Thoughts & Walks

Grumbling Ex-Pat

Germaine Greer has gone a bit too far this time with her comments about Steve Irwin written in the British Press.

"The animal world has finally taken its revenge on Irwin, but probably not before a whole generation of kids in shorts seven sizes too small has learned to shout in the ears of animals with hearing ten times more acute than theirs, determined to become millionaire animal-loving zoo-owners in their turn." (Germaine Greer, SMH 5/9/06)

OOPS!!! This is just a bit harsh, not to mention inappropriate given the timing, don't you think?

Crocs on the run

One of the good things about all the driving I have to do with work is that I manage to listen to quite a bit of radio. I've learned that the ABC Radio is most interesting (no commercials and no head banging music....I'm sounding old). Apart from keeping me up to date with current local and international affairs, I often hear strangely bizarre news items like this....

40 baby crocodiles each measuring a metre in length escaped from a crocdile farm located near Darwin on Saturday night after a member of staff left a gate open. 28 have been retrieved but 12 are still missing.....

These little babies are saltwater crocs renowned for eating people when they grow up. Apparently little ones pose no threat to the local human residents but I wouldn't like to meet them when they grow bigger. Where are they now?

Bali - 3 years on

Today we remember the victims of the Kuta bombings three years ago.
"Let light perpetual shine upon them"

Asian Earthquake Appeal

Thanks Pica and Sue for your thoughtful comments on the last post. Now we are seeing catastrophic happenings in Pakistan, India, Kashmir, Mexico and Guatemala. One does feel helpless when hearing of these tragedies. I guess one of the practical ways of helping is to donate to the organisations sending assistance to these countries.
Australian Red Cross
Caritas Australia
Medecins Sans Frontieres

Bali bombings - the repercussions continue.

Yesterday I went to visit a client who lives to the North of Newcastle and passed the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) Base, Williamtown, on my way. There were cars parked beside the road - a Channel 7 van was nearby with reporters standing on the roof, shading their eyes to look at the runway. I realised that they were waiting for the RAAF Hercules to land with 9 of our Newcastle citizens who had been injured in the Bali bombings. They were being transported home as medical advisors felt that being in familiar surroundings would aid their recovery. (Image at left from the ABC News). I have often exchanged a smile with one of the victims each week as we passed one another on our way to our workplaces - now she has shrapnel wounds along with another member of her family. My daughter went to preschool with a boy whose parents both lie in a critical condition in a Singapore Hospital. He is at home being cared for by relatives. Geoff knows two of the people in hospital and two who are missing believed dead. They leave behind two boys again being cared for by relatives. People in our community have been touched up close and personal by these bombings - just visit Elspeth and you will see what I mean.

For a change Newcastle has been remembered fondly in the newstories coming out of Sydney and other cities seen in this news story. What about overseas however? Does anyone overseas really care about the pain the citizens of Newcastle are feeling? Or the Balinese? Are they all too busy navel gazing at happenings in their own countries with little thought to spare for what is going on elsewhere? The Australian media has a lot to answer for, but one thing I will say for them is that they keep the average Aussie up to date with overseas news...bombings in Iraq, London, hunger in Africa, floods in Mexico, New Orleans. More hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, typhoons in Japan...

I wonder though......does anyone overseas give a toss about us?

Terrorism in our backyard - victims of Bali

Blogging and reading blogs has become a pleasant way to while away some spare time. There comes a time however when we occasionally must write about something of a more serious nature.

There was another bombing in Bali this weekend - I guess people even in other countries will have read about it (I hope they have at least). The last bombing affected millions of Aussies - we came to the realisation that distance did not protect us anymore - terrorism was in our virtual backyard and we lost many citizens who were innocent holiday makers retreating to a much loved mecca of relaxation. Well, this last bombing may, to some people, not seem as bad - the casualty count doesn't seem as high at the moment. What is shocking for those of us Newcastle residents is that a large group of our fellow citizens were actually dining in one of the restaurants that was bombed. What is even more shocking is that many of us have recognised the names of people injured and missing.....they are people we work with, meet at the supermarket and meet through various activities our children participate in. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones and with those people who have been injured.

London

A quick post before we leave for the Snowy Mountains tomorrow. The flags are flying at half mast today out of respect for those killed and injured in London. My sister was in London all this week but decided at the last minute to go home to run a clinic and as a result was fortunately not on a London Tube when it happened. So many people I have spoken to have relatives or friends in London this week. This time last year exactly, Anna and I were there also. The terrorist acts in New York and Madrid seemed more distant - this one along with the Bali bombings are making us realise that our country could be next. One of my favourite blogs is London and the North...Coup de Vent - hope you're OK!

Acting in the Spirit of Christmas

I received this email from a local Parish priest and felt it was worth posting up on the blog for those people who have a social conscience and would like to make a small statement.

Dear Friends

I haven't had a chance to send Christmas cards this year. I have,
instead, been working on a way to give some gift to the one billion children who
now live in poverty.

It seems to me that the best gift one can give to those who suffer in
silence is the gift of a voice.

I invite you to join me in this giving.

Please go to Not OK.org and say this situation is NOT OK. I
would be grateful if you felt able to forward this to others in your address
book.

May the child that is born to us, all one billion of them bless you this

Christmas.

Grace and Peace
Rod Bower
Rector of Gosford
NSW Australia

Not Ok.org

Our Dean attacked.

Thank you Julie for your expression of concern about the Dean of our Cathedral. Until I went in to the cathedral this morning I had no idea he had been attacked in the Deanery yesterday by a man claiming to be a "Born again Christian" who demanded $50 from him at the back door. Rather than give him money, Fthr Graeme offered the man food which he accepted. Unfortunately he turned his back on the screen door, the man entered, ripped his shirt off and punched him in the face. He must have fallen to the floor and blacked out - when he came to he found the man standing over him saying "I'm going to kill you, you #@&!". Fortunately someone must have startled the fellow - he escaped to his car (a four wheel drive) and drove off. Graeme was able to get to the phone and call for help. Before he was taken to the hospital he performed a wedding service for a couple he had been preparing for many months which is an indication of his dedication to his calling.

Fthr Graeme was celebrant at this morning's 8.00 service. He sang the hymns as loudly as always and despite his speech being slightly slurred appeared as normal. He has a very bruised and swollen face - but thankfully nothing was broken.

We have been concerned for some time about the safety of our priests. A church building is no longer a safe haven and the clerical collar is no protection against being mugged. It is a shock when it happens close to home, I guess.

Fairytales are real

Confession - I was awake until 2.00am this morning watching Mary Elizabeth Donaldson of Tasmania, Australia, marry Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. I didn't watch Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles marry - in those days I thought the fuss over Royal weddings was a lot of nonsense. My age is catching up with me - I'm becoming a romantic. The highlight for me in this wedding was seeing Prince Frederik shed an emotional tear as Mary started to process down the aisle - I particularly liked the bit when he had to grope for a very white handkerchief to wipe his eyes... But what a dish he is (I think he's been rather a naughty dish in the past)......and she looked beautiful too.