#2461 Friday 27th March

I've got a new project to entertain me..... remember that during the 1940s, (no I guess that we don't remember!) .... anyway, at that time it was common to build a "gas producer" to power your car. Petrol was hard to get at that time and the gas producer allowed people to run their car .... from burning wood!  In the current times I can see that we might find that we can't get petrol.  So a gas producer is a idea well worth researching and building.

#2460 Monday 23rd March

#2459 Friday 13th March

On Fridays, Kaylia volunteers at the Morley Salvos op shop ..... she loves this and she gets very positive response from the staff.   While she is away, I took the opportunity to visit a friend who lives nearby.

I saw this on FB .... what a good idea!  Surely if the Americans can do it, then we can do the same thing here in Perth!!

#2458 Thursday 12th March

Despite this blog being about Kaylia and her family, the following commentary is included because the situation is becoming dangerously close to being personal ,,,, and it will be personal for us all.  The gut wrenching fact is that you and I cannot change the outcome ..... we can only watch it unfold.

________________________________________________________________________ 

The War On Iran Has Four Possible Outcomes

Only one of these four paths protects humanity—the other three are likely destroy it

This week Donald Trump threatened more war crimes on the people of Iran.

We are now in the most dangerous phase of this crisis, and pretending otherwise is reckless. As a human rights lawyer, I do not view war as an abstraction, a chessboard, or a television spectacle. I view it in terms of law, civilian life, state accountability, and foreseeable human devastation. If we are honest about the present moment, there are only four plausible scenarios from here. Three are catastrophic. The fourth is the only one consistent with constitutional government, international law, and basic human survival. It is also the one Donald Trump appears least willing to accept—but one our Congress must rally to ensure happens.

As of Monday this week the United States’ and Israel’s illegal war on Iran has killed 1,200 Iranians, mostly civilians. Up to one third of them are children—including the near 175 children killed by a U.S. military Tomahawk missile. Iran’s response has targeted military bases, resulting in reportedly 6 U.S. soldiers killed and 13 Israelis. Now, Trump is promising “Death, Fire, and Fury” and “twenty times” the damage if Iran does not unconditionally surrender.

In other words, we are running out of time to end this illegal war and prevent global and irreparable catastrophe. Right now we have four possible paths ahead of us. It is critical we rally and demand Congress act to enact Option Number Four.

Option One

The first scenario is that Trump eventually admits defeat and withdraws from Iran. In purely human terms, that would be preferable to escalation, but it would still come after an illegal war already launched without constitutional authority and under a pretext that has not been substantiated. The geopolitical consequences would be significant.

A failed American war would further erode U.S. credibility and likely accelerate a broader shift in influence toward China and Russia. Iran, having survived direct U.S.-Israeli assault, would emerge emboldened. Oil may no longer be pegged to the U.S. dollar as the global currency, devastating the US economy. None of this is favorable, though this is the bed Trump has made so far. But also, compared with what comes next, it is survivable.

Option Two

The second scenario is a ground invasion. Trump has not ruled that out. He has not ruled out a draft either. The Pentagon is already reportedly preparing to seek roughly $50 billion in supplemental funding for Middle East operations, a strong indication that the administration is contemplating a longer and more expensive war footing. A quick reminder that politicians lie when they say we cannot afford to fund universal healthcare, free public college, free school lunches, or affordable housing.

Anyone speaking casually about invading Iran is either ignorant of the facts or indifferent to the lives that would be destroyed. Invading Afghanistan and Iraq was already catastrophic. As I’ve cited before, a Brown University study documents an estimated 4.6 million civilians killed by western wars since 2001.

And Iran is not Iraq. Iran is about 1.63 million square kilometers—which is triple the size of Iraq. I has a population that recent estimates place in the low 90 million range—which is double that of Iraq. It’s largest city, Tehran, has a population of 9.6 million—larger than New York City. It is geographically vast, heavily populated, politically complex, and militarily formidable.

A U.S. ground invasion would not be a quick operation. It would be a regional inferno. Potentially millions could die. The global economy would likely be pushed into a prolonged recession. And because major powers would not passively watch such a war unfold, the risk of a broader world war would rise dramatically. Thus, option three.

Option Three

The third scenario is the use of nuclear weapons by Israel or the United States. That is the scenario many people still resist discussing openly because it sounds too horrible to contemplate. But refusing to contemplate it does not make it less real. This is not hyperbole. Research published in Nature Food and highlighted by Rutgers found that a large-scale nuclear war could kill more than 5 billion people through famine and system-wide collapse, even apart from the immediate blast deaths. In ordinary language, that means the deaths of four to six billion human beings within a relatively short period are well within the range of expert projections in a full nuclear exchange. It would be worse than any Hollywood film can imagine because movies still assume that civilization survives in recognizable form. Nuclear war does not promise survival. It promises planetary ruin. Thus, we must push for Option Four.

Option Four

That leaves the fourth scenario, which is the only morally serious option: Trump resigns or is impeached, the war is halted, and actual peace negotiations begin. With Trump removed from power, there is at least a possibility of returning to diplomacy, de-escalation, and meaningful non-proliferation efforts. History gives us a model. In the mid-1980s, the United States and Soviet Union moved from existential nuclear hostility toward negotiations that helped reduce the risk of annihilation. That kind of diplomacy is still possible, but only if the men driving this escalation are stopped. The obstacle, of course, is political cowardice. This would require the Republican Party to develop a spine and fulfill its constitutional duty. It would require Corporate Democrats to grow a spine and demand an end to this war. Instead, Hakeem Jeffries refuses to rule out funding this illegal attack on Iran with another $50B.

At present, it seems unlikely that Republicans and Corporate Democrats will grow a spine or a conscience. But unlikelihood is not an excuse for silence when the alternative is mass death.

Conclusion

Here’s the bottom line. This is not red versus blue. This is not left versus right. This is working people versus billionaires, civilians versus war planners, constitutional government versus authoritarian impulse. This is why the culture wars must stop. Because as bad as things are, they can get much worse. Trump has not ruled out the worst options. He has not ruled out sending American troops into a catastrophic ground war. He has not ruled out escalating further. He has already shown that he will ignore constitutional limits, and too many members of Congress still behave as though strongly worded statements are an adequate response to an unlawful war.

There is also a deeper pattern here that should disturb every serious observer. In 2013, Trump claimed Obama would bomb Iran to distract from his failures. In 2023, J.D. Vance warned against repeating in Iran the same mistake made in Iraq. Now they are doing exactly what they accused others of doing. That is not irony. It is the operating logic of fascist politics: accuse the other side of the crime you are preparing to commit yourself.

The legal and moral stakes are immense. Congress must act now to stop this war, cut off funding for unauthorized escalation, and reassert that the Constitution is not optional. Military service members must also remember that “I was just following orders” did not excuse unlawful conduct at Nuremberg, and it will not excuse it now. To those cheering this war from a distance, understand what you are cheering for: possible nuclear confrontation, higher prices for families already struggling, and the deaths of ordinary soldiers while the sons of powerful men remain far from the battlefield.

We need option four, and we need it immediately. Trump must be removed from the machinery of war before his recklessness becomes irreversible. If we fail to stop this now, history will not say we were uninformed. It will say we were warned and did too little.

#2457 Saturday 7th March

 The importance of maintaining routine cannot be over emphasised.  I think this is a large part of the reason for Kaylia being so happy these days.  She is such a delight.  At any given time of the week sh knows what she will be doing ..... she has a few variations but even the variations fall into a pattern for her.

Many of the sayings below fit the life we are creating for her.....

#2456 Monday 2nd March

" What did you do over the weekend?"

"We went to war!"                    The warmongers are at it again.

We (our mob in Ashfield) went for a drive to Bindoon .... and we found an icecream.... the important things.

#2455 Thursday 26th February

 Kaylia was very excited when she came home after "Sassy Ability" today ..... it was very good to see.  The photos of today's session haven't been posted yet.... I'll add any relevant photos later. The Sassy sessions are giving Kaylia a very strong social outlet.

I was reviewing some old writing and came across ......

It's the idea that there may be multiple realities existing at the same moment in time .... quantum physics supports this concept ...... and string theory in quantum physics may give an understanding of "enlightenment" ... being able to reach awareness of an alternate reality  ......  

#2454 Wednesday 25th February

 Naomi has just flown up to Karratha for 3 days work.  This is a regular gig and we're used to the routine.

Kaylia is happy as usual,  She rarely gets upset these days ... if she does get upset, she is usually able to manage it herself.

This image is showing what Australia might look like if the ice caps melted and the sea rose 70  meters.

(I thought this very interesting.....)

#2453 Tuesday 17th February

Kaylia has just had an "uh ho" moment..... she had filled five bags with DVDs ready to go to an op shop .... and she had them piled up.  The pile fell over!  It's always tempting to help her with these tasks but that doesn't teach her to manage her tasks.... the goal is to teach her to be independent.  We won't always be around to do things for her .... she has to learn to cope.

#2452 Thursday 12th February

This is not about Kaylia ..... but it is important! I hope that I could be like this man if a similar situation arose. 

I nearly threw a punch in a checkout line last Tuesday. Not because I am violent, but because at seventy four, I finally woke up.

I am a retired mechanic from outside Detroit. I live alone in a house that smells of dust and quiet. My wife, Ellen, died six years ago. My kids live in New York and Atlanta, busy with careers and children I mostly know through a screen.

Somewhere along the way, I became invisible. Just an old man in the way, blocking an aisle with a cart, counting coins because Social Security does not go as far as it once did.

Every Friday, I shop at the big superstore on the edge of town. It is the high point of my week, which tells you enough about my life.

That is where I met Mateo.

He works Lane 4. Maybe twenty two. Eyebrow ring. Tattooed arms tucked under a blue vest. To people my age, he probably looks like trouble. His English carries a thick accent. He always says, “Did you find everything you need, sir?” Most customers never look at him. They swipe their card and move on.

I watched people treat him like a fixture. A woman in a wool coat snapped at him to hurry up. A man muttered that he should learn the language or go home.

Mateo never reacted. He kept scanning, kept smiling, kept saying, “Have a blessed day.”

Three weeks ago, I stood behind a young mother. She looked worn down. Dark circles. A baby screaming in the cart. She had store brand diapers and two jugs of milk.

Her card was declined.

Her face flushed. She reached for the milk. “I will put this back,” she said, barely holding it together. “I get paid Monday.”

Before I could open my wallet, Mateo moved. No announcement. No performance. He pulled a wrinkled ten dollar bill from his pocket, rang it through, and handed her the receipt.

“It is covered,” he said softly. “Go feed the baby.”

She stared at him, whispered thanks, and left. The next customer complained about the delay.

But I saw it.

That night, I sat alone in my recliner and stared at the wall. A kid earning next to nothing, treated like he did not belong, giving his own money to a stranger. And me, spending years feeling sorry for myself.

The next Friday, I wrote a note on a napkin and slid it to him. It said, “I saw what you did. You are a good man.”

He read it. His eyes filled. “Thank you, Mr. Frank,” he said.

We talked. He works two jobs. Takes online classes at night. He wants to be a paramedic. “I want to save lives,” he told me. “My parents gave up everything so I could be here.”

Then came last Tuesday.

The store was packed. People were tense. A big man in a baseball cap slammed his groceries onto the belt. Mateo made a small mistake and had to void an item. It cost thirty seconds.

The man lost it.

“Are you stupid?” he yelled. “This is America. Why do they hire people who cannot even run a register? Go back to where you came from.”

The place went quiet. People stared at the floor. The cashier next to us froze. Mateo looked down at the scanner. His hands shook.

My heart was pounding. I have spent my life keeping my head down. Do not get involved. Mind your business.

But this was my business.

I stepped forward, joints aching, standing as straight as I could.

“Hey,” I said. My voice cracked, then held.

The man turned. “What?”

“He works harder in one shift than you do all week,” I said, pointing at Mateo. “He is studying to save lives. He paid for a mother’s diapers when she had nothing. What have you done today besides yell at a kid?”

The man sneered. “Mind your business, old man.”

“Decency is everyone’s business,” I said. “If you want to be tough, be tough enough to show respect.”

Silence. Then a woman behind me started clapping. Someone else said, “He is right.”

The man grabbed his bags and stormed out.

Mateo stood tall now. Shoulders back. He met my eyes and nodded. No words. Just understanding.

I walked to my car shaking. I cried in the parking lot. Not from sadness, but because I felt alive again. Like I mattered.

Yesterday, Mateo handed me my receipt. On the back he had written, “My father is far away. Today you were like a father to me.”

I am sharing this because these are angry times. We are told to hate. We are told to choose sides.

Here is what I learned in a Walmart checkout line. You do not have to fix the border. You do not have to solve the economy. You just have to change the air in the room.

Speak up. See the person behind the name tag.

We are all walking each other home. Try to be good company.

Credit-Respective owner

#2451 Sunday 8th February

 Weekends for us always have visits to six different op shops  ... three on Saturday and three on Sunday.  At each shop Kaylia adds 5 more DVDs to her collection.  She rarely watches the DVDs .... the act of collecting is the important thing.

#2450 Monday 2nd February

I'm at Joondalup hospital visiting Peter.... he's asleep so I can write a bit. Pete is spending lots of time in hospital.

We were saddened by the Mosman Park tragedy..... I can understand completely.  There have been times when we've been pushed right to the limit.  The feeling of abandonment and hopelessness is very hard to fight. ..... and then to have a cut to their NDIS funding! .... it would have been the last straw.  In the past, I've been tempted by a such a drastic solution like that but we've always managed to stay grounded.  At this stage, I'm so glad we survived.... Kaylia is such a joy.  She is becoming more and more affectionate.

Our house has been down with the gastro bug.... we've all had it and hopefully we're over it.

#2449 Friday 30th January

Oh dear... I'm in a very bad way. Violent vomiting attacks every hour or so.  Naomi had it last Friday, then David got it on Saturday..... and then Kaylia had it on Wednesday. Now it's my turn.  It's really bad.

It's kaylia's birthday today

#2448 Tuesday 27th January

 Kaylia is counting the days till her birthday on the coming Friday!  As I write Kaylia is in the middle of her weekly speech therapy session,  Her verbal comprehension is fairly good.  She has to concentrate to speak with clear sounds.  The session always includes games .... she likes these!

Yesterday we had our usual long drive for Invasion Day.  The drive to Bindoon is very pleasant and it usually has the reward of an op shop visit.  The op shop there is one of the few that is open on public holidays.

#2447 Friday 23rd January

Kaylia at this moment is playing a track from Tina Arena where the song climaxes on a long note.  I like Tina..... but Kaylia is repeating this one bar of the song over and over......

Momentous events on the world stage!   ..... a 48 hour deadline to Putin.... Trump losing his precious Mar a Lago .....  a new financial world system......  a back down over Greenland....  this list goes on today!

#2446 Tuesday 6th January

 Well !!! The invasion of Venezuela was certainly a change that was NOT for the better.  The current version of "Pax Americana" is anything but!  Fortunately such events don't touch Kaylia's world.

#2445 Thursday 1st January 2026

 Best wishes for the new year.  The year promises significant changes in the world.  Let's hope that the  changes are for the better!

The Christmas/New Year break is hard for Kaylia.... with most services closing, her routine is thoroughly disrupted. This then flows on to me as we have to manage the disruption.  Long car drives are always welcome .... we had a drive to Bindoon yesterday and a drive to Fremantle today.

(Nothing special.... I just like this)