Hope for the future?

Since September 2010, when Christchurch suffered its first earthquake the news media has never eaten so well.  Their banquet has included the November 24th Pike River mine disaster and extreme weather sweeping through Europe and the US.  Never before have we seen natural disaster on such a grand scale.  With 2011 barely underway, yet another country has been in the firing line each month ... Australia in January, New Zealand took a turn in February and most recently Japan in March, the most tragic of all.  Alongside this, the Middle East.


Amidst flood, earthquake, tropical cyclones and tsunami's it is difficult to see good, but maybe it is time for our reporters to remind us of the positives and help to restore some of the balance.   The end of a long drought in Australia.  Egypt's freedom from Mubarak, with its sights firmly set on democracy.  Even traditionally greedy world financiers working together to prevent the Japanese Yen from taking a nose dive.  Britain ending exports of execution drugs to the US, a small but significant move away from hypocrisy.  And let's not forget, England winning the Ashes on Australian soil for the first time in 24 years!  Much more importantly,  China putting history and hatred where it belongs and offering aid in a meaningful gesture to Japan and the Arab league working hand in hand with Western Governments to help the Libyan people. 


Good from bad....is this the start of global cooperation?  Let's hope... amidst the disaster, just maybe we are seeing the first baby steps toward a better world. 

My PCI Lamp post

Have you ever walked into a lamp post?

As I left my last job, I cheered!   I waved farewell to 5 years of PCI DSS and all that came with it... audits & bureaucracy.  I just know many of you will sympathise or feel truly envious!  Don't get me wrong, you won't find anybody to fly a bigger flag for secure systems than Moi... but I am far from a natural bureaucrat! Me? Red tape?  Really, we just DO NOT go together - now pink, maybe... pink is my colour.... 

Anyway, I digress.. where was I?  Looking backwards and waving farewell to PCI and then... yes... I turned around and walked slam bang straight into a lamp-post with PCI written all over it!

DOH!!!!!!
I love my job... I love my job.... I love my job ... but I DO!

But you aren't my husband!

My friend Meg was painting the lounge and finding herself in need of more paint, commandeered hubby to drive her down to the store.  Hubby parks the car while she runs inside to pick up the paint.  Shortly thereafter, out she comes, hops quickly into the car, loading two 3 litre tins of emulsion into the foot-well.

Seat belt on and yes, you guessed it...  "BUT ... but.... you aren't my husband"

"No dear, much as I would like to take you home, my wife really wouldn't like it"

At what point does the embarrassment hit?  Immediately?  When you realise you are in the wrong car?  When it dawns on you, hubby has moved to a better spot down the road? Or is it that moment when you find yourself having to extract yourself and two large tins of paint from a stranger's car?

Well honestly, it was the same colour!  Parked in the same spot...

Alpha male? Man or Cat?

Have you ever shared a house with a man and a cat?  At the same time?  Trust me, I did!  Just once and I can promise you, it is never to be repeated nor recommended ....  Cat was there first living happily with Woman.  Loved, not spoilt, dining on titbits of succulent chicken and making full use of his 4.5KG to take full advantage of the Master Bed.

Within weeks of arrival, man overcame beast.  Firstly, Cat found himself evicted from the bed, soon followed by a lock out from all sleeping quarters.  Cat of course, repaid man with determined door scratching finished off by periodic yowling. Every night.  All night. For weeks.  Cat was very determined to make his displeasure felt and much of the neighbourhood clearly thought Cat abuse was under-way.

Cat, although wary, enjoyed taking every opportunity to sharpen claws on Man's clothing.  Of course, the effect of this on Man was to confirm his suspicions.  "Cat was sly.  Cat thought he was at the top of the food chain.  The Alpha Male.  Cat had to learn!  He was bottom of the pecking order! Worse!! Cat was overfed and spoilt. See! Just look! He needs a trolley to help support his belly as it drags along the floor, just like Garfield."  Of course, this was all the fault of Woman.

The Alpha was Man and clearly Woman could not be trusted to explain this to Cat nor keep Cat in his rightful place.  It took Man to put beast back where he belonged.  Cat had been allowed to think he was Alpha for too long.  Woman had no idea how things should be done.  Of course, Woman knew... the fight between the males was futile - Woman rules.... ask any new car sales man...

Never again!

295 shopping days to Christmas

Just 64 days into 2011... 301 to go....

Already this year we have seen major earthquakes in beautiful Christchurch and The Philippines, revolution in the Middle East, the overthrow of an Egyptian dictator and we watch in horror as a Libyan madman turns on his own people.  Australia's worst disaster with the flooding of Bris Vegas and Queensland.  As if that wasn't enough our hearts filled with fear as Cyclone Yasi headed for our shores.... we've seen flooding in Victoria and a cyclone in Darwin... fires in WA threatened its capital...

Anna showed she has a heart while Julia showed she does not.... Kev confirmed he was an idiot as he waded through sewage and dirty flood water to impress a gullible media pack and then there's Tony.... not a man who thinks much before he speaks... I confess I prefer his fellow Rhodes Scholar, Malcolm...

And amidst all of this, the suggestion of a death penalty for Julian Assange described by Hills as "a bigger threat to the US than Osama Bin Laden"!!  Has he really done something to justify such an enthusiastic response?  A Western Government gone mad!  A nation living in fear that responds to increasing world animosity with threats of war and violence yet never once stops to ask itself "why?"

And then there is the iPad2 and the bionic eye roll out, the controversial NBN and let's not forget Moonageddon! 

What's next?  The flood levy, carbon tax, higher inflation, falling house prices, higher taxes... oh joy....

OH and while I remember... don't forget.... its only 295 shopping days to Christmas....

Rolling Eyes

Even I think my sense of humour is a bit sad at times but some things just really make me laugh.  Am I the only one who laughed at headlines talking about bionic eyes being rolled out?  You can't talk about rolling out eyes for goodness sake....

Impressive technology, awesome and no doubt it will bring something amazing to many....

Did the writer of the headline use the words intentionally?  Who knows... the article certainly caught my eye...