An open thread, where at your weekend leisure, you can discuss anything you like.
Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas
Larvatus Prodeo was an Australian group blog which discussed politics, sociology, culture, life, religion and science from a left of centre perspective. more»
Yesterday, a story about a satripper being raped (by a now ex-) Carlton football player emerged, on the news. It appears that the police investigation of her allegations at the time was bungled but that she was paid off — $20,000 — not to make a fuss.
It does seem an odd concept that the police can pay people to remain silent about criminal activity or police bungling or unprofessional conduct. It’s one thing for a person who has suffered a purely private harm to accept restitution from those who have caused the harm to deem the matter resolved. But don’t we, as the public, have an enduring interest in the professionalism of our public servants — and especially the police? Isn’t part of the harm the damage to the public of the police not doing their job properly? So was this woman entitled to appropriate the benefits of her silence on a matter of public interest to herself?
I’d say not. The main argument for whistleblower protection is just this — that the public is entitled to good and pertinent information on the performance of our public officials — and so I am left to wonder how often the police have come to see the silence of members of the public as worth buying with what is, after all, public money.
Got a werewolf film out: 5 mins in Mum said, nuh-uh!
Was the women entitled to appropriate the benefits of her silence…to herself?
Absolutely. A legal investigation of rape can be as traumatising, perhaps more so than the rape itself and guarantees the associated emotions and their effects arising from the assault will persist in the forefront of a woman’s consciousness and affect her physically in a heightened and more prolonged way than might otherwise be the case.
This is one of the reasons many women often don’t want to pursue a rape charge in the courts or even report it in the first place. And presumably it wasn’t the police who paid her off but the footballer or his club? And it’s not news that footballers or young men can and do rape women. Nothing much served by a court case proving yet again in every instance this commonplace given.
Apparently the payment was made in a “show of good faith and for compassionate reasons”.
“Victoria Police again offered the woman $20,000 because we believed it was the right thing to do,”
Well if the woman was raped and the police bungled the case she is entitled to compensation but I think generally the public is entitled to know why. The offer with the condition of silence is not a good faith or compassionate payment, it is a corruption of public office.
Two matters amongst many disturbed me this week and last.I found it really hard to accept that Europeans were slanging off about the Burqini,which seems a great design in matching function with cultural matters,and seemed to be a good option for the fair skinned,until problems about how to use the sunlight effectively are understood.I had seen a young woman in Sydney in a photo running along the beach in one,and seemed very happy,a reality that cannot be said for many young women of that particular cultural set.Some matters of my own happiness,which is no way constant enough,and being Australian made me feel really offended by the Europeans.I like bodies like most men,and, well, what ever the problems the Europeans excused themselves with,the E.Coli matter in swimming pools is a maintenance problem really,rather than a personal hygiene problem,which must of been doubly offensive to those who would wear a Burqini.And their have been many improvements and some to continue in both swimming pools and personal hygiene. The other matter,I am feeling disturbed about is the burgeoning oil slick off Western Australia.Firstly,I don’t know why there isn’t a national wide emergency matter on this that can then call on people to do the emergency work,with both corps and employees and even unemployed retired and disability pensioners able to opt in as workers.And it struck me also, that at a ScienceDaily a website that the U.S.A. Air Force had been experimenting with the use of seawater in their fighter jets,because they could convert the approx. 140 ppm or whatever it s of CO2 into useable fuel.I thought more than once this week,maybe we ,Australians should just tank the seawater because even if some algae grows in it,the end result could still be useable water as fuel.Not that I am impressed by the U.S.A. Air Force that greatly,but we could offer such to them in tank fulls for experimental purposes,as an ‘elixir’ to add to their normal experimental useage.And Australia could then be ready for the end results of U.S.A. research,and then even in those troubled waters off Iran Iraq where oil spills and gas stuff hang around,a recovery process could be a means to Peaceful Resolution.
What has changed your mind? An observation that has you rethinking how you once viewed the world.
When I was young, I would see a change of government and then see that they did not keep their promises, did not follow through, and to a great extent cloaked themselves in the policies of their predecessors. You know, the very same policies that got their predecessors kicked out. Politicians can’t be trusted, politicians are liars, its all a punch and judy show.
After looking a bit more carefully over the past years I have changed my mind. I see now that the decisions of past governments tie any future government to a path not so easily changed. Tar-babies that are created by the out going administration don’t leave with them. Rudd is struggling with a few of Howard’s right now. And Howard found the increasing national debt problem he was handed not so easy to solve. Obama was condemned for paying excecutive bonuses, but a closer look showed he was over a barrel on that one as mass resignations by top bank bank excecutives would have been a disaster. There are all kinds of reasons why the new broom sweeps so slowly and sometimes not at all.
I’ve just come from attending the pro-choice rally and march in Brisbane. I have not always had kind words for the parties and groups of the Marxist left in the recent past, but I have to say that their young activists deserve nothing but praise for their contribution to today’s action. Ditto for those individuals from the ALP Left and the Greens (such as Andrew Dettmer and Helen Abrahams from the former, and Jenny Harvey from the latter) who supported the event. I apologise to anyone I’ve overlooked.
Paul – Don’t take this the wrong way. I do indeed admire the longevity of your committment. But don’t you tire of rallies?
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Speaking of ratbag outfits what do yo think of the Wilderness Society. I’m considering doing a little pro bono sctick for ‘em and haven’t dealt with ‘em for years.
Philip Travers @ 6, it occurred to me the other day that asking a young woman who is accustomed to covering up from head to ankles, to bare more skin, would be something akin to you or I finding ourselves amongst nudists and being told that wearing any clothes is inhibiting our freedom and something of an insult to them. It might be difficult to produce a rational argument for covering up, but it sure feels like an objective reality that some level of covering up is right and appropriate. Clearly it is simply a matter of custom and degree, not right and wrong.
Adrien, this was the first one I’ve been to for quite some time (since a global warming rally in Brisbane last year).
I have a high regard for the Wilderness Society in general and for Lyndon Schneiders and Louise Matheissen (hope that’s the right spelling) in particular.
Well Paul, that’s heaps from where I sit. I’ve been to two in 15 years: Hicks and Iraq. Jay-sus Iraq was a drag. 1 000 000 people. It took two hours to get out of there. But I did run into a foxy ex-girlfriend so it was all bad. Hicks was good. They had a reggae band. It’s the speeches. Speeches are boring.
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Cheers for the Wilderness Society stuff. If anyone has anything else about ‘em it’d be good.
Ooops. That’s it wasn’t all bad. I would be most surprised but she could be reading this.
I’d wear a burqini. Actually, I might get one. (just checked the website)I’m blue eyed, red haired, and my family has hereditary mega-sun cancer. My skin burns, never tans. That would mean I could do lap swimming in outdoor pools! In day time! Cool! Particularly as I’ve just moved to the sthn highlands where there seems to be a paucity of indoor pools. Plus quite frankly, I prefer to stay mainly covered up anyway.
Sits back and waits for the multitude of “get fucked” responses.
Hoi Hoi this is Queensland:
Don’t care if people where burqas or not. If people want to, let em and if you don’t like it go mind your own bloody business!
PN,
The young socialist activists I’ve come across are great, mate.
Deslivres – Get fucked.
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No hard feelings. It’s just you asked.
Thank you Adrian!
Now off to peruse burqini catalogues (found a curious Turkish one) and draft a proposed policy re state intervention in the event that people give birth to fruit.
Actually, I can’t see how a burqini can be proper conservative Islamic attire, as it clearly reveals the shape of the body. That’s a no-no. If there is enough extra cloth to obscure the body’s shape, then you may as well swim in a loose tracksuit (with all the awkwardness thus implied).
If you actually look at the relevant Koranic passage, then I think all that has to be covered is the head hair and the breasts. That would be a different costume. I can only assume the Prophet thought that central Arabia in the C.7th had problems with bare-headed & bare-breasted women.
Mind you, the religiously inclined are well known for ignoring their “sacred texts” if they feel like it…
And the street theatre.
Kersebleptes, your avatar was smiley and now it’s sad. Whaappen?
Helen,
I first drew them about fifteen years ago when I got my first Photoshop. I used to have them both as my wallpaper.
The smiley bright one was called Party; the sad dark one was called Hangover. I’d forgotten all about them when I found them in an old file dump (inside another old file dump) from computers past.
Party seemed perfect for an avatar; but I got up on the wrong side this morning (and was told so several times), so I thought I’d give grumpy Hangover a go!
I like the yellow tinge.
Re Burqinis: I googled them, and found a few manufacturers. All of them have multiple options of concealment.
Plus you can get one with an evil ruffle in Turkey. Some of their other suits aren’t bad though.
I’ll take your word for it, Deslivres. Of course, there would be a design frenzy about the concept at the moment. So many opinions, so many possibilities.
I still reckon that even the stuff Western full-cover swimmers are made of is only just light enough. If there was much more fabric I wouldn’t be able to move much…
Evilly-ruffled swimmers! Tops!
28 Aug 2009 22:38:46 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Arms included rocket launchers, detonators, RPGs
* Seizure of shipment took place on Aug. 14
* Countries linked include Australia, France, Italy, China
(Adds details about weapons, countries involved)
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 28 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates has seized a cargo of North Korean weapons being shipped to Iran, which would have violated a U.N. embargo on arms exports from the communist state, Western diplomats said on Friday.
The weapons seized on Aug. 14 included rocket launchers, detonators, munitions and ammunition for rocket-propelled grenades, they said. The ship, called the ANL-Australia, was Australian-owned and flying a Bahamas flag.
Diplomats said the UAE reported the incident, which occurred two weeks ago, to the Security Council sanctions committee on North Korea. The committee sent letters to Tehran and Pyongyang on Aug. 25 informing them of the seizure and demanding a response within 15 days.
“Based on past experience … we don’t expect a very detailed response,” one of the diplomats said on condition of anonymity.
I have written to Patak about the mysterious disappearance of Patak’s Ginger Pickle from supermarket shelves. This is is very worrying. I will you keep you all posted if they respond.
I must go back and read what I typed before I close the computer down,for the sake of Adam Tucker!I thought I was making a pro Burqini statement,not looking for further flesh flashes!? It has been an eventful night on the computer in a few more matters of things,I now know about,but, decidely won’t bring that much joy to my life..which seems impossible right now.Earthquakes unreported,different interpretations of what this and that means.
Anyone is welcome to swim in my pool in as little or as much attire as they wish. As much as I don’t mind nubile lovelies making a performance of exiting and entering the water clad in a square foot of dripping wet lycra, there is too much lobersterising going on, & I’m much happier seeing someone covered up in drapes, than burned & peeling.
Anyone is welcome to swim in a burkini, but they must leave their bloody religion at home. THAT is not welcome.
ah Steve, the nobility of nubility!
Where’s sunday? Maybe it’s yesterday’s news anyway but Murdoch jnr sums up his attack on the BBC with these lines – “for a better society…the only reliable, durable and perpetual guarantor of independence is profit”
Blog-ho! In which the BmL team reflects on the 10 year anniversary on the Independence referendum in East Timor.
…draft a proposed policy re state intervention in the event that people give birth to fruit.
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A most vital document to be sure. However judging from the sounds of a Saturday night in the CBD it appears people’ve been busy giving birth to seagulls.
‘birth to fruit’. Ah. Watermelons, lemons, apples, pears, mangoes, pawpaws, passionfruit?
Here’s a link to my latest book review, published in GLW:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/807/41520
You can also link to it and comment on it on my blog. Just click my name above to do that.
Cheers,
PB.
From your review, Paul:
Fran Barlow will explain to you, with her magisterial knowledge of the Pacific War, that that’s exactly what Roosevelt did, with the intention of putting the frighteners on the Russians, of course.
And she’ll take you to task for this comment:
for this is the error of the epistemological empiricist for whom all facts are apparently equally valid.
Then she’ll go: ‘Hmmm’ to demonstrate, in her bloggy way, how dumb you are for even thinkng that history has got anything to do with facts. She did to me.
/ducks and runs
That conspiracy theory would be this one I assume. It may not have been engineered but the failure of US intelligence has always struck me as particularly odd.
David H
“failures of intelligence” are clearly seen in retrospect.
“Successes of intelligence” are celebrated, decades later, when finally revealed. Breaking of German, Japanese codes during WWII couldn’t be revealed at the time, and had to be hidden by (for example) not taking actions – which might have saved Allied service-persons’ lives and civilan lives(?) – in case those actions might give rise to suspicions in Axis military minds, that the codes were insecure.
My guess is that intelligence gathering and interpretation is a very uncertain science; “failure” is probably quite common – was then, is now.
Yet fateful decisions are made in the swirling “fog of war”.
20/20 vision in retrospect IS a wonderful thing! Conspiracy theories involving those in power aren’t uncommon but then again how do we really know what’s going on in the minds of the elite? I think you would have to be very naive to believe that the public is truly informed.
Re the intelligence failure over Pearl Harbour. Yes, the Americans did have the Japanese traffic about an attack somewhere in the Pacific, location not specific, which they had deciphered through Magic (the Japanese code-breaking system). Yes, they did have the Japanese traffic specifying an attack on Pearl Harbour, but such was the volume of the traffic they were receiving that they did not decode it until, I think, two days after the actual attack.
Greg M @ 34,
History has to do with the interpretation of evidence. The evidence does not have to be factual, and indeed, most of the time, isn’t. Its one person’s interpretation of an event. )Two actually, at least: the wqriter of the primary source, and the readere/historian interpreting it.)
So, Phillip sailed into Port Jackson on 26 January, 1788. So what? Was it the beginning of European Settlement? Or Invasion? Did he come there to establish a penal colony? In the hope of solving Britain’s potential shortage of naval stores? To stop the French from claiming the east coast of New Holland? To establish a trade enrepot for the East Indies and China? To establish or naval base? Or all of the preceding? I could probably think of several other interpretations of that one fact, all of which there appears to be solid evidence for.
{Goes back into hole.}
OMG! Have just received Vol 1 of Naval Documents of the American Revolution. Its huge! 1451 pages. Another volume in the post and 5 more to order after that. This one covers European and American waters, 1774-1775. It has an index, but not a detailed list of contents.
Guess I better settle down and have some fun.
Awaiting with interest some posts on the California alleged-abduction-and-sexual-slavery case, “Californians are very strange/I worked there once, it was creepy/what do you expect, they’re all Bushites”; in the great tradition of blogging and exploration of the Fritzl case, where all kinds of generalisations about Austrian men were offered.
Paul,
Was that the American “Revolution”, “War of Independence”, “Traitorous Rebellion Against Their Legitimate Sovereign”, “Mass Uprising Against Their Colonial Oppressors” or something else?
Enquiring minds wanna know.
A few comments about burquas, in response to philip travers@5:
Big flowing bags covering the entire body are just right for the sandy environment in much of the “middle east”, and they make perfect evolutionary sense in the costumery department.
Wearing a big airy tent is cooler than wearing tight fitting clothes, and keeps the sun from burning the skin. A big tent keeps blown sand from getting into crinkly bits, and wearing loose pants underneath keeps sand from getting up your bum. Black bags make less sense than white or blue bags, though, because of heat absorption.
But where there is no loose sand to walk on, or really awesome sand storms, and the weather is not above 40 degrees for most of the day, and there is plenty of shelter and shady trees, then big black bags do not make much sense.
Most of us do not object to women wearing big black bags in suburban streets, if they really want to, but many of us object to women wearing veils over their faces, with slits for eyes, especially in banks, shops, schools, and voting booths.
Democratic countries, and the civil institutions they encourage in developing countries, should never condone the wearing of facial shrouds by women voting in polling booths.
The very essence of democracy is that we are all equal, men and women, and while the ballot paper should be marked in secret, the act of voting should be done openly, communally, and proudly. It should be a fundamental electoral rule, that women remove their facial shrouds when they enter a polling booth, in Australia, and in Afghanistan.
Big black bags covering the body, no problem, after they have been frisked for weapons.
Where elections in places like Afghanistan are conducted under the aegis of allied democractic forces, then the United Nations should never lend its approval to separate polling booths for veiled women. If women cannot vote with bare faces, and without fear, alongside men, then democracy cannot and will not flourish.
Religion has no place in the polling booth. Sand can be a nuisance too.
“None of the above”, I think would be the right answer, Paul. As a convert to the Frannite school of historical interpretation the answer is obvious. The purpose in setting up the settlement at Port Jackson was to forestall Russian expansionism. You see, the Russians had only recently completed their long expansion across Siberia to the Pacific coast and set up their trading post at what was to be called Vladivostok. By establishing their colony at Port Jackson the British could fire a shot across the Russians’ bows and by populating it with convicts could show them what could happen to them if they continued their expansion. The claims of French competition to claim the east coast of New Holland were only a ruse. The French were going to have a revolution in a few years anyway and therefore be in turmoil, and the British knew this for they had been reading the works of revolutionary French writers such as Voltaire and Rousseau.
Without that shot across their bows the Russians would have swept across all over East Asia for there was nothing to stop them. And it worked. Russian expansionism in the East ceased at Vladivostok. One could say this was the first act in a long cold war that ended at Crimea.
cartoon in “The Australian” about 5 years ago, after Fred Nile complained that black-clad ladies may be concealing weapons under flowing robes (and he did NOT mean old Italian widows).
Two black-flowing-robe-clad ladies in the changing room in a shop. One, in front of the full-length mirror, turns to the other to ask, “Does my bomb look big in this?”
GregM
You’ve hit the nail on the head. And Catherine the Great was “widely admired” by her serfs.
Would the French monarch have seen through this shameless ruse of the detested English? la ruse Russe
Of course the earlier French explorers in the Pacific were actually searching for suitable places of exile for the French monarchs, soon to be overthrown in a riotous expression of plebeian power. The evidence of this is long-forgotten truffle farms at several coastal locations [uprooted by the perfidious English colonists], and certain French phrases adopted in indigenous languages {“what a dump!” “ le roi is verra welcome to thees leetle beet of hell! zees eez a place one SAILS PAST on ze way to la belle France!”}
GregM #43, Ambigulous #45, an alternative interpretation was put forward by former NSW Premier Barrie Unsworth in 1986 or 1987 when he praised the foresight of the Colonial authorities for establishing Fort Denison on Pinchgut Island in Sydney Harbour in anticipation of the future threat of Soviet expansionism.
“Most of us do not object to women wearing big black bags in suburban streets, if they really want to, but many of us object to women wearing veils over their faces, with slits for eyes, especially in banks, shops, schools, and voting booths.”
I generally agree with you, Grace, about most of the things you comment on. The above, though seems inconsistent for you. The “big black bags” description is immediately derogatory as is “slits for eyes” which suggests you really do object, but probably think you shouldn’t.
I agree with you that the flowing robes of Arab peoples make good sense in their original environment and I am always astonished that besides offending local sensitivities western tourists often flaunt so much flesh and risk sun damage to their skin, to say nothing of clear signs of discomfort with sweating and red faces. We Europeans are so unlovely overseas in the mid-day sun and as mad as the song says of Englishmen abroad.
I wouldn’t mind betting that the numbers of burqa clad women in the west is fractional compared with bare shouldered, almost bare breasted and more recently bared umbilicals of western tourists in Muslim countries.
As for the security from bombs hidden by burqas what measures should we take against all those millions of children, adolescents and young workers who daily travel on public transport in the west carrying backpacks? I seem to recall the London Underground bombers carried their lethal loads in these.
I’m probably as intolerant as the next person of veiled women in public places, but you can at least see their eyes! My pet hate is people who keep sunglasses on all the time. It seems so rude to me. It used to be only criminals who wore dark glasses all the time. Now its universal. And I’m sure it weakens the eyes. One of my personal vanities is that I don’t wear sun glasses, even for driving at midday here in the West. I don’t need them and pleasingly I don’t squint and haven’t developed the supposedly inevitable wrinkling around the eyes. Very wrinkled elsewhere yes, but not sun squinty wrinkled eyes. There’s also some research somewhere about Vitamin A? D? deficiency caused by our dependence on sun glasses.
All of which is irrelevant to the main theme of pro or con burqas and burqinis. Why are we bothering to comment on that, particularly at LP?
But thank you, Ambigulous – I’m still smiling about “does my bomb look big in this?”
To all the history buffs.
Love it!
We in the West have been dealing with veiled women for centuries. They are called nuns. Why the fuss about another group purely because they have a differing cultural background?
If a Muslim or any other woman (or man for that matter) chooses to wear clothes that they believe are appropriate for their culture then that is up to them. To start to try to regulate clothing (beyond some minimum) is (IMHO) silly. What is next – full face motorcycle helmets to be banned?
There are some places — garages and some shops — where you are asked to remove your bike helmet on entry.
Patricia WA — I’m about to disagree with you in some particulars, as a point of philosophy; but nevertheless I must say first that I thought your earlier reminiscences of East Africa were very humane and fascinating, and I do hope you’ll share more of your thoughts and experiences. But now of course I must quibble.
#47: “…besides offending local sensitivities…”
Are sensitivities only “local” when they are located elsewhere? Are there no “local sensitivities” to be respected, locally, by erstwhile non-locals in the place where one is, well, located? That is to say (as it were), “here”?
#47 (later): “…I wouldn’t mind betting… Western tourists…etc…”
I put it to you that “tourists” have a peculiar habit of going home once they’ve finished touring. They don’t (by definition) stay on forever, take over whole neighborhoods, and demand that their hosts adapt endlessly to their (by definition)foreign ways. A difference worth noting perhaps.
I hope I don’t seem too, y’know, ‘sharp’ in pointing this out: still the distinction seems to be a notable one, and worth being concise about, tho’ I bet there may be room for more angles.
PatriciaWA@47: “The “big black bags” description is immediately derogatory as is “slits for eyes” which suggests you really do object, but probably think you shouldn’t.”
Patricia, its nun of my business if christian women get dressed up in medieval clobber inside religious enclaves, and its also none of my business if muslim women wear big black bags around their own houses, but when they are out and about in suburbia, mixing it with the rest of us, then I am entitled to have an opinion, derogatory or otherwise. And whilst I am not in the habit of telling women how I feel about their clothing, to their faces, through that eye slit or otherwise, I do sometimes express my opinion on this subject in the context of a broader conversation, about the meaning of the franchise, for example (which admittedly began on another LP thread last week).
Ah but Patricia, you really should reconsider the no sunglasses rule, or at least listen to a second opinion…not sure its good for your eyesight in the longer term..
j_p_z Touche – but not too sharp! You’re right, tourists are rather different from migrants. Though I still find the the arguments against burqas, veils etc. somewhat silly. Particularly the idea of hidden bombs beneath burqas when modern day terrorists drive cars, wear western clothes and carry their bombs in innocent looking backpacks.
Grace, would never question your right to an opinion and I’ve already had to step back from my position somewhat by comment from j_p_z.
As for the sunglasses. I recently had a check up and found my slight myopia had improved and I no longer need glasses to drive. Not that that’s anything to do with not wearing sunshades, more about less stress since retirement, I think.
Is there any literature about this? I don’t want to develop cataracts or anything like that in my so far blessed old age.
Patricia, I’m not an expert on this, but do take some professional advice….I think there is nothing more dreadful than the prospect of going blind in old age…although if hearing remains, then there is always music, surely the most mysteriously enriching of all our sensual experiences…
No, the fact that tourists go home doesn’t wash really, as the nature of tourists is to be replaced by someone identical once they leave. Kind of like gravel on the beach. (And the behaviour of Australian tourists in places like Bali is really disgusting and ignorant.)
I think the breast beating and weeping about women wearing burkas is really funny. Because Burqa fashion taking over? Yeah, like that’ll happen. Like all our womenfolk started dressing in head to toe black like Italian nonnas. Well, in Brunswick st maybe
For heaven’s sake. And then the breast-beaters read some article about a rape and fulminate about how she never should have gone out uncovered like that. Oh, the Western popular mind, it is a neverending source of entertainment!
Helen
I recall despairing when Pamela Bone pointed a bone at head-scarf wearing, black robe wearing Muslim women in Melb several years ago. She presumed to interpret their wearing of these garbs as acceptance of – and public advertising of – oppression.
A young Islamic woman pointed out in a newspaper article that it was none of Pamela’s business, what she chose to wear. I agreed.
Not on Islamic dress – but the imp in me couldn’t help it. Sorry.
http://www.examiner.com/x-22340-Science-Politics–Prophecy-Examiner~y2009m8d31-Angels-demons-and-other-politicians-Is-the-United-States-on-a-collison-course-with-prophecy
[Runs away.]
Good News. Tim Holding has been found alive.
…and Della-Bosca is leaving.
Thanks joe2
Having climbed Mt Feathertop many years ago in pleasant summer weather, I feared very much for his prospects. It’s forbidding country up there; snow showers don’t help.
“…and Della-Bosca is leaving.”
Read all about it:
John Della Bosca – “Why Belinda Neal wasn’t Enough”
http://guttertrash.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/john-della-bosca-why-belinda-neal-wasnt-enough/
N’
I think we could do with a (sick) joke thread:
I’ve been reading the news about there being a civil war in Madagascar. Well, I’ve seen it six times and there isn’t.
Two Aerials meet on a roof – fall in love – get married.
The ceremony was crap but the reception was brilliant.
Why do lobsters never give any money to charity ?
‘Cause they’re basically shellfish.
I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous – everyone hasn’t met me yet.
My dog bit a lump out of my leg the other day and a friend of mine said, ‘Did you put anything on it?’ I said ‘No, he liked it as it was.’
‘Doctor, I can’t stop singing The Green Green Grass of Home’
‘That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome.’
‘Is it common?’
‘It’s not unusual.’
Talking of sick jokes what the hell is an Australian ship doing in the smuggling business for the likes of North Korea and Iran?
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5891891/australia-probes-north-korea-weapons-for-iran-seizure/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125176524516974489.html
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The story is about PetroChina investing in oil sands and their plans in Canada.
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” PetroChina has been interested in building a pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia’s Pacific coast that would have supplied crude oil to China from Canada’s oil sands, but the project has not moved forward.
The proposed Gateway pipeline was designed to ship about 400,000 barrels per day of crude from Alberta’s oil sands to Asian markets and California via a new marine terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia.
PetroChina’s deal for a stake in the oil sands might raise concerns in Washington where the U.S. is eager to remain a chief market for the oil. President Barack Obama has said he would like to reduce America’s reliance on Middle East oil. U.S. officials consider the oil sands a safe and secure supply but environmentalists have dubbed it dirty oil.
China’s state-owned oil companies have invested billions of dollars in exploration or production ventures in Africa, Latin America and elsewhere. China is the world’s second-biggest oil consumer.
PetroChina is Asia’s biggest oil producer by volume and the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization after Exxon Mobil Corp.
Geopolitics Central economist Vince Lauerman said it’s smart for Canada to sell oil sands bitumen to markets other than the U.S., where the “dirty oil” moniker has gained traction and where emissions regulations are expected to become more stringent.
Lauerman also said there are only so many sources for such large capital investment needs.
“Obviously there’s some cash-strapped companies in northern Alberta that need outside financing and it’s tough to find it in more traditional areas, so the Chinese with their big wad of cash in their back pocket are coming hunting,” Lauerman said.
“The Chinese want to diversify their sources of supply for energy security reasons and Canada has huge resources that they would like to gain greater access to,” he said.”
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So if a customer has stringent regulations the best thing is to sell to another where such regulations are more accommodating?
For the three countries involved the ” Our interests come first” attitude rather than global co-operation for the benefit of the environment wins out .
Pity the poor financial planning industry, that may be losing their gravy train of commissions?
Their protest is people won’t be able to afford paying hourly rates, as they do for their tax accountants: “If you are just starting out on your financial journey, forking out $3000 for a strategic review that would position your finances for the next 20 years may simply be out of reach…”
Ahem, since when does someone that is “just starting out” need a complex strategic review of their thus far negligible investments? A review to the tune of $3000 of advice? That would only be if you had a swag of investments to be reviewed.
Otherwise, a simple proforma of possible scenarios, kept on file, could be automatically updated by the office assistant with the relevant data for the entry-level investor.
What’s that, I hear? They already have a swag of proformas for a range of scenarios (you know; singles, DINKs, YUPPIES, young couples with kids, etc)? Better not tell the investors about that, or they might think they are not getting value for their money!
Just as many here have concluded for a long while a report has come out today that concludes ….. The ABC is right wing.
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/abc-is-right-wing-study-20090902-f83m.html
The full report can be found at the Andrew Leigh blog.
http://andrewleigh.com/?p=2265
Yes, that’s an interesting report, but it seems to have been buried in the papers this morning, though maybe I’m looking in the wrong places. I would imagine that had the findings been the reverse it would have been trumpeted from the rooftops in certain quarters.
I would have thought that the fact that our balance obsessed public broadcaster has found to be favouring one side of politics over another in a detailed study, is worth a bit of publicity on this site as well.
In further media bias news, Annabel Crabb: Liberal Party Fundraiser.
I think that the ABC is actually getting worse. Radio National’s new political correspondent, Alison Carabine, fresh from commercial radio is a shocker who doesn’t even pretend to be impartial.
Maybe some-one should e-mail the report to the Ruddbot?
Howard’s report card on Rudd
Annabel Crabb
September 3, 2009
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/howards-report-card-on-rudd-20090902-f8f7.html?page=-1
Maybe you have to hang out with Liberals to get comedic political goings on?
Liam @69, interesting story. I wonder if the monetary value of Annabel Crabb’s time donated to a Liberal fundraiser exceeds the declarable threshold for political donations.
I wonder if she cleared it with her editor, Rewi.
I couldn’t imagine even the most thoroughly-painted opinionist, whether Shanahan, Albrechtsen, Kelly, Milne or Adams, actually going out and nailing their colours to the wall like that. Hendo we know about, but he’s who he is; as for respected OPCs, it’s unheard of, AFAIK. What would Michelle Grattan do? What would Alan Ramsay, Laurie Oakes?
Ah well, now we know about Crabb. I hope she sells a lot of raffle tickets to David Barnett.
You’re just jealous, Haiku.
Living Will
Of sound mind, I, Haiku Hogan, declare that when I feel like spending an evening with the membership of the Southern Highlands Liberal Party I consent to being taken outside and given a merciful bullet.
Signed
[Haiku]
Say it like you mean it, Hoges.
Highlands? I’ll give you highlands: because you can never have too many claymores.
Mean? I’ll give ya mean, ya jessie. (You can never have too many bagpipes in your bridge).
Och aye, laddie, let’s do bagpipes.
Haggis solo!
I tell ya folks, it’s harder than it looks…
Fucking fantastic vid, Haiku. Bon Scott is my bagpipe hero.
Hero? Highlanders exist to be ridiculed.
Nah, Lolkatz, if you really want to ridicule a Highlander, make a GODDAMNED ABOMINATION OF A SEQUEL.
Why outsource when they do it so well in-house, my U-bend scrubbing friend?
Ach. Methinks Sideshow Bob’s been at the sherry again.
The Tragic Death of the Rev. A. H. Mackonochie
FRIENDS of humanity, of high and low degree,
I pray ye all come listen to me;
And truly I will relate to ye,
The tragic fate of the Rev. Alexander Heriot Mackonochie.
Who was on a visit to the Bishop of Argyle,
For the good of his health, for a short while;
Because for the last three years his memory had been affected,
Which prevented him from getting his thoughts collected.
‘Twas on Thursday, the 15th of December, in the year of 1887,
He left the Bishop’s house to go and see Loch Leven;
And he was accompanied by a little skye terrier and a deerhound,
Besides the Bishop’s two dogs, that knew well the ground.
And as he had taken the same walk the day before,
The Bishop’s mind was undisturbed and easy on that score;
Besides the Bishop had been told by some men,
That they saw him making his way up a glen.
From which a river flows down with a mighty roar,
From the great mountains of the Mamore;
And this route led him towards trackless wastes eastward,
And no doubt to save his life he had struggled very hard.
And as Mr Mackonochie had not returned at dinner time,
The Bishop ordered two men to search for him, which they didn’t decline;
Then they searched for him along the road he should have returned,
But when they found him not, they sadly mourned.
And when the Bishop heard it, he procured a carriage and pair,
While his heart was full of woe, and in a state of despair;
He organised three search parties without delay,
And headed one of the parties in person without dismay.
And each party searched in a different way,
But to their regret at the end of the day;
Most unfortunately no discovery had been made,
Then they lost hope of finding him, and began to be afraid.
And as a last hope, two night searches were planned,
And each party with well lighted lamps in hand
Started on their perilous mission, Mr Mackonochie to try and find,
In the midst of driving hail, and the howling wind.
One party searched a distant sporting lodge with right good will,
Besides through brier, and bush, and snow, on the hill;
And the Bishop’s party explored the Devil’s Staircase with hearts full of woe,
A steep pass between the Kinloch hills, and the hills of Glencoe.
Oh! it was a pitch dark and tempestuous night,
And the searchers would have lost their way without lamp light;
But the brave searchers stumbled along for hours, but slow,
Over rocks, and ice, and sometimes through deep snow.
And as the Bishop’s party were searching they met a third party from Glencoe side,
Who had searched bracken and burn, and the country wide;
And sorrow was depicted in each one’s face,
Because of the Rev. Mr Mackonochie they could get no trace.
But on Saturday morning the Bishop set off again,
Hoping that the last search wouldn’t prove in vain;
Accompanied with a crowd of men and dogs,
All resolved to search the forest and the bogs.
And the party searched with might and main,
Until they began to think their search would prove in vain;
When the Bishop’s faithful dogs raised a pitiful cry,
Which was heard by the searchers near by.
Then the party pressed on right manfully,
And sure enough there were the dogs guarding the body of Mackonochie;
And the corpse was cold and stiff, having been long dead,
Alas! almost frozen, and a wreath of snow around the head.
And as the searchers gathered round the body in pity they did stare,
Because his right foot was stained with blood, and bare;
But when the Bishop o’er the corpse had offered up a prayer,
He ordered his party to’carry the corpse to his house on a bier.
So a bier of sticks was most willingly and quickly made,
Then the body was most tenderly upon it laid;
And they bore the corpse and laid inside the Bishop’s private chapel,
Then the party took one sorrowful look and bade the corpse, farewell.
(brushes away a single tear from his eye)
Patricia, why rude? I wear sunglasses a lot for one simple reason: I have a very low tolerance for glare, and for all the obvious reasons do not want to walk around with a permanent squint, drive into trees, etc. So as far as perceived rudeness goes, it’s not about you, it’s about me, as the bishop said to the actress.
Re your query at #54, any optician or ophthalmologist will tell you how badly the sun can damage your eyes, especially in Australia. Try googling ‘pterygium’, for a start, or have a look at this — and that’s a report from Britain, home of sunlight lite.
“Ah well, now we know about Crabb.”
.
Could this be pre-selection campaigning? The NSW Libs may be needing a few more enthusiastic seat fillers soon…A mirror image McKew with a twist?
Crabb’s also left the SMH for the ABC – interesting in the light of Peter Costello’s recent whinging about the ABC being a bunch of lefties, despite Michael Duffy and right leaning Board members.
#74 Liam Sep 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Come now, for once lets try to control the paranoid tick that breaks out when ever a Lefty senses dubious political allegiances. This is a false alarm. The divine Ms Crabb’s appearance at Ms Goward’s fundraiser most probably relates to their their gynecological, rather than ideological, community.
They are both career women, more or less “of a certain age”, who have a natural interest in “women’s issues”. It seems in policy soporifics like paid maternity leave are high on that agenda.
There is no evidence that Ms Crabb has developed a pronounced list to starboard. She was, at one time, the Women’s Officer at Adelaide University students union, sharing offices with Ms Despoja. Not the first place to go if I was hunting for Right-wingers.
She does, however, write like an angel, refuse to play political favourites and acts as if the worst political sin is to be boringly predictable in her persuasions. Perhaps thats why she arouses suspicion in certain quarters.