Epiphany

January the 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany

So what is the EPIPHANY? (apart from a weird word)

Dictionary.com says

1. A christian festival commemorating the manifestation of the Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi.

2. An apperance or manifestation, esp of a deity.

3. A sudden, intuitive perceptionof or insight into realityor essential meaning of something, usually initiatied by some simple, homely or commonplace occurance or expereince.

4. a literary work or section of work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation or insight.

We all have epiphanies of one sort or another.

What will yours be?

The King's Speech

Yesterday, Catherine & I saw a wonderful movie. It was "The King's Speech".

It tells the story of King George VI. He never expected to take the throne.He never expected to speak to and for a nation in wartime. Yet he did both of these while overcoming a debilitating stammer.

The movie had nuanced performances from a number of great actors. Colin Firth showed strength, determination and pathos as "Bertie" King George VI. Helena Bonham-Carter was a loving and determined Queen Consort Elizabeth. Geoffrey Rush played Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue. His performance is honest with gentile humour. Other notable faces are Micael Gambon as George V, Guy Pearce as Edward VIII & Derek Jacobi as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

"The King's Speech" has already won a number of awards, and I look forward to seeing how many Oscars it will pick up. From the costumes to the direction this is a beautiful gentle yet strong movie. It shows the real value of truth and friendship

Below is a recording of the real King George VI giving THE speech in 1939. We heard his perseverance and his hesitation all at once. His sense of duty & sacrifice makes his daughter's (called Lilbet by her family) actions more clear.

A New year ...and a new look

SO....
Here we are again.
This time it's 2011.
Where did the time go?


I thought that I would freshen up my blog. Why the new look? Well I will let the greatest wordsmith answer that question.

"All the world's a stage,

And all the men & women merly players:

they have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts"

As You Like it

As a new year begins I wonder... what parts will be there this year for me to play? What parts will be there for you?

Who will make entrances and who will make exits?

Let me leave you with one more puzzle?

Whats behind the curtain?

The 2010 Election

Here are a couple of vids for your viewing pleasure.

One is a Greens "ad" from the Gruen Transfer. (Best Ad of the election in my view)

The next is a vid of Hitler's reaction to the news the Australia may have a Hung Parliment.

Enjoy

Road Sefety Round Table

This morning I was part of the Victorian Goverment's Road Safety Roundtable. Around 20 people from different interst groups were ask to come together tolook at stategies foe three main areas.

They were; Speed, Youth and Drink Driving.

Below is a copy of Minister Pallas' media release from the roundtable


ROUNDTABLE A BOOST FOR VICTORIAN ROAD SAFETYFrom the Minister for Roads & Ports
Tuesday, 01 June 2010

Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas has hailed today’s Road Safety Roundtable a success and said some ideas discussed at the forum could be developed to save lives on Victorian roads. Mr Pallas said a range of road safety matters were discussed at the roundtable, some of which had merit and deserved to be investigated further.

“We understand Victorians are concerned about safety on our roads, which is why the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to improve community safety and drive down the road toll,” Mr Pallas said.

“I’d like to thank the participants of today’s roundtable, who provided frank, informed and insightful discussion on a range of issues, including speed, drink and drug driving, young drivers and emerging technologies.

“It is important Government continues to engage with the community and stakeholders to help improve road safety – and I was particularly pleased with the productivity of this forum.”

Mr Pallas said some of the ideas likely to be investigated included further development of Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) technology that forces repeat speeding offenders to slow down and tougher measures for drink and drug drivers.

He said there had been little support for the idea of night time curfews for young drivers, which had been raised by the community and stakeholders during consultation. The Government will not pursue the matter.

“Ideas that had support and may warrant a look are stronger vehicle impoundment sanctions, tougher measures for repeat drink and drug drivers and the wider use of mandatory alcohol interlocks,” he said.

“We will not be pursuing the idea of night curfews for young drivers, as I am not convinced this measure would be practical or realistic.

“Targeting a specific group in such a way does not guarantee good road safety outcomes and we do not want to punish all young drivers for the stupidity of some.

“There are too many young parents, too many young Victorians that work late or study late, whose lives would be adversely impacted.

“We will continue to look at ways of getting the road safety message through to young drivers, who make up only 13 per cent of all registered drivers, but tragically, 25 per cent of the road toll.”

Mr Pallas said there had also been overwhelming support at the roundtable for Victoria’s speed management systems.

Transport groups, road safety experts, community groups, Victoria Police and leaders in health, road trauma and youth affairs participated in the roundtable, which will help inform development of the Brumby Labor Government’s arrive alive Road Safety Strategy 2008-2017.

That's me in the far left!!

May Day

May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by the unions, anarchists, and socialist groups. This day reminds us of the people who worked for 8-hour day for all workers.

THE INTERNATIONALE

Stand up, all victims of oppression

For the tyrants fear your might

Don't cling so hard to your possessions

For you have nothing, if you have no rights

Let racist ignorance be ended

For respect makes the empires fall

Freedom is merely privilege extended

Unless enjoyed by one and all

Chorus:

So come brothers and sisters

For the struggle carries on

The internationale

Unites the world in song

So comrades come rally

For this is the time and place

The international ideal

Unites the human race

Let no one build walls to divide us

Walls of hatred nor walls of stone

Come greet the dawn and stand beside us

We'll live together or we'll die aloneIn our world poisoned by exploitation

Those who have taken, now they must give

And end the vanity of nations

We've but one earth on which to live

And so begins the final drama

In the streets and in the fields

We stand unbowed before their armour

We defy their guns and shields

When we fight, provoked by their aggression

Let us be inspired by like and love

For though they offer us concessions

Change will not come from above

Words: billy bragg music: pierre degeyter

¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!

What is an AFO?

Many people have askes us "What is an AFO"?

AFO stands for Artificial Foot Orhotic. It is the bace that our boy Spencer wears in his shoe to support and guide his leg. Spencer has CP - Cerebral Palsey. In days gone by he would have had to wear a brace on the outside of his pants, but with the increase in technology he only has to have an AFO.

The pics above are the current AFO's.
The pics below are the old braces.

you will see the difference