Posted by Audiegrl

ThinkProgress.org/Amanda Terkel—Yesterday, the Supreme Court “released its first four decisions in argued cases this term,” including one marking Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s debut.

In an otherwise dry opinion, Justice Sotomayor did introduce one new and politically charged term into the Supreme Court lexicon.

Justice Sotomayor’s opinion in the case, Mohawk Industries v. Carpenter, No. 08-678, marked the first use of the term “undocumented immigrant,” according to a legal database. The term “illegal immigrant” has appeared in a dozen decisions.

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Sotomayor Draws Retort From Fellow Justice Clarance Thomas

New York Times/Adam Liptak—The Supreme Court released its first four decisions in argued cases this term on Tuesday. They were all minor, but one was notable for being Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court debut and for prompting a testy concurrence from Justice Clarence Thomas.

The case concerned whether federal trial-court rulings concerning the lawyer-client privilege may be appealed right away. Justice Sotomayor, with methodical reasoning and a formal writing style, said no.

Justice Sotomayor said that result was dictated by sound policy and was consistent with a law governing appeals.

The decision was unanimous, but Justice Clarence Thomas declined to join the part of Justice Sotomayor’s opinion discussing why the cost of allowing immediate appeals outweighs the possibility that candid communications between lawyers and their clients might be chilled.

In a concurrence, Justice Thomas took a swipe at his new colleague, saying she had “with a sweep of the court’s pen” substituted “value judgments” and “what the court thinks is a good idea” for the text of a federal law.

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If your wondering about that sound your hearing? Don’t worry, it’s just Lou Dobbs’ head exploding.

How good is the  Internet ? A few years and a few tears back, I could no more have accessed a public forum for journals, images, music, videos, genealogy than I could have knitted new clothes for my coming grandchild. My father, Bruce Sanders, wanted his 2/3 Pioneer Battalion Story published but we simply didn’t have the resources. Now – here it is! How good is that ? This Particular Blog  of mine is about to hit 10,00 and I thank you all.

The mutual sharing is another dimension that works for me. I am not always able to travel and sometimes I don’t get out much at all. I also have a tendency to be overcome by what I like to call Acedia – in various forms – and NOW – I am no longer locked in at home alone. This is truly the Global Village for me.

Now – as we come into an Australian Summertime. and the closing of 2009 – I shall take a look at 2009- as it has been.

It was the year in which Izzy and I both turned 60 – 1949 children. I think I had best rephrase that. We were born in 1949.  2009 was the year in which we moved from the Tweed to the Clarence, in which my daughter newly turned 30 became pregnant with her first child. My granddaughters  turned 5 and 10. A most interesting time it has been.

	Last Christmas, we, as a family,  were to meet in  Kalang on Boxing Day for Kati B’s 30th birthday and Christmas Day, Izzy and I were to spend alone at Bilambil Cottage where we were living. We were out and about in the morning and received an impromptu invite to Lorraine’s for lunch with a dozen or so guests. Plenty of good foods and good company. A sober affair so it was and I enjoyed it up behind Scenic Drive in Tweed Heads  West. Spent the rest of the day at home with our swimming pool and tennis court.
	The next home for us was already starting to be listed on realestate.com.au.  I didn’t realise then that it would become a place of rather deep emotional and mental impact. 2009 is the last year of my 50s and time seems to have wrapped itself around me and curled into the core of me. Memories of 20 years of Addiction and 20 years of Recovery were waiting for in this 100 year old house as well as the history of my family and my childhood.  I intended entering my 60s  consciously and cautiously, knowing this – IT WILL BE DIFFERENT. And it has been a gentle, explorative time with a good deal of ‘ thinking’ going on.
MT WARNING OVER BILAMBIL. THE TWEED RIVER NEAR TUMBULGUM	Briefly this is my locational history. 1949-1950 – CANTERBURY ROAD HURSLTONE PARK SYDNEY. SANDERS FAMILY HOME. 1950-1970 -  27 PAXTON AVENUE, BELMORE. SYDNEY. HOUSE BUILT BY DAD.   1970 – TUMBARUMBA . TEACHING AT ROSEWOOD.   1971 – QUEANBEYAN SOUTH. TEACHING. 1972 – PAXTON AVE.  TEACHING IN LAKEMBA. 1973 – DRUMMOYNE, BALMAIN , CHISWICK, PORT DOUGLAS – CAMPING ON 4 MILE BEACH – YAHT UTIEKAH III- URUNGA. 1974-1977 – URUNGA IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS, INC WHITE ROSE TRADING COMPANY. 1977 – SYDNEY – GLEBE AND TAYLOR SQUARE. 1978 – 1987 – BELLINGEN AND  URUNGA – MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN. 1987 –1994 – SYDNEY. DRUG REHAB. BONDI. SOUTH COOGEE AND BACK TO TEACHING. 1994 – 2001 – URUNGA AND BELLINGEN. 2001-2009 – TWEED RIVER INC TUMBULGUN, BILAMBIL WITH SHORT TIMES IN TUGUN AND BRISBANE. 2009 – ULMARRA.
	In January of 2009, the Armidale Mob came to Bilambil Cottage for a Summer Holiday. That was a ‘ classic’ summer holiday. I must have had some sweet stars shining on me this year because, despite the transitional turmoil and my own inclination to distress, I have had a goodly share of Sweet Moments, Classically Good Experiences and of events turning out just as I had planned and hoped for. The Summer holiday was one of them as was the 30th birthday of Kati B.
	We took the Poppy to the beach at Pottsville. They have been living in Armidale for years now and she hasn’t been beaching since she was a baby. We also continued our cafe experience which is rather extensive . The EATZ CAFE at Pottsville featured real Beach Food. None of which I can now recall but they had tropical names and strange drinks – a 60s flashback which I enjoyed after one too many trendoid, generic eateries such as the infamous Blue Frog in Toowong, Brisbane.
	I lived in Bilambil Cottage for 4 years and in deciding to leave, we took our time in choosing where we wanted to go and when and why and how etc. The Cottage was tiny but exquisite with a view over the Bilambil Valley and out to the Coral Sea, During the Mob’s Holiday, we sat outside of an evening and watched the bats fly over and the long nose come out to feed from the long grasses.  The Poppy learned to swim and discovered the wonder of being a Mermaid.
	We also visited the beach at Kingscliff. The Mob had lived at Kingscliff before going up the mountain. I thought that when we moved south we might miss the exotic birds and plants of the Tweed. Tweed is on the NSW/ QUEENSLAND border. Are these baobab trees ? I like the word and haven’t checked to see whether these are baobabs or not.
	One thing I knew I wouldn’t miss was the BILAMBIL SPORTS CLUB. I enjoyed it for a goodly length of time but things went amiss and the decor was never a good look. The Club is set in the Valley. A lovely setting with a creek beside it and playing fields, paddocks with horses and the hills rising on either side. The Bilambil Village is tiny and part of a loop drive enjoyed by Many. However, the Club doesn’t open till  3pm, serves food only a couple of nights a week, doesnt cater for vegetarians AT ALL and is decorated as you can see on the left. The music scene which thrived there has shrivelled to nothing. Lots of potential going unused.
	Leaving blue skies and palm trees took some serious decision making.

YOU’RE SO COOL.

• Stuffing pocketfuls of “Gundumani” at the start of Fall, when the school basketball court was littered with these incredible red beads.
• Playing cricket with hard rolled-up paper balls, and makeshift bats (Golden Bells, sometimes even a hard-bound Good News Bible)
• Getting introduced to the cane. Thank you,  Benny & Late Mr. MT Thomas. I never seemed to learn my lesson, whatever it was.
• SUPW classes (I recall ACTUALLY telling the teacher, quite innocently of course, that it stood for “Some Useful Period Wasted”)
• Speaking of sports teachers, howzabout Peter Daniels (aka PD aka Nose-picker-extraordinaire)
• Watching in awe, as the old dilapidated canteen building made way, and the William Carey block took form.
• Having a crow fly by during lunch break, and relieve itself into the contents of my lunch box.
• Dressing up as a Tube of Colgate toothpaste for a fancy dress competition in Pre-school.
• Spitballs from Lawrence (aka Spitfest, spitball, Lorry). I’m still trying to scrub away the memories.
• Collecting ladybirds in Cheetah Fight matchboxes.
• Mr. Samson, and PT class.
• 
• The late Mr. Francis Joseph, and (God bless his soul) pants worn above the chest.
• Boys v. Girls, in Kannada class. (Mrs. Aaron)
• THAT yellow cane. Preparatory class. Miss Dawson.
• Morning assemblies.
• Class picnics. Mysore, 1994 … Mrs. Daisy Rani
• Varghese (aka Vargoose) and Physical Education classes.
• Mastering Organic Chemistry (Or not) in ISC. That still gives me nightmares.
• ISC Volleyball.
• Class couples. No names will be named here
• Miss Priya George. Prettiest Bio teacher. EVER.
• Paulraj, his wife (aunty, to us) and their beloved canteen. Fryums, Anyone ?
• The incredible story of the “classroom-invading-lunch-eating-monkey”. Std. 4.
• Easho Jacob “special” assemblies. 1 week. EACH year. Jeez !
• MINUS marks (Homework/Conduct/Material). HAHAHAAAAAA
• Farewell parties, in Std. 10 and 12.
• Last minute feverish polishing of “black” school shoes by rubbing them against the back of your already dirty khakhi pants.
• Mr. Pakinathan (aka Paki), and his “Rock-music-is-Satanic !!!” scripture classes.
• Joseph David (aka JD), and projectile pieces of chalk thrown your way, in case you were stuck in some awesome daydream.
• Reaching school late some days, and being forced to stand outside, in the basketball court. (Joke’s on them, they thought standing OUTSIDE was punishment).
• Clarence inter-school basketball tournament. Every year. Backing our team to chants of  “Jinkalaka, Jinkalaka  …. Ooh Aah, Ooh, Aah”
• That reminds me ….. ANYONE remember Aslam ?  (Close to 6′6″ . Jordanesque. LEGEND.)
• Learning to appreciate, perchance, mock Shakespeare. Courtesy Tara Ravindra (aka Tara)
• Watching Hamlet, in the school auditorium, including certain explicit scenes which she probably didn’t expect to be in there, and giggling away, despite being in, what, 11th Std ?
• Laporte (aka Clarence’s 1st openly (lets say flamboyant) teacher) and his effeminate charms. (Having a hard time writing this with a straight face)
• Studying the Dickens epic, “Tale of Two Cities” in 7th standard. (Mrs. Alexander)
• Insane ISC Mathematics, with Ms. Sunita Jacob (aka SJ). Colossal textbooks, you might recall. I think that class made me what I am.
• Annual Sports Day. Assaye field. Walk past ? March past ? Did NOT matter. The taunts ringing out from behind those grilled windows of Aloysius College never ceased to amuse.
• Speech Day & Prize Distribution Day. Man, i could count on being there regardless of how bad I had screwed up my grades, or the record no. of conduct marks. Yes, i could assure my seat there every year, purely on the basis of ….
• Flack Memorial Scripture Memory Contest.   My calling card.
• Graduation day. Getting all choked up hearing “Au Lang Syne” at the biggest day in our collective lives.
• Class clowns. Class toppers. Class backbenchers. Class bunkers. Class acts. Teachers’ pets. There was one of every kind.

Golden memories all. Some things NEVER change.

Clarence (1988-2001)

• Stuffing pocketfuls of “Gundumani” at the start of Fall, when the school basketball court was littered with these incredible red beads.
• Playing cricket with hard rolled-up paper balls, and makeshift bats (Golden Bells, sometimes even a hard-bound Good News Bible)
• Getting introduced to the cane. Thank you,  Benny & Late Mr. MT Thomas. I never seemed to learn my lesson, whatever it was.
• SUPW classes (I recall ACTUALLY telling the teacher, quite innocently of course, that it stood for “Some Useful Period Wasted”)
• Speaking of sports teachers, howzabout Peter Daniels (aka PD aka Nose-picker-extraordinaire)
• Watching in awe, as the old dilapidated canteen building made way, and the William Carey block took form.
• Having a crow fly by during lunch break, and relieve itself into the contents of my lunch box.
• Dressing up as a Tube of Colgate toothpaste for a fancy dress competition in Pre-school.
• Spitballs from Lawrence (aka Spitfest, spitball, Lorry). I’m still trying to scrub away the memories.
• Collecting ladybirds in Cheetah Fight matchboxes.
• Mr. Samson, and PT class.
• 
• The late Mr. Francis Joseph, and (God bless his soul) pants worn above the chest.
• Boys v. Girls, in Kannada class. (Mrs. Aaron)
• THAT yellow cane. Preparatory class. Miss Dawson.
• Morning assemblies.
• Class picnics. Mysore, 1994 … Mrs. Daisy Rani
• Varghese (aka Vargoose) and Physical Education classes.
• Mastering Organic Chemistry (Or not) in ISC. That still gives me nightmares.
• ISC Volleyball.
• Class couples. No names will be named here
• Miss Priya George. Prettiest Bio teacher. EVER.
• Paulraj, his wife (aunty, to us) and their beloved canteen. Fryums, Anyone ?
• The incredible story of the “classroom-invading-lunch-eating-monkey”. Std. 4.
• Easho Jacob “special” assemblies. 1 week. EACH year. Jeez !
• MINUS marks (Homework/Conduct/Material). HAHAHAAAAAA
• Farewell parties, in Std. 10 and 12.
• Last minute feverish polishing of “black” school shoes by rubbing them against the back of your already dirty khakhi pants.
• Mr. Pakinathan (aka Paki), and his “Rock-music-is-Satanic !!!” scripture classes.
• Joseph David (aka JD), and projectile pieces of chalk thrown your way, in case you were stuck in some awesome daydream.
• Reaching school late some days, and being forced to stand outside, in the basketball court. (Joke’s on them, they thought standing OUTSIDE was punishment).
• Clarence inter-school basketball tournament. Every year. Backing our team to chants of  “Jinkalaka, Jinkalaka  …. Ooh Aah, Ooh, Aah”
• That reminds me ….. ANYONE remember Aslam ?  (Close to 6′6″ . Jordanesque. LEGEND.)
• Learning to appreciate, perchance, mock Shakespeare. Courtesy Tara Ravindra (aka Tara)
• Watching Hamlet, in the school auditorium, including certain explicit scenes which she probably didn’t expect to be in there, and giggling away, despite being in, what, 11th Std ?
• Laporte (aka Clarence’s 1st openly (lets say flamboyant) teacher) and his effeminate charms. (Having a hard time writing this with a straight face)
• Studying the Dickens epic, “Tale of Two Cities” in 7th standard. (Mrs. Alexander)
• Insane ISC Mathematics, with Ms. Sunita Jacob (aka SJ). Colossal textbooks, you might recall. I think that class made me what I am.
• Annual Sports Day. Assaye field. Walk past ? March past ? Did NOT matter. The taunts ringing out from behind those grilled windows of Aloysius College never ceased to amuse.
• Speech Day & Prize Distribution Day. Man, i could count on being there regardless of how bad I had screwed up my grades, or the record no. of conduct marks. Yes, i could assure my seat there every year, purely on the basis of ….
• Flack Memorial Scripture Memory Contest.   My calling card.
• Graduation day. Getting all choked up hearing “Au Lang Syne” at the biggest day in our collective lives.
• Class clowns. Class toppers. Class backbenchers. Class bunkers. Class acts. Teachers’ pets. There was one of every kind.

Golden memories all. Some things NEVER change.

Clarence (1988-2001)

Part 1

Après vous avoir emmerdé avec deux trailers, je vous présente en avant première (sauf pour toi, là bas au fond, qui l’as déjà vu sur youtube!) la Summer Session 2009!

Et si quelqu’un me fait chier je vous balance le making off!