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Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle

Author Archives: Therese Trouserzoff

The Three Stages of Tax Relief

12 Wednesday Oct 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Norm de Plumette

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Plums of Norm

Norm de Plumette. Oct 11 2022

The bland potato dumpling glowed with self-impotence as he warmed up under the spotlight to expose the government’s ongoing failure to act in the public interest. He announced his latest attack in the repetitive theme of the broken Labor promises that would short-change the will of the electorate. An electorate that had refuted his base politics, and failure to act in the public interest.“

I would argue that it is reprehensible that the government is walking backwards on their promise to support stage 3 tax cuts. These irresponsible cheats and scum lied to the Australian people, they might break the promise that we tricked them into making, we would never do that under my opposition” monotoned the nominal leader of some of the opposition, with no evidence to support his argument.

To back up the tedious repetition of his statement Mr Spud Mutton then introduced his chief expert in distorting numbers, Bluffit McKenzie, with a stern warning not to quiz her about her sports rorts which were not lies, because those truths were made under a different leader. Mistressed MuckFrenzie outlined how the stage 3 tax cuts would put money in the hands of people who knew better how to spend money on public services than the government. “People on $45,000 a year are paying 45% of their income in tax. They can’t afford their electricity bill due to the broken Labor promise to reduce electricity costs by 2025” she began by demonstrating her denial of the basic principles of progressive taxation.With a gentle nudge of a perplexed frown from the lurking essence of a broiling potato she attempted to correct herself with no acknowledgement of the error that had the dumbest of economics experts with their heads in their bewildered hands, but they were relieved when she confused the errors with a fusillade of more errors and untruths.

Spattering misinformation before it could be comprehended that the impression quoted big taxes paid on all income was actually high marginal rates on excessive earnings. “The 37% tax that is paid by these people on $45000 means that they will be paying the same amount of tax when the stage 3 cuts are implemented as they do now. How can Labor pretend these cuts are biased to the rich? There are underpaid teachers, nurses and persons of a policemen persuasion who will receive these cuts” she ranted confident that saying things rapidly, loudly and frequently is irrefutable neo-liberal logic.

The crease in the Spud’s face tried to smile as he stared blankly in support. He was lost in an internal reverie, gloating in the knowledge that all members of the parliament will get a tax cut of over $9000 on top of their over-generous salaries and expenses and superannuation. For those on the meanest parliamentary salary this was almost a whopping 15% tax cut! Then a flicker of unseen regret flickered imperturbably across his bland baldness when he realised that with his salary of over $400,000 plus his income from his $300 million assets, his tax cut would be less than 5%!

What had Scomo been thinking?“How can a poor aussie battler on $200,000 a year in struggle street survive if they don’t get an immediate 10% cut in tax?” Bridgette rambled on towards more broken promises “Those struggling on $100,000 will only reduce their tax liability by $1375 a year. That hardly covers the $1200 a year of overcharging by the electricity networks.

The Labor government must implement these tax cuts, not increase taxes and fund all their promises to provide relief from doing it tough.”“We will hold the government to account” berated the woman previously dismissed for breaking the ministerial code of conduct “I demand roads and jobs and business support and more gun clubs for my electorate. It is up to the government to find the funds for our promises. Not increase taxes.”

“I would like to conclude that we are for all Australians. All Australians use electricity whether they are on $45000 or $200000 income. They should be using the same amount presuming they remember to turn off the lights in all the rooms they are not currently using in their mansions” the responsible for faux accounting on coloured spreadsheets cried. Then shocked that she had made a semi-lucid comment, and remembering that she may be targeted by the new federal corruption investigations, she returned to her talking points.“

Labor is fueling the politics of envy. Those on $45000 have already received a break of $225 a year under previous Stages of the tax cuts. Whilst those on high incomes doing the heavy lifting only received $2430. A reward for aspiration of ten times as much is an insufficient incentive to attract people with the right skill. That is why wages have only increased for those on excessive overpaid incomes. That is why Labor must implement Stage 3 to correct this imbalance.

”Putrid Mutton echoed his support “Hollow words indeed. Albo needs to come clean. Desperate people have factored in these tax cuts into their budgets to address the unknown economic situation in three years time. This is not good enough!” The lord of potatoes released another attack dog to emphasize his concern for the betrayal of embattled single mothers who receive no benefit from the tax cuts.

Suspect Lay, famous for losing her portfolio after claiming millions of dollars in unjustifiable expenses, screeched “I want to know. Who is too rich?” to the audience who were confused by the similarities between her and the previous advocate for privilege. Before it was questioned, she slunk off to see her accountant to ensure that her wealth was hidden from public scrutiny. The littlest white Albo pretended to respond with a littlest white lie “I am focused on more immediate matters, but the economy is a concern, because of what we inherited” he stuttered. The words were tripping on his forked tongue as he feigned ignorance of the complete unfairness and indefensibility of the Stage 3 tax cuts that he had cravenly supported.

The Dog Really DID Eat my Homework

12 Wednesday Oct 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

This from a teacher …. her dog at ALL her students’ homework !

Shake the Dust

10 Monday Oct 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

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Toilet Humour

02 Sunday Oct 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Rites of Spring !

01 Thursday Sep 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

The Wattle – Symbol of Our Native Land … You Can Stick it in a Bottle, You Can hold it in your Hand

Annual Recycle by Emmjay – first published in 2008 on the ABC Drum

Well, it’s September 1 and I for one am feeling the usual right to spring. Pedants, who insist that Spring starts on the equinox, somewhere around the 21st will have to forgive me.

It’s a fantastic day here in the Emerald City.

Wikipedia, in its unending generosity offers us two rites of Spring -the mid 80’s Washington punk band “Rites of Spring” and perhaps the more familiar – Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, or le Sacre du Printemps. The Russian escapes me, except that one is led to believe that notwithstanding the translation, the reference is more towards a pagan rite than a consecration.

It’s a pity that in our Australian cities, we so often make nothing special for the start of Spring. I think this is a great shame. It’s a missed opportunity to celebrate the possibility of renewal – perhaps if not always the actuality.

Other nations and cultures run riot in Spring. I have a Japanese friend who puts away all the winter accoutrements including visual art and even crockery and she changes a major part of her world with the change of season – bringing out the Spring linen and changing the menu, swapping many of the pictures on her walls. The new wardrobe. Life in the garden. Something more than a simple clean-up.

Stravinsky’s ballet score really gets into the swing of the new season with a dancing chorus of young girls – perhaps a little wasted on we of the Southern hemisphere since our Easter (Hester, oestrus, eggs, fertility, etc, etc, etc) falls in, well, fall. Moreover, with the possible exception of our pagan friends, references to ‘young girls’ these days are likely to provoke more anti-paedo outrage, than assist us to re-iterate a celebration of the earth.

And what of the Washington punk band ? Well, they recorded one eponymous LP on their own label, Discord Records. Need I say more?

Returning to the day, let’s hope this Spring brings with it sunshine as well as rain. Give a prayer for our farmers whose lives and livelihood are so challenged by the Australian climate. And look forward to the joys of Summer.

Or would that be… Don Henley and the “Boys of Summer”?

Praise also be to the inventors of anti-histamines 🙂

The Amazing Trevor Noah

26 Friday Aug 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Emmjay

≈ 2 Comments

Trevor Noah does wonderful accents

Hi Patrons of la salle de porc.

BC – that is, before Covid, FM and I had the pleasure of seeing Trevor Noah live at the Enmore Theatre. Of course we were in an overwhelmingly white people audience. The woman next to be (not FM, the woman on the other side) asked me (in a thick South African accent) “Where are you from ?” Which was a weird kind of opening line. I replied “Enmore – about 500 metres away from here”.

Apologies, this content won’t embed in WordPress. But it’s worth going out to Facebook to listen and watch Trevor Noah going through his paces being a native of everywhere 🙂

https://fb.watch/f7T7Z17oAW/

A Low Front is passing through Westminster

20 Saturday Aug 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

From our UK correspondent Adrian Mcrobb.

With highs of 33° expected AGAIN today, it’s time to ask “could the government have done more?” Downing Street knew about this heatwave weeks ago and have done nothing. Shipments of 400,000 pairs of Speedos and 500,000 bikinis, sun cream and Cornettos have reportedly been sent back as unsafe after media claims the shipment was quarantined a month ago and Boris did nothing.

Karen from Chavington said, “We just don’t know if it’s safe to go outside and sunbathe because we can’t function or think for ourselves. Boris hasn’t told us either way and all my obese kids need ice cream and sweets, the Hubby can’t get out to rob anyone so we’re out of lager and weed, I blame the government entirely”

Meanwhile, anti- heat protesters dressed in thick jumpers chanting “cold lives matter” have marched on London, Big Ben has been removed and a giant Mint Feast put in its place by protesters.

The BBC reported earlier, ‘clearly the sun has come out and Downing street have done nothing to prevent it.’

——oooo——

The Whittakers

19 Friday Aug 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

The Whittakers live in a West Virginia town called “Odd”

Story by Emmjay

Patrons of the Pig’s Arms, I’d like to think that it takes a lot to shock and disturb me, but the videos shot by “Soft White Underbelly” are probably the most disturbing I’ve ever witnessed since the birth of the Internet.

I read “Empire of Pain” the story of the Sackler family – the the owners of Purdue Pharma – so-called inventors of Oxycodone / Oxycontin. They subverted the US Food and Drug Administration and got them to approve Oxycodone for pain control by dodging up some fictitious trials that found not surprisingly that Oxycodone was (unlike all the other opioids) not addictive.

Of course it IS addictive and a giant global shitstorm and international opioid addiction epidemic has ensued. Especially in countries like the US – who allow pharmaceutical companies to advertise prescription-only drugs to the general public. This epidemic has brought with it untold misery, death, destruction and some massive lawsuits. But clever corporate structures have kept the Sacklers out of gaol. Some of the corrupt governmental officials were not so clever.

Oxycodone or Oxycontin was/is a prescription drug – and it was marketed heavily and aggressively to doctors – AND on TV and other media. It has made its presence felt in Australia too.

In the US, Oxycontin is cheaper and far more available than heroin and is marginally less dangerous than Fentany. It has been a massive hit amongst people for whom America is still not great. People for whom even basic health care is not even a distant dream. Trump voters – so dumb that they voted against their own best interests.

Oxycodone or Oxycontin acquired the moniker of “Hillbilly Heroin” , reflecting the foundation market.

And in following up on the Epidemic of Pain, I chanced upon some some truly horrendous videos on YouTube – interviews of people at the sharp end of the failed American dream – prostitutes, addicts of every stripe, failed criminals, barking mad people – literally barking- and people living in Appalachia – Southern and Mid East Coast American dying coal mining states – the Duelling Banjos backwaters where the gene pool is too shallow to sustain life as we know it.

I have to say that I could not believe what I was seeing. It is horrendous. And the calm, nonchalant interviewer makes the documentaries otherworldly and chilling. These are the people who are manipulated into voting for Trump. Wanting desperately for America to be great again – the greatness that they and generations of ancestors have never known.

So for the brave – here are the Whittakers.

Sorry, you need to watch it on Youtube.

STEPtember NOW

17 Wednesday Aug 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

https://www.steptember.org.au/fundraisers/mikejones

With the weather improving, now is an excellent time to get out and about and rack up those legendary 10,000 steps per day.

But if fitness is not a thing for you, I can help you feel virtuous by doing your share of steps and raising funds for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

I have friends working in the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute attached to the Sydney University Med School. This group is the world leader in cerebral palsy research and they’ve been a major contributor to reducing the incidence of CP in newborn babies by 30% in the last ten years.

They are doing pioneering work in the genetics of CP, early intervention, immunology especially the impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) on the foetus, new treatments including stem cell research and engineering for movement as well as MyVoice – a project recording speech of people with CP, informing engineering to improve communications for people with CP who have speech difficulties.

TODAY is a great day to make a donation. A generous benefactor will match every dollar we steppers raise – doubling my puny attempts to raise a few bucks for such a worthy cause.

Funds raised can also support other CP Alliance services – physiotherapy, speech therapy, mobility assistance devices and family support, for example.

So if you’ve got a few lazy dollars lying around idly, why not chip in !

https://www.steptember.org.au/fundraisers/mikejones

Many thanks
MJ

Better Quality Spam and Physical Spyware

16 Tuesday Aug 2022

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Warning ! This is real !!

I tried unsuccessfully to repair Robert (our vacuuming robot). Robby baby refused to charge his batteries. They are pretty old, so I googled and ordered some new genuine Electrolux batteries.

So now I get daily hot deal spam about bloody vacuum spares. And sadly I don’t unsubscribe because I think I’m getting an addiction to vacuum machine parts as a new way of life. But I digress.

Robert-friendly batteries come in pairs. I installed them.

Nothing.

I think I measured the output of the charger with a multimeter. It looked OK but still nothing.

It turned out to be cheaper and easier to buy a new robot vacuum cleaner (not an Electrolux). Choice said that the Roomba was the go. We called him Stuart – after FM’s ex. And indeed he is waaay better than Robert, reflecting more years of R&D. (Except for the time I left the courtyard door open and he attempted to vacuum the garden, he’s really smart). Stuart maps the rooms and learns how to do the job more efficiently – and when he gets tired it ALWAYS returns to it’s charging station has a rest and finishes the job later – unlike Robert who we often found snoozing under the lounge. Stuart is connected to the internet so we can see how he’s going, start him up or stop him from anywhere there’s an internet connection – like everywhere – using a mobile phone.

Why we might want to do this I have no idea, but Stuart goes and gets new software himself – from time to time. So he actually gets better and better at the job – not suggesting he did a crap job in the first place. Unlike Robert. I should say however, that Robert could vacuum in the dark, but Stuart’s eyes only work when it’s daytime or we leave the lights on.

Anyway, just this month, Amazon bought out iRobot (Stuart’s manufacturer) for $1.7 billion.

What evil do you think Amazon will do with Stuart’s floorplan of our place ? And since Stuart has artificial sight, how about question two – what will Amazon do with the images of our furniture and everything else ?

I can see it now – an Email … Dear Emmjay, Your lounge is looking a bit tired – we can send you a new one for five grand today… just say the word. And you know those pesky fine print terms and conditions that you agreed to (OK we know you didn’t read them. Nobody reads them. ) Well you agreed that we can sell copies of your original artworks, royalty free. We don’t even have to ask first, or pay you or the artists anything, because this would reduce our intergalactic profits.”

Message 3 – “We suggest you buy top cover home and contents insurance because he who can deliver same day, can also take away same day.”

Holy fuck. I’ll have to revert to dear old dumb Robby and rearrange the furniture and paintings or better still, move. 😦

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