Tom Kruse

I did receive a shock with this. When I got home from the Temple today I thought it might be wise to see if this great bushman was still alive, as I have been writing an epic poem/lyric about him to submit in the lyric contest held by WAPoets Inc in mid July. So was absolutely stunned to find that he had passed away - today! Veil Tom Kruse, Australia will never see the likes of you again.

Outback legend Tom Kruse dead at 96
Audio: Tribute to life of Tom Kruse (ABC Adelaide) Related Link: Memories of the legendary Birdsville Mailman Related Link: Back of Beyond mail truck restored in recent years by volunteers One of Australia's best-known outback characters, Tom Kruse, has died in Adelaide, aged 96.
Known as the Birdsville Mailman, Mr Kruse delivered mail and other supplies to a wide region of the outback from 1936 until 1957.
The story of his two-week road trips was recorded in a 1954 documentary Back of Beyond, putting him on the national stage.
Esmond Gerald (Tom) Kruse was the 10th of Ida and Henry Kruse's 12 children and started life at Waterloo Corner, just north of Adelaide.
Mr Kruse was awarded an MBE in 1955 and was inducted into the National Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs in 2000 and recognised as an Outback Legend by Australian Geographic magazine in 2003.
The then-governor-general's wife Lady Slim flew to Birdsville in 1955 as part of an outback tour to present the MBE, but Mr Kruse could not make it to the ceremony because of outback flooding. He later got the medal in Adelaide.
Mr Kruse's best-known mail truck was a 1936 Leyland Badger, which finally broke down and was abandoned at Pandie Pandie station in 1957.
The Badger was rescued from the desert in 1986 and fully restored by a group of enthusiasts in Adelaide during the 1990s.
Repairs on the run
An ABC documentary outlined how mechanical innovation became a vital part of Mr Kruse's outback journeys: "The fuel pump let him down and he put a container of fuel up on the roof and knocked a hole through the bonnet and put a pipe to the carburettor."
Former governor-general Major-General Michael Jeffery unveiled one of several busts of Mr Kruse, at the National Motor Museum at Birdwood in the Adelaide Hills in 2008.
"I think we use the term hero far too frequently when it doesn't really apply, but I think in this case it does. He saved lives in many of his activities," he said.
The governor-general reminisced about his experiences as a soldier in Borneo and Vietnam and how important getting a letter was, imagining it would be the same for a remote station stockman, boundary rider or mother living at a remote homestead.
He said Mr Kruse carried lollies in his truck for children on the homesteads so they would rush to the gate to be first to let him in.
A funeral service will be held in Adelaide. Mr Kruse's wife Valma died last year.

After entering all that from ABC news, I will now have to check the papers for his funeral. Its bound to be packed out

false ideas of who we are

It is terrible that people should be so small-minded as to believe that we are non-Christ believers when our whole Church and its doctrine, including the name, is focused on our Saviour Jesus Christ. Satan gets in the hearts of men...

CNN accurately explains beliefs and misconceptions of LDS Church
Published: Monday, June 27, 2011 12:00 p.m. MDT By Joey Ferguson, Deseret News

Dan Gilgoff, CNN's religion editor, posted a video called "Explain it to me: Mormonism." The video covers basic Mormon beliefs, but mostly focuses on common misconceptions on topics like polygamy.
"Ever since 1890, the official Mormon Church has banned polygamy," Gilgoff said. "Polygamists in the church today are actually excommunicated from the church."
He goes on to explain the FLDS is a "breakaway sect that continues to practice polygamy to this day."
Gilgoff runs down a list of basic LDS beliefs, including its beginnings in 1830, the translation of The Book of Mormon, the physical characteristics of God, continuing revelation and the eternal perpetuation of the family.
He specifically focuses on the missionary work of the church. He points out that Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr. have served missions.
"For Huntsman, he was assigned to Taiwan as a missionary, and it helped him acquire the Chinese language skills, which later helped him land the job as President Obama's ambassador to China," Gilgoff said.
He claims the LDS Church has a "tradition or an image of being seen as a very white-bread church," but the church is working hard to move away from that. He references Mormon.org, the church's missionary outreach website, which shows Mormons from different ethnic backgrounds.
A statement posted on the LDS Newsroom expressed the need for clarity for the LDS Church during a time when it's receiving increasing attention. It also states the video "accurately clarifies common misconceptions people have of the Church, while also explaining a few of the Church's core beliefs."
CNN later had a question and answer session with Anthea Butler, professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where she explained key points of the LDS Church. She said most would not believe Mormons are Christians, but they “fit within the rubric of what is Christianity, albeit they have some very different beliefs.”
She addressed questions about the Book of Mormon’s relationship to the Bible and clarifies the Mormon belief of a God and Christ as separate beings.
She highlighted the differences between the LDS faith and the rest of Christianity, including additional scripture, the idea of a pre-earth existence and the concept of the afterlife.

Living in Birdsville: And yet more flooding ....

Living in Birdsville: And yet more flooding ....

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Creative Connections

Michael Sinclair is not afraid to show what he can do
I wrote previously of having my work published as bush poetry, but also small poems for Creative Connections about disabled painters and their paintings. These four are what have been accomplished for 2011, and includes the artists and their paintings. Creative Connections is based in Western Australia and the work was obtained through WA Poets Inc. None of the artists were reserved in coming forth with their artwork. Magnificent people and so inspiring

Michael Sinclair is a resident at Charlesworth in Gosnells and loves his art. He has been working with Elizabeth, his assistant for over 18 months. In that time Michael has developed a very keen eye with regards to his decision with the use of colour, texture and creating various patterns.
This work Michael has selected a vibrant pallet of colour. To indicate which colour he wishes to use, Michael lifts his right arm slightly. Michael also selected the pallet knife rather than a brush for the main body of the painting. To make the selection he looks up to say no and looks down to say yes, when the right implement is produced. The dancing effect or movement with the horizontal lines to the lower half of the painting was achieved using a stick which we picked up from the outside bush area.
Michael enjoys his art sessions at the Kalamunda Community Learning Centre, following many earlier sessions done in his home environment. His art is always accompanied by his favourite music. Michael is a great decision maker, willing to take risks and enjoys the challenge of exploring new ideas. He was very clear that this work was the one that he wanted submitted for this exhibition and is happy with the final outcome.

Here is my arm - see the colour? A pretty hue.
My eye looks up; I paint it true.
Michael takes the risk and his work dances.
With his favourite disk, his work enhances.
He flourishes the brush in waving lines,
This artwork he loves and his face shines.
This for the exhibition he made very clear,
As he moved the brush in dots very near
the waving lines. Such dedication,
he paints away without hesitation.



This is Geoff Sykes and his work

Geoff Skyes – My name is Geoff I live on site at TCCP. I attend the ATE programme “Opportunities” 4 days a week. I love to be involved in all sorts of conversation with my family and friends. I enjoy going to the football and catching up with my family on the weekends. The Opportunities Staff gave me full assistance with my art work. They supported me to hold the paint brush and also moved the canvas around for me. I really enjoyed doing my artwork. I hope you enjoy it too.

A beautiful painting of sand and greenery
Is Geoff’s interpretation of scenery.
A helping hand is all he requires
To get the colours he desires.
A touch of blue between the green
Is the sky’s hue easily seen.
Roadways he did in shades of brown
With other colours portraying town.
There’s the footy field in a splodge of green.
Geoff paints of things where he has been


The beautiful Aboriginal Lana Davie and her painting

Lana Davie
Hi my name is Lana, I live in a group home with 4 others in Brentwood. I love to paint and draw, I like making friends and spending time with company, I like to visit the shops with friends, and love wearing my sunglasses. I am indigenous and like to look at my culture. I am loud, I love to be heard. I have painted a canvas using paints.

A delicate wild rose of soft green,
Surrounded by a pinkish sheen
Of gentle outback background
And pretty leafy scene.
Lana’s work, a dedication
To her people of this nation,
A land that is mostly brown,
Lana’s work is of its creation.


Portrait and artwork of Douglas hard

Douglas Hard
Hi my name Douglas Hard, I’m 55 years old,
One of my favourite things to do is go out for coffee and cake, I also like going to the gym, shopping, collecting photographs, painting and going flying on an airplane on holidays, I like visiting my mum down Mandurah and I like meeting new people, my painting is of Rascal my mum’s dog, I hope you like it.
Douglas

A smiling face holds a picture
Of a dancing dog carrying lettuce
And a carrot. Rascal in tincture,
With a blue hat to set us
On a journey of salad and carrot cake.
Douglas has painted joy in his picture
Of his Mum’s dog. Photos he’ll take,
And flying adds to his daily tincture.
Such a painting we enjoy,
Where Douglas applies his daily employ.

We have authors too

This is great and gives me more confidence in myself as a writer, though I haven't had anything Church-related published, just plenty of bush poetry and small poems for the disabled in Creative Connections.

Chris and Ted Stewart’s newly released book, “The Miracle of Freedom: Seven Tipping Points that Saved the World,” is a book after Glenn Beck’s own heart.
Beck, an international media personality, interviewed Chris Stewart on his radio show Thursday and told him so.
“This is one of the best history books I’ve ever read,” Beck said on his nationally syndicated radio program. “Every library in America should have this history book in it. Unbelievable. You’ll love it.”
Jason Olson, Deseret News
Chris Stewart co-authored "The Miracle of Freedom: Seven Tipping Points that Saved the World" with his brother Ted Stewart. As a result of Beck’s endorsement, book sales have gone through the roof. As of Thursday afternoon, “Seven Tipping Points” had climbed to No. 8 on Amazon’s best-selling books list.
In “The Miracle of Freedom,” the Utah brothers examine where freedom came from and how rare a gift it really is today. The co-authors contend that less than 5 percent of all people who have ever lived on the Earth have lived under conditions similar to the modern definition of freedom.
The book focuses on seven examples, including the defeat of the Assyrians in their quest to destroy the kingdom of Judah; the victory of the Greeks over the Persians at Thermopylae and Salamis; Roman Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity; the defeat of the armies of Islam at Poitiers; the failure of the Mongols in their effort to conquer Europe; the discovery of the New World; and The Battle of Britain in World War II.
“These things don’t take place just passively. They take place because people stand together and don’t lose their faith,” Chris Stewart told Beck. “This book is a book of hope. It is a book of faith. It brings out the idea that we have great reason to hope in our future, but we have to be willing to stand together as others have done in the past, and we have to be willing to pay the price.”
Chris Stewart, a world-record-setting pilot and Air Force veteran, and Ted Stewart, a federal judge, live in Davis County, Utah. They also authored “Seven Miracles that Saved America.” Beck's interview has also increased sales of that book, moving it to No. 61 on the Amazon Top 100 list.
Beck sang the book’s praises throughout the eight-minute interview.
“It is a history book that you will read, as I am, in the middle of the night and not be able to put it down,” Beck said. “I’ve been waking up in the last few days with my glasses halfway off my face and lights still on at 2 a.m. in the morning, I’ve fallen asleep reading it every night, I can’t turn my light off. I love this book.”
"The Miracle of Freedom" is on sale now from Shadow Mountain. It can be found online and in select bookstores nationwide.