The Abbott ‘family’ rush to prop up its errant child prodigy

It began right after Tony Abbott was unexpectedly elevated to the lofty position of Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. There was only one vote in it, but there he was, where he had long fantasized he might be, in line to be the nation’s next Prime Minister. His hurriedly called press conference was a mix of surprise and high expectations, albeit tempered a little by the reality of being pitted against a once very popular PM in Kevin Rudd. Just one sentence was memorable: “If I win the next election I will be considered a genius; if not, I will be road kill.” How prescient. Yet that sentence gave hope to a languishing Coalition torn by the trauma of ejecting one leader, then selecting one that was not planned to be the leader at all. It was supposed to be Joe Hockey, but having messed up his campaign with equivocation about his support for an ETS, he was surprisingly eliminated at the first ballot, leaving just Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott to slug it out.

The prospect of a genius wresting power from the Labor usurpers was appealing. After all, John Howard’s Coalition should never have lost to upstart Rudd and his Labor Party. The Coalition, as the natural party of government, one that had been so for over eleven long years, should have continued. Having been robbed of victory, and the Prime Minister having lost his seat to a journalist, redress was needed, and as soon as possible.

The earnest Brendan Nelson never had a hope against the determined and resourceful Malcolm Turnbull, who quickly edged him out. But despite showing high promise, Turnbull’s reputation was badly dented by the Grech affair, and even more dangerously so within his own party by his support for a modified Rudd ETS. The hard right conservatives and climate skeptics/deniers, led by Nick Minchin, cooked up a plot to replace Turnbull with Hockey, but when that backfired there was the astonished Tony Abbott facing the media.

At that time, Abbott scarcely had a family at all, that is a political family. Having messed up badly during the 2007 election, he had few followers. But what his party knew, and many in the Fifth Estate could see, was that this man was a pugilist from his university days and that this was an attribute he would bring to leadership, having already had plenty of practice as John Howard’s attack dog. It was not long before we saw his pugilism in savage action.

Always a prizefighter, he settled on a strategy based on short unforgettable slogans, jabbing endlessly at Labor’s soft spots. The carbon tax, boat arrivals, and debt and deficit were all simple targets, with easy to remember, easy to create three word slogans that could be repeated ad nauseam no matter what the occasion.

The public, disengaged at that time from serious political discourse, readily cottoned onto these slogans and were soon repeating them over a beer or a latte, or at the water cooler. It was an easy strategy, and as polls steadily moved in favour of the Coalition, was seen by journalists as a ‘clever’ and successful one. Soon the notion of ‘Abbott as genius’ captured the imagination of the Canberra Press Gallery, always excited by the prospect of a fight, especially where the underdog showed a good prospect of winning. Traditionally inclined towards the conservative side of politics, and becoming disenchanted with PM Rudd and his Government, many in the MSM joined the ‘Abbott family’, and verbalized their support through their columns. ‘Genius’ Abbott, now showing ‘child prodigy’ attributes, could do no wrong. He, and his strategy, was soon categorized as ‘brilliant’, and he was already being dubbed ‘the most successful Leader of the Opposition in Australian political history’.

Then came the abrupt removal of Kevin Rudd, and his replacement with Julia Gillard. This traumatic event, and Laurie Oakes’ revelation in the 2010 election campaign of the behind the scenes plotting that seemed to some to implicate Julia Gillard, turned the public away from Labor. As the polls moved more and more to the Coalition until the two parties were level, the Abbott genius was amplified, and soon pollsters were predicting a ‘hung parliament’, which turned out to be the case.

Then came the agonizing seventeen days of negotiation with the Independents and Greens, in the end clearly won by Julia Gillard, and lost by Tony Abbott whom we now know would have done anything, anything at all to get the prize. The Independents judged him to be less suitable than Julia Gillard to be the PM. He lost, and as Anthony Albanese has often said, subjected us to ‘the longest dummy-spit in Australian political history’. He was a sore loser during university days, and still was.

Because PM Gillard was landed with a minority Government, Abbott saw her as vulnerable and illegitimate, and set about to destroy her and her Government just like he had done with his opponents in the boxing ring at Oxford. He threw everything at her, believing he would soon knock her and her Government to the canvas, bloodied and beaten, and that a new bout would be ordered which he would win in the first round. He sharpened his slogans. It was now a ‘toxic tax’ that would create economic havoc and devastate whole industries and towns; it became ‘a tax built on a lie’, and some of his distant political family organized carbon tax rallies that sported ‘Ditch the Witch’ and ‘Bob Brown’s Bitch’ placards in front of which Abbott and his shadow ministers stood.

As his flurry of wild punches hit the mark, Julia Gillard’s ratings plummeted, and Labor’s stocks steadily fell as the Coalition’s rose. Soon the Coalition was so far ahead in the polls that the Canberra Press Gallery was confidently predicting a landslide to the Coalition at the next election, the reduction of Labor to ‘a rump’, and a decade for it to recover. The Abbott family grew as more and more journalists joined the congratulatory throng. Abbott truly was a genius, more successful than any previous Opposition Leader. It was just a matter of time before he knocked PM Gillard out and forced another bout, which he would win without working up a sweat. The Press Gallery was enthusiastic.

Although Abbott had laughed when she said: “bring it on”, PM Gillard would “not lie down and die”. No matter what Abbott and the MSM threw at her, she kept coming back, feinting, throwing more and more effective punches, and accumulating points with each piece of reforming legislation passed.

Although he may have had his moments of doubt, his ever-supportive extended ‘family’ treated him as the child prodigy they felt sure he was. His brilliance was never doubted. They tolerated, even applauded his belligerence; after all, opposing was the job of an opposition! They ignored, even excused, his lack of policy and costings. They good-humouredly accepted his appearances at sundry businesses with fluoro vest and hard hat, and had no complaint about his predilection for soft interviews, his poor performance in probing ones, and his penchant for walking away when questioning at doorstops got tough. All the defects so obvious to others were overlooked or discounted by the growing political Abbott family. Tony could do no wrong.

They wrote PM Gillard off and reveled in the thought of a massive Abbott victory. They used the polls of voting intention to support their predictions, always believing an election was imminent. But PM Gillard refused to drop. She was at times bloodied, but her seconds got her up as each new round began. One year went by, then another. Journalist after journalist wrote about the ‘inevitable’ Rudd challenge, citing date after date by which it was likely to happen, but when it was finally arranged, PM Gillard was the clear victor, and although Rudd’s supporters still make intermittent subterranean noises, nothing seems likely to now bring about any change.

The Abbott man began to tire, and the Abbott machine began to run down. Throwing the same old punches, punches that missed their mark or made no lasting impact, Abbott and his family became disheartened. They had placed so much store in their prodigy, but now he was flagging before their very eyes, and before the eyes of the electorate too. His popularity slid in poll after poll, but the Coalition vote held up well, reassuring the family that although Tony was tiring, the Coalition would win easily ‘if an election was held today’. But of course it wasn’t being held today or tomorrow, and now not until next year.

Then the boy genius began to make mistakes. When his past caught up with him via David Marr’s Quarterly Essay: Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott, he mucked up his response to Marr’s revelations. His behaviour towards women became a talking point. Alan Jones joined the fray telling a Young Liberals’ audience that Julia Gillard’s father had died of shame because of his daughter’s lies. Revulsion at this outrage was widespread, but Abbott was slow to respond, slow to condemn, and to add insult to injury, he repeated the ‘died of shame’ phrase in parliament, leading to the most excoriating dressing down of an Opposition Leader by a Prime Minister ever witnessed in the House, made all the worse by the sexist overtones that showed Abbott up in such a poor light. Labor women, and women all over the country applauded, gratified that at last someone in authority had stood up for them against the sexist discrimination they had all endured. The speech went viral around the world. The child prodigy looked mean and nasty, and all the worse for him, diminished in the eyes of the electorate, women and men alike.

Family members rallied behind their boy, quibbling about the use, or as they saw it, the misuse of the word ‘misogyny’. Half brother Greg Sheridan wrote an indignant article; this was not the Tony he knew, and he had known him from university days. Margie Abbott went public about her Tony. We were told he was not a misogynist; he loved his wife and daughters. As if we ever doubted that! Abbott’s political sisters, Julie and Sophie, and his political brother Christopher, came out singing in unison that the Tony they knew was a nice man, not sexist, and certainly not a misogynist.

Brothers in the MSM wrote articles in defence. With Tony so assured of an easy victory, no matter when the next election was held, surely he couldn’t be so easily sidetracked by his past. His gauche reaction to Marr’s revelations and his handling of Jones’ ‘died of shame’ remark made matters worse. His ‘family’ began to see certainty eroding, and when Newspoll twice had the parties level pegging, mild panic began. Surely the child prodigy couldn’t mess up now.

Cousin Peter van O began to doubt, and said as much in an article: Is this the turning point. He asked: ”Has the Gillard Labor government turned the corner?” Having conceded that it could be as long as 12 months before the next federal election is called, he opined that: “Abbott must find a way to arrest the decline in his party's primary vote, which may require pivoting from his deliberately negative style of campaigning” and then expressed the unthinkable thought that, like his previous boss John Hewson who lost an ‘unloseable election’, Abbott might do likewise.

Even grandmother Michelle began to have doubts about her favourite grandson. In Headaches for Abbott as tactics falter, she ruminated about the polls, dissension in Coalition ranks, flawed tactics and not enough strategy, but not wanting to upset dear Tony too much she gave him a gentle reassuring pat: ”Abbott doesn't need to push the panic button, but unless the final polls for the year bring some good news for him, there will be pressure for serious stocktaking over Christmas.”

By the weekend though, she felt she might have gone too far, so penned a ‘can-you-believe-she-actually-wrote-this’ puff piece: Tony, lighten up for the battle ahead:

“Dear Tony,
Suddenly you have become THE talking point among the chattering commentators. We're all running round quizzing nervous Liberals about what's going wrong and what you must do about it. So, a few thoughts.

“If we mark your performance as Opposition Leader, you get distinctions for the early grades. You helped bring down Kevin Rudd, put big holes in Julia Gillard. But, unfortunately for you, Tony, you're enrolled in a continuous assessment course. There's a big exam at the end, but if you start to bomb out in the monthly assignments, there could be unpleasant surprises later.”
If Tony hadn’t already realized that this was not a short-run course, there is little hope for him. But grandmothers do sometimes state the bleeding obvious!

She wasn’t finished: ”So, you need to get those grades up, Tony - by which we mean your performance and your personal ratings. Look in the mirror - now. Why do 58 per cent disapprove of how you are doing your job?”

Like all adoring grannies, she swallowed whole her boy’s lofty, but platitudinous rhetoric during a recent economics address: ”On Friday you said you had outlined ‘plans for a stronger economy, stronger communities, a cleaner environment, stronger borders and modern infrastructure''', but, taking her courage in both hands, warned: ”Unfortunately you don't look like a guy with a plan, let alone a dream; your image is of a bloke with a pickaxe.”

Not done, Granny Michelle gives some good health advice: ”Tired mind, tired body. Cut back on the exercise a tad. Say no to some of those fund-raisers. It's been a long march and the heavy ground lies ahead”, finishing with: ”And a small postscript. Could you smooth, albeit only a tiny bit, what Barnaby calls that ''square-gaited'' walk that makes you look slightly menacing? A step too far?”

If you think I’m making this up, do read the whole article here. Is this satire? Is she having us on? I suspect this really is granny advice. Oh dear!

Even Aunty Samantha has a go in the Herald Sun in her piece: Time Tony Abbott had a good lie down. It begins: Tony Abbott celebrates his 55th birthday today. The Lodge for his 56th is probably top of the Liberal leader's wish list. But to get there, some of his mates reckon the best present for him would be to crawl back under the covers and go back to sleep. Poor Tony’s tired after a year of wildly swinging punches that mostly now miss their mark.

Malcolm Farr writes an incomprehensible piece linked somehow to the Spring Racing Carnival: On the track Tony Abbott’s odds shorten. Searching for meaning, I came across this: “Tony Abbott is no John Howard. Voters are not yet sure what he stands for, and he doesn’t have much time left to tell them. This doesn’t mean an Abbott-led Coalition would not win the next election. There could be issues and incidents over the coming12 months which wreck his bid for national leadership, but at the moment they are not obvious.

“The notion that the ALP is hauling back its primary vote to the point of making the next election a close contest is fanciful. Forget Newspoll’s 50/50 two-party preferred split.”


Coming from wise old Uncle Malcolm, I guess that will reassure poor Tony. He was supposed to be rejuvenated by a day at the races, but dwarfed as he was by his daughters in their mega stiletto heels, he did look so tiny. Never mind Tony, Uncle Malcolm is backing you still.

Writing in Business Spectator last week in Abbott’s now in real fiscal trouble, Rob Burgess asserted threateningly: “Comments from the Business Council and Australian Industry Group, published yesterday, look like a major headache for Tony Abbott.”, but in the same paper yesterday, Alister Drysdale, former senior adviser to Malcolm Fraser and Jeff Kennett writes in: Abbott's changing the sermon: ”A new Tony Abbott is emerging as the Gillard government regains electorate approval. Direct attacks are losing their impact and if the Coalition is to defeat Labor then considered policy debate must be its new weapon.”

Drysdale goes on: “There are tentative signs that Abbott is subtly changing. The smear aimed at Gillard over her long gone days at Slater and Gordon is now coming from the flaying female deputy, not from him. He’s less agitated and aggressive and involved in Question Time fracas – a small but notable change in political management. He’s attempting to come to grips with quiet speeches on issues of productivity and economic management.” Uncle Alister is relieved.

Later he writes: ”In the months to come, Gillard could still be easily tripped. The ALP could keep yabbering on about themselves…the forecast Budget surplus could melt away – a political disaster". But he offers Tony a word of caution: ”Then too, the polls could keep tightening and buoy the government’s political mission. They could even act as a catalyst for boldness in public policy.” Should the latter come about though, his advice for nephew Tony is simple – be bold!

This extraordinary bout of revisionism has been confined to the Fourth Estate where most of the Abbott ‘family’ dwells; the Fifth Estate remains resolutely of the view that the Leader of the Opposition is disintegrating inexorably.

Uncle Andrew tweeted yesterday morning that things were not as bad for Abbott as they might seem, but so far we have not heard from Uncle Dennis and Uncle Paul. No doubt they will become a second phalanx of reassurance for nephew Tony that all is not lost as he approaches the end-of-year recess. He needs a break, he needs to give his tired brain a rest along with his aching arms, he needs to get his mojo back, and if he does this, their child prodigy must surely win the prize he so richly deserves, one so cruelly denied him in 2010, one they all covet – Prime Ministership and all the clout and influence that goes with it, so important for any close knit, power-hungry 'family'.

Their child prodigy, now exposed as errant, needs all the propping up he can get, and his extended 'family' is already giving it to him in spades.

What do you think?

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Michael

6/11/2012With 'family' like this, who needs the Borgias? Nice work, AA.

TalkTurkey

6/11/2012Comrade Swordsfolks, here is the parody on Modern Major General written by my brother Gordon. I had not heard it until Friday, but Gordon read and wrote prodigiously all his life. As a columnist he often wrote under the name of Drongo Byline. (Anagram of Gordon Bilney see?) He left some instructions for this to be presented on stage for some skit or other. Remember that in the original, the Modern Major General keeps having to hesitate while he thinks of a suitable rhyming line for a difficult word he has just said . . . At one stage he has to rhyme 'strategy' with 'sat a Gee' meaning 'sat on a horse'! It was W.S. Gilbert, a master rhymewright, having fun with sounding silly, so Gordon has faithfully followed the style, as do I too when parodising others' work. (If we are to ape their work at least we can do them the justice of doing it properly!) So the apparently scrappy bits below are each Modern Politician trying rhymes until they find a satisfactory one, compris? May I suggest that you watch the videoclip of the original before you read Gordon's parody. It's funny and clever and classic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGWoXDFM64 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The scene opens with the Lying Rodent telling the Master of Ceremonies how things are going to be . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE MODERN POLITICIAN Four (or maybe a few more) people on stage, recognizably Howard, Latham and a generic Democrat or 3, plus an MC. Costumes/makeup? Don’t be silly – but each would be identified by the appropriate Party hat - blue, red, and yellow and green, and perhaps big rosettes. HOWARD - (Looking at the program – speaks to the MC, and/or others on stage): “This next thing, it says here “With apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan”. What does that mean?” MC: “Well, it’s just to say that Gilbert and Sullivan are asserting their rights to being the original owners of this song. We have, as it were, stolen it from them – so we make an apology for that”. HOWARD: “Gilbert and Sullivan? But they’re dead, aren’t they? So it’s nothing to do with us”. MC: “Wellll….” HOWARD: “Did they wear the baggy green? Ay?” MC: “Welllll…” HOWARD: “Were they at Gallipoli? Ay? Ay?” MC: “Welll…” HOWARD: “Not part of our culture, see? Stolen? That’s ridiculous! There’ll be no apology as far as I’m concerned!!” “ I will decide who sings this song, and the manner in which it is sung!” I am the very model of a modern politician My principles I don't let interfere with my ambition I'm known as Honest Johnny, though the rationale seems odd to me I'm glad the voting public have all suffered a lobotomy . . . When I say “never ever” in my leadership capacity Remember who’s the rodent, with the talent for mendacity I’ll steer this ship of State, and never let another cove aboard..... .. ?Cove aboard? ?Drove a Ford? Mmmmmm....Ah! If Kimmy ever threatens, I just shout out "Children overboard"! Refrain - all If Kimbo ever threatens he just yells out "Children overboard"! If Kimbo ever threatens he just yells out “Children overboard”! If Kimbo ever threatens he just yells out “Children over-overboard”! I ring up George each Tuesday just to get my next instructions It’s such a shame we never found those tools of mass destruction But I won’t tell a lie – I simply alter my position For I’m the very model of a modern politician. ALL: No he won’t tell a lie, he simply alters his position For he’s the very model of a modern politician. NOW LATHAM I am a different model of a modern politician I'm into reading kiddies' books, it goes with Opposition My temper is notorious, my mates say I'm the crabby one For when I take a taxi ride I like to biff the cabby one I'm sad to say they've got me down by playing all their dirty tricks Some people reckon I was never cut out for the politics But one thing I can still do, I can talk submerged in wet cement... ?Wet cement? ?Testament? Mmmmm...Ah! And when I write a book I cover all my friends in excrement! Refrain – all And when he writes a book he covers all his friends in excrement! And when he writes a book he covers all his friends in excrement! And when he writes a book he covers everyone in excre-excrement! And now I’m in retirement, every day is like a week to me But now I’ve got the time, nobody seems to want to speak to me I guess they’re trying not to give me any ammunition For I’m the very model of a modern politician. ALL: We think they’re trying not to give him any ammunition That psychopathic model of a modern politician. NOW THE GENERIC DEMOCRAT – OR MAYBE 2 OR 3 Now I’m the very model of a different politician To keep the bastards honest, was our challenge and our mission We went for all the policies the others were discardin’ ‘Cos we still believed in fairies at the bottom of the garden Then Megsy Lees decided that we had to be more relevant And cuddled up to Johnny like a rabbit to an elephant She voted for the GST – and left us flabbergasted Flabbergasted? Plastered? Half-masted? …..Ahh! But now she’s out of Parliament – and we’ve become the bastards! ALL: Now Meg is out of Parliament and we’ve become the bastards Now Meg is out of Parliament and we’ve become the bastards Now Meg is out of Parliament and people know the bastards now are us When Cheryl left our Party ‘twas a very sad defection The only good it did was give old Gareth an erection It’s very sad, but now we’re in a terminal condition Extinction of the species for some different politicians. ALL: It’s very sad, but now we’re in a terminal condition Extinction of the species for some different politicians. LAST VERSE - HATS COME OFF (Slow and mournful, maybe each person doing alternate lines) It’s hard to change the model, with these modern politicians You criticize the Government, they’ll have you for sedition It’s seven years for saying Philip Ruddock uses thuggery And seven more for shouting “Johnny Howard, go to buggery!” You’re not allowed to tell your wife they’ve put you in the slammer When we get another flag there’ll be a sickle and a hammer It’s hard to work out how we ever got into this possie ?Possie? ?Cossie? ?Mozzie? ‘…Ah… Remember when you used to be so proud to be an Aussie! Yes, remember when you used to be so proud to be an Aussie Yes, remember when you used to be so proud to be an Aussie Now all we do is yell out “Oy!” and “Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!” (EVEN SLOWER) Take our advice, when all else fails, go home and hug your teddy For quite soon we’ll join the U.S.A., we’re nearly there already We’ll sing “God Bless America” quite free of inhibition A wonderful achievement for our modern politicians. We’ll sing “God Bless America” quite free of inhibition So put your hands together for our modern politicians! TalkTurkey

Lyn

6/11/2012TODAY’S LINKS Wrecking Ball, Peter Wicks, Wixxy Leaks This mornings article in the Fairfax media from Kate McClymont portrays a couple who have been completely open with the police, in a light that is less than favourable. In fact, it is utterly disgusting, especially considering that it comes from a journalist that is considered knowledgeable on the HSU matters. http://wixxyleaks.com/2012/11/05/wrecking-ball/ Tony Abbott- Victim of Storyline Bias. But What Can He do About It-, Peter, Aussie Views news Tony Abbott is past his use by date. Or at least so say just about all of Australia's journalists. Except perhaps Katherine Murphy of Melbourne's The Age. In a thoughtful article inspired by David Carr form the New York Times, Katherine explored the possibility that Tony was, at least to some extent, a victim of storyline bias. So what's storyline bias? http://www.aussieviewsnews.com/2012/11/05/tony-abbott-victim-storyline-bias-what-can-he-do-about-it Blue murder at Wittenoom,Ludwig Heinrich, Independent Australia In the case of Wittenoom, we know who were responsible for the fatal decisions. It was Lang Hancock and his companies, CSR and its subsidiaries and successors, and the knights listed above. Under the Crimes Act, there is no time limitation on prosecuting for murder, and as these people knowingly allowed workers to come into contact with asbestos materials http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/blue-murder-at-wittenoom/ US: myth and denial , Gary Sauer-Thompson, Public Opinion Another similar tactic is that the policies of Abbott and Romney are little more than buzzwords, slogans and declarations that that know how to fix the problem, whatever that problem is. Their opponent, by contrast, creates problems rather than solves them. This tactic is all about winning and has little to do with what they will do to govern if they win http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2012/11/us-myth-and-den.php#more Colleges Of The Damned, Therese Trouserzoff , Pig & Whistle Sydney University is Australia’s first and therefore oldest university, having been founded in 1850. In the years that followed various residential colleges were established, usually under the auspices of religious organisations and committees of the faithful, to provide term accommodation for the men, and for a long time they were overwhelmingly men, attending the University. http://pigsarms.com.au/2012/11/05/colleges-of-the-damned/ Not all business friendly. Treasury keeps tabs on Coalition policies, Peter Martin Treasury finds businesses would lose $4.5 billion in the first full year the Coalition’s three commitments were operational, accumulating to $17.2 billion over four years. Its calculations suggest manufacturers would pay an extra $1.34 billion per year, retailers an extra $930 million, and the construction sector an extra $860 million per year. http://www.petermartin.com.au/ Horse Racing, Climate Change, US elections and Taxing Rich People, Turn Left 2013 amazingly, billionaires have somehow (owning the media is a good start) convinced The People, that what is good for the very rich is also good for working people.The Right have convinced the working class to vote against their own self-interest by electing politicians who oversee a massive transfer of wealth from the working poor to the parasitic millionaires and billionaires, “in the national interest http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/horse-racing-climate-change-us-elections-and-taxing-rich-people/ The real cost of opposition policies … or lack thereof, Bernard Keane, Crikey An extraordinarily effective negative politician, Abbott is, on the few occasions he has tried to be one, a dud positive politician. Sometimes this is because his policies themselves are rubbish. His speech about deregulation last week, for example, was a juvenile collection of right-wing nostrums that betrayed a complete absence of awareness of how government operates. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/11/05/the-real-cost-of-opposition-policies-or-lack-thereof/ RALPH BLOWS IT: PM’s accuser admits using Balinese sex workers, Vex News The endless quest to find smoking guns is not real journalism. Around here, as an equal opportunity slagger, we’re just interested in the truth and Ralph Blewitt’s candour about having his wicked way with undoubtedly youthful Balinese sex workers doesn’t make him less of sleazy mutt with fleas. If he has evidence of the PM’s involvement in dastardly deeds, he should present it. http://www.vexnews.com/2012/11/ralph-blows-it-pms-accuser-admits-using-balinese-sex-workers/ Vote Early, Vote Weird, Wendy Harmer, The Hoopla Not long to go until the greatest race on earth is decided – that’s the U.S. election, a slight nose in front of the Melbourne Cup.Here are the most unlikely polls; the weirdest scientific studies; celebrity Youtube offerings; drinking games, and the “what were they thinking?” quotes that make American democracy great. http://thehoopla.com.au/51568/ A Warehouse For Human Beings, Pamela Curr, New Matilda The refugee sector has called for an orderly program of refugee assessment and timely resettlement from Indonesia, which would save lives and save Australia from the ignominious position of becoming a moral pariah in the Pacific. Australia proceeds with this offshore dumping of human beings at our peril. A humanitarian solution is called for — not this political solution, which has failed http://newmatilda.com/2012/11/05/warehouse-human-beings Packer’s Casino Present, Wendy Bacon The Packers’ Liberal party links go back a long way but the family’s connections to Labor are just as impressive. We compiled a list of people in their current network across business, media and politics. You can also find out how much the Crown directors are paid. I was also not struck although not surprised to see that they get free services at the Crown casinos in Perth and Melbourne. http://www.wendybacon.com/2012/packers-casino-present/ Media, unions and political parties seen as Australia’s most corrupt institutions,Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation “We’ve seen a number of media stories recently globally — the Murdoch scandal in the UK. There have been issues with talk back radio and the cash for comment allegations. This poll was done before the latest talk back controversy. But it’s a global phenomenon and the implications are important because of the very important role the media has in transparency,” http://theconversation.edu.au/media-unions-and-political-parties- Abbott, Gillard clash on carbon price future, David Twomey. Eco News That’s why I’ve warned shadow ministers that some of our own initiatives might have to be phased in or commence later than if the current structural budget position were not so poor,” he said.“In many portfolio areas, the policy the coalition takes to the next election won’t involve any new spending at all but focus on administrative changes to make people’s lives easier.” http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-our-world/abbott-gillard-clash-on-carbon-price-future/ Andrew Olle lecture: Mark Colvin on the digitisation tsunami. ABC The Australian mainstream media is facing a crisis. Not just one, but several, says veteran ABC journalist Mark Colvin.Colvin - presenting the 2012 Andrew Olle media lecture tonight - said the media was facing revolutionary times, with digitisation threatening "the very ground we stand o http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/11/02/3624286.htm Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 6 November 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

2353

6/11/2012Nicely written discussion on the changing of the opinion as written by the "old" media in the Press Gallery AA. At the end of the day and regardless of the actual result, they will be able to write self congratulatory opinion pieces right through until early 2014 saying how they got the election forecast right. This will in their minds justify their self motivation as "oracles of Australian politics and why no one else's opinion or research counts. "In their mind "you know it makes sense".

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6/11/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

42 long

6/11/2012Gives an accurate "feel" for the progress of "the most successful leader of the LNP so far. ( So called). Also a concept of what little he actually has to offer to real politic think and direction. He got there by accident and organisational mismanagement and thought that playing a game and an image and using only spin and the help of his mates that would be enough. Thankfully for the country, this will be seen for the sham it is, and he won't get away with it. A "down" for Abbot and an "up" for australian perception. It took a while though.

jaycee

6/11/2012Tony Abbott, the LNP. and that whole "olde-worlde" family-backs-the-Father system is anachronistic and finished. The modern family structure is now mostly gender-independant and it can be seen as an insult to portray an expectation that the male must be propped-up by the faithful wife and kiddies! Let's face it..The whole ugly raison d'etre of the conservative party is to conserve the status quo. And that includes the vastly outdated concept of "Father Knows Best"! With the onset of an increase of natural disasters, social policy is imperative and the party who gives voice and one would trust, action to such policies will be the one who deserves to govern.....For dogs sake it must be the ALP.

GrannyAnny

6/11/2012I highly recommend a read of the Indendent Australia article about asbestos mining. Lyn has provided a link. Then ponder a certain mining billionaire's links to this disgusting episode in our mining history. Interestingly some people in the comments area are also raising the role of the deputy LOTO in all this. Then note the outcomes of the royal commission into the Pike River coal mine disaster in New Zealand. Basically the industry was poorly supervised because Governments "cut red tape". Our alternate federal government is promising the same, to "cut red tape". We know who is pulling their strings, the Ginas & Twiggies. If you work for wages, be afraid, be very afraid.

LadyInRed

6/11/2012Ad astra - nice one! Sums up the MSM perfectly, could they be more blatant in their support of TAbbott? It really is quite pathetic. He deserves to go down if only to teach 'his family' a lesson. Report the news don't invent it, you really anger us when you do. Auntie Grattan should hang her head in shame for that piece she did. To call herself a political reporter is a nonsense and the uncles need to take a shower.

TalkTurkey

6/11/2012Ad you are a marvellous chronicler, I firmly consider you the best in all the land. This thread is beyond merely perspicacious and superbly articulated with evidential references throughout, it is [i]hard-hitting[/i], to continue the obvious metaphor of Abbortt as [b]*ex-pug*[/b], any Liberal reading it would feel seriously bruised. Dam it's exactly what I KNEW would happen with Tony. He has been the cornerstone of my faith! He HAD to fail, puff pieces all the way notwithstanding People go through fads. Yo-yos. Square-dancing. Mah-Jong. Reagan. CB Radio, (guilty). Rubik's Cube. But the fads die even more suddenly than they appear. Suddenly you realize 10-y-o girls aren't playing Elastic any more, or the boys Marbles, the novelty wears off and something else takes its place. Tony Abbortt has been amazingly fascinating to our investigative journalists, but all their puff pieces have not prevented his thuggish behaviour from palling with the electorate. The novelty has worn off, he can't even find any sharks to jump. But he presents his party with an apparently insoluble dilemma. He is already down 10% on popularity cf *J*U*L*I*A*, whose true colours are shining through now, especially since her Speech. Meanwhile the LNP's vote is holding rather better, so they must know that [i]Abbortt is now a serious, and growing, liability[/i]. The overwhelmingly Rabid Right power brokers also know they have followed him far into Sewage Swamp, having turned their backs on the only presentable potential possible leader in Turdball, and with him all reasonable [i]policy[/i]. Their own policies are irreconcilable with many he would insist on, at least I tell myself that though I know the mendacity of this mob has no limits and they know they can always lie all right and renege later. But I'm saying Turdball is our only possible danger, lots of people think he's wonderful, he's very not, but perceptions count here and we need to pre-empt any possible honeymoon he might get - not that I think we can't, he's got too much personal baggage, NBN stuff especially, and he will have a job with costings, he will not prevail against us. But as for the others, well Snotty Joe's a joke, Morriscum is just Abbortt Smoothie, Mesma as if, so WHO? I have always said, November will be Challenge Time for Abbortt. It is certainly Challenge Time for his party! Will they bite the bullet and spill? The sand runneth swiftly out for them now, because it will be comical to see if they leave it till next year . . . Policies? Costings? Plan under a new leader? They will be tied in knots because they have already woven such a tangled web. Or they can stick with the dumb lame dork they got now. And go to the Devil that way. The end result is the same. Abbortt has led them deep into Sewage Swamp and their outboard's run out of juice. And nobody thought they'd need any oars . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This bit you quoted Ad: [i]Alister Drysdale, former senior adviser to Malcolm Fraser and Jeff Kennett writes in: Abbott's changing the sermon: ”A new Tony Abbott is emerging as the Gillard government regains electorate approval. Direct attacks are losing their impact and if the Coalition is to defeat Labor then considered policy debate must be its new weapon.” Drysdale goes on: “There are tentative signs that Abbott is subtly changing. The smear aimed at Gillard over her long gone days at Slater and Gordon is now coming from the flaying female deputy, not from him. He’s less agitated and aggressive and involved in Question Time fracas – a small but notable change in political management. He’s attempting to come to grips with quiet speeches on issues of productivity and economic management.” Uncle Alister is relieved.[/i] It's not that at all! Abbortt is so bruised, so snotted by *J*U*L*I*A*s devastating counter-punch that he is utterly confounded, he compounded his own injury by that dumb comment about Dying of Shame and everybody instantly threw bottles at him, he knows his personal attacks on her now are only going to hurt him, and Ohhh Poor Petal, he's sulking, hiding behind girlies' skirts and completely nonplussed. A good time for Labor. VENCEREMOS!

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Michael, 2353, 42 long, jaycee, LadyinRed Thank you for your comments. One aspect of the sycophantic adoration of the family prodigy by much of the MSM has been its acquiescence to the belief that the job of oppositions is to oppose. In his book [i]Battlelines [/i] (and what an symbolic twist that title has), Tony Abbott endorses Randolph Churchill’s dictum: [i]”Oppositions should oppose everything, suggest nothing, and turf the government out”[/i], a dictum Abbott has followed to the letter. The MSM seems to accept this unquestioningly without giving thought to the notion that the job of oppositions is to provide an alternative government with its own clearly stated ideology, vision and ‘narrative’, well-articulated policies, carefully costed, and a logical plan of action, so that the electorate had a clear choice between political parties based on sound information. Instead the MSM allows the opposition to get away with platitudinous aims such as, to use Abbott’s recent words: “stronger economy, stronger communities, a cleaner environment, stronger borders and modern infrastructure” without ever asking how these will be achieved, at what cost, and when. The MSM has allowed Abbott to get away with a clutch of slogans, virtually no positive policies or plans, shonky costings, and a barrage of insults and abuse directed to the PM and her Government, as if that was all we ought to expect of an opposition. The idea that it might contribute to sound governance seems never to have entered their heads. That is what makes the behaviour of the MSM so reprehensible, so irresponsible, indeed so scandalous. And this is made even more so by its defence of this indefensible Leader of the Opposition.

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Granny Anny Thank you for drawing attention to the asbestos story, which will feature as a two-part TV documentary on ABC next Sunday. It is a horrifying episode in our industrial history.

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Talk Turkey First, thank you for reposting the comment about your brother Gordon. Next, thank you for your always-encouraging words, and for your perspicacious comment about the dilemma the Coalition faces. They may feel that ditching Abbott will be problematic, no matter when, and finding a plausible replacement that the Coalition could stomach will be just as problematic. As you say, the Coalition has followed Abbott so far down the sewer that finding an easy way out may be impossible. Trauma and heartbreak are staring the Coalition in the face.

Gravel

6/11/2012Ad Astra You have drawn the last three years of abbott together very well. I enjoyed reading your piece. Now here comes the but.......I know Labor has improved in the Polls, but as you say, the three word slogans have been ingrained into the public for so long that I am worried that when people get to the polling booth that is all they will remember. I have a problem with everyone being so optimistic so early. TT well knows how pessimistic I am, and I know I might be jumping at shadows. I will try not to think about the next election, just go week to week. As I said in an earlier comment, a lot hinges on the USA election, if Obama wins my optimism, what little I have, will probably sneak to the fore. Talk Turkey That was a brilliant take off of A Modern Major General. I read it slowly and aloud after watching the video (although I think the Aussie version was better). Like you, your brother had a wonderful way with words. Thank you for sharing it with us. I really appreciate it.

Mr Denmore

6/11/2012Apologies to Lyn, but The Failed Estate has a new piece up today on the importance of journalism with integrity: http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/dawn-of-dead.html Mr Denmore

Janet (@j4gypsy)

6/11/2012Ad, Your extended family with child prodigy metaphor is ... sublime. It weaves so very well how the relationships between pollies and journnos can become 'unhealthy', for want of a better word. And the humour engendered by the Abbott family meme is bringing you into Acerbic Conehead territory, methinks. :-) Inevitably, there is a relationship between Press Gallery and Federal pollie, and friendships too. But to so lose perspective as to promote one political view in almost everything written by political journos [i]for two years[/i] has made an extraordinary period in Australia's political history. I've been pondering the notion of illegitimacy in terms of how two years of aggressive Opposition 'entitlement' behaviour has been shared by much of #old media, virtually from Day 1 of the Gillard Government. Abbott not winning the negotiation with the Independents and Gillard doing so was described as a triumph of illegitimacy, almost instantaneously, by the press. Embedded in this was the media's own shock that steady negotiation - by a woman - could lead to a government being formed. Ergo, the illegitimate child government - as metaphor, meme and theme - seems to have held, and held. I loved TT's comment: '[i]Tony Abbortt has been amazingly fascinating to our investigative journalists, but all their puff pieces have not prevented his thuggish behaviour from palling with the electorate. The novelty has worn off, he can't even find any sharks to jump[/i].' Indeed no, and in spite of the very best efforts of the 'extended' #msm family. Seeing Michelle Grattan's gratuitous piece on Sunday that you've explored so thoroughly, the one advising Abbott on [i]how[/i] to shape up, led to spilled coffee in lap and apoplexy (mine!). Have never seen anything like this piece either - and no, it sure isn't satire. Grattan now has a history of advice to Abbott - but went over the top in partisan behaviour. Whatever this was, it wasn't journalism. The question remains, what has changed so much in the practice of journalism that any editor would let this -in essence embarrassing - piece of work be published?

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Mr Denmore Thankyou for the link to your excellent piece: [i]Dawn of the Dead[/i] on [i]The Failed Estate[/i], another cutting exposé of the failing of the Failed Estate. A paragraph that really resonated with me was: [i]”Perhaps now we should be waking up and asking ourselves where real value lies. Is it about the health of our balance sheets or the health of our institutions? Is it about freedom of shock jocks to intimidate, bully and vilify or is about giving people access to reliable information? It is about capital markets or the rebuilding of social capital and the virtues of trust? It is about shareholder value or citizen value?”[/i] To me, that just about says it all. http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/dawn-of-dead.html

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Janet Thank you for your kind remarks and for your thoughtful comment. This paragraph of yours is so apt: “[i]Inevitably, there is a relationship between Press Gallery and Federal pollie, and friendships too. But to so lose perspective as to promote one political view in almost everything written by political journos for two years has made an extraordinary period in Australia's political history.”[/i] How right you are. And when you say: [i]”I've been pondering the notion of illegitimacy in terms of how two years of aggressive Opposition 'entitlement' behaviour has been shared by much of #old media, virtually from Day 1 of the Gillard Government. Abbott not winning the negotiation with the Independents and Gillard doing so was described as a triumph of illegitimacy, almost instantaneously, by the press. Embedded in this was the media's own shock that steady negotiation - by a woman - could lead to a government being formed. Ergo, the illegitimate child government - as metaphor, meme and theme - seems to have held, and held.”[/i], who could disagree? The more we write about the Fourth Estate, the more gobsmacked we become that we have had to endure its incompetence and malevolence for so long. When will it all end?

Lyn

6/11/2012Hi Ad, I am late today as had to go to the eye Dr. Would you believe I have what is called dry eye. My eyelid has scratched the right cornea, has been very very painful, running water & just paining. This problem started about 2 months ago. I have been to my Dr 3 times, 2 other Drs, the chemist twice, the optometrist twice. At last the Dr gave me a referral to a Specialist whose first available appointment is January 2013. I complained bitterly to the receptionist. So after all that 10 people I have been told I have dry eye and to stop drying my eye with a face cloth to stop the running. Seems millions of people suffer this complaint & I had never heard of it. Thankyou receptionist across the phone, I thought I was going blind after 8 weeks of running water and paining eye, I find it's as common as the common cold. Oh and must tell you, I have to use these drops called "Blink" available over the counter. Also it's important that I remember to blink because people forget to Blink. Did you like that story? Twitterverse for you:- Bushfire Bill Posted Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 7:45 am The Constitutional law commentator from Sydney University said that the government could set the cat among the pigeons by simply repealing the royalties concession, thus simultaneously removing the part of the law the companies claim to object to and increasing the tax take from them. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/11/04/galaxy-53-47-to-coalition/?comment_page=19/#comment-1463869 Labor lifts, Abbott shifts, credibility drifts, Lenore Taylor Tony Abbott wouldn't admit it - but he seems to think so, too. He mentioned the electricity bill increases suffered by his small-business-backdrop-of-the-day on Monday (a Harley-Davidson dealership) but immediately admitted it was not all the carbon tax's fault http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/labor-lifts-abbott-shifts-credibility-drifts-20121105-28u5i.html#ixzz2BOA8eA2h Absent Hockey will be front and centre if Abbott falters, Phillip Coorey The ALP fears most a switch to Turnbull, the closest thing there is in politics to a sure thing. Labor is also wary of Scott Morrison, who harbours ambition and has a reputation for ruthlessness. Julie Bishop would also want to be considered if there was a move. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/absent-hockey-will-be-front-and-centre-if-abbott-falters-20121104-28rzt.html#ixzz2BNZG4EWq Media scrums aren’t what they seem, AFR I watched federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott deliver his new signature move of walking off mid-press conference when he didn’t like the questions that were being asked. It was pretty obvious what Abbott wanted out of the event at a suburban pool in Brisbane– another backdrop to sell his never-ending campaign against the carbon tax. http://www.afr.com/p/opinion/media_scrums_aren_what_they_seem_POATQpiSDmFtPKZS9bfUIO Union, heal thyself Elections now under way offer the scandal-ridden Health Services Union an opportunity for renewal http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/union-heal-thyself-20121105-28tyr.html#ixzz2BNXqRpWc Cranky Frog‏ Hands up all you Selfish Bastards who installed solar systems! It is your fault elec prices have soared. #LNPLogic $$$$ http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/households-to-be-slugged-240-a-year-to-pay-for-solar-power-feed-in-tariff/story-e6freoof-1226511045375 Murray Hunter‏ Media, unions, political parties 'corrupt' http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/media-unions-political-parties-corrupt-20121105-28u3w.html … via @smh David Marler‏ #auspol #qldpol #Newmania "Newman Gov Reforms Electricity Tariffs: Households Face Massive Spike In Costs" - http://ht.ly/f2KDi Concerned Mitt Romney is actually threatening that congress won’t work with the President if it’s Obama. I say fire the #GOP congress! Vote Democrat! :):):)

Marilyn

6/11/2012Now to do a critique of the racist Gillard and her latest ridiculous scam of cosying up to the murderous Burmese junta. What''s the bet it is only about stopping refugees getting here, much better they stay home to die. Here is a reality hit for you - Gillard is just as right wing and awful as Abbott, I think they are twins.

42 long

6/11/2012Mitt romney says the congress won't work with the president if it is Obama. Close to sedition isn't it? Is democracy only OK if the outcome suits the elite or chosen ones? Australia has not been any different. How much REAL damage has Abbotts thwarting of labors efforts done. Opposing is one thing in the parliament but actually working to prevent the gov't outcome being as good as it may have by peddling fears and lack of confidence in the economy etc actually harms this country. parliamentary privilege seems to permit anything to happen and there is no holding to account. There have been numerous instances of Abbott misleading the parliament, most notably on facts around the carbon price. Frazer refused to pass the budget. I an informed that this tactic would not happen today. Is it any different to not pass budget items amd taxes and then make an issue of the gov't not producing it's "balanced " budget. How much STABILITY is engendered by ABBOTT saying that this that and the other thing will be reversed when I get in. Some of these reversals are impossible but still the statements go virtually unchecked or questioned. This IS irresponsible behaviour, and should be commented on in the MSM, more than it is, because it Is hurting our country. Since Julie Bishop is still interested in pursuing Gillard apropos of the Slater & Gordon times ( muck raking), did Julie B. represent CSR and James Hardie with the ASBESTOS injury issues?

Michael

6/11/2012Reading about the foul behaviour at St. Johns College at Sydney University, countenanced by old boys and enacted most often now by their sons as current alumni, is it any surprise that both Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey are also 'old boys' of this rancid environment? Read how females are treated in and around the college http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/meet-the-pride-of-st-johns--the-untouchables-20121105-28u8d.html and see if your mind doesn't return to stories about Joe Hockey and Christopher Pyne (the ultimate 'let me be in your gang' guy) following Julia Gillard through hallways in Parliament catcalling her. Then read how someone who's obviously considered a "good girl" (remember Abbott's endorsement of his Deputy Leader, Julie Bishop, the day he won the leadership by one vote?) http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/fake-fresher-st-johns-student-lied-to-abc-to-protect-colleges-reputation-20121106-28vd6.html is prepared to lie to the media, trotted out to cover for the boys, like a tractable wife or daughter, like a malleable sister or girlfriend, to try and fool the wider world into believing these 'males' are actually sensitive, considerate, hard-studying future leaders of our nation. Ring any bells for you? If they ain't ringin', you ain't listenin'!

Sir Ian Crisp

6/11/2012What a surprise, another Abbott piece from AA. AA, may we know just how many hours of your day feature Tony Abbott? Is your wife named Toni? Is you stove called Tabbott? When you shower do you say “I’m off for an Abbott”? Is your dog named Tony? Do you sometimes answer your phone by saying “Tony speaking” and then have to correct yourself? Is your car a Tony Mk IV with the anti-Abbott braking system? Do you sometimes find yourself visiting the Abbott Office Tower in downtown Abbottville? I would like to know just how much of your day is occupied by thoughts of Tony Abbott. Has anyone seen TPS ‘contributor’ Bring Back Maxine? Has anyone heard from TPS ‘contributor’ Bring Back Maxine?

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Hi Lyn I’m sorry to read that you have dry eye syndrome. It is uncomfortable and a nuisance. It must make your computer work more difficult. You might be interested to read about this condition from a reliable source [i]emedicinehealth[/i]. It carries a detailed account of the symptoms and treatment options. It is at http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dry_eye_syndrome/article_em.htm Do take care of your eyes and don’t take ‘no’ for an answer from receptionists who refuse an early appointment. If necessary, turn up at an eye clinic at a public hospital – there must be one in Maryborough. Apart from the discomfort, eyes should be treated with great respect to avoid complications. I hope you soon get some relief from the annoying and painful symptoms. I’ve just return from shopping so will now look at your Twitterverse which looks very interesting.

jane

6/11/2012Ad astra another excellent post summarising how Liealot has been mollycoddled by his surrogate family in the msm. No wonder he can't cope with even the mildest of questions. But that's what happens when you're cocooned from reality, at the first hurdle you fall to pieces and cry for Mummy to kiss it better with a bandaid. I don't believe that the msm is incompetent, however. I believe this has been a very deliberate campaign by the majority of the msm to destabilise and orchestrate the overthrow of an elected government and thus install as PM a man who is not fit to run a chook raffle. We may feel less disquiet if we assume the msm is incompetent, because we don't like to believe that competent allegedly rational people could possibly champion such a man. Unfortunately, they not only can, they have been actively engaged in doing so since Liealot was elected LOTO. This cynical promotion of a man I believe all but a few of the most blind, realise would be a disaster if he got his hands on the Lodge has altered political discourse in this country for the worse. Sleaze merchants like the ghastly creature Jones have been allowed to constantly lie about and villify the Prime Minister of this country with scarcely a raised eyebrow, just a flap of the hand, a wry smile and an "Oh! That's just Alan!" Titter, titter. TT loved Gordon's version of a modern politician. Couldn't watch youtube on account of being at dialup speed, but sang the lyrics quietly and chortled. Gravel, there's a way to go before the next election, so while it's still touch and go, I think the government will keep making headway. And even if the Liars give Liealot the flick, his replacement will soon be shown up as another shallow, talentless pretender. In the unlikely event that Turnbull replaced him, it wouldn't be long before people were reminded why he was booted out in favour of Liealot. I personally don't think Turnbull would be any better than Liealot-his arrogance and hubris would be his downfall. I have to say that my opinion of him remains unchanged after his ignominious fall from grace in the wake of utegate and the Grech affair. His arrogance, intemperance and lack of political nous was his downfall then and will be the same again. That particular leopard's spots are unchanging and I really think the PM would make mincemeat of him. Lyn, how rotten that you've been suffering with such a sore eye for so long. I hope the blinking Blink works and you can soon blink without pain. I haven't read all the links. I'm saving them for desert.

deknarf

6/11/2012I can only say: “If there was ever an individual so totally undeserving of high office then that person is, unquestionably, Tony Abbott. We don’t need a negative, 19th century trogdolyte as Prime Minister of this country.”

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012We have- • A Prime Minister who has a proven and lengthy record of dishonesty, and • A merging of political orientation between the major parties, on the significant issues …but here, it’s only about ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott, ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott, ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott, ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott, ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott, ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott, ABBOTT, ABBOTT, Abbott, Abbott and Abbott Any pretence that this is a site for serious political or policy discourse is well and truly over.

Truth Seeker

6/11/2012Ad, ditto to what TT, Jane, and most other comments say A well thought out article beautifully researched and executed, you know that you are on the right track when the trolls come out so quickly. Brilliant as usual, a great read. Cheers :-)

Truth Seeker

6/11/2012TT, I did reply to your comments and your brothers magnificent piece on the previous post. Cheers

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012I always know I’m on the right track when the barrackers use the “troll” label within minutes. “troll” is simply an admission by mindless followers that there is no logical or lucid point in reply, these types just resort to labels and insults.

42 long

6/11/2012.You guys and M are getting a bit upset eh. Stiff bickies.

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Hi Lyn I’ve now read your Twitterverse. Everyone should read Mark Ludlow’s piece in the [i]AFR[/i] and discover at least one journo who is tiring of obfuscation: [i]”Abbott brushed aside a few questions from this reporter as I pointed out it was overinvestment by mostly state-owned network companies (which control the poles and wires) that was responsible for about half of the rise in electricity prices over the past few years. “Abbott also danced around the question of the other reasons for the increase in the pool owner’s electricity bill, coming back time and time again to the “toxic” carbon tax. “After we had a few goes trying to point out the inconsistencies in his argument, the Opposition Leader turned on his heels and walked off. “I’m sure Abbott and his Coalition strategists didn’t mind. As long as they got a few choice lines on the nightly television news about the carbon tax being the “wrecking ball” and “python squeeze” on the economy, they would be happy.”[/i] If only some more journos would wake up and demand answers, and when they don’t get them scream from their columns that they are sick of it, and that the voters are being dangerously shortchanged. Lenore Taylor pokes some unpleasant facts in Tony Abbott’s face: [i]”Labor’s national secretary, George Wright, says Australian politics has entered the ''post-carbon'' phase. Labor is back in a ''contestable'' position and the disastrous electoral impact of the tax is over. “Tony Abbott wouldn't admit it - but he seems to think so, too. He mentioned the electricity bill increases suffered by his small-business-backdrop-of-the-day on Monday (a Harley-Davidson dealership) but immediately admitted it was not all the carbon tax's fault. “A ''post carbon'' world presents problems for the Coalition leader. His answer to the tax was to ''axe'' it.”[/i] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/labor-lifts-abbott-shifts-credibility-drifts-20121105-28u5i.html#ixzz2BQTWKkHI How long has it been; how long will it take our MSM to wake up to the fact that Tony Abbott has been conning them all along and treating like the mugs they are, swallowing his spiel and his arrogant conduct almost without question? While some in the MSM are at last waking from their coma, the Abbott family is out there pitching the same disingenuous Abbott line. The MSM is on a bad loser – they need to wake up, now. Read again: [i]Journalists awake – You know Tony Abbott is conning you[/i] http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/08/13/Journalists-awake!-You-know-Tony-Abbott-is-conning-you.aspx

Jason

6/11/2012ToM, So apart from your well known lip service that you pay to each and every issue, now you want us to believe if you're called "troll" you're hitting the mark? Try joke,liar and hypocrite.

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6/11/2012jane, Truth Seeker, deknarf Thank you for your comments. If the MSM is not incompetent, then what they do must be deliberate, which makes it all the more reprehensible. At least Mark Ludlow and Lenore Taylor seem to be trying to extract the truth from a devious and deliberately dishonest Opposition Leader. What’s wrong with the rest? We are all being conned, yet all we hear from our resident irritants that we are too focussed on Abbott – for heaven’s sake ought that not be the focus of those of us who see him as the greatest threat ever to decency and fairness in this nation. Let’s hear their defence of this despicable man.

jane

6/11/2012[quote]A Prime Minister who has a proven and lengthy record of dishonesty,...[/quote] Evidence, please. Not just a regurgitation of the lies that fall from Anal's disgusting gob, your fertile imagination or unfounded gossip, innuendo, allegations and speculation spread about by the usual suspects.

pj

6/11/2012The Political Sword, well said again. I have sincerely tried to study the psychology of Tony Abbott, his personality, character, just so I might understand what is happening on our political landscape, the theatre that is playing out. Asking myself 'how we have come to this?' -Re/ the likes of Tony Abbott in such a position of power. Wondering how it is much of the MSM are behaving. You've nailed it. Thankyou so much! Again. ..and again.. :-)

pj

6/11/2012...and an especially big thankyou to the person with link updates, Lyn, so sorry to hear about your eyesight, please get well soon and take care.

Patriciawa

6/11/2012Loved the family analogy here, AA, and you are so spot on with the role of various members like Grannie Michelle and Auntie Samantha. Now that you have me thinking of how it has been like a family rallying round him for two long years now, I think that their loyalty is because the family is very much under the influence of a Godfather - Rupert Murdoch. My sense is that without his permission even the qualified criticism we see creeping into media commentary now would not be possible. TT, most impressed by Gordon's parody, particularly the Democrats section. Lines like this..... [i]When Cheryl left our Party ‘twas a very sad defection The only good it did was give old Gareth an erection.[/i] And so very apt for the times, his sense of our country and its changing nature, like this..... [i]Yes, remember when you used to be so proud to be an Aussie Yes, remember when you used to be so proud to be an Aussie Now all we do is yell out “Oy!” and “Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!” [/i]

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012Jane, the easiest example Gillard’s dishonesty is that shemade [b]a written agreement[/b] with Wilkie. She did this in order to move into the Lodge. Without this [b]agreement in writing[/b] she would not have been able to become Prime Minister. The [b]written agreement[/b] wasn’t one to use her “best endeavours”, it didn’t say she would do her best. She made specific commitments and an [b]agreement in writing[/b] She then deliberately and specifically broke the agreement, she didn’t even do her best to test her commitment on the floor of the parliament. She just walked away from her [b]written agreement[/b] But rather than face up to the consequences of her actions, she did the sleazy deal with Slipper. That’s an easy and clear example of dishonesty. Would you like some others?

Jason

6/11/2012ToM, The PM gave Wilkie the Labor block in both houses. Where in the agreement did it say she would deliver the opposition,Windsor,Oakeshott or the Greens? Wilkie shot himself in the foot when he threatend the parliament saying wtte "unless my demands are met back to the polls we'll go! Since you have such detail on the agreement please put it up!

Lyn

6/11/2012Hi Ad Your article “The Abbott family’ rush to prop up its errant child prodigy” is superb as usual your work is magnificent. Ad I am pleased you enjoyed Mark Ludlow’s piece in the AFR as I did. Seeing Tom has summarised our blog @ 6.24pm , he can go away now and stay away, there is no further interest here. Thankyou so much for the link to Emedicine, extremely helpful and informative. I just had a call from the Specialist who has given me an appointment next Wednesday . Must tell you though, my eye is nearly better from using the “Blink” pain gone presto, stopped running, can’t believe my luck. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dry_eye_syndrome/article_em.htm Talk Turkey thankyou for your thoughtful thoughts this morning, helping with Today’s Links. Thankyou PJ how nice of you. Hello our lovely Jane and Gravel. Deknarf thankyou for your articles, you are always an enjoyable read. Do you notice I try not to miss any of your work. Mr Denmore thankyou for posting your new article link, I know you crept up on me late last night. If you have time watch the video clip to Abbott's response to the St John's problem, typical though Destroy The Joint‏ Tony Abbott must think misogyny at St John’s College is all a joke. What alternative explanation is there? https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QYJO-Gjr4rg … Denise‏ Did you see Mr Abbott's response to the violence at his old college? Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYJO-Gjr4rg … Read betweek the smirks. Ross BowlerBarrister St John's College Sydney educated Tony Abbott is a disgrace any way you look at him chris murphy‏ Alleged fraud by St Johns College to cover up rathole of redneck thugs.How'd Abbott & Hockey behave there? #auspol http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/fake-fresher-st-johns-student-lied-to-abc-to-protect-colleges-reputation-20121106-28vd6.html … AshGhebranious‏ Ten news sackings begin | The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/ten-news-sackings-begin/story-e6frg996-1226511539029?sv=a8b8eefa7afa2b5adc34cee8e5ed21db#.UJjE5Splbh8.twitter … #AUSPOL Please let there be the end of Bolt :):):):):)

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012Jason, Our Prime Minister didn’t even bother to try to deliver the agreement. She couldn’t or wouldn’t even deliver the ALP in parliament. She just walked away. Then did a sleazy deal to save her job. That is dishonest. Would you like more examples?

Jason

6/11/2012ToM, So now that Wilkie is voting on the reforms that he "wouldn't budge on" and the parliament seem happy to pass what's on offer seems to make your rubbish redundant. ToM we know you're "mourner in chief" not a very good one I admit, but what next water is wet, the sun rises, night time is dark?

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012Jason, I was referring to the principle of “honesty”, not whether Gillard had dishonestly forced her position onto Wilkie, breaking the very [b]written agreement[/b] that allowed her to take up residence in The Lodge. But go ahead - figure out exactly how you can rationalise the proven dishonesty of your hack Prime Minister.

jaycee

6/11/2012For a bit of fun..: Tom..If Pontius Pilate could ask ; "What is truth?"...I challenge you to please define : "What is honesty?" (no dictionary please...that would be cheating! YOUR interpretation please)

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012Do you think it’s honest to break a [b]written agreement[/b] that delivers the Prime Ministership? Would you like any other examples of Gillard’s dishonesty?

Wake Up

6/11/2012Seriously Jason why do you bother with him ??? Your intelligence is wasted on the pesky little troll and I just end up having to scroll more screen !!!

Jason

6/11/2012ToM, Show me where in the Pm's agreement with Wilkie she promised she could deliver the "opposition and the other independents"? considering it was 1 a hung parliament and 2nd they only said they would guarantee supply and support motions of no confidence unless there was real wrong doing! Wilkie got taught a lesson in politics pure and simple!As for dihonesty why don't you look in the mirror you'll see the most dishonest man on the plant!

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012http://www.alp.org.au/getattachment/07228b84-24b2-49e9-806c-8fbd0ff97eb8/government-agreements/ “the Government will unilaterally legislate to deliver these reforms” That was her commitment. Either Gillard dishonestly gave a commitment she wasn’t entitled to give, or she dishonestly neglected to deliver the [b]written commitment[/b]. She couldn’t even get the ALP to support the [b]written agreement[/b], they wouldn’t support her. So instead of facing the consequences of breaking her [b]written agreement[/b] she did a sleazy deal with Slipper. She is proven to be dishonest. Would you like any more examples?

jaycee

6/11/2012Tom!..Your definition of "dishonesty" please..or are you so dishonest that you claim knowledge of it, yet cannot define it? Now THAT, would really be dishonest!

2353

6/11/2012Can everyone please [b]SCROLL THE TROLLS[/b] - don't give them the oxygen. Apparently the going rate per post from LNP HQ is 50 cents (they really aren't the full dollar). They really aren't worth it. Troll from Melbourne and the others will continually take a small part of your post, pose a new argument and railroad the entire conversation. Troll from Melbourne has admitted in the past he doesn't vote; which makes his opinion irrelevant anyway.

Jason

6/11/2012jaycee, Don't forget his political idol said to Red Kerry on 730 report "Read my lying lips: Abbott admits you can't believe everything he says Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/read-my-lying-lips-abbott-admits-you-cant-believe-everything-he-says-20100517-v9ge.html#ixzz2BRDKzN1m

Tom of Melbourne

6/11/2012It's funny the way people like 2352 make stuff up when their brain is unable to cope with a discussion about roven political dishonesty on the part of Gillard. Poor 2353 - keep up the rants. Jason, despite all the attention, Abbott hasn't yet had the opportunity to become a dishonest PM, unlike Gillard.

Wake Up

6/11/2012Talk about MSM Fail............ In the last 48 Hours there has been only 1 single mention buried in the entire News Ltd network of publications that in any way shape or form refers to the St John's College disgrace. Meanwhile, at The Fifth Estate !!!

Ad astra reply

6/11/2012Hi Lyn Thank you for your kind comments. I’m so glad you have an appointment with an eye specialist, that the ‘emedicine’ article was helpful, and that your eye is feeling a little better. Thank you too for the additional Twitterverse. You work tirelessly for use even when your eye is troubling you. Thank you. I thought that 33-second YouTube clip of Abbott’s smirking reaction to the St John’s College victimization scandal tells you all you need to know about the culture of the early environment of this man, which influences him to this day. Appalling and dangerous. pj, Patriciawa Thank you for your complimentary remarks. I’m glad you enjoyed the ‘family’ analogy. There are of course other highly influential members of the Abbott family, but who seldom make public utterances in his support – Archbishop George Pell chief among them. And as you say Patriciawa, there is the shadow of Godfather Murdoch that forever looms threateningly over politics here and overseas.

Wake Up

6/11/2012Did someone mention Abbott............ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCVP2gvC32U

TalkTurkey

7/11/2012Lyn So pleased your eye is getting relieved. You should've asked Ad first eh! I'm glad you pushed your case, never mind about appointments months away. I'm'a get some Blink too I think, my eyes water often and sting sometimes, I reckon the computer screen has some responsibilty in this. But I better check Ad's reference myself, I don't mean to use something inappropriate, which people do all the time, worst thing being using antibiotics for viral infection, like using a rifle on clouds of mozzies, it just doesn't work, and we have diminished the usefulness of antibiotics by doing that. Your quick eyes are incredibly precious to all of us here Lyn, please give them as easy a time as you can, I know you work your Tweety Peepers very hard. [b]Blink now! :)[/b]

DMW

7/11/2012[i]Every cloud has a silver lining[/i] Well that is what we are often told, but I am still looking for the silver lining in this sad news: [b]Geia sou[/b] http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/meganomics/index.php/theaustralian/comments/yeia_sou/ The Nit Picker is Dead. Long Live The Nit Picker.

Lyn

7/11/2012TODAY’S LINKS Dawn of the Dead, Mr Denmore, The Failed Estate Every public good has been defined in terms of what it adds to the bottom line (which is why we have this ridiculous charade in national politics right now where the Gillard government chooses to live or die on the basis of whether the federal budget this fiscal year falls a cent on the side of surplus.) http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/dawn-of-dead.html Malcolm Fraser and Cher, misogynist Tony Abbott, Harry Potter, PM Hockey and Australia goes to the Polls, Turn Left 2013 Tony Abbott is a weak, failure of a man, and a weak, failure of an Opposition Thing, incapable of leading a country. In fact, Cher would make a leader than Tony – she has at least two policies, which is two more than Tony. http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/malcolm-fraser-and-cher-misogynist-tony-abbott-harry-potter-pm-hockey-and- Polls mean Abbott tones down carbon attack, David Twomey, Eco News Mr Abbott’s comments came as leaked Treasury analysis showed three coalition tax policies would hit businesses to the tune of $4.57 billion in the first full year of a Liberal-National government and $17.2 billion over four years. The policies include a 1.5 per cent levy on big companies to fund paid parental leave, axing the instant asset write-off and other tax breaks for small business funded by the carbon price and http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-our-world/polls-mean-abbott-tones-down-carbon-attack/ Reserve Bank keeps interest rate unchanged at 3.25%, Patrick Stafford, The Smart Company The Reserve Bank decided to keep interest rates on hold this afternoon, despite economists' expectations that it would cut the official cash rate by 25 basis points http://www.smartcompany.com.au/economy/052759-breaking-news-reserve-bank-keeps-interest-rate-unchanged-at-3-25.html Who will hold the balance of power on electricity? Alan Pears, The Conversation The Senate Select Committee on Electricity Pricing tabled its report in Parliament on November 1. The inquiry found substantial evidence of failures in the rules and operation of the electricity market, even though the electricity sector says it is taking adequate action to deal with a range of issues.The report commented (para 3.101) that the various electricity market participants indulged in blame shifting and called for “greater collective responsibility for overall electricity prices http://theconversation.edu.au/who-will-hold-the-balance-of-power-on-electricity-10470 The United States of Obama, Tess Lawrence, Independent Australia All things considered, I’m still an Obama Girl. It’s neck and neck, I know, but I’m prepared to call that Obama will be re-elected. I think deep down, many of us know he was up against it, during that first term and not only had to contend with the Bush residue, but also the GFC and the ferals in banking and Wall St ― bankers and wankers. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/the-united-states-of-obama/ The great Murdoch migration: who’s leaving News Ltd?, Matthew Knott, Crikey The Australian’s political and economic commentator George Megalogenis is the latest staffer — and the most high-profile so far — to announce he has taken redundancy from News Limited. Mega, who began his career at the Melbourne Sun, has been at The Oz since 1991, first in the paper’s Parliament House bureau and more recently writing big-picture pieces from his hometown of Melbourne. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/11/05/the-great-murdoch-migration-whos-leaving-news-ltd/ Chris Mitchell, Matthew Knott, The Power Index there’s no doubt who's steering the good ship Oz. The Brisbane-bred Mitchell is an old-school potentate whose predilections permeate the paper."Mitchell's authority is total," says a former Oz staffer. "He walks out of [the daily news] conference and tells people what they’ll find out.""I’ve never seen groupthink like I saw at The Australian," says another.Mitchell, who took over as editor-in-chief in 2002, is unapologetic about the paper’s right-wing worldview. http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/journalists-a-editors/chris-mitchell Some news about my newspaper column, Mia Freedman, Mamamia I also understand this is not just about cost cutting. I’ve heard for some time now that there are some at News Ltd not happy about the idea of their newspapers promoting me and Mamamia, who they now view as competition to some of their business interests – particularly online and magazines. Thus the ‘new strategy’ I hear will soon be implemented for more internal cross promotion. http://www.mamamia.com.au/social/some-news-about-my-newspaper-column/ NBN critics ‘like climate deniers’, says Budde, Renai LeMay, Delimeter we still continue to see misinformed, inaccurate and just plain irrelevant opinions and analysis about the project by commentators who don’t appear to understand its dynamics. These sorts of comments are coming from the Coalition, they’re coming from conservative commentators such as Andrew Bolt and Alan Jones, and they’re coming from other random ‘experts’. http://delimiter.com.au/2012/11/06/nbn-critics-like-climate-deniers-says-budde/ Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 7 November 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

jaycee

7/11/2012Ahh!..Knew he couldn't cut the mustard...his mate ; sir cur..has well and truly done his dough on the favourites at the cup so we will be hearing from him soon....but they are such little people in their little suburb in their little room with the faded curtains ..there at their keyboard, railing at the world..Please say a prayer for them Mr. George pell?

Ad astra reply

7/11/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

Michael

7/11/2012Isn't it just the slightest bit remarkable (in the true sense of the word) that the students who 'run' St Johns College at Sydney University and the people who run the Federal Liberal Party should use precisely the same strategy to 'protect' male figures under scrutiny for sexist (and yes, misogynist) behaviour? http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/fake-fresher-st-johns-student-lied-to-abc-to-protect-colleges-reputation-20121106-28vd6.html Trotting out women ("good girl"s???) prepared to guarantee that such things never happen under their roof.

Gravel

7/11/2012Lyn Sorry to hear about your eyes, I see you are getting great help and advice. I have had "dry" eyes for years. I laughed when the optometrist said it was called 'dry eyes' when I had tears falling down my face. He put me on Bion Tears, which I guess would be the same as 'Blink'. I use the Bion Tears as they come in separate little plastic viles, as I don't need to use them often. Keep an eye on the use by date if you are using bottle....apparently the efficacy doesn't last long once bottle is open. Good luck with the specialist.

pj

7/11/2012Incredible, just incredible. Why on earth are people checking their brains out of important society conversations? What is this point of Protecting this stuff, St Johns, Abbott. Where is the intelligence in all this. Oh, wait, this is damage control. But these are people that have achieved academically, in life, are they that disconnected with society they think they are above normal scrutiny? The pattern of mindset, Romney with his taxes, with his gang holding down a young man and forcibly cutting his hair off, Abbott with his bullying ways, his misogyny, the group tank of minders, as described here so beautifully, 'the family'. Where are their brains??? Lying will solve 'everything?'

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012[i]” Lying will solve 'everything?'[/i]” Certainly Our Prime Minister seems to think lying is the shortcut to success.

DMW

7/11/2012NormanK, you recently asked what my problem was/is with the legislation excising Australia from itself. I knew in my gut and my heart it was wrong but could not put the appropriate words together at the time to sum it up. In words I wish I could have written Scott Stephens @ ABC Religion & Ethics has done an excellent job of explaining why the government has 'lost it's way' on this. This line alone is enough to describe my angst, nay my utter disgust: [i]... when it comes to asylum seekers, Labor have shown themselves to be little more than political thugs in humanitarian drag.[/i] You can read the full article: [b]The politics of asylum: Thuggery in humanitarian drag[/b] http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2012/11/05/3626029.htm and also listen to Scott discuss it with Jonathan Green on RN Drive here: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/scott-stephens-religion-and-ethics/4356768 When you take into account articles such as this: [b]Nauru a 'breach' of rights[/b] Bianca Hall & Ben Doherty @NationalTimes [i]The indefinite detention of asylum seekers on Nauru is ''an egregious breach of international human rights law'', says [b]the Gillard government's hand-picked human rights commissioner[/b], Gillian Triggs.[/i] (My emphasis) http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/nauru-a-breach-of-rights-20121106-28wg8.html you may begin to understand why I believe the government has stuffed this up totally and absolutely. (Originally posted in the wee hours of this morning and somehow Comment Gremlin got hungry and munched it all up)

TalkTurkey

7/11/2012Seems Tony "Wormtongue"Jones is a Johnsman too! There are Johnsthings too, and at least one is a public liaress. I think it's time people started looking at the [b]Popish Plot[/b] aspect of Australian politics. I didn't put that plot there, but I'm calling it. We need to be aware of the religious persuasion of powerbrokers in the Australian community. Is it not of interest, for example, that the sag rapes* Maxine McWho is a Catholic? I wonder what was her dream for her part in magnifying the glory of the One True Religion? Don't let's just parrot Religion should not be part of Politics. We agree on that. We need to be proactive, the religion (Christian Fundamentalism included) is already there, and we need to make people aware of its pernicious influence. Wonder how to get together, easily, a serious list of influential people's religious alliances and habits? Because religion is a hidden - almost unmentionable - influence altogether, never mind not being "prejudiced", the Pells and Abbortts and Hockeys and Johnsmen are an evil influence altogether and they need to be called on it. And Happy Clappers like Senator Fielding too. They frighten me. *Strine for Sour Grapes.

2353

7/11/2012Lyn's link to the Independent Australia article on the US Presidential Election reflects on Obama's "lack of rhetoric" during the campaign. It caused me to think (which is a concern to some, but anyway . . .). Assuming he wins the Elector College vote (which is the one that counts) the tactic of a lack of glitz and glamour while concentrating on fact and past achievements is a distinct break with the past, and will be deemed a success. Romney from what I have seen has run a traditional campaign of promise whatever it takes which will no doubt be modified if he takes power in a similar way to Cameron in the UK, Newman in Queensland and so on. Most political parties seem to feed off the campaign successes of their "fellow travellers" around the world - in other words the ALP and British Labour will be watching the Democrats, and the LNP watching the Republicans as will the Conservatives in the UK. If Obama wins, it will to a extent further reduce the influence of the "Tea Party" groups and demonstrate that to win an election, you don't have to promise the world and deliver North Korea. While he appears to have "undercooked it" in the first debate, there has been little footage of the cheering masses reacting to platitudes at Obama rallies in Australia in direct comparison to Romney. Could this be a return to the days of some honesty in political promises, the end of "No more [insert offending term here]" and a calm considered discussion on why you should "Vote 1 for [whoever]"? If so, the LNP and Australian media will be fighting another rearguard action next year where they will either adapt of suffer more relevance deprivation. If the "sober and honest" strategy was attempted in Queensland by the ALP, it needs to be refined as well - they appeared to run dead then went negative in the 2012 election, although it appears they might have refined it in the ACT. It could be a nice change - there has been a lot of comment on Abbott losing the ability to "cut through". Maybe the Australian population is ready to ditch the hype as well.

pj

7/11/2012Maxine McKew, AHA! //her partner, former ALP National Secretary Bob Hogg (they have chosen not to marry as McKew is Roman Catholic and Hogg is divorced)//---OKAY, now getting more dots linked up in this crazy-maze. Whenever religion and politics intertwine, I get even more apprehensive and skeptical of people's intentions. (Thankyou) Now your Talking Turkey! :-)

TalkTurkey

7/11/2012 From Le merle lointain‏@merl04 on Twitter Ostrich boy/girl chase pic.twitter.com/TMRty3zN There's a pic of a bloke ostrich chasing a sheila ostrich, reminds me of this John Williamson song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sHSQtGf5TQ Hilarious, second-last verse very germane. Great pix of Australian wildlife too. (My real passion)

DMW

7/11/2012If you thought things couldn't get worse be advised it is getting worser and worserer. [b]New refugee chief muted Asher's warning[/b] Markus Mannheim @Canberra Times [i]The public service watchdog who watered down criticisms of the government's approach to asylum seekers is about to head Australia's refugee program. Alison Larkins became acting Commonwealth ombudsman following Allan Asher's resignation in October last year. She later signed off on the agency's annual report for 2010-11, which omitted Mr Asher's concerns about the office's inability to monitor immigration detention effectively. Her version of the report also removed Mr Asher's warning that the federal bureaucracy might be more corrupt than many believed.[/i] Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/new-refugee-chief-muted-ashers-warning-20121106-28woh.html This fits in with a few other things I have heard on the grapevine. There are many good public servants who are shaking their heads and some shedding tears.

TalkTurkey

7/11/2012pj said [i]Whenever religion and politics intertwine, I get even more apprehensive and skeptical of people's intentions. (Thankyou) Now your Talking Turkey![/i] Sometimes I talk about nonsense Sometimes I try to poke fun But I hope what I say is com[i]mon[/i]sense: Me TalkTurkey, pardon the pun! The scourge that is Religion, the outrage that is Israel, the craziness of Cannabis laws, the horror of bio-destruction, the insanity of a Stacks-on-the-Mill immigration scheme, the injustice of Assange's persecution, I talk turkey about them all from time to time, sometimes I wish those subjects all got bit more airplay here but I'm not complaining, people here choose their own areas of interest. And at core what is written here is consistently mainly on track anyway, that's what we're here for really. Speaking of Mill, my own philosophical position is somewhere between the Good Samaritan, Judas, and John Stuart Mill. And why Judas, well because I know I'm not perfect. But I don't need belief in the Supernatural (which is what all religion is!) to guide my morality, I can see for myself, I am Man,(as Woman too yes of course is Man), and responsible for my behaviour. These Catholic hoodlums in Sydney just go to show the depths of hypocrisy in that sect (i.e. Catholicism). Truly sorry to all reasonably decent Catholics, but urgh there are those in the priesthood and such as Opus Dei who are some of the horriblest haters I know. No [i]culture[/i] of nontheists could ever behave like these, there is a whole anticulture of liars and deniers within the Catholic Church's hierarchy which has always tolerated and covered for illegal and immoral behaviour from its own, Dog help us if a Catholic-dominated Government ever gets to rule here! But it won't be Abbortt at its head I can tell you that! Recaptcha: Kingston andarchr My brother Gordon was Australian High Commissioner to the West Indies based in Kingston Jamaica, then the Member for Kingston, and, his good mate famously talked him out of placing a bet on Kingston Town, who proceeded to romp home . . .

Lyn

7/11/2012Hi Ad and Everybody Gravel thankyou for your post @ 08:53 AM. I was so hoping someone else has experienced the same problem. Yes funny isn’t it Dry Eye yet eye is running a water fall. The “Blink” drops have worked for me so will stay on them until I see the Specialist. The whole story was amazing, in that I saw 9 professional people & it took a receptionist via the phone to tell me what I was doing wrong and naming the problem. Talk Turkey thankyou for your post @ 12:48 AM. Yes you should get the “Blink” Pronto, don’t let your eyelid scratch your cornea like I did through my ignorance. I have since been told when we read a lot on computer screens we forget to “blink”. We can all be Blinky Bill now. Twitterverse: Treasury rival guns for budget, wins over Hockey, AFR Mr Hockey is expected to ask the Parliamentary Budget Office to start costing Coalition policies from February, sources said, a move that could reduce the impact of more damaging research by Treasury ahead of next year’s federal ­election. http://afr.com/p/national/treasury_rival_guns_for_budget_wins_3sUZJbWbBxj6KpIU3fgKfP George Megalogenis‏ markatextor latikambourke Costello and Keating misused Treasury in the same way. Difference is they called pressers to release 'costings'. Lurline McCulloch‏ PM defends Treasury's opposition costings http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2012/11/07/10/01/pm-defends-treasury-s-opposition-costings …LNP JUST CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH? The rush to deregulate can have lethal consequences, Malcolm Farr http://www.thepunch.com.au/ Until there is change, don't be a Johnsman I would urge you not to send your children to St John's until we see cultural change at this once great college http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/until-there-is-change-dont-be-a-johnsman-20121106-28w1t.html#ixzz2BTV14cNd PM's away, and look who plays, Michael Grattan Mr Rudd, who seems especially visible when Julia Gillard is out of the country - he did his well-publicised Lateline interview when she was in India - says he is not running for his old job. But he's certainly on the run. Within hours of landing in Australia on Monday he was co-hosting Ten's The Project, putting the heat on Joe Hockey over the shadow treasurer's leadership ambitions while trying to dance around his own (''I'm not a candidate'', he said when asked whether he wanted his old job back). http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/pms-away-and-look-who-plays-20121106-28w5q.html#ixzz2BTqHgXj0 Throsby's factional friction invites federal intervention, Phillip Coorey This week, Mr Rudd has again been boosting his profile while Ms Gillard has been overseas. He appeared on the Sky News Agenda program on Sunday morning from Shanghai. On Monday night he was a guest panellist on the popular TV show, The Project, and on Tuesday night, he was the guest on the Radio National program Late Night Live http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/throsbys-factional-friction-invites-federal-intervention-20121106-28w13.html#ixzz2BTpkj0L1 Obama versus Romney live: November 7, 2012, Katharine Murphy http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/blogs/the-pulse/obama-versus-romney-live-november-7-2012-20121107-28wrw.html chris murphy‏ Preferred USA President burger poll result #auspolhttp://blogs.r.ftdata.co.uk/the-world/files/2012/11/photo-3.jpg … :):):):):):)

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012Lyn, Take care of those gorgeous tweety eyes, They are invaluable to you, and extremely precious to us who wait with baited breath for our daily dose of the fabulous Tweety birds links. Cheers :-)

Lyn

7/11/2012Hi Truth Seeker They are big eyes aren't they bigger than my feet. Thankyou Truth Seeker you are such a caring person. We adore your work thankyou for being here.

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012Swordsters, after just watching an interview with sloppy Joe I felt compelled to write a short tribute. Sloppy Joe Cocky Hockey… or sloppy Joe Call him… what you like The man talks only lies and spin And should be told.. get on your bike His economic creds… are shot The man’s… a total knob And rubbish is.. the only thing That dribbles… from his… gob To give him keys…. to treasury Would be… a huge… mistake Cos like his leader?.... Abbott He’s a… monumental… FAKE Cheers

42 long

7/11/2012Good stuff Ttuth Seeker. How disappointing Joe is. Alternative prime minister material? hardly? He talks s++t. We have to be careful to vet anyone who aspires to lead us. We get what we deserve collectively. I often wonder how Tony can imagine he is up to it. From his own ranks perhaps, he might appear OK.. There doesn't appear to be a lot to choose from. Then we get the policy determination and where that comes from and where it is likely to go. For that you have to look at where the funding comes from and what section of society is being represented by that party. Then you look at the background and qualifications, of the parliamentary candidates. The Upper house are party nominations totally. ( whatever Party). the other are more regionally representative, often graduates from councils or union reps where those individuals obtain experience. You won't get too many successful "anything" as most of those people won't give up good jobs to work as a pollie in Canberra. ( When the pay is pretty ordinary and you have to spend a lot of effort looking good to be re-elected periodically). You also have to realise that as public property you are at the whim of the MSM as t whether you reputation will be destroyed. I still believe that there are some who are dedicated to genuine efforts at good government from all sections It used to be school teachers etc. Now it's Lawyers mostly. so we look at their student Union days to get an idea of their leanings. Way back nearly every youth was a left thinker. "when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose". Later on as you acquired wealth you were supposed to see the error of your ways and become a capitalist. The mad right was never socialist as a youth. They are a privileged, group who are "programmed" way back to hold the true faith as religion does. There doesn't seem to be any limit to where the rabid right will draw the line. Nothing should be done by government. Big government is the enemy. We are not going to pay taxes . That is for the middle class who know no better and don't have the means to get out of it. Private enterprise can be trusted to do the right thing if the EPA and all regulating bodies just go away. These new extreme philosophys are totally unproven but recited as a new mantra to cure all ills and guide the world of tomorrow. Sorry i don't buy it. It concentrates power in the hands of a privileged few and we have seen enough of it to get the idea of where it takes us.. Stop it while you still have the power to do it. If Romney gets in we will regret the deal to have US marines in the NT. Romneys attitude or statements on China are a disaster, Does he mean them when he has business interests in China himself?

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012Ethical people think the greatest political legacy is transparency and honesty. People without a sense of ethics will excuse their side from honesty; they’ll understand when their side causes transparency to be subservient to expediency. These are the characteristics that are mainly on display by contributors of “The Political Sword”

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012T Troll, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Jason

7/11/2012ToM, Do you mean "ethics" like the Catholic priest who raped me as a child? Or do you just mean it in a way that you and you alone are without fault? You pompus twit!

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012John Howard was called little Johnny Howard because he was small minded, short on good ideas and short on the truth to name but a few reasons. Little Tom Troll seems to fit!

2353

7/11/2012No Jason, the Troll from Melbourne suggests ethics is saying what you mean and what you intend to do. Just like Abbott who is on record as saying that he is trustworthy, but (paraphrasing his admission to Kerry O'Brien) - you can only take my written statements as the entire truth.

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012OOPS, I have ignored my own rule of scrolling the trolls, but I just could not miss the blatant stupidity of his last comment. Now back to status quo BLAH BLAH BLAH SCROLL THE TROLL

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012I mean ethics, as in meeting written agreements, and facing up to the consequences of breaking them. They're the types of ethics you and many others here, think are optional extras.

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012Use of 'troll' is the last resort of the brainless.

Jason

7/11/20122353, Lets not forget Howards use of "core and non core!" and when he ditched fresh food etc to get the GST passed.The way the troll goes on about it you'd think no politition has ever had to compromise with the make up of the parliament. The troll was so impressed that the Democrats could force parties to break thier written agreements he became/still is a card carrying member and now lectures others about the ethics of parties.

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012When the proof of Gillard's dishonesty is so abundant, the mindless resort to use of 'troll' Hilaious. If hypocrisy was currency, you would all be rich!

Robynne

7/11/2012Another beaut article Ad Astra. Where would we be without you?I'm sure grattan has dementia or some such illness, it's hard to believe that she was once upon a time a highly respected journalist.Now she is more of a cheer leader for abbort.And how sad that the only sane journo at the oz has taken a dive. Mega will be sadly missed for his objectivity, something that the rest do not possess. Super pome TT, sums up sloppy joe very well.

42 long

7/11/2012You are out of synch here Tom. Opinions are given, but insulting the ship and all who sail in her endlessly makes me wonder why you subject yourself to it. It must be hard on you, poor thing. Anyhow looks like Obama has done it. That will make you happy won't it TfM? Perhaps a gallant single Female atheist can manage it here too .

Lyn

7/11/2012Hi Ad Here is the Twitteratti for you on the US election. Fox news sobbing, Donald Trump pulling his hair out. Right Wingers calling for a revolution. ABC doesn't sound very happy either. Anthony De Rosa‏ Twitter hit 20 million election-related tweets which makes today (election day) the most tweeted about event in US political history George Megalogenis‏ Can't beat American diversity. Is this the last time the Republican Party tries to win the presidency by playing the angry white male card? Ms. Magazine‏ Men voted for Romney; women elected the president--by a 15-point gender gap! Obama‏ Mitt Romney Was Born in Michigan , Lives In New Hampshire, and was Governor of Massachusetts and LOST THEM ALL Werner & Ursula‏ @PaulBongiorno People are sick of this type of spin! Beware LNP, look to Obama win. Money and media owners not stronger than the people! Denise Allen‏ @ABCNews24 ...actually Mr Downer/your surname suits you...Obama's win does mean a lot to Australians/proves we can do it here too/to Abbott The Sad Faces of Fox News on Election Night http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/11/sad-faces-fox-news-election-night/58766/ Election 2012: Results http://edition.cnn.com/election/2012/results/main Obama triumphs through disciplined and ruthless campaign, SMH Lawyers circled in Florida and Ohio. The loss is expected to provoke an ugly blood-letting in the Republican Party. The party's active Tea Party base and its DC establishment are unified in one thing – the belief that they should have been able to defeat a President whose record included 43 long months with unemployment above 8 per cent and an unpopular healthcare reform, a president who provoked a visceral, unifying dislike among Republicans http://m.smh.com.au/world/obama-triumphs-through-disciplined-and-ruthless-campaign-20121107-28xwi.html :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Jason

7/11/2012Anonymous‏@YourAnonNews Uninstalling #Romney ...... 100% complete █████████████████████████████████████ Retweeted by Frank Calabrese

2353

7/11/2012Jason - and more recently than your Howard examples there is O'Farrell and Newman cutting services and jobs despite promises to the contrary prior to election. See a pattern? Incidentally - Obama's win the Us will hopefully draw a nice line under the Conservative "FUD" campaigns of the last 10 to 15 years as well as choosing ultra-conservatives for candidates.

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012Fascinating, when there is clear proof of Gillard’s deliberate dishonesty in breaking a [b]written agreement[/b], with an MP, the best defence is “but, but, but…but look at Howard…and, and some Premiers” Yeah, that makes it all ok then. On that basis Gillard can break her [b]written and unequivocal agreements[/b].

paul walter

7/11/2012The USA appears to have belatedly repudiated its Tea Party idiocy; this should be good news for the government and Greens here.

KHTAGH

7/11/2012Ad a great article, well compiled. So well written, if I only had half your skill with words. Lyn Please look after those lovely little eyes of yours, they do so much well appreciated work for all of us. I bet they look lovely too. PJ [i]Incredible, just incredible. Why on earth are people checking their brains out of important society conversations? What is this point of Protecting this stuff, St Johns, Abbott. Where is the intelligence in all this. Oh, wait, this is damage control. But these are people that have achieved academically, in life, are they that disconnected with society they think they are above normal scrutiny? The pattern of mindset, Romney with his taxes, with his gang holding down a young man and forcibly cutting his hair off, Abbott with his bullying ways, his misogyny, the group tank of minders, as described here so beautifully, 'the family'. Where are their brains??? Lying will solve 'everything?'[/i] From my experience 97% of posters on this site are way more intellectually train & competent, with twice his common sense [u][its common & he just won't have any of that][/u] than Abbort will ever be. Rhodes scholar my arse, he was a thug that's why he got through uni he learnt nothing, just listen to the twit, he can't think on his feet, opens his mouth to change feet, ask yourself how else could he have done it? Obama well done, I was talking to my sister in the US yesterday & she so much wanted to see him win, but she get so infuriated with their voluntary voting system. A lot just don't give a crap & don't vote, yet they do a TFM & bitch about the outcome all the time. She tells them [b][i]"get out & vote & then you can bitch about it."[/i][/b] For those here who have kids/grandkids, I spent $13,000 on a 4.1kw solar system today[twice my usage], I care about the future of the globe, I have no kids, but you do & I do it for their future!.

KHTAGH

7/11/2012FYI, can't say its true but hey, it cant hurt. Sorry for wandering off the topic path. From my 74 yr old neighbor. Amazing frozen lemons. Many professionals in restaurants and eateries are using or consuming the entire lemon and nothing is wasted. How can you use the whole lemon without waste? Simple.. place the washed lemon in the freezer section of your refrigerator. Once the lemon is frozen, get your grater, and shred the whole lemon (no need to peel it) and sprinkle it on top of your foods. Sprinkle it to your vegetable salad, ice cream, soup, cereals, noodles, spaghetti sauce, rice, sushi, fish dishes, whisky, wine.... the list is endless. All of the foods will unexpectedly have a wonderful taste, something that you may have never tasted before. Most likely, you only think of lemon juice and vitamin C. Not anymore. Now that you've learned this lemon secret, you can use lemon even in instant cup noodles. What's the major advantage of using the whole lemon other than preventing waste and adding new taste to your dishes? Well, you see lemon peels contain as much as 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself. And yes, that's what you've been wasting. But from now on, by following this simple procedure of freezing the whole lemon, then grating it on top of your dishes, you can consume all of those nutrients and get even healthier. It's also good that lemon peels are health rejuvenators in eradicating toxic elements in the body. So place your washed lemon in your freezer, and then grate it on your meal every day. It is a key to make your foods tastier and you get to live healthier and longer! That's the lemon secret! Better late than never, right? The surprising benefits of lemon! Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells. It is 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy. Why do we not know about that? Because there are laboratories interested in making a synthetic version that will bring them huge profits. You can now help a friend in need by letting him/her know that lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease. Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy. How many people will die while this closely guarded secret is kept, so as not to jeopardize the beneficial multimillionaires large corporations? As you know, the lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc... It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors. This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types. Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer. It is considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is too high and an antidepressant, combats stress and nervous disorders. The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas... The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells. And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells. So, give those lemons a good wash, freeze them and grate them. Your whole body will love you for it!!!!!

Jason

7/11/2012ToM, I think if you have a problem with this and there is "clear proof of Gillard’s deliberate dishonesty in breaking a written agreement, with an MP" I think you should in the first instance take it up with the "Australian Electoral Commission" if after they laugh you out or their office I'd get a hold of say George Williams from the ANU the expert on the constitution, and see if there are enough grounds to take your case to the high court! How you expect any of us to "right" this percieved wrong and prevent it ever happening again by any MP is beyond me! Start a blog so we can keep up to date with your progress!

Bacchus

7/11/2012KHTAGH, Snopes says the news wrt lemons is mostly good, but some of that information is hyperbole: http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/lemons.asp

KHTAGH

7/11/2012Bacchus [i]can't say its true but hey.[/i] Thanks for the effort of clarifying it for me. I thought the same when I read it. But most of it might mean some thing to someone.

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012I always thought that being a troll was the last resort of the brainless. Cheers :-)

Bacchus

7/11/2012[quote]Several academic papers published in the last decade have suggested that lemons, as well as other citrus fruits, might possess some substantial anti-cancer properties.[/quote] I would guess that the reason more studies haven't been done to test the veracity of the claims is that there's no way for a pharmaceutical company to exploit this for profit ;)

2353

7/11/2012This sound familiar? [quote]MITT ROMNEY'S bid for the US presidency failed because voters saw through him – as a candidate the man was a political chameleon. On his second bid for the White House, Romney held nothing back – last week, a flip-flop; yesterday, a backtrack; today, a retreat; and tomorrow, a sidestep of what he had said last week or last year. He needed to put Americans at ease about his vast wealth, but whenever he did his foot usually ended up in his mouth. A sharply worded editorial in The Washington Post on Sunday argued that the only consistency in the Romney campaign had been the candidate's contempt for the electorate. But that he went so close to becoming president reveals more than we might have expected about the people and politics of the global superpower.]/quote] http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/us-election/defeat-for-a-man-of-contradictions-20121107-28y50.html#ixzz2BWHnSJJK Change a few small details (names and relative wealth) and this could be about someone a lot closer than the USA. It's a real shame that people are starting to see through the FUD campaign planning. :D

Bacchus

7/11/2012TS, Trolls who have a far greater opinion of their abilities and influence than is obvious to everyone else, infest blogs repeating their talking points until someone, anyone, pays them some attention - sad people really :D [b]SCROLL THE TROLLS[/b]

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012Bacchus tends to pop in here to participate in the name calling, he turns up regularly after I've posted a comment. Nothing else to offer, he’s been using the same modus operandi for a few years now. Mind you, he’s not on his own his devotion to Gillard. But no one here is capable of defining the breaking of a [b]written agreement[/b] as “honesty”. That’s because breaking an [b]agreement in writing[/b] as Our Prime Minister has done, is dishonest.

TalkTurkey

7/11/2012Robynne said [i]Super pome TT, sums up sloppy joe very well.[/i] Oops, that was TS not TT. :)

jane

7/11/20122353 @9.37am, you can only hope that this US election will give political parties around the globe pause for reflection and decide that instead of hype and spin, revert to calm reasoned debate about their policies. Of course, we the people have to come to the party and start letting politicians be honest. Unfortunately, most people don't want to hear the truth, they want politicians to tell them what they want hear and punish the ones who do tell the truth and accuse them of being untrustworthy liars. PJ @9.50am. The religious nonsense wrt marriage is quite extraordinary! It's not a sacrament, it's a contract between two people. I also find it astonishing that some god botherers reckon shacking up is acceptable, but god forbid they get divorced or marry someone who is divorced or bothers some other version of God, who they think is inferior to their version. WTF? And then we have people who have apoplexy at the thought of divorce, but think nothing of committing adultery and will happily murder the spouse who has become surplus to requirements. WTF, again? Lyn another fantastic lot of links. I really hoped Obama would get another term. Hope your eye is feeling a bit better. My m-i-l has had dry eye syndrome for years. She also has diabetes which probably exacerbates the problem. Diabetes is a really rotten disease. Truth Seeker @1.19pm, brilliant! roflmao for ages! ToM, read the agreement with Wilkie. www.alp.org.au/getattachment/07228b84.../government-agreements/ I think you'll find that the parties agreed to do their best to introduce legislation to deal with problem pokies gambling. The catch is the states who control the pokies, but the parties agreed to see if the Commonwealth can override the states. It pays to got to the source, not Liars Party barrackers to get the truth. Once again, please produce evidence to support your claim that Julia Gillard has lied. Evidence does not consist of lies, obfuscations and unsupported allegations. KHTAGH, will try the frozen lemons. The husbandy substance has diabetes and high cholesterol so will use him as a guinea pig along with the other 2 males in the house. I might recommend it to my m-i-l and her partner who had a stroke recently.

KHTAGH

7/11/2012Jane [i]The husbandy substance has diabetes and high cholesterol so will use him as a guinea pig along with the other 2 males in the house. [/i] Best laugh I have had in a while , thanks, please let us know how they go, unless it is to the contrary. I must admit I'm going to try it, I like lemon anyway, what the hell.

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012Thanks Jane, but I posted that link yesterday, at 9.15pm. So you’re a little tardy. I even pointed out that the [b]written agreement[/b] that Gillard broke includes the following – [i] 
“the Government will unilaterally legislate to deliver these reforms”[/i] So whichever way you read it, Gillard broke her [b]written word[/b]. Most people think that’s the type of behaviour that is dishonest. But perhaps Gillard will rewrite that definition too.

Jason

7/11/2012ToM, No one cares what you think on this or any subject for that matter!

Ad astra reply

7/11/2012Folks I've been out much of the day, but trying to keep an eye on the US elections. First, thank you HKTAGH for your kind comments. Barack Obama has had a convincing win. This is a portent of things to come. The progressives will win the election in Australia next year, I'm calling it a day.

TalkTurkey

7/11/2012[i]Dear[/i] KHTAGH I think your method of using the whole lemon sounds interesting. I can imagine that the gratings are very sharp and tasty. However I do think the claim re lemons being (wtte) "10000 X more efficacious than chemotherapy in cancer treatment" needs like Tequila to be taken with a fistful of salt. You must know that faith in snake oil and homeopathy, in addition often to costing desperate people lots of money to charlatans, may cost crucial days and months in people who would have been better advised seeking definite diagnosis and scientific treatment. You know I think very well of you, so please hear me with forbearance, please [i]do[/i] have a lot of faith in modern medicine, it works almost too well in saving lives and functions. As you observed a day or so ago, the patches (for pain?) really work, so do other drugs and equipment, all better if you can avoid them but in the case of suspect or diagnosed cancer, do listen carefully to oncologists, rather than enthusiastic amateurs and cynical charlatans. I bet that within a day Ad astra will support what I'm saying. ( A bit presumptuous but I'll back my judgement. ;-) )

Truth Seeker

7/11/2012TT, I bet I'm one of very few who have ever been inspired by Sloppy Joe. ;-) Jane, thanks for that, I see you're a fan too. :-) It's good to lighten the mood a little, and when I saw sloppy Joe give a presser, this morning, all the ingredients were there so I mixed all the ingredients whilst making lunch and it wrote itself over a ham, cheese and pickle roll. I wasn't planning to write anything else at the moment, as I am working on, what may turn out to be an epic (in size) The working title is "Tony Abbotts Christmas Do", but when you get a gift you just have to go with it. Cheers :-) :-)

DMW

7/11/2012paul walter @ 5:01 PM, one needs to be very wary of reading the tea leaves on US Presidential elections and transposing them to Aus. The last Democrat elected for a second term as POTUS was Bill Clinton in 1996. I am sure nobody needs reminding what happened in Aus that year. The last long term Labor government 1983 - 1996 was during the reign of Republicans Ronald Reagan (1981 - 89) and Bush Snr (1989 - 93). The tea leaves suggest we operate in a contra cycle to the US.

42 long

7/11/2012DMW perhaps then but not now. The LNP have deliberately patterned their approach on the Tea Party/ Republicans. This turnabout in the USA will rock them to their very foundations. They had to copy someone, being to barren of original thought to assess that Australia is NOT the same as america. IF they have brains they are keeping them in reserve. Australia is far more supportive of the underdog , and a fair go for all, than the USA. That's why Obama cops it so tough trying to achieve what we take for granted here.

Libbyx33

7/11/2012My fellow Swordsters... The BIGGEST regret of my life - no, not finishing schooling before the end of year nine, not having a baby (with my now Hubby of 20 years) at age 18, not having "bankable" uni qualifications - but sucking that first cigarette when I was barely 10. My birthday tomorrow, 39 years old, means I have smoked those filthy coffin-darts for over 3/4 of my life. That's sooooo wrong. The reason I'm mentioning this is that today I bought my first ever ciggies in Nicola Roxon's PLAIN PACKAGING! The packs are downright UGLY! It is a testament to this woman, Roxon, who, in avenging her Father's untimely demise due to smoking, took on Big Tobacco AND WON! And then saw them through the Courts - AND WON! Will it work in deterring youngsters from smoking? Dunno, remains to be seen. I hope so! If it stops even one kid picking up this filthy habit, SHE WON! What Big Tobacco is doing in places like Indonesia & China is despicable! I tried the patches but, can you believe it, I WAS ALLERGIC to the nicotine! Go figure? Even though I know how really bad it is for me, I, sadly, enjoy it... that's why it's so harmful to our kids. A tangible legacy from the Gillard Govt. Well done!!! And a pre-cursor for what can be done WORLD-WIDE! PS Lyn - the eyes are the window of the soul. Look after yours - we need you! Pps - THANK THE GOD'S/HEAVEN'S or otherwise that be - OBAMA WON!!! Nighty nite :)

Bacchus

7/11/2012[quote]No one cares what you think on this or any subject for that matter![/quote] Jason, You know that, I know that, most of those on the interwebbies who've encountered ToM know that, but still he persists with the same pompous, self-opinionated crap he's been spewing over the 'tubes for about six years now - the only cure is to deprive him of the "relevance" only he believes he is worthy of... [b]SCROLL THE TROLLS[/b]

Trevor

7/11/2012Tom I don't buy in to this very often but I congratulate you for the comic relief you supply. Never having to change your mind, break a promise etc is indeed a very high ideal which I trust you would apply to all parties. Like say a politician who made a "rollled gold promise" before an election and then subsequently did exactly what was promised not to do after the election. Can you enlighten me on who that may have been Tom? Would that fall in to your despicable criteria to turf them out now policy? Cheers

ian

7/11/2012Libbyx33 Give Alan Carrs ..stop smoking a look. I smoked for 46 years. I went into the course at 9am one Sat morning last year, walked out at 3pm and haven't smoked a cigarette since.

Libbyx33

7/11/2012ian. Are you serious??? Really??? Please can I have this info? (I'm not really tech-savvy, wouldn't know where to look.) The thing I left out of that post, tho, was: Can anyone tell me if the Co-alition still accepts donations from Big Tobacco? I remember that Bronwyn Bishop used to champion them, just like I think Julie Bishop went into bat for James Hardie against Asbstos victims? Bloody immoral! (Sorry, can't prove that thru links or anything, maybe I'm wrong?) Alan Carr? Must be a bloody miracle worker - I'll give anything a try! Probably would've been a gazillionaire by now if I didn't smoke! Thank you in anticipation lol :)

Tom of Melbourne

7/11/2012Bachus is also very entertaining, he's developed a rather odd habit of following me around. The value he adds seems limited to pointing out that he's not me. Good for Bacchus, but taking on the role of being 'the ToM critic' is a fair indicator of his character (and probably the diversity of his life experience)

Bacchus

7/11/2012Listen to ian Libbyx33. I smoked for 25+ years - ended up at about 40 a day. September 5 brought up 10 years since giving it away. I too used to think that I enjoyed them, but since then, haven't had a single craving. I used Smokenders, which is similar to Alan Carr's program - best thing I've ever done for my family and for myself! The physical addition can be overcome easily in a couple of days - IMO the "patches" idea actually misleads here. The problem is overcoming the psychological addiction, the hand to mouth habit, of smoking. In your time, you'll find the right time to give it away - IMO it's just a matter of understanding why you smoke at all...

Bacchus

7/11/2012lol Tom - typical of your narcissistic character. I've been visiting Ad Astra's excellent site for quite some time now. The contributions of many fine posters like TS & KHTAGH attracted me here - you had absolutely no influence on that. Once I discovered the joys of reading Ad Astra's and his guests' excellent pieces and Lyn's links, I've been a regular lurker and occasional poster. Your usual boorish behaviour is a negative to the experience of my visits here...

Libbyx33

7/11/2012LOL :-) Is the Troll too much up himself or what? PS Thankyou ian & Baccus.

Bacchus

8/11/2012Libbyx33, I can't personally vouch for Mr. Carr's system, but I've heard nothing but good reports from it. http://www.allencarr.com.au/ I used http://www.smokenders.com.au/ - similar idea, I gave up over a 6 week course. Cost a decade ago was about $400 - can you calculate what I've not spent on smokes since then?

Lyn

8/11/2012TODAY’S LINKS Obama Won, Rupert Lost!, Archie, Archie Archives Rupert Murdoch lost, yet again. Let’s see. He lost in 2008; McCain vs Obama, He lost in 2010; Abbott vs Gillard, he has now lost in 2012; Romney vs Obama. And that Cameron experiment in Britain isn’t working out all that well, either! Next up is Abbott vs Gillard in 2013 and it is looking as though a pattern has been set. http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/obama-won-rupert-lost/ 2012 US Election- Obama and maths win, Greg Jericho, Grog’s Gamut It was a big loss for right wing pundits who were right till the very end (even past the end in Karl Rove’s case) suggesting the vibe and feel on the ground was at great variance to what the polls were suggesting. The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan was a classic example. Yesterday she wrote http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/2012-us-election-obama-and-maths-win.html Response to concerns raised by the Shadow Treasurer, The Treasury It has long been the case that Treasury is periodically asked by the Government of the day to cost or analyse alternative policies, some of which are already in the public domain. These can include policies proposed by stakeholders or by non-government political parties. In such cases, we draw, to the maximum extent possible, on publicly available information, in part due to the confidentiality we observe in responding to requests from Ministers. http://www.treasury.gov.au/About-Treasury/OurDepartment/News/response-to-concerns Welcome to the Halls of Misogyny, Alecia Simmonds, Daily Life Tony Abbott. He has just been told about the anarchy unleashed at his former college, St John’s: the vandalism, the violence, and the near manslaughter of a girl. What’s his reaction? ‘It’s just bad behaviour by undergraduates’ he says, accompanied by a characteristic sneer http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/welcome-to-the-halls-of-misogyny-20121107-28wul.html US: Presidential election , Gary Sauer-Thompson, Public Opinion Was it due to the white working class voters, particularly women being won over by the auto industry rescue? Most blue-collar whites vote Republican while most minorities and affluent suburban whites go with Democrats. Romney's strategy assumed that the dragging economy would automatically turn voters against the president fell short and that they would vote for the small government option. http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2012/11/us-presidential-15.php#more Romney Looses: Will GOP Jump Off Fiscal Cliff Taking US With For Ride , Peter, Aussie Views News Barack Obama has won a second term Thank goodness. But he will not have control of the House of Representatives and will have only a slim majority in the Senate. A major question now is how will the GOP respond. For the last 18 months GOP has played chicken with US debt and the fiscal cliff. Deliberately to embarrass Barack Obama. The tactic did not succeed. But will they now continue to refuse to reach an agreement just out of spite? http://aussieviewsnews.com/2012/11/07/romney-looses-will-gop-jump-fiscal-cliff-taking-us-ride Do We Have Inflation Licked?, Ian MacAuley, New Matilda This report finally put the carbon tax issue to rest, rendering Tony Abbott’s fear campaign about the "big new tax" as credible as the warnings by astrological and religious freaks about the end of the world. (The current end of the world prediction is 21 December this year). http://newmatilda.com/2012/11/07/do-we-have-inflation-licked Voluntary voting, Right-wing vote stealers, Politics as entertainment and Obama’s revenge, Turn Left 2013 The IPA (Institute of Public Affairs Australia – right-wing think tank who refuse to publish their donors) have been encouraging the Liberal Party to move to voluntary voting under a Liberal-National Government http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/voluntary-voting-right-wing-vote-stealers-politics-as-entertainment-and-obamas-revenge/ Sleep Now In The Fire, Peter Wicks, Wixxy Leaks These are not necessary cutbacks as Barry “Lumberjack” O’Farrell would have you believe, these are acts of utter bastardry. Any party that loses a billion dollars also loses the right to use the words “fiscally responsible” while destroying the lives of hard working people and their families in my humble opinion. http://wixxyleaks.com/2012/11/07/sleep-now-in-the-fire/ Blaming the predecessor?, Michael’s Space I don’t understand why people cannot see the Republican for the outright liars that they are. Republicans get sponsored by who? Multi billion dollar corporations who would rather spend money sending jobs overseas and buying political adds so they do not have to pay the middle class what they deserve. They pay as little people as little money as possible saying that is good economics. http://mickoh27.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/blaming-the-predecessor/ Congratulations America! You’ve kept magic undies out of The White House another 4 years, Moth, New Anthropocene Although, FOX”News” doesn’t seem too impressed http://newanthropocene.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/congratulations-america-youve-kept-magic-undies-out-of-the-white-house-another-4-years/ Reality bites, John Quiggin Mitt Romney ran the most deceitful and dishonest campaign in US political history, vowing not to be deterred by fact-checkers. His partisans, in the US and Australia have made denial of reality an artform. This approach has had some remarkable successes, notably in delaying action against climate change. But there is always the risk that deception will turn into self-deception and the US Presidential election illustrated that, with the emergence of “poll trutherism”, http://johnquiggin.com/ The Reserve Banks keeps the cash rate at 3.25%, Greg Jericho, Grog’s Gamut The big differences – the higher than expected inflation data and the “slightly more positive” world economy (seriously, they must have been turning up the rose coloured glasses to “blinding” to think the world economy is more positive on the basis of China and the USA GDP growth. http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/the-reserve-banks-keeps-cash-rate-at-325.html Census 2016. Why the questions will be answers in themselves, Peter Martin You can tell a lot about a nation from its census - not only from the answers but also from the questions asked. Next census for the first time the Bureau of Statistics wants to ask about our second houses, and even our third ones http://www.petermartin.com.au/ Looking towards Rome and awaiting Caesar, David Donovan, Independent Australia As for this election. Well, when America decides, I hope the votes will reveal that it opted for the calm, sensible and (in some ways) progressive leadership of Barack Obama, as opposed to the myopic regressive corporatism of Mitt Romney and his backers. We saw where that led the world under George W. Bush, we do need to open that door again. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/looking-towards-rome-and-awaiting-caesar/ Think the US electoral system is flawed? Check out Australia’s …Jennifer Rayner, The Conversation But electoral reform is something we should be giving more thought to as we head into our own election season in 2013. Are we comfortable having some of the loosest electoral laws in the democratic world? Or do we have a right to know more about how Australian campaigns are fought and won? http://theconversation.edu.au/think-the-us-electoral-system-is-flawed-check-out-australias-10536 US President Barack Obama wins re-election, Tracker Romney’s aides had predicted that a late Romney wave would sweep Obama from office after a single term haunted by a sluggish recovery from the worst economic crisis since the 1930s Great Depression and high unemployment http://tracker.org.au/2012/11/us-president-barack-obama-wins-re-election/ Europe and Asia leaders praise Australia PM for sexism speech, Agence France-Presse, Raw Story Gillard said she was pleasantly surprised at the reaction she received at the international summit which ended Tuesday in Vientiane, including from French President Francois Hollande and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt.“The president of France congratulated me on the speech, as did the prime minister of Denmark, and some other leaders, just casually as I’ve moved around, have also mentioned it to me,” Gillard told ABC radio http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/06/europe-and-asia-leaders-praise-australia-pm-for-sexism-speech/ Really good job”: Abbott praises Turnbull’s NBN work, Renai LeMay, Delimeter I’m not sure, to be honest. However, I suspect that Abbott doesn’t follow events in the portfolio closely enough to really be able to judge whether Turnbull is having an impact on the National Broadband Network debate and the public’s perception of the NBN or not. Abbott usually appears to completely ignore the portfolio, and at times his understanding of Coalition broadband policy appears to be quite out of date. http://delimiter.com.au/2012/11/07/really-good-job-abbott-praises-turnbulls-nbn-work/ Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 8 November 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

KHTAGH

8/11/2012TT You are very right, I take all these so called natural remedies with a pinch of salt, I posted it so others can do the same. With the family history I have to keep my cholesterol way low, 2 if possible anything that can help if worth a try. My main problem with the lemons would be the acidity of the lemons having a deleterious effect on the fangs. I do have faith in modern medicine, especially with these pain patches, I have had like you major physical intervention with operations so do know the modern system is only getting better as time goes by. By the way I didn't mention this before but your brothers efforts are a great to behold & must make you so proud as stated before, I'm so happy you are back here on a regular basis again.

Ad astra reply

8/11/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

Tom of Melbourne

8/11/2012That’s really interesting and self-serving Bacchus. What I notice about this site- • Ad Astra pretends to run a site that “puts politicians and commentators to the verbal sword”, but in reality it is the most partisan and hypocritical of sites • Most contributors here only offer personal insults to alternative views, you included • There is a singular focus on Abbott, without an attempt to explain how Gillard broke the very [b]written agreement[/b] that put her in the Lodge Just tell me Bacchus, is breaking a written agreement with a fellow MP honest that delivered the Prime Ministership honest or dishonest? Did Gillard face up to the consequences of her actions? Rather than resort to the inane name calling, how about you (and others) actually address a legitimate issue for a change?

Lyn

8/11/2012Good Morning Ad and Everybody, Mr Abbott just on another Presser, proved he doesn't read anything. Definately hasn't read any of the American Bloggs or reports on why Romney lost the election. On Carbon Tax still and said regarding the Electricity white paper being released today "Julia Gillard has a smile on her face everytime the Power price goes up" the white paper is 3 years too late. Twittererse for you :- Bushfire Bill Posted Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 8:56 am In answer to any question the answer was “No”. Cory Bernardi brought that back with him from his frequent trips to the nutjob think tanks in America. Just say “No” to everything, wreck the procedures, conventions and function of the parliament and then get your mates in the media to write it up as a Gillard Fail. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/11/04/galaxy-53-47-to-coalition/?comment_page=39/#comment-1466297 'Four more years': Obama Twitter photo breaks record, SMH The shot of a happy-looking Obama holding his wife in a loving embrace - captioned with the words "four more years" - had been retweeted over 729,000 times on Thursday morning and "liked" by 3.6 million people on Facebook. election-related tweets throughout election day, with up to 874,560 tweets being posted per minute Social networks emerged as key tools in the US presidential campaign, with both Obama and his Republican foe Mitt Romney staging major pushes on Twitter, Facebook and others to draw in supporters and get them to vote. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/four-more-years-obama-twitter-photo-breaks-record-20121108-28z65.html#ixzz2BZo79JiH How Conservative Media Lost to the MSM and Failed the Rank and File, The Atlantic You haven't just been misinformed about the horse race. Since the very beginning of the election cycle, conservative media has been failing you. With a few exceptions, they haven't tried to rigorously tell you the truth, or even to bring you intellectually honest opinion. What they've done instead helps to explain why the right failed to triumph in a very winnable election. Why do you keep putting up with it? http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/how-conservative-media-failed-their-readers/264855/ St John’s ‘louts’ risk career prospects, AFR http://www.afr.com/p/national/st_john_louts_risk_career_prospects_rPDW3swVpgcI0H4NwVPQlI Treasury boss slams Hockey on bias claim, Phillip Coorey Mr Swan said Mr Hockey was being sensitive and should submit his policies to the newly-established Parliamentary Budget Office, and the independent and professional costing body for oppositions and minor parties. Mr Hockey said the office was not operating yet, but it is. On the weekend, Fairfax Media published costings the office had done for the Greens. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/treasury-boss-slams-hockey-on-bias-claim-20121107-28yll.html#ixzz2BZTr3kMm Superman has just 54 days to save the world, Peter Hartcher It's a dangerous cell called the US Congress, and it threatens to blow up the US economy, and its credibility and its status as a strong and responsible power. Obama has 54 days to strike a budget deal with Congress and if he can't, the US will topple over the "fiscal cliff" into a new recession, dragging the world after it. http://www.theage.com.au/world/us-election/superman-has-just-54-days-to-save-the-world-20121107-28yls.html#ixzz2BZQmdTzU PM applauds Obama on second term, Michelle Grattan In a briefer congratulatory statement, Tony Abbott said: "The United States is Australia's largest and most important ally and Australia can look forward to a continuation of the best possible relations." http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/pm-applauds-obama-on-second-term-20121107-28yo0.html#ixzz2BZShJVzb Obama victory has economic implications for Australia, Gemma Jones RE-ELECTED US President Barack Obama and his country are headed for "fiscal cliff" negotiations and a potential double-dip recession which could have serious implications for Australia, experts say Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said that "Australia can look forward to a continuation of the best possible relations with the United States." http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/obama-victory-has-implications-for-us/story-fncynkc6-1226512616733 'The world is laughing at us': Trump rant ignites Twitter, The Age The 66-year-old reality television performer used his Twitter site to call for a "revolution" of the American political system, including a rally in Washington DC. He made the attacks in nine messages to almost 1.9 million followers, moments after Mr Obama was declared the election winner http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/the-world-is-laughing-at-us-trump-rant-ignites-twitter-20121108-28zd1.html#ixzz2BZmu2iH1 Fox adds a brunette to blonde weaponry against the President, Paul Sheehan Every day, in every way, before an ever-growing audience, Fox News beats the drum of ''socialism''. It is portraying Obama as a two-faced ideologue who is doing dirty deals to get his sweeping left-wing, big-government agenda through Congress, bankrupting the nation in the process. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/fox-adds-a-brunette-to-blonde-weaponry-against-the-president-20100117-me9a.html#ixzz2Ba3KN7DC The Daily Telegraph‏ Election night winners and losers: DONALD Trump had an epic public tantrum, US ABC viewers questioned if Diane S... http://bit.ly/RWOH59 The Daily Telegraph‏ States must act on energy reform: THE federal government will encourage the states to embark on bold electricity... http://bit.ly/Z15r07 Stephen Koukoulas‏ For those who missed Obama's likely push for a carbon tax: Australia years ahead as usual http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-07/obama-may-levy-carbon-tax-to-cut-the-u-s-deficit-hsbc-says.html … grace pettigrew‏ The 20 biggest sore losers of election night http://www.salon.com/2012/11/07/the_20_biggest_sore_losers_of_election_night/ … via @Salon AshGhebranious‏ Bye Bye Tony | Carbon report shows business concerns easing http://bit.ly/SNDNSk @abcnews #auspol Mr Denmore‏ Climate change is back on the table after US election; carbon tax the favoured option http://cnnmon.ie/UkSOy8 via @CNNMoney roger_ @chrismurphys Tony Abbott must be feeling uncomfortable at talk of Obama embracing carbon tax. http://www.businessweek.com/news Nellie‏ TonyAbbottMHR why Australians will never elect Abbott PM http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/750853/why-mitt-romney-lost-the-us-election/?cs=298 …

TalkTurkey

8/11/2012Lifted from Twitter, this is funny. smh.com.au‏@smh 'I'm moving to Australia, because their president is a Christian and actually supports what he says.' http://ow.ly/f6RQp #election2012 Retweeted by Margaret

Jason

8/11/2012ToM, And you are who exactly to tell someone how to their blog? I guess Ad Astra is lucky he's retired and doesn't have a government job! Some of us remember what you tried doing to Miglo!

Ad astra reply

8/11/2012Hi Lyn What a rich diet of links you have given us this twice morning, so many arising from the impressive victory of Barack Obama yesterday. There are many implications for Federal politics here; your links have already been bookmarked for a piece on this next week. Thank you for digging these out for us all. Because we know it takes ages to read them, we realize how much longer it takes you to find them, read them, evaluate them, and then summarize the best of them in the format of a link. I did something similar when I edited a medical website, so I know how long it takes. We often say thank you for all you do, but today I wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you again. You are our librarian and our resource centre. We couldn’t do what we do here without you. You really are a gem, as bejeweled as your icon on Lyn’s Daily Links.

TalkTurkey

8/11/2012Yay Obama! Hooray! Three huge cheers! While Tea-Partiers drown in their tears! While they sigh with grief We may sigh with relief As we each contemplate FOUR MORE YEARS! Jason the Younger (not Jason Obelix) opined that the Repugs would probably win the next US election, based on history. I reckon No, because of a seismic shift in several demographics in US society. Obama/Dems get heavily disproportionate support from burgeoning minorities ~ Negroes, Hispanics, Disabled &or/ disadvantaged. And also Young people. And also [i]Female [/i]People! (Of American Indigenes I heard not a word, that's sad!) But all those groups above have access to the Internet, and through it they have tasted Power, they KNOW now that they hold it against white supremacists simply by turning out to vote, and I suggest that as they get more educated via WWW they will be more inclined again to turn out next time. And Obama's win is obviously good for Labor here, and when we win next year it will similarly set up a win for us [i]again[/i] in 2016 too. [i]Because *J*U*L*I*A* runs a tight ship[/i], and the People will be better educated here for the 3 more intervening years. Longer-range Eye of Time prediction coming up. [i][b]Labor will win all the way to beyond 2020.[/b][/i]

Lyn

8/11/2012Hi Ad How nice of you Ad Astra, you are such an appreciative person. thankyou very much. This is what they say now Shankshoe or Sandshoe instead of thankyou. :):):):):):)

NormanK

8/11/2012[b]Ethical lessons: The case of the PM and the unions[/b] by Ysaiah Ross Lawyer's Weekly [quote]Even if Gillard had been found guilty of any of the ethical breaches we have discussed, I believe that in 1995 her actions would not constitute serious misconduct. The 1958 Act defined ‘misconduct’ in s 2A to included (a) wilful or reckless contravention of the Act, rules or regulations there under; … (d) a failure in performing any professional work which constitutes a gross breach of a solicitor’s duty to a client or the court; … (f) repeated standards breaches that would be regarded by a solicitor in good standing as showing a serious and continued disregard for proper professional behaviour. A standard breach is defined as conduct that is ‘unacceptable or unprofessional behaviour’. It would appear that the alleged breaches by Gillard would fall into the category of a standards breach and she would have received a minor penalty if the breaches were proven.[/quote] http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/opinion/ethical-lessons-the-case-of-the-pm-and-the-unions

42 long

8/11/2012The Tea/Republicans will do a lot of soul searching and they are probably better at facing some form of truth than the LieNP here who have copied a FAILED model. Couldn't even trust their collective "intellect" to design one that relects the different demograph of australia. Not much time left Tones and Co. Stuffed aren't you? Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people. Pathetic Pantomime over, I hope.

2353

8/11/2012Hi Lyn, [i]The Atlantic[/i] article is especially interesting. It points out that those who (in this case) thought that Romney would win in general believed their own publicity. Well spotted. Bushfire Bill is also correct in describing the "Just say no" strategy. Since it has proven to be a stunning success (sarcasm intended)in a number of elections now, I wonder if the LNP will learn the lesson prior to the third quarter of 2013 when the Australian election is due. I suspect that like Romney, brand Abbott is now so tarnished the only thing that would work is a new leader - and who do they have? The Chaser Obit for Abbott last night was funny - find it on iView or watch the repeat on ABC2 if you didn't see it. Assuming Donald Trump is using the "royal we", he is correct - the world is laughing at "us". Apart from the ridiculous claims he frequently makes on Twitter - people have been laughing at his hair for years. It's also interesting that Obama is looking at comprehensive healthcare, climate change and some form of compulsory superannuation for the USA. Comprehensive Healthcare was first introduced into Australia by Whitlam, compulsory superannuation by Hawke and action on climate change by Gillard. The only thing the conservatives in Australia have done is to have the good sense not to completely dismantle them (although Fraser and Howard both tried). Australia leads the way again - despite not having a "Christian President that supports what he says" :D

TalkTurkey

8/11/2012Ad astra and Lyn, Each of you individually is a source of constant wonder to me, Ad for your writing, Lyn for your links, but the combination of you is unique and very very precious. You are perfectly complementary and happily interdependent, yours is the most amazingly ideal partnership, and together you two [i]and all the rest of us[/i] are doing something important. Most of all we give each other heart.

Tom of Melbourne

8/11/2012I have no idea what you are talking about Jason. Apparently someone was going to name Miglo when he was a public servant, but I don’t believe that it has ever been suggested that this was me, and certainly it would be an absolute lie if that was suggested. Apart from that, Miglo runs a blog with a preference to avoid particularly testing contributors, that’s as much as I know.

Ad astra reply

8/11/2012Hi Lyn So it’s thank you from me, Shankshoe from him, and Sandshoe from everyone else.

DMW

8/11/2012Those that may be taking some solace from the re-election of Obama as US President and 'reading the tea leaves' for what it might presage at a forthcoming Australian election may be better off reading the tea leaves from the UK. During the Hawke/Keating government the UK had the Conservatives Margaret Thatcher May 1979 - November 1990 and John Major (November 1990 - May 1997) Howard had UK Labour PM's Tony Blair (May 1997 - June 2007) with a brief period of Gordon Brown (May 1997 - May 2010) The Conservative PM David Cameron took the reigns in May 2010 which the British tea leaves portended an Australian Labor Government would be (re)elected that year. Given Boston Tea Parties, our undeniable British Heritage and our propensity to give the Poms a bit of stick reading the British Tea Leaves suggest that our stronger conta cycle to the flavour of the Pommy Parliament there would be more joy for Labor Leaners there.

Patriciawa

8/11/2012Seconded, TT! My day begins with Lyn's links, and I always feel special when I see my own site on her list. I can assure you that she does a thorough job of paraphrasing blog articles when condensing their message for our attention. The world feels as though it's had a wash from all the worry of a possible Republican win, doesn't it? All that nasty negativity of Rupert Murdoch's TV channels and printed media hasn't held sway, after all. The crew of the Hampster Wheel last night (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/hamsterwheel/pages/s3602279.htm) seemed to have waited on the US election results. I wonder if they had an alternative script for a Republican win? Would they have run the wickedly funny and wise 'obituary' of Tony Abbott if the political axis of the free world had shifted in the direction for which Murdoch and his minions had worked so hard?

Ad astra reply

8/11/2012Bacchus at 11.29 PM There is one at every barbeque. A loud and bothersome blowfly that buzzes around annoying everyone, landing on the yet-to-be-cooked meat, becoming even more noisy as it evades capture, intent on its own pursuits, contributing nothing of value, yet never appreciating others who do contribute. Finally patience runs out. Someone grabs a fly-swot or a can of fly-spray and let’s the fly have it, until it lies gyrating in its death throes, even more loudly shrieking its dizzying drone. But in this environment even a fly swot or a burst of spray seem only to encourage it to keep coming back with irritating intent. Maybe totally ignoring it, and giving it nothing to feed upon, is the only way it will become tired of it all and go away.

42 long

8/11/2012Rather than contra cycles or anything cyclic I deal in the policies advocated DMW. There are factors that are peculiar to the US but the emergence of a more right than ever policy seems to have been rejected. The results in New Hampshire show the reaction against the right(big reversal there). Women and younger people have rejected Romney. White males support him. My parallel with the LNP is policy copying. Barnardi and a few others promoted emulating an approach which was not a winner in the US and less likely to be one here than there, because of differing Australian attitudes.

NormanK

8/11/2012Ad astra A very clever and compelling narrative. I don't suppose it would be right to skip to the last page to see who wins and who loses? A bit more positive press for the PM: [b]Gillard claims bragging rights on stage of world diplomacy[/b] by Steven Scott The Courier Mail [quote]It's nothing unusual for a prime minister to meet with other world leaders and clock up a fair amount of air miles in the process. But for someone with a self-proclaimed lack of interest in global affairs, Gillard (pictured) has accumulated some serious bragging rights in the world of diplomacy.[/quote] http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/gillard-claims-bragging-rights-on-stage-of-world-diplomacy/story-e6frerc6-1226512516018

Patriciawa

8/11/2012What a great picture of the PM, NormanK! But then that is just, her isn't it? She's a great ambassador for our country, and apparently recognised for her skill in chairing and managing disparate groups of people.

Tom of Melbourne

8/11/2012Yes Ad Astra, it must be terribly irritating to run a forum for political discourse, where there is some testing of your prejudices and preconceptions. Obviously everyone should understand that Our Prime Minister is allowed to be dishonest, as long as it helps maintain her grip on power. We also should all accept that adopting an inhumane policy on asylum seekers, that is completely at odds with everything we’ve advocated in the past, is for their won good. Even if the policy is proven to be harmful to them. You’re so wise Ad, the way you can persuade us to believe in all those things we’ve opposed in the past. Anyone who thinks otherwise is really irritating, and it’s just not fair.

2353

8/11/2012NormanK - thats a nice article on the Prime Minister (using the formal title must really hurt the neocons!). The most impressive thing is that it was "printed" in the Courier Mail.

Jason

8/11/2012ToM, Go back to what you do best threatening Commonwealth employees! leave Ad astra to run his blog as he sees fit!

Lyn

8/11/2012Hi Everyone, KHtagh @ 05:13 PM Thankyou for caring. My eye is a whole lot better now, just need to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Thankyou for your post re the lemons. I am going to try them especially grated. I can’t eat anything with acid so don’t eat fruit, but thought grated, like you said would be a way of getting the missing vitamins. Jane @ 07:24 PM Glad you enjoy the links . I think the eye problem has gone now hopefully forever. BLink did it. You should tell your m-i-l . Sad to hear, & very sorry about the diabetes. I know as you said Diabetes is a really rotten disease. Libby @ 10.50pm Thankyou for your kind thoughts, we all love being needed. 2353 @ 12pm Glad you enjoyed The Atlantic article as I did. Donald Trump’s a nutter isn’t he. Talk Turkey 12.07pm Thankyou very much for your support and loyality Love this bit: “together you two and all the rest of us are doing something important. We all are very important, also very well informed with no thanks to the MSM. Ad Astra @ 02:33 PM This is cute : ‘So it’s thank you from me, Shankshoe from him, and Sandshoe from everyone else”. So Shankshoe to you all the time again & again: Patricia @ 02:51 PM Thankyou Patricia you are always your lovely self. Love this little ego booster “My day begins with Lyn's links” Could everyone be careful please, the news has been warning of a Fiscal cliff all day. Maybe we all need one of those rock climbing hooks. :):):):)

Sir Ian Crisp

8/11/2012[quote][i]Abbort's glib comment following the disruption to his recent speech at Melbourne University was "Good to see that students still have a sense of humour" or wtte. I thought at the time that it was an insolent remark given the recent focus on his student antics on campus at Sydney University in the 1970s. Casablanca [/i][/quote] Marn’s glib comment following the disruption during his speech on the energy white paper was "good to see our taxpayer dollars'' being spent on educating the men, who may have been university students. What an insolent remark by Marn Ferguson.

Ad astra reply

8/11/2012Folks I have just now posted a piece by Kay Rollison on the interesting subject of economics. It is a book review titled: [i]Australia Fair by Hugh Stretton[/i]. Enjoy her analysis. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/11/08/Australia-Fair-by-Hugh-Stretton.aspx
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?