To Adelaide and Back

Flew over to the City of Churches yesterday morning to see the Swans have a "good loss", why was it a good loss, because in my opinion we were only 2 accurate kicks away from beating the 2nd team on the ladder and terribly innaccurate kicking, that surely can't be emulated again hopefully was the main cause for our loss.

I must say that going to a ground where of the crowd of 45,629, 45,000 were opposition supporters was a bit intimidating, and when about half of them considered it chic to have a Mullet it was certainly an enlightening experience.

I think we may have been at different games, but Bron has done a review of the game.

It was the weekend for losses, the U13's Sunbury Lions got a thrashing from Melton South today, the scoreline was something like 17.16 to 1.1, at least the one goal was scored by Jarrod, so that was a positive for the day.

Ecolinc

Yesterday in my role as a member of the Sunbury Customer Reference Group for Western Water, I attended a Strategic Planning Day. It is the first of these days I have been able to attend as they normally fall on the days I work, the day was very interesting, being able to provide Western Water with customer feedback and know that it is taken on board is refreshing.

But, the most impressive part of the day was the venue, it was held at a new facility called Ecolinc at Bacchus Marsh. This facility is a joint venture with the Bracks Government, The University of Ballarat and Moorabool Shire Council. From the Ecolinc website,

Ecolinc, the new Science and Technology Innovations Centre, Bacchus Marsh, provides innovative curriculum programs for P-12 students which focus on sustainable environmental development practices.

The Ecolinc building, an ecologically sustainable design (ESD), incorporates state-of-the-art technology and is set within an indigenous landscape featuring a model wetland that is fed by, and filters, storm water.

It is an absolutely fantastic facility, one that would inspire most to take an interest in sustainability.

Carr resigns!

Not sure if it's a matter of jumping off a sinking ship, as I don't follow NSW politics all that much these days, but Bob Carr surely pulled off a pearler today by surprisingly announcing his resignation. My memories of Bob are from 1986 or 87, being called up to lend support whilst he did a tour of the Eastern Suburbs on a Public Bus. It was very onerous, involving looking like an interested passenger on the bus when the local member just pops on board to have a ride. He seemed all right, not a people person, quite shy in fact. I think that NSW has done OK under his reign, and I can't see an obvious successor, it will be an interesting selection/election.

Some interesting commentary at Tree of Truth.

Gutless commo's put up or shut up

Found this somewhat amusing picture on another Sunbury Blog

It seems that the local Councillor takes great pride in name calling, last week it was calling other Councillors gutless, this week it's calling members of the community, commo's. Unfortunately his commo comment is no longer viewable as the good folk at Sunbury Online decided to protect him as they do and have now made it [Removed by Moderator], that was after Evan questioned who he was to referring to as Commo's. He also has taken to telling his constituents to "put up or shut up", this little ditty was published in the local papers last week and answered back superbly by one of his constituents. With a bit of luck I will get a letter in this week, I'll let you know.

This is very very wrong!

British Police have admitted that they have shot an innocent man, that they thought was connected to the recent terrorist attacks. Is now appears that this man only crime was working illegally as an Electrician.

A good recap of events at larvatusprodeo

Busy Times

A thoroughly sporting weekend, started with the Dinner Dance for the Sunbury Lions on Friday night, basketball yesterday, and footy today. The Lions Under 13's won convincingly against Rolling Meadows, Mr J booted 4 goals.

The big win of the day was the Swans great win against ladder leader West Coast. Makes next weeks game against Adelaide very important, and luckily I will be there.

World Street Soccer Championships

Thanks to Dave Laing from Sunbury Online for the heads up on this. The World Street Soccer Championships will be held over the next few days, the Australian Team has been brought together by the Big Issue Magazine.

For those that don't know about The Big Issue, it's a magizine that is sold by homeless people their aim is to provide a mechanism to assist homeless, ex-homeless and long-term unemployed people to participate in society as independently as possible.

Good Luck to the Aussie team.

Not a well girl!

The Dr's predictions came true and Miss R is a pretty sick little girl. She spent most of the day asleep, and when she woke, I spent all my time trying to get her to drink, hopefully she has taken in enough fluids to help her cope.

The tonsils are extinct!

They have gone, after all the dramas. Thanks need to go to Dr Simon Braham and all the staff at Masada Hospital, they were just brilliant. Miss R is recovering surprisingly well, however I have been warned that she may deteriorate tomorrow.

Normal Posting will resume

When I get a spare 30 minutes to do a post, but just quickly, the Swans won and the Sunbury Under 13's won, congrats Mr J for the 3 goals of 6, even though you may not get an official mention I am extremely proud of your effort. You made the difference just believe in yourself as much as your family does. We love you!

Will be back sometime later in the week after the epic tonsil journey is over.

Another day another bloody virus

I think I have what Supermercado has, the symptoms sound the same. The Dr tells me today, that if I had tonsils I would have tonsilitis, but I don't have tonsils anymore, so intead I just have a bad infection in the spot where my tonsils would have been. Basically this means that I feel like (one of those swear words).

Was told to rest and drink fluids, yeah sure, resting is easy, not! So in between essential duties that had to be performed, I managed to sequin a one glove for the Dragon costume, the other one can wait.

Oh and tonight was the AGM for the Sunbury Festival, I was invited to attend as I assisted them earlier this year with some design work, and low and behold, guess who is now on the committee? Thankfully the meeting only lasted 30 minutes and I could retreat home to the warmth. So if you have any ideas on how the festival can be improved please let me know.

Clowncil Meetings

I attended the Hume City Council meeting tonight, I think it's the first one for the year I have been to, as I would much rather swallow razor blades than have to listen to certain people on that Council who's name may be Jack produce vast amounts of verbal diarrhea.

JAKAS brought up a notice of motion asking that the council demand that the Minister for Local Government expedite the investigation into the matter that Don Nardella brought up in Parliament a little while back. The motion was amended by another Councillor to also ask the Minister to refer the matter to the Privacy Commission. JAKAS and his mate, didn't take too kindly to this, the debate lasted an overtly long time, with JAKAS blaming the other Councillors for making this political. The ironic bit about this is that the next Notice of Motion he put forward was a blatant cheap shot at the Bracks Government, but that wasn't political.

This motion had to do with the electrification of the Craigiburn railway line, he was condemning the Govt for various things, but when challenged came out with the statement,

"I don't actually care about the people of Craigiburn or Roxburgh Park, I represent Sunbury"

When it was put to him that when his mates were in Government, Hume got nothing, he yells out

"I've got no mates!"

I wonder when he will ever realise that he is a Hume Councillor.

I knew him before he was famous!

And he links to me!

Paul over at the DailyFlute made it onto The Insiders today, I will admit that I didn't see it live, due to a girls night out at The Attic last night.

Took the offspring to see Herbie Fully Loaded yesterday, not my type of movie, but they enjoyed it. I really wanted to see Mr and Mrs Smith but the only time it was on was 8pm. Another day maybe!

Mayor of London sums it up!

I don't pretend to have a great deal of knowledge of Local Government in London, and I was talking to another parent at the footy tonight who moved to Australia from England last year and her comment was that until she heard his statment she thought he was a tosser, she now has a different view, here is a transcript of Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London.

"I have no doubt whatsoever that this is a terrorist attack. We did hope in the first few minutes after hearing about the events on the Underground that it might simply be a maintenance tragedy. That was not the case. I have been able to stay in touch through the very excellent communications that were established for the eventuality that I might be out of the city at the time of a terrorist attack and they have worked with remarkable effectiveness. I will be in continual contact until I am back in London.

I want to say one thing specifically to the world today. This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful. It was not aimed at Presidents or Prime Ministers. It was aimed at ordinary, working-class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew, young and old. It was an indiscriminate attempt to slaughter, irrespective of any considerations for age, for class, for religion, or whatever.

That isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith - it is just an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder and we know what the objective is. They seek to divide Londoners. They seek to turn Londoners against each other. I said yesterday to the International Olympic Committee, that the city of London is the greatest in the world, because everybody lives side by side in harmony. Londoners will not be divided by this cowardly attack. They will stand together in solidarity alongside those who have been injured and those who have been bereaved and that is why I'm proud to be the mayor of that city.

Finally, I wish to speak directly to those who came to London today to take life.

I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others - that is why you are so dangerous. But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free society and I can show you why you will fail.

In the days that follow look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfil their dreams and achieve their potential.

They choose to come to London, as so many have come before because they come to be free, they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves. They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don't want that and nothing you do, however many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail."

The things parents do!

My body is full of aches, the lurgy has taken hold, but that didn't stop me watching Mr J kick 3 of the 6 goals for the Sunbury Lions Under 13's, it was a crucial game and Mr J came out full of vigour tonight. We won, don't remember the final score but well done boys and Mr J, you were fantastic!

Oh, terrible attack in London

As I sit in a flu ridden stupor, I am watching the aftermath of the 6 so so explosions in London, shades of 9/11 but not to the same extent.

Amazing to see people just walking around normally, while the emergency services go about their business.

I hope my online friend Rose, who's family come from Sunbury is safe.

PS; Rose is OK, she emailed me, she is in Suffolk which is about 100km's from London

Amazing witness accounts here!

This and That!

Miss R's ENT called today, Masada Hospital in St Kilda have agreed to treat her on 19th July, the hospital called today and they are cool with everything, so hopefully in 2 weeks time it will all be over. He tried Kyneton Hosp but they said no as well. He is such a nice Dr, actually he is a Mr, but I couldn't ask for a more caring Dr for Miss R.

I finally have my wireless network set up, I can now use the repaired Laptop in my bedroom if I wish, I purchased a Netgear Router to replace the useless ASUS one I got a few weeks back and it was all set up and working in a matter of 30 minutes.

ANDDDDDDDDDDDD! Half the dragon costume is made, well the body and tail at least, now it's just the hard bits like the wings and mask.

Watching the State of Origin, Go the Blues!

Local Politics is gornnnnnnnnn!

Sunbury Online has a couple of local forums that people in the local community contribute to. One of them "Local Politics" has been hijacked lately by various forms of Margarets, who have been soooo complimentary of JAKAS (Jack also known as Steve), that it has been stomach churning.

Well Sunbury Online have pulled the plug on the Local Politics Forum, until after the next Council Election in November, I can't blame them, the way that JAKAS has encouraged his supporters to post nauseating dribble, and in turn making the moderation of the forum a near impossible task seems to have taken its toll.

Another forum has emerged that is moderated also, has pretty strict rules at Sunbury Community Forum, I have heard rumours that JAKAS reckons I am behind this new forum, well I am not, I got burnt out severly by being a moderator at the now defunct Schapelle Corby Forum, there is no way I would go into that caper again.

Much has been mentioned about the upcomming election, I got a call from the press the other day asking if I would be running. At the moment I am undecided, I have to weigh up a lot of things before I make any decision, the most important thing is I need to make sure that whatever decision I make, the family are comfortable with.

Sponsoring a Child

Tonight we decided as a family to sponsor a child from Africa, so I toddled off to the World Vision Website to sign up.

You are given many choices on who to choose to sponsor, how does one choose one kid out of thousands to get the benefit of out $39 per month. I quickly worked out that the children from Malawi were the greatest on the list, so we decided to find a girl about 9 or 10 to sponsor.

We found Doreen



I hope we make a difference to your life Doreen.

Live 8 - Watch it now- Make Poverty History

The Swans lost today by a point, but when you look at this result in the scheme of things in the world, it's just a bit of bad luck.

Thousands of people die in Africa though the lack of food and various other things, one of the main thing being that the governments in these African countries are on the verge or are basically bankrupt.

Live8 is not about raising money, it's about creating awareness and trying to get the G8 countries to wipe the debt of Afica. Support it my signing this page

Another job over!

I was appointed to a State Government Panel last year which was asked to undertake the revision of the payment to certain councils based on specific criteria, when I accepted the appointment, I did so on the understanding that it would be at most 1 or 2 meetings, well 6 or 7 meetings later, we have finished our work and the Minister has accepted all of our recommendations.

It was extremely interesting work, made more difficult by the original decision by the then local government minister in 2000 not to index the allowances.

Councillors in the top category of Councils get paid $18,000 per year, often for what can be a 30 hour week, the Mayor gets $57,000 per year for at times a 60 hour week. It equates to less than $10.00 per hour. Compared to our State and Federal Representatives this is a paltry amount, given that Councillors are really at the coalface.