Sunday, October 28, 2018

Extract for the Day

From Catch-22 by Joseph Heller:

Yossarian looked at him soberly and tried another appraoch. “Is Orr crazy?”

“He sure is,” Doc Daneeka said.

“Can you ground him?”

“I sure can. But first he has to ask me to. That’s part of the rule.”

“Then why doesn’t he ask you to?”

“Because he’s crazy,” Doc Daneeka said. “He has to be crazy to keep flying combat missions after all the close calls he’s had. Sure, I can ground Orr. But first he has to ask me to.”

“That’s all he has to do to be grounded?”

“That’s all. Let him ask me.”

“And then you can ground him?” Yossarian asked.

“No. Then I can’t ground him.”

“You mean there’s a catch?”

“Sure there’s a catch,” Doc Daneeka replied. “Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn’t really crazy.”

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

“That’s some catch, that Catch-22,” he observed.

“It’s the best there is,” Doc Daneeka agreed.


Burwood past images

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Firstly, my apologies in not advising that I would be away from internet access for a few days, hence the lack of Bytes posts on Saturday and Sunday. Mea culpa. 

On a different note, here are some past images of Burwood NSW, located near my office and only a short distance from where I live. Burwood has featured in the regular series of Sydney Suburbs and it is located about 10 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD. 

So for the rest of the Inner Westies in particular, enjoy a look at past (and in some cases, present) Burwood . . . 
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Burwood Domestic Science School, Sydney 1930, cleaning bathroom, part of the curriculum. 

Cooking class at Burwood Girls’ High School, formerly Burwood Domestic Science School, 1930. The school included a complete flat to teach the girls all of the domestic arts 

Bedmaking instruction at Burwood Domestic Science School. 

Sewing class, 1937, Burwood Domestic Science School. 

Burwood Road where it passes underneath the railway line, c 1939 

Wedding of Don Bradman and Jessie Menzies at St Paul’s Church, Burwood, 1932 

Jessie Menzies, wedding day, 1932 

Steam tram leaving Burwood station 

The Easybeats, 1966. taken at the Burwood home of the Young family, with Dick Diamonde, Stevie Wright & George Young. In the background is Margaret Young, George's older sister, who gave AC/DC their name. 

Accident on the Ashfield/ Burwood/ Mortlake/ Cabarita tramway 1907 

The Priory, heritage-listed residence at 213 Burwood Road, Burwood, built in 1877 

Church of England Children’s Home, opened 1893, closed 1970. 

Ad for the opening of Westfield Burwood 1966


Friday, October 26, 2018

Thought for the Day



Funny Friday

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It's Friday so time to go into the Friday Happy dance . . .



Of course somedo it worse than others . . .


Enjoy Friday and the weekend, people.
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Quickies: 

My psychologist offered some advice... 
“The key to happiness and inner peace is to finish what you’ve started”. 
So I’m nearly at the bottom of this bottle of Vodka and I’ve taken all my antidepressants. 
I think she’s right, I feel amazing! 


Yippee! I'm the winner of that Mega Millions $1.6 billion jackpot. I've just had an e-mail to confirm it. All I've got to do is send my bank account details to this agent of theirs based in Nigeria, and they'll transfer it in. 
The strangest thing is, I don't even remember buying a Mega Millions ticket. 


My wife just dumped me because of my "stupid comparisons." 
I feel like a china shop in a cow field. 


I’d give my right arm to be able to compete in the Invictus Games. 


Around my area there’s quite a few people putting decorations up for Halloween: plastic gravestones, banners saying step no further and beware etc. 
Personally I think my sign saying "FUCK OFF" will do the trick nicely. 
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Finest of Funny Friday:


A guy walks into a bar with his pet monkey. He orders a drink and while he's drinking the monkey jumps all around the place. The monkey grabs some olives off the bar and eats them, then grabs some sliced limes and eats them, then jumps onto the pool table, grabs one of the billiard balls, sticks it in his mouth, and to everyone's amazement, somehow swallows it whole. 

The bartender screams at the guy, "Did you see what your monkey just did?" The guy says "No, what?" "He just ate the cue ball off my pool table ... whole!"

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me," replied the guy, "He eats everything in sight, the little bugger. Sorry. I'll pay for the cue ball and stuff". 

He finishes his drink, pays his bill, pays for the stuff the Monkey ate, then leaves. 

Two weeks later he's in the bar again, and has his monkey with him. 

He orders a drink and the monkey starts running around the bar again. While the man is finishing his drink, the monkey finds a cherry on the bar. He grabs it, sticks it up his bum, pulls it out, and eats it. 

The bartender is disgusted. 

"Did you see what your monkey did now?" "No, what?" replies the guy. "Well, he stuck a cherry up his bum, pulled it out, and ate it!" said the bartender. 

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me", replied the guy. "He still eats everything in sight, but ever since the cue ball incident, he measures everything first." 


A priest and a rabbi, by coincidence, were sitting next to each other on a long flight. 

About an hour passes and not a single word was exchanged by the two men. Finally, the priest turns to the rabbi and says, "Rabbi, do you mind if I ask you a personal question"? The rabbi said, "Of course, you may." 

"I understand that many of you Jewish people, especially rabbis, keep kosher and, as such, don't eat things like bacon or ham". The rabbi acknowledged that. "Haven't you ever even tasted bacon or ham?", asked the priest. 

The rabbi explained, "Many years ago, I was a visiting rabbi in a small town in the middle of nowhere and found myself in a diner one Sunday morning. There was no one around so I ordered bacon and eggs. It was quite good but that was the only time that ever happened." 

After some time, the rabbi turned to the priest and said, "Father, do you mind if you ask you a very personal question"? The priest said OK. 

"You priests take an oath of celibacy, right"?, asked the rabbi. "Why, yes", answered the priest, wondering where this was going. 

"Well, haven't you ever had sex since you've become as priest"?, asked the rabbi. The priest looked about nervous, leaned toward the rabbi and answered very softly, "As a young parishioner I was approached by a troubled woman who was looking for my guidance. She was a beautiful, young woman and one thing led to another. So, yes, just once I had sex with a woman". 

A few moments pass and the rabbi leans over to the priest and says, "A lot better than pork, isn't it?" 

At dawn the telephone rings: 

"Hello, Senor Rod? This issa Ernesto, the caretaker at your country house." 

"Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?" 

"Umm, I just calling to advise you, Senor Rod, that your parrot, he issa dead". 

"My parrot? Dead? The one that won the international competition?" 

"Si, Senor, this issa the one." 

Damn! That's a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?" 

"He issa eating the rotten meat, Senor Rod." 

"Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?" 

"Nobody, Senor. He issa eat the meat of the dead horse." 

"Dead horse? What dead horse?" 

"The thoroughbred, Senor Rod." 

"My prize thoroughbred is dead?" 

"Yes, Senor Rod, he issa die from all that work pulling the water cart." 

"Are you insane? What water cart?" 

"The one we issa use to put out the fire, Senor." 

"Good Lord! What fire are you talking about, man?" 

"The one at your house, Senor! A candle issa fall and the curtains issa caught on fire." 

"What the hell? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a bloody candle?!" 

"Yes, Senor Rod." 

"But there's electricity at the house! What was the candle for?" 

"For the funeral, Senor Rod." 

"WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL??!!" 

"Your wife's, Senor Rod. She issa showed up very late one night and I issa thinking she issa a thief, so I hit her with your new Ping G15 204g titanium head golf club with the TFC 149D graphite shaft." 

SILENCE........... LONG SILENCE.........VERY LONG SILENCE.. 

"Ernesto, if you broke that bloody driver, you're in deep shit!" 
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Corn Corner:


I couldn't believe it today when my son came home with two armchairs and a settee. 
I've told him a million times, never accept suites from strangers. 


I've been diagnosed with a chronic fear of giants. 
Feefiphobia. 


I couldn't undo the buttons on my jumper, so i tried pulling it over my head but got it stuck. 
I'm in Emergency now waiting to see a cardyologist. 


I love taking pictures of myself standing next to boiling water. 
Doctor says I've got selfie steam issues.


Thursday, October 25, 2018

Thought for the Day



Some WW2 pics in colour

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Pics and comments sent to me by Graham E, from a new book published by the Imperial War Museum. It features images commissioned by the British Ministry of Information, with rare colour photos giving fresh insight into World War Two. Thanks Graham, 

Source: 
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A 'spotter' at a 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun site, in December 1942. 
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Dutch civilians dance in the streets of Eindhoven after liberation from the Nazis. ___________________ 


British soldiers admire the Caryatids, on the Acropolis, in Athens, Greece, in October 1944. 
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Nurses and convalescent aircrew enjoy a moment of peace at Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Hospital at Halton in Buckinghamshire, England, August 1943. 
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Gun crew from the 75th (Shropshire Yeomanry) Medium Regiment on active service in Italy, in September 1943. 
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The crew from the 16th/5th Lancers, 6th Armoured Division, clean the barrel of a tank at El Aroussa in Tunisia, in March 1943. 
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British paratroopers prepare for a practice jump from an RAF Dakota at Down Ampney, Wiltshire, England, in April 1944. 
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Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery explains Allied strategy to King George VI in his caravan in the Netherlands, in October 1944. 
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Lancaster bombers nearing completion in an assembly plant at Woodford, near Manchester, England, in 1943. Around 125,000 British aircraft were built during World War Two.
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An Air Raid Precautions warden inspects damaged buildings in Holborn, East London. Most wardens were volunteers and one in six were women. 
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Members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) preparing parachutes for use by British airborne forces during the invasion of Europe, May 1944. 
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Wing Commander James 'Johnnie' Johnson, the RAF's best pilot with 31 confirmed 'kills', poses with his Spitfire and pet labrador, Sally, in Normandy, France, July 1944. 
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Private Alfred Campin of the 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, pictured during training in the UK in March 1944. 
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Lieutenant Vernon R. Richards of the 361st Fighter Group flying his P-51D Mustang, nicknamed 'Tika IV', during a bomber escort mission in 1944.