BigBlog

 

I've moved my blogging to here....

http://bloggercav.blogspot.com/

 

See ya there!

TWO internal defence inquiries have cleared Diggers of illegally killing seven local men in Afghanistan in April.

In separate statements issued today, the Department of Defence said its soldiers had acted appropriately.

Both incidents occurred in Oruzgan province where Australian troops are working with their Dutch colleagues to rid the region of the Taliban, remnants of al-Qaeda and other criminal forces.

In the first incident on April 2, three Afghan men were killed while soldiers were clearing a house and surrounding buildings.

"The inquiry officer determined that the Australian soldiers acted lawfully, in self-defence, when the three men were killed,'' a defence statement said.

Intelligence had led the Afghan-Australian combined force to believe high-ranking members from the enemy were hiding out in the buildings, defence said.

Eight other Afghans were initially detained but later released.

An unnamed inquiry officer found there were no mistakes in the planning and execution of the mission.

"The inquiry officer recommended that no conduct warranted further investigation,'' the defence statement said.

In the second incident, four people were killed and two wounded on April 27 and 28.

Defence found the diggers were justified in opening fire on the group.

Again, an unnamed inquiry officer found in the soldiers favour on "the balance of probabilities''.

The Diggers called in an airstrike against the Afghans after they were seen digging roadside holes.

"It was believed that the Afghans were laying improvised explosive devices,'' defence said.

There were claims those killed were actually farmers doing night time irrigation work.

Defence found it was very likely that the people engaged were laying roadside bombs, which are the chief weapon used against US and NATO forces in the war-torn country.

"The group was observed for over three hours. The targets were then engaged using close air support.''

The commanding officer got positive identification of the Afghans three times before saying yes to the engagement.

"The inquiry officer concluded that ADF personnel that night complied with the rules of engagement governing immediate targeting,'' defence said.

Lieutenant General Mark Evans, the chief of joint operations, has now closed both inquiries.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/two-department-of-defence-inquiries-clear-diggers-of-illegally-killing-local-men-in-afghanistan-in-april/story-e6frf7jo-1225811770158

I feel good about this Christmas.  

No longer is it happy holiday but merry christmas, the way it should be.

The other thing I have missed is the strikes - you know - postal workers, airline staff, that kinda thing.  I wonder when the taxis will do their thing.

This has given me hope that the old movies will return on Christmas Day - something to help the stomach to digest two or three helpings of christmas pudding....

The 12 Dogs of Christmas (2005) -- In a town where dogs are banned, a girl decides to use the dogs to teach people about the true meaning of Christmas during the Depression.
The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue (1996) -- Three children travel to Washington in the hope of convincing President Hoover to release their wrongly convicted father from jail in time for Christmas.
All I Want For Christmas (1991) -- Two kids plot to reunite their estranged parents at Christmas.
Bad Santa (2003) -- A conman poses as Santa to rob stores on Christmas Eve.
The Bishop's Wife (1947) -- An angel helps an Episcopalian bishop rearrange his priorities.
Blizzard (2003) -- A young girl, whose best friend moves away near Christmas, is told a tale by her aunt of a young ice skater and an enchanted reindeer.
Christmas at Maxwell's (2006) -- The Austin family face a bleak Christmas when Suzie extremely ill and the family go away to spend their last Christmas together before she dies.
A Christmas Carol (1938), MGM's 1938 film adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic story, remade countless times.
Christmas Carol: The Movie, (2001), an animated film starring the voices of Kate Winslet, Nicolas Cage and Michael Gambon.
A Christmas Carol (2009), Walt Disney Pictures/ImageMovers Digital performance capture film starring Jim Carrey.
Christmas Child (2003) -- A life-sized nativity leads a man to learn about his past.
Christmas Eve (1947) -- Heiress attempts to bring her adopted sons back home by Christmas Eve to rescue her fortune from a scheming nephew.
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) -- Fibbing columnist must entertain war hero for the holidays. Remade in 1992.
A Christmas Story (1983) -- All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun.
Christmas with the Kranks (2004) -- When a suburban couple decide to forgo Christmas festivities, preferring to take a cruise to the Caribbean instead, their neighbours refuse to allow such Scrooge-like behaviour.
Deck the Halls (2006) -- Neighbours fight over who has the best Christmas lights.
Eight Crazy Nights (2002) -- A half-Jewish, half-Christian man, who gave up on Christmas and Hanukkah after his parents both die around the holidays, is shown the error of his ways when he is forced into community service by refereeing a Junior Basketball team.
Elf (2003) -- A human, raised at the North Pole, searches for his family in New York.
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) -- Everyman-type Ernest helps Santa.
The Family Stone (2005) -- Uptight woman wants acceptance from eccentric clan at Christmastime.
Four Christmases (2008) -- A couple struggle to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day.
Fred Claus (2007) -- Fred Claus, Santa's bitter older brother, is forced to move to the North Pole.
The Grinch (2000) -- Furry green creature wants to ruin the holidays.
Holiday Inn (1942) -- Musicians prepare for a white Christmas at a cozy lodge.
The Holly and the Ivy (1952) -- An English clergyman reunites with his grown children for Christmas.
I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998) -- A college student finds it hard to get home for the holidays.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (2002) -- When a young boy catches his mom kissing Santa, he decides to be as naughty as he can until he drives Santa back to the North Pole.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) -- Classic tale, climaxing at Christmas, of a man who gets to see what his hometown would be like had he never lived.
J'ai Rencontré Le Père Noël (AKA Here Comes Santa Claus) (1984) -- Young boy and girl escape bullies and parents by taking a plane to the North Pole and visiting Santa.
Jingle All the Way (1996) -- Dad, while searching for season's hot toy, finds season's true meaning.
Joyeux Noël (AKA Merry Christmas) (2005) -- World War I trenches go silent during the "Christmas truce" of 1914.
The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) -- When the Lemon Drop Kid accidentally steers Moose Moran's girl away from a winning bet, he is forced to come up with $10,000 to repay the angry gangster. Fortunately it's Christmas, a time when people can be persuaded to part with money for the right cause.
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) -- Disney's animated film adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic story.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) -- Macy's Santa, with help from the U.S. Postal Service, restores a little girl's faith. Remade for television in 1955, 1959, 1973.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994) --
Mixed Nuts (1994) -- Christmas at a crisis hotline center.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) -- Jim Henson's creations tackle Charles Dickens' festive favorite.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) -- As usual, the Griswold family plans turn to disaster, this time at Christmas.
Nativity! (2009) -- An improvised comedy based around a school nativity play.
The Nativity Story (2006) -- The Biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Noel (2004) -- A series of events link five disparate strangers in New York on Christmas Eve.
Nothing Like the Holidays (2008) -- A Puerto Rican family, living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago, face what may be their last Christmas together.
One Magic Christmas (1985) -- At Christmas time an angel shows a young mother the true meaning of the holiday season.
The Perfect Holiday (2007) -- A young girl turns to a department store Santa in the hopes that he will help find a new husband for her divorced mother.
Prancer (1989) -- Girl nurses a wounded reindeer.
The Polar Express (2004) -- A magical train takes a boy and other children who stop believing in Santa Claus up north to meet the man himself.
Remember the Night (1940) -- DA falls for Christmastime shoplifter.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998) -- Rudolph's own biopic showing his journey from zero to hero.
Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004) -- A wealthy girl visits an orphanage during the holiday season, and tries to house them.
Santa Claus (1959) -- Santa battles evil demon in outer space.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) -- Martians kidnap Santa Claus because there is nobody on Mars to give their children presents.
Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) -- Biopic for the fat man in the red suit.
The Santa Clause (1994) -- When Santa falls off his roof, a harried ad exec is required to assume the mantle.
The Santa Clause 2 (2002) -- Sequel to The Santa Clause; Santa must find a Mrs. Claus.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) -- Third film in The Santa Clause series, Santa battles Jack Frost to keep his title.
Santa's Slay (2005) -- In this horror/comedy movie it is revealed that Santa Claus is actually a demon who lost a bet with an Angel, but when the bet is off, he returns to his evil ways.
Santa with Muscles (1996) -- An evil millionaire gets amnesia and then belives that he is Santa Claus.
Scrooge (1951) -- Charles Dickens' ghostly meditation on the holiday. This version of the story, with Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, is regarded as one of the best.
Scrooge (1970) -- A musical adaptation of Dickens' tale, starring Albert Finney as in the title role.
Scrooged (1988) -- Modern interpretation of Dickens' story, with holiday spirits visiting a cynical TV exec. Starring Bill Murray.
Stalking Santa (2006) -- Dr. Lloyd Darrow, a self-proclaimed "Santologist," sets out to prove the existence of Santa Claus.
Surviving Christmas (2004) -- A young millionaire pays a family to spend Christmas with him.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) -- Inhabitants of Halloween Land do a number on Christmas.
This Christmas (2007) -- The Whitfield family comes together for their first Christmas in several years.
Trapped in Paradise (1994) -- Kindly town's hospitality melts Christmas burglars' hearts.
Twas the Night Before Christmas (1914) -- A boy gets a ride in Santa's sleigh.
Unaccompanied Minors (AKA Grounded) (2006) -- Bored kids make up their own holidays whilst stuck in an airport after Christmas.
What Would Jesus Buy? (2007) -- Documentary about the commercialization of Christmas.
White Christmas (1954) -- As in Holiday Inn, musicians bring Irving Berlin's lyrics to Vermont lodge.
We're No Angels (1955) -- A trio of escaped convicts helps a man and his wife avoid financial ruin and help their daughter find romance on Christmas Eve.

(Thanks to Wikipedia)

 

Hey, did I mention my most favourite movie of all time?

It's not a christmas movie, but it is a bundle of laughs

Kangaroo Jack.  $8.99 at Kmart!

 

Dear SETI@home volunteer: 

I'm David P. Anderson, Director of SETI@home.

As an active SETI@home volunteer you participate in a global collaborative project that uses personal computers to search for signals of extraterrestrial origin. I thank you for taking part in this effort, and ask for your financial support to help us continue our efforts in 2010 and beyond.

SETI@home is doing great science: it's the most sensitive SETI search of its type. But its importance extends much farther. SETI@home pioneered the idea of doing scientific computing using large numbers of Internet-connected personal computers. This approach, "volunteer computing", is now being used by projects in many areas of science, such as climate and environmental study, biological and medical research, astronomy, and particle physics.

Volunteer computing provides more computing power than the fastest conventional supercomputer. BOINC, the software used by most volunteer computing projects, is a spin-off of SETI@home. SETI@home also inspired projects like Stardust@home that use volunteers' human skills rather than their computers.

SETI@home has had a major role in growing the worldwide public's interest and involvement in science, in creating on-line communities centered around science, and ultimately in giving the public more control over the directions of scientific progress.

I hope you will take a moment to marvel with me at the success of this effort, and that you can support our continuing work with a financial gift. SETI@home would appreciate any donation amount you can afford, and your gift is tax-deductible.

Sincerely,



David P. Anderson
SETI@home Director
Space Science Laboratory
University of California, Berkeley

PS: if you'd like to donate via check or wire transfer, please see instructions here.

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_donate.php

 

I bin doin' this for over 5 years now - using my home computer to search for ET by analysing radio waves.  Imagine if your computer helped to discover something on a radio wave coming from space!

All you do is sign up and they send stuff to your computer and it does stuff.  They also give you a fantastic screen saver.  Imagine how many computers are sitting idle when they could be helping out here.

   

http://www.singletonargus.com.au/news/local/news/general/commendation-from-chief-of-army/1699156.aspx

This is an article and a picture of my mate whom I visited a week or so ago. 

He is 53.

I have a cheap Nokia mobile phone.

I like Nokia because I can hear people most of the time. 

Why is the maximum volume on a mobile phone only set to 7?

Whatever happened to 10?

Did you know there are no aids for the hearing impaired when it comes to mobile phones? 

And there are a lot of people out there who can’t hear properly.  If you have trouble hearing a person while you are on a mobile phone, your instinctive reaction is to talk louder.  Every day I hear people yelling into their mobile phones – they must be deaf – it’s an epidemic.

Nokia used to have a log thingo that fitted around your neck and connected with your hearing aids.  It was similar to an induction loop.  I have that facility on my hearing aids but I never use it.  Come to think of it, there doesn’t seem to be any induction loops around anymore.

I checked out the internet for a new phone.  I thought I’d try one of those Apple thingos – they can get you breakfast in bed.

With the fall of the American dollar you’d be excused for thinking that there would be some mighty good bargains out there. 

Not so long ago, the American dollar was 66cents Australian; it is now 91cents – a drop of about one third.

The cheapest Apple Ipod phone in Australia is $719

http://www.apple.com/au/iphone/

The cheapest Apple ipod phone in America is $99

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Sheesh!

What a rip-off!!!

Do you feel like speaking out? 

Would anyone listen? 

Sometimes it is just good to vent, like I did on Friday at the Veterans Review Board.

I am a volunteer advocate.  I help war veterans with their claims for compensation.  I’ve been doing it for a little over two years now and on Friday I just couldn’t help myself.

What do you do when you have a very deserving case and the war veteran has been treated very poorly?

Yelling doesn't help, but it can make you feel better - for a couple of seconds until the reality of what you have done sets in.  I had to get up and leave the room at one stage as I felt helpless against the Board.

Helpless?

The veteran is not allowed to be represented by a lawyer at the Board even though the Senior member is a lawyer.  There are three of them against you.  A sick war veteran doesn't stand a chance of representing himself, so dumb grunts like me step up to try help these guys out.  We don’t know the law but we have a healthy dose of enthusiasm.   I use the scatter gun method – if I keep talking I must come up with something of merit. 

We don’t get paid.  As a matter of fact I am out of pocket, but I do it because it has to be done..... and I like it!

I travel two hours each way to get to the Board - what a waste of time and effort just for an adjournment.   I felt that the Board had enough information to make a decision in favour of the sick war veteran.  And I told them so in no uncertain terms.  I think I may have been a wee bit disrespectful to the Board; and I did apologise.

I was mighty upset that day.  The veteran’s case has been going on for two years.  An adjournment could delay the case another 12 months.  A member of the Board intimated that the problem lay with the psychiatrist and pension officer, both of whom are well known to me.

I wouldn’t have none of that, so I arced up!  Big time.

Paula took my blood pressure at tea time, some 6 hours later.  My blood pressure was 156/102. 

I’m still upset about the case.

I may do a blog on it.  I have a copy of the proceedings on disc and I’ll have a listen to it over the next couple of days and make my mind up then.  I have to be careful as there are privacy issues here.

Now back to the phone.

Those robbing bastards at Apple are not getting my money.

 

I’ll stick with yelling into the Nokia. 

That will keep my vocal cords in peak condition for my next case with the Board.

 

A few months back I wrote this on my blog...

Australian Veteran Matters (AVM) are a bunch of angry old men who see liars, frauds, wannabes and sleuths everywhere; and that’s just in their bunker!

Such antics used to be the domain of ANZMI, a noisy group of veterans hell bent on outing other war veterans because they didn’t follow certain ‘protocols’ regarding the wearing of ribbons on Anzac Day and other days of commemoration.

I can see them now foaming at the mouth at some picture in the paper showing an old guy wearing a few medals on Anzac Day. These guys get their picture in the paper because they have so many medals pinned to their jacket. Everyone knows they couldn’t have earned them because there are so many, the guy obviously has a mental problem. ANZMI and AVM rant about such guys as stealing valour, they should be charged for posing as a war veteran, and dealt with by the courts.  

Yawn.  

Today I was advised of this on ANZMI's website..

CAN YOU HELP?

 

Wanted -  The identity of this  dapper ex Sailor who was snapped at the Shrine of Remembrance Melbourne on ANZAC Day 2009. We would like to interview this man as to the provenance of his medals.  He must have some great stories about the Victoria Cross shown on his right shoulder and the Cross of Valour on his left breast. He is a man who has been around, we notice Korea, Malaysia. Vietnam and a Dutch Medal among the mix. 

One would think that the many thousands of veterans attending the Shrine on that day would have pulled this very interesting person aside and at least asked for his autograph. Our enquiries have foundered, we need help to identify him.  The medals need provenance and we need the name of the sailor.

Bill is a very good mate of mine and I have a lot of respect for him.  I called him a dickhead recently regarding an email he circulated where some of the information, according to Snopes, was incorrect.

Bill made some very valid points in a response to me.

This was my response back to him.....

 

 

Hey Bill, OK, I take back the dickhead thingo.

The series Band of Brothers does an excellent portrayal of the holocaust where the soldiers round up the civilians from the nearby village, herd them into the compounds; and make them face the reality of what happened to the Jews.

What they should have done is lined up the Nazis and shot them then and there – apply rule 303- to pinch a line from The Breaker

To me the article was not about Eisenhower,  but rather the notion that  UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum  - this is incorrect.

That’s what prompted my response Bill.

If one steps back and takes a critical look at the way history is written you quickly come to the conclusion that  it is written with bias.  The bias of the victor.  Everyone puts their own slant on things.  This is normal. 

Look at war films.  We are the good guys, the enemy are the bad guys – no one has made a film where the good guys get beaten up by the bad guys

So whenever I read anything these days I want to know the following

who wrote it,

when was it written and

why was it written. 

If you come up with the answer to the third part of the question  to educate the public, then you live in fairyland.

EVERYONE has an agenda – we must cut through this.

So what is the agenda here Bill?

 Muslims are taking over the world and changing our culture?

Is this a bad thing?

Europe is forever changed by its open migration policies and tolerance of others who want to enjoy the freedoms that democracy and the free market system brings to society.  Sure, we all should be free to share in the wealth and opportunities regardless of our race and religion.  It appears that Muslims are changing Europe.  They are migrating and outbreeding the others – something they learnt from the Jews

If Muslims want to come here to Australia and build their own schools and churches and put up religious symbols, then why not I say – everyone else has.

Personally I don’t care.

I’d rather Australians do something about the Aborigines who are living in appalling third world conditions right in our backyard.  This is our greatest shame.  We throw millions at the problem, but somehow nothing gets done.

Aboriginal people can expect to live up to twenty years less than non-Indigenous Australians. Indigenous life expectancy is so low because Aboriginal health standards in Australia are now so bad that 45% of Aboriginal men and 34% of women die before the age of 45.  71% die before they reach the age of 65.  According to the United Nations, the quality of life of Aboriginal people is the second worst of the planet—only China rates worse.

Let’s fix our own backyard first. 

What about the aboriginal denial?

Do we teach this in schools......

Causes for poor health and low life expectancy of aborigines:

poverty

poor nutrition

poor housing

dispossession of their traditional lands

low education level

high unemployment

hidden racism

inability of politicians to address Indigenous problems

These problems seem so easy to fix, yet we fail over and over again to make any improvement. 

Bugger the Jews, Muslims and Europe - let’s worry the plight of the aborigines first and put our money and energies into solving their problems before we look elsewhere at other peoples problems

Maybe we should round up the Australians, herd them into aboriginal areas; and make them face the reality of the plight of our indigenous people

Rant over, sorry to hijack your email Bill

Cav

 

 

http://www.copenhagenclimatechallenge.org/

We the undersigned, being qualified in climate-related scientific disciplines, challenge the UNFCCC and supporters of the United Nations Climate Change Conference to produce convincing OBSERVATIONAL EVIDENCE for their claims of dangerous human-caused global warming and other changes in climate. Projections of possible future scenarios from unproven computer models of climate are not acceptable substitutes for real world data obtained through unbiased and rigorous scientific investigation.

This open letter is signed by 140 experts.  I dunno, but I don't think it will go anywhere.

Maybe if they had a couple of good lookin' celebrities on board they would be more successful at bringing some attention to the world.

Imagine wanting proof, not just modelling, of man made warming - these guys are in fairyland.

So you're a senior citizen and the government says no health care or pension for you, what do you do?

Our plan gives anyone 65 years or older,  a gun and 4 bullets.     

You are allowed to shoot 2 MP’s  and 2 Senior Govt Officials.

Of Course, this means you will be sent to prison where you will get 3 meals a day, a roof over your head, and all the health care you need!     

New teeth, no problem.     

Need glasses, great.    

New hip, knees, kidney, lungs, heart?   All covered.

And who will be paying for all of this?    

The same government that just told you that you are too  old for health care.       

Plus, because you are a prisoner, you don't have to pay any income taxes anymore.  

UPDATE

Err... I think this would be in America?

And in some states they still have the death penalty.

Just one more point on politics before I do more blogs of interest (ie., more blogs about me, of course).

Where are all the government ministers?

They're not on TV, or the papers - they are nowhere to be seen.  You would be excused for thinking that Abbott was the prime minister and leading the government.

Labor boys are hiding.  This is not a good sign.  Has Abbott got them running scared?

I think so.

It won't be long before they will be brought to account and asked their personal opinions on climategate.  

They are snookered.  

If they come forward and say they are now a bit skeptical on climate change they will be ridiculed for having sat on their hands while Mr Rudd was pushing through "that giant new tax".

If they say they are for climate change they will be asked to justify why they were willing to support, without dissent from even one Labor politician, a bill that no one seems to understand and which would have been a huge cost to Australians in money and jobs without affecting the planet one iota.

Then there will be a debate about nuclear energy and why didn't Labor consider it as an alternative.

Wedge politics.  

Mr Rudd has met his match in Abbott who is itching for a fight, or an election, or both.

The silence from Mr Rudd, and his ministers is, well..... pathetic.

 

Well what a show.....

New opposition leader and new premier.

I haven't met either of them so I can't really comment on how good they are, every else seems to have an opinion though.

But what do I know?  

I thought Howard was OK, as was Nelson; and I am a distant cousin to Turnbull as we both share a common ancestor.

Still I like the fact that Abbott is a straight shooter, and I hope he remains that way.  I can understand what he is saying.

He needs to work on his hand gestures though.  He seems to be blessing everyone who listens to him.

I have been waiting for the politicians, and the main stream media, to comment on Climategate.

Nothing of substance.

Australians don't trust used car salesmen, politicians and journalists.  Generally in that order.

I'm really disappointed that used car salesmen are not holding up their end of the bargain.  They should be out there demonstrating their support for the theory of man made global warming.

Let's do the unthinkable and change the order to this: politicians, journalists and used car salesmen.

Oops, what about the lawyers?

They're all laying low....... waiting...... 

The ETS will pass.  

A new Liberal leader will emerge and opposition support for an ETS will vanish.

The ETS will stall in 2010 and the lawyers will emerge demanding compensation for their filthy rich merchant bankers....

 

 

http://www.countryweekly.com/freemusic#

They have new songs up every week

 

 

The day I got my senior citizens card I got $5 off a haircut!

I usually just get a 5 and 10 haircut.  The numbers refer to the thingo they clip on the clippers, if you can underconstumble what I mean.

I wear my hair fairly short otherwise it grows pretty thick - it must be the Chinese ancestry I have.  Besides I don't want other blokes being too jealous seeing as I am so good lookin'.  Also being blessed with having plenty of hair that still has a fair bit of colour in it really set some blokes seething as all the chicks gather 'round me.  They are not jealous of my big gut though.  But I'm working on it.  The gut that is.

Paula wanted me to get one of those auto blood pressure monitors.  They are about $100.  In jest I asked the chemist if they give discounts to senior cits.  They gave me a 5% discount!

Being on a roll, when we grabbed a couple of things at K Mart I asked:  

"Do you give discounts to senior cits?"

"On the first Wednesday of each month."

Bewdy.

That reminds me of one of the Navy guys (Nobby, who will remain nameless) at our exercise class - he wore a T shirt one day that said:

"Senior Citizen

JUST GIMME THE DISCOUNT!"

I'll ask Nobby if I can borrow his T shirt, it'll be a bit loose on me, but hey, that's the fashion right now.

Did I tell you about the time I borrowed 30c from Nobby as I didn't have enough change for coffee one day?

I forgot to repay him, he reminded me of this one day so I wrote him out a cheque - he even took it to the bank!  The bank advised that it would cost more than 30c to process, so he didn't bank it.

I think he has it on his dart board......

 

   

OK, I have to go from Wollongong to Singleton. 

Option 1

I’ve done this many times over the years and I usually go due north on the freeway, under the runway at Mascot and then the Harbour Tunnel, then the hwy to the freeway, turn off after Gosford and go via Cessnock then to Singleton.

It is a fairly easy run depending upon the time of day.  Just set the cruise control and go.

Option 2

The other way is to go across Picton rd, onto the M7 and then up the Putty Road.  This way is shorter but the Putty Rd has a lot of twists and bends and I’m not a young bloke anymore.  I like straight roads now.

So what does Whereis.com say?

Option 2 –  Putty Rd -  305 Kms for 3hrs and 44mins.

Option 1-  Cessnock –  315kms for 4hrs and 5 mins.

Now I have been caught before by my sat nav which is a two year old Garmin.  I check a route on the computer and later when I am following it on the Garmin in the car, I find the route is not the same as that chosen by Whereis.com.

Confused?

Well this is the way my Garmin says to go to Singleton:

F1, Heathcote Rd, Old Illawarra Hwy and keep heading north.  That is, it takes me through the centre of the greater area of Sydney!  I end up on the freeway north of Sydney but turn off again before Gosford and follow a tiny road called Peats Ridge Road which takes me through Broke to Singleton.

Option 3 -  272kms for 3hrs and 40 mins!

Amazing!

It’s doing what I used to do in the old days with maps.  You look for the shortest distance between two points. 

Now I dunno which way to go,  I’ll make the decision about 6am tomorrow.

Is the sun up then?

UPDATE

I think I'll follow options 2 and 3.  

I'll use the M7 to skirt around Sydney; then Peats Ridge Rd.

Should be interesting.........

I spoke to another of my Army mates I served with in Vietnam this morning, he also has terminal cancer.

I think it's time I stopped reporting on my mates' health.

The golden rule is - live for today, take a risk, be spontaneous.

The last bit was on an old birthday card I found recently from my father who sent it to me just before he died.

On Wednesday I'll be visiting an old Army mate who is dying.

It is about a four hour drive away and I have been putting it off for some time.  I rang him up and said I was coming and he was very pleased.  

The one thing I have learnt about dealing with a lot of war veterans is that we blokes do not give each other sympathy.  That's the last thing they want.  So I treat them normally.

I asked who is getting his car.  

His bloody nephew?  

Well it's a heap of crap anyway - one of those Honda two door thingos

What should I take and give to a bloke in this condition?

Ive got it......

A bottle of Bundy!

He is heavily medicated so my goal is to make him laugh so much it hurts!

What are mates for?

 

Another trip to the physio today had my back nearly right - I should be dangerous about this time next week. 

There is a downside though.  Now that my back is in the right sort of order from one disc to another, I have been continually adjusting the seat in my ute.  It's not the same.

Whereas I wuz once nice and comfortable in a 60s back sorta way, I now find that the seat is not set right.

Luckily the ute has manual adjustments.  I can't stand those levers that go every which way.  You know... sssrrrttt...srrrtt....  It kinda takes over and you have the seat adjusted to what the car wants.

In a couple of days I'm getting the suspension changed on the ute.  My mechanic is RAISING the ute for me.  That means it will be easier to climb in and out of; and it will ride better.

I'm definitely not a young buck anymore.

Pretty soon I'll have no need for that stick I use to fight the women off with.

 

Have you got some of the surround sound stuff?

A few years ago I splashed out on a good stereo system.  Marantz player and amp, Paradigm Studio 40 speakers and  a Yamaha subwoofer. 

I have it set up so that I can watch the TV and run the sound through the stereo system, usually when Paula is at work because she has a weak pain threshold in her ears.

Anyway, the guy I bought the stuff from had a special going for KEF surround sound system -  a player, subwoofer/amp and two speakers.  List price $2499, selling for $900!  The speakers are a funny shape and somehow throw sound all over the place.

I set it up and played a Merle Haggard live concert on DVD and this little system went really well.  Volume was good, bass was good after I placed the subwoofer in a couple of places for best bass; and it also had a nice sound stage with the sound spread right across in front of me.

That’ll do I thought, a nice system to go with the TV.

Then I had a thought and ran the same DVD through my old stereo system.  The bloody sound lept out of those studio 40s and belted me about the head!  What a difference – you can’t beat a bloody good stereo system.

Well on second thought I guess you can if you throw enough money at them.

 

 

I'm off to the doctor this morning; and then later the physio.

At least my back is nearly right - I'll be able to help more people shift their furniture in my bloody near worn out ute soon.

I asked Paula to write down a couple of things for me that I wanted to discuss with the doctor when I see her today.  You know simple things like renewing my scripts and getting a referral for the physio.

I just looked at the list.

It has S-E-V-E-N things on it!!!

I won't bore you with the details, but at least my hair is not falling out.

 

 

 

Now that I'm 60, here's what we look like....

For some reason, apart from the fact that I'm a dumb grunt, I can't seem to load this in the gallery.

I bought a ute!

I just got back from the physio. 

I’ve had the ute a few weeks now and I have SHIFTED two people’s furniture!

I wonder if they’ll help pay to have my back fixed?

 

OK, I'll nail my name to the mast - man made global warming is a con.

I am concerned that things are happening beyond our control and I want to see some public debate about what is going to be discussed at Copenhagen.  I guess if an overwhelming number of Australians want to pay a "global government" millions of dollars then I'll have to cop it sweet - but how come there is no debate about this?

 

Have a look at this graph.

 

Now, as a layman I ask, which way is the line going to go?

 

 

Standing at the back are six blokes, plus another two behind them.  I served with these guys in Vietnam.  We were all in the same platoon.

They were at the War Memorial to witness a plaque being erected for my unit - 2RAR.

Unfortunately I couldn't make - but I was there in spirit.

 

Yes I've made a decision, in the interests of marital harmony and the danger of my starving to death; I won't mention Paula's name anymore on my blog.

The other day, someone who will remain nameless, told me that some mice had been in the cupboard under the kitchen sink.  I never look in that cupboard, but someone told me that is where all the household cleaning stuff is kept.  I probably checked out that cupboard some time ago and as there wasn't any food hidden there, I hadn't opened it for some time.

I went to Bunnings and returned with two traps.  Spread peanut butter on them and placed them in the cupboard.

Bingo! One mouse.

Reload.

Two mice!

Relaod

Four Mice!  I'm not kidding - there were two mice in each trap.  I should have taken a picture - I'm sure it would have looked a treat here on the blog.

Reload.

One mouse.

We are now mice free.

I am a hero once again.  How many times has it been this week?

I've deduced that all the mice were female.

 

Accused veterans pushed to self-harm
Jonathan Pearlman Defence Correspondent 

May 21, 2009 - 12:21AM 

ACCUSATIONS of fraud against veterans claiming disabilities for mental health problems have prompted former soldiers to inflict self-harm.

The Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Alan Griffin, confirmed he was aware of such cases, saying the investigation process was being improved to ensure greater consideration of the veterans' wellbeing. The concerns were raised in a report on veterans' suicide prepared for the Rudd Government by a mental health expert, David Dunt.
"I'm aware of cases where veterans have been under investigation and where there has been self-harm" Mr Griffin told the Herald. "It is difficult to speculate on exactly why the self-harm takes place … We are trying to streamline the process for investigations to ensure any concerns about wellbeing are taken into account."
Professor Dunt's report, released earlier this month, recommended the Department of Veterans' Affairs improve its processes for investigating claims that veterans had lied about mental health problems.
"A formal investigation for fraud is even more confronting to the veteran than the production of material in a tribunal hearing challenging their veracity," he wrote. "In the worst possible case this can manifest itself in self-harm to the veteran."

The report warned the department about the risk of launching investigations after anonymous tip-offs, which can emerge from "animosities between individual veterans and even groups of veterans".

Now we know that ANZMI and Australian Veteran Matters (AVM) guard their anonymity – but this report warns the department about the risks of investigations from such groups.

Will ANZMI and AVM go public? I doubt it. These silly old buggers don’t have enough conviction to reveal themselves to ensure their allegations will be investigated DVA. It’s called put up or shut up. They’ll continue to fire potshots and throw hand grenades from their bunker, generating some noise, but little else.

I think this is a beat up.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25490144-5005941,00.html

AUSSIE Diggers being deployed to Afghanistan are being warned by the Defence Department to pay for extra life insurance because existing compensation has been deemed "inadequate".

A day after 600 troops from Townsville left for the warzone, The Courier-Mail has revealed hundreds of soldiers have been issued with letters from the department advising of the need for "appropriate insurance".

In 1969 I was in Townsville with the Army before being deployed to Vietnam.  We were advised to take out insurance because we were about to be officially warned out for duty in Vietnam.  That meant that any new policy taken out before an official warning order for deployment meant that there was no loading on the policy by the insurance company because we had not been officially warned for duty in Vietnam.

I hope you can underconstumble what I just said. (Hint: don't do a blog after a couple of Bundy's) 

Forty years later it seems they are still doing the same, offering soldiers good advice.

Some of my mates are upset though as this seems to confirm that the existing compensation is inadequate.  That may be so, it doesn't detract from the good advice given to the soldiers.

Military compensation is poor by civilian standards.  So what else is new?  It is not going to change either because the general public doesn't really care about a soldier's lot, or the problems war veterans and war widows have with the Federal Government.

There are no vote winners in veteran's law, therefore the politicians have no incentive to effect change.

That is the real issue.

 

You can just make out Buster's face as he sits on the driver's seat - he's waiting to go for A RIDE

As I approach my 60th birthday, I think I should change my friends.

I went to a funeral last month and I have another coming up next week.

If I mention a medical condition I have, I get a response along these lines: “Yeah, I got that!”

Angiogram? 
Yeah had one of them.

Stress Test?
Yep.

Colonoscopy?
Yeah, isn’t that stuff awful?

And so on….

I need to move in different circles.

If you are a member of the forum on Australian Veteran Matters (AVM) and you continue to read this then you will not like what I am about to say.

Australian Veteran Matters has one aim---to speak the truth on all Veteran, Ex Service and Defence Force matters and to expose those who degrade our reputation……. If only.

I foolishly believed them.  

I am concerned about veterans issues and I read a couple of articles that guys called Fergus and Mowgli wrote (these are not their real names); so I signed up.

BIG mistake!

The alarms bells should have rang when they suggested that people remain anonymous. My first suggestion was that people respect what you say if you put your name to it especially if you are going to name and criticise others.

No reponse.  

Later, this was posted by the moderator, Cassius (not his real name):
“You cannot have freedom of speech without the option to remain anonymous. Most censorship is retrospective, it is generally much easier to curtail free speech by punishing those who exercise it afterward, rather than preventing them from doing it in the first place. The only way to prevent this is to remain anonymous.”

Hmmm…. I see.

This was my response:
“Using the freedom of speech bit to bolster your argument as to why you want to remain anonymous while you trash someone’s reputation is absurd.
This is my opinion of course. Freedom of speech gives me the right to express my opinion, but it does not allow me to potentially break the law and remain anonymous.”

Boy was I attacked!

Cavanough is a sly prick (I put my name to my opinion).

…..he was nothing but a big-noter.

I could see it in him, all yap, no substance, never to be trusted.

Add liar to the list of his failings.

He has something to prove to his former platoon mates, something to do with rectifying or making up for a certain indiscreet moment. 

……so we have another unhappy and bitter sleuth who never made it into the ANZMI group. Your revelations mean all Cavanough said in this thread and other places is meaningless and hypocritical.

His integrity has just been shot to pieces.

You have been very silly Cav, we gave you the option to remain anonymous and you just had to fluff your feathers and strut and grandstand. Chickens/ roost come to mind.

Shall I go on?  

I think you get the idea.

What happened to your aim Cassius?  

Did you not write this? “Our aim is to allow people who wish to share information, to do so.” 

Did you have me in mind when you wrote this?
“…..it is generally much easier to curtail free speech by punishing those who exercise it afterward…..”

Cassius deleted my posts and he fixed my membership so that I am unable to express an opinion on Australian Veteran Matters.

I haven’t been back since.

AVM speak the truth on all Veteran, Ex Service and Defence Force matters....

Really?

Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He DOESN'T thinks too much; such men are dangerous. (with apologies to Shakespeare).

Well I had better pick my game up.

I've neglected the blog for a few months mainly because of a series of health issues, one after another.

First there was visit to the hospital with chest pains.  Not good, but at least you get to the head of the queue at the casualty department.

Then I got crook from hospital with a very bad cold, or maybe it was a strain of swine flu; but gee it knocked me around.

Then it was a seemingly endless round of tests and visits to specialists.  I was screened and scanned; and prodded and poked.

Then more hospital time with procedures and stuff.

Inthe last couple of weeks I got hit with vertigo.  I recall discussing the torture issue on the 'net that the Americans are currently debating and I posted that I would have told anybody everything they wanted to know if they could stop the room from spinning.  So maybe they should do away with water boarding (whatever that is) and give them an injection that induces vertigo - they'd spill the beans real quick.

So how do you get information out of someone?  By being nice perhaps.  I recall in Vietnam we had a guy who surrendered and he was going to take us back to where his mates were.  We had with us the tracker dog team.  They gave the VC guy a pack full of food and off our platoon went to catch more bad guys.

Now the tracker dogs have a limited operational time of only a few days, so the pressure was on.  The VC motioned which way to go.  I was really impressed with his skills at how he could juggle three cans of food in two hands and still indicate the way for us to go so we could find his mates and kill them.

We soon began to realise that this guy probably surrendered because he was starving as he continued to eat and eat.  And let's face it, would he really take us to where his mates were?  So everyone was getting a bit edgy.  Finally our section commander had had enough.  He started yelling about how this VC was leading us around on a wild goose chase and we were the gooses!  He grabbed his rifle and made a motion towards the VC.  The platoon sergeant grabbed him and told him to calm down - then they started the classic good guy bad guy routine.  The VC didn't even look up from his tin of ham and lima beans.

Still it was an interesting week.

So touch wood I'll post something witty every couple of days.

I've got a couple of important issues to discuss about Vietnam veterans and how they relate to each other, but I'll save them for another day.

Oh, and a big cheerio to my mate Curt.

Curt?

Go here to read all about him and his mate Ted from ANZMI

http://cav.bigblog.com.au/post.do?id=150256

Yeah, we met on a veterans forum recently.

He still hates me and got me kicked off so I'll have a few tales about my experiences there pretty soon.

So stay tuned.

I know Curt will.

 

Woo Hoo, I'm excited, to pinch a line from Big Kev.

I've got tickets to Top Gear!

I haven't been in a TV studio since the Tommy Leonetti show where I went with one of my mates in the late 60s.

Top Gear is filmed at Bankstown and we'll be standing around for about two and a half hours with no seating or refreshments; and we can't take any with us.  No logos on our clothing and we must wear enclosed shoes.  What in the hell are we in for?  Oh and no cameras or mobile phones.

Still, I'm looking forward to it.

So how did I manage to get tickets?  Easy.  You have to say in so many words why you want tickets, you know the drill.  Well I told them that I wuz good lookin' and they need me in the audience because I am sick of looking at all those geeks they usually have on the show.

That did the trick.

I'll report on it later, after the 15th May when Paula and I will be 'on set'.

 

I last marched on Anzac Day in Sydney about 10 yeras ago.  It's about a two hour trip by train and the march is so big now that my unit doesn't begin marching until about 11.00am.

So who marches before us?

Well everyman and his dog I think.  It's getting hard now to see the veteran, or the returned servicemen, as we used to be called.

I agree with those that think others should be allowed to march but not WITH veterans, and not BEFORE veterans.

But locally it's not such a problem.

I'll wait and see what the day brings before I make up my mind.

 

 

A Vietnam Veteran mate of mine sent me this picture of a porta loo with a notice attached to it:

The sign reads

VIETNAM VETERANS

JANE FONDA

MEMORIAL URINAL

PAUSE AND REMEMBER

 

I got a real laugh out of it.  If you don't know the story behind this then maybe you should do some googling.

That's right, I know I am a d1ckhead because everyone keeps reminding me.  But guess what?  I've got a new car!

It's a 2000 Ford KA.  Plenty of power from a 1.3 litre engine making a stump pulling peak power of 43kW.

Crazy eh?

I still have the 1992 V8 Fairlane.  It's worth nothing really so why try and sell it?  It's great for long trips because it is so comfortable - I may put it on gas.  It will cost $2800, and with the rebate it will cost me $800.

Cars.  

How many have I owned?

I'll ask Paula.  She keeps a list.

 

Hmmm..

My last post was in December last year, nearly four months ago.

 

I've been busy with pension stuff which I may relate some of the stories to you.  I have to be careful though, privacy of veterans should be respected at all times.

 

I have also been a bit crook.  I ended up in hospital on Boxing Day.  My health is much better now; and I've lost a bit of weight.

 

I should put up a new photo of me.  The one on the left is a couple of years old now.  I have deteriorated a little since.  I turn 60 in September so I may post a new picture then.

Paula still looks the same though.

 

 

5th November 2008

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Firstly, let me introduce myself. My name is Ken      and I have been a volunteer pension officer with the      Branch and other ESO’s for many years since my return from Vietnam & Papua New Guinea. "I am also the administrator of a leading Australian Military Forum http://www.tri-service.org/ and represent the members on this issue.

Over the years one thing has really got me mad and that is the amount of effort that some widows have to go through to receive a War Widows pension from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

The majority of widows do not have much trouble if their veteran husbands have had their war caused injuries/illnesses accepted as war or service caused, however there are many veterans that have not had these recognised for one reason or another.

The reason for this could be due to the fact that they have either;

•   Completed their own claim many years ago and what they submitted is held against them,

•   Some are too proud, especially with the information that they have to put on smoking & alcohol questionnaires

•   Some were rejected years ago, but now with the Statement of Principles changed, many would have been accepted.

•   Some have died from illnesses/diseases or the effect of trauma that the SOP’s don’t cover or is restricted to a minority. One of these being Prostate Cancer, this is only accepted if you have service in South Vietnam or served in the territorial waters of SVN.

•   Many have died from accepted disabilities that have been masked by non accepted disabilities, i.e. Prostate Cancer.

Whatever the reasons, some of these have come back to bite them on the backside later in life and their widows/carers are suffering.

Let us have a look at what these widows/carers have done in their long life. These are the wives/partners/carers of returned servicemen who have put their life on the line for this country, whether it was voluntary or through National Service. They have gone off to war when asked by their governments and fought to make this country what it is today.

On their return the majority of them continued working for this country whether it was in the services or through the civilian workforce. They have returned different people to what they were when they went away and many have come back with injuries, illnesses, traumas, both mentally & physically, but they have kept on working. The main reason that they have been able to continue is through the loving and caring of their wives/partners.

These ladies and (for those who have not married) their carers have been more than wives & carers to these people, they have been their doctor, their nurse and their constant companion. They have cared for them day in day out with never a complaint in the world for this is why they live as wives/carers. It is a commitment that they made to each other many years ago. They have not only lovingly looked after these men & women through the hell that they suffer on return from war, but they have saved the government millions of dollars by enabling these people to remain in their own homes, thus freeing up the many beds that they would have occupied in hospitals or nursing homes.

Over the years the RSL, VVAA, Peacekeepers/Makers and many other ESO’s have been fighting to have this recognised & corrected by previous governments on both sides of the political fence, but we have failed. One of the main reasons that this has not been accepted, is the cost would be too great. This cost is not the financial burden that these widows/carers would be, but the amount that it would cost by them receiving the Gold Card.

To me this is not the Australian way of doing things, we look after each other in this country and we should look after those who have looked after our finest. If the cost is too great then we should have a look at the amount of money that we send overseas in aid to other countries. Let us have a look at what it will cost to look after these great Australians and cut that amount from our foreign aid program. After all, we are always told to look after our servicemen & women, it is about time that we did this for their widows/carers. I don’t think that there would be one Australian who would object to this.

What amazes me is when the honours and awards are bestowed on people each year  on Australia Day & on the Queens birthday, one rarely sees an award given to these people who are the salt of the earth. No, we see High Court Judges, Millionaires, Sportsmen etc.

I realize that we cannot give all of these people awards, but surely we can look after them when their caring is done. Prime Minister, I implore you and your Minster for Veteran’s Affairs to give this request considerable thought whilst framing the next budget for this country. Why, because they deserve it, as did the people that they cared for.

Myself, I am a single TPI veteran who has served his country both in SVN, PNG and Australia, and I been looked after by a carer for many years, and I know from experience that they deserve every cent they get and should be looked after later in life. We are in debt to these people and it is about time we paid that debt.

I hope that you take this on board as I know that I am talking on behalf of all the veterans of this country.

Yours Sincerely



Ken       JP.

 

Ken was contacted by the minister's office........

I received a phone call yesterday from the Ministers advisor, Mr Kevin           (he used to work at DVA) regarding the letter below that we sent to the Prime Minister. We had a good chat but really didn’t achieve anything, at least they answer and talk to you. The outcome of the conversation was.

Whilst they agree with the comments that we made and that some of them are pertinent there will be no change to the VEA on War Widows being granted the WW pension on the death of a veteran with operational service. This has been in since WW1 and it will be basically too expensive to change.

There are currently about 225000 widows in Australia that have been rejected the WW pension, and if the government just granted them the Gold Card it would cost $3.6b out of a DVA budget of $11b.

I spoke about the point I made regarding Prostate Cancer only being accepted for VV {Vietnam Veterans} veterans and how many of the older vets are dying from this when they have other underlying illnesses that could have caused the death of a veteran. He believes, the same as I, that many of the veterans that die from Prostate Cancer with other underlying illnesses is a problem, and the cause of some of the problems is that the doctor that signs the death certificate often puts Prostate Cancer as the primary cause of death (it has to be present) to enable the family to bury their husband, son, brother etc quickly.

We also discussed the problem of veterans completing questionnaires many years ago stating that they did not smoke or drink as they thought that it was socially unacceptable or they were just too proud to own up to it. If we come across this problem with the widow and she states categorically that her husband smoked and/or drank then we should submit an application with supporting letters or evidence and try to get the claim accepted. I have done this myself before and have had the questionnaire overturned and the WW pension granted.

So there it is folks - war widows get knocked back because it costs too much - they have knocked back 225,000!.

There's nothing more I can say.

I just had a thought.

You know how those terrorists all seem to have something to do with Pakistan?  Well maybe it's because we thrash them in cricket.

Now stay with me on this.

If we throw a few games, let them win a few times, they will look good in the eyes of the population.  Everyone will feel good at beating the Aussies and there will be no need to go out and blow people up.

I'd better start preparing my speech for the Nobel Peace Prize next year.

It's still there....

The moon and a couple of planets form a smiley face in the western sky.

I tried to get some pics but there was too much high cloud.

Maybe the papers will have a picture tomorrow.

This is my grandmother, Margaret Lee Foo

This is Lee Foo who came out to Australia December 1899

This is a picture of my mother's family - her sisters and brother.  My mother is the one slightly crouching in the front.

This picture was taken in 1982, 83 years after Lee Foo came to Australia.

So there you have it.  Lee Foo from China on my mother's side; and Owen Cavanough, first fleet, on my father's side.

Beat that you peasants!

 

I am one proud dad.

It seems like only yesterday when number three son looked like this:

 

Cute, huh?

This is what he looks like now....

This was taken the day of his march out parade at Kapooka (near Wagga) he is up at Brisbane now completing his corps training in infantry minor tactics.

I was surprised at how proud I felt watching Chris and his mates walking 10 feet tall as they completed their three months basic training - it really has turned them into men.

Not much has changed at Kapooka in 39 years.  I was there in 1969 when they landed on the moon.

Yep, sad but true.

I'm still alive and kicking.

I've neglected the blog for some time; I guess there are only so many pictures I can post of me before eveyrone gets tired of my gorgeous good looks.

Still I have a lot to write about.

I'm a grandfather again

My youngest son has joined the Army (Infantry of course)

I am meeting some very interesting WWII blokes I'd like to tell you about; and

I am learning a lot of stuff about veterans law.  It seems those years of watching Perry Mason were not wasted on me after all.

So I'll do a few posts over the weekend; and maybe I'll post just one or two pictures of me for you to salivate over.

Cheers

Cav

Last year I said Howard would be re-elected.

Well I wuz wrong.

I also thought that Nelson was a good and decent bloke - apparently that gets you nowhere in politics.

Let's face it - I know nuthin'!

Tell me, what is the purpose of the weatherperson on TV?

Why have a graphic of the weather around Australia and then stand in front of half of it?

It really annoys me that I have to listen to them prattle on about nothing when all I want to see is the icon and max temp.

Why can’t they stand to the west of Australia rather than the east?

Why have a weather person at all?

What do they do for the rest of the day? 

 

I’ve been neglecting the blog over the last few weeks.  

In my spare time I am a volunteer pension officer/advocate for war veterans and war widows. I help them claim their entitlements under the Veterans Entitlement Act through the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).  I find it very rewarding and it keeps my brain active

Recently we have expanded further afield because of the lack of experienced people in country areas. We just completed a couple of days travel and seeing a number of people and travelling over 300kms. We are volunteers, we don’t get paid, although we do get accommodation and travel expenses reimbursed through grants from DVA.

Well I was attacked this week via the internet and accused of being deceitful, and that I was rorting the GST exemption provisions on motor vehicles given to disabled war veterans by the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

Now the one thing a pension officer values most is his honour and integrity. Loose that and you are no help to anybody. So that’s why I am bringing this out in the open.  

I challenge this person to put up or shut up. Here are the details of my transaction if you would like to pass them on to the ATO.

I purchased a 1998 Ford Mondeo registration number AE08EN, from Gateway Holden in January this year. If the person who says I am rorting the ATO GST exemption system would like to report me to the ATO, please be my guest.  

You know my full name.

This is some of the stuff she writes about me:

your reputation (from comments made to me) appears to be shot to bits.

One thing I have noticed is that these people who rort the system haven't got enough sense to keep their mouths shut

on this occasion, I felt the need to rub it in so to speak, to you.

by your attitude, deceitfulness, etc, you are not the type of person I would like to have as a pension officer

not worthy of being described as a "man". In my opinion, you are a spoilt little brat, who wants his own way all the time.

Most of the comments on your blogs are also in the negative, except the ones from those stupid sex orientated ones from who I can only imagine are teenage kids with no brains at all. You must be sick to leave them on your blog sites

Another book written by a soldier of the Vietnam War has been released and mentions some not very nice things that Australian soldiers did during the war.

 

I too went to Vietnam and served 12 months as a ‘grunt’. 

 

I am not aware of any atrocities committed by our blokes. 

 

Yet the author of this new book, Don Tate, mentions a couple of incidents where enemy bodies were blown up instead of being buried; and of dead enemy being dragged behind an armoured personnel carrier and dumped in the village with their heads missing.

 

If these things occurred, as reported by Mr. Tate, there should be an enquiry and those responsible should be charged with war crimes.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23991314-662,00.html