It was quite hilarious to hear John Winston Howard kick off the election campaign last Sunday week by saying that it was "all about trust". Days after more evidence was coming to light that he knew about the "Children Overboard" fraud before the 2001 election, he takes the bold, aggressive step of asking for us trust this time around.
JWH's press release on August 29, announcing the election, is comical for many reasons, but it is the third paragraph that has electioneering Sound Bite dripping all over it:
August 29 was the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Newtown. That's Newtown, New York, and this was part of the American War of Independence. The US beat Britain in this one (as they did eventually in the entire struggle.)
The real losers, however, were the people of the Iroquois confederacy of nations.
I'm sorry. I laughed my head off when I saw this report. I shouldn't, I know.
In short, the Genesis space probe, with its cargo of space particles, crashed to Earth instead of being intercepted by Hollywood stunt choppers on its descent. You see, it's parachute failed to open.
My first season as a born-again Jets fan is over. Newtown missed the eight in the VB Premier League, finishing in tenth spot on 23 points. Conceding 696 points in 24 games is not a good way to do things, but rather better than the club I used to follow in its NRL days, North Sydney, who allowed 1024 points in 24 matches, almost 43 per game.
I got to see Newtown play at Henson Park four times this year: March 27, when they lost 26-14 to St George reserve grade in round three; May 8, when they beat North Sydney 42(right on average)-20 in round nine; June 5, when they beat Balmain 20-12 in round thirteen; and July 31, when they beat the Roosters reserves 22-20 in a thrilling round twenty-one clash.
Poor Derek. He put a sticker on his car with an image of GWB and the text "King George: Off with his head". And the neighbours go and dob him in to the Secret Service!
The Salt Lake Tribune picks up the story.
(Related link: The US Constitution.)
Wednesday September 8 is International Literacy Day. The aim, according to the UNESCO website, is "to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies".
This year's theme is Literacy and Gender. UNESCO says that almost one in every seven people is illiterate, and out of a total of 860 million illiterate adults more than 500 million are women.
Associated Press published a wire story on Sunday about former Denver Nuggets NBA player Rodney White's arrest on firearms charges.
Their headline read:
NBA Player White, Two Others Arrested
Check it out on Google News before it disappears.
No, not the Jets/Bluebags. The Newtown Breakaways are the premiers of the SWAFL for 2004. That's the Sydney Women's Australian Football League.
Father's day is over for another year. It was my second father's day. It was my first father's day since the passing of my dad.
