Monday, July 14, 2008

Keystone Cop and a Little Vale to Mrs Riley

Unless something really vital comes up this week, I'm going to focus on World Youth Week. Evident even in the suburbs by troops of Canadian Christians shouting "Oh Ca-na-daaaa" and flanked with the maple leaf. What a cheery bunch of younglings parading through Castle Hill with their WYD bandannas and funny accents "How aboot it?". True . . I had lunch with the Benchwarmer and there are busloads of kids disembarking with wheelie cases and happy clap WYD T shirts. I assume they're being billeted perhaps at some nearby high school. Ryan has even opted to work from home rather than be pestered by new traffic arrangements in the city and someone asking questions about his "So What Would Jesus Say . . " T Shirt (I made that up, I'm not sure if he has one!). But one particular news item caught my eye this morning whilst driving to work . . .

An elite New South Wales policeman is believed to have injured himself with a stun-related device outside the Catholic Church complex where the Pope is staying in north-west Sydney. (Maybe there is a God! hahaha!)

He was taken to Westmead Hospital, where he has been treated for a laceration and a fractured finger. (I love it, the guy must have tasered himself, fallen over and broken his fingin! . . .)

It is unclear how close the officer was to the Pope at the time of the incident but organisers say there was no threat to the pontiff at any time. (Apart from an increase in static in the pontiff's robes which gave everyone a view of his visible panty line and imbued him with a fantastic static induced troll like like hairdo! I made that up too . . .anything for effect)

Police say an investigation is underway.

This incident occurred at the perimeter to the property in Kenthurst where the Pope is enjoying a Catholic Retreat but at this stage, this is being handled by the police. (Does this smack of Keystone Cops or am I just being cruel?)
Kenthurst, is the bastion of the nuveau riche landowners and age-old, mainly Italian market gardeners. It's the safest place in the WORLD for a pontiff. Quiet, wooded, acreage . . . apart from the helicopters and high police presence today who'd have thunk the old Cardinal was loving his home among the gum trees, with lots of plum trees, a sheep or two and a kangaroo . . .

As for the policeman . . .silly duffer!



Edit: And on a slightly sadder note - although also a celebration of a wonderful and immensely long life. A lady I discovered only a couple of months ago, Olive Riley, the world's oldest blogger. Olive passed away this weekend at the ripe old age of 108. Although attempts to visit her site tonight have not been successful, there are some glitches with her site but it is well worth a visit. I hope they keep it running as a testament to this lovely lady. Until a fortnight ago, she remained blogging through her regular nursing home visitors, friends and family. . .I just wish I'd found her blog earlier because it is charming. Bless Mrs Riley . . and thank you Eric for your emails and for passing on my comments to Olive while she was ailing. She will be missed.


Mrs Olive Riley 20/10/1899 to 12/7/2008
Bless her soul!

19 comments:

Thriftcriminal said...

Oi, that's my spiritual leader you are on about (Cue batman tune: "na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-leader, leader", as featured in the Simpsons). Is it just me or does he look like the Emporer in Star wars?
As for Olive, fair play, takes some tenacity and fibre to reach an age like that!

Thriftcriminal said...

No I cant spell. Not today anyhow.

Baino said...

Take it easy big boy! There will be more . . I was born an Anglican, raised by a Welsh Evangelist and married a Catholic so I'm well qualified to poke fun! Besides, the guy has some cool hats!

Not only the Emperor in Star wars, but Yoda, a Troll (you know the ugly little dolls with pink hair) and some concentration camp commandant . .Google him on images . . you'll have a laugh.

Hey! It's not all bad . . He's speaking up for the environment (big distraction from contraception-free sex, female priests and gay marriage) More to come!

Lurve yer likkle piggy! Tightarse!

laughingwolf said...

rip, olive :(

as for the pope, he STILL looks like a concentration camp overlord, and the other things you mention....

Anonymous said...

Hee hee. Can't stop thinking about that idiot tazering himself - bet that was fun to watch!

As for Olive, wow. Although I'm not overly certain I'd want to live that long, would you?

Megan said...

Me da calls him "ratzkiller" and yet I am still sending my offspring to Cathlick Skool. The Jesuits, once they get their claws in...

Anonymous said...

You have to a certain Clown to Tasar yourself, also, but 'pat doen' those Roo's, nasty pieces of work !

And to be blogging at 108 !, get in, do they have broadband in the Big Internet Cafe ' in the sky .......

Anonymous said...

Baino,

Isn't Oz religion (insofar as there is any) fairly right-wing evangelical? what would my favourite Australian, big Merv, make of a bloke in a frock?


(Talking of big Merv, have you seen the South African cricketer Ashim Hamla, his whiskers make Merv look pubescent!)

Baino said...

LW: Poor pontiff . . I bet he was a strapping you young blonde in his youth! (why are they always so old? He's 80!)

EM: Nup, too long for me although I believe she was quite active until about a year ago and her mind was sharp as a tack!

Megan, I sent mine to Catholic schools as well . . turned them into perfect little athiests but the education was good.

Moon! They're big cuddly rats, don't believe all that stuff about boxing kangaroos! Although I wouldn't put it past a bored cop to 'practice' his taser aim on the wildlife!

Ian, the mainstream religions survive but the pentacostals in Sydney have just pipped the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches in size. A tash better than Merve? The nerve!

Anonymous said...

I've been close many a big red during my year in adelaide ... mean, big bastards !

nobody wil ever match Merv .....

Thriftcriminal said...

Tightarse eh? I like it. Oh, I'm only messing. His holiness would frown extensively on my 'disconnection' procedure to prevent more mini-thriftys.

laughingwolf said...

they like the old guys, it seems, so they can get a new one every four years, or so :(

Anonymous said...

I laughed when they even bothered making a story about the poor policeman's little finger!

This is the first time we have rejected work because customers with email addresses like "praisethelord@" expect us to DONATE our services for FREE because they are Christians!?!

I'm also VERY ANGRY at the Pope for telling all the young ones they need to MULTIPLY!?! The world is overpopulated, NOT the other way around...

Awwww Olive, noticed her a while back, she had quite a life!

Baino said...

LW good point . . high turnover!

Thrifty very responsible of you and much more reliable than the Rhythm method!

Anony: Really? The nerve. Ah! stay tuned, I'm already on the Pels trail . . tonights post perhaps ."Multiply AND Perish!" How out of touch is this bunch. Apparently they're worried about a population boom in 9 months time due to 225,000 young pilgrims under dancing doonas in dorms!

Anonymous said...

"population boom in 9 months time due to 225,000 young pilgrims under dancing doonas in dorms!" I AM STILL VERY ANGRY ABOUT THAT!!!! I know the Catholic Church isn’t strong in the Middle East and sub-Sahara Africa, but I thought the pope was meant to love all mankind and not just the Catholics. It’s like they are a separate race, multiplying to invade the ‘others’. Oh, that is what they are doing in Sydney... Ooops should have left that spew for tonight's post... *sigh*

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

I went to a Vincentian priests catholic high school AND was an altar boy AND went to see the pope aka the 'Father with HOLES' on his only visit ever to Ireland.

It was like being exorcised 3 times and cured me of religion for good!

Unknown said...

I don't know about a SWWJD t-shirt, however I think it's time for my "So what would Jesus want you and I to do" shirt to make an appearance...

Baino said...

Quicky: You poor poor thing!
Actually I've got nothing agains the Pope or any religion really. He's as welcome as the Dalai Llama (although I don't think the Taxpayer funds his visits!) IT's just an opportunity this week to focus on religion, catholicism and the bizarre goings on about town.

Ryan: Are you flirting? Cheeky chops!

Unknown said...

No not flirting, just practicing my pickup lines to be used on unsuspecting innocent pilgrims.