cottonward

Paul McGeough on Afghanistan

Watched Dateline and read McG’s articles in SMH on Sat and today.

I find it so incredible how the Afghans enjoy playing us for fools, trying to con us out of foreign aid money but then dealing with the Taliban too.

Do Afghans ever see these types of reports or read about them?

Do they realise how they appear?

Do they have laptops and wireless internet access?

Can they translate the material?

They all look so young and insouciant and insolent, toying with the US officers.

Meanwhile, we’re paying for a $US100 million highway “being built by the international security forces”.

One of the US officers joined the army to “destroy the enemy” so he seems frustrated by having to pussyfoot around being diplomatic.

Adventure Island closing song lyrics

I transcribed the lyrics as I couldn’t find them anywhere else:

It’s time to say “Goodbye Goodbye”, it’s sad but time’s the reason why … we must bid farewell for a day or two.

So til you come back again, think of us now and then, think of us a little bit cause we’ll be thinking of you.

The week has gone so very fast, but as they say, what’s past is past …

And we are looking forward to next week anew.

Though you are out of sight, we’ll find, you are not out of mind …

Think of us a little bit cause we’ll be thinking of you.

We hate saying goodbye, hardly an eye is dry…

We’d like to put it off til tomorrow, then we’d only say — the goodbyes we should be saying today; time is something we cannot borrow…

We’ll count the hours til Monday’s show – and there’s one thing you must know, believe every word we say is true, so true …

For no one else can take your places, we’ll remember all your faces, think of us a little bit cause we’ll be thinking of you.

So til we meet again, Be good, Do all you can that’s right and we’ll be back to see you same time on Monday night. Goodnight.

We’ll be thinking of you, dear children … just you.

=======================

My favourite characters were Fester Fumble, Miser Meanie and Squire Squeezem. It ran on the ABC form 1967 (and with repeats) until 1976. Was set in Diddley-Dum-Diddley.

From Wiki: “Samson (the pussycat) was actually a magic cat who would be invisible until Monday afternoon’s episode. To make him appear, the hostess would need to answer a question he would ask from “beyond”. He would disappear again on Friday afternoons by sneezing.”

The “Sue” in the Adventure Island clip is Sue Donovan, Jason Donovan’s mum. She was an ABC newsreader.

Artist Christopher Dean did a series of artworks based on the show. He says: “Although this program was in black and white it created the genre of a psychedelic pantomime and introduced young children to issues such as nuclear disarmament, non-traditional gender stereotypes such as drag and left wing politics that emphasised that the baddies were always in charge.” His paintings here.

Skippy the bush kangaroo

Just got round to watching a doco on Skippy I’d taped on my VCR last week. Love the theme music but it’s such an earworm! There were 91 episodes made from 1966-8. It was filmed by English blokes who appreciated the Aussie light and bush, so they did lots of wide vista shots. Sweden wouldn’t show it cause it would make their kids think animals could save the world!

Skippy was shot in Ku-ring-gai, which is now being redeveloped with high-density housing. I’ve visited Waratah National Park – it was set on 13 hectares with the Ranger’s office intact. You can’t go and visit it now cause it has closed down and the 140 kangaroos have been re-homed. The office might re-open someday.

waratah3 — At Ranger Headquarters, Waratah Park. I'm third from the left.

SK35

Pics from the series from Don Storey’s excellent Skippy site.

Red dust over Sydney

I was sitting reading shorthand at 6.40am (had insomnia) and could see a bright red light coming under the living room curtains. I felt a bit panicky, thinking it was a major bushfire outside the living room but it was thick red dust! My camera colours are crap – the sky was much redder. There’s a thick layer of dust over everything.

Turned on the telly to check what was happening and there it was – no one can see the Harbour Bridge! The Channel 9 helicopter can’t get off the ground to take footage!

Red dust from inland. First time ever.

And there’s a big earthquake in Melbourne. Are they connected? Are these the Final Days?

Bondi Beach photos at night

I went to Bondi Beach late after a work shift a couple of nights ago. I used to live there years ago, in Jacques Ave, where the Post Office is. The Hotel Bondi has smartened up.

The ocean was very noisy, though the waves were small – it roars. I loved the bracing, salty air – like inhaling a strong packet of Pringles Salt & Vinegar into my lungs. Refreshing. It’s all a bit blurry – I just got bifocals. The joys of ageing!