cdbragg

Music has  come to mean too much too me. I have become obsessed with 'my' bands. The books I  read are dedicated to the production of classic albums, biographies of musos and writers that make grandiose claims about how music changed the world. It is, alas, a particularly prevalent condition in men my age.  Nowadays,  I am loathe to make wide open statements about the difference between the sexes. As a younger man I freely did, thankfully, I was rightly put in my place.  I once opined that men are much more likely to be involved in collecting to the extent of obsession. My line of thought took in the idea of record fairs,computer swap meets and comic conventions. I was also speaking form personal experience of course.  My name is Tommy and I have an obsessive collecting addiction. Anyhow, I ventured this statement of intent thinking nothing of it. In fact, I thought by stating that collecting is a male disease, I was actually being complimentary of women's ability to not become so obsessed with the minutiae of, say- "The new, limited edition range of Star Wars action figures. Featuring never before noticed, you can see this alien for two seconds...

I have a love affair with the underdog. I can't explain it rationally but then who can explain your allegiance to a professional sporting organisation?  The whole concept of being a fan is such a full blown, contradictory, hypocritical mess of non-logic to begin with. Gone is the age of supporting your local team. Alas, belonging to you local community is much more abstract because of it.  Sure, you can still see the local team  supported in  regional cities. A part of my suburban-bred heart is envious of that; but even here the local team plays a different role then simply being your only team. Everyone follows a 'big' team as well.  By big of course, we mean professional. And by professional, we really mean- I support a jumper. Everything else in this professional age is up for grabs. Players get drafted and traded. Coaches get hired and fired. Administrators run a rule over the books and make the ends meet without concerns that selling 'home' games to Darwin might make it harder for fans to go to the 'home' match.  It is simply following the trend. While we long for the golden age of Saturday afternoons, 2pm, the truth...

  I'm a middle-aged man. I know this to be true because I woke up with a seriously sore back the other day and moaned and groaned like an elderly gent all day long. I could only get to sleep that night by applying Deep Heat, thus making my bedroom smell like a football change room.  The pain has passed thankfully, but the stiffness remains and I still find myself making involuntary groans and grunts when I bend down. It is a very unsatisfying feeling to realise you are old, hence the fact that I have learnt, at last, what middle age is.  Middle age is a way of describing yourself, that, while not being young, at least creates the impression that you are not decrepit. For men this is very important. Inside each and every one of us is a 12 year old boy, dying to get out...not very deep inside either! Men, for example, like flatulence. It is satisfyingly purile and entertaining all at once. To be fair, all bodily eruptations are funny but farts are king. That position obviously hasn't shifted since primary school. This twelve year old inner child, is still certain that we can run so...

  A work colleague of my wife became alarmed to learn that I selected the new bedding and towels for our  apartment. His instant reaction being -'Apart from the sex, obviously, are you sure he's not gay?' Strangely, it is not the first time that 'doubt' has crept into people's vision of me. I have, on more than one occasion been looked at sideways because of my less-than-manly traits. Some judge me metrosexual but frankly that feels soooooooo last decade.   One of my closest friends in the world went through a rather baffling phase where he lamented  not being gay because, and you can't make this up, they get all the good bread! Now, you might not have met my mate; but seeming as this is posted on his website, I will labor under the assumption that you have met Cameron D. Bragg. That assumption means that you will be aware that he is known for his broad and seemingly random statements. It is only after some thought on your behalf, that you make some sense of it.  Is it a metaphor? Maybe, if you want it to be. Is it just literal? Well it became a staple of his conversations...

Why is everyone so much more important nowadays? If you you don't own a blog do you exist at all? I blog, therefore I am: Its a new world order. Frankly I do concede it to be incredibly post-modern (well actually whatever contemporary culture deems is the post, post- modern) to raise this debate in a blog. But, here I go I guess. Look at that last sentence for a minute will you? See how I started it with 'but?' What a revolutionary concept...no really. My wonderful English teacher Mrs.Robinson (yes that was her name and yes my mate Morry  and I sat in the back row and hummed dudt-ta, dudt, ta-dudt, dud dud, dud dud do,  all day long) would always stress the rules of grammar were quite specific about not beginning sentences with 'but' or 'and.' Quite right for mine too. It always sounds like you are picking up the story midstream. 'Now...where was I? That's right- But....' Much later I enrolled in a creative writing course and had another brilliant teacher by the name of Ray Mooney, who's bugbear (and trust me all writers and most readers have lots of them) was...well using the word was. He taught...

This is almost off topic for the "Song of the Day" category, but it is overall something pretty cool.  A bloke by the name of Vermin Supreme is a serial US Presidential candidate.

This song by The Gregory Brothers takes some statements of his from a real candidate's forum and turns it into song.  It's probably not one of their best ever songs - but the fact that this guy is for real makes it pretty good.

He has a wide variety of policies, relating to things such as dental needs, ponies, zombies... and magic powder to turn you gay!  Hope you enjoy.

image from www.verminsupreme.com

This is our new friend Buzzie.  S/he lives in our garden.  This is not the actual "Buzzie" - I got this photo from the internet - forgot to make note of the website. But we have bees like this living in our garden.  We're pretty sure they are the Teddy Bear Bee - a native Australian solitary bee.  S/he has made their nest at our front door, burrowing little holes in the garden next to the front step. S/he is awfully cute! ...

Some years ago, I worked in a job that involved me having dealings with calligrapher, Janine Mitchell.  She was pretty good - and every time she sent me an invoice, she would make these elaborately addressed envelopes.  I left that job, but for some reason kept all the envelopes.  As part of a clean up, I thought it was time to throw some things out... but such treasures?  So here they are - no need to keep the paper copies when I can "cloudify" them! They probably don't look very good in thumbnail version on your browser (all blacked out)?  It's something to do with transparency that I haven't spent much time worrying about.  If you click the images they will open properly and look as they should. Janine Mitchell was based in Mont Albert when I dealt with her.  Unsure if she is still is, but this link appears to be her: www.alphabetique.net

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So here is my response from Luke Hartsuyker relating to a proposed National Container Deposit System.  I received this back in September - sorry it took so long to update here. Dear Cameron Thanks for your email about container deposits. Although I can see the attraction of a national deposit scheme, this is a clear State responsibility. I believe the idea has merit and seems to work well in South Australia. You may want to raise the issue with your local State Member Andrew Fraser who can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Kind regards Luke Hartsuyker As an aside, the NSW Local Government & Shires Association has thrown it's weight behind a National Container Deposit System.  You can read their statement on their website here: http://www.lgsa.org.au/www/html/4098-9th-december-2011-its-time-for-container-deposit-schemes-councils-say.asp?intSiteID=1 The general gist being that the beverage industry should be responsible for their own waste, not local councils (in terms of bins in public places). In other news, the NT deposit scheme commenced on 1 January.  Well done! image source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-16/20110916greens-on-container-deposits/2902210...

On Tuesday 10 January, 2012, we said our final farewell to our gentle old greyhound, Maggie.  She brought much happiness to our life over the six years she was with us and we will miss her dearly. Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.  There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.  There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.  The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the...

Following my last post about a Container Deposit System, I decided to also write to my local Federal MP about the issue.  You'll remember my last correspondence with him from this post. Here's what I wrote in support of a Container Deposit System: Hi Luke, Thanks for your reply to my last email regarding your position on the issue of marriage equality. I appreciate you taking the time to give your thought to the issue. Today, I'm emailing you to ask you to advocate for and support the introduction of a National Container Deposit System. This would be a national version of the system currently in place in South Australia and due to be introduced in the Northern Territory from January, where each container sold (eg can, bottle, etc) can be redeemed for 10c. This is only a token amount but has been enough to keep the streets, parklands and waterways of South Australia virtually free of this kind of rubbish. I participated in Clean Up Australia Day earlier this year, working in Coffs Creek with some friends on our kayaks (see attached photo) and the majority of what we were finding was drink bottles and cans. A deposit system like...

I was listening to Background Briefing on Radio National this morning.  They had a really interesting program on the container deposit system that is being introduced in the Northern Territory.  This is like the one that has operated in South Australia since the 1970s, where each container includes a 10c deposit that is reclaimed when the container is returned.  It's a variation on the old "Cash A Can" system that I used to do when I was a kid. I've always thought that this kind of system was great.  It brings market forces in to play by placing a value on what is otherwise considered rubbish.  It is a great way for kids to earn a few extra dollars by collecting cans and bottles and helps to keep our streets clean. You can listen to the radio program here: http://goo.gl/8mk70 In the program, one of the arguments against a scheme was from the beverage industry, who argued that the best way to increase recycling is to put more recycling bins in public places.  They also seemed to be concerned with the cost of running the container collection process (even though Coca Cola Amatil make a profit on their part of this process)....

I'm pretty impressed with what's happening over at Fearless,  A great idea that looks at the way we approach the world, especially the way in which we respond to changing consumer needs and demands.   And let's face it.  We need to become a better society.  It is starting to happen at the fringes, with more people choosing organic, choosing free range and wanting to know more about how and where their food comes from.  We see it with the number of people who are concerned about live animal export, about the expanding coal seam gas industry.  And we see it in videos like this one, which I found via the Fearless blog. Yes, it's part of an advertising campaign for a major US fast food chain (as best I can tell).  And yes, there is always the chance that there is a bit of greenwashing going on.  But having a look at their website, they are at least talking about the issues of choosing only "naturally raised" animals.  And that sounds pretty good to me. So check out the video below.  Hopefully it will serve as a reminder that there are better ways to raise animals, better ways to feed...

Well... after two days floating around my head (much to the annoyance of people I work with I'm sure), today's earworm is brought to you by a bunch of guys clearly very high on LSD or some such a substance.

But what a jolly nice song it is!  For real excitement, click read more to see an even better version - brought to you by the letter B!

So one of our chickens wanted to tell you something.  Enjoy! ...

If we don't tell our local representatives our thoughts... and if they don't ask (for whatever reasons)... how can we expect them to represent us?

So here is my letter, just emailed, to Cowper MP Luke Hartsuyker.

When I get around to it, this will be the first article about Tommy's postcards.  Tommy, if you are reading this, be assured the first postcard was a great postcard!...

Well it was a little over two years ago that my grandmother died, precipitating our move from Melbourne to northern NSW.  She would have been 95 this year.

Some years before her death, she had written some "Very Definite Instructions" to be followed when she died.  Truthfully, I'll never know if she really wanted us to follow through with them - though I suspect she probably did.  Regardless, we made our best efforts to meet her "demands" and I think she would have been happy (excluding our inability to source a cardboard coffin in time) with the result.

Thought I'd share with you her instructions - perhaps you might take them on yourself...?

So I finally got my invite to Google+ this week (thanks Bruce Coote).  I like what I see so far.  I'm going to add more to this... so stay tuned.  Right now, I've got to zip....

So I thought it would be nice to have an occasional blog where I share my "song of the day".  It won't, of course, be everyday... but sometimes a song just gets in my head.  So I thought I'd share it with you.

Today's song is "Sunny".  Here's a few versions - by James Brown (live); Ella Fitzgerald & Tom Jones; Marvin Gaye; and Stevie Wonder.  Here's a link to the playlist on YouTube.

I love the idea of winning the lotto.  I only buy tickets maybe three times per year, but when I do I am absolutely convinced I'm going to win (don't worry, I understand the reality and the odds, but it's nice to dream).
Usually, I've already worked out what/how/where/when/why I'm going to spend my immense winnings.
But I was listening to the...

School drift sets alarm bells ringing

Brumby vs Baillieu (image source news.com.au link)

I love these guys in Flying High (Airplane): Jiveman1:Sheeeet, man, that honkey mus' be messin' my old lady got to be runnin' col' upsihd down his head!Subtitle: GOLLY, THAT WHITE FELLOW SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE OR I WILL PUNCH HIM. Jiveman2:Hey Holm, I can dig it! You know he ain't gonna lay no mo' big rap upon you man! Subtitle: YES, HE IS WRONG FOR... Jiveman1: I say hey sky, s'other say I won say I pray to J I get the same ol' same ol.Subtitle: I KNEW A MAN IN A SIMILAR PREDICAMENT, AND HE ENDED UP BEING SORRY. Jiveman2: Knock yourself a pro slick. Gray matter back got perform' us' down I take TCBin, man'.Subtitle: DON'T BE NAIVE ARTHUR. EACH OF US FACES A CLEAR MORAL CHOICE. Jiveman1: You know wha' they say: See a broad to get that bodiac lay'er down an' smack 'em yack 'em.Subtitle: EARLY TO BED, EARLY TO RISE, MAKES A MAN HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE. Together: Col' got to be! Yo!Subtitle: HOW TRUE! Together: Sheeeeeeet!Subtitle: GOLLY. Elaine: Would you gentleman care to order your dinners? Jiveman1: Bet babe, slide a piece a da porter, drink si' run th' java. Subtitle: I WOULD...

So after many months of eager anticipation, careful house design, construction, painting, fencing and other general preparation, our new girls arrived (to pouring rain) in their new home on Sunday.
Unfortunately, one was none too well and today we have had to say goodbye.
She wasn't in our lives for long, but her cute little eyes looking at me will...

So I got to talking with my neighbours the other night... somehow or other we ended up talking about Sesame Street songs. I put it to the world that Sesame Street is in fact the home of all good music.  For just over 40 years Sesame Street has been providing us with joyful music combined with helpful alphabet, spelling and counting knowledge. My all time favourite: 1, 2, 3, 4... (the pinball song) - interestingly, it was sung by The Pointer Sisters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBWxX3713gc  In the same way that Uno is making a comeback, I predict that if you were to crack this song open on a dance floor anywhere in the world, it would go off! And here are some other classics: Bandananahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmFZcStPgPs Some & None http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7cWBrGAIcc More recently... "1, 2, 3, 4" by Feist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ9WiuJPnNA Ernie Can't Sleep (and Boogie Woogie Sheep) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk1Y4xo4XJ4 Do De Rubber Duck (Reggae) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsjbEWKK8AU Monster In The Mirror - Wubba Wubba Wubba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYnqbdo2jw ...

So I've got this you-beaut Android Google Phone.  It's great.  But being on the Optus network via Virgin Mobile, I'm constantly thinking about 3G coverage (compared to the ubiquitous but slower 2G option).


Apparently, Optus recently got the go ahead to upgrade a number of locations to 3G using the 2100Mhz frequency.  This is...

Check out this great piece of jargonese, describing a website that is undergoing a refresh:
"The website has now become an integral online marketing and communication pathway that enables the integration with businesses locally, nationally and internationally."
Can someone please tell me what that actually means?

I work with some interesting and talented people. None more so than my new found chum, near neighbour and fellow subversive Ruben.
Being from England, he is constantly faced with questions such as

• What part of England are you from?
• (Cornwall)
• Where's that?
• (England)

A collection of ramblings I came up with while trying to see why this particular computer kept crashing when the user was using Microsoft Word. So of course, I had to come up with some things to write to test the theory that Word was the problem. To all you purists out there - I already know that you will say Word is the problem. Perhaps you could also say Grease is the Word. I am the Word Thy God. Ergo, God is the problem? Anyhoo... here are my ramblings. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Jimmy was a hairy fellow. His teeth were old and yellow. He jumped into the river bed. But it was too shallow. Tennis is a game played with two people, two racquets and one ball. It is played on a court, with a net. There are lines on the court to indicate whether the ball is in or out. If it is out, it should be brought back in because it is only a child and shouldn’t be allowed out at night by itself. Cricket is a game that has two teams. When one team is in, the other team try to...

Push to end donations - National - theage.com.au
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Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull is pushing for a ban on corporations and organisations contributing to political campaigns, saying it is high time the matter was addressed.
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I'm a bit worried about some of the stuff that is happening in politics in Australia right now. But at the same time,...

There beith a man as high as a tree
He cometh of natur, a valens of three
He walkd thro the for'st, trivalently
What thou its named, d'nt asketh me!

This stinks. Like a big fat dead whale that has blown up in the middle of a city street and coated the footpath and buildings in decaying blubber...
Oral briefings only for Haermeyer - www.theage.com.au
Apparently there was never any written communication about police corruption and gangland killings between Victoria Police and the Police...

The Australian political landscape took a turn for the better today, with Senator Brian Harradine, the independent Senator for Tasmania announced his retirement.
Harradine formally retires - Breaking News - http://www.theage.com.au
I once described Senator Harradine as a "boil on the neck of Australian democracy", and a quick lesson in Australian...

Well it's about time...
Fitzgerald berates both sides of politics - www.theage.com.au
The corruption of democracy - Opinion - www.theage.com.au
As you'll see in the articles from The Age newspaper, Tony Fitzgerald has finally said what has been obvious for many years. Mr Fitzgerald writes that the ethics of government have been abandoned by both...

The fight on Main Street - National - www.theage.com.au
I know Mordialloc well. It is a wonderful seaside village as this article suggests. There is a real community atmosphere in Mordialloc and a strong body of people who want to 'protect' it.
However, 'protection' in this sense means having absolutely no change. I'm not talking about...