February 21, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 21 February
King George VI died on February 6th 1952. I have no recollection, but I do remember, vividly, the coronation of his daughter,...
February 14, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 14 February
We must resist the temptation to demonise our politicians. It serves only to weaken our system of government and to encourage the...
February 7, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 7 February
Freedom of speech does not, by definition, grant you the right to be a loud-mouth; to slander, to defame, and to lie;...
January 31, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 31 January
There is a syntactic problem with the curt cliché and the smart-alecky riposte. They leave you second-guessing as to exactly what the...
January 24, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 24 January
They will, 100 years hence, stare incredulously at the photographs of the insurgents storming Washington’s Capitol Building.
HISTORIANS will debate, and conjecture, how...
January 17, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 17 January
The boss of American South West Airlines said, “The girls must be able to wear hots pants and kinky leather boots, or...
January 13, 2021
What is the Question – January
To get What is the Question started in 2021, Roland chanted with IT executive Tevita Topui.
What is your name? Tevita Topui. What is your...
January 10, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 10 January
Once it was so simple. You dialled the number. It rang at the other end and a telephonist answered. In seconds you...
January 1, 2021
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 1 January
This year of 2020 has not been one on which most of us will look back with undiluted pleasure.
WHILE it was neither...
December 25, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 25 December
Christmas is that time of year when, around the world, Christians gather together in great towering cathedrals and small parish churches, to...
December 20, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 20 December
The late Gordon Chater joked that when it comes to gifts we all know it’s not the thought that counts, but the...
December 13, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 13 December
Moggy, my cat, and I met in the street. Having been dumped, she moved-in, uninvited. Her choice was tantamount to winning Cattslotto!
ALWAYS,...
November 22, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 22 November
Seven of the nine former councilors have been returned to office. This result should not be construed as blanket consensus approval; rather...
November 15, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 15 November
“This above all: to thine own self be true,” says Polonius. I wonder, often, exactly what Shakespeare meant by that line from...
November 8, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 8 November
To eat, or not to eat? That is the question. One week you should, the next week, you shouldn’t! It is most...
November 8, 2020
What is the Question – November – Brett Macdonald
What is your name? Brett Macdonald (please spell my surname right Roland!) What is your occupation? Broadcaster - radio 3BA What brought you to Ballarat? Broadcasting! Garry West who...
November 1, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 1 November
If the artist’s impression is true, the proposed six-story hotel planned for Doveton Street South Street lacks architectural merit!
INCREDULOUSLY, the developer countered...
October 25, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 25 October
Being a good person is the most difficult state to achieve in our lives. It demands courage and constant commitment to dodge...
October 18, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 18 October
What would Australia do without its legion of loyal fund-raisers and volunteers in all sorts of areas?
EVERY day of the year, there...
October 18, 2020
Ride only part of doctor’s huge effort
CANCER is the single largest killer disease of children in this country. It takes a special breed of person to work with youngsters suffering from...
October 11, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 11 October
The forthcoming council election is not the time for a donkey vote!
THE advent of social media has changed the ethos of our...
October 11, 2020
Staying at the Sofitel, or any other superior hotel, is not a rort!
TO insinuate that Ballarat councillors staying at so-called luxury hotels are living high-on-the-hog at taxpayers’ expenses is, at best, spiteful, and at worst, deliberately...
October 4, 2020
What is the Question – October
What is your name? Mick Moloney (…but you, Roland, get a one-off exemption and may call me Michael since you find “Mick” so displeasing to...
October 4, 2020
From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 4 October
Is perceived notion of male superiority learned or inherent? IS it the consequence of relentless, careless subliminal sexism? Consider: our superheroes - excepting for Wonder...
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