The 2010 Election

Here are a couple of vids for your viewing pleasure.

One is a Greens "ad" from the Gruen Transfer. (Best Ad of the election in my view)

The next is a vid of Hitler's reaction to the news the Australia may have a Hung Parliment.

Enjoy

Road Sefety Round Table

This morning I was part of the Victorian Goverment's Road Safety Roundtable. Around 20 people from different interst groups were ask to come together tolook at stategies foe three main areas.

They were; Speed, Youth and Drink Driving.

Below is a copy of Minister Pallas' media release from the roundtable


ROUNDTABLE A BOOST FOR VICTORIAN ROAD SAFETYFrom the Minister for Roads & Ports
Tuesday, 01 June 2010

Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas has hailed today’s Road Safety Roundtable a success and said some ideas discussed at the forum could be developed to save lives on Victorian roads. Mr Pallas said a range of road safety matters were discussed at the roundtable, some of which had merit and deserved to be investigated further.

“We understand Victorians are concerned about safety on our roads, which is why the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to improve community safety and drive down the road toll,” Mr Pallas said.

“I’d like to thank the participants of today’s roundtable, who provided frank, informed and insightful discussion on a range of issues, including speed, drink and drug driving, young drivers and emerging technologies.

“It is important Government continues to engage with the community and stakeholders to help improve road safety – and I was particularly pleased with the productivity of this forum.”

Mr Pallas said some of the ideas likely to be investigated included further development of Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) technology that forces repeat speeding offenders to slow down and tougher measures for drink and drug drivers.

He said there had been little support for the idea of night time curfews for young drivers, which had been raised by the community and stakeholders during consultation. The Government will not pursue the matter.

“Ideas that had support and may warrant a look are stronger vehicle impoundment sanctions, tougher measures for repeat drink and drug drivers and the wider use of mandatory alcohol interlocks,” he said.

“We will not be pursuing the idea of night curfews for young drivers, as I am not convinced this measure would be practical or realistic.

“Targeting a specific group in such a way does not guarantee good road safety outcomes and we do not want to punish all young drivers for the stupidity of some.

“There are too many young parents, too many young Victorians that work late or study late, whose lives would be adversely impacted.

“We will continue to look at ways of getting the road safety message through to young drivers, who make up only 13 per cent of all registered drivers, but tragically, 25 per cent of the road toll.”

Mr Pallas said there had also been overwhelming support at the roundtable for Victoria’s speed management systems.

Transport groups, road safety experts, community groups, Victoria Police and leaders in health, road trauma and youth affairs participated in the roundtable, which will help inform development of the Brumby Labor Government’s arrive alive Road Safety Strategy 2008-2017.

That's me in the far left!!

May Day

May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by the unions, anarchists, and socialist groups. This day reminds us of the people who worked for 8-hour day for all workers.

THE INTERNATIONALE

Stand up, all victims of oppression

For the tyrants fear your might

Don't cling so hard to your possessions

For you have nothing, if you have no rights

Let racist ignorance be ended

For respect makes the empires fall

Freedom is merely privilege extended

Unless enjoyed by one and all

Chorus:

So come brothers and sisters

For the struggle carries on

The internationale

Unites the world in song

So comrades come rally

For this is the time and place

The international ideal

Unites the human race

Let no one build walls to divide us

Walls of hatred nor walls of stone

Come greet the dawn and stand beside us

We'll live together or we'll die aloneIn our world poisoned by exploitation

Those who have taken, now they must give

And end the vanity of nations

We've but one earth on which to live

And so begins the final drama

In the streets and in the fields

We stand unbowed before their armour

We defy their guns and shields

When we fight, provoked by their aggression

Let us be inspired by like and love

For though they offer us concessions

Change will not come from above

Words: billy bragg music: pierre degeyter

¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!

What is an AFO?

Many people have askes us "What is an AFO"?

AFO stands for Artificial Foot Orhotic. It is the bace that our boy Spencer wears in his shoe to support and guide his leg. Spencer has CP - Cerebral Palsey. In days gone by he would have had to wear a brace on the outside of his pants, but with the increase in technology he only has to have an AFO.

The pics above are the current AFO's.
The pics below are the old braces.

you will see the difference

A prayer for Lent by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"I Cannot Do This Alone

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;

I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;

I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me….

Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now

That I may answer before you and before men.

Lord whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.

Amen"

Cath's Birthday

Here is a photo from Cath's birthday. Her birthday is always special beacuse it is on Jan 1. Spencer was happy beacuse there was Cath AND cake. I am blessed to be in a good family. I love them and they love me. It's as simple and pure as that.

Cadets Welcome

Today we had the great priveledge of seeing our friends Majors Geoff & Kalie Webb get installed as the Training Principal and Dean Of Studies for the Australian Southern Territory Officer Training College.

Other items on the menu

Commissioner Robert Street (AustPac Zonal Leader) preached on;
Knowing God
Knowing Your Mission and
Knowing Yourself

Welcome to the "Friends of Christ" Session

Outtraining placements announced.

Melb Staff Band & Songsters doing their "Thang"


(it is interesting to note that Maj Geoff Webb Preached last year and this year he is TP. Does that mean that Comm Roberts Street will be TP next year?... Probably not. haha)

On This Day

1982 - "Late Night" with David Letterman premiered on NBC TV.

2002 - "Late Night" with David Letterman had its 20th anniversary show. Regis Philbin made his 61st appearance on "Late Night."

Brent Spiner was born OTD in 1949

1990: F. W. De Klerk dismantles apartheid in South Africa

What does this day hold for you?

INVICTUS (unconquered)

OUT of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley (1849–1903).


It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly;
who errs, who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know
victory nor defeat.

Teddy Roosevelt on April 23, 1910.

Im against Violence to Women.... Are you?

2010 and still almost blogging

Today is my first day back into the office since going on holidays in mid December. Our holidays were lots of fun. Christmas day was a good time, as we had it at Cath's sister's house. Our boy had a wonderful time with his cousins. He recieved man presents, which he has enjoyed playing over our time at home. He especially likes Guitar Hero. His rhythm is good and getting better every day, but the thing that he loves to do is at the end of each song he holds the guitar above his head and imagines he is a rock star.