Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Writing
Unemployed, miserable man still remembers teacher who first made him fall in love with writing
Explaining that she introduced him to the literature that made him the man he is today, 41-year-old Casey Sheard, an unemployed and fundamentally miserable person, confirmed to reporters Tuesday that he still fondly remembers the high school teacher who first inspired him to fall in love with writing. “Mrs. Merriman was the one who … Continue reading
John Cleese On Security
How we Brits Cope with Terrorism. Reposted from: “John Cleese On Security” at This Day – One Day The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even … Continue reading
Versatile Blogger Award Nomination
I have been nominated by Mona Howard (Ramblings) and Yannah (Yannah The Wanderer) for the Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you to both of you for this recognition. The rules of the Versatile Blogger Award are: Add the Versatile Award photo on a blog post Thank the award-giver and link back to them in your post. … Continue reading
Superheroes and Super Tyrants
It is always nice to receive an accolade from a fellow writer, and I thank Chan Kai Yee for his gracious words in his post today.
Hangzhou China NAFLE Drama Competition
November 23 2011: While living in Hangzhou, China, I was invited to write and direct a play for the Year 7 “Ruling Class” students, at Greentown Yuhua Middle School. The play won the Zhejiang Province Division of the NAFLE Drama Festival, and the students were invited to participate in the National Finals of the competition, … Continue reading
Motorbike Repairs
This was supposedly printed in a Florida newspaper. It tells the story of a man, his motorcycle, an exploding toilet, and the need for good medical insurance. A man was working on his motorcycle on his patio and his wife was in the kitchen. The man was racing the engine on the motorcycle when it … Continue reading
Only In America
While living in America, I made the following observations, which I found quite curious: Pizza gets to your house faster than an ambulance. There are handicap parking places in front of skating rinks. Drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can … Continue reading
Murphy’s Law
“Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” is commonly known as Murphy’s Law. The fact that Murphy was actually an aero-space engineer, who worked on safety-critical systems, may be cause for some concern. Major Edward Aloysius Murphy’s original statement was apparently along the lines “If there’s more than one way to do a job, … Continue reading
Origins Of Bonza
Bonza is an uniquely Australian word, meaning excellent, attractive, pleasing, remarkable or wonderful. For an Australian to call something bonza is considered high praise indeed, but where does the word come from? It seems to have entered use around 1900-1905. The first time it was used in print, with the alternative spelling of bonzer, seems … Continue reading
Pay More, Get Less
One thing that really annoys me is the fact that manufacturers treat us like fools. They claim the prices of their products are not rising as much as inflation, but, on close inspection, it is obvious that the products they sell actually contain less than before. Take cereal, for example. A report from the Today … Continue reading
Petrol Companies Price Hikes
Current media reports state that the federal government is considering forcing petrol companies to advertise their prices 24 hours in advance, so consumers can be prepared for the outrageous price fixing that happens on weekends and public holidays. maybe this could be expanded to force them to advertise three days, or even a week in … Continue reading
Affordable Housing Projects To Be Expanded
Affordable housing numbers in Queensland are increasing, according to information from the Department of Housing and Brisbane Housing Company. Scott Chandler, Media Advisor to Queensland Minister for Housing, Robert Schwarten, said that 15 million dollars funding had been committed to thee Gold Coast Housing Company over the next three years. This was in addition to … Continue reading
Murri Courts Expanding In Queensland
Murri Courts will soon be operating in Cairns, Caloundra and Mackay, according to Donna O’Donoghue, Adviser to Queensland Attorney-General, Kerry Shine. The courts, designed to meet the special needs of Indigenous Australians, commenced operation in Brisbane in 2002, and are currently operating in Brisbane, Ipswich, Mt Isa, Townsville, Caboolture, Cherbourg and Cleveland, Ms O’Donoghue said. … Continue reading
New Press Shield Laws Announced
Reforms to evidence law will protect confidential communications between journalists and their sources, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said in a media release on 24th May. However, Amy Coopes, from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, believes the laws, in their current form, do little in a practical sense. The Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Bill was announced … Continue reading
The Great Burke Debate
All constituents should have access to all parliamentarians, regardless of the constituent’s background, according to Senator Andrew Bartlett, Deputy Leader of the Australian Democrats. A spokesman for Senator Bartlett stated that the Democrats did not have a policy of their elected parliamentarians, or members of the Democrats, being prohibited from contact with former Western Australian … Continue reading
King of Torts by John Grisham
The King of Torts is typical of the perception most people have of John Grisham. It portrays two lawyers, one honest and one corrupt. The twist in this tale of litigation and intrigue is that the main character is both lawyers. Clay Carter is a burnt out public defender, an honest man who has failed … Continue reading
Backyard Blues
The traditional use of suburban backyards for weddings, cricket matches, children’s parties and barbecues is under threat. Only the very wealthy in the inner city and those living in country towns look like having large backyards by 2020. NSW State Planning estimates an extra 82,600 houses will be needed in the middle suburbs by 2020, … Continue reading
One Way To Tragedy
Susan Smith, 18, died instantly, and another girl is injured, both passengers in a car that hit a pole and overturned at Glenelg last night. Police report the car as travelling the wrong way in Ringer Street, with speed and risky driving other possible factors. The male driver has been released from hospital after being … Continue reading
Train Of Thought
I marvelled at how no one was complaining. Usually, when the trains run late, that was the only topic of discussion among the passengers. Today, November 14, 2005, Brisbane got a little taste of terrorism, and nobody was saying anything. It had started earlier in the day. The lunch time trains and buses had been … Continue reading
The Birds That Flu
The virus was spread by birds. Twenty-five million people died. First, it infected the pigs, where the virus could mutate. Then it infected the humans. Eighteen months after appearing, the virus vanished completely. Sound like a projection of the possible devastation of the current bird flu threat? Maybe an extract from Stephen King’s apocalyptic novel … Continue reading
Equity
The policeman, and prisoner, both stand in the court; Both equal, in the eyes of the law. It was just yesterday, that these two had fought, But now they’re equal, in the eyes of the law. The black man, they say, raped a white girl; All equal in the eyes of the law. Now, as … Continue reading
It Snows
It snows and it snows My clothes are all froze And so’s my nose And so’s my toes Why do you s’pose It’s cold when it snows Here’s how it goes ‘Cause a freezing wind blows The wind blows the snows And it gets up your nose And freezes your toes And freezes your clothes … Continue reading
John Cleese Letter to USA (November 2000)
NOTICE OF REVOCATION OF INDEPENDENCE November 8 2000 To the citizens of the United States of America, In the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA, and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will … Continue reading
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