I'm So Confused

Now each post title has its own little titlette. Technology sucks.

Dunno

Why do these pictures each have their own post?

I like Cemetaries

I don't know why there's a stuffed platypus there, either. 
I saw this on my little jaunt last week.
I was going to tell you where it is, but that would make Jafa's comment look a bit silly.

Well I wonder If This Works?

We'll see.

Dangar Falls Road

Dangar Falls Road, near Armidale 
This is looking Promising.

One Last Thought Before I Go

Why don't the Sepps just admit that they want to be the New Rome and get on with it? Instead of trying to be all touchy-feely and dribbling absolute fucking bullshit about WMD or freedom, liberation and democracy just kick the head off of anybody who challenges them. They possess the firepower and the desire but they lack the necessary immunity to public opinion, particularly that of their own public.
Nobody will ever convince me of the validity of conspiracy theories, but neither will you ever convince me that the major media outlets are unaware of their power to create public opinion as well as report on it. Nor do they operate entirely without influence from- and on- the whitehouse. In six months time they could convince the population of the U.S.- and therefore the entire western world- that it's a case of "us or them" and it's time to act.
Forget Iraq for a moment, the first two targets should be Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. SA because it's the home of Wahabbism, probably the most virulent form of anti-infidel Islam; Pakistan because, as far as I know, it's the only Islam state with nuclear weapons. A second reason for attacking either or both of them is to send the message to the rest of the potential targets that nobody is safe, the fight will be at your house next so either start shooting or start packing: bullshit will no longer be tolerated.
There is no need for exit strategies or for occupation/rebuilding plans; go in there, kill the fuck out of them and then leave them to concern themselves with the consequences.
Just thinking, that's all.

I've Done Something Stupid

Whaddya 'spect, I drive tractors for a living. My talking typewriter wouldn't let me access any comments using haloscan and Blogger now have 'comments' available so I installed that and nearly got it right. Somebody smarter than me might know what I've done wrong, but I don't (obviously). I don't care really, at least I'll be able to see what people have to say now. Besides, it gives the page a bit of individuality. Expect more frequent posting in the future, but not for a week or so; I'm pissing off on a 'journey of learning'.
Y'all come back now.

I wish I Was A Bloated Plutocrat

No special reason, I just think it'd be pretty cool.

Don't Build Your House On The Beat, Baby

So, the budget has come and gone and the bush has been forgotten. Again. Sure, there was a fair-sized handout for rural healthcare, but that was about it. No education funding targetted at the bush, no infrastructure spending to speak of, nothing.
As far as I am concerned this is only right and fair. If you want an urban-style standard of living then live in an urban-style environment. This is The Bush. The Bush is big. Its population is small. The amenities are not going to be up to city standards. Ever. No matter what this or any future government does it will never be viable to spend that much money on so few people. People who live here know this. People who live here would rather watch Popstars Live than admit this. This is because of the fact that if you want $1.00 from this government (or any previous government) you must make them believe that you need $100.00. And that they will lose votes if you don't get it.
Just keep us reasonably up to date and that will do me. Its the short term residents that have trouble coping without their ADSL connections, home-delivery Thai food or even a branch of Rotten Ronnie's Simulated Food Company.
Our local pub does Pizzas, extremely good pizzas without a trace of riccotta or oven-roasted eggplant in sight. Not long ago I was having a couple of quiet beers (with the prospect of some loud ones later on) when a young blonde woman from Toowoomba noticed the pizza menu. "Ooh... can you get pizza way out here?" she said.
"Yes," I said, "But you have to ring up the day before, it's a long way to deliver it."
"That's just stupid," she said, "How do you know how hungry you'll be?" And she was serious.
At the opposite end of the spectrum how annoying are those pricks who snap up terrace houses or apartments in 'colourful' inner-city suburbs and then organise campaigns to eradicate the area of everything that makes the area unique in the first place. Stop those rowdy types from going to the pub after 10p.m., move the homeless on, clean up prostitution (move it out of sight)etc., etc. All so that they can pay $8.00 for a goats milk latte and the privilege of sitting on a milk crate out the front, ogling Z3 BMW's and Aprilia RSVR's while lapping up the local ambience.
It's due to these idiots that my wages no longer cover the mortgage payments on a three bedroom house within 10k's of the Sydney GPO. That's before tax. The good news is it can't last; eventually these lifestyle program watching idiots must run out of other lifestyle program watching idiots to sell their tastefully renovated with Victorian highlights to and the arse is going to fall out of the market, sending all of these budding property moguls to the wall.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha(deep breath)hahahahahahahahahahaha. Phew, that's better.

Soldiers Behaving Badly

It doesn't matter what you're opinion of the invasion of Iraq is, the behaviour of those U.S. soldiers guarding those prisoners is wrong. That's all, wrong. Not shocking. Not disgusting. Not any of those wonderful adjectives being tossed about by the lefties and certainly not worthy of the faux outrage being paraded about by all those middle-eastern potentates. Let us not forget, this area is not renowned for its humane treatment of prisoners. 'Honour' killings of rape victims are still tolerated, electric shocks and even amputations are not unheard of. Making prisoners pose for stupid photo's isn't really major league in this area.

Private Lindy England is a stupid bitch, not even smart enough to practice contraception in a war zone, but this isn't sufficient case to make her the scape-goat in this affair. The real crime took place further up the food-chain with the commanders who first let this happen (there is no way this happened in a vacuum) then tried to cover it up when it was inevitably leaked to the press.

Donald Rumsfeld is an amoral, lying bastard who would spear his grandmother and fuck the stab-wounds if he thought it would further his career. This is a positive attribute for a Secretary of Defense and should not be used as a trigger for his demise, indeed, it will not be used as such. Why, because the rules don't apply to Republicans, they are applied by Republicans; how many of Starr's groupies who were bewailing the downfall of Western civilization because Smiling Bill stuck his dick in a fat chicks' mouth and then lied about it are chasing after Rumsfeld? I think the correct answer is zero.

No, the reason Rumsfeld should be given the DCM is that he's incompetent. Iraq is out of control, with no end to the troubles in sight, Bin Laden is roaming about at will, and Rumsfeld is clueless to stop him. Get someone else in, and make sure that the newbie has no baggage or alliances within the defense community that may colour his actions.

Otherwise the shit will continue.

Decisions, Decisions

For the average bleeding heart small 'l' liberal some things are set in stone; the environment must take precedence over development of all time, aboriginal people were, are and always will be victims who must be supported at any cost. What then, are they going to do about Billy's Lagoon, the cattle station that was supposed to be the great hope for recovery for an aboriginal community in the Gulf Country? Under Peter Beattie's new tree clearing laws, which came into force today a planned 25,000ha clearing program can no longer go ahead, meaning a loss of around 100 projected jobs on the property plus another 100 jobs in the nearby town. Not to mention the extensions that would have been needed to the port of Weipa to handle the grain produced at the development, plus the follow-on projects such as feedlots etc.
Nevermind, the regrowth is safe.

Speak up, you bastards

Regular readers of this drivel, if there are any, will notice that I have finally got the 'comments' thing happening. Feel free to offer up obsequious praise and groveling platitudes, my fragile ego needs the nurturing. Many thanks to Adrian the articulate cabbie for dragging me out of the dark ages.

I Love My Motorcycle

I knocked a job back on Wednesday, don't really know why. The excuse I gave myself was that it would take too long to pack my gear up and with a residential school coming up for uni it was just too hard. Bullshit really, so to make myself feel better I packed the bike and went for a ride. Headed south east through Moree, Warialda then south along the Fossickers' Way to Tamworth. The bike was running a bit like a goat so I took her to Ride Motorcycles, the local Yamaha dealer, who diagnosed a leaking crankcase breather. As the breather vents through the float bowls of the carbies, it had managed to pick up a piece of dirt which blocked a jet, thanks Action Suzuki in Sydney for causing the problem in the first place.

As I didn't get to Tamworth until late in the afternoon, I had to wait until Friday morning for them to repair it, I can heartily recommend Ashby-On-Ebsworth for accommodation and every pub in the main street for beer and people. Post-repair I headed down through Muswellbrook on to the Putty Rd.(via a few turns). Much knee-scraping later it was through Richmond into Sydney where much hilarity ensued (not-for-publication). One thing I must comment on, though. In King's Cross, opposite the Crest sports bar is a strip joint, I forget the name. Anyway, this place has the hardest working tout or urger or whatever they're called in Australia. He looks like a gangster's accountant; tall, skinny, wire-rimmed specs, massive nose etc. I once saw this guy work on a minibus full of Koreans for over thirty minutes before he won, leading them one by one over the road to where his minions lurked, ready to take them inside.

Up at the crack of noon Saturday and up Bell's Line of Road to Lithgow and then Mudgee. Can highly recommend the Woolpack Hotel and the Courthouse Hotel, except the woefully atonic (but very pretty) barmaid in the Courthouse who was persuaded by some of the patrons to torture a couple of songs.

Back home Sunday afternoon, extremely cold, tired and euphoric. I love my motorcycle. A lot.