Author: jkirkby8712

I imagine that the roads would have been quieter than usual today – with tomorrow a public holiday in Melbourne – yes, for a horse race –  there would be many people making a long weekend of the occasion, and taking today off!! For me, that’s permanent now, a day off!

And it was a pretty quiet one – also very cold unusually for this time of October, with cloudy overcast conditions restricting the sunshine appearances to just brief moments throughout the day. In the city, in contrast to the ;invasion’ by protestors a week or so ago, there were thousands of extra visitors, there to join in the annual Melbourne Cup Parade – of trainers, jockeys, and other racing personalities –  something akin to the football grand final parades before the last Saturday in September each year.  Needless to say, the most important ‘people’ connected with the Melbourne Cup – the horses – do not participate in this parade!! But I was far away from all that – and from the continuing turmoil associated with the QANTAS airport lockouts with their planes grounded around the world. It’s times like that I am rather pleased that I don’t need to be affected by that kind of situation, though I’m wondering if my brother is Sydney has been caught out, as he does a lot of flying.

Last week, we submitted the Weekly Times top 20 Greatest Country Australians, and like a lot of people obviously, I was a little surprised to see the infamous bush ranger,  Ned Kelly, slotted in at No. 6. The message from many readers was –  no, not Ned!!!  Kelly, variously lauded as a political activist or sullied as a career criminal – some of the views of his selection were not very favourable.  For example, one comment said that Kelly’s ‘inclusion belittles all the other greats listed in this series’, while another considered that the reference to Kelly as a ‘Robin Hood’ figure was ‘sheer romantic fiction’, and that ‘it seems the word famous or infamous has been misinterpreted as being a synonym for greatest, which is clearly not the cased’. Others were ‘simply appalled’.  One other comment made was that ‘When Ned Kelly was captured [prior to his subsequent execution] the contents of his pockets were three revolvers, some ammunition, a threepence and a lady’s Geneva watch. We don’t hear much about that these days’.  I have to agree, and consider the choice totally inappropriate, despite the legacy is some aspects of Australian history depicting him as a folk hero. It makes you wonder what some of the other recipients of the ‘honour’ of being included in that listing feel about their choice alongside a criminal and murderer who was hung in disgrace for his crimes?

Quiet day, I forgot that Parliament was sitting again this week, forgot to tune in to Question Time!!  Perhaps a good thing, would have disturbed the peace of the day.  A long one  – up at the radio station from 8.30 until midnight, another enjoyable 3 hours or so of music, etc, but I made sure I finished on time, in view of the fact that I was planning to back here in under 7 hours!

To be honest, I really did not feel like getting up this morning for my radio program, but needless to say, we did!!!  And while as usual, I enjoyed playing the selection of music I had put together for the show, I did remain somewhat ‘weary’ throughout my time on air. Hopefully it didn’t come over that way. The weather prediction was cloudy with showers, and a top temperature of just 17 degrees. It was actually quite mild when I left home, but by 9.30am upon my return, it was drizzling rain, and almost wintry conditions again. Springtime in Melbourne  – we can get all climates rolled up into one day!!

Apart from the news headlines which were dominated by substantial reporting of the decision by Qantas, in light of various recent industrial actions, to ground it’s complete fleet for a couple of days, and the uproar and chaos that was causing within the travel industry [and enlivening public debate on the social websites],  the other news of an even more grave nature was that overnight, three Australian soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan and up to seven wounded, in another of those situations where an enemy dressed as one of ours, went on the attack. Nine News reported earlier this morning that:-

  ‘The Defence Department has confirmed that three Australian soldiers have been killed and seven others wounded by a rogue Afghan soldier in the volatile south of Afghanistan. The department says an Afghan interpreter was also killed in the incident. The Australian soldiers wounded are being treated at ISAF medical facilities. The shooting occurred during morning parade at 8.30am (1500 AEDT) on Saturday at Shah Wali Kot in Kandahar province, the ABC reported. NATO says two Australian diggers were killed and the third later died of his injuries after “an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform apparently turned his weapon on Afghan and coalition forces”. It said the shooter was also killed in the incident, but gave no further details. General Abdul Hameed, commander of 205 Atal corps in the south, said an Afghan soldier with three years’ experience had carried out the shooting. “At around 8.30 this morning (3pm AEDT), an ANA soldier named Darwish who had been serving as an ANA soldier for the past three years opened fire on a group of Australian military officers, killing three of them,” said Hameed. “The attacker was also gunned down by ISAF soldiers.”

It’s not the first time an Afghan soldier has killed an Australian soldier. In May this year, 25-year-old Lance Corporal Andrew Gordon Jones was shot dead by a rogue ANA soldier at the Patrol Base Marshal in the Chora Valley. Fears of infiltration within the Afghan army ranks have risen as Western backers fund and train a huge expansion of the fledgling national force ahead of the withdrawal of all foreign combat forces scheduled for 2014. The announcement came as a suicide car bomber in the capital Kabul struck a US-run NATO bus travelling through the southwest of the city, killing at least 17 people, including 13 US soldiers. The death of the three diggers on Saturday is the single worst incident involving Australians since June last year when three members of the Sydney-based 2nd Commando Regiment died in a helicopter crash in Kandahar province. A total of 32 Australian soldiers have now been killed in a decade of involvement in Afghanistan.  Well past time we got out of that country!!

It’s amazing, but on those nights when there would seem to be no reason why one can’t have a decent sleep, this writer wakes before 4am, and then his mind begins to go over a range of matters that need future attention, instead of closing down again for more sleep!!! Annoying practice, that mind of mine! Wandered down to the kitchen, made a cup of tea, and returned to bed, where a bit of reading took place until around 5am! Then thankfully, managed another couple of hours snoozing/dreaming, before arising and going into down for a bit of early Saturday morning shopping before the crowds and traffic built up. Amongst other things, I was looking for some decent carpet shampoo, being very disappointed with the particular carpet that is in this house ever since we moved in  – have tried various means of improving it’s look including bringing in the professionals on one occasion but still not happy with the outcome. I was even down on my hands and knees last night – a sight not to be seen – scrubbing away at annoying little marks, but decided there has to be a better way!! Meanwhile, I’ve been blamed for a ‘broken’ vacuum  cleaner,  and told that ‘we need a new one’, another expense to add to the ever growing list of items I’ve suddenly discovered we are currently in need of!!

Anyway, we have another Saturday, and another dull overcast and potentially wet one  –  why does the rain always wait until Saturday, or pour down Friday night and drench all of the cricket pitches!!  I feel for Adam, another’s day’s cricket spoilt potentially. I see that he has been selected in Sunbury’s senior team [B Grade] again for an away game against Riddell. If the weather fines up and it looks like they might get some play in, I might make the trip up the road for a bit of a look, though the forecast is not encouraging.

Meanwhile we can expect a possibly damp and stormy afternoon at the Flemington  races today  –  first day of the four day Melbourne Cup carnival, with today’s program including the Victoria Derby over 2,500 metres, and the MacKinnon Stakes over 2,000 metres. They are two of four Group One races on the program plus  two Group Two, and three Group Three races on a nine race program, a sensation al line-up of outstanding horses. I’m looking forward to this afternoon’s coverage!  Yesterday, I was speaking of Bart Cumming’s book. Bart has three horses running today, but none of them are certainties at adding to his enormous list of winners. In Race 3 [the Wakeful Stakes, Gp 2], he has ‘Gliding’, a chance, at odds of $10 this morning.  For the MacKinnon Stakes, he has ‘Precedence’, quoted at $31, not too hopeful, while in the Derby, Bart is running the $101 chance, ‘Rapidus’.  I shall keep a track on how those three horses perform today. Many of the horses competing today are entered in the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday, and perhaps for some of them, whether they run or not will depend on today’s performances. I think the final barrier draw and acceptances takes place this evening at the conclusion of today’s program.

My early tip for the Melbourne Cup [if it got a run] was Green Moon [2^nd in the Caulfield Cup a fortnight ago]. It ran in Race 2 [The Lexus Stakes] and a win, as favourite, would get it a place in the Melbourne Cup. The horse led for most of the race setting a fast pace. But when challenged in the strait, well Green Moon had nothing to give, and finished 2^nd last of 13 starters!! Need to rethink my Cup choices!!  After the first four races, the jockey/trainer combination of Kerrin McEvoy and Peter Snowden had scored wins in Races 1 and 4. [Galah and Sepoy], while Bart Cumming’s starter in Race 3, Gliding, came home  in 4^th position. Next on the card was the $1million McKinnon Stakes, Bart’s horse is No. 6 Precedence. Won by a horse that ‘played up’ at the barriers, Glass Harmonium ridden by Damien Oliver  –  for that jockey, it was nine years ago today, that his brother in a riding accident. Oliver rode in the Melbourne Cup a few days later, and won the race [for his brother, as he said he did today].  A film currently being screened in Melbourne called ‘The Cup’ tells that story, and I really must get to see it before it disappears from the cinemas. As for Precedence, Bart’s horse finished 9^th out of 12 starters but still managed to earn a start in the Melbourne Cup [one of two horses that Bart has in the Cup this year, the other being Illo, runner this year]. As for the Victoria Derby, this race saw the third win in a row in that race by a New Zealand horse – this time it was Sangster! It was a close finish with Induna, trained by the so far winning combination of Peter Snowden & jockey Kerrin McEvoy just missing out on a third win for the day. In fact that duo this afternoon collected 2 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third placing for the day. Meanwhile, jockey Damien Oliver had a good day on his brother’s anniversary with three winning rides, 2 seconds and a third. Incidentally, Bart Cumming’s horse in the Victoria Derby, Rapidus, finished in 14^th position [of 16 starters], not a very successful afternoon for him!

The other important factor about this afternoon –  the weather stayed fine for the whole day, which was great for the fashions at the races, if that’s what turned you on, and it was also a good Omen for Adam’s cricket match up at Riddell.   A message later in the evening told me that his team had won the game, but no other details provided.

Following today’s races, the final field of 24 was drawn up for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, and as I shall be referring to that race in some detail on Tuesday, will leave the line up until that morning!

Bit of a quiet, almost lonely night at home this evening. Susie had disappeared late morning, and apparently didn’t get home until near midnight, although oddly I didn’t hear the car come in, so would not be aware that she was home until next morning.  I guess I was a little worried, or perhaps, more annoyed, that I had no idea where she was, and apart from her mobile phone which is never on when I ring, had no way of contacting her, should that be necessary. I was admittedly, tempted to ring/message just to see if it was likely she would return tonight, but decided against doing that, would surely not be appreciated!!  Shirley called around briefly during the afternoon – initially to borrow my lawnmower, but she had decided she was too tired to bother today, just dropped off some more material for her tax return which she had asked me to do. Although nothing had been said to me, I mentioned that a certificate I’d noticed in her room indicated she had successfully undertaken a program of working with young Indigenous people, which sounded promising – Shirley was aware she had been looking at something of that nature, but as I indicated, it was news to me. As was my response when asked where she was today –  I’ve no idea!!! [I think I would later notice a comment on Face Book that she had amongst other things, being at an engagement party, for friend Rachel].

My day began, doing a bit of online work for the VPTA, who were still depending on me [from a distance] to process and record payments etc, while arrangements were still being made to get a replacement person for me. I didn’t mind doing that, as I would be paid for it, and hopefully would only be for a short period. I will probably have to go into the office on one or two occasions, but in the meantime, things are working satisfactorily from the home base connection.

I paid my first post-retirement visit to Centrelink where I think I am going to have to relearn the art of ‘patient waiting’ for one to be attended to.  Centrelink is the trading name of the Commonwealth Service Delivery Agency, a statutory authority responsible for delivering human services on behalf of agencies of the Commonwealth of Australia. The majority of Centrelink’s services are the disbursement of social security payments, and it’s client agencies provide funding for payments and are responsible for policy development, including development of social security entitlement and payment policies, and generally provides a range of health, social and welfare payments and services throughout Australia.  I’ve dealt with them on two or three previous occasions in-between jobs and periods of unemployment. Like it or not, my purpose of utilizing their services now is in order to acquire the ‘old age’ pension  – in some ways, a depressing thought, but on the other hand, a fact of my life I can no longer avoid or ignore.  So overall, this morning I was tied up with visiting banks, chemists, etc, seeking out copies of statements, current balances, etc prior to visiting the Centrelink office.

Meanwhile, this afternoon, I drove over to the Sunbury Cemetery, where the special dedication service was being held for the opening of a new rotunda, and the unveiling of the large set of memorial plagues which had been established in memory of the almost 1900 individuals, who had died, whilst patients and/or  residents of the various mental institutions that had been a large part of Sunbury’s history, and to which I referred in yesterday’s contribution on these pages.  Quite a large turn up of local and other interested persons together with all of the official party etc, with proceedings conducted by local councillor and chairman of the Cemetery Trust, Jack Ogilvie, who I spoke to on the phone during Wednesday morning’s radio program. In another part of this cemetery, is an additional plague, created as the creation of the Sunbury Family History Society [of which there were a number of us present today] for some 72 children who had been buried in unmarked graves between 1864 and 1879 from those same institutions [as the Industrial School as it then was]. An enormous degree of research had led to the creation of that monument also.

Shortly before I left my place of employment, I was given a rather unexpected ‘retirement’ gift by one of the public tenants, a nice enough guy, but one who had given [and continues to do so] a lot of ‘grief’ to the organisation. However, that aggro never was applied to me personally, and as with most of those I was involved with, I always had a good working relationship with Bob. Presumably, by the gift gesture, he felt the same way. Well chosen, it was Bart Cumming’s story, in a book written just prior to the 2009 Melbourne Cup [at which point Cummings had already trained 12 Melbourne Cup winners].  Simply titled ‘BART’ my life by J B Cummings and first published in 2009, I completed the reading of that book late this afternoon. My comment upon completion – a ‘very good read’ and an interesting insight into the life of one of Australia’s most successful racehorse trainers, who continues to this day, in his early 80’s [he will turn 84 this November] – particularly relevant, when for most of us, he has a real mystery of a persona, or as one writer put it  – ‘In the pantheon of Australian sporting icons, James Bartholomew Bart Cummings AM stands alongside Sir Donald Bradman. Known to his tens of thousands of fans as the Cups King, Bart is arguably Australia’s greatest ever horse trainer. For over five decades he’s been at the very top of his profession, yet the man himself remains a fascinating and intriguing mystery’.

In the book, Cummings recounts his early years as his father’s apprentice, leading to his first Group One win in 1958. He never looked back. In over half a century as a trainer Bart had won 254 Group One races [at the time the book was published, but the achievement that will almost certainly never be matched is his incredible tally of twelve Melbourne Cup wins from his first triumph with Light Fingers in 1965 to View’s stunning victory in 2008.  Because of his Melbourne Cup successes, he is generally known as the ‘Cups King’.  As suggested, I enjoyed his book, and I think the following quotations from the closing pages sum up the man himself and his attitude to race horses. From pps 352-353:-

“My training methods have always put the horse first. I am a gentle person by nature, and thoroughbreds seem to respond to that. They are not machines, and they do not exist for the purpose of makming money out of racing for their owners. Sometimes they have that innate will to win, it’s just part of their make-up, the same as with humans; and sometimes it needs some gentle coaxing to bring it out. But there’s no point overdoing it – force it and you get the opposite result. Once I saw one of my strappers nagging a horse, and I said, ‘You keep growling and you’ll be growling out the gate.’ If a fellow is going to kick the Khyber out of a horse because it treads on his toes, you end up with a horse shrivelling up in a corner. The horse is thinking right, which means he is not thinking about winning, he’s thinking about what is frightening him. He doesn’t sleep well and he doesn’t travel well. You can walk in on some of ours when they are lying down in the boxes and they won’t even get up, because they know you aren’t going to hurt them. Being a horse can be just like going to hospital. A fellow won’t go to hospital if he thinks the matron is going to belt him up……………….Valmae [his wife and lifetime companion] says I love the horses more than I love people because the horses don’t answer back. But they do answer back, in their own language, and my eyes and ears are open to what they are saying. They are continually sending us messages. The ability to listen –p to horses, and to humans – is something I learnt from my father, but also it is something I have refined through my own efforts. I am known as a man of few words because I am much more interested in what I can learn from others than in extolling my own so-called genius……I don’t like talking myself up, or my horses. I prefer to listen to others and let my results do the talking for me”.

I probably won’t ever get comfortable to lying in of a morning – work or not, it always seems like a waste of time, when things could be getting done.  I guess the difference is the absence now of a regular commitment, and the opportunity to do some morning writing, etc, on here as that always feels the best time of day to do so!  First thing this morning, I exchanged a couple of emails with Jackie at the VPTA  – they are having a few difficulties with the Bendigo Bank in changing over authorisations etc apparently! Meanwhile, she has asked me to  come in on the 8^th November to assist with the interviews for the replacement person for my job. Happy to do so.

Spent the day at home, including some work in the garden again, and a late morning walk around part of my usual walking tracks. And chasing up various financial related matters. One day hopefully, all these things will get organised, but busy day ahead tomorrow visiting banks, Centrelink, etc, etc!!

Meanwhile, I referred yesterday to the memorial ceremony for the ‘forgotten souls’ of the various institutions that used to dominant the highest point of Sunbury [Jacksons Hill] until about 20 years ago.  One organisation which continues to do a lot of good work around Sunbury is ‘Citizen Advocacy Sunbury’.  This was established in 1985 in response to the appalling conditions and situations the residents of Caloola faced [another name for those institutions]. In many cases, residents were isolated, alone and vulnerable, barring them from mainstream society. And this was just 26 years ago, two years after I came to Sunbury!  It was also the final stage in a long history of Sunbury’s ‘hill’. In 1864, an industrial school opened at Sunbury, and this was developed to educate and house destitute children from 1864 until 1879 [many of those children ended up in the unmarked graves which are to be dedicated with a plague at the Cemetery tomorrow].  From an article in Wikipedia, we read that:

A 1,000-acre (4.0 km²) site was put aside in Sunbury following the implementation of the Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act of 1864. Destitute or orphaned children were sent as wards of the state to learn a trade in the belief that this may then provide them with the skills necessary (once they were old enough), to provide and care for themselves. The school was co-educational  although girls and boys were segregated. Boys were expected to learn a trade while girls were expected to handle menial tasks such as washing clothes, cleaning floors and to assist with cooking. The school consisted of ten large, unheated, bluestone  buildings arranged in two rows of five [these buildings still exist on the hill]. Located on the side of Jackson’s Hill, they were called the Hill Wards. The open and exposed position of the buildings led to frequent illness and constant poor health of the children. The children were given rancid food, that they ate in their own rooms that by the time they received it, was cold. The children were given only a little water, no bedding, save for a blanket and many affected by Opthalmia  , went untreated, resulting in blindness.  It was estimated that around 10 percent of children died within the first year of operation. This fact alone led to the school gaining the nickname of the Sunbury Slaughterhouse. Eventually, after public outcry, and after numerous Royal Commissions into the Industrial School System, by 1879 the Sunbury Industrial School was closed.

 It was in 1879,  that the building was converted to a mental asylum.  Extensions were made to the building[s] between 1891 and 1914.  The site was used as an asylum for the mentally ill from 1894 until around 1912, with the patients referred to as inmates. By 1914 at it’s peak, the Sunbury Lunatic Asylum housed 1,000 patients. The asylum  was renamed a psychiatric hospital and then a mental hospital. By the 1920s , the Health Reformation Act came in, and improved conditions [supposedly].  The asylum was renamed the Caloola Training  Centre for intellectually disabled persons  in 1985. It was decommissioned in the early 1990s and opened as a campus of the Victorian University of Technology in 1995. That was where my eldest son James undertook his university studies about 10 years ago. Back in the early 1970s when I was employed in two different similar institutions in Melbourne [in an administrative capacity] I recall at one time applying for a position at the then Sunbury institution. I was unsuccessful, but ironically, ended up living in the town many years later, and these days, actually enjoy my part time hobby as a radio presenter in the grounds of the original institutions!

Anyway, I began this piece by referring to the Citizen Advocacy group in Sunbury. After the closure of Caloola in October 199i2,  their work spread to the wider community, something that became necessary, partly because of the state wide closure of similar organisations at that time, and the disbursement of many of the former ‘patients’ out into that community – the ‘new’ policy on the treatment of the mentally ill!!! In our municipality, there are currently 45 volunteer advocates, each of whom assists an intellectually disabled person [a protégé] by being a friend and helping with simple day-to-day issues.  I’ve undertaken many different volunteer roles, but these days, don’t think I would have the ‘ability’ to undertake a role of that nature, though admiring completely those who do so.

Nice to have another Thursday night home to watch the two weekly shows I enjoy –  the TV version of ‘The Slap’, and another episode of the rather entertaining ‘Crownies’ which deals with the daily [and nightly] ‘adventures’ of the members of a city legal firm. Last week, I felt that ‘The Slap’ came over as too much ‘in your face’ with the violence and sex that dominated the episode.  While the latter was against prevalent tonight, it was as one previewer described it – “After enduring Alex Dimitriade’s Harry on the verge of a nervous breakdown for a volatile hour of The Slap last week, it’s something of a relief that the spotlight now falls on the calmer and more user-friendly character of Connie, the young veterinary nurse-babysitter  and occasional temptress brilliantly underplayed by ‘Beautiful Kate’s’ Sophie Lowe. A beguiling mixture of youthful naivity and knowing girl-woman with the somewhat desperate wiles of a 17 year-old girl in love for the first time – with the older-but-no-wiser family man, Hector –  Lowe perfectly realises the Connie of the novel. The first three episodes of this eight-part adaptation have followed the linear consequences of the slap and it’s consequences for various characters, but a tired and emotional Connie this week sends the plot hurtling off in an unexpected direction with a false accusation of the most serious nature”.  An accusation that one can imagine is going to rebound on Hector and his foolish dalliance with his schoolgirl babysitter!!  Meanwhile, in ‘Crownies’  the unfortunate young lawyer Richard, after working all night on a case that was thrown into his lap with barely 24 hours notice, deals carelessly with the victim’s family, and is accordingly humiliated in the court. But perhaps things are looking up in other directions. Richard shares an apartment with a female associate, but because her boyfriend is so easily jealous, she has convinced him to pretend he is gay in their private lives, which he has reluctantly agreed to, while refusing to play that role  in the work environment.  More on that, next episode, hopefully!!  So there, that was my entertainment for the night!!!

While all of these mundane events in my life were going on, the world of economic crisis and financial woes [certainly over in Europe] was trying to climb out of an abyss of debt and potential nation bankruptcies. The  report following, I read with interest, after the major news items earlier, were giving the story high priority  – generally, my broad knowledge of international monetary policies, etc, is fairly limited – that is my brother’s area of expertise, but somehow, I believe it’s an important outcome for that aspect of international relations. It seems to me that things like wars between nations have erupted in the past because leaders have not been prepared to try and work and persist towards an agreement that attempts to satisfy all parties.  Whether this situation will achieve that, I really don’t know, but it seems a genuine attempt to avoid further crisis from arising. Readers have the choice anyway – stop at this point, or read on – we all might learn something!!

‘Europe has sealed a last-ditch deal to fix its festering debt crisis, shoring up its bailout fund, pledging new funds for Greece and pushing banks to share the pain at a summit vital to the health of the global economy. After two successive summits that dragged on for almost 10 hours as markets and world leaders remained on tenterhooks, EU president Herman Van Rompuy emerged early on Thursday saying: “We took important decisions.”  Asian stock markets rallied and the euro rose on the announcement with Tokyo up 1.15 per cent and Hong Kong rising 1.74 per cent in midday trade. The euro was higher, buying $US1.3958 up somewhat from $US1.3908 late Wednesday in New York. As Asia shares firmed, IMF chief Christine Lagarde welcomed “substantial progress”, but European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet warned that “all of this now requires a lot of work and a lot of quick work”.

The last and perhaps toughest chapter in the four-point plan was a deal between eurozone leaders and the Institute of International Finance banking lobby to force private investors to take a 50 per cent loss on Greece’s debt. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel broke off from the summit to save the day and cut a deal with the head of the banking lobby, Charles Dallara. “We said it was our last word, our last offer,” said Merkel of threats to allow Greece to default failing agreement. “We have done what needed doing,” she said. The banks in past weeks had raised their offer to 40 per cent but governments insisted on a 50 per cent “haircut”.

The deal aims to slice a whopping 100 billion euros ($A134.27 billion) off the 350 billion euro debt pile hampering Greece, which also won new pledges of a 100 billion euro loan over the next three years. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou hailed “a new era, a new chapter” for Greece, whose debt woes kicked off a two-year crisis that successively hit Ireland and Portugal before threatening to spill over to Italy and Spain. To address that danger, eurozone leaders agreed to boost their debt rescue fund to one trillion euros. The firepower of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) is to be leveraged up between four- and fivefold using clever financial footwork to avoid governments increasing guarantees. With the world on tenterhooks, emerging powers China and Russia waded in with offers to help Europe safeguard the global economy by contributing to the fund. The development came as global powers, from the United States to Japan and China, pressed European leaders to come up with a lasting solution to the debt crisis before a G20 summit in France on November 3 and 4.  Europe’s leaders agreed two options to boost the EFSF without increasing commitments from member states as taxpayers in countries such as Germany complain about pouring money down what they see as a bottomless hole.  The first option allows the EFSF to provide risk insurance on new debt issued by fragile governments, in a bid to convince investors to continue buying their bonds and keep interest rates low.  A second fund, linked to the EFSF, will be created to attract private and public investors, including countries outside the eurozone. This investment vehicle could also be associated with the International Monetary Fund, an idea Russia says it prefers.  With fears growing that the debt drama will turn into a banking system meltdown, European leaders also struck a deal to force banks to recapitalise at a summit of the 27-nation EU that preceded the eurozone talks.] “We made good progress on the bank recapitalisation, that wasn’t watered down, it now has been agreed,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said. The European Banking Authority said banks would need 106 billion euros to fulfill the requirements. With fears of contagion hitting Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi came to the summit with a detailed list of pledges to cut his country’s 1.9 trillion euro debt. Van Rompuy said leaders welcomed the vows but called on Rome to “abide” by its commitments”. [reported by AAP, 27 October 2011]

A very early start today, awake before 5am for an early morning ‘one off’ start at the radio station, as a fill in presenter for the normal presenter, my friend Ron Bourke. His program normally went from 6am to 9am, so I agreed to stick with that time format, and the general mix of his program, which usually began with an hour of ‘country’ music, and then moved on to a broad genre of musical types. Of course Ron’s program is full of lots of other ‘activities’ shall we call them, including a number of regular and other telephone interviews. However, I was quite happy to give most of those a miss, assuming Ron had advised all concerned he’d not be on air. Not all!  Cr Jack Olgilvie [one of our local Sunbury councillors] rang up just before 8 o’clock wondering why his normal call from Ron had not come through! So we went ahead with that one, as Jack had some interesting news to relate about a couple of events coming up in the town, including a special event to dedicate a plague to hundreds of [children mainly] who had died whilst inmates of the various ‘institutions that used to be located up here on the hill where the radio station is now located.

The Family History Society has been much involved in that program, including the research and collection of names, dates etc. As the local paper reported yesterday – ‘Misunderstood and misdiagnosed, the patients of the former Sunbury Lunatic Asylum will be remembered with a memorial to be unveiled this Friday. Opened in 1879, the institution that overlooks the town operated under the names of asylum, psychiatric hospital, mental hospital and training centre before it was closed in 1992. During it’s time, 1,894 people are known to have buried in unmarked graves at the Sunbury Cemetery [which lies adjacent top the grounds of the former institutions]…………………..many heartbreaking stories of neglect and tragic tales of those who had died in the asylum from ailments now managed with medication. At 2pm this Friday, a plague bearing the names of those 1,894 former patients will be unveiled at a new rotunda to recognise those who for so long were forgotten’. As  a member of the Friends of Sunbury Cemetery group remarked, ‘They can’t be just discounted. They needed to be recognised, they were human beings’.  I noticed in that article that no reference was made to the extensive research and input that had been undertaken by some members of the Sunbury Family History Society, and I also needed to remind Jack of that during his discussion about the occasion.

Ron himself rang me later in the program, for a bit of an on air chat – I assume he’d been unavailable because, although now retired, his former employer, the Melbourne commercial radio station 3AW, keeps calling him back every now and then to fill in an overnight gap on that station [paid work of course, compared to here!].  We chatted, amongst other things, about the Queen’s visit to Melbourne today, and her potential ride on a Melbourne tram down St Kilda Road [where I was yesterday], and the possibility that protestors [those who had been responsible for the problems in the centre of Melbourne last week] might attempt to disrupt the Queen’s brief visit to Melbourne. I think we were both pleased [I certainly was] at the overnight decision by that group not to take any disruptive action.

As it would eventuate, contrary to current opinion, thousands turned out in the streets of Melbourne during the day to welcome and cheer on the 85 year old Queen and her 90 year old husband, Prince Phillip in what I think is the Queen’s 15^th visit to Australia since her inauguration back in the early 1950’s. While the Royal family in general, and the whole concept of British royalty as it applies to most Australians these days, is pretty much ‘out of favor’ the Queen herself obviously remains much liked and very popular with a large section of the Australian population, and this has been borne out during this current tour.  I think it ends tomorrow, or Friday, with the principal main purpose of her visit – to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting [CHOGM] in Perth, under the hosting of Prime Minister Gillard, who herself needs something of a boosting in her own popularity and public support!!

Part of the rest of my day – no, I didn’t travel into the city to wave flags at the Queen [left that to the real enthusiasts!!] –  was spent out in the garden, mowing the rear lawns and pulling out the curse of all gardeners, the common weeds!! Also noted that a potential hopeful for the Melbourne Cup next week – Tanby – competed, and won the Bendigo Cup today. I had a couple of minor bets on that race meeting up north, and lost my money, all $8.00 of it, should have backed Tanby, the horse I selected as one of my tips on the radio this morning!! At least I would  have come out in front!!

As I seem to get tired quite quickly working at the computer during the evening, I decided to watch one of the DVDs given to me last week, as a farewell gift from the VPTA –  called ‘Kenny’  a movie about a guy who is described as “Australia’s most lovable toilet plumber. Part philosopher, part comedian and all heart, Kenny is one of the cogs in society’s machinery, a k night in shin ing overalls taking care of business with his faithful ‘Splashdown crew’”.  Not the kind of movie that I would normal bother my time with, but it was a gift, and I really can’t be bothered doing anything else tonight, I have the freedom, almost, to choose!  Susie has just gone out with Jodie to play volleyball I believe, so I am deserted again. The movie was enjoyable, though I doubt I would be willing to pay the cost of a movie ticket [or DVD hire] to watch it!!

Not a particularly great overnight sleep, went to bed early enough but woken on a couple of occasions – Susan seemed to be having one of her post-midnight ‘spring cleans’!!!  Such is life!

That was in fact the highlight of my day  – the first visit to one of the regular ‘Musical Viva Coffee Concerts’ which are held throughout the year at the Melbourne Recital Centre [MRC].  It was actually a ‘percussion concert’ this morning performed by just four musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Generally, you find that symphonic percussion is hidden away from view at the back of the stage [as I’d discovered with the Heidelberg Orchestra], and this tends to increase both the sense of surprise [and for myself, particular enjoyment] when percussion makes it’s presence felt during a performance. So today, was a bit of a reverse of that situation, with percussion taking centre stage, on it’s own.

I travelled into the city by train [haven’t done that for a while], and walked down to the MRC. The usual format of these ‘Coffee Concerts’ is as the name suggests – morning tea from 10am to 11 am, then a one hour concert.  Looking at the lavish ‘spread’ of morning tea [most of it of the ‘sweeter’ variety of cakes and slices etc] I decided it would in future be a much more pleasant idea to have some company at this particular outing in future [as I did intend to come again in 2012], but nevertheless, I had a ‘nibble’ or two, and collected an array of musical programs and potential performances for 2012  – even if I could not attend most of the advertised concerts of various orchestras and musicians/singers throughout the year, they provided a great source of material for my Sunday morning radio program!

Anyway, this mornings program included works for percussion by composers such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Toru Takemitsu, George Hamilton Green, Andrew Ford, Fritz Hauser, and Paul Sarcich. Four musicians – John Arcaro, Robert Cossom, Erica Rasmussen and Lara Wilson [must say that the two girls were also very pleasing to look upon, and well as enjoy their music!]. The instruments included xylophones, marimbas, vibraphones, side drums & other drum sizes,  and a collection of other percussion instruments such as the cymbals, percussion sticks, etc. All in all, a rather fascinating short program of music, though perhaps I would have liked to have heard a little more work on the drums! I was thinking whilst in the theatre, that I should take advantage of the set of drums that remain in the living area at home – an inheritance from the Susan/Jimmy relationship, not sure who they belong to, but not currently been used –  and learn to play one of my favourite sets of instruments!.  There was one fascinating item during the program – in semi darkness, the two guys from the quartet stood on either side of a set of cymbals, and alternatively simply tapped the cymbal  – this went on for about 8 to 10 minutes, and looking at the program, I’ve been unable to identify just which particular composition I was listening to. Later, this is what I discovered – Fritz Hauser’s ‘Zeichnung’ [Sketch], a work for two players using four cymbals. Each player uses one hand to strike the instruments and the other to dampen their resonance. The result is very beautiful and moving [though at times, one tended to wonder whether it would ever finish, and where exactly it was going!!]. The title refers to the movement of the player’s hands during performance, likening them to the movements of an artist’s hands across a blank page.  Interesting, and indeed, different.

I personally most enjoyed Debussy’s two compositions – Prelude to the afternoon of a Faun, and, The Girl with the Flaxen Hair’ which featured in particular the marimbas and vibraphones, whilst one of the girls on the xylophone produced an absolutely stunningly peaceful presentation of Green’s ‘Valse brilliante’ – that certainly set the scene, for myself of what was to follow. Overall, a fascinating hour, but must find someone to share these ‘coffee concerts’ with in 2012.

Wandered through the city on my way back to catch the 2.15 train to Sunbury – disappointed that one of my favourite bookshops in the heart of the CBD [near corner of Swanston & Bourke Streets] was all shut up and empty – sadly the way many of the larger book retailers are going these days. Walked on down to Elizabeth/Bourke Street corner, to a multi-level bookshop, used to be Angus and Robertson’s, now a ‘discount book shop’  –  had a large stock of thousands of books [though presumably no major recent publications]  –  but for someone like me  –  an attracted, with every book in the store costed at just $5!!  Well, I used some money that Win Seipolt gave me on my birthday, last week – purchased three books for myself, and a little ‘classic’ novel for Susan [which by the time I got back to Sunbury, I had partly read myself].

Although it was not a specifically over hot day, I’d been feeling quite warm in the city, and was glad of the opportunity to eventually sit and relax in the train [which was going through to Bendigo and beyond, so was reasonably full] for the 45 minute return journey to Sunbury.

I woke early enough on my first Monday not going to the office, though I was planning to do a couple of hours from home for the VPTA later this morning.  But I admit it had been a good overnight feeling with the knowledge that I did not have to get up and fight the morning traffic.

It did actually rain off and on throughout part of the day, only really a light drizzle, but enough to encourage this writer & reader to remain indoors, doing just that, writing and reading, and a bit of time organising a few payments on line for the VPTA [the job I’ve left but for a brief while, will be doing a few minor tasks for them. Meanwhile, Susie away for a large part of the day and this evening; her mother came over at one stage – with her tax return, asking me to do it for her. I should have been expecting it  –  returns have to be in by the 31^st October, and Shirley usually turns up during the last week, seeking assistance. True to form, it came today!  Anyway, it was a quiet day for me, getting up to date with a few things, but realising and reminding myself that there was no need to try and do everything at once – I now had ‘plenty’ of time [I hope!!].

I also had a Monday night show to look forward to where I didn’t need to get up a few hours after I went to bed – although with a commitment in the city in the morning, I’d not be able to sleep too long. Actually felt a little more tired than usual ‘before’ I started the show tonight, but as always, once we got into the music and the program itself, I simply started to enjoy myself as always. No phone calls [as is normal] but it didn’t really worry me – went through the normal format with a broad mix of musical genres – folk, jazz, soul, blues, world, country, a few oldies, even a selection of party music [which died on me halfway through it’s playing –  the studio CD player obviously didn’t like my recording of the vinyl record from which I’d taken the music. Of course tonight, I had the opportunity to ‘travel on’ beyond midnight, but decided at that stage, I’d done enough for the night, and with an early start planned here for Wednesday morning, called it a night!

I would spent much of today at my radio station here in Sunbury –  6.15am – 9am for the usual weekly program of classical music, then home briefly, before returning at 10am where I remained for over 5 hours, for the duration of the Station’s Open Day to the public and local community.  I couldn’t claim that we had hundreds turn up, but there was nevertheless a steady stream of visitors through the day, and a lot more ‘talking’ to visitors and fellow presenters then I would normally get the opportunity [or even desire]  to involve myself in. Those responsible for the organisation of the day had arranged for various displays, etc, a bit of live music, a number of private stalls were set up around the station area, the usual programs for that time of day [mine was over before it started] were going on, basically being broadcast live to the visitors and guests, and we had the usual small dedicated team, looking after the sausage sizzle & drink stall, from which some of our fund raising for the day was  generated, though most of those funds came from the little raffle that the mother & daughter 12-2pm Sunday show organised, and promptly had the winning tickets drawn by people such as myself during their program.

I was pleased to see some local folk I knew, come along briefly to have a look at things, including friend Ruth, who turned up mid afternoon and chatted with myself and one or two others that she had met through either earlier visits to the station, or though her vet days in Sunbury.  I was also personally pleased to meet a couple of people who were apparently regular listeners to my Sunday morning program, a little bit of encouragement to keep on improving and developing that show.  Jack & Orr Harris from Diggers Rest were early arrivals, and took on another excellent spell at the sausage sizzle role for a couple of hours, while our dear friend and ‘almost 24 hour’ listener from Glenhuntly, ‘young’ Jayne, after months of illness, managed to get across via train to Sunbury for the occasion. Jayne, who listens to many of the station’s programs [we are considered her family these days] has been suffering quite severely for most of the year, and has often remarked, to Christine and myself in particular, how being a part of 3NRG has kept her going on numerous occasions.  Actually Jayne was currently a bit ‘upset’ with this wsriter – this day was one of only two outings she has managed in recent months, the other was to a concert last Tuesday [on my birthday] where she went to hear a singer that Jayne claims I have often mentioned & played on my shows. Yet for the life of me, I have been unable to recall the name she keeps referring to!! At the time of writing, I’m still trying to work out who she is talking about!!

Perhaps at this point, a brief look at the ‘short’ history of 3NRG [compliments of a piece of historical writing made available today].  ‘In the early 1980’s, the Shire of Bulla  [Sunbury’s local council before the council amalgamations of the early 1990s which saw me lose my job] surveyed the local youth and the result indicated a need for a local radio station. In 1987 the Shire of Bulla Youth Consultative Committee were looking at undertaking something special to celebrate Australia’s Bicentennial [1788-1988] and the idea of doing a radio broadcast was suggested. In July 1988, the first test broadcast went out and was an instant success, so much so that the Shire of Bulla sought out interest in setting up a Community Access Radio Station in the area. Amongst the original steering committee was Mr John Hanson who went on top become an integral part of Bulla FM and later on with 3NRG. The first presenter was the local Council Youth Worker, John Awad using borrowed equipment in a shed behind the Council buildings. Using very basic studio equipment the test broadcasts were about one week long every two to three months and at Christmas time this was increased to two weeks. Christmas was our big push to get Sponsors, which helped us stay on air, and pay our bills for the rest of the year.

A lot of planning and more importantly a lot of paperwork is required to enable test transmissions and the responsibility fell to Derek Rigby who was the then Secretary. In honour of his long service and cdedication we named the current studio after him. In 1999 we were granted a licence for every weekend, wee changed the name to 3NRG FM and in 2000 Derek Rigby was presented with our first Life Member of 3NRG for his dedication to the station. After reams of paper and a lot of hard work from Derek and the Committee, the ABA finally granted our permanent licence in April 2001. There has also being something of a journey with various ‘premises’ being used for makeshift studios. To date we have broadcast from:- The Old Sunbury Court House [now the Tourist Information Centre], Learmonth Street Kindergarten, the old Builla Shire Council Chambers, Craigieburn Youth Centre, a caravan in the driveway of the Sunbury Tourist Information Centre, Ground floor rooms of Building 19 Victoria University, and Sunbury Campus Building 18 of Victoria University.  It is finally thanks to Victoria University Sunbury Campus [who in fact are no longer in Sunbury] that we have a permanent home back in Building 19, and now known as The Derek Rigby Studio 99.3 FM 3NRG ‘A Station in the Community, for the Community’.  And that in fact, is where your personal essayist has been spending much of his spare hours since May, 2005!

Although I didn’t engage in as much ‘physical’ work today as one or two other members, but was occupied in a lot of talking and standing around, I returned home feeling a little exhausted, and determined to do little else than a bit of reading, and to watch the Rugby World Cup Final, due to start at 7pm our time. Susan eating ‘out’ or away from home again tonight., and admittedly, at present when I don’t need to cook a meal for both of us, I tend to go a ‘little light’ on whatever I prepare for myself. Tonight was such an example.

I enjoyed watching the rugby tonight. Finally, after  6 weeks it was the Rugby World Cup Final  –  between France and New Zealand. Another brief exchange of text messages between myself and Dawn in New Zealand – her philosophy to my wishes of good luck with the hope that New Zealand wins were ‘thanks for that but the French can have one of their best games and who knows. I hope we can do it’.  I must say that it was an exhilarating start to the match before the game actually started. After listening to two very inspiring Natikonal Anthems – I regard the French & NZ anthems as amongst the best of their kind, and the Kiwi song sounded even better tonight with the lovely Hayley Westernra singing.  –  then followed the traditional Kiwi Haka, but what wasn’t so traditional was the French team’s reaction to it. Apparently, the opposing teams are expected to just stand there, watch, listen and glare at the All Blacks as they put on their warlike performance. But not the French! Linking hands, in their white uniforms tonight, they formed a V-formation and slowly advanced towards the Kiwis. I was hoping they would actually go a bit closer than they did, but it was certainly an intimidating response to the intimidation of the Haka  – great to see, and certainly a crowd stirrer!! And that was a sign of things to come, as the French as the underdogs, made a mockery of predictions of a cakewalk by the All Blacks,  as they threw down challenge after challenge in an attempt to breaks the hearts of all New Zealanders.

At halftime, the score was 5-0 in favour of New Zealand. Obviously the crowd of 61,079 were basically all barracking for the All Blacks – I don’t recall watching a game like this and hearing such a continuous roar from a crowd – it simply didn’t stop or quieten, just went on throughout the whole match, ongoing and relentless, and in the closing minutes of the match, the noise was almost unbelievable, as the Kiwis hung on to a narrow lead, while the French attempted everything they could to break the deadlock. This report by reporter Jim Morton, following, describes it better than I could.

‘It was a major scare but the All Blacks buried their Rugby World Cup demons in the best possible way at Eden Park by gutsing out a tense triumph built on mental strength.  After melting in tight Cup encounters regularly in the past 20 years, New Zealand weathered the pressure cooker for an 8-7 final victory over a French side which almost pulled off the seemingly impossible. It was a gripping win coach Graham Henry said would finally bring some peace of mind to him and his players. The All Blacks held on for 33 nerve-wracking minutes as France launched wave after wave against the tournament hosts who never buckled in front of a capacity crowd of 61,000. Skipper Richie McCaw said the disciplined defensive effort, where their line was not broken and they did not concede a penalty, epitomised his team’s desire and courage.

It succeeded to end more than two decades and six tournaments worth of heartbreak, as well as drawing a line on trans-Tasman choking barbs. “Personally you’ve got some peace, and that’s a great feeling,” said Henry, who was controversially reappointed after the shock 2007 quarter-final final loss to France. “We’ve been through a lot together and a lot of the guys played in the last World Cup, and fell at the quarter-final, and to win this, there’s not words for it quite frankly. “It’s about players having self-reliance and our guys have become very self-reliant over recent years, and Richie and his senior players taking ownership of the team. “I think those are the two things that got us through today. “We were under a lot of pressure, they didn’t give any penalties away, the defence was very strong, and we gutsed it out and I think that shows some mental strength and a lot of strong independence in each individual”’.

So in summary, New Zealand won the Rugby World cup defeating France 8-7.

At that point, I went back to some jobs, before planning to watch tonight’s MotoGP from Malaysia. When I did switch over, they were telecasting what I assumed was a exciting replay of the 125CC race which would have been the first on the program. I assumed the main race was been delayed. In actual fact, the announcer came on at the end of the 125CC to say that was where their coverage would finish tonight because of the tragic death of one of the riders in the MotoGP which had subsequently been abandoned. It would be next morning before I learnt the details.  It left me a disturbed feeling – ironically, as I had been watching the other race a few minutes earlier, the thought had occurred to me as to have dangerous it was the way these guys ride the bikes, and as I watch, I’m always expecting something to go wrong. I was rather glad that I  did not see this accident actually happy, although I don’t Channel 10 the race itself  –  it was a delayed telecast, and the outcome of the accident would have been known by then, and as it only lasted  4 laps before the race was stopped and then abandoned, it would have been decided not to screen it.   Again, a news report on the tragedy describes what happened..

‘Celebrated Italian rider Marco Simoncelli died on Sunday after a crash that resulted in the cancellation of the Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang, in the latest tragedy to hit motor sports. The smash occurred just four minutes after the race began when the 24-year-old Honda rider’s bike veered across the track and into the path of riders Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi. Simoncelli had his helmet knocked off in the collision, which happened on turn 11. “Despite their efforts, Marco sadly succumbed to his injuries at 4:56pm local time (0856 GMT),” MotoGP said in a statement on its website. “Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Marco’s family, friends and team at this tragic loss.”

Motor sports have seen a nightmare stretch recently and Simoncelli’s death looked certain to throw up more questions over safety. Last weekend, 2010 MotoGP champ Jorge Lorenzo crashed during warm-ups in Australia, severing a finger, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died in a 15-car crash in Las Vegas in Indy Car.  The race at a steamy Sepang circuit was immediately red-flagged and organisers later announced it had been cancelled.  Edwards also fell but escaped serious injury, while Rossi was able to return to the pits.  After the crash, restless fans upset with the lengthy delay showered the track with water bottles and other debris.\  The last fatal crash in the world motorcycling championship was last year when Japan’s Shoya Tomizawa was killed. Although there is a final race in Spain still to come, Australia’s Casey Stoner has already secured the 2011 championship with his win last weekend in the Australian Grand Prix.

Stoner won at Phillip Island by just two seconds over Simoncelli, whose second-place finish was the Italian’s best yet in MotoGP. He was the 2008 world champion in the 125cc class.  “”You can never guarantee a 100 per cent safe race,” Sepang Circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir told reporters after Simoncelli’s death was announced.  “You expose yourself to danger when you race. As professionals, they know MotoGP is dangerous. Believe it or not, that is what they live for. Our condolences to Marco. He will be missed dearly.” Simoncelli’s death quickly sparked an outpouring of grief in Italy, where officials announced sports events in the country would observe a minute’s silence.  Italian football giants Inter and AC Milan were amongst the first sports clubs to offer their commiserations. “AC Milan offers a hug to the family of Marco, a huge rossonero fan, and we want to offer the most sincere and heartfelt condolences in this sad moment,” the club said on its website. Inter added: “The president Massimo Moratti and everyone at Inter Milan, together with (coach) Claudio Ranieri and the team, shares in the pain of the Italian sports world and indeed the sports world for the loss of the rider Marco Simoncelli.’. “Remembering a young and passionate champion Inter offers a hug to the family and friends of Marco Simoncelli.”

As a sporting and racing fan generally, that was a rather sobering manner in which to end the weekend.

Certainly for my son, Adam, a disappointing scene would have greeted him this morning – miserable rain, in almost wintry conditions again – for Round 3 of his cricket season, which has already seen the first two games he was involved in postponed completely or called off incomplete. Although I didn’t see any of the game last week [it had stopped by the time I got there], Adam did get a bat, came in at first wicket down, stayed around for a while and made 12 runs – holding the wicket up was apparently his role that day. Playing for the Sunbury Lions B Grade team, which is in fact their senior team in the overall district competition. Sent him an optimistic text this morning, ‘hoping’ he might get some cricket, and intending to drive around to the ground later on if there is any play.

I notice on the news that there is some delay over the burial of Gaddafi, following his death yesterday in Libya – normally, as per his culture, burial would take place within 24 hours, but it has been delayed, presumably because of fears of reprisals or reactions etc. Meanwhile, speculation continues over the manner of his death – he was captured while fleeing his home town of Sirte, and subsequently died of wounds received in circumstances that remain hazy One story is that he was shot in ‘crossfire’ between his supporters and the new regime fighters soon after his capture from a sewerage culvert where he had taken refuge. On the other hand, there is wide speculation that he was summarily executed by his captors. The UN have called for an investigation amidst  opposition to the idea of such a ‘extrajudicial killing’ [a guess similar doubts will always remain over the death of Osama Bin Laden, in contrast to Saddam Hussein’s trial and official execution].

In the meantime, a degree of violence visited the streets of Melbourne, when after tolerating a large protest group which had occupied the City Square for some days, and severely affected traders and others in the area, the police moved in yesterday, and because of strong resistance from the protestors, the situation became quite violent and bloody at times. About ‘100 Occupy Melbourne’ demonstrators, who had camped out in the City Square for a week as part of global protests against corporate greed, defied an order to leave by 9am, and give the City Square back to the citizens of Melbourne. The numbers grew substantially as police moved in. I disagree with the inflammatory comments of   Greens MP Adam Bandt, the federal member for Melbourne, when he said that  calling on the riot police to intervene was a serious error by political leaders. He said “[Premier] Ted Baillieu and [Lord Mayor] Robert Doyle have made a huge blunder by sending in the police, turning a week-long non-violent protest into a site of confrontation,” Mr Bandt said  “The authorities should have negotiated with the protestors before resorting to heavy handed pressure.  “By their actions, the Premier and Lord Mayor have moved the situation from negotiation to conflict and have hardened peoples’ positions.” I can’t go along with that, and in my view, such comments from high profile people like Bandt, only worsen the situation.  Personally, I have no real sympathy for the major protagonists who carry on with these things; I’m happy for protests and demonstrations to take place [I have been a part of some], but when they began to severely affect the livelihood of others or prevent people from going about their own business, they lose any support I might have had. At one stage, crowds flowed across Collins Street in the city, stopping trams, traffic and pedestrians from going anywhere. When a protestor was asked by a reporter – ‘what about all these people trying to get home, etc?’, the response was ‘I don’t give a f—k about them’!!  Well pal, you deserved anything you got from the law yesterday!!

The rain held off this afternoon until early evening, so Adam’s cricket team was able to have a completed match. I actually paid a couple of visits to the local cricket ground  –  Adam was fielding on the first occasion I went there, and wickets seemed to be falling constantly. That they were – the opposition team [from Melton, all bundled out for just 31 runs!!!   I returned just in time to see the start of the Sunbury innings  –  and with Adam coming in at first wicket down, I didn’t have to wait long. The first over saw the wicket go with no score on the board, and out strode Adam. Oddly, felt rather nervous as he faced some rather hostile bowling, and was almost run out in the first couple of balls. Then he picked up a single, and appeared to be batting in his usual cautious way for a couple of overs. Suddenly, as he admitted later, he took a swing at a ball which would have been best left alone – and was bowled, out for just the one run this week!  I stayed around for the next few overs, and with one of the batsmen hitting a few runs, it was obvious, so long as the rain held off, that Adam’s team would achieve the required runs. In fact, after I left, they lost 2 more wickets, but ended up winning the match with a score of 4 for 32 – not a very batting friendly day. Adam came over for a brief chat, about 10 minutes after he lost his wicket. I think he was glad to at least have the likelihood of a completed game, though as it would turn out, they were lucky it was such a short match, as in a couple of hours, the weather would turn very nasty.

I returned home mid afternoon, and enjoyed the opportunity to watch the WS Cox Plate race meeting from Moonee Valley, a couple of the main races anyway. The brilliant Black Caviar was running this afternoon – didn’t have much competition with just five starters in it’s race – which needless to say, resulted in this amazing horse powering away from it’s opposition in the straight [all Group winners nevertheless] to the tumultuous applause of the large crowd, many of whom had come just to see this horse win. Not to win any money from it  –  for a $1 bet, the TAB payout was just $1.04 – but simply to witness this magnificent animal tease the opposition, and then streak away in the last couple of hundred metres, and achieve it’s 15^th win from 15 starts!!! Trained by Peter Moody and written by Luke Nolan [ a very powerful racing duo in Australian racing at the moment], this horse was breaking all kinds of records. Meanwhile, in the main race, the WS Cox Plate over 2,040 metres, a Weight For Age race worth $3million for 3 year olds & over, we saw a relative outsider with good credentials, came from behind to win that race – Pinker Pinker – ridden by another brilliant and successful jockey of this era, Craig Williams. That race was actually run during a brief lull in a rather violent rain storm that struck the race course, and much of Melbourne [and Sunbury] at around that time. So often happens in Melbourne in the midst of the Springtime racing carnivals – storms arrive right on cue for the big races!!! Today was no exception, with heavy rain and thunder greeting the horses to the starting barrier!.  Earlier, the Moonee Valley ‘International’ Cup was won by Americain, the overseas horse that won last year’s Melbourne Cup. Second in that race was one of my fancies for this year’s Cup, a horse named ‘Tullamore’. I think this was Americain’s first race [or win] in Australia since the 2010 Cup

That evening, it would rain quite steadily through much of the early hours, and turned my driveway area into a quagmire again. I was a little annoyed that Susie had gone out with friends, and left her car in the carport, forcing me to park out in the street, which because of the relative narrowness of our court, I generally try to avoid. And when she did come back late tonight, it was not long before she went out again [for the night], but by that stage I was in bed, and not terribly interested in moving cars at that stage of proceedings!  Susie’s social life and nocturnal activities are all rather erratic at the moment – don’t know who these ‘friends’ are she stays with, but I never really know until the last minute, if even then, whether she will be home or not of any particular night!

Talking about the horse racing, reminds me that I am currently reading Bart Cumming’s biography [given to me as a retirement gift by one of the public tenants associated with the VPTA. While it contains a lot of horsey statistics, and talk about breeding, etc, I’m finding it a very interesting book. One fact which emerges –  the success of someone like Bart Cummings who has now trained 13 Melbourne Cup winners, and is still having that kind of success in his 80s, he reveals as being dependant upon the way you treat the horses that you are training. Describes them as very intelligent animals, that remember how they have been cared for and treated, and will generally respond to positive treatment in a positive manner. More on that, as I get into the book.