Reece Pocock short Bio. I live in Adelaide South Australia with my wife Marilyn who is the guiding light in my life. My son lives not far away with his wife and three gorgeous Granddaughters that are the joy of my life. "After many years of working, having a family, community and military service, I thought I had a story to tell, so I wrote a novel. The trouble was, when I read it, I knew it wasn't good enough. The professional writing course at Adelaide Centre for the ARTS proved to be ideal for me. The four years I spent studying opened up many opportunities and proved life changing. "I am currently employed as a finance broker and find as much time to write as I can." Current work in progress The historical novel that started it all is under consideration by a US Agent. I’m trying to find a producer for two film scripts. I am also working on another novel, children's stories, and short stories. And I am writing articles for a trade magazine as well as TheCheers. Specific Skills and Work Orientation Much of my work is history based with particular interest in the Australian Military. I am interested in commission or freelance work of all kinds, and willing to discuss any proposals. I enjoy research, and have good computer skills. Memberships SA Writer's Centre since 1998 Grace Emily Writer's Group Australian Writer’s Guild

So, the cards are all sent; received cards are standing on any exposed surface with sufficient area to take them. The presents are all wrapped and under the Christmas tree waiting to be distributed on the day, or hidden until Father Christmas leaves them for the kids on Christmas eve.

You’ve lied to the kids about F... continue reading

Some advertisements use porn to sell their products, and it is a reflection on society that it works. However, sometimes the advertisements go too far and cause a backlash against the product.

But the trick is to use sex in advertising – more accurately the promise of it – without offending buyers. This requires a d... continue reading

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There was no struggle of Australia wanting to go it alone or wars being fought. No dramatic lowering of one flag and the raising of another. No, it was the other way around. It was Great Britain that pushed Australia kicking and screaming into independence. The process began in 1921 and culminated in 1931 with ... continue reading

The Battle of El Alamein was one of the great battles of World War 2.

For about fifteen terrible minutes the weapons thundered. Then suddenly, far to the east, two searchlights flashed into the sky like a celestial sign and remained stationary.

When darkness came, the men of the 2nd 43rd Battalion ' part of the ... continue reading

We have all been given to understand the life of a glamorous Crime Scene Investigator is all excitement and checking to make sure their lipstick and eyeliner is on straight. Or, that Gil Grissom (the lead character in CSI) is going to walk in with some revelation that is going to solve the case.

The reality is foren... continue reading

For observers of our planet, the above sentiment is the only conclusion they could arrive at when they see race hatred, ethnic bias, gender, and religious discrimination endemic to most communities on Earth.

Government, business, and in almost every part of our society, control is vested in the majority. While that ... continue reading

"We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next........I
mean they are actually ploughing down brick and mortar houses and one family with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when 100 riot police came in with AK47's and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful house - 5 bedrooms and pine... continue reading

Why do you sneak around our heavens in what we call Unidentified Flying Objects without coming to see us? As long as your intentions towards us are not hostile, many of us would welcome you with open arms. This planet has problems that you might be able to help us with.

Our leaders have stuffed up world finances, a... continue reading

Drug, alcohol, and other addictions are a curse on the world. Life as we know it will change for the worse unless a cure is found for the addicted, and a deterrent to becoming addicted is found.

The part of our brain that is responsible for reward-related learning plays a huge role in drug and other addictions. This... continue reading

The US elections are fast approaching, and we wonder how Barak Obama or John McCain will cope with leading the free world. If history is any guide, we can only say not very well.

[extract1]Although, I must admit to being an admirer of the United States and its people, I look in wonder at the type of person they ele... continue reading

Those of us who watched the wall coming down in 1989, and the subsequence demise of the Soviet Union, can only look on in wonder at how quickly the Russian Federation has asserted itself to become a world power again.

The Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, has shown a fierce nationalism that has endeared him to... continue reading

The United States under George W Bush has bungled the war on terror by concentrating on Iraq. The real danger from terrorism was always in Afghanistan.

Transcripts from the Robert Greenwald film "UNCOVERED" prove the reasons for the Bush administration to invade Iraq and neglect Afghanistan was at best naïve and at ... continue reading

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you enjoyed the television coverage of the Olympic Games from Beijing China.
 
You were no doubt thrilled by the exploits of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps and many others as they performed feats that are at the very top of human performance.
 
Then you cheered for yo... continue reading

We go along on Election Day to vote thinking we are participating in one of the great privileges of modern society - the democratic election. But, let us examine what really happens.
 
First of all, the cabinet is the decision making body of the Government. All other members have to vote the way cabinet decides.... continue reading

When we vote for someone to represent us in Parliament, what are we saying to that person?
 
Okay, I've listened to your policies and heard how you are as a person; I am going to give you my vote. For that vote I expect:

You to ensure that conditions prevail that will allow me to prosper as a person,
Your ... continue reading

All around the world governments are failing.
 
It doesn't matter whether people live under mad dictators or benevolent democracies; their leaders are inept at running the country.
 
Democracies elect their own governments but that doesn't mean the right people get elected. Mostly, parties put up candida... continue reading

In Australia in the last few years there has been a huge expansion of wind farms. Because they are a renewable resource with almost no emissions, they are being touted as the answer to all our prayers to reduce the speed global warming catches up with us. But are they? The total capacity so far in Australia is just ove... continue reading

I heard a noise outside my house. When I investigated there were quite a few neighbours watching a koala climbing a tree. Birds had been dive-bombing the little guy who was frightened and seeking protection.
 
Close-up to the koala By this time my camera was ready and I started taking photos. The koala climbed d... continue reading

Australia's mighty River Murray is in danger because of greedy water extraction policies. The upper reaches of the river system have had good rains but almost none of the flows have reached the lower areas in South Australia.
Toxic River Bed
How's this for inept organisation, the part of the river that runs through ... continue reading

In a recent visit to Queen Elizabeth 11 the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd nodded slightly instead of the traditional head bow on meeting the Queen of England. Back in Australia there was some debate that the PM didn't show proper respect to the Monarch.

For those doubters let me state the protocol taken from... continue reading

When I reported for work I went with the other security guards to a large area that acted as a meeting room and sometimes as a dining room. The head security guard stood out the front, the doors were locked, guards placed on them. ‘Today we are transporting spent fuel rods and other hot waste to The Cave,’ said the hea... continue reading

 
The sun peeked through the oak trees at dusk as the sea gently lapped onto the rocks along the California coast. The setting sun highlighted Tracy’s hair as I watched the red orb disappear. I felt at peace just for an instant as I took in Tracy’s beauty and the tranquillity around me. My eyes left her as the so... continue reading

This week Australians have witnessed our new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, swanning around Washington. Our newspapers and TV screens have been full of self-satisfied grinning faces of Rudd with Bush, and the three presidential candidates.
 
Australian Prime Minister It seems that once elected Australian Prime Min... continue reading

I wrote this article for children. I'm sure some of TheCheers readers have children. Show them this article. It may help to explain the pressure some of their peers place on them and how to deal with it.
 
Who are your peers?
They are someone who is the same age, status, or ability as you. When you were little... continue reading

 
In a land bleached red by the fiery sun, the vehicle sped down the track at the head of the dust cloud, like it was a ship forming a surging wake on a calm sea. The brown smudge rose into the light breeze spreading out over the landscape lingering like it was more at home levitating than on the ground. Two men ... continue reading

Bindi looks to me to be a beautiful little girl and every time I see her on television I'm pleased to see her talent and enthusiasm, but somehow the primary reaction is sadness.
 
Before you say that is because she lost her father Steve in such a tragic and public way, let me say I still felt the same emotions t... continue reading

They arrived at about the same time. He came from the left, she from the right. They looked at each other briefly. Then he walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He gazed into her eyes and took her in his arms.
 
She had changed. Gone was the young girl he had left two years ago. He had his arms a... continue reading

 
It's surprising that many of the successful people in the arts, music, writers, poets, sport, politics, and even in business started from very humble beginnings.
 
Is there something in us that has to be brought out by a will to succeed that is easier to access when we have nothing? Or to put it anothe... continue reading

Japanese whalers must think the rest of the world is stupid. No one is going to accept that killing whales is for research.
 
How can the photo from the Australian Customs Service, that accompanies this article, be scientific research? Two dead or dying minke whales - mother and baby - are being hauled onto the ... continue reading

We read with sadness and watch on television endless stories about the tragic death of the Australian actor Heath Ledger. While I sympathise with his family I am seeing a part of society that bothers me.
 
Everywhere you go, the supermarket, on the bus, in the workplace people are discussing the tragedy of this ... continue reading

It's interesting to compare attitudes to cricket's disciplinary processes by Asian teams and by the Australian team. For instance, let's look at three cases, namely Arjuna Ranatunga from Sri Lanka at Adelaide oval, Darren Lehmann from Australia at Brisbane cricket ground, and Harbhajan Singh from India at Sydney Cricke... continue reading

I sat down on Sunday evening and watched on television Australia's miracle win in the Second Cricket Test in Sydney. I thought it would be a good article for my column; I even had the title picked out 'Miracle in Sydney'. By the next morning however, the cricket was forgotten and the story was about the future of the g... continue reading

'By the way,' wrote David Hicks in a letter home to his parents in May 2001, 'I have met Osama bin Laden 20 times now, lovely brother, everything for the cause of Islam. The only reason the west calls him the most wanted Muslim is because he's got the money to take action.'
 
This evidence came to light recently... continue reading

Once again the 11th of December roles around - the 76th anniversary of Australia's Independence - with no recognition of the date, but how can anyone in the great brown land recognise it if they've never heard of it?
 
It's interesting the response to my earlier article on this subject - Australia's Secret Inde... continue reading

Saturday November 24th proved to be a bad day for Prime Minister John Howard.
 
The Australian people said we want change. They elected the Labor Party led by Kevin Rudd in emphatic fashion.
 
Labor will have a majority of about 25 seats in the House of Representatives, enough to claim a mandate for thei... continue reading

Reserve Banks or whatever their equivalent in countries around the world is orchestrating the biggest confidence trick ever known to mankind.
 
The great gullible public are told that interest rates have to rise and fall to control a country's economy to avoid inflation. We are told that we can't go back to the ... continue reading

December 1944 – Forest near Cochem, Germany.
Rolf hid behind a tree, adjusted his binoculars, and watched Friedrich slowly approach the farmhouse. A pale moon laid its beams over the landscape, and Rolf was having difficulty keeping his friend in focus because he had reached the area where the house cast shadows on t... continue reading

Business is learning that to attract women employees, changes are necessary to employment conditions. At the same time, the bottom line looks much better when arrangements are made to attract this dynamic part of the workforce.
 
With near full employment in many countries the battle for business is to find comp... continue reading

The late afternoon sun played on the trees, casting moving shadows across the ground. The rabbit sat peacefully on top of the burrow nibbling grass and furtively gazing around as the sun caught its grey fur then seemed to encircle the animal with a halo. Jesse Markham watched the animal sniff the breeze. He thought it ... continue reading

The very ambitious Julia Gillard the deputy leader of the Australian Labor Opposition is one such woman but for some reason both men and women fail to warm to her. If she were a man, her achievements and how she conducts herself would mean she would be universally admired.
 
She is attractive, dresses well – but... continue reading

I watched the spider weave a web in the wattle tree. It tested the wind as the web slowly formed into an intricate construction entirely symmetrical and perfect. The sun filtered through the web showing exquisite silvery strands that looked more beautiful than any painting I had ever seen. I imagined the spider was say... continue reading

ProTour Cycling Goes Down Under.
 
President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UC), Mr Pat McQuaide, announced the ProTour series will kick off in South Australia in January 2008.
 
‘I’m very pleased with the news today from the Professional Cycling Council (UC) that we will be bringing the Tour Down ... continue reading

APEC security breached by Comedy Team.
 
Sydney Australia, Thursday the 6 September 2007, Security for the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was breached by a team of comedians from the popular Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) program ‘The Chaser’s War on Everything’.
 ... continue reading

The telegram from his mother arrived at Yantanya Station for Bill Kelly like a bolt out of the blue. Although he was aware his father was ill, he was summoned home for Patrick’s funeral.
 
The rain swept across the Aldgate cemetery as Bill observed his family at the funeral. He was angry with Kate, his mother, b... continue reading

If you want to be the Australian Prime Minister is it okay to visit a strip club and ogle semi nude women?
 
‘Yes,’ say the Australian people.
 
The leader of the Labor Party, Kevin Rudd, admitted to visiting Scores Strip Club in New York four years ago. He was drunk and persuaded to go along with a group... continue reading

 
 
Near Brinkworth South Australia - 1931
Reg Edwards pulled the waterproof around his young shoulders as he drove the dray and watched the stinging rain bounce off the horse’s back. Rolling grey-black clouds were forming in the distance. The menace of the coming storm made a horse in a paddock prance in ... continue reading

There is a special relationship grandparents have with their grandchildren. It’s hard to define why but maybe it has something to do with the authority of the children’s parents and somehow the grandparents become children again to their children and assume parity with their grandchildren. They are on the same level in... continue reading

 
My wife and I wanted a romantic holiday where we could just laze around and take it easy. We wanted a real holiday, instead of a marathon of planes and taxis and humping luggage around.
 
A Victor Harbor letting agent in South Australia arranged a holiday house on a hill overlooking the harbour and Gran... continue reading

After I wrote my last article about ‘What does Al Qaida want’ a friend of mine suggested that the problem is just resistance to change.
            It is a human condition to refuse to accept change. The old ways are the best and that is what I understand so don’... continue reading

 
Cairo Egypt - 1941
The first thing Private Jeff Douglas remembered was a moan and he wondered where it was coming from. He was in a fog and it was slowly clearing and he realised the noises were coming from him. Between the groans there was a voice, a beautiful voice, it sounded angelic; so soft and melodic. ‘... continue reading

What does Al-Qaeda want? What are their aims? What will stop them from sending out their killers (or freedom fighters from their perspective) to cause havoc on the world?

The United States Department of Defense defines the organisation as –

A radical Sunni Muslim umbrella organisation established to recruit youn... continue reading

Tripoli Libya – March 1941
Rolf marched through the streets with the thousands of soldiers of the Deutsches Africa Korps. He looked down the marching line and felt a rush of excitement and pride. He saluted the task force commander, General Italo Garibaldi, and Lieutenant-General Erwin Rommel who led the German force.... continue reading

What is the base impulse that makes some of the human race want to abuse children? What is it in the community that allows this to be tolerated and turns a blind eye to the destruction of children? This abuse is happening in Australia, a supposedly forward thinking highly intelligent nation. What the situation is in ot... continue reading

 
Tobruk North Africa – August 3rd 1941
 
In the early hours of the morning, the Australians waiting in the assembly area knew what was about to happen but the noise still came as a shock. Seventy Australian guns of all calibres crashed and spat in a bombardment that made Private Bill Kelly – Ned to his fr... continue reading

Australian Government in trouble.

You would expect if you were a democratically elected government, the economy is the best in the region, there is almost full employment, your people are prosperous, the poor are well supported by social security, the prime minister is well regarded by other leaders, you’ve just s... continue reading

Bill Kelly, John Cross, and Daisy Day, with the rest of the 2nd 43rd Battalion boarded a troop train at 06:00 hours for Brisbane in Queensland. After their return from El Alamein in 1943 and home leave they were on their way again. In a Brisbane pub, John and Daisy drank beer Bill had bought them. ‘We’re lucky to be al... continue reading

It seems as if it’s a human condition to focus on the negative. Read any newspaper and for some reason they believe that we only want to read bad news stories. Those of us who live in democracies have it rammed down our throats how bad a government is by both the opposition and the media.
 
There are certainly ... continue reading

 
‘A’ Company moved out at El Alamein in 1942 to an assembly area one thousand yards southeast. They encountered light machine gun fire from a ridge to the front. Company command ordered the platoon onto a full frontal attack; Steve’s rifle blazed at many targets as a quiet night suddenly turned to one of violenc... continue reading

The Australian Government have overridden Cricket Australia and cancelled the proposed tour of Zimbabwe by the all-conquering Australian Cricket team. This decision could have grave consequences for worldwide cricket.
 
The cancellation is more about The Prime Minister, John Howard, and the Foreign Minister, Ale... continue reading

Near Brinkworth South Australia - 1931
Reg Edwards pulled the waterproof around his young shoulders as he drove the dray and watched the stinging rain bounce off the horse’s back. Rolling grey-black clouds were forming in the distance. The menace of the coming storm made a horse in a paddock prance in fear as it smelt... continue reading

Anzac Day in Australia has come and gone for another year. This holiday commemorates the day Australian and New Zealand soldiers stormed ashore at Gallipoli in 1915 to confront the Turkish Army. They not only showed extreme courage and suffered over 8,000 deaths but also wrote their place in history and defined the way... continue reading

 
 
The stars shone on a clear night as Bill walked down the main street of Clare. Many times, he had gazed at the stars in the Northern Hemisphere and now he felt at home again as he picked out the Southern Cross and the night skies seemed to be welcoming him home. He paused at the door of The Globe Coffee... continue reading

Now that the hearings for David Hicks have been decided, he will soon be leaving Guantanamo Bay to serve out his sentence in South Australia. Does that mean he will live happily ever after?
 
His first obstacle is to get out of the clutches of the Americans and on a plane to Australia. Perhaps that is not going ... continue reading

Lieutenant John Tapp struggled up the rain soaked mountain track. It was 1944 on the Huon Peninsula, New Guinea. He looked out over the mountain valleys, as the mist seemed to float down and kiss the tops of the trees. The beauty of the countryside delighted John in this country beset by the horror of war.
For John, ... continue reading

Most of the news reports have been about how badly the US and Australian Governments have handled the capture and subsequent incarceration of Hicks.
 
But, what about the man?
 
This is important for the people of Adelaide like the writer. I live within ten kilometres of Yatala Jail and only a little f... continue reading

Internal demons were attacking Laurie again. He kept telling himself to forget it, just do your bloody job and stay alive. The only way he could keep his revulsion for killing under control was to put it out of his mind. His way to cope with the war was to be almost zombie-like when he went into battle, as if he couldn... continue reading

Road traffic accidents, traffic collisions, auto accidents, road accidents, personal injury collisions, motor vehicle accidents, and crashes kill an estimated 1,200,000 people worldwide each year and injure an estimated 48,000,000 people. If we quoted those figures on anything but road traffic accidents governments and... continue reading

 
Rain sent rivers of water cascading down the mountain track making it slippery and hard to find a foothold. Private Glen Jones struggled up the path towards Jivevaneng where 'A' Company was ordered to relieve 'D' Company of the 2/17th Battalion.
 
"Does it ever stop raining?" complained Private Ed Symond... continue reading

 
Unfortunately, Australia was settled by the English who brought their northern temperate practices to a drought-prone country. So, we see acres of lawn, northern hemisphere plants, and trees that require extra water above what the climate can supply. The result is billions of litres of precious water are used t... continue reading

 
 
When darkness came, Private Kev Kendall looked over at Private Mick Smith, who returned an anxious glance. Soldiers were sucking in air. It was electric with anticipation. A golden moon climbed through the fast dwindling storm clouds revealing shadowy figures moving around the Bren-gun carrier. The sile... continue reading

 
World leaders have to overcome centuries of products that have made living easy for some people - mostly the rich nations. These commodities and the easy living they provided have contributed to global warming.
 
How do our leaders persuade us that we must give up the pleasure of our pollution generat... continue reading

After the darkness, there was a faint glow. He was living in a dim soundless world. He couldn’t remember the gloom but he knew it was there. What was that faint glow? What did it all mean?
He felt a pain in his head and he tried to lift his hand but it wouldn’t move. What the hell -- he tried his left hand but that wo... continue reading

The decision to withhold funding to the railways and promote road transport over Government run rail transport meant Australians paid dearly. Trains cause less pollution, are far safer, and should be carrying more freight and passengers. The Road Transport lobbyists were far more effective with Governments than their o... continue reading