MAGPIE: Why, when you see some magpies fossicking, is there almost always a mudlark loitering around the edges? asks an intrigued Payton L. Inkletter

Be all that as it may, meanwhile:

In other news…

19^th March 2009:

Thursday: The alarm beat the chalky chameleon, but wanting to be luvvy duvved over, I waited till she came in to wake me about six, which was about six hours short of the sleep I could do with. She gave me the sad news of the death of Natasha Richardson. I ‘rushed’ my ablutions, and showered, and picked up Pa pree before driving to the local park to meet with the Babies Ink&Peggletter for our second ever game of miniature croquet. It was, like the first time, very enjoyable, and I came second last, with Baby Inkletter losing for a rare change. It was getting quite low in light, and the breeze was a tad chilly, when we left and got back to a note in the kitchen letting us know Janny was laying down feeling nauseas, poor possum. After some ginger and a half hour lie down, she rallied a bit, but did not come totally good for another couple of hours.

We ate a very nice meal centred around nachos, and watched the funny, witty, and deep – in places in my opinion – Wall-E, referred to by the way by Clive Hamilton at his UWA lecture last month. Towards the end I fell asleep a few times, but only briefly, for the cushions thrown at me by Baby Inkletter had the desired effect of shocking me back to the beta state. I was just so deeply weary, but I managed to remain awake after this. I would be happy to watch it again when I am less tired. The Babies left about eleven, returning Pa pree as they went.

Missus Inklesgraduallyfeelinglessnauseasnow watched the tail end of Ali Moore’s Lateline Business with me, and I was quite interested in Desmond Lachman of The American Enterprise Institute talking about the quantitative easing measure, to the tune of a trillion US smackeroos, announced by the Federal Reserve this week. He sensibly labels it as ‘palliative’, and mentioned the risks of inflation down the track, but is of the considered opinion that that is worth the risk. I hope he’s right. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith is looking a tad better, but still like shit, poor bugger. I think he needs a good long holiday, and plenty of sleep; not that I can talk. Maybe he needs a Christmas in Dubai; hopefully justice will have prevailed by then in the cases of Marcus Lee and Matthew Joyce, former workers at the Dubai Waterfront Project.

Now I’m going to comment on the previous Aunty program which I didn’t see tonight! I’ve just read the transcript of Leigh Sales’ interview with Michael Keenan, who is not only the Opposition's Spokesman on Employment and Workplace Relations, but also my – Stirling’s – Federal Member of the House of Representatives. First, Ms Sales has my sympathy for the odious aspects of her job, which include interviewing creeps; if Christopher Pyne had a twin brother who was adopted out at birth, we’ve found him. Michael is ‘Continuing to fight for overpasses at Mirrabooka Avenue and Alexander Drive on Reid Highway’; mate, if and when they materialise, I would bet that this happy event will have nothing to do with anything you think you can actually do towards it. Both sides push these multi tens of millions of dollars overpasses just before elections, just as your rhetoric will certainly ramp up to hysterical proportions late next year as we prepare to vote again.

Letterman had as his primary guest Craig Ferguson, who got my attention quickly. I often hear Dave tell us all to stay tuned for Craig Ferguson on next (not to suggest self interest, but Letterman’s Worldwide Pants Inc. produces it!), but had never seen him. What a witty engaging pleasant fellow, not what you’d expect from a Yank… hang on, he’s Scottish, this explains it! I wish Ten would give us The Late Late Show.

I went for a very late walk during a night when I spent a fair bit of time at the keyboard writing, between coping with my health issues. My eyes were so sore by the end I had a soup mug of hot skim milk at the kitchen table while listening to my favourite talking book on the iRiver T10. It was maybe an hour before daylight when I slithered in beside the chalky chameleon.

+paytontedwithlove+