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How serious is this Rudd/Bouke business really? Anybody know?
(Frist!)
I’d also quite like to know about the Rudd/BouRke business, too, if anyone can help there …
Goddamit…thrid!
I was waiting for it this time too.
Nobody can know until election day but it’s hard to imagine this gaining traction. Who in the east has even heard of Kim Beazley’s old mate, Brian Burke?
Some commentary about the sleaze of WA Inc from Alan Ramsay 2005.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/a-role-in-the-fall-of-a-labor-mate-conveniently-omitted-from-theeulogies/2005/07/19/1121538972499.html
Problem is psephos say Rudd needs to do well in WA to bag the Rat.
Aside from that – who cares. Howard meets and greets corrupt deadbeats aka “businessmen” every day.
As I posted in the Burke thread, Howard’s Attack on Rudd has backfired beautifully
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/03/02/burkean-conservative-attack-lines/#comment-351530
I wonder if Senator Campbell will be dumped ?? If he isn’t Howard will be exposed for the hypocrite he really is.
In the spirit of this thread, there is a story from the U.S. about a child who died from a brain infection, because his family couldn’t get him into see a denist for a tooth extraction.
Kevin Rudd’s lever for changing gears: from honeymoon back to steadfast -
Written by Justin Christie for aus.radio.broadcast and Lavartus Prodeo’s Saturday Salon:
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/03/03/saturday-salon-91/
As I write this, I’ve so far only read this morning’s Courier-Mail, but one very important article alone has convinced me that now is the time to make a supportive statement about federal opposition leader Kevin Rudd.
As my blog articles indicate, I’ve been a sceptic of Kevin Rudd’s so-called “honeymoon” ever since he successfully challenged Kim Beazley for the opposition leadership. Sure enough, even Ed from The Australian newspaper also casted doubt about the long-term benefit of Rudd’s “honeymoon”, saying on 6 February 2007:
“New Opposition leaders, including Mark Latham, have historically enjoyed an early poll fillip before collapsing as the real fight gets under way”.
Actually, because the honeymoon was so media manufactured, just like Kim Beazley’s loss of the leadership was, it was always going to be a puppet show.
Still, Rudd was baited enough by the media spotlight to resort to the boring predictability of being the star prop in this puppet show. A low point was the useless exercise in expunging socialism, in a similar style to British PM Tony Blair, in favor of making statements about “values” – that general bland theme politicians use when they don’t stand for anything that actually stands still.
Now the puppet show has shifted gears from “Honeymoon” to “Mud against Rudd”, which goes to demonstrate the mainstream media offers Rudd very little of steadfast benefit. Rather, for the Howard Government’s benefit, the puppet show is running exactly to schedule. The likely outcome is as predictable as the journey.
Which is why Kevin Rudd must adjust his approach to engaging with the media, but not in the way suggested by Clinton Porteous in today’s Courier-Mail:
“This may sound strange coming from a journalist but Rudd needs to be less obsessed by the media and take the fight directly up to Howard. Parliament is the venue for the main game, and the Government even offered Rudd the chance of making a personal explanation. He declined the invitation and wimped it on the floor of the chamber.”
Kevin Rudd clearly knows this not to be the case. He knows that politics is more mediated than ever before, yet Clinton Porteous dismisses what should be recognised as strategy as just being an excuse for wimping it in Parliament:
“His excuse was that the Speaker was not in control and that it wasn’t possible ‘”to make any point clearly in response to a series of complex questions”.”
To the contrary, this so-called excuse is the most impressive line Kevin Rudd has spoken since becoming opposition leader,
Kevin Rudd’s entire challenge between now and the federal election is to “respond clearly to complex questions” facing Australia’s review and outlook of itself. The words he uses to excuse his evasiveness in Parliament “can also be applied generally” to the strategy of developing alternative policies. This includes the complex analysis of struggles experienced by ordinary people even in times of so-called economic prosperity.
While the mainstream media only begin to admit that Kevin Rudd has a mix of strengths and weaknesses like any other politician, I’ve already been in the process of assessing his strengths and weaknesses by refusing to be baited by the honeymoon hype. The evidence of this is published on my blog.
What I find is that some of his chosen tactics may appear to be poor – such as calling on Anthony Albanese to ask questions of the Prime Minister to direct attention away from the Mud-against-Rudd campaign, but this does not mean his strategy is wrong.
Kevin Rudd is correct to direct attention towards the Speaker’s lack of control in the House of Representatives, a situation which ultimately favors issues raised in Parliament being debated in such a way that makes them appear far less complex than they really are. A situation which also justifies Labor’s need to engage the electorate using alternative means.
If Parliament really is still the main game, as Clinton Porteous claims, then many of the Howard’s Government’s parliamentary tactics would be delivering them far better results than they have been for most of this term of Parliament. It is on this point that the Clinton Porteous claim collapses.
The vital ingredient for political success these days is not found exclusively in the one venue. Rather, the vital ingredient reveals itself through a greater understanding of the communication process – something I am studying this year as part of my tertiary studies program.
Kevin Rudd must remain steadfast about his communication objective, despite the mainstream media’s very poor judgment of him in this matter.
…From Justin
BearCave.Biz – If you could keep your comments a little shorter (we ask people to aim for 3 paragraphs or under), it would help people to them and keep the thread flowing.
Thanks.
I will pay closer attention to your guidelines in future.
From Justin
Pavlov’s Cat [F I R S T post this week]:
Distraction. Diversion. Deflection.
Nothing else.
Rudd meeting Bourke was just ordinary everyday sleazy politics, that’s all.
Public response to the CHENEY visit and public disgust at the ongoing grovelling to BUSH must be really rattling the would-be King Of Australia and the media claque for them to go so completely ape over this.
In the midst of all the doom and gloom on climate, there is some humour http://www.cheatneutral.com/
How serious is this Rudd/Bouke business really? Anybody know?
What we are looking at here is a socially transmitted disease known as ‘Burkes type 2′ that emanated from the west coast of Australia.
So far symptoms seem to include ashen face, sweaty palms and a rushing into the arms of journalists. Dangers with the latter behaviour are particularly obvious because of existing multiple pox viruses.
It has become clear that Liberal vaccination has failed to stem it’s movement bi-partisan with two prominant members showing acute symptoms within days of an outbreak.
Businessmen and cliques of all political stripes seem in grave danger and may be seen to compulsively burn old diaries and records while screaming most common expletives.
Rudd has actually been in the same room as Burke. Shock. Horror.
Gimmie a break.
If this is the best dirt the Lib’s Propaganda machine can come-up with, they’re pretty-well knackered. Especially seeing as some of their own seem to have done the same.
Howard must be desperate.
At the risk of being lambasted once again for my “vulgar economic determinism”, I’ll repeat what I’ve said elsewhere. Rudd’s popularity, unlike Latham’s is not simply a honeymoon. It is based on the economic pain sections of the electorate are feeling (and will feel more strongly if, as predicted, we have another interest rate rise before the next election), and on the associated seachange on issues like climate change and Hicks.
Not only is Burke irrelevant in the eastern states. When it comes to the election time, I could imagine that he may be counterbalanced by other issues in the west. If Rudd gets a 1983 or 1996 style swing in the east he won’t need the west. Moreover, if he gets a 1983 or 1996 style swing then he may get it in the west as well.
Psephos say Labor needs the west because they have an understandable fixation with electoral bean-counting. This leads them sometimes not to be able to see the election for the seats.
Robert,
I agree, there’s a bit of an “It’s Time” feeling in the air.
Interest rate fears, climate-change and Hicks are all factors in it. So are the Iraq war, concerns about Coalition Industrial and Public-Health policies, and a general distrust of the Government, which is looking and sounding increasingly tired.
I think people are, at last, pretty fed-up with Howard and his constant stream of lies and half-truths. They’re fractious and a bit pissed-off. They want to inflict some pain.
This is the sort of mood that swept Keating-away.
The old “Labour can’t be trusted with interest rates” line is now awfully threadbare. I don’t think it will deliver the Libs another election.
If I’m right , and a big-swing is on, whether Rudd met Burke, Jesus H. Christ or Mickey Mouse, will not affect the outcome one whit.
Last time I looked, Edwards, Rudd and Campbell were elected representatives of the people. Surely, criminal or not, Burke is entitled to petition them.
They are just doing their jobs. That is what we pay them for.
Very well put Joe2. I was going to say that filth plus tears makes mud, and in this case the mud has splattered on every one. But you made me laugh.
Bear Cave quoting Clinton Porteus: “Rudd needs to be less obsessed by the media and take the fight directly up to Howard”. And what have I been saying!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, don’t listen to me.
I think the Ruddster is going to get a breather with this bit of news broken by the Terrorgraph this morning:
Now Larvae, let’s speculate: CIA? Cultural Warriors getting physical? The Greens? A colourful Cairns businessman?
Went to the ABC website to check the McKew story there, and found this as well.
Heh.
Mechanics… Sir Henry?
I say automotive “mechanics”.
They are probably working on your Bentley right now, old chap.
“Now Larvae, let’s speculate: CIA? Cultural Warriors getting physical? The Greens? A colourful Cairns businessman?”
Who would be dumb enough to think that four blokes with torches hanging out under Maxine Mckew’s car in a public thoroughfare in Mosman wouldn’t be – you know – noticed? My initial reaction was that it would probably turn out to be someone looking for their missing pussycat. The initial report came from the Daily Telegraph, after all.
I’m afraid that death threats are the all too common result of high profile people having to endure the ugly obsessions of the whackos and nutjobs amongst us.
Anyone who read about the rise and rise of Brian Burke in WA will know that he was a formidable fund raiser and thought very highly of by Hawke who sent him off to be an ambassador before the shit of WA Inc hit the fan.
The fact that he still commands huge respect, if not genuine ‘good blokiness’ from mates like Graeme Edwards, Kim Beasley etc., shows how tribal the ALP is to its long stayers. Banning him forever from any contact with the party could spark a very calculated backlash as you can bet Burkie knows where all the bodies are buried. Now that the current Federal stoush has been neutralised with Sen. Campbell’s admissions don’t be surprised if old mates like Hawkie come to the aid of his rehab, despite the potential for the WA Crime & Corruption Commission to find against the lobbyist.
If the car is parked on a public thoroughfare then that’s where you have to be if you want to attach a bomb/saw through the brake cables/attach a GPS tracker.
Four men looking for THEIR pussycat? Let me get this right – a pussycat shared among four men? Are these four men cohabiting in one household and are they in receipt of a social security single pension? Is sharing a cat grounds for suspension of a single persons’s pension? Ah, shit, sorry, wrong thread…
Maybe it was Brian Burke.
PS Joe2 I wouldn’t drive a piece of dreck like a Bentley. It’s a car for pimps and arrivistes. My 1938 Hispano Suiza Sautchik H6C see picture doesn’t need a mechanic because it doesn’t break down.
Good link PC. Looks like Kevy is picking himself up and moving towards action, thanks to the Campbell gift. As if Labor did not have enough ammunition already.
Surprises me that Costello would not have realised that any attack advantage might not soon be negated, given the already dangerous Crichton-Brown factor. As a prospective PM his judgement is open to question.
See this from a little while back..
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21263097-1245,00.html?from=public_rss
Sir Henry, with the deepest respect, your link is broken. Don’t expect that is any reflection on the ol’ H6C .
A bunch of people over at blogocracy are laying bets on the Exclusive Brethren as Maxine’s culprits. Weirder and weirder.
My sincere apologies joe2: try here
Better one here joe2 link
Oooh, finally got my Gravatar to work.
Im all for taking Tele with a truckload of salt but this would seem to indicate that it is politically motivated:
On the Burke/Rudd thing, all I can say is that if this is the worst thing that the Coalition can find out about Rudd, this election is gunna be even harder for the Coalition than I thought.
Now that’s a nice car.
Like the old Mercurys myself.
“Four men looking for THEIR pussycat? Let me get this right – a pussycat shared among four men? Are these four men cohabiting in one household and are they in receipt of a social security single pension? Is sharing a cat grounds for suspension of a single persons’s pension?”
Sir Henry, you’re relying on the dubious authenticity of a Tele journo channelling a chat with undefined “neighbours” who reckon they saw four men with torches in the dark …..but…did they? Did these four guys just walk down the street? Was there a vehicle? Maybe a Hummer with an anti-aircraft mount? A chopper? Black Hawk maybe?
Well, it is Mardi Gras weekend, after all.
I am shocked Geoff at your cynical aspersions cast on a reporter from the Daily Telegraph! If what you are suggesting took place then the journalist concerned had broken his/her own association’s code of ethics sections 1, 4, 7 and 10. I find it difficult to believe that a journalist, who had gone through rigorous training and a thorough induction at News Limited would actually fabricate parts or whole of the story. The general public relies for its information upon reports such as these!
Furthermore, a respected newspaper of record such as the Daily Telegraph, by carrying a false account of events actually falsifies history and breaks its social contract with its readers. How could they trust that newspaper ever again? I am sure David Penberthy would not allow this to have happened. And besides, News Limited has enough checks and balances to ensure that if any errors have crept in the gathering of the news they would have been winnowed out through the incredibly thorough checking that takes place prior to publication.
PS Jackmanson: why am I not surprised? A Hispano Suiza is nothing like a mass-produced 1953 Ford Mercury that has been “customised” by being chanelled, lowered and decorated with flames art. Not visible but I am sure also part of the “equipment” are fluffy dice hanging from the rear vision mirror, a nodding dog with eyes that light up resting on the rear parcel shelf, a dangling skeleton from the roof light and a “decal” on the bumper bar that warns “if you can read this you are too close to my bum-per”. Plus, of course, a woofer the size of a cartwheel in the boot. Have you no sense of decency or taste?
Well, Prime Minister, do death threats have a place in Australian politics?
Sir H.C.(E.): “Not visible but I am sure also part of the “equipmentâ€? are fluffy dice hanging from the rear vision mirror…”
Fuzzy dice,
Bongos in the back!
My ship of looooove
Ready to attack!
Won’t you please
Hear my-yyy pleaaaa….
Primer mi carucha,
Chevy 39
Driving to El Monte Legion Stadium!
Pick up on my weeezaah,
She is so divine,
Helps me stealing hubcaps
Wasted all the time…
Hey everyone,
On the Rudd thing well I think it is political type diversion. I mean politisions shouldn’t live in a bubble and why can’t they assosiate with members of the party or the public. Guilt by association isn’t valid legally afterall, is it?
Anyway what would I know, I’m simply out here in the political wilderness of Melbourne’s South Eastern Suburbs and trying to stir the pot by writing to the local newspaper advocating the idea that the socially/economically less advantaged owe it to themselves to get interested in politics and vote for their own interests. Bugger labour if in the safest of their seats we still get the continual dumping of toxic waste, brutal over policing and a similar plutocracy. But then consider a vote for them if you want the unions back to somehow represent you, in other words think of a vote that best represents your view and needs. Politic’s is dirty speak out here and the poor get continuosly kicked for their non-envolvement in the poltical sphere. The culturally shut out have got to shout themselves back in I say, warts and all!
Cruising for burgers
In daddy’s new car
Nah – if they were EBs they’d have been using candles. I imagine newfangled thingamajigs like torches are banned.
I am, however, pleased to note that they were not described as being of Middle-Eastern appearance.
Okay bugger it, it is Saturday. No more Tim political stuff. I just want friends, see I’m not even techno savvy enough to get a piccy on my blog. With techno friends I could have potential. Aside from that crap I’m tapping away in my room with my aggressive older brother in the other room playing something that sounds like porn. I’m into non violence so I do my best and stay clear of him and so here you find me on rageful Saturday, bleating on a blog.
What’s everyone up to for labour day?
Sir Henry — well, I can see that the difference between us is not very far.
Wow, Julia Zee is really overdoing the make-up these days.
That’s it!
Nearly midnight and no-one to even give me shit over my poor spelling! I’ll leave you then with the threat of further naive political rantings from this isolated working class bloke. Look out for next week!
Fuck you Tim. Your spelling sux.
Also, I see I’m going to have to remind you to watch ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8t7xgA-hCU with Simon Amstell.
It’s tres funny.
…in which Simon utters the immortal words:
Evan, you suggest:
“If I’m right , and a big-swing is on, whether Rudd met Burke, Jesus H. Christ or Mickey Mouse, will not affect the outcome one whit�
Brian Burke( a numbers racketeer), Jesus H. Christ(an American “Spiritual Advisor�, resurrecting his career down under) and Mickey Mouse (celluloid mini-rodent who successfully switched to TV then DVD to boost a career renaissance) sit at a modest table at Perginos, pondering their menus.
“ Hey, the stilton looks great, guys�, squeaked the diminutive marsupial.
A Pixie, of South Eastern Queensland appearance hovvers in, eyeballs le table dangereuse, then whirrs off with intent to the fountain room.(Just been to see Pan’s Labyrinth which was more enchanting than the one in The Shining. All bad men should avoid loitering in or near labyrinths).
“I remember the days when he was all hosannahs and good to be with yous�, muttered the former, disgraced premier. “Be all over you like a knock-shop rash, he would�.
“Yeah, he brushes me like a Gethsemine grub every time I hang out with Mary Mag and the fishos. Says I’m bad for his image�, pined the American.
If a political roller coaster provides enough momentum for a big swing, then all bets, and many an erstwhile companion it would seem, are off. It has always been thus.
The maitre d’ sidles surreptitiously up to the one in dark glasses and panama hat.
“Message from Paris, Mistah Brian. Monsieur Pepe Le Pew has been unavoidably been detained due to aircraft problems at Charles De Gaulle. He regrets being unable to attend.”
“Waiter, loose the second been, s’il vous plait.”
“Certainment,monsieur.”
“Merci.”
The service at Pereginos is simply marvellous.
Geoff Honnor:
How true! For example: the threats made at the height of the “Agent Orange” scandal almost certainly did not come at all from the chemical companies being sued ….. major corporations are just not that stupid …. but from over-reacting ratbags who imagined that in making such threats they were doing “the right thing”.
Since Maxine McKew seems to be pro-American though not necessarily pro-Bush (who is these days?), I cannot imagine the CIA or any Americans wishing to harm her …… my guess is that the threats came from local, bewildered, deluded ratbags imagining they were doing “the right thing”
Regulars on Piers Ackerman’s blog, anyone? Either that, or a car-load of Andrew Bolt’s disciples must have made a mid-weeker of it up and down the Hume.
This is a test. I’m trying to get my Gravatar to work
Damn, it doesn’t bloody work
BC, I can see it !
BearCave:
Good luck with your gravitar. I gave up on them after a couple of annoying tries.
AlexOnTheBus:
[i] Is your gravitar just a straightforward photo?
[ii] Not guilty. Try to listen to ABC Radio National’s conservative-leaning “Counterpoint” from time to time but don’t have time myself to read any Bolterman-Jaws stuff.
Everyone:
News now that the Bush regime ….. which has already stomped all over the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, the Gneva Convention and the UN Declaration of Human Rights …… is now misusing the US Uniform Code of Military Justice to enforce political conformity on the US Marine Corps .
Both Mr Air Guard AWOL and America’s Most Honest Businessman Ever must be getting rattled if they perceive freedom of speech as a threat to their reign.
Anybody driving that thing has no call to call others pimps and arrivistes. I’m not sure if it is the Spanish connection or the Swiss connection that puts me off Hispano-Suiza both are equally diabolical. They made one decent car, I think it was called a King Charles or something.
Bristol.
Hey Christine,
Thanks at least for acknowledging my existance.
Tim, hang in there. Blog threads are like walking into a party where no one knows you and everyone knows each other. After a while, people notice you and you also feel more comfortable. Don’t feel upset if no one responds to comments initially – it takes a while to build up some blog cred as it were.
Welcome back Tim. We all thought you’d gone down the shops for a carton of milk and and got mugged by some other blog.
I was going to post this on the Ann Coulter thread, but it’s been closed off.
From Max Blumenthal:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/5926
John Inman (Mr Humphries from Are You Being Served?) has died.
I realise that it’s probably a sign of my philistinism that I regard this as more significant than Baudrillard’s death. Luckily I’m quite relaxed with that.
He’s gone down in that lift for the very last time.
:{
Lol! Has Inman’s death caused you to channel the scriptwriters?
thank you..thank you. I’m here till Tuesday.
Try the lamb. (i won’t tell!)
I live about 300 metres away from the Twelfth Night Theatre in Bowen Hills, and it’s sad to think I won’t see his cheesy gap-toothed grin on the billboard any more.
Especially after the local-cast version of Menopause the Musical seems to have finally finished its run of about 8 million years (apparently they couldn’t get sponsorship when it first hit town, which is ridiculous. Can’t remember the number of nights I walked home from the station past stately matrons on their way to have a laugh.)
Surely this is the death of British comedy. Hooray!
Here’s Simon Amstell in yesterday’s ep of Never Mind The Buzzcocks
I remain determined to convert people to this wonderful show. Submit!
Are you kidding me? His name was John “Inman”?
I guess he was born for the role.
Damn, I thought it was Imman.
Between Baudrillard and Inman simultaneously heading for a new virtual floor, there’s probably the germ of a lazyweb idea there that’s just right for the smutty semotics of YouTube.
“Are You Being Simulacraed?”