Skani

That's OK for you but you mention that your grandparents are British born. Did they acquire Australian citizenship when they were living here?

I suspect she's had either a hysterectomy or surgical treatment for a bowel condition like Crohn's disease. And her medical condition should be just as private as any other citizen's if that is her choice.

Agree with you, Simmo. (Who woulda thought? ) It's sick.

Why not? It's been well documented that she is a keen photographer. Every keen photographer I've known - and there have been a few in my family - edit photos. Cripes, I've done it with family photos on occasions.

Which particular rock have you been hiding under all these years? A war zone is a highly dangerous place for a journalist - hundreds have been killed on duty, often as a result of "friendly fire" or as collateral damage.

He was phenomenally lucky to avoid a massive gaol term in Australia in the 1990s and receive only a fine and a good behaviour bond. It was the judge in his trial - NOT ME - who said he was exercising leniency because of Assange's disturbed childhood. You'd have to be delusional to do what he's done with the US files and expect to get away with it - and expect the US to be the pushover the Australian (Victorian) court was.

He is not a journalist - never qualified as a journalist either through a university degree or a cadetship in journalism, never been employed as a journalist. He is a hacker, an industrial scale hacker. He is a very good hacker - but he is not, and has never been, a journalist. His MO is to gain access to information - any information - to which he is not normally entitled and leak it indiscriminately, no matter who else may be harmed or killed in the process. That is not journalism.

I should add I am perfectly ok with the investigation/trials of alleged war crimes by Australian military held recently in Australia.

I'm not OK with war crimes. I'm perfectly OK with a journalist (which Assange is not) of integrity (which Assange is not) revealing targeted criminal activity while protecting their sources (if necessary) and any innocent people whose information may be otherwise divulged. I am not OK with mass, industrial scale, indiscriminate hacking of private/classified information without any regard for innocent people who may be harmed/killed as a result. If you or a loved one was harmed as a result of this hacking, I doubt you would be OK with it either. Make no mistake, Assange's MO is hacking. He was doing it by the time he was 16 and was very lucky to avoid a massive gaol term - on all counts it would have amounted to nearly 300 years - in Australia in the 1990's for hacking and fraud, including of the Australian Telecom system. He avoided it partly by striking a plea bargain and pulling the mental health, disturbed childhood card.

He was arrested because he published information which was classified (secret) military information. This is regarded as illegal. If I do something which is illegal I have to be prepared to cop the consequences, regardless of whether I agree with the illegality. Assange considers himself a highly intelligent being: therefore he should have been prepared to cop the consequences. This was not a journalist undertaking a targetted whistle blowing exercise. This was a massive, indiscriminate hack of sensitive material, much of which could be damaging (even fatal) to innocent people.

I'd look at the Viking cruise line. I'd love to do a Scandinavian trip with them. The Viking Difference (vikingcruises.com.au)

There are many Australians who live in other parts of the country who feel the same about Sydney as you. And fortunately, those of us who dislike heat can find cool temperate climate spots in the country.

As much as we can trust any government. I doubt there's been any (Australian) government which hasn't reneged on some promise made at election time. In this scenario, when so many are really struggling, it's better late than never.

I've never noticed bowls mentioned on PIO so don't think there are many (any?) active players but, from this comprehensive list, there is a club at St. Lucia. Bowls Websites – Queensland, Australia – www.bowlsclub.info

Been thinking of you ever since Mackay was mentioned as a potential target. Hope it's an uneventful one for you.