I have tinnitus. I hear reasonably well, & have no trouble in a one to one conversation. However, when in a group, with 2 or 3 people talking at once I can not decipher a single voice from the hubbub.

Tomorrow we are having an extended family picnic in a park on the Gold Coast Broadwater. There will be cars driving past, boats roaring up & down the estuary, some of us waterskiing off the beach, & lots of local kids in the attached kids playground.

We will have 5 extended families up to 4 generations, about 50 people, with at least 10 kids under 10. These kids are all very well fed, & very active.

Read very noisy, so THANK GOD I AM GOING DEAF.

So Merry Christmas everyone, do enjoy the festive season, even if you aren't lucky enough to be going deaf.

I am sorry to read that you have tinnitus Hasbeen.
I understand what you mean about deafness being a blessing at times though!

I have just found out my nephew has a new French girlfriend who he is bringing to our family gathering on Wednesday.
Apparently she doesn't speak any English, and he doesn't speak any French.
Obviously they must connect on some level....
Anyway, we will be playing charades all day, apparently.

Have a wonderful Christmas Hasbeen, and here's to a new year locking horns for us on OLO.
I'm looking forward to it.

Cheers,
Suse.

Yeah have a good Christmas OLO people.
I am not a horn locker but look forward to the discussions coming up in 2014.
I feel I learn more from the forum than I contribute.
Take it easy.
SD

I’m sitting here in my lounge room, with the neighbour's farking barking farking dogs going off their farking heads across the road, on and on and on… after 11PM!!

There is indeed merit in being arf deaf!!

Arf ya luck Hazza!

Merry Christmas!!

yes you make a good point..birthdays/holy days xmass east.er..
but..every day ..is the same for me..who..ignored kith and kin..to'save'the world

life is about making love..not hate
my curse are my teeth and eyes[my teeth were deliberately mutilated because of my..activism./.under the guize of 'cleaning them]..they etched away the enamel..on the gum line..as they gradually broke off..or the fillings fell out..they gradually pulled them out

now im just leaving the crime scene as it is
the stumps shall reveal their own tale

the every-thing..i dont know..it may be a mutant.vairient.clamidia.. but who worries about the mundane problems..xmass is the time of joy..so all of you ..dont worry..en-joy..the holy days..and hope our leaders fix things..next year..for..now enjoy the joy..

..life is what we make it..[for you]
or as you make..it for thyself...[or other]

merry enjoyment..my brother

Hasbeen,

You could always have this entrepreneurial fellow do sign interpretation for you,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPNQjfBX_UY

Seriously though, he was the first to correctly interpret an Obama speech as repetitious, incomprehensible bollocks. As a reward for being so dangerous he has been locked up.

-Which is a shame because there was a similar job waiting for him in Australia interpreting Bill Shorten speeches, which are a continuous loop of 'Whatever she says'. Probably referring to his Mum in Law, Quentin Bryce the GG, now that Julia Whatshername (you know, the big ginger) has been put out to pasture.

Dear Hassie,

I'm glad you still have your sense of humour and
can look on the positive side of things.
It must be frustrating at times though. Still,
John Howard had a hearing problem since a young
age and it didn't stop him from achieving what he
wanted. And as you point out, it can be a blessing
at times. Enjoy your family picnic and here's wishing
you and yours the most Joyous Festive Season, and
may we continue to share cyberspace in 2014.

Our Christmas festivities start with "Kucios" - Christmas
Eve. It's a sea-food feast at which no less than 12 dishes
must be served at this special Christmas Eve meal,
beginning with the recitation of Grace and the breaking of
a special unleavened wafer, called "Plotkele."
This wafer, blessed by our parish priest, is shared by all
at the table, signifying a spirit of unity.
I shall be preparing the meal at our place. There will only be
ten of us this year. Then on Christmas Day - lunch will again
be at our place - this time it will be the traditional Christmas
lunch.

Take care Hassie, and All The Best.

To All,

Here, in the "Lucky Country" we can celebrate Xmas, our children's birthdays, our grand children's achievements and even our neighbor;s way of life.

We can say what we want to say whenever we want to say it, and we can, and have died, so it can be said by us and others whom we don't even know.

We can pretty-well do anything we want to provided we are willing to accept the consequences of our actions and we don;t hurt any others doing it.

We can laugh or cry in solitude or we can do it in company and no one will question our enthusiasm or lack of it or our right to do it.

We will welcome out soldiers home from the wars that they shouldn't have had to fight but did so simply because it is the "Australian Way" and we will no longer spit on them or denigrate them or tell them they are unwelcome in their home land.

We will do all this at Christmas time because it is Christmas but we will also do it because it is also the "Australian Way"

Merry Christmas to you all and to those of you whom have a God, may he bless you in whatever way He sees fit.....(if you deserve it that is)

It was worse than I thought. I haven't been keeping up with all the goings on.

My ladies sister's lot were all late starters. All 3 of them have 2 each between 4 years, & a few months. Add her new husband, [well about 10 years], with his older boys, with a couple under 5 each, & it was a real menagerie.

It proved to me once again that buying presents for little kids is a waste of money. Just wrap a few boxes in pretty paper, & set them loose. Apart from a Ninja Turtle suit, they all preferred the paper & boxes, to the carefully selected presents.

Talk about food, kids & people everywhere, the Gold Coast locals must have felt like they'd just lost an invasion. They are not the only ones.

I went for a run around an island in the Broadwater. When I last sailed by it was all mangroves & mud. Today, joined to the mainland by a bridge, it's high-rise, jetties, & million dollar boats.

At least with all the extra people it has diluted the number of sandflies per person. I didn't get bitten once.

The weather was brilliant, hope everyone has as much fun this Christmas.

Federal Reserve 100 Years of Failure
http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2013/12/22/federal-reserve-100-years-of-failure/

We all know or should all know that the Federal Reserve conspiracy is an ongoing theft syndicate.

The Fed is privately owned, and its shareholders are private banks. In fact, 100% of its shareholders are private banks. None of its stock is owned by the government.

The actual purpose of the architects of the Federal Reserve System has never changed. Consolidate the control of money into a concealed cartel of banking houses that ultimately decide economic and political policy.

Dispensing of credit to corporatist projects, owned or run by reliable operatives of the cabal is the objective. The only beneficiaries are the original stockholders.

Please Watch these Videos and read this excellent article with many links to further information:

listen to alex jones
infowar./.edward griffiths..[creature of jeckle island]

[they have asked my demands..and i have only need for healthy food]
this post WAS*..blanked off by a microSOFT..fact check..but has now been restored..

peace..should be declared[decreed]..shortly
now is the time..to talk..revealyouir grievences
hrh..is listening

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=6152#178808

are you..men enough for peace?
are you woman..enough..to forbid..thy children..to/die in ANY war?

are you/humane enough..to see without fear?

all we are saying..is give peace a chance
no make peace go..viral

[your life /your very living..depends on this our/final..skirmish]

Hasbeen, "At least with all the extra people it has. diluted the number of sandflies per person."

Reduction in the available rotting vegetation, the mud'n'mangroves they need in the tidal flats. Prevailing breeze helps and hurts depending on direction.

Plenty on lee of Fraser Island and if you want some of the fiercest saltwater mozzies, try the Environment Centre at Cabbage Tree Point.