Well there hasn't been a twatwatch in a while. Not that there haven't been any deserving customers for it but well the same five blokes would have been getting it. But this is an HM first - applied to a website Vs a human. Which is ironic because the website by whoever is behind it is a serious sledge on their humanness.
Go here.
This site is basically an attack site against various Greens figures in politics and/or blogger land and is full of nasty innuendo, half truths or facts wrapped in a tissue of lack of context. In short nothing but e-thuggery. I don't know what tools are behind it but well their tool like nature is fairly evident.
Apparently the Greens need to be watched because progressive people who want a better deal for the poor or unfortunate need to be watching. Back in the 60's this job would have fallen to certain members of the law enforcement and intelligence community but alas they're too apolitical now for that (despite what some people think they are professional people doing their best despite a dodgy political environment).
At any rate, kudos to Greenswatch for getting into twatwatch. Well deserved.
By the way fuckwits at Greenswatch. When you talk about the Greens member of the ACT assembly who remains in public housing despite having a well paying job, under the terms of public housing you do not have to move out once your income passes a certain figure because they recognise it's an unfair disruption to your life. Guess what? She pays market rents for that place and the extra monies go into public coffers. Of course objectivity is not the name of the game with a site like this, is it?
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Woo hoo - area man cracks personal record for most posts in a month
Yes it's a selfo own trumpet blown effort by me. But in my defence, all legit posts I would have posted anyway. But yes, the record has been achieved. Ha! Take that you dumb squirrel
(Cue sound of crickets as HM gestures importantly at empty squirrel absent room).
(Cue sound of crickets as HM gestures importantly at empty squirrel absent room).
Andrews releases more sexy chat
Canberra, Australia: Kevin Andrews, voted sexiest man in Cabinet, much to the chagrin of the testosterone pumped Tony Abbot, today released further information obtained in regards to Dr Haneef that the minister used when deciding to withdraw the Indian medico's visa on character grounds - despite the fact this power has only been used to date following a conviction in a court of law.
'It appears that in the days before the Glasgow attack that Dr Haneef received an email from persons unknown, saying they had it on good authority that there would be a terrorist incident,' said the Minister.
'The unknown person received this information from a friend who happened to be in Glasgow when the bloke in front of him at a shopping queue, an Arab in full costume, dropped his wallet on the floor. The friend apparently picked it up and tapped him on the shoulder to return it. The Arab gentleman was very grateful, opened his wallet and pulled out several £50 notes. “Here,” he said. “You must have a reward for your honesty.”
'When the friend of the unknown suspect in contact with Dr Haneef declined the cash, the Arab leaned towards him and whispered: “Well you must allow me to do something for you. Stay out of Glasgow on June 30.” And with that the unknown person's friend reported the Arab was gone.
'Needless to say this information is fairly damning. You have Dr Haneef declaring on a very soft interview on 60 minutes that he would report those he knew in a plot, yet this email proves he had direct knowledge of an impending incident and failed to act. An incident involving his cousin.'
The minister then mocked the ALP stance on calling for an inquiry into the way all organs of national government worked in regards to the Haneef case, labeling it 'a sop to terrorists and/or inner city leftists who, as we know, would rather a bomb go off in Sydney than to retard any form of civil liberties.'
NOTE: This is a satirical post. Except the last point which is loose adaptation of what Andrews said on Jones' show; 'We are dealing with serious security issues, Alan. And that’s why I had to look at, in making my decision which was, as you say, not convicting someone beyond reasonable doubt, but whether or not I had a reasonable suspicion on character grounds that was an association with people that have been alleged, and in once case now charged, with a terrorism offence in the UK. You know, sometimes when I listen to the critics I wonder whether people want a bomb to go off in Sydney before they’ll actually do something.'
Yeah we all want a bomb to go off before civil liberties are curtailed. We want a strong intelligence and law enforcement body that has a balance of laws to do its job but not fuck people over in the first place. We want a government that uses its national security policy to protect Australians, not as a defacto arm of its re-election strategy and in doing so develop policies which actually encourage terrorism against Australians and our interests.
UPDATE: Some Arab Australians have unfortunately taken advantage of this hysteria. And they should be ashamed of themselves!
'It appears that in the days before the Glasgow attack that Dr Haneef received an email from persons unknown, saying they had it on good authority that there would be a terrorist incident,' said the Minister.
'The unknown person received this information from a friend who happened to be in Glasgow when the bloke in front of him at a shopping queue, an Arab in full costume, dropped his wallet on the floor. The friend apparently picked it up and tapped him on the shoulder to return it. The Arab gentleman was very grateful, opened his wallet and pulled out several £50 notes. “Here,” he said. “You must have a reward for your honesty.”
'When the friend of the unknown suspect in contact with Dr Haneef declined the cash, the Arab leaned towards him and whispered: “Well you must allow me to do something for you. Stay out of Glasgow on June 30.” And with that the unknown person's friend reported the Arab was gone.
'Needless to say this information is fairly damning. You have Dr Haneef declaring on a very soft interview on 60 minutes that he would report those he knew in a plot, yet this email proves he had direct knowledge of an impending incident and failed to act. An incident involving his cousin.'
The minister then mocked the ALP stance on calling for an inquiry into the way all organs of national government worked in regards to the Haneef case, labeling it 'a sop to terrorists and/or inner city leftists who, as we know, would rather a bomb go off in Sydney than to retard any form of civil liberties.'
NOTE: This is a satirical post. Except the last point which is loose adaptation of what Andrews said on Jones' show; 'We are dealing with serious security issues, Alan. And that’s why I had to look at, in making my decision which was, as you say, not convicting someone beyond reasonable doubt, but whether or not I had a reasonable suspicion on character grounds that was an association with people that have been alleged, and in once case now charged, with a terrorism offence in the UK. You know, sometimes when I listen to the critics I wonder whether people want a bomb to go off in Sydney before they’ll actually do something.'
Yeah we all want a bomb to go off before civil liberties are curtailed. We want a strong intelligence and law enforcement body that has a balance of laws to do its job but not fuck people over in the first place. We want a government that uses its national security policy to protect Australians, not as a defacto arm of its re-election strategy and in doing so develop policies which actually encourage terrorism against Australians and our interests.
UPDATE: Some Arab Australians have unfortunately taken advantage of this hysteria. And they should be ashamed of themselves!
And then we have this DAAS number
Which makes me laff every time ... and I find myself singing it hours later.
UPDATE: Sang it loud and sang it proud in the shower. Man acoustics are awesome in the shower. If I was trying to get on idol I'd ask to do it in a demountable shower. Of course then you'd look like the costume Ralph was beaten up whilst wearing in 'The Karate Kid'.
UPDATE: Sang it loud and sang it proud in the shower. Man acoustics are awesome in the shower. If I was trying to get on idol I'd ask to do it in a demountable shower. Of course then you'd look like the costume Ralph was beaten up whilst wearing in 'The Karate Kid'.
Songs that get you right there
The Doug Anthony All Stars cover of the Hunter's "Throw your arms around me"
Snack Machine Badness
Look I know I said I rarely use the snack machine at work. And it's true I don't. But in an effort to get stuff done and claw back some flex I stayed back tonight, long after our fun fridge closed. So I was forced to partake of snack machine use.
Anyway, don't you fucking hate it when you misread the fucking code for the fucking bar you want and instead of the delish Snickers you get the fucking horrid Cherry Ripe?
Yes. The answer is yes, I really hate that.
And no, I did not propose to the snack machine this time.
BTW, does anyone actually like Cherry Ripes?
Anyway, don't you fucking hate it when you misread the fucking code for the fucking bar you want and instead of the delish Snickers you get the fucking horrid Cherry Ripe?
Yes. The answer is yes, I really hate that.
And no, I did not propose to the snack machine this time.
BTW, does anyone actually like Cherry Ripes?
Just add chat - the Haneef cake rises
Well it seems our brown Hicks, Haneef, who received a garlanded welcome back home had some interesting chat room chats with his bro, according to Super Double Secret Probation Andrews, who used this chattry info to cancel Haneef's visa even though Haneef made bail (and was therefore unable to travel and had to report to police).
From the ABC
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews says some of the information he used to make a decision to cancel Mohamed Haneef's visa included an Internet chat room conversation with the doctor's brother in India.
Mr Andrews says he had been advised by solicitor-general David Bennett QC that he can release some elements of the previously secret information he used to cancel the visa.
He says in the conversation, Dr Haneef's brother says, "nothing has been found out about you", "have you got permission to leave work?" and "tell them you have a newborn daughter".
Mr Andrews also says, in the conversation, which took place the day before Dr Haneef tried to leave Australia, the doctor's brother asks, "when are you getting out?" To which Dr Haneef replied, "today."
Mr Andrews says he will not be releasing all the information at Mr Bennett's advice, due to further investigations both in Australia and overseas.
The solicitor-general has seen the material Mr Andrews based his decision on and has backed it the Minister's decision.
Mr Andrews also revealed information on why he says Dr Haneef was trying to leave Australia on a one-way ticket before Federal Police picked him up.
"He did not apply for leave from the hospital when he went to work at the hospital on the Monday morning and it was not until after he received two telephone calls - one from India - having been told in both calls that there was an issue about his SIM card, that he applied for leave that afternoon from the hospital," he said.
A terrorism-related charge against Dr Haneef was dropped last week and he has since returned to India.
Mr Andrews has been under pressure to release the reasons behind his decision not to reinstate the doctor's visa since the charge was dropped.
Of course context is king. Andrews has released some select words it seems which can have blanks filled in around it for some delicious possibilities. Chat that has occurred after the Glasgow incident and not before it. And why then if this was an issue did it not appear before the magistrate? Surely this would have been handy info to know.
It also does not change the fact that Haneef under bail restrictions would have been under ... bail restrictions! So it's not like he could have legged it. Then after all of that if this disconnected chat speak is so damning, why did Dean Wormer let Haneef go?
Andrews is no longer fighting one hand behind his back. But as irony would have it once again selected information released is king for him. Which is what the cops seems to have done with every single terror case in this country in the last five year.
Skeptic hat is still firmly on.
UPDATE: If you want to see Andrews get on to the talk chat bandwagon then go here, where he toured the broadcast land this morning with a heavy heart saying how he knew stuff but couldn't release it (but did later).
Naturally Alan Jones was at his most sycophantic and leading in that treasured way where he says 'I think (insert government policy) is the way we should do it, what do you think?' to which a happy chappy government man simply has to say yes.
This is the most hilarious bit.
ALAN JONES:
Yes, just, it’s been reported today that Dr Haneef’s been offered a swag of medical jobs in India. Why wouldn’t he have worked there if that’s where his wife and child were?
MINISTER ANDREWS:
Well that’s a very interesting question. It’s a very interesting question why he wasn’t in India for the birth of his child, for example. These are matters which there are elements of suspicion on the part of the police and elements of suspicion which I share.
News flash Kevin Andrews, owner/occupier of the 457 scheme. Doctors from developing nations come here because the money is far better. Haneef was on around 70k in Oz. Back in India a Doctor of his skills set is as I understand it on something like 20k. Of course the Minister knows this, as would anyone in his fucking portfolio who manages the very programs that encourage people to come here for the salary and instead of saying 'well Alan the money is better here' he wanks on with his 'yes, very suspicious' crap.
UPDATE2: This is The Age story on it, which expands a bit. My gut feeling is the relatives knew what had happened via the news and, because they know what Haneef could have potentially been facing, encouraged him to come home. Again supposition on my part but it's an equally valid view given the darkly suspicious 'well?!?!' from Andrews on said chat room info. But of course no transcript provided. Lest the people who wrote it become aware of its existence and forgot all about what they said in that chat. "What did we say Achmed?, what??"
From the ABC
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews says some of the information he used to make a decision to cancel Mohamed Haneef's visa included an Internet chat room conversation with the doctor's brother in India.
Mr Andrews says he had been advised by solicitor-general David Bennett QC that he can release some elements of the previously secret information he used to cancel the visa.
He says in the conversation, Dr Haneef's brother says, "nothing has been found out about you", "have you got permission to leave work?" and "tell them you have a newborn daughter".
Mr Andrews also says, in the conversation, which took place the day before Dr Haneef tried to leave Australia, the doctor's brother asks, "when are you getting out?" To which Dr Haneef replied, "today."
Mr Andrews says he will not be releasing all the information at Mr Bennett's advice, due to further investigations both in Australia and overseas.
The solicitor-general has seen the material Mr Andrews based his decision on and has backed it the Minister's decision.
Mr Andrews also revealed information on why he says Dr Haneef was trying to leave Australia on a one-way ticket before Federal Police picked him up.
"He did not apply for leave from the hospital when he went to work at the hospital on the Monday morning and it was not until after he received two telephone calls - one from India - having been told in both calls that there was an issue about his SIM card, that he applied for leave that afternoon from the hospital," he said.
A terrorism-related charge against Dr Haneef was dropped last week and he has since returned to India.
Mr Andrews has been under pressure to release the reasons behind his decision not to reinstate the doctor's visa since the charge was dropped.
Of course context is king. Andrews has released some select words it seems which can have blanks filled in around it for some delicious possibilities. Chat that has occurred after the Glasgow incident and not before it. And why then if this was an issue did it not appear before the magistrate? Surely this would have been handy info to know.
It also does not change the fact that Haneef under bail restrictions would have been under ... bail restrictions! So it's not like he could have legged it. Then after all of that if this disconnected chat speak is so damning, why did Dean Wormer let Haneef go?
Andrews is no longer fighting one hand behind his back. But as irony would have it once again selected information released is king for him. Which is what the cops seems to have done with every single terror case in this country in the last five year.
Skeptic hat is still firmly on.
UPDATE: If you want to see Andrews get on to the talk chat bandwagon then go here, where he toured the broadcast land this morning with a heavy heart saying how he knew stuff but couldn't release it (but did later).
Naturally Alan Jones was at his most sycophantic and leading in that treasured way where he says 'I think (insert government policy) is the way we should do it, what do you think?' to which a happy chappy government man simply has to say yes.
This is the most hilarious bit.
ALAN JONES:
Yes, just, it’s been reported today that Dr Haneef’s been offered a swag of medical jobs in India. Why wouldn’t he have worked there if that’s where his wife and child were?
MINISTER ANDREWS:
Well that’s a very interesting question. It’s a very interesting question why he wasn’t in India for the birth of his child, for example. These are matters which there are elements of suspicion on the part of the police and elements of suspicion which I share.
News flash Kevin Andrews, owner/occupier of the 457 scheme. Doctors from developing nations come here because the money is far better. Haneef was on around 70k in Oz. Back in India a Doctor of his skills set is as I understand it on something like 20k. Of course the Minister knows this, as would anyone in his fucking portfolio who manages the very programs that encourage people to come here for the salary and instead of saying 'well Alan the money is better here' he wanks on with his 'yes, very suspicious' crap.
UPDATE2: This is The Age story on it, which expands a bit. My gut feeling is the relatives knew what had happened via the news and, because they know what Haneef could have potentially been facing, encouraged him to come home. Again supposition on my part but it's an equally valid view given the darkly suspicious 'well?!?!' from Andrews on said chat room info. But of course no transcript provided. Lest the people who wrote it become aware of its existence and forgot all about what they said in that chat. "What did we say Achmed?, what??"
Monday, July 30, 2007
Andrews summons the shade of Dean Wormer
But Andrews continued to refer yesterday to Haneef as "highly suspicious" and cited a newly obtained opinion from the Solicitor-General, David Bennett, that the visa cancellation power was properly exercised. Andrews has sought legal advice on whether he could release what he previously described as "secret information" attached to the wider federal police brief he says he relied upon.
See here.
Dean Wormer, your views?
Dean Wormer: Greg, what is the worst fraternity on this campus?
Greg: Well that would be hard to say, sir. They're each outstanding in their own way.
Dean Wormer: Cut the horseshit, son. I've got their disciplinary files right here. Who dropped a whole truckload of fizzies into the swim meet? Who delivered the medical school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween, the trees are filled with underwear. Every spring, the toilets explode.
Greg: You're talking about Delta, sir.
Dean Wormer: Of course I'm talking about Delta, you TWERP! This year is going to be different. This year we are going to grab the bull by the BALLS and kick those punks off campus.
Greg: What do you intend to do sir? Delta's already on probation.
Dean Wormer: They are?
Greg: Yes, sir.
Dean Wormer: Oh. Then as of this moment, they're on DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION!
Greg: Double Secret Probation, Sir?
Dean Wormer: There is a little-known codicil in the Faber College constitution which gives the dean unlimited power to preserve order in time of campus emergency. Find me a way to revoke Delta's charter. You live next door. Put Neidermeyer on it. He's a sneaky little shit, just like you, right? [Greg nods] The time has come for someone to put their foot down. And that foot is me.
So who in the Cabinet is that sneaky little shit Neidermeyer? I personally think it would be Abbott.
Needless to say I am sure someone in the executive will shortly release information to the press on Haneef being seen stocking a truckload of fizzys ahead of the great APEC swim meet.
See here.
Dean Wormer, your views?
Dean Wormer: Greg, what is the worst fraternity on this campus?Greg: Well that would be hard to say, sir. They're each outstanding in their own way.
Dean Wormer: Cut the horseshit, son. I've got their disciplinary files right here. Who dropped a whole truckload of fizzies into the swim meet? Who delivered the medical school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween, the trees are filled with underwear. Every spring, the toilets explode.
Greg: You're talking about Delta, sir.
Dean Wormer: Of course I'm talking about Delta, you TWERP! This year is going to be different. This year we are going to grab the bull by the BALLS and kick those punks off campus.
Greg: What do you intend to do sir? Delta's already on probation.
Dean Wormer: They are?
Greg: Yes, sir.
Dean Wormer: Oh. Then as of this moment, they're on DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION!
Greg: Double Secret Probation, Sir?
Dean Wormer: There is a little-known codicil in the Faber College constitution which gives the dean unlimited power to preserve order in time of campus emergency. Find me a way to revoke Delta's charter. You live next door. Put Neidermeyer on it. He's a sneaky little shit, just like you, right? [Greg nods] The time has come for someone to put their foot down. And that foot is me.
So who in the Cabinet is that sneaky little shit Neidermeyer? I personally think it would be Abbott.
Needless to say I am sure someone in the executive will shortly release information to the press on Haneef being seen stocking a truckload of fizzys ahead of the great APEC swim meet.
More Haneef Goodness
In accordance with keeping Haneef from pesky media (though for some reason Haneef managed to chat with Channel 9), apparently the immigration department did him a solid.
See here.
He had enjoyed the flight, in the second row of the first-class cabin, and had slept much of the nine hours to Bangkok, after a sleepless Friday night in a Brisbane apartment provided by the Department of Immigration.
Rather than eat the lobster medallions and foie gras on the first-class menu, Dr Haneef, 27, tucked into a halal meal that he had pre-ordered from economy before being upgraded. The upgrade was one of many tactics by Immigration Department officials to quarantine Dr Haneef from Australian journalists travelling on the same flight, even though he was believed to have given a paid interview to Channel Nine's 60 Minutes before he left Australia.
His lawyer, Peter Russo, who said he was not involved in the Nine transaction, had earlier told reporters in Brisbane that immigration authorities "made it a condition of facilitating [Dr Haneef's] return to India that he not take part in news media photos or interview opportunities". But the Haneef camp's sudden media shyness may have had more to do with the need to honour the exclusivity deal with 60 Minutes.
Either way, extraordinary arrangements were put in place to shield the doctor from the media. Minutes before the flight boarded in Brisbane, journalists were moved from seats they had booked near Dr Haneef to more remote seats upstairs. An Australian official boarded the plane to oversee the reshuffle, and the plane took off late. Announcements warned against the use of cameras or recording equipment, and anxious flight attendants told passengers not to come near the first-class cabin because it was "very secret".
I don't begrudge the man his upgrade. Far from it. But is this really well spent money by the apparently apolitical Immigration department to prevent the man from exercising the right to talk to people about his experiences? I hope the minor parties and Opposition ask lots of questions about this decision.
See here.
He had enjoyed the flight, in the second row of the first-class cabin, and had slept much of the nine hours to Bangkok, after a sleepless Friday night in a Brisbane apartment provided by the Department of Immigration.
Rather than eat the lobster medallions and foie gras on the first-class menu, Dr Haneef, 27, tucked into a halal meal that he had pre-ordered from economy before being upgraded. The upgrade was one of many tactics by Immigration Department officials to quarantine Dr Haneef from Australian journalists travelling on the same flight, even though he was believed to have given a paid interview to Channel Nine's 60 Minutes before he left Australia.
His lawyer, Peter Russo, who said he was not involved in the Nine transaction, had earlier told reporters in Brisbane that immigration authorities "made it a condition of facilitating [Dr Haneef's] return to India that he not take part in news media photos or interview opportunities". But the Haneef camp's sudden media shyness may have had more to do with the need to honour the exclusivity deal with 60 Minutes.
Either way, extraordinary arrangements were put in place to shield the doctor from the media. Minutes before the flight boarded in Brisbane, journalists were moved from seats they had booked near Dr Haneef to more remote seats upstairs. An Australian official boarded the plane to oversee the reshuffle, and the plane took off late. Announcements warned against the use of cameras or recording equipment, and anxious flight attendants told passengers not to come near the first-class cabin because it was "very secret".
I don't begrudge the man his upgrade. Far from it. But is this really well spent money by the apparently apolitical Immigration department to prevent the man from exercising the right to talk to people about his experiences? I hope the minor parties and Opposition ask lots of questions about this decision.
A delish Downer moment
SBS loves to cut its footage from the one interview and splice it against relevant stories. Different words etc - nothing repeated - but it's fairly obvious.
Tonight they had Downer at an airport. When asked about Haneef he was his usual plumy self, chuckling at the idea anyone in the government owed anyone an apology. 'What do they expect (chuckle, chuckle)? Us to get down into dirt and grovel (chuckle, chuckle)'.
Five minutes later SBS touched on a report that the PNG military recommended charges against Somare for organising the airlift of the Solomon's Attorney General who Australia was hunting (on behalf of Vanuatu for some reason). Cue Downer, with a sober expression, saying 'the PNG PM has a great deal of explaining to do.'
Ha, ha, ha. Here's Downer full of vim and vigour describing the outrage a lot of us have over their shitty use of shitty laws to fuck someone for political benefit (irrespective of the national security issues which obviously needed to be addressed) as 'silly' and 'over the top', and there he is passing judgment on the PNG PM for his own legal trickery.
Does that man even think before he opens his mouth?
Tonight they had Downer at an airport. When asked about Haneef he was his usual plumy self, chuckling at the idea anyone in the government owed anyone an apology. 'What do they expect (chuckle, chuckle)? Us to get down into dirt and grovel (chuckle, chuckle)'.
Five minutes later SBS touched on a report that the PNG military recommended charges against Somare for organising the airlift of the Solomon's Attorney General who Australia was hunting (on behalf of Vanuatu for some reason). Cue Downer, with a sober expression, saying 'the PNG PM has a great deal of explaining to do.'
Ha, ha, ha. Here's Downer full of vim and vigour describing the outrage a lot of us have over their shitty use of shitty laws to fuck someone for political benefit (irrespective of the national security issues which obviously needed to be addressed) as 'silly' and 'over the top', and there he is passing judgment on the PNG PM for his own legal trickery.
Does that man even think before he opens his mouth?
Sucky visit
Our lovely Syd friend came down to share the BB double days of ending celebration with thewife. 10 minutes out from our place her alternator fried and her car came to a juddering halt. Forced to leave it at a petrol station overnight she spent this morning organising repairs and meeting tow trucks etc. When thewife and Syd friend got home her mobile rang.
It was the police. Some c___ had broken into her flat, leaving her Mog like moggie freaked out. The cops rang Syd friend from her flat and told her they were securing it for her.
So then she had to get a hire car to get back home and sort it out AND since she left late this pm it means she missed out on the BB final.
That is the shittiest call you can get below injury or death to a loved one. I really, really feel for her. I have had six car break ins and one house break in since I have been in the ACT. And every single time I drive home where thewife and I have not been at home I wonder if our house has been robbed again.
Fuckers.
It was the police. Some c___ had broken into her flat, leaving her Mog like moggie freaked out. The cops rang Syd friend from her flat and told her they were securing it for her.
So then she had to get a hire car to get back home and sort it out AND since she left late this pm it means she missed out on the BB final.
That is the shittiest call you can get below injury or death to a loved one. I really, really feel for her. I have had six car break ins and one house break in since I have been in the ACT. And every single time I drive home where thewife and I have not been at home I wonder if our house has been robbed again.
Fuckers.
Toast Watch - July 29 a black day
As campers know I like my toast. I have these rituals with food - perhaps a limited form of OCD - I get that - but once the toast is done I don't want to be interrupted. I don't want to talk to people. I just want to eat it and watch TV or read something.
Hell as a kid I used to do toast laps around the dining room table knowing that 25 revolutions meant a decent browning.
Anyway, yesterday was a black day. As I had shooed away thewife with a half nod at the toast plate I just sat down with it when I knocked the fucking diet coke across the paper. Annoyed I grabbed the Enjo dish cleaning thing and mopped it up. Preparing to sit down again I threw the coke soaked rag at the sink. I hit high and knocked the stoopid rooster tea cosy clad teapot into the sink where it smashed.
Thewife bless her didn't mind about the teapot but still major Toastus Interruptus and it made me sad. The toast was cold.
Bastard luck
Hell as a kid I used to do toast laps around the dining room table knowing that 25 revolutions meant a decent browning.
Anyway, yesterday was a black day. As I had shooed away thewife with a half nod at the toast plate I just sat down with it when I knocked the fucking diet coke across the paper. Annoyed I grabbed the Enjo dish cleaning thing and mopped it up. Preparing to sit down again I threw the coke soaked rag at the sink. I hit high and knocked the stoopid rooster tea cosy clad teapot into the sink where it smashed.
Thewife bless her didn't mind about the teapot but still major Toastus Interruptus and it made me sad. The toast was cold.
Bastard luck
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Ramsey calls Rudd a Pr!ck
I know Ozzer journos are earthy types, and I love reading Ramsey's work - even if large chunks of his columns are quotes from other people. His overt dislike of Howard and co is enjoyed by me, but he's not afraid to likewise turn his Mad Eye Moody esq glare on to the Federal Opposition.
As previously noted Ramsey has mentioned Rudd negatively a few times since the Ruddster became leader, discussing Rudd's control issues and heavy handedness when it comes to handling the media.
This is Sat's recent effort.
He concludes it by saying "I wrote at the time of the Rudd attempt to stand over The Sun-Herald that I'd always thought him a very bright but prissy, precious p--ck. The way he dealt with Nicholas Stuart is the way he's dealt with others across his life. There are a lot of dark corners. He will be our next prime minister, but he'll remain the same three-P he's been for years."
Ouch. No pulling punches there. I think however that's the first time an elder member of the journalist elite has called a serving party leader a prick.
As an aside I remember when I changed schools in High School in year 9. One of the people that day called me a prick. I was really offended. It's a minor word, and it's not like the C-word is for impact, but still it's definitely offensive. Let's hope Ramsey is wrong. I really, really, really want Rudd to succeed but it's important to me he succeeds in combo with his party and he's not an arsehole about it.
As previously noted Ramsey has mentioned Rudd negatively a few times since the Ruddster became leader, discussing Rudd's control issues and heavy handedness when it comes to handling the media.
This is Sat's recent effort.
He concludes it by saying "I wrote at the time of the Rudd attempt to stand over The Sun-Herald that I'd always thought him a very bright but prissy, precious p--ck. The way he dealt with Nicholas Stuart is the way he's dealt with others across his life. There are a lot of dark corners. He will be our next prime minister, but he'll remain the same three-P he's been for years."
Ouch. No pulling punches there. I think however that's the first time an elder member of the journalist elite has called a serving party leader a prick.
As an aside I remember when I changed schools in High School in year 9. One of the people that day called me a prick. I was really offended. It's a minor word, and it's not like the C-word is for impact, but still it's definitely offensive. Let's hope Ramsey is wrong. I really, really, really want Rudd to succeed but it's important to me he succeeds in combo with his party and he's not an arsehole about it.
Abbott actually manages to sound like an even bigger twat
I didn't think it was possible. But, well, it is! Abbott from Insiders. Let's ignore what the government did and instead concentrate on the opposition for agreeing in principle with the government. What a friggin' clown.
(With thanks to MB for the link!)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 29/07/2007
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott will once again be a key player in the Coalition's bid for re-election when John Howard seeks a fifth term later in the year.
Transcript
BARRIE CASSIDY, PRESENTER: And now to our program guest, Health Minister, Tony Abbott. And once again, he'll be a key player in the Coalition's bid for re-election when John Howard seeks a fifth term later in the year.
Tony Abbott, good morning and welcome.
TONY ABBOTT, FEDERAL HEALTH MINISTER: Good morning, Barrie.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Are you able to explain why Dr Haneef is a free man today, when nothing has changed since Kevin Andrews locked him up in the first place?
TONY ABBOTT: Kevin acted on AFP advice. The AFP briefed the Opposition, and the Opposition supported what Kevin did. So this is really a question of government acting on advice at all times.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But if he did something that justified 25 days in jail, then why wasn't he charged with anything?
TONY ABBOTT: Well, look, that's a fair question, but at all times, the Government acted on AFP advice. The Opposition got the same briefing, and the Opposition backed what the Government did.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But the confusing thing is that advice didn't change, nothing changed from the time Kevin Andrews took the decision, to the time he released him.
TONY ABBOTT: Look, I'm not a lawyer and I'm not personally handling this case, Barrie, but there is a difference between suspicions about whether someone has sufficient character to be given a visa and whether there is enough evidence against someone to sustain a charge beyond all reasonable doubt.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Does it bother you, though, that somebody can be locked up in this way on the judgement not of a court but on the judgement of a politician? It's an executive decision and based in this case it seems on discredited evidence?
TONY ABBOTT: Well, look, if people have got a problem with the law they should say so and certainly the Opposition aren't attacking the law as it stands.
We are living in dangerous times, Barrie. Dr Haneef did give his SIM card to prime suspects in a very serious terrorist plot. He did have some association with these suspects and I think if there hadn't been a serious investigation of him, people would have been saying that the Australian authorities were derelict in their duty and you would be criticising the Government from a rather different perspective.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But the difference in this case though is that you say it's the law but it's a politician that needs to interpret the law, not a court, is this asking too much of a minister, this sort of executive power?
TONY ABBOTT: But don't forget politicians act on advice. In this case Kevin acted on the advice of the AFP. The Opposition were briefed by the AFP, they were given, presumably, the same information. They said they supported Kevin's decision.
My understanding is that Kevin's decision was reviewed by the Solicitor General and the Solicitor General has said that the decision that he took was one that was well and truly open to him.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But this morning he seems as a fairly lonely figure in a way. Should it be these sorts of decisions are taken not only by the minister but by the security commission of Cabinet?
TONY ABBOTT: I don't think Kevin's a lonely figure; I think he's a terrific bloke and I think he's done a good job.
BARRIE CASSIDY: What was the basis of the decision though, when you consider that he - as you said before, he's had some association with criminals, but is it too broad an interpretation to simply say he had an association however innocent?
TONY ABBOTT: But the association certainly warranted an investigation. That's what happened. The investigation we now know didn't turn up enough evidence to sustain a criminal prosecution, but that doesn't mean that there was no evidence that should not have been taken into account by a responsible decision maker in the age of terror.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Do you think that given his experience, that it will make it more difficult for this country to recruit foreign doctors?
TONY ABBOTT: We certainly haven't had any trouble recruiting foreign doctors in the past. I don't imagine that it will be a problem in the future.
BARRIE CASSIDY: You don't feel you need to do any work on that front then as a result of this?
TONY ABBOTT: Well look, the Australian Health Minister's Council passed a unanimous resolution during the week just to the effect that overseas trained doctors are an important part of our health system and provided they are appropriately qualified we're very happy to have them.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Did you find it rather unusual that Kevin Andrews should criticise the Labor Opposition for 'me-tooism' on national security? That he criticised Kevin Rudd and Labor for supporting him?
TONY ABBOTT: I think the question is how fair dinkum are Labor on this, because on the one hand you've had Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard backing the Government to the hilt. On the other hand you've had Premier Beattie out there accusing the police of being keystone cops even though there are 200 Queensland police actually working on the Haneef investigation.
So I think Labor is trying to walk both sides of the fence, and the question is just how fair dinkum is Kevin Rudd in all of this.
BARRIE CASSIDY: You said something, the same thing really on the Today Show, when you were debating with Julia Gillard. I want you to have a listen to this:
(EXCERPT FROM 'THE TODAY SHOW', CHANNEL 9)
JULIA GILLARD, DEPUTY LEADER OF THE FEDERAL OPPOSITION: The Opposition's been briefed on it but the police are the experts in it and obviously Minister Andrews is looking at that material afresh, and asking the Federal Police to brief him again.
So it's really not for us to speculate about what may or may not be in that material. We simply couldn't know.
TONY ABBOTT: I think I've heard another echo! There's another echo there!
(END OF EXCERPT)
BARRIE CASSIDY: So there you have it on a matter of national security. She's supporting you and you're accusing her of being an echo?
TONY ABBOTT: There's nothing wrong with echoing good policy. The question is if Labor were in government would they have the guts to do what this Government has done, and I don't believe it is conceivable that a Labor Government are paralysed by political correctness could take the decisions that this Government has taken on so many issues.
You see at the moment Kevin Rudd is being a follower, not a leader, and it's much harder to lead, particularly when you've got no real track record of leadership. I mean at least Mark Latham had run a council. Kevin Rudd didn't even run an office.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But you say that he's a follower, not a leader. Do you want support on national security, do you want bipartisan support or don't you?
TONY ABBOTT: Yes, but Kevin Rudd is bidding to swap being a follower and start being a leader, and just because he's turned out to be pretty good at this 'me too' routine, a 'me too' routine which his Party hates, doesn't mean we can be confident he'll make the sort of decisions whether he were in government.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Are you finding the many too strategy a little frustrating?
TONY ABBOTT: Look, I think that he's obviously been pretty good at pulling the wool over lots of people's eyes but nevertheless our job is to probe, as is your job, when we're not actually getting on with being a good government and I think we're certainly perfectly entitled to question just how sincere Kevin Rudd is.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Is that why you seem to be taking on the states on a number of issues like uranium, and housing and water and so on because Kevin Rudd won't bite so you're looking far fight with the Premiers?
TONY ABBOTT: But the problem is Kevin Rudd can't agree with the Prime Minister and agree with the premiers given that the premiers are fighting with the Prime Minister.
And this is typical of Kevin Rudd. He's trying to have it every which way and you just can't go on forever trying to square this particular circle.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But isn't he entitled to go with the Prime Minister on some issues and with some issues go with the Premiers, depending on the issues?
TONY ABBOTT: But you can't go with the Prime Minister and the Premiers simultaneously when they're on different tracks. It's like being a Catholic and Anglican, which is another particular issue where Kevin seems to have trouble deciding where he really is.
BARRIE CASSIDY: If you aren't hell bent on taking on the State Government's responsibilities, why don't you do that through the COAG process, do it formally and properly?
TONY ABBOTT: We're not hell bent on taking over the State's responsibilities, what we would like the States to do is the shoulder their responsibilities and the problem is, Barrie, that increasingly the States don't do that.
The States' view is all care but no responsibility. They're happy to run public hospitals, for instance, until they get into difficulties and then it's all the Federal Government's fault for allegedly not giving them enough money.
Well, you can't be a sovereign government and at the same time be a beggar whenever things get tough, and that's what the Labor States are like, and I fear that a Federal Labor government really wouldn't be able to manage this situation.
At least you can be confident that John Howard is going to stand up for the people of Australia against these inept State Governments.
BARRIE CASSIDY: On that question of hospital funding, why did you suspend the talks with the State Government's on a new hospital funding agreement?
TONY ABBOTT: Well there were no talks so there was nothing to suspend. And as for the States claiming the Health Minister's Council broke up in disarray, the meeting began when the NSW Health Minister opened it and it finished when the NSW Health Minister closed it.
Everyone said their piece, as they should. I said what I had to say on everything, they all had a full opportunity to say what they wanted to say but the point is this, Barrie, the health care agreements start, the next health care agreements start on first of July next year and the government that is in power on the first July next year should renegotiate those agreements.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But if that's the case, then why has the Federal Government put a radical new housing arrangement in place?
TONY ABBOTT: We haven't put a radical new housing arrangement in place. We've asked people to come forward with ideas. What we've been saying is that we've been giving a billion bucks a year to the States and yet the stock of public housing is shrinking, not increasing.
So we've said look, is it possible to cut the States out of this by giving our $1 billion to other bodies that might actually be better at providing low cost housing. Perfectly reasonable thing for us to do.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Steve Bracks resigned on Friday as Victoria's premier. He goes out on top and it seems he will pass the baton seamlessly to an experienced treasure, any lesson there's for the Federal Coalition?
TONY ABBOTT: I suppose it all got too much for Steve Bracks but it certainly hasn't got too much for John Howard.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Do you really believe that, that Steve Bracks was feeling pressure?
TONY ABBOTT: Well look, he called it quits and I guess sooner or later everyone is entitled to give it away, but the one thing about John Howard is he ain't a quitter, and he certainly ain't going to quit when we are facing a very difficult election.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But you say it all became too much for Steve Bracks. What became too much for Steve Bracks? He'd just won an election, he's miles ahead in the opinion polls?
TONY ABBOTT: Well that's a question for him. Who knows what turmoil is boiling away inside the Victorian ALP. It is, let's face it, normally a cesspool of political intrigue.
BARRIE CASSIDY: You were quoted in The Age as saying the Prime Minister is indispensable in a way Steve Bracks is not, what did you mean by that?
TONY ABBOTT: Obviously the Victorian Labor Party thought they could do without him but no one in the Federal Coalition thinks that about the Prime Minister.
BARRIE CASSIDY: But if the Prime Minister is indispensable that's a bit of a reflection on the Coalition after 11 years in office?
TONY ABBOTT: No, it's a reflection of the fact that the existing leadership team of Howard and Costello is the finest political partnership in Australia's political history, and it has a lot of life left in it.
BARRIE CASSIDY: If though the Coalition was to lose the next election, would you stay around for the full term?
TONY ABBOTT: Well, look, I'm not going to speculate on what might happen if we lose because notwithstanding the polls, I don't think we will lose, because in the end the story is not the polls, Barrie, although the media hype the polls, the story is who is likely to deliver the best government for Australia and that's plainly John Howard and Peter Costello.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Yes, but don't you owe it to your electorate to say win or lose you'll stick around for a full term?
TONY ABBOTT: Well there's no question, there's no question of my commitment, there's no question of the Prime Minister's commitment, there's no question of Peter Costello's commitment.
BARRIE CASSIDY: And if you were to stay around, would you be prepared to take on a thankless task of Leader of the Opposition?
TONY ABBOTT: (Laughs) I'm part of a government, yes, we've got the job ahead of us. We are the underdogs, no doubt about that. But Kevin Rudd won't be allowed to coast forever.
The dark corners in his political character that even Alan Ramsey referred to yesterday, sooner or later will be explored and that's why I'm confident that in the end the Government will be re elected.
BARRIE CASSIDY: And just finally, what's going to happen in the seat of Cook, will Michael Towke survive?
TONY ABBOTT: That's a matter for the State executive and I'm confident that they will resolve it satisfactorily in the next couple of days.
BARRIE CASSIDY: Thanks for your time this morning.
TONY ABBOTT: Thanks, Barrie.(With thanks to MB for the link!)
Capper as a Meter Man
Whilst waiting for Thai pickup I happened to be flicking through a semi-dated New Idea. It's then I discovered that the man who put the word short into 'short shorts', Warwick Capper, had become a meter man.
Ah the Meter Maids, the garish headliners of Surfer's Paradise and synonymous with 80's excess of tat meets the beach.
You can find a copy of the article here.
At any rate, here's a pic of Warwick Capper surrounded by colleagues.
Now is it me, or does he not remind you of David Wenham's character from Gettin' Square?
Here's the irony. Both are set in the same location!
Ah the Meter Maids, the garish headliners of Surfer's Paradise and synonymous with 80's excess of tat meets the beach.
You can find a copy of the article here.
At any rate, here's a pic of Warwick Capper surrounded by colleagues.Now is it me, or does he not remind you of David Wenham's character from Gettin' Square?
Here's the irony. Both are set in the same location!
Awesome clips of yesteryear
Sure hair metal is not for everyone. It's not for me. No life sized pics of JBJ on my wall growing up (though, oddly, one of Garfield that I got free with a bulk order of Garfield juice).
But as far as clips go Blaze of Glory is awesome. The scenery, the trippy drive in on top of one of those tor thingies, and well placed inserts of Young Guns II, which the song was semi-promoting.
Though it should be noted that JBJ in this clip has the exact same hairstyle as the razor edged boomerang kid from Mad Max II.
See what I mean?
But as far as clips go Blaze of Glory is awesome. The scenery, the trippy drive in on top of one of those tor thingies, and well placed inserts of Young Guns II, which the song was semi-promoting.
Though it should be noted that JBJ in this clip has the exact same hairstyle as the razor edged boomerang kid from Mad Max II.
See what I mean?
Colbert Vs the Bloggers
With thanks to Magic Bellybutton. Via Fox Attacks, the counter site set up to contact advertisers on Fox and explain that their support for that network means less product sales for them.
Word veri results in accidental summoning of "Old One"
Canberra, ACT; Area blogger, Harrangueman, was killed and consumed today by the great pulsating and tentacle clad brain of Artuzelii when the heavyset blogger made the mistake of reading out the word veri he just typed, causing a rift in the space time continuum and allowing the blogger to be snatched via a limb and pulled through the crack following the uttering of the "Old One's" name.
'Everyone knows you don't ever say their names out loud,' said noted occultism and Cthulhu enthusiast Trador P Feely. 'That's just asking for trouble.'
The blogger, an avid pen and paper gamer, should have known better according to local gamers, one of who prided himself on having a Cthulhu player character survive an entire campaign by having the man being functionally illiterate.
'You can't summon what you can't read,' said Mr IdearippedofffromKODT.
'Personally I blame Blogspot,' said another unnamed local blogger and gamer. 'Too often their word veri's come up with combinations that sound like they came from a Lovecraftian glossary. Why can't the words be things like Bucket with a 6 at the end, or Spade with a pound sign? Why do they have to be fucked up fucking words that are gibberish, especially the 20 character ones that inevitably you type in wrongly, forcing you to have several cracks it before it goes through?'
'Everyone knows you don't ever say their names out loud,' said noted occultism and Cthulhu enthusiast Trador P Feely. 'That's just asking for trouble.'
The blogger, an avid pen and paper gamer, should have known better according to local gamers, one of who prided himself on having a Cthulhu player character survive an entire campaign by having the man being functionally illiterate.
'You can't summon what you can't read,' said Mr IdearippedofffromKODT.
'Personally I blame Blogspot,' said another unnamed local blogger and gamer. 'Too often their word veri's come up with combinations that sound like they came from a Lovecraftian glossary. Why can't the words be things like Bucket with a 6 at the end, or Spade with a pound sign? Why do they have to be fucked up fucking words that are gibberish, especially the 20 character ones that inevitably you type in wrongly, forcing you to have several cracks it before it goes through?'
Cryo lab contents good eating says six armed mutant
Apocalyptic wastelands of United States, 2067; The contents of the Barnam St Applebee Cryogenic Research Laboratory proved to have some good eatin' according to Kang-Auzuil, a six armed mutant bandit chief.
Left: Kang strikes heroic pose for glowing box from before ago.
'Him knows speak of old time,' said Kang, pointing to another mutant with three pairs of glasses who translated the signage. 'Him know men sleep with ice and free for eating.'
The mutants discovered the entrance to the basement of the facility during their night foray into the old city and discovered the small nuclear reactor embedded by the then eccentric Barnam St Applebee was still in operation and able to power the nitrogen fueled tubes that contain the very elite of the then recently deceased US society.
'We pull from tubes, thaw, then cut and eat,' said the victorious Kang, waving the gnawed upon remains of a 48 year old Paris Hilton who was committed to the facility like because she wanted to see the future and stuff.
'We find map to other places like dis one and go eat them too,' said Kang.
When asked how Ms Hilton tasted Kang said she could have shown future Americans a bit of respect and fattened up before she went in.
'No fat on skinny woman, she taste stringy. Rosie O'Donnell however, now that's a red meated American. Also Oprah delicious. She taste like ham.'
The consuming the past super rich however did result in one casualty, when Azdor the mighty, half man half street sign, choked to death on Trump's hairpiece.
'You're fired,' bellowed Kang, placing Azdor's remains on the fire, adding 'it's what he would have wanted.'
Left: Kang strikes heroic pose for glowing box from before ago.'Him knows speak of old time,' said Kang, pointing to another mutant with three pairs of glasses who translated the signage. 'Him know men sleep with ice and free for eating.'
The mutants discovered the entrance to the basement of the facility during their night foray into the old city and discovered the small nuclear reactor embedded by the then eccentric Barnam St Applebee was still in operation and able to power the nitrogen fueled tubes that contain the very elite of the then recently deceased US society.
'We pull from tubes, thaw, then cut and eat,' said the victorious Kang, waving the gnawed upon remains of a 48 year old Paris Hilton who was committed to the facility like because she wanted to see the future and stuff.
'We find map to other places like dis one and go eat them too,' said Kang.
When asked how Ms Hilton tasted Kang said she could have shown future Americans a bit of respect and fattened up before she went in.
'No fat on skinny woman, she taste stringy. Rosie O'Donnell however, now that's a red meated American. Also Oprah delicious. She taste like ham.'
The consuming the past super rich however did result in one casualty, when Azdor the mighty, half man half street sign, choked to death on Trump's hairpiece.
'You're fired,' bellowed Kang, placing Azdor's remains on the fire, adding 'it's what he would have wanted.'
Miranda Devine on Haneef - so what? Just a little bit of detention
Ah Miranda Devine, part of the coterie of the right that claim they represent the silent majority of the average ozzer conservative views (perhaps - if your average Ozzer gets their views from the likes of TT and ACA), has come out naturally enough with some conservative views on the Haneef detention.
The alleged Opus Dei member (don't know if she's the sticking pins in her leg variety) claimed that 'WHILE people like Queensland Premier Peter Beattie are congratulating themselves for being the first to call the Australian Federal Police "Keystone Cops" over the Mohamed Haneef matter, we should pause to think how all the name-calling and cries for heads to roll will help prevent terrorist attacks.'
See here.
No Miranda. People are not name-calling. They're pointing at laws used to screw people's liberties over about how they were used to screw someone's liberties over. Sure, some incidental name calling. But what about your political sign of the fence? They were like a fucking cream truck hitting a brick wall over this issue of maddened Muslim medicos madly molding malicious mayhem. But the moment the holes like a moth eaten t-shirt appeared in the case, they whined about 'leave it up to the courts' and 'it's not us, it's the police'.
How ironic.
And then we come to this little off the chart dare I suggest drug induced observation;
At worst, an innocent man has been detained for three weeks while investigators examine links to his relatives.
Again!
At worst, an innocent man has been detained for three weeks while investigators examine links to his relatives.
Louder!
At worst, an innocent man has been detained for three weeks while investigators examine links to his relatives.
At. Worst.
Bullshit.
This is a man the media went into an utter frenzy over - convicting him in the media before the spotlight shone back on the people that caused it. This is a man whose presumption of innocence was utterly shredded by politicians and by the cancelling of his visa when he made bail. This is a man who was, albeit temporary, treated as a full terror suspect on 23 hours a day in his cell with limited access to lawyers and other material. This is a man that was used as a cum rag by a government that has so wanked itself over on the issue of "War on Terror" their testes likely look like that balloon you find under the couch one month after the party.
Miranda Devine's politics and leaning appear to be lockstep with the Federal government. Like so, so many of her bed fellows they are spent millions of words and gallons of ink fostering the notion that Islamic evil is amongst us and the only reason they are is because 'they hate our values'.
And then, when the first major public test of these hideous laws is shown to be the utter shemozzle it is and the utter bastardry that can be performed under these laws - like effective indefinite detention, she claims the worst that happened was 'an innocent man was detained.'
That's up there with calling the accidental carpet bombing of villagers 'collateral damage'.
Devine, you're proud of the giant metaphoric balls you are alleged to own. So act like you have a pair and just say 'yes we fucked on him and he deserved it' instead of hiding behind nicey-nice words like 'worst that happened.'
What's the bet she's on the side of judicial torture as well?
The alleged Opus Dei member (don't know if she's the sticking pins in her leg variety) claimed that 'WHILE people like Queensland Premier Peter Beattie are congratulating themselves for being the first to call the Australian Federal Police "Keystone Cops" over the Mohamed Haneef matter, we should pause to think how all the name-calling and cries for heads to roll will help prevent terrorist attacks.'
See here.
No Miranda. People are not name-calling. They're pointing at laws used to screw people's liberties over about how they were used to screw someone's liberties over. Sure, some incidental name calling. But what about your political sign of the fence? They were like a fucking cream truck hitting a brick wall over this issue of maddened Muslim medicos madly molding malicious mayhem. But the moment the holes like a moth eaten t-shirt appeared in the case, they whined about 'leave it up to the courts' and 'it's not us, it's the police'.
How ironic.
And then we come to this little off the chart dare I suggest drug induced observation;
At worst, an innocent man has been detained for three weeks while investigators examine links to his relatives.
Again!
At worst, an innocent man has been detained for three weeks while investigators examine links to his relatives.
Louder!
At worst, an innocent man has been detained for three weeks while investigators examine links to his relatives.
At. Worst.
Bullshit.
This is a man the media went into an utter frenzy over - convicting him in the media before the spotlight shone back on the people that caused it. This is a man whose presumption of innocence was utterly shredded by politicians and by the cancelling of his visa when he made bail. This is a man who was, albeit temporary, treated as a full terror suspect on 23 hours a day in his cell with limited access to lawyers and other material. This is a man that was used as a cum rag by a government that has so wanked itself over on the issue of "War on Terror" their testes likely look like that balloon you find under the couch one month after the party.
Miranda Devine's politics and leaning appear to be lockstep with the Federal government. Like so, so many of her bed fellows they are spent millions of words and gallons of ink fostering the notion that Islamic evil is amongst us and the only reason they are is because 'they hate our values'.
And then, when the first major public test of these hideous laws is shown to be the utter shemozzle it is and the utter bastardry that can be performed under these laws - like effective indefinite detention, she claims the worst that happened was 'an innocent man was detained.'
That's up there with calling the accidental carpet bombing of villagers 'collateral damage'.
Devine, you're proud of the giant metaphoric balls you are alleged to own. So act like you have a pair and just say 'yes we fucked on him and he deserved it' instead of hiding behind nicey-nice words like 'worst that happened.'
What's the bet she's on the side of judicial torture as well?
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Haneef to leave Oz
Well he's allowed to go but Andrews, remember the Christian Andrews, won't revive his visa leaving, of course, Haneef not only hampered in getting a job in Oz but elsewhere OS.
See here.
Mr Andrews, who cancelled Dr Haneef's work visa on July 16 when a Brisbane magistrate granted the doctor bail, said today the visa remained cancelled.
His passport would be returned to him but his visa remained cancelled, Mr Andrews said.
He said the Commonwealth Solicitor-General, who had reviewed the decision to cancel the visa, believed that Dr Haneef's appeal against the cancellation would fail.
"Accordingly I do not propose to change my decision and the commonwealth will continue to resist this appeal in the Federal Court.''
Mr Russo has lodged an appeal against the decision to cancel the visa in the Brisbane Federal Court, with a hearing scheduled to take place on August 8.
Immigration authorities made it a condition of facilitating his return to India that he did not participate in any media photo or interview opportunities, his lawyers said.
Hey check out that last point. Remind you of anything? Wait, that's it. The media embargo on Hicks that the yanks kindly dropped on during an election year.
Funny how this government spends so much effort on silencing its mistakes isn't it?
There's that famous tag line of Platoon where 'the first casualty in war is innocence.' I think as far as the War on Terror goes it was the truth. This is a government, who along with the US, who has lied, and distorted information, in an effort to get their own way politically. To the great cost to us all.
And perhaps, just perhaps, their poor showing in the polls is a reflection on some in the electorate seeing the sad old emperor naked before them, as he was all along.
UPDATE: I swear you cannot make this stuff up. According to the ABC Kevin Andrews find is suspicious that Haneef elected to go home now that's he's able to, instead of hang around in Oz under residential detention and being unable to work.
"His lawyers indicated to my department ... that he wanted to get out of Australia as soon as possible," he said.
"If anything that rather heightens, rather than lessens, my suspicions."
That's just awesome. Of course he'd rather be unemployed and still the focus of investigations and trash media with figures like Andrews and Howard huffing and puffing about terror than to go home and see his wife and new baby! You'd have to be missing half your brain to think otherwise. Maybe that's it? Does Andrews actually have a mental impairment? Fuck drug testing politicians, let's IQ test them. And if they're Forest Gumping like Kevin "Box of Chocolates" Andrews clearly is then we should have their record listed on the web for the viewing public to take into account at election time. I think Andrews could be joined by Tuckey and, if he was still here, Lightfoot. What a tool.
See here.
Mr Andrews, who cancelled Dr Haneef's work visa on July 16 when a Brisbane magistrate granted the doctor bail, said today the visa remained cancelled.
His passport would be returned to him but his visa remained cancelled, Mr Andrews said.
He said the Commonwealth Solicitor-General, who had reviewed the decision to cancel the visa, believed that Dr Haneef's appeal against the cancellation would fail.
"Accordingly I do not propose to change my decision and the commonwealth will continue to resist this appeal in the Federal Court.''
Mr Russo has lodged an appeal against the decision to cancel the visa in the Brisbane Federal Court, with a hearing scheduled to take place on August 8.
Immigration authorities made it a condition of facilitating his return to India that he did not participate in any media photo or interview opportunities, his lawyers said.
Hey check out that last point. Remind you of anything? Wait, that's it. The media embargo on Hicks that the yanks kindly dropped on during an election year.
Funny how this government spends so much effort on silencing its mistakes isn't it?
There's that famous tag line of Platoon where 'the first casualty in war is innocence.' I think as far as the War on Terror goes it was the truth. This is a government, who along with the US, who has lied, and distorted information, in an effort to get their own way politically. To the great cost to us all.
And perhaps, just perhaps, their poor showing in the polls is a reflection on some in the electorate seeing the sad old emperor naked before them, as he was all along.
UPDATE: I swear you cannot make this stuff up. According to the ABC Kevin Andrews find is suspicious that Haneef elected to go home now that's he's able to, instead of hang around in Oz under residential detention and being unable to work.
"His lawyers indicated to my department ... that he wanted to get out of Australia as soon as possible," he said.
"If anything that rather heightens, rather than lessens, my suspicions."
That's just awesome. Of course he'd rather be unemployed and still the focus of investigations and trash media with figures like Andrews and Howard huffing and puffing about terror than to go home and see his wife and new baby! You'd have to be missing half your brain to think otherwise. Maybe that's it? Does Andrews actually have a mental impairment? Fuck drug testing politicians, let's IQ test them. And if they're Forest Gumping like Kevin "Box of Chocolates" Andrews clearly is then we should have their record listed on the web for the viewing public to take into account at election time. I think Andrews could be joined by Tuckey and, if he was still here, Lightfoot. What a tool.
No work for you!
Under the terms of his residential detention it seems Haneef can't go back to work. Because you see - he could poison the patients whilst working as a registrar! Or take photos of our buildings for the purposes of terror p0rn. I don't know, there has to be a reason in there somewhere right Andrews? I mean you wouldn't continue this charade of ill treatment against someone who was proven to be caught up in a terror incident not generated it right? It's not a purely political face saving exercise to continue to blacken the Doctor's name by inferring he's still of bad character for having distant relatives involved in criminal acts is it?
Left: An artist's depiction of Andrews giving Haneef the bad news.
Hey, aren't you Christian? Isn't what you've done your entire time in government been spittle in the eye of your lord and saviour?
Well makes sense. Ruddock still thinks he's a member of Amnesty International, even I believe still wearing his button despite the organisation asking him not to on the grounds of violating everything they stand for. So why can't Andrews still pretend he's Christian when he acts anything but?
Left: An artist's depiction of Andrews giving Haneef the bad news. Hey, aren't you Christian? Isn't what you've done your entire time in government been spittle in the eye of your lord and saviour?
Well makes sense. Ruddock still thinks he's a member of Amnesty International, even I believe still wearing his button despite the organisation asking him not to on the grounds of violating everything they stand for. So why can't Andrews still pretend he's Christian when he acts anything but?
Channel 9 drama department has it in for the government
First there was Macleod's Daughters exposing "WorkChoices" for the 'my way or the highway' pro employer effort it is and now there's Sea Patrol.
In picking up refugees at sea the crew are forced to deal with their feelings about the issue. The Petty Officer finds government policy disquieting and has a word with his CO. The CO shrugs it off with 'we don't make the policy' but it's clear if they could the punitive demonisation of sea borne refugees would get some changes. Later the PO is forced to tell the attractive overly optimistic refugee woman he's grown fond of that she's not in fact going to school but into detention - his last view of her being bundled by faceless officials into an ominous black van with tinted windows.
It's heartening to see characters in contemporary Australian drama confront the prejudices and evil this federal government has inflicted on people in the name of their 'economy first, people second' rule of order.
Keep it up Channel 9.
Oh, that voice over of the CO's letter to the parents of the deceased Jaffah got the old tears working their way out of the ducts. Kudos writers, kudos.
PS It should be noted that refugees seeking to land in Oz would know by now that they wouldn't be headed for a better life and be free to enter the community just like that. Enough work has been done by the government to pass the word that Oz is not a place where that can happen. Also if it was a real boat of refugees there would have been likely far more on there since snakeheads cram as many as they can, point in the direction of Oz, and say 'sail that way'. And yes, some refugees that tried to get into Oz that way were economic not political or cultural refugees. It's a complex issue but made less complex by turning it into sound bites and lectern thumping like the Libs did back in 01 with their 'we decide' and 'the manner in which they come'. The irony is that the Libs have overseen the greatest intake in refugees in modern Oz history and, by it's focus on skilled migrants, the delish irony is that these are actually people that compete in the labour market with Australians. Ha! I know, great isn't it? We take about 14,000 refugees a year Vs I think (from memory) about 140,000 skilled migrants. So 10%. And even then the refugee test is hard to pass. You have to be in a UN camp for decades I believe before you get nommed.
In picking up refugees at sea the crew are forced to deal with their feelings about the issue. The Petty Officer finds government policy disquieting and has a word with his CO. The CO shrugs it off with 'we don't make the policy' but it's clear if they could the punitive demonisation of sea borne refugees would get some changes. Later the PO is forced to tell the attractive overly optimistic refugee woman he's grown fond of that she's not in fact going to school but into detention - his last view of her being bundled by faceless officials into an ominous black van with tinted windows.
It's heartening to see characters in contemporary Australian drama confront the prejudices and evil this federal government has inflicted on people in the name of their 'economy first, people second' rule of order.
Keep it up Channel 9.
Oh, that voice over of the CO's letter to the parents of the deceased Jaffah got the old tears working their way out of the ducts. Kudos writers, kudos.
PS It should be noted that refugees seeking to land in Oz would know by now that they wouldn't be headed for a better life and be free to enter the community just like that. Enough work has been done by the government to pass the word that Oz is not a place where that can happen. Also if it was a real boat of refugees there would have been likely far more on there since snakeheads cram as many as they can, point in the direction of Oz, and say 'sail that way'. And yes, some refugees that tried to get into Oz that way were economic not political or cultural refugees. It's a complex issue but made less complex by turning it into sound bites and lectern thumping like the Libs did back in 01 with their 'we decide' and 'the manner in which they come'. The irony is that the Libs have overseen the greatest intake in refugees in modern Oz history and, by it's focus on skilled migrants, the delish irony is that these are actually people that compete in the labour market with Australians. Ha! I know, great isn't it? We take about 14,000 refugees a year Vs I think (from memory) about 140,000 skilled migrants. So 10%. And even then the refugee test is hard to pass. You have to be in a UN camp for decades I believe before you get nommed.
Top Gear Vs the Deep South
I don't watch Top Gear normally. I hear it's an acquired taste (and you have to like cars). But Jillbo said I should see this bit at least and so I am watching it now.
Embarrassing fat moments
Like when your shirt rides up when you're sitting down and the person opposite you can see you muffin topping over your pants, with your pallid fatty bulge bloating out from under your hem and they are forced to ask you to pull your shirt down.
I hate being fat.
I hate being fat.
The Minister for Re-electing the government speaks
This is likely all over the blogosphere with the urgency of that rash I get when I eat mousse laced with artificial sweetner. But it's worth repeating because of how much I hate Tony Abbott.
TONY ABBOTT has cast doubt on whether the Coalition will be in power after the federal election.
At a meeting of all state and territory health ministers in Sydney yesterday, the federal Health Minister refused to discuss Commonwealth funding for public hospitals, telling reporters outside the meeting it would be fruitless to discuss it until after the federal poll.
"I don't see any point in having this discussion when there is some question as to who is going to form a government after this coming election," Mr Abbott said.
"The important task at the present time is to get re-elected and that is where my energies are focused, and that which can be done after the election will be done after the election."
See here.
Let's highlight my favourite bit.
"The important task at the present time is to get re-elected and that is where my energies are focused, and that which can be done after the election will be done after the election."
Hmm. Needs to be bigger.
"The important task at the present time is to get re-elected and that is where my energies are focused, and that which can be done after the election will be done after the election."
Yep. You got to hand it to him. He is being honest. Tony Abbott's goal in life is not to do his job as health minister. He would be concentrating on that with any electioneering as an annoyance if it were. As evidenced in his self serving with many glaring omissions (Krusty autobiography style) fairfax columns, he is concerned with not pressing health issues, but how much the government deserves the love that it's not getting. How Saint Kevie is nothing more than a liar with made up life stories and a rich bitch of a wife that screws the worker to the wall (I exaggerate for comedic effect - but not by much).
If Tony Abbott can't do his fucking job as health minister because he is concentrating on not getting his arse booted to the curb then he should fuck off to the back bench and do political business from there, instead of getting the extra 100k he grabs for being a minister. Wait, I forget, cabinet ministers are so badly paid compared to big business.
Should we have a whip around for the Tonester? Maybe a pat on his manly muscular back. There, there Tony. In six months or so you can gleefully stride from the other side of the chamber to cry about how you were so badwy tweated by da nasty pubwic.
TONY ABBOTT has cast doubt on whether the Coalition will be in power after the federal election.
At a meeting of all state and territory health ministers in Sydney yesterday, the federal Health Minister refused to discuss Commonwealth funding for public hospitals, telling reporters outside the meeting it would be fruitless to discuss it until after the federal poll.
"I don't see any point in having this discussion when there is some question as to who is going to form a government after this coming election," Mr Abbott said.
"The important task at the present time is to get re-elected and that is where my energies are focused, and that which can be done after the election will be done after the election."
See here.
Let's highlight my favourite bit.
"The important task at the present time is to get re-elected and that is where my energies are focused, and that which can be done after the election will be done after the election."
Hmm. Needs to be bigger.
"The important task at the present time is to get re-elected and that is where my energies are focused, and that which can be done after the election will be done after the election."
Yep. You got to hand it to him. He is being honest. Tony Abbott's goal in life is not to do his job as health minister. He would be concentrating on that with any electioneering as an annoyance if it were. As evidenced in his self serving with many glaring omissions (Krusty autobiography style) fairfax columns, he is concerned with not pressing health issues, but how much the government deserves the love that it's not getting. How Saint Kevie is nothing more than a liar with made up life stories and a rich bitch of a wife that screws the worker to the wall (I exaggerate for comedic effect - but not by much).
If Tony Abbott can't do his fucking job as health minister because he is concentrating on not getting his arse booted to the curb then he should fuck off to the back bench and do political business from there, instead of getting the extra 100k he grabs for being a minister. Wait, I forget, cabinet ministers are so badly paid compared to big business.
Should we have a whip around for the Tonester? Maybe a pat on his manly muscular back. There, there Tony. In six months or so you can gleefully stride from the other side of the chamber to cry about how you were so badwy tweated by da nasty pubwic.
Haneef released as charges dropped
Says it all really.
Of course he's not entirely innocent because the AFP 'is still investigating' thundered Mick Keelty who refused to apologise for the reasonable assessment that unfair laws used unfairly resulted in shitty treatment of a brown person with a funny faith. Admittedly one who had the bad luck to have a relative hate people enough to allegedly self immolate himself in an effort to explode others.
This is by no means to suggest the AFP targeted Haneef just because of his skin colour and religion. Fact is he had a relo caught up in a terror incident and they used the powers available to them to maximum effect to get the maximum amount of information - even though it involved potentially unlimited detention (albeit magistrate monitored) and allowing them to go over his life with a fine toothed comb over weeks. And ... write names of terrorists into his diary apparently then ask questions of him about it.
Andrews, who swore nothing had changed his mind whatsoever RE canceling Haneef's visa, has given him residential detention. Which I think is the same as still canceling his visa but not meaning he has to be detained while it's sorted out. He has to report to people however. According to Andrews:
"That means that he has to reside at an agreed place, he's free to actually move about in the community, but as a matter of legal principle he is still formally ... in detention."
But what next?
Mr Andrews said Dr Haneef would not immediately get his passport back.
"No, as far as I understand his passport hasn't been returned, and nor would it be returned unless there is some change in relation to his immigration status, namely that his visa was reinstated,'' he said.
But he left open the possibility that Dr Haneef's visa could be returned.
"That's a matter for the legal adviser in this regard," he said.
"If they came to the conclusion that there was some material change to the basis of my decision as a matter of legal principle, because of the decision of the DPP, well then obviously one doesn't have legal advisers for nothing."
Mr Andrews said he was being "cautious" in seeking updated advice from the Solicitor-General.
Mr Andrews said it was too early for compensation for Dr Haneef to be considered because police investigations were continuing.
"That's not an issue that in my view arises, it certainly doesn't arise at this stage, because of two things," he said.
"One is as I understand from the federal police this investigation is ongoing, that today's decision was simply that the charge as laid had flaws in it and therefore has been withdrawn.
"As I understand from what Mr Keelty said this afternoon ... that the police investigation is a matter which is ongoing."
Interesting. Makes a change from the deliberate refusal to say prior to the charges being dropped that Haneef would get his visa possibly restored when directly asked by a journalist if this was possible. All Andrews did was repeat 'I acted on the information given.'
What a pathetic caricature of a human being. I especially love his later petulant whining about 'awwwwwww Rudd felt the same way, why aren't you picking on him ?! awwwwwwww'
Quite possibly because the briefs the opposition receives as a courtesy from the government are never the full story and typically involve a verbal short time frame sit down that is potentially politically skewed (especially if delivered not by an apolitical public servant but by a definitely political adviser or politician). It may have also involved a paper brief. Not sure. But to infer the opposition were in the possession of the exact same facts with the exact same changed information supplied to them as was government is utter crap.
Of course I wasn't there, so I don't know what the ALP were told by the government. But I've been a public servant for a while and I know how these things work. Even if a public servant does provide briefs to the opposition there is always the potential for them to give the briefing with a lean or slant in government favour because A) they know what side their bread is buttered on and B) senior public servants are on two year contracts that may not get renewed.
This isn't meant to be a defence of the federal ALP. I think they acted poorly in this issue and I think they did so politically not morally. Which in a way is immoral. But they had little choice but to suck the teat offered them by the government. Hence while Beattie and others questioned the evidence when the media revealed the shaky case built against Haneef.
Here from today's Crikey are two views on the Haneef issue. In the blue (conservative) corner (which is ironic consider here in Oz left is red and blue is right - which is in the reverse in the US) is Peter "former head of the Crime Commission for seven months; people's religion should be on their identity papers" Faris. In the red (progressive) corner is Greg "human rights are still important and need to be protected from an increasingly hysterical and politicization of terror for their political benefit" Barns.
Peter Faris QC, former chairman of the National Crime Authority, writes:
There are important lessons to be learned from the Haneef fiasco. And they need to be learned quickly. Australia cannot wait until the next terror threat. We must get it right now.
There are three fundamental elements of the legal aspects of national security: legislation, investigation and prosecution. The Haneef case has focussed attention on the operation of all three – and, in particular, the failure of these parts to function together.
The anti-terror detention laws worked well – Haneef’s 14-day detention was fully supervised by a magistrate and thoroughly reported by the media. (For the purposes of this legal analysis, I put to one side the political debate as to whether we should have these laws at all).
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigated the matter and provided a (written) brief to the Commonwealth DPP (CDPP).
Any decision to prosecute is the sole responsibility of the CDPP and it has published policy guidelines. In particular, the CDPP had to be satisfied that there “was reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction”. It is becoming increasingly likely that there was never a case with which to prosecute Haneef, and that the CDPP made a grievous error in laying the charge.
Things then got worse. The magistrate granted bail, partly because of the weak prosecution case. The Commonwealth prosecutor falsely told the court that the SIM card was recovered from the Glasgow vehicle and is reported as telling the court that it had been intended the SIM card would be destroyed in the planned explosion when a Jeep Cherokee was rammed into the doors of at Glasgow Airport.
None of the Federal police officers in court corrected these false allegations. The question then arises: were these allegations contained in the police brief?
Immediately after bail was granted, Federal Immigration Minister Andrews revoked Haneef’s work visa on character grounds. This decision was apparently based on two sets of facts: first, the criminal prosecution evidence; second, secret national security information. Now that the evidence has collapsed, the Minister must review this again.
None of this is the Minister’s fault. He is obliged to make the best decision he can based upon the information provided. It seems clear that, even though there is now no evidence of Haneef committing a crime in Australia, the fact of his close association with a terrorist group (the UK doctors) is a proper ground to revoke the visa.
The lessons to be drawn are these.
One, the AFP has so badly bungled this case that we must consider whether they are capable of handling terrorist investigations at all. I think they are not. We need an FBI-type organisation which specialises in terror and other national security investigations and which has coercive powers. Incidentally, there has been no mention of the Australian Crime Commission in the fight against terror. The AFP should have Haneef coercively interrogated by the ACC but apparently this was not done.
The CDPP is just plain incompetent. The whole organisation needs to be reviewed, and not just in relation to terror cases. In my opinion, if they had briefed an outside QC, none of this mess would have occurred. They need to be reformed, and quickly.
The immigration visa laws need to be brought in line with the terror laws. The Minister should have a complete discretion to revoke visas or refuse entry on national security grounds rather than “character”.
Australia is lucky that Haneef, whatever happens next, is a small fish. If he had been a major international terrorist he could have walked free due to our incompetent system.
In hindsight what should have happened is this: Haneef detained, a QC advises there is no case, Haneef not charged but immediately deported.
All of this has been very unfair to Haneef and he should be substantially compensated.
Greg Barns writes:
Over the course of this past week two commentators on the Haneef case – The Australian’s Janet Albrechtsen and lawyer Peter Faris – have got it badly wrong.
They both think that the laws under which Dr Haneef has been detained and charged are ok, but it’s just that the investigation has been sloppy. Mr Faris has even taken to calling for Commonwealth DPP Damien Bugg and AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty to resign over their roles in this farcical case.
But get this Peter and Janet – it's the law, stupid! The anti-terror laws have been shown by the Haneef case to be dangerously flawed and open to manipulation by the authorities. These are the laws which allow the detention of an individual for days on end in solitary confinement.
These are the laws which allow for the prosecuting authorities to provide secret affidavits to magistrates, and which the defence is not allowed to view, even though the affidavits impact on their client. And these are the laws that allow for up to 12 hours of questioning of suspect in a manner that can be grossly unfair to the accused – you can string the 12 hours of questioning out over days and weeks.
Remember also that these laws are poorly drafted. No one has yet been able to provide an adequate explanation of what it means to ‘recklessly’ support a terrorist organization.
The Howard government/ALP anti-terror laws have enabled the Haneef farce to occur because these laws lack transparency safeguards and checks on power.
So yes, there are grounds for calling on Mick Keelty to resign given what looks to be an appallingly poor investigation by his team, and Damien Bugg’s people in Brisbane may have let him down, but how about Mr Faris and Ms Albrechtsen take off their Conservative cheerleader outfits and recognize the reality of the Haneef case?
And why don’t Faris and Albrechtsen attack the Howard government for its disgraceful politicization of the Haneef case? How about they stand up for traditional values and demand that the Nation’s first law officer, the Attorney-General, not provide a running commentary on terrorism cases and seek to twist public sympathy against the suspect?
And what about the capricious actions of Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews in this matter? Surely Mr Andrews’ conduct has been nothing more than a political stunt in which he is beastly careless about the rights of Dr Haneef and due process.
It is time to amend the anti-terror laws so we can prevent another Haneef.
Me? I agree with Barns. The terror laws Howard et al forced through, as evidenced in this case, are a shit stain on legal tradition of fair play in the justice system. All those people that wank on with 'new paradigm' and 'using our freedoms to kill us' etc seem not to understand that political violence has gone hand in hand with human civilization since the year dot. Yes, terrorist movements do employ mass casualty attacks as preference - which is scary - and they do it because they know it can and does have an impact. But there's no denying, as in this case, that the political parties that retard our freedoms do so with an eye to their political health as well as securing the nation. Terrorism works when we are afraid. And closing the gates on freedoms we've earned, indeed fought and died for in the case of some, allows terror to work.
A balance with everything is needed. Laws do need to change to protect us. But there's protection and then there's coercion. And right now the trend in Oz is the latter. Such as anyone can now be searched without reasonable suspicion in some states in the advent of a terror attack, people can be held without trial secretly and if they tell anyone they get charged, media are unable to report on detention in some cases, indefinite detention (though magistrate monitored) under the guise of a fixed number of hours of detention with no limit as to when they occur, likely removal of bail for some charges (so much for presumption of innocence) and now in NSW the cops are wanting anyone in the justice system's DNA record.
I've said it before and I will say it again. If you give the executive too much power they will use that power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And now cops need to do far less work and can rely far more on supposition versus fact to hold and charge and even try someone than they ever have before in this country.
And if you're not worried, then you fucking should be.
By the way, is anyone else weirded out about the difference between TheOz's ability to perform stellar first class objective reporting (such as in this case) and the mockery of objectivity of their opinionists? I bet the actual journalists shudder to have to deal with the Shanahans, Sheridans, Albrechtsens etc. As noted neatly in this comment in yesterday's Crikey
Ray Hassall writes: I couldn't agree more with Mark Bahnisch's assessment of the Oz online's recent metamorphosis. My PC routinely crashes trying to access the content heavy new site (which is also harder to navigate). But I think he's off the money on the pre-emptive closing off of comments being a technological issue. I recall similar closeoffs on the old site, most recently in relation to a David Nason piece praising the commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence. I suspect it's more a case of the moderators jumping on negative feedback. Which brings us to the 64 million dollar question, how can the day to day and investigative journalism on the Oz be so good, and their op ed pieces be so risibly bad? Answers on the back of a beer coaster please!
Well I'm out of ideas on that one. Wait, no I am not. Because some people at theOz are actual journalists and want to report the news. And others are paid to toady up to business and conservatives to keep the rivers of business advertising gold rolling in.
Of course he's not entirely innocent because the AFP 'is still investigating' thundered Mick Keelty who refused to apologise for the reasonable assessment that unfair laws used unfairly resulted in shitty treatment of a brown person with a funny faith. Admittedly one who had the bad luck to have a relative hate people enough to allegedly self immolate himself in an effort to explode others.
This is by no means to suggest the AFP targeted Haneef just because of his skin colour and religion. Fact is he had a relo caught up in a terror incident and they used the powers available to them to maximum effect to get the maximum amount of information - even though it involved potentially unlimited detention (albeit magistrate monitored) and allowing them to go over his life with a fine toothed comb over weeks. And ... write names of terrorists into his diary apparently then ask questions of him about it.
Andrews, who swore nothing had changed his mind whatsoever RE canceling Haneef's visa, has given him residential detention. Which I think is the same as still canceling his visa but not meaning he has to be detained while it's sorted out. He has to report to people however. According to Andrews:
"That means that he has to reside at an agreed place, he's free to actually move about in the community, but as a matter of legal principle he is still formally ... in detention."
But what next?
Mr Andrews said Dr Haneef would not immediately get his passport back.
"No, as far as I understand his passport hasn't been returned, and nor would it be returned unless there is some change in relation to his immigration status, namely that his visa was reinstated,'' he said.
But he left open the possibility that Dr Haneef's visa could be returned.
"That's a matter for the legal adviser in this regard," he said.
"If they came to the conclusion that there was some material change to the basis of my decision as a matter of legal principle, because of the decision of the DPP, well then obviously one doesn't have legal advisers for nothing."
Mr Andrews said he was being "cautious" in seeking updated advice from the Solicitor-General.
Mr Andrews said it was too early for compensation for Dr Haneef to be considered because police investigations were continuing.
"That's not an issue that in my view arises, it certainly doesn't arise at this stage, because of two things," he said.
"One is as I understand from the federal police this investigation is ongoing, that today's decision was simply that the charge as laid had flaws in it and therefore has been withdrawn.
"As I understand from what Mr Keelty said this afternoon ... that the police investigation is a matter which is ongoing."
Interesting. Makes a change from the deliberate refusal to say prior to the charges being dropped that Haneef would get his visa possibly restored when directly asked by a journalist if this was possible. All Andrews did was repeat 'I acted on the information given.'
What a pathetic caricature of a human being. I especially love his later petulant whining about 'awwwwwww Rudd felt the same way, why aren't you picking on him ?! awwwwwwww'
Quite possibly because the briefs the opposition receives as a courtesy from the government are never the full story and typically involve a verbal short time frame sit down that is potentially politically skewed (especially if delivered not by an apolitical public servant but by a definitely political adviser or politician). It may have also involved a paper brief. Not sure. But to infer the opposition were in the possession of the exact same facts with the exact same changed information supplied to them as was government is utter crap.
Of course I wasn't there, so I don't know what the ALP were told by the government. But I've been a public servant for a while and I know how these things work. Even if a public servant does provide briefs to the opposition there is always the potential for them to give the briefing with a lean or slant in government favour because A) they know what side their bread is buttered on and B) senior public servants are on two year contracts that may not get renewed.
This isn't meant to be a defence of the federal ALP. I think they acted poorly in this issue and I think they did so politically not morally. Which in a way is immoral. But they had little choice but to suck the teat offered them by the government. Hence while Beattie and others questioned the evidence when the media revealed the shaky case built against Haneef.
Here from today's Crikey are two views on the Haneef issue. In the blue (conservative) corner (which is ironic consider here in Oz left is red and blue is right - which is in the reverse in the US) is Peter "former head of the Crime Commission for seven months; people's religion should be on their identity papers" Faris. In the red (progressive) corner is Greg "human rights are still important and need to be protected from an increasingly hysterical and politicization of terror for their political benefit" Barns.
Peter Faris QC, former chairman of the National Crime Authority, writes:
There are important lessons to be learned from the Haneef fiasco. And they need to be learned quickly. Australia cannot wait until the next terror threat. We must get it right now.
There are three fundamental elements of the legal aspects of national security: legislation, investigation and prosecution. The Haneef case has focussed attention on the operation of all three – and, in particular, the failure of these parts to function together.
The anti-terror detention laws worked well – Haneef’s 14-day detention was fully supervised by a magistrate and thoroughly reported by the media. (For the purposes of this legal analysis, I put to one side the political debate as to whether we should have these laws at all).
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigated the matter and provided a (written) brief to the Commonwealth DPP (CDPP).
Any decision to prosecute is the sole responsibility of the CDPP and it has published policy guidelines. In particular, the CDPP had to be satisfied that there “was reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction”. It is becoming increasingly likely that there was never a case with which to prosecute Haneef, and that the CDPP made a grievous error in laying the charge.
Things then got worse. The magistrate granted bail, partly because of the weak prosecution case. The Commonwealth prosecutor falsely told the court that the SIM card was recovered from the Glasgow vehicle and is reported as telling the court that it had been intended the SIM card would be destroyed in the planned explosion when a Jeep Cherokee was rammed into the doors of at Glasgow Airport.
None of the Federal police officers in court corrected these false allegations. The question then arises: were these allegations contained in the police brief?
Immediately after bail was granted, Federal Immigration Minister Andrews revoked Haneef’s work visa on character grounds. This decision was apparently based on two sets of facts: first, the criminal prosecution evidence; second, secret national security information. Now that the evidence has collapsed, the Minister must review this again.
None of this is the Minister’s fault. He is obliged to make the best decision he can based upon the information provided. It seems clear that, even though there is now no evidence of Haneef committing a crime in Australia, the fact of his close association with a terrorist group (the UK doctors) is a proper ground to revoke the visa.
The lessons to be drawn are these.
One, the AFP has so badly bungled this case that we must consider whether they are capable of handling terrorist investigations at all. I think they are not. We need an FBI-type organisation which specialises in terror and other national security investigations and which has coercive powers. Incidentally, there has been no mention of the Australian Crime Commission in the fight against terror. The AFP should have Haneef coercively interrogated by the ACC but apparently this was not done.
The CDPP is just plain incompetent. The whole organisation needs to be reviewed, and not just in relation to terror cases. In my opinion, if they had briefed an outside QC, none of this mess would have occurred. They need to be reformed, and quickly.
The immigration visa laws need to be brought in line with the terror laws. The Minister should have a complete discretion to revoke visas or refuse entry on national security grounds rather than “character”.
Australia is lucky that Haneef, whatever happens next, is a small fish. If he had been a major international terrorist he could have walked free due to our incompetent system.
In hindsight what should have happened is this: Haneef detained, a QC advises there is no case, Haneef not charged but immediately deported.
All of this has been very unfair to Haneef and he should be substantially compensated.
Greg Barns writes:
Over the course of this past week two commentators on the Haneef case – The Australian’s Janet Albrechtsen and lawyer Peter Faris – have got it badly wrong.
They both think that the laws under which Dr Haneef has been detained and charged are ok, but it’s just that the investigation has been sloppy. Mr Faris has even taken to calling for Commonwealth DPP Damien Bugg and AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty to resign over their roles in this farcical case.
But get this Peter and Janet – it's the law, stupid! The anti-terror laws have been shown by the Haneef case to be dangerously flawed and open to manipulation by the authorities. These are the laws which allow the detention of an individual for days on end in solitary confinement.
These are the laws which allow for the prosecuting authorities to provide secret affidavits to magistrates, and which the defence is not allowed to view, even though the affidavits impact on their client. And these are the laws that allow for up to 12 hours of questioning of suspect in a manner that can be grossly unfair to the accused – you can string the 12 hours of questioning out over days and weeks.
Remember also that these laws are poorly drafted. No one has yet been able to provide an adequate explanation of what it means to ‘recklessly’ support a terrorist organization.
The Howard government/ALP anti-terror laws have enabled the Haneef farce to occur because these laws lack transparency safeguards and checks on power.
So yes, there are grounds for calling on Mick Keelty to resign given what looks to be an appallingly poor investigation by his team, and Damien Bugg’s people in Brisbane may have let him down, but how about Mr Faris and Ms Albrechtsen take off their Conservative cheerleader outfits and recognize the reality of the Haneef case?
And why don’t Faris and Albrechtsen attack the Howard government for its disgraceful politicization of the Haneef case? How about they stand up for traditional values and demand that the Nation’s first law officer, the Attorney-General, not provide a running commentary on terrorism cases and seek to twist public sympathy against the suspect?
And what about the capricious actions of Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews in this matter? Surely Mr Andrews’ conduct has been nothing more than a political stunt in which he is beastly careless about the rights of Dr Haneef and due process.
It is time to amend the anti-terror laws so we can prevent another Haneef.
Me? I agree with Barns. The terror laws Howard et al forced through, as evidenced in this case, are a shit stain on legal tradition of fair play in the justice system. All those people that wank on with 'new paradigm' and 'using our freedoms to kill us' etc seem not to understand that political violence has gone hand in hand with human civilization since the year dot. Yes, terrorist movements do employ mass casualty attacks as preference - which is scary - and they do it because they know it can and does have an impact. But there's no denying, as in this case, that the political parties that retard our freedoms do so with an eye to their political health as well as securing the nation. Terrorism works when we are afraid. And closing the gates on freedoms we've earned, indeed fought and died for in the case of some, allows terror to work.
A balance with everything is needed. Laws do need to change to protect us. But there's protection and then there's coercion. And right now the trend in Oz is the latter. Such as anyone can now be searched without reasonable suspicion in some states in the advent of a terror attack, people can be held without trial secretly and if they tell anyone they get charged, media are unable to report on detention in some cases, indefinite detention (though magistrate monitored) under the guise of a fixed number of hours of detention with no limit as to when they occur, likely removal of bail for some charges (so much for presumption of innocence) and now in NSW the cops are wanting anyone in the justice system's DNA record.
I've said it before and I will say it again. If you give the executive too much power they will use that power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And now cops need to do far less work and can rely far more on supposition versus fact to hold and charge and even try someone than they ever have before in this country.
And if you're not worried, then you fucking should be.
By the way, is anyone else weirded out about the difference between TheOz's ability to perform stellar first class objective reporting (such as in this case) and the mockery of objectivity of their opinionists? I bet the actual journalists shudder to have to deal with the Shanahans, Sheridans, Albrechtsens etc. As noted neatly in this comment in yesterday's Crikey
Ray Hassall writes: I couldn't agree more with Mark Bahnisch's assessment of the Oz online's recent metamorphosis. My PC routinely crashes trying to access the content heavy new site (which is also harder to navigate). But I think he's off the money on the pre-emptive closing off of comments being a technological issue. I recall similar closeoffs on the old site, most recently in relation to a David Nason piece praising the commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence. I suspect it's more a case of the moderators jumping on negative feedback. Which brings us to the 64 million dollar question, how can the day to day and investigative journalism on the Oz be so good, and their op ed pieces be so risibly bad? Answers on the back of a beer coaster please!
Well I'm out of ideas on that one. Wait, no I am not. Because some people at theOz are actual journalists and want to report the news. And others are paid to toady up to business and conservatives to keep the rivers of business advertising gold rolling in.
Friday, July 27, 2007
The Egg Trickle
I am not sure if this is an 80's thing, or just an excuse to touch people inappropriately that I happened to learn in the 80's, but does anyone (else) remember the spinal rub egg crack sensation game? It's the sort of thing you did at year 10 parties where a cool parent let you drink West Coast coolers in the rumpus room converted from the garage downstairs.
You rub your knuckles up and down a person's spine for about a minute, which causes various possibly pleasing sensations. Then you pretend to crack an egg on the top of their head and you lightly graze from the temples down the cheeks with your flickering fingers. It causes goose bumps and back shudders.
The other kewl trick was to stand in a doorway and force your arms against the sides, palms in, putting as much pressure as you could bear on your arms. Do it for 30 seconds then leave the doorway. Your arms would then seemingly magically float up perpendicular to the body.
And of course there's the classic blindfolded person sitting on a chair with their legs off the ground but with their hands resting on the heads of two other people. Those people duck down, giving the sensation the person is instead being lifted into the air and the chair is then tipped by another person. Blindfolded person shrieks as they 'topple' to the ground.
Or there's the classic feeding me whiskettes in my nutragrain the next morning and laughing as I eat them unknowingly - or putting the mouth wash in my VB.
Ha ha fuckwads.
You rub your knuckles up and down a person's spine for about a minute, which causes various possibly pleasing sensations. Then you pretend to crack an egg on the top of their head and you lightly graze from the temples down the cheeks with your flickering fingers. It causes goose bumps and back shudders.
The other kewl trick was to stand in a doorway and force your arms against the sides, palms in, putting as much pressure as you could bear on your arms. Do it for 30 seconds then leave the doorway. Your arms would then seemingly magically float up perpendicular to the body.
And of course there's the classic blindfolded person sitting on a chair with their legs off the ground but with their hands resting on the heads of two other people. Those people duck down, giving the sensation the person is instead being lifted into the air and the chair is then tipped by another person. Blindfolded person shrieks as they 'topple' to the ground.
Or there's the classic feeding me whiskettes in my nutragrain the next morning and laughing as I eat them unknowingly - or putting the mouth wash in my VB.
Ha ha fuckwads.
Pringle hiding
When asked to quickly hide a tube of pringles from the eye line of a toddler do not instinctively shove them down the front of your pants.
Because even though the tube had yet to be breached, there's still the worry of an errant pube getting rim crusted under the lid.
And people will be hesitant to share.
Of course if you don't want to share your pringles by all means crotch them.
Because even though the tube had yet to be breached, there's still the worry of an errant pube getting rim crusted under the lid.
And people will be hesitant to share.
Of course if you don't want to share your pringles by all means crotch them.
Forehead Splashback
I don't know if it's a combination of the curvature of the urinal shell, the angle of my stream, it's power, or my height, but today I got splashback ... on the forehead.
Yes, that's right. Between the eyes, above a bit, definite sensation of a droplet of wee striking flesh.
Needless to say I was shocked.
That is all.
Yes, that's right. Between the eyes, above a bit, definite sensation of a droplet of wee striking flesh.
Needless to say I was shocked.
That is all.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Move over Tammy Wynette cause here comes Kevin Andrews
Sometimes its hard to be a minister
Giving all your love to just one decision
You'll have bad times
And it'll have good times
Doing things that you don't understand
But if you love it you'll forgive it
Even though it’s hard (for the public) to understand
And if you love it
Oh be proud of it
'Cause after all he's just a foreigner
Stand by your decision
Give it two arms to cling to
And something warm to come to
When nights are cold and lonely
Stand by your decision
And tell the world you love it
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your decision
Stand by your decision
And show the world you love it
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your decision
Andrews stands by decision to revoke visa of immigrant even though evidence presumably presented to him was found to be demonstrably false
PS Best. Version. Of real song. Ever.
Giving all your love to just one decision
You'll have bad times
And it'll have good times
Doing things that you don't understand
But if you love it you'll forgive it
Even though it’s hard (for the public) to understand
And if you love it
Oh be proud of it
'Cause after all he's just a foreigner
Stand by your decision
Give it two arms to cling to
And something warm to come to
When nights are cold and lonely
Stand by your decision
And tell the world you love it
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your decision
Stand by your decision
And show the world you love it
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your decision
Andrews stands by decision to revoke visa of immigrant even though evidence presumably presented to him was found to be demonstrably false
PS Best. Version. Of real song. Ever.
Blackadder Moments
From Dish and Dishonesty
Left: Prince George and Mr Lefty
At Prince's House
(a knock at the door; Edmund opens it to find Pitt the Younger.)
E: Well, well, well: if it isn't the Lord Privy Toastrack! Pull up a muffin;
sit yourself down.
P: You don't like me, do you, Mr. Blackadder?
E: Well, nobody likes a loser.
P: Oh, then that's why nobody likes *you*.
E: (serious) What?
P: You lost the vote. Your monkey obligingly voted for us.
E: Oh God, no... If you want something done properly, kill Baldrick before
you start.
P: You're beaten, Oik! And you and your disgusting master have twenty-four
hours to get out.
E: Twenty-four hours is a long time in politics. Good day.
P: There is just one thing before I go... (confidentially) I've got this
sort of downy hair developing on my chest -- is that normal? Also, I get
so lonely and confused. I've written a poem about it; maybe you'll under-
stand. "Why do nice girls hate me? Why--
E: Get out, you nausating adolescent! (shoos him out the door) Piss off!
Left: Prince George and Mr LeftyAt Prince's House
(a knock at the door; Edmund opens it to find Pitt the Younger.)
E: Well, well, well: if it isn't the Lord Privy Toastrack! Pull up a muffin;
sit yourself down.
P: You don't like me, do you, Mr. Blackadder?
E: Well, nobody likes a loser.
P: Oh, then that's why nobody likes *you*.
E: (serious) What?
P: You lost the vote. Your monkey obligingly voted for us.
E: Oh God, no... If you want something done properly, kill Baldrick before
you start.
P: You're beaten, Oik! And you and your disgusting master have twenty-four
hours to get out.
E: Twenty-four hours is a long time in politics. Good day.
P: There is just one thing before I go... (confidentially) I've got this
sort of downy hair developing on my chest -- is that normal? Also, I get
so lonely and confused. I've written a poem about it; maybe you'll under-
stand. "Why do nice girls hate me? Why--
E: Get out, you nausating adolescent! (shoos him out the door) Piss off!
And a happy 68th to the PM
Happy birthday,
Happy birthday,
Pain and misery fill the air*,
People dying everywhere.
Happy birthday,
Happy birthday.
*A big thanks on that
PS When singing happy birthday as part of a crowd to a very senior person don't go it alone with the Marilyn number. Because chances are as the last of the Hip Hip Hooray's die down you're just finishing the 'tooo yoooooooouuuuuuu' bit and pointing at her in a sultry manner.
Happy birthday,
Pain and misery fill the air*,
People dying everywhere.
Happy birthday,
Happy birthday.
*A big thanks on that
PS When singing happy birthday as part of a crowd to a very senior person don't go it alone with the Marilyn number. Because chances are as the last of the Hip Hip Hooray's die down you're just finishing the 'tooo yoooooooouuuuuuu' bit and pointing at her in a sultry manner.
I like Sea Patrol
There, I've said it. I've seen every single episode and I think it's awesome. Maybe not 'purchase the series on DVD and watch it in large slabs' awesome but definitely awesome. Sure, maybe it is my Macleod's daughters. I bet all of us guiltily watch and enjoy TV shows that might not be at the cutting edge of cool and/or well written (though Sea Patrol is). If you do, then share. What's your visual poison*? Are you a closest TT fan? Like the cut of ACA's jib? Think, like theWife, that the new film stock and/or plot lines on Neighbours and/or Big Brother is viewing gold to the extent you will call up your friends and discuss it over the phone?
Let HM know.
*Sea Patrol is not visual poison. As I said, I think it rawks.
UPDATE: Thewife may like Big Brother but thinks Neighbours is shit. Indeed as does her friend. Harrangueman apologies for the confusion.
Let HM know.
*Sea Patrol is not visual poison. As I said, I think it rawks.
UPDATE: Thewife may like Big Brother but thinks Neighbours is shit. Indeed as does her friend. Harrangueman apologies for the confusion.
Mo's forever ruined by mofos
The Toothbrush
The semi-handle
The Philtrum Sliver
PS I defy anyone to think 'The Philtrum Sliver' is not an awesome name for a band, movie, and/or Cold War spy thriller.
Harry Potter is a Git - an analysis by Harrangueman
I have just finished reading Order of the Phoenix. Yes, I know, I am behind the times to be reading said book as the movie is out.
But, be that as it may, reading the book has led me to the conclusion that yes indeed Potter is a git. A petulant whiny git that wanks on about 'woe is me' (back handed soft slap to forehead), then runs around wrecking stuff. Sure he's faced some issues, I get that. However constant USE OF UPPERCASE TO REPRESENT PAIN AND OR SHOUTING IS ANNOYING. As indeed is his 'leave me alone, I HATE YOU' crap.
All I can say Mr Potter is I'd change that tampon if I were you because it's clearly been in there for the entire school year.
That is all.
PS Don't get me started on his inability to land the hot Asian-English chick that's clearly gagging for it
PPS And while we're at it I hate Dan Brown novels. I got 30 pages into Da Vinci code and, as noted by Stephen Fry, found it to be rusty bum water. All credit to the authors however. They've accomplished far more than I ever will.
PPPS As a kid I used to play with these kewl shiny cardboard tubes from the bathroom rubbish bin. I think I thought they were light sabres. Only years later did I realise they were applicators.
But, be that as it may, reading the book has led me to the conclusion that yes indeed Potter is a git. A petulant whiny git that wanks on about 'woe is me' (back handed soft slap to forehead), then runs around wrecking stuff. Sure he's faced some issues, I get that. However constant USE OF UPPERCASE TO REPRESENT PAIN AND OR SHOUTING IS ANNOYING. As indeed is his 'leave me alone, I HATE YOU' crap.
All I can say Mr Potter is I'd change that tampon if I were you because it's clearly been in there for the entire school year.
That is all.
PS Don't get me started on his inability to land the hot Asian-English chick that's clearly gagging for it
PPS And while we're at it I hate Dan Brown novels. I got 30 pages into Da Vinci code and, as noted by Stephen Fry, found it to be rusty bum water. All credit to the authors however. They've accomplished far more than I ever will.
PPPS As a kid I used to play with these kewl shiny cardboard tubes from the bathroom rubbish bin. I think I thought they were light sabres. Only years later did I realise they were applicators.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Boston Legal
I love watching entire slabs of TV series one ep after the other. As long as, of course, it's a good TV series. If it's shit it just becomes tedious.
I bought a 2nd hand copy of Boston Legal for thewife, the first season, and having knocked over Scrubs 5 in a weekend (awesome as ever), we put it on.
Boston Legal rawks. I am in love with this series. Thank you TV gawds.
I bought a 2nd hand copy of Boston Legal for thewife, the first season, and having knocked over Scrubs 5 in a weekend (awesome as ever), we put it on.
Boston Legal rawks. I am in love with this series. Thank you TV gawds.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
How much do you hate the come in and close the door?
In a standard white collar environment where you have wage slaves in cubicles and bosses in offices, when you hear those words as a cubicle owner dread crawls up your spine. The 'come in and close the door' is almost never good news. Indeed most of us I'd say suspect we're in trouble. At least that's how I feel when I hear it.
Recently my boss boss asked me to grab my boss and come in and close the door. My heart sank. I didn't know what I had done but I was mentally preparing myself as we sat down.
Instead, by a complete fluke, it was the 'if you win the job how much will you ask for' conversation.
I was so flummoxed by the near hit of the bad talk I tried for half way between the grades and settled on entry level plus some months for acting at a higher rank.
At that point they offered me the job.
I still hate the 'come in and close the door'. Because it almost always is bad. And this I feel is the exception that proves the rule.
Recently my boss boss asked me to grab my boss and come in and close the door. My heart sank. I didn't know what I had done but I was mentally preparing myself as we sat down.
Instead, by a complete fluke, it was the 'if you win the job how much will you ask for' conversation.
I was so flummoxed by the near hit of the bad talk I tried for half way between the grades and settled on entry level plus some months for acting at a higher rank.
At that point they offered me the job.
I still hate the 'come in and close the door'. Because it almost always is bad. And this I feel is the exception that proves the rule.
Haneef - the cabinet discusses
Interesting.
Today Howard came out saying the following in relation to Haneef.
Mr Howard today said he had discussed Haneef's visa with Mr Andrews and senior members of cabinet, but had left it to the minister to decide on a course of action.
"We discussed it and it was discussed at a meeting of the National Security Committee of cabinet, but the final decision was taken by Kevin Andrews," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
"He exercised his discretion and we didn't seek to direct him.
See here.
However back when the Visa was canceled, this report quoted Ruddock
Haneef was granted bail in a Brisbane court yesterday, but the Immigration Minister later cancelled his work visa and plans to send to him to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says the Commonwealth should explain that decision, but Mr Ruddock says he was not privy to any information used to make the decision.
"The Minister has to take those decisions personally and does so without any direction," he said.
"It is his decision to make in accordance with the law and he has made it and he certainly didn't discuss the decision that he was going to take with colleagues or receive any advice or direction."
See here.
The Attorney General is a member of the National Security Cabinet. Apparently during this meeting where Haneef's Visa was discussed with Andrews Ruddock claims he was not 'privy to any information used to make the decision.'
The foremost law officer of the land, in a meeting where he is the second most important man in the room, discussing a case concerning an alleged terror supporter and whether they can use visa regulations to lock him up, does not have access to the information the Minister for Immigration used to rescind the visa. Nor it seems did Andrews tell them what he was going to do 'or receive any advice'. Just a general chin wag with no opinions eh?
Just how fucking stupid do they think we are!?
Update: Membership of the National Security Cabinet is as follows;
…the National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSCC) as one of
Cabinets standing committees, and the Secretaries Committee on
National Security (SCNS). The NSCC is the Government’s highest
decision-making body on Australia’s national security. It considers
strategic developments and issues of long term relevance to
Australia’s broad national security interests. It also overseas
federal intelligence and security agencies. The NSCC is chaired by
the Prime Minister, and consists of the Deputy Prime Minister,
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Treasurer, Minister for
Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the
Attorney-General
From here.
Today Howard came out saying the following in relation to Haneef.
Mr Howard today said he had discussed Haneef's visa with Mr Andrews and senior members of cabinet, but had left it to the minister to decide on a course of action.
"We discussed it and it was discussed at a meeting of the National Security Committee of cabinet, but the final decision was taken by Kevin Andrews," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
"He exercised his discretion and we didn't seek to direct him.
See here.
However back when the Visa was canceled, this report quoted Ruddock
Haneef was granted bail in a Brisbane court yesterday, but the Immigration Minister later cancelled his work visa and plans to send to him to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says the Commonwealth should explain that decision, but Mr Ruddock says he was not privy to any information used to make the decision.
"The Minister has to take those decisions personally and does so without any direction," he said.
"It is his decision to make in accordance with the law and he has made it and he certainly didn't discuss the decision that he was going to take with colleagues or receive any advice or direction."
See here.
The Attorney General is a member of the National Security Cabinet. Apparently during this meeting where Haneef's Visa was discussed with Andrews Ruddock claims he was not 'privy to any information used to make the decision.'
The foremost law officer of the land, in a meeting where he is the second most important man in the room, discussing a case concerning an alleged terror supporter and whether they can use visa regulations to lock him up, does not have access to the information the Minister for Immigration used to rescind the visa. Nor it seems did Andrews tell them what he was going to do 'or receive any advice'. Just a general chin wag with no opinions eh?
Just how fucking stupid do they think we are!?
Update: Membership of the National Security Cabinet is as follows;
…the National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSCC) as one of
Cabinets standing committees, and the Secretaries Committee on
National Security (SCNS). The NSCC is the Government’s highest
decision-making body on Australia’s national security. It considers
strategic developments and issues of long term relevance to
Australia’s broad national security interests. It also overseas
federal intelligence and security agencies. The NSCC is chaired by
the Prime Minister, and consists of the Deputy Prime Minister,
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Treasurer, Minister for
Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the
Attorney-General
From here.
Woo Hoo - blog spotted
From yesterday's Crikey.
Every other time I did get BS's it was because I had nom'ed myself like a selfo. This time I had nuthin' to do with it.
Of course it was a micro post and Mr Lefty/Watermelon frequently grace the BS page but still, it's pretty kewl.
Every other time I did get BS's it was because I had nom'ed myself like a selfo. This time I had nuthin' to do with it.
Of course it was a micro post and Mr Lefty/Watermelon frequently grace the BS page but still, it's pretty kewl.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Maslow Meets The Right
The Bevester put me on to this link in response to that article about the right wingers on a cruise ship (see "Hell Cruise" below).
This assessment of the motivation for the cruising right wingers rings true to me. It rings true because it ties into the very issue a lot of people have. The concept of Us and Them. And that the killing of the Them ultimately protects the Us. Despite the utter absurdity of such anti-logic that causes them to perform acts or encourage acts that greatly encourages such attacks to happen.
I think our attitude to our fellow humans has to do with my thoughts in this post. It all depends on your world view. It depends on your belief in how best to survive. If you have a Cosmic Perspective, then I think you'll look to the survival of the planet first; you'll see survival of others as desirable for your survival, and you'll have a reverence for life. Life seems to be rather unique in this universe from what we know. That is why it is so precious. To all of us. So, why then, do those conservatives have the view that only their lives are of value in the great scheme of things? I think it's because their world view never rises above the lower rungs in Maslow's heirarchy of needs. I think their world view resides in the bottom three layers. In particular, they never aspire to the respect of others item on the fourth layer. How could they, when they don't even respect the rights of others to live?
This assessment of the motivation for the cruising right wingers rings true to me. It rings true because it ties into the very issue a lot of people have. The concept of Us and Them. And that the killing of the Them ultimately protects the Us. Despite the utter absurdity of such anti-logic that causes them to perform acts or encourage acts that greatly encourages such attacks to happen.
I think our attitude to our fellow humans has to do with my thoughts in this post. It all depends on your world view. It depends on your belief in how best to survive. If you have a Cosmic Perspective, then I think you'll look to the survival of the planet first; you'll see survival of others as desirable for your survival, and you'll have a reverence for life. Life seems to be rather unique in this universe from what we know. That is why it is so precious. To all of us. So, why then, do those conservatives have the view that only their lives are of value in the great scheme of things? I think it's because their world view never rises above the lower rungs in Maslow's heirarchy of needs. I think their world view resides in the bottom three layers. In particular, they never aspire to the respect of others item on the fourth layer. How could they, when they don't even respect the rights of others to live?
Boo ya
Well I got told I got the job. Hooray! (hats in air).
How then, I hear you think, how then did HM pass the hurdle he has never hurdled - the interview process?
Simple.
No interview. Won it off application only.
I can do a good app. It's the turning up and meeting people face to face that does me in.
Worst. Interviewee. Ever.
How then, I hear you think, how then did HM pass the hurdle he has never hurdled - the interview process?
Simple.
No interview. Won it off application only.
I can do a good app. It's the turning up and meeting people face to face that does me in.
Worst. Interviewee. Ever.
Near miss for Ozzers
This in from SMH, following my gripe about certain cultures firing machine guns into the air by way of celebration - see here.
Colonel Diemer said the strategy meant combat units were now living among the population, doing more foot patrols, talking and interacting with the population well before they undertook any offensive operations.
This contrasts with the previous US practice of sending in forces with overwhelming firepower into trouble spots and then returning home to the relative comforts and security of a military base after blasting their way out of, or into, trouble.
The tactics have created huge resentment among ordinary Iraqis and helped fuel the insurgency. General Leahy expressed his strong support for the new strategy, but with an important, and thrice repeated, caveat. "I can't believe you guys weren't doing this two or three years ago," he said. Colonel Diemer concurred.
See the article here.
Many people have said how simply backward the US approach was in garrisoning Iraq. Too few troops too badly trained in the work needed. The US blows shit up very well. It doesn't garrison very well. Their training concentrates on killing people, not peace enforcement. They were getting training in it - by participating in NATO exercises and deployments - despite the fact neocon fuckwits did all they could to stop it. The same Neocons that are responsible for the utter basket case that is Iraq.
There was one general who actually ran a good garrison peace enforcement op and had the locals on side and relative peace in his area of operations. That was Petraeus. Unfortunately that prize goof Rumsfeld took no lessons from it.
Look even if Iraq had the manpower and properly trained troops in it from the beginning chances are the US would have experienced difficulty. But I seriously doubt it would have turned into the utter turd of ethnic warfare it has become.
But hey it's one of those 2020 things I guess.
It was early Saturday evening and General Leahy had just begun addressing about 100 Australian soldiers when small-arms fire could be clearly heard in the distance, hardly unusual in a city gripped by violence for four years.
Minutes into his address, outdoors at the Australian military compound in the tightly secured green zone, a bullet ricocheted off concrete between Regimental Sergeant Major Kevin Woods and Brigadier Justin Kelly.
Holy shit.
The article goes on to note that 'More than 200 people a year die in Iraq from the custom of celebrating events such as weddings and sporting victories with a burst of gunfire in the air. The bullets can travel more than a kilometre.'
I've said it before and I will say it again. Fuckwits.
Colonel Diemer said the strategy meant combat units were now living among the population, doing more foot patrols, talking and interacting with the population well before they undertook any offensive operations.
This contrasts with the previous US practice of sending in forces with overwhelming firepower into trouble spots and then returning home to the relative comforts and security of a military base after blasting their way out of, or into, trouble.
The tactics have created huge resentment among ordinary Iraqis and helped fuel the insurgency. General Leahy expressed his strong support for the new strategy, but with an important, and thrice repeated, caveat. "I can't believe you guys weren't doing this two or three years ago," he said. Colonel Diemer concurred.
See the article here.
Many people have said how simply backward the US approach was in garrisoning Iraq. Too few troops too badly trained in the work needed. The US blows shit up very well. It doesn't garrison very well. Their training concentrates on killing people, not peace enforcement. They were getting training in it - by participating in NATO exercises and deployments - despite the fact neocon fuckwits did all they could to stop it. The same Neocons that are responsible for the utter basket case that is Iraq.
There was one general who actually ran a good garrison peace enforcement op and had the locals on side and relative peace in his area of operations. That was Petraeus. Unfortunately that prize goof Rumsfeld took no lessons from it.
Look even if Iraq had the manpower and properly trained troops in it from the beginning chances are the US would have experienced difficulty. But I seriously doubt it would have turned into the utter turd of ethnic warfare it has become.
But hey it's one of those 2020 things I guess.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Haneef Update
As you would be aware our brown Hicks, Mr Haneef, appears on the face of it to have been verballed by the AFP.
Of course it's yet to go to court. And it's only one transcript. I think he got interviewed twice. So the evidence the AFP tendered may be more accurate than the press is stating.
But right now my gut feeling is an innocent man was put through the absolute wringer by a shitty politically charged system.
See Sarah and Gam's post here
See this Age article on how exactly the impact of the laws can play out on Australians.
UPDATE: The text box at the end of that article is as follows;
Of course it's yet to go to court. And it's only one transcript. I think he got interviewed twice. So the evidence the AFP tendered may be more accurate than the press is stating.
But right now my gut feeling is an innocent man was put through the absolute wringer by a shitty politically charged system.
See Sarah and Gam's post here
See this Age article on how exactly the impact of the laws can play out on Australians.
UPDATE: The text box at the end of that article is as follows;
LOST RIGHTS
■Under the ASIO legislation, there is no protection against self-incrimination. The right to silence is abolished.
■Under the ASIO legislation, there is no right to a lawyer of your choice.
■Under the NSI act, there is no right to an open court process.
■Under the NSI act, lawyers without security clearances may be barred from hearing evidence against a client.
■Expanded notions of 'recklessness'.
■Vague definitions of what it means to be a 'member' of an organisation.
■Detention without charge is possible (as happened to Dr Haneef). Under the amended Commonwealth Crimes Act (part 1 C) questioning time is 24 hours, but "dead time" is allowed. The clock only runs during interrogation.
■New laws contain a presumption that bail will not be granted. Usually there is a presumption in favour of bail, because of the presumption of 'innocent until proven guilty'.
Attention f/ckwits
When out celebrating your country's victory in a sporting event, don't run out into the street and shoot guns into the air. Because the bullets come back down and can kill people.
Apparently three people in Iraq died due to recent soccer celebrations in this manner.
I guess that makes three less people that were murdered I suppose.
Apparently three people in Iraq died due to recent soccer celebrations in this manner.
I guess that makes three less people that were murdered I suppose.
Worst. Guest Stars. Ever
For me, hands down it would have to be Culture Club on the A Team.
Yes elite commandos convicted of a crime they did not commit and escaped from a maximum security military prison only to hang out with the androgynous Boy George and his backing vocals.
I am pretty sure that in the episode in question Boy George asked if the team really wanted to hurt him. I suspect Mr T did.
You know a show is on shaky footing when they bring in a celeb. And I cannot think of anyone more mismatched given the genre of action adventure than Boy George in the A Team.
In the words of Andy from Extras, 'what's Chris Martin doing here, it's mental?'
And another thing. Why the fuck was Heather Locklear listed as a Special Guest Star in Melrose when she was in every single fucking episode?
Yes elite commandos convicted of a crime they did not commit and escaped from a maximum security military prison only to hang out with the androgynous Boy George and his backing vocals.
I am pretty sure that in the episode in question Boy George asked if the team really wanted to hurt him. I suspect Mr T did.
You know a show is on shaky footing when they bring in a celeb. And I cannot think of anyone more mismatched given the genre of action adventure than Boy George in the A Team.
In the words of Andy from Extras, 'what's Chris Martin doing here, it's mental?'
And another thing. Why the fuck was Heather Locklear listed as a Special Guest Star in Melrose when she was in every single fucking episode?
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Bogan names
This is an attack on bogan culture I admit. I dislike bogan culture. I think it's not a culture as such but a dearth of one. One where ignorance is bliss in some sort of Orwell meets Kath and Kim.
We had dinner tonight at my ex bosses place (the previous one to the last one). She is awesome as well.
We got to talking about names and she swears blind this is true.
When she worked for the court system in the west of Sydney she came across parents who had a child they called Whiffeny. I think she said the child was about five. Never having heard such a name before she asked how they spelled it.
It was spelled "Yvonne".
Gold.
We had dinner tonight at my ex bosses place (the previous one to the last one). She is awesome as well.
We got to talking about names and she swears blind this is true.
When she worked for the court system in the west of Sydney she came across parents who had a child they called Whiffeny. I think she said the child was about five. Never having heard such a name before she asked how they spelled it.
It was spelled "Yvonne".
Gold.
Opt In Vs Opt Out
I was listening to the radio yesterday and the subject of organ donation came up. Specifically the UK is looking at potentially going to an opt out system. As in you need to carry around a card that says 'fuck off, leave my shit in my chest' in the advent of your death.
Tony Abbott, the most moral man in town, has automatically ruled it out for Oz saying people don't need to be fearful of organ donation and should be encouraged instead. Except of course we have one of the lowest donation rates in the world.
I have the donor card thing in my wallet. TheWife knows the score regarding mine. However being a McFatto I believe most of my organs are adios to the discard pile anyway. But it does raise an interesting point of Opt in Vs Opt out.
Should we go to Opt out? My gut reaction (ha ha) is yes we should. But doctors do make mistakes. It would only take one or two cases of people being harvested when they had a chance for recovery to ruin it all even for Opt in (ie brain death Vs death, death). And of course the tinfoil brigade with the black helicopters and the UN is a front for the New World Order / they are here and already amongst us would have a field day with the idea the government could just take and unless you had the bit of paper saying NO tough biscuits.
Anyway, what do you think? Good idea or bad? Does the mad monk have a point? Or maybe he should have just done his job and had the issue actually researched before he wanked on with some sort of Pell fed answer from the robed man up the street (who hates gays).
UPDATE: I went off half cocked. I have no idea what the Catholic position on donating organs is. Let's find out.
Catholics view organ donation as an act of charity, fraternal love and self sacrifice. Transplants are ethically and morally acceptable to the Vatican. Pope John Paul II in a recent statement said, "Those who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life for the salvation of all, should recognize the urgent need for a ready availability of organs for transplants a challenge to their generosity and fraternal love." According to Father Leroy Wickowski, Director of the Office of Health Affairs of the Archdiocese of Chicago, "We encourage donation as an act of charity. It is something good that can result from tragedy and a way for families to find comfort by helping others. We do caution, however, that the organs are removed only after death and that people's wishes are respected."
From here. Says after death. I think that means death death Vs brain death. Will hunt for more info
Tony Abbott, the most moral man in town, has automatically ruled it out for Oz saying people don't need to be fearful of organ donation and should be encouraged instead. Except of course we have one of the lowest donation rates in the world.
I have the donor card thing in my wallet. TheWife knows the score regarding mine. However being a McFatto I believe most of my organs are adios to the discard pile anyway. But it does raise an interesting point of Opt in Vs Opt out.
Should we go to Opt out? My gut reaction (ha ha) is yes we should. But doctors do make mistakes. It would only take one or two cases of people being harvested when they had a chance for recovery to ruin it all even for Opt in (ie brain death Vs death, death). And of course the tinfoil brigade with the black helicopters and the UN is a front for the New World Order / they are here and already amongst us would have a field day with the idea the government could just take and unless you had the bit of paper saying NO tough biscuits.
Anyway, what do you think? Good idea or bad? Does the mad monk have a point? Or maybe he should have just done his job and had the issue actually researched before he wanked on with some sort of Pell fed answer from the robed man up the street (who hates gays).
UPDATE: I went off half cocked. I have no idea what the Catholic position on donating organs is. Let's find out.
Catholics view organ donation as an act of charity, fraternal love and self sacrifice. Transplants are ethically and morally acceptable to the Vatican. Pope John Paul II in a recent statement said, "Those who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life for the salvation of all, should recognize the urgent need for a ready availability of organs for transplants a challenge to their generosity and fraternal love." According to Father Leroy Wickowski, Director of the Office of Health Affairs of the Archdiocese of Chicago, "We encourage donation as an act of charity. It is something good that can result from tragedy and a way for families to find comfort by helping others. We do caution, however, that the organs are removed only after death and that people's wishes are respected."
From here. Says after death. I think that means death death Vs brain death. Will hunt for more info
Queuing for Harry
Today theWife and I went to get Deathly Hallows from Borders (which is an awesome bookstore atop the new buildings in Civic here in the ACT).
The line stretched from near the door, snaked through poetry, down past children's, back along the wall, past Gloria Jeans, then to the cash registers.
We could have gotten it from Target, who had about nine metric tons of HP goodness at the front of the store, but well theWife had put in a phone order and the Borders one came with a free beanie owl (which to me was like Malibu Stacy with the free hat but I digress).
It took about 40 minutes to travel the length of the queue.
Borders had the staff - or some of them - in the wizardly gear. Including one dude dressed as dumbledore doing sleight of hand tricks ("where's the coin?"). Every time he came up to someone in the line and asked 'want to see a trick?' I kept expecting him to go into 'pull my finger'. Which would have been awesome.
The funniest sight was this clearly bored security guard at the back of the store, seated next to a half ton of boxes of the embargoed Potter, despite the fact they had been selling legally for 12 hours. Not sure he got the memo.
Anyway as a fat man with a protruding gut who has been sedentary largely since birth, my back started to hurt after 20 minutes. Near the end I was in agony. Finally we got it and left, with theWife headed to do shopping leaving me to sit outside at a cafe and eat a pie and guzzle diet coke (from the glass).
I was cursing my sore back as I relaxed when I realised something.
Here I am bitching about queuing to get a fucking book while I am surrounded by such wealth and immediate access to all the resources needed for a long and happy life. Meanwhile the other 92% of humanity is hoeing the ground with sticks, the same way they have for thousands of years, simply trying to survive one year to the next. I can only imagine how physically draining manual subsistence farming actually is. And all I had to do was stand for 40 minutes.
Really puts my crap in perspective.
The line stretched from near the door, snaked through poetry, down past children's, back along the wall, past Gloria Jeans, then to the cash registers.
We could have gotten it from Target, who had about nine metric tons of HP goodness at the front of the store, but well theWife had put in a phone order and the Borders one came with a free beanie owl (which to me was like Malibu Stacy with the free hat but I digress).
It took about 40 minutes to travel the length of the queue.
Borders had the staff - or some of them - in the wizardly gear. Including one dude dressed as dumbledore doing sleight of hand tricks ("where's the coin?"). Every time he came up to someone in the line and asked 'want to see a trick?' I kept expecting him to go into 'pull my finger'. Which would have been awesome.
The funniest sight was this clearly bored security guard at the back of the store, seated next to a half ton of boxes of the embargoed Potter, despite the fact they had been selling legally for 12 hours. Not sure he got the memo.
Anyway as a fat man with a protruding gut who has been sedentary largely since birth, my back started to hurt after 20 minutes. Near the end I was in agony. Finally we got it and left, with theWife headed to do shopping leaving me to sit outside at a cafe and eat a pie and guzzle diet coke (from the glass).
I was cursing my sore back as I relaxed when I realised something.
Here I am bitching about queuing to get a fucking book while I am surrounded by such wealth and immediate access to all the resources needed for a long and happy life. Meanwhile the other 92% of humanity is hoeing the ground with sticks, the same way they have for thousands of years, simply trying to survive one year to the next. I can only imagine how physically draining manual subsistence farming actually is. And all I had to do was stand for 40 minutes.
Really puts my crap in perspective.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Hell Cruise
A web find courtesy of the Bevester
The Iraq war has been an amazing success, global warming is just a myth and Guantanamo Bay is practically a holiday camp. The annual cruise organized by the 'National Review,' mouthpiece of right-wing America, is a parallel universe populated by straight-talking, gun-toting, God-fearing Republicans.
See an account of one journalist trapped on a ship with the rightiest rights of the US here.
They fully remind me of the views and intellectual reasoning capability of some of the hard right dickheads that infest the inter-web*.
*With thanks to the Onion for that term.
The Iraq war has been an amazing success, global warming is just a myth and Guantanamo Bay is practically a holiday camp. The annual cruise organized by the 'National Review,' mouthpiece of right-wing America, is a parallel universe populated by straight-talking, gun-toting, God-fearing Republicans.
See an account of one journalist trapped on a ship with the rightiest rights of the US here.
They fully remind me of the views and intellectual reasoning capability of some of the hard right dickheads that infest the inter-web*.
*With thanks to the Onion for that term.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Leading opininator rag slams other opinionist for his opinion
Ah the Daily Telegraph, to whom objective journalism is nothing more than a latte sipping leftie myth, is trying to get Mike Carlton sacked for calling recently departed fuck knuckle Stan Zemanek a fuck knuckle.
See the news ltd story here.
BESIEGED 2UE radio jock Mike Carlton is "on borrowed time" as management yesterday publicly outed him as "despicable", "disgraceful", "pathetic", "appalling", "unreasonable" and "unbelievable".
Setting up a clear mandate to dump the breakfast host, Carlton was hung out to dry by a furious Southern Cross Broadcasting management yesterday after telling listeners he "loathed" and "hated" his former colleague Stan Zemanek.
Carlton said he would only go to his funeral "to check he was actually dead."
The comments, said to have made Zemanek's wife Marcella "sick to the stomach" and devastated his two daughters as they prepared for the funeral, were born of "a despicable hatred of the kind seen only in the Middle East", Carlton's boss Southern Cross Broadcasting's group general manager Graham Mott said yesterday.
"It's just despicable. As I said to Mike it's hatred like you see in the Middle East, it's absolute rubbish.
Zemanek spent his radio career slamming gays, leftists, unemployed etc, calling everyone everything under the sun, and paid an unemployed character actor to impersonate "regulars" who his listeners loved.
Here's a snippet from the SMH where Zemanek demanded Crikey retract this story because he didn't personally pay the actor ...
Meanwhile Zemanek was less impressed with gossip website Crikey this week which rehashed a Spike scoop from June last year. He wrote to the site: "In your story yesterday, by Anthony Stavrinos, you state: 'The night-time host was paying an actor to make phoney calls to his show.' Please retract this immediately as I have never paid an actor to make phoney calls. If the claim is not deleted immediately, then you can be assured that costly legal proceedings will follow." Crikey promptly obeyed. Zemanek had them on a technicality. For the record and as published in the Herald, Zemanek's station 2UE was the entity which paid actor Bryan Wiseman $50 a call to ring up pretending to be one of three female characters: posh Barbara from Point Piper, saucy Tanya from Sylvania Waters and the 80-year-old sweetheart Grace. After our embarrassing revelations Wiseman lost the gig.
Here's the view of Glenn Dyer of Crikey on the 'sack Carlton' plan from Penberthy.
"Besieged" Carlton isn't going anywhere. As the Daily Telegraph cries crocodile tears and monsters 2UE breakfast announcer Mike Carlton over comments he made about the late Stan Zemanek, consideration should be given to Carlton's position at 2UE. The Tele story today is a load of self-serving tosh, orchestrated by editor David Penberthy, who hates Carlton more than he disliked Zemanek:
"Besieged 2UE radio jock Mike Carlton is "on borrowed time" as management yesterday publicly outed him as "despicable" and "disgraceful". The breakfast host was hung out to dry by a furious Southern Cross Broadcasting management yesterday after telling listeners he "loathed" and "hated" his former colleague Stan Zemanek. "
2UE would find it tough to sack Carlton. He hasn't brought the station into disrepute -- since when is giving your opinion a problem in talkback radio? It never troubled Zemanek. And you have to doubt whether Southern Cross really knows how to handle Carlton after it stuffed up an attempt to replace him with co-host Peter Fitzsimmons last year. This year's ratings are better, ad revenues are up, all of which you can't really be sacked for, especially with the sort of contract Carlton still has. So what are the chances of him being terminated? 2UE is being bought by Fairfax along with Southern Cross's other metro radio stations. Carlton is a long time Fairfax columnist and for all his arrogance, the cross platform promotional possibilities of having Carlton as both SMH columnist and 2UE breakfast host is a powerful attraction to management who are besotted with the idea. -- Glenn Dyer
Nice one DT. Having a sooky fit for Carlton saying 'yes I hated him, he was a shit' considering you have in your stable Piers Akerman whose been slandering people for years.
Carlton and Zemanek had a feud for years. They hated each others guts. If Zemanek had been in the same position he'd likely have said worse then had one of his actor friends call up in a fake old woman voice to agree with him.
See the news ltd story here.
BESIEGED 2UE radio jock Mike Carlton is "on borrowed time" as management yesterday publicly outed him as "despicable", "disgraceful", "pathetic", "appalling", "unreasonable" and "unbelievable".
Setting up a clear mandate to dump the breakfast host, Carlton was hung out to dry by a furious Southern Cross Broadcasting management yesterday after telling listeners he "loathed" and "hated" his former colleague Stan Zemanek.
Carlton said he would only go to his funeral "to check he was actually dead."
The comments, said to have made Zemanek's wife Marcella "sick to the stomach" and devastated his two daughters as they prepared for the funeral, were born of "a despicable hatred of the kind seen only in the Middle East", Carlton's boss Southern Cross Broadcasting's group general manager Graham Mott said yesterday.
"It's just despicable. As I said to Mike it's hatred like you see in the Middle East, it's absolute rubbish.
Zemanek spent his radio career slamming gays, leftists, unemployed etc, calling everyone everything under the sun, and paid an unemployed character actor to impersonate "regulars" who his listeners loved.
Here's a snippet from the SMH where Zemanek demanded Crikey retract this story because he didn't personally pay the actor ...
Meanwhile Zemanek was less impressed with gossip website Crikey this week which rehashed a Spike scoop from June last year. He wrote to the site: "In your story yesterday, by Anthony Stavrinos, you state: 'The night-time host was paying an actor to make phoney calls to his show.' Please retract this immediately as I have never paid an actor to make phoney calls. If the claim is not deleted immediately, then you can be assured that costly legal proceedings will follow." Crikey promptly obeyed. Zemanek had them on a technicality. For the record and as published in the Herald, Zemanek's station 2UE was the entity which paid actor Bryan Wiseman $50 a call to ring up pretending to be one of three female characters: posh Barbara from Point Piper, saucy Tanya from Sylvania Waters and the 80-year-old sweetheart Grace. After our embarrassing revelations Wiseman lost the gig.
Here's the view of Glenn Dyer of Crikey on the 'sack Carlton' plan from Penberthy.
"Besieged" Carlton isn't going anywhere. As the Daily Telegraph cries crocodile tears and monsters 2UE breakfast announcer Mike Carlton over comments he made about the late Stan Zemanek, consideration should be given to Carlton's position at 2UE. The Tele story today is a load of self-serving tosh, orchestrated by editor David Penberthy, who hates Carlton more than he disliked Zemanek:
"Besieged 2UE radio jock Mike Carlton is "on borrowed time" as management yesterday publicly outed him as "despicable" and "disgraceful". The breakfast host was hung out to dry by a furious Southern Cross Broadcasting management yesterday after telling listeners he "loathed" and "hated" his former colleague Stan Zemanek. "
2UE would find it tough to sack Carlton. He hasn't brought the station into disrepute -- since when is giving your opinion a problem in talkback radio? It never troubled Zemanek. And you have to doubt whether Southern Cross really knows how to handle Carlton after it stuffed up an attempt to replace him with co-host Peter Fitzsimmons last year. This year's ratings are better, ad revenues are up, all of which you can't really be sacked for, especially with the sort of contract Carlton still has. So what are the chances of him being terminated? 2UE is being bought by Fairfax along with Southern Cross's other metro radio stations. Carlton is a long time Fairfax columnist and for all his arrogance, the cross platform promotional possibilities of having Carlton as both SMH columnist and 2UE breakfast host is a powerful attraction to management who are besotted with the idea. -- Glenn Dyer
Nice one DT. Having a sooky fit for Carlton saying 'yes I hated him, he was a shit' considering you have in your stable Piers Akerman whose been slandering people for years.
Carlton and Zemanek had a feud for years. They hated each others guts. If Zemanek had been in the same position he'd likely have said worse then had one of his actor friends call up in a fake old woman voice to agree with him.
Howard wanks on about unions
Re 730 report interview between Howard and O'Brien; Following in the footsteps of their stoopid 'run the unions are coming' billboard which claims (falsely) that 70% of the shadow ministry are 'union bosses' Howard chose not to answer the question of the day that he ran the economy like a git in Fraser's time and that he spends money in elections like a sex crazed teen sailor from the Kitty Hawk and instead repeated that unionists! claim.
Hilarious.
This comment from today's Crikey on the Libs effort
The Libs have put up a huge billboard in Dandenong Rd, in Melbourne's south east. It claims that 70% of the ALP Shadow Ministry are former union "bosses". I have done a quick check of the bios on the ALP website. This indicates that 14 of the 30 strong Shadow Ministry at some stage worked for a union in some capacity. This is just under 50%. It includes Burke, Bevis, Crean, Evans, the two Fergusons, Griffin, Ludwig, Lundy, McLelland, O'Brien, Roxon, Tanner and Wong. Unless some of the members are a bit reticent about their past, one can only assume that the Liberals have defined "union boss" rather broadly. Maybe they equate shop steward with union boss?
Let's see, business was primarily behind Work Choices. And many many Libs were business people (or professionals working as independent business people such as law). Hey - therefore
WATCH OUT, BUSINESS PEOPLE (WHO FUCKED PEOPLE OVER IN WORK CHOICES) DOMINATE THE FRONT RANKS OF THE COALITION!!!
Hey - he did it again! 70% were union bosses says Howard. I think he's written it on his hand or something.
'Er ... Union bosses Kerry. Union bosses. Um 70%!'
Dickhead.
Oh now he's defending the spending by screaming about the mythical debt he paid off. Of course there's still the 100 billion in unfunded super he hasn't accounted for. 'I have to balance demands of treasury against um ... elections!' Now he's claiming he doesn't spend like a dickhead to stay in power. 'It's in our nature to want to stay in' he whines. 'Besides I kept it in surplus after I bribed everyone with their own money.'
As in he's targeting people so they are going to vote for him as opposed to spending the money on things that are needed but don't get him votes because they are not as politically sexy.
Okay, now he's claiming the Howard/Costello act is the best double act in the history of Australia. Yeah let's forget Hawke/Keating, who had an equally poisonous relationship, who actually fixed the economy - the one broken by Howard.
Yep - Howard's claiming he had nothing with leaking the memo that made Costello look like an arse hat.
Yay, he mentioned the 'if I went under a bus..' line again. Hey he mentioned reforms on the waterfront as being one of his economic credentials. You know how is government encouraged the illegal sacking of an entire workforce and he never ever faced criminal penalty for it.
What an arse hat.
UPDATE: Here's a snapshot of the parliament with former trades etc
Here's some figures
41st Parliament by chamber shows that those who have been ‘party and union administrators and officials’ are much more prevalent in the Senate: 26 per cent of senators held such jobs immediately before entering parliament compared to only 8 per cent of lower house members (see Figure 8; for the purposes of this comparison, some of the employment categories have been conflated).
And
Not surprisingly, given the underlying philosophy of each party, the largest difference occurs in the ‘party and union administrators and officials’ category: 34 per cent of the Labor members held such jobs, compared to just 2 per cent of their Coalition colleagues. The figures are reversed, though with a smaller percentage point spread, in the ‘business executives/managers, etc’ category: 33 per cent of the Coalition members held jobs in this category compared to 11 per cent of their Labor counterparts.
As noted above, it could be that this difference in occupational backgrounds partially explains the variations in age distribution; it may be that Coalition members enter parliamentary politics later in life, after they have reached senior levels in the business world. Evidence in the next section supports this hypothesis in that Coalition politicians serve similar terms in office to their Labor colleagues, and not longer terms that would take them into the older age bracket.
Now this 34% includes party and union. Not just union. Which is about half of the claimed '70%' by the coalition - though this figure targeted the shadow cabinet. But even then, as noted by the Crikey responder, he counted just 50%.
Maybe they're just rounding up?
Anyway, this is more than counterbalanced by the fact (as noted in the report) that an almost identical amount of the coalition were business people before parliament.
Because they don't have any vested interests at all.
Hilarious.
This comment from today's Crikey on the Libs effort
The Libs have put up a huge billboard in Dandenong Rd, in Melbourne's south east. It claims that 70% of the ALP Shadow Ministry are former union "bosses". I have done a quick check of the bios on the ALP website. This indicates that 14 of the 30 strong Shadow Ministry at some stage worked for a union in some capacity. This is just under 50%. It includes Burke, Bevis, Crean, Evans, the two Fergusons, Griffin, Ludwig, Lundy, McLelland, O'Brien, Roxon, Tanner and Wong. Unless some of the members are a bit reticent about their past, one can only assume that the Liberals have defined "union boss" rather broadly. Maybe they equate shop steward with union boss?
Let's see, business was primarily behind Work Choices. And many many Libs were business people (or professionals working as independent business people such as law). Hey - therefore
WATCH OUT, BUSINESS PEOPLE (WHO FUCKED PEOPLE OVER IN WORK CHOICES) DOMINATE THE FRONT RANKS OF THE COALITION!!!
Hey - he did it again! 70% were union bosses says Howard. I think he's written it on his hand or something.
'Er ... Union bosses Kerry. Union bosses. Um 70%!'
Dickhead.
Oh now he's defending the spending by screaming about the mythical debt he paid off. Of course there's still the 100 billion in unfunded super he hasn't accounted for. 'I have to balance demands of treasury against um ... elections!' Now he's claiming he doesn't spend like a dickhead to stay in power. 'It's in our nature to want to stay in' he whines. 'Besides I kept it in surplus after I bribed everyone with their own money.'
As in he's targeting people so they are going to vote for him as opposed to spending the money on things that are needed but don't get him votes because they are not as politically sexy.
Okay, now he's claiming the Howard/Costello act is the best double act in the history of Australia. Yeah let's forget Hawke/Keating, who had an equally poisonous relationship, who actually fixed the economy - the one broken by Howard.
Yep - Howard's claiming he had nothing with leaking the memo that made Costello look like an arse hat.
Yay, he mentioned the 'if I went under a bus..' line again. Hey he mentioned reforms on the waterfront as being one of his economic credentials. You know how is government encouraged the illegal sacking of an entire workforce and he never ever faced criminal penalty for it.
What an arse hat.
UPDATE: Here's a snapshot of the parliament with former trades etc
Here's some figures
41st Parliament by chamber shows that those who have been ‘party and union administrators and officials’ are much more prevalent in the Senate: 26 per cent of senators held such jobs immediately before entering parliament compared to only 8 per cent of lower house members (see Figure 8; for the purposes of this comparison, some of the employment categories have been conflated).
And
Not surprisingly, given the underlying philosophy of each party, the largest difference occurs in the ‘party and union administrators and officials’ category: 34 per cent of the Labor members held such jobs, compared to just 2 per cent of their Coalition colleagues. The figures are reversed, though with a smaller percentage point spread, in the ‘business executives/managers, etc’ category: 33 per cent of the Coalition members held jobs in this category compared to 11 per cent of their Labor counterparts.
As noted above, it could be that this difference in occupational backgrounds partially explains the variations in age distribution; it may be that Coalition members enter parliamentary politics later in life, after they have reached senior levels in the business world. Evidence in the next section supports this hypothesis in that Coalition politicians serve similar terms in office to their Labor colleagues, and not longer terms that would take them into the older age bracket.
Now this 34% includes party and union. Not just union. Which is about half of the claimed '70%' by the coalition - though this figure targeted the shadow cabinet. But even then, as noted by the Crikey responder, he counted just 50%.
Maybe they're just rounding up?
Anyway, this is more than counterbalanced by the fact (as noted in the report) that an almost identical amount of the coalition were business people before parliament.
Because they don't have any vested interests at all.
Mutter grumble - parking bastards
Whilst driving to work I thought of a brilliant plan. I have to park on a street near the building cause when I arrive late all the parking is gone. Except you have to drive up the street and turn around to park.
Then it hit me. Why not just drive across the road and face the car up the hill! No worries about trying to squeeze in.
I had McDonalds in my pocket so I wanted to get to work quick. So I was huffing and puffing up the bush track that leads to the path near work when this young guy intercepted me.
'Hey, did you park facing forward?' he asks earnestly.
'Er yeah'
'You better move your car mate or you will get a ticket.'
'Huh, why?'
'Apparently you can't park on the side of a road opposite to the flow of traffic.'
'What? Really?'
'Yeah, I did it and they gave me a $70 ticket.'
I won't kid you. I seriously considered just thinking 'fuck it' and risk getting ticketed. But the ticket police are pretty effective in the ACT (just see what happens on a Friday if you don't feed the meter past 5.30pm), so I had to march off back down the fucking trail back to the fucking car to move the fucker.
As I stormed off I was shaking my fists and cursing the system.
I'm sure young mate fully thought I had tourette's.
Cue word art
The worst thing is I had been self praising on the way up the fucking trail for my time and effort shaving brilliance.
That will teach me to think 'I wonder why no one else ever thought of that...'
There's a reason numb nuts.
Then it hit me. Why not just drive across the road and face the car up the hill! No worries about trying to squeeze in.
I had McDonalds in my pocket so I wanted to get to work quick. So I was huffing and puffing up the bush track that leads to the path near work when this young guy intercepted me.
'Hey, did you park facing forward?' he asks earnestly.
'Er yeah'
'You better move your car mate or you will get a ticket.'
'Huh, why?'
'Apparently you can't park on the side of a road opposite to the flow of traffic.'
'What? Really?'
'Yeah, I did it and they gave me a $70 ticket.'
I won't kid you. I seriously considered just thinking 'fuck it' and risk getting ticketed. But the ticket police are pretty effective in the ACT (just see what happens on a Friday if you don't feed the meter past 5.30pm), so I had to march off back down the fucking trail back to the fucking car to move the fucker.
As I stormed off I was shaking my fists and cursing the system.
I'm sure young mate fully thought I had tourette's.
Cue word art
The worst thing is I had been self praising on the way up the fucking trail for my time and effort shaving brilliance. That will teach me to think 'I wonder why no one else ever thought of that...'
There's a reason numb nuts.
Haneef: Didn't post bail?
I went off yesterday at the correctional department in Brisbane sticking Haneef in double super secret detention despite the fact he'd made bail and was being detained on Visa grounds.
However it seems his legal council have opted not to post bail so as to keep him in Brisbane? Not sure. Crikey seem to think so
Another remarkable development yesterday in the sad case of Dr Mohamed Haneef, when his legal advisers opted not to post bail, and he was therefore transferred to Wolston Correctional Centre in Brisbane instead of being sent to immigration detention.
But the article the link leads to doesn't mention the bail issue.
This story on the ABC mentions the transfer but not the decision to opt out of bail.
Meanwhile, Queensland Police Minister Judy Spence has denied the tight security surrounding Haneef's transfer from the watch-house to the jail was over the top.
Ms Spence says Haneef is being treated as a "terrorist in every way" and it is appropriate that he is heavily guarded.
She says Haneef is being housed away from other prisoners at the Wolston correctional centre in a secure area.
"He will be held in a detention unit in separate confinement," she said.
"He will not associate with other prisoners, but he certainly will have access to his legal representation and I'm told that his lawyers will be seeing him there this afternoon."
Ms Spence says the conditions are humane and fair.
"When he moves around the prison he'll be accompanied by two prison officers," she said.
"He'll only be allowed one hour of exercise a day, but he will be allowed access to his legal advisers, he will have some limited access to visitors and to the telephone."
Nice of Judy Spence to preempt his trial with those comments that he's a terrorist. Way to allege there Judes.
Ah this is better. I believe the Defence is attacking the Visa decision which is why they haven't posted bail yet because they stand a chance to get the Visa thing pulled. Otherwise if they post bail he gets routed to Villawood.
So it seems my pique of anger was correctly piqued.
However it seems his legal council have opted not to post bail so as to keep him in Brisbane? Not sure. Crikey seem to think so
Another remarkable development yesterday in the sad case of Dr Mohamed Haneef, when his legal advisers opted not to post bail, and he was therefore transferred to Wolston Correctional Centre in Brisbane instead of being sent to immigration detention.
But the article the link leads to doesn't mention the bail issue.
This story on the ABC mentions the transfer but not the decision to opt out of bail.
Meanwhile, Queensland Police Minister Judy Spence has denied the tight security surrounding Haneef's transfer from the watch-house to the jail was over the top.
Ms Spence says Haneef is being treated as a "terrorist in every way" and it is appropriate that he is heavily guarded.
She says Haneef is being housed away from other prisoners at the Wolston correctional centre in a secure area.
"He will be held in a detention unit in separate confinement," she said.
"He will not associate with other prisoners, but he certainly will have access to his legal representation and I'm told that his lawyers will be seeing him there this afternoon."
Ms Spence says the conditions are humane and fair.
"When he moves around the prison he'll be accompanied by two prison officers," she said.
"He'll only be allowed one hour of exercise a day, but he will be allowed access to his legal advisers, he will have some limited access to visitors and to the telephone."
Nice of Judy Spence to preempt his trial with those comments that he's a terrorist. Way to allege there Judes.
Ah this is better. I believe the Defence is attacking the Visa decision which is why they haven't posted bail yet because they stand a chance to get the Visa thing pulled. Otherwise if they post bail he gets routed to Villawood.
So it seems my pique of anger was correctly piqued.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Howard government is the best since ... um ... Menzies!
Well it couldn't be Malcolm Fraser could it Tonester? What with all his negative comments about the fact the party he led has shifted so far to the right that they should consider purchasing a job lot of puffy directing pants for the ex-young libs they are shoe horning into comfortable seats. Can't be Harold Holt - he was a pants man who vanished into the bowels of the sea or a Chinese sub depending on which why you lean.
So it's Menzies eh? Menzies was awesome. Menzies who screamed loud and hard about reds under the bed so the ALP split along sectarian lines and a PM who spent serious effort in trying to ban another legitimate (if misguided) political party. A man who was likely responsible for encouraging the yanks to take over from the French in Vietnam - or stay there when they were thinking of bugging out. A man who ran an economy that was utterly dependent not on the skill sets Australian bought to the work place but to the wool on the backs of its sheep.
I can certainly see the parallels in your shitty fuck people over government and the shitty fuck people over government of the Menzies years.
It's not all about the economy Tonester.
But any rate let's have a look at the statement of claims
By most criteria, the Howard Government has been the best since Menzies. Unemployment, interest rates and inflation are at 30-year lows. There is virtually no foreign debt. Australians' real net wealth per head has doubled since 1996 and real wages have increased by 20 per cent. Contrary to mythology, the richest and the poorest deciles have increased their disposable income at about the same rate since 1996, with the biggest percentage gains going to middle-income families. Almost 80 per cent of Australian families are buying their own homes, an all-time record.
Unemployment is down, but the international stats rules on determining unemployment has greatly changed since those figures began in Menzies time (though all govts I believe use these metrics) - to whit one hour or more of paid employment is not unemployed. There is about 100 billion of un funded commonwealth super liability (though the "future fund" which is reliant on a creaking Dinosaur of a telecom that the government fucked in the ass truly well is allegedly going to fix that). It takes now eight years of salary to buy a house instead of six years with houses artificially boosted in value due to a combination of the economy and government fuckups. And disposable income increases can largely be attributed not to anything your government did but the painful much derided economic reforms (your party agreed with but that you used to electoral advantage) by the ALP, remembering the last two years of the Keating government were in growth when you took office.
Dress it up all you want Abbott. Beat your chest and wail about the ungrateful voter that voted for you not because of all the stuff you did but in spite of it.
Oh - and if you're writing as the Minister of Health try writing about fucking health policy. If you want to stick to purely political hand waving and ranting then perhaps sign off as 'manager of government business' or whatever toadying political slot you fill in your fetid swamp of corporate prostitutes you front for instead.
So it's Menzies eh? Menzies was awesome. Menzies who screamed loud and hard about reds under the bed so the ALP split along sectarian lines and a PM who spent serious effort in trying to ban another legitimate (if misguided) political party. A man who was likely responsible for encouraging the yanks to take over from the French in Vietnam - or stay there when they were thinking of bugging out. A man who ran an economy that was utterly dependent not on the skill sets Australian bought to the work place but to the wool on the backs of its sheep.
I can certainly see the parallels in your shitty fuck people over government and the shitty fuck people over government of the Menzies years.
It's not all about the economy Tonester.
But any rate let's have a look at the statement of claims
By most criteria, the Howard Government has been the best since Menzies. Unemployment, interest rates and inflation are at 30-year lows. There is virtually no foreign debt. Australians' real net wealth per head has doubled since 1996 and real wages have increased by 20 per cent. Contrary to mythology, the richest and the poorest deciles have increased their disposable income at about the same rate since 1996, with the biggest percentage gains going to middle-income families. Almost 80 per cent of Australian families are buying their own homes, an all-time record.
Unemployment is down, but the international stats rules on determining unemployment has greatly changed since those figures began in Menzies time (though all govts I believe use these metrics) - to whit one hour or more of paid employment is not unemployed. There is about 100 billion of un funded commonwealth super liability (though the "future fund" which is reliant on a creaking Dinosaur of a telecom that the government fucked in the ass truly well is allegedly going to fix that). It takes now eight years of salary to buy a house instead of six years with houses artificially boosted in value due to a combination of the economy and government fuckups. And disposable income increases can largely be attributed not to anything your government did but the painful much derided economic reforms (your party agreed with but that you used to electoral advantage) by the ALP, remembering the last two years of the Keating government were in growth when you took office.
Dress it up all you want Abbott. Beat your chest and wail about the ungrateful voter that voted for you not because of all the stuff you did but in spite of it.
Oh - and if you're writing as the Minister of Health try writing about fucking health policy. If you want to stick to purely political hand waving and ranting then perhaps sign off as 'manager of government business' or whatever toadying political slot you fill in your fetid swamp of corporate prostitutes you front for instead.
Stop it - you're being mean
The PM is being rightly pilloried for attempting to use the internet (which is a medium that enables and encourages direct feedback to messages) in such a jaded political partisan fashion with his crinkle eyed speech on their 'climate change initiatives'.
See Sarah/Gam's post here.
Apparently Dear Leader isn't too happy with the rejoinders - see here, describing a large eyebrowed sleeping version of him snoozing 11 years and avoiding doing shit all as "pathetic".
Pot kettle black my friend. In fact this is a rubber glue moment for Howard.
"Well, my response is that is a pretty pathetic approach," the prime minister told the Nine Network.
"I thought this was meant to be a debate about who has the best policies for the future of the country.
"Mr Rudd said yesterday that what people wanted was fresh ideas, not negative attacks.
Really. So all that shit you tried on Kevin Rudd by attacking his family, his meeting with Labor figures, and various other dirt expeditions - let alone forcing a minister to resign solely so you could attempt a fuck you wasn't negative eh?
What a fucking hypocrite.
See Sarah/Gam's post here.
Apparently Dear Leader isn't too happy with the rejoinders - see here, describing a large eyebrowed sleeping version of him snoozing 11 years and avoiding doing shit all as "pathetic".
Pot kettle black my friend. In fact this is a rubber glue moment for Howard.
"Well, my response is that is a pretty pathetic approach," the prime minister told the Nine Network.
"I thought this was meant to be a debate about who has the best policies for the future of the country.
"Mr Rudd said yesterday that what people wanted was fresh ideas, not negative attacks.
Really. So all that shit you tried on Kevin Rudd by attacking his family, his meeting with Labor figures, and various other dirt expeditions - let alone forcing a minister to resign solely so you could attempt a fuck you wasn't negative eh?
What a fucking hypocrite.
Me tooism is sh/tting me
The ALP's somewhat pathetic 'me too' RE Haneef is pissing me off. Yes we're the more enlightened party (in my opinion), the more progressive party. But we pander too much to the swinging fearful voter.
Like with this crap.
Haneef, who was found by a magistrate to be allowed bail in the charge of supporting terrorism by misuse of a SIM card, is awaiting transfer to Villawood because the Minister declared he was of bad character despite the fact he'd yet to have been convicted of anything.
However the QLD Corrections department is not treating him as a 'detained visa revoked visitor to be picked up by immigration'. They are treating him as a terrorist.
See here.
Queensland Police and Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today said the conditions of his detention included no contact with other inmates, meaning Haneef would be alone in a cell for all but one hour a day, when he is allowed to exercise.
Haneef would also face a different regime to that of other prisoners, she said.
"A terrorist prisoner is required to be held apart from the mainstream prison population, so he will be held in a segregated environment, when he moves around the prison he will be accompanied by two prison officers," she told reporters in Brisbane today.
"Anyone who is charged under terrorist legislation is obviously seen as a greater threat to the good order of our society than other type of prisoners."
He's on bail for that charge. He's not being held in prison on that charge. He is someone who had his visa revoked. A magistrate has determined that he does not have to be secured until trial which is why the Coalition just raped legal tradition over the bonnet of their fear car.
Unfortunately to the distinct silence of the ALP.
Look this guy may be guilty. I get that. But give him his day in court. And don't parade him around in chains and chest thump about how he spends 23 hours a day in the pokey when he's detained not because he is charged with terror offenses but because of a capricious withdrawal of his Visa because the damn independent judiciary acted independently.
I hate, I loathe how Laura Norder has such a dominant power in this country, largely because of tabloid media influence (radio, paper, and TV). It screams and screams and screams about soft on crime and punishing crims all the while making it harder to people to get a fair go when they travel through the justice system.
And they wonder why some people become radicalized when they or their culture or religion are demonised on a daily basis.
Fuckwads.
Is it me or does Haneef seem to have become a brown Hicks. Let's find out in three years time when he's still in Villawood.
Like with this crap.
Haneef, who was found by a magistrate to be allowed bail in the charge of supporting terrorism by misuse of a SIM card, is awaiting transfer to Villawood because the Minister declared he was of bad character despite the fact he'd yet to have been convicted of anything.
However the QLD Corrections department is not treating him as a 'detained visa revoked visitor to be picked up by immigration'. They are treating him as a terrorist.
See here.
Queensland Police and Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today said the conditions of his detention included no contact with other inmates, meaning Haneef would be alone in a cell for all but one hour a day, when he is allowed to exercise.
Haneef would also face a different regime to that of other prisoners, she said.
"A terrorist prisoner is required to be held apart from the mainstream prison population, so he will be held in a segregated environment, when he moves around the prison he will be accompanied by two prison officers," she told reporters in Brisbane today.
"Anyone who is charged under terrorist legislation is obviously seen as a greater threat to the good order of our society than other type of prisoners."
He's on bail for that charge. He's not being held in prison on that charge. He is someone who had his visa revoked. A magistrate has determined that he does not have to be secured until trial which is why the Coalition just raped legal tradition over the bonnet of their fear car.
Unfortunately to the distinct silence of the ALP.
Look this guy may be guilty. I get that. But give him his day in court. And don't parade him around in chains and chest thump about how he spends 23 hours a day in the pokey when he's detained not because he is charged with terror offenses but because of a capricious withdrawal of his Visa because the damn independent judiciary acted independently.
I hate, I loathe how Laura Norder has such a dominant power in this country, largely because of tabloid media influence (radio, paper, and TV). It screams and screams and screams about soft on crime and punishing crims all the while making it harder to people to get a fair go when they travel through the justice system.
And they wonder why some people become radicalized when they or their culture or religion are demonised on a daily basis.
Fuckwads.
Is it me or does Haneef seem to have become a brown Hicks. Let's find out in three years time when he's still in Villawood.
Area man accidentally proposes to snack machine
Believe it or not I am not snack obsessed. I rarely use the snack machine. Maybe once every couple of days I might purchase 'not for individual sale' chockies from my friendly neighbourhood social fridge but for the most part actual purchase of goods from a snack type machine is quite rare.
I've been getting half serves at lunch from the local cafe as I figure part of the problem for me is eating too much in one hit. But 20 years of shitty eating has left me with a large inner tube. So I get hungry. About 3ish today I got hungry enough for something substantial, despite x3 fun sized units from said social fridge.
So I went to get a pack of chips from the snack machine.
Again, a rare event.
I have a dodgy back. Most fat people have dodgy backs - well guys at least - because we're carrying a load out front and it fucks up spine and associated muscle. So I have to be careful when I bend and so forth.
I dropped my twenty cents in front of the machine - the last money to slot in - so I went down on one knee to pick it up. While I was there, since I had to bend to get the item out of the slot, I figured I would just stay down until it arrived and then get up. So from my kneeling position I inserted the last of the money.
For some reason, the way I held my hands ready to get the chips out made it look like I was cupping something. Perhaps a ring sized box?
At any rate, it looked like the floor fatty had asked the snack machine to marry him. I'm sure at least that's what the person behind me thought.
I think this deserves from word art.
Oh - we ordered a collapsible trolley from the stationary book (which lacks prices because they don't want public servants to have a conscience about spending public money). I need it because my area generates reports of which many boxes have to be delivered. The customer service cell never have a spare trolley hence the getting of our own.
I was pretty chuffed with the purchase and, for some reason, decided to drive it into the work station duplex where my new boss sits and spin around several times all the while exclaiming I was performing some circle work.
Her reaction was to ask if I had taken my medication that day. There was an edge to the way she asked that suggested she wasn't 100% joking.
Way to first impression HM.
PS The Calvary Hospital in Canberra has these kewl snack machines that have an elevator in them. So instead of dropping the item from a height, an elevator zooms up like a office block window washer platform to sit under the item which drops into its lovingly rubber padded embrace then zooms back down to the slot. Yay! Makes me laugh and clap every time. Well, the two times I used it at any rate.
I've been getting half serves at lunch from the local cafe as I figure part of the problem for me is eating too much in one hit. But 20 years of shitty eating has left me with a large inner tube. So I get hungry. About 3ish today I got hungry enough for something substantial, despite x3 fun sized units from said social fridge.
So I went to get a pack of chips from the snack machine.
Again, a rare event.
I have a dodgy back. Most fat people have dodgy backs - well guys at least - because we're carrying a load out front and it fucks up spine and associated muscle. So I have to be careful when I bend and so forth.
I dropped my twenty cents in front of the machine - the last money to slot in - so I went down on one knee to pick it up. While I was there, since I had to bend to get the item out of the slot, I figured I would just stay down until it arrived and then get up. So from my kneeling position I inserted the last of the money.
For some reason, the way I held my hands ready to get the chips out made it look like I was cupping something. Perhaps a ring sized box?
At any rate, it looked like the floor fatty had asked the snack machine to marry him. I'm sure at least that's what the person behind me thought.
I think this deserves from word art.Oh - we ordered a collapsible trolley from the stationary book (which lacks prices because they don't want public servants to have a conscience about spending public money). I need it because my area generates reports of which many boxes have to be delivered. The customer service cell never have a spare trolley hence the getting of our own.
I was pretty chuffed with the purchase and, for some reason, decided to drive it into the work station duplex where my new boss sits and spin around several times all the while exclaiming I was performing some circle work.
Her reaction was to ask if I had taken my medication that day. There was an edge to the way she asked that suggested she wasn't 100% joking.
Way to first impression HM.
PS The Calvary Hospital in Canberra has these kewl snack machines that have an elevator in them. So instead of dropping the item from a height, an elevator zooms up like a office block window washer platform to sit under the item which drops into its lovingly rubber padded embrace then zooms back down to the slot. Yay! Makes me laugh and clap every time. Well, the two times I used it at any rate.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Bartlett on Haneef
The federal government has brazenly perverted the law for political purposes. They have (a) overturned the fundamental freedom that a person is innocent until proven guilty, (b) locked someone up on secret evidence (assuming there is any evidence) (c) indefinitely detained someone without a charge (d) acted literally on guilt by association, and (e) reinforced the precedent that Ministers can make a political decision to lock someone up, regardless of what the Courts think.
See here.
Bartlett is a shining light of the Democrats in Oz. Kudos.
See here.
Bartlett is a shining light of the Democrats in Oz. Kudos.
The Timelife Soft Rock collection
If you really, really want to look, go here.
BTW the Yacht rock stuff as originally linked by Beve is friggin' hilarious.
BTW the Yacht rock stuff as originally linked by Beve is friggin' hilarious.
Desk Thievery
In the public service many of us are concerned with stuff being flogged by the cleaners ("they're evil I tells ya!"). In fact the former owner of my work station warned me that someone had flogged a teddy bear from her monitor.
I have never ever experienced theft in the work place. Hell I leave my mp3 player in my unlocked top desk drawer along with coins and stuff. So really not that worried. Sure I lock up work stuff that is sensitive and laptops and stuff. But as far as personal items go, not that fussed.
Our Syd friend works for a big company. Occasionally employees get samples of stuff. She got six sachets of french salad dressing today. When she came back from lunch someone had flogged it. In fact someone had flogged the last samples she had gotten - chockie eggs back at Easter.
However she is ridiculously good looking so I suspect its a work place stalker that's building some sort of stalky shrine with items harvested from her.
Ever had something flogged from the workplace? Let HM know.
PS I had stuff flogged from me at school all the time. Like my bike helmet. That was returned with a massive cock drawn on it. Ha, ha fuckwads.
I have never ever experienced theft in the work place. Hell I leave my mp3 player in my unlocked top desk drawer along with coins and stuff. So really not that worried. Sure I lock up work stuff that is sensitive and laptops and stuff. But as far as personal items go, not that fussed.
Our Syd friend works for a big company. Occasionally employees get samples of stuff. She got six sachets of french salad dressing today. When she came back from lunch someone had flogged it. In fact someone had flogged the last samples she had gotten - chockie eggs back at Easter.
However she is ridiculously good looking so I suspect its a work place stalker that's building some sort of stalky shrine with items harvested from her.
Ever had something flogged from the workplace? Let HM know.
PS I had stuff flogged from me at school all the time. Like my bike helmet. That was returned with a massive cock drawn on it. Ha, ha fuckwads.
From today's Crikey - Haneef can be held forever
Ripped from today's Crikey - www.crikey.com.au
If this is true the the government has found a way to fuck people over even more than they have done.
Haneef could be detained "forever" - Thomas Hunter
Terror suspect Dr Mohamed Haneef could be held in administrative detention "forever", says Michael Clothier, former senior member of the Australian Government’s Immigration Review Tribunal and practising immigration lawyer.
"Unlike the court detention under the terrorism act, the High Court has said that a non-citizen can be detained forever," Clothier says. Moreover, Andrews is "abusing his powers under section 501", and the parliament "should never have given an immigration minister such powers."
According to section 501 of the Migration Act:
(1) The Minister may refuse to grant a visa to a person if the person does not satisfy the Minister that the person passes the character test.
(2) The Minister may cancel a visa that has been granted to a person (on certain grounds)...
Clothier tells Crikey that, "if the minister thinks you are a bad character he can, without granting you natural justice, cancel or refuse a visa. If your visa is cancelled, any other visa application is deemed to be refused and you must be detained in administrative detention. There is no discretion. This is obviously why they have used 501.
"That administrative power is absolute. 501 is a really nasty section. In fact, ironically, [Haneef] has more rights as a terrorist suspect than as an immigration 457 visa holder who has been detained under section 501. There are about 35,000 other 457 visa holders currently in Australia who would have to be worried about who they lend their SIM cards to in future!"
A not tall moment bought to you by Harrangueman
Whilst leaving the toilet area at work I ended up walking along a narrow passage between a work station wall and an actual wall. It's big enough really for just one person. You have to squeeze sideways past oncoming traffic.
Anyway, as I was about to leave this narrow passage of work fun a giant woman entered. We kind of did this awkward two step where you each step to the same side in preparation for the turn and squeeze. It went for a few moments until we reached an impasse.
Then she reached over with an entrée plate sized hand and gently pushed me to one side and out of the way.
I was most shocked.
I hate not tall moments.
On a side note there's this young guy at my work whose about seven feet tall and skinny as. He's also a smoker. As I walked into work I noticed he was leaning against a light pole. I swear that as I passed it, he fully looked like he wasn't there and that the light pole was holding its hand up to its lamp lips and taking a puff.
I laughed muchly.
Anyway, as I was about to leave this narrow passage of work fun a giant woman entered. We kind of did this awkward two step where you each step to the same side in preparation for the turn and squeeze. It went for a few moments until we reached an impasse.
Then she reached over with an entrée plate sized hand and gently pushed me to one side and out of the way.
I was most shocked.
I hate not tall moments.
On a side note there's this young guy at my work whose about seven feet tall and skinny as. He's also a smoker. As I walked into work I noticed he was leaning against a light pole. I swear that as I passed it, he fully looked like he wasn't there and that the light pole was holding its hand up to its lamp lips and taking a puff.
I laughed muchly.Toilet Business 5
Today whilst using the lav at work I came across an odd urination technique. A fellow wee'er leaning with one hand against the wall whilst using the urinal shell.
I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was because the power of his stream was so great he had to lean into it in order to prevent step back? Maybe he was just tired? Perhaps a prostate and/or STD issue where painful urination was occurring?
Anyway, it was weird.
I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was because the power of his stream was so great he had to lean into it in order to prevent step back? Maybe he was just tired? Perhaps a prostate and/or STD issue where painful urination was occurring?
Anyway, it was weird.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Unbelievable
Mr anti-Christian Andrews as arranged for Dr Haneef, who got bailed, to be detained on character grounds. Take that judiciary! The executive is on the ball protecting us from people that give mates their old SIM cards.
See here.
Adios presumption of innocence. Actually that's pretty much gone anyway.
Hooray for the anti-terror laws and immigration laws. Protecting us from er brown people.
Oh, if he is involved in actual hands on plotting, I guess we will find out when he gets his day in court. In the meantime its Villawood for him.
UPDATE: According to his defence lawyers (on SBS) the man he gave the SIM to was his cousin and the reason why he gave the SIM away was because he was leaving the UK and his SIM wouldn't work where he was going. Bad man! I bet he's into this global warming myth, recycling things like that.
See here.
Adios presumption of innocence. Actually that's pretty much gone anyway.
Hooray for the anti-terror laws and immigration laws. Protecting us from er brown people.
Oh, if he is involved in actual hands on plotting, I guess we will find out when he gets his day in court. In the meantime its Villawood for him.
UPDATE: According to his defence lawyers (on SBS) the man he gave the SIM to was his cousin and the reason why he gave the SIM away was because he was leaving the UK and his SIM wouldn't work where he was going. Bad man! I bet he's into this global warming myth, recycling things like that.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Worst. Infomercial. Ever
Yep even worse than the exercise "... bean..." or that see-saw exercise machine where they actually had hottie girl & guy combo working out in a room where dry ice was curling around their legs as they yanked up and down.
The Timelife 'Soft Rock' collection, featuring two surviving members of Air Supply, who look so old and rock ravaged that they clearly need an actual air supply on stand by, spruiking the sweet non offensive strains of soft rock.
If there was a collection designed for use in Iraq for questionable interrogation techniques this is it. Either that or the backing music to the "ELEVATOR OF THE DAMNED".
The most hilarious thing about it is the use of footage from the eras in question. Tight pants, big hair, Vaseline on the lens, and every second word baby and/or love.
The only thing I loved about it was when it finished.
Timeline are really scrapping the bottom of the barrel on this one.
Bevester I think you should get it. If only for the laugh value. Hey, can CDs fit in clay pigeon launchers? Now there's an idea...
The Timelife 'Soft Rock' collection, featuring two surviving members of Air Supply, who look so old and rock ravaged that they clearly need an actual air supply on stand by, spruiking the sweet non offensive strains of soft rock.
If there was a collection designed for use in Iraq for questionable interrogation techniques this is it. Either that or the backing music to the "ELEVATOR OF THE DAMNED".
The most hilarious thing about it is the use of footage from the eras in question. Tight pants, big hair, Vaseline on the lens, and every second word baby and/or love.
The only thing I loved about it was when it finished.
Timeline are really scrapping the bottom of the barrel on this one.
Bevester I think you should get it. If only for the laugh value. Hey, can CDs fit in clay pigeon launchers? Now there's an idea...
Quality Burnage
Mike Carlton on George Bush
MICHAEL SCHEUER is a former spook who once led the CIA unit tasked with hunting down and killing Osama bin Laden. Despite an oddly disarming teddy-bear demeanour, he is no liberal wimp. It was he who thought up the idea of "rendering" terrorist suspects for a spot of enhanced interrogation techniques (aka torture) in the prisons of helpful Middle Eastern dictatorships.
I met him in Sydney this week. Retired now, he too believes the war to be a catastrophe. And the reason, he argues, is that America did not and does not understand the enemy.
His take is that al-Qaeda and like-minded Islamists do not seek the destruction of Western, Christian civilisation, as we are so often told the fight is all about. Bin Laden might not be too keen on bikinied women, barbecued pork and the Bible, but his true war aim is the expulsion of the American political, military and economic presence from the lands of the prophet. "The reality is [that] American foreign policy in the Middle East over the past 35 to 40 years has been basically to support the Israelis without question and to make sure that oil stays inexpensive," Scheuer says. "And [to do this] we have nurtured, supported and protected Arab tyrannies and police states."
It was George Bush snr's 1991 Gulf War deployment of US forces to Saudi Arabia, bin Laden's homeland, that propelled al-Qaeda into the 1993 and 2001 attacks on New York's World Trade Centre, he believes.
THIS argument of failure to understand the enemy is persuasive. As stupid as ever, the neo-cons and their fellow travellers like to sneer at Vietnam comparisons, but the analogy is there. Americans did not understand that war either. They thought Ho Chi Minh was fighting to spread the red tide of communism throughout South-East Asia - the famous domino theory - when in fact all he wanted was to chuck the foreigners out of his homeland. In occupying Iraq and Afghanistan, the US is repeating the errors of history with unswerving accuracy.
To Scheuer, the consequences are obvious. All that has been achieved in Iraq, he says, is that the country "is now the breeding ground for training the next generation of insurgents. The whole idea that we are fighting them there instead of here is insane. And I think this doctors' plot [in Britain] shows that."
Right on. The imperial hubris of the neo-cons and their incompetent execution of this war have served only to strengthen al-Qaeda and to embolden the maddies who run Iran. The chimera of a pacified Iraq becoming a cradle of democracy across the Middle East has evaporated.
Vic-tor-ee is no longer an option. If the Iraq war was ever winnable - and I never thought it was - it is now irretrievably lost. The country is in the throes of not one civil war but what appear to be about four of them, an internecine nightmare which no amount of American blood and treasure can redeem.
See here.
Alan Ramsey on Dennis Shanahan and the other Liberal party suck ups at the Oz.
ACNielsen's polling reflects Newspoll's. Each shows the same gap in popular support after six months between Labor and the Government: nine percentage points. ACNielsen's first poll in February had Labor on 46 per cent and the Coalition on 36 percent. Its last poll in June registered Labor 48, Coalition 39 - the same outcome as Newspoll polled last weekend. Now you understand the Government panic for seats in the lifeboats.
ACNielsen is polling again this weekend.
Despite all this, how did The Australian report the latest Newspoll findings? "HOWARD CHECKS RUDD'S MARCH" trumpeted its front-page banner on Tuesday. Pardon?
Although Labor's primary vote had picked up two points to 48 per cent, with the Government static on 39 per cent, the paper buried it under a blanket of tosh. Its creative political editor, Dennis Shanahan, stepped around the obvious news that the Coalition had gained nothing on Labor despite six months of furious campaigning and began his long report breathlessly: "John Howard has won overwhelming approval for his campaign to end child abuse in the Northern Territory, with his personal standing among voters drawing level with Kevin Rudd's for the first time in six months." Even this fudged the actual figures.
The supposed "news" story had much similar blah-blah, while an extraordinary Shanahan comment piece mixed fact with a bush picnic to tell readers: "Voters drawn to the Rudd barbecue by the sizzle and smell of onions may now be looking for the sausage. What's more, the old dog John Howard is clawing away, going for scraps and getting noticed by those standing with buttered bread in hand." What on earth, some of us wondered, did Dennis have in hand when he wrote that?
Two days later The Australian rushed to its political editor's defence with a bizarre 1500-word editorial which began: "The measure of good journalism is objectivity and a fearless regard for the truth. Bias, nonetheless, is in the eye of the beholder and some people will always see conspiracy when the facts don't suit. This is the affliction which has gripped, to a large measure, Australia's online news commentariat that has found passing endless comment on other people's work preferable to breaking real stories and adding to society's pool of knowledge…"
Ah yes, a "fearless regard for the truth" in "breaking real stories". Of course.
This, mind you, because The Australian's website had been swamped with readers' comments, as Shanahan went online to acknowledge on Wednesday: "Well, haven't I copped heaps over my interpretation of the latest Newspoll survey which showed Labor well in front but John Howard catching Kevin Rudd on preferred prime minister…"
Indeed he did, like this one: "What a whingeing sook. Dennis, your attempts to explain yesterday's column are even more embarrassing than yesterday's column. The comments have clearly stung, as they bloody-well should, as you repeatedly and deliberately look for any spin in a Liberal direction while ignoring any ALP angle. The correct lead for yesterday's page 1 story was 'no movement in polls'…" It wasn't, but it wasn't what The Australian sought to portray, either.
The real curiosity, irrespective of Shanahan's sausage sizzle, was The Australian's display of extreme sensitivity in devoting two full broadsheet columns of its opinion page to editorialise in its political editor's defence. Perhaps bloggers' repeated reference to the paper as The Government Gazette tweaked the editor on a bad day.
See Here.
However this next bit is a bit of a worry.
I wonder if Howard was aware Kevin Rudd and David Penberthy, the Telegraph's editor, enjoyed a good dinner together in a Sydney restaurant eight days ago? Rudd, a charming guest, apparently, when his staff aren't monstering reporters on his behalf, then went off to Darlinghurst's Gaslight Inn "where he played pool and downed a few beers" with some of the paper's "younger folk".
Come on Ruddy. First having lunch with Piers Akerman and now Penberthy. I know giving these people face time in order to perhaps convince them to tone down their News Ltd ranting is likely one of those things you have to do in politics, but please please please be careful. These people are evil fuckwads who will screw you to the wall the moment anyone gives them the chance to. If you get in they will come for you with everything they have. Be warned says I.
MICHAEL SCHEUER is a former spook who once led the CIA unit tasked with hunting down and killing Osama bin Laden. Despite an oddly disarming teddy-bear demeanour, he is no liberal wimp. It was he who thought up the idea of "rendering" terrorist suspects for a spot of enhanced interrogation techniques (aka torture) in the prisons of helpful Middle Eastern dictatorships.
I met him in Sydney this week. Retired now, he too believes the war to be a catastrophe. And the reason, he argues, is that America did not and does not understand the enemy.
His take is that al-Qaeda and like-minded Islamists do not seek the destruction of Western, Christian civilisation, as we are so often told the fight is all about. Bin Laden might not be too keen on bikinied women, barbecued pork and the Bible, but his true war aim is the expulsion of the American political, military and economic presence from the lands of the prophet. "The reality is [that] American foreign policy in the Middle East over the past 35 to 40 years has been basically to support the Israelis without question and to make sure that oil stays inexpensive," Scheuer says. "And [to do this] we have nurtured, supported and protected Arab tyrannies and police states."
It was George Bush snr's 1991 Gulf War deployment of US forces to Saudi Arabia, bin Laden's homeland, that propelled al-Qaeda into the 1993 and 2001 attacks on New York's World Trade Centre, he believes.
THIS argument of failure to understand the enemy is persuasive. As stupid as ever, the neo-cons and their fellow travellers like to sneer at Vietnam comparisons, but the analogy is there. Americans did not understand that war either. They thought Ho Chi Minh was fighting to spread the red tide of communism throughout South-East Asia - the famous domino theory - when in fact all he wanted was to chuck the foreigners out of his homeland. In occupying Iraq and Afghanistan, the US is repeating the errors of history with unswerving accuracy.
To Scheuer, the consequences are obvious. All that has been achieved in Iraq, he says, is that the country "is now the breeding ground for training the next generation of insurgents. The whole idea that we are fighting them there instead of here is insane. And I think this doctors' plot [in Britain] shows that."
Right on. The imperial hubris of the neo-cons and their incompetent execution of this war have served only to strengthen al-Qaeda and to embolden the maddies who run Iran. The chimera of a pacified Iraq becoming a cradle of democracy across the Middle East has evaporated.
Vic-tor-ee is no longer an option. If the Iraq war was ever winnable - and I never thought it was - it is now irretrievably lost. The country is in the throes of not one civil war but what appear to be about four of them, an internecine nightmare which no amount of American blood and treasure can redeem.
See here.
Alan Ramsey on Dennis Shanahan and the other Liberal party suck ups at the Oz.
ACNielsen's polling reflects Newspoll's. Each shows the same gap in popular support after six months between Labor and the Government: nine percentage points. ACNielsen's first poll in February had Labor on 46 per cent and the Coalition on 36 percent. Its last poll in June registered Labor 48, Coalition 39 - the same outcome as Newspoll polled last weekend. Now you understand the Government panic for seats in the lifeboats.
ACNielsen is polling again this weekend.
Despite all this, how did The Australian report the latest Newspoll findings? "HOWARD CHECKS RUDD'S MARCH" trumpeted its front-page banner on Tuesday. Pardon?
Although Labor's primary vote had picked up two points to 48 per cent, with the Government static on 39 per cent, the paper buried it under a blanket of tosh. Its creative political editor, Dennis Shanahan, stepped around the obvious news that the Coalition had gained nothing on Labor despite six months of furious campaigning and began his long report breathlessly: "John Howard has won overwhelming approval for his campaign to end child abuse in the Northern Territory, with his personal standing among voters drawing level with Kevin Rudd's for the first time in six months." Even this fudged the actual figures.
The supposed "news" story had much similar blah-blah, while an extraordinary Shanahan comment piece mixed fact with a bush picnic to tell readers: "Voters drawn to the Rudd barbecue by the sizzle and smell of onions may now be looking for the sausage. What's more, the old dog John Howard is clawing away, going for scraps and getting noticed by those standing with buttered bread in hand." What on earth, some of us wondered, did Dennis have in hand when he wrote that?
Two days later The Australian rushed to its political editor's defence with a bizarre 1500-word editorial which began: "The measure of good journalism is objectivity and a fearless regard for the truth. Bias, nonetheless, is in the eye of the beholder and some people will always see conspiracy when the facts don't suit. This is the affliction which has gripped, to a large measure, Australia's online news commentariat that has found passing endless comment on other people's work preferable to breaking real stories and adding to society's pool of knowledge…"
Ah yes, a "fearless regard for the truth" in "breaking real stories". Of course.
This, mind you, because The Australian's website had been swamped with readers' comments, as Shanahan went online to acknowledge on Wednesday: "Well, haven't I copped heaps over my interpretation of the latest Newspoll survey which showed Labor well in front but John Howard catching Kevin Rudd on preferred prime minister…"
Indeed he did, like this one: "What a whingeing sook. Dennis, your attempts to explain yesterday's column are even more embarrassing than yesterday's column. The comments have clearly stung, as they bloody-well should, as you repeatedly and deliberately look for any spin in a Liberal direction while ignoring any ALP angle. The correct lead for yesterday's page 1 story was 'no movement in polls'…" It wasn't, but it wasn't what The Australian sought to portray, either.
The real curiosity, irrespective of Shanahan's sausage sizzle, was The Australian's display of extreme sensitivity in devoting two full broadsheet columns of its opinion page to editorialise in its political editor's defence. Perhaps bloggers' repeated reference to the paper as The Government Gazette tweaked the editor on a bad day.
See Here.
However this next bit is a bit of a worry.
I wonder if Howard was aware Kevin Rudd and David Penberthy, the Telegraph's editor, enjoyed a good dinner together in a Sydney restaurant eight days ago? Rudd, a charming guest, apparently, when his staff aren't monstering reporters on his behalf, then went off to Darlinghurst's Gaslight Inn "where he played pool and downed a few beers" with some of the paper's "younger folk".
Come on Ruddy. First having lunch with Piers Akerman and now Penberthy. I know giving these people face time in order to perhaps convince them to tone down their News Ltd ranting is likely one of those things you have to do in politics, but please please please be careful. These people are evil fuckwads who will screw you to the wall the moment anyone gives them the chance to. If you get in they will come for you with everything they have. Be warned says I.
Area man fooled by carnies
Today we went to the Winter Wonderland thing near Questacon in Canberra.
Wondered what that giant circus marquee was? That's it. Inside are about a dozen stalls and rides and outside are some dodgems.
Any hoo I went to the dodgems. Because the dodgems are fun. Doesn't matter how old you are - they is fun.
For some reason the carnies who staff the DJ cubicle are all fuckwits. Sure that may be a generalisation but in every case in my case - major fuckwitedness.
'Okay,' drolls carnie/failed DJ. 'Get ready to turn the keys to drive on out.'
Huh? thinks HM. What keys?
I look around. There's no fucking keys.
So I yell out. 'What keys?'
'Look harder,' says carnie DJ, who sounds suspiciously like duffman.
I look harder.
Oh. It's a joke.
Ho ho, fucking ho.
Then, at the end, as we're coasting to a stop, duffman cranks out another one. 'Don't forget to put the handbrake on...'
HM did not look for the hand brake. Fool me once...
Wondered what that giant circus marquee was? That's it. Inside are about a dozen stalls and rides and outside are some dodgems.
Any hoo I went to the dodgems. Because the dodgems are fun. Doesn't matter how old you are - they is fun.
For some reason the carnies who staff the DJ cubicle are all fuckwits. Sure that may be a generalisation but in every case in my case - major fuckwitedness.
'Okay,' drolls carnie/failed DJ. 'Get ready to turn the keys to drive on out.'
Huh? thinks HM. What keys?
I look around. There's no fucking keys.
So I yell out. 'What keys?'
'Look harder,' says carnie DJ, who sounds suspiciously like duffman. I look harder.
Oh. It's a joke.
Ho ho, fucking ho.
Then, at the end, as we're coasting to a stop, duffman cranks out another one. 'Don't forget to put the handbrake on...'
HM did not look for the hand brake. Fool me once...
Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Cable Guy - Somebody to Love
Cable Guy didn't do so well with critics (I believe). Which is a shame because it's a fucking awesome movie. If you haven't seen it give it a try.
Cue Jim Carrey
Cue Jim Carrey
Friday, July 13, 2007
Caffeine blow out
Today was a shocker
x2 375m cans of Pepsi Max
x1 250m can of Diet Coke
x1 1.25 litre bottle of Diet Coke
So following the maxim that 750m = one cup of joe equiv* I had about three coffees worth.
And yes, my stomach feels shit. However I did have some McDowels (aka Kingsleys) chips, chicken, and most of a pack of pods so that prob don't help neither.
On a side note when playing Talisman and you reach a point where people need to finish the game without a winning move (cause it's late), don't suggest we just stack craft and strength to determine the winner. Because even though you were actually fighting in the Crown space you will lose to theWife who spent the entire game pissfarting about in the outer region twatting low level monsters and sucking down the juice of a strength waterfall.
*I said earlier that one can of coke was about 1/3 of a cup of coffee. Except the average can is 375m Vs 250m for a standard cup of coffee. So in reality a can of coke is equal to 1/2 a cup of coffee in caffeine given the size difference.
x2 375m cans of Pepsi Max
x1 250m can of Diet Coke
x1 1.25 litre bottle of Diet Coke
So following the maxim that 750m = one cup of joe equiv* I had about three coffees worth.
And yes, my stomach feels shit. However I did have some McDowels (aka Kingsleys) chips, chicken, and most of a pack of pods so that prob don't help neither.
On a side note when playing Talisman and you reach a point where people need to finish the game without a winning move (cause it's late), don't suggest we just stack craft and strength to determine the winner. Because even though you were actually fighting in the Crown space you will lose to theWife who spent the entire game pissfarting about in the outer region twatting low level monsters and sucking down the juice of a strength waterfall.
*I said earlier that one can of coke was about 1/3 of a cup of coffee. Except the average can is 375m Vs 250m for a standard cup of coffee. So in reality a can of coke is equal to 1/2 a cup of coffee in caffeine given the size difference.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Journo fights back
Yeah it's old news, but still, worth promoting still.
Irate journalist who is sick of Hilton destroys copy rather than reading it.
Irate journalist who is sick of Hilton destroys copy rather than reading it.
Swindle was good tellie
I watched it, could see how convincing the skeptic argument was, then happily watched Tony Jones tear the film maker a new one.
The panel afterwards was hilarious with freakoids in the audience coming up with weirdo statements about Prince Philip wanting to be a virus to kill everyone in the world, and how since modern environmentalism had its roots in the eugenics movement, therefore greenies are nothing more than baby killers. It's akin to the level of argument of 'Hitler liked dogs, therefore all dogs are bad'.
Just priceless.
And how about grumpy Ray Evans from the mining industry and his kooky esq mutterings that sound like they're coming from that homeless man on the milk crate haranguing about accepting Jesus into you?
Noice stuff.
Kudos ABC for running the Swindle to appease the right wing "skeptic" element then having a reasoned debate afterwards that showed their proponents to be the carpet slipper donning fingerless glove 'experts' they really are.
The panel afterwards was hilarious with freakoids in the audience coming up with weirdo statements about Prince Philip wanting to be a virus to kill everyone in the world, and how since modern environmentalism had its roots in the eugenics movement, therefore greenies are nothing more than baby killers. It's akin to the level of argument of 'Hitler liked dogs, therefore all dogs are bad'.
Just priceless.
And how about grumpy Ray Evans from the mining industry and his kooky esq mutterings that sound like they're coming from that homeless man on the milk crate haranguing about accepting Jesus into you?
Noice stuff.
Kudos ABC for running the Swindle to appease the right wing "skeptic" element then having a reasoned debate afterwards that showed their proponents to be the carpet slipper donning fingerless glove 'experts' they really are.
Political Ads
As an ALP member I hate the fact Paul Lennon, premier of Tasmania, is spending taxpayer dollars to spruik for a pulp mill, declaring it tickety boo, when an independent group is yet to rule on its safety and environmental protection systems.
It's a waste of money. And it's just a nasty thing to do. Boo.
It's a waste of money. And it's just a nasty thing to do. Boo.
I'm watching it
Yep, I am going to watch 'The Great Climate Swindle' tonight.
Why? Because I will then watch Tony Jones take an ideological selective evidence using fuckstick apart line by line.
And it will be good.
Why? Because I will then watch Tony Jones take an ideological selective evidence using fuckstick apart line by line.
And it will be good.
More Cat Goodness
When shifting a cat from your chair it is useless to gently tap the circled up tail to face cat in an effort to get them to move because they will ignore you.
Crafty little bastards.
Crafty little bastards.
Near Misses
We've all had our share of near misses with a car I am sure, both as offender or victim (or both).
The stupidest one I have had was one night in winter I headed out to get two days worth of Chinese food to scoff while thewife was away. The car's de-mister didn't work so well and the combo of my breath and the steaming food pretty much turned the windscreen opaque within two minutes.
Like a nob I kept driving, trying to do the clenched between fingers and palm sleeve wipe to see a bit, when I felt the car climb up on something. I came to a halt and opened the door.
I had ended up on the middle of a wide lane divider about thirty centimeters from a street sign.
So, so lucky I didn't wipe the car out or myself.
The worst time was when we were down at the coast and we forgot the road we were on wasn't two lanes. We pulled back in just as we were climbing a hill and missed an oncoming car coming over the crest by about a second. That was brown hornet in my pants time that's for sure!
The stupidest one I have had was one night in winter I headed out to get two days worth of Chinese food to scoff while thewife was away. The car's de-mister didn't work so well and the combo of my breath and the steaming food pretty much turned the windscreen opaque within two minutes.
Like a nob I kept driving, trying to do the clenched between fingers and palm sleeve wipe to see a bit, when I felt the car climb up on something. I came to a halt and opened the door.
I had ended up on the middle of a wide lane divider about thirty centimeters from a street sign.
So, so lucky I didn't wipe the car out or myself.
The worst time was when we were down at the coast and we forgot the road we were on wasn't two lanes. We pulled back in just as we were climbing a hill and missed an oncoming car coming over the crest by about a second. That was brown hornet in my pants time that's for sure!
I do miss him so
Paul Keating, in fine form Vs the dessicated coconut.
Please come back Paul.
See here.
An Excerpt;
UPDATE: Keating said Howard was a Nationalist, not a Patriot, since Nationalists are suspicious of other cultures while patriots merely support positively their preferred one. See this blog here for a better take on the whole issue.
Please come back Paul.
See here.
An Excerpt;
"A patriot will not exclude a person from another race from the community where they have lived side by side and whom he has known for many years, but a nationalist will always remain suspicious of someone who does not seem to belong to his kind of people or more likely his kind of thinking," Mr Keating quoted historian, John Lukacs, in his speech.
"Shades there of John Howard's discomfort with Australia's multicultural community and a disgust of the Islamic community."
Damn straight. Howard is proudly both Nationalistic and a Patriot. He does and continues to use fear of difference as a big part of his political strategy. And he is rightly condemned for doing so.
UPDATE: Keating said Howard was a Nationalist, not a Patriot, since Nationalists are suspicious of other cultures while patriots merely support positively their preferred one. See this blog here for a better take on the whole issue.
Kudos to Nick Minchin
A day after slagging off Nick Minchin for his 'extreme greens' comment (which Mr L pointed out only has power cause it rhymes; like for example 'Howard Hater' or 'Rolled Gold'), I am giving him a kudos for his completely candid admission that in his 20's, like 98% of uni students, he danced a tune with the toke reefer.
See here.
Minchin also copped during the abortion debate to he and his girlfriend terminating a pregnancy. So another thumbs up for that candid admission - the sort of admission in the US that would kill a career.
So often pollies are hypocrites or feign faux outrage over moral "...failings..." that they either indulged in earlier, or still are now. And considering many many Australians smoke mul, or have done, it stands to reason proportionally so have many pollies.
From HM, it's a kudos to Nick Minchin. I hate his politics and I hate the party he stands for. But at least he's decent enough not to go down the hypocrisy path like so, so many of his colleagues do.
See here.
Minchin also copped during the abortion debate to he and his girlfriend terminating a pregnancy. So another thumbs up for that candid admission - the sort of admission in the US that would kill a career.
So often pollies are hypocrites or feign faux outrage over moral "...failings..." that they either indulged in earlier, or still are now. And considering many many Australians smoke mul, or have done, it stands to reason proportionally so have many pollies.
From HM, it's a kudos to Nick Minchin. I hate his politics and I hate the party he stands for. But at least he's decent enough not to go down the hypocrisy path like so, so many of his colleagues do.
Faltered
Well on day three I cracked. I had a Diet Coke at 9.45 am because I was falling asleep at my desk and clearly needed a tentfull of revival. And again at 3pm because again I was fading out at my desk.
Still just two is not too bad. Apparently (according to the nice people on the Coke info line) a can of coke has 1/3 the caffeine of a cup of coffee. So I only had 0.66 of a cup worth. So that's pretty kewl I guess.
Still aiming for 0 of course.
Stoopid guts!
Still just two is not too bad. Apparently (according to the nice people on the Coke info line) a can of coke has 1/3 the caffeine of a cup of coffee. So I only had 0.66 of a cup worth. So that's pretty kewl I guess.
Still aiming for 0 of course.
Stoopid guts!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Simpsons Goodness - It's Me!
Courtesy of Art's find at the Simpson's movie website. (And theWife who made it)Adios kewl boss
Well kewl boss left today. I had to escort her and her orthopedic chair out the building and take her pass.
So how did we commiserate her leaving?
For me I felt instantly better when I raided the fuck out of her pull out under cupboard and got me several post it note pads, pens, bulldog clips galore, paper clips, sticky tape dispenser, folders, more pens and, the crowning achievement, a solar powered large calculator. Gone are the days I do basic maths using EXCEL or going START - PROGRAMS - ACCESSORIES - Calculator (or where ever it is).
I had to face down a couple of other public servants who were eying off the trove of leave behinds.
In the end the easiest thing was to pull out her drawer and carry it around to my work station and sort the booty out into the various pots, boxes, etc I keeps my stationary in.
I will miss her. She was a boss that really pushed you and watched what you did. And importantly told you when you did a good job or when you did a crap one. Good bosses are rare and I've had two back to back. So the odds are I will get a shitty one next.
Well crossing fingers anyway.
So how did we commiserate her leaving?
For me I felt instantly better when I raided the fuck out of her pull out under cupboard and got me several post it note pads, pens, bulldog clips galore, paper clips, sticky tape dispenser, folders, more pens and, the crowning achievement, a solar powered large calculator. Gone are the days I do basic maths using EXCEL or going START - PROGRAMS - ACCESSORIES - Calculator (or where ever it is).
I had to face down a couple of other public servants who were eying off the trove of leave behinds.
In the end the easiest thing was to pull out her drawer and carry it around to my work station and sort the booty out into the various pots, boxes, etc I keeps my stationary in.
I will miss her. She was a boss that really pushed you and watched what you did. And importantly told you when you did a good job or when you did a crap one. Good bosses are rare and I've had two back to back. So the odds are I will get a shitty one next.
Well crossing fingers anyway.
Nick Minchin cries into his huge pillow
Nick "Give us $9999 and you don't need to declare it, all our policies must go" Minchin has had a big sooky fit at the concept of the Greens having balance of power in the Senate.
See here.
"There is little doubt that in that situation, Green senators would hold a Labor government to ransom to achieve the Greens' quite radical agenda," he said.
Interesting yes? Remember how the Greens got in and got balance of power and they introduced their radical Work Choices legislation that they had never taken to the people at the election which stripped away numerous award conditions like overtime, loading, and protection from being sacked unfairly? Remember how they spent 60 million telling us how great it was even though the majority of people hated it? Remember that?
Oh wait. That was Minchin's government.
Blow it out your arse you corporate whore.
See here.
"There is little doubt that in that situation, Green senators would hold a Labor government to ransom to achieve the Greens' quite radical agenda," he said.
Interesting yes? Remember how the Greens got in and got balance of power and they introduced their radical Work Choices legislation that they had never taken to the people at the election which stripped away numerous award conditions like overtime, loading, and protection from being sacked unfairly? Remember how they spent 60 million telling us how great it was even though the majority of people hated it? Remember that?
Oh wait. That was Minchin's government.
Blow it out your arse you corporate whore.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
No DC - two days
I gave up Diet Coke again after some mega gut pain. No caffeine at all in fact for last 48 hours.
Head aches are pretty fierce so I do miss it so :(
Stupid guts.
Head aches are pretty fierce so I do miss it so :(
Stupid guts.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Review in a Word - Blades of Glory
Liked_it.
Okay, again two words. But still, worth watching. Esp with kewl people.
Okay, again two words. But still, worth watching. Esp with kewl people.
A big sucked in to the DT
The Daily Telegraph, Australia's worst mainstream newspaper, copped a kick to the balls this week when their 'kill the pederasts' shrieking of indignation, copying slavishly the UK model like they have done with everything since that fuckwit Penberthy took over, backfired spectacularly when the '59 mates' of recently convicted Child Porn fancier Patrick Power, sued the paper for their name/shame attempt when the DT published their names in connection with letters of support they had given for the sentencing part.
See here.
The 16 that started it settled for 30k each. Good on them.
The Daily Telegraph is the turd on the road of journalistic excellence. It does not pretend objectivity in any way and instead of reporting the fucking news, runs around like a kid stamping on an ant's nest to stir up news.
It's yellow journalism of the worst water. Anyone who works there should be fucking ashamed of themselves.
Oh - Akerman, the lead opinionator for the DT, was on Insiders this morning. The fatuous toad couldn't help but shriek direct lines from Liberal party manifestos. 'It doesn't matter how we got into Iraq - it's what we do now that counts,' he bellowed at one point. 'The ALP suckle at the teat of unions!' etc etc etc.
When Rudd gets in, and there will be Labor govts from sea to shining sea, I wonder how long Akerman will last in the Murdoch paper. Murdoch papers, while traditionally conservative, still manage to remove their suckers and back "... winners ..." as a long term survival mechanism. The closer Rudd looks to being a winner, then those right wing fuckwits that in habit the DT offices like plague rats better start polishing up the old CV and look for a nice place to bail out to.
See here.
The 16 that started it settled for 30k each. Good on them.
The Daily Telegraph is the turd on the road of journalistic excellence. It does not pretend objectivity in any way and instead of reporting the fucking news, runs around like a kid stamping on an ant's nest to stir up news.
It's yellow journalism of the worst water. Anyone who works there should be fucking ashamed of themselves.
Oh - Akerman, the lead opinionator for the DT, was on Insiders this morning. The fatuous toad couldn't help but shriek direct lines from Liberal party manifestos. 'It doesn't matter how we got into Iraq - it's what we do now that counts,' he bellowed at one point. 'The ALP suckle at the teat of unions!' etc etc etc.
When Rudd gets in, and there will be Labor govts from sea to shining sea, I wonder how long Akerman will last in the Murdoch paper. Murdoch papers, while traditionally conservative, still manage to remove their suckers and back "... winners ..." as a long term survival mechanism. The closer Rudd looks to being a winner, then those right wing fuckwits that in habit the DT offices like plague rats better start polishing up the old CV and look for a nice place to bail out to.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Review in a Word - Knocked Up
Frikkin_awesome
Okay, so it's two words really. But still, it is. See it.
Okay, so it's two words really. But still, it is. See it.
Area Toy company tries to get in on the Pirate action
Despite the over long and flabby excesses of Pirates 3, Pirates are still in. Well at least that's what the toy companies think. And don't get me wrong, pirating fun is fun. Arrr, waving cutlasses, excuses to touch female playmates a tad indecently etc.
But Matchbox have gone a tad over the top I think.
Presenting the Matchbox Pirate Playset.
Yes, you heard me. A pirate playset ... for cars.
Here's the blurb
Left: Arrr, it be exciting it be. While you're in thar, get me an icy coke and a hotdog from that there warmin' machine.
"...This exciting, pirate-themed set for your Matchbox cars features a wrecked pirate ship, buried treasure, a drive-through skull with light-up eyes and a special "waterfall" where your cars plunge toward adventure. For added fun, there's an ultra-cool dynamite plunger that allows you to "blow up" the rocks and dirt that surround the hidden treasure. Matchbox cars sold separately. Requires 2 "AA" batteries (not included)..."
Now I am not sure how up to date with basic history the good people at Matchbox are outside their specialty of reproducing cars to fairly exact detail in toy form. But I think they need to crack open 'Pirating for Dummies'. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am rather certain that pirating at its peak did not ever actually involve vehicular transport.
There were no raids led by Henry Morgan, matches aflame in beard and hair, from the comfie confines of a Hummer. Mary Read did not have a canyonero esq soccer mom 4WD that had room in the back for six months of groceries or six adult pirates. Sir Francis Drake did not scour the seven seas on behalf of queen and country in a fleet of black transams with the eagle on the bonnet.
Don't get me wrong. Playing with cars as a kid is kewl. But do we really have to fuck up their sense of basic history by the misapplication of historical themes meets garaging? No, we don't.
Think about it Matchbox
PS Not to be out done, they also have a set for the pirate ship as well.
'To the piratical car barge!'
But Matchbox have gone a tad over the top I think.
Presenting the Matchbox Pirate Playset.
Yes, you heard me. A pirate playset ... for cars.
Here's the blurb
Left: Arrr, it be exciting it be. While you're in thar, get me an icy coke and a hotdog from that there warmin' machine."...This exciting, pirate-themed set for your Matchbox cars features a wrecked pirate ship, buried treasure, a drive-through skull with light-up eyes and a special "waterfall" where your cars plunge toward adventure. For added fun, there's an ultra-cool dynamite plunger that allows you to "blow up" the rocks and dirt that surround the hidden treasure. Matchbox cars sold separately. Requires 2 "AA" batteries (not included)..."
Now I am not sure how up to date with basic history the good people at Matchbox are outside their specialty of reproducing cars to fairly exact detail in toy form. But I think they need to crack open 'Pirating for Dummies'. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am rather certain that pirating at its peak did not ever actually involve vehicular transport.
There were no raids led by Henry Morgan, matches aflame in beard and hair, from the comfie confines of a Hummer. Mary Read did not have a canyonero esq soccer mom 4WD that had room in the back for six months of groceries or six adult pirates. Sir Francis Drake did not scour the seven seas on behalf of queen and country in a fleet of black transams with the eagle on the bonnet.
Don't get me wrong. Playing with cars as a kid is kewl. But do we really have to fuck up their sense of basic history by the misapplication of historical themes meets garaging? No, we don't.
Think about it Matchbox
PS Not to be out done, they also have a set for the pirate ship as well.
'To the piratical car barge!'
Friday, July 06, 2007
Goodnight and Good luck
I am finally watching Goodnight and Good Luck.
So far it's awesome. But fuck me if I don't want a cigarette.
So far it's awesome. But fuck me if I don't want a cigarette.
Howard on Iraq
Prime Minister John Howard says he does not believe Australia faces an increased risk of terrorist attack because of its involvement in the Iraq conflict.
see here
Of course it does. One of the reasons we got smacked for Bali was because we were in Afghanistan (and rightly so that we're there). This is as moronic as saying resource issues isn't one of the reasons we're in Iraq now. Of course it is.
I don't think he even gives a shit now.
Oh, this isn't the first time the govt has claimed Iraq hasn't increased us as a target. Remember when Keelty said the same thing and got slammed by the govt for it?
see here
Of course it does. One of the reasons we got smacked for Bali was because we were in Afghanistan (and rightly so that we're there). This is as moronic as saying resource issues isn't one of the reasons we're in Iraq now. Of course it is.
I don't think he even gives a shit now.
Oh, this isn't the first time the govt has claimed Iraq hasn't increased us as a target. Remember when Keelty said the same thing and got slammed by the govt for it?
The IT Crowd - Season 1
If you have a spare $16 get your arse down to JBs and purchase The IT Crowd. It's one of the piss funniest UK sitcoms I have seen in years. It's by the Father Ted guys.
Toilet Business 4
I was at a work function where this senior exec fed me half a bottle of wine (then I think drove back to work - bad man), and I got a bit tiddley.
Ladies, it's true. When we're a bit tired and emotional our aim goes off.
I was at the toilet and my stream was coming out weird like a tap turned on and off. I shifted and it seemed to be okay. I just assumed maybe it was eye skin impeding flow or something. Alas I managed to get some on the floor and had to mop it up with lav paper, slipping a bit on the way out.
Round two 10 minutes later discovered the error. Whilst going before my draw string accidentally was in the line of fire! I could feel its uriney dampness.
Bastard cargo pants
Ladies, it's true. When we're a bit tired and emotional our aim goes off.
I was at the toilet and my stream was coming out weird like a tap turned on and off. I shifted and it seemed to be okay. I just assumed maybe it was eye skin impeding flow or something. Alas I managed to get some on the floor and had to mop it up with lav paper, slipping a bit on the way out.
Round two 10 minutes later discovered the error. Whilst going before my draw string accidentally was in the line of fire! I could feel its uriney dampness.
Bastard cargo pants
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Fogel releases fatty chaps on world
Jared Fogel, 30, famed spruiker of low cal sandys for restaurant chain Subway today branched out into the latest fashion trend for the super sized gent, chaps.
Left: Fogel, proudly showing off his latest creation that is not bread related.
'Too long the overweight, such as I used to be, have had to hide their thighs beneath yards of canvas. Or whatever jeans are made of. Now, now my chubby sexually wavering brothers you too can flaunt your groiny goodness to the world with my limited edition Fogel chaps.'
The chaps, which cost $99.95, can hold one (1) over large gent or, for those whose passions include doing it not only in clothing but inside clothing, two (2) people.
'I am super proud of my super sized chaps,' said Fogel, cleaning his steamed glasses on the hem of the oversized sex wear.
'And I hope you will too. Ride 'em cowboy.'
Fogel then linked arms with an attractive buffed person of unknown gender and skipped off into the twilight as a coyote howled in the distance.
Left: Fogel, proudly showing off his latest creation that is not bread related. 'Too long the overweight, such as I used to be, have had to hide their thighs beneath yards of canvas. Or whatever jeans are made of. Now, now my chubby sexually wavering brothers you too can flaunt your groiny goodness to the world with my limited edition Fogel chaps.'
The chaps, which cost $99.95, can hold one (1) over large gent or, for those whose passions include doing it not only in clothing but inside clothing, two (2) people.
'I am super proud of my super sized chaps,' said Fogel, cleaning his steamed glasses on the hem of the oversized sex wear.
'And I hope you will too. Ride 'em cowboy.'
Fogel then linked arms with an attractive buffed person of unknown gender and skipped off into the twilight as a coyote howled in the distance.
Kancer Kids win for Work Choices
Saint Bannians Hospice for the Terminally Ill, Children’s wing; The Kancer Kids, twins, Beckie and Jeremiah Phol, plucky siblings with several advanced cancers, today uncovered a vicious cabal of Trotskyists in the admin section at the medical facility when they overheard two co-workers discussing conditions in their workplace agreements.
‘Oh look at the poor dears,’ quoted one, looking at the apparently unconscious Jeremiah hooked up to a battery of life preserving equipment. 'Could you imagine having to see your child die before you?’
‘Yes,’ apparently replied the other. ‘And could you imagine having to go to work during that time as well? In my agreement they want to remove any additional long term compassionate leave and have the bare minimum 10 days sick leave from the base conditions. In return I get a 1% pay rise!’
‘Well I wouldn’t sign that if I were you!’ the admin staffer then responded.
The moment the staff left the semi-dark room the twins snapped back into life. Well half life given their enfeebled status thanks to the clusters of cancers that wracked their frail bodies.
‘Get … the … phone,’ panted Beckie to her brother when informed of the discussion the co-workers had concerning the content of their AWA, and the fact one of the other staffers said she should not sign it.
Jeremiah then withdrew the slim mobile from under his mattress, sensibly kept off lest it interfere with their life preserving medical equipment, and sought out the number for Workplace Investigators at the Department of Workplace Relations.
Unfortunately the moment he activated the phone, the signal interrupted the equipment vital to his sister’s continued existence, causing her sickly body to enter cardiac arrest.
‘Keep … calling,’ cried the brave girl as her body jerked up from the bed as her heart arrested.
Using the cover of the frantically responding team who fought to stabilize the youngster, Jeremiah successfully managed to inform the Department of the communist leanings of the Bolshie clerical staff and the fact one of them "pressured" the other not to sign.
‘That be-atch was later summarily dismissed,’ beamed the proud cancer ridden boy. ‘It was totally worth the likely halving of my sister’s life span due to the cardiac arrest.’
Beckie was unable to make a comment as her ears were too tightly packed with gauze. That and she was in a coma.
‘Oh look at the poor dears,’ quoted one, looking at the apparently unconscious Jeremiah hooked up to a battery of life preserving equipment. 'Could you imagine having to see your child die before you?’
‘Yes,’ apparently replied the other. ‘And could you imagine having to go to work during that time as well? In my agreement they want to remove any additional long term compassionate leave and have the bare minimum 10 days sick leave from the base conditions. In return I get a 1% pay rise!’
‘Well I wouldn’t sign that if I were you!’ the admin staffer then responded.
The moment the staff left the semi-dark room the twins snapped back into life. Well half life given their enfeebled status thanks to the clusters of cancers that wracked their frail bodies.
‘Get … the … phone,’ panted Beckie to her brother when informed of the discussion the co-workers had concerning the content of their AWA, and the fact one of the other staffers said she should not sign it.
Jeremiah then withdrew the slim mobile from under his mattress, sensibly kept off lest it interfere with their life preserving medical equipment, and sought out the number for Workplace Investigators at the Department of Workplace Relations.
Unfortunately the moment he activated the phone, the signal interrupted the equipment vital to his sister’s continued existence, causing her sickly body to enter cardiac arrest.
‘Keep … calling,’ cried the brave girl as her body jerked up from the bed as her heart arrested.
Using the cover of the frantically responding team who fought to stabilize the youngster, Jeremiah successfully managed to inform the Department of the communist leanings of the Bolshie clerical staff and the fact one of them "pressured" the other not to sign.
‘That be-atch was later summarily dismissed,’ beamed the proud cancer ridden boy. ‘It was totally worth the likely halving of my sister’s life span due to the cardiac arrest.’
Beckie was unable to make a comment as her ears were too tightly packed with gauze. That and she was in a coma.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Henderson needs an ice pack?
Why? Because once more he is pulling himself.
The famously rarely acknowledged former staffer to John Howard was again in Fairfax press today beating his bandaid covered saddish looking neo-con drum for the case of demonising Islam and making sure all our liberties we have to protect us from the state are stripped away.
See here.
Henderson has a big sook about so called lefties daring to point out that chances of dying from direct terror causations are about 100,000 times less than dying in a car accident.
"If such logical howlers were made in a school debate they could be readily corrected. However, when they are made by bright, well-meaning people such as Kirby and Burnside there is a problem. Clearly neither wants to acknowledge that Islamist terrorists want to attack Western and non-Western societies and to kill indiscriminately."
No, Henderson. They don't want to attack and kill indiscriminately. They are discriminant. The purpose is to terrorise - to commit terrorism. These are not nihalists seeking to blow women up for being slags at a ladies night like the maddened press in the UK think. The whole point is to try and engender macro nationalistic changes through applying force in western democratic societies. Why? Because terrorism works. Witness the Spanish election where the party who wanted out of Iraq won in the aftermath of the Madrid bombing.
To bleat on about how 'they hate our freedoms' is wrong. It's misleading. In fact its deliberate by fuckwits on the right trying to make it all about black hat, white hat. It's not. It's about murderous thugs trying to make murder seem fair and correct in order to achieve a set political nationalistic agenda. To whit, West fuck off out of our countries. Be it the removal of soft power or hard power.
Then we have this. Another massive wank from a man who seriously needs to have a surgeon examine the shaft of his penis lest he pull it off completely.
"The mindset of today's civil liberties lobby in Western democracies is not dissimilar to that of the pacifists of recent memory. They do not want to believe that terrorists really are a threat, just as the pacifists did not want to believe that some totalitarian regimes were hell-bent on aggression. Some Westerners do not want to acknowledge that belief motivates individuals to kill in the name of a secular or religious ideology."
Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. Hendo makes it out that anyone concerned for the freedoms we have are somehow oblivious to the threat of terrorism. We're not. No one is. What we want is a balance of our freedoms FROM THE STATE protected all the while THE STATE DOES ITS FUCKING JOB TO PROTECT US. It can happen Hendo with laws that provide that balance.
Right now this is what Henderson supports. Detention without trial. Detention without media being able to discuss it. Laws that require a defendant to prove they are not a terrorist, not the state prove they are. The ability of the police to search ANYONE they deem fit following an incident that is deemed potential terrorism. All the while engendering a sense of palpable fear in the community that politically benefits the daddy party he used to work for.
This is a government that uses and abuses law enforcement and intelligence to their political ends. They did it in the 60's and 70's when some elements of ASIO served as defacto gathers for the Liberal party. The Liberals do it now through distorting analysis and cherry picking information they choose to release to the press like WMD and the infamous Top Secret ONA report to Andrew Bolt - who is still to this day to be charged with receiving classified material to which he was not authorised to receive.
Terrorism is a threat. It's a threat like any aberration to societal norms is a threat. People should never think that blowing someone up is acceptable and should support fair measures to prevent it. But at the same time screaming hysterically about the threat a minuscule segment of a secular or religious ideology as being somehow representative of the norm and conducting a foreign policy that will engender this segment to grow makes it worse.
I applaud the brits for going on with life as normal. Fuck you terrorists. And fuck you to fuckwits like Henderson who not only believe there is a Clash of Civilisations but who actively cavort in a manner to bring it about.
Henderson, Howard, Bin Laden, Bush, Sharon, Hussein, and all those other fuckwits are part of the problem. What a pity they do not recognise it.
Oh - why do we need to be protected from the state you may ask? If you have nothing to fear then why would you be bothered by someone reading your mail, reading your email, listening to you because you know someone who knows someone under watch? Because law enforcement and intelligence needs controls. Without it we slip to despotism. Every single time greater powers are given to the security apparatus the greater their chance for abuse. In the UK fitting up crims was a time honoured profession. The Guilford Four anyone? The Royal Constables in Northern Island fitting out and supporting Death Squads? The NSW Special Branch keeping 10,000 files on private citizens who had committed no crimes but simply protested against government policy? Using and encouraging informants to incite others or fit others up for criminal acts?
In Oz our security apparatus is professional and highly skilled. But unfettered powers make those in the security apparatus lazy. Lesser evidence is acceptable. Interrogating people without charge makes things easier. Reading any email/mail tapping any phone within a cooee of someone being watched means being able to potentially draw on more information despite drawing in massive amounts of info that is none of their fucking business. It is a real proven slippery slope because it has happened before and will happen again. Just look to the fucking Stasi where 10% of the country were registered informants.
Everything is a balance in life. Henderson alas is clearly unbalanced.
The famously rarely acknowledged former staffer to John Howard was again in Fairfax press today beating his bandaid covered saddish looking neo-con drum for the case of demonising Islam and making sure all our liberties we have to protect us from the state are stripped away.
See here.
Henderson has a big sook about so called lefties daring to point out that chances of dying from direct terror causations are about 100,000 times less than dying in a car accident.
"If such logical howlers were made in a school debate they could be readily corrected. However, when they are made by bright, well-meaning people such as Kirby and Burnside there is a problem. Clearly neither wants to acknowledge that Islamist terrorists want to attack Western and non-Western societies and to kill indiscriminately."
No, Henderson. They don't want to attack and kill indiscriminately. They are discriminant. The purpose is to terrorise - to commit terrorism. These are not nihalists seeking to blow women up for being slags at a ladies night like the maddened press in the UK think. The whole point is to try and engender macro nationalistic changes through applying force in western democratic societies. Why? Because terrorism works. Witness the Spanish election where the party who wanted out of Iraq won in the aftermath of the Madrid bombing.
To bleat on about how 'they hate our freedoms' is wrong. It's misleading. In fact its deliberate by fuckwits on the right trying to make it all about black hat, white hat. It's not. It's about murderous thugs trying to make murder seem fair and correct in order to achieve a set political nationalistic agenda. To whit, West fuck off out of our countries. Be it the removal of soft power or hard power.
Then we have this. Another massive wank from a man who seriously needs to have a surgeon examine the shaft of his penis lest he pull it off completely.
"The mindset of today's civil liberties lobby in Western democracies is not dissimilar to that of the pacifists of recent memory. They do not want to believe that terrorists really are a threat, just as the pacifists did not want to believe that some totalitarian regimes were hell-bent on aggression. Some Westerners do not want to acknowledge that belief motivates individuals to kill in the name of a secular or religious ideology."
Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. Hendo makes it out that anyone concerned for the freedoms we have are somehow oblivious to the threat of terrorism. We're not. No one is. What we want is a balance of our freedoms FROM THE STATE protected all the while THE STATE DOES ITS FUCKING JOB TO PROTECT US. It can happen Hendo with laws that provide that balance.
Right now this is what Henderson supports. Detention without trial. Detention without media being able to discuss it. Laws that require a defendant to prove they are not a terrorist, not the state prove they are. The ability of the police to search ANYONE they deem fit following an incident that is deemed potential terrorism. All the while engendering a sense of palpable fear in the community that politically benefits the daddy party he used to work for.
This is a government that uses and abuses law enforcement and intelligence to their political ends. They did it in the 60's and 70's when some elements of ASIO served as defacto gathers for the Liberal party. The Liberals do it now through distorting analysis and cherry picking information they choose to release to the press like WMD and the infamous Top Secret ONA report to Andrew Bolt - who is still to this day to be charged with receiving classified material to which he was not authorised to receive.
Terrorism is a threat. It's a threat like any aberration to societal norms is a threat. People should never think that blowing someone up is acceptable and should support fair measures to prevent it. But at the same time screaming hysterically about the threat a minuscule segment of a secular or religious ideology as being somehow representative of the norm and conducting a foreign policy that will engender this segment to grow makes it worse.
I applaud the brits for going on with life as normal. Fuck you terrorists. And fuck you to fuckwits like Henderson who not only believe there is a Clash of Civilisations but who actively cavort in a manner to bring it about.
Henderson, Howard, Bin Laden, Bush, Sharon, Hussein, and all those other fuckwits are part of the problem. What a pity they do not recognise it.
Oh - why do we need to be protected from the state you may ask? If you have nothing to fear then why would you be bothered by someone reading your mail, reading your email, listening to you because you know someone who knows someone under watch? Because law enforcement and intelligence needs controls. Without it we slip to despotism. Every single time greater powers are given to the security apparatus the greater their chance for abuse. In the UK fitting up crims was a time honoured profession. The Guilford Four anyone? The Royal Constables in Northern Island fitting out and supporting Death Squads? The NSW Special Branch keeping 10,000 files on private citizens who had committed no crimes but simply protested against government policy? Using and encouraging informants to incite others or fit others up for criminal acts?
In Oz our security apparatus is professional and highly skilled. But unfettered powers make those in the security apparatus lazy. Lesser evidence is acceptable. Interrogating people without charge makes things easier. Reading any email/mail tapping any phone within a cooee of someone being watched means being able to potentially draw on more information despite drawing in massive amounts of info that is none of their fucking business. It is a real proven slippery slope because it has happened before and will happen again. Just look to the fucking Stasi where 10% of the country were registered informants.
Everything is a balance in life. Henderson alas is clearly unbalanced.
Well I lost my groat
I bet my trusty groat Bush wouldn't pardon Libby until he left office. Well he didn't pardon him but he did the next best thing and commuted the jail time.
Stupid smirking mofo.
See MB's account here. She pretty much sums up the outrage.
Here's the delish irony. Supporters of Libby have been wanking on about 'hey Clinton only lost his law license for committing perjury: why should Libby cop jail time?!'. The same supporters mind you who attempted to remove Clinton from office for that supposed perjury. Perjury mind you that was not committed over matters of state but over his personal life.
Libby went to the mat for Team Cheney. He lied his arse off repeatedly about what he knew about administration officials playing political football with intelligence. He got tapped for it then got out of jail for it. His fine will be paid by his neocon mates in a whipround then he will go off and do penance in a think tank like the AEI or Heritage. Then Bush will fully pardon him when he leaves office and he will be back.
As for the crap spun about 'no charges were laid over the leaking of Palme?!' which even Bush used as part of his neocon wanking. The charges were not laid because the prosecutor had a more sound case in going after Libby. He played percentages, the odds of success. And considering what Kenneth Starr did as Prosecutor in Chief for the Republican party to they great cheering that went on as he did so by the fuckwit right, any of those cockheads complaining about 'over zealous prosecutors' should be, nay must be laughed at in a most mocking tone.
Thank gawd for two term limits so the mofo crew and their sorry pack of arseholes can fuck off from the world's stage.
Stupid smirking mofo.
See MB's account here. She pretty much sums up the outrage.
Here's the delish irony. Supporters of Libby have been wanking on about 'hey Clinton only lost his law license for committing perjury: why should Libby cop jail time?!'. The same supporters mind you who attempted to remove Clinton from office for that supposed perjury. Perjury mind you that was not committed over matters of state but over his personal life.
Libby went to the mat for Team Cheney. He lied his arse off repeatedly about what he knew about administration officials playing political football with intelligence. He got tapped for it then got out of jail for it. His fine will be paid by his neocon mates in a whipround then he will go off and do penance in a think tank like the AEI or Heritage. Then Bush will fully pardon him when he leaves office and he will be back.
As for the crap spun about 'no charges were laid over the leaking of Palme?!' which even Bush used as part of his neocon wanking. The charges were not laid because the prosecutor had a more sound case in going after Libby. He played percentages, the odds of success. And considering what Kenneth Starr did as Prosecutor in Chief for the Republican party to they great cheering that went on as he did so by the fuckwit right, any of those cockheads complaining about 'over zealous prosecutors' should be, nay must be laughed at in a most mocking tone.
Thank gawd for two term limits so the mofo crew and their sorry pack of arseholes can fuck off from the world's stage.
Cold Calling Sucks
I will never be rude to a telemarketer again. Not that I ever have been I think - except for pretending I would buy raffle tickets.
I recently did some volunteer time with an org calling up people to invite them to cake and coffee to hear about activities of interest.
However it was work related stuff and I was calling retirees around their tea time. The first dude was a maybe, and a second dude was a 'what's your number so I can call you during dinner'. The rest were 'I'm busy' or 'no thanks'.
Ouch. The second one really took the wind out of me. The coordinator sitting across from me kept checking I was okay and offering advice. She's a good sort. But I think on balance cold calling is not for me. I had to suck up the courage before each call and got heart hammer half the time.
I do not know how professionals do it. One of the dudes there was an ex telemarketer. He said he got four nasty grams a shift and that even after doing the job for a while those responses still got to you.
Well it got to me, that's for sure.
So a hat doffing to people that do it as their job. I fully respect what a shitty job it can be.
On a lighter note I did get a laugh from some fellow comrades by describing "Piers Akerman" and "Fuckstick" as being tautology.
Gold.
I recently did some volunteer time with an org calling up people to invite them to cake and coffee to hear about activities of interest.
However it was work related stuff and I was calling retirees around their tea time. The first dude was a maybe, and a second dude was a 'what's your number so I can call you during dinner'. The rest were 'I'm busy' or 'no thanks'.
Ouch. The second one really took the wind out of me. The coordinator sitting across from me kept checking I was okay and offering advice. She's a good sort. But I think on balance cold calling is not for me. I had to suck up the courage before each call and got heart hammer half the time.
I do not know how professionals do it. One of the dudes there was an ex telemarketer. He said he got four nasty grams a shift and that even after doing the job for a while those responses still got to you.
Well it got to me, that's for sure.
So a hat doffing to people that do it as their job. I fully respect what a shitty job it can be.
On a lighter note I did get a laugh from some fellow comrades by describing "Piers Akerman" and "Fuckstick" as being tautology.
Gold.
Now that's lazy
When you accidentally send a doc to the printer three bays away instead of the bay closer to you and, instead of walking to the distant printer, simply reprint to the closer one.
The Carbon Cops would beat me.
The Carbon Cops would beat me.
Jared Subway Spruiker Gored by Bull
Juarez, Mexico; Jared Fogel, former fattie now spokesman for Subway, has been gored by a bull after waving his fat pants once too often.
'Jared bought out his "look how fat I was!" pants and dangled them at a crowd at the latest Subway store opening," said Pedro Martinez. "Unfortunately for him the arena opposite the store was just receiving its latest shipment of ill tempered toros. The wafting of the giant pantalones attracted the attention of a real hoof scraper and out it charged.'
Left: Fogel, unintentionally 'Ole'ing a bull with his former giant lower limb wear.
Fogel, 30, then reportedly ditched the fat trousers that have been a symbol of his success through low carb sandwich consumption and ran into the Subway, bursting the opening ribbon in the manner of a sprint carnival winner before the local Mayor, Senior Juan Cobred could cut it.
'The bull, it ignored the discarded tent like trousers and instead chased him around the shop. Something about this Jared irked it. Perhaps it sensed the annoyance of those overweight people who have not easily lost weight and cannot show friends and family their oversized clothes in a held up manner such as this Fogel?'
Fogel then foolishly tried to leap the counter and failed, presenting his once ample bottom to receive a horn "right up there" according to Pedro.
'It was quite a sight to see,' added Martinez.
The ill tempered bull was then tempted away from Fogel's bottom by a series of salad subs left in a line and out the door.
'We got the idea from Senior Spielberg,' said Martinez. 'That ET, now he could have held up his former alien fatty wear and no one would have minded. We loved that little scamp.'
'Jared bought out his "look how fat I was!" pants and dangled them at a crowd at the latest Subway store opening," said Pedro Martinez. "Unfortunately for him the arena opposite the store was just receiving its latest shipment of ill tempered toros. The wafting of the giant pantalones attracted the attention of a real hoof scraper and out it charged.'
Left: Fogel, unintentionally 'Ole'ing a bull with his former giant lower limb wear.Fogel, 30, then reportedly ditched the fat trousers that have been a symbol of his success through low carb sandwich consumption and ran into the Subway, bursting the opening ribbon in the manner of a sprint carnival winner before the local Mayor, Senior Juan Cobred could cut it.
'The bull, it ignored the discarded tent like trousers and instead chased him around the shop. Something about this Jared irked it. Perhaps it sensed the annoyance of those overweight people who have not easily lost weight and cannot show friends and family their oversized clothes in a held up manner such as this Fogel?'
Fogel then foolishly tried to leap the counter and failed, presenting his once ample bottom to receive a horn "right up there" according to Pedro.
'It was quite a sight to see,' added Martinez.
The ill tempered bull was then tempted away from Fogel's bottom by a series of salad subs left in a line and out the door.
'We got the idea from Senior Spielberg,' said Martinez. 'That ET, now he could have held up his former alien fatty wear and no one would have minded. We loved that little scamp.'
Monday, July 02, 2007
Attention Asian restaurants that prefix themselves with "Little"
I would like to see action dioramas of stand out moments in history concerning the locale you have prefixed as being small.
For example, Little Beijing in the Belconnen Foodcourt. If you could have tiny tanks crushing even tinier protesters ala Tienanmen square, that would be grouse.
And for Little Saigon, what would be neato is if you could have miniature helicopters lifting micro people off a 1:25 scale copy of the US embassy. That too would clearly rawk.
Embrace you history!
That is all*
*And it need not be Asian only. Euro places like Little Italy could have some sort of mafioso theme with tiny figures clipping each other in deserted parking lots of wig emporiums?
For example, Little Beijing in the Belconnen Foodcourt. If you could have tiny tanks crushing even tinier protesters ala Tienanmen square, that would be grouse.
And for Little Saigon, what would be neato is if you could have miniature helicopters lifting micro people off a 1:25 scale copy of the US embassy. That too would clearly rawk.
Embrace you history!
That is all*
*And it need not be Asian only. Euro places like Little Italy could have some sort of mafioso theme with tiny figures clipping each other in deserted parking lots of wig emporiums?
theWife enjoys her present for the first time
It was a bodgie Sudoku game from Dick Smith*. theWife, whose a fun of number puzzles put it through its paces as we lay in bed watching Enough Rope**.
Her comment?
"I really like this Sudoku Puzzle game you got me ... also you stink."
In her defence I did. For it was at that moment the fart I had lodged deep within the confines of the doona chose to escape.
*Yes, I know. I went back to them on the weekend. I needed a four way hub because the carnie esq one sold to me at the fair was shit (it was, my IT friend confirmed it). Look - they're the only people I know who have what I am after when it comes to electronics. Well, that I know they will have it at any rate. Shut up ok!
** Enough Rope once again proved why it is one of the stand out shows on Australian TV.
Her comment?
"I really like this Sudoku Puzzle game you got me ... also you stink."
In her defence I did. For it was at that moment the fart I had lodged deep within the confines of the doona chose to escape.
*Yes, I know. I went back to them on the weekend. I needed a four way hub because the carnie esq one sold to me at the fair was shit (it was, my IT friend confirmed it). Look - they're the only people I know who have what I am after when it comes to electronics. Well, that I know they will have it at any rate. Shut up ok!
** Enough Rope once again proved why it is one of the stand out shows on Australian TV.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Foodcourt Follies
Why is it that whenever you purchase Foodcourt Chinese food you suffer regrets the moment you finish eating it? Like with KFC. It's good purchasing it, enjoyable as you eat it, but afterward you feel guilty and it doesn't sit well - a bit like a furtive wank.
However ordered Chinese is always good and for me even better the next day. Nothing smells better than heated up 2nd day Chinese in the microwave at work.
Certainly makes being at work more bearable.
However ordered Chinese is always good and for me even better the next day. Nothing smells better than heated up 2nd day Chinese in the microwave at work.
Certainly makes being at work more bearable.
Jezzus
These bombings/car assaults in the UK. Including a tiny 4WD Vs an airport.
How freaky that the car bombs in London were only discovered by chance it seems when an Ambo spotted smoke in a car.
Fortunately, like the second bombing attempt in 2006, where the nail bombs failed to go off, the home cooked affairs failed. To me it indicates self starters down loading instructions off the internet as opposed to AQ cell members being activated. But that's a mixed blessing because thanks to the web the former has far more potential members than the thousands trained in the latter.
At least they cocked up the instructions. Phew.
How freaky that the car bombs in London were only discovered by chance it seems when an Ambo spotted smoke in a car.
Fortunately, like the second bombing attempt in 2006, where the nail bombs failed to go off, the home cooked affairs failed. To me it indicates self starters down loading instructions off the internet as opposed to AQ cell members being activated. But that's a mixed blessing because thanks to the web the former has far more potential members than the thousands trained in the latter.
At least they cocked up the instructions. Phew.
Alphabetical
This may sound like a stoner conversation starter, but who the fuck decided the alphabetical order? Why did A get to come first? Why not M? When did it first get set in stone?
I'd like answers on that.
PS Optus account a tad shaky. Some sites work - some do not. Is it my connection? Or the sites in question?
I'd like answers on that.
PS Optus account a tad shaky. Some sites work - some do not. Is it my connection? Or the sites in question?
Torchwood - a review by HM
Well I am two eps into the series and so far so good.
But.
It's pretty sexual.
First ep had a two guys/girl threeway (implied).
Second ep not only had a moderately graphic fuck on a bathroom counter scene but showed the facial expression of a dude watching it on camera in approaching the finish line pull mode. Then later a massive girl on girl snog session.
That rudie bits aside - I like the script, like the acting, love the effects. The set is a tad annoying but that's just me. All in all pretty kewl. Full marks.
But.
It's pretty sexual.
First ep had a two guys/girl threeway (implied).
Second ep not only had a moderately graphic fuck on a bathroom counter scene but showed the facial expression of a dude watching it on camera in approaching the finish line pull mode. Then later a massive girl on girl snog session.
That rudie bits aside - I like the script, like the acting, love the effects. The set is a tad annoying but that's just me. All in all pretty kewl. Full marks.
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