The good & the beautiful*

Mmmm.

Marat Safin is playing Federer tonight.

Although I'm usually hoping the matches are over quickly so I don't have to get to bed so darn late, I'm now hoping that this one lasts a lo-o-ong time (and, um, maybe that Safin gets sweaty and has to change his shirt...

frequently).

Sport. Is just so good for you.





* Just had to after the next-to-last post. Too easy.

Barnaby: Mum, Dad, please stop helping!

Poor old Barnaby Joyce. Some journo has had a wee casual chat with his parents who obviously were feeling quite relaxed...

BEFORE Barnaby Joyce makes a final decision on whether he should challenge popular federal independent Tony Windsor for the seat of New England, he might want to give his parents a quick call.

"I think he would be ill-advised to run against Tony Windsor," Senator Joyce's mother, Marie, told The Weekend Australian yesterday.

His father agrees, dismissing his son's claim that he could win New England at the next federal election as "bluff".

Hmm. Well. There goes that plan.


But don't fret Barney (as they call him), there's still some real positive imagery that will assist your rise to leader.

While not supporting their son for a run in New England, the Joyces believe he would make a good Nationals leader, and they would welcome him moving from the Senate to the House of Representatives.

"Being somebody's father -- you know, you've seen them in nappies," Mr Joyce said.
"You find it hard to imagine them achieving something like that. But the more I hear him speak, the more I can tell he's been learning about politics -- its nuances and pressure points. He's smart to have worked all that out.

And look! Dad's even said you're 'smart'! And you'se bin 'learnin'! Who's a clever boy den, eh!

Mrs Joyce ...said she would be happy for him to become Nationals leader "as long as he didn't take it too seriously".

Uh. No chance of that being encouraged.



Mrs Joyce also 'described her fourth son as "a man for others"' ...perhaps adding sotto voce, 'and not so much a man for us. *ahem* ...Would you like another cup of tea dear?'

The good and the ugly.

Good

The editor of The West Australian "newspaper" has resigned. Hurrah. Mayhap WA will have an actual newspaper again one day. I've heard that when he started he instructed staff to only write articles that were controversial and anything that wasn't defined at controversial was to be made controversial, and all else (ie. 'news') excluded.


Bizarre

a) Medals of Freedom given to the guys who helped Bush start a war. Freedom... War... Ah! What's the diff!

b) Little Johnny Howard being called 'the man of steel'.










Ah! What's the diff!


Great

My holiday! Didn't get to do as much as I'd planned sightseeing-wise (hey, there's always next time!) but had lots of fun and it all went too quickly. Am looking forward to my next holiday now. More! More! More! I was totally spoiled and loved it. Went to some great shindigs, got some lovely Chrissy prezzies and had all sorts of bizarre and unique offers New Year's Eve (some of which could have lead to my arrest had I agreed). So, much fun was had (and additionally contemplated) all round. Lucky, lucky me.


Hope you all are having a lovely start to the new year.