hmmmm

A FATHER won the first round in his historic battle yesterday to have government-funded chaplains thrown out of the nation's public schools.

Ron Williams journeyed from Toowoomba to Sydney yesterday for a directions hearing in his challenge and was thrilled to hear that his case could be heard in the High Court over three days in May.

"This is a very important moment," a jubilant Mr Williams said yesterday.

The father of six, who has four children attending Queensland public schools, said his main argument was that the funding for chaplains in schools breached Section 116 of the Australian Constitution, which states that the "Commonwealth not legislate in respect of religion".

"This is not about getting chaplains out of schools, it's about the government funding them, which I believe is against the Constitution," he said. If Mr Williams wins his challenge, government funding for chaplains would be removed.

The National School Chaplaincy Program was introduced in 2006 by former prime minister John Howard.

The national program won support from Prime Minister Julia Gillard, an atheist who, just before the election last year, pledged $222 million to extend the program for four years.

More than 430 schools in NSW get up to $20,000 each a year for their chaplain services, totalling almost $12 million, and more than 2500 school across Australia now have chaplains at a cost of more than $151 million.

The chaplain program is run in Queensland by that state's branch of the Scripture Union.

In NSW the program is run by the National School Chaplaincy Association which is based in Western Australia.

A spokesman for the association said yesterday it was not appropriate to comment.

NSW Greens MP John Kaye said yesterday's decision was good news for those who believed in separation of church and state. "The anger felt by many of us at the use of public money will now at least be tested in the court," he said.

"There will now be an opportunity to hear in court why this program so deeply contradicts the integrity of the Australian Constitution."

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/man-1-god-0-in-school-chaplains-case/story-e6frfkvr-1225995855196#ixzz1CHfcJvbJ

Yoda showing his jedi dance moves

Can you tell I'm on a day off procrastinating. :-)

Ice Age: Continental Drift - Trailer HD

Australia Day 2011: Lambassador Sam Kekovich takes on Europe

Well we had a great Australia day-(except the fury getting smashed) but I realised there was something missing... I hadn't seen this year's Lamb add. Here it is now.

THE QUEST (Michelangelo's Pizza and Pasta)

Well we started with what I might call the Baseline model. Its one of my favourite pizzas and pizza shops

Michelangelo's pizza and pasta on Bamford lane, Kirwan (just up from red rooster) phone number 47551978

The Pizza is called Pollo Special- it is described as follows- "Our home-made special satay sauce, roast chicken, king prawns, shallots and garlic. Large Pizza Cost17.50

Scooter's rating is as follows

Quality: 7 (good amt toppings & cheese, cooked well)
Base: 7 (yeah, it was yummy)
Reheatability: 8 (great in a sandwich press)
Presentation/Ingredients: 6 (looked great, but I took marks off for including prawns on a Satay pizza. Who does that? It took away from the experience. And for having a gooey sauce, rather than a textured sauce, which is what I love about my own Satay pizza recipe).
Overall: 6

so that adds up to 34/50 not bad

I gave it

Toppings quality: 7 Really nice but when you pull a piece out not all the toppings came with it

Base 8 very nice base

Reheatability: 9- the satay sauce goes into the base, tastes absolutely perfect

Presentation/Ingredients 8 (would have like to see maybe broccoli or some other vegetable or something to make me think it was healthy)

Overall 8

So I gave it 40/50

This adds up to 74/100 which all in all is pretty good.I think this pizza could do better but its the first one- so I think we will try it again later.

Think you can beat that... Try us

The Quest Begins

I Like Pizza. And I like Satay Chicken. Of course I like them combined. This led to a discussion tonight between Scott Gambling and myself and after which we thought we would set out on an intrepid quest to: Find the perfect Satay Chicken Pizza. And we want YOU to be part of this quest. That is right- WE NEED YOU to help us find the perfect pizza. Thus we have established the quest- For the ONE PIZZA TO RULE THEM ALL.

How we propose to do this is simple. We intend to sample as many pizzas as humanly possible. There are two ways you can be involved.

Firstly tell us where the best Satay Chicken pizzas may be found.

Secondly Are you and your Pizzas up for the challenge? We Challenge You to prepare your best Satay Chicken Pizza and have Scott and I around to taste them.

Our Categories are thus.

1. Overall taste

2. Good amount of toppings and or cheese

3. Base- (this is subjective as people prefer different things) judges decision is final

4. How it heats up the next morning. This will be one the of the hardest things but most crucial. After all who wants a dodgy pizza the next morning? (And yes you will need to provide us with some to bring home)

5. Presentation- (bonus marks for unusual things that add to the pizza's taste)

Each of these characteristics are scored out of 10 from both judges with a total score of a 100.

In case of a first place tie- both pizzas must be re-sampled and re-scored.

Now we don't wish to leave non- Townsville people out of this so we propose a compromise.

A) you can send your recipes to us with instructions or B) We will at some stage be in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne separately so in that case we will accept One of the judges plus a neutral person.

Disclaimers: It is in our opinion and our taste buds and please do not be offended if your pizza doesn't score well. It is a fun bit of a laugh.

ONE Pizza to rule them all,

Two judges to find them,

One chicken satay pizza to bring them all,

and in our stomaches bind them.

In the lands of Townsville

where our prize will lie.