 and New Support for Alleged Noah’s Ark Discovery
also here New Support for Alleged Noah's Ark Discovery and has picture that looks like what Ron Wyatt said was the Ark




The news appears to be from Dr Joel Klenck but his organisation Paleontological Research Corporation
does not seem to mention???

Kevin Rudd - an election this year - good article by Ross Gittins on Kevin

Rudd ominously silent on climate change

Ross is saying Kevin has diverted from carbon reduction to health as its too difficult

To get his trading scheme into law, Rudd's only course is to hold a double dissolution election and pass it at a joint sitting. But that would mean making his ''great big new tax'' a central issue in the election campaign, having a real fight on his hands and possibly losing some seats.