I would have to say that the year that was 2007 was rather uneventful on the local scene. The exception was that I did some more triathlons and now I have almost lost the inclination to do anymore triathlons. I have decided to switch to roadrunning and still swimming and to cycle some more I am considering a shorter triathlon maybe in March or April 2008. I will be warming up for the April running calender where I will be considering doing the Brisbane half marathon, or the full marathon. Then it will be the July 6th 30th Gold Coast marathon. Swimming is coming along just fine, it is just stroke correction at present, no fitness in the pool, too close to Christmas for any fitness peakness, I need to relax over the festive season and enjoy the festive ails. I will probably prepare for the Mooloolaba and then maybe the Noosa running season in 2008? Then again I might just do absolutely zilch! Then I'll just do my usual weekly and daily riding and running and swimming for persoanl fitness. No big deal.

Now, the federal government has changed seating positions. The opposition are now in power and the former government are now sitting on the opposite side of the house of reoresentatives and the senate. The first day in the office for the Australian Labour Prime Minister was marked with an international covenant being ratified concerning the Climate Change, the Greenhouse effect has now become a global treaty with members agreeing in principle to watch out their Carbon emmisions levels in some glaobal benchmark. The Kyoto Protocal has been ratified by the world except the USA, who still had their ubiquitous eyes in the conference and saying their Pax Americana two cents worth to proceedings as per usual. American exclusion from the UN sanctioned global forum in Bali has been interupted by American delegates stating their views of

"We might join in, and, if we are members, we would have said this, or we might have said this, provided that we do consider signing into the Kyoto treaty?, but, alas, we are not ratifing anything. So we are in no position to say anything and we have no "official" comment on present proceedings." (personal hypothesis)

The truth might seem very surreptitiously anti-American which may stir some pro-Americanism paranoia in New York and Washington DC. The war on terrorism may have ignited a counter Americanism which may be the underlying motif within the Bali conference which would concern Langley to no end. The Australian general election has also spelt out the particularly anti-American backlash by the Bennelong electorate with the resounding victory to Maxine McKew (ALP) who ousted the Australian Prime Minister from his Bennelong seat and out of government and out of politics perhaps forever. The All the way with George W Bush rationale did not bode well for the Australian people who had completely changed their views to the American 'staying the course', in Afghanistan and Iraq. The loyalty was undiminished amongst the military factors and the hawks who had welcomed the American weapons and military deals with Halliburton etc, the Galaxy troop carriers, the JSF, the Abram tanks, the Unmanned drones, and other technical and military intel sharing capabilities which has transformed the Australian military machine as the most advanced military power on this side of the planet. This is the mates rates which the ADF and the DSD have procured and acquired with their American allegiences. The military Tamdem Thrust exercises have prepared Australia and American military for the ost comprehensively rehearsed amphibious conventional invasion of an enemy nation anywhere within the South East Asian region, and to repel any potential invading force north of the Arafura and Timor Sea area. The Tandem Thrust exercise has been held in Queensland for the past few years and have used over 26,000 American Marine and Army personnel as well as a couple of Australian Army regiments, QLD based, with the full support of the US Pacific Command and RAN. The Airforce are also well represented in this multi-million dollar staged show for the real thing anywhere from the Philipines, Indonesia, Malaysia, PNG or any place that may threaten Australian territories now or in the near future. America is commited to intervene almost automatically. Tandem Thrust has prepared American troops to be deployed from as far away as Hawaii and landing anywhere in Queensland within 24 hours, almost undetected by local area surveillance sources. This was already proven when US Airbourne parachuted into Shoalwater Bay, in north Queensland, completely undetected by Australian surveillance in 2006. The Americans took happy shots of their landing and then showed it to the Australians. An entire brigade of US Airbourne troops, some 750 troops, with live weapons, had landed in Queensland undetected. American-Australian wargames have been going on for quite some time now. It is seldom revealed to the public but when it does it is normally the accidental deaths in exercise accidents in North Queensalnd that are reported.

The present Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has not shirked in Australia's military commitment to Afghanistan by not ordering the withdraw of Australian troops but to increase numbers of Australian military numbers in Tarin Kowt, The Australian compound, within Southern Afghani province. However, the ALP Prime Minister has commited to withdraw up to 500 Australian Diggers from Iraq.

The Australian military muscle has been overstretched and it is true it has become weathered and battle weary in Iraq and Afghanistan. The de ja vue Vietnam war backlash has been expected but not overly passionate in the local reaction to Iraq and Afghanistan, this may be explained with the 911 experience, therefore, it is yet another day in the office for the professional soldier, unlike the Vietnam conscription period within the US, which had spilt over to very strong anti-war sentiments in Australia and in NZ. The casualty rates has been well controlled bar the three recent fatalities in Afghanistan by Taliban forces. The Australians have not been too anti-American due to this lack of casualty rate in the Middle East.

Locally, though, I have had my fair share of close encounters with road rage, whilst training on my bike. I have had a couple of prangs on my bike and on both occasions I had an Aboriginal Muslim person behind the wheel, knocked off the road in Loganlea, and a Arab man braked on his car suddenly, whilst I was cycling behind him, in Kangaroo Point, forcing me to run into his black SUV, he blamed me for crashing into his car. I did not agree of this summation. I tried to pursue the matter further with police intervention and the police did not care, it was not a big deal. On both occassions I had minor injuries and I sought medical attention and was delayed at the Princess Alexander hospital and so I left with no medical attention at all and no more was said about it.

So apart from these minor incidents (accidents) out on the road, I had managed to do three big triathlons, and did a couple of half marathons, and the Gold Coast marathon. I am now convalescing in December feeling rather worn out as well. I have now returned to cycling, and swimming in the local pool, and doing the usual road runs to keep myself reasonably fit.

I am still living with my sister, who is on holiday from university studies, I am still single and living well within my means in outter suburbia in South East Queensland. 

No festive cheer for anyone this christmas, I'm afraid to say, because I have no one to give it to, hahaha.

Might just pop over to visit mum in the Beenleigh cemetery and say happy Xmas, we will all be with her some time in the future anyway, so she can just wait for us a while longer.

I have noticed in the local rag the local city councillors are about to receive a pay rise. Our local councillor Cr. Phil Pidgeon is earning over $87,000 per annum, and he will be receiving an remuneration increase next month of some $14,000, this is not included to loadings? for whatever incidentals he may accrue from his service to the community obligations. Not a bad little job if you can get it. You have to be elected into office within the democratic process of local government elections. The Lord Mayor receives over $143,000 per annum, so it is a well paying job for very important and efficacious political incumbents, right?!

Im still on the dole! I have a university degree worth bugger all. Ahh, the Australian dream, like the American dream, it works only for the very, very few.

My New Years resolution coming up next time....

Soifua.

Tim Tufuga

Logan City Council (division nine, triathlete, marathoner, bum!)