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We know there's not much time left, but Don Tate got in touch. He's putting a proposal to a publisher to have a collection of poems written by Australian Vietnam War veterans published and is looking for poetry. If you're a Vet, or you know a Vet, who has written a poem or poems, why not pick the best and submit it. You can submit poems (one poem per vet) on any theme and Don says if your poem is accepted and the book is published you'll share equally any of the spoils.

Poems should be submitted in Times Roman font, 12 pt, single-line spacing - and be finished products - they will not be edited.

You should place your name and address, as well as veteran details (Units etc) on the same document. Entries will close on January 31st 2008, so you'd better hurry. All enquiries and entries to Don Tate: warvet_69@yahoo.com

Peter (Dit) Eaton tell us that the 16th Engineering Appies (the Arabs) are having their biannual re-union at Ballina on 9th and 10th Feb - it's now 44 years since they graduated.

Peter Holmes from Burnie wrote in, he says  "I left Wagga Wagga in Dec '48 as an Ex- Elec instructor and was sent to Ballarat to study radio. One of first jobs on arrival at Ballarat was to assist in containing fires from destroying one of Reg Ansett's Maryborough properties. I really missed Wagga though as Ballarat didn't have a turkey farm on its Northern boundary - in Wagga we'd nick the occasional turkey, you've no idea how good they are B.B.Q'd, though I didn't miss evading fights with the "North Wagga and Gumley Mobs" with their bike chain gloves and 7'0-clock razor blade potato knuckle dusters.

Those Wagga mobs didn't like the Appies. Appies were paid about 6 bob (60 cents) a week and a lot of the town's matrons took sympathy on the brats and would arrange weekend billets for the poor deprived lads, so far from home. As a result, no one would wear even RAAF issue shoes to town for fear of being set on by those thugs."

Bob Charman was on 45 RMT at Laverton from 1970 – 72, after completing Rookies course number 1068 Edinburgh in 1970.  He finished 20 years and 3 days in the RAAF on 9 July 1990 (but who's counting) and since then he has been working on the Over the Horizon Radar for 41 Wing at DSTO Edinburgh. He says he has been reading the RAM on the web for a while and was very pleased to see new issues for November and December last year. Happy New Year to all and keep up the good work.  Please add my name to your email list. 'Tis done Bob

John Elliott, (right) who used to live in Victoria wrote: Afternoon from Sunny Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Been working up here with ExxonMobil Exploration and Production for a year now and great to get the sights and smells of Asia back into the nostrils. Good to see the magazine is back online. I'll compose a couple of Butterworth stories for you in the near future. Looking forward to hearing from you John - tb

Ron Clayton, from over the West, who was on 17 Appy which passed out in August 1965, has sent us a copy of the 1965  Brat journal - we'll show you some pages in future issues. Ron says the magazine was published each year, and if anyone has a copy of the 1963 and/or the 1964 edition, Ron (and us) would love a copy

Nev Williams is associated with the RAAF ex-apprentice organisation which is a body that caters for all ex-RAAF apprentices. Nev rang to say at the moment they have a "loose" organisation called the "Blue Triangle Association" and up to a month or so ago they had a Web Site, however, the bloke who looked after the site passed away and no one knew his procedures or how he did it so they couldn't continue with it. They are now in the process of building a new site and would like to have Rad School Apprentices involved. They are aiming to have course areas (Password Protected) where different courses can post private information as well as a public area containing information and news pertaining to all apprentices and their families as well as an up to date Email and Mailing address central spot. At the moment they have a few ex radio appies involved, but would like more.

If you would like to be involved, perhaps the current Ex-Radschool appy web site maintainers would like to amalgamate, then get in touch with Nev on rancomp@bigpond.net.au or you can ring him on 07 3881 3479 and discuss the idea. We believe it will be a DVA funded site, so could be a good opportunity.

MEDIA RELEASE - From the International Cricket Council for immediate release (especially in India).

The ICC has announced several changes to the playing conditions for any further tests between Australia and India. These changes include:

1. India must win.

2. The umpires shall be nominated by the Indian team. It will be acceptable if reserve Indian players rotate as umpires.

3. During the game all appeals shall be referred to the Indian management team and the Indian media contingent prior to any decision being made. (This includes where an Indian player may appear, to the naked eye, to have been bowled.)

4. When the Indian team is batting the boundary rope shall be moved inwards 20 metres.

5. Australian bowlers shall bowl under arm.

6. India must win.

7. Any time Ricky Ponting is on the field he shall be restrained in a full length strait jacket and muzzled.

8. Any Australian spin bowler must advise the batsman in advance what type of delivery is going to be bowled.

9. At any time Andrew Symons is on the field he must where a gorilla suit and accept any sledging in the light hearted manner that this is intended.

10. India must win.

11. Harbhajan Singh will be cleared on appeal and be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

12. Indian batsman may be permitted to use larger bats.

13. Australian batsmen may use a bat every fifth over.

14. Australian fieldsman should praise every batting attempt by the Indians by saying "Good shot chaps." Apart from this Australian players are not permitted to speak.

15. During the lunch and tea break both teams shall get together and have a cup of tea.

16. India must win.

The ICC and the BCCI hope that all Australians will understand these minor changes are intended in the best interest of the game.

The ICC would also like to announce that Steve Bucknor has been appointed as the ICC's new cricketing ambassador to Kazikstan. The ICC wishes Steve all the best in this important, newly created role.

RIP International Cricket

Cricket fielding positions

If you're like us and not too sure about where all those weird named cricket fielding positions are, eg; Silly mid on, Point, Gully, Long on etc, etc, then wonder no longer. Click here and all will be revealed.

(Positions for a right hand batsman - everything is of course reversed for a left hand batsman)

Called - thinking on your feet!!

A married man was having an affair with his secretary. One day, their passions overcame them and they took off for her house, where they made passionate love all afternoon. Exhausted from the wild sex, they fell asleep, awakening around 8.00 p.m. As the man threw on his clothes, he told the woman to take his shoes outside and rub them through the grass and dirt. Mystified, she nonetheless complied. He slipped into his shoes and drove home. Where have you been!" demanded his wife when he entered the house. "Darling, I can't lie to you. I've been having an affair with my secretary, and we've been having sex all afternoon. I fell asleep and didn't wake up until 8.00 p.m." The wife glanced down at his shoes and said, "You lying rat! You've been playing golf again!

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