The Olympics

August 18th, 2004 | No Comments

I’m having trouble getting interested in the Olympics. I remember it being a big deal when I was a kid, and Sydney 2000 was captivating probably because it was in Australia, but this year I’m nonplussed.

Perhaps the time difference of seven hours is the problem. All the big swimming events are between 2am and 3am.

Or maybe Australia’s past success has caused my ambivalence. Juliet made a good observation this morning that everyone seemed disappointed we came second in the 200 metres freestyle relay, but the Italians were jubilant to win bronze.

Australia failed to win a gold medal at Montreal in 1976, but today we’re expected to pick up a dozen or more.

These articles might be of interest:

Comment 9 views, 1 so far today

Tags: Sport

Feathertop via Bungalow Spur

The population of Victoria is five million people, but I was the only one of them today on the summit of our second-highest peak, Mt Feathertop.
The mountain was awe inspiring, humbling, powerful and beautiful in a mesmerising package of contradictions.
Normally I have Friday spare to pursue private business, but I swapped it for today to [...]

Aral Sea disaster

I saw a disturbing report on SBS news last night about the Aral Sea disaster in Kazakhstan. The world’s fourth-largest inland sea has been decimated by commercial exploitation and mismanagement. Here are some of the facts:
Forty years ago the Aral Sea surface was 66,100 square kilometers with an average depth of 16.1 metres and a [...]

The twins hatch

Well it’s almost sunk in that I’m a Dad again. The twins were dragged reluctantly into the world at 10.26am and 10.27am on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 almost two weeks before Juliet would have been full term in her labor.
The vital details:
James Peter, weight 6lb 12oz
Margaret Johanna, weight 6lb
Mum and babies are doing well. Hopefully [...]

Breaker Morant

I wrote this article in February 2002 in response to a campaign by Senator Julian McGauran and Tim Fischer to obtain a pardon for English officer “Breaker” Morant, who ordered the killing of prisoners in the Anglo/South African War.
I was annoyed that McGauran took up this issue without any community consultation. It was the only [...]