What to really watch out for

Isn't the coalition advertising pathetic? Instead of worrying about whether potential government ministers are ex-union officals - a neutral equation - wouldn't it be of more concern to have ministers who have been caught with their fingers in the till or ministers who have shares in companies that are a conflict of interest to their portfolios? Oh but that's the government side, isn't it. Why have real controversy when you have baseless innuendo.

Made Marion

I held a rather large candle for Marion Jones when she was out there winning 200 metre races and long jump events. True, I was a school champion in these events so there was a point of identification. But the real reason was just basically that I thought she was hot stuff. I could picture having it off with the big black muscular babe and I was even huffy towards her weighty shotput lover.

So I was sorry to hear of her recent fall from grace. This had less to do with any sense of outrage that she used drugs to make her faster than all the other women (as longterm followers of this blog would have guessed) as the fact that she now has been stripped of her medals and may do serious jail time.

While I don't think she should keep her gold for beating competitors who were racing unaided, I do go along with the comments made when the same thing happened to Ben Johnson. "Sure, he was cheating. But he's still the fastest man alive"
Imagine now that Marion hadn't accepted the gingold that her coach proffered and she had been back in the field with runners like Gainsford-Taylor. It still would have been worth watching but not nearly so awesome as watching someone so far out in front of the field; drug cheat or not.

A non - e mouse

I have been on Blogger since July 2004 and am just approaching half the profile views I have on MySpace, which I've been a member of since November last year. My blog views there are many times that. So next time you're inclined to rubbish MySpace - and it seems to have become a national sport - just consider that.

You too can fly

Real life rocketeers

WAs my home state

It is one of the biggest states in the world and sandgropers used to bang on so much about how great it was that it really grate. It does have a host of impressive natural features, vast tracts of unspoiled wilderness, and bouts of dizzying entrepreneurial behaviour.

Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia as a Crown Colony

* Captain James Stirling, 1828-1832

Governors and acting Governors of Western Australia as a Crown Colony

* Captain James Stirling, 1832-1839
* John Hutt, 1839-1846
* Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Clarke, 1846-1847
* Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Irwin, 1847-1848
* Captain Charles Fitzgerald, 1848-1855
* Sir Arthur Kennedy, 1855-1862
* John Hampton, 1862-1868
* Sir Benjamin Pine, 1868–1869 (appointed but never took office)
* Sir Frederick Weld, 1869-1875
* Sir William Robinson, 1875-1877
* Major-General Sir Harry Ord, 1878-1880
* Sir William Robinson, 1880-1883
* Sir Frederick Broome, 1883-1889

Governors of Western Australia as a self-governing colony

* Sir William Robinson, 1890-1895
* Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gerard Smith, 1895-1900

Governors of Western Australia as an Australian State

* Captain Sir Arthur Lawley, 1901-1902
* Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford, 1903-1909
* Sir Gerald Strickland, 1909-1913
* Major-General Sir Harry Barron, 1913-1917
* Sir William Ellison-Macartney, 1917-1920
* Sir Francis Newdegate, 1920-1924
* Colonel Sir William Campion, 1924-1931

(The post of Governor was not filled between 1931 and 1948. Sir James Mitchell held the posts of Lieutenant-Governor and Administrator 1933-1948.)

* Sir James Mitchell, 1948-1951
* Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Gairdner, 1951-1963
* Major-General Sir Douglas Kendrew, 1963-1973
* Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards, 1974-1975
* Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle, 1975-1980
* Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge, 1980-1983
* Professor Gordon Reid, 1983-1989
* Sir Francis Burt, 1990-1993
* Major-General Michael Jeffery, 1993-2000
* Lieutenant-General John Sanderson, 2000-2005
* Dr Ken Michael, 2005-

Premiers of Western Australia
Chief Minister Party Period in office
Sir John Forrest Forrest Party1 29 December 1890
George Throssell Forrest Party1 15 February 1901
George Leake Opposition1 27 May 1901
Alf Morgans Ministerialist1 21 November 1901
George Leake Opposition1 23 December 1901
Sir Walter James Liberal1 1 July 1902
Henry Daglish Labor 10 August 1904
Sir Cornthwaite Rason Liberal 25 August 1905
Sir Newton Moore Liberal 7 May 1906
Frank Wilson Commonwealth Liberal 16 September 1910
John Scaddan Labor 7 October 1911
Frank Wilson Commonwealth Liberal 27 July 1916
Sir Henry Lefroy Nationalist 28 June 1917
Sir Hal Colebatch Nationalist 17 April 1919
Sir James Mitchell Nationalist 17 May 1919
Philip Collier Labor 16 April 1924
Sir James Mitchell Nationalist 24 April 1930
Philip Collier Labor 24 April 1933
John Willcock Labor 20 August 1936
Frank Wise Labor 31 July 1945
Sir Ross McLarty Liberal 1 April 1947
Albert Hawke Labor 23 February 1953
Sir David Brand Liberal 2 April 1959
John Tonkin Labor 3 April 1971
Sir Charles Court Liberal 8 April 1974
Ray O'Connor Liberal 25 January 1982
Brian Burke Labor 19 February 1983
Peter Dowding Labor 25 February 1988
Dr Carmen Lawrence Labor 12 February 1990
Richard Court Liberal 16 February 1993
Dr Geoffrey Gallop Labor 16 February 2001
Alan Carpenter Labor 25 January 2006

Another time I'll list another kind of responsibility in Western Australia.