TPS M@IL: a new communication tool

How many times have you wished you could email a politician or a journalist, or forward to them a piece posted on The Political Sword, but found it too difficult because you didn’t have the correct email address, or perhaps didn’t know who it might be best to contact? Over the end-of-year break, our Webmaster, Web Monkey, and I have been creating TPS M@IL. He has developed the design and the backend code to support the system, and has added several innovative features to what was originally intended to be a simple facility to enable you to send emails to politicians and journalists from your own email system.

TPS M@IL works differently from the usual mail applications as it uses your OWN email system to do the heavy lifting. Why you may ask? Well, firstly mailing politicians and their staff is a serious matter and we don't wish to provide a mechanism to spam them. So any email you wish to send will be guaranteed to be your OWN and not from our email system, or from our server's IP address. While TPS M@IL is a safe and convenient way of contacting politicians and journalists, it provides no link to The Political Sword so that spammers can't cause us to be blacklisted.

Let's elaborate.

TPS M@IL was initially designed to make it easy for you to quickly find the email addresses you want by selecting them from a database of Federal politicians or political journalists. But Web Monkey has added a feature you will find handy – a series of custom lists already compiled for you. For example, if the subject of your communication is Federal finance, instead of you having to recall the names of politicians whose portfolio responsibilities lie within finance, they have already been identified in the first of the eighteen portfolio lists that are available for your selection. To prepare your email, you would simply select ‘Finance spokespersons’, and the email addresses of the relevant politicians from all sides of Federal politics would be automatically loaded into the ‘To’ line in YOUR OWN email system. All you then have to do is type in your message, ‘sign’ it, and send it. More of this later.

The Political Sword – now established as a hub for the Fifth Estate – is already influencing opinion in the arena of Federal politics. To extend that influence, Web Monkey has added a further feature to TPS M@IL to enable you to bring pieces on The Political Sword, and the comments it evoked, directly to the attention of politicians and journalists. Let us explain these features in more detail.

TPS M@IL explained

First, to enable TPS M@IL, click the title of the piece.

When you use TPS M@IL, you will find two facilities:
- one that enables you to disseminate pieces that are posted on The Political Sword,
- and another that enables you to create your own email to politicians or journalists.

From now on, at the top and foot of each new piece on TPS, you will find a shaded panel with four TPS M@IL options: Disseminate this post; Create your own email; FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions); and Identify local member.

Go first to the last option: Identify local member which enables you to select your current representative in the Federal House of Representatives. You should use this option on your initial use of TPS M@IL. You will not need to return to this option.

When you click: ‘Identify local member’, a window displaying a database will appear, from which you can select your local member. The index at the foot of the table guides you to the page (1-17) where your member is situated. Find your member, then click ‘Select’ and the name of your local member will appear near the top of the window. If you make a mistake, simply select the correct name. Subsequently, any email you send will include your local member's email address copied into your Cc: line. If you don’t wish this to be so, do not select your local member. 

The first option in the shaded panel: Disseminate this post enables you to send the title and URL of the current post to pre-selected politicians and political journalists. The author of the piece on TPS will select the recipients depending on the subject of the post. In all instances, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, and the Greens Leader will be included, and for example if the subject was finance, the recipients would also include Wayne Swan, Penny Wong, David Bradbury, Bernie Ripoll and Bill Shorten for the Government; Joe Hockey, Andrew Robb, Mathias Cormann, Tony Smith and Arthur Sinodinos for the Coalition; Adam Bandt for the Greens; and some Independents.

The author will also create some text for your email message.

When you click: ‘Disseminate this post YOUR email system will open with all the pre-selected email addresses in your email’s ‘To’ line, the subject matter in the ‘Subject’ line, and some explanatory text in the body of the email. All you have to do is ‘sign’ the email, and ‘send’ it.

We trust this will make the dissemination of posts on TPS to selected politicians and journalists very quick and easy. We invite you to use it.

The second option in the shaded panel: ‘Create your own email’ enables you to send an email to selected politicians or journalists.

When you click: ‘Create your own email’, drop down text appears. The first line gives you the opportunity to learn a little more about TPS M@IL when you click: ‘click here to read about TPS M@IL…’

Under that, you will find a series of headings:
Ad Astra’s custom lists,
Email a politician,
Email a journalist, and
Create your own mixed list.

Ad Astra’s custom lists
This feature is designed to make it easy for you to select a group of politicians to whom you may wish you send an email.

The list begins:
Top ALP heavyweights
Top Coalition heavyweights
Power brokers in the parliament
The country’s top political journalists
People of influence in the media

After that, there are eighteen portfolio lists where those involved in these portfolios have already been selected. They are drawn from the three major parties and the Independents. An example of one portfolio area: ‘Finance spokespersons’ has been given above.

For each of the options listed there is a ‘load/modify’ link that enables you to load into your email system the email addresses that have been pre-selected. The names of those that have been pre-selected are displayed near the top of the window in alphabetical order. You can modify that list by adding to it or deleting from it, using the Add and Delete options on the right side of the window. If you add, the name added will be displayed near the top of the window in red and the name will appear in the list in alphabetical order; if you delete, 'Name removed from the list' will appear in red, and you will see that the name has been removed from the list.

Email a politician
The first heading here is: Email individual politicians. If you need help, click ‘Click here for help’.

Under that is ‘Click here to create a politician list’. When you do, a window appears that displays a database of Federal politicians from which you can select as many as you wish. As you do so, each newly selected name will appear in red near the top of the window indicating it has been added, and under that you will see the name has been added to the list you are compiling, which is in alphabetical order.

When your list is complete, click ‘click here to send your email’, and the email addresses will be added to the address line of YOUR EMAIL system. All you have to do then is to type in your message, ‘sign’ it and ‘send’ it. The recipients will see that the email has come from YOU through your email system, NOT from The Political Sword.

The next heading is: Email a Party. Under that you can select ‘All Parties’ or an individual Party, and you can then filter your selection by selecting ‘All States’ or an individual State.

Do realize though that a character limit is imposed. This is a browser based limitation and not that of TPS M@IL. Thus you may not be able to email all parties in all states at the one time.  A notice in red will appear if you have exceeded the character limit, with instructions about how to proceed.

When you have made your selection, you click the ‘Submit’ button, whereupon ‘Click here to open your email appears in red. Click this, and the email addresses of your selection will be loaded into YOUR email system, ready for you to add your message, your signature and ‘send’.

Email a journalist
Under that heading is: ‘Click here to create a journalist list’. When you do, a window appears that displays a database of political journalists from which you can select as many as you wish. The list is limited at present, because it is quite difficult to ascertain journalists’ email addresses. Please let us have any that are not on the list and we will add them in.

In the same way that applies to selecting individual politicians, as you select journalists, the newly added one will be displayed near the top of the window, and the name will be added to the list you are creating. Once you have finalised your list, click ‘click here to send your email’ and the email addresses will be added to the address line of YOUR email system. All you have to do then is to type in your message, ‘sign’ it and ‘send’ it. As with emails to politicians, the journalist recipients will see that the email has come from YOU through your email system, NOT from The Political Sword.

Create your own mixed list
This option enables you to create your own mixed list of politicians and journalists, and any other category we might add later. This option works the same as if you were selecting just politicians or just journalists.

When you click: ‘Click here to create your own mixed list’, a window appears that displays a database of both politicians and political journalists from which you can select. You can identify which is which: all politicians have 'gov' in their email address. Once selected, click ‘click here to send your email’, and proceed as described above with the individual politicians’ and journalists’ lists.

The third option in the shaded panel: Frequently Asked Questions takes you to a page where FAQ’s are addressed and answered.

We trust that you will find the system that we have designed easy to understand and easy to use, and that, with just a few simple mouse clicks, it enables you to make your voice more easily heard by those in power, and those who contribute in the media.  We feel you will find Ad Astra's lists particularly useful.  If you have a list of your own that you feel would be a useful addition, please send it to us.

We will welcome any feedback you can give us on the use of the system. Please let us know of any problems you encounter, any confusion you might experience, and of course any ways in which we might improve TPS M@IL.

We hope you enjoy the experience of using TPS M@IL. The previous piece The Gillard-Abbott gap widens is offered to enable you to try out TPS M@IL and in particular the Disseminate this post option. You may also use it to send an email to one or more politicians or journalists. Click the above link to go to the piece to see how TPS M@IL works.


Web Monkey and Ad Astra

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Ad astra

18/01/2013Folks [i]TPS Mail[/i] is now operational. This page explains how it works. To get the most out of [i]TPS Mail[/i], please read the page in its entirety. To test its features, go to the previous piece [i]The Gillard-Abbott gap widens[/i]: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2013/01/18/The-Gillard-Abbott-gap-widens.aspx

Ad astra

18/01/2013Folks Web Monkey has spent countless hours developing [i]TPS Mail[/i]. There are over ten thousand lines of code in what is a very complex feat of programming. He has added to the original concept of a simple email service the option of using pre-determined lists of recipients in over twenty categories, and also the option to disseminate any post to a prepared list of recipients. I’m sure he would appreciate your feedback about [i]TPS Mail[/i], how it is working for you, and how it might be enhanced.

Dan Gulberry

19/01/2013What a great initiative AA. With this being an election year, I've no doubt the service will get a good workout.

TalkTurkey

19/01/2013Ad astra, and Web Monkey, I'm not across TPS Mail technique yet but I knew you two had been working away on this huge project, and like Dan G I am sure it will be both a boon and a stimulant to the rest of us. Thank you both. Take the weekend off!

Gravel

19/01/2013Ad Astra Wow, congratulations to you and Web Monkey. You have certainly set up a resource that will be valuable to everyone here. Even the lurkers will be able to use it. I have read through all your instructions, they seem very clear. I am very tentative at trying anything new, but rest assured, when I feel the need to use TPS Mail, I will. Thank you both for all the hard work, stress and time you have put into this.

Truth Seeker

19/01/2013Ad, looks good. I have put an update on IA, as some there requested that I do, but it may have got caught up in their spam filter, as it's waiting moderation, so I will keep an eye on it and if it doesn't get through I'll re-write and try again. Good luck with what should be a well patronised initiative. :-) BTW I have just re-posted my poem "Friends in the LNP" for any that missed it. http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com Cheers :-) :-)

Ad astra

19/01/2013Dan Gulberry Thank you for your endorsement. Please invite your visitors to use [i]TPS Mail[/i]. We are considering installing a ‘button’ in the left panel to facilitate its use by visitors from other sites. As a Fifth Estate blogger, you know how difficult it is to extend our influence. We lack the distributive power of the MSM. I hope [i]TPS Mail[/i] will extend the influence of [i]TPS[/i]. Talk Turkey Thank you for your kind comment. It will take a while for [i]TPS[/i] visitors to get used to, and take up [i]TPS Mail[/i]. There are many options to embrace. Web Monkey and I are familiar with it now, but recognize that new users will take a while to familiarize themselves. We are still looking for ways to fine tune it and improve it. We hope users will give us feedback.

Ad astra

19/01/2013TS Thank you for your encouragement. I enjoyed your verse.

Truth Seeker

19/01/2013Ad, thanks for your feedback, and just to let you know the post that I made on IA was cleared, so hopefully you should get a few more visitors from there as some were very interested in the idea. Cheers :-) :-)

Vote1Maxine

19/01/2013AA & Web Monkey What a great initative to empower individuals via the Fifth Estate to make a difference in this critical election year. It has a powerful potential to circumvent the lies and political spin of of Old Media. An important development in ensuring the coming downfall of Abbott's Noalition. Congratulations and well done. GO YOU GOOD THINGS!!!

Ausdavo

19/01/2013Hi AA, Have just finished reading all the info re TPS Mail. It looks great. Congrats and thanks to yourself and Web Monkey - what a great resource for those of us who sometimes feel our opinions go unheard. Federal Member for Hinkler - Paul Neville will start to get regular feedback on some of his outrageous comments in the local MSM. It gives us, here in Hervey Bay, a stronger voice in this so important election year. Abbott must never be PM!

lorraine

19/01/2013thank you, this so great and so good of you to put this together, is it linked to twitter

Robyn

19/01/2013Thank you so much for this. Checked out the addresses for journalists. Would you have address for "investigative journalists " Kate McClymont, Judith Ireland, Paul Sheehan, Greg Sheridan, Garard Henderson, Steve Lewis et al? You list Phil Coorey at SMH but I think he has left to go to AFR, and then ...? Still appreciate this compilation. Cheers

Ad astra

19/01/2013Vote1Maxine Thank you for your encouraging words. Like you, I hope [i]TPS Mail[/i] will extend the influence and coverage of [i]TPS[/i]. Ausdavo I’m glad you enjoyed reading about [i]TPS Mail[/i]. I hope you find it valuable and that your local member hears more from you. lorraine Welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family. Do come again. I hope [i]TPS Mail[/i] will prove to be a boon. Thank you for your encouragement. It is not linked to Twitter. Robyn Thank you for your encouragement. If you have the email addresses of those you name, please post them here and we will add them in. If you have a new one for Phil Coorey, please let me have it. [b]We are short of journalists’ addresses, so would anyone who has them for any journalist who are not on the list, please send them in.[/b] I’m calling it a day.

bob macalba

19/01/2013Ad and Web Monkey looking forward to putting TPS Mail to use, first on my list,.. mmmmmmm might go and sleep on that cheers AA cheers Web Monkey

TalkTurkey

20/01/2013Even "Glen Milne, the drunken thug" can have his uses! I'm sure Mari R (on Twitter) would be glad to be wrong. Read this >>> Mari R ‏@randlight http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/35544.html …Bet this won't be covered very much?

LadyInRed

20/01/2013Ad astra Fabulous. What a brilliant service. From experience I know how much time and effort would have gone into this. I had a test, its intuitive, so that means very easy to use, and the easier you make something the more likely it will be for people to act. Its that old time between thought and action principle....is it 10 seconds?

Ad astra

20/01/2013TT Thank you for the Glenn Milne article. What a change for a previous Labor denigrator and Coalition advocate! Is this another sign of the media tide turning against the Abbott man? bob macalba Do let us know how you go. LadyinRed Your words will make Web Monkey’s Day! Thank you.

LadyInRed

20/01/2013[i]Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt[/i] http://theaimn.com/2013/01/19/never/

Catalyst

20/01/2013Thank you for this - its so frustrating to never be able to contact the people who matter-meanwhile they may think that we are silent or complacent. Lettesr to the minister always seem to produce the same response, do they even get through? I think the 5th estate can make a difference. I read balanced opinion and analysis such as I almost never see in the MSM. And journalists are 'so precious' so 'special' they are a class who feed off each other.

Sir Ian Crisp

20/01/2013Given Vote 1 Maxine's perfidy it is a wonder she shows her face in the hallowed halls of TPS. Have you no shame woman?

Ad astra

20/01/2013Catalyst Welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family. Do come again. I hope you find [i]TPS Mail[/i] useful. You are right about our journalists.

TalkTurkey

20/01/2013Are We the Comrades of the Sword a bit awed by the scope and the vision of the AA/WM TPS Mail? I know I am. I haven't been game to use it yet, but the Local Member bit worked for me anyway. And I know it has huge application. As soon as individuals come to use this gobsmacking new tool to advantage PLEASE TELL THE REST OF US! As we learn from others new ways to use Blu-tack, so as soon as we can let us share the ways we have found of using TPS Mail. Web Monkey what you have done here is epochrifying. Thank you from the ENTIRE Fighting 5th Estate, for soon many will come to use the facility you and Ad astra have devised.

TalkTurkey

20/01/2013This is the leading edge of our attack. Generalissimo Margo Kingston leading the charge! margo kingston‏@margokingston1 Here are draft questions to Brough on #Ashby to be sent to @the_daily for their interview next week. Feedback welcome. http://www.scribd.com/doc/121310650/Draft-questions-for-Brough …

Ad astra

20/01/2013TT Thank you for your complimentary remarks. We hope [i]TPS Mail[/i] will be a powerful tool to extend the influence of the site. You are right: Margo Kingston is a worthy warrior. I hope she will keep 'Ashbygate' going until it is resolved.

Libbyx33

20/01/2013Hi Ad, What a fine job you & Web Monkey have done. Just sussing it out now. Of course there will be teething problems, but nothing we can't get through. Pedantic though it is, I've just copy & pasted from the new program & found a spelling mistake OH NO! lol :-) "Your Local Member is currently Bert Vanmanen member for Forde . If you made a mistake please adjust it now by hitting 'select' next to the name of your Local [b]Memeber[/b] or if you would like to change it the future, visit the Identify Local Member page to modify it." I can't wait to play around with it a bit more. Cheers!

TalkTurkey

21/01/2013Has there ever been anyone in Australian political life close to Abbortt's despicability? http://theaimn.com/2013/01/19/never/ We will NOT let this lowlife seize control of Australia!

Ad astra

21/01/2013Libbyx33 Thank you for your kind comment about [i]TPS Mail[/i]. We will fix the misspelling of 'Member' today.

TalkTurkey

21/01/2013I guess everyone knows this: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/economy-gets-big-tick-20130116-2ctw9.html But it's good to see it in black and white.

LadyInRed

21/01/2013Greg Hunt denies any knowledge of 'spam bots' [i] The fake accounts appeared to be part of a “propaganda war” effort to “increase share of voice of anti-Labor sentiment”. Separately, other spam bot accounts are more blatant. One suspected anti-Labor bot Twitter profile with over 88,000 tweets is @LaborDirt, which pumps out a constant stream of anti-Labor content. Anti-Gillard account @GI-Gillard has reportedly been retweeted by the same bots that retweeted Mr Hunt's tweet Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/twitter-spam-bots-not-mine-says-greg-hunt-20130121-2d295.html#ixzz2IaaKVu6s[/i]

TalkTurkey

21/01/2013Dog Albitey Where is everyone? Not not counting you of course LiR but it's strange, suddenly no-one has anything to say. I know it's just strange, we're all here, but it's just strange isn't it, it's called Synchronicity and it is a true phenomenon. Is this the Eye of the Storm? I think it is. It feels awesome. Have you folks noticed the subtle change that has been happening while Ashbygate has been the Fighting 5th Estate's focus [i]for not being [/i]the focus of the Flailing 4th's? What I mean is, all over the 5th Estate, the two-year miasma of doom has lifted! There is vast resentment at the dereliction of MSM in prosecuting Ashbygate - such blatant bias after its bloodlust for Slipper and Craig Thomson! - and there are many who are dubious about our hopes of changing its attitude; yet still, no-one now thinks there is anything foregone to the Right about the conclusion to this amazing drama we have been following so long with bated breath. Strange days indeed! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCdlBrgEmE

LadyInRed

22/01/2013Grattan is back. I think its a good idea, candidates should get out there and meet the people. How can you expect people to vote for you if you can't be bothered to get out there and talk to them? [iThis meeting is an important part of building the infrastructure, resources and activism we will need to beat our opponents on the ground,[/i] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/labor-to-copy-obama-poll-plan-20130121-2d383.html#ixzz2IekYkj8J] [i]Putting too much faith in what the polls say is a flawed strategy [/i] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/no-safety-in-numbers-20130121-2d321.html#ixzz2Iel4zTcA Schocking statistics on illegal abortion worldwide. [i]That is why internationally, abortion is a human rights and public health issue. When a woman dies as a result of an unsafe abortion, her death can have a significant impact on her family, especially her other children. WHO estimates that 220,000 children lose their mother every year because of complications from unsafe abortion. There are also financial and socio-economic consequences for the family.[/i] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/a-womans-right-to-choose-still-a-public-battlefield-20130121-2d31w.html#ixzz2IehgO19O What we don't need is TAbbott weighing in with his 10 penneth worth of moralising. [i]But is it really so hard to create a culture where people understand that actions have consequences and take their responsibilities seriously?[/i] Yep the above comment from the man, just to name a few, has the following to his credit: He refused a pair whilst the Prime Minister was on bereavement leave following the death of her father. At university he kicked in a glass panel door when defeated in an election. Referred to a women Chairperson as “Chairthing”. He was accused of assaulting a women at university and later acquitted. He was defended by a QC and the girl defended herself. Another women accuses him of throwing punches at her. And hitting either side of a wall she was standing against. He says it never happened but others corroborated her story. He threatens to punch the head in of Lindsay Foyle who disagreed with him on a women’s right to an abortion. He is quoted as saying in the Parliament that Prime Minister Gillard and Minister Albanese had targets on their heads. He later apologised. And of course there is also the lie about asylum seekers being illegal. Added to that is his statement that the PM refused to lay down and die. And the deliberate lie he told to the Australian Minerals Council that the Chinese intended increasing their emissions by 500 per cent. Nasty to the core! Where is everyone?

DoodlePoodle

22/01/2013I have been waiting for someone else to say that they have used TPS Mail but it seems we are all somewhat in awe of it. I decided that I would use it to send a message to our local member just to try it out. Perhaps it's just me but what I thought were links don't appear to work. These links are all in black font and underlined. The only ones that do work for me are the ones underlined in blue such as The previous piece "The Gillard-Abbott gap widens" Have I misunderstood the instructions or is there a problem?

LadyInRed

22/01/2013DoodlePoodle I am nt sure if I understood you correctly. Bt the text doesn't contain the links. Have a look under the last lines of text where Web Monkey and Ad Astra have signed off. The light grey highlighted area. Click on "Create your own email" (for example), and then I feel its quite intuitive after that.

xiaoecho

22/01/2013sortius @sortius 17 Jan 2013: "Davidson RFB weren’t called out to a fire, Abbott just went for a stunt" 1. Tony Abbott was on Stand By for 2 days. 2. Tony Abbott was not on Active Firefighting Duty at any time over those 2 days. 3. Tony Abbott arranged a stunt with Joanna Gash, Mayor of Nowra and still sitting federal MP for the same area, to come down with a media crew on the day that real RFS firefighters were battling a blaze in her electorate, so as to seem like he was part of the firefighting effort? 4. As Tony Abbott was only on Stand By, his brigade were not called to fight the fire in Joanna Gash’s electorate, but it appears Tony Abbott commandeered the Davison RFS Truck to rock down the highway and seem like he was going to help out. 5. So the footage of him standing in on the briefing was just part of the stage-managed stunt? 6. And the footage of him playing with a fire hose was also just part of the stunt he concocted with Joanna Gash? 7. Sounds like the whole thing is bordering on the illegal to me. However, who has the guts to call Gash & Abbott out on it?

LadyInRed

22/01/2013xiaoecho I have seen reference to this stunt before on various blogs and twitter - how true is it though? Can the source be trusted?

LadyInRed

22/01/2013[i]Our trust in media: ABC still leads as commercial media struggle [/i] http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/01/22/our-trust-in-media-abc-still-leads-as-commercial-media-struggle/

DoodlePoodle

22/01/2013[i]I am nt sure if I understood you correctly. Bt the text doesn't contain the links. Have a look under the last lines of text where Web Monkey and Ad Astra have signed off. The light grey highlighted area. Click on "Create your own email" (for example), and then I feel its quite intuitive after that.[/i] Thanks Lady in Red. I have found where I need to go unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to use the tool as I don't use Outlook where is where it wants to take me.

Ad astra

22/01/2013DoodlePoodle LiR is right - you activate emails from the shaded panel at the top and the foot of the piece, from which you will be taken to your own email system. The underlining in the text in [i]TPS Mail: a new communication tool[/i] and in [i]Frequently Asked Questions[/i] is illustrative only. The underlinings are not links in those pieces.

Ad astra

22/01/2013xiaoecho What you document sounds like a typical Abbott stunt. How can all that be authenticated?

TalkTurkey

22/01/2013 Chris Murphy is a lawyer and plainly knows his business. From Twitter: chris murphy‏@chrismurphys Never missed a pencil or a sandwich. No one works the expenses racket like Tony Abbott #auspol http://www.phonytonyabbott.com/blog/tony-abbott-and-his-extravagant-expenses … …

LadyInRed

22/01/2013TT Wow I mean W.O.W..... wow. What does he do in that office, eat beluga caviar every Friday and chuck down some Moet?

Pikiranku

22/01/2013NormanK and Gypsy Janet As you can see I have Mary Lee on board at last - many thanks to you both. TT A truly fascinating link to phonytonyabbott.com. What exactly are 'Office Facilities'? Can anyone elaborate?

Bacchus

22/01/2013This has been taken down from the Davidson RFB Facebook site, but someone captured it at the time here: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=134265633308184&story_fbid=427937347274343 (Last comment) "[quote]Davidson Rural Fire Brigade Dear All, Davidson RFB and the RFS are a non-politically aligned community based emergency service. We have many members from walks of life and just so happen to have a long serving member that happens to have a long career in politics. As the brigade Captain I will formally address the comments outlined in the post above. 1.Tony Abbott was on standby with 9 other members of our brigade who all were on annual leave or on sanctioned leaves from their respective employers. Availability had been canvassed 48 hours in advance to the total fire ban of 8/1/13. 2.Tony was on active duty and was on the brigade’s rapid deployment list (with 5 others) for extended out of area deployment which had been ascertained a week prior based on predicted weather conditions. 3.As the brigade manager I rostered and sent Tony to Nowra. He could have been sent to a number of different fires in NSW that day depending on the resource requests that we were asked to provide. He was sent with 3 other Davidson members in one of our tankers. 4.Davidson Brigade was requested to provide it s vehicle and a crew of 4 to attend the Nowra deployment as a function of a joint Warringah/Hornsby strike team. Tony was assigned to his brigade’s vehicle. Tony is a qualified truck driver and was assigned by the vehicles officer to be the driver. Being rank and file he is tasked by the vehicle officer at all times and acts under instruction. 5.Footage of him is inclusive of the other 3 crew members assigned to the vehicle he was tasked on. 6.As above. 7.As mentioned, tony is a much valued highly qualified and experienced member of the Davidson RFB brigade family and simply put has been a volunteer with us of 12 years. His deployment as with the other 5 members we have deployed around the state was and is my decision as brigade captain. We hope that this clears up any miss information and answers any questions that you may have had. We reiterate that the facebook page has been established to inform our local community of the work the 65 committed & dedicated members of the Davidson Rural Fire Brigade undertake. Regards Trent Dowling Captain – Davidson RFB[/quote]" Took me quite a bit of effort to find this. I remember reading it at the time on the Davidson RFB Facebook site - removing it seems VERY suss... https://www.facebook.com/DavidsonNSWRFS?ref=ts&fref=ts

lawriejay

23/01/2013A very pleasing overview of polling pointing to positive territory. We are approaching the sprint to the election finish line and the invitation to Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist and Commonwealth Games Gold Medal sprinter (200 m and 4x100 relay) Nova Maree Peris-Kneebone to take up the baton shows Julia is preparing to bolt from the blocks. Looking forward to the first day of parliament on 5 Feb, my wife and I are heading to Canberra for the first two days for inspirational therapy.

42 long

23/01/2013A positive and timely move to get more aboriginal reps in the parliament. The incumbent had been there for 15 years without ever being ministerial material or particularly distinguishing herself, as far as I know. I don't like over -riding branch people but they have let the LNP steal a march on them with the state/terriroty elections by having two aboriginal remote area aboriginals elected and thereby gaining power. I hope for the sake of the aboriginal people of the Terrirory they are not dudded by the right wingers, as Labor has been the party through history that has aided the aboriginals most, by a large margin.

LadyInRed

23/01/2013Nova Peris is a good choice. I am pleased to see an aboriginal woman of substance being put forward as a candidate. I'm sorry Crossin feels she has been duded, but 15 years is a good run, and politics is like any other business or organisation or team for that matter, its never easy when someone taps you on the shoulder and says your time is up.

Ken

23/01/2013Lady in Red, 42 long, lawrie jay I agree that putting Nova Peris up for the Senate is a good choice, particularly having an Aboriginal woman, but I also read that Marian Scrymgour may also have been a local candidate for pre-selection - another Aboriginal woman. There may have been some qualms about Marian getting the nod because of past issues with the NT Labor government.

TalkTurkey

23/01/2013[b]Super-Nova![/b] Not merely because of her physical prowess - That would be to leave her on a footing only slightly above the otherwise-gormless John Alexander of tennis 'fame'. This woman helps her people. She has a world view. She weeps with joy, not at her personal ascension - if she were going to be spoilt by superego it would have happened when she won gold medals - but for the chance to achieve significant improvement in indigenous welfare, first amongst many things. Beyond any shame our asylum-seeker policies may rightly incur is the dominant Australian culture's blind-eyed ignorant bigoted treatment of indigenous peoples. *J*U*L*I*A*s choice of our Super-Nova in Australian politics will shine light on these, our forgotten abused dispossessed First Australians. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Warren Mundine! : - I think you have great heart, I for one want you back in the ALP and you may be sure that, with an attitude such as you have expressed this morning - the most gracious I have heard in ages - the great majority of True Believers want you back too. I have not heard you wantonly bad-mouthing the Labor Party, as some disgruntled ex-members have been known to do; I think there is wide recognition that you have had good reason for disappointment but all I can say is Hang in Comrade, you can help a great deal in the Labor Party in which I think you command great respect. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Plainly there is great opportunity for healing here, with the Prime Minister's choice being welcomed by almost all who have expressed an opinion. Not quite of course, Senator Crossin is pretty miffed, (as I guess so is Kevin07), that's sad, but well, too bad, the ALP is a Party that must work and be effective, she's been there 15 years so she is on a full Parliamentary pension, (wish I were), and there's no guarantee of a lifetime job on the B Team! I wonder if anyone has made the point that in one way Ms Peris' [i]non[/i]-membership of the ALP - given her service to her people over the last decade or so - is actually a testament to her personal selflessness. The very fact that she has not been looking for a political appointment places her at the peak of the high moral ground. Oh and one more thing: I have often used a football analogy in describing the state of play in the current Parliament (and we are now nearly at the end of three-quarter time!) [i]And,[/i] our Prime Minister is an avid Aussie Rules fan too. Right, well, in a Grand Final, what's a playing Captain-Coach to do? [i]Too bloody right, pull the under-performers, [/i]that's what. Honour and respect to our PM for making a tough but brilliant decision in face of certain shrieking from the yellow MSM. Eat your hearts out Abborttians, your side of politics will never attract such as Nova Peris. She is more than a vote magnet for the ALP, she is a wonderful potential healer and teacher and role model and beacon for girls and indigenes and disadvantaged minorities generally . Callings don't come any higher. [b]Our best wishes Nova, and Welcome to the Australian Labor Party. You will help us make our great Party better still.[/b]

LadyInRed

23/01/2013[i] Media's character put to the test in federal election campaign [/i] http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/medias-character-put-to-the-test-in-federal-election-campaign-20130122-2d57j.html Victoria Rollison [i]An Open Letter to Chris Kenny [/i] Didn't know who he was - He is clearly ignorant http://victoriarollison.com/2013/01/18/an-open-letter-to-chris-kenny/ [i]The Desperation of a Liberal MP? The Russian spambots[/i] http://storify.com/geeksrulz/the-desperation-of-a-liberal-mp [i]The Ashbygate conspiracy — of silence [/i] http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/the-ashbygate-conspiracy-of-silence/

xiaoecho

23/01/2013Ad and LiR I do not know the veracity of these claims but they ring true to me and that is why I re posted them. I trust sortius. ....the fact that the MSM hasn't picked the story up means nothing to me, in fact I am not surprised. LiR, you sound dubious. Why? Tony has massive form in this kind of thing. He knows the media will take every claim at face value.

LadyInRed

23/01/2013[i]Gillard Captions Pick - The Hoopla[/i] http://thehoopla.com.au/gillards-captains-pick/ There's "always two sides to every story" (Phil Collins) [i]Nova Peris, the Prime Minister and Trish Crossin[/i] http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/nova-peris-the-prime-minister-and-trish-crossin/

bob macalba

23/01/2013did i ever mention that i hate tory bastards? even the pommy shits..they are all the same..evil gits....rant over cheers http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/22/truth-about-shrewsbury-24-strike

LadyInRed

23/01/2013xiaoecho I always like to check the facts. If I can't verify then I am generally dubious and wont retweet or repeat.

LadyInRed

23/01/2013bob - That was such an interesting read. We forget what the unions did for us, how much they suffered to create decent working conditions. You bob macalba get the "cranky pants" award for today. They suit you well and don't forget to pop that blue singlet on, and you can even quote Primus! heck I might join you ........oooooh torries.

bob macalba

23/01/2013LiR thanks for the award, and for the laugh... and you are so right in saying that folk forget what the unions did for us, ps.. no primus for me today, to noisy unless influenced by b&c cheers

LadyInRed

23/01/2013No worries bob two time winner of prestigious 'cranky pants' award. And just to keep you smiling this is a great big laugh: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/abbott-reflects-on-popularity-woes/story-fn3dxiwe-1226559860360

LadyInRed

23/01/2013And the laughs keep coming - must be the weather. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/life/satire/murder-on-the-fisher-express/

Jason

23/01/2013Hi all! Back from the Byron Bay/QLD trip! Good to see Nova pre selected in the NT for the senate.

LadyInRed

23/01/2013Hey Jason! Hope you had a good trip visiting Newmanville. I know you said your dad lives in Nambour, not far from me. Ditto on Nova.

Ad astra

23/01/2013Jason Welcome back.

Gravel

23/01/2013Ad Astra It is a bit confusing, having two threads open at once. I commented on Nova on the other thread. When I checked in today I was looking for TT's comment that he said (on twitter) he posted here. I couldn't find it and came across to see everyone chatting happily. TT I fully agree with your post on superNova. Jason Glad you had a great holiday:-) You do know that now you are back we will be haunted by a certain poster, don't you, I think he stalks you. ;-)

Ad astra

23/01/2013Folks We have had two posts open simultaneously so as explain TPS Mail and at the same time give you the opportunity to try it out via [i]The Gillard-Abbott gap widens[/i]. Having served this purpose, I will now close [i]TPS Mail: a new communication tool[/i] for comment, but will leave the other open.
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?