Rag-Doll

Aust and the ANZACs were part players in the campaign. Even the Aust and New Zealand Army Corps was only a passing thing and suffers in comparison to what happened later in the war. Galipolli wasn't an Aussie show or even an ANZAC show but somehow it has become OUR story and the other players have faded into the background. Even the ANZAC concept I reckon is seen from an Australian point of view as being largely an Australian indentity rather than one we share with the Kiwis. I understand it was a big deal for the Turks then and still is. Ataturk played an important role during the camp

Originally Posted By: SJForums There's always this one The Gimp http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/267101/Just_a_useless_post_to_get_my_.html Thanks SJ but as an Australian I couldn't possibly go with the crowd and use that thread, it wouldn't be in keeping with the ruggedly independent ANZAC spirit! Phew! Only one more to go.

I haven't read the Tobrouk book so wasn't really making any specific point about that, just the mythology of the much overused "ANZAC" term. I like military history generally though - Anthony Beavor (Stalingrad, Fall of Berlin) is a bit of a fav. Fair point on the gas chambers, though one would hope if things get to that stage one is already long gone. Here is a strange thing - objecting to small but regular numbers of culturally and racially different immigrants is racist but objecting to 10 years' worth arriving in uniform over the space of 2 weeks isn't. Go figure. I'm j

A perfectly reasonable view Mamabear but what are you defending? The lives of your loved ones - much better for all concerned to do a runner. Your way of life - life and the way it is lived actually isn't that different in many other places and immigration and general cultural hegemony will mean that the society and culture of your upbringing will be very different to what your kids are experiencing and their kids in turn will experience something different again. Non-liquid personal wealth and assets (home and stuff) - ok, maybe. The notion of country and identity and

JA - a bit slow, but thanks for correcting my reference to the Pogues. All this discussion about nationalism and even JA's comment about fighting for his country (maybe some others made the same comment too) intrigued me. I wonder whether I would now fight for "my country' or whether I would simply pack up my family and go somewhere else. When it comes down to it, what is a country? I've lived overseas for 10 yrs now, as much as I enjoy returning to Aust, if I never did so again I doubt it would bother me. Maybe one day it might, but I don't feel that it would now. Is Australian society o

This is from today's Aussie. It gives some internesting insight into the hackneyed ANZAC myth. JEFFREY Grey worries about the way we commemorated the Anzac spirit early this morning. It's not because the history professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy does not think the nation's war record is worth remembering. It's just the way we do it. "Too many dawn services have a carnival side now: mobile phones ring, people talk during the period of silence," he says. And he is distressed by attempts to emulate the annual Anzac Day party at Gallipoli at the northern French village of

Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps The complexity of the issue does not stop there. Although the virus is likely to lose potency as it spreads, it will reach more people, so the odds of further fatalities could still rise. On the BBC radio this morning someone was saying that the 1918 spanish flu, which killed 10s of millions initially appeared in low potency form but then came back the following winter in a monster form and killed more people than died in WW1. The point being that some reckon there is still scope for this to go nuclear even if it settles down this time round.

I'm glad to hear that Mamabear. BTW - 10th LH have a good pedigree. Papa would know for sure but I'm pretty certain not only were they at Gallipoli (fought at the Nek, no less) but they were featured also in Peter Weir's movie of the same name - back before Mel Gibson's Mad Max days. Of course, like most regional units they became a reserve unit nothing to be sneezed that though.

Originally Posted By: Mamabear It is the day of rememberence for all Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women, the sacrifices they have made, and the work they have done on our behalf. Serious stuff. Papa is an ex-10th lighthorse man, so he rarely misses a dawn service. Everything shut here in Perth (as should be) and we will be baking ANZAC biscuits with the kids and talking about why/who/our family connections etc. It is a good thing. In WA we have a public holiday on Monday - I dont think that is necessary - things shut on Saturday, by making Monday a public holiday it jus

I spent 6 and bit years in the Army. ANZAC Day always meant standing around in the cold and dark and a cenotaph some where followed by a parade somewhere. It is a big deal and getting bigger. But for all that it is a very worthy thing there is a clear manufactured aspect to it which is a bit much IMHO. I love this song by the Pogues. Kind of sums up the stupidity of the whole King and Country ideals of the time. Now when I was a young man I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover. From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback, Well, I waltzed my Matilda all

Singaporean men generally have to do national service for a couple of years before going to Uni and then do regular stints of a couple of weeks each year for a fair while afterwards. You would think this would toughen them up but I've never met a bigger bunch of wimps. Momma's boys, the lot of them.

Most expats probably do live in condos and there are all sorts with a whole range of prices and quality and sizes. You're sure to find something. I hear prices are coming down a bit these days too. Costs will vary obviously depending on size and location and number of rooms etc. I don't know how any westerners live in HDB's, though I get the impression that westerners are something of a rarity in the local shops, so probably rare in the HDBs as well.

Don't know the percentages but there are a lot of long term westerners here so likely they're on local packages. The club scene here isn't as big as it is in HK and there isn't the gaijin enclaves (a la the TAC) in TY. Most people I knew in HK were members of a club of some sort, but I don't know anyone here who is. Also, I don't think this is seen as being a hardship posting like TY sometimes is so there are a lot of people here who are just your average punter taking advantage of the low tax rate and tropical life style as opposed to some sort of pims-on-the-verandah expat sent to the

Bobby pay no attention to Thursday, the HK pollution has messed up his brain....and his lungs, and his skin, and his eyes and...well you get the picture. Singapore, like any other place, has its good points and bad points. (1) Yes it is hot all the bloody time and probably uncomfortably hot during mid-day but, after all, it is only about 80miles from the Equator. But the mornings are pleasant and the evenings are really nice with lots of outdoor restaurants in which to enjoy balmy tropical evenings. (2)It is neat, clean and everything pretty well works like it should. (3) Its ve

The threat of the thing landing on a populated area because it is a bit of dodgy commie junk built by half staved nutters probably far out weighs the strategic threat of NK having a rocket that takes 3-4 weeks to get ready.

Great photos J-man. It looked like fun!

Originally Posted By: Mantas I agree with much of what you say Gimp. Ecxept for the rant about Climate change. The results of climate change are anti business, anti social, anti freedom and all of the things you mentioned. We can still have a carbon nuetral free trade economy. It's just a different system. There other ways to create industry besides digging shit out of the groud and burning it. Fair enough Mantas and the CC point was a bit tounge in cheek but there is a distinct anti-business greeny theme to the CC issue. This is despite the fact that people dig up shit and burn it

That's what I like about you Thursday, you're always willing to do your bit to keep the economy going and support businesses and the people that they employ - you do more for the well being of others than 100 angry protestors throwing rocks at bankers waving 10 pound notes.

Depends on what sort of change the people want - demands for recognition of basic human rights and equality is vastly different from wanting to over turn the way our economies function. For many, the former has largely been achieved, the latter is simple insanity. Trade, free trade, does far more to improve people's lives than anything else. The ability to work and accumulate wealth and the freedom to decide how one does this (within reason) constitutes a cornerstone of our society - take that way, take away the incentive to come up with a new idea or to add value or to improve upon the stat

Those damn CC commies they get their noses in everywhere!

From today's Aussie.... the absence of any mention of the dreaded human induced Climate Change is quite curious. It is conspicous by its absence I think. Life was so much easier when all strange weather could be blamed on GW or CC - a bit like Inteliigent Design really - fill in the gaps of your understanding with a faith based belief system until science comes along and provides a real answer. CSIRO climate scientists have confirmed that an obscure weather event in the Indian Ocean is the key cause of major droughts and bushfires in southeast Australia. Worse, Melbourne-based Wenju

Well said GN. Though in (at least) partial defense of the resorts many are stuck in a double bind. Even when they recognize that innovation is required they suffer from a lack of funds to make the changes or can ill afford to risk spending money on speculative initiatives. It is also important not to under estimate the impact the end of the economic bubble at the end of the 1980's had on the Japanese business community's mindset. I think it has deeply scared a generation of Japanese people. The Niseko boom and (maybe) bust taking place now will help to validate the concerns about spendin

everyone knows that the guy who dies with the most toys wins.

sorry, yes of course if you're in town for a week it would be handy not to have to bother getting a new ticket each day. Not sure about the intra-day shuttle though seems like a good way to blow quite a bit of time, go all the way down the hill, maybe wait for the shuttle, load your gear, wait for others to load theirs and wait for the departure time, travel to the next resort and then unload your gear and then a bit of faffing while you wait to get on the gondola to head back up. Hardly a big issue but you can see how people might think that it is all too much trouble particularly as the skii