Our Media: Prosecutor, Judge, Jury and Executioner

Are you, like me, incensed by the performance over the last week of our mainstream media, particularly News Limited, as it pursued our Prime Minister over matters 17 years ago when she was a solicitor at Slater & Gordon?

What has become of our media? Supposedly the guardian of our democracy, the seeker and purveyor of truth, the erudite analyst of current affairs, the vehicle for learned opinion, it has degenerated into a politically-motivated ‘frothing at the mouth’ rabid attack dog, bent on savaging the elected leader of this nation. Murdoch’s News Limited will not let go. Its teeth are dug deep. It is determined to foster and advance a vitriolic hatred of our most senior politician. Facts have become irrelevant.

News Limited media is an utter disgrace and a pox on our democracy. We are witnessing a catastrophic and seemingly irreversible descent into mediocrity and maliciousness within what once was a respected mainstream media operator.

We are seeing this crucial part of our society taking to itself the role of prosecutor, judge, jury, and if it can, executioner as well. It is obscene.


The last piece on The Political Sword detailed all the material on the Slater & Gordon matter that had been published recently, along with the comments and the opinion. It suggested that the motivation was malignant, and the purpose was the destruction of our Prime Minister and her Government. I need not go into the details. You can read them here.

Julia Gillard has been assailed for years with implications of wrongdoing in the early nineties during the time she was an industrial relations lawyer at the Labor-oriented Melbourne law firm of Slater & Gordon, and about the circumstances of her resignation in 1995. I do not intend to canvass the details here as they are well and truly on the public record. She has stated repeatedly that she was not responsible for any wrongdoing at S&G and left that firm on her own volition. But that has not stopped the matter being raised over and again, most recently over the last week in The Australian.

She has repeatedly refused to dignify this scuttlebutt by addressing it in public. She refused most recently on Sky’s Agenda when questioned by Paul Kelly, but yesterday words published in The Australian precipitated her holding a press conference that followed her announcement, with Chris Bowen, of an increased asylum seeker intake. Here is how she began:

“However, this morning something changed on that. The Australian newspaper republished a false and highly defamatory claim about my conduct in relation to these matters 17 years ago. It is a claim about me setting up a trust fund.

“A claim was first published by News Limited in relation to me and funds during the election campaign in 2007. On that occasion, the claim was retracted and apologised for. The claim was made again by Glenn Milne, a then columnist with the Australian newspaper, such a dim view was taken of his conduct in relation to that matter his employment was terminated.

“Despite these events, a similar claim has been recirculated by The Australian newspaper today. People may have already seen that the claim has been retracted and apologised for and that retraction and apology appears on the Australian web site and as I understand it on all News Limited web sites.”


She had decided that ‘enough was enough’ and allowed journalists to subject her to fifty minutes of questioning until literally they had ‘exhausted’ their questions. Senior journalists such Sid Maher from The Australian, Malcolm Farr from The Daily Telegraph, Michelle Grattan and Phil Coorey from Fairfax, Chris Uhlmann from the ABC, Karen Middleton from SBS, Paul Bongiorno from Channel Ten and Mark Riley from Channel Seven were there amongst many others.

She kept going even as the time for QT approached, until there was not one more question that escaped their mouths. Only then did she go onto unrelated questions.

In my opinion she answered all their questions without obfuscation. Whenever a journalist asked for clarification, she gave it. Her answers were straightforward and convincing, even to most, if not all of the journalists present.

You can view her press conference here. It is worth a look.

So how did the media react? The ABC had Chris Uhlmann on 7.30 who explained: “This rebooting of ancient charges began as an Internet campaign and one of its torchbearers is cartoonist Larry Pickering. His base attacks on the Prime Minister are among the many reasons why much of mainstream media hasn't revisited this story. But The Australian's recent investigation did raise new information and new questions, like why Julia Gillard never opened a file on the association. She says it was routine to provide free advice.”

Later he added: “Malicious motivations aren’t confined to the Internet and Julia Gillard's hope that this marks the end of the matter might be optimistic. But the Prime Minister was challenged to answer lingering questions and she did that today and she did it well. She has, in the estimation of her former law firm and its former senior partner, done no wrong and her performance today was one of the best she's given in a long time.

“But the rise of the embittered citizen journalist raises other questions for those who would seek to serve as politicians.”
Then 7.30 played this clip:

“JULIA GILLARD: Yes, it does worry me that that's where politics has got to. That things that are demonstrably untrue, indeed, absurd, are circulated and re-circulated and re-circulated and somehow, at least in some section of the population, manage to worm their way in to become the orthodoxy.

“CHRIS UHLMANN: The Prime Minister has good reason to worry.”


He seemed to give a reasonable account of the press conference, but why end with that cryptic comment – who knows what he meant?

Then on Lateline there was Tony Jones. Beginning with a report by Tom Iggulden, Jones then interviewed Sid Maher and Phil Coorey – journalist interviewing journalists – a format that has become emblematic of so many political TV shows. They behave as if they are the ‘experts’, the ‘insiders’, privy to information denied less privileged others, whose opinions by definition must be superior to the man in the street. I suppose we ought to have expected that the ABC would want to analyse the PM’s press conference in tedious detail, but it really was a tiresome event. You can view it here if you have the inclination and the stomach.

Of course Sid Maher felt is necessary to defend The Australian, insisting that its coverage was “based on primary sources, not something that's circulated on the Internet”, in effect denying that it was Larry Pickering’s ravings that precipitated it. Pressed on whether the matter was now closed, Maher, who reminded me of the ‘smiling assassin’, said: “I think she's answered a lot of questions…one can never really know what this issue will throw up. Certainly, Julia Gillard - there's no evidence that she had any - did anything wrong. But, as I say, this matter is not closed and so one can't know what can come in the future.” I got the impression that Maher did not want the matter closed, and feel certain that even on the flimsiest pretense, The Australian will reopen it. Not immediately, but when it wants to inflict further damage on the PM, especially if she is having a good run, or if Newpoll is in the field.

Phil Coorey looked a little uncomfortable, blinking a lot. Asked his view, he said: “Look, there are people still digging on this…But I just get the impression by listening to Gillard today that she seems fairly confident there's no smoking gun there…She doesn't seem like she's hiding or worried about something else that's going to come out now.” Like most journalists, Phil seemed unwilling to commit himself confidently. Groupthink, which was the subject of my first piece in June 2008 in the days of Possum Box, is alive and well. No journo wants to be wrong, to be caught out, as they have been embarrassingly over the years.

Finally, asked if this was a defining moment for the PM, Coorey referred to a John Howard interview many years ago when Howard said: "Hit me with everything you can," exhausted the questions, when he was absolutely on his knees in early '01, 11 years ago, and this reminded me of that. And that was a turning point for Howard. Too early to tell with this. She's got a lot - the Prime Minister's got a lot bigger problems than John Howard did in 2001, I would say.” So Phil, with his awkward words, covers his back, just in case.

I found the interview distasteful. There were three journalists dissecting what the PM said, how she handled the press conference, prognosticating on how it would be received, and how it would affect her future. I asked myself how the opinions of these people, so close to the action that they might not be able to see the woods for the trees, so incestuous that independence of opinion requires unusual courage, were better qualified to opine than we are, who study politics from a distance, day after day.

On ABC 774 Radio this morning Jon Faine, an ex-solicitor who knows how legal offices work, was insistent that the pursuit of Julia Gillard was ‘completely wrong’, and akin to the way Simon Overland, previous Chief Commissioner of Police in Victoria, was relentlessly pursued by The Australian and his career destroyed. The Australian has form.

How did The Australian treat the matter this morning? Hedley Thomas, extravagantly described in an editorial as a “…forensic, determined and dispassionate…award-winning journalist”, tediously describes the situation again, I suppose for those just returning to Planet Earth.

He was not going to let go something he has been trawling through for ages. In Looking for answers, start with the ‘slush fund’, after going over the well-tilled ground again, commented as he ploughed on: “In her answers yesterday, the Prime Minister deftly moved the goalposts. It was a legalistic answer, a duck-and-weave that takes a minute or two to see as such.” And: “Gillard's explanations on this will raise more questions about trust, integrity and professionalism.”

There is no joy there for Julia Gillard from Thomas; he didn’t give her an inch. He is on her case and will never let go.

Although his headline Julia Gillard declares file closed on union scandal allegations suggested closure, Sid Maher went over the ground again adding: “Ms Gillard dismissed the issue as a 17-year-old story and declared she had been the victim of a "sexist" internet campaign. She did not expect the "misogynists and the nut jobs on the internet" to stop circulating claims against her and lamented the entry of "an eccentric lunar right Tea Party-style" Americanisation of Australian politics. But she ruled out legal action as "dignifying them with a status they don't deserve". Ms Gillard said she did not believe it necessary to make a statement to parliament after a press conference lasting more than an hour.”

Nothing encouraging for the PM there.

Dennis Shanahan had this to say in Frankly, delay only undermines trust: ”Julia Gillard is right - she will never satisfy the nuts and conspiracists lurking in the blogosphere about her suitability to be Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was also right to front a press conference yesterday and answer relevant questions about her professional conduct, judgment and the manner of her departure after years as a partner at Slater & Gordon.”

“However, she was wrong in political and media terms to delay frankly answering those relevant questions about her character until there was an irresistible tide of opinion that she should do so. In the end, she acquitted herself well - as she always does when she assumes the authority of Prime Minister after deciding on a course of action.”


He ended with his archetypical judgement: “Political damage to Gillard and Labor has again been compounded by a stubborn refusal to frankly deal with difficult issues when they arise, which only serves to undermine public trust in the Prime Minister's judgment and preparedness to be frank.”

The editorial in The Australian: Prime Minister finally confronts AWU questions begins: “Julia Gillard's strong performance yesterday was a belated attempt to address questions surrounding the conclusion of her legal career at Melbourne firm Slater & Gordon in 1995.” It proceeds to describe the press conference, trying all the while to use pejorative words and paint the PM in a poor light.

The conclusion: “The broader political impact of this saga goes to trust in the Prime Minister. Following her broken carbon tax promise and other backflips, it is an area of acute political vulnerability, and the way she has avoided transparency on this issue has not helped”, leaves little doubt about The Australian’s attitude to our PM, and that it will be after her again, given half a chance. The final sentence is a very small concession: “Still, at the end of a difficult week the Prime Minister and her party look to be in their strongest position for well over a year. There can be no doubt she did the right thing facing her questioners.”

The Australian, still struggling to justify News Limited’s foray once more into this ancient matter, is going to say all the things it has in its set pieces and its editorial. It will step back a while, trawl some more, set Thomas, its ‘forensic, determined and dispassionate award-winning journalist’ on the scent with the hope he can unearth even a smidgen of ‘dirt’, mud that it can hurl at the PM at a propitious moment when it can do most harm. Make no mistake News Limited is vicious and determined. It will never give up, no matter how distant and irrelevant the S&G story becomes.

It has already been prosecutor, judge and jury, and has found our PM guilty; now it awaits the opportunity to be executioner.

Let’s look at what Fairfax said. Take a look at the video with Tim Lester at the top of this piece by Michelle Grattan Misogynists, nutjobs and falsehoods: PM hits back. He interviews Michelle Grattan, Phil Coorey and Jacqueline Maley. Do play it. It will reassure you that at least some sections of our MSM are not as condemnatory and venomous as is News Limited.

You will see a much more positive Phil Coorey, now among his colleagues who are more supportive of the PM. Groupthink again. ‘Sensible’, ‘convincing’, ‘lets move on’, are words Michelle Grattan used. Jacqueline was very positive: ‘really, really strong’, ‘really convincing’, and she has ‘fight in her’.

Peter Hartcher is his usual pessimistic self in Top effort but it's not likely to work.  He says: “Yesterday Gillard decided it was time to confront the issue. Why? Because The Australian had overstepped the mark on one detail and was forced to publish an online correction. The Prime Minister struck. She would answer all reporters' questions, but only on this one occasion. It was an effort to kill the issue.

“So why won't it work? For three reasons. First, she has now elevated it by her own treatment. She has made it a legitimate issue for prime ministerial cross-examination.

“Second, because you cannot clear the air when the skies are swarming with enemy attack forces. There is a small industry of feverish Gillard haters who inhabit the nether realm of the internet, people she called misogynists and nutjobs. And there is The Australian, dedicated to the destruction of the Labor government. But there are also her enemies in caucus, who are aiding and encouraging the campaign.
(My bolding). “And third is that a political scandal, once launched, is an unguided missile that can take unexpected turns.

“If Gillard wants clear air and blue skies, she'll need to go to the beach on a sunny day because she will not find them in Parliament.”


In Fifty minutes of rolled-gold high dudgeon, Tony Wright, in a more optimistic mood, concluded: “Gillard, magnificent in her dudgeon, assured everyone that she would answer every question they had. She had retained her silence for days, despite being defamed and hounded by an appalling and sexist campaign - including shock-horror circulated on the internet by old cartoonist and conspiracy theorist Larry Pickering - and she wasn't going to take it any more. Here she was, promising to respond to everything. And so she did, for close to 50 minutes, until the interrogation melted to an impotent silence. What a defence lawyer she might have been.”

Quite an endorsement!

Of course Tony Abbott and Christoper Pyne have been on the airwaves today insisting Julia Gillard still has ‘questions to answer’. Despite having had four QTs to ask them, it has not had the guts, or perhaps the good sense, to do so. Still, by saying she still has questions to answer they hope to gain some mileage without taking the risk of actually asking her. Opportunistic wimps!

I trust that this post mortem has given you enough information to be able to judge what is happening. News Limited, particularly via its flagship, is and will continue to pursue this old, old story, squeeze more from it if it can, as long as it believes it can inflict even one more tiny paroxysm of pain on our PM. As prosecutor of this matter for years, as judge and jury with a guilty verdict, it remains malevolently determined to be the executioner, dedicated as it is to ‘the destruction of the Labor Government’ as Peter Hartcher affirms.

It is of some comfort that the Fairfax Media is not as malevolent.

So folks, expect more of the same from News Limited. It’s executioner axe is poised, waiting for its opportunity to decapitate our PM and her Government. No matter what its troops write, that is its intention. No one gave them that right – they just took it.

Is it right that News Limited, or for that matter any part of the MSM, should be prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner?


What do you think?

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Current rating: 0.2 / 5 | Rated 18 times

jaycee

24/08/2012I saw the Lateline piece. I saw 7.30 with Uhlmann (why IS that man so apparently sleazy?)..I have worked in many toxic work-places...they are full of sly, narrow-eyed opportunists that one has to get away from such company before it infects you. I feel that way now about the ABC. I cannot go to The Drum without a sort of revulsion at the "dirty feeling" of the site. The same for the otherMSM. I would not evenTHINK of visiting their mainstream pages except as a barometer as to how the filth on the other side are thinking. In my opinion there are none lower than those taking wages from such employers..for whatever motive..for their bosses are criminals and traitors.

Catching up

24/08/2012"He seemed to give a reasonable account of the press conference, but why end with that cryptic comment – who knows what he meant? " Could it be that some said that they would continue with two or three investigators delving into AWU history in Victoria. This after extensive digging for the last two or months with little results. This matter was fully investigated 17 years ago. Has been bought up on a regular basis since. It could be that there is little basis to the allegations. It could be that they are true. What there is little of, is any evidence that links the PM to any misdoings.

2353

24/08/2012Both major political party leaders have effectively had a job interview this week. Gillard went for close to 50 minutes, didn't get flustered, seemed to be on top of all the facts of the case and treated the press with courtesy and grace. Abbott had 10 minutes on 7:30 with one interviewer. He did get flustered, obviously had not read a crucial press release and was under obvious stress, leading to stuttering and "dead air" where the only sign of life was a nodding head and death glare. Hopefully some skunk works in the Prime Minister's Department is busily working up some legislation to bring truth in reporting into Australia, briefing the Greens, Windsor and Oakeschott (all of whom have been smeared by elements of the media over the last 18 months) and it is presented as a done deal when Parliament resumes in a couple of weeks. Implementation at Christmas would be appropriate I feel - giving time for NewsCorp, Fairfax and the electronic media (including the ABC) enough time to write procedures to ensure compliance.

jaycee

24/08/2012I strongly believe the Fifth Estate has the moral and information edge over a lame MSM. Thanks to sites such as this and others mentioned and those we know who they are..and dedicated serious suppliers of links and commentry, we will slash and burn the very ground the MSM. pollutes and will give them all the BIG KISS GOODBYE! Welcome the new age of information on the blogesphere!!

MWS

24/08/2012News Limited issued an online correction - but what about the print edition? Was there a retraction and correction there? Unfortunately, retractions never achieve the same penetration as the original articles.

2353

24/08/2012Forgot to say - another thought provoking article AA. Your readership must be going up (deservedly).

Ad astra

24/08/2012jaycee, Catching up Thank you for your rapidly placed comments. I see you feel strongly. I agree that the Fifth Estate has an immense responsibility to counter the malignant influence of much of the Fourth Estate. 2353 Thank you for your kind comment. Readership is rising. We have had a very busy month. I like your analogy – that Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have had job interviews this week. Julia has shone; Tony has failed. MWS I don’t know if there was an in-print apology in News Limited papers as I don’t get their papers. Does anyone else know?

Ad astra

24/08/2012Hi Lyn I’m still catching up with your posts – it’s taken a while to put this piece together. TT rang to alert me to the Lisa Wilkinson interview of Tony Abbott on Channel Nine, which I have now played. It is reminiscent of the Leigh Sales interview. [b]Leigh has thereby ‘given permission’ to other interviewers to do the same, and has encouraged female interviewers to have a go - Abbott is a pussycat, and a lazy one at that.[/b]

Michael

24/08/2012Yet again the contrast between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott is clear and obvious. I watched the entire conference entranced - why dont we see more of this no nonsense approach from her? She was simply dynamite. One question though: who was the 32 year-old journo who asked her an impertinent question and was rapidly sat back in his place?

Ad astra

24/08/2012Michael I agree. I don't know who the journalist was, but at 32 he is pretty junior for the Canberra Press Gallery. One of the big drawbacks of such press conferences is that it is unusual to have vision and identification of individuals, and the audio is usually poor. If the journalist is called by first name or nick name (e.g. Mega) it is possible to identify them, and sometimes their voice is recognisable. It ought to be possible in this high-tech age to do much better.

Ad astra

24/08/2012Folks It's been a long day getting this piece together with its multiple links, so I'm calling it a day.

Frank

24/08/2012Abbott's retraction of his admission to Leigh Sales that he had not read BHP Billiton statements was quite bizarre. His response was quite incoherent. He must believe the electorate to be absolute fools.

TalkTurkey

24/08/2012 An example of the low art of Parody! "Turning Beauty into Common Muck!" All I had to do to turn this lovely old song from [i]Annie Get Your Gun[/i] into something disgusting was to cut-and-shut the alternative horrid words or lines in [b]bold[/b] to the pretty originals. A matter of some pride to me, like spraying tags on community art! :) (I don't really do that.) I've left it in a sort of raw state, You Dear Reader can sort the lines where ABBORTT departs from Frank Butler so you can see just how low-life a thing this parodising is. Anyone writing this sort of stuff should be whipped imo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lmY0re7DDI Suggest you play it and sing along. [Patricia this is thinking of you, Hope you're getting over your flu See how easily I parodised this! And I do so enjoy it, taking the mickey!] It's just a form of parasitism but it works! Frank Butler: (Original Character) [b]Tony Abbortt:[/b] I've had my way with so many girls An' it was lots of fun. My scheme was to know many girls To keep me safe from one I find it can't be done. My defenses are down She's broken my resistance And I don't know where I am [b]And I don't like it one bit[/b] I went into the fight like a lion [b]full of hubris[/b] But I came out like a lamb. [b]But she's proved I'm full of brown smelly stuff.[/b] My defenses are down She's got me where she wants me And I can't escape no how I could speak to my heart[b]talk lots of crap[/b] when it [b]they[/b] listened But my heart won't listen now. [b]But girls won't take that crap now![/b] Like a toothless, clawless tiger, Like an organ-grinder's bear, Like a knight without his armor, [b]Drama Queen without the drama[/b] Like Samson [b]Simpson[/b] without his [b]I've lost my [/b]hair. My defenses are down I might as well surrender For the battle can't be won. But I must confess that I like [b]hate[/b] it, So there's nothing to be done. [b]So I guess I've out-of-lucked[/b] Yes, I must confess that I like [b]hate[/b] it Being miserable's gonna be fun [b]unpleasant![/b] My defenses are down She's broken my resistance And I'm in an awful jam. [b]And I don't like it one bit.[/b] I went into the fight like a lion [b]full of hubris[/b] But I came out like a lamb. [b]But she showed I'm full of brown smelly stuff![/b] My defenses are down She's got me where she wants me And I can't escape no how I could speak to my heart [b]talk all that crap[/b] when it [b]they[/b] listened But my heart won't listen [b]girls won't take that crap [/b]now. Like a toothless, clawless tiger, Like an organ-grinder's bear, Like a knight without his armor, [b]Drama Queen without the drama [/b] Like Samson [b]Simpson[/b] without his [b]I've lost my[/b] hair. My defenses are down I might as well surrender For the battle can't be won. But I must confess that I like [b]hate[/b] it, So [b]But[/b] there's nothing to be done. [b]So I guess I've out-of-lucked[/b] Yes, I must confess that I like [b]hate[/b] it Being miserable's gonna be fun [b]unpleasant![/b Recaptcha: . . . and IseeAll . . . (!) source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/ As amended and demeaned by

TalkTurkey

24/08/2012Frank, Bizarre's the word! Incoherent, contradictory babble! Just what Australia needs to guide us safely through the Shangri La the future will hold for us all if the Abborttians get up. [Never fear, they won't!] If you are new here, Welcome Comrade.

sue

24/08/2012I read in Cassidy's piece, that Kim Williams was not available to talk to the PM when she telephoned News Ltd. The PM was passed to the editor. Says more about the organisation and the values it promotes.

Truth Seeker

24/08/2012Ad, as usual, concise, well researched and beautifully put together, well done. I commented to my wife over a week ago that there is a wind of change in the way certain elements of the MSM are looking at Abbott, and the lightweight, right wing Wilkinson confirms to some extent that belief. I get the impression that Leigh Sales has started somewhat of an avalanche, as it was only a few days ago that the aforementioned Wilkinson was extolling Abbotts personal virtues (I feel dirty just mentioning Abbott and virtues in the same sentence) on the very same Today show. He is like the senile old granny, living in the house of straw, except that he doesn't need the big bad wolf to huff and puff, as he has already started blowing his own house down with naught but the strength of his own brain farts. The last line of my poem " The ABCs Balls" seems to be strangely prophetic. "And thank you Mr Rabbott for the gift.. that keeps on… giving" Cheers

Tom of Melbourne

24/08/2012The political masterstroke of Gillard was to allow all her barrackers to claim that her critics are “misogynists” One eth contrary, it is Gillard who has used the feminine “young & naïve” claim in a manner that is unavailable to middle aged men. Perhaps other than known shady types, and therefore, Gillard can be lumped in with them.

NormanK

24/08/2012Congratulations ToM! Go balloons!! You are now officially scroll-worthy.[b]*[/b] [b]*[/b]Acknowledgement to Elaine on Seinfeld.

42 long

24/08/2012Ad As one of your best. gutsy, passionate and well researched statements. I don't piss in anyones pockets .Many of us are laying it on the line and YOU are paramount in doing this. People were condemned for not opposing rising forces of fascism in germany and italy in the 30's .I don't believe at all that it is an exaggeration to state that this is what is happening now. What is occurring is that unelected forces are exerting disproportunate influence on major events and outcomes. This has to be resisted before it has full effect and before the ordinary person loses their right to vote and have a say in the final outcome. Time is running out to change things for a just outcome.

Casablanca

25/08/201242 long Your comment above, namely, 'What is occurring is that unelected forces are exerting disproportunate influence on major events and outcomes.' is a nice segue into a Canberra Times article which reveals the underhand activities and machinations of Sir Anthony Mason and others in the removal of Gough Whitlam. THE THIRD MAN The Canberra Times, August 25, 2012 [i]It was High Court judge Sir Anthony Mason's advice to the governor-general in 1975 that was pivotal in his decision to dismiss the Whitlam government, JENNY HOCKING reveals in a new book. [b]Gough Whitlam: His Time.[/b] The Miegunyah Press. RRP $49.99. Available September 28.[/i] Read edited extracts at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/the-third-man-20120824-24rjn.html#ixzz24TKjXlEK I understand that Mason is still around (now age 87) so it will be interesting if he attempts to discredit the new revelations from the John Kerr archives.

Patriciawa

25/08/2012I think the flu has retreated! I am wide awake! Tacker and I have been out for a walk after I got my dander up again over a comment at PB about Julian Assange. I have been awake off and on, and following events. Just read this, your latest Ad Astra. You're spot on with your take on those journos. What an ungracious lot so many of them are, and poor losers too. What did Malcolm Farr have to say? I always think him a decent man. And it looks like others in the media have been calling out Abbott on his lies, particularly the women. Leigh Sales was a real surprise last night, and this morning how about Lisa on the Today Show? http://today.ninemsn.com.au/ But is knowing and saying that Abbott is a liar anything new? He's been known to be loose with the truth forever now. Ad Astra you've written about it before, and Lyn must have linked to hundreds of articles about his dishonesty and deceit. TT and I've written verses about it too. This comes to mind from a year ago. [b]Bloody Oath![/b] Tony Abbott, politician, Leader of the Coalition, Once an upright man of God Has now become a lightning rod For unfair and cruel criticism About whom there’s too much cynicism. He once confessed to telling lies, Which self-disclosure has given rise To friends and foes alike inviting Him to put his promises in writing. Fearing that for truth his name’s now mud, He swears he’ll sign to some in his own blood. Today he’s offered even more - To clarify which policies are gore and which non-gore.

Truth Seeker

25/08/2012Patricia, Nice one. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Cheers

DMW

25/08/2012Alaina - アリナ ‏@alagators RT @willspencer Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln Retweeted by FatherBob

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012A bit o' Twitter TheFinnigans天地有道人无道‏@Thefinnigans They report that in the focus groups people laugh when Tony Abbott's name comes up. http://www.theage.com.au/national/gillard-proves-a-tough-nut-to-crack-in-rough-week-20120824-24rwj.html#ixzz24UzhYtir - why took her so long too? 6.20 AM - 25 Aug 12via web · Details 3m TalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @Thefinnigans Grattan: Abbott's admission-later rescinded-that he had not read BHP's statement [b](he actually had read the press release). >[/b] TalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @TalkyTurkey @Thefinnigans > [b]How TF would you know Grattan? [/b]Do you & Abbortt share a secret truth telling tryst? Grattan running widdershins and hopefully disappearing up her own fundamental orifice. Spinning like a top with the wobbles. 6:46 AM - 25 Aug 12via web · Details

DMW

25/08/2012Farewell Adele Horin Adele's last column in today's SMH looks pensively over the last 20 years or so. [b]For richer and poorer, the battle goes on[/b] [i]Plus c¸a change.[/i] http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/for-richer-and-poorer-the-battle-goes-on-20120824-24rpe.html

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012TalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey LOL! Laurie Oakes doesn't know how to spell 'Epitome'! "The opposition leader is portrayed, & portrays himself, as the epitomy of honesty." (I bet he never forgets after this.) :) (cos I put it on Twitter!)

jaycee

25/08/2012The major problem we have with the Forth Estate is "management interpretation". The MSM management no longer are "tuned" to reasoned public debate, THEY are now DICTATING what will be debated..It is an extension of right-wing ideology aka "WE will decide..."..The Howard mantra that was in the end only a pathetic catch-cry of the morally bankrupt! No more obvious is this mantra but in the public broadcaster (no wonder..Mark Scott being a Howard adviser!!) where management is literally saying; "WE will decide what you will hear and the manner of delivery it will be broadcast!"..Mark Scott has run out of ideas and is now delivering rubbish, repeats and ridicule. The fifth estate must deliver a message to the rabid management of the ABC. that we, the public, will no longer tolerate their right-wing ideology. "PURGE THE LOT! START AT THE TOP!"

Lyn

25/08/2012Good Morning Ad I have collected the Political Journalists from my Twitter Stream, for our Twitterverse this morning. There is not one article I am happy with, but you will see their narrative slightly changing or perhaps their tone. I think they are all in conflict with themselves & hate reporting any Abbott failures. The Australian writes a fairly cranky Editorial about Julia, but are quite upset with Peter Hartcher, you will see. Bushfire Bill Posted Friday, August 24, 2012 at 4:46 pm Just looking at The Australian’s coverage of Slatergate today, it looks like a giant dummy-spit.They’re crowing about “revealing” new facets of the matter, but at the end of the week, “There was nothing f**king there!” (as Kerry Packer would have put it). http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/08/20/newspoll-53-47-to-coalition-4/comment-page-101/#comment-1389347 Gillard opens a file on spin Editorial, The Australian Yet, astoundingly, their political editor Peter Hartcher accuses The Australian of being "dedicated to the destruction" of the government. The Age also has been spared Ms Gillard's wrath, despite following our reports with accounts of its own. But then, commentary by its political editor, Michelle Grattan, has seemingly sought to build a bridge with the Prime Minister ever since suggesting in April that she should resign. Many journalist have accepted the invitation to move on. At the ABC, political host Barrie Cassidy has demanded journalists place Tony Abbott under more scrutiny. Yet he argues Ms Gillard should face less. Perhaps instead of writing about journalism, he ought to practise some. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/gillard-opens-a-file-on-spin/story-e6frg71x-1226457705585 Have you heard the one about the politician who lies?, Laurie Oakes Abbott had claimed for days that this was an important matter and Gillard had questions to answer. Then he had to admit yesterday morning he had not bothered to watch the news conference right through or even to read the transcript. Being less than obsessive in his approach to the truth is not Abbott’s only shortcoming. His strength is the sweeping statement and going for the political jugular - not getting into the detail of issues and doing the hard yards. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/have-you-heard-the-one-about-the-politician-who-lies/ Lack of carnage Abbott's inconvenient fiscal truth, Lenore Taylor Perhaps Tony Abbott needs to send out a search party or post a reward because, bafflingly, his carbon tax wrecking ball appears to have gone missing. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/lack-of-carnage-abbotts-inconvenient-fiscal-truth-20120824-24rkr.html#ixzz24VIzYbMf PM and a fistful of questions, Peter Hartcher Indeed, Gillard has now turbocharged this affair. She has elevated it to a legitimate subject of prime ministerial scrutiny. She said she would not lower herself to answer any future questions. But no matter how resolutely she tries to tough this out, new material and new questions will not stop coming. http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/politics/pm-and-a-fistful-of-questions-20120824-24rtj.html Abbott vague on Gillard allegations, Michelle Grattan Mr Abbott said. Earlier, in an interview on Nine's Today show, Mr Abbott admitted that he had not read the transcript of Ms Gillard's news conference. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-vague-on-gillard-allegations-20120824-24s4m.html#ixzz24VF3hfcC Abbott backs off attack as Gillard returns fire Phillip Coorey At the same time, Liberals MPs started expressing concern about the leader, Tony Abbott, who had an awkward week and had another stumble on television yesterday http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-backs-off-attack-as-gillard-returns-fire-20120824-24rr0.html#ixzz24VKcw1eU Memo to Tony Abbott, Jessica Wright I haven’t had a chance to read the transcript; I haven’t had a chance to compare what has precisely been stated or is known to be a fact with what the prime minister said about it,’’ you explained http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/memo-to-tony-abbott-20120824-24qm4.html#ixzz24VTgqYVN Jackson resists HSU pressure to quit Health Services Union (HSU) national secretary Kathy Jackson says she won't be resigning, despite moves to force her out http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/jackson-resists-hsu-pressure-to-quit-20120824-24r97.html

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012I keep saying on Twitter and TPS: The ABC is a nest of Right-Wing VIPERS! I hope Leigh Sales has plenty of Right-Wing Viper [i]anti-venene![/i]

jaycee

25/08/2012Thank you Lyn for the twitterverse..one thing a peruse of such doea tell us that the WANKERS at the MSM. need to get their heads out of the Murdoch-factory-porn and throw open the windows for some fesh air! Some are doing it, testing the water and they have found it somewaht welcoming and refresshing!...time for the yellow-belly journo's to give it a go...."stop writing crap!"...get over it..you are destroying/have destroyed your reader base..those f**kwit bogans you look to for succour don't read--fullstop and have no comment but repeated slogans..have you not woken up to that fact yet? A little secret..: Quality creates and attracts its own audience!

jaycee

25/08/2012Bloody GREAT post by Bushfire Bill. It goes to prove that old adage : "When two dogs fight, the winner is obvious and the loser rolls over and acknowledges it..When Humans fight the winner (in this case Julia Gillard) is still obvious, BUT the loser (in this case the MSM and the LNP.) goes away and schemes.

sue

25/08/2012Hedley Thomas has a bruised ego piece today. On and on his ego shouts the media has let him down. But to claim that a "minor" error of substitution of "trust" rather than "slush" being printed should not have been the reason his "new investigations" are not justified is a bridge too far. Is it too much to ask what action Kim Williams will put in place, to stop defamatory articles about the Prime Minister of Australia headlining in News Ltd publications. Also as a precedent was set with the sacking of Milne, will Thomas and Kelly also be let go.

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25/08/2012Hi Lyn What a fantastic collection of Twitterverse you’ve collected for us! Every piece was great reading. I had hoped we had seen the end of the S&G matter, but I suppose it was inevitable that there would be a weekend wash-up of it, and that [i]The Oz[/i] would be out licking its wounds and trying to justify its malevolent actions. Let’s hope the week to come will be free of this tired old story despite the predictions of Fairfax’s resident pessimist Peter Hartcher, who still seriously asserts: “[i] No matter how resolutely Julia Gillard tries to tough this one out, she will remain under intense scrutiny.”[/i] In my opinion, it will be a very brave MSM outlet that airs this matter again without incontrovertible evidence to support its assertions and accusations. Let’s see! I thought Bushfire Bill’s comment on [i]Poll Bludger[/i] was brilliant. To save folks here having to find it, I’m sure PB won’t mind me posting the text of his message here. Folks do read it and have a good belly laugh. [i]”Bushfire Bill Posted Friday, August 24, 2012 at 4:46 pm “Just looking at The Australian’s coverage of Slatergate today, it looks like a giant dummy-spit. “They’re crowing about “revealing” new facets of the matter, but at the end of the week, “There was nothing f**king there!” (as Kerry Packer would have put it). “There’s only so much interest in new facets of a story that’s been nowhere and is going nowhere even faster. “It’s like counting belly fluff. It’s enough to know it’s bellyfluff. Why do you need to know how many hairs there are? And how many shades of blue? Belly fluff is belly fluff. “It was only ever important because The Australian chose to bootstrap a story from a most unreliable source: sex-tourist, dodgy land dealer and self-confessed rorter of union monies, Ralph Blewitt, onto its front page. “Once there, they got a disaffected ex-partner of S&G, who had confidential documents improperly obtained, to give them a camouflage of respectability… “highly regarded lawyer” and all that. “More phoney respectability came from their use of “Multi-Walkley Award Winning Investigative Journalist” Hedley Thomas (who had his own private dummy-spit this morning… no Walkleys for this one Hedley) and pompous old has-been Paul Kelly, who – at what must surely be a career low – showed just how glass-jawed these dirt dealers are when someone dishes it back to them. Kelly said he had lots of questions, but couldn’t think of any when asked to nominate just one. He certainly didn’t have any allegations. “It has been an utterly transparent attempt to shame the Prime Minister out of office that has just made News Ltd look immensely stupid and ham-fisted. The “apology” they had to print yesterday didn’t help much, either. That really must have hurt (Disclosure: I called it a “Trust fund” myself the other day, but Julia might be able to guess that it was under the evil influence of News Ltd when I penned the words. Anyway, I unreservedly apologize). “The problem News has is that it’s still trading off a reputation it sort of had back in the 1970s for “good journalism”, trying to apply it to today, after the hacking scandal, the police corruption, the grubby private eyes, the extortion, the perjury, Fox News, Grech, Ashby and all the rest of the absolute sludge they have served up to their readers in recent years. Kelly is so old, he goes back to those days. Maybe he’s having a second childhood in his dotage? As for the rest, the Hedleys, the Chris Mitchells, the Poison Dwarfs and the Dennis Shanahans, they have no excuse. They were wrong in 2007, wrong in 2010, wrong last year, and wrong this week. And we’ve got the grovelling apologies to prove it… count ‘em! “Sure, they collated and sorted the belly-fluff hairs, missed a few, added a couple that weren’t there, but it still ended up being just… plain old belly-fluff. “Far from alienating the public further away from Gillard by their leer and smear campaign, in bringing out the Lady at her best they have endeared her to more and more potential voters. She’s someone who stands up for herself, by herself, out there in front of the rabid pack of Press Gallery nodders and accusers and she took them on… all comers. She exhausted them. “And then they went away, after having no questions left to ask, and said she had more questions to answer! Pathetic! And I think the public twigged to that, too. Too late fellas. You got your chance and you comprehensively, utterly and totally blew it. “Abbott was left jabbering on the sidelines about how he was never really very interested in the yarn from the get go, and had nothing much more to say than that he’d read something before he hadn’t… or some such nonsense. “He even had a time: “3.45pm”. I suppose the exactness of his recollection was designed to impress upon us that the Liberal HQ is a well-oiled, precisely calibrated political machine, but it just made him look more of a fool than ever. No-one believes him, in any case. “So there we have it: The Australian, in its grand pomposity and self-importance, has had one of the greatest foot-in-mouth experiences of its recent, benighted, subsidized, loss-making existence. “Abbott looks more of an idiot than ever before. “And Prime Minister Julia Gillard is starting to bear an amazing resemblance to QE-I: forthright, strong, in charge and feisty as hell. Feisty enough, for sure, to take these turkies on any day, with one hand tied behind her back.”[/i] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/08/20/newspoll-53-47-to-coalition-4/comment-page-101/#comment-1389347 The editorial in [i]The Australian[/i], instead of being, as it should, a [i]mea culpa[/i] is a journalistically pathetic attempt at self-justification. It’s even got a ‘typo’ in the sentence fourth from the end. [i]“Gillard opens a file on spin From:
The Australian August 25, 2012 12:00AM 
“GULLIBILITY and incuriosity are not ideal traits if your job is to hold politicians to account on behalf of the public. “The journalists of the Canberra Press Gallery have a special privilege and responsibility in our democratic processes and this week many of them showed how they sometimes failed. After stonewalling detailed and serious questions from The Australian, Julia Gillard decided finally to confront the issues surrounding the end of her legal career at Slater & Gordon in 1995. Her tactics were as clever as they were transparent. The Prime Minister had spotted a clear but relatively minor error in a page six corollary story to our investigations into the affair. Our reporter referred to a "trust" fund when he should have written "slush" fund -- you be the judge. Having demanded and received an apology, Ms Gillard decided to go on the attack, accuse this newspaper of recycling "false and defamatory" information, conflate our coverage with a vicious online blogger's efforts and try to put the issue to bed. “While she performed strongly in taking questions for about an hour, she still had not responded to careful and fair questions submitted in writing by our investigative reporter, Hedley Thomas. Ms Gillard threw herself at the mercy of journalists whose insights were limited to what they had read in the paper. Some of the key questions were asked, some not. Indisputably, she confirmed the key elements of Thomas's revelations: at the behest of her lover, Bruce Wilson, she had established a union slush fund; it had not been officially described as such; she had not opened a file at the firm on the matter or notified other lawyers; her firm was concerned about this and conducted a formal interview over the affair; she resigned soon afterwards. This is all particularly controversial because (without Ms Gillard's knowledge) the fund was then used by Mr Wilson and Ralph Blewitt to syphon union funds. When Ms Gillard became aware of the alleged corruption, she ended her relationship with Mr Wilson. We do not know what other action she took, if any, to alert authorities. “The Prime Minister has not attacked The Sydney Morning Herald for reporting on Thursday that she might have broken the law -- something this newspaper has never alleged. Yet, astoundingly, their political editor Peter Hartcher accuses The Australian of being "dedicated to the destruction" of the government. The Age also has been spared Ms Gillard's wrath, despite following our reports with accounts of its own. But then, commentary by its political editor, Michelle Grattan, has seemingly sought to build a bridge with the Prime Minister ever since suggesting in April that she should resign. Many journalist have accepted the invitation to move on. At the ABC, political host Barrie Cassidy has demanded journalists place Tony Abbott under more scrutiny. Yet he argues Ms Gillard should face less. Perhaps instead of writing about journalism, he ought to practise some.”[/i] All I can say is: ‘diddums’.

Lyn

25/08/2012Hi Sue Thankyou so much for pointing out Heldley Thomas' article today: Link for those interested: Bernard Keane‏ Hedley Thomas nails it. There's a media conspiracy IN FAVOUR of Julia Gillard. Pls send all available tinfoil to The Oz's Brisbane bureau The Seat of Power‏ Hedley Thomas in The unAustralian has a hissy fit because not enough Journos joined his mob to nail Gillard Media's shameful silence by: HEDLEY THOMAS From: The Australian August 25, 2012 12:00AM ONE week ago, the grand sum of information on which most Australians could reasonably rely to make informed judgments about the conduct of Julia Gillard - before she embarked on a career in the political arena - was divided into four vastly different blocs. The third bloc is the blogosphere with its a mish-mash of websites. Some can be fair and informative, others are vile and malicious in their recycling of unattributed innuendo without regard for defamation, public interest and balance. It is difficult to know how many read them, or how widely the email links are distributed, but when viral, the hits will be enormous. number of journalists betrayed their political colours and connections with enthusiasm to ignore or deflect Styant-Browne's disclosures, so as to give the Prime Minister a glowing endorsement. In this way, they distorted what was an already carefully worded media release from Slater & Gordon, and prepared a counter-narrative: the evil Murdoch empire was at it again. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/opinion/medias-shameful-silence/story-e6frg99o-1226457713761

Lyn

25/08/2012Hi Ad Scary I hae been sabotaged again. Treacherous action

Lyn

25/08/2012Sorry about the "V" you will have to realise I did get a scare when I saw me. Glad you enjoyed the "Twitterverse" Ad, but be sure and read Hedley Thomas recommended by Sue and seconded by me ,thankyou Sue.

Sir Ian Crisp

25/08/2012If the bird of paradox has been traduced in the media when will she initiate legal action and sue for damages to her reputation? Will she insist on a female judge?

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25/08/2012Hi Lyn I’m glad Tweety Bird is back. Thank you for the Hedley Thomas piece [i]Media's shameful silence[/i] in [i]The Oz[/i]. If BB thought the editorial in that paper was a giant dummy spit, what about Thomas’ piece, an arrogant exercise in self justification, a ‘holier-than-thou’ condemnation of several top journalists? I wonder how Michelle Grattan, Fran Kelly and Andrew Crook will react to his parental slap on the wrist, and how Tony Jones, Chris Uhlmann and Lenore Taylor, whom he describes as ‘clear thinkers’, will enjoy being gathered unto Thomas’ bosom? I won’t burden readers with Thomas’ tiresome repetition of what he’s been banging on about for the last week, but do read his conclusions about his journalistic colleagues: [i]“It is not possible to look back on how Styant-Browne, his revelations, and the messenger, The Australian, were managed over this past week without reflecting on the work of journalists who claim to represent their readership, their listeners, or their viewers. On the ABC and in Fairfax newspapers, senior and influential commentators spent days trying to reposition the revelations by conflating them with the ugly campaign in the blogosphere or pretending there was little or nothing new. “Influential media leaders such as Michelle Grattan from The Age, and Fran Kelly of the ABC, appeared reluctant to engage on a story about the most powerful politician in the country, even though they had missed the story, or just not reported it, despite privileged positions in Canberra. “Less experienced journalists took their cue, and instead of leaping on obvious news angles that could be developed to add to the sum total of knowledge, stalled. Widely read website Crikey.com's reporter Andrew Crook wrote a story suggesting a grand Liberal Party conspiracy because Styant-Browne's nephew's de facto sister-in-law (whose name he could not immediately recall) works in social policy in a Liberal Party office. “A number of journalists betrayed their political colours and connections with enthusiasm to ignore or deflect Styant-Browne's disclosures, so as to give the Prime Minister a glowing endorsement. In this way, they distorted what was an already carefully worded media release from Slater & Gordon, and prepared a counter-narrative: the evil Murdoch empire was at it again. “Readers, viewers and listeners were told falsely that these were old allegations about the Prime Minister, and that she had dealt with them so many times in the past, or that they were old stories being reheated from blogs, or they were not worthy of the national daily, or they were not legitimate, anyway. “There were exceptions outside the News Limited stable, of course. Clear thinkers such as Tony Jones, of the ABC's Lateline, his 7.30 colleague Chris Uhlmann, and Fairfax's political reporter, Lenore Taylor. But by then the ground was shifting, Slater & Gordon was spinning, and the Prime Minister's Office was in crisis. “The material released by Styant-Browne grew exponentially on Tuesday because of his concern that his old firm, Slater & Gordon, was trying to protect the position of the Prime Minister. So a tightly held draft statement that he had been preparing with Peter Gordon suddenly became public. More detail, more truths. Gordon, although furious it had been leaked, conceded it contained only "minor inaccuracies".[/i] Thereafter follows what you’ve read [i]ad nauseam[/i]; I won’t assail you with it again. Here are Thomas’ concluding paragraphs: [i]”On Wednesday, the 25-page transcript popped out. It was a mine of information. It was Gillard, in her own words, explaining her conduct as a partner shortly before she had to go. But something else was growing in momentum. Significant sections of Australia's media, in my view, showed they lacked the will and the wit to deal with the truth. “They did not pursue it doggedly without fear or favour; they increasingly questioned whether it was even legitimate and worked overtime to downplay it. “They saved their worst for Thursday when the Prime Minister seized on a trivial error by my colleague at The Australian who had incorrectly reported in an inconsequential page 6 colour story that Gillard had established a "trust fund", not a "slush fund". “Gillard beat this nothing typo into something that a child would see as inflated nonsense. “She then reached out to journalists too naive or intellectually dishonest to call it for what it was - a desperate, craven deflection. “The Prime Minister used journalists to shoot the messenger, and at a time of threatened media regulation, they obliged and pulled the trigger.”[/i] Poor old Hedley faces a weekend knee-deep in the journalistic slime he has been aiming at Julia Gillard, whingeing about [i]“a trivial error by my colleague at The Australian who had incorrectly reported in an inconsequential page 6 colour story that Gillard had established a "trust fund", not a "slush fund"[/i], so trivial that it resulted in a defamation claim by Julia Gillard, causing its rapid withdrawal and the embarrassment of the paper having to issue an apology. Those who throw slime, or dirt, or mud, something worse, inevitably find some sticking, not just to the object, but to themselves. Hedley will have a weekend to fume and fret about his less-than-successful attempt to demean and pull down our PM, although, as you can sense from his indignant words, he’ll be digging down deeper for more of the same, living in the fervent hope that eventually he will emerge triumphant clutching incontrovertible evidence that will send our PM to Coventry for eternity. Poor Hedley - diddums. Isn't it satisfying though to see journalists having a go at each other. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/opinion/medias-shameful-silence/story-e6frg99o-1226457713761

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012 Me having a bit of fun giving George Megalogenis a little needling on Twitter, him not so much 2hGeorge Megalogenis‏@GMegalogenis Today's column on bogans, 'bullshit artists' and tax policy -- though not in that order: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/abbott-needs-to-adjust-campaign-clock-and-give-voters-a-reason-to-believe/story-e6frgd0x-1226457691752 … 2hHD Rebner‏@hdrebner @GMegalogenis It is a real pity that the paper you enhance, charges for your offering as I will NOT put one cent into Murdoch coffers! 1hGeorge Megalogenis‏@GMegalogenis @hdrebner Google the headline. Better still buy the hard copy of the paper and [b]keep my people employed.[/b] 8:44 AM - 25 Aug 12via web · Details 1hTalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @GMegalogenis @hdrebner When you had the chance to support Laura Tingle a/g Abbortt in 2010 [b]you WIMPED OUT DISGRACEFULLY![/b] I don't forget. 1hGeorge Megalogenis‏@GMegalogenis Careful @TalkyTurkey I take [b]advice[/b] like that as a reverse memo -- who knows, [b]I might just get off the fence and support Abbott to annoy you.[/b] [i][What advice? I gave none.TT][/i] 1hTalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @GMegalogenis Do your worst, I haven't been so impressed with your best. That you would make such a weird threat says all I needed to know. 49mGeorge Megalogenis‏@GMegalogenis @TalkyTurkey Just trying to lighten up a Saturday morning. ???! [i][b]WHA' ? [/b][/i] :)

NormanK

25/08/2012Below is a link to George Bludger's modified video of Tony Abbott during his appearance with Lisa Wilkinson on Friday morning. In itself it is an amusing take on Mr Abbott's performance but what I found more intriguing was his demeanour. When I watched the original interview I did the normal thing and focussed on whoever was speaking at the time i.e. Wilkinson as she asked the questions, Abbott as he answered them. The luxury of a second viewing meant that, as there were no surprises in the offing, I could pay attention to whichever part of the screen that I chose. It became immediately apparent that there was something wrong with Mr Abbott's behaviour. It took a little while for the penny to drop but it soon became clear that he was blinking at an abnormally accelerated rate. While Wilkinson was putting her questions Abbott had his eyes closed almost as often as he had them open. While he was replying to questions he was blinking with almost every syllable. I've done a little bit of homework and while the caveat of caution and scepticism inevitably applies to any information acquired by an amateur sleuth using the internet, never-the-less some interesting information emerged. The general consensus seems to be that the human rate of blinking when in a relaxed state averages around 20 plus times per minute with a huge margin of error of over 10. One report suggests that someone speaking on television is likely to blink 30 to 50 times per minute i.e. twice as often as when relaxed. Factors that might influence an accelerated rate of blinking are tiredness, stressfulness, deceitfulness and several neurological diseases. An unscientific examination of a random 60 seconds of Abbott's Friday interview resulted in a count of over 120 blinks i.e. more than twice the average for someone speaking on television. He was blinking twice per second on average. Try it for yourselves and see if your discomfort level doesn't go up. An examination of a similar interview on Sunrise during the 2010 election campaign resulted in a count of over 80 blinks per minute. An interview from July 2010 on Sunrise where Mr Abbott was discussing asylum seekers resulted in a rate of around 90 blinks per minute. Curiously, during Mr Abbott's 'shit happens' moment with Mark Riley he barely blinks at all during the extended period of silence. An examination of a random 60 seconds of footage from the early stages of Julia Gillard's press conference when she began answering questions over Slater & Gordon produced a blink rate of approximately 30 per minute. I can't imagine a more stressful situation for a politician to place themselves in than to give free rein to a room full of journalists who want to make a name for themselves by catching you out and yet she didn't flush (as she is sometimes wont to do) and her blink rate remained calm. I won't draw any particular conclusions from these observations, it would be unwise to do so but it can be fairly stated that for someone who was being questioned about his honesty Mr Abbott gave the viewer a strong subliminal signal that he was one or more of the following: evasive dishonest disinterested tired stressed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9uWQf_h9AE&feature=player_detailpage Background reading from the Center for Non-verbal Studies: http://center-for-nonverbal-studies.org/eyeblink.htm

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25/08/2012Folks I’m preparing for a weekend trip to Melbourne for a family birthday, so I’m in a rush after posting the comments above. Catching up with your comments, thank you 42 long and Truth Seeker for your kind remarks, TT and Patriciawa for your comments and verse, Frank, sue, Casablanca, DMW, jaycee, for your contributions, and NormanK for your intriguing analysis of Tony Abbott’s blink rate, a signal that the man is falling apart. He excuses himself with: ‘he has a lot on his plate’, and Arthur Sinodinos was out this morning making excuses for him. I’ll re-look at the Lisa Wilkinson interview when I have time. The Abbott machine is disintegrating – that might be a suitable title for my next piece! I’m off now for Melbourne.

jaycee

25/08/2012If the "trivial point" was so trivial as to be dismissed, why the withdrawl and the apology? When will these WANKER has-beens wake up to themselves and realise the train has departed and left them on the station. If they are interested in a real story, why not follow up on Malcolm Fraser's suggestion of an inquiry into the reason we went to war in Iraq?....Where, surely, as J W Howard grimmaced alongside Rumsfeld as they announced the "Shock and Awe" tactic that, even if it murdered only ONE child, would be an absolute condemnation of his legacy..but the fact that it killed tens of thousands of men, women and children for little more than personal, racist vindictiveness is surely a crime against humanity worthy of taking its' place alongside Pol Pot! Now THAT..would be a story worthy of a "forensic investigative reporter" of the "calibre" of Mr. Thomas. That's if he could stop the "hands-in-pants" commentry.

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012IS EVERYBODY [i][b]HAPPY???[/b][/i] :) (I guess not Limpy jj or ToM but I don't count them.)

rocco

25/08/2012I don't know that age 32 is that junior for the Canberra press gallery... and that is part of the problem. Ambitious young reporters are sent there, stay a few years and move on. Sure we have the Grattans et al, but they are the exceptions, the stars who show up for the set pieces and then interview each other on late night (or Sunday) current affairs TV. The leg work, the day-to-day reporting is all done by the younger brigade whose lack of experience shows, usually when after ayear in Canberra they are given a weekly column to write. have a look at a White House press conference, Not too many kiddies in there.

jaycee

25/08/2012Bushfire Bill is slightly incorrect in one moment there..He refers to Newslimedited having a "sort of" reputation of good journalism back in the 70's......Bill..: They were SH*T THEN and are SHITTIER NOW! I can remember back then(70's) when their "dirt journo's" went after Don Dunstan....They were SH*T THEN and are SH*TTIER NOW! I also remember a long, long time ago, an old sgt.copper told me "Rupees' MoM bought the Adelaide paper to keep him occupied and out of jail!..He was that much of a delinquent! HAH!...perhaps her fears will still come to pass!

42 long

25/08/2012Norman K , some good blinking evidence there. Did anyone get to watch the Presentation by abbott in Launceston? most of the tired platitudes to a captive auduince if libs. Predictable but fairly subdued clapping and about a 2/10 mark by any objective standard. Seems to be stuck to "repeal the terrible carbon and mining tax and what a terrible shame that the world's largest open cut uranium mine is not going ahead". Inferring that it is labor's fault. Curiously no mention of the NBN..( wonder if Turnbull told him not to play it too hard ater Kohler "blasted" him twice )..I would love to see a debate live between Tones and Julia. There is no depth to his speeches no facts just deception, and endless repetition. This speech would be on the ABC news and should be studied. The LNP should take their blinkers off and realise that he's going NOWHERE....

42 long

25/08/2012The "Australian" is Rupert's big gun. The name is OK but which "australian" is it referring to or representing? Bit deceptive use of the name since Rupert is now an american. His Lovely mum once tellingly and publicly stated . " I DON"T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING RUPERT DOES."

Patriciawa

25/08/2012Thanks Truth Seeker. I was a bit cocky there. Dreaded lurgie is still lurking though in retreat. After last night's burst of energy I am wiped out again and back to wanting bed, but no sneezing and not quite so sleepy. So it's good that you're all out there giving me stuff to read and think about. TalkyTurkey you are indeed lightening up my Saturday morning. Casablanca that stuff on Sir Antony Mason and Sir John Kerr is fascinating and will make for interesting reading by me. I'm still consumed with rage over the events of 11/11/75 and haven't yet forgiven Malcom Fraser, Kerr's Cur. Looks like I'll have to do some updating on my pome about Maintaining Rage at http://polliepomes.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/maintaining-rage-2/

jaycee

25/08/2012Hallo!...We got the sir filth back with a one sentence sperm donation!

TalkTurkey

25/08/201242 long said [i]The "Australian" is Rupert's big gun. The name is OK but which "australian" is it referring to or representing? Bit deceptive use of the name since Rupert is now an american.[/i] Coca-Cola used to be made including Cocaine stimulant and Cola nut flavouring. Cocaine was made illegal, they replaced it with caffeine. Cola nuts were too expensive, they replaced it with artificial flavouring. Then they advertised it as "The Real Thing"!

Jason

25/08/2012jaycee, Sir Ian and his nut job comrades are all in mourning today after their poster boy "Anders Behhring Breivik" was sentenced overnight! However they still have the "tea party" element of the Republicans to draw their inspiration from!

2353

25/08/2012I see Crisp the Clown is back. Where's the apology to posters on this blog from you recent outburst? NormanK - TfM is just as bad - he has no legitimacy or credibility as he has admitted not voting (and then backflipping like the blinking Abbott you refer to above later). If you chose not to play a part in the decision, you can't criticise the outcome. Your post on the blinking Abbott was interesting and worth noting. I saw the Channel 9 interview over at CW and thought Abbott looked strange somehow. Now that you've mentioned it, it was what seemed like obsessive blinking that made him seem "shifty". That even Lisa WIlkinson using the Today Show's "magazine" format could do him over without difficulty is interesting. While I think Mark Riley started the process some time ago, a number of Abbott's recent performances have given journalists the "sense of blood" that Abbott is not infallible. The next few weeks might really be interesting.

42 long

25/08/2012Advertising is propaganda too and not information. All this stuff is scary as they perfect their techniques of persuading you to do something they want you to do. It sinks in over time and becomes an accepted "fact". A small car is advertised as "roomy" , they use subliminal images etc. It's almost like witchcraft but worse.

nasking

25/08/2012 Good stuff Ad. An accurate reading of recent events. “CHRIS UHLMANN: The Prime Minister has good reason to worry.” At the time my wife & I heard that we thought it odd...and revealed Uhlmann's bias. N'

nasking

25/08/2012 [quote]I read in Cassidy's piece, that Kim Williams was not available to talk to the PM when she telephoned News Ltd. The PM was passed to the editor. Says more about the organisation and the values it promotes.[/quote] Sue, interesting that Murdoch and his henchmen are always available when a PM wants to do a deal and help them grow if they support that PM...thinking UK and Rudd here. I still wonder if News Ltd called the PM into their headquarters that last time in order to shake her down...warn her that unless she chucked the Media Inquiry results out, slowed the NBN down and pushed for them to get the Australia Network they'd push this disgusting story and knock her out of the leadership whilst supporting Rudd? Wouldn't put it past them to try something like that. N'

nasking

25/08/2012 [b]Congratulations ToM! Go balloons!! You are now officially scroll-worthy.* [/b] Norman, I couldn't agree more...I've been reading ToM's anti-ALP, anti-Gillard, anti-Swan, anti-union ramblings for so long...and they get lower and more desperate by the day. I'm no longer going to read them. No balance nor worth whatsoever. N'

jane

25/08/2012Great post again Ad astra. quote]Kelly said he had lots of questions, but couldn’t think of any when asked to nominate just one.[/quote] Quelle surprise! And this is the senior political journalist who was gazumped by the PM and got all huffy about not being accorded the respect that is so richly undeserved. And the Liars. "oh we've got millions of questions for the PM to answer but we can't think of any right now!" Quelle PATHETIC! And we have the disingenuous bullshit from the msm that this is the first time this exhausted old chestnut has been roasted and found empty. How many times has this corpse been exhumed in the last 12 years? The grave diggers must be on permanent standby. It reminds me of the persecution of Lionel Murphy. Hounded to his grave by the Liars Party although he had been found to have done no wrong years before. Another reason I would NEVER vote for the mongrels, or believe anything that issued forth from their lying gobs! I hesitate to call them maggots; after all maggots have a useful purpose.

Truth Seeker

25/08/2012Hey swordsters, Finally got around to finishing my poem after days of chasing my tail, and much deliberation. I would ask you to forgive a tad of paraphrasing and poetic licence (pardon the pun), but the chronology is fairly accurate. Patricia, after all your patience, I hope this fits the bill. Let’s suspend the standing orders. With the winter break over and the parliament resumed And the Houston report taken up, And the “Right”.. claiming a victory, while the greens loudly fumed Stating the country’s just been sold a pup And the heat taken out of the Abbott’s pollution The rubbish he’s stated as fact By the report knocking holes in the Pacific solution And an economy the western world’s backed And being wedged in a hole… he resorts to the lies That have served him so well in the past So with bravado aplenty he summons the guys To give our Prime minister a blast And with nought else to jump on and ramp up the lies He runs back to the old tried and true With his eyes on the prize and his head full of flies He dives headlong…. straight into the poo Calling for an apology from our illustrious Prime Minister For the damage her “Big Tax” has wrought And for the freedom required to argue his case A suspension of standing orders.. was sought A tactic he’s used almost each sitting day To control and divert the debate For his policy vacuum and lack of ideas Has found him seriously lacking of late So the motion was outlined and seconded by Pyne Who went off with his usual crap But the deputy speaker pointed out the drawn line And gave.. the bad poodle.. a slap Then Combet stepped up to decry Abbotts spin Saying “this policy,.. for the future.. is right.” So the poodle jumped up… set to put the boot in But the speaker was up to the fight Then with the speakers OK Windsor joins in the fray His intent, clearly not to sing carols And his anger this day.. bubbled up… all the way As he took aim and fired both barrels “There’s been lots of discussion of history today About a comment the Prime Minister said But the truth is the Prime Minister didn’t win,… let me say We got a hung parliament… instead. As the Leader of the Opposition would know very well The PM and her deputy too That a carbon price or ETS was a part of the sell Of the deal….. or it wouldn’t go through The leader of the opposition knows that very well As he actually begged for the job But conclusion was reached his integrity was breached And only lies.. dribble out of his.. gob.” “ ‘I’ll do anything, Tony, to get hold of this job, the only thing I wouldn't do.. is sell my arse.’ Was the only clear codicil he placed on his plea But we knew that his honesty was sparse.” Then the poodle jumped up....outrage etched on his face With his dummy primed,…. ready to spit But the speaker thought “Parliament, not Crufts, is the case” So she told the bad poodle to “SIT” Windsor said.. “He’d do anything to garner a win That he wasn’t asked.. shows the good judgment.. I’m living!” “I am proud” Windsor said “to debate what we’ve done.” “So support for this motion I’m giving” “Doing something about climate change. I’m proud to support And by history we all will be judged Like this man who’d do anything to get the top job With the truth that he is seen to have fudged. And this opposition leader ..would’ve legislated thus if he had just been given the nod You’re a disgrace.. as you have the same targets as us By a more.. expensive method.. you clod.” So with the vote finally called and the “No’s” winning out And the ‘question time’.. over and done And the Abbott sent out with his.. spoiled brat.. pout Understanding his days race was run And from then on… his days got considerably worse As his lies and his slogans abound With his brain fart propensities.. still recorded in verse To prove.. that his thinking’s.. not sound And our Julia Gillard’s proved more than his match Looking stronger and more confident each day And to lose… the unlosable… election Is the price that the fibberals will pay For the Abbott man is vacuous… and policy free And dishonesty… is his main part Accentuated each time his mouth’s…running free And his disconnected brain… begins to fart So with credibility shot and popularity in decline And a platform that no one can know And our government stable.. and the economy fine We’ll all sit back and enjoy the show As the media.. dragged kicking and screaming.. join in and with great expectation we wait For the next thrilling instalment of the saga of spin Know affectionately.. as Abbotts.. arsegate. Cheers

jaycee

25/08/2012I must have read BB's post half a dozen times...It is refreshing that we have the internet blogs to get such clarifying sentiments across...if you think about it, this is a salutary moment..much like the invention of the printing press..: the tyrants no longer have the sole means of news delivery..NEVER will again!...FREEDOM....FREEDOM!...Shout it from the keyboards!...Freedom from the high priests of media propaganda...Now, for the first time in contemporary media history can we all gather in "one place"..at "one time" and shout defiantly...."RUPERT....GET F**KED!!!"

jaycee

25/08/2012Please excuse me if I sound a bit over the top, it has been a very, very exciting few days!

NormanK

25/08/2012Truth Seeker Superb! Absolutely superb! Whip it off in an e-mail to Windsor; I'm sure he'd have a chuckle. Your paraphrasing is excellent.

nasking

25/08/2012 [b]He once confessed to telling lies, Which self-disclosure has given rise To friends and foes alike inviting Him to put his promises in writing. Fearing that for truth his name’s now mud, He swears he’ll sign to some in his own blood. [/b] Patricia, good to read you are well...and obviously back in fine form. Abbott is on the downward spiral...my trip out today revealed such...people's negative views of him have erupted. N'

nasking

25/08/2012 [b]The Australian writes a fairly cranky Editorial about Julia[/b] Lyn, geez that was unexpected. ;) Funny how a machine running out of control due to human error (in this case the lame views of its aged driver Rupert) oft only stops once it hits a wall...or the bottom of a steep drop...or is saved by another brave driver. Thnx for all your top work Lyn. N'

nasking

25/08/2012 [quote]Yet, astoundingly, their political editor Peter Hartcher accuses The Australian of being "dedicated to the destruction" of the government.[/quote] One of the truisms from Hartcher. PM Gillard and her govt obviously stand in the way of Murdoch's ambition to own the world... I guess getting the rights to footy, olympics...permission to buy Austar...owning most of the Aussie papers...moving towards owning 50% of Foxtel etc etc is not enuff for him. You can't please some megalomaniacs. Bushfire is right...it's a DUMMY SPIT. Spoilt rich men eh? N'

nasking

25/08/2012 [b]Mr Abbott had a tough week, first having to row back from comments that public school funding levels were an injustice, and then admitting he had not read BHP's statement on the shelving of the Olympic Dam mine expansion before rushing out to blame the decision on the carbon price and the mining tax. Yesterday, on breakfast television, Mr Abbott admitted he had not read the full transcript of Ms Gillard's media conference from the day before.[/b] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-backs-off-attack-as-gillard-returns-fire-20120824-24rr0.html#ixzz24X3SXcKp I'm pleased that Phil Coorey mentioned Abbott's comment that state school funding was "an injustice". I believe this is a big nail in Abbott's coffin and reveals what he really believes below the surface. The man is an old time cultural warrior, religious fanatic, penny pincher when it comes to public essential services... and complete and utter bastard it seems. I say that because I know how hard so many wonderful state school students, teachers, cleaners, maintenance workers, teacher aids, nurses, receptionists, counsellors and parents/guardians and other staff and volunteers work and struggle to keep their schools running...under Howard running effectively on the sniff of an oily rag. At least this govt gives a sh@t. Abbott you really are a bastard. N'

nasking

25/08/2012 [b]And with nought else to jump on and ramp up the lies He runs back to the old tried and true With his eyes on the prize and his head full of flies He dives headlong…. straight into the poo Calling for an apology from our illustrious Prime Minister For the damage her “Big Tax” has wrought And for the freedom required to argue his case A suspension of standing orders.. was sought A tactic he’s used almost each sitting day To control and divert the debate For his policy vacuum and lack of ideas Has found him seriously lacking of late So the motion was outlined and seconded by Pyne Who went off with his usual crap But the deputy speaker pointed out the drawn line And gave.. the bad poodle.. a slap Then Combet stepped up to decry Abbotts spin Saying “this policy,.. for the future.. is right.” So the poodle jumped up… set to put the boot in But the speaker was up to the fight Then with the speakers OK Windsor joins in the fray His intent, clearly not to sing carols And his anger this day.. bubbled up… all the way As he took aim and fired both barrels “There’s been lots of discussion of history today About a comment the Prime Minister said But the truth is the Prime Minister didn’t win,… let me say We got a hung parliament… instead. As the Leader of the Opposition would know very well The PM and her deputy too That a carbon price or ETS was a part of the sell Of the deal…..  or it wouldn’t go through The leader of the opposition knows that very well As he actually begged for the job But conclusion was reached his integrity was breached And only lies.. dribble out of his.. gob.” “ ‘I’ll do anything, Tony, to get hold of this job, the only thing I wouldn't do.. is sell my arse.’ Was the only clear codicil he placed on his plea But we knew that his honesty was sparse.” Then the poodle jumped up....outrage etched on his face With his dummy primed,…. ready to spit But the speaker thought “Parliament, not Crufts, is the case” So she told the bad poodle to “SIT” Windsor said.. “He’d do anything  to garner a win That he wasn’t asked.. shows the good judgment.. I’m living!” “I am proud” Windsor said “to debate what we’ve done.” “So support for this motion I’m giving” “Doing something about climate change. I’m proud to support And by history we all will be judged Like this man who’d do anything to get the top job With the truth that he is seen to have fudged. And this opposition leader ..would’ve legislated thus if he had just been given the nod You’re a disgrace.. as you have the same targets as us By a more.. expensive method.. you clod.” So with the vote finally called and the “No’s” winning out And the ‘question time’.. over and done And the Abbott sent out with his.. spoiled brat.. pout Understanding his days race was run And from then on… his days got considerably worse As his lies and his slogans abound With his brain fart propensities.. still recorded in verse To prove.. that his thinking’s.. not sound And our Julia Gillard’s proved more than his match Looking stronger and more confident each day And to lose… the unlosable… election Is the price that the fibberals will pay For the Abbott man is vacuous… and policy free And dishonesty… is his main part Accentuated each time his mouth’s…running free And his disconnected brain… begins to fart [/b] Truth Seeker I enjoyed that...you captured events and mood well. N'

jaycee

25/08/2012Swordsters, one and all....My euphoria in the above posts was the result of a sort of epiphany..I realised as I wrote and read the posts here and on other sites that we of the Fifth Estate now hold enough "ground" to challenge and change the political game. Hedley Thomas' pathetic plea to his "comrades" in the MSM. to back his deciept has fallen on deaf ears..because THEY have all fallen..Those seemingly impenetrably walls of the Forth Estate have been assulted and with the weapons of social media, the culprits manning the media mogul's barricades have been personally attacked! Like our own TT. with the use of Twitter, getting stuck into Mega' and the rest...We can post here on the Sword, go over to Cafe' or to Wixxy and any other and post to our heart's content..national; international...no longer are we dependant on the vicissitude of an editor's whim if we get an opinion up or censored...How many letters to the editor have been snubbed because they had the power...even the mighty Rupert no longer holds the power to control opinion...WE of the Fifth Estate own the majority of public opinion space..We, The People have the voice and it is mighty! The Forth Estate is more than just under attack for its deciept, obfuscation, damned lies...it is super-fast becoming irrelevant!...and good riddance..we have lanced the boil and the MSM. is now sulking in its' corner. We have called its' bluff! The likes of Hedley Thomas will find no pity from those whose cries of "fair play" he mocked. Still they vainly demand to be judges and juries and indeed executioners of our preferred leaders....to paraphrase Gibbon..."What greater perfidity could be levied on the citizenry than they should sue for their knowledge and information from the very disengenous creators of their misfortune." Go to hell and rot ; MSM.

Michael

25/08/2012Apparently Tony Abbott is a sensible political leader with a solid grasp of economics after all. At 'The Australian', this story: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-says-carbon-tax-introduction-not-catastrophic/story-fn59niix-1226457924895 includes the following: Mr. Abbott said, as a result of carbon pricing... "that Australians would on average be $5,000 worse off by 2050, while gross domestic product would be reduced by $1 trillion." So, you can see how devastating a carbon tax will be to us all. 38 years from now every Australian will have to find an extra $5,000 each year to not be worse off. We (well, those of us still living, and/or our offspring) will clearly all be rendered destitute and homeless by this wallet-wrecking turn of affairs. $5,000! After 38 years of inflation. Rags and leftover food scraps for one and all. Seriously, though, a "trillion dollars" is a trillion dollars. And right now, in 2012, our entire Gross Domestic Product is around 1.7 trillion dollars, so a "trillion dollars" is more than half of that. Today. What will GDP be in 38 years at a recorded-between-1959-and-2012 average annual GDP growth rate of .89%? Well, according to my trusty Excel spreadsheet, in 2050 Australia's GDP at the quite low annual growth rate I've quoted above, .89% per year, will be just below 40 trillion dollars. That is, if things go very very ordinarily for this country's economy, by Tony Abbott's warning, we will be one forthieth worse off as a nation in 2050 than we would have been without a price on carbon. Now if that terrible scenario based on a lowest likely growth rate average based on that of the past 43 years doesn't send shivers down your spines, that we will all be one fortieth less well off than we would have been, then I don't know what could! Pheww, at least now we know Tony Abbott really does know about economics. Enough to extend a scare campaign at least 38 years into our futures. He really is Prime Minister material after all, huh?

Truth Seeker

25/08/2012Norman, thank you for your kind words, and I may just do that. Cheers Nas, thank you for you feedback, and re-posting so much of my poem, it took a while but I got there in the end. Cheers

nasking

25/08/2012 Michael, I reckon that article in The Australian is one of the most selfish and delusional pieces of propaganda I've ever read. That media machine is about to hit the rocks...bounce off...hit the water and start sinking until it reaches a depth that noone can save it...like [b]News of the World. [/b] N'

nasking

25/08/2012 Talk Turkey, I went to read George Mega's article as I've found him to be a fairly balanced character and opinion maker considering he works for the Murdoch sleaze and spin outfit...but realised he's behind a firewall. Interesting that we have to pay to read George but he doesn't have to do same to read any of our work. You'd think that his big boss Rupert in NY with all his shares and dosh would have enuff to pay one of his best writers without hitting the public in this day and age. It's not as tho News Corp isn't making a mint from its many many tentacles. N'

Lyn

25/08/2012Hi Ad and Everybody Here is Twitterati for you:- Geniuses at work scaring the punters, Mike Carlton The latest in the genre is the Julia Gillard-Slater & Gordon shock horror. This is being furiously peddled on the internet by Larry Pickering, a purveyor of obscene cartoons and anti-Semitic filth, with a shove along from the fine, Italian hand of John Pasquarelli, former speechwriter to Pauline Hanson. The Australian has been indulging in a week-long fit of hysterics on the thing, climaxing on Wednesday with no fewer than six opinion pieces ordering Gillard to 'fess up. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/geniuses-at-work-scaring-the-punters-20120824-24rem.html Geoff Pearson‏ Did Tony Abbott and the Coalition set Peter Slipper up?: http://youtu.be/bNUJ_lQiqAA via @youtube Mark Perry‏ It’s compulsory to audit Solicitor Trust Accts it can be assumed Slator&Gordon knew what the cheque was for? Bushfire Bill Posted Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 11:08 am While I am happy that we are witnessing what seems to be a turning tide with the media, one has to ask the bleeding obvious – why did it take them so long to call out the incessant personal attacks on the PM and the almost feral barrage she had to endure EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR TWO BLOODY YEARS. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/08/24/galaxy-57-43-to-federal-coalition-in-queensland/all-comments/#comment-1390270 Bushfire Bill Posted Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 1:46 pm He can’t help himself. After saying earlier on in the week he believed Gillard, Bolt continues the smear, concluding with the usual weasel words: Did Gillard see this cheque? This cheque, drawn on accounts attached to the Australian Workers Union Workplace Reform Association which Julia Gillard helped to register, was sent to Slater & Gordon for the purchase of a private house for Ralph Blewett, bag man for Gillard’s then boyfriend, Bruce Wilson. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/08/24/galaxy-57-43-to-federal-coalition-in-queensland/all-comments/#comment-1390365 ReachTEL‏ From our 9NewsBrisbane poll on Monday: 49% of people believe Campbell Newman has gone too far. Sample 1,131. http://www.reachtel.com.au/blog/newman-cops-battering-in-state-poll #qldpol Tony Abbott says carbon tax introduction not catastrophic Yes, the initial impact of the carbon tax may not be absolutely catastrophic,'' he told the council conference. “But I ask you, Tasmanians, to understand the logic - if there is any - in a five-and-a-half per cent increase in your power prices because of the carbon tax, even though some 85 per cent of your electricity is hydro-generated http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-says-carbon-tax-introduction-not-catastrophic/story-fn59niix-1226457924895?utm_source= Galaxy poll sees Federal Labor support jump seven points in Queensland SUPPORT for federal Labor has jumped in Queensland, putting it in striking distance of retaining all its seats at the next election. The latest Galaxy poll conducted exclusively for The Courier-Mail found Labor enjoyed a seven-point resurgence in its primary vote to 30 per cent. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/galaxy-poll-sees-federal-labor-support-jump-seven-points-in-queensland/story-e6freon6-1226457731449

nasking

25/08/2012 And BTW, it's not as tho News Ltd is getting cash for all those ads that hit you on those sites. Murdoch really is a penny pinching miser...when you think of all the staff he's dumped this year after making so much off Avatar, Foxtel etc...bloody disgrace. But he can find mega millions for family. N'

nasking

25/08/2012 Make that: And BTW, it's not as tho News Ltd isn't getting cash for all those ads that hit you on those sites.

Lyn

25/08/2012Hi Truth Seeker Congratulations, well done you are a delight, as Norman K said:- Superb absolutely superb. Gee I am so glad you found TPS, because we are very honoured to have you here. Thankyou Truth Seeker for your work and sharing with us. Cheers :):)

nasking

25/08/2012 Lyn, that political satire from Mike Carlton is brill. News Ltd will try to put him on the rack. Cheers N'

Michael

25/08/2012I think I might have numerically 'verballed' Tony Abbott in my post above. If nobody - hi ToM, hi Sir Ian - hasn't already jumped on their trusty calculators and discovered that the likelihood of Australia's GDP being 40 trillion dollars in 2050 is very very low, then let me be first to admit that a misplaced "0" (zero) can make a fool out of... well, me. But, there's still a problem for Tony A. Because, if Australia's GDP in 2050 is more likely to be closer to 2.36 trillion dollars than 40, he's still claiming that carbon pricing will rip 1 trillion dollars out of that much reduced total. Bringing Australia's GDP in 2050 down to 1.36 trillion dollars, that is, totaling less than it is today. 38 years later, GDP around 80% of right now??? Does that seem likely, does that seem possible? It certainly seems a figure like that would leave every Australian a heck of a lot worse off than just $5,000 a year down. Anyone out there really good with numbers? His quote in the first post still applies.

Tom of Melbourne

25/08/2012A few days ago Norman K kindly provided a 

reply to one of my comments. I haven’t been addressed his points, as I have been tied up pursuing leisure in Oakeshott’s electorate and checking on his popularity. However, I doubt whether NK has been hanging out for my reply. [i]”she drafted some of the documents, those relating to how to set up an association that would serve the purposes as they were outlined to her[/I]…which she says were for a “slush fund”. The purposes of which were quite different to those purported. Does Gillard still support union slush funds? [i]”she provided legal advice on how to set up the entity, not on its purpose or methods of function[/i]” which she knew were for the personal benefit of her boyfriend. She didn’t disclose her actions or her conflict of interest to her employer, or her actual client, the AWU. 

[i]She gave advice on the nuts and bolts of how best to go about setting up an entity that would serve the purpose of managing re-election funds[/i]” which were different to the stated objectives, and which she acknowledged as a “slush fund”. She didn’t disclose her actions or her interest. [i]”Why would she (disclose her conflict of interest) [/i]? Why on earth wouldn’t she? Ethical people let their clients know of potential and actual conflicts of interest!! [i]How far up the chain should she have reported her actions?[/i]” Far enough to be transparent and far enough to ensure that her actions were approved by her employer and her client. Neglecting to disclose the actual or potential conflict of interest promotes distrust, which is exactly where Gillard is. [i]”She was serving a client and had no responsibility to any other entity. 

…. or her employer. 

Some small oversight although I am perfectly willing to accept that offering low-level advice without charging for it is part of the way in which many businesses keep future clients onside.[/i]” This was no ordinary client, it wasn’t a business development opportunity!! It was her boyfriend and she was acting outside her specific obligations. She has a conflict of interest [i] none of it is illegal and none of it is shady as Gillard's then-colleagues and partners have asserted repeatedly[/i] No one has said it wasn’t shady. On the contrary, her employers have expressed significant levels of concern about her actions and behavior. People have lost trust in Gillard, the historical context provided by her actions at Slater & Gordon only demonstrates that the mistrust is warranted. It’s no use trying to blame the media, Gillard now has a record spanning 2 decades of lack of transparency.

Jason

25/08/2012Michael, You give ToM and Sir Ian to much credit! They are about as financially literate as Abbott! Had you not mentioned your mistake they wouldn't have even noticed!

NormanK

25/08/2012Michael Your new numbers are close enough. 2.38 trillion dollars in 2050.

Jason

25/08/2012ToM, "I have been tied up pursuing leisure in Oakeshott’s electorate and checking on his popularity" You make it sound as though it was once a safe Labor seat! and we should be worried.

42 long

25/08/2012Tony doesn't get it. The tax contained in the electricity bill,relates to the fact that to produce SOME electricity CARBON is used and when that happens the price on CARBON will apply. If it is hydro or green energy like wind or waves or solar or such .there is NO tax or price increase. That's how the bloody thing works TONY???

jaycee

25/08/2012Jason..ToM and sirloin are joined at the sphincter and when either one gets the "urge to purge" they just "fill the other up!"....It's called : "The right-wing circle game".

Jason

25/08/2012George Bludger‏@GeorgeBludger My gift to the Liberal Nation Party - feel free to print & use as you see fit: http://tinyurl.com/93sb7sj #auspol

Janet

25/08/2012Some cheers for a Sunday evening - Andrew Elder with a beauty at Politically Homeless: http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/making-fist-of-it.html Amazing Ad and Luvly (busy!) Lyn - just popping in every now and again for now. Thank you for the several earlier welcomes to the TPS family. Hoping to stop being a lurker,and get stuck into the discussion with the other quite 'encroyable'! regulars - very soon.

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012Woo-Hoo Truth Seeker you have cracked the Rhyme Barrier too! The story you tell in verse [i]is[/i] Truth now, good verse is set in reinforced concrete forever, not like prose, there is something SO appealing, so satisfying about these images in ready-rubbed rhyme, I especially love internal rhymes and you do them very well. And with nought else to jump on and ramp up the lies He runs back to the old tried and true With his eyes on the prize and his head full of flies He dives headlong…. straight into the poo and Then with the speakers OK Windsor joins in the fray His intent, clearly not to sing carols And his anger this day.. bubbled up… all the way As he took aim and fired both barrels Great Works. Well done everyone, I have told you all that I weep easy these days, well I had tears of joy and pleasure at those rhymes, (true!) because of what they presage, we can really only get that rush when we feel it, and you TS are feeling it for all of us. But the one who really made me misty, I mean that made me stop to wipe my eyes several times, was you Jaycee, proclaiming [b]FREEDOM![/b], [i]getting[/i] OTT, [i]having your epiphany [/i](and you can have one for me while you're there too please :) ) [b]PASSION![/b] That is exactly as I have felt the last few days as the Great Dismembering advances apace. Comrades we've got 'em on the run now, 'fact I think we got 'em altogether, but Abbortt for sure, or if not, what a boon he will be to us come Election! Still well over a year remember, but I reckon we could probably take them before the end if we absolutely could. I don't want for an instant for us to go early, but it ought to put the fear of Dog into Abborttians everywhere to realize that, by the end of a decent campaign, with *J*U*L*I*A* and the Team taking no backchat from detractors ever again, and the Media chastened very decisively, and people seeing more of Abbortt than anyone wants to, including his increasingly bizarre gaffes and dysfunctional behaviour, the situation will be very different from its present poll positioning. I put several hundred bucks on Labor at sevens six weeks back, it's still at sixes on Sportsbet, I been telling people that's great odds, but yesterday someone on Twitter came up and said [i]Thanks for the tip TT, I'm about to put $1K on Labor! [/i] In particular jaycee you're right, we have Power as never before, yet this is a desperate fight to keep it imo, if Abbortt were to win that would shore up the MSM and the Forces of Darkness would coalesce to try to inhibit our power forever more. That is why they hate the MSM so, that is why the insane campaign to bring *J*U*L*I*A* low at every possible juncture. Woo-Hoo Truth Seeker you have cracked the Rhyme Barrier too! The story you tell in verse [i]is[/i] Truth now, good verse is set in reinforced concrete forever, not like prose, there is something SO appealing, so satisfying about these images in ready-rubbed rhyme, I especially love internal rhymes and you do them very well. And with nought else to jump on and ramp up the lies He runs back to the old tried and true With his eyes on the prize and his head full of flies He dives headlong…. straight into the poo and Then with the speakers OK Windsor joins in the fray His intent, clearly not to sing carols And his anger this day.. bubbled up… all the way As he took aim and fired both barrels Great Works. Well done everyone, I have told you all that I weep easy these days, well I had tears of joy and pleasure at those rhymes, (true!) because of what they presage, we can really only get that rush when we feel it, and you TS are feeling it for all of us. But the one who really made me misty, I mean that made me stop to wipe my eyes several times, was you Jaycee, proclaiming [b]FREEDOM![/b], [i]getting[/i] OTT, [i]having your epiphany [/i](and you can have one for me while you're there :) ) [b]PASSION![/b] That is exactly as I have felt the last few days as the Great Dismembering advances apace. Comrades we've got 'em on the run now, 'fact I think we got 'em altogether but Abbortt for sure, or if not (because they got no-one else!) what a boon he will be to us come Election. Still well over a year remember, but I reckon we could probably take them before the end if we absolutely had to. I don't want for an instant for us to go early, but it ought to put the fear of Dog into Abborttians everywhere to realize that by the end of a decent campaign, with *J*U*L*I*A* and the Team taking no backchat from detractors ever again, and the Media chastened very decisively, and seeing more gaffes and dysfunctional behaviour from Abbortt, we will be in a very different poll position from the present one. I've told people times before, six weeks ago I put several hundred bucks on Labor at the next election at sevens, I keep telling people it's still at sixes, well anyway yesterday someone came up on Twitter and said [i]Thanks TT for the tip, I'm about to put $1K on Labor myself![/i]

TalkTurkey

25/08/2012I KNEW something weird happened with that post! Sorry folks you'll just have to work it out.

Sir Ian Crisp

25/08/2012nnn[quote][i]I see Crisp the Clown is back. Where's the apology to posters on this blog from you recent outburst? 2353 [/i][/quote] There will be no apology from me UNTIL I receive the apologies owed to me. Simple enough for you? 2353 postcode for Moonbi, New South Wales. I'm thinking Moonbi and Moon and lunar. Perfect symmetry: the lunatic from Moonbi.

nasking

25/08/2012 [b]we've got 'em on the run no[/b] Patience TT patience. This is incremental stuff. Gonna be a hard slog...but so far so good. The next election will be extremely tight...and won on issues that run from Left to Hard Right. The ALP have still got lots of work to do. Some of it unpalatable for the likes of me and others like 2353. I wish them and you the best. Just don't get too confident with headrushes for now...and try not to offend valuable journos. Think calmly carefully and soberly about how you can help the ALP. It's been fun. Cheers N'

Truth Seeker

25/08/2012Lyn, I am honoured and humbled by your comments. As Aa is the heart and soul of TPS, so you are the life blood that provides the nourishment for all loyal swordsters. Your links each day give us the ammunition and the encouragement to continue the fight, and your commitment is an inspiration to us all. Cheers TT, to bring a tear of joy to a fellow poet is a rare complement, and one that I cherish. And you are so right, that internal rhymes, when they work, are one of the great joys of writing and reading verse. At my local writers group yesterday, I read out a description of a tree that was given to us as an exercise, and one of the professional writers in our group referred to me as a wordsmith, which I was very chuffed about. I consider you likewise... A wordsmith. Cheers

Catshit

25/08/2012Hullo me little Labour luvvies! Anybody notice anything interesting happening today north of South Australia, East of Western Australia and west of East Palmerston (as in postcode 4860)? Just as well Julia [i]("File? What Legal file?") [/i]Gillard had a good week that shows how much she's gunna smash that bloody Tony Abbott (aka "the next PM of Australia") at the next election. I mean, with the NT election result currently standing at ALP 8 seats and CLP 14 seats [i](Saaaaaaay! that makes the ALP look fairly similar to a smashed crab, doesn't it?)[/i] - well, it's bloody lucky Gillard performed so well during the week - otherwise it would be ALP - [b]0[/b] and CLP [b]22 [/b]at this stage of the evening - wouldn't it?! Bets, anyone? Anyone for a little bet on the next Federal election? How about you, Turkey boy? Cat got your yongue?

Ad astra

25/08/2012Folks Back from the family birthday party, I came across the link to Bushfire Bill’s comments on [i]Crikey's Poll Bludger[/i] on Peter Hartcher’s article in the [i]SMH[/i] this morning. Thank you Lyn: Here they are in all their acerbic glory. [i]”Hartcher: “There is a small industry of feverish Gillard haters who inhabit the nether realm of the internet,... “They’re not all on the internet. “This is a too-cute way of shifting blame. When in doubt, always kick the internet, as if there is no such thing as bias in the mainstream media. “But even then, Hartcher says The Australian is out to destroy the government. He says it straight-out. “But of course nothing so tawdry as trying to destroy a government by dredging up every possible negative attack for two years or more would come out of Fairfax. No siree, no way. “Seeing Coorey and Sid Maher last night, moderated by Tony Jones – three self-descriptively “cynical” men (“It’s our job,” said Coorey, “to be cynical”) – sit in “judgement” on Gillard’s “performance” was a nauseating viewing experience. “The smug smiles said it all. You love to be able to reach out through the telly and slap them heavily across the face, eradicating those smirks in the most humiliating way. Perhaps the NBN will have this as an app? I hope so. “As they cast their tired eyes over the “facts”, discovering here and there little nuances that Gillard had not addressed, it did not occur to them to note that she had given advance notice of the topic to the “elite” Press Gallery yesterday afternoon and had invited them to then do their worst. “If there was any shortfall in covering the whole range of issues, it was the Gallery’s, asked for once to do their job, to deal in facts, and failing. “They had their chance to show their finely honed investigative skills, to demonstrate how they’d trawled trough the various statements and documents, consulted professionals knowledgeable in the solicitor’s art on matters of prudent practice and ethics, and how they had formed their own questions designed to forensically examine the Prime Minister of the nation who had laid herself bare to their scalpels for as long as they cared to slice and dice, looking for cancerous malignancies in the entrails. “There were only half a dozen questions, albeit repeated in different forms endlessly. Given the chance to skewer the PM, all they could come up with was the usual lazy gotchas. They had done little research besides talking to each other, nodding wisely at the way their group-think developed along conventional lines, but given the chance to do some real damage, they couldn’t manage it. “So much easier to just reprint an Abbott lie, or a Credlin press release. To write, “Tony Abbott says…”, or to tell their readers knowingly, “In politics, perception is everything.” “To Uhlmann went the prize of the night. He won the meat tray with his logically disconnected, “The Prime Minister has good reason to worry.” This, after telling us for the previous 7 minutes that she had given one of the best performances of her political life and had exhausted the Gallery of questions. It was a non-sequiter of gargantuan proportions. “Gillard’s only two mistakes yesterday were to not make her dripping irony in describing the Gallery as the nation’s “elite” more theatrically obvious, and then to give these prurient inquisitors and self-appointed moral guardians an “out” by referring to the “internet” as the sole source of the misogyny and hate. “They are all in it, not just the internet. “Their industry is crumbling. Sackings abound. Share prices are diving. Losses are mounting. They live in a world and a workplace of despair, suspicion and fear. And they don’t like to be told they are wrong, and to be shown up as the lazy bottom feeders they truly are. “They seem to believe the rest of the world is like their own: petty, desperate and unsustainable… and all the more cruel and misanthropic for it. “They truly believe – and didn’t those three pompous pricks on Lateline last night show it to be true – that they have first class tickets, entitling them special treatment, automatic respect and a privileged place in the lifeboats when their industry sinks. “Yesterday was both a triumph and a disgrace. “A triumph for Gillard who showed them up for the fools they were, and a disgrace that the assembled “elite” couldn’t see that they been comprehensively outed as the most useless and pathetic gang of indolent scoundrels that our polity has ever seen. “Put them all in the chaff bag and feed them to the dogs. They can nod and talk among themselves as they wait for the first bone-crushing bite.”[/i] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/08/20/newspoll-53-47-to-coalition-4/all-comments/?wpmp_switcher=mobile&comments=1750#comment-1388776 Who could disagree with this caustic analysis?

Michael

25/08/2012Quoted from above: "August 25. 2012 05:37 PM Michael Your new numbers are close enough. 2.38 trillion dollars in 2050. NormanK" NormanK, hi. Thanks for confirming that my second set of calculations is closer to the mark. Even so, they just look wrong to me. The nation's GDP was around $450 billion in 1992, it's $1.7 trillion in 2012 (roughly 4 times higher after 20 years), and the accurate math computes it'll only reach $2.38 trillion (just 1/3 higher after 38 years) in 2050??? But, that is how the correct maths works out. Which still leaves Tony Abbott claiming that carbon pricing will rip $1 trillion out of 2050's GDP, meaning it will total $1.38 trillion thirty eight years from now, less than it is today. And with that total he's claiming "Australians would on average be $5,000 worse off by 2050". How does that figure? If our 2050 GDP has stalled to a figure less than it is in 2012, with the expected population increase thirty eight years will bring the nation, I can't imagine Australians would each only be $5,000 worse off. So, in short, HTF does he get the figures he does? Or is it just a case of he doesn't give a toss whether anyone tries to check what he's saying because it's the 'why bother to read the BHP Press Statement' situation again - he just says whatever he says, and up until recently, the mainstream press quote him as if it's gospel for no more reason than because he said it?

2353

25/08/2012Crisp the Clown - my moniker has nothing to do with a postcode. What do you want an apology for - being exposed as a troll? You might have a snowflakes chance in hell after you apologise publicly to Lyn, who unlike you contributes directly and indirectly to a number of blogsites daily with her special knack of finding and providing a précis of (mostly) intelligent and relevant writings across the fourth and fifth estate. We're waiting . . .

2353

25/08/2012And the bits Lyn links to that break the intelligent and relevant writings usually come from NewsCorp, Menzies House or other Tea Party sponsored ramblings.

NormanK

25/08/2012Hi Michael I must confess that I just crunched the numbers as you presented them. The source of your consternation probably stems from the average growth figure of 0.89%. That seems awfully low to me. I'm no economist (understatement) but the RBA and Treasury like to refer to trend growth as being in the order of 3.0% per year so if we assume that over the next 38 years, with a few ups and downs, we maintain trend growth the 2050 figure becomes 5.23 trillion. That's in the ballpark of doubling every twenty-five years or so which better resembles your figures from 1992 to 2012. Remember that we have had an unprecedented mining boom for the last decade or so and the economy simply can't maintain that type of growth over the long-term. As far as trying to unravel Abbott's figures, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Almost certainly they are accurate on some level. A staffer will have cherry-picked a statistic or two from a Productivity Commission report that forecasts a slight diminishing in wages growth, multiplied it by 38 years to get a big scary number. Or extrapolated the annual cost to households from a carbon price of $23 per tonne this year to a forecast price of $350 per tonne in 2050 without taking into account that less businesses will be paying it and for smaller tonnages if all goes to plan. The world will have changed immeasurably by then and any forecasts by Abbott or anybody else is pure guesswork. Educated guesswork of course if you are an esteemed economist. :) He plays silly buggers with numbers all the time. I have no idea where he got his trillion dollars from but as you suggest it is highly likely that no-one will bother to question it. Perhaps someone like Peter Martin or the Kouk will do so in coming days. The other thing that I would say is that given his track record they are substantially lies built on some small foundation of truth.

whatismore

26/08/2012Abbott had a bad week but I am afraid he will make the most of the NT election.

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012whatismore Welcome But re the NT, DYWAT! [Don't you worry about that]. There were some very good signs there too, and an LNP Govt will be certain to help the ALP's vote in the NT at the Federal election. As is happening in Qld. Sure we don't like losing any Government but that's the game. Abbortt will put the best spin on it, sure, but he's about spun out. Be of good cheer, watch Lopsiders and see what Those Who Know say. [Thanks Bushfire Bill!]

Catshit

26/08/2012What sad, strange little universe do you live in, Turkey boy? After the next Federal election, the massed ALP parliamentary members (Federal, State and Territory) would be able to have a combined meeting in a very small office, with plenty of room to spare. You'll be able to buy a round of beers for them all with your loose change. If you want to know where you're going to end up - have a good look at the path you're on. Your path leads directly to the edge of a very high cliff, at the bottom which lie the splattered, smashed remains of ALP(NSW), ALP(Qld), ALP(WA), ALP(Vic) and ALP(NT). And, like driven, committed lemmings, that's exactly where ALP(Federal) is now heading. I'm sitting back in my comfy chair, ready for the show to begin. Bring on Gillard on her clueless clutch of clowns! I love a good show with a happy ending!

Sir Ian Crisp

26/08/2012[quote][i]Crisp the Clown - my moniker has nothing to do with a postcode. What do you want an apology for - being exposed as a troll? 2353 [/i][/quote] Yeah sure, that's your version. Mine is more accurate you lunatic.

Sir Ian Crisp

26/08/2012[quote][i]jaycee, Sir Ian and his nut job comrades are all in mourning today after their poster boy "Anders Behhring Breivik" was sentenced overnight! Jason [/i][/quote] You want to get in the gutter and throw muck Jguy? OK, let's throw some muck. What's it like to be molested? Did you enjoy it? Jguy, I ain't no Xtian so don't expect me to turn the other cheek.

jaycee

26/08/2012It is interesting that only when the breeze shifts more favourably do we see the right-wing fungi appear! As for Catscan..I'm very reticent to goad him as I believe his health would not suffer too much excitement...seriously. Although, I remember back in the days when I would punt on the ponies up in Darwin at those betting shops in Cavanagh St or Parap..And I met..or rather was accosted (too often)by a little chap who assured me that although he didn't bet himself, he had a system of picking the winners of an extrordinary percentage of races. Fortunately, even though I was a young man then, I was old enough to recognise a tragic when I saw one. He had a tatty, black notebook held closed by a rubber band that he assured me held the records of all the winners of many, many fortrellas etc..and sure enough, after a race he'd sidle up and show you a piece of paper with a (obviously)hurriedly scribbled name of the winner.."There" and he'd poke at the name,"Picked it."...of course, you'd agree suprisedly as you didn't want to rain on his parade...he wasn't well..you see...sad. But ToM....wellll..hey!..ToM hasn't said anything new in a political sense since his first post!....the same old same old...a sort of lovable goofball, like a young, clumsy pup getting under your feet and yelping when you tred on its' paw. That's ToM. Sir Ian....bit more of a devious fellow...had a bit more education than the first two...not that he has learnt from it..I'd say Ian is his real name, you wouldn't deliberately choose such a nondescript moniker..I remember when I was an apprentice, in the shop there was a tradie, tall, intense chap who used to moonlight selling manchester goods to young ladies who had "come of age" and were putting together a "Glory Box"...you know; pillow slips, sheets towels etc. as a preparation for marriage. He'd get some flyers printed up and the family'd go to a new suburb and distribute these notices encouraging people to make up a group then he'd come and demonstrate his company's wares..like the forunner to a Tupperware party. He was an intense chap, especially when explaining his activites to the other blokes at smoko....there used to be a suspicion attached to any male handling womens' things!...You rememnber that movie; "The Africa Queen" where Katherine Hepburn tells a cynical Humphrey Bogart that "Yes " she did "have an affair once" and then proceeds to relate of the salesman who, in a moment of affection, asked if she could slip off and let him handle an intimate piece of her underclothing.....!..Hmmm....His name was Ian too.....no! no..the tradie, not the underware fondler!

DMW

26/08/2012NK, Michael, in amongst all the number crunching an important number should be remembered: [b]2050[/b] By then, in all likelihood, many of us will no longer care. A good number of us, including possibly Abbott, will be in horizontal repose. Mr Abbott is using the first law of prognostifiction [i]make your prediction far enough into the future that when the time comes no one will remember it [/i] to great effect.

Sir Ian Crisp

26/08/2012[quote][i]jaycee I remember back in the days when I would punt on the ponies up in Darwin at those betting shops in Cavanagh St or Parap..And I met..or rather was accosted (too often)by a little chap who assured me that although he didn't bet himself, he had a system of picking the winners of an extrordinary percentage of races. Fortunately, even though I was a young man then, I was old enough to recognise a tragic when I saw one. He had a tatty, black notebook held closed by a rubber band that he assured me held the records of all the winners of many, many fortrellas etc..and sure enough, after a race he'd sidle up and show you a piece of paper with a (obviously)hurriedly scribbled name of the winner.."There" and he'd poke at the name,"Picked it."...of course, you'd agree suprisedly as you didn't want to rain on his parade...he wasn't well..you see...sad. jaycee [/i][/quote] J the flea, I can see the closest you ever got to a horse was mucking out the stables. There is only one system when punting and that is to hit the fave. My records show that for one year there were 58 decent betting days yielding 458 winners at better than 6/4. My advice to you: stay where you are at the hostel for the politically insane and under no circumstances should you punt.

DMW

26/08/2012NK, Michael a further note I may be slightly misquoting Reserve Bank boss Stevens but this week he said words to this effect: [i]... it is hard enough to predict the recent past let alone the future ...[/i]

DMW

26/08/2012jaycee, you correspondent SIC, is showing the conservative propensity to cherry pick the numbers to suit some sort of specious argument. From my days on the punt the long term average for favourites winning was around 33%. I expect it hasn't changed that much so one in three winners @ 6/4 doesn't reap a 'handsome' profit. I guess you knew that :)

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012TalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @StanSteam2 Read this Comrades. Tx StanSteam, well said Lainie Anderson, Adelaide Now. Has the MSM got its motor going at last? View conversation Reply Stan Steam‏@StanSteam2 Abbott the "angry, negative primate". He & his band of merry men, he just can't help himself. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/is-abbott-just-a-one-trick-tony/story-e6freah3-1226458018427 #auspol jaycee yes you are so right, I am tweeting my twits off insulting and congratulating and needling and stimulating people as I have never been able to do before. Well I vowed to Abbortt [i][b]With my words I will wound you, with my pen I will poison you,[/b][/i] and I wasn't whistling Dixie. I feel a bit like - wasn't it Legolas the Elven prince? in LotR? With a quiver of arrows that never runs out, huge enemies including Elefaunts bigger than Mammoths, but I know the weak points in their armour. Hey dig this, For a couple of months, ever since Lyn taught me to Tweet, I have been accusing the ABC of being a nest of Right-Wing Vipers, insulting OOman, Wormtongue Jones et al, and telling Mark Scott to do a rerun of his great namesake's trip to the South Pole, including down to the last details. There is only one way to fight this fire and that's to fire back. Well Ireckon it was one day last week when Leigh Sales blocked me, is that funny or what? Did one of my shafts go home? Or was mine just one more needle, maybe the final straw? Well I love it anyway, I adore Leigh Sales forever, respect her for her craft but honour her for her COURAGE! I have already told her so, via Twitter, but here on the Political sword we can cut loose in a different way, we have a Philosopher-King as our host and room for all my raving. I insulted George Megalogenis in my epic pome The Lass From Yarralumla published here on TPS on October 12, I likened him to a flaccid rhyme with his name (Truth Seeker have you seen that pome? If not please do, otherwise you won't know quite how much I can identify with your pometry.) The issue that time was that he, as I saw it anyway - and I trust my judgment here - wimped out disgracefully on a joint interview with Laura Tingle, this was just before the election, she was getting stuck into Abbortt for exactly what he's at last being called out for, when the supposedly Leftist supposedly journalist (for genuine journalism involves nor-fear-nor-favor courage and outspokenness) mumbled and collapsed like a pricked balloon. [Or a [i]ballooned prick [/i]might I pun to my own pain, there is a balloon on the end of a catheter that keeps the tube from slipping out of the bladder. And don't I know all about it!) [i]Ballooned prick [/i]though, sorry folks, I couldn't pass up the chance. :) Well Twitter gave me the chance to front him directly a couple of days ago, ooohhh he was tickled. As I posted yesterday we had a little bit of mutual tickling there, do check it out. If only George had just held his end up with the truth LT was speaking, the whole election result may have been different. It was a pivotal moment for the ALP, because it allowed the ABC i/viewer (?) to reroute the course of it and it was the [i]only [/i]interview before the election that even came close to The Truth About Abbort. In our dust-up yesterday - DO check it out - GM attempts to characterise his flaccidity as impartiality, but I know what it was and so does he.(He works for Murdoch as I am led to believe.) [i]Could it be that he will find the stiffener he needs contemplating Leigh Sales and Lisa Wilkinson? [/i] Dog I'm funny when I'm being nasty. So I can go to Twitter, fire quiversfull of arrows, [i]some with others' fire attached[/i], and come back here and take up the matters in detail. Offend 'em Nasking? DYWAT, a collapsing comrade like that female sculler that time who just lies down at the critical moment is worse than no comrade at all. I mean to sting, to needle, to prick. I'm in Bushfire Bill's Brigade, ABC is still a nest of Right-Wing Vipers as I have just re-ascertained by half-watching Lopsiders. Pretty pathetic stuff, selective of weak moments in a great week for Labor. So I have many arrows I must fire, and fire at will I will. I wonder if George will have what it takes to come here and take up a dust-up here. Bets?

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012Just rewatching the latter half of Lopsiders, in the post just above I said disparaging things about Marr, then deleted them, but on the second look, I was right first time. His salacious puerile giggling about Craig Thomson's allegedly brothelly credit card makes me want to vomit on him.

Lyn

26/08/2012Good Morning Ad & Everybody Here is Twitterverse for you:- First the Insiders a few comments: Dennis Atkins‏ Galaxy/Courier Mail 7pc climb in Labor primary May to August. Newspoll 7pc rise in Labor primary last 6 weeks. Not so rogue. insiders shaun carter‏ insiders . "Gillard gave as good as she got, if not a bit more. " Barry Cassidy Agnes Mack‏ Clive Palmer gives $250,000 to help QLD workers sacked by Newman & LNP. Love it. Truthiness Geek‏ One Trick Tony is running out of tricks. #insiders Sam Ryan‏ bit sad that from everything in the #730 interview, only discuss whether he read the report. barry's forgotten his own article insiders PM haters love digging for dirt Clare Harvey , The Telegraph Most of it has been pathetically puerile and tedious rehashing of the same stuff. The main protagonists are John Pasquarelli - best known for his work as Pauline Hanson's political stage-mother - and a particularly grubby Melbourne "cartoonist" and conspiracy theorist: Larry Pickering The story's bubbling again now because, after a great deal of very patient work, a real journalist - Hedley Thomas of The Australian - has established some facts around the nasty rumours Gillard's enemies have been pushing. Thomas has uncovered new evidence about the affair, in particular, that Gillard left her employment at a law firm after its partners conducted a formal taped interview with her about the matter. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/pm-haters-love-digging-for-dirt-writes-claire-harvey/story-e6frezz0-1226458018401 Is Abbott just a one-trick Tony?Lainie Anderson , Adelaide Now EVERY time Opposition Leader Tony Abbott opens his mouth, I feel like I need a shower. He's such a grubby piece of work - so naked in his ambition, so willing to stretch any truth to score a quick political point and so unimaginative. When he started picking over the carcass of Olympic Dam this week, he might at least have had the decency to wipe the smug look from his face. He might have taken five minutes to get his facts straight on the reasons for BHP shelving the $30 billion project. And it wouldn't have hurt to workshop a few credible arguments on how Gillard policies have had an impact on BHP's cost pressures, instead of lazily (and incorrectly) parroting his "great big taxes" line. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/is-abbott-just-a-one-trick-tony/story-e6freah3-1226458018427?sv Accentuating the economic negatives. Christopher Joye, Financial Review There is a negative bias across general news coverage. Don’t take my word for it. This is also the judgment of Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens and one of his chief lieutenants, Guy Debelle http://www.afr.com/p/blogs/christopher_joye/accentuating_the_economic_negatives_2KeDwmMlXeQwph6WSkxdKJ AWU‏ Nat Sec howespaul says Labor must reclaim its public works legacy in today's Sunday Tele http://bit.ly/U2pk4r FROM the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Opera House, Darling Harbour and now through to Barangaroo, Labor has a proud record of commissioning and delivering the major infrastructure projects which have made Sydney the envy of the nation and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. When the Harbour Bridge was built, the Liberal Party didn't even exist but, given the shrill knee-jerk reactions we see coming from the Liberals today about investment in new infrastructure projects such as the NBN, you could imagine a yesteryear version of Tony Abbott waxing lyrical about Labor's waste in building a massively expensive bridge across the harbour when there's a perfectly good ferry system in place http://www.awu.net.au/76143_2.html?H|A|76143| Is Tony a one-trick pony? , Peter Van Onselen To use a sporting analogy, Labor is a mile behind the Coalition on the scoreboard and the game is well into the second half, but the government is surging (that might be an overstatement) and the opposition looks like it is only protecting its lead. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/is-tony-a-one-trick-pony/story-e6frezz0-1226458063246 Oakeshott's code of limited value, Michelle Grattan Gillard had an axe to grind but she also made a fair point when she denounced signs in Australia of the excesses of American politics, where the personal often goes viral. Ensuring propriety and holding people to account are challenges for the political system that are, unfortunately, beyond codification. Codes have their place, but values are at the heart of it.http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/oakeshotts-code-of-limited-value-20120825-24t26.html#ixzz24b0RxC98 PM like Abbott in the headlights, Paul Daley Man of Action got to feel the rough end of the pineapple when Madam Deputy Speaker sin-binned him for his unparliamentary remarks. The National Party leader, Warren Truss, tweeted: ''Tony Abbott becomes 3rd Opposition Leader in history to be thrown out of Parliament. The other two were Menzies and Howard. Good omen http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/pm-like-abbott-in-the-headlights-20120825-24t28.html#ixzz24b7jGzG1 Behind their often prickly public personas, politicians too are human, Misha Schubert keep a close watch on Kevin and Bill - and especially any sign of Kevin and Bill). Still, it remains almost impossible to see how she could win if she does. Notwithstanding the recent trajectory of modest recovery, the electorate would have to forgive what many see as an epic breach of faith over a carbon tax. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/behind-their-often-prickly-public-personas-politicians-too-are-human-20120825-24tfu.html#ixzz24b8UonT6 Voters in for $1.5m ads blitz THE Barnett Government will spend at least $1.5 million on advertising to spruik its major infrastructure achievements in the lead-up to the state election in March Metropolitan TV and radio stations, newspapers and the internet will be used "to raise community awareness of the various State Government infrastructure projects under way and planned in the Perth metropolitan area, and the associated impact of the projects (especially during the construction phases)". http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/voters-in-for-15m-ads-blitz/story-e6frg14c-1226458099593

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012This was George-&-my little contretemps . . . 1hTalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @GMegalogenis @hdrebner When you had the chance to support Laura Tingle a/g Abbortt in 2010 you WIMPED OUT DISGRACEFULLY! I don't forget. 1hGeorge Megalogenis‏@GMegalogenis Careful @TalkyTurkey I take advice like that as a reverse memo -- who knows, I might just get off the fence and support Abbott to annoy you. [What advice? I gave none.TT] 1hTalkTurkey‏@TalkyTurkey @GMegalogenis Do your worst, I haven't been so impressed with your best. That you would make such a weird threat says all I needed to know. 49mGeorge Megalogenis‏@GMegalogenis @TalkyTurkey Just trying to lighten up a Saturday morning. Did I prick your balloon again George? 'Cos I'm sure not going to do the reverse! :)

Sir Ian Crisp

26/08/2012kkk[quote][i] From my days on the punt the long term average for favourites winning was around 33%. I expect it hasn't changed that much so one in three winners @ 6/4 doesn't reap a 'handsome' profit. DMW [/i][/quote] Still having trouble with comprehension I see. I said at better than 6/4. That means that 6/4 is the shortest price you should accept. When Saintly won the Melbourne Cup it was about 6/1, 7/1 depending on the bookie. It was the fave and a long way from 6/4. Stop there Sir Ian because I think you're talking to the intellectually challenged. My advice to you is the same I gave to J the flea.

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012jaycee said [i]I'd say Ian is his real name, you wouldn't deliberately choose such a nondescript moniker..[/i] Now this is funny and true, my three names are Ian Bruce B*****, well even as a tiny infant I despised the name Ian (for myself anyway) I was BRUCE! Mother and grandmother tried to reroute me bu gave up before I was 18 months old. Bruce I am! So I wouldn't want to insult Limpy by calling him Ian! :)

Jason

26/08/2012Sir Ian, "What's it like to be molested? Did you enjoy it?" Well as it turned out no I didn't! However than man that done it not only to me but 6 others is probably the sort of person you would give the shirt off your back!

Ad astra

26/08/2012Hi Lyn Thanks for your informative Twitterverse on a Sunday morning. They will help with my next piece.

Ad astra

26/08/2012whatismore Welcome to [i]The Political sword[/i] family. Do come again. I'm sure you are right - Tony Abbott will try to squeeze some advantage from the NT election, although it seems that it was only the remote communities that showed the big swing. Darwin electorates showed little change, even after 11 years of Labor. I haven't seen anything from him yet. Please post anything he does say.

42 long

26/08/2012Cassidy's show didn't flow. Seemed to cobbled together and witout much preparation. David Marr should read a bit of wixxy's stuff. One of them is wrong or ill informed. The NT situation is interesting. A demographic factor tha Labor side didn't cover. If the new CNP man delivers anywhere near the expectation of his supporters, he will have a massive job and will be going against what has associates are planning federally. The swing against was areas away from Darwin. You will see the percentage relating to that specific area quoted or the average swing quoted depending on the integrity of the reporter. The CNP did more work doorknocking. It will be interesting to see how they go. 2 aboriginal candidates? Paul Keating did most for them, perhaps his finest achievement agains a massive scare campain from Hewson and the Libs. Remember?

jaycee

26/08/2012Hasn't anyone yet pointed david Marr in the direction of Wixxy's Jacksonville posts? That old chestnut about the credit slip and the brothel has been put to bed long ago..I guess it proves the case about how out of touch and behind the front runners the MSM. is! Get some lighters David...we stopped using two sticks long ago!

42 long

26/08/2012For Marr to have brought up the credit cards and the "prostitutes" bit was very condemnatory of his state of both knowledge and understanding. Why would I buy his book? I have previously regarded his opinion with some respect even thpugh he does appear somewhat "precious' at times. Everyone's entitled to their style..

Tom of Melbourne

26/08/2012[i]” That old chestnut about the credit slip and the brothel has been put to bed long ago…[/i]” Now that is truly hilarious. There is nothing in all the “mud throwing” by Wicks that has put anything to bed. Other than he has resolved all questions about his credibility. In the negative. The KPMG report does nothing to give comfort of Thomson, if only verifies the criticisms of those who complained of the delay before the report was published. Thomson remains discredited and unfit for public office.

jaycee

26/08/2012With the NT. vote, I was suprised Labor lasted THAT long!....But the indigenous vote turning against labor demonstrates the need for more dilligence in not just making policy but delivering them on time every time! I suspect there has been too much "down-time" between constructing the policy and certain capacities(incl' geography)and competencies to deliver them. Overall though, the results show the usual winning margins sans regional seats.

Ian

26/08/2012I have been Ian for 60+ years. Until now I never realised I was so bland and nondescript. Thank you all.

bilko

26/08/2012AA & Normank AA Another fine blog and spot on re the MSM relevance today. Normank you have ruined my viewing, now all I do is count the blinking eyes whilst not absorbing the content. I shall have to mute the first view and then watch it again.I commented elsewhere that my OH suggested we just show the negative of any Abbort picture which says it all really.

jaycee

26/08/2012 2

2353

26/08/2012So Crisp the Clown comes back to throw some more insults around, tells me he knows better than I do what my moniker means (how does THAT work?) and doesn't answer the simple question [quote]What do you want an apology for - being exposed as a troll?[/quote] that may get him something he apparently wants. After all, I'm fair, if I inadvertently upset someone - I'll usually comply with a request to amend the statement. Just like Abbott on Gillard - "the PM has plenty of questions to answer" [i]Interviewer[/i] Well what are they [i]Abbott[/i] Well I haven't seen the transcript and my staff were too busy muckraking to notice the press conference was on - besides the PM has plenty of questions to answer. [i]Interviewer[/i] Do you always tell the entire truth Mr Abbott? [i]Abbott[/i] Of course [i]Interviewer[/i] What about the carbon price you call a carbon tax, what about Whyalla being wiped off the map on July1, what about asylum seekers being called illegal immigrants . . . [i]Producer through Interviewers earpiece[/i] Wrap it up we don't have 24 hours for all the lies and deceit. See the similarity? We are waiting for your apology to Lyn, Crisp the Clown . . . I see littertray is back too - still eating the **** that the LNP feed to you?

nasking

26/08/2012 [quote]Offend 'em Nasking? DYWAT, a collapsing comrade like that female sculler that time who just lies down at the critical moment is worse than no comrade at all. [/quote] TT, ya might want to ask yerself why when we had the Murdoch empire on the ropes a few mths back they were then compensated for their Australia Network bid, got approval to purchase Austar, are about to take 50% of Foxtel, got more footy rights etc. etc. etc... and no media slapdown from media and inquiries in sight. Just sayin' Enjoy yer poems BTW. Anyway, as I've told Lyn and Ad...won't be around for awhile...family and medical commitments. Keep up the good work. Cheers N'

NormanK

26/08/2012bilko My first instinct is to apologise for spoiling your viewing pleasure but upon reflection I would have to contend that I have enhanced it immeasurably if you are now watching Abbott with the sound muted. Bad enough to have to watch him, without having to listen to him as well. By the way, what sort of counts are you getting on his blink rate? By my estimation he will soon be doing interviews with his eyes closed - not figuratively but literally.

Gravel

26/08/2012Ad Astra Your last two pieces couldn't have been time better, the first piece was even before the S&G stuff got going. Well done. Thanks to Lyn and everyone for all your links a comments, I have been able to catch up with everything by reading four hundred or more posts. Whew! you are all on the ball. I was lucky enough to see Julia give it to the press full on. It was the best 50 or so minutes of television that I have ever seen. I only wish that the reporters give their name before they ask a question, it would help identify where they are coming from. Truth Seeker Your pome/verse in the last thread and also in this thread are great, as someone else said, glad you found us here at the TPS. Knee High Big Dr Who fan here..... Patriciawa Glad to hear your lurgie is starting to vanish, keep warm and take care. 42 long I agree insiders didn't seem to flow this morning. I wonder if it is because they were stopping themselves from praising this Government in Julia too much. I noticed a bit more animation when they were finally dissing abbott a bit.

nasking

26/08/2012 Just a reminder before I go: What disturbs me about this entire issue is why the mainstream media have decided to vet our PM so long after the election? An intense vetting process apparently took place prior to the 2010 election...or so we were led to believe. If information was deliberately held back by News Ltd are any other news organisation it could be seen as a crafty method of keeping material up one's sleeve in order to possibly: (1) Blackmail a PM into pursuing policies and regulatory changes that could benefit the news organisation. (2) For political and/or profiteering reasons using a story at a particular time to attempt to gain advantage...whether it to be to wedge, destabilise a sitting PM and her govt...and/or create a buzz to increase readership. (3) To add evidence to an existing story...but in this case I find it hard to believe that a billion dollar news organisation couldn't afford to pay for appropriate investigations prior to the election knowing Gillard was a potential replacement for Rudd and highly influential... which brings to mind: (4) That in fact News Ltd did have a more complete story drawn from investigations by paid private eyes, phone and computer hacking etc...but were reluctant to go down that avenue due to the consequences of such activities in the UK. ------ I would consider blackmail or threats made against a PM a serious offence. ------------------ A reworking of a quote from Germ by Liparulo...it describes those who work to undermine our sitting PM...including the Murdoch minions: “They loved their job. They loved the economics of political death: hastening a person's passage into the afterlife of the backbench not only provided them with a good living: it gave work to a bankrupt media, profits to a media Napoleon, to Liberal and National party meansters, to corporations of war, the people who made neo-con missiles and white phosphorous weapons and other sundry chemicals and devices - not to mention firearm, ammunition, coffin, and tissue manufacturers - political obituary writers, conspiracy reporters, filmmakers...and private eyes.” I would add LAWYERS. N'

Casablanca

26/08/2012PatriciaWA Hope that you are recovering well from your lurgi. Here is another article about Professor Jenny Hocking's biography of Gough. How Murdoch's scoop got Whitlam August 26, 2012 Michael Gordon This item also has a video of the 96 year old Gough welcoming the publishing of the second instalment of this biography of him by Professor Jenny Hocking. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/how-murdochs-scoop-got-whitlam-20120825-24t6s.html#ixzz24cjj2xwR See also: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/the-third-man-20120824-24rjn.html#ixzz24TKjXlEK

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012Nasking, Read your post at 1.24 pm, but for the life of me I can't see what you're getting at. Presumably re George Megalogenis, but what, and how? "Puzzled" :)

TalkTurkey

26/08/2012I don't even hope that this article will change any minds here, but it's telling anyone who has eyes to see that those who support Assange's extradition and further harassment are the dupes of the MSM. [b]Dupes.[/b] Of the [b]MSM[/b]. Stan Steam‏@StanSteam2 Ever wondered exactly why Julian Assange deserves to be strung up? Glenn Greenwald: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/22/julian-assange-media-contempt?CMP=twt_gu #auspol #assange

nasking

26/08/2012 TT, nope...nothin' to do with George. Anyway...think it over more by reading the last few comments of mine above. And thinking about recent events. I really have to take a break. N'

jaycee

26/08/2012Thank you sir ian...for all that personal information you so helpfully gave us.."We hope you keep welI, as I suppose we will not be seeing much of you in the future"...I believe that is the standard letter Alice Toklas would send to banish an unsuitable person from her and Gertrude Stein's soirees...What with you ; Ian, too busy being a losing punter who "keeps records" of his tragic failures in equine pursuits..? How do I know you are a losing punter?....because if you were winning, you wouldn't have or still be keeping such sad tallys of days and "winners" at OVER 6/4 odds....IN, I suspect a little black book closed with a rubber band! And ToM...still ; Same old same old...I rest my case. As for catscan..I think we best leave well enough alone...I don't want to even go there!

bilko

26/08/2012Normank I did not count but it should not be long before Abbott does his interviews with his mouth closed, just holds up a card with No,or CT,or MRRT and of course nodding and blinking to a rhythm such as The Beatles hit "Nowhere Man" unless you have another tune in mind.

Truth Seeker

26/08/2012Gravel, thank you for your kind comments, it is always nice to get good feedback from a variety of quality bloggers like yourself. Cheers

Patriciawa

26/08/2012Truth Seeker - you did a great job which, pending your approval I've called 'The Ballad of Abbottsarse' and then because the standard was now so high I've revised my own effort into sonnet form, which means we now have my sonnet, TT's lullaby and your ballad. Have a look at it, and anything you want edited or added can be changed. http://polliepomes.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/tony-abbott-would-never-sell-his-arse-would-he/ Talk Turkey, same applies to you. As usual this new version posted here for your perusal. Can't think of any better way to rhyme with [i]give it[/i]The Bard himself might say that Abbott’s arse Was a worthy subject for a sonnet. Why then is it the butt of ribald farce With so much media commentary on it? It’s muscular and trim and very taut From long exercise on surfboard and bike. But his tongue has been looser than it ought And been recorded by a hidden mike. When challenged in the Chamber to his face, With a carbon tax promise he can’t deny, He blusters, is called [i]‘a national disgrace!’[/i] And those other words, why say they’re a lie? We know he wouldn’t [b]sell[/b] his arse, okay? To be PM he’d [b]give[/b] his arse away. PS to DMW, I know you surpised me with a parody on our national anthem which I have somehow lost. Do you want it included with our efforts? A comment even would be most welcome!

Patriciawa

26/08/2012Oh Dear! How did that happen? Still fuzzy in my head! [b]Tony Abbott Would Never Sell His Arse. Would he?[/b] The Bard himself might say that Abbott’s arse Was a worthy subject for a sonnet. Why then is it the butt of ribald farce With so much media commentary on it? It’s muscular and trim and very taut From long exercise on surfboard and bike. But his tongue has been looser than it ought And been recorded by a hidden mike. When challenged in the Chamber to his face, With a carbon tax promise he can’t deny, He blusters, is called ‘[i]a national disgrace![/i]’ And those other words, why say they’re a lie? We know he wouldn’t [b]sell[/b] his arse, okay? To be PM he’d [b]give[/b] his arse away. http://polliepomes.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/tony-abbott-would-never-sell-his-arse-would-he/

Marilyn

26/08/2012I would have thought the failure of the Slipper and Thomson vendettas would have convinced the media to let old dogs lie. Seems the tedious all white old men just want to keep whining while ignoring Gillard's real crimes. 1. human trading to maintain marginal seat votes with racist bogans. 2. persecuting aborigines even more than Howard did. 3. persecuting single parents to save money for human trading and jailing of those in group one. She is far right of ghenghis Khan and always has been.

Truth Seeker

26/08/2012Patricia, I am so glad that you like my poem, and that it fits the bill, and yes I am fine with you changing the title to suit your theme. Yours is most certainly a praise worthy sonnet, great work. My only suggestion would be that because "arse" is in the previous line, the last line might work fine without it, but I am only nitpicking as it is excellent already "We know he wouldn’t sell his arse, okay? But to be PM he'd gladly give it away!" (cheerfully; happily) also fit. Or something like that, as I said just a suggestion though. Glad you're feeling better, and look forward to seeing the final post. Cheers

Patriciawa

26/08/2012Truth Seeker, my fuzzy head again n not realizing that your [b]Let's suspeend standing orders![/b] was the title of your poem! I see that I also ommitted including that line in my introduction to your poem, as I had orginally intended. Have a look at it now. Also I wondered if you wanted to call it the longer and more imposing [b]The Ballad of Abbottsarsegate![/b] Like you I had my doubts about my repetition of [i]arse[/i]in that last line which had something to do with beat and stress. I was waiting for TT to comment on that.

Ad astra

26/08/2012Folks I have just now posted [i]The disintegration of the Abbott machine[/i]. Enjoy. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/08/26/The-disintegration-of-the-Abbott-machine.aspx

DMW

26/08/2012PWA @ 6:20 PM That you have asked ,I am tickled pink and delightfully chuffed. (Hope that word doesn't conjure images of a plum in the mouth tory :P). Umm, pending Ad's copyright status on the blog all my comments here are licensed (un)creative commons so any is free to use or abuse anything I write here. I have some thoughts on comments but on hold while TV & real family life interrupt.

Truth Seeker

26/08/2012Patricia, just checked out your post, it looks great. The only thing I noticed in my poem is there is an "M" missing in the last line, my fault, should read "known" affectionately as arsegate. Bloody typos. Cheers

Truth Seeker

26/08/2012Patricia, you're obviously not the only one with a fuzzy head, it's not an "m" but an "n" that's missing, again... bloody typos. The picture is a gem and fits really well, great job. Cheers

NormanK

26/08/2012bilko You're right. I had Tony marked down as a hardcore John Lennon fan; he's always talkin' about a revolution. He will have had plenty of time to muse over Lennon's lyrics and I'm sure he hums them as he blinks through his interviews. Perhaps his eyelids are just keeping time. Imagine I'm the PM It's easy if you try No need for experts Making Liberals cry Imagine all the people calling out my name Imagine there's no Gillard It isn't hard to do No Greens or Robbie Oakshott No Tony Windsor too Imagine all the MPs calling me the boss Yoo-hoo-oo-oo-oo You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not in this alone I hope some day she'll lie down And the Lodge will be my home Imagine no Confession Or interviews to do No end to greed and slush funds No bossy women too Imagine all the people crying out for me Yoo-hoo-oo-oo-oo You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not in this alone I hope some day she'll lie down And the Lodge will be my home

Patriciawa

26/08/2012DMW, TS and TT - Caught on the cusp of Ad Astra's two latest posts I suggest we take any further exchanges to http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/08/26/The-disintegration-of-the-Abbott-machine.aspx.

Truth Seeker

26/08/2012Norman, Nice re-write. good job Cheers

bilko

26/08/2012Normank game set and match to you

jane

27/08/2012Nice to see that after less then 6 months, the Liars government in Queensland has handed Labor a handy 7% swing. I look forward to similar swings in other Liars states. Funny how a dose of Liars government puts such a bad taste in voters' mouths. How long should we give the NT government before there is a similar swing? BTW, ToM when an employer says that they are satisfied that with an employee's performance, it doesn't translate as significant levels of concern.

jane

27/08/2012Just curious, ToM, but how do you explain the fact that when the charges to the Sydney brothel were made, Thomson was in Perth? And even if you think he has an extraordinarily long arm, how come he apparently didn't know how to spell his own name?

Marilyn

28/08/2012Tom, Thomson was claimed by FWA based on dodgy papers supplied by the very dodgy Kathy Jackson to have done some things that amount to there were no rules he broke them. The police and AEC, the parliamentary privileges committee and everyone else who has looked into it has found not a single thing he can be charged with. David looks like a right goose today though after telling me just last night that the so-called facts about Thomson speak for themselves, including the non-existent Victorian police investigation.
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?