Globalisation on a not-so-grand scale

Yesterday when I did a ‘small shop’ I bought a few hash browns from the supermarket deli. They were labelled ‘Made in USA’. Unbelievable! They cost 40c each and had travelled all the way from the U.S. to my local supermarket in Western Australia, which is a long way from the U.S..
Were they much cheaper from the U.S., or don’t we know how to make potato patties?

Well CHOGM has finished, the Queen and her hubby have departed. Prince Philip famous for his gaffes, didn’t disappoint this time. At a garden party at Government House he commented on a group of High School students who were the Head Boys and Girls of their schools saying...’It’s obvious they didn’t choose the attractive ones then’. Bye Phil!

During CHOGM the state and federal governments maintained a high level of security in Perth. This caused some anger amongst quite a few local folk, but I reckon the last thing sleepy Perth needs is world headlines about the Queen or indeed one or more of the Commonwealth leaders getting bumped off. Similarly planned street protests were curtailed somewhat and as a result no damage done. As an observer from afar of such street protests, they have the real potential to escalate to riots and major damage and looting. All quiet on the Western Front!

Alternative medicines

Yesterday I planted a Mango tree in the front yard of our house. Along the lines of ‘At my age I don’t even buy green bananas’, I figured I would not be around to see it fruit. Mango trees look quite nice and I thought I would plant it as a legacy to whoever eventually buys this property.
Grow large very quickly little Mango.

A few days ago the local daily newspaper had a story about a woman who is suffering from cancer and has shunned chemotherapy and embarked on alternative cures. These include Ozone and Vitamin C therapy, Oxygen therapy.....via oral or intravenous hydrogen peroxide.

On her daughter’s blog are a number of alternative treatments which could seem plausible to the very desperate.

‘Some of the most renowned alternative cancer treatment centres in the world won’t accept patients unless they’ve:

A: Completed a course in Transcendental Meditation

B: Given up sugar and dairy for at least four months

C: Had their amalgam fillings and root canals removed

The answer, which might come as a surprise to many, is C’.

It would seem that ‘dead’ teeth, as in root canals, are causing cancer,sinusitis, MS, arthritis and eye disease; and probably in-grown toenails. The removal of the ‘dead' teeth results in an immediate cure.

There is a video with the rider that ‘this is the information that the Pharmaceutical Industry doesn’t want you to see’

My Joan went down the chemo and radiation path. The failure of the treatments was simply that she was at stage 4 and more time was all we expected of the treatment.

If you wish to read about Mum not having chemo blog, find it here.

Never too late??

I received this email below today.....just a little too late I would have thought.

Have you ever wondered why a dictator would give himself a lowly rank of colonel when he could have; like Idi Amin, bestowed upon himself all the known titles in English and probably a few in Arabic.

Of guns, wars and armies

Gadaffi is dead and I suspect, also a few innocent bystanders killed by bullets falling from the skies. The middle-east custom of firing into the air in celebration must make munitions manufacturers very happy. About falling bullets.

Now that Libya is now ‘free’, is the new government going to try and collect all those weapons?

A nice quote from an anonymous source...’Neither Smith nor Wesson is known to prompt mental acuity in those they are pointed at’.

Guns in private ownership in Western Australia are closely controlled and must be locked up in steel gun safes. In recent times there have been a few violent home invasions with the gun safe the main target. Is it possible that some clerk in the Police Firearm Licensing department is selling information about the address and type of firearms stored there?

Of guns, wars and armies, I am always amused how, throughout history, each side, the goodies and the baddies, have sought the blessing of God in battles and if victorious, thank Him for his blessing and assistance.

Carole

I have a friend in the UK who I have never met or even talked to....maybe it is time to Skype her? She is a fellow traveller with my Joan on the cancer trail. Throughout Joan’s trial, she, along with Bernie in Canada, gave us encouragement and hope for a good outcome of Joan’s treatment for cancer. Unfortunately my dear wife passed away in February this year.

Carole has had a relapse with a scan showing metastasizes to her bones from her cancer. Thousands of humans die each day, but I am emotionally linked to Carole.

We may well be socially incompatible. We might not like each other should we meet, but this bastard disease has linked us as friends on the journey of life. I am not a ‘huggy’ person, but I wish I could give her a comforting hug right now.
Here is a link to Carole's blog

Kamikazi Pilot

On Saturday when we went to the airshow we were standing near a barrier when an old Asian fellow struck up a conversation. He told us that he was in the Japanese Airforce during WW2. I looked at him and asked if he was not indeed Chinese, to which he replied that he was born in Japan pre-war and grew up in Japan. Unbelievable, but he introduced himself to us as ‘Chow Mein’. Oh yeah?

I asked him what unit he was in and he replied that he was in a Kamikazi unit and the rest of his unit wiped themselves out on allied ships in the Pacific. I hesitated, but went on to ask him how he survived.

He replied....my name is really Chicken Chow Mein!

Langley Park Fly-In

This weekend, Langley Park which is on the foreshore of the Swan River and very close to the Perth CBD was host to a ‘Fly In’ of over 100 planes on the grass strip which was Perth’s original airstrip back in the 1920s. Langley Park is used for many events throughout the year and I am always impressed how the park grass recovers after car rallies, circuses etc. I believe that Langley Park is unique in as much it is the only place in the world where aircraft fly from a grass airstrip in the heart of a city.

I took lots of photos but will only post a few here. Aircraft buffs will recognise most of the planes I have posted. There is a 1917 vintage Sopwith Pup in the lineup.

Of crisps and aphids

I visited brother Graham, had a couple of beers and sampled some of the ‘New’ vegemite flavoured Smith’s Crisps. Very nice subtle flavour even if you don’t much like vegemite. Americans, generally, don’t like vegemite, but then, they think that Dr Pepper’s is actually drinkable....cough syrup if you ask me! Interesting history of Smiths Crisps here.
Our roses; they are still also Joan’s roses, are suffering with the spring infestations of aphids. It is not a biggy, they are easily washed off with a hose. I have to look after the roses as Joan in her last couple of weeks told Helen to watch that I don’t get rid of them. A couple have died without any malice on my part. I will replace them soon. There is a space in the front garden and over the weekend I will look for a mango tree. There are lots of mango trees around here and they bear well. Helen and James have a large mango which earlier this year had lots of large mangoes at the time they were inspecting the house prior to buying it.

To sell or not to sell

Yesterday I went down to the unit to do some final touch-ups. It turned into one of Kev’s mess-ups instead. I found that one of the light bulbs had died and decided to go to the local shopping centre and buy a new one. Once outside I found I had locked the house keys inside. Damn, I would have to return home and hope to find the spare set of keys. Problem #2: the remote for the security gate was also in the unit. Hmn. I walked past other units until I found someone home and fortunately they had a remote and I was able to get out and head home. When I returned, I realised that now I was locked out. Fortunately I was able to raise the same person with a bit of yelling and after getting into the unit I felt a bit less embarrassed. Are regular readers seeing a pattern here?

Later I went to see an estate agent about either selling or renting. It seems that selling is not an option at the moment as they have a number of units on the books and sold only one in the last year, so renting is probably how I will go. My cousin Ted suggested that I advertise the unit for sale and throw in Helen’s car as a sweetener. The car is good, but is worth only about $1500 on the market. Might work! Don’t know if I can be bothered with the selling bit though. A few pics of the unit...put your hand up if you want to buy it.

Not a good look!

I have been very busy at the Orelia unit. Today I returned to look at the paint job we thought we had finished on Saturday.....there were a few ‘holidays’ and I had to re-coat the ceilings again today. It is just about ready to either sell or rent out. I haven’t heard from our settlement agent about progress in transferring the titles over to me rather than the joint names of Joan and Kevin. Can’t sell until it is in my name.

There is so much junk around that it is not a good look for prospective buyers. Next to our car bay there is a car wreck and next to that a large piece of dumped furniture. The rubbish bins are not brought in from curbside and they remain there for the entire week...again not a good look.

Joan’s rose bush is looking good. She always loved roses and now, as she wished, is a good companion of a nice one.

Martin rang this afternoon. He has been successful in his job search in Melbourne. He has won two jobs and has another interview on Monday next for the job he originally went to Melbourne for. My bank balance should stabilize soon...I hope.

Snake oil

The Australian Pharmacy Guild has pulled out of a deal with Blackmores ‘health’ food supplement range of vitamins etc.

The way it was to work was that when a Pharmacist filled a prescription he/she would recommend a ‘companion’ Blackmores product. Snake oil salesmen!

There was so much bad publicity that the deal fell through and folks will still have to rely on the very sincere recommendations of faded sports stars to get their life saving/improving tablets.

Our son Martin who is in Melbourne is giving my cash transfer system a workout. Hopefully he will soon gain employment and be less of a worry for me. Our unit at Orelia where Martin lived for some years is almost ready for sale or rent. Saturday, Helen and James are going with me down to Orelia to paint a couple of bedroom ceilings. I am also going to replace the washing machine I removed when I thought I was going to sell. There are two other units in the same block which have been for sale for some time, so it may well remain with me as a rental property. If Martin returns to W.A. I would not expect him to want to return to that unit. The tenants in neighboring units are feral.

Young Blue Eyes

Helen and James' new puppy is an American Staffy whilst Ruby is an English Staffy. They have decided to name the new pup Rosey. It has blue eyes and I am told, in this breed, the eye colour is closely related to the coat colour. Rosey will be about twice the size of Ruby in about 12-18 months and she may remember Ruby being a bit bossy when she was young.

My daughter Helen

I am truly grateful that my daughter Helen has followed on from her mother, my Joan, and become the chef extraordinaire and presents wonderful meals of which I am not capable of making....and don’t feel the need to cook.

This afternoon she served up lamb kofta meat balls and a Turkish dish, Gozleme.

Usually I am not into this sort of food, but today has changed my mind set and I am up for anything Helen serves up. It is always delightful!

There was also a bit of wine and I am ready for bed at 6.35pm.

They...Helen and James, have a new (second) dog; a puppy. Whilst there isn’t too much jealousy, Ruby, their first dog, is feeling a bit left out. Should be interesting in the future because the new puppy of eight weeks is going to grow to about twice Ruby’s size.

They were searching for a name for the new dog and I suggested a Papuan name ‘Sisia’ which is Motuan for dog...they liked it.