Do we really need to debate?

I was invited today to attend a debate between the two main political
leaders in the coming Tasmanian election campaign. It is
going to be sponsored by the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL).
Well I do not see any purpose will be gained from
this. It is is very predictable what they will say.
The third minor political leader apparently will not
be there but it is quite apparent why. Do
we need these debates? I really think the
election should be conducted speedily without the
long drawn out campaigning and pork barreling.

Robin 0400 UTC January 31st 2010

A year older and wiser?

I an now a year older and have spent some time looking
back on my life. This year marks 50 years since
I enrolled at Scotch College, Tasmania. It
was a very small school of about 250 boys then
and today it has over 1200 pupils and is
co-educational. It now is the largest
private school in this city. Naturally some of the
original buildings are still there but it has
expanded rapidly. Most of the masters are long dead.
Also some of my classmates are no longer with us, such as
Roddy Nobby,TerryH and Noel. Looking at the photos it
only seems yesterday but it is half a century ago.

What will happen in the future? Well nobody can predict
that. I just take it as it comes. I have made some
serious mistakes in my life and wish I hadn't made
them but we cannot go back and change the past. I
was married for nine and half years and divorced.
I have been engaged twice to the same lass but
it didn't work out.My father died three years back
from a war-related condition and my mother has Alzheimer's.

Change is inevitable and cannot be held back. Not
all changes are good. The older one gets, it is
easy to remember the the "good old days" when
life was not as hectic or as stressful as it is
today. But were those times really good?
Think about that!

Robin L. Harwood 0115 UTC January 17 2010

First post for the New Year.

2010 is just five days old and human behaviour has not altered one iota. Why do we bother with New Years resolutions and greetings for a happy new year. It is a waste of time. Sadly we do have some brain-dead individuals who are going around deliberately starting fires when there is a Total Fire Ban in effect. Already there is a big fire burning down behind Beaconsfield/ Illfraville and smoke has been drifting down the Tamar and over the city. However I have since found out that there have been several small fires deliberately ignited by some idiots opposite my village behind St. Leonards/Waverly. The terrible bushfires last February in Victoria are still fresh in our memory. 173 perished and already this year houses and properties have been destroyed in Western Australia. It is going to be a long hot Summer. Yes we could do with some rain that is for sure.

Robin 0445 UTC January 5th 2010