Victoria Trip: Day 2 - Echuca to Ballarat

This morning Jess had a bedfull of Amalgam oil and an ear better but not 100%. We'll take it.

Initially we had no plates or cutlery, so I inducted Josh into Bush Weetbix from a mug, and buttered toast with a spoon, the only piece of cutlery in the unit. Helen decided this wasn't going to happen and she brought some more in from reception. I'm sure there was a reason I was disappointed that I couldn't continue to show off my improvisations to the kids. 

While Jess did some piano and had a lengthy shower the rest of us played Skip-Bo to while away the time. 

From here we headed into Echuca proper, and boarded the "Emmylou" for our one hour paddle steamer ride on the Murray River. The kids were suitably impressed, while Helen and I marvelled at the differences of both the port area and the river in the the years since our last visit. 

We headed for Bendigo and drove through the town, seeing not only how much the city had grown but how the oldest buildings were still in such good condition, before stopping for lunch at the Beechworth Bakery for lunch. Good pies. 

After a slight detour by missing an exit, we listened to the rest of Roald Dahl's Matilda while travelling to Ballarat, the next on our list of overnight destinations. We headed straight for the Museum of Australian Democracy, on the site of the Eureka Stockade back in 1854. The people involved have done a tremendous job, not only in showing as much of the story of that rebellion, but also highlighting other disputes in ours and World democracy. They also have on display a full size replica of the Eureka flag, as well as the 61% remaining of the original flag - amazing stuff. 

From here we checked into our accomodation for the night, and had dinner at the local Hog's Breath.

While playing games of Skip-Bo and Uno we also had the pleasure of seeing Australia wipe out England in the 5th and final ODI in England, which along with Richmond and South Sydney being eliminated in their semi finals heralded and good day. 

Victoria Trip: Day 1 - Albion Park to Echuca

It's been a long day with some trials and tribulations, but hopefully it's the start of a good week.

We left home this morning at 7.30am. First problem was Jess saying she had an earache, so we shoved some stuff in her ear and gave her some Panadol and hoped for the best. We also had to pick up Maddi from her sleepover, from which we assumed she would be exhausted. No such luck.

We stopped at Marulan, where Jessie vomited. Good trip already. Then we had to stop at Yass to give her some more ear medicine. We hadn't even left the food centre before she vomited again. Awesome. This time we threw some Nurofen into her, and thankfully she slept a little, which meant not stopping at Gundagai for The Dog on the Tucker Box, but meant she was about 80% when we stopped for lunch.

We had lunch in Albury at a cafe, burgers, wraps and milkshakes all round.

Then it was back in the car for the trip to Echuca. We followed the Murray River Road while listening to Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and then the start of Roald Dahl's Matilda. 

Jess waned again as we approached out motel, so she had more medicine and slept while I watched some footy finals and Helen and the other kids went to search for dinner. McDonalds was the winner (though fish and chips was what was sought, overruled by Bucko).

We played some Uno while watching some footy, and as Helen slipped into bed the rest of us watched Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. It was bed for all then, though Josh and I watched Adelaide knock the Western Bulldogs out of the finals. 

Revisiting The X Files: S05 E02

S05E02: Redux II

Fox immediately blows his cover to visit Scully in hospital, which is really a rookie maneuver. After meeting with Blevins to determine why he has faked his death and implicated Scully as well, he and Skinner exchange information.

The play off between Mulder and The Smoking Man here is terrific, with each man's certainty of their own convictions tested. The information that could cure Scully's cancer, as well as the introduction of Samantha, or someone who is being played as Samantha, tips the scales in the direction of 'evil', but Mulder's determined refusal to join his side is still refreshing even given we all knew he would say no. The episode is also significant for Scully's return to her religious faith, and it cleverly makes it ambiguous as to whether it was faith, alien technology or plain science that enables her cancer to go into remission by the episode's end. 

The announcement of The Smoking Man's death does seem plainly ridiculous from Skinner, given no body is found, and only going on the amount of blood lost. Surely even he by now should know better than to pronounce someone dead without such evidence as a body. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S05 E01

S05E01: Redux

After we immediately get past the relapse into the cliffhanger from Season 4, and have it confirmed that Mulder is indeed not dead, we can concentrate on the two halves of the episode. Scully has to cover for Mulder, making everyone believe that he is dead at the hearing. Our friend The Smoking Man doesn't believe Mulder is dead, and breaks into his apartment in search of information. 

Meanwhile, Mulder breaks into the Department of Defense, where one of the finest monologues of the whole show takes place, as Michael Kritschgau (John Finn) escorts Mulder around and explains to him the theory behind the whole hoax and why it has taken place. It is tremendous, and brilliantly delivered. It is one of the scenes of the entire The X Files series.

Mulder delves into secret locations and finds what he believes is a cure for Scully's cancer in a box within, but having taken it to the Lone Gunmen discovers it is only water. The episode ends with Scully collapsing at the hearing with blood again coming from her nose, signalling the worst. perhaps. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E24

S04E24: Gethsemane

Here we go again. "We've found an alien corpse!". "Oh, almost everyone who knows about it is dead". "Mulder is here! He sees the alien corpse, it must be real!". "More people who know about it die!". "Scully probably has proof, but chooses not to believe, but believes a stranger who says it's a conspiracy!". "Mulder doesn't believe it!".

We've seen most of this before in one way shape or form. And we will again. Trying to spin this into a story to cover up government stories by making Mulder believe in alien lifeforms and technology is done well, as well as going back and forth in the hearing being held that Scully is speaking at. The cliffhanger ending is a bit of a cop out, because we all know Mulder will not be dead. Even at the time it wasn't convincing nor did it invoke the same emotion as the end of Season 2.  3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E23

S04E23: Demons

Though it does have much to do with the overreaching story of Samantha Mulder, and the actual details of her abduction/disappearance in the past, this episode does tend to bore me, and not really hold my attention. There are lots of details here in Mulder's flashbacks that are pieces of the story that is still to be told over future series, but the interwoven plot along with that tends to get bogged down in details that aren't as interesting. 3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E22

S04E22: Elegy

The return of Scully here is expanded by a more integral role for her in this episode, where she actually experiences the unexplained, and has to wrap her head around it rather than have Mulder spelling it out for her. It was nice for a change to again have Scully being an active participant in the believing side of the episode, and not just constantly debunking Mulder's theories. This really did have a One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest feel to it, which was apparently what the writers wanted.

The ending may not be the cleanest or cleverest but it was still a fun episode to watch. 4/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E21

S04E21: Zero Sum

A second Skinner-based episode, and it's another beauty. The Smoking Man is making him run around in circles, and he doesn't like it one little bit. With Scully not in the picture at all, being in hospital for her cancer, there is some great interaction between Skinner and Cancer Man, and Skinner and Mulder, as the episode winds its way through the twists and turns, and the return of the bees first introduced by the Syndicate back in "Herrenvolk".

Skinner's character continue to improve the more he is given to show his wares. This episode gives a different perspective on both his and Mulder's characters and works well within the framework of the series.  4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E20

S04E20: Small Potatoes

This is a beauty written by Vince Gilligan, where the story starts with Mulder and Scully investigating a town where babies have been born with tails, but the case turns on its head when they discover that the babies all have the same father... which would appear impossible.

Enter Eddie Van Bundht, who is a much more intriguing character than it initially appears when he is confirmed as the father of all five children. A bit corny in places, but this is an enjoyable X File all the same. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E19

S04E19: Synchrony

Now here's something you can get your teeth into, though of course its full of holes and the timelines and counter-timelines have absolutely no chance of ever marrying up. But finally there is some time travel in the X Files, as an old man seems to be disposing of scientists who are on the verge of a great discovery. But why? And how?

Of course Fox eventually realises (too late) that the old man is here to do exactly that, but he's come to stop himself! Well, it mightn't be perfect, but when it comes to time travel stories I am very anally retentive about it all, so sit back and enjoy and don't worry about my droning. 4.5/5

Hird

On a day when the AFL announced the richest TV deal in the history of Australian sport - $2.5 billion if you don't mind - the Essendon football club finally took the decision that should have been made over two years ago, when it announced that James Hird was no longer the senior coach of the club. It should have gone further, but these things never go as far as they should when they should.
At the press conference, the two quotes that amused me the most were the following:

James Hird: "Club Chairman Paul Little and I agreed the club would never be free of the ASADA saga as long as I was head coach".

Paul Little: "The outcome will provide the players and the club the benefit of a fresh start and a clean slate".

Well, tally-ho boys, jolly good show and pip-pip for good thinking. No one would ever have thought of that.

Said no one ever.

There was some rubbish that came out of that press conference yesterday, and no doubt we were all meant to believe every single word.

Seriously. James Hird's statement was certainly true, but it was true two years ago as well, when Hird refused to step down as coach and Little and his board instead gave him a year's paid holiday away from the club in the hope everything could be resolved and/or swept under the carpet. The fact that nothing has changed in any respect to do with the WADA investigation really means that the removal of Hird from the coaching position cannot be related to that - if in fact Hird resigned and was not sacked as they would have us believe. From everything that has happened over this time period, it appears unlikely that Hird finally conceded and resigned, having gone so long refusing to do so. Surely he was sacked, but took the offer of 'resigning' to keep the face of the club clean.

And then Paul Little's statement. Well, a fresh start and a clean slate could have occurred two years ago if they had sacked Hird as coach and installed Mark Thompson (or anyone else) at that time. Then Hird would have been out of the loop of the media, and the same 'fresh start and clean slate' would have happened at that time, rather than two years later. It may not have improved the performances of the team this year, but at least their proactivity at that time would have been noted.

The players may well feel for Hird, and may well have wanted him to stay on as coach. They may have felt that he was the one man who was standing up for them and fighting for their position and future over the ASADA and then WADA investigations. All of those things may be true, but they miss the point of the initial breaking of this story so long ago. The point is that Hird had a Duty Of Car to the players, and that simply didn't happen under his watch, and he therefore had to be held accountable. It has taken two and a half years to have that acted upon.

Little should also have resigned yesterday, and completed the rout. The board's handling of this almost from day one has been abysmal, and not without some justification given the enormous circumstances and difficulty in dealing with individuals involved and how to approach a guilty or not guilty verdict in the long term. But tougher decisions needed to be made well before this point in time, and that has been observed all the way through, not just with hindsight. This day was always going to arrive, and the longer it has taken, the longer this has dragged on.

It won't be over yet, until WADA brings down its verdict, but the Essendon club could not afford to go into 2016 with the same people in charge of its team and risk losing yet another season to the mire of the drugs scandal, of which rightly or wrongly James Hird has been the face of. Both Hird and Little were correct in their statements, but it was the three lost seasons caused by their delay that has brought this to a head to day in order to save the future seasons.

Jason Day Wins the US PGA Championship!

An amazing finish by Jason Day, who has finally broken through to win his first Major championship, winning the US PGA in Wisconsin. After so many close calls and heartbreaking efforts, it was fantastic to see him win a much deserved Major tournament.
And how about Jordan Speith? He won the first two majors of the year in the US Masters and the US Open, and finished fourth at the The Open at St Andrews, and second here. He takes over the Number One position in the rankings from Rory McIlroy, while Day moves to third.

Ding dong the witch is dead. #PGAChampionship #winning pic.twitter.com/uwBFKRvWBn

— Jason Day (@JDayGolf) August 17, 2015

Watto is Back!

Sport Returns - Diamonds Win the World Cup!

What a great effort from the Australian Diamonds today to once again win the World Cup, beating their arch rivals the Silver Ferns in the final. Having lost to New Zealand in the preliminary rounds  - their first loss in 21 straight matches - the Aussies put them to bed in a scintillating first quarter that helped them to lead 16-7. This was enough to ensure relative comfort throughout the remainder of the match and another famous victory.

@CoachLisaA joins News Breakfast fresh after @AussieDiamonds complete a Netball World Cup hat-trick http://t.co/rfvDHex6jj

— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) August 16, 2015

Sport's Appeal Lacking Lustre

Sport hasn't been doing it for me lately, I can guarantee you that. If it's not bad enough that our cricketers have been completely blown away by a team the so-called experts believed were in tatters, the winter side of things isn't helping much either.

The AFL has come tumbling down again, leaving me with another finals series which means I won't have to worry about my blood pressure, but without a vested interest. Collingwood again managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, leading by 9 points in the final term against Sydney at the S.C.G, but unable to convert the chances they had to hold onto the game. It was their seventh loss in eight games, but in all of those they have been competitive against better opposition. It is obvious that they a lot of good kids coming through, but they just aren't at the level of these higher teams at the moment. Letting that game go on Friday night was a disappointment though. The Magpies had to win to make the finals, and their chances are now gone. So too are the likely finals aspirations of the Giants, who stayed with Port Adelaide until midway through the fourth quarter before being finished off. GWS still have an outside chance of making the playoffs, but will have to win all three of their finals games against Sydney, Carlton and Melbourne to do it, and hope other results go their way. After next weekend it probably won't matter.

The NRL hasn't mattered for some time. The Dragons loss to Brisbane has them walking a finals tightrope and possibly allowing Manly a lifeline, while the Eels played another 40 minute game on Saturday, leading the Roosters 18-4 at half time only to lose 28-18. The Eels lurch from disaster to disaster off the field, with Will Hopoate now taking them to court over 3rd party payments. Unless this is all solved ridiculously quickly, any progress the Eels have made in the past season and a half will be for nothing. Somehow the club has to deal with the ridiculous deals the previous board negotiated over the past three seasons, and clear out any misconception about their recruiting and payments. It should be done league-wide, but the Eels need to rid their club of the descending fog this is creating.

Once again, entirely predictably, the Wallabies failed to lift the Bledisloe Cup after falling to defeat at Eden Park (once again). The All Blacks rejoice for retaining the trophy for the 13th consecutive year - but really, what chance do you have to try and take it off the holders? With only two games being played each season, you only have to win your game at home to be assured of retaining the Cup. In the good old days you had the chance of a three Test series - all in your own country - to win the Bledisloe Cup. Now it is so heavily in favour of the holders that it becomes a task too far. Of course, this rule will probably only be changed if Australia ever happen to win the Cup back.

Iron Maiden - Speed Of Light (Official Video)

It's been a long wait, but finally the new Iron Maiden album is only a couple of weeks away.
The first single has been released, along with the video. Great stuff.
Up the Irons! \m/

Josh at Soccer

Josh played the penultimate game of his first season of soccer on the weekend for the Albion Park Under 8 Blacks. He is #10, and won the weekly "The Nut" trophy for the second consecutive week for his efforts.

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E18

S04E18: Max

Well Max made it back to us, but not in this episode. Mulder is, of course, caught as he swims to shore after witnessing the crashed UFO and pilot. Scully's efforts to save the one person who seems to know what actually happened are, of course, countermanded by those higher up the chain. Then we learn that Max was transporting alien technology but - surprise surprise - there is ANOTHER bag with part of the puzzle, which Mulder duly is able to snaffle.

Of course, this all comes to a screaming halt on yet another plane journey, where bad guy and object disappear, Mulder survives, but has no proof of anything that happened. Jumpin' jiminies, will nothing ever go right for these guys? Carry a damn camera! 4/5.

Chilly This Morning...

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E17

S04E17: Tempus Fugit

Max is back! All the way from 'Fallen Angel' in Season 1, he doesn't last to see much more action, after the plane he was on crashes, killing almost everyone on board. Still there are aliens afoot in many places as Mulder and Scully try to work out exactly what happened in the air above Northville in New York.

Was there one aircraft? Was there two? Was there an alien craft? Even Joe Spano's character Mike Millar comes to see the light (literally) in the UFO conspiracy theory taking place. Mulder even stumbles across yet another alien space ship crashed under water (why doesn't this man carry a camera with him?!?!) as the episode ends, leading us to a week long cliffhanger...    4/5