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The State Of The Union, Take #3, Roll ’Em

Hot on the heels of the inability of some of Hollywood’s thin-skinned Wankerati to laugh at themselves (nice one, Ricky), the profundity of American Seriousness will  manifest itself at the annual set-piece SOTU on The Hill this Tuesday. One of the most endearing aspects of the SOTU ritual is its peppering with spontaneous bouts of quick-response standing ovations after Mister President has delivered grateful Americans his best bon mots straight from the heart of his autocue. Applause of the Pop Ups— surely no POTUS could wish for more. Terribly exciting in a pantomimish sort of way, such displays of unrestrained adulation are what modern politicians do when pogo-ing is inappropriate. The gesture of unbridled joy was nailed to perfection by Joey “The Weasel” Lieberman during The Imbecile’s 2006 SOTU performance. Joey, one helluva guy, was a Democratic Senator at the time.   Such twitter-op moments are nowadays pinged around the globe faster than David Helfgott can riff Rachmaninoff .

Despite the US being quagmired in South Asia, the economy still in the hands of the same folks who brayed the nation astray ( “no,no, no, America will never be involved in a GFC”), infrastructure disintegrating, schools strangled for funds many of the population dumbed-down to “rhetoric by slogan”……… during SOTU, Americans are going to be exhorted by their Commander-In-Chief to hang in there for the greatest little nation that ever had the courage to bestow god’s gift of Democracy upon a world of ingrates who happen to be born in locations rich in resources or are of hegemonic significance.

Talking heads will analyse every POTUS utterance with the same breathless anticipation the economic press once paid to each Greenspan sigh. Comparisons will be made with SOTUs past pitched by Mt. Rushmore shortlistees, Kennedy, Clinton, and Reagan. In the land of the diminished attention span, by the weekend very few voters will remember what all the hoopla was about. Unless there is a wardrobe malfunction or some lawmaker cuts a stentorian fart at an inappropriate moment.

When SOTU 2011 is over and done, when all the confetti swept up and when the last legislator has exited The Hill, two unwinnable wars will grind on, 30 million Americans will continue to be spied upon by their govt., the Silent Spring will continue to scream, Gitmo and Abu Grahib and the other non habeas corpus hell-holes will remain open for business, John Boehner will sport a more toned-down tan and a once-great nation will discover that mah-jong can be every bit as fascinating as poker.

1,278 replies on “The State Of The Union, Take #3, Roll ’Em”

1099 gaffhook “That news to Seppos will guarantee that he goes to the Whitehouse for a second term.” Spot on gaffy.

Astounding news today. For once I am in agreement with Tony Abbott – it’s news that should be met with quiet satisfaction. I’m feeling uncomfortable at the sight of the cheering crowds in New York and DC. I wish they hadn’t done that.

1104 Katielou I have conflicting emotions about that Katielou. I see where you are coming from. But I understand their emotion. I suspect it is not necessarilly the red neck element. More a moderate element because of the leader involved.

The political consequenses in this are huge and some people won’t be happy.

1108
Come on Ecky….It’s inconceivable that the Seps wouldn’t have done the triumphalist bit. FFS! They’re AMERICANS !!! 🙂
They’ve been waiting ten years to claim victory over the guy (they claim) was responsible for 9/11
I’m just surprised they haven’t gone on a total rampage and burned down a mosque or twenty ala Cronulla. 🙁
Let’s just hope that Obi’s best line about Osama bin Liner being a murderer of Muslims strikes a chord in a few places.

Its going to be a huge boost to Obama’s Presidency. Much bigger than I first thought.

Glad he’s dead -but dubt it will actually change much – extremist Islam is bigger than Bin Laden
– but the sight of the rampaging young American mainly males cheering USA USA was chilling. Completely iterchangable with images of young extremist muslims chanting Allah Allah.

btw – results not good, but trying another MRI and lumbar puncture in case missed something on last one (unlikely) .. otherwise MND 🙁

Well they have got rid of Bin Laden.
All they have to do now is find Bin Drinkin, Bin Smokin, Bin Rootin, Bin Sleepin and Bin Workin and they have a full house.
Doubt they will find Bin Workin though he is a pretty slipery customer. :mrgreen:

Stephen Harper’s Conservatives win Canadian election.
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party has won a majority of seats in a historic election that saw the left-leaning New Democratic Party become the official opposition.

The Conservatives won 167 of the 308 electoral districts, earning 40% of the vote, Elections Canada reported.

The New Democratic Party (NDP) claimed 102 seats, while the Liberals took 34.

Mr Harper, who took office in 2006, has previously won two elections but never before held a majority government.

Canadians voted on Monday in the country’s fourth general election in seven years.

Bastards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13259484

Jen, best of luck on the longshot MRI. Anyway if worst comes to worst imagine how you will be able to annoy the fuck out of Sophers with your fiestiness through one of those monotone voice boxes! 🙂 And if Stephen Hawking can use a keyboard, so can you……. for many years hence. Even if at times it might look like Chas’s breakfast. :mrgreen:

In Ticsterdom ther are few certainties but here are three:

You have been one of us from the get go…..our sister, Jen.

We’ll support you as long as you can tap…and then some.

Et naturellement mon ami, we all love you to pieces, mate.

————————————-

The Biospheric nest-foulers in Big C & Allied are gonna love that Canadian result, Chris.

Shale oil and gas will be tapped like ther are no tomorrows.

Jen, thinking of you and wishing all the best for next lot of tests.
As Ecky wrote so eloquently, ‘our sister, Jen’…..know we are here for you . xx

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed.
Hoping for the best Jen.
May Gaia be good to you.
Paddy xx

I’m sure it goes without saying Jen, that all ticsters are wishing you well.

It also goes without saying that no matter how frustrating life gets at times, things could always be worse.

You could be Sophie Mirabella.
You could be seated next to Barnaby Joyce in the upcoming Labor/Green Senate…without a helmet and windscreen wipers.
ESJ could move in next door.

And of course it also goes without saying that if Hilary had of fucking won there would be no illnesses left uncured.

Wisconsin Democrats Win Seat That Was Held By Republicans For Sixteen Years In Special Election.
*****************************************************

Wisconsin marks the birthplace of a burgeoning Main Street Movement defending the economic livelihood of the middle class. The movement was spawned after Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) and his GOP allies passed new laws stripping public employees of their collective bargaining rights. Last night, Wisconsin Republicans suffered what was perhaps the first electoral defeat resulting from a backlash to their radical anti-labor policies as Democrats won a special election for an assembly seat held by the GOP for the past 16 years:

Yes. One for the little guy.
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/05/04/wisconsin-special-election/

Geezuz H-I am so fucking annoyed!
Spent ages typing a lengthy, witty-yet -pathos-filled reply to all your good wishes. Then the fuckin’ moden died and I lost the lot.
Suffice to say without trying to do it all again, which would sound completely disingenuous now, I am very touched by all your messages of support.
Some may pray ( and apparently candles have been lit for me in churches which I am extremely touched by, although have to admit not holding out a lot of hope that it will work), however I pursue my own spiritual path. Single malt over ice and a little diazepam to help me greet the dawn without facing the darkness of the night terrors.

Love to all xxxx

And Fuck George Bush.
His attempts of getting rid of Saddam look positively clumsy after Obi’s neat excision of Bin Laden.

And HarryH – if only We’d listened to the sagacious wisdom from over the fence re Hillary i would undoubtedly be cured 😉

Thanks People. I love you even though I don’t know what most of you look like… and liked the ones I do.
Jen xxx

p.s lost Ferny’s email address and changed mine – can someone put him in touch?

pps where TF is Miss Cat?

Jen, will chase up Ferny through his professional society in bus. hours on the morrow.
Expect a couple of Ticsters to pop in for a chat and a cuppa later in the year if you are up for it. In due season going forward in the fullness of time of course 🙂
Serries and malt liquer are a lovely “relaxant”. Snoozetime special deluxe!

Megan, hope all is going as well as can be. I bet you read your mate some wonderful stories. Voicing the creme de la creme from the written page is a solace like no other.

Paddy, we sure do need a few more Superheroes? But someone out there seems intent on eterminating these posturing Costumed Avengers!

Who’s gonna save us now? :mrgreen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FxYjS9t4u4

Single malt over ice with a diazepam chaser sounds just the ticket Jen.
As a further “booster” to your nightly prescription….. I’m not sure if you watched tonight’s 730 report with the unctuous Uhlmann trying to do a hatchet job on Mike Quigley and the NBN….(he failed miserably)
But Rod Hagen on twitter cost me another keyboard with his tweet of the day. :mrgreen:

Rod_Hagen Rod_Hagen
Hey! I thought Uhlmann was going to stick to “dead ferret”, but he mastered the “3 wk old tampon up nose” look tonight on the NBN! #abc730

Tim Kaine announces bid for U.S. Senate.
********************************

Former Gov. Tim Kaine will run for Virginia’s open U.S. Senate seat next year, setting the stage for a possible swing state slugfest with national ramifications in a presidential election year.

After weeks of buildup, Kaine announced Tuesday in an online video that he will seek the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Jim Webb. Webb announced in February that he will not run for a second term in 2012, and many top Democrats have been clamoring for Kaine to take up the fight to keep the seat in the party’s hands.

“I’m running for the United States Senate because America has big challenges and I’m convinced that Virginia has answers to help strengthen our nation,” Kaine said in a video filmed at his Richmond home.

Kaine, 53, resigned as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, a post he has held since 2009, and filed candidacy papers with the Federal Election Commission. Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was chosen to replace Kaine in the DNC post.

From last month. Tim should be more moderate than Jim Webb with a bit of luck.

http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/282403

Hacking litigation slowly rumbling along.

The developments come as lawyers acting for the phone hacking litigants meet today to draw up their collective strategy in taking News Group to court. The 22 legal representatives will select five test cases to go before Mr Justice Vos, the judge handling the claims. The lead case is expected to be that brought by Ms Miller, although the fact that News Group has offered to settle her claim in full may prevent this. Mr Law may be another possible test case.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/jude-law-launches-legal-action-against-news-of-the-world-2279181.html

AZ-Pres: Obama surprisingly strong in Arizona
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Since 1948, when Harry Truman managed to cary every county in the state, exactly one Democrat has managed to win Arizona’s electoral votes, Bill Clinton in 1996. (Strangely, he lost Colorado that same year, where he’d won in ’92. Go figure).

Arizona appears to be within reach next fall for President Barack Obama, though.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/04/973016/-AZ-Pres:-Obama-surprisingly-stronginArizona

A truly brilliant piece of writing by Rundle in today’s Crikey.
Fortunately not behind the paywall.

Bin Laden was executed, that much is obvious
by Guy Rundle
Late at night, on the outskirts of a big city, they slipped in and got him. It was illegal, a breach of sovereignty, and the host country would later scream blue murder. But it was so compromised by its associations that little attention was paid. When news of the raid got out, and the result was seen for what it was, any cavils about international law were put to one side as the world rejoiced.

The operation of which I speak is, of course, the kidnap of Adolf Eichmann from Argentina by an Israeli squad in 1961 — an event whose initial audacity was quickly consumed by an even more extraordinary act, that of putting Eichmann on trial in Israel, complete with a defence counsel, and a process that many criticised at the time as achingly slow, overly deferential to a man whose identity and guilt was unquestionable, and whose accordance of the notion of possible innocence was a traumatic affront to survivors…….More

http://tinyurl.com/3qttxs7

Phone hacking: Heather Mills considers suing News of the World.
****************************************************

Heather Mills is considering legal action against the News of the World. Photograph: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Heather Mills is considering suing the News of the World for breach of privacy over alleged phone hacking, joining the dozens of public figures who have either started legal proceedings against the paper or are considering doing so.

The former model, best known for her four-year marriage to Sir Paul McCartney, has met with the Metropolitan police, who have shown her evidence seized from private investigator Glenn Mulcaire which could form the basis of a claim.

Detectives are in the process of contacting hundreds of potential phone-hacking victims, most of whom are listed in Mulcaire’s notebooks, which cover his activities in 2005 and 2006. He was working exclusively for the News of the World at the time.

It is understood that Mills’s name and mobile phone number are listed in Mulcaire’s notes along with those of her friends and associates.

Mills and her younger sister Fiona are both considering filing writs in the high court against News Group, the News International subsidiary that publishes the News of the World. Mills’s solicitor, Mark Thomson of Atkins Thomson, declined to comment.

In recent weeks, the Guardian has revealed that several high profile figures have threatened to sue the paper, part of Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspaper group News International, following meetings with Scotland Yard. They include footballer Wayne Rooney and his agent Paul Stretford.

More here…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/05/phone-hacking-sienna-miller-news-of-the-world

*Sticks head up out of hole* ….*Sniffs the air* …..*Yawns”…..*Farts*…..

Good to see it has now grown a few legs on CNN but the phone hacking has received very little here in OZ. Maybe that is because roo owns nearly all the media here in OZ as well as it is his ABC.

Nicola Phillips, who used to work for celebrity publicist Max Clifford, has refused a payout offer, lawyer Mark Lewis said.

“She … needs a declaration of the truth,” Lewis told CNN. “If I said I will give you 50,000 pounds ($82,000), but you have no way of knowing how many times your phone was hacked, you have no way of knowing how much damage was done.”

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/04/10/uk.phonehacking/

WTF! I hibernate for a few months and the legs fall off everything!!

Jen, behave yourself. Consorting with serious afflictions is just not on. We’ll just have to hug you through it all. And we will!

You too Megan!

Good to see all of you rallying round and being as family as a virtual community can be. You’re magic all of you.

You’re in my heart, Jen and Megan.

And I have news of a different sort…

*Pause for another fart and to build tension….then the phone rings*

*Cute blonde turns up*… *Momentarily distracted*….*Still distracted*…

I’ll have to get back to you with the news… though it does involve the cute blonde….

Obama got a rousing welcome to an army base today. The sort you would expect from a Democrat rally. He got this from the people who vote strongly Republican every election. I caught it on ABC radio.

Well, ticsters, while we wait for Ferny’s good news, I also have a good story. I was at a business conference for a couple of days during the week, and Michael Kirby was the guest speaker. Then we had a dinner that night (at which James Morrison was the entertainment) and I was seated NEXT TO MICHAEL KIRBY!!!! I was so excited I just wanted to squeal with delight. We spoke about lots of things – we share a public school education – he’s not too happy with Julia – same sex marriage – he hates fancy restaurants – he thought I was a young lady (bless him). He was just so lovely and interesting. It was such a thrill for me. And he pulled out his camera to get a photo of us together. He was funny – and wanted to check I was looking my best in the shot. And he invited himself to a lunch was me and my employer’s adviser (relates to a case we ran and won). So SQUEE!!!!

Oh, and James Morrison was fantastic.

Katielou.

Nothing further been said so i guess “cute blondes” 6ft4in gorilla husband walks in, spots Ferny having his mentals, picks him up and wraps him over the desk breaking his arms and legs, tears him a new one and ushers “cute blonde” out the door to the law firm down the road.
Ferny recovering slowly at home but unable to describe to wife how it happened.

Wait no longer. :mrgreen:

Ecuador President Rafael Correa wins referendum.
****************************************

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has won a referendum on a wide range of reforms, according to the country’s National Election Council.

An early count showed voters had backed him on all 10 referendum questions, which ranged from banning bullfighting to judicial and media reform.

Opposition politicians say the reforms are an attempt by President Correa to increase his power.

Analysts say that the results will be a boost to Mr Correa.

Good to see democracy going ahead in leaps and bound in an area that has distinctly lacked democracy.

More here..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13325112

*Sticks head up out of hole* ….*Chuckles at Gaffy’s post*….

Sorry about the delay peeps. Cute blonde stck around for the weekend before heading back to Sydney. She’s cute alright. Not sure about her mental capacity though….she agreed to marry me.

KL! Kirby and Morrison!!!
Score baby! I met Kirby in brisbane recently. He is a lot of fun amidst the profundity that drips out of him. An inspiring and down to earth character.
Morrison is simply a legend. I saw his recent Aussie tour and was awestruck at his talent – again. I’m always awestruck when I hear him play.

Congratulations Ferny. Hope you have a long and happy life together.

And yeah, it was a great night with Michael Kirby and James Morrison that I will never forget. Two living Australian treasures.

Ferny!!! Yay!!!!
fantastic news –
no wonder you have been out of the loop lately – somewhat distracted i assume 😉
When is the big Day? – and i want details as i just couldn’t get enough wedding news about Kate and Will –
What hat the Groom wears will be the fasjion Big News.

Congrats old cyber -friend

And Miss KL – bit special indeed !
3 Australian treasures IMO.
xx

Congrats Ferny.

Not sure about her mental capacity though….she agreed to marry me.

BTW you no doubt have heard that old saying.

I don’t think i will ever be married because if i ever find a woman silly enough to marry me, i don’t want to spend the rest of my life living with an idiot.

Many thanks my friends. The big day will be at the end of October in Sydney officiated by my old pal Graham Long who now heads up the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross.
I don’t understand this love thing. Wasnt looking for it. Didnt believe in it anymore.
Then bam. Freight train.
This train will carry me to Sydney to start over again.

And yep Gaffy – I think I’ve used that line myself!
She is, though, far from stupid (or stoopid, as it sounds in her cute Russian accent). She and her family escaped Russia during the cold war and found her way to Oz as a refugee via Israel (yes she’s Jewish). Quite a story.

Jen @ 1164

Watched the entire speech and LOVED IT! And even more telling given the decision to take out Osama. Haven’t heard from the Donald re OBL.

It sure looks that way Katielou!
And Jen, the hat will be fantastic. Probably a 1950s Collins and Fairbanks, Boston, charcoal with silver band and backbow fedora from my collection.

Hearty congrats, Ferny! You can live with love or without it but there ain’t no cure as John Hiatt sang. Brissy’s loss will be Sydney’s gain.

KL. You choff off to The States from time to time and I’m not envious. However after reading about your delightful evening alongside Michael Kirby…….and my optics tuned green…..and not Jen’s kind!
MK is a remarkable man. Notwithstaning his stellar legal career, the dignified manner in with he he repelled the cowardly attack of Bill Heffernan will stay with loathers of extreme right-wing religious bigots through the ages.
Do we get to drool over the jpeg? 🙂

The Bolt Report: all Bolt, no report.
****************************

Not having seen every attempt at television current affairs in Australia, it is impossible to judge The Bolt Report the worst. But surely it comes close.

Andrew Bolt’s Sunday morning shift from panellist on ABC Insiders to his own show on Network Ten has brought talk-back to TV, but it didn’t bring a pulse. It is named for Bolt, hosted by Bolt, and dominated by the Boltian worldview. It featured white middle-aged men talking about Boltian fundamentals – namely, the great climate change con and those refugees taking over the country – with a surfing Afghan refugee beamed in to be scolded for high unemployment among his compatriots.
Advertisement: Story continues below

The most interesting aspect of the first installment is whether there will be a second. In its favour is that there are so few people who watch TV on Sunday mornings, it doesn’t really matter what is on the screen. Perhaps Ten could try the test signal next week for a livelier program.

😆 😆 😆

More here
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/blogs/media-matters/the-bolt-report-all-bolt-no-report-20110508-1ee9g.html#ixzz1Lo3nY7Zm

Condi Rice Repudiates Rush Limbaugh’s claim calling Bin Ladin Operation “Routine” and calls it “Brave”
*************************************************

I was tempted to use Palin’s new world dictionary, but resisted the urge in the headline. I also thought Condi was going to give longer interviews so I wondered if the Bin Laden PDB that she ignored would have been brought up, but it wasn’t.

BEN-VENISTE: Isn’t it a fact, Dr. Rice, that the August 6 PDB warned against possible attacks in this country? And I ask you whether you recall the title of that PDB?

RICE: I believe the title was, “Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.”

On the flip side Condi, why have you forsaken RushBo? Doesn’t she know the consequences of never agreeing with the voice of the GOP?

With Al Qaeda confiming his death and now Condi having her say. It makes it very difficult for the wingnuts to sell it any other way.

More here…
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/condi-rice-repudiates-rush-limbaughs-cl

Many thanks Ecky and all!
Hopefully my work will involve regular trips to Brissie and elsewhere. I intend to be peripatetic!

Well, we all are. We are all Britons. And I am your king.
I didn’t know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.
You’re foolin’ yourself! We’re living in a dictatorship. A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working class…

International Monty Python Status Day ’11
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119201568104743

Ferny, that’s the best ‘hit by freight train’ news i’ve heard for a long time! Congratulations, and how poignant that you weren’t even looking….lucky you that she was!!
Katie Lou, am so green with envy,you lucky thing! MK is a long time favourite of mine.
Ecky, thanks my dear friend for your kind thoughts.My reading skills have not been put to the test yet as my friend has the most amazing spirit/recuperative powers, slowing down for the minmum despite latest hiccup of brain metastises. We had to cancel our much anticipated trip to Turkey this last month, but another list of travel destinations is growing by the day. Meanwhile we visit Turkish shops and restaurants , eating baklava with relish, and the radiotherapy sessions seemingly fade into blips in the day. Am in awe seeing heroism writ large.
No complaints. Surreal , a parallel universe.
Jen, what powers you have , conjuring Fernie out of the ether at such an auspicious time!! xxx

Meanwhile uncle Fester still has growing problems and i bet he wishes they would just go away while he is trying to manipulate the universe.

He was awarded £60,000 damages by the UK high court in 2008 for a gross intrusion into his privacy. But he did not sue for libel at the time, even though many lawyers thought he would succeed.

His eye was, of course, on the larger target of changing the law. Now, freed from that, he still burns with resentment at his treatment by the News of the World.

So I am sure he will not let this matter go. While News International continues to face the legal flak over phone-hacking, it could well be on the verge of new writs arriving very soon.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/may/10/mosley-privacy

ASSANGE AWARDED PEACE MEDAL:

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been given a peace award for what has been described as “exceptional courage in pursuit of human rights…….

Foundation director Stuart Rees says the award was also motivated by the cowardice of the Australian Government.

The foundation says Mr Assange challenged the practices of government secrecy and championed what it called the “people’s right to know”.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/11/3213310.htm

” Rupert Fester. Rather like that sobriquet, gaffy.

Megan, your good buddy has probably read it but seeing as you are both into Turkey, may I suggest Louis De Bernier’s “Birds Without Wings”. It gave me more insight to the region and its people than a dozen academic tomes.

Here’s an excerpt: novel is set between 1899 and 1925.

The Epilogue of Karatavuk the Letter Writer

“This is the last time I will speak to you, by means of this writing that you will never read. There was a custom you may remember, of sending birds to take messages to the dead, and how I wish I had a bird who could take my thoughts to you. If you know me at all, you know that I have missed you all my life, and I still miss you now that I am an old man and my eyes are beginning to fail, as a scribes eyes always do. I have a wife and children and grandchildren, and I have seen my country grow into a great one with a new purpose. It is not frightened by anyone. I have mainly lived a good life and an honourable life and I have forgiven myself for the things of which I was ashamed. This place is still very beautiful, and the bulbuls and nightingales keep us await at night. The gendarmes still play backgammon at the meydan. It is easy to be contented here. All the same I miss you my old friend, and in the hope that there a life after death, I will enter death expecting that we will become boys again in the old paradise, filling our birdwhistles with water, running about and flapping our arms, and calling to each other among the tombs, and that there we will find the people of our childhood who have all slipped beneath the earth: Rustem Bey, Leyla Hanim, Ali the Snowbringer, the Dog, the Blasphemer. Ali the Broken-Nosed, Stamos the Birdman, Mohammed the Leech Gatherer, Charitos and Polyxeni, Ayse and Abdulhamid Hodja, the Barren and Father Kristoforos, my own father Iskanderand my mother Nermin; and there we might find again the companions of our childhood: Philothei the Beautiful, Drousola the Ugly, Sadettin who had to kill his sister and then ran away to become Black Wolf, and Ibrahim the Mad. There perhaps will also be Fikrit from Pera, and my comrades from the wars, and there will find our own enchantment.

For me the stars are growing dim, and almost everything is almost gone, and I wonder if you have come to the same conclusions that I have. It is often useless to plan for things, even when you know exactly what you are doing. The present is confounded by the future, the future is confounded by the future beyond it, and the memories bubble up in disorder, and the heart is unpredictable.

You and I once fancied ourselves as birds, and we were very happy when we flapped our wings and fell down and bruised ourselves. But the truth is that we were birds without wings. You were a robin and I was a blackbird, and there were some who were eagles, or vultures, or pretty gold finches, but none of us had wings.

For birds with wings nothing changes: they fly where they will and they know nothing about borders and their quarrels are very small.

But we are always confined to earth, no matter how much we climb to the high places and flap our arms. Because we cannot fly, we are condemned to do things that that do not agree with us. Because we have no wings we are pushed into struggles and abominations that we did not seek, and then, after all that, the years go by, the mountains are levelled, the valleys rise, the rivers are blocked by sand and the cliffs fall into the sea.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lTduTwqtjY&feature=related

Thank God for the magpies. 🙂
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Budget2011Day2.jpg

In other sad news….It appears that some (cretinous) advertisers don’t want ch 10 to associate their product with Andrew Blot. :mrgreen: :mrgeen: :mrgreen:
http://www.adnews.com.au/news/advertisers-pull-out-of-the-bolt-report

And finally, one of the most moving and beautiful pieces I’ve ever read on the subject of depression.
Ben Pobje, take a bow!
http://benpobjie.blogspot.com/2011/05/crumple-zone.html

Many thanks Megan. Yep I was a happy bachelor – have been for many years. It almost has me believing in love at first sight…or close to it!
The latest news is that the date has now been set for 30 October…and the honeymoon has been booked.
And I advised my employer that I will be resigning.
Now life gets scary.

Ferny – that’s my birthday … no excuse for fogrtting to send a pressie! (both ways)

Last MRI results clear – down to the wire now … lumbar punture (fuck they hurt) is last option to find anything other than MND. Hoping they find some rare bizarre protozoa or something.
Have booked island holiday with kiddies in case am too sick to do it later. .. this is surreal . I feel pretty ok apart from a heavy leg and fatigue.
And a tad anxious – but good old single malt helps that.

and it is fuckin’ freezing in beechworth. so get over yourself Gaffy.

Shit!
That’s a bastard Jen. And a friggin lumbar puncture is hardly a picnic either. 🙁
Holiday and single malt sound bloody sensible choices.
Thinking of you girl. xx

1192 paddy Obama is only about 14 points ahead of Newt in the polls. So Newt or Sarah. I won’t mind. Although no one is is within a stones throw either.

Three federal grand jurys at the moment in Seppoland, two of them desperately trying to ensnare Big Jools and the Hactivists Anonymous.
The Big Jools one meets at 11am today.

A federal grand jury is meeting at 11 am EST in Alexandria, Virginia. The grand jury is being employed to “build” a case against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who just won a gold medal for peace and justice from the Sydney Peace Foundation.
“The WikiLeaks case is part of a much broader campaign by the Obama administration to crack down on leakers,” writes Carrie Johnson of NPR. Johnson is one of a few reporters in the US press who has published a report today on this stirring development in the United States. She finds “national security experts” cannot “remember a time when the Justice Department has pursued so many criminal cases based on leaks of government secrets.”

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Grand-Jury-Investigation-I-by-Kevin-Gosztola-110511-814.html

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