Bali Bombing 2002

On Oct 12th 2002 a suicide bomber inside the nightclub Paddy's Pub detonated a bomb in his backpack, causing many patrons, with or without injuries, to immediately flee into the street.
Fifteen seconds later, a second and much more powerful car bomb was detonated by another suicide bomber outside the Sari Club, located opposite Paddy's Pub. Damage to the densely populated residential and commercial district was immense, destroying neighbouring buildings and shattering windows several blocks away. The car bomb explosion left a one meter deep crater.
The local Sanglah hospital was ill-equipped to deal with the scale of the disaster and was overwhelmed with the number of injured, particularly burn victims. There were so many people injured by the explosion that some of the injured had to be placed in hotel pools near the explosion site to ease the pain of their burns.
Many of the injured were flown to the relatively close proximity of Darwin and Perth for specialist burns treatment. The final death toll was 202, mainly comprising Western tourists and holiday-makers in their 20s and 30s who were in or near Paddy's Pub or the Sari Club, but also including many Balinese Indonesians working or living nearby, or simply passing by.
Hundreds more people suffered horrific burns and other injuries. The largest group among those killed were holidayers from AUSTRALIA with 88 fatalities.

In 2002 I wrote this song.

FAR TOO CLOSE TO HOME

Chorus They came from the land down under They went to Bali just to play ay
They came from the land down under But now some of them are there to stay

It was a Saturday night there in Bali
Paddys Bar was packed with people all around
When the first bomb went off and then another
If you lived you'd never forget that dreadful sound Ch

The Sarie Club was also stacked with Aussies
There was Michael Steven Brendan Sue and Sally
They were all young Australians having fun
But it all ended so cruelly in Bali Ch

There were Aussie Rules players in the corner
There were surfers and soccer players by the door
But little did they know that night in Bali
Was going to be the last goal they'd ever score Ch

We'd read about the Jew and Arabs in Palestine
We'd heard Paisley in Belfast and the Pope in Rome
We'd seen on the telly Bagdad, Kabul and Bosnia
But Indonesia was far too close to home Ch
DOUBLE

For more info see
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/asia_pacific/2002/bali/default.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bali_bombing

Roman Aqueduct Segovia Spain

I will never forget the feeling as I drove into Segovia and was immediately confronted with the magnificent aqueduct. The photograph was taken 25 years ago and I discoverd it on a contact sheet which I was able to enlarge and colour. The original was black and white. Well worth a visit and close to Madrid.

Bullfight Rejoneadore

When I lived in Spain, I was fortunate enough to be taken to a bull fight by an affectionado who explained in enough detail what was going on. I know Hemingway had written enough about the subject but he was an American and (I have found) that Americans often see things from a different point of view. Well, I am not going to help you make up your mind here but before you decide, at least listen to both sides. Perhaps when you see the whole event as a pagent it is easier to understand the event. (My american friend seemed unpopular when in his own words he rooted for the bull!) It is not meant to be a fair fight. If the crowd feel that the bull is too small or the horns are too short, then they let their feelings be known and the presidente of the corrida will signal and a herd of cows are brought in. This calms the bull and he is eventually led away in some disgrace (not that he cares). You can imagine what happens to him then but he is certainly not allowed to enjoy himself with the cows.

It can be really exciting when the whole fight is performed while riding a horse. The rejoneadore has a selection of horses at his disposal and he uses them expertly to entice the bull to charge. I did witness an event when the horse froze (well who would blame him) and the bull dutifully tossed him (and his rider)on their respective rear ends. The adrenaline surge of this event was the biggest I have ever experienced. If you are interested, see the following site.
http://www.flamencoshop.com/bullfight/picador.htm

"Look Closer SEE ME!"

In the late 70's, I worked for a Hospital Equipment Company in Birmingham England. My colleague, Mike Dunnett, claimed he found the following in a hospital locker.
He wrote this explanation.....

(Found 10 years ago in the hospital locker of an old woman who had just passed away.)


"What do you see, nurse, who do you see?
What are you thinking.... when you look at me:
A crabbed old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes,

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And always is losing a stocking or shoe."
Is that what you're thinking? Is that who you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse, you're not seeing me.

I'll say who I am as I sit here so still
As I move at your bidding and eat at your will.
Inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells
And now and again my battered heart swells.

I remember the joys, I remember the pain
And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years, all too few, gone too fast
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurse.... open and see,
Not a crabbed old woman .... look closer, SEE ME!

OLDE THYME CONCERTS

I have recently been booked to sing at some 20 or so Old Peoples Homes around Perth. I looked up my song list from early days and was surprised at how many I already know at at how many I had at least heard of. I revised such songs as "A you're Adorable", "Making Whoopee", "The Story of Love", "Carolina in the Morning", "Carolina Moon", "If You were the only Girl in the World" "Heart of my Heart", "California Here I Come", "Down at the old Bull and Bush", "Swannee" and about 20 others. You might like to let me know if you remember any other great songs of that time. "My Grandfathers Clock" seems to be a favourite of most people. I suppose that if they forget every word, they can always join in the chorus.... "TICK TOCK"

ALASKA

I have just finished James Michener's book entitled "ALASKA" and feel somewhat ashamed I did not read it before I visited there with my sister Vicky and her husband George a few years ago.

I was also lucky enough to stay in Seattle with an ex-student, Jennifer Davies and her fabulous family. They showed me around the area but at the time, I did not realise how much effect this city had on ALASKA in earlier years. If you are going to visit ALASKA in the near future, I would recommend reading the book.

I was only able to visit some towns situated on the Inner Passage but I am now aware that this is only a very small part of the State. I did climb Mt. Roberts on my own and had a scary adventure on the return when I became lost.

The views as you can see are fantastic.

Marketing II

Here are the details again on marketing but a little BIGGER.

MARKETING

When I was trying to make up my mind what to do as a job, I actually did not know what a lot of the jobs were all about. e.g. I became a qualified systems analyst because I could not work out what these guys actually did. Once when I was in limbo in England, I needed a job and a car at the same time. I eventually got a job as a marketing executive in a hospital equipment company. The people there were very generous to me and very patient. Above is the diagram the sales manager drew for me in order to explain marketing. I am sure it is still useful today so Mike if you are out there... many thanks. If you can not read them, see the next posting for bigger diagrams.

Modern gadgets etc.

Is there anyone out there who does not possess a mobile phone? I succumbed just over a year ago when one of my three daughters gave me one of her throw-away-ones. She has since "up-graded" me with two others. They have owned about 15 between them since they got their first one as a Christmas present six years ago.
My eldest daughter ( who is not so hot with money) was caught in a plan and spent as much as I do on my present car. She still thinks she has a really good deal. My youngest daughter ( now 18) whose english vocabulary is questionable, is well able to communicate with the language that teenagers use with this gadget. I once learnt COBOL, PASCAL, GW BASIC besides French and Spanish and recently html but none of these are much use when it comes down to MINI SPEAK. My middle daughter sells mobile phones of course.
My father died exactly fifty years ago. He was one of the first in Ireland to own a car AND a television set which he purchased around 1952 to watch the Olympic Games in Helsinki and the coronation the following year. I remember they also mentioned that Hilary had climbed Everest successfully around the same time. Strangely enough, he did not think it was necessary to own a house. "Just another little box is not really of any great use", he would say. However he did own an electric saw and a lathe and although he was a Primary School teacher, he was able to design a balcony for the local cinema. He took me once to see "Jack and the Beanstalk" ( I was terrified of the giant for weeks afterwards) and we were treated like KINGS.
He might find it a bit more difficult to own something "way-out" in this age. I wonder what he might think if shown the list his sons owns fifty- five years later.
4 cars, 3 televisions, 6 mobile phones ( around the house) 90% of a house, a swimming pool, a large lawn mower, a piano, an electronic keyboard, a P.A. system including 5 microphones, a $3500 guitar, 2 recording studios, 1 video camera, 3 digital cameras, ( I sold the SLR's) 2 P.C.'s One Lap Top, one dog, 3 sets of golf clubs, 5 tennis racquets, 4 squash racquets, (rugby, soccer and basketball were the sports I played). One volume of encyclopedias and access to information on just about any subject you can think of (Internet).
My father travelled to Scotland and the Republic of Ireland for the occasional holiday. I have lived in 8 different countries and travelled around the world at least 8 times. I got to listen to the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Abba and Queen. I have seen the pyramids in both Egypt and Mexico, the diversity of cultures in Europe and North Africa, the buildings and analysts of N. America, the superb beaches and desolation of some parts of Australia and the picturesque landscape of New Zealand.
I wonder what my kids will write about their DAD in fifty five years time!

Western Australia

What a really big state this is. The tropic of Capricorn runs through the middle of the state so it is quite cool in the South and very warm in the North. There are certainly plenty of sites to see but if you come from Europe, you will find vast stretches between these sites. Check out this site. http://www.arta.com.au/wa.html
The photograph is from the south where the person claimed to be the first to parasail near Bluff Knoll ( in the background).

SYDNEY

What a fabulous city Sydney is dispite its short history. I was lucky enough to spend some years there in the 80's. I took these photographs at the time.

Egypt

I always wanted to go to Egypt. (A brick layer gave me his views 30 years ago on how the pyramids were built). At the time, I wrote a song.

Well Egypt's calling I wanna go there, See the pyramids just let me stare
I've heard about hieroglyphics and the sphinx(s) too
So that's why Egypt I wanna see you.

So, on a world trip from Australia to U.K. and the U.S. I just had to call in.

see below at this site for info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt

I had a fabulous time and reacted many of the words of the song (except for visiting the Aswan Dam)

18th Birthday Party

My Youngest daughter had her birthday party two weeks ago and I must confess it was not one of the highlights of our family. She ran it with two friends. (How did I get the short straw you might ask!) They simply never asked me until it was too late to respond with the correct answer. NO! 120 guests were eventually dispersed sucessfully by the bouncer... bless him. This was after the demolition of 16 large pizzas, a fight or two and a lot of alcoholic regurgitation around the toilet area! I suppose we got off lightly but I am still finding bottle tops that did not find their way to a bin. No photographs available as I did not want to be remeinded of the night. Not to be recommended anyway!

On a good note, it is Easter and the weather in Perth is simply sensational for sport and outdoor activities.

St Pats Day

St. Patricks Day is coming up. Sat 17th March if you were not sure. To be truthful, it is probably celebrated more outside Ireland. I was born in DOWNPATRICK and attended the cathedral there in my youth. A big slab ouside the cathedral was supposed to mark his grave. I confess I never gave it much of a thought. There are a few conflicting stories of his life as the three following links suggest.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/Saints/saintp01.htm
http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick

Celebrating this day outside Ireland varies a lot as you can see from this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day

I always try to get a gig on St. Pats. day and this year I am doing a private function for my good friend Patricia who is soon to be travelling around Australia.
A few years ago I looked up every song I could find about the saint and found very few so I tried to rectify the situation by writing my own song. It has the usual rollicking Irish chorus.

ST PATRICKS DAY CELEBRATION.

Well here we are then We're in Australia
We've left our homeland But we're happy here
We're celebrating Good old St. Patrick's Day
One of the best days In all of the year.

I'm going ro sing you A simple story
All about Patrick A saxon slave
Who tended lambs and sheep On the Antrim hill side
And lived all my himself In a lonely cave

Chorus We're going so sings songs and raise the rafters
We're going to drink some good old Guinness stout
We're going to eat stew with lots of potatoes
We're going to dance ( away ) till we are thrown out.

Pat mad his escape then But returned to Ireland
To spread the gospel Far and wide
If he'd had transport He would have gone to Australia
Cos he would have had All the Irish on his side

Now good St. Patrick He like the shamrock
That Trinity story We were told
How he converted the Kings And all of the people
To Christianity And saved their souls.

Chorus We're going so sings songs and raise the rafters
We're going to drink some good old Guinness stout
We're going to eat stew with lots of potatoes
We're going to dance ( away ) till we are thrown out.

Nannup Musical Festival

What a fabulous little town/community NANNUP is. Situated in the South West of Western Australia about 3 hours drive from Perth and East of Busselton. It was a logging community at one stage but it serves as the perfect place for a folk music festival. http://www.nannupmusicfestival.org/welcome.asp
Have a look at the site for the artists. The concerts were just way out there. Eric Bogle, Colum Sands, Shep Woolley, Fling, the Wise Family Band to name but a few. The best turned out to be a workshop compiled by Colin Smiley about Micky MacConnell. Ably helped by Colum Sands Paddy Connolly and friends. VERY WELL DONE lads. Magnifico to quote a few of my Spanish friends! Also well done to the Wise Family band. A great deal of variety in their spots. Of course Eric and Colum were their usual brilliant selves and a nice touch ... ending Sun night with a Beatles singalong. Fling for me were still a touch of genius. I could rave on but you had to be there! A big congrats. to the sound engineers. The quality of sound that is possible even in an outside venue is something to behold these days( or at least listen to). Have a lool at the site above to get a feel.

Life

Sorry for nothing recent but another lesson in life! My best friend got married in December but by January his new wife was diagnosed with Cancer and she was buried in February. It made my problems seem very small by comparison. She simply was a giving person and will be missed by many. So Never pass up an opportunity to learn something new. My american friends who I met in Spain told me to learn ONE new thing every year. I tried it out and found there were quite a few things I was not too good at but I did enjoy the experiences even though my ego was lowered.
I wrote this when I was young!

I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man with no feet but today I cried again because I had forgotten about the man with no feet and I still had no shoes.

Australia Day Revisited

Well in some ways this is better than St. Pat's Day. For a start, EVERYONE is on holiday and the local government can spend a bit of our hard earned cash on really useful items like fireworks! ( In 3 or 4 different locations!) sic.
See photie of that day when lots of us went to the beach ( it was over 40 degrees Centigrade ) to watch man made light compete with lightning and McNaughts Comet ( small object to right of the bright firework). In the morning I was lucky enough to entertain guests at an old people's home playing a combination of IRISH ( "EYES ARE SMILING") with ("I STILL CALL) AUSTRALIAn (HOME" ) while "WALTZING MATILDA" around " I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEA SIDE"!!! All very Australian you must agree. (You could even watch replays of the cricket on T.V.!!) Getting home was a problem though. We had our first taste of a real traffic jam. In fact it only lasted around 40 mins! Better than the M6 around Birmingham I bet.

McNaughts Comet

Not surprisingly, some homo sapiens were completely uninterested in this site but I suppose if you do not know Mars and Venus from Sirius and Vega then it is hardly worth the effort. We had a great view in Perth and I managed a photie with some difficulty!! ( I took 12 and could only find it in one shot! If you missed it.... never fear.... it should make another appearance in around 1000 years.... so you just have to believe in reincarnation around 12 times. Good Luck. If you are interested in this sort of thing try Bill Bryson's book " A Short History of Nearly Everything" BUT the Illustrated version.

Also try the clip if you can find it called "THE POWERS of 10"

Australia Day

26th January if you did not know! is Australia Day. My daughter suanne and her friend set off at 9:30 a.m. to play songs ( mostly australian) at an old people's home. It turned out to be hot in more ways than one. Certainly the temp. was around 41 degrees ( around 108 in degrees F) and by the time we had hauled in the speakers etc. we were stuffed. The concert went well and they loved my tribute to Bali victims song ( see below for chorus). The highlight was an inmate who sang every song ( except the ones I had written and he even had a go at those!) He was blind they told me later which sort of explained the lack of eye contact we made!!

Chorus They came from the land down under

They came to Bali just to pla - ay

They came from the land down under
And now some of them are there to stay.

Driving Instructor

I always remember Bob Newhart's comedy sketch on the "Driving Instructor". Worth listening to even after 20 years! My middle daughter was in Melbourne for a few years and only learnt to drive recently. With the aid of her Dad ( me ) and a driving instructor, she passed first time. Luckily in Western Australia, you continue with L plates fpr another 25 Hours! On Sunday she woke me up with " Let's go driving Dad!" I named a place New Noucia and she duly found it on the internet complete with instructions on the shortest route. Well what a route it was! 20 k's of dirt road and it took us 70 mins longer that the instructions stated. I expected a town but there was only a monastry ( we missed it) a petrol station (which lacked electricity and therefore could not issue petrol) and a pub ( which was expensive and empty except for two police officers). I explained my dilema to the officers ( "no fuel and gas station not in operation") " Yeah we know that. Tough isn't it! But don't worry use your reserve tank and head home and there is a station 50 k's in that direction! If you run out, we are going that way in a few hours and we might see you there!" Of course they knew we had no reserve tank and we DID RUN out! 10 k's short. But with my usual Irish luck, I found a homestead ( not many out there!) willing to provide me with some free fuel! Many thanks Mate. My daughter is now writing to thank him.

2nd verse of song!
"Well now Maggie Thatcher I don't know what you're after the facts I just hope you can see
The marchers peace walking and many are talking and singers are singing like me "

Gorby is verse three!

Typical day in Perth

What a great day here in Perth. Perfect temp. and good company ( friends from Ireland) they own a ferry off the West coast and it is their OFF season. Beach, swim, walk, beer and good food and some great stories! Tomorrow (Tues.) is Tennis, Wed. golf Thurs. etc....

At present I am writing some music for Australia Day ( when is that I hear you say) 26th Jan. I am playing at 8 retirement villages over the next 3 months. So am brushing up with songs like "Who were you with last night" "Hello who's your lady friend" "All the nice girls love a sailor" O I do like to be beside the seaside" "Everybody's doing it"!!! I have a collection of 1000 songs here on file but I never use it! It is quicker to look them up in GOOGLE would you believe! I started a song almost 20 years ago and wrote 2 verses every year..... a lot of verses I hear you say.... yeah yeah but I discard most of them after 5 years. The first verse was

" Listen Ronnie Reagan I'm really no pagan my religion is important to me

Forget all those stories about the past glories because that is all His tor y! "

Maggie Thatcher has the next verse. Then all sorts like Nelson Mandella Sadam Osama B L Gorbychov Blair Howard Bush N York Bali et.al.

That's it for this week! Love to all Double

Best wishes to ALL my friends in the U.S. John, Janie, Max, Uta, Suanne, Luis, Shai, Guy, Jennifer, Ed, Ken to name but a few.

Life in Australia is still good. Lots of sport, music, wine and ...............

This is a song a write a few years ago!!!

When time for you is getting old

When age has made you not so bold
When you can't always see right from wrong

After every night there comes a dawn.

When trees are growing not so green

When places you are going to are places you've been

When all you can sing is an old song

After every night there comes a dawn.

When leaves are changing in the fall

When only one coat hangs there in the hall

When summers are short and winters are long

After every night there comes a dawn

When Bishops live in Castles and Knights stop a King

When Queens are all losers then you can sing

When you realise you've been only a Pawn

After every night there comes a dawn.

Jan 03 2007

I begin with a double poem written a few years ago now.....

A place ....
where I could enter and not be a stranger
A place ....
where I could leave without any good byes
A place ....
where I could be as I am and do what I wanted
A place ....
that I could call home yet feel no ties.