I have a very interesting fact to tell you! Would you like to hear it? I am positively, definitely, completely and utterly sure that you would like me to tell you the fact… I think. I'll tell you it anyway. The fact is that teddies do not have to vote in elections! It's true! There is a law that states "no teddy bear is required to vote in Federal, State or Local Council elections, however old or young they are." That is great news because I always get a bit worried when election time comes around and other people need to vote. Apparently when you go to vote, you have to state your full name at the entrance booth before they will give you your voting ballot slip. But what concerns me, is that what if you have had your wisdom tooth removed the previous day and you were given anaesthetic to cope with the pain, and you still feel a bit woozy from being "knocked out" because of the anaesthetic and you don't feel right …and…and … you just happen to temporarily forget your name! That would not be so great if someone asked you your name and you just happened to forget it because you were feeling a bit tired. And also your tooth would be hurting because the anaesthetic is not there to dull the pain, but the effects of it is still in your system. But when I think about it, your actual tooth would  not be hurting because of course it wouldn't be still there, but on the other hand  the gum would still hurt where it used to be was so perhaps I was right in the first place about your tooth hurting  because it used to be the tooth's home didn't it?!! And it still is the wisdom' tooth's home, it just is that the tooth has gone away on a very, very, very long holiday… where it will never return! Imagine a tooth packing up its suitcase and going on a holiday! What fun that would be to see the sight of it packing its luggage! It would pack a tooth brush, some toothpaste, some dental floss and perhaps some mouth gargle rinse wash.  Can I ask you a few little questions? Something that I have always wondered about is: what actually happens to the wisdom teeth that get removed? Do they get thrown away? Do people become a little less smart? Do dental surgeons keep them and make necklaces from them? Questions! Questions! But I don't know the answers!

Another thing that concerns me about voting is because I have heard that sometimes people give a donkey vote. My teddy friends and I are very proud teddy bears not donkeys! Have not people heard that there is another law that states that "no donkeys are required to vote in elections nor are allowed to be voted for". Just like teddies, donkeys cannot be elected to hold any position as a result of an election.  My friends Daisy and Dotty donkeys are very happy donkeys that do not wish to hold any position of power and do not seek to be elected to any position of power, and I have never ever seen a hint of their names being on any ballot paper, so how or why would people seek to try to vote for them?! It would look very impressive though for the names "Daisy Donkey" and "Dotty Donkey" to be printed on a ballot voting form I must admit though! But it is against the law, so that will never happen!

Soooo …it is very great that we teddies do not need to vote. But that doesn't mean we don't keep our teddy ears and eyes wide open to see and hear about the results of the normal elections that take place. We also take note of the campaigning that takes place and the election promises .Hmmm… what promises could we campaign for if we were wanting to be elected to be the chief teddy in the Kiosk( not that us teddies would ever do this because all teddies that live or visit us at the Kiosk are all equal in position, friendship and watchfulness of everything that takes place!)But… just pretending about our campaign election platform promises, I would suggest:

  * Friendliness to everyone who visits the Kiosk

*  A variety of items to buy

* Yummy biscuits to purchase, tasty chocolates to snack on and lots of lollies/sweets to enjoy eating.

  * Great prices

   * Variety of soup flavours to choose from and availability of tea bags and coffee to have a nice cuppa drink with.

* Availability of long life milk so as there is a constant source of buying milk

  Hmmmm… these things already take place! Yay!!! That means my pretend election campaign does not need to take place!

Well, I suppose I had better still keep my "paw on the pulse" of what is going on in the lead-up to the Federal Election, but I am relieved that I don't need to go and do any voting!

Until next time,

               Choose carefully how you decide to number any boxes if you happen to be handed an election voting ballot form!

                         Your friend, Mr. Kiosk-Ted Strath

                       Also simply known as "Ted"!!