Cav's Blog

Army Newspaper

2012-02-02T07:27:00.001+11:00

The latest digital copy of the Army Newspaper is online here....

http://digital.realviewtechnologies.com/default.aspx?xml=defencenews_army.xml

You need to watch this

2012-01-25T18:10:00.002+11:00

http://player.vimeo.com/video/31202906?autoplay=1

VW

2012-01-25T17:57:00.001+11:00

I dunno what's in the water over there but VW are bringing out some fine looking cars.

This is the CC

Mazda is due to bring out a rival for the CC. Here it is....

Allen West on the Marines Incident: 'Shut Your Mouth, War Is Hell'

2012-01-25T17:47:00.001+11:00

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a former Army lieutenant colonel, sends THE WEEKLY STANDARD an email commenting on the Marines' video, and has given us permission to publish it.

“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.

“All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?

“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.

“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”

Link

Bloody Cat

2012-01-23T16:47:00.000+11:00

Will this car kill the Falcon?

2012-01-20T17:25:00.000+11:00

http://www.news-car.org/2012/01/ford-mondeo-revealed-new-generation.html

Writer's Block

2012-01-20T11:05:00.001+11:00

Well I'm not posting much here, I think I may have writer's block. Not only on this blog but on my other blog as well. On the other blog I am writing about my experiences in the Army, chiefly about what happened to me as an Infantry soldier in the Vietnam War. I'm presently writing about the lead up training prior to my going to Vietnam. We've been to Canungra and ahead of us are exercises at Mt Speck, High Range and Shoalwater Bay (yep just like the song) I'm struggling with chapter 21 at the moment. Check it out and find out how fantastic I wuz as a soldier. I can't understand why they didn't make me General.

The book within

Paula and I are catching up on all those jobs around the house that built up while we were on our holiday in Melbourne.

We work well together, she does the work and I supervise.

That reminds me, I'd better go and check to see if she has made me a cuppa.

Communication from Afghanistan

2012-01-17T19:30:00.001+11:00

I'm very excited.

While having dinner a few moments ago my mobile phone rang. I use it mainly for working with war veterans as I don't have many mates (well I do, they just won't admit it to anyone) so a call is usually from a war veteran about his case I'm working on for the Veterans' Review Board.

"How's it goin?"

It was my youngest son who recently deployed to Afghanistan. Initially I thought there may be a problem, like you know, when a cop knocks on your door.

We had a good chat. He is in a camp somewhere (I'd better be a bit vague) that will be their temporary home until they get to their proper base.

It was about lunch time in Afghanistan.

We talked about the 2RAR boys in Dubai that were drinking alcohol, he was in Dubai at that time because his unit, 8/9 RAR, is replacing 2RAR.

It will be about another month before he can contact me again, probably via email when he gets it all set up.

Isn't communication marvellous now?

When I was in Vietnam (coincidently I served with 2RAR in Vietnam) I sent a birthday greeting home to my mother. We were out bush and I had to send it by radio. But I couldn't send a message message, all I could do was select a number that represented a phrase. I think the telegram she received from me said, "Happy Birthday. Ian."

I was good to hear his voice, he sounded positive and upbeat, I hope he maintains that all through his deployment.

My son is kneeling in the front. The safety glasses (not to be confused with sunglasses) are an issue item.

The Holiday is Over

2012-01-17T15:41:00.000+11:00

Things are back to normal.

DIGGERS RETURNED TO AFGHANISTAN OVER DRINKING CHARGES

2012-01-13T17:27:00.000+11:00

Families of Australian soldiers sent back to Afghanistan after being arrested for drinking in Dubai are heartbroken, 7News exclusively reports.

Eight soldiers had reportedly been serving on the Afghanistan frontline against the Taliban and were on their way back to family and friends in Australia.

But their homecoming celebrations never eventuated, due to a Dubai stopover that found them arrested for drinking in an Islamic country that is strict on alcohol.

7News say the soldiers are a part of a battle-hardened second battalion, Royal Australian Regiment based in Townsville that lost Private Matthew Lambert killed by a roadside bomb last August.

Families of the group of soldiers say they were upset to discover they had been returned to Tarin Kot in Afghanistan to be charged with misbehavior.

"A couple of these families were booked in for international holidays, so they’ve lost them."

"One family was ready to sign a contract on a house, now he can't get back to sign that contract, they may lose that." Steve Weight, a relative of a soldier returned to Tarin Kot.

"Well we saw how the guys were treated when they got back from 'Nam – have we learned nothing?" Weight told 7News.

Don Rowe from the RSL says that charges against the soldiers could have alternatively been brought against the soldiers in Australia.

"You don't blame the guys for having a couple of drinks after what they they’ve been through on active duty and active service." Rowe told 7News.

Link

Duty First 60 years of the Royal Australian Regiment

2012-01-11T01:15:00.000+11:00

Read it here

Round Trip of the Bay

2012-01-08T22:54:00.000+11:00

Paula and I did the triangle today - From Melbourne to Geelong then across to Mornington using the ferry, stopped at a mates place at Frankston and back to Melbourne.

I tried to visit Davo at Grovedale which is near Geelong. He wasn't home. Maybe I should have phoned, but I like to drop in unannounced, that way they can't take off if they know I am coming. Davo was my section commander in Vietnam. I wrote about him here.

We had a stroll around Geelong, it seems like a nice place, much better than Ballarat. We had some morning tea and headed for the ferry at Queenscliff. The ferry ride takes about 45 minutes, it is a little expensive but it completes a nice drive.

We had a nice lunch at Sorrento. Gee what a busy place, I think everyone from Melbourne was there, then we called in to see Keith and Debbie at Frankston. I served in Vietnam with Keith and he often frequents this blog. The only reason I called in to see him is because he has no mates. What can you expect from someone who is ugly and has hardly any hair? His wife Debbie is very nice but I think she must have poor eyesight.

They introduced me to Troy who was in his twenties. I said how much Troy looks like his dad only to be corrected that Troy is not Keith's son. I knew that because Troy was good lookin'. He couldn't possibly be Keith's son! I was just trying to be nice.

We finished off the day with a visit to the Crown Casino. Paula had a little win. She possibly could have won more but we had to leave because all the chicks were hitting on me.

Melbourne 2012 - The Good, The bad, and The Ugly

2012-01-07T19:13:00.000+11:00

The ugly

The bad

The good

Anzac Day Rebranding?

2012-01-07T09:28:00.000+11:00

OK let's get the spelling right.

It's ANZAC when you are referring to the actual diggers. For example, I served in an Infantry Bn. in Vietnam that included two companies of New Zealanders. We were called the ANZAC Bn.

When we talk about the day, we call it Anzac Day.

Geddit?

I like this cartoon from Chris Taylor on the latest govt. foray into things it shouldn't meddle with.

Beaut Ute

2012-01-06T20:57:00.000+11:00

My 2002 AU Ford Falcon series III XR8 5.0 litre V8 Ute runs on dual fuel, petrol and gas. It is a fuel injected system and it starts on petrol and automatically changes over to gas.

I can get over 700kms from a tank of gas. Yesterday and today we did 590kms around country Victoria before I spotted a gas station and filled the tank even tough it wasn't quite empty.

It took just over 85 litres, not bad for 590klms running at 110 and 100 km/hr. Consumption was 13.6 litres per 100 kms. And the cost of gas is so bloody cheap. Back home it is 69.9 cents per litre. In Sydney around 65.9 cents, sometimes a little lower.

I paid 53.9 cents less 8 cents discount, effectively 45.9 cents per litre. Fuel cost for 590 kms was $38.10!!!

Or looking at it another way, the cost per 100kms is less than $6.50

Picnic at Hanging Rock

2012-01-06T20:20:00.000+11:00

Paula and I had a picnic at Hanging Rock today. I took a couple of piccies.....

The sign says hanging rock, referring to the rock you have to walk under, I couldn't get it all in the shot.

At one stage as I wandered off the path I stumbled, and as I looked up I got a glimpse of a young girl, she looked kinda pale, I managed to get a picture...

I checked the camera to see how the picture turned out but because of the sunlight I couldn't see it properly. When I looked up, she was gone.

When we got to the bottom I checked my underpants. Remember in the movie how one of the girls descended from the rocks and her underwear was inside out?

Well mine were fine, although my bum was a bit sweaty though.

Oh, and another thing, I didn't hear any mournful music up there either.

Sorted

2011-12-27T10:17:00.000+11:00

Do you have a mess behind the TV like this?

It only took a couple of months of pestering, but I got a humungous powerboard which I connected up to try and alleviate the tangled mess behind the TV.

Paula vacuumed the dust and cleaned the back of the TV that you never see, or I hope no body sees; and the job was sorted as the Poms say.

Hmmm, still looks a bloody mess, but at least it's a clean bloody mess.

Seen one of these native plum trees?

2011-12-26T12:23:00.000+11:00

The fruit goes a purple colour when ripe. Ripe doesn't mean sweet though, when ripe they still taste bitter (I'm guessin' they are bitter when green).

Three Days Later......

2011-12-26T12:18:00.000+11:00

Well the bugs on my lemon tree are practically all gone!!!

Gym is finished for the year

2011-12-21T13:39:00.000+11:00

The gym ladies gave us boys a present today, our last day of gym for the year. Bewdy.

Five years we have been going to the gym now and I have only put on 10 kilos. Imagine how much fatter I'd be if I didn't make the effort to attend gym and put shit on those dumb ugly Navy guys.

I refrained from putting the same shit on Steve the coffee guy because if I upset him who knows what I'd be getting in my coffee.

To keep us going over the break, the girls recommended this YouTube video.

Lemme know if it is worth watching.

Missing Vietnam Veterans

2011-12-20T22:02:00.002+11:00

I am looking for the following people;

Jimmy Fay No. 1202416 Joined the army around the 13 January 1969 and went into 23 Platoon D Coy 1RTB at Kapooka went on to serve with 8RAR and was WIA on the 28th February 1970.

Anthony Marshall 219147 joined around the same time in the same unit and was also WIA on the 28th February 1970 while serving with 8RAR.

If you know these guys or their family contact me and I will pass on their details to the group of people from the same unit they went into when they joined the army in 1969

Regards

David Christie OAM

23 Platoon D Coy 1RTB 1969

4RAR 1969 – 1972

Vietnam 1971

drwet51@bigpond.com

The paragraph below was written by Klaus ‘Tank’ Scheuernmann President 8 RAR Association

Both these guys served in 1 Pl A Coy and were wounded in the mine incident on 28 Feb 70 in Long Hai Hills. Jim Fay regimental number is 1202416. Both these guys are on our looking for list and we have circulated their names and others in our newsletter without luck. The sad truth is that the majority of the guys wounded in the mine blast had only marched into the platoon a couple of days prior to the incident, so they really hadn’t had a chance to bond with the Platoon.

UPDATE

This is an email I got from Dave today....

Thanks Ian, we have tracked down Tony Marshall, who is alive and now we have to find Jim Fay.

Have a great Christmas and new year

David

Are ladybird beetles the good guys, ah gals?

2011-12-20T17:03:00.001+11:00

My lemon tree is under attack!

There are plenty of ladybird beetles there as well trying to quell the attackers.

I'll give them three days. If there are still those attacking insects the ladybird beetle gets it as I'll spray them all.

It's all about giving

2011-12-20T15:35:00.000+11:00

Nobby who will remain nameless is an ugly dumb Navy guy.

He lent me 30 cents one day because I was short for our regular cup of coffee after gym.

I promptly reimbursed him.

That was a few months ago.

Today, in the true spirit of Christmas, Nobby sent me a card with the following in it.

Gee Nobby, you're all heart mate.

Bloody Mower Parts!

2011-12-19T13:43:00.000+11:00

Whilst mowing the other day I noticed that the throttle handle failed to work. It was right after I pushed the mower into a bush that I had just trimmed a bit. It seems the throttle cable got caught up on one of the newly severed branches.

I pulled the thingy apart and this is what I saw.

Where the throttle cable attached to the throttle, a little piece had broken off. It was similar the the red bit with the hole in it on the opposite side. As you can see it is a flimsy design and can't take much abuse.

I could still use the mower by working the throttle cable with a pair of pliers, but that couldn't go on for too long so I dropped into the place where I purchased the mower, red bit in hand.

"Yep I have one of those."

Bewdy. This is it......

That's right I had to buy the whole shebang. That's the damaged part in the centre. I said I only wanted the red bit but I was told that it is a sealed unit, probably so that the purchaser can't see how flimsy the design is!

Bloody mower spare parts.

Oh and I have to trim the cable to suit.

Humpty Dumpty would be pleased

2011-12-18T15:34:00.000+11:00

I now know why I shouldn't work on a ladder...

Mortards

2011-12-16T15:05:00.000+11:00

I just spent a couple of days with my number three son who is deploying to Afghanistan soon. He is with mortar platoon 8/9 RAR and they are relieving my old unit. Not only that but my old company as well. How about that?

They have the nickname Mortards, a spoof on the word retards.

My son is in the front with the beany on. Sunglasses are issue items now. It's a safety thing.

I wish him and his mates well. I am very proud of him.

Bloody Cat

2011-12-16T08:10:00.000+11:00

I just unpacked the water pressure spray thingy.

Wouldn't be dead for quids

2011-12-14T07:44:00.000+11:00

View from the kitchen window this morning.

Twang!

2011-12-12T10:36:00.004+11:00

I got me one of them Karchers yesterday, you know those pressure spray thingys. They were on special at Supercheap Autos. I saved $6.

It's bloody great at cleaning up the concrete, I bin busy cleaning all that old dirt from the cement. Now I see so many cracks in the concrete it really needs pulling up and redoing.

Oh and I buggered the machine when packing it up.

There is a clip that holds the hose onto the trigger gun. During disassembly I levered the clip out with a screw driver when it went twang! Part of the clip broke off. It is made of plastic.

I rang Karcher, all their operators were busy. I left a message for them to call me, I told them the problem and I asked if they could mail me one free as I only had the machine less than 24 hours and it is Christmas after all

I'll keep you posted.

UPDATE!

Herbert from Karcher rang me, the clip is in the mail!!!!

Bewdy, I hope they send two.
\

UPDATE!!!!
The clip has arrived and uis now in the machine, never to be realeased!

Beautiful weather in Tumut

2011-12-09T10:46:00.000+11:00

It's going to be 28 degrees today.

I took this picture last night.

That white dot is indeed the moon. Don't the clouds look like the ones in the Simpsons?

My garden needs some TLC, but I am happy with the layered effect I was trying to create. This picture does not do it justice.

The lemon scented gum is coming along quite nicely. Now that the drought is over all the garden has gone gangbusters.

Pictures I didn't take

2011-12-08T19:33:00.000+11:00

Link

I think the one of BOAB is very good.

2RAR Reunion

2011-12-08T16:45:00.000+11:00

REUNION TOWNSVILLE 2012
25 - 29 JULY
2ND BATTALION
THE ANZAC BATTALIONS VIETNAM
1967-68, 1970-71
PROGRAM: 25-29 JULY 2012 (MAKE IT HAPPEN)

Wed. 25 July 2012
Coy/Pl Reunions as arranged separately (timings as arranged)

Thu. 26 July 2012
Meet & Greet (Afternoon/evening)
Townsville RSL
139 Charters Towers Road
Hermit Park QLD 4812

Dress: Smart casual, no medals
NB: Registered attendees only

Fri. 27 July 2012
2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment
Samichon Day Parade (Afternoon)
Samichon Lines
Lavarack Barracks
Dress: Medals
NB: All 2RAR veterans welcome

Sat. 28 July 2012
Reunion Dinner (Evening)
Jupiters Townsville
Sir Leslie Thiess Drive
(Breakwater Marina)
Townsville QLD 4810
Dress: Smart casual, no medals
NB: Registered attendees only

Sun. 29 July 2012
Townsville City March & Commemoration Service (Morning)
The Strand & ANZAC Memorial Park
Dress: Medals

NB: All 2RAR veterans welcome

REGISTRATION
Registration will be by Telephone or 2RAR Townsville Reunion Website (details to follow).
Once completed and payment made, a registration package, including tickets to events, will be mailed to you.
Cost of registration (details to follow).
It is important you bring these tickets to Townsville.

See you there!

--

"Second to None"

Rick Hollingdrake, OAM
Secretary
2 RAR Association, Inc
The National Association
2rarsecretary@gmail.com
(07) 3285 4197
0435 127 875
PO Box 1097
TOOMBUL QLD 4012

Buyer Beware

2011-12-08T11:53:00.002+11:00

I buy stuff on the internet from time to time, but not a lot. There are risks involved and given the number of scammers that are out there it pays to be vigilant.

Paypal is a two edged sword. I visit a muscle car site where they warn people not to have anything to do with Pypal, but they can come in handy.

I saw this ad for a small HD TV

The price was $199 plus $10 freight. I checked and rechecked the ad.; then I placed the order. Just two hours later the SIL said it was only SD (standard definition) and it would not be able to get all those new HD (high definition) channels without a HD set top box.

He was right. There in the fine print it said it was a SD tuner. I tried to cancel the order. There is no telephone number, nor is there an email address. All I could do was leave a comment on their site, and I did saying I was mislead by the ad. and I wanted to cancel.

At the same time I contacted Paypal and said I wanted my money back as the ad. was misleading. It was a SD TV not HD.

I got an email from Joshua informing me that once orders are submitted they cannot be cancelled. I wrote back asking for his telephone number so we could discuss this. I never did get his telephone number.

Meanwhile over at Paypal ....

Buyer: Goods were advertised as full HD 1080 TV, however on closer inspection of the fine print revealed that it only has a SD Tuner. IT IS NOT A HD TV!!!!! Seller misrepresented goods. Order placed only a couple of hours ago. I have sent an email to supplier to cancel order. Please refund me my money thank you

Seller: Hi, The Tv was advertised as a HD TV, which according to our suppliers means that the TV is HD, can watch HD dvds, HD video games but the tuner yes is SD. Please note this was clearly mentioned in the original ad; Below is an extract from the ad; Features: Samsung 22" LED TV Model no: T22A350 22" LED back-lit display Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080) Samsung TM1050 Remote Control (Batteries included) SD Digital TV Tuner Built-in Mega Dynamic Contrast ratio - for ultimate picture quality Magic Angle Vertical for optimal viewing from all angles PIP for easy multi-tasking 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio Dolby Digital SRS TheaterSound 5ms response time Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) ConnectShare (USB 2.0) Six inputs for devices including 2 x HDMI and 1 x USB 1 x PC D-sub 3 year warranty

Paypal refunded me the money. I am at a loss as to why the seller stuck with the deal, the goods had not been dispatched. Note that the comments the seller made are from the fine print buried deep into the ad. and compare it with the original ad. at the top.

Paypal refunded me the money. Yippee!

Ford Kuga to replace Escape

2011-12-07T19:54:00.000+11:00

David Morley

December 5, 2011

Ford has settled on the Kuga nameplate for its new compact SUV, but the car that will be sold here from 2012 has been on sale in Europe for years.

The Ford Escape will be killed off in favour of the European-sourced Kuga as part of a shake-up of Ford’s ageing compact SUV range.

Ford announced today it will replace the nine-year-old Escape with the Kuga, which has been on sale in Europe for years but previously discounted for Australia.

To compete with the likes of the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan, Mazda CX-7 (and upcoming CX-5), Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai ix35, Kia Sportage and Drive Car of the Year category-winning Skoda Yeti, the Ford Kuga will have its work cut out clawing back market share.

Ford Australia has long considered the Kuga but previously decided against it because the Escape was still selling well and there was an all-new model – recently released at the Los Angeles motor show as the Escape – in the wings.

But now Ford has decided it will sell the current European Kuga from March 2012 – albeit temporarily - ahead of the arrival of an all-new model, with Ford confirming it too will be called Kuga, meaning the end for the Escape.

While it seems a confusing strategy – getting all new models on sale requires huge costs associated with homologating the car, while carrying spare parts, training dealers, and other costs all adds up – Ford says the decision has been made to cement the Kuga nameplate early in one of the fastest growing segments in the market.

SUVs account for almost one in four new-vehicle sales. While small cars continue as the most popular single segment – accounting for one quarter of all sales – compact SUVs are fast closing on light cars (small city cars) as the second biggest segment.

Ford has refreshed many of its nameplates in recent years. The Focus killed off the Laser, the Fiesta replace the Festiva and, more recently, the long-running Fairlane and LTD were discontinued. Other Ford names to be ditched include Escort, Capri, Cortina and Telstar.

The ‘old’ Kuga will likely only be on sale for a little over a year ahead of the arrival of the new model, which is claimed to bring class leading fuel economy.

Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead Phipps said the decision to introduce the old model first was about building the Kuga brand in a market that hadn’t seen it before.

“It’s a strategy we wouldn’t have used in some models,” Mrs Phipps said, “but we think this product (the Kuga) is strong enough that it will establish the brand in time for the all-new model.”

Available in Trend and Titanium specifications, the Kuga will arrive with a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine boasting 147kW of power and 320Nm of torque.

Other new Fords to watch for in 2012 include the first performance-oriented version of the new Focus.

The Focus ST will be powered by a 2.0-litre version of the EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo and should slot into the market roughly where the previous model Focus XR5 existed.

Now I think I have got this right. Ford intend to introduce the old Ford Kuga that has been on sale in Europe for 'many years'. Then, 12 months later it will sell the updated Kuga.

First drive: Ford Falcon four-cylinder

2011-12-07T19:39:00.000+11:00

David Morley

December 5, 2011

Never say never, it seems.

Australian Falcons and big capacity six-cylinder engines go together like beer and eskies. Always have.

But in an attempt to offer its customers a Falcon with improved fuel economy and regain some lost sales, Ford Australia has –in a nutshell - taken the turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the Mondeo EcoBoost and slotted it into the FG Falcon’s cavernous engine bay.

No technical details have been forthcoming, but in Mondeo EcoBoost form, the 2.0-litre engine pushes out 149kW of power and 300Nm of torque, good numbers in themselves, but down on the 195kW and 391Nm respectively of the traditional, six-cylinder-powered version of the Falcon.

In the Volvo S60, the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder produces 177kW and 320Nm, which is close to where we’re expecting the Falcon. It makes sense from a marketing perspective – there’s more than the Mondeo EcoBoost but less than the bread-and-butter of the Falcon world, the inline six-cylinder that’s twice its size.

That said, the seat of the pants suggests a power figure closer to 170kW for the four-cylinder engine in the Falcon EcoBoost.

And let’s not forget that the AU Falcon of 1998 boasted a power figure of just 157kW, and nobody ever complained that that car was underpowered.

But more importantly than just numbers, how does the four-cylinder Falcon EcoBoost feel to drive?

Just sitting in the car with the engine running is an exercise in altered perceptions. Revving the engine reveals a fairly refined powerplant, but one that is identifiably missing a couple of cylinders. It’s not quite as dramatic as watching a grown man with a toddler’s voice, but it’s still a bit mind-altering.

With the six-speed automatic transmission offering a little slip to mask a tiny bit of turbo-lag off idle, the four-cylinder Falcon steps off the mark quite well.

It revs up with enthusiasm, too, although the last 1000rpm or so feel a bit hard to come by. Again, this is not uncommon with turbocharged powerplants, which often produce their best at low or middle engine revs – where most people use them most of the time.

But what is impressive is the engine’s mid-range punch which gives the sort of relaxed progress that has been a major characteristic of all Falcons over the years.

Against our timing equipment the EcoBoost Falcon doesn’t appear to give much away to its six-cylinder stalemate.

A 0 to 100km/h dash in the six-cylinder FG Falcon of 7.1 seconds was almost matched by the 7.6 of the EcoBoost car.

The best news is that the Ecoboost Falcon has shed about 60kg and this shows up as a much more talkative, entertaining front end.

The Ecoboost not only steers more accurately and naturally, it wants you to know it as well.

The bottom line is that the biggest hurdle for the Ecoboost Falcon will be a cultural one, not an actual product limitation.

Ford is still being very tight-lipped on pricing and while it’s tempting to think the Ecoboost Falcon will be the entry-level car, previous suggestions have been that it would actually carry a price premium. In other markets, the EcoBoost variants of certain Ford models are actually marketed as premium products and priced accordingly.

However, Ford is understood to be stepping away from this, accepting the fact that Australians generally don’t like paying more for fewer cylinders.

Best guesstimates – and a nod and a wink from Ford insiders - have the Falcon EcoBoost being priced at the same price as the six-cylinder versions it will sell alongside; the Falcon four-cylinder EcoBoost wll be available as an entry-level XT, G6 and flagship, leather-clad G6E.

The EcoBoost Falcon’s launch date has been delayed since the model was announced, but look for it early in 2012.

Link

I dunno I must be getting old, I think the white car actually looks OK.

Projector headlights are in the higher series cars apparently.

Fighting the navy - officer Virginia Kehoe's 17-year campaign over compensation

2011-12-07T15:17:00.000+11:00

Ian McPhedran
The Daily Telegraph
December 07, 2011 12:00AM

Long compo fight ... Virginia Kehoe, with her dog Bailey / Pic: Tim Marsden Source: The Daily Telegraph

Join us over on Facebook | Twitter

WHEN navy officer Virginia Kehoe hurt her neck during a firefighting exercise on HMAS Sydney in 1994, she was told her injuries were minor and she should return to work.

It was the start of a 17-year ordeal and a $170,000 legal battle.

By 2002, having suffered constant headaches, the 15-year navy veteran experienced numbness down her left side and doctors diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome, or compression of a nerve in her wrist.

The aeronautical engineer, who commanded 150 people, demanded an MRI. A scan taken in 2004, 10 years after the original accident, revealed three cracked vertebrae, ruptured and fused discs and crushed nerves in her neck.

During an eight-hour operation to repair the damage her spinal cord was bruised and Ms Kehoe lost feeling in her legs. Confined to a wheelchair, intensive rehabilitation helped her walk again but she still suffers headaches and is unlikely to be able to have children.

Now, three years after being medically discharged in 2008 and given a military pension, Ms Kehoe is still awaiting payment of her final claim, agreed to by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"I lost my job, my career, my status and I didn't even get a cupcake," she said.

"I have a permanent impairment for life and DVA is doctor-shopping to try and reduce my final payment. I can't believe someone who did 15 years service and broke their neck has to go through this."

Her lawyer Jim Patterson said: "They say her disorder is part of the depression that she has already been paid for so she should just get lost."

A DVA spokesperson said: "While some claims take some time to resolve, the system is designed to ensure claims are thoroughly investigated and veterans and their families receive what they are entitled to."

Kindle

2011-12-05T20:22:00.001+11:00

I bought Paula a Kindle for Christmas and gave it to her today.

These are amazing.

You buy the books online, some as cheap as $0.99. I bought two today, new releases for about $10 each and they download in less than a minute. It is all done by magic.

Paula is really impressed (after I spent about a gazillion hours working it all out but now it is up and running OK)

Maybe I could sell my book to Amazon Kindle!!!!

I could be rolling in it pretty soon.

It's our wedding anniversary today

2011-12-03T18:18:00.000+11:00

Paula and I have been together for about ~~17,~~ ~~15,~~ ah 16 years I think.

She's a lucky girl isn't she?

We got married here.

MAN SUES FORMER HOSTAGES, SAYS THEY BROKE PROMISE

2011-12-01T06:04:00.000+11:00

Can there be no trust between a kidnapper and his hostages?

A man who held a Kansas couple hostage in their home while fleeing from authorities is suing them, claiming they broke an oral contract made when he promised them money in exchange for hiding him from police. The couple has asked a judge to dismiss the suit.

Jesse Dimmick of suburban Denver is serving an 11-year sentence after bursting into Jared and Lindsay Rowley's Topeka-area home in September 2009. He was wanted for questioning in the beating death of a Colorado man and a chase had begun in in Geary County.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Dimmick filed a breach of contract suit in Shawnee County District Court, in response to a suit the Rowleys filed in September seeking $75,000 from him for intruding in their home and causing emotional stress.

Dimmick contends he told the couple he was being chased by someone, most likely the police, who wanted to kill him.

"I, the defendant, asked the Rowleys to hide me because I feared for my life. I offered the Rowleys an unspecified amount of money which they agreed upon, therefore forging a legally binding oral contract," Dimmick said in his hand-written court documents. He wants $235,000, in part to pay for the hospital bills that resulted from him being shot by police when they arrested him.

Neighbours have said the couple fed Dimmick snacks and watched movies with him until he fell asleep and they were able to escape their home unharmed.

Dimmick was convicted in May 2010 of four felonies, including two counts of kidnapping. He was sentenced to 10 years and 11 months on those charges. He was later sent to a jail in Brighton, Colorado, where he is being held on eight charges, including murder, in connection of with the killing of Michael Curtis in September 2009. A preliminary hearing originally scheduled for December 6 has been rescheduled for April 12. No plea has been entered in the case.

Robert E. Keeshan, an attorney for the Rowleys, filed a motion denying there was a contract, but said if there was it would not have been binding anyway.

"In order for parties to form a binding contract, there must be a meeting of the minds on all essential terms, including and most specifically, an agreement on the price," he wrote.

Keeshan said the contract also would have been invalid because the couple agreed to let Dimmick in the home only because they knew he had a knife and suspected he might have a gun.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/odd/a/-/odd/12191680/man-sues-former-hostages-says-the-broke-promise

Glasses. How many is enough?

2011-11-30T16:15:00.001+11:00

Sorry I bin busy with the other blog.

Did you know I use FOUR glasses when going about my daily business?

Here they all are on my briefcase which I got for $56 plus freight on ebay.

Starting from the top left is a pair of reading glasses. They reside in the toilet on a shelf just above the stack of motor magazines. Maybe I should have taken individual pictures in situ, but then again maybe not.

Below them is a distance pair. I got these with the tint that tints when you are in sunlight. My distance vision is pretty good and I found that while these were OK when my head was in sunlight, they are useless using them as sunglasses in the car because no sun falls on the lenses so no tinty winty. I use them strangely enough when I am watching TV. I bought a HD TV last year and when I am watching those HD channels, particularly 024 ABC 24 hour news I find I need the glasses to make the image clearer. They reside on the table beside my TV chair next to my wireless headphones, I'm bloody deaf too.

The pair on the top right I bought from Coles for a couple of dollars. They are excellent when using the computer because the focal length is just right. They reside beside the computer. I find the reading glasses require me to strain forward to read stuff on the computer, and with the multifocals I am continually moving my head up, down, left and right looking for the sweet spot. I get sore eyes and a sore neck and it makes surfing the net a real chore.

The pair on the bottom right are my current glasses. They are multifocal and they also have the tint. They usually reside in the ute. I can see in the distance as well as the instruments are nice and clear. I can also use them as sunglasses once I am outa the ute that is.

So there it is, four pairs of glasses.

Christmas is coming

2011-11-25T18:11:00.000+11:00

Three servicemen died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates.

'In honour of this holy season' Saint Peter said, 'You must each possess something that symbolises Christmas to get into heaven.'

The RAF bloke fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on and said, 'It represents a candle'.

'You may pass through the pearly gates' said Saint Peter.

The Navy guy reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, 'They're bells.'

Saint Peter said 'You may pass through the pearly gates'.

The Digger started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women's panties.

St. Peter looked at him and with a raised eyebrow enquired 'And what may I ask do those symbolise?'

The Digger replied, 'Oh, these are Carol's.'

Army Newspaper 24 Nov 2011

2011-11-25T00:15:00.001+11:00

http://digital.realviewtechnologies.com/?xml=defencenews_army.xml

Did he get off lightly?

2011-11-24T19:49:00.000+11:00

War vet fined for river work

Vanessa Marsh | 15th November 2011

Tags bundaberg magistrates court, fine, war veteran

Vietnam veteran Roger Dwyer (right), pictured with Burnett MP Rob Messenger, is upset he has been fined $1500 for trying to help disabled vets get access to a private retreat.

Vanessa Marsh

A WAR veteran has been slammed with a $1500 fine after spreading crushed rock and gravel on a riverbank to help disabled and wheelchair-bound Vietnam vets access a private retreat.

Woodgate man Roger Vincent Dwyer faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court yesterday charged with unlawfully performing works in a declared fish area.

The charge stems from 2009, when Mr Dwyer transformed his 16-hectare Gregory River property into an idyllic retreat for Vietnam veterans and their families.

Mr Dwyer spread 15m of crushed rock and gravel just above the high water mark to allow the veterans to walk and wheelchair up from the river into the property.

But 10 months later, he was charged with unlawfully performing works in a declared fish area, a charge that carries a maximum $300,000 fine.

While he maintains his innocence, Mr Dwyer yesterday pleaded guilty to the offence, saying the cost of fighting the charge would have been too expensive.

"I was extremely disappointed," he said after the hearing.

"There was no reason for this - there was no destruction or damage to the mangroves or vegetation."

The Vietnam vet said he felt no relief that the matter was finally over.

"This will always grate and, I mean on us - all the veterans," Mr Dwyer said.

"It's the attitude of the (Department of Primary Industries). They have no consideration for the amount of work we've done and what it is being used for.

"It is a free facility for all vets to attend."

Mr Dwyer's supporters packed out the court hearing.

One of his main supporters throughout the ordeal has been Burnett MP Rob Messenger, who said the charge against Mr Dwyer was "disgusting".

"The whole weight of the government's environmental legal department was thrown at a returned serviceman who stabilised a riverbank so that a fellow vet in a wheelchair could access a retreat for Vietnam veterans," Mr Messenger said.

"The hypocrisy of the government's actions is breathtaking."

I got these from whatshisname

2011-11-18T12:30:00.002+11:00

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?'
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.'
'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?'
'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.'

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great... I would recommend it very highly.'
The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'
The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love?
You know... The one that's red and has thorns.'
'Do you mean a rose?'
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?'

Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'

A man was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art.. It's perfect.'
'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?'
'Twelve thirty..'

And One more. . ..!
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool…After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?'
'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'

Is it Remembrance Day Today?

2011-11-11T13:00:00.003+11:00

My son deploys to Afghanistan with 8/9 RAR in just a few weeks now. I am very proud that he chose to serve his country.

Like the song? Go here...

So how wuz the caravan trip?

2011-11-11T11:50:00.005+11:00

In a word - ithinkitwentok.

We did have some problems though, not with the Ford of course (got that Keith?) but with the van.

I posted this picture before the trip.

The top is held down by four clips. Two are shown here, they are hard to see as they are hidden by the supports for the awning. You guessed it, the clips were undone.

This is the front of the van, you can see the clip hanging down, nothing was holding the roof down except gravity.

Luckily we travelled slowly into Wollongong and up Mount Ousley because we were following a low loader. Onto Picton Road and people were gesturing to us. I get this a lot from good lookin' chicks, but this time it was from blokes. So I realised something was wrong and I looked for a place to pull over. As I was doing so, a big 4WD pulled alongside and an ugly woman with a big mouth shouted, "Ya roof's not tied down!"

We stopped and had a look see. The roof was down and there didn't appear to be any damage, so I clipped the top down and away we went.

The ute towed the van with no problems at all. It isn't a big van, all up with our gear and everything, it probably weighs about 1500kgs. On some of those long uphill three lane stretches on the Hume Freeway we stormed up at 100km/h in third gear with that lovely Ford Windsor V8 on song. What a buzz passing other caravaners in their turbo diesels barely managing 40km/h. Yep, those dual exhausts at 3,000 revs can be an intoxicating sound, but at a cost. How about 27l/100kms?

On the return trip I sat on 90km/h in top gear and only occasionally selecting 3rd. Fuel consumption was 17l/100kms. This is on gas remember, at a cost of about 65 cents per litre. Strangely enough, 17 is about what I normally get around town, so this consumption towing the van is very good indeed. The gas tank is 110 litres but only about 82 litres are useable. This gives a range of about 480kms, achieved with air conditioner on while tackling the Great Dividing Range.

So flat country should see us cover more than 500kms on a tankful, plus I still have the petrol tank if we need to cover long distances between fuel stops.

The ute is a great tow car indeed!

I also had problems with the rear right blinker and the struts holding the roof up.

The blinker is an LED unit with just two wires in the back - no bulb to change here. I sprayed the electrical connection from the van to the ute with WD40 and that fixed the problem, but it surfaced again on the way home.

I discussed the problem with the repair guy and he suggested that I check out the connecting pins and ensure that there is a gap between each of the pins.

So I got one of Paula's good steak knives and prised them all open a bit more. One was nearly closed up, I'm guessin' that was the problem as the blinker is working fine now.

The struts can't hold the roof up now. We didn't have a problem on the trip. The repair guy suggested that they may be twisted or bent causing them to leak, so he will have a look at that.

I booked the van in for Monday week. He will also be fixing the three way fridge under warranty. Dometic will cover the cost even though it was four weeks out of warranty when I got in touch with them about it.

Paula is looking forward to our next trip so she can spend more time with me listening to my extremely funny jokes and my telling everyone how good I am.

How would you like to travel to work?

2011-11-09T06:26:00.002+11:00

Would you like to travel like this merely to save the planet?

Or would you rather travel by one of these great machines?

I dunno why I visit BOAB's site, I haven't seen any decent pictures of saddlebags in months. So I ponder the question - does the rain shrink the saddlebags?

That Bloody Cat!

2011-11-07T18:00:00.000+11:00

Home 10 minutes and the cat is on the ute!

I know what he is thinking, "Take me with you next time, or else!"

All systems are go.... well, almost

2011-11-04T13:17:00.001+11:00

We are finally taking the caravan for a burl for a couple of days. With Paula stuck with me 24/7 for a few days in a caravan,who knows what will happen? Don't be surprised if the van is for sale next week.

I moved the van onto the grass and gave it a wash, phew, it wuz hard work. I had to use one of Paula's nylon brooms and get up on the ladder to wash the top of the van. I dunno how those old ugly blokes in their big rigs clean theirs, maybe that's what grandkids are for.

Everything is working OK, except for the fridge. It is a three way fridge that works on DC, 240 AC and gas. It doesn't work on AC. Luckily I checked it out during the week. I got in touch with Dometic as it was four weeks out of warranty and they are coming to the party and will wear the cost of repairs. Well done Dometic!

I'll chuck a little bar fridge into the back of the ute to use over the next couple of days.

I still can't work out how to separate the screen door from the main door, over the years I've learned NOT to trust my instincts as I break stuff, so I'll let Paula sort that one out. She even reads manuals and operating instructions. Gee, imagine that.

In the meantime, I've opened everything up and I have to go out regularly and check that the dogs haven't made themselves comfortable in the van.

Oops, I'd better check now.

Yep all clear, no dogs in the van, just some flies buzzing about, but I'm sure the spider in the overhead air conditioner will sort them out. I saw a web there when washing the top of the van.

Heck! I just had a thought. Do you think it could be the son of spiderson waiting to ambush me seeing as his father failed miserably some time back.

And Remember that bush that gave me so much trouble on that dark and stormy night when I first brought the van home? Well it needs cutting again so I can get the van out the driveway, but I'll do that after a cuppa I think.

Is Richard too old to dance?

2011-11-04T06:32:00.001+11:00

A COLD Chisel fan has been fined $450 and told he is "too old to dance" after his double fist-pumping moves had him removed from a concert by security guards.

Richard Fuller said the 4000-strong crowd at the October 18 concert in Townsville was "cheering him on" as the 43-year-old got out of his seat and danced in the aisles.

"I didn't think I was annoying anyone and everyone was cheering for me," he said.

"I was standing up on my chair double fist-pumping, but I didn't want to block people's view ... that's why I went into the aisle. I'd been dancing the whole time but they took me out as the band was finishing. I missed the last song."

Daughter Kristen Fuller said her father's dancing was "legendary".

"He was having a good time dancing away. He really didn't do anything wrong," she said.

But Fuller didn't go quietly and slapped one of the security guards when he was told to stop.

Magistrate Ross Mack fined Fuller $450 yesterday for common assault, did not record a conviction, and gave him some advice about concert etiquette.

"You are too old to dance Mr Fuller," he said.

"Patrons have come to see the band, not some guy next to them."

Fuller said that although he was embarrassed he had no regrets.

Have your say - is Richard too old to dance, or have the PC police gone too far again?

Link

You Can Quote Me!

2011-11-03T10:59:00.002+11:00

There are those of us who find absolutely no humor in this lurid account of male disrespect!!!!

2011-11-01T17:09:00.000+11:00

''Of course I won't laugh,'' said the nurse. ''I'm a professional. In over twenty years I've never laughed at a patient.''

''Okay then,'' said Fred, and he proceeded to drop his trousers, revealing the tiniest 'man thingy' the nurse had ever seen. Length and width, it couldn't have been bigger than an AAA battery. Unable to control herself, the nurse started giggling, then fell to the floor laughing.

Ten minutes later she was able to struggle to her feet and regain her composure.

''I am so sorry,'' she said. ''I don't know what came over me. On my honour as a nurse and a lady, I promise it won't happen again. Now, tell me, what seems to be the problem?''

…''It's swollen,'' Fred replied.

She ran out of the room..

Who are Australian soldiers dying for?

2011-11-01T06:30:00.000+11:00

IN trying to civilise Afghanistan, we may have bitten off more than anyone can chew. For too many in that blighted land, the seventh century beckons.

WHEN, on a Sunday morning in September 1939, Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that it was his "melancholy duty" to inform the nation it was once again at war, Australians wearily accepted the sacrifice to come.

A generation earlier, more than 60,000 Australians had died in what had been referred to as the Great War.

Across both wars just short of 100,000 Australians were killed.

That's 30 a day, every day, for every year of both wars.

We were in it for the long haul. The future of the free world was at stake. Australian lives would be sacrificed. That was the cost of freedom.

In August 1966, during the Battle of Long Tan, 18 Australians were killed, the bloodiest day for us of the Vietnam War. Eleven of the dead were conscripts, one was a student not old enough to vote.

It shocked the nation, but our prime minister vowed soon after that he was going "all the way with LBJ (US President Lyndon Baines Johnson)" and we must have agreed: Harold Holt won that November's federal election in a historic landslide, in no small part based on our enthusiasm for the war.

Six years later, Australians' view of that conflict - still the longest in our history - had changed and helped Gough Whitlam's Labor Party to power.

But the Liberals had been acutely aware that the nation's appetite for the war had waned and they were slowly withdrawing our men and women from the unwinnable contest, the last Australians being killed in combat in September 1971.

Five privates of the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment died that day, a bloody, final punctuation mark in a war that had exhausted our country.

We were in Vietnam for the long haul; Australians had bravely won battles, but the nation's heart wasn't in it.

Neither is the heart any longer in the fight for Afghanistan, polls indicating that two-thirds of us want out.

The deaths over the weekend of three more Australian troops, and the wounding of six others, attacked by a so-called "rogue" Afghan soldier will further erode support for our presence there. As it should.

Our soldiers are adamant their job to train a reliable local defence force will not be completed by the Canberra-imposed deadline of 2014.

They'd know. When my colleague Ian McPhedran recently spent time with them in Afghanistan, he observed the local trainees.

They were lazy, ill-disciplined, untrustworthy and even mutinous.

They often dropped their loaded rifles to steal fruit from trees, rather than protect their people.

It's a curious thing that Prime Minister Julia Gillard, her predecessor Kevin Rudd, his predecessor John Howard, and the alternative prime minister Tony Abbott agree that Australia is there for the "long haul".

The long haul is never spelled out. That is because there is no achievable end in Afghanistan.

It is a long haul to a hell devised by Islamists who despise modernity, Western freedoms, and who see democracy and its concepts, such as equality for women and education for girls, as a full-on cultural assault.

These are men who wish to live by the backward ways of the seventh-century birth of their troubled religion.

We are wasting our time, our defence budget and the lives of our noble sons, by getting touchy-feely about building these people schools and bringing water to their villages when too many of them hate us and plan to kill our children.

When Europeans a century ago sat in smoke-filled drawing rooms and drew lines of administrative convenience through what had been their empires, they did so ignorant of the lives of those who would forever after be ruled by those geographic co-ordinates.

Those people resent it, and I don't blame them. Afghanistan is not a country and it never has been.

It is a collection of often uneducated, sexist, stubbornly prejudiced, rigidly narrow-minded, violent tribes - untrustworthy men who stabbed us in the back until we thought it a brilliant idea to give them weapons and training.

Now they shoot us.

We are in Afghanistan to rid them of the Taliban and perhaps introduce locals to the idea of democracy.

Fat chance. The Taliban's deadly response regularly costs allied lives.

Not that I am proposing a retreat from the War on Terror.

But when our significant other, the US, secretly organises talks between Afghan President Hamid Karzai's leadership and the ape-like Taliban, you know things aren't going so well.

Rather than expensively invest in troops on the ground, perhaps we should spend a fraction of that on decent intelligence and use unmanned drones to hunt and kill our prey.

The US drone attacks are working with greatly increased efficiency.

In recent months the allies' drones have lopped off some important heads from the Taliban/al-Qai'da Hydra.

But it grows more heads; Afghans are among the most fertile of nationalities and in their ranks are some of the most resentful people on the planet.

In the absence of measurable goals with a deadline that our troops believe they can achieve, we should think of better ways to combat this menace.

Relying more on Western technology that is the fruit of modern and wealthy democracies has a ring of common sense to it.

We'll kill some innocents along that way. That's war. It's a war on terror and we have a right to share the terror around.

Link

Mick Berrigan: the last Vietnam victim

2011-10-31T09:45:00.000+11:00

Mick Berrigan: the last Vietnam victim

by:Terry Brown
From:Herald Sun
October 31, 2011 12:00AM

Mick Berrigan had served in Vietnam for seven months when he suffered a catastrophic head wound. Herald Sun

MICK Berrigan went to war in 1967 - a bright spark who loved a drink and the girls. The shell of a man who came back injured never recovered from his private hell.

PRIVATE Mick Berrigan died from combat injuries last Sunday and was buried on Thursday.

There weren't any politicians there, or news cameras, because death didn't come swiftly.

It ate at him for 44 years, tore at his body and soul and drove his parents, Rosemary and Gerald, to an early grave.

The artillery shell shrapnel that hit him, so-called friendly fire, took the best part of his life in Vietnam, and then took its time with the rest.

When soldiers die on the battlefield, they are said to have made the ultimate sacrifice.

To live on in pain, anger and confusion as a brain injury progressively destroys you and everybody you love, is worse than that.

Comrades count Mick as an Australian combat casualty of the Vietnam War, as much as any of the official 500 fallen.

They think, dead at 66, he may be the last.

"We commemorate the dead but we forget about the wounded," unofficial 7th Battalion historian Mike O'Brien says bitterly.

And Mick's younger brother Chris, who has spent most of his life watching his brother's cruel decline, says there are worse things than a battlefield death.

"If you're killed outright, there's traumatic suffering and terrible sadness. But the terrible sadness goes away eventually, doesn't it?" Chris says.

"I think this was worse than what they usually call the ultimate sacrifice."

In 1967, while the rest of the world embraced flower power and the Beatles sang that love was all you need, Mick Berrigan, the fourth of eight kids, went to war.

He was smart, with a year of Melbourne University law under his belt, and headstrong.

He liked a beer a little too much, liked to chase girls at South Side Six in Moorabbin, and took a gap year from uni to build a bankroll for the rest of his course.

When the call-up came for national service, Mick was up for the pay and the adventure.

He landed in Vietnam in April 1967 and took a hit in November ahead of an attack on a Viet Cong camp 1km east of Nui Toc Tien.

Australian guns were called in to soften up the camp and five of the six shells hit.

The other exploded against a tree 50m from Pte Berrigan and shrapnel from it tore through his skull and his brain.

"We couldn't keep him quiet," a Digger mate of Mick's wrote in a diary.

"We gave him dose after dose of morphine. We believed we had no alternative. We were close to the enemy and had to keep him quiet."

But the story didn't stop there. Mick died and was resuscitated. His mother was flown to Vietnam to say her goodbyes to her comatose son, but he was strong and fit and lived.

"Operating on his skull, they had to remove fragments that were blown into his brain. Then they patched him up," Chris says.

"I remember him in bed at Heidelberg (Repatriation Hospital) and he looked remarkably fit and very, very tanned, brown as a berry.

"He was already paralysed, flat in bed and he couldn't turn to one side. His speech was slurred already, but he knew people."

With calipers and a four-pronged walking stick, somehow the hospital got Mick on his feet and home.

"There was a time when he was at home and we were living in East Malvern when he used to walk up to the front gate, walk 100m down the street," Chris says.

But it was a false dawn.

"There was a great hopefulness that he would improve. That changed into 'nothing's happening', and that changed into a feeling of hopelessness, awful for any family," Chris says.

Mick suffered seizures and each one took a part of him away. His short-term memory was shot and his useless limbs, once so strong, grew twisted.

"It's like he's been a 22-year-old soldier all his life. In that sense he was stuck in time," Chris says, but adds: "Whatever brain damage there was, he did have some episodes of clarity and deep insights. We wondered how much he knew."

In an earlier war, Mick would have died. A later one, and he would have caught medical advances and better treatment.

As it was, his life became a round of psychiatric hospitals, frustrated outbursts and harsh drugs to bomb him out.

The family's fight for the best for Mick was unending.

And also, so bittersweet, there were times when he touched his carers and family, connecting in small ways that meant everything to them.

"He was quite an assertive, macho guy, intensely independent," Chris says.

"It was very difficult for him to have that taken. Often he would lash out at people, try to hit people. He would get angry and this would lead to him being heavily tranquillised.

"It was just a gradual decline. It's hard to express. My mum was particularly devastated by it. It was a real heartbreak to go out and see him.

"He went through unpleasant repat hospitals for many years, and nursing homes and things like that."

Family priest Fr Peter Matheson spoke of the toll on Mick's parents at Thursday's service.

"They died before their time because of that weight," he said.

Mick's last 11 years were spent surrounded by kindness, helped by Yooralla at a home in Highett, but the brain injury was relentless and paralysis spread to his throat muscles.

"There was not much in his life. The only pleasures were a beer and a smoke and his food," Chris says. "In the end you'd give him food and instead of swallowing it, he was breathing it in."

On Sunday, his battle ended. The war was over for Mick and his family.

"The ultimate sacrifice? This is even more, isn't it, really? What a waste," Chris says.

"He died in his sleep. That's something, isn't it?"

And a comrade, John Johnston, one of the 30-odd Vietnam veterans in a guard of honour for the flag-draped coffin, spoke for all of them.

"There just couldn't be a greater sacrifice," he said. "There couldn't be."

brownt@heraldsun.com.au

Melbourne? Who's Got The Pub There Now?

2011-10-29T21:52:00.002+11:00

Yep I spent a few days in Melbourne last week being ejumicated by the TIP boys . What a great bunch of blokes they are - they thought I wuz terrific! Well I think that's wot they thought.

We stayed just north of the city at Parkville, with O'Reilly's Pub within staggering distance. What a joint! They liked us so much that they invited us back for a trivia night. We managed to get a couple of vouchers for free beer, but we failed miserably at the questions which were all stuff we knew nothing about. It musta bin a generational thing. We came equal last!

O'Reilly's Pub

Gee I wonder if that wet green cycleway is slippery?

And speaking of cyclists, I managed to get some real live action shots of these creatures on their way to work. I noticed that they don't wear that yuppy lycra gear, maybe they live in the wrong suburbs, or BOAB can explain why this is so. This picture was taken just opposite the motel, there was a tram stop right outside. $3.50 all day tram rides and we bought the tram tickets at the motel - magic!

I spotted some celebrities in town. I missed the Queen but I did manage to get Stephen Fry's back!

By now you will have noticed that these pictures are from my $89 mobile phone. I forgot to take my trusty Canon and when I saw Fry approaching me for my autograph I whipped out the phone, slid it open, fumbled for 'camera', aimed, and by then he was a mere 'back'....

Stephen Fry's back!

Ben Stiller?

A roof over a chimney? WTF?

9pm and they come outa the woodwork to look at..... a coupla flames!!!

China Red best Chinese food joint in Australia!

Well maybe this place isn't so bad after all. I can't say I REALLY liked the place, but it wasn't unpleasant. Maybe I'll bring Paula back here in winter, when most of them head north. She loves the place.

TIP, GARP and other things

2011-10-29T12:03:00.001+11:00

Where do I begin?

Last week I attended a TIP course in Melbourne. After three or so years of complaining about the lack of GARP training in Sydney to everyone I constantly annoy about veterans’ issues, we finally bit the bullet and signed up for a course down south.

TIP refers to the guys/organisation that train dumb grunts like me. They are mostly volunteers. GARP simply refers to the guide that DVA use to assess a veteran’s pension once a condition is accepted.

At issue was my (and my colleagues) ability to give war veterans the best advice on their entitlements from DVA when it comes to disabilities or diseases caused by their war service.

Lemme make this quite clear – if I had known this GARP stuff three or four years ago, I would have been able to argue an increase in entitlement for many veterans.

This is a very sad state of affairs. Veterans’ issues are very complicated now and the lack of decent training on key issues is certainly costing veterans their fair entitlements.

The TIP guys in Melbourne are a very unique bunch. They are experienced, talented, well motivated blokes; and they are very keen to pass on all they know about GARP. I dunno about their selection criteria for presenters though, every one of them was ugly.

Can you believe that?

Maybe it’s a Victorian thing.

I’d was going to offer my services to them should they ever run short of presenters. I could step in and help them out. I have plenty of skill, enough knowledge to be dangerous, plus a gift of the gab and plenty of overconfidence.

But I don’t think I would quite fit in, you know, because of my good looks!

Thank you TIP Victoria for the great job youse is all doin’.

I’m looking at applying for another 3 day enhance course – “VRB/AAT Advocates Seminar”, so LOOKOUT!

I've just washed the black car - for the cat you understand

2011-10-22T10:58:00.000+11:00

I give that bloody cat an hour before he is lounging on the back of the black car.

Gee, get a load of the stone chips on the front. This is what 250,000 kms does to a car.

BTW I think these AU series Falcons are better looking than the ones that followed: the BA and BF series.

Although I quite like the current FG series, it all depends on the colour though......

Maroon = very nice. I may upgrade to a second hand one just like this when the black car reaches 300,000 kms

COMMUNITY’S OUTRAGE AT RSL’S CANCELLATION OF TOP MEETING.

2011-10-22T08:11:00.001+11:00

The much awaited meeting between the National RSL President retired Rear Admiral Ken Doolan and top representatives of RSL state and sub-branches, Concerned Veterans Action Group, Vietnamese Veterans Associations and the Vietnamese Community in Australia in Canberra on Saturday 22-10-2011 to discuss the controversial Australian RSL’s planned MoU with the Communist Veterans of Vietnam was abruptly cancelled at the last minutes on the 21-10-2011 citing insurance problems and a perceived threaten email.

Mr. Phong Nguyen, Federal President of the Vietnamese Community in Australia, who would have led a delegation of state and territorial presidents of the Vietnamese Community to meet with Mr Ken Doolan, expressed his extreme disappointment and frustration by the reasons given by Mr Doolan’s office. “To demand that everyone at the meeting to have public liability insurance and to cancel the meeting just because a member has written an email disputing the validity of the insurance demand and saying that he is prepared to die in attending the meeting should any accident happen is an overreaction and a deliberate attempt to shut down the meeting” Mr. Phong said.

“Given the significant opportunity of the meeting for both sides to discuss this unprecedented proposed MoU which would effectively require a constitutional change of the RSL’s objectives, (no MoU has ever been signed or proposed by the RSLA with any former enemy veteran body) we thought Mr Ken Doolan and the RSLA Executive would have “bent over backward” to meet with such a high representative delegation from the membership of the RSL and the Vietnamese Veterans and Community rather than using insurance issue as a means to discouraging dialogue and attendance” Mr Phong expressed.

Mr Phong said in his opinion and understanding there was no criminal intend or evidence of criminality in the statement made in the so-called “offending” email. The fact that no police actions were taken proved the action of the RSL in cancelling the meeting was manifestly excessive and excusative in trying to deny its constituencies an opportunity to be heard and consulted on a matter crucially important to them and to the League.

“Another meeting should be held soon by the RSL and Mr Ken Doolan to discuss this important issue. We stand ready to attend such a meeting. Delaying or avoiding tactics, if used by the League, will only worsen the situation and increase our resolve to have the matter dealt with publicly and politically” Mr Phong stressed.

For further comments and inquries, please contact Mr. Phong Nguyen on 0411 756 552 or via e-mail at sicmaa.nguyen@gmail.com

Anyone Wanna Cat?

2011-10-21T20:12:00.000+11:00

I spent a bit of time giving the ute the once over.

The cat was very pleased......

Meanwhile, a few hours later.....

Bloody cat!

First sunny day for a long while

2011-10-19T12:16:00.001+11:00

So I decided to take Lenny and Susie down to the lake for a swim.......

....boy, the tide musta bin right out, no swim today, just a bit of a sniff here and there.....

....then abitofarun.....

....and finally a dip!

Followed by a shower.

UPDATE

Here is a picture of Lenny, he's such a poser! (just like me I guess!)

Beware THE BLOODY TRUCKS!

2011-10-19T10:47:00.000+11:00

Maybe their speed limiters were not working this day.

2011-10-18T16:58:00.001+11:00

From: Gregory Kirk
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 2:04 PM
Subject: PROPOSED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN RSL AND FORMER ENEMY

MOU with VAV

EARLIER THIS YEAR, A GROUP OF RSL MEMBERS CONTACTED THE RSL NATIONAL PRESIDENT, RADM KEN DOOLAN AND REQUESTED THE RSL SEEK RECONCILIATION WITH THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF VIETNAM (VAV). THE VAV CONSISTS MOSTLY OF VETERANS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR, (FROM THE ‘OTHER’ SIDE).

KEN THEN ADVANCED THE MATTER AND HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH AUSTRALIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER AND AT A SEPERATE TIME, WITH THE VIETNAMES AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA AND AS A RESULT, HAS DRAWN UP A PROPOSED DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) FOR AGREEMENT WITH THE VAV.

PRIOR TO A NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEETING (WHICH INCLUDES ALL STATE PRESIDENTS ) IN CANBERRA ON 9TH AUGUST THIS YEAR, STATE EXECUTIVES , WHICH INCLUDES STATE COUNCILLORS MET IN THEIR OWN STATE TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED MOU.

ON THE NSW RSL WEBSITE, THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE APPEARSUNDER THE HEADING:

RSL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH VIETNAM
“STATE COUNCIL UNANAMOUSLY ENDORSE THE MOU THAT RSL NATIONAL HAS PUT IN PLACE WITH THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF VIETNAM”

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT THIS PROPOSED MOU EXPOSES.

FIRSTLY, THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT IS AT FAULT FOR ENTERTAINING THE SUGGESTION PUT TO HIM FROM A “NUMBER” OF MEMBERS. THE CORRECT PROCESS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO DIRECT THEM BACK TO THEIR SUB BRANCH TO HAVE A MOTION ACCEPTED AND THEN ADVANCE THE MATTER THROUGH THE NORMAL AND ACCEPTED CHAIN.

SECONDLY, NSW STATE COUNCIL HAS NO RIGHT TO SUPPORT THE MOTION WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH THE GRASS ROOTS MEMBERSHIP. HAVING STUDIED THE ‘OBJECTS OF THE LEAGUE’, NOWHERE IS THERE PROVISION FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTION TO BE ACCEPTED.
STATE BRANCH HAS NOT EVEN EXTENDED THE COURTESY OF ADVISING MEMBERS OR SUB BRANCHES THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING THIS MOU.

THIRDLY, THE VAV CONSISTS OF VETERANS MADE UP OF EX MEMBERS OF THE NORTH VIETNAM REGULAR ARMY (NVA) AND VIET CONG (VC). AUSTRALIA’S ALLIES IN THE WAR, THE ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (ARVN) ARE EXCLUDED FROM MEMBERSHIP.

ADDITIONALLY, THE VAV IS AN OFFICIAL ARM OF THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY WHICH HAS A DISGUSTING RECORD OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE. TO THIS DAY, EX ARVN MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE PERSECUTED AND OPPRESSED. MANY HAVE BEEN MURDERED, KIDNAPPED, TORTURED, RAPED AND ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ENDULGE IN BASIC FREEDOMS SUCH AS OWNING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS. MANY HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO ‘RE-EDUCATION’ CAMPS WHERE THEY ARE/HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO BEATINGS AND COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA.

THIS IS THE TYPE OF REGIME THAT RSL NATIONAL EXECUTIVE WOULD HAVE US RECONCILE WITH.
WE ARE IN POSESSION OF A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THIS MATTER INCLUDING AN EMAIL FROM THE TASMANIAN STATE PRESIDENT ADVISING THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT TO GO INTO DAMAGE CONTROL BEFORE THE “YAPPING CLASS” LEARN OF THEIR PROPOSAL.

LOVELY! SO THAT’S HOW OUR LEADERS THINK OF US, - “YAPPING CLASS”. ( WE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED AN APPOLOGY FROM HIM). ADDITIONALLY, AT A MEETING OF ALL TASMANIAN SUB-BRANCHES IN LONGFORD LAST WEEK, THE FORUM ASKED HIM TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL UNTIL ALL CIRCUMSTANCES ARE FULLY KNOWN.

WA IS THE ONLY OTHER STATE TO OPPOSE IT.

SINCE THIS ALL BEGAN 2 WEEKS AGO, WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT A NUMBER OF SUB BRANCHES HAVE OBJECTED TO THE PROPOSAL AND WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE TO FOLLOW IN NSW AS THEY CONDUCT THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS.

I AM PART OF A VETERAN REPRESENTATIVE GROUP KNOWN AS THE ‘CONCERNED VETERANS ACTION GROUP’ (CAVG) –I AM THE STATISTICIAN.

THE FOLLOWING PETITION IS BEING CIRCULATED :

"I object to the RSL's proposed MOU with the former NVA/VC. I ask that it be set aside until the result of a Plebiscite of all RSL members, in the full knowledge of the human rights situation and the restrictions placed on former members of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces in Vietnam and the views of Australia's Vietnamese Community, is known".

ANY PERSON WISHING TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PETITION CAN REGISTER BY SENDING THEIR NAME/ADDRESS/SUB-BRANCH AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO gregorykirk1@bigpond.com.

WE ARE RECORDING PERSONAL AND OFFICIAL (SUB-BRANCHES) VIEWS. PLEASE INDICATE IN YOUR RESPONSES.

WE ARE ALSO RECORDING DETAILS OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN FAVOUR OF THE PROPOSED MOU. TO DATE, NONE HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

RADM DOOLAN HAS GENEROSLY AGREED TO MEET WITH US AT NATIONAL HQ ON SATURDAY 22 OCT. OUR DELEGATION WILL CONSIST OF OUR ‘COMMITTEE’, REPRESENTATIVES OF VVAA AND VVF, RSL SUB BRANCH MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE RAR ASSOCIATION, AATTV AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUSTRALIAN VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY.

YOU MAY DISTRIBUTE THIS LETTER TO ANY PERSON/SUB BRANCH YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED.

GREG KIRK
V/PRESIDENT
COWRA RSL SUB BRANCH

I cannot verify this email but I am relying on another source I trust.

I don't know Greg Kirk but I see that a Greg Kirk served In Vietnam with A squadron 3rd Cavalry Regiment in 1971.

The email refers to some information on the NSW RSL website that "State Council unanimously endorse the MOU." I cannot find that information.

LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR DONALD DUNSTAN AC, KBE, CB

2011-10-18T09:09:00.000+11:00

FUNERAL: LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR DONALD DUNSTAN AC, KBE, CB

Funeral Arrangements and RARA (SA) Last Respects

A State Military Funeral will beheld for LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR DONALD DUNSTAN AC, KBE, CB at St Peters Cathedral, North Adelaide at 11.00am onTuesday 25 October.

All members of the RAR Association are encouraged to attend Sir Donald’s funeral to pay our last respects to a magnificent officer and outstanding and much loved ex Governor of South Australia. Many of you may have had the opportunity to serve with or under Sir Donald. He always showed a very keen interest in the RAR Association and its members and was very supportive of our activities.

The State Funeral at St Peters will be followed by a committal service at the Hyssen Chapel, Centennial Park.

7 RAR will be providing the military contingent and guard of honour for the service.

Lady Dunstan has agreed and is happy for a guard of honour paying our last respects as the RAR Assoc to line the pathway at Centennial Park after the official funeral at St Peters.

There will be plenty of time for us to motor to Centennial Park to adopt our positions on the pathway at the rear of the chapels where we normally form up.

Dress will be jacket, tie, medals and the RAR club rooms will be open after the committal.

We encourage maximum attendance to pay our respects to Sir Donald and his family.

Duty First

Michael von Berg
President
RARA (SA)

Donald Beaumont Dunstan was born at Murray Bridge on 18 February, 1923.

He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1942. He served in infantry regimental appointments and as a junior staff officer in New Guinea, Bougainville and New Britain. He was second-in-command of 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment in Korea in 1955, twice a member of the staff of the Royal Military College, and a member of the directing staff at the Australian Staff College and the British Army Staff College, Camberley.

In 1964, he commanded 1 RAR and then the 1st Recuit Training Battalion. In 1968, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Australian Task Force in South Vietnam. Subsequently, he commanded 10th Task Force. In 1970, he attended the Imperial Defence College in London. He returned to South Vietnam in 1971 as a Major General, Commander of the Australian Force.

On his return to Australia, he was appointed Chief of Material, followed by the appointment as General Officer Commanding Field Force Command. Major General Dunstan was promoted Lieutenant General and served as Chief of General Staff for five years from 1977 to 1982.

On his retirement from the army, he was appointed Governor of South Australia, where he served until 1991. General Dunstan was Mentioned in Dispatches for patrol action in Bougainville in the Second World War, became a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1954, was made Commander of the British Empire in 1969 for services in South Vietnam and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1972, again for service in South Vietnam. He was made a Knight of the Order of the British Empire in 1980 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1991.

Vietnam veteran fury over RSL's 'betrayal'

2011-10-18T07:39:00.000+11:00

VIETNAM veterans have accused the RSL of a gross betrayal over plans to cosy up to Vietnam's communist government's veterans association.

The RSL push to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Vietnamese Veterans Association has been sanctioned by the Gillard government as it moves to cement closer ties and negotiate a free trade agreement with the totalitarian government in Hanoi.

Returned and Services League National President retired Rear-Admiral Ken Doolan has met with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and the MOU is being overseen by Australia's Ambassador in Hanoi Allaster Cox.

According to Admiral Doolan, "many" Vietnam veterans support the push, but email traffic between veterans and their associations shows the vast majority vehemently oppose it.

The Daily Telegraph has obtained a letter written by Admiral Doolan, who served in Vietnam as a navigating officer on HMAS Perth and was operational commander of all Australian forces in the first Gulf War, to state RSL presidents last month telling them to ignore the "general email chit-chat".

"We can't continue on with the hatred," he said.

The RSL is split with the WA and Tasmanian branches against the MOU being pushed by the NSW, Victorian and Queensland branches.

NSW branch president Don Rowe said only two sub-branches opposed the move and the debate was being hijacked by a vocal minority.

Victoria Cross winner Keith Payne said the RSL should butt out altogether.

Mr Payne, who won the nation's highest gallantry award in Vietnam, said many individual veterans, including himself, had been to Vietnam and made friends with their former foes, but that was a personal matter: "The RSL should not be pushing this, you can't involve people from other campaigns.

"If the Vietnam veterans want to pursue it then that is fine, but I am opposed to any form of MOU, they are for governments, not the RSL."

Two-tour Vietnam veteran, RSL life member and veterans advocate Noel McLaughlin said the Vietnamese Veterans Association was an arm of the government of Vietnam and the central committee of the communist party that continues to persecute former South Vietnamese soldiers.

Mr McLaughlin, convenor of the Concerned Veterans Action Group, wants the government taken to the International Court of Justice for war crimes and maltreatment of Vietnamese civilians.

"The bastardry is still going on and there is no democracy or free speech there," he said.

"I have been a member of the RSL for 42 years and the MOU just adds to the sense of betrayal and disenfranchisement which existed on return from Vietnam."

Exclusive by Ian McPhedran The Daily Telegraph 18 October 2011

Veterans links need gentle hand

2011-10-18T07:28:00.000+11:00

The RSL is seeking a memorandum of understanding with Vietnamese veterans of the Vietnam War, angering some Australian veterans and their associations.

At issue is whether a memorandum will recognise the current Vietnamese communist state. Some veterans point out that the government of Vietnam continues to persecute former South Vietnamese soldiers who previously fought alongside troops from the US and Australia, among other allies.

In their opposition to the memorandum, Australian veterans are joined by many in the Australian Vietnamese community who fled the horrors of communism during the 1970s. They, too, are concerned about any impression of legitimacy that might be accorded the present Vietnamese regime.

The dispute is made more complex by the fact that Vietnam has become a popular tourist destination for many Australians and an increasingly valuable trading partner.

Indeed, many Vietnam veterans have since returned to their former battlefields and built strong friendships there.

Australians are well aware that a people cannot be defined by their government, particularly a government so undemocratic as Vietnam's.

Australians would not want Vietnamese people to lose opportunities due to their rulers. At the same time, Australians are against totalitarianism. A final call on this is some way distant.

Delicate steps are required.

Link

Budding Magicians

2011-10-17T16:38:00.000+11:00

TA DA!

http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=30018

Cav's Blog

Army Newspaper

You need to watch this

VW

Allen West on the Marines Incident: 'Shut Your Mouth, War Is Hell'

Bloody Cat

Will this car kill the Falcon?

Writer's Block

Communication from Afghanistan

The Holiday is Over

DIGGERS RETURNED TO AFGHANISTAN OVER DRINKING CHARGES

Duty First 60 years of the Royal Australian Regiment

Round Trip of the Bay

Melbourne 2012 - The Good, The bad, and The Ugly

Anzac Day Rebranding?

Beaut Ute

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Sorted

Seen one of these native plum trees?

Three Days Later......

Gym is finished for the year

Missing Vietnam Veterans

Are ladybird beetles the good guys, ah gals?

It's all about giving

Bloody Mower Parts!

Humpty Dumpty would be pleased

Mortards

Bloody Cat

Wouldn't be dead for quids

Twang!

Beautiful weather in Tumut

Pictures I didn't take

2RAR Reunion

Buyer Beware

Ford Kuga to replace Escape

David Morley

First drive: Ford Falcon four-cylinder

David Morley

Fighting the navy - officer Virginia Kehoe's 17-year campaign over compensation

Ian McPhedran The Daily Telegraph December 07, 2011 12:00AM

Kindle

It's our wedding anniversary today

MAN SUES FORMER HOSTAGES, SAYS THEY BROKE PROMISE

Glasses. How many is enough?

Christmas is coming

Army Newspaper 24 Nov 2011

Did he get off lightly?

War vet fined for river work

I got these from whatshisname

Is it Remembrance Day Today?

So how wuz the caravan trip?

How would you like to travel to work?

That Bloody Cat!

All systems are go.... well, almost

Is Richard too old to dance?

You Can Quote Me!

There are those of us who find absolutely no humor in this lurid account of male disrespect!!!!

Who are Australian soldiers dying for?

Mick Berrigan: the last Vietnam victim

Mick Berrigan: the last Vietnam victim

Melbourne? Who's Got The Pub There Now?

TIP, GARP and other things

I've just washed the black car - for the cat you understand

COMMUNITY’S OUTRAGE AT RSL’S CANCELLATION OF TOP MEETING.

Anyone Wanna Cat?

First sunny day for a long while

Beware THE BLOODY TRUCKS!

LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR DONALD DUNSTAN AC, KBE, CB

Vietnam veteran fury over RSL's 'betrayal'

Veterans links need gentle hand

Budding Magicians

Ian McPhedran
The Daily Telegraph
December 07, 2011 12:00AM