We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:04:46 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Happy Australia Day! As far as I know, our Australian fans are... two - SezaGeoff and Trias, but mebbe more will come out of hiding today. We'd have a pic of the Aussie Red Ensign flying over the Castle... but that flag is in the mail, literally. (However, Murray, the Kiwi flag - bloooooooooo - *is* here.) Australia Day commemorates the arrival in Sydney Cove, Australia of the First Fleet, January 26, 1788. MAY 1787 : DEPARTURE: "..AT 4 AM FIRED GUN AND MADE THE SIGNAL TO WEIGH, WEIGH'D AND MADE SAIL, IN COMPANY WITH THE HYAENA FRIGATE, SUPPLY ARMED... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html Fri, 26 Jan 2007 06:54:04 -0600 Thanks very much for the best wishes, John and all. Sorry I am late to the comments, but I was busy setting up the traditional barbie and booze up, with great rib-eye steaks, fresh flounder, Ozzie red wine and cheeses. Our main guests this year were old friends of ours, both Aussies. One is from Poland and his wife is ethnic Chinese from Malaysia. I love that we have such an ethnic mix of people who have embraced our country. (And for those that do not wish to embrace it - you know where the airport is!) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55803 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55803 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:31:23 -0600 Cool story about your parents, AW1 Tim!!! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55795 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55795 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:55:00 -0600 http://www.bigvolcano.com.au/places/murwillu.htm Although she passed on a few years back, she was always an outgoing and wonderful, vivaciouswoman who never lost her 'strine accent. Her father was a Machine Gunner in France during WWI, and her brother fought with them in the Pacific in WWII. Later, he bacame an architect, and designed the Australian Enbassy in Christchurch, NZ. My dad was a Pharmacist's Mate during that war, and met her whilst stationed there. He later accompanyed the Marines into New Guinea, the Solomons, and on up to Leyte before being sent stateside for retraining. Post-war, he was sent to accompany US POW's back to the states. At that time, my mother was working in MacArthur's HQ as a teletype operator. She and my dad met one weekend on the beach, and the rest, as they say, is history. They wrote back and forth for sometime, and he proposed, and she accepted. She and a close friend were the last two "Fiances" of servicemen given free passage to the states post-war. She got to fly across the Pacific on Pan Am, and I have a 1947 issue of the SF Chronicle with her and her friend's picture on it and a short article about them and the program. I am proud of my Australian heritage, and thank the Gods for such a strong and wonderful people. It is a better world because of them and their great NZ neighbors. Respects,]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55779 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55779 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:14:48 -0600 Oh, if only we could have had John Howard as POTUS! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55778 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55778 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:03:00 -0600 Long may it wave. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55776 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55776 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:49:47 -0600 http://www.insanity.observationdeck.org/?p=72 and I'm in a good enough mood to even ignore the Fosters reference.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55766 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55766 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:23:52 -0600 Not only a Minion but a Beau Best. I need to quit before the snarktillery fires a few rounds. Looking good! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55750 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55750 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:40:09 -0600 (buy me a Fosters and i'll do the whole schtick!) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55747 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55747 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 07:55:11 -0600 Up the Red Roo, you Bloody Beauty! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55746 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/to_our_australi.html#comment-55746 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 07:52:16 -0600