Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses

13 hrs · Edited · 

 

"Here are these exquisite, immensely powerful creatures, who willingly give us their labor in return for our stewardship. They have attended us throughout history, bearing us across frontiers and into battle, pulling our plows, thrilling us in sport, warming us with their beauty. We owe them more than we can ever repay. To send these trusting creatures to slaughter is beneath their dignity and ours." ~ Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit

Majestic Eclipse was one of numerous horses sent to yesterday's Echuca sale by the same owner and he was bought by a knackery to be killed for dog food. He last raced just a month ago - only running twice and making $270 - less than what his body was bought for yesterday.

Horses like Majestic Eclipse epitomise the need for an industry retirement plan. These are the unsuccessful horses you don't hear or know about, and are regularly brushed under the carpet and sent to slaughter - never to be heard of or asked about again.

Last year, the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses presented the Australian Racing Board with a proposal to give just 1% of betting turnover back to the racehorse. This would be $143 million annually, and would help horses like Majestic Eclipse - who was only 4 years old and had his whole life ahead of him. Read and download the full proposal here: http://bit.ly/Just1PercentCPR

We occasionally hear stories of kind individuals intervening after auctions to purchase slaughter-bound horses. So if anybody has any information to offer about this boy, we'd love to hear from you if he is by some chance now safe.

Take action for racehorses here: http://bit.ly/IsThePartyReallyWorthIt

Last Cab Ride -- anonymous

The Last Cab Ride

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. 

After waiting a few minutes I honked again.

Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, 
but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 

'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something 
being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. 

A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress 
and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had 
lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. 
In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. 

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 

'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers 
the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. 

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 
'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 

'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice.. 
'The doctor says I don't have very long.' 

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. 

She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived 
when they were newlyweds. 

She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once 
been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner 
and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, 
she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. 

It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, 
with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. 
They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. 
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. 
The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I answered.

'You have to make a living,' she said.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. 
She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. 
Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. 
I drove aimlessly lost in thought. 

For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had 
gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift?

What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.
But great moments often catch us unaware - beautifully wrapped in

what others may consider a small one.
PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY 
WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID. BUT THEY WILL 
ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

Australia Computer Terminology - Getting ready for Broadband in the bush!!

LOGON: Adding wood to make the barbie hotter

LOG OFF: Not adding any more wood to the barbie.

MONITOR: Keeping an eye on the barbie.

DOWNLOAD: Getting the firewood off the ute.

HARD DRIVE: Making the trip back home without any cold tinnies.

KEYBOARD: Where you hang the ute keys.

WINDOWS: What you shut when the weather's cold.

SCREEN: What you shut in the mozzie season..

BYTE: What mozzies do

MEGABYTE: What Townsville mozzies do.

CHIP: A pub snack.

MICROCHIP: What's left in the bag after you've eaten the chips.

MODEM: What you did to the lawns.

LAPTOP: Where the cat sleeps.

SOFTWARE: Plastic knives and forks you get at Red Rooster.

HARDWARE: Stainless steel knives and forks - from K-Mart. 

MOUSE: The small rodent that eats the grain in the shed.

MAINFRAME: What holds the shed up.

WEB: What spiders make.

WEBSITE: Usually in the shed or under the veranda.

SEARCH ENGINE: What you do when the ute won't go.

CURSOR: What you say when the ute won't go

YAHOO: What you say when the ute does go. 

UPGRADE: A steep hill.

SERVER: The person at the pub who brings out the counter lunch.

MAIL SERVER: The bloke at the pub who brings out the counter lunch.

USER: The neighbour who keeps borrowing things. 

NETWORK:What you do when you need to repair the fishing net.

INTERNET: Where you want the fish to go.

NETSCAPE: What the fish do when they discover a hole in the net. 

ONLINE: Where you hang the washing. 

OFFLINE: Where the washing ends up when the pegs aren't strong enough.

Over 60 with Bryce Coe

Post Turtles

While stitching a cut on the hand of a 75 year old farmer, whose hand was caught in the squeeze gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man.

  Eventually the topic got around to politicians and their role as our leaders.

  The old rancher said, "Well, as I see it, most politicians are 'Post Turtles'.''

  Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle."

The old farmer saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. "You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, he's elevated beyond his ability to function, and you just wonder what kind of dumb arse put him up there to begin with."                 

Best explanation of a politician I've ever heard.