HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

It's not funny....

...but you have to smile.

I am posting about this article before it is picked up and changed.

Please note last sentence:

"A critical indecent investigation team is now investigating."

Building....stone upon stone

Our own small stone of activism,

which might not seem to measure up

to the rugged boulders of heroism we have so admired

is a paltry offering toward the building of an edifice of hope ...

For we can do nothing substantial toward

changing our course on the planet, a destructive one,

without rousing ourselves, individual by individual,

and bringing our small, imperfect stones to the pile.

- Alice Walker,

The Impossible Will Take a Little While:

A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear.

Of shoes, liberation and ceiling wax!

Our Germs is stirring things up again. In The Times Germs is discussing shoes: well, very high heels to be specific. Do they liberate us or are they a modern or post-modern form of foot-binding?

One thing I want to have a whinge about, Germs. You mention your childhood and the New Look of the 40s. You mention Marilyn Monroe and the 50s and go whoosh right by the 60s except to say that in the 60s and 70s people were wearing boots.

Now, I grew up north of the Tropic of Capricorn which wasn't exactly boot country even in what passed for winter. Except for jillaroos who worked on cattle stations. You see, I remember my stilettos very well. Let me tell you about two pairs.

There was the white pair. Not expensive and nearly every time I wore them I used to knock off a heel protector which was the size of a threepenny bit (this was before decimal currency, Germs) on the highways and byways of Bowen as I traipsed to the dance on Friday night and the pictures on Saturday and church on Sunday.

But the pair I loved - and wish I had to-day with stilettos back in fashion - were expensive for me. A pair of tan Paragons. Very high. Very pointy. And oh so comfortable. And, Germs, very 1960s.

Til death does whom part?

The crew at Daily Kos are on the case.  They quote a post about marriage demonstrating how things would be if we did it the way the Bible seems to indicate.  They say that if the Biblical view of marriage prevailed in the USA then American marriage laws would look something like this:

A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)

B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in  addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a  virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)

D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden.  (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

Vale, oh wonderous one

Dorothy Porter (1954-2008) died yesterday.

Killed by breast cancer.

Sadness and tears.

Sympathy to her partner and her family.

A very merry blogging Christmas

Gina with that famous and unique being - Topsy

We do this every so often.

Gina rounds us up and we are happy to be rounded up.

There's Val who used to write Val Has Her Say

but unfortunately she does not have her say anymore

and is busy with hand-made books and travelling and

has just returned from Waikiki and San Fran.

Then there's Connie who does clever things with pictures and music

and Helen, Gina's neighbour and now our friend.

of Helen's Haven

and
that Queen of High Teas and Cup Cakes all the way from Kyneton

Leeanne of Pear Tree Cottage.

It was a warm sunny day and we sat in Gina's lovely courtyard under the gum trees and lunched, and gossiped, and laughed and caught up.

I do have to say how wonderful Melbourne bloggers are.

They meet up, they share, they are social beings.

Thank you Gina for your generous heart, spirit and hospitality.

My turn in the New Year everyone.

Perhaps for St Brigid's Day on 1 February.

Leeanne excelled herself. Giant cupcake made in special tin from the USA

We all brought a plate each. My contribution - Rice Salad.

Gina's present to me: a wonderful cook book that you will hear more of over here

and a card with a cross-stitched reindeer. Thank you Gina - and what clever fingers.

And there were other goodies too numerous to fit on the scanner.