The Dump is:
For posting comments that don’t get up at the Drum, and for having a pleasant, mirthful or enlightening off-topic discussion.
It’s not for personal abuse of other commenters.
Please do that somewhere else if you must.
Play nicely or piss off.
However, why doesn’t a poster add a link for us to read and comment on here, much quicker. Maybe we can do a bit more bagging here, not that I speak for the moderators, yet.
NB: Being tiresome and boring, racist, sexist or just plain creepy is not playing nicely.
———-
The Pig’s Arms exists because a dozen or so years ago our other favourite playpen – the ABC’s Unleashed blogsphere started to go off. Like a sack of prawn heads in the sun. Something had to be done.
Moderation was taking forever. Comments seemed to be rejected randomly – outrageous ones appeared and reasoned ones were pinged. When they released the Drum / Unleashed ….. things actually got worse !
So many pieces from professional writers appear with no obvious merit. And the moderation has become, to put it frankly, appalling.
As a former contributor and a commenter, I was deeply disappointed at the plummeting quality from our pre-eminent media empire. And I resented so many challenging or dare I say, witty or funny posts in which we’ve invested seconds of our precious time – getting the chop.
So here, for all our benefit – is an open slather blog. Copy and paste your best rejected comments here for posterity. Does not matter whether you’re posting on the Guardian, First Dog on the Moon or wherever else.
And sprinkle pointers to the Pig’s Arms amongst your comments. Let’s try to rescue some of the old faithful.
Cheers,
Emm.
Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle 
I am totally baffled by the excuse the Libs splatter out every time they are asked about marriage equality: “Not a priority! We have other, more important issues to think about!”
And they splatter this bullshit out on our faces with the seriousness of a mathematician: “1+1=2, so there!” They think they are the Einstein of morality!
Shit, they must think we’re all abject morons!
There’s bugger all in a bill that simply removes the words that Howard -with no qualms about priority- wrote into the marriage bill, ie, the words “between a man and a woman.” That’s all there is. What are they on about? If they can’t do this much while they’re having their cup of tea, then what the hell are they doing in the corridors and chambers of our nation’s parliament?
And I shed tears of extreme irony when I hear Abbott’s sister trying to placate our anger with her “he’s shifting, he’s conflicted, he’s…” Darling sister, he’s fucked in the heart! Just shut up about his bullshit Jehovah-like mindset! He’s an bum hole and his bum hole is where most of his thinking emanates from!
And what of the ALP? Giving those clowns whose hearts are hardened by their extreme religiosity, the right to vote according to their conscience is like telling them to go to church on the day the bill is put to the vote. The majority of them voted it down the last time and they will do the same again when it is brought for voting the next time. Their conscience IS their religion, so I can see no forward movement on this issue at least for the next decade, if not longer!
No, I’m not baffled, I am outraged!
A new broom needs to sweep through this gang of Genghis Khans!
A new, Green broom!
LikeLike
Albo was absolutely magnificent last night! Up against Turnbullshit with Alberici tearing her hair out trying to work out what these guys were on about! Albo refused to be bullied by chief nerd bully of the Op who has not yet met his match and thought that he could bully everyone with irrelevant factoids! Well, thanks to Albo’s calm and unchauvinist responses, the banker-wanker was ousted for what he was: A liar whose knowledge of the real ingredients of a good broadband are not at all complex and his pursuit of a cheaper, equally as fast and effective medium is utter bullshit.
Well done Albo!
His interview with Ellen Fanning on last Sunday’s The Observer Effect didn’t do him any harm, either.
A hell of a lot more impressed by that man now!
LikeLike
I have always liked Albo, there’s something solid about him, inner strength…Penny Wong and Albanese, both good genuine people. On Q&A Penny Brandt and Rhys, all made sense….can’t say the same about Pyne and Albrechtsen…
LikeLike
Agree Ato but there were some good points to be made which were missed. The roll out of the NBN is like starting at the outer rim and going in circles to the inner – it will get faster and faster. There’s more of course but it is clear that Turnbull is talking bullshit and should have been called out on his original task which was to destroy the NBN.
LikeLike
To Lehan – I’m intrigued – I thought you were in Japan. Do you get Australian tv there – commercial and the ABC. You get to see the ‘debate’ – I thought maybe you could just read about these things.
LikeLike
Hey CharismaticLooWater, …take a break, have a little bit of fun and laughter. Here is something for you….
(PS: good to hear that there are smart genes in your family. 🙂
LikeLike
He’s wonderful, or was, I did not know that he has gone to heaven…I remember Dudley Moore saying that he did not want to go heaven as sitting on the cloud and playing a harp looked so boring…
As I have always been good,the devil does not want me in the hell, so I have asked god to send me to the part of his place where comedians reside…..
LikeLike
He is good, isn’t he?
…and talking about Heaven and Hell, If such places do exist(!), you’ll always be in Heaven, Helvi. 🙂
But, I want to go to Hell. …I gotta settle a score with some people. You never know, I may even be forced to take over Satan’s Throne to be able to do that. 🙂
LikeLike
Who is Tony Abbott?
Overheard last week: “It’s such a shame there isn’t someone other than Tony Abbott as alternative Prime Minister. We think the Gillard government is bad for the country, but it would be better if we had another Opposition leader to vote for.”
It caused me to ask why that view might exist given Abbott’s background, and I wondered if it might be that people do not know his history. So, I have put together some information which might help get a better understanding of the man.
Abbott graduated from the University of Sydney with degrees in Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Economics (BEc). Then he became a Rhodes Scholar at Queens College Oxford UK in Politics and Philosophy. He also won a boxing blue at Oxford. He married Margaret in 1987 and has three daughters. He is a member of the congregation of the Catholic Church.
He was involved in student politics, but beyond that, biographer Michael Duffy, wrote that during his student days he “……..saved a child who was swept out to sea. Another time, he helped save children from a burning house next to a pub where he was drinking. On each occasion he disappeared before he could be properly thanked”.
He is a member of Manly’s Queenscliffe SLSC, and a member of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, both of which he joined before it was politically expedient to do so. He spent several weeks teaching in remote Aboriginal settlements in Cape York in an effort ‘to familiarise himself with indigenous issues’.
If you are wondering where some of the negativity attributed to Tony Abbott comes from, go on to the Net and have a look at the comments which followed, 2 years ago, when he was asked by the Women’s Weekly
“What advice would you give your three daughters on sex before marriage ?”
He told the magazine: ‘’I would say to my daughters, if they were to ask me this question …it is the greatest gift you can give someone, the ultimate gift of giving and don’t give it up to someone lightly.”
Yet, if you were to read many of the comments on the Internet and the print media at the time, you could be forgiven for thinking he was attempting to impose his will on all females in Australia, had ranted against women, had argued for Muslimlike chastity, and so on………………. See for yourself – Google it ! Gillard’s response was to accuse Abbott of “lecturing women”???
I have also included a video of Abbott where he commented on, in what seems to me to be quite a balanced fashion, “climate change” yet the title of the video suggests he has been extreme in “denying climate change and advocating carbon tax”. See what you think. http://youtu.be/oPpQisoZqx4Then have a look at the longer interview from which this original excerpt was taken http://youtu.be/ZoCKhNr8Atk.
Abbott has had a history of being told by ‘ABC types’ that he lacks compassion, does not understand homosexuality or homosexuals, avoids situations where he might need to face up to gay relationships, and so on. Again, because he was not prepared to reveal personal issues of others (ethics, principles,?), he did not speak about his own sister’s lesbian relationship and the part he played in supporting her. It would have been an easy defence for him, but in line with his principles and values, he chose not to use it.
Granted, he is not a super smooth, off the cuff, speaker, and does not fit the orator mould. But when he is compared to the glib tongues and untrustworthiness of Gillard, Rudd, Swan, etc., it is not difficult to determine which attributes are more important for the leadership of Australia.
After Abbott completed his studies, he became a journalist for The Bulletin and also the Australian. For a time he was plant manager for Pioneer Concrete, then became press secretary for the then Opposition Leader, Dr John Hewson. He was elected to Parliament in 1994 at a bi-election. He has held various Ministerial posts and his actions in those roles are a matter of public record . His work ethic is unquestioned.
He was dismayed at the policies of former leader Malcolm Turnbull relating to ETS, and following widespread disaffection with Turnbull’s stance among Liberal Party members, threw his hat into the ring, as did Joe Hockey, for leadership of the Liberal Party. Abbott was successful. At the time, the polls were running strongly against the Liberal Party (in the 40% approval range), while Kevin Rudd enjoyed figures around 60%Within a short space of time, with Abbott as leader, those figures changed to such a degree that Rudd was replaced in the now infamous “faceless men” coup which installed Gillard. Since that time, Abbott has maintained constant focus on the ever widening circle of disasters associated with the Gillardgovernment to the stage where support for that government now hovers around the 30% mark.
Abbott, strikes me as a person of integrity, he has values in which I too believe, and ethics based on his Christian beliefs. I would much rather place my trust in someone who, in his actions, has shown he is what he says, rather than someone who will say anything to gain a prospective advantage for themselves.
BY: Mark LATHAM, Former Leader of A.L.P.
I love Latham’s comment.: ” You might like Rudd, till you get to know him”. Or, something like that.
Just thought that I’d post this while you’re all having an excruciatingly dribbling love fest about the holy Labor candidates.
All the best for the election..snigger.
LikeLike
Abbott claims travel and expenses and everything possible while on his ‘charity’ gigs. That is not an honest volunteer and I still say it is too much like a stunt. Real volunteers do not make their work public. Regarding his concern for Aboriginals you seem to forget that he was part of a government which dismantled ATSIC and disempowered them as much as possible. Gutted Mabo and declared Aboriginals were going to take over most of the land. He got his Rhodes award with the help of supportive letters from his priests and his boxing ability. Rhodes scholarships are not what they are cracked up to be. I judge people by their words and what he said of Bernie was disgusting and what he said of Julia more so. I wouldn’t trust Abbott as far as I could throw him.
LikeLike
That’s a fair reply, Viv.
Refreshing after reading some of the expletives from Hph.
I can’t discuss his travel expenses. I simply don’t know.
Being part of a government, doesn’t always mean that one agrees with everything. Take Turnbull on climate change and – then – all of the ex-ALP ministers, who resigned claiming (previously) that Rudd was an egotistical egomaniac.
Tony Burke, is particularly disappointing. I regard him as a good man. Now he’s the Asylum Punishment Minister.
As you know I am a Malcophile, and hope that he gets the chance to govern this huge dry land.
In the meantime, if it’s a choice between Abooot and Malc v Rudd…and, anybody (even likeable Albanese), it can only be anything associated with Malcolm Turnbull.
LikeLike
That is your problem old mate. Why are you aware of some things and not others. Abbott’s expense claims have been documented and are all sourced from FOI data – it is all painfully true. But, as always, these matters do not get the coverage they deserve in the MSM. Margo Kingston was the first to document this information. It is a shameful act of Abbott and his supporters who praise his ‘volunteering’ are equally guilty. As Abbott ‘knifed’ Turnbull at the behest of Minchin your hopes for Malcolm are probably never to be granted (but one can never be 100% sure).
LikeLike
Well, I don’t know what your point is? You seem to be saying that as well as his ‘time’ that he should have spent his wages on travelling. I’ll have to digest that – as to why it’s important to you.
The other thing that I don’t understand is the reference to backstabbing. I’ll have to look that up too. I though that they called a vote. No?
I have often thought that the left thinking humans – such as my brother; a Greenie – see conspiracies everywhere. That coupled with angst, pessimism and eternal trepidation.
You must live in a tortured world that I can’t envisage.
I would rather Adam Bandt, PM, than Kevin Rudd, a detestable, faux individual, with proven antipathy.
Anyways,I am digging over the ‘erb garden in the next coupla days and going up to the Turf Club stables, for some free horse manure.
The smell of the manure is quite a tonic after seeing Kevin & Peetr Beatties’ mugs in the news.
LikeLike
My point is that one is not volunteering if one is being paid and claiming expenses and travel. Your information included reference to his life saving, fire fighting etc. These ‘topics’ together with Abbott’s bike riding fund raising are often offered up as part of Abbott’s wondrous attributes. They are nothing of the sort. Volunteer work is unpaid, done in your own time and usually done quietly and humbly. Abbott does not do that. Backstabbing/knifing – apparently Julia knifed Kevin so I just slap it back to a Lib. But your perception of me is odd, I live in a very real world and the only conspiracy I see is in the MSM here and there.
Aside from that glad to hear you are still gardening.
LikeLike
Expenses are neutral if one is recompensed. They are not payments for work – as you are implying.
Or, are you saying that he was paid?
LikeLike
OMG, these ridiculous rumours keep coming. Just like &70 billion black hole and the GST rise*. I don’t believe any of them.
Subject: LATE BREAKING NEWS
Bloody interesting…
Chris Smith on 2GB has a ‘Rumour box’.
A couple of months ago just after Rudd became PM Mk2, someone told the shock jock that Rudd was hiring two of Obama’s team to help him fight the election by using Obama tactics.
That rumour has now been confirmed.
The same person has just divulged this.
As you know, up until Sunday morning Rudd was denying a trip to the GG for a September 7th Election.
He was going to spend the day with the family. He had full intentions of going to the G20.
Something suddenly changed as we got news that the RAAF plane was on its way to pick him up.
What suddenly changed?
What this person revealed to Chris is that the PNG MPs have put forward A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE in O’NEIL.
PNG Parliament will vote on 10TH SEPTEMBER!! This person obviously knows what is happening in Rudd’s office and his minders insisted that he call an election immediately.
Can you imagine the fallout if Manus is stopped? There is a good chance that O’Neil will not be PM of PNG after the 10th SEPTEMBER. Which would mean another FAIL for KRUDD
* Atomou, rise, or raise?
LikeLike
Yee gods and little fishes. No one is volunteering if they are on full pay (which Tony is all the time). No one is volunteering if they claim living allowance, travel and expenses from the government every day while ‘volunteering’. If you don’t understand this Jules then no explaining is going to register in your closed mind. He can only claim these expenses if he is on official business. Fun runs, surf carnivals, chatting with or assisting Aboriginals, bike riding for charity – not official business. But he claims everytime – I have no idea but have to assume he claims it as official. And he is lauded for all his charity work. Rubbish.
LikeLike
This is a fine eulogy to be recited at his funeral, Cazza but, alas, Tony (I want to be known as the Infrastructure Prime Minister) Abbott, is everyday reciting a eulogy on the burial day of this country!
He’s an idiot, looking for a village and a village of ONE, welcomed him. Now, the poor shits (serves them right!) don’t know what to do with him.
His village is one straight out of the paleolithic era when the shamans ruled by a godless theocracy. “Him Moon-God wants virgin blood now. Her not virgin. Her throw to the crocodiles!”
Do let me know when someone brings him up to speed with the progress that 30 million years of evolution has made, please.
In the meantime, Rudd, too, needs to be pulled right out of the doorway of his church -right out of the cabal of neo-shamans- before any microphones are plunged into his slimy face. In his village there are still people who till the land according to what the land wants and not what Him Moon-God wants who could drag him out of that church’s doorway but these villagers are few in number and alas, the village collective has been too corrupted and the corrupted too well ensconced for them to do anything.
Perhaps the trimester after the next four…
LikeLike
Believe what you like. Being involved with student politics as I was I can give you the names of several people who will attest that he punched the wall next to a women’s head. Something he strenuously denies. On top of that he had to defend a charge against him of sexual assault, He had his goon squad who were prepared to to purger themselves.. There are other instances were civil cases were bought against him but collapsed due to the weight of his goon squad and bevy of lawyers.
His neighbours don’t speak to him due to the level of verbal abuse that emanates from the house. If he strikes you as a “person of integrity” then bully for you. On top of that he’s work outside the Liberal party amounts to 6 months.
For me Malcolm is a far better bet.
LikeLike
Heh heee .. I worked out who ‘v’ guy is 🙂
He is good. As always…
LikeLike
Is the v guy someone we would know from somewhere? Can you provide more info hph please.
LikeLike
Hint: He’s from here 🙂
LikeLike
Well I must keep an eye out for comments from ‘v’ and think hard. I am a bit thick sometimes as some of us, not me though, have multiple names at the Pub and elsewhere and I don’t always twig. Turning off computer.
LikeLike
…it must be cynicure, they are intelligent and non-abusive. 🙂
LikeLike
Perhaps if ‘v’ is from here, he could ‘out’ himself. I am sure everyone knows I am Stuffed Olive.
LikeLike
He will, in good time, Vivienne.
LikeLike
There I was, all set to post an opinion on Tim Dunlop’s latest article over at the Dumb, to say that it was ironic that his article should appear on a blog whose own supposed raison d’etre as a public opinion or ‘vox-pop’ blog has been forgotten to such an extent that it has itself become increasingly irrelevant to many people who wish to join REAL debates instead of endlessly running on and on with the same tired old chestnuts and not even having the good grace to refrain from interfering (as ‘moderators’, mind you… not ‘censors’… nooooooo…! Certainly not ‘censors’!) in which opinions do or do not get posted, but when I went to post my opinion (which, along with that of most other common-or-garden ‘bloggers’, Tim Dunlop seems to hold in scant regard!) instead of the dialogue box into which I should type my message, all I got was a ‘service unavailable’ dialogue box…
As if what I wanted to say actually NEEDED such underlining! Is any further proof necessary of the utter and complete irrelevance of the Dumb?
LikeLike
Look down to 1st August comment from me NEWS flash…. I had a lengthy email exchange with Chip, the Drum Editor. We discussed everything but it is still not fixed of course.
LikeLike
Service not available. Wonder if it ever came back on. The situation is of course quite monstrous.
LikeLike
Dumbed Down Drum. How true, how true Cynicure. Now they are telling us to take a break from commenting and go outside for a bit of fresh air…!
I think they are getting lazy over there at the Dumb!
LikeLike
I saw that – interesting. But apt for advice for twerps like Andie and a few others.
LikeLike
I agree, Vivienne, but they are not consistent with their moderation. There were times I couldn’t get two comments posted in one day, whereas a nut from the Right was able to post more than ten on the same page. Some of the comments are so insensitive and come across as racist, how the moderators allow them is mind boggling!
LikeLike
Of course they’re not ‘consistent’ HPH… they’re partisan!
I think it’s fair enough to assume that the moderators allow statements which they think ‘acceptable’ to get past them… statements they agree with and wish to promote. It’s not a ‘public opinion’ blog, except in the sense that it is where public opinion may be manufactured (Have you read Chomsky on the manufacture of ‘consent’?) rather than ‘expressed’!
Remember how consent to the second gulf war was manufactured? The Dumb is now nothing more nor less than a modern version of Chairman Mao’s ‘Little Red Book’; it’s all about propaganda now… not ‘public opinion’, except insofar as propaganda can shape the latter!
LikeLike
Oh yes I’ve read it, and more (of his articles and books). You are quite right in saying that public opinion is being manufactured even at the ABC and I’ve always suspected this for the past fifteen months or so. The chief moderator is the conductor who sets the tempo and we are the players in the symphony orchestra.
To say it bluntly: We are being played.
It will get even worse if the Libs win the election.
LikeLike
hph and cynicure, I agree with your comments 100%…we are all civil and amusing and intelligent and non-racist, yet the racist riff-raff get twenty posts up to our one…
I have lost interest in the Drum. ABC’s own writers are also terribly biased as are the moderators.
I’m not wasting my wit and wisdom there anymore 🙂 There loss not mine. 🙂
LikeLike
True indeed. The moderator should take his/her own advice in the moderation. I have the same problem, so the advice is too twee. The total shit and the non-comment ‘blurt’ should be knocked out. The moderator has the power to stop what he/she complains of in the first bloody place. I’m going to try to be alert to any moderator comment next week and if necessary fire off an email to my new mate Chip.
LikeLike
Vivie, Chip IS the moderator! At least the editor or some such very sultanlike personage. And he’s as right wing as you can get. I had a few exchanges with him myself and then I heard him speak on the TV Drum and lo!
Everything was made clear!
To put it correctly but not loftily, he’s a little shit, I’m afraid.
LikeLike
Yes, he is the editor of the Drum. But he did answer ALL my emails in a relatively speedy manner. So I might have a go at the Moderator via him and see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And, yes I saw him on the Drum – American accent was a worry. I am also sorry to say that too many of the people in/on the ABC are all shits.
LikeLike
On a more appetising note our dinner tonight will be lamb souvlaki. Just picked some lemons for squeezing and have plenty of good garlic and oregano and Murray pink salt and local olive oil. That should do it – along with the local lamb. Got to go and do some pruning as the sun is out (i.e. not drizzling rain and freezing).
LikeLike
Chip is the editor. The second in charge, Catherine (?), asked Gerard to write an article, but it still had to go via Chip. I believe they still have two female moderators, this sub-editor Cath and another Catherine(surname?)…
I read somewhere that Ann Summers was/is his partner…I thought she was Labor.
I saw Chip on the Drum and disliked him immensely, The Drum TV is also very full of Liberal opinionistas, too much silly laughter, I check who is on, most nights I turn it off.
LikeLike
Vivie, soak the souvlaki in oil for a good couple of hours before you BBQ it. It will keep it nice and moist during the process. Don’t salt it until after, or just before it’s cooked. Otherwise it’ll get tough.
LikeLike
Err – doing that Ato but I have bunged everything in for marinading including the salt. I don’t think the salt flakes act the same as regular table salt. I did it like this last time and the meat was excellent. I had it all mixed and in the glass bowl before I went and pruned the grapevines.
I’ve programmed my machine to record Chant of Jimmy etc.
LikeLike
Helvi – I think I heard that Anne Summers was his partner too and thought hmmmmm Anne looks considerably older than Chips and she is a leftie and I just wonder. Kim Williams married a Whitlam, so another hmmmmmmmm.
LikeLike
Helvi – just did a Yahoo search. Anne and Chips are partners. She spent some years in the USA and the timing of his arrival in Australia (1993) coincides with their probably having met up in American and both came back to Australia same time. Anne was born in 1945.
LikeLike
Rolley is 48. Obviously likes older smart women. As relatively new editor on the Drum and to the ABC it is surprising, from his background, that he is allowing himself to tilt to the right.
LikeLike
Wonder what’s in store on The Drum this week. Will we get a chance to comment. Will the service be bloody available?
LikeLike
Believe it or not there were posts ready to go on a Sunday night. Maybe they’ll keep them open a little longer over the following weeks.
LikeLike
Quality of the comments = appalling, re Cassidy and Crabb. The articles need to be more gusty and into policy. Talking about Abbott and Rudd is not good enough.
LikeLike
Vivie, the thing now is that Rudd IS the party. The whole party have chucked another leader to get to him, so, if the ALP wins, he will, for all intents and purposes hold a presidential position. It is therefore quite a valid thing to be doing to check the character of this mongrel. He will remain its leader and our PM until the elections they’ll lose.
It’s all about him.
About Abbott, I’m not so sure. The Libos are certainly committed to him for the duration of the elections but after that, I’ve no idea. If they win, he’ll probably stay the full term. If not, who knows?
Incidentally, I, too wince at his every appearance and am totally surprised that I wince even more than I did with Gillard! Unbelievable! Labor? What Labor?
LikeLike
I’m afraid, it’s now all about Rudd, Vivie!
The bastard has made all the cowards in his party to turn him into a Godhead! They have committed the party damned near completely and irretrievably to him, so if they win, Australians will have to deal with a President, the likes of whom even Mugabe would salivate over.
I haven’t read the articles you’ve mentioned yet but if your observation is that these two should talk about policies and not about the men, well, I think, in this case, it’s a fairly valid thing to do.
I don’t know how committed the other thugs are to Abbott but I doubt they are as glued to him as the Labs are to Rudd.
Incidentally, I, too wince pretty painfully whenever Rudd appears before my eyes and ears and I thought my wincing at Julia’s presence was as bad as it could get!
Labor Party? What Labor party?
Did you do the ABC Vote Compass yet?
I did and though I saw my results I haven’t received them in my email. They said I would. I think I’m having IT troubles. I’ve sent this post before but it didn’t get up! I wonder what the problem is!
LikeLike
On the Social Liberalism/Social Conservatism axis I rated high up on the Social Lib. line. On the Economic Left/Economic Right Axis, same spot on the Left side.
So the graph places me upper left hand corner, almost attached to the Greens and way above the ALP.
And I relate to the Greens 91% whereas with the ALP 69% and the Libos 36% (MUST do better here!)
LikeLike
It was interesting Ato. I found myself in the middle between the Greens and ALP. I relate to 76% of the Green and ALP with 40% LNP. It probably didn’t surprise me that much.
LikeLike
I found that quite an interesting exercise, algie.
Reasonable questions, except for the competence of leaders question because that was too great a temptation to put your favourite at the top and the others at the bottom, thus corrupting the objectivity of the test somewhat, but there were enough questions to balance that and bring the result to a reasonable reflection of your political belief system.
It’s interesting also because, if they keep it going every election time, it would be a good way of making you reflect upon your politics and of tracking their path, of watching how they -or the politicians- change.
Keep the results and compare them with those of the next election, particularly if the nazis win govn’t.
LikeLike
Yes, I did the Compass and saved my results but it turns out they have a techy hitch and apologise that results NOT SAVED after all. My results from memory had me similar to yours Ato. I sit on the top left, a bit in and a bit down. Three of the family did the test and got similar results. I know what tipped the scaling – I rated Milne above Rudd (Julia would have been top) and climate and asylum seekers would both had hit the Green side, along with a few other important topics. Quite a good compass.
Yes, I completely see what Rudd has done and is doing and we are not happy, not one bit.
The Independent Cathy McGowan had 400 show up for her launch on Sunday.
LikeLike
Great to hear about Cathy. Mirabella is a despicable creature who, somehow managed to bypass 50,000 of sapiens evolution. Still in the Middle Ages where they burned people for having a different opinion to the chieftains.
Vile creature!
Though, I’d back her before any candidate, from either of the majors -but second from the Greens!
LikeLike
No no and no Ato. Put that thought out of your head re Mirabella. She is worse than you think and I know your thoughts there ! The other independent candidate just dropped out. Poor bugger had a heart attack.
LikeLike
Shit, just realised what I’ve written! You’re quite right! I was talking about backing Cathy, not Mirabella -spit, spit!
Rather unfortunate about the candidate who had a heart attack. These, campaign things take a lot out of people. Some, it destroys, others, it destroys their family. It can be a very engrossing exercise. Takes a very calm disposition.
No, Mirabella’s name alone would make my bowls very turbulent, let alone give her any preference over any human!
LikeLike
Just took a gander at the ABC’d Drum!
What the hell is going on down there? Can’t understand what I’m seeing and how one can see what one has written, if one has managed to write anything at all. Total confusion!
Oh, well!
It’s election time and the ABC decided to pull out of the mountebank business for the duration. Why give a bunch of lefties a place to stand and deliver, ey?
LikeLike
Right then Ato – a tiny brain fog moment. The Drum is crazy these days. When open it is either comments can’t be made or nobody is moderating and nothing is happening. When I go away things happen but when I come back nothing…. But the articles and the comments are pathetic. The discussions barely worth taking part in. Well, got to head off shopping now. Talk later I hope!
LikeLike
Article:
Risking it all to expose gang violence By ABC’s Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop
Tory Boy:
30 Jul 2013 3:46:51pm
‘Regarding those killed so far, good riddance to bad rubbish. Regarding those that remain alive, the police know who those scum are so why are they still on the streets? What is it with this country and its adoration of people who have no value, no worth, and nothing to contribute to our society?’
…
My reply to Tory Boy:
“…careful,Tory Boy, your bigot-slip is showing. You must be thinking that all criminals in Australia came from overseas.”
…did not get past the moderator!
LikeLike
It remains a crazy place at the Drum. One article (mainly with service not available) was closed. An hour later it was open and a comment I made was up. That was good as it was a reply re tariffs. Their techy people are not trying very hard are they?
LikeLike
Nearly everything closed to comment. Less than 24 hours after article going up. Think I ought to email Chip again.
LikeLike
I’ve emailed Chip. Will post his reply here when it comes.
LikeLike
NEWS FLASH – Chip is on the ball as far as answering emails goes. Reply just in within minutes: Dear Vivienne
Thanks for this.
We are indeed struggling with our commenting software. ABC Tech informs us that there is a fault with one of our servers and it will have to be replaced. We have not changed practice in terms of how long a particular article is open for comments.
I note your displeasure with the You Said It and Soap Box not being updated, and certainly have sympathy with your frustration at how long it is taking.
Kind regards
Chip Rolley
LikeLike
I’m having email conversation with Chip. Rather good feeling. I’ve given him some advice on how to run the Drum.
LikeLike
Thanks Vivienne. This is good news.
LikeLike
I now have a long email thread – conversation finished for now. He is taking on board everything I have said. Great not be dismissed out of hand which is often the case. He is hoping to have improvement soon. So we shall see.
LikeLike
You Said It has just disappeared. Chip already on to it – told him how out of date that was too.
LikeLike
Nup, it’s back.
LikeLike
Me and Chip are like this – you know what I mean.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Finally.. the service is back!……..
LikeLike
Well it was for a few minutes. Posted one OK then the system crashed.
LikeLike
Another way looking at it is I think, Gremlins took over The Drum.
LikeLike
This is crap! .. I mean real crap!
Look at the time of the day and the service is STILL unavailable TO ME….?!
Others can post but I CANNOT!!!!!
GRRR….
LikeLike
UNBELIEVABLE .!.
I have been trying to post messages to the Drum since midday, but the service is STILL unavailable.
YET, other people’s comments posted at 1:30 PM show up below the articles!
grrrr…
LikeLike
I said on the Dot- if it was a Bank there would be a riot.
LikeLike
If there is one, I’ll be there at the head of it, with sticks and stones….
LikeLike
Article: What if I had arrived to this country by boat? By Bharat Ramakrishna
Michael Smith: 27 Jul 2013 12:41:16pm
“You were treated for “severe depression”? There is no such diagnosis, the most severe form of depression is called “Major Depression”, obviously the term “severe depression” is a self-titled, egocentric grab for sympathy.
Australia does not have to accept dodgy, greedy people trying to enter the country by boat. Should we care that they want a taste of the Australian “affluent lifestyle”? Many of these so called detainees are willing to violently riot at the drop of a hat, hardly people that will make safe, respectable Aussie citizens.
I personally have ZERO sympathy when such adult boat people drown, but I do feel bad for the children that have been sacrificed due to the selfish actions of their parents.
Boat people are a blight on this society that need to be exterminated like a plague of festering disease.”
…………
My reply to Michael, which cannot be posted, because “Service Unavailable” !!!!!!!!!
“Michael, Has anyone told you that you’re a sociopath?”
LikeLike
Holy crap! … You’re right, Vivienne. I just discovered: -Service unavailable!
LikeLike
Service not bloody available !
LikeLike
I’m posting but nothings being put up by anyone.
LikeLike
Working now. I’m still working on transcribing job but stop for a break to check out email and ABC stuff. Same old shit of course – Donnelly, my post and answer – repeat same old shit but I don’t get a kick back as it’s closed. Typical.
LikeLike
Yep, just got back from lunch with Mrs A. Four new posts on one, none on the others. This is my one day a fortnight and nothing to argue with
LikeLike
The Drum has been asleep since 8am this morning. Fridays are crap days at the drum.
LikeLike
One goes from nothing to 193 posts in one hit go figure.
LikeLike
Algernon, I think they’re on acid at the drum.
🙂
LikeLike
I think they’re eating too much custard hph. 🙂
LikeLike
http://wwwDOTstoplaughingDOTcomDOTau/wordpress/?p=424
copy & paste above link to your browser, then replace DOT with a dot from your keyboard to go to the webpage.
LikeLike
Yeap, The Drum Opinion is definitely changing for the worse.
They should perhaps change the editor to make it better.
Julie Novak’s article is not open for comments for some strange reason! ..Anyhow, this is my reply to her:
“ Dear Julie, why don’t you ask the city of Las Vegas to help out Detroit, …better still why not ask the richest family in America, Walton Family of Wal-Mart, to help them people in Detroit. Waltons’ worth is equal to 100 million people out of 300 million population in America .
Ayn Rand’s comical philosophy is not the solution…”
LikeLike
Yes, hph, it’s getting very boring and impersonal, Lauren ‘s baby shower was a bit of light relief, saw your comment there; now all the liberal commentators have turned compassionate overnight, I feel like screaming. For years I have seen saying process the asylum seekers in Oz, let them in community, let them earn their upkeep after assistance at first. Let them populate the country towns…
All I have got is : you are unrealistic tree hugger, a dreamer…I give up.
LikeLike
Yes. Frankly I have come to the point where I don’t give a stuff if the Drum continues or not. They killed off Unleashed and replaced it with a mish mash. Now it is just mush.
LikeLike
Isn’t it great to see Julian make such a tool of himself over at the drum, brilliant.
LikeLike
On which blog Hungie?
LikeLike
What do you expect from someone who resides in a town developed by white shoes and run by outlaw bikie gangs.
LikeLike
The whole Drum is in lockdown. Not a single response is getting through. I think the elderly are seething at the ramparts of the ABC , yielding, nay brandishing golf clubs and umbrellas. A man was seen hurling his wooden leg through a window, an elderly lady used her electric wheelchair to breach the front door. It is just the beginning.
LikeLike
Tells me its unavailable again! haven’t been able to post for two days and obviously on the naughty list for the others.
Loved your post on the Drum BTW, but didn’t get the opportunity to post anything.
LikeLike
Sweet mother of Zeus!!! …I’ve been trying to post few comments for the past hour or so, and all I get is “service unavailable” …!
YET, some people are still able to post after 7:30pm..
Go figure!!!
LikeLike
Looks like it opens for a minute or so then falls apart again. Rare I get a week without a comment not posted. Look like they want us all to go away.
LikeLike
My post on Gerard’s blog did not come up, maybe it got lost in transit; it was a proper sensible one …
LikeLike
Well, Algernon, I’m certain that they are keeping us apart. When I reply with a short message such as: “I agree, Vivienne”, they don’t post it. I tried to get similar messages posted (to yours and Helvie’s and others’ from PA) a lot of times in the past, but to no avail.
LikeLike
Good, that’s cheered me immensely.
LikeLike
I feel all bad now for being critical of our ABC. Gerard was asked to write an article about ageing by one of lovely moderators. It’s there today on the Drum side, at least at the moment…have a look
LikeLike
Here it is.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-18/oosterman-growing-old/4827822#comments
LikeLike
Reading it now. Someone remembered Gerard at the ABC. Wonderful.
LikeLike
But naturally enough – the comments box is not available – not working, again. It is a lovely article Gerard – you done good!
LikeLike
And comments box still not available. I want to comment and post to a couple of dimwits but can’t. Bugger and bum.
LikeLike
Yep went to post a comment and of course its unavailable. Great article though.
LikeLike
American outrage at an unjust system By Ruby Hamad
Jarrad Greenham:
17 Jul 2013 10:07:58am
Some of the idiotic comments on this story are truly terrifying. So many mindless sheep happy as long as the law is enforced, who needs justice in their justice system right?
My comment to Jarrad: “Well, Jarrad, if there is real justice on this planet then George Bush & Co. should be tried for war crimes.”
..wasn’t published.
LikeLike
George Bush is from Texas…
Chip Rolley is from Texas
🙂
LikeLike
hph, I have a feeling that they will close the opinion page. It will be all on the Drum side, and we will be responding more and more to ABC’s own employees, with an odd outsider, it’s getting very boring with the same old contributors, it’s left and right fighting, nothing else, nothing personal and funny anymore, I hardly go there…..sad, it used to be very good….
LikeLike
Yep, the good old The Drum Unlashed is not there anymore! There used to be more fun & humour back then. Now everything is very serious beyond the castle wall of The ABC. The gate keepers are not allowing even the light hearted humorous comments to pass thru. The place is dry, the people are stiff and the discussions are boring.
Another problem is, with their web design. Instead of having a separate page reserved for only opinion articles, as it was in the old days, they are now combining them with other stuff that I am not much interested in seeing them in the first place. It’s like ‘forced advertising’. Now I have to search which item is an opinion article before I click on to it. Why don’t they keep it simple? Why do they have to make it difficult for us, I really don’t understand? Maybe it is intentional, maybe they don’t want us to focus at the heart of the matter. ..Our thoughts and concentration become scattered.
LikeLike
I don’t know what is happening at The Drum, but I can see a big-change is coming.
I don’t think we’ll be able to retrieve previous articles of the authors in the future anymore.
I went to ‘Find Stories by Date’ and clicked on to ‘Jul’ under ‘Previous Moths’ and didn’t see, in the list, any of the articles published today (Monday)
LikeLike
Same here – about a month ago I couldn’t get into old stuff. The Soap Box remains stuck in time. There are fewer articles coming up. Maybe writers are not sending stuff in as they fear being up at 3 pm on Friday and closed at 4 pm on a Friday – something I referred to ages ago – very insulting to the efforts of those people.
LikeLike
NEWS FLASH – just received an email from Chips, as follows: “Thanks for your note regarding “Soap Box”.
We apologise for not updating it. We are making changes to the Drum website and this has affected how the comment selection is done for Your Soapbox.
We will be retiring Your Soap Box soon. May I encourage you to check “You Said It” on the Drum homepage (www.abc.net.au/thedrum)? This also features comments from readers.
We encourage you to use http://www.abc.net.au/thedrum as your main portal to our offerings.
Kind regards
Chip Rolley
Editor, The Drum online
ABC
LikeLike
Thanks for that Vivienne. I was just about to reply to you about ‘the soap box’, which, in my opinion, “will be phased out all together very shortly” …
I noticed that they are now publishing twit comments at ‘You Said It’ section!
LikeLike
I can’t even get a post up this week. Somehow Algernon’s on the bad list!
LikeLike
If they are blocking you Algernon, then there is no hope for me at the drum this week!
LikeLike
I wrote about four complaining posts about why they put that red-faced Kevin photo up, they put up one, the mildest…I did not send anything for a couple days…finally I got bored and put a one- liner on one of the political blogs; the Liberals must have missed me, my silly post got twenty two (22 ) replies… 🙂
LikeLike
In the same spirit as standing up for old ladies on a bus, here is a tip (even though all 3 of you write vacuous nonsense). On the main page of The Drum, click on archive, it will show you a list of articles in the current (awkward) format.
LikeLike
Yes, Jules, but if you go to Contributors to seek one particular article by a known author you will find it does not work. You can’t find by topic either. The one which does work is not as efficient as necessary and it depends on how good your memory is of who wrote what when.
LikeLike
Well, you can scroll down, or (in firefox) press Ctrl f, which will bring a find/search box up in the left hand corner. You can also do this by clickin on the drop down arrow in the left hand box, then choosing find.
After that type the name of the contributor. Of course, the name or word has to be on the current page, however it’s easy to change pages.
LikeLike
Whatever Jules. Do you mean the site’s own Search? It is not as quick or easy as the way it used to be. As it is now, I couldn’t care less. They don’t either. The firefox find as you say only works if you are on the right page and if you were you wouldn’t need to do a find in the first place! Thanks for trying anyway.
LikeLike
I like that ‘v’ guy at the Drum. He’s right behind the eight-ball …and he’s funny too.
LikeLike
‘v’ guy, now you have made me curious, you are not referring to ‘our’ Vectis Lad, Julian, Waterloo Sunset… ? I’m thinking, thinking…hph. I’m no wiser.
LikeLike
I have not been posting much on the Drum; I just checked and yes the v-guy is pretty cool, and there are others…
LikeLike
Again, a few of my comments didn’t get past the moderator today!
LikeLike
I got quite a few up, John seemed a troll though
LikeLike
You are lucky Algernon…I saw them…
LikeLike
hph and alge, I’m so fed up to see the intelligent and informed posts by Labor siders being replied by stupid Liberal slogan throwers repeating the same old, the same old and once more, with the effing rubbish by the Liberal ignoramuses…
LikeLike
alge, John is the male pseudo for the biggest Drum troll, who is female…
LikeLike
I thought “John” lacked intelligence in their comments yesterday. The funniest though was chips defending a Labor seat warmer.
Unfortunately for me though Labor dumped their candidate for Bennelong last night, I’m not really much of a fan of his and thought there were better people to stand. But unlike Alexander he was a local with significant ties to the area.Might be a little tougher now for Labor here no matter how much the Chinese love Kevin.
LikeLike
Funny how their regular trolls target us – I mean us. I get two comments posted and bingo there is some dumb reply. They have nothing to add to the topic. Still it does mean our comments probably do bite and are effective – so perhaps we should be pleased or chuffed even.
LikeLike
It could be seen as flattery sometimes, no most of the party trolls are people of simple minds and inability to argue.
LikeLike
Have a look at the picture of Kevin Rudd on ABC the drum/opinion, is this a way to treat our PM, is this some kind of sick joke?
LikeLike
Right, so the Drum’s Soap Box still on sabbatical. One article for commenting on. Now, guess what, reply Service is not working, not available.
LikeLike
I encountered the same problem ten minutes ago, Vivienne.
LikeLike
I asked on the Drum if Abbott has paid the nine thousand four hundred dollars of tax payers money back that he used to promote his book, they did not publish it.
You can say anything about Gillard and Rudd,and it’s published, but it’s not the same with Abbott. ABC is definitely biased….
LikeLike
Keep mentioning it Helvi… maybe you’ll get lucky and get the ‘nice’ moderator!
LikeLike
asty, I also told someone called ardy, andie or andy: if you don’t LIKE Kevin, go and play with someone else…still waiting for that one to pop up 🙂
LikeLike