Daily Life.

Empire: Total War.

It's an exciting time for PC gamers. PC strategy gamers that is. IGN reports on Creative Assembly's latest - Empire: Total War. I've been a fan of this series from the beginning - Shogun: Total War moving on to Medieval: Total War, Rome: Total War and then finally Medieval 2: Total War. This game looks to be shaping up as the next evolution in not only this franchise but also the rival Civilisation series.

How I've spent many hours in Civilisation 4 playing as the English colonising the world... now I can do it in the Total War way - with real-time battle control! Awesome!

It looks as if my PS3 will have to take a back seat when this comes out.

8 days in Santorini.

In 5 working days time (or 8 normal days time), I'll be off to Santorini for 7 nights and 8 days of holiday relaxation. It feels like an age since my last holiday which was 125 days ago or 85 working days ago.

A mention on the BBC.

In Nick Bryant's follow up article to his previous 'Australia's rising role in the world', my post has been deemed worthy of a mention by the journalist himself. How exciting.

The original Skuthorpe.

The original Skuthorpe, Richard Skuthorpe (originally Sculthorpe but registered as Skuthorp), was born on 15th August 1793 in Cambridge in England. He arrived in Port Jackon as a convict on the General Hewitt in February 1814. He was convicted of stealing a horse from his employer in Sudbury England. He was sentenced to 7 years transportation in Suffolk in 1813.

Richard Skuthorpe went on to have 7 children and 5 wives.

His death certificate states he was a miller having lived in Kurrajong, N.S.W. He is buried in Richmond, N.S.W.

Australia's rising role in the world.

An article on the BBC web site of interest to me and possibly to you caught my eye enough for me to respond to it. It's all about Australia's position in the world and whether it has the potential to be a rising 'power'.

Below is my post to the article.

As an Aussie living in London, it's nice to hear these things from a foreigners perspective, although most of Nick Bryant's points I'm already aware of.

I'd like to add that Australia, in general, is a very underrated country and under the radar type country. In many ways it's far in advance of the UK in respects to lifestyle, culture (by that I mean way of life and general atmosphere, rather than history and historical importance, as the UK beats all hands down), government policy and the countries continued growth (or at least under Howard). Not to mention our vast natural resources.

In the early years of the country's existence, Australia thrived on wool and raw materials and these days raw materials and international business. In the future our natural resources will probably continue to be the biggest part and backbone of our future growth. Once oil runs out and if/when the world goes nuclear, Australia will literally be the world's powerhouse with coal and uranium reserves/exports being in the number one and two positions.

Not to mention the biggest mining companies in the world are Australian, Rio Tinto and BHP.

If you know your history you'll be aware of Australia's prominent role in winning WW1 and highly successful role in WW2. It's a fact that the Germans in WW1 and Japanese in WW2 and the Vietnamese in the Vietnam conflict all stated that the opponents they most feared to fight were Australians. It's a fact that Australia accounted for 9% of the Entente powers during WW1 yet took over 23% of captures, a massive and disproportionate contribution to victory. It's also a fact that the AIF soldiers and commanders were responsible for the allied victories of 1917-18 leading to the capture and breaking of the Hindenburg Line and it's also a fact that Ludendorff and the German high command stated that the victories led and planned by Australian, General Sir John Monash (the first commander to be knighted in the field of battle in over 200 years) and won by the all volunteer AIF (no other country could boast this) on, after and before the 8th August broke the German army leading to their retreat and eventual surrender causing Ludendorff to call it the "Black Day of the German army in the history of the war". And it's also a fact the Australians were the first to defeat the Germans and Japanese on land in WW2. Not even Britain, the US or Russia can boast this.

Yes I'm going on a bit but my point is that Australia has always been and no doubt will continue to be an under-valued and under-rated 'world power'. Or at least in popular culture and common knowledge - but not at least in the history books. As a nation, we've always been a huge player in world events but hadn't necessarily been a major player in creating those world events, that credit goes to the big boys of world powers.

So in summing up, all I can say is Advance Australia Fair!!

Anzac Day 2008.

Anzac Day 2008, the 93rd anniversary. Four years ago I went to Turkey to experience the 89th anniversary Anzac Day dawn service at Anzac Cove and it was one of the best days/early mornings of my life. The whole experience makes you feel so proud to be Australian and it's a reminder that we really are lucky to come from the greatest country on Earth.

So in honour of those Anzacs now and then, thank you.