About Me

My name is Eric Fried.  My family and I were one of the original boat people; we arrived here in 1956 when, those of us who made it to the Lucky Country, were referred to as “refos”  rather than “ the boat people”.  Both terms are slightly pejorative, to be sure, but I find neither particularly offensive. We encountered nothing but kindness here; I went to Cannon Hill Primary School, Brisbane State High, graduated from UQ, tutored there for several years, worked as a Russian analyst, spent a few years in Japan,  lectured at Maryland University, and spent over a decade in Russia for a large Australia-based multinational mining company.  I married, brought up a family, and now am a very happy grandfather. How good is that?

I also have retired and since my better part is working, we have settled in a remote rural community: Mount Isa -- Bob Katter country.

It occurred to me recently that throughout our working life we labour under a set of rules and self censorship, dictated in part by the environment we work in such as institutional bias, and in part by social and political mores of the times. And we do this as part of our survival technique. I have survived; and indeed most of us do.

It further occurred to me, now that I am heading for the home stretch that a bit of self indulgence may not be totally out of place.  I have no intention of being controversial, rude, or in any way radical.  Rather I see this blog as a venue for expressing thoughts or views that are free from some of  the usual constraints and perhaps with a modicum of disregard for political correctness.    

So, please feel free to comment, contribute, or ignore.   Or tell me where I went wrong.