Tan Son Nhat Airport

Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh city. My submission for the Photo Friday "abandoned" challenge. The reference being to the 1960's era structures in the background. An airport as a portal to history. Not a pretty (see below for one of those) or arty photo I know, but neither is it contrived - This is genuine abandonment on a grand scale.

Petal

Petal

GangGang

Gang Gang

The wattle trees are covered with seed pods at the moment, and the parrots are having a wonderful time. I love the Gang Gang's call - like a slow creaky door. They seem to be far more tolerant of intrusive photographers than the Rosellas and Sulphur Cresteds.

Light and Lens

Reflection and Refraction. For Photo Friday 'Reflections' challenge.

Looking into a lighthouse prism lens. The lamp inside is magnified, and there is another prism lens behind. The ocean is reflected in the front lens.

Bah Humbug

From The Canberra Times
"A Canberra family whose 12-year-old disabled son was used by the Federal Government in a calendar promoting its disabled services now faces deportation precisely because of the boy's disability.
Rophin Morris, who suffers from autism, and his parents Jude and Daisy Morris, who have done social work locally for 11 years since arriving from India, will have to leave Australia within three months unless granted residency at the discretion of the Immigration Minister, Senator Amanda Vanstone.
As late as Thursday night, Rophin was highlighted as an example of disabled integration in the community at the launch of the Department of Family and Community Services' 2005 disability calendar."

Apparently the family did not know about the disability when they arrived in Australia, so to judge them on it now would appear a bit unfair. There could be other aspects to this story and I haven't seen any response from the govt as yet. But making these people leave, after including them in such promotional material, would appear very hard hearted.

Given the nod again

Torture is in.

"Evidence gained by torture can be used by the US military review panels deciding the fate of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, the US Government has conceded." ....

"Deputy associate Attorney-General, Brian Boyle, has told the District Court in Washington DC, that the Guantanamo review panels are allowing such evidence...."

"Lawyers acting for Australian detainees in Cuba have called on the Australian Government to renounce the practice." (from ABC online)

One can always hope.

Update

What a surprise:

"The Federal Government says that while torture is inappropriate, it has no intention of fighting plans by the US Government to use the evidence.
Australia's Attorney-General Philip Ruddock says that while such evidence is not an accepted part of civilian trials, it can be used in military trials.
"We've always known that that was the approach in the military trial arrangements," he said." (ABC News)

That's the type of standard we want to set for the rest of the world? Could end up backfiring on our citizens o/s one day.

Eurekas advance on Parliament

Eurekas advance on Parliament.

Eureka stockade flags are up to mark the 150th anniversary of the Eureka rebellion. This week they lined Commonwealth Avenue, but were not allowed to proceed further up to Parliament house itself thanks to bans by the the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate. One was to apparently be seen in the foyer of the Senate though. Debate on what it actually all means over at surfdom. I seem to recall that when the national flag of another coutry is flown (to mark the national day of a country), every second flag is still the Australian flag, just to remind us all where we are I suppose ... not so with this showing (which isn't a national flag of course).

Eurekas!