international incident

I emailed a mildly rude, jokey photie to Hotters and Rodders. Rodders, over in Chiners at the moment, replied saying the content had been stripped out at the border. Dearie me!

I replied:

'Hi Rodders, looks like the email content has been "Shanghaied" en route. You'll see it back in Embra, unless you get marooned there by something else I'd better not mention. I trust the tour's going well and you're amassing pics of food/toilets. Robbers.'

I was mindful not to refer to the saber-rattling going on there in the last couple of days.

Topical as ever, this is Robbers signing out.

tales of the river bank

On the 4-hour walk yesterday, I found a couple of strong, perfectly straight tree branches, and requisitioned them as what they called walking staffs a long time ago. I tried using them like nordic walking sticks. The technique, which I had always thought was for posers, actually works wonderfully. Talk about propulsion! And a great workout for the arms and back.

Since the mother outlaw died, there's less motivation to take photos. These Easter ones are similar to the terrain we were on yesterday.

aging (spelt without an E)

Nouveau-oldie Albert shares these highlights of two recent articles in the paper.


First, there's the economic angle:

Only an economist could turn the prospect of living longer into a looming crisis.

This week, the IMF was fretting about the ''longevity risk'' facing economies with ageing populations. Like a slow-moving, grey blob spreading out across the economy ''as populations age in the decades ahead, the elderly will consume a growing share of resources''.

An ageing population hurts the budget bottom line in two ways, by increasing demands for spending and reducing potential revenue.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/-1xcef.html

And then there's the health angle:

The ''new'' old age is where 80-year-olds go hang gliding, 90-year-olds win chess tournaments and centenarians play competitive table tennis.

Accentuating the negative - old age poverty, elder abuse - is so yesterday.

The boomers will defy history and age ''successfully''.

There is another part to the message about successful ageing which is a big worry. The new old age won't be for everyone. A happy, mentally and physically active old age will be a reward for those who put the effort in, starting now. We'll get the old age we deserve. Those who end up suffering the old-fashioned old age with its indignities, frailties and mental decline will be seen as losers who didn't try hard enough.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/-1xc6m.html

I've advised Albert to get on the treadmill now, and be one step ahead of economic euthanasians, who will want to cull 'undeserving' oldies.