I have to admit that I surprised myself.

It's Julie Bishop.

To me she has style, and I think is
fabulous. Classy and fabulous.
So competent and professional and
does her job extremely well.
Refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone
is discreet and diplomatic. Everything
you would want both in a Deputy PM
and a Foreign Affairs Minister.

She's great!

Who's yours?

Real or Fictional?

Because if we're allowed to choose fictional characters, it would be hard to choose between Dr. Who & Sherlock Holmes.

If we're limited to real (presumably alive?) people then it's a bit easier: Stephen Fry.

Erudite, well-spoken, hilarious and generally charming. And he does it all with bipolar disorder. Effing legend. If I was gay I'd propose.

Hi Foxy, yes I do like Julie Bishop too. She has to be a tough woman to put up with the patriarchal c##p she must find at Parliament House as the only woman in the top ranks of the Liberal Party.

Although I do think I would like to model myself after someone like Professor Fiona Wood, a burns specialist from Perth, who has improved/saved so many people's lives, I would have to say I really admire the Labor politician Penny Wong.

Penny has weathered many storms in her personal and political life, as she is not only one of the few women in Federal politics, and one of the few Australian Federal politicians of Asian descent, she has also been open about her sexuality, her wish to marry her female partner, and has adopted a baby as a gay couple...all in the very judgmental and critical public eye.

While dealing with all of this, she has forged herself a fine political career and has remained composed and calm, both in Parliament and with the media.
I wish I could be as restrained as she has been in the face of homophobia, racism and misogyny that I have seen thrown at her.
Her calm strength just makes her detractors seem petty and small..

Well I think the fox’s choice is pretty well spot on. JB is quite impressive and does her role very well.
I have another person as role model for all the wrong reasons and that is Tony Abbott. Australia has learnt a lesson in personalities and leadership there. Not all people can perform the job they find themselves applying for.
He is far better at fire fighting, voluntarily of course, or as an aged surfer joe wrapped in budgie smugglers

Foxy, I have issues with choosing ANY politician as a role model. Just by their choice of vocation I believe they compromise their moral compass. They betray friends and colleagues for the supposed greater good of the organization that gives then breath. They vote along party lines even if the electorate and they personally disagree with the direction.Politicians can not fullfill the Shakespear credo of "to thine own self be true".

I believe we all take attributes from those around us that we find fits our view of ourselves and the wider world. In saying that, who knows what lives within the heart of another, and what you see is predominately not what you get to our own degree of expectation.

But if I had to list some that have thoughts and traits I would aspire to, here goes:

George Bernard Shaw
Theresa of Calcutta
Bill Cashman (an elderly neighbour during my formative years)
Martin Luther King
Groucho Marx
Oscar Shindler
Frank Zappa
Charles Perkins
And a cast of tens.........

I also like Stephen Fry and Penny Wong.

Politicians are a difficult choice of course.

I read in an article on the web that leaders should
be effective and that they should be able to persuade
others. In order to do that leaders must have
integrity because if they can't be trusted they wouldn't
be able to lead.

So I suppose we choose our leaders because of what we
perceive to be their values, and how good they appear
to be as a leader - what their beliefs, values, ethics,
and character are.

Leaders should also have character and vision so that
people are attracted to be their followers. Leadership
and respect go together.

A leader should have moral obligations because they have
followers who look up to them for direction and guidance.

But they're not easy to find.
I admire Malcolm Turnbull - but then I don't really know
him that well, and I don't like the alternative.
Hopefully the choice will become clearer closer to the
election.

I also like Julie Bishop.

I always said that she could be the first competent female prime minister.

There's a bit of "love at first sight" towards that rarely every seen on television "Julia".
Everyone appearing on media should be considered as actors. Choosing media a star is like choosing a script writer.

If we're talking about role model movie stars:

I am pretty sure Alan Rickman 1946 to 2016 has died before. I remember seeing Alan Rickman falling to his death in the Die Hard movie shown on a news report Alan Rickman as just having died, back in the late 1990s.
Many actors and maybe many actresses die several times, reported on news stories.

I shared my memories about John Mills dying several times to find one woman could remember John Mills had died years earlier, after watching John Mills seen at the Queen Mother's 100 year birthday celebration, in 2000.

Myself, being a watcher of old movies, I take notice of known actors deaths.
I have seen Omar Sharif die several years ago. John Mills died several times starting in the 1980s. James Stuart died several times, each time being shown James Stuart's movie filibustering politician scene.
I was surprised to see Ernest Borgnine, still being alive in the 2010 movie “Red”.

I have memories of Steve Martin hosted an Oscars Awards night, either 2001 and 2003. Towards the end of the awards night, Steve Martin opened a curtain to show several rows of seats having many actors having died over many past years: Jack Palance; Karl Malden; plus several others I may or may not have known. The emphases was on old age and how humans live very long lives. Several old actors Clint Eastwood and Mickey Ronny present in the audience, Mickey Ronny waving to Steve Martin.

There exists Youtube download viewing, yet I am not bothering to check if the my reported memories are viewed on any Oscars download.
I can only suggest future ideas, that as actors have died to write down and or remember dates as to prove my readings to be accurate.

Hang about SM she is a competent foreign minister as she has proved, she has not proved to be a PM. She could be like someone else in her party at present.

For a politician, I favour Scott Morisson. He did a good job as immigration Minister. Others should learn from that. Performance as Treasurer is still under review, but handicapped by hostile Senate.

I did like Julie Bishop but she fell out of favour after supportimg Turnbull. I thought she had more sense than that. I don't like the direction Turnbull will lead the LNP. Hope he gets replaced before too much damage is done. Not surprised if he allows more refugees, especially muslims, and we get change in climate change policy that includes an ETS.

Julie Bishop - classy and fabulous!

Then we have "Braveheart" - author -
Antony Loewenstein, who had the courage to write,
"My Israel Question."

This book serves as an
essential guide for those who dare to criticise Zionist wrong
doing in the past and Israeli policies in the present, without
being deterred by false allegations of anti-Semitism.

Amongst quite a few authors I also admire David Marr, the
author of "Patrick White: A Life." "Panic: The High Price of
Heaven" and (with Marian Wikinson) - "Dark Victory."

He has written for the "Sydney Morning Herald," " The Age," and the
"Monthly," been editor of the "National Times," a reporter for
"Four Corners," and presenter of ABC TV's "Media Watch."
In 2010 he wrote the Walkley Award-winning Quarterly Essay
"Power Trip: The Political Journay of Kevin Rudd," followed by
"Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott."

The man who saved more lives in the 20th century than anyone else....Norman Borlaug.

Not really well known because he made the unforgivable sin of showing environmentalists to be both fools and anti-human.

One quote...."Almost certainly, however, the first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all mankind."

...and he did more than anyone to provide it.

There's also other great journalists like -
Barrie Cassidy, Laurie Oakes, Laura Tingle,
to mention just a few.

mhaze,

I suggest that you take a look at Norman Borlaug's Nobel Prize acceptance speech:

"It is true that the tide of the battle against hunger has changed for the better during the past three years. But tides have a way of flowing and then ebbing again. We may be at high tide now, but ebb tide could soon set in if we become complacent and relax our efforts. For we are dealing with two opposing forces, the scientific power of food production and the biologic power of human reproduction. Man has made amazing progress recently in his potential mastery of these two contending powers. Science, invention, and technology have given him materials and methods for increasing his food supplies substantially and sometimes spectacularly, as I hope to prove tomorrow in my first address as a newly decorated and dedicated Nobel Laureate. Man also has acquired the means to reduce the rate of human reproduction effectively and humanely. He is using his powers for increasing the rate and amount of food production. But he is not yet using adequately his potential for decreasing the rate of human reproduction. The result is that the rate of population increase exceeds the rate of increase in food production in some areas. [still true in some areas]

"There can be no permanent progress in the battle against hunger until the agencies that fight for increased food production and those that fight for population control unite in a common effort. Fighting alone, they may win temporary skirmishes, but united they can win a decisive and lasting victory to provide food and other amenities of a progressive civilization for the benefit of all mankind."

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1970/borlaug-acceptance.html

A Noble Peace Prize winner whose aim was
to solve world hunger - especially for Asia
and Africa. That's a hard to beat role model
for sure. I hadn't even heard of Norman Borlaug
until it was brought up in this discussion.

There are so many great and wonderful people that
we have to choice from as role models from the
past and the present and who knows what lies in
the future.

I can also add someone closer to home - my mother.
She lived through so much in her life. She survived
World War II - two occupations of her country -
Soviet and German, lost her family members, worldly
possessions, her social position, and a child
as a result of malnutrition. Then started a new life
in a new land from scratch. Times were tough - yet
she built a new life for herself and today even with
dementia - she still has not given up and inspires me
every day by continuing to remain positive.

Divergence,

I'm well aware of his speech and much else he said besides.

I'm not so sure of your point however.

Divergence in my district alone, we could bring a hundred thousand good farming acres into food production, if it was viable.

The problem is, that the quickest way to go bankrupt today, is to produce food. Only a mug would do it, unless the return triples.

As for a role model, apart from Foxy & her mum, most of you are mad. Julie Bishop, a back stabber who actually believes in global warming, you must be kidding.

Nah, the only one I can think of is Biggles, & I'm not too sure about his private life

//Nah, the only one I can think of is Biggles//

You know he's not real, don't you?

Still, stout fellow, salt of the earth, backbone of England.... funny, he looks like a poof.

http://tinyurl.com/hwjz3uu

When I recall the Scottish Headmistress of my
all girls' high school - she still has that power
to send chills down my spine. She was really something.
They don't make educators like her anymore.

She was
much loved and respected despite the fact that all us
girls were scared of you. She would make us march in
a uniform parade every Wednesday so that she could
check out every one of us to make she we were in full
uniform and presentable. After the uniform she would
hold Assembly in the Great Hall - where she gave us
speeches on how to be ladies.

If you were ever called into her office she'd keep you
waiting outside for fifteen minutes (seemed like ages)
and I of course would confess to everything even before
I was asked.

She convinced us girls that we could "grace any social
gathering." That we were winners.

An awesome teacher.

Helen Clark NZ
Contrary to John Howard she refused to join the coalition against terror (or axes of evil) and avoided for New Zealand to send troops to an unnecessary war in Iraq and Afghanistan which was based on lies created by Bush junior, Cheney, Ashcroft, Libby and Rumsfield. There are no politicians in Australia yet who would have the guts to stand for an independent foreign policy.

Foxy: It's Julie Bishop.

I thought a Role Model was someone you looked up to, not down on.

Gawd, she's a Politician. How th'.

My only Role Model(s) would be my Parents.

My father, ran his Cane Carting & Harvester Business. Despite having a broken neck & being very ill with Ulcers all his life. He only went to Seventh Grade at a one room School on a horse. He raised seven kids who all turned out well. There wasn't anything he couldn't turn his hand at. Mom kept us fed & healthy & educated. Well, 10th. Grade, in those days. & Yes we got the strap from Mom, if we needed it.

There's not another person that would come close to them.

Well Toni Lavis, I did say I was not too sure about his personal life.

"I hadn't even heard of Norman Borlaug until it was brought up in this discussion."

Yes the man saved, arguably, a billion lives but is virtually unknown. The reasons are fairly simple - his solution to the problems he saw coming was not acceptable to the current political class. His solution was to give the farmers the means and tools to address the problem with a minimum of government involvement. That isn't the solution that they want to hear.

Paul R Ehrlich (not the Nobel winner) on the other hand is quite famous and lauded. As a futurist he could hardly have been more wrong in what he predicted yet his solutions to the problems which he foretold involved maximum government intervention and this is the message the green/left class want to hear. So despite being comprehensively shown to have been wrong, he is widely known and praised.

Here's another couple of names you should have but probably haven't heard because their message wasn't what the powers-that-be wanted to hear: Julian Simon who debunkd the views of Ehrlich and many other doomsayers and was therefore ignored; John Daly from Tasmania who, in a better world, would be as famous a Taswegian as Flynn.

mhaze, a more likely reason for his relative obscurity was that Norman Borlaug didn't seek fame. Most people outside politics and showbiz don't, as it's often more trouble than it's worth.

Paul R Ehrlich is quite famous but very few would laud him. Julian Simon would probably be more famous if he were still alive.

John Daly did not do anything particularly noteworthy.

Role-models: there really are so many.

Norman Borlaug came along after massive improvements in public health in Third World countries, and subsequent population growth: his remedy for catering for the latter was to find ways to grow more food, whereas Ehlich's 'solution' [I'm tempted to call it his 'final solution'] was to find ways to cut population growth. That was going to happen anyway, but neither knew that of course. So, yes, Norman Borlaug is certainly one role-model.

But currently, the remnant-Leftist in me would nominate the Elliotts in Burkina Faso: did you know they had spent more than forty years serving the people of the remote northern areas ? Neither did I. Now, that's dedication.

Any 'Left'-wingers want to emulate that service to ordinary people ? It's a big world: there is always room for you to try it. For forty+ years.

But it's probably more important to worry about balancing your kale and chia and quinoa diet, calibrating your step-counter, making sure your one kid gets into the best school, that the local playground is approved by O.H. & S., avoiding full-cream milk, gluten, etc.

Yes: the Elliotts. Surely they should be the role-models for some of us. Why aren't they being nominated for Australians of the Year ?

They get my vote.

Joe

mhaze,

Julian Simon was a mathematical ignoramus, as this review of his book by the economist Herman Daly explains

http://www.mnforsustain.org/daly_h_simon_ultimate_resource_review.htm

Paul Ehrlich (and others saying the same sorts of things) were wrong, at least in their timing, because they could not predict the success of the Green Revolution. If you were around in 1967 and were told that India was a large-scale net importer of food, that it had widespread malnutrition, and that the population growth rate there was high enough to double the population in 30 years, I suspect that you would have been predicting trouble as well.

Norman Borlaug, who really was a hero, was not of the same ilk as Julian Simon. He was clear that he was only buying time for humanity to stop population growth. How you can make him out to be some sort of anti-environmentalist is beyond me.

Hi there FOXY...

My Father & (Mother). My father was a simple man, a man of the Depression and of WWll, who left school aged 13 years, and was one of 12 siblings. Despite not having an education, he worked inordinately hard, consequently he was never unemployed. He worked until he was seventy seven years of age, passing away at eighty six.

It was after I left school I think and had joined the military, that I finally realised how very little my Dad knew academically at least, and how poorly educated he was, and how much smarter was I. Dad and I gradually became estranged, and after a time could barely acknowledge each other, even at some special family gathering. Thereafter, I spent the next three or four decades making my own indelible mark on life.

Of course my Dad's (& Mum's) gone to another place now and I sincerely hope, it's a place where he's thoroughly happy and completely contented.

While I 'reckon' knew so much more than he? His real skill, his 'calling' if you like, was his astonishing ability of actually 'living' what it was he knew, by effusively putting it into practice, every single day of his life!

So this simple humble man my Dad, knew immeasurable more than most, and infinitely more than I, about those important standards of behaviour that truly makes a man, a real man.

Standards like; morality, decency, truthfulness, integrity, honesty, probity, criterion for behaviour, civility, the respect and care for women & children, and; implacable trust.

Sure I could quote a bit of law, name a few capital cities, a couple of rivers even. But those very important qualities, qualities my Dad had in abundance - Well despite his best efforts to teach me, sadly I missed out, because I wasn't smart enough to value their importance! Compared to me and many people like me, my Dad was a veritable expert. Therefore he was an utterly unattainable Role Model for me dear FOXY? The older I get, the less I know, in comparison to my Dad.

O Sung Wu: Compared to me and many people like me, my Dad was a veritable expert. Therefore he was an utterly unattainable Role Model for me dear FOXY? The older I get, the less I know, in comparison to my Dad.

Yep! Well said. Although my Dad I were never estranged. I remember once he came over & got up me for not needing him. I didn't understand. He said I never asked him to help me & never borrowed anything of him. I replied that he had taught me too well & I was independent, just like him. We had a cuppa & it was all right after that. The only time I ever saw him doubt himself. We built in the Veranda after that, together.

My dad went to two Schools at the same time. Kalamia & Airdmillan. It depended where he had to bring the milkers in from after school.

Divergence,

I'm getting the feeling that whenever I write something you don't want to be true you go running off to Google to see if you can find something, anything, that might be contrary. So you find a article critical of Simon. That wouldn't be hard because he was often criticised by those who didn't want to admit that he might be right. But the article you find isn't really a refutation of Simon. Its more along the lines of someone saying he disagrees with Simon and therefore Simon must be wrong. There's a lot of that going around.

But it was written in 1982. In the decade(s) following, Simon was increasingly proven to be correct. One anecdote: when Bjorn Lomborg first came across Simon's views he thought he had to be wrong because so much of what he (Simon) said was antithetical to what all good environmentalists 'knew' to be true. So he set his PhD students to the task of trolling through the world's data to gather the evidence to finally refute Simon. But instead he found, again and again that the data supported Simon. The result was the treasure-trove of a book called "The Skeptical Environmentalist'. (Quick check Google for stuff critical of Lomborg - there's plenty there along the lines of he is wrong because...well just because).

While you're doing your Google research you might also look up the story about the wager between Simon and Ehrlich to see just who the ignoramus was.

As to Borlaug, I don't and didn't say he was an anti-environmentalist. Indeed he was the best sort of environmentalist - the sort that cares about the environment and not environmentalism. (The difference is chalk and cheese). Borlaug said that part of his achievement, apart from saving a billion lives, was to save vast tracts of forest which would have otherwise been felled to create farmland for a starving world.

He was concerned about the environment AND man's place in it whereas the current environmentalism is concerned about some idea of an environmental Eden with man excluded. I prefer the former.

o sung wu

fascinating post. Today education without morals is a real problem. Some of the 'heroes' listed in above posts shows exactly what is wrong with our society. Knowledge without character simple puffs one up despite the facade. I am afraid most including myself would hardly recognise a hero if we saw one. I would hardly call a self serving backstabbing self interested pollie a hero. I am sure there are many generous, self sacrificing, moral people out there however they certainly remain largely hidden. The recent picks for Aussie of the year have been more of a joke than anything else. A bit like giving Jenner woman of the year. Numerous heroes are the vain imagination of peoples mind. I doubt whether we hear of most.

Thanks O Sung Wu,

That was an amazing generation, wasn't it ? Maybe born before or during or just after the First World War, then a brief boom, then the Depression, then the Second World War - and then worked until their pension, or like your dad, much later. Bloody heroes.

But I'll still nominate the Elliotts. Just wonderful people.

Joe

Loudmouth: But I'll still nominate the Elliotts. Just wonderful people.

My problem with these people & those like them is, why couldn't they have done the same work for Aboriginals or the Homeless in Australia.

Some friends of mine went off to be Evangelists on some remote Island. I asked why they weren't down under the Bridge (in Townsville) preaching to the people living under there. No explanation.

No Money in it. When the Island people die, of introduced diseases, they will all their possessions to the Church.

G'day Jayb,

Good point. But I was watching an SBS program last night about a group in Ethiopia and it seemed that, although they were obviously in what we would call poverty, they were managing. When the outside world really hits them, maybe it will be a different story. What they had in worldly goods, compared to most Indigenous people, even back in 1972, was bugger-all.

It's easy to confuse squalor with poverty. Back in 1972, it wasn't hard for any able-bodied person to find work if they anted it, and for them to raise a family on a standard wage. If people wanted to chuck all that and hit the grog and live under a bridge, then that was their right - and the outcome of their own decisions.

People can throw themselves on the mercy of strangers or the State, OR they can battle through their troubles and do whatever is needed to get on their feet. How many times have we heard of people reaching the top of their calling from very humble backgrounds ? Alan Rickman, Julie Andrews, Michael Caine, Belinda Blethyn, to name some ? Paul Robeson, George Washington Carver, Dorothy Maynor, Harold Blair. Wonderful people who drove through adversity to build better lives for others.

I'd still nominate the Elliotts.

Joe

I'm reading about some incredible role models here
and I'm so glad that we're having this discussion.
Everyone has a story to tell. And they're all worth
telling.

When I was in hospital recently I met some awesome
people. In re-hab in the Peter James Centre I shared
a room with three other people. The lady in the bed next
to me was 90 years old, single, and also had
had a very bad fall and was in a bad condition (also
shattered leg and shoulder like myself). She was an
inspiration, so positive, game for any exercise and
never gave up. She made me laugh and persevere.
Her attitude made such a difference to our room. She
kept telling all of us - "If I can do it at my age,
you certainly can do it!"

Then I also remember the day - when we were all rather down.
So to cheer us up - we
had a Chinese male nurse who brought in a radio and
started to play the hit-tunes of the Bee Gees for us.

Later he switched to Chubby Checker, and other popular
tunes like "Obla Dee, Obla Dah - Life Goes On!"

Before you knew it
our mood picked up, we started to sing, other nurses
came into our ward, and they began dancing.
Everyone else from other wards thought we were having
a party and they asked us the next day in physio what
the occasion was for our party.

Sometimes it only takes a small gesture to make a
remarkable change - and like ripples the effects can be
amazing - especially when the mood is catching!

Foxy: When I was in hospital recently.

I hope you are doing well. Yes the attitude of people there can help a tremendously.

My report on my stay at Allamanda.

I was out on the third day, now recovery. The swelling in my neck has mostly all gone down & I'm just about back to as normal as one can get. The only pain I have now is from the bloody sticking plaster. Cages between C4/C5/C6, a plate & 6 screws. I'm about 20 mm taller.

Even some of the pain has gone out of my Lower Back. He said that the nerves were so twisted up in all the Spurs & the collapsed Vertebra that I would have eventually lost the use of my arms.

The Left leg is going the same way. I'll have the Lower back done later this year. My missus said, "I sure am one tough old fart." I turned 70 two weeks ago. I am now officially, "Old Fart." ;-)

Dear Jay,

I know whst you mean about age.

I never felt old prior to my accident -
and suddenly - I realised I'm not so young any
more. However, I hope that you keep on doing
well. God Bless and I wish you All The Best.

I was listening to some American journalists
talking about the Presidential candidates.
And I can't help wondering (talking about
role models) - what do Americans think of
their current candidates?

For that matter - what do Australian voters
think of the ones they have?

I think the choice for Australians is a better one
than it is for the Americans.
I could be wrong.

Hi JAYB; RUNNER & LOUDMOUTH...

You're right Joe, folk of my Dad's era were hero's to be sure. We were dirt poor, but my parents would go without to ensure there was bread 'n butter on the table. And selfish bastards like myself, would invariably whinge because they'd gently censure me over the large quantity of butter I'd put on my bread, and butter was horridly expensive in those days, so much so Mum attempted to make a lb go for the whole week, resorting to margarine for our sandwich's. And of course I knew everything about everything, and couldn't be told anything!

I do wonder now, what my poor quietly spoken Dad thought of his only son? An arrogant, argumentative know all. On reflection I think the last straw that ultimately broke his heart, was when I joined the police. To him at least, it was probably a manifestation of his own failure as a parent. For his son had inexplicable transformed into a social pariah by becoming a despised copper.

Indeed JAYB your Dad was not unlike mine, independent, tried to repair and build everything himself, all the while carefully watching and grooming you, on many of life's more important skills, that you'll ultimately need, in order to succeed, a bit further down the track.

A politician RUNNER, past or present - someone you'd like and respect, as a thoroughly good role model? Somehow, I don't think so!
Most certainly there's none one in the police I'd identify as a suitable Role Model neither. True, we do have a few bona fide hero's for sure, but none who'd make a good Role Model and all that entails?

In hindsight, the greatest service I could've done for the fine people of NSW, was when I ultimately retired from the police force altogether. As that pivotal time inexorably approached, my moods, my tolerance, and my temper, were all swiftly diminishing, as was my sense of fair play! Consequently my dear Dad, would've been so very proud of his fundamentally flawed, dubious character, of a son?

I think we sometimes confuse role models, those we wish to imitate. with those we admire, Mother Teresa was greatly admired,no doubt about that, but hardly a role model for others to follow, millions have not raced off to the slums of Calcutta to tend the poor, well not yet.
Role models for me, my dear old mum and dad, worked hard all their lives, raised a family and loved their kids, done their bit providing the best they could, could not have expected anymore than that, call em' good role models.

The other thing that we need to be careful of when dishing out admiration of celebs, is we usually only get to see the public person with their public persona and not the day in, day out, private person with their faults and failings. To give an example, a well known female TV personality. I had the misfortune to witness the most disgusting verbal behavior from this bitch in a Sydney restaurant one Saturday night, because the place was full and she had not booked and their was no table there and then for her. To see her on the telly you wouldn't think butter would melt in her mouth, I got a two minute look at another side of this woman, so did the head waiter, restaurant staff, and the other patrons. It started with "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? and degenerated into lots of F's and worse from a gutter mouth. Not someone I now would admire, the story shocks friends of mine, when retold, they say; I wouldn't believe it of so n' so, she seems so nice on the telly. And she does!

Dear Paul,

You're right.

There are quite a few famous people who've acted not
so admirably at certain times of their lives.
Elton John lost it at an airport. Kevin Rudd in a
plane. Tony Abbott with his "Shyt happens" comment and
the unnecessary comment when Julia Gillard's father died.
Mark Latham with his meltdown. Kim Beazely I met in a shop once
and he used that old line - "Do you know who I am?" and was quite
abnoxious. Proving that all of us have to be careful - we're
all being judged by someone.

Paul,

You wrote: "Mother Teresa was greatly admired, no doubt about that, but hardly a role model for others to follow, millions have not raced off to the slums of Calcutta to tend the poor, well not yet."

Uh .... what ?! Hardly a role model because none of the BS 'left' want to get off their arses and do anything, let alone dedicate their pathetic lives to the sort of work she did ? Or the Elliotts ? Too busy counting your calories, and footsteps, and which concert to go to, or which benefit to apply for ?

Appalling !

Joe

Hi Joe, get off the high horse. I was not having a shot at Mother Teresa, far from it, one of histories greatest human beings. Mother Teresa's qualities of love, kindness and selfless devotion cannot be matched and deserve our highest admiration. Those abstract qualities are worthy for us all. But her physical qualities of tending the poor are not something that many could base their life on.
The point I was making was we may confuse role model with admiration. A young person wanting to succeed at cricket for example, could find no better a role model than Richie Benaud, a man who played the game in the finest traditions of fairness and sportsmanship, both on and off the field. Tennis is a good example of a game where there are great players on the field, but no so great human beings off the field. Great role models for how to play the game, but fail as an example of a good person.

Foxy, thank you for understanding my point. On the political side I have met 4 PM"s in my lifetime. Billy McMahon who I have just criticised on another thread saying Abbott was the worse PM since Billy. Bill easily came across as the most friendly and genuinely warmhearted of the four, a lovely man, but politically not my favorite politician.

Dear Paul,

I've also met some previous Prime Ministers.
Gough Whitlam was impressive - a great speaker.
However his recognition of the Soviet occupation
of the Baltic States lost my vote.
Then Malcolm Fraser, I found a bit shy - much to my
surprise. At the state level - Jeff Kennett made a
pathetic speech on Lithuania's Independence. He hadn't
prepared for the occasion and spoke about gun control
shame on him. John Howard on the other hand came across
as a charmer. I liked him. He knew what he was talking
about. Of course Bob Hawke was great as was Paul Keating.
Telling it like it is.

How many of us recall teachers who made an impact
on us? I remember quite a few - the one that really
stands out was my English Mistress who made instilled
in me the love of Shakespeare. She did this by getting
us to act out the various characters in the plays we
were studying. Clever lady. She got us involved in the
plays. I still remember playing the role of Portia in
the Merchant of Venice, "The quality of Mercy is not
strained..."