tent embassy
27 Jan 2012
The Real Tent Embassy Story
The 40th anniversary of the tent embassy was overshadowed by the Gillard scuffle. That's a shame, says Alexandra Lamb, because it was an otherwise cheerful celebration of a notable date
I dropped by the tent embassy after work to see what it was like.
I fully intended to go to an Australia Day barbecue piss-up that had already been raging for eight hours but I was quickly transported by the wonderful events at the tents. The lawn in front of Old Parliament House had been transformed by an assortment of tents, marquees and people. A large marquee was serving delicious food and chai.
I gravitated towards the food tent with a work colleague, and then bumped into some other friends, and then other friends, as is typical in Canberra. We sat ourselves down on overlapping oriental rugs spread across the grass underneath a rainbow coloured circus shaped tent. A succession of bands played into the night on a stage, and when they stopped, people with own drums and guitars and didgeridoos took their place.
We watched the fireworks explode over Lake Burley Griffin for Australia Day and what with all the mirth, it wasn’t too much of a stretch to imagine that the display was all for us, and that the whole town was celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the tent embassy.
At the end of the night, close to 11pm, a phone receiver was put to the microphone on stage. Someone was reading the hot-off-the-press article on the day’s events published in the Herald Sun. David Penberthy’s words reverberated across the hushed audience, "… this illegal assortment of galvanised humpies… This was a new low in the four-decade history of this politically useless eyesore".
The crowd shook with anger and sadness and the cheerful atmosphere was transformed.
Siege and riot were the words used to describe the scuffle that interrupted what had previously been, and continued after to be, a peaceful and cheerful celebration. The usual small handful of nutters who made the scene go wild for the cameras projected Aboriginal Australia to the heart of Australia Day — but in the wrong way. Julia Gillard tripped in her high heels in the commotion and was seized by her security personnel. This generated into a series of snapshots of an enfeebled woman in the arms of protective service men.
The Prime Minister and Opposition leader went to the Lobby restaurant, near the tent embassy, for the National Emergency Medal ceremony. Journalists had asked Tony Abbott earlier that morning whether the tent embassy was still relevant. He had replied "I think the Indigenous people of Australia can be very proud of the respect in which they are held by every Australian and yes, I think a lot has changed since then and I think it probably is time to move on from that".
Fred Hooper, chairman of the Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations, summed up the outrage: "We were peacefully celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal tent embassy. The Opposition Leader on national television made a comment to tear down something that we have built over 40 years, which is sacred to us. So what do you expect us to do when we are 200 yards away from the person that makes that comment?"
They had no issue with the Prime Minister, Fred Hooper and Michael Andersen, co-founder of the tent embassy, later said. They were furious at that "foolish man", Tony Abbott.
Comments in the media abound that Abbott, while insensitive, was right to say that issues have changed, to say that we can move on. As we today commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day, will anyone ask or affirm that it is time to move on?
It is unfortunate that the 40th anniversary of the tent embassy was overshadowed by an outbreak of violence. It is unfortunate too that this cheerful celebration was only noted for the rage that was unleased by Tony Abbott’s comments. And it is unfortunate that on their way to the Lobby restaurant neither the Prime Minister nor the Opposition leader, nor the Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin took time to acknowledge the celebration.
The occasion didn’t necessarily need another speech, but a few warm words and handshakes and a bit of listening would have been gracious and prime ministerial — even if it wouldn’t have won any votes.
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Posted Friday, 27 January 12 at 12:26PM
Gillard displayed tremendous fortitude yesterday. Violence and the sort of protest seen yesterday has no place in Australia’s political debate. While not an excuse, Abbott’s comments were definitely insensitive and ill-timed.
http://thepoliticsproject.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/wed-better-help-him-t…
Posted Friday, 27 January 12 at 1:02PM
Who had the “brilliant idea” to read a gutter press article published by Limited News in the “Herald Sun”? I wonder! Isn’t it time for everyone to boycott all Murdoch publications? Nothing new on the Abbott front. He is just his usual self, very predictable!
Posted Friday, 27 January 12 at 3:53PM
Jungarrayi
“I think the Indigenous people of Australia can be very proud of the respect in which they are held by every Australian and yes, I think a lot has changed since then and I think it probably is time to move on from that”.
“…the respect in which they are held by every Australian….”?!!!!
What is he talking about? What planet is he on?
We that live on a Prescribed Area and have been subjected to and continue to be subjected to a sustained assimilationist attack, fail to detect any “respect” whatsoever in the Northern Territory Emergency Response (the Intervention) and even less in the proposed Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory legislation that will entrench the assimilationist agenda for a further decade.
Tony, do me a favour! Chuck that dog whistle away.
Posted Friday, 27 January 12 at 4:31PM
Jungarrayi - I thought the same thing… plus he said “I thought” and seroiusly…when does he every THINK!!
The fact that an entire MARCH is completely IGNORED by the media sort of proves the point that MUCH more work needs doing to nurture new and positive links between our communities/FAMILIES (especially from our leaders) (HAVING some real leaders to start with would be a help).
Basicall Abbott is saying to you “Get over it.”
He is so far removed from anything REAL that what else can we expect from him!?
Posted Saturday, 28 January 12 at 2:38PM
This is how the “Guardian” reported it:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/26/australian-prime-minister-te…
Posted Sunday, 29 January 12 at 9:26AM
Surely there should be an embassy until there is a treaty. Abbott is a twerp.
Posted Sunday, 29 January 12 at 5:54PM
Well done guys, you’ve just helped Abbott into the Lodge! When will you get some political smarts instead of letting your emotions cruel your cause?
Posted Sunday, 29 January 12 at 7:26PM
Jungarrayi
It’ll be yet another sad day in Australian politics when we stop speaking out (yes and letting our emotions run free) just because we may advance the likes of Tony Abbott’s political ambitions.
When John Howard (and Mal Brough) got voted out, we on remote Aboriginal communities were ecstatic.
When Kevin Rudd said sorry, I really believed that the decade of oppression and assimilation had come to an end.
Little did we know that we were in for a Macklinavelian assault of mammoth proportions. An era of Twiddledee and Twiddledum outdoing each other in sacrificing Aboriginal rights on the altar of political opportunism.
Out here it hasn’t made much difference as to who is in the lodge, and I don’t think it will in future. All the same you’ll never get me to vote for the Mad Monk, I despise him even more than I do Jenny Macklin or did John Howard.
That won’t stop me from critisizing him lest it may cruel my cause.
Our emotions are something they’ve not yet taken away from us (keep in mind I’m not Aboriginal myself, I’ve just lived here a long time and have Aboriginal family).
Schadenfreude, irony, sarcasm and laughter is just about all we have left.
Ngula juku.
Posted Sunday, 29 January 12 at 8:32PM
Yeah Aussie Greg, compromise is awesome and always gets you where you need to go.
Posted Sunday, 29 January 12 at 10:26PM
The defining image of Bicentennial 1988 was my friend, the late Burnham Burnham, planting the Aboriginal flag on the white cliffs of Dover and claiming England for the Aboriginal Nations. The defining image of the 40th anniversary of the Tent Embassy will be a frightened PM being hustled away to safety by her police bodyguard. One a boon to the cause of aboriginal rights, a siren call to swinging voters, the other a stake in the heart of reconciliation and a potent deterrent to voting for those who champion the aboriginal cause.
Was Burnham Burnham’s flag-planting compromise, Dr Dog? Did it mean backing off on criticism of political leaders or their policies, Jungarrayi? Where was the schadenfreude, irony, sarcasm and laughter in the storming of the restaurant?
I have seen the cause of Aboriginal people advance enormously in my lifetime, and I’m sure it mattered, Jungarrayi, who was in the Lodge. Maybe when the Mad Monk wins next time he will surprise me — he has been spending a lot of time living and working on aboriginal communities, after all — but I suspect we will see his rule as a major setback for the rights of blackfellas, just as I’m sure it will be a major setback for the rights of women. And you will have helped put him there, for want of a modicum of Burnham Burnham’s political smarts.
Posted Monday, 30 January 12 at 1:22AM
The other day I was in KMart. I could hear a girl mouthing off aggressively and rudely to a staff member “what? you think I’m gonna steal something don’t you” she yelled indignantly, swearing and abusing the staff member as she walked. Two aboriginal girls, about 12 and 14, walked towards me. One had a pair of Kmart’s strappy sandals in her hands. They walked to the next aisle and as I came around the corner one girl put the sandals in her pockets, stealing them. They then high-tailed it out the exit.
I remember thinking, what a poor statement for their race and what would their elders think?
But the thing is - I’ve seen white kids behave in this same manner, even abusing me while I’m working with them as a teacher. But that thought about race never came to my mind. I never thought, “gee that kid’s a poor representative of his white race.” I still saw socially structural explanations though - absent, don’t-give-a-damn parents, disengagement from mainstream, disrespect…not race though.
See, what does this sort of thing mean? What goes on in that young girl’s head to bring race into why the staff are looking at her, suspecting her? How did she get the message to think that way? How did I get the message to think the way I do? What has come before me to influence my perceptions of what I want, of what are problems for me? Of how I define “injustice” or “oppression”? OR of how I perceive the injustice OTHERS endure (and what is aceptable for THEM to do about it).
See, this is tricky stuff, not simple explanantions, justifications or “we did this because…” It is multidimensional. This aboriginal girl’s experience of reality is educated from within the people she mixes with who teach her how the world IS and WHY it is that way. RACE to her is highly significant and visible. It isn’t for me because my skin is white, although they might make jdgements based on my gender.
So, I think aboriginal people have a few extra layers of structural influences even within their own race, then add various different specific interest groups, personality types, individual motivations behind leading people…mix and shake this altogether with a stupid politician a few 100 metres away and….
Posted Monday, 30 January 12 at 1:47AM
I also think that once emotions get out of control, you won’t witness a positive result. (I do understand your comments about emotions somewhat Jungarrayi - I remember when my father used to beat the living crapper out of me, the only thing i could control was my emotions, so I choose NOT to let him make me cry, it was the only power I had…). Having been in professional kickboxing fights and numerous sparring sessions, I am qualified to speak, somewhat, about emotional situations, and how adrenaline takes over one’s body and mind. One tactic I used was that I could sense when the opponent had emotional issues and I’d annoy them just enough to make them lose their temper, all it would take then was to let them do an angry charge at me throwing their fists wildly, do a nifty little side step and they’d rush straight into my right cross - BAM - nighty night!!
And also adrenaline changes your whole perception of reality. I remember one fight, I got TKOd (I fought on after an 8 count though). Would you believe that for me the time it took after her punch and me landing on the canvas, felt like about 20 seconds to me, but it was a split second in real time. In the same fight she tried to follow that up with a superman punch but I’d watched her previous fights on DVD and saw it coming, I ducked, countered with a straight right to the body, followed up by a left rip and left hook. It felt like it took ages, (like the superslow motion vision on the tennis) and I felt like a superstar in that moment…but when I looked at my fight on the DVD afterwards, that little punch combination only took a few seconds and was nothing to look at compared to the living reality of it as it unfolded!!
I think that what we saw on TV, was every social actor on this media stage being at their worst, in an emotional adrenaline charged moment NONE of whom behaved in a constructive manner.
Posted Monday, 30 January 12 at 9:13AM
Fair enough Aussie Greg, as is clear from my posts here, emotion is inevitable. I love the flag planting you describe and would love to see more of that sort of protest, but also don’t think I can ask Aboriginal people not to be angry, or not to act on that anger. I consider it a righteous anger.
I guess the point I was trying to make is better summed up in my post on the other article, which is that we haven’t addressed the root issues of treaty and dispossession, so to ask staunch Aboriginal people to obey a rule of law they cannot endorse is to ask too much, or would be for me.
Posted Monday, 30 January 12 at 8:35PM
Sorry, Dr Dog (and Jungarrayi), I didn’t mean it to sound like a put-down. I do sympathise, and I’m not saying the anger wasn’t righteous, just that in terms of advancing the cause, acting on it was dumb, dumb, dumb. Counterproductive to the nth degree.
Next time just send in fightmumma!
Posted Monday, 30 January 12 at 9:50PM
aussiegreg -hehe, outside the square ring I’m a bit of a softie though. I am also very guilty of running off passion and emotion in many areas of my life, which is a vice I try hard to correct but it seems too attached to me, alas! The answer for myself has always been to listen very carefully to the other’s point of view, and by the time I feel SOME understanding of them, a change happens.
I am assuming, but from your perspective you would be accustomed to negotiation and even some compromise yes? It always cheeses me off that a passionate argument and cause seems easily invalidated by some negotiators (do you know what I mean?)
This can be both a cultural expression and even generational (getting back to our last topic!!). My exhusband’s family were from Bosnia and OMG for a little mouse of a girl from an anglo sweep-it-under-the-carpet, stiff upper lip approach to problems, these in-laws were like emotional, aggressive, argumentative hotheads. But that’s just how they communicate - all loud voices, lots of arm movement, stressing many of the words…not a threat at all except to the sensitivities of another culture.
I really don’t know how people with a cause can negotiate with these politicians or further a cause when we see what manipulating the media can do? We’ve just witnessed it with the pokies reforms…various laws to do with environmental protection and discrimination can be reversed or suspended. How do you negotiate with someone that won’t listen?
Posted Tuesday, 31 January 12 at 2:55PM
Verum you have hit the nail squarely on the head concerning any thing to do with the Murdoch papers. The Herald Sun is now the number one gutter rag and we thought the now defunct Truth paper was gutter trash.
Posted Tuesday, 31 January 12 at 7:27PM
@fightmumma
If you took on a family from the Balkans you really were the mouse that roared!
I learned what a bloodthirsty lot they were when I was still in short pants and the Ustasha bombed the Serbian Orthodox Church across the road from my school.
I never got accustomed to negotiating, to looking for the win-win, or at least the common ground, the points where we could agree. I was never much good at keeping my emotions not just under control but under wraps — I don’t have much of a poker face. My instinct was always to manipulate, which may win you one negotiation but you never get to win another, not with that party anyway.
“How do you negotiate with someone that won’t listen?” By being worth listening to, and for a politician that means being a swinging voter in a marginal seat, or at least by making the kind of noise that will be heard by swinging voters in marginal seats. That was the tactic employed with Machiavellian genius by the pokies lobby, and not employed at all by the good guys who as always make the mistake of assuming that good policy will always win out in the end.
Posted Tuesday, 31 January 12 at 8:35PM
Hi aussiegreg - sounds like you’d have done well pulling on some boxing gloves too!! The divisions in the communities within the area my ex’s family was from is mind-boggling! Not only the Serbian Croatian one but his grandmother didn’t like gypsies, Jews or lower-class Germans, oh, or islamadans (as she called them).
I usually seem to wear my heart on my sleeve and this makes me useless for negotiating! But showing others that I am willing to listen to THEM seems to have some success. Yes, manipulating isn’t truly effective as you give the game away if the other party is astute. Playing games usually comes back to bite you on the bum!
I can see what you are saying about swinging voters and marginal seats - people in those regions or interest groups are then more likely to get what they want - eg those who love their pokies as well as those who make big bucks from it. But with the agendas that are important for indigenous Australians, is this a possible tactic? Perhaps a pollie IN a marginal seat using it as part of his/her policies??
The politicians hold all the cards and power, there seems little for Aboriginal Australians to bargain with. I don’t envy their task!
Posted Tuesday, 31 January 12 at 10:01PM
aussiegreg, also, I must confess, I was somewhat thinking of my exhusband, who, even after 10 years apart, still plays games and doesn’t negotiate, communicate fairly. People who are determined to treat another group as inferior or submissive - I really don’t know what to do with them (except imagine a whole heap of unpleasant things happening to them which is NOT very charitable of me!!!)
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 1:17AM
@fightmumma
I doubt any member in a marginal seat would be brave enough to take up the cause of aboriginal rights, especially after Mal Brough lost his marginal seat in the 2007 election with one of the largest swings anywhere in Oz against a conservative member.
The exit polls, the best way I know to isolate the swinging voters, showed his policy (as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs) of military invasion, sorry, intervention, lost him swinging votes on both the left and the right. “Conscience” voters hated the heartless, inhumane nature of the exercise, and small-L Liberals hated the suspension of the Anti-Discrimination Act necessary for some blatantly discriminatory policies. On the right, “Howard battlers” hated the waste of their taxes, half a billion dollars for what they saw as a law and order issue, the rape of children and the bashing of women, easily and cheaply solved (they thought) by just sending in the cops.
Wyatt Roy recovered the seat for the Libs in 2010, and as far as I am aware the only comment he made about the intervention was to criticise the cost, the one issue common to both groups of “lost” swinging voters (although many of those on the Left would have spent the money directly on improving conditions and services in Aboriginal communities rather than on reducing the deficit). Today his website makes absolutely no mention of Aboriginal issues!
Brough would have lost anyway, but the boost to the size of his loss from Aboriginal issues is testament to the fact such concerns can have electoral consequences. Just how to frame a marginal seats campaign in the wake of the restaurant incident is a tricky one — I’m going to have to take it on notice!
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 1:20AM
@fightmumma
Let me see if I have this right — you’re a kickboxer and you’re worried about being uncharitable to arseholes who treat you like shit?
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 10:08AM
aussiegreg - I have a lot to learn about politics that’s for sure!! The act of attempting to appeal to the most powerful groups in order to maintain power for one’s self, seems to be at the cost of actually getting REAL action to create real change/improvement. This makes the whole process seem rather pointless and stupid!!
And about the kickboxer comment - yes yes,this is so!! Abuse as a child and raised in a religious cult, sort of trains and conditions one for a particular mindset - undermining self esteem and indoctrinating an overdeveloped guilt conscience - also prepares one for a life of abuse, domination by stronger entities and the submission of one’s own spirit.
As a child I would protect my younger brother and sister from my father’s abuse, by sort of stirring him up to have a go at ME rather than them. Something inside me even as a child believed I could handle the abuse because it was for a better cause ie of ensuring my siblings stayed more whole and pure from abuse. In my childish mind, keeping them safe gave me control over the abuse and gave it a rational explanation.
It is frustrating to be in my early 40s and still working out many things!! But I have a poster that says “The greater the adversity, the brighter the light of opportunity” which I hope is true!!
My experiences with kickboxing have taught me many lessons, especially about my capabilities and strength of spirit. Muscle burn and coping with what is uncomfortable or painful usually has benefits that outweigh perceptions of possibilities. Did you know that to grow a muscle you have to have muscle burn ie pain, in order for the muscle to repair itself and get bigger/stronger? Now this idea can be applied to ANY area of life that one needs to grow and develop in and that invovles pain or discomfort.
But I also have to point out that don’t you think maintaining some sort of communication in order to jointly raise children is somewhat different to the conflict of a boxing ring? Oh dear - I just had a thought - boxing someone who stays within the rules and is a good sport, is different to boxing a dirty fighter…argh…I’m definitely soft in the head!!
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 10:57AM
aussiegreg - I think you might like this:
21 Economic Models Explained
SOCIALISM
You have 2 cows.
You give one to your neighbour.
COMMUNISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and gives you some milk.
FASCISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and sells you some milk.
NAZISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and shoots you.
BUREAUCRATISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both, shoots one, milks the other, and then throws the milk away.
TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows.
You sell them and retire on the income.
SURREALISM
You have two giraffes.
The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.
AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the cow has dropped dead.
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND VENTURE CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows. The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells
the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company. The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one
more. You sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States , leaving you with nine cows. No balance sheet provided with the release. The public then buys your bull.
A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike, organize a riot, and block the roads, because you want three cows.
A JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
You then create a clever cow cartoon image called ‘Cowkimon’ and market it worldwide.
A GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.
AN ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows, but you don’t know where they are.
You decide to have lunch.
A RUSSIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You count them and learn you have five cows.
You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 2 cows.
You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka..
A SWISS CORPORATION
You have 5000 cows. None of them belong to you.
You charge the owners for storing them.
A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You have 300 people milking them.
You claim that you have full employment, and high bovine productivity.
You arrest the newsman who reported the real situation.
AN INDIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You worship them.
A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.
AN IRAQI CORPORATION
Everyone thinks you have lots of cows.
You tell them that you have none.
No-one believes you, so they bomb the crap out of you and invade your
country.
You still have no cows, but at least you are now a Democracy.
AN AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Business seems pretty good.
You close the office and go for a few beers to celebrate.
A NEW ZEALAND CORPORATION
You have two cows.
The one on the left looks very attractive
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 3:53PM
@fightmumma
I don’t do marriage advice, I stick to easier stuff like justice for aborigines.
Those with no sympathy for the plight of Australia’s First Peoples might see your story as an analogy for the indigenous one: brought up in a religious cult, abused by your father and then your husband, trying to protect younger siblings, finding redemption in boxing …
The act of attempting to appeal to the most powerful groups in order to maintain power for one’s self, seems to be at the cost of actually getting REAL action to create real change/improvement. This makes the whole process seem rather pointless and stupid!!
Yep, as one of my favourite revolutionary thinkers put it, “it is the system that is wrong”. But until the system changes, it’s the system we’ve all got, and politics is the art of the possible within that system. And we get the system we deserve — to change the system we have to change ourselves, I think.
Which seems to me to be what you are doing, and I don’t mean developing bigger muscles, tempted as I am to go back to my joke about sending you in to sort out the next riot now I know you look like Mrs Olympia. You’re developing your inner self, and all credit to you, and I reckon that as you grow into a better person inside and out, your share of our society improves as well.
And if you think I am going anywhere near the cows joke . . .
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 4:55PM
hey aussiegreg - don’t worry about the marriage advice! The helpfulness of advice is arguable don’t you think?!!
And about the analogy to aboriginal affairs - yes, I think that is why I feel for their plight, something to do with bullies is urksome, I’m glad you could pick up where my (perhaps seemingly irrelevant!!) story was coming from in relating it to the current topic! And some of their answer lies in self improvement as well, though the system seems determined to be against them. I WOULD like to change the system too, but at the bottom of the mountain it likes like a bloody big climb!!
I like this bit too - “it’s the system we’ve all got, and politics is the art of the possible within that system”- you are spot-on with that comment it allows a degree of unity (for we are all in a similar situation) and realising the reality of the possible (at this moment in time) helps determine best tactics for behaviour (necessary for creating change).
Please pardon my ignorance, but what does Mrs Olympia look like…I’d like to know if I should be complimented or appropriately offended!!
And as to the cow joke…chicken!!!
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 5:09PM
Never for one moment forget what Abbott & his cronies created with the false allegations against Hanson & Etteridge. Love her or hate her, the result was typical of Abbott’s modus operandi. If you want him to be our next PM then reap the whirlwind ! Hoolia. J. Gizzard will be political history soon anyway.
Posted Wednesday, 01 February 12 at 9:44PM
@fightmumma
One of each, perhaps:
http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=299995.0
http://www.ifbbpro.com/results/2009-ms-olympia-results-scorecard/#hide
And speaking of the two cows joke, did you know it gave its name to one of the oldest companies on the internet, from back before there was a World Wide Web:
http://www.tucows.com/
Posted Thursday, 02 February 12 at 9:42AM
aussiegreg - laughing too much!! Funny boy!!
Well…which do YOU prefer!!!!?
When I was fighting (probably about 6 years ago) I actually did look pretty toned, but I’ve injured my knee and have been waiting 4 months now to see the specialist, and seeing as I can’t go for my daily run (which is usually between 5-10kms) I have stacked on the fat unfortunately!! But I’m sure I’ll get my usual body back after surgery and some serious training again…tho I’ve always had curves.
I hope no one saw you perusing the internet for those pictures, especially Ms, as they might start worrying about you!!
Have a good day!! :-)
Posted Thursday, 02 February 12 at 2:07PM
@fightmumma
I did take a break from watching Russian porn to put “Mrs Olympia” into Google, and I don’t like either of them, but then again, I am heterosexual.
Odd coincidence, but I too have been restricted in my movement for four months by a knee injury (quadriceps tendon) just healing up now on its own after I elected to defer surgery. And I am at my heaviest ever, but I have been unable to exercise much since injuring my back (L4-L5) nearly a decade ago.
Of course when you said “surgery”, you could have been referring to liposuction . . .
Posted Thursday, 02 February 12 at 2:30PM
ha ha aussiegreg - maybe they could do BOTH while I’m under?
That’s unfortunate about your back, it is very life-changing back injuries. My clients all have acquired brain injuries and have had to reorganise their lives because of it. It is sort of humbling realising how mortal we are, isn’t it?!! Although one of my clients is my hero, all that rehabilitation, a fighting spirit etc, spose the body might be mortal but the spirit is something else altogether … but that’s just my opinion!!
I thought you’re too old for porn…you know you can buy Russian brides (if you don’t already have a wife)…there was a segment on one of the current affair shows recently…you could afford that being a rich capitalist bastard!! Hehe just teasing :-P
Posted Friday, 03 February 12 at 4:03AM
@fightmumma
Hey, I’m not that old! And I had 17 years of marriage back in the last millennium, so paying for a second dose hasn’t a lot of appeal, dasvidaniya. Anyway, I’m broke, I wouldn’t be able to afford one!
I’d be asking that arthroscopic surgeon of yours why he thinks you need a general anaesthetic (unless you fancy him probing you a little higher up). Best practice these days I think is a local …
We seem to have got away from the subject matter of this article — I doubt NM wants its server filled with our amiable chat! ;-)
Posted Sunday, 05 February 12 at 11:46AM
ok aussiegreg - but I will finish with:
Your posts show no hint of a person who is bitter, negative or angry. Your language is mainly self assured and confident, with experience, knowledge and intelligence.
I would suggest to you, that someone with those qualities, in reality, would never be broke! And I’m not talking money-broke.
And this DOES fit in with this article, because these types of qualities empoer one to counteract injustice as well.
As to being probed higher up…..hmmmmmmmmmm.
Posted Sunday, 05 February 12 at 2:18PM
@fightmumma
Well, I’ve sure got you fooled!
I’ve had a lifetime in political activism of one sort or another, and apart from the end of apartheid in SA and of conscription/Vietnam-War here I can’t think of a single campaign that has seen its goals achieved, and my contributions to those achievements have been doubtful. As for the plight of aborigines in this country …
See you round the boards, you naughty girl you!
Posted Sunday, 05 February 12 at 3:15PM
jeez aussiegreg - just let ME have the last word I AM a woman you know…we like having the last word (and being right ALL the time!!)!!
Like I said I think you could write a really interesting and thought provoking book, either factual autobiographical, a fiction based on fact. Or even write it as a novel but in the format of a biography…
I am not experienced in anything other than my own private battles with injustice and cruelty to date, I think I have to find equilibrium within my own self (and learn to manage the shifts in motion like a surfer) before I have even half a chance of success in any form of political activism.
YOU are the one who knows how that stuff works.
But I DO know about fighting and I will stick to the belief that while you’re throwing punches you’re never a loser. AND it takes a support team which is where the saying “having someone in your corner” comes from, so, many people are part of a fight and can have an impact without being in the ring taking the hits.
And you might not have witnessed the results that you desired from your frame of reference, but there were probably many unexpected results that you didn’t get to see with your eyes…I always wonder how martyrs feel before they die…the Christians fed to lions, the French underground movement where many were executed, those that stood up to Mao or Stalin…did they wonder if their lives were taken in vain because their eyes ceased being able to see future events?
oh well, the ripple effect of my own life doesn’t stretch very far, but I reserve the right to keep making ripples!!
Cheers big ears :-P