Tony Joe white and J.J. Cale LOUVELDA

A picture of my Dad, Bill Fitzpatrick, doing his impersonation of Marlon Brando, whilst smoking a good cigar, in Snow Country, in Australia, decades ago, just about to throw a big chunk of snow at one of his boys.

I note that the Australian Labor Party's Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is "fully behind the Prime Minister" in supporting the deal with Trump. There is something very spooky about having Bill Shorten fully behind you as the previous two Labor Prime Ministers, Rudd & Gillard, found out. No one wants Bill on their '6'. I guess you could say that "I'm fully behind Bill Shorten" and I'm excited about that.

It would be a bit tricky for many Australians to decry Trump's decisions regarding refugees etc in that Australia also is happy to keep breaking the International Convention on Refugees, and it is just that in this case we are begging America to help us to be irresponsible, illegal and unethical, for bizarre political reasons.

Coming from a family of proud military folk, the closest time I ever got to anything Military was when I was asked if I wanted to do officer training in the Australian Airforce. My response...NO. You'd have to be fucking joking. Take orders? Oh, I don't think so. Why the fuck would anyone want to do that? I mean, anyone in their right mind? I am a Fitzpatrick man, and we don't take orders, nor need to ever give them. We are somewhat more evolved than all that. The picture here is that of me wearing an aluminium bowl that was, at the time, the family vomit bowl, as there were many, many kids under parental management etc thus many vomits. My daughter, the remarkable artist, Siobhan Bernadette Fitzpatrick, noted that, when vomiting into the bowl, it had an amazing and dulcet musical echo. There was a whole batch of lovely years lived at and around that time. I loved being a pretty good Dad in the time available. Fly, my minions, fly...

OFFICIAL Somewhere over the Rainbow - Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole

Living in Melbourne After One Month: Overview Melbourne is in Australia, at the South Eastern end of the mainland. It is a city of 4 million people. The climate is temperate and noted as having very changeable weather. Summer days are usually hot, but can be cold. Nights can be warm in the summer months, but also sometimes coolish down to about 12 degreesC...so it has great weather 'flexibility'. Ethnicity The main/obvious ethnic groups seem to be white Anglo-Saxons, Celts, Greeks, Chinese, and some Arabs. Religions are the usual conservative matrix of Anglican/Catholic/Islam and Chinese Christian, which is a bit different. Housing Housing is expensive whether renting or buying. Food Is relatively cheap and fresh and plentiful. Transport Public Transport is very good based upon frequent trains, trams and buses. Where we live We live in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne and are renting. The rent is basically double the rent of anything similar in Cairns, where we come from. In terms of buying a house, well, here, where we are, a simple house of brick, 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, will cost about a million Australian dollars. it will have either a big front or backyard...or at least a goodly amount of out side space. Parks: Big, well looked after parks. Hospitals There is a shit load of hospitals, both public and private Work There is work here in quite a number of industries, and especially in health and service industries Infrastructure In summary: It is a modern medium sized international city with a temperate climate and with all the necessary gear. Access to services is very good. As noted it is the World's Most Liveable City for many good reasons. I am happy we came here.