Comments on: Reality and unreality in the pundits’ world http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/ Blogging politics, culture, sociology and life from Brisvegas Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:22:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Graeme http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-492044 Graeme Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:14:19 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-492044 Costello would probably be a Beazley figure for the Libs. But Possum's bald quoting of the '15% ALP voters more likely, 20% less likely to switch to Libs' isn't the relevant stat. The Libs can only get floating voters, not rusted on Laborites. If the 20% are mostly the latter, and the 15% were centrists/floaters, they'd be better of with Costello whatever his personal popularity. Costello would probably be a Beazley figure for the Libs. But Possum’s bald quoting of the ‘15% ALP voters more likely, 20% less likely to switch to Libs’ isn’t the relevant stat. The Libs can only get floating voters, not rusted on Laborites. If the 20% are mostly the latter, and the 15% were centrists/floaters, they’d be better of with Costello whatever his personal popularity.

]]> By: Paul Norton http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491933 Paul Norton Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:17:23 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491933 I have a post bubbling up inside me on this theme, but the psychology at work with many of the OO scriveners and a large part of the Anglophone Right is that they have constructed, on a dubious factual basis, a discursive equivalence between belief in the reality of climate change and the need to mitigate it, and TEH LEFT, and have therefore convinced themselves that to concede the reality of AGW is to concede that TEH LEFT is right about something and has been for 20 years. For them, the latter thought is so unbearable that it must be resisted using all the sophistic stratagems that cognitive dissonance has ever inspired in humans. I have a post bubbling up inside me on this theme, but the psychology at work with many of the OO scriveners and a large part of the Anglophone Right is that they have constructed, on a dubious factual basis, a discursive equivalence between belief in the reality of climate change and the need to mitigate it, and TEH LEFT, and have therefore convinced themselves that to concede the reality of AGW is to concede that TEH LEFT is right about something and has been for 20 years. For them, the latter thought is so unbearable that it must be resisted using all the sophistic stratagems that cognitive dissonance has ever inspired in humans.

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491831 Kim Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:21:50 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491831 <blockquote>-sigh- I just don’t get what News Ltd is trying to pull here. What’s in it for them? I struggle to belive that Murdoch cares enough still to be directing this kind of piffle. It’s just the sound that comes from a vacuum isn’t it?</blockquote> That's the thing. They're like the last outpost of a declining empire trying to maintain loyalty to the sacred gods, but they've done the <i>deus absconditus</i> disappearing act. They can't read the signals, so when they try to interpret them - we get meaningless noise. Or - to put it more prosaically - they're completely disconnected from any political reality that can be envisaged. That's why it comes across as a sort of postmodern parody.

-sigh- I just don’t get what News Ltd is trying to pull here. What’s in it for them? I struggle to belive that Murdoch cares enough still to be directing this kind of piffle. It’s just the sound that comes from a vacuum isn’t it?

That’s the thing. They’re like the last outpost of a declining empire trying to maintain loyalty to the sacred gods, but they’ve done the deus absconditus disappearing act. They can’t read the signals, so when they try to interpret them - we get meaningless noise.

Or - to put it more prosaically - they’re completely disconnected from any political reality that can be envisaged.

That’s why it comes across as a sort of postmodern parody.

]]> By: Lefty E http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491755 Lefty E Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:40:56 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491755 Dont forget the rumours of a return to Smirkchoices! Dont forget the rumours of a return to Smirkchoices!

]]> By: Lefty E http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491752 Lefty E Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:28:11 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491752 What are you on about there Craig? The SIEV X tragedy was a product of the TPV policy - as it denied family reunion rights to onshore refugees arriving by boat. So, it meant woman and children had to come along, instead of the old pattern of the father taking the sea risk. happily, thats been abolished, so the Howard govt policy of high Timor sea drowning risk is now gone, and you can relax. It also means fewer boat arrivals are likely. We never received som many by boat as we did after that idiot TPV policy was introduced by the own-goaling, Howard/ Ruddock "border protection" team. Just goes to show - some people will buy any BS. What are you on about there Craig?

The SIEV X tragedy was a product of the TPV policy - as it denied family reunion rights to onshore refugees arriving by boat.

So, it meant woman and children had to come along, instead of the old pattern of the father taking the sea risk.

happily, thats been abolished, so the Howard govt policy of high Timor sea drowning risk is now gone, and you can relax.

It also means fewer boat arrivals are likely. We never received som many by boat as we did after that idiot TPV policy was introduced by the own-goaling, Howard/ Ruddock “border protection” team.

Just goes to show - some people will buy any BS.

]]> By: Aristotle http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491748 Aristotle Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:07:43 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491748 Peter Hendy is clearly the most in-touch political advisor in this nation; perhaps even the world. First, "workchoices", and now "no choices" on climate change. Without question a brilliant strategist: Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and Machiavelli all rolled into one. How lucky can the ALP get? Peter Hendy is clearly the most in-touch political advisor in this nation; perhaps even the world.

First, “workchoices”, and now “no choices” on climate change.

Without question a brilliant strategist: Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and Machiavelli all rolled into one.

How lucky can the ALP get?

]]> By: Ambigulous http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491721 Ambigulous Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:51:09 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491721 Grace, It's nice when someone spills the beans on the true authorship... Grace,

It’s nice when someone spills the beans on the true authorship…

]]> By: grace pettigrew http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491714 grace pettigrew Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:35:32 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491714 It looks like The Australian is having a bob each way today, with Paul Kelly pouring scorn on the Liberal Party flip-flopping over the past few weeks, and Dennis Shanahan dumping Nelson's advisers Peter Hendy (architect of WorkChoices) and Tom Switzer (former GG op/editor) in the poo, as follows: "...The first sign that Nelson was beginning to consider taking the fight up to the Rudd Government on climate change was the submission of an article to The Australian earlier this month that smacked of a less compromising and more aggressive Liberal leader. The article, penned by former journalist and editor of The Australian, and approved by Nelson's chief of staff, Peter Hendy, was a policy shift..." What a weak little poodle is our Dr Nelson. It looks like The Australian is having a bob each way today, with Paul Kelly pouring scorn on the Liberal Party flip-flopping over the past few weeks, and Dennis Shanahan dumping Nelson’s advisers Peter Hendy (architect of WorkChoices) and Tom Switzer (former GG op/editor) in the poo, as follows:

“…The first sign that Nelson was beginning to consider taking the fight up to the Rudd Government on climate change was the submission of an article to The Australian earlier this month that smacked of a less compromising and more aggressive Liberal leader. The article, penned by former journalist and editor of The Australian, and approved by Nelson’s chief of staff, Peter Hendy, was a policy shift…”

What a weak little poodle is our Dr Nelson.

]]> By: rf http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491667 rf Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:26:44 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491667 -sigh- I just don't <em>get</em> what News Ltd is trying to pull here. What's in it for them? I struggle to belive that Murdoch cares enough still to be directing this kind of piffle. It's just the sound that comes from a vacuum isn't it? I'm with Nasking - New LTd can get stuffed whilst it continues to serve up this drivel dressed up as news and I'll continue to get analysis and opinion from the blogosphere. It seems like a lifetime ago that newspapers were worth the paper they were printed on. -sigh- I just don’t get what News Ltd is trying to pull here. What’s in it for them? I struggle to belive that Murdoch cares enough still to be directing this kind of piffle. It’s just the sound that comes from a vacuum isn’t it?
I’m with Nasking - New LTd can get stuffed whilst it continues to serve up this drivel dressed up as news and I’ll continue to get analysis and opinion from the blogosphere.
It seems like a lifetime ago that newspapers were worth the paper they were printed on.

]]> By: adrian http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491638 adrian Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:34:24 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491638 Speaking of immigration let's not forget the unfortunate Dr Haneef. The SMH reports that a submission to the Clarke enquiry has revealed that ASIO (yes ASIO) 'consistently' advised the Howard govermnent that there was no evidence linking him to the British bomb plot, before his visa was cancelled and he was deported. Another reminder that we got it right in November. Speaking of immigration let’s not forget the unfortunate Dr Haneef. The SMH reports that a submission to the Clarke enquiry has revealed that ASIO (yes ASIO) ‘consistently’ advised the Howard govermnent that there was no evidence linking him to the British bomb plot, before his visa was cancelled and he was deported.

Another reminder that we got it right in November.

]]> By: nasking http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491631 nasking Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:58:31 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491631 Excellent links at comments 1 & 2 Kim. And of course Possum, Mark worth reading by way of links in main post. News Ltd., bar a couple of saner types like Tim Dunlop, can get stuffed IMO (in my opinion). I've had my fill of push polling & other rigged styles...this relentless day by day setting up by various News Ltd organs for a Australian version of the UK Sun style BROKEN BRITAIN campaign is annoying, laughable & predictable (focus last coupla years on lawlessness under Brit Labour, that ironically Murdoch's organisations helped to create by HYPING, promoting celebrity louts & such in the early years of UK Labour...already tested to a degree w/ State Labor parties...fits in nicely, conveniently w/ bloviating morning shock jocks)...yep, they can take their sexual titillation, and fear & war-mongering and shove it! Same goes for green energy promotion that is constantly offset by global warming skepticism. That’s Murdoch per usual having a bet both ways when push comes to crunch as new govts. & movements arrive on the horizon &/or dominate the public agenda and consequently Murdoch & his gatekeeper minions start wobbling & then move some of their usually FULL BORE on an issue to the more populist stance - think pro-Iraq War & anti-Global Warming stance in most of 2000s until Labor here & Dems in USA began to win & Blair made a last ditch move w/ clean energy to salvage his damaged reputation/legacy. Rupert hopes to remain Kingmaker & make plenty moolah again...hopes he can ride the wave of CHANGE again and manipulate it to his & his allies profiteering ends...can be seen w/ economic tsunami reporting that is combined w/ constant calls for need to privatise, lower taxes for business & other pro-his side of politics corporate issues, carefully packaged...similar to that delivered by those carefully PAINTED as more moderate show hosts on Fox News...Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, Greta Van Susteren...but the pro-business, pro-fossil fools, pro-“I’m not happy paying taxes & helping the under-privileged & workers by way of govt services & opportunities”, anti-Union message becomes more OBVIOUS by the day to fit in w/ Murdoch & his allies Corporate Libertarian (oxymoron?) views. This is devious propaganda & SOCIAL ENGINEERING practices one might see in a Third Reich trying to survive dissent 60 years down the road. SHOW ME THE MONEY...& CONTROL...& ELECTION...yells Rupert to the troops down the line & by other means...more frustrated, but smiling that fake smile as each blogger & paper & internet site is grabbed for his EMPIRE. Superb approach to demonstrating Bolt's nutty mindset Darryl M. I did same to Shannahan w/ his Dick Cheney interview. It's selective...but provides more insight into their character &/or stance...even inconsistencies, than we'd generally get from a News Ltd. character assassination piece...let them live or die on their own words. Here's my view on the possibility of Peter Costello grabbing the keys to the Liberal Party SUV from Nelson's Column: comment 11 at Road to Surfdom...in thread 'McCain's policy on Iraq'..strangely...;)... http://www.roadtosurfdom.com/2008/07/28/mccains-policy-on-iraq/#comment-347798 N' Excellent links at comments 1 & 2 Kim. And of course Possum, Mark worth reading by way of links in main post.

News Ltd., bar a couple of saner types like Tim Dunlop, can get stuffed IMO (in my opinion).

I’ve had my fill of push polling & other rigged styles…this relentless day by day setting up by various News Ltd organs for a Australian version of the UK Sun style BROKEN BRITAIN campaign is annoying, laughable & predictable (focus last coupla years on lawlessness under Brit Labour, that ironically Murdoch’s organisations helped to create by HYPING, promoting celebrity louts & such in the early years of UK Labour…already tested to a degree w/ State Labor parties…fits in nicely, conveniently w/ bloviating morning shock jocks)…yep, they can take their sexual titillation, and fear & war-mongering and shove it!

Same goes for green energy promotion that is constantly offset by global warming skepticism. That’s Murdoch per usual having a bet both ways when push comes to crunch as new govts. & movements arrive on the horizon &/or dominate the public agenda and consequently Murdoch & his gatekeeper minions start wobbling & then move some of their usually FULL BORE on an issue to the more populist stance - think pro-Iraq War & anti-Global Warming stance in most of 2000s until Labor here & Dems in USA began to win & Blair made a last ditch move w/ clean energy to salvage his damaged reputation/legacy.

Rupert hopes to remain Kingmaker & make plenty moolah again…hopes he can ride the wave of CHANGE again and manipulate it to his & his allies profiteering ends…can be seen w/ economic tsunami reporting that is combined w/ constant calls for need to privatise, lower taxes for business & other pro-his side of politics corporate issues, carefully packaged…similar to that delivered by those carefully PAINTED as more moderate show hosts on Fox News…Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, Greta Van Susteren…but the pro-business, pro-fossil fools, pro-“I’m not happy paying taxes & helping the under-privileged & workers by way of govt services & opportunities”, anti-Union message becomes more OBVIOUS by the day to fit in w/ Murdoch & his allies Corporate Libertarian (oxymoron?) views.

This is devious propaganda & SOCIAL ENGINEERING practices one might see in a Third Reich trying to survive dissent 60 years down the road.

SHOW ME THE MONEY…& CONTROL…& ELECTION…yells Rupert to the troops down the line & by other means…more frustrated, but smiling that fake smile as each blogger & paper & internet site is grabbed for his EMPIRE.

Superb approach to demonstrating Bolt’s nutty mindset Darryl M. I did same to Shannahan w/ his Dick Cheney interview. It’s selective…but provides more insight into their character &/or stance…even inconsistencies, than we’d generally get from a News Ltd. character assassination piece…let them live or die on their own words.

Here’s my view on the possibility of Peter Costello grabbing the keys to the Liberal Party SUV from Nelson’s Column:

comment 11 at Road to Surfdom…in thread ‘McCain’s policy on Iraq’..strangely…;)…

http://www.roadtosurfdom.com/2008/07/28/mccains-policy-on-iraq/#comment-347798
N’

]]> By: Darryl Mason http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491595 Darryl Mason Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:55:16 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491595 Quick note. Each line is a single quote from a Bolt blog post. They should have all been in " " of course. If you need to do so, you can google each line + '"Andrew Bolt" for the appropriate link. I just noticed too that the above miasma of contradictions and position shifting are from one single week in The Bolt Cult. Quick note. Each line is a single quote from a Bolt blog post. They should have all been in ” ” of course. If you need to do so, you can google each line + ‘”Andrew Bolt” for the appropriate link. I just noticed too that the above miasma of contradictions and position shifting are from one single week in The Bolt Cult.

]]> By: Darryl Mason http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491591 Darryl Mason Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:49:23 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491591 Why can't you Evil Pagan Lefties be as consistent as Bolt is in your beliefs on AGW? Some samples of Bolt's stated beliefs which are entirely consistent and are not hedgy or confusing or riddled with inconsistencies. At all : July 27 : ...a warming that seems to have halted a decade ago... ...the link between gases and warming was increasingly dubious... July 25 : ...the world hasn’t actually warmed for a decade. ...in my case, you can think global warming indeed existed, at least until 1998, and may well resume... ...there hasn’t been any warming for a decade... ...there has been warming in the 20th century. No one has ever denied that... This recent cooling doesn't disprove the theory that man is warming the world. ...the world may yet warm again... I’m not saying the world hasn’t warmed over the past century, and have never denied it. ...I’m not denying world temperatures have settled on a high plateau... ...I’m not denying sea levels have crept up for many scores of years... July 24 : ...global warming theory is a crock... July 23 : Should we cut our own throat to stop a warming that may not exist? ...the truth about global warming - that it stopped a decade ago... July 22 : There has been no warming for a decade. July 21 : ...the world has not warmed. It has not warmed for a decade, and over the past couple of years has actually cooled. July 20 : Sea ice now isn’t melting, but spreading. The seas have not just stopped rising, but started to fall. The world simply isn’t warming... --------------------- There does seem to be a lot of 'seems' and 'coulds' and 'maybes' creeping into Bolt's anti-Enviro-Pagan-Evil-Lefty evangelism of late. Is Bolt still working part-time as a Labor Party advisor? He sure spends a lot of time helping to sow confusion and damaging dissent amongst the ranks of the Liberals. Three weeks of Liberal infighting and embarrassing, very public confusion on climate change is just the latest manifestation of Bolt's solid work in keeping the Liberals out of office for as long as possible. Hilarious stuff. Why can’t you Evil Pagan Lefties be as consistent as Bolt is in your beliefs on AGW? Some samples of Bolt’s stated beliefs which are entirely consistent and are not hedgy or confusing or riddled with inconsistencies. At all :

July 27 :

…a warming that seems to have halted a decade ago…

…the link between gases and warming was increasingly dubious…

July 25 :

…the world hasn’t actually warmed for a decade.

…in my case, you can think global warming indeed existed, at least until 1998, and may well resume…

…there hasn’t been any warming for a decade…

…there has been warming in the 20th century. No one has ever denied that…

This recent cooling doesn’t disprove the theory that man is warming the world.

…the world may yet warm again…

I’m not saying the world hasn’t warmed over the past century, and have never denied it.

…I’m not denying world temperatures have settled on a high plateau…

…I’m not denying sea levels have crept up for many scores of years…

July 24 :

…global warming theory is a crock…

July 23 :

Should we cut our own throat to stop a warming that may not exist?

…the truth about global warming - that it stopped a decade ago…

July 22 :

There has been no warming for a decade.

July 21 :

…the world has not warmed. It has not warmed for a decade, and over the past couple of years has actually cooled.

July 20 :

Sea ice now isn’t melting, but spreading. The seas have not just stopped rising, but started to fall.

The world simply isn’t warming…

———————

There does seem to be a lot of ’seems’ and ‘coulds’ and ‘maybes’ creeping into Bolt’s anti-Enviro-Pagan-Evil-Lefty evangelism of late.

Is Bolt still working part-time as a Labor Party advisor? He sure spends a lot of time helping to sow confusion and damaging dissent amongst the ranks of the Liberals. Three weeks of Liberal infighting and embarrassing, very public confusion on climate change is just the latest manifestation of Bolt’s solid work in keeping the Liberals out of office for as long as possible. Hilarious stuff.

]]> By: Craig Mc http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491548 Craig Mc Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:30:54 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491548 <blockquote>The euphoric honeymoon period for the Rudd government may be behind us, but we still get regular reminders that we made the right choice as a nation last November. Today’s news includes two such reminders * The end of the brutal policy of mandatory detention…</blockquote> ...and the resumption of the Timor Sea drowning policy. Just in time for boat season too!

The euphoric honeymoon period for the Rudd government may be behind us, but we still get regular reminders that we made the right choice as a nation last November. Today’s news includes two such reminders
* The end of the brutal policy of mandatory detention…

…and the resumption of the Timor Sea drowning policy. Just in time for boat season too!

]]> By: Ambigulous http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491542 Ambigulous Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:17:50 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491542 Thanks Kim, If the $weetie bag is not due from the $weet Shop until October, we've got MONTHS of this jabber to endure from the OO. That Organ is looking a bit silly with the very low support for the climate change denialist position in their poll. P'raps their mighty columns aren't very influential at all? One wonders whether Horatio Nelson's loss at today's meeting was partly caused by Lib hardheads pointing out that the poll figures on global warming indicated that his attempt at writing new policy on carbon/climate was highly likely to lead to disaster? Did they urge him to "Try to defend your 14%, Brendan" ??? Thanks Kim,

If the $weetie bag is not due from the $weet Shop until October, we’ve got MONTHS of this jabber to endure from the OO. That Organ is looking a bit silly with the very low support for the climate change denialist position in their poll. P’raps their mighty columns aren’t very influential at all?

One wonders whether Horatio Nelson’s loss at today’s meeting was partly caused by Lib hardheads pointing out that the poll figures on global warming indicated that his attempt at writing new policy on carbon/climate was highly likely to lead to disaster?

Did they urge him to “Try to defend your 14%, Brendan” ???

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491529 Kim Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:35:35 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491529 <b>Elsewhere</b>: More on the immigration changes from <a href="http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=2021" rel="nofollow">tigtog</a>, <a href="http://blogs.news.com.au/news/blogocracy/index.php/news/comments/dentention_centres/" rel="nofollow">Tim Dunlop</a> and <a href="http://andrewbartlett.com/?p=2096" rel="nofollow">Andrew Bartlett</a>. Elsewhere: More on the immigration changes from tigtog, Tim Dunlop and Andrew Bartlett.

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491519 Kim Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:13:33 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/07/29/reality-and-unreality-in-the-pundits-world/#comment-491519 <b>Update</b>: <a href="http://johnquiggin.com/index.php/archives/2008/07/29/two-cheers-for-labor/" rel="nofollow">John Quiggin</a> on the immigration changes: <blockquote>The euphoric honeymoon period for the Rudd government may be behind us, but we still get regular reminders that we made the right choice as a nation last November. Today’s news includes two such reminders * The end of the brutal policy of mandatory detention...</blockquote> Update: John Quiggin on the immigration changes:

The euphoric honeymoon period for the Rudd government may be behind us, but we still get regular reminders that we made the right choice as a nation last November. Today’s news includes two such reminders
* The end of the brutal policy of mandatory detention…

]]>