Taonga

Three years after his death the family of Wang Diange have received $21 500 in compensation from the Chinese government. Wang’s mangled body was found in the ruins of his house in Outer Mongolia. It was believed he was a victim of lighning strike. This assumption was proved incorrect when his body... Sign in to see full entry.

Chen Shui Bian, former President of Taiwan, has been having a bad time. While going to court as a defendant in a case brought by three admirals he accused of taking kickbacks he got a boot up the backside from a pro-China demonstrator. The previous day a Chen supporter pullked the wig of MP Chiu Yi.... Sign in to see full entry.

An Australian couple in Canberra are redfaced after being served court documents for defaulting on a loan via their Facebook account. This is believed to be the first time facebook has been used by the courts. Australian courts o have a reputation for being media savy. Earlier this year League... Sign in to see full entry.

In Greece the rioting continues - in paert fueled by a police charge on a peaceful candlelight vigil in Athens. In the media there are obviously translation problems:- Paris Kyriakides is quoted as saying, “Speaking as an anarchist we want… to generate more uprisings. In the end the violence we use... Sign in to see full entry.

While US car manufacturers attempt to secure taxpayer funding for their ineptly and inefficiently managed products Italian taxpayers are funding the most shoplifted item in the country - parmesan cheese. Rising production costs across the whole spectrum of its manufacture has led to lower demand... Sign in to see full entry.

New York finance broker, 70 year old Bernard Madoff, has been arrested for a US $50 billion dollar pyramid scheme fraud. This scheme had tentacles worldwide. Spanish investors stand to loose $3 billion, the Swiss $1 billion. Not only private investors but charitable Trusts have been swept up in the... Sign in to see full entry.

Peter Ellis is once again in the news. He is seeking a full pardon on the 16 counts of child sex abuse for which he was convicted in 1993. I do not know if Ellis is guilty or not. I do know the evidence against him was only the testimony of pre-school children whose tale was so contaminated by the... Sign in to see full entry.

December, 1915 22 Tuesday: The General Staff of the War Office back Monro. Monro is ordered to France and Sir Archibald Murray replaces him. 24 Thursday: Monro is ordered to stay at Imbros until Murray arrives. 26 Saturday: "The rifle and machine-gun fire from the Turkish positions appeared to... Sign in to see full entry.

December, 1915 mid-December The French begin their evacuation. This is completed by December 25. 17 Thursday: A cricket match is held on Shell Green (and so the one day match is created). The evacuating troops are guided by candles "under a tin, in which small holes are punched, arrow shaped,... Sign in to see full entry.

Pacific Fair is a large shopping Mall about halfway between Coolangatta and Surfer's Paradise. Here's some photos I took. It's very large, easy to get lost, and even easier to become distracted.... Sign in to see full entry.