Have a think!

• The Victorian opposition is acting like feral cats.

• “Lasso a column of smoke.”

        Credlin 24/6

• “I wouldn’t trust the coalition to do up its own shoelaces without tripping over.”

Chris Uhlmann on Credlin Sept 8

• “Looks like a boy lost in a lolly shop.”

Michael Danby on Anthony Albanese

• “Rolling hand grenade blowing up her own party on a regular basis.”

        Steven Conroy on the Indian                      and Community

• Anthony Albanese has taken a holiday from history.Greg Sheridan on Credlin 23/9

•  You can’t open an envelope in Victoria without a welcome to country. Peta Credlin 26/11.

Q

Thank you Nigella Lawson for cultivating my intense interest in food.

Tom Piper Braised Steak and Onions.

Tasmanian grown export quality cherries

Outback Backery bread and counter sale delicacies

Karma’s Panda takeaway bacon and egg toasted sandwiches.

Connoisseur brand strawberry ice cream

Life is much changed and a great deal different to the way I imagined it would be.

Some of it okay.

Much of it not.

I live in a disunited, fragmented, kaleidoscopic country where our leaders – federal government politicians – seem so focussed on the Gravy Train that little else counts.

That is the Australia of 2025

Thank you Nigella Lawson for your inspiration.

Is there a message in this picture – from The Ausrralusn News – of Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen?

I think dead people who throughout their lives were good people, are lucky they no longer have to bear witness to the horrors of the world in which we now live.

I want to visit no cities.

I want to live in a place of quiet solitude of space of dark nught skies reflecting the stars.

Cities are not for Poor Old Henry.

What they say does not bother me.

I am me and I try to live a good life.

It is the action of living and doing that counts.

What is said is secondary.

POH thanks Nigella Lawson for her culinary guidance.

Now I lay some place to sleep,

I give thee Lord my soul to keep,

If Putin kills me ‘for I wake,

I pray thee Lord my soul to take.

My first diary was in 1970. It was a foolscap size diary with a page allocated to each day, and the first day of my full-time teaching experience turned out to be pupil free by accident rather than design. It was a day, now over half a century old, I will never forget.

Warburton Ranges School Headmaster Bruce Goldthorp, an educator with seven or eight years of teaching experience, was on his first day in the role of headmaster. A kerfuffle with beginnings outside the schoolyard quickly entered the school precinct as he lined the students up. One of the older students (1) had told another that her Father had snakes in his legs. Her Father had obvious and prominent varicose veins in his legs. This ‘observation’ was part of an altercation that had occurred sometime prior between the two students.

This comment was relayed to her Father, who took umbrage at the deep insult. She took off into the school and up the classroom connecting passage, being chased by the offended Father and family. With his weapons to hand, he and his family came into the schoolyard, seeking retribution on the utterer of that comment.

The girl’s family, who had commented, became alerted to the dispute and began chasing after the offended family with appropriate weaponry (no firearms were involved).

The result of this situation was a scatter of all students, first as spectators to the event, which rapidly moved from the schoolyard into the community, thence into the distance. There was no school that day: Our first school day of 1970 at Warburton was the second day of the school year.

(1) Names and identities withheld.

Has there ever been an aeroplane designed and used for passengers which allowed for passenger urine and excrement to fall from the plane onto the ground or ocean below?

Response:

Yes, there have been instances in aviation history where aircraft, particularly older models, had waste systems that did not effectively contain human waste. Instead of being stored in tanks, waste was often expelled directly from the aircraft when the toilets were flushed.

Examples:

1. Early Aircraft: Some early passenger aircraft, like the Douglas DC-3, had simpler waste management systems where waste could potentially be released directly into the environment during flight.
2. Older Jets: In the past, some early jets also had systems that were prone to leaks, leading to waste being expelled while in flight.
3. Regulations: Modern regulations and aircraft designs have changed significantly to ensure that all human waste is contained in onboard tanks that are emptied safely after landing.

Current Situation:

Today, all commercial aircraft are equipped with sophisticated waste systems that collect and store waste until the aircraft lands, minimizing environmental impact and ensuring passenger safety.

Did this motivate the invention of hard hats and tin helmets?

Nigella Lawson inspires Poor Old Henry

Nigella Lawson is the major influencer whom Poor Old Henry credits with his interest in cooking and food preparation.

U

I consider myself a protege of Nigella Lawson

STAGE… Infrequently.

Genie in the lamp, Wee Willy Winke, The Mad Hatter, Olly the Octopus, Ceaser the Emperor. All between 1981 and 2011.

LECTERN

Countless hundreds of times. From 1964 until 2022. As a lay preacher, youth leader, club president, principal, organisational leader, toastmaster …

 Never hold a grudge I just read 

Great advice and for me there are only three exceptions. One of them, Kevin Andrews, is dead. The second is Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke – to me “Mr Glib”. They were the mover and seconder of the private members bill which was passed in the Federal Parliament to rescind and void the Marshall Perron legislation, passed in the NT Assembly in 1996 to enable Voluntary Assisted Dying. 

The third unforgivable is the then Prime Minister John Howard who persuaded the recission bill thriufh the agency of this pair, overruling the NT because we were only a territory.

Fast forward three decades and appreciate the dreadful situation in which these three ‘visionaries’ have landed us.

No, for mine, they can never be forgiven

Question to AI

How many meetings is a leader likely to attend through a 30 year leadership life?

Response:

Estimating the number of meetings a leader might attend over a 30-year leadership career involves several variables, such as the frequency and duration of meetings, the leader’s role, and the type of organization.

Here’s a rough breakdown to consider:

1. Meetings per week: If a leader attends approximately 5 meetings per week (this can vary widely based on the organization and industry), that’s about 260 meetings in a year (52 weeks).
2. Duration of leadership: Over 30 years, this would amount to: [
   260 \text{ meetings/year} \times 30 \text{ years} = 7,800 \text{ meetings}
   ]
3. Adjustments for vacation and holidays: If we factor in vacations and holidays, which might reduce the number of weeks worked each year, a more conservative estimate might yield around 200 to 240 meetings per year.
4. Total meetings:

• For 200 meetings a year:
  [
  200 \text{ meetings/year} \times 30 \text{ years} = 6,000 \text{ meetings}
  ]
• For 240 meetings a year:
  [
  240 \text{ meetings/year} \times 30 \text{ years} = 7,200 \text{ meetings}
  ]

Conclusion

A leader might attend anywhere from 6,000 to 7,800 meetings over a 30-year career, depending on their specific circumstances.

This is a broad estimate, and actual numbers can vary greatly based on the individual’s leadership style and the organization’s culture.

Noone on their deathbed felt sadness at having missed a meeting here and there.

The moon once shone brightly on our lives,

But no more, 

Alzheimer’s in its chariot of destruction,

Has swept past,

And reduced what was,

To what now is.

We are shells of our former selves,

One with a brainbox,

Of creeping, vacuous blue

The other battling with uncertainties,

Never knowing what is around,

The next corner.

Switched as it were

From the straight and true,

Eyre Highway traversing the Nullarbor,

To the uncertainties,

Of the twisted, winding,

Raindrenched slipperiness,

Of the Karunda Road.

I am the uncertain driver,

An oft distrusting navigator,

Enveloped in penumbric gloom

Driving it seems blindly,

Into the darkness of uncertainty

Feeling the confidence 

Of someone entrapped,

In a boghole of shit.

The way I feel today

The moon once shone brightly on our lives,

But no more, 

Alzheimer’s in its chariot of destruction,

Has swept past,

And reduced what was,

To now what is.

We are shells of our former selves,

One with a brainbox,

Of creeping, vacuous blue

The other battling with uncertainties,

Never knowing what is around,

The next corner.

Switched as it were

From the straight and true,

Eyre Highway traversing the Nullarbor,

To the uncertainties,

Of the twisted, winding,

Raindrenched slipperiness,

Of the Karunda Road.

I am the uncertain driver,

An oft distrusted navigator,

Enveloped in penumbric gloom

Driving it seems blindly,

Into the darkness of uncertainty

Feeling the confidence 

Of someone entrapped,

In a boghole of shit.

The way I feel today

The Sundowner Syndrome is one of the worst manifestations of that way this mind-altering scourge manifests itself. A loved one in the daytime becomes an enemy of the dementia sufferer at night and must be kicked out as an abominable person trying to impersonate the carer or loved one.

That happens to me on a regular basis and it is hard to sustain.

And tonight is the eighth time I am not me but someone with inveighing intent.

How can this be!

The doctor was singing

The doctor was dancing

The doctor was off to the bank

For helping make me

The world’s richest GP

You wonderful Goveites I thank

The doctor was clapping

His voice loud and shrill

Yeehaaing adnauseum

As money clinked into the till

Bursting bankbooks confirm his wealth so great,

Gove has delivered his affluent state.

Simple and nutritious.

Swearing

Sweating

Singing

Shaking

Sobbing

Snoring

Snapping

Sniffing

Sneezing

Would be good for Poor Old Henry.

PART TWO

I am lost in the despondency

Of a life unravelling before my eyes,

Of a person cast adrift on a raft of uncertainty,

Changing her by the minute, hour and day,

Where I am loved one hour,

An outcast pariah

A nothing, a nobody the next.

For me a carer

Things are right, then wrong 

Good then bad

Recognised and loved

Unknown and distanced

Welcomed within ‘our house’

Then cast outside ‘my’ house,

To go home to ‘your’ house.

At times lost in a labyrinth of despair,

A maze of uncertainty.

Whatever happens 

I must be resolute, strong, empathetic,

Focused on supporting the love of my life

The mother of my children. 

Through the uncertain patches of dark road

She is now sentenced to navigating. 

And for a time in the stillness of the evening

Shared in quiet but uncertain companionship

We can reflect together

Sharing memories

By words or sometimes in non-verbal communication.

Where I write and reflect and try 

To allay the mindquake,  

I so often feel.

Part One

Ever more frequently,

I lay on our bed

Of sit in a recliner,

Wondering 

What the purpose of my life has become.

Very rarely does the sun energe.

Optimism and joy 

Stay in penumbric shroud,

Their greyness

Envelopes my heart, soul and mind,

Like a cobweb.

My picture of life,

Is evermore kaleidoscopic,

The jigsaw pieces confused.

I am getting to the point

Of wondering at the wisdom

Of trying,

To instil

The vigour of breath

Into the limp, dragging

Mainsail of my life.

Why are liberal politics in Australia failing so badly?

Response:

The challenges facing liberal politics in Australia can be attributed to several factors:

1. Changing Voter Demographics

• Younger voters tend to lean more progressive, focusing on issues like climate change, social justice, and income inequality, which may not align with traditional liberal policies.

2. Environmental Concerns

• Climate change has become a top priority for many Australians. The liberal party’s past reluctance to take strong action on climate issues has alienated environmentally conscious voters.

3. Economic Disparities

• Rising cost of living and housing affordability have created discontent. Voters are more concerned about economic equity, which often favors more progressive parties.

4. Leadership and Image

• Perceptions of leadership can significantly impact political success. Controversies or perceived incompetence within the leadership can damage public trust.

5. Party Division and Unity

• Factions within the party may lead to inconsistencies in policy and messaging, confusing voters and weakening the party’s stance.

6. Social Issues

• Issues such as immigration, healthcare, and education have seen divisions between the liberal party’s traditional platform and the evolving values of the electorate.

7. Opposition Strategies

• The strategies employed by opposing parties, particularly in leveraging social media and grassroots movements, have successfully mobilized support against liberal policies.

8. Global Trends

• The rise of populism and the implementation of more progressive policies in other democracies can influence Australian voters and politics.

Conclusion

In summary, the liberal parties in Australia face a complex landscape shaped by demographic shifts, public sentiment on key issues, internal party dynamics, and broader socio-economic trends. Addressing these issues effectively will be crucial for their future success.M

Success is a long way off.

A HEADLINE GRABBING TOWN FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.

The death of a person and the tabling of their will, so often turns people from respectability into vultures clawing for ‘their share’ of the estate and into ‘jackals’ scrounging at what might be described as the dead carcass, to snavel out every possible vestige of personal gain.

As a dementia carer to my wife of almost 57 years – and the lady who is the love of my life – I feel that I am never off duty for the need for care is constant.

Dementia has caused so many changes in her patterns of thinking and recall.

Her dementia seems to cause her to be hot one minute and cold the next. Usually, I am Henry but I cab suddenly become a figure of suspicion, an inpster who has spirited Hebry away. Our children’s names are often confused or they are back with us as developing children from the 1970’s and 80’s. Or we gave to go back to teaching or working because we are running out of money.

Hour after hour and day after day.

It is the way things are and always will be.

Interesting.

But it was rising above the clouds so we could not see it.

I have seen many of the four legged variety

Lions

Tigers

Leopards

Wild cats in the bush

Wild dogs

Screeching, screaming, scratching monkeys

I have seen and heard much about the two legged variety

Stealing cars

Maliciously injuring

Committing deliberate acts of manslaughter and murder

Practising paedophilia.

Crashing vehicles at drug and grog infused break neck speeds

Smashing into homes and ram raiding businesses.

Fighting with guns, machetes, torching vehicles, businesses and homes

Torching churches

Racially hating and slurring others in hostile aggeession

The list goes on.

There are four legged animals

But

There are far more wild animals of the two-legged variety.

.

Why are liberal politics in Australia failing so badly?

Response:

The challenges facing liberal politics in Australia can be attributed to several factors:

1. Changing Voter Demographics

• Younger voters tend to lean more progressive, focusing on issues like climate change, social justice, and income inequality, which may not align with traditional liberal policies.

2. Environmental Concerns

• Climate change has become a top priority for many Australians. The liberal party’s past reluctance to take strong action on climate issues has alienated environmentally conscious voters.

3. Economic Disparities

• Rising cost of living and housing affordability have created discontent. Voters are more concerned about economic equity, which often favors more progressive parties.

4. Leadership and Image

• Perceptions of leadership can significantly impact political success. Controversies or perceived incompetence within the leadership can damage public trust.

5. Party Division and Unity

• Factions within the party may lead to inconsistencies in policy and messaging, confusing voters and weakening the party’s stance.

6. Social Issues

• Issues such as immigration, healthcare, and education have seen divisions between the liberal party’s traditional platform and the evolving values of the electorate.

7. Opposition Strategies

• The strategies employed by opposing parties, particularly in leveraging social media and grassroots movements, have successfully mobilized support against liberal policies.

8. Global Trends

• The rise of populism and the implementation of more progressive policies in other democracies can influence Australian voters and politics.

Conclusion

In summary, the liberal parties in Australia face a complex landscape shaped by demographic shifts, public sentiment on key issues, internal party dynamics, and broader socio-economic trends. Addressing these issues effectively will be crucial for their future success.

Henry’s conclusion: The Liberals are stuffed.

I often wish I had remained in the simpler, less complicated times of the past. There were challenges, and I must be careful not to succumb to the rose-coloured glasses syndrome. But things were quieter, less materialistically oriented, more focused on people, and more focused on brainwork, book study, and cognitive development. 

That has all but gone by the by. 

Handwriting, spelling, UNDERSTANDING language and literature and being cognitively aware of science and mathematics have all gone.  These days gadgetary gets you the correct answers BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW WHY THEY ARE RIGHT. 

Deep learning and substance appreciation are out the door, and rip, rush, tinsel, and glitter are the order of the day.  

And in architectural terms, lovely and steadfast old buildings with character are knocked down to be replaced by multilevel structures alive with hideous creation and reflecting creative tatt.

Insurance costs, particularly for homes and contents, have been rising alarmingly. Rate increases mean a growing number cannot afford continuing coverage.

I have been with the same insurance company since we purchased our house. We have never made an insurance claim. Looking back over past records is illuminating. Regarding house and contents, the policy for the 2006 fiscal year was $1224.60 or $47.10  per month in premium plus stamp duty and GST.

Come 2025, and the base premium is $7793.66. GST ($779.37) and stamp duty ($857.31) increase the twelve-month total due to $9430.34. That is an increase of $970 over 2024. Australia-wide, insurance costs are exploding. For far too many, properties and contents are uninsurable because of eye-watering premiums. 

It seems to me that governments should waive both the GST and stamp duty components of premium costs in the interests of supporting our Australian population. That could well enable some to maintain their premium payments. The thought of no insurance in the face of disaster is awful to contemplate.

When Cyclone Marcus, Category 2, hit Darwin seven years ago, two realisations dawned on the community, and promises were made to address key issues. The government resolved that above-ground power lines needed to be progressively moved underground due to frequent, lengthy power outages caused by falling or fouled overhead lines. The second was the need for local and territory governments to be aware of the need to trim trees to avoid contact with power lines. 

Underground powerlines quickly stalled due to cost. The project was de-prioritised. The risk of branches contacting power lines has never been addressed.  

As for trees that might fall over in strong wind due to instability based on both height and the angle of main trunks – forget it. Governments get an ‘A’ for planting trees and an ‘F’ for care and maintenance. Once planted, trees grow wild and free.

Cyclone Fina has revisited the inconveniences, hardships, and massive clean-up costs we confronted following Marcus – only this time, more severely and drastically.  Will prevention priorities be revisited?

I saw a man in shorts and t shirt walking around last night. The resplendidness of his tattoos have added at least $20,000 to the value of his body.

As each day passes I feel ever less confident about the future of the world and the essence of Australia.

The country is in steep decline with key ministers in Canberra – Chris Bowen an antagonistic respondent to reality and Tony Burke more of a soothsayer than pragnatic Politican – in charge of the steering and the rudder.

What hope have we got!!

It weights me down

It is a burden seldom lifted

I would like it gone.

Their hearts entwine in love so pure,

Rock solid, their love will endure,

From downers, to heady times so high,

Now, always, until they die.

The Lodge is now a nest of love,

O’seen by olive bearing dove,

Peace within, each day serene,

The Lady of Shallot his Queen.

Everlasting times they’ll share 

Toto will be their Humphrey Bear,

One and one and one make three

Albo, Toto and Jodie.

Once I was told that there are two parts to every 24 hours, day and night.

I need both.

As sure as day follows night, night follows day.

I couldn’t live with one without the other.

Much food is good

But I would be sad

If denied meat

That would be bad

I like beef

And I like like lamb

But please no chicken

And not much ham

All that aside

I do love cherries

And wolf down

Curried cackkeberries.

If

Dr Nitsche

Came through the

Door right now and

Offered me a life ending

Injection, I would lay down and

Extend my right arm for the needle

Insertion and gladly close my eyes and wait

For the healing of death to translate my tortured

Mind into a void of empty nothngness but lifeless space.

And then they all want to placate Putin.

The world has gone mad

December 1 2014 was the worst day of my life. On that day police came calling and I was accused of a horrendous crime allegedly perpetrated by myself some 15 years earlier.

If ever there was a day I was thankful for the way I kept written diaries, that was the day. I was able to confirm from reference to my diaries that the allegations made against me were spurious.

The proof I offered was accepted after verification processes and I received correspondence from the NT Police to that effect.

Imagine my feelings when a day or two after this clearance – a copy of which was sent to the NT Department of Education and Teacher Registration Board, confirming the board had decided to investigation the allegation – of which I had been cleared.

You would not believe the trauma that confronted me or how black and negative I felt about this whole issue.

In the wash up, what added to the matter was the fact that there was no come back on the false accuser.

While I feel and relive the scenario on this black anniversary day each year, I think to of people who gave been falsely accused, have been convicted, had their careers ruined and have done jail time – only for the falsity of accusation to come to light months and even years later. With the accuser(s) of course, home free.

On this day I also relive appreciation for my family and those few professional support people who gave me strength during this awful time.