OK Cat Lovers. There is currently a Cat Photo competition on Flickr. As at Friday morning (Wien time) there were 8,103 cat photos. (Dog lovers can vomit quietly in the corner).
It’s not too late to put up pics of your favourite Moggy (but of course you will have to join Flickr)
Sometimes I think the world has gone mad and I am the only sane one left. I can assure you that this would indeed be a very sad state of affairs because I am - as we say in Australia – definitely not the full quid.
There is a much better expression ‘he has a kangaroo loose in the top paddock’ which describes me perfectly.
Warning – I am now standing on my soapbox – political content follows. I don’t often get on my soapbox – but what is happening in Australia at the moment is ludicrous.
The Labor government in Australia is attempting to censor the Internet.
Que?
I know you Europeans and Americans will find this incomprehensible and difficult to believe – but in Australia they are actually proposing a nation-wide filter that will exclude all the sites that the government deems to be inappropriate for their subjects.
The ‘list so far’ has been leaked to that wonderful site ‘Wikileaks’ which has itself (of course) now been added to the government’s banned list.
The list of sites includes child pornography (which almost no one would complain about) but also includes gambling sites, travel sites, a Queensland dentist and many other fairly innocuous sites including common or garden variety sex.
I am sure it will eventually include all sites that are in any way critical of the government.
(Good news – all Murdoch newspaper sites in Australia will be banned!)
The government determines the sites which are banned – no one knows what they are - and there is no mechanism for appealing a decision.
For goodness sake – the whole world just gave China a pasting for censoring the Internet - and now Australia is doing the same thing.
I think this is simply the dumbest thing that any government in Australia has ever done. Can I have my vote back please – I made a terrible mistake.
I have spoken to Muffin about this but she really doesn’t give a toss provided no pet food suppliers are included. Self interest wins out every time.
I attacked the Wein and Co site with some gusto yesterday afternoon and ordered 24 bottles of assorted white wine. I have no idea what they will be like but I hope Cate will like some and that we can get some more.
She is very fussy about wine and won’t drink any cheap rubbish. So when she asks me what a particular bottle cost my default answer is ‘about 25 Euros’ and this keeps her happy.
A kitten problem has emerged. Apparently the owner wants to find homes for the kittens in Germany and does not want to send them to Austria. (I don’t think it’s another ICO situation or that we have been deemed to be unsuitable).
However, I am willing to bet that there may be the odd kitten or two available in Wien in July when we get back from Australia – so there is no need for panic at this stage.
And by the way – I expect to be punished by Muffin when I leave her but she has taken it to extremes this time. She now always sleeps in Cate’s study and runs – RUNS – to Cate when she is called. This is very hurtful – but on Monday Cate goes to Turkey!
I had to postpone the Fitness Centre until Sunday. Will report after that.
It’s not too late to put up pics of your favourite Moggy (but of course you will have to join Flickr)
Sometimes I think the world has gone mad and I am the only sane one left. I can assure you that this would indeed be a very sad state of affairs because I am - as we say in Australia – definitely not the full quid.
There is a much better expression ‘he has a kangaroo loose in the top paddock’ which describes me perfectly.
Warning – I am now standing on my soapbox – political content follows. I don’t often get on my soapbox – but what is happening in Australia at the moment is ludicrous.
The Labor government in Australia is attempting to censor the Internet.
Que?
I know you Europeans and Americans will find this incomprehensible and difficult to believe – but in Australia they are actually proposing a nation-wide filter that will exclude all the sites that the government deems to be inappropriate for their subjects.
The ‘list so far’ has been leaked to that wonderful site ‘Wikileaks’ which has itself (of course) now been added to the government’s banned list.
The list of sites includes child pornography (which almost no one would complain about) but also includes gambling sites, travel sites, a Queensland dentist and many other fairly innocuous sites including common or garden variety sex.
I am sure it will eventually include all sites that are in any way critical of the government.
(Good news – all Murdoch newspaper sites in Australia will be banned!)
The government determines the sites which are banned – no one knows what they are - and there is no mechanism for appealing a decision.
For goodness sake – the whole world just gave China a pasting for censoring the Internet - and now Australia is doing the same thing.
I think this is simply the dumbest thing that any government in Australia has ever done. Can I have my vote back please – I made a terrible mistake.
I have spoken to Muffin about this but she really doesn’t give a toss provided no pet food suppliers are included. Self interest wins out every time.
I attacked the Wein and Co site with some gusto yesterday afternoon and ordered 24 bottles of assorted white wine. I have no idea what they will be like but I hope Cate will like some and that we can get some more.
She is very fussy about wine and won’t drink any cheap rubbish. So when she asks me what a particular bottle cost my default answer is ‘about 25 Euros’ and this keeps her happy.
A kitten problem has emerged. Apparently the owner wants to find homes for the kittens in Germany and does not want to send them to Austria. (I don’t think it’s another ICO situation or that we have been deemed to be unsuitable).
However, I am willing to bet that there may be the odd kitten or two available in Wien in July when we get back from Australia – so there is no need for panic at this stage.
And by the way – I expect to be punished by Muffin when I leave her but she has taken it to extremes this time. She now always sleeps in Cate’s study and runs – RUNS – to Cate when she is called. This is very hurtful – but on Monday Cate goes to Turkey!
I had to postpone the Fitness Centre until Sunday. Will report after that.
I very much doubt that they will censor websites that dissent...I think that might be a bit too cynical. I just hate the fact that pointing and laughing passes off as "reasoned argument" in the house of reps.
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