Snider gay rights

This is pretty funny. This preacher guy is actually for gay rights, but does a little bit of messing with your mind. He quotes preachers from the '50's who were saying how wrong segregation would be, but replaced the word "segregation" with "gay rights".


 
Wow, I didn't know people used religion to justify segregation.

Housing application stopped

Went to see the bloke at ACON yesterday for the appt he wanted with me. I explained the situation in greater detail to him, about my daughter starting full time work shortly. Think he said the income limit was about $700 or so for a household with 2 people, to be eligible for assistance from NSW dept of Housing. Being as I get money from Centrelink, a bit of interest, on top of what my daughter will be earning, it will put us well outside the eligibility criteria. 

So he gave me a form to fill out as the application process had to be stopped. He said it can be restarted at a later date if I wished. Was just a statement thing saying officially that I wanted the application halted, and had to sign it in front of him with him being a witness on it. No biggie.

It actually felt very good. It was depressing being in a situation where I was going to have to rely of Housing to pay the rent. I know what they're like, much worse than Centrelink. They want to know every last detail about you. I'd much rather be able to get by without their assistance if I could. 

Said I felt quite proud of my daughter the way she's been hired for this job. She must be very good with kids, gets that from her mother I'd say. But more than that, we raised her to be a survivor. She'll have ups and down in life as we all do, but she'll always survive. Maybe she gets that from me?

Marky Mark and the Funky bunch

Just now came across this video, haven't seen it in I dunno how fuckin long eh. 

I remember even back then, watching it on the telly, was quite a big hit at the time I think. It was a total piece of production, contrived, and choreographed. Not that there's anything wrong with that of course. It can be done very right (U2 Live From Sydney) or very wrong. This video IMO borders on the naive, and isn't particularly convincing in the dramatic segments.

However, it well and truly makes up the shortfall from that, with the brilliant dancing with him sort of leading the video in those parts, along with his "funky bunch" perfectly complementing everything. And OMG that body! WTF? What would it be like having a body like that! And being able to move like that! Oh I can dream I guess. 

But Marky Mark is utterly gorgeous darlings. Video below. His naked pic.

 

Kirk Cameron and bananas

OMG! 

I can't stop laughing!

I think this pretty much settles it. I will hear no more contrary opinions now. Kirk Cameron is (allegedly) as gay as a screaming Oxford St queen darlings. Poor dear, all he wants is a fuck. See the way he looks at that banana, and has to adjust his sitting position.

"Daily Show" fail

Is good seeing at least somebody over there not afraid to speak out. That's why I like her, straight to the point, no fucking around.

Olympic revelations from team members

The wash up is continuing over WTF happened at the London Olypics, and in particular WTF happened with our swimmers that produced the worst Australian swimming result since the 1970's. Swimming Australia has been looking into it and interviewing a large number of the team members to gain an insight. 

My opinions at the time were I suspect voicing what many people then were thinking. I was surprised to find like minded thinking online and in a short space of time in the main stream media as well. Generally it's considered almost sacrilegious for an Australian to criticise their Olympians (to be said with much awe) in any way at all. However the fact that huge amounts of taxpayers money is poured into our efforts to win medals, what we got in return was abysmal. On the swimming medal count yes, but to me it was much much more than that.

I'd have been happy to see a group of genuine people simply doing their best for their country. What we got however was a bunch of spoilt brats, spitting the dummy about nothing, behaviour akin to people under ten, trying to be mega-stars. Even the character traits of those chosen was in question; D'Arcy convicted of a serious assault on a team mate and going bankrupt to avoid paying compensation, Monk who lied to the police and the national media when he fell off his skateboard (lucky not to be charged for it) and that rower bloke who when he lost his race went on a drunken window smashing rampage, a tantrum of biblical proportions, akin to a 2 year old not getting bought any lollies at the supermarket by mummy. 

This is what we got for all that taxpayers money? People completely unrepresentative of who we are? Spoilt brats on the world stage? It was fuckin repulsive.

Well, it looks like we weren't the only ones. There were some pretty repulsed Australian team members as well by what was going on. From the interviews of the swimming team so far these are some of the complaints: 

That one of the youngest members of the team was bullied by older members of the team.

That some swimmers took Stilnox on the Olympic team's charter flight home from London to Sydney.

That two male swimmers kept the body hair they shaved off before competition and used it to play pranks on their teammates by scattering it in the beds and bags of other swimmers.

That the ill-feeling within the group was such that some team members were pleased when the men's 4 x 100m relay team failed to win a medal (finishing fourth) despite their heavy favouritism, and when Magnussen was beaten by 0.01sec for the gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle final.

That despite team rules to the contrary, swimmers who had finished competing went out socialising while their teammates were still racing, instead of supporting them in the grandstands. more

Remember that relay loss? Magnussen "the missile" just about having a mental breakdown over it? I wonder if he was hearing the Aussies cheering in the stands when he lost? This is just the tip of the iceberg though. 

There are also persistent "rumours" of an initiation ritual involving Stilnox, which was banned by Australia after reports of previous swimmers from past years had found themselves dependent on it after their swimming career was over. Nobody's talking, but as soon as someone doesn't confirm or deny something, IMO they've got something to hide.

Admitting that he had ''misbehaved'' during the Olympics, 21-year-old D'Orsogna told Channel Ten that he believed some people had forgotten that they were at the Olympics to win medals for Australia and not for personal glory. 

He also hinted that some swimmers had taken the controversial sleeping tablet Stilnox, which was banned from the Australian Olympic team. 

''I'm not going to be the guy that lies on media. I'm not going to be the guy that stands up here and lies to Australia. But, at the same time, I'm just not going to comment. I'll leave it at that,'' he told Channel Ten when questioned about Stilnox. 

His comments came as Swimming Australia prepared to launch an investigation into the culture of the national team after worrying reports emerged about pranks at the pre-Olympic camp in Manchester. 

Team insiders alleged that senior members of the men's 4x100m freestyle relay team, favoured to win gold in London but which emerged without a medal, devised an ''initiation ritual'' that involved taking Stilnox on a bonding night. They also reportedly upset their teammates and coaches at the camp on July 20 by knocking on their doors and making prank calls late at night. 

Some members of the six-man relay team - which comprised D'Orsogna, Eamon Sullivan, Matt Targett, James Magnussen, James Roberts and Cameron McEvoy - were said to act like celebrities rather than leaders, and as a consequence their teammates were pleased when they didn't win gold. more

Like I said, a bunch of kids. BTW no action was taken against the swimmers for doing that late night calling and waking up people. They were the world champs I suppose, untouchable.

*sigh*

I keep wondering why I'm feeling so down. At times I think I should just accept it and ride it out, and other times I want to know WTF is going on with me. Have been feeling like this for about a month now, and it's not getting any better. 

Simon's opinion is that I should get away from here (to visit  him of course) but I'm not very amenable to that assertion. There hasn't been anything happen here recently that would be considered bad. In fact the last few months have been pretty good. The money situation, as disastrous as it was, suddenly got all sorted out in a great flurry. My body is less painful now after finishing work 4 months ago, and is improving slowly still. Am able to relax without any pressure from work, which must surely be a help for my mental state.

Yet I find I'm not wanting to go anywhere much or do anything much at all. Life at the moment involves a trip to the shops for food and probably a beer or 3 at a pub nearby, and then back home. Haven't even been wanting to venture up to Oxford St and the pubs there. There's this constant heaviness that's just bloody stuck there.

Going to see the psychologist in a week or so. Maybe two months in between is a bit long of a gap. It was just that last time I went to see him I felt depressed about going to see him. Fuck! Just can't win.

One thing that does occur to me is that Christmas isn't that far off. Never though about that until last night. Seems pretty early though for the Christmas freak out. Perhaps something is happening subconsciously.

Well, will just have to plod on. So I'm not over the moon right now, these things happen. At least I'm not partying and blowing all my money, blasting ice and whatever else. I've been through worse, will survive. Meantime I have a safe and stable home environment, with the time and space to explore where I'm going in it.

Another death by police 16 months ago

The SMH tells of a story 16 months ago. A family member of a Mr Bosevski was in the room watching the inquest into Mr Curti's death. Mr Bosevski was also killed at the hands of the NSW police:

At the back of the room, another family has quietly watched on. Kate Bosevski lost her brother, Steven, in eerily similar circumstances. 

The rugby league fan was violently restrained and handcuffed after attacking police during a brawl at St George Leagues Club following their grand final win in 2010. Police struck him five times with a baton, including once when he was motionless on the ground. 

Both Mr Bosevski and Mr Curti had taken drugs the nights they died. Both struggled with the police. Both were left face down in handcuffs on the ground. And both stopped breathing minutes later. 

Yet, after two years and two inquests, the Bosevski family is still waiting for answers. A coroner is yet to make any recommendations and The Sun-Herald understands no date has been fixed for the findings to be handed down. 

Police officers involved told the 2011 inquest they had used capsicum spray and Tasers on Mr Bosevski's two brothers, who had been extremely aggressive. One officer said he didn't put Mr Bosevski into the recovery position because he feared he would assault them. 

Desperate for more information, Ms Bosevski took time off work last week and quietly sat in Glebe Coroner's Court, often with tears in her eyes. 

"It's so distressing seeing another family go through this again," she said. "What if 16 months ago something had been enforced or recommended? Roberto might still be here." ...................................... 
"We didn't spend my parents' retirement money to go to court for some recommendations, we want justice," Ms Bosevski said. "What affects my mother the most is that her son is six feet under while these people are still walking around looking at the sun. Whether they wear a badge or not, they took this person's life." Read more 

This is really fucked up. Why hasn't anything been done about his death after all this time? How long will our police be thugs instead of protectors? How long will they be able to keep getting away with this?

Less back pain

Has been about 4 months since I stopped work. Have just started noticing about a week ago that I'm going through entire days without taking any painkillers. My back used to hurt a lot, sometimes it was debilitating. My whole upper back at times would be almost in muscle spasms. Pain would go up the side of my neck and make my head hurt. Sometimes I'd get woken up at night from it hurting. Think it was one of those things that slowly got worse and worse over time so it was hard to notice it getting worse. At work I would regularly take painkillers to get through the day.

So to finally not be having to take them is a big deal for me. I guess it must be some sort of indication at how bad it was, by the fact that it's taken 4 months of not working to get to this point. It was taking so long to show any improvement that I was starting to be concerned that it might be more than simply muscular. Looks like though that the muscles were so tight after years of lifting that the tightness was causing the pain. It still hurts, but I'm just using a bit of cream in a tube that helps.

Never used to do anything that, but it actually works OK now that it's not hurting so much anyway. Aren't jumping for joy like the little man on the tube though. 

Gay doesn't equal pedophile

It's strange to me that people can think this. A while back during an online forum debate someone out and out accused me of being on, because I was gay. I thought that sort of bigotry was long gone, but maybe not so. Needless to say that me as a parent, it's an incredibly offensive accusation. But anyway, this little video is very informative:

Tasers in the firing line

The use of Tasers has been drawn to attention in the summing up of the inquest into Curti's death at the hands of the police. I agree with the questioning about tasers and the training involved with them. But to me it's as much about the attitude of the police as well, who apparently feel they can do no wrong. 

The use of the Capsicum spray is a huge issue as well. Nobody can even say that police training was followed in this. It's supposed to be sprayed much further away that a mere 10 cm, and they used nearly 3 bloody cans of it on him that close. 

The coroner is handing down her findings on Nov 14th. I have that date marked on the calendar, so interested I am in this case. I trust that she will address all the issues involved in this case, particularly the actions and attitudes of the police involved. It's beyond all logic and belief to even suggest that what they did to Curti was without fault, as the police have done throughout this inquest. 

Here's some of the summing up, I'm not putting anything here from those representing the cops as I feel physically sick reading it. You can follow the links if you want to do so. One from the Nine site and the other the SMH.

Council assisting the coroner, Jeremy Gormly, SC, told the inquest the 21-year-old foreign student had suffered significantly in the last moments of his life and police had acted in a "thuggish" manner.

He said the Taser use was unnecessary and unjustified once Mr Curti was in handcuffs.

"To what extent should police be allowed to use a painful item to achieve compliance rather than to protect from danger to life and limb?" he asked the court.

"To taser somebody who is on the ground, who was surrounded by other officers, who was on the ground, was a thuggish act." more
______________________________________________
Each said they believed their actions were justified because the circumstances were so violent and extreme.

Yesterday, however, in a powerful closing submission, the counsel assisting the coroner, Jeremy Gormly, SC, said most of the Taser uses were unnecessary, unjustified and against the police force's standard operating procedures.

One had committed a ''thuggish act'', Mr Gormly said. The family's representative, Peter Hamill, SC, submitted that others had engaged in sheer, unlawful brutality, given untruthful evidence, ''conveniently'' forgotten things and shown no remorse in court. Just two, Constable Daniel Barling and Acting Sergeant Craig Partridge, had offered condolences to Mr Curti's family.

The confusing, contradictory presentation of events has posed important questions about Taser use. Is the multiple and simultaneous use of Tasers justified? Is the training given to officers sufficient? Can the powerful device be misused too easily, leading to death?

Since 2008, any frontline officer who completes yearly training can carry a Taser and administer its 1200 volt electric shock.

Three officers gave vastly different understandings of the standard operating procedures, which only say that multiple uses should be reserved for ''exigent circumstances''.

In one piece of evidence Inspector Greg Cooper said he had never even heard of the operating procedure that said multiple use might lead to death. Read more

 

Daughter sent some funnies

Save Qantas

The Transport Workers Union has released this video in relation to Qantas:


 
You can send a message of your own to the Qantas board in time for their AGM Nov 2nd here.

Do we want a strong national airline? Or one at the hands of modern Capitalist doctrines?

Only 2 cops offered condolences

It was the final insult from the police.

After all that evidence against them, not fuckin one of them admitted any responsibility for Curti's death. They backed each other up, all using very similar language, describing Curti as "scary", "violent", "superhuman strength". 

This today in the news;

On the final day of a public inquiry into the death of Roberto Laudisio Curti, a coroner was told that only one of the 13 officers interviewed during the two-week inquest had offered their condolences to the Laudisio family.

The family said they had also received condolences from another officer, Craig Partridge. ...........................

The evidence given by the most senior officer present, Inspector Greg Cooper, who said he commanded other officers to stop Tasering and using OC spray, was "unreliable and untruthful", Mr Gormly said.

Peter Hamill, SC, representing Mr Curti's family, said some officers were to be commended for giving frank evidence and showing some concern for Mr Curti's well-being on March 18 but others had committed unlawful acts and sheer brutality while showing no remorse in court and "conveniently" forgetting things.

"What we saw was a dishonest attempt to justify conduct by officers and a convenient failure of recollection," Mr Hamill said. "This is a collective memory lapse of massive proportions."

Despite his actions, Constable Barling was the only officer who approached Mr Hamill after he had given evidence and asked to pass on some "kind words" to the family.

The powerful submissions from Mr Hamill and Mr Gormly bring to an end a two-week inquest that has seen dramatic evidence and discrepancies emerge in the actions and recollections of police officers. Read more

He was young and fit, playing in the Balmain soccer team. He was assaulted and killed by the NSW police for nothing more than stealing 2 packets of biscuits. He was a nice guy, loved by everyone he knew. Yet the police killed him, and have shown no fuckin remorse.

IMO they should all be thrown out of the polce force on their fuckin ass. And the police training that's turning out murderous legal thugs.

christians at it again

Hi all. I'm pretty off my face at the moment. Um. So when you take in this post can you all please remember that I'm really off my face. OK?

Well, I hope by now I've made the far right wing maniacs flee in a fit of despair; despair at any such thing even be read by them, and thereby have some suggestion to a different view than theirs of the world. They turn away in revulsion, at the mere subconcious thought of what they've just read is offensive to their entire moral fibre,

However.......

There's the other 99%.

Who see a smoke and a beer is no bloody worries.

But then we have that pesky 1% (or in Australia I think about 10% and not far behind); They seem to be of the opinion that all our whole lives are to simply be a part in their whole system and the way they play with civilisation now. We're the fuckin pawns. Just give us all our entertainment, our drugs, our beer, bright lights, a war, a win...... They're all fucking with with us. 

They got their power. They got their disciples. They got us by the fuckin balls man....

So this came in the letterbox this afternoon. A weird flyer.

So I'm wondering who this is from. 

Well after a short bit of consideration I decided that it was from a weirded out christian cult. Only because I myself have been in one for a bit when I was young and really stupid. So I recognise the shit, and the sly evangelism.

I know Matt means well, I will trust them so far as to observe the sincerity in the above. Whatever they're doing has changed their lives, and I'd commend this guy for having the guts to find something that would help him in this way. I admire him for that; the honesty, openness, forthrightness. Obviously he believes strongly in the way he's recovered from being suicidal. 

As I believe strongly in my own way.

And this goes for any illness, not just HIV. It's the same principle through all. This isn't about anything but sexuality and love. I know from my own experiences with my late wife, love knows no gender...... When that world of love collapsed and I had to say goodbye to her as she died, I realised that truly living was including the freedom to explore your sexuality and whatever way you find love with people. I'm so fuckin glad I live in eastern Sydney and I get the freedom to do that.

People. No gender. 

So I wander around in my head like the above, and then as now, suddenly realise what I was trying to do in the first place. Being the above flyers. I decided to ring the number at the bottom of the flyer and ask this bloke Josh (a mobile number, no landline) who the fuck he was.     ........."Hi Josh, how are you?"    he he....

Long story short I majorly spat the dummy at him. Said that there was nothing on this thing to say what religion you were, and you use someone like this to make a flyer about him, and not you. Except for a mobile number of yours. You guys could be anybody. He craps on....

We both sort of run out of steam at the same time in this argument. We both realise we will never convert each other, and both sort throw our mental hands in the air in resignation. He did however say he'd look into it and that... not holding my breath on that one. 

I said I'd ring the gov and see if this shit contravenes any laws for false advertising? IMO it's a blatant smack in the face of those laws, a mock of them. He avoided the topic and did the usual church bla about this and that, you know sort of like what the politicians do on the telly, crap on and expect us to believe their crap. I didn't.

Perhaps now as I have a lot of time, I should take up this little cause? Just a little thing like a religion masquerading as a self help program, the churchies pew sitting waiting for the victims to arrive! Somebody they can friend and brainwash... fuck...  

I may look tomorrow on the net about this, dunno. It would of course require me to remember wtf I did last night in some sort of detail, and at the moment that's not actually looking like much of a possibility. 

OK..... I was angry...... oh yeah! ....... it was those bloody christians again! bla...... fuck, it's not even 5 o'fuckin'clock yet?