Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

After twelve years of Webdiary, it's time to hang up the green eyeshades.

I’ll never forget her birth. I tossed off an opener and lo and behold, a few people responded. One of the first was the mercurial David Davis. And he still loves her too.

Trevor died on Monday of pancreatic cancer, and will be buried tomorrow.  In his memory here's a reprint of his last Webdiary piece.

UPDATE: Webdiary is unsinkable once more, thanks to the wit, wisdom, and work of Nigel Sim. Many thanks, Nigel.

.....or we'll rip yer bloody arms off.....

In memory of longtime Webdiarist Malcolm B. Duncan. His delightful writing, wit, insight, and generosity will be greatly missed.

We've just been informed that the site will be migrated to new hardware sometime in the next 7 days - the exact date is pending. This will incur some downtime, and may result in unforeseen issues with the site. If you notice anything wrong with the site over this period please let me know at gm-at-webdiary.com.au

I invite anyone who is interested in seeing Webdiary continue to donate a piece on whatever they care to write about.

If you're younger you may not get the significance of this. This was world Internet and media history and Margo was making  it. In 2000 there were no comparable models. Not in the New York Times, not in the Washington Post and not even in that stupid bloody British rag that you wretched lefties love so much, the Guardian".- Harry Heidelberg

The media Silly Season strikes. Wondering if anyone's gpt anythingthey'd like to discuss?   Maybe it's the right time to scribblesomething?  Or perhaps we should open up a random rambling thread towhile away January? All ideas welcome.

Normal transmission is about to be resumed.

Fiona & Richard are both in need of a break, and I'm in London, still. So, we'll close the comment boxes for a while and have a break. 

My dearest Psycho, I hope all is well in the land of the livers and I hope this message finds you not dejected. As I have been having such a top time at TOP (the other place) I find myself compelled to share some of it with you, and let you in on some wonderful news. I’m in love ...

There are many good human beings amongst us; human beings like my Dad and The Flying Dragon Ghost who did good and were motivated by the right stuff. There are also many people who have contributed to Webdiary who are decent and understanding human beings – passionate. These are the people we need, people who will play the game in the interests of all; or even better – not play games at all. On that note it’s now time to withdraw from this little game and disappear into the ether ...

As a ghost of China’s living past lay in fading silence I could see my Pumpkin had reconnected with someone she loved and a country they both cared for. It was wonderful to see Pumpkin get her wish and meet her special Ghost who in spite of everything stood the fiery test of virtues held true. He was a good Ghost, a humble Ghost who worked as one of the team and did good things for the people he loved.

Mona welcomed us both with nie hao/s and hugs then escorted us towards the back room as the girls chattered in crescendo. I wondered why the girls where getting excited but then I got distracted – by now the room was humming harder. I tried to do cartwheels across the floor – but I can’t do cartwheels – so I hopped up and down on one leg.

Stats and financials for June and the financial year

On an earlier stay at the abode of Mona I attempted in vain to explain to her the English term “harmony”. I had to resort to song (which is bloody obvious when you think about it) and began singing Frère Jacques – she immediately laughed and then spontaneously harmonised in Mandarin.

When I think of Kath I think of children, for Kath is a loving and devoted mum and it shows big time. But she is not alone, for most parents love their kids. To love your children is catholic and reflects the very simple but universal truth of Christianity. We love our kids and would die for them.

On a more serious note allow me to return to my childhood and share something that is now indelibly tattooed in my brain; something that had almost faded away. Nothing profound, nothing really important to me personally but it is, and was to millions of human beings, Geoff included. It’s a ghost, harmless to me personally but a ghost of the nasty kind that does mean something to many. One degree of separation.

I decided to go and have it out with Mr M and waddled off in the general direction of the mausoleum. But all of a sudden I got a bloody great big chill down me back and my feathers stood on end. It was hard to be sure whether it is the poor dead dear lying in that somewhat solemn and stately design or the cop car just behind me.

May stats & financials

Come dear friends, let me take you by the hand, and lead you through the streets of Zhong Guo; a dialectical magical mystery tour into the dungeons and dragons deep in the heart of the Middle Kingdom reaching all the way back to the Tang Dynasty. Enjoy a few postcards as truth turns into fantasy, while fantasy turns into truth; if only in a small way.

A very important message from the Middle Kingdom ... and keep watching this space.

Abbreviated report submitted from a motel in Lightning Ridge, where unexpectedly have free WiFi broadband access (enabling me to use Skype from my iPhone for the first time to compensate for Vodafone having no coverage here - how the world moves on, eh?)

On Tuesday at about 4:30 pm, long-time, and much loved, Webdiarist, Claude, breathed his last in this world as a result of a lethal injection administered by his treating vet. Atypically, he went quietly. In a prescient piece of subterfuge, he managed to get out this message which washed up on the Editor’s desk today.

Webdiary returns, in fighting trim for an interesting 2009.