Dear Lockhartlofty. In Australia, more than 500,000 of us have an acquired brain injury. I am unaware of the number of Catholics in this group. In my defence, I did say I was a lapsed Catholic and in relation to the second part of your perceptive contribution to the conversation, alas,I suspect you are right.

Celebrations taking place over someone's death feels somewhat uneasy
especially when one can recall Madeline Albright, a former secretary of state in the Clinton administration stating - that 800,000 deaths, "were worth the cost."

The solidarity of any community is enhanced if it perceives a common outside threat.

Tess,
constructive roles in Afghanistan and Iraq for the sake of those countries and their communities & citizens well-being is fine. Pity it was seen as too easy initially.

Tess Lawrence,
Philo said "they' are hiding in caves. OBL wasn't included in his statement. Also, the civilised society you question in such a sarcastic manner is the same society that keeps you & lets you sleep at night (maybe during the day as well) & wake up to spend another rose-coloured day in that civilised society. It may even be the society you helped create at the last federal election. It may not be to your liking that we call ourselves civilised but we do provide you with a better life than the Taliban would were you to go to Pakistan to live.

Whenever I see the words journalist-advocate married like that, I think Byron Bay loony. It's a Pavlovian reaction. Think poledancing- airline pilot, bear baiting-brain surgeon or a train driving doctor. One of these things has to go.

It's hard for the TS Eliot quoting left to deny that when two planes are smashed in to the Twin Towers killing thousands, that it's not an act of war.

And here comes the nasty bit Tess. The US won't stop. It's a seed tree extermination of Al Queda.

Dear Cheryl, I take exception to your cruel words. Pole dancing
is a noble profession.