Bicycle Rage

I was walking the dog this morning, and chatting to a perfectly nice couple about our respective dogs (dog owners do this sort of thing) on the path just above the beach.

Along came a little gaggle of bicyclists, and their leader started shouting obscenities at my new acquaintances, apparently because their dog – which was on a lead and being perfectly well-behaved – had caused them to slow down.

What is it about bicycles that caused their riders to be so often bad-tempered? They are always shouting abuse at cars.  It is the funny tight plastic clothes they wear, I wonder?

A New Prologue for Rudeo and Julietta

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Canberra, where we lay our scene,

Fun, fun, fun

The leadership battle for the leadership of the Australian Labor Party is great fun, at least if you are not a serious supporter fan of it.  And it is probably great fun for some of them too, even though it should not be.

When Kevin Rudd was elected as Prime Minister, I have to admit I was wrong.  I thought the likelihood was that he would promptly be replaced by a person with more left-wing support, just as moderate Andrew McIntosh was knifed by the more left-wing Ken Livingstone as Major of London; but my error was merely one of timing.  It was some months before Julia Gillard knifed Kevin Rudd in the back; see 24th June 2010 Ruddy Cheek at http://www.users.on.net/~rjfenwickelliott/diary2010.html.

Good ‘Ole Tim Flannery

It is hard to follow the climate thing without a huge regard for the fun that Tim Flannery brings to the whole thing. So I have imported my old table of Flannely predictions and will try to update it from time to time. It is here.

Gore the dog

I do not really believe in miracles.  But if I did, I would reckon that one of the more pleasing modern miracles is that P J O’Rourke is still alive.  He is one of those people who makes life just that bit more worthwhile.

Sceptical about Skeptic Magazine

I have always been rather a fan of Skeptic Magazine.  Sure, they are unable to spell their own name, by reference to the English language, but then again, they are entitled to write in American, since they are American. And Americans spell sceptic with a “k”. So that is all right.

Tintin

Even Snowy has been pressed into service

We all liked the new Tintin movie. Especially Lucy, who has been adopting the Tintin look and doing a bit of sleuthing around the garden.

Dogs, Marx, Slaves and Tax

It is a while since I put any personal news up, so here is a bit of a catch up.

Perdita

Our English Setter, Perdita, is settling in well. I have been trying to take for an hour’s walk on the beach whenever I can.  She likes that. She also likes Weetbix in the mornings, and playing with the fish. What she does not like is shoes in pairs; she sees it as her job to separate them whenever she can, so there are odd shoes now everywhere around the house and garden.