This is a rollcall of what war has cost my family.
Maternal grandparents: Son-in-law William returned from WW2 with one lung.
Maternal Grandma: Youngest brother Alex(20) killed at Pope's Hill, Gallipoli. Nephew David killed in RAF in UK leaving daughter. Niece's husband Mobs killed in RAAF in PNG leaving twin daughters. Niece's husband George in Gull Force killed in Ambon leaving 4 children.
Maternal Grandpa: Two cousins, Clarrie and Bert (married with children) killed in France during WW1. Nephew Ernest killed while POW in New Britain.
Paternal grandparents: Dad's brother Arthur killed in Buna, PNG. Dad survived Bomber Squadron but died prematurely in 1966.
Paternal Grandpa: Fought in Boer War. Younger brother Aubrey returned from WW1 mortally gassed leaving 3 sons. Nephew Ken shot down flying Sunderland flying-boat.
Another war anyone?
You've got to be kidding.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Monday, April 10, 2006
S for Sugar
Several days ago, I received some on-line information about my late father's WW2 service in the RAAF. He was a bomb-aimer in 463/467 Squadron flying on sorties in Avro Lancaster over Germany. He flew several missions in the famous PO -S, better known as "S for Sugar" which flew over 130 sorties and survived. Thousands of air-crew lost their lives, and my father survived the war. Today I had the experience of speaking over the 'phone to his navigator now 89 years old.
Yesterday, I attended the Palm Sunday service and march at Parramatta. I don't want to see anyone going to war and suffering from war again, so making and keeping a just peace is a high priority.
Yesterday, I attended the Palm Sunday service and march at Parramatta. I don't want to see anyone going to war and suffering from war again, so making and keeping a just peace is a high priority.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
ABC Public Meeting
Today I bussed into Ultimo wearing my wattle yellow Australian Democrat T-shirt to support along with a crowd of over 100 at a public meeting at our ABC.
Three proposals were adopted without dissent. (1) We supported the position of an ABC staff elected Director of the ABC Board; (2) We proposed an inquiry into the governance of the ABC with a view to ending the politicisation of the National Broadcaster; (3) We called upon the ABC Board to explicitly endorse the continued non-commercial character of the ABC opposing both advertising and sponsorship of ABC programs and services.
The meeting was chaired by John Cleary with the first proposal presented by Quentin Dempster. Other ABC "icons" were there in the form of Robyn Williams, Liz Jackson, Tim Bowden and I am sure many others.
Three proposals were adopted without dissent. (1) We supported the position of an ABC staff elected Director of the ABC Board; (2) We proposed an inquiry into the governance of the ABC with a view to ending the politicisation of the National Broadcaster; (3) We called upon the ABC Board to explicitly endorse the continued non-commercial character of the ABC opposing both advertising and sponsorship of ABC programs and services.
The meeting was chaired by John Cleary with the first proposal presented by Quentin Dempster. Other ABC "icons" were there in the form of Robyn Williams, Liz Jackson, Tim Bowden and I am sure many others.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
New website
My son has managed by remote control to develop for me a new website so you are also able to visit http://home.exetel.com.au/cnridings/
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Milosevic
I still mention his name most reluctantly as the monsters of history, present and past, deserve no recognition of their name because of the trauma left for generations among innumerable souls.
He tried to manipulate himself out of receiving judgment in The Hague but although he denied justice to so many his last breath was in captivity, and I guess one has to be content with that.
I am still trying to decide whether he was a psychopath or a sociopath and will have to leave that distinction to others who know the difference better than I do.
Those two Bosnian Serb henchmen of his now require urgent apprehension or their people will become even more isolated if they identify with these misguided "nationalists".
Why do such brutal leaders bring out our anger so much?
Is it because we tolerate what they stand for too much in the first place, and we did not find better ways to forestall their brutalities?
Have we not come to terms with the brutality which invades our humanity, and find ways to overcome it?
He tried to manipulate himself out of receiving judgment in The Hague but although he denied justice to so many his last breath was in captivity, and I guess one has to be content with that.
I am still trying to decide whether he was a psychopath or a sociopath and will have to leave that distinction to others who know the difference better than I do.
Those two Bosnian Serb henchmen of his now require urgent apprehension or their people will become even more isolated if they identify with these misguided "nationalists".
Why do such brutal leaders bring out our anger so much?
Is it because we tolerate what they stand for too much in the first place, and we did not find better ways to forestall their brutalities?
Have we not come to terms with the brutality which invades our humanity, and find ways to overcome it?
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Four Corners 6.3.06
If anyone was having 2nd thoughts about advertising on the ABC, Monday night's excellent production of Four Corners by Ticky Fullerton would have well and truly laid that to rest.
By the time a baby is born there are parasites disguised as market research psychologists setting out to program the poor little mite to be hooked for life on product consumption.
You remember Jesuit founder Ignatius Loyola's maxim, "Give me a child until he is seven and he is mine for life."
This was taken up by the Communists and the Free Marketeers.
Ticky Fullerton should be in line for a Walkley's for one of the classic presentations of all time, and I hope the ABC repeats this several times over.
By the time a baby is born there are parasites disguised as market research psychologists setting out to program the poor little mite to be hooked for life on product consumption.
You remember Jesuit founder Ignatius Loyola's maxim, "Give me a child until he is seven and he is mine for life."
This was taken up by the Communists and the Free Marketeers.
Ticky Fullerton should be in line for a Walkley's for one of the classic presentations of all time, and I hope the ABC repeats this several times over.
Wednesday, March 1, 2006
St David's Day on Ash Wednesday
Happy St David's Day whether you are of Welsh descent or not and welcome to Ash Wednesday and 40 days of Lent. Now how are you going to commemorate all that? Yesterday I was part of a party at our Manse celebrating Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Pancake Tuesday by eating pancakes. It reminded me of the time when we had restaurants called "Pancakes Galore" and one could eat pancakes with almost every conceivable flavour or combination thereof. Speaking of Shrove Tuesday, have you been shriven? Tonight I am off to our North Ryde Community Church to be marked on the forehead with a black ashen cross.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)