The Dump

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.

give a crap

———-

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.

15242 thoughts on “The Dump”

  1. How to woo a woman, Zeus’ style.

    When Zeus came to the conclusion that it was time for him to marry, he looked around and thought that his sister, Hera, would be a good catch. Fact is, he thought she was quite gorgeous and, amongst gods, such things as incest were irrelevant. Gods don’t die, don’t get sick (although he did once get a huge headache, so huge in fact, so intolerably excruciating that he got Iphaistos to split his head in half with an ax to relieve him of it. When Iphaistos did this, out popped the cause of his headache: the goddess Athena, fully grown and fully armed… but that’s another story.

    Anyhow, he made his due wooing and cajoling and advances to Hera but she’d have none of it. Zeus had a dreadful reputation of being an out and out thug, shooting his thunderbolts far too readily at anyone and anything (even mountains) that bothered him and of raping every gorgeous mortal on Earth –the list of his atrocities is endless.
    So, no, Hera told to go and get stuffed.

    But Zeus persisted. It was going to be Hera or no one else!

    So, he did with her what he did with all the mortal women he raped: transformed himself into a little bird. If my memory serves me right, a cuckoo. Then he gathered lots and lots of clouds over his head, made them rain and got himself all wet and miserable and pathetic looking, evoking pity from even the most heartless.

    Then he approached Hera who wasn’t heartless at all and who saw the little cuckoo all wet and bedraggled and shivering and wretched and felt sorry for it, so sorry for it that she picked it up and brought it to her lovely divine bosom for some comfort.

    At that moment, Zeus brought himself back to his usual form and asked her with the words of a most disconsolate suppliant to take pity on him because he, though a god, was as miserable and wretched as that poor cuckoo she had just picked up.
    He loved her, he uttered most sincerely and would do anything for her, blah, blah, blah…

    To her eternal misfortune, (eternity being the quintessential element of being a god) Hera’s heart gave way and so she agreed to marry him.

    There were other reasons involved in her decision, not least of which, the fact that other goddesses would love to marry him as well, but that, too will have to wait until I feel mythological again…

    Anyhow, they say their honeymoon lasted 300 years and Zeus’ faithfulness about 24 hours because the very next day after their wedding the king of the gods went off roaming the planet for his next victim!

    Like

  2. vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

    A comment on the Guardian: The arrogance and megalomania of Abbott is such that he cannot accept any rejection or defeat … such as his crushing defeat over the East West Link.

    The expression “dog returning to its vomit” comes to mind …

    It will eventually prove to be his downfall.

    Like

  3. Am I deaf or has the outrage against the death penalty in Indonesia has not been matched with that against the death sentence given to the Boston bomber in the good old, bad old, barbaric old USA????

    Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      But our guys were reformed! Give the Boston bomber 10 years in jail first should be the message from Abbott/Bishop et al. Can we hear anything? Nup.

      Like

    • Are you surprised? We can’t critisise our American overlords, I mean, ‘friends’.

      Like

  4. http://theconversation.com/the-arts-minister-has-wrenched-our-culture-away-from-the-artists-41681?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Weekend+Conversation+-+2821&utm_content=The+Weekend+Conversation+-+2821+CID_2a891d26311e59266d5160094f3e3983&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=The%20arts%20minister%20has%20wrenched%20our%20culture%20away%20from%20the%20artists

    From The conversation:
    15 May 2015, 12.07pm AEST

    The arts minister has wrenched our culture away from the artists
    by Julian Meyrick

    An eminently, in fact an imperatively readable article, in The Conversation.

    Because:

    This is where the rape of Democracy begins: With the raping of the muses.

    While Abbott’s other marauders are busily raping other children of Democracy, Bandis is busy violating her most cherished and most important daughters.
    With one nasty stroke of the “budget” pen, he has raped them and is now boasting about his accomplishment as if Democracy is his very own mistress.
    But we should not be surprised.
    This is the man who has not long ago showed us his how anxious he was to rape Justice and with the greatest of passions and glee, rolled out Bigotry to replace her, as the virtuous virgin who protects our human rights.
    For this man and this govn’t, the Dark, Medieval Ages were a godsend.
    They were times when anyone with an extra pouch of gold or a glittering uniform, ruled everything within his horizon.
    This is scarifying indeed!
    And we must fight it and Brandis with all the life and strength pumping in our veins.
    Democracy is not for raping!

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    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      Well Ato you clearly have missed the point. All this Arts money is Brandis’ very own – all coming out of his pocket and therefore he will decide who gets it and who does not.

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      • Yes, Vivienne, I believe I have missed the point there!
        It’s a new Australia, one where the politicians are treating our money as if it was theirs. Which is obviously a… good thing for Democracy not to mention their economy!

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        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          During the Howard years they had a good go at this – forget which Minister but the Lib bloke wanted to personally approve all research funding because he knew more about what was worthwhile than the whole academic assessment of submissions mob. It was totally outrageous then and this is all much the same. It is not new. In their DNA.

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  5. Never mind the budget, what I wanna know is what will happen to our latest canine asylum seekers, Johnny Depp’s, Pistol and Boo.

    They look starved and persecuted and in need of this love for asylum seekers Aussies are known for right around the world.
    They too, wanna go to Manus, or Cambodia where they eat such asylum seekers.

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  6. algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

    I see the mods are working hard. Chuck Shitatya has had a good run today.

    Like

  7. vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

    Found this in the details of the budget: To give effect to the agreement on the
    Emissions Reduction Fund, the Government will provide $6.1 million over two years from 2015
    -16 from within the existing resources of the Department of the Environment to extend the Climate Change Authority until 31 December 2016.
    So……. the not quite abolished but defunded mob are back, very quietly. Will it be that Flannery’s renamed Council reverts to the Authority it was with reinstated funding, or will they make a new authority and put Maurice Newman in charge ? I mean, anything is possible!

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    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      I think I got it a bit arse up. Climate Commission, Climate Change Authority and Climate Council ! The CCA has Bernie Fraser and Clive Hamilton on it.

      Like

  8. Remember him?

    “The Strewth Affair
    by Bob Ellis
    James Jeffrey in Strewth wrongly said this blog is at an end, and I had closed it with the words ‘Go fuck yourself.’
    I find these two untruths defamatory, and will test them in court.
    Thirty thousand dollars, in a brown envelope, by close of business Friday, will prevent this ruinous action.”
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/05/13/the-strewth-affair/

    …and the sycophants huddle up and group hug. Puke!

    Well, pardon me, my precious sweetheart but was it not you who said a number of times that you’ll be closing it? That’s an indication that even if it’s not “closed” or taken down, the blog is at its end. It is you who have deceived your readers! And as for the “go fuck yourself” exhortation, darling, and it it and you might get one, it’s your most favourite exhortation. It gets spat out at very regular and very frequent intervals!

    Stop being a bitch, darling!

    Like

    • “…and it it…” end it and you might get one…

      Like

    • I promise not to pester you with Ellis beyond this:

      Mr Ellis, have you forgotten this?
      What does it mean?
      Certain Housekeeping Matters (173)
      Posted by Bob Ellis on May 12, 2015

      “Dr Liz has apologised, and I apologise to her for what I said. She is not a moron, nor is she a destructive bitch. And she can, if she wishes, respond unhindered, within the usual rules, hereinafter.
      And the blog is back.”
      http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/05/12/certain-housekeeping-matters-173/

      or this?
      Certain Housekeeping Matters (172)
      Posted by Bob Ellis on May 12, 2015
      “Dr Liz has refused to apologise, and this blog is at an end.
      Ellis Gold will continue, and its price by Christmas will double.
      See above.”
      http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/05/12/certain-housekeeping-matters-172/#comments

      or this?
      Certain Housekeeping Matters (171)
      Posted by Bob Ellis on May 12, 2015
      “My fight with Dr Liz has aroused a lot of respondents now withdrawing their Ellis Gold payments.
      My inclination is to end this blog now.
      To prevent this, Dr Liz can apologise for calling me a misogynist child murderer, and I will apologise for calling her a moron, and she can come back in.
      I want this from her, or I am out of here.”
      http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/05/12/certain-housekeeping-matters-151-2/

      I could, of course, go on, precious but it’d be much better for a whole lot of poor sucks if you scraped your deranged brain from the walls of your blog and just go away!

      Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      He’s not well.

      Like

      • Obviously, Vivienne and I am with two minds about my attacks against him but he doesn’t know just how much he hurts people with his bullshit. Not me, personally but I have received many emails from people who have been treated dreadfully.

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        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          His threats to close the blog are as meaningless as any Liberal promise. Not going to happen is it.
          I pop in for a read every now and then. It really is not very stimulating and the format with the replies makes it hard to read. It ought to be redesigned. Still for constant insults just listen to Question Time ! I can at least yell back get effed as often and as loud as I want and no one can stop me.

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        • I love this short exchange: (Remember Ellis said, “I emphasise that my son is a lawyer.”)

          jimhaz May 13, 2015 at 1:50 pm
          You son should tell you to get lost in this case.

          Bob Ellis May 13, 2015 at 2:19 pm
          Say why.

          jimhaz May 13, 2015 at 2:42 pm
          Because you did say the blog was closed. You cannot expect a person writing an article to know the exact status of your blog at all times.
          If you had of never said that then fair enough – as your claim would be based on a potential loss of business as a result of false comments.
          In any case Bob, I’ve no desire to make arguments with you.
          I like much of what you say, and appreciate sites like this that complain about LNP misdoings – but I hate any form of dictatorial actions or scaremongering. I haven’t visited here for while because of your thin skin.

          When I first subscribed I was so excited to be able to read him again after so many years in his own blog. I had of course read him on the Drum and his frequent misogynistic attacks made me think that there was something odd going on but it was when I started reading his stuff on his TT that I got excited. With two minds, mind you, but still excited. Then I saw him hammering people with egregiously nasty insults and the fear began to be solidified. Then the emails began turning up… the rest is history. HE is History!

          He has made it clear that he has “closed” the blog. It’s just that he lied and kept it open!
          jimhaz is right about Ellis being wrong.

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        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          Yes Ato – doesn’t make sense. Very selective short term memory loss I think.

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  9. When the foul are too foul even for themselves, they give themselves a head hernia!

    Ellis got pissed off at one of the best contributors on his putrefying blog for no reason whatsoever (reminds me of the moronic fight he had with me about Gerard Depardieu, about whom I wouldn’t give a flying chook poo and banned me) and, after pleas from all logical others and insults at Liz from the sycophants, Bob decided to “end it all!.”
    Notwithstanding his occasional lapse into good writing, that was the easiest bit of prophesy even the most inept prophet could make.
    Not too far beneath his skin, Ellis is an arse hole, probably one of those who have guided the ALP into the demise it’s undergoing now.
    Bloody single mindedness is excusable only to parents about their children, not about political parties. If they are wrong you’ve got to tell them and tell in clear and unequivocal terms.
    Ellis perpetuated in its leaders the erroneous view that all is well and that “the people loved them.” A lazy conclusion that is formed, in Ellis’ case, by his endless examination of the entrails of polls!

    He and McCallum gave me boundless pleasure and a lot of glorious light to guide my paths through the most dismal and darkest political hours in this country.
    Alas, he became a paid employee and thus a corrupted and untrustworthy intellect.

    May the carcass decay quickly and with the least malodorous effect in the corridors and chambers of Canberra.

    Like

    • “Dr Liz has apologised, and I apologise to her for what I said. She is not a moron, nor is she a destructive bitch. And she can, if she wishes, respond unhindered, within the usual rules, hereinafter.
      And the blog is back.”
      Fuck me dead!
      Don’t do it Dr Liz!
      If there is a paradigm of a man unhinged from his brain, more phosphorescent than Ellis, please point him out!
      What a junk head!

      Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      I saw that bit about Liz – no idea who she is or where the argument was in the blog. I just didn’t want to wade through it all just because I was curious. So, Ato, thank you so much for explaining what happened. I reckon Ellis writes a lot of good stuff (even though highly exaggerated in many cases) but does go ga-ga every now and then and maybe even more ‘now’ than ‘then’ these days. He’s become old and cantankerous and won’t abide anyone he regards as wrong when in fact I think he just misinterprets words. Howard did walk all over Beazley but not in the sense of that electoral result Ellis quotes. Beazley was weak in my view and I wanted him gone long before he went. I used to yell at the tv during question time in the Beazley years.
      At the moment I feel Shorten is too much of a ‘beazley’ and it’s bloody frustrating.

      Like

      • Beazley had no more substance than a clown’s balloon. He loved his big toys like tanks and jets, like little boys love their little toys. He was hollow and weak. I too wanted the idiot to bugger off so that we could get someone to send that miserable gnat away.
        He it was who brought in Howard, just as -and I know we disagree on this- the Rudd-Gillard troupe brought in this irritating gnat we have now.

        But Dr Liz has a good, solid brain on her head and is not (perhaps now “was not”) one to walk on the egg shells of egos, particularly of male ones. She’s good. I’m very sad to see her back and apologetic. Ellis won, she lost and she will find that out the next time she has the audacity to say something that cracked one of his ever so precious shells.

        I didn’t want to go back but quite a number wanted me to do so and I accepted Dali’s plea and did go back, knowing that the dropkick will blow his stack again… over something totally trivial.

        It’s sad to watch him disintegrate like that. He’s only a couple of years older than me, yet I think he needs a nurse around him 24/7, at least one to take care of his outrageous extrications. Shit on a blog can be as stinky as that in a dunny!

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        • I knew he wouldn’t close the blog down.
          He needs it to sell his books and continue his aggrandisement (and employment) with the ALP.

          Like

  10. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-06/crabb-greens-leadership-change/6449788
    Greens leadership: There’s a whiff of Moscow about this all-smiles change… by none other than our resident moron, Annabel Crab!

    It’s time Annabel Crab washed her Tea Party nostrils.

    Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      Stupid word to throw in and for what. Rubbish by Annabel. I think she is getting lazy.

      Like

    • The article made no sense and failed to develop any argument.

      Like

      • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

        Annabel has not written a perceptive piece for a long time. I find it strange.
        But on the topic of the Drum – well, frankly it is all becoming a pile of shit. One or two good articles by the good fact checking/researching/data givers like Jericho, Verrender and Dunlop. Outside of that it’s piss weak.

        Like

    • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

      It thought that Crabbs piece was drivel. Best she keeps to cooking shows

      Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      Further to Annabel’s crap, Andrew Elder is in total agreement Ato: http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/

      Like

      • Thank you, Vivienne. Great article and what a difference to that of Crabb’s ey?

        Loved this little gem:

        “Today, Peta Credlin runs around telling members of the Coalition to shut up, apparently threatening with every dire fate short of death – but oh my goodness no, nothing Muscovite about that. (from Crabb).

        And what he does to Cassidy, Fergusson and a whole host of porn stars in the Media-Parliament show is delightful to read.
        It’s where I thought Ellis would be but, alas, no! Not a whiff of Andrew there.

        Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          I came upon Elder by accident at least three years ago. Someone mentioned him in a blog I was reading. What he wrote about Abbott (whom he said would never be PM) was very heartening. He’s an ex Liberal and knows what he is talking about. He does a lot of analysing of the MSM and their piss-weak take on things. Has a go at so many familiar names.

          Like

      • Thanks for the link. I had never heard of Welder, but laughed at his olfactory comparisons ( a whiff of Mt Panorama). Now bookmarked.

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      • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

        Thanks for that vivienne, I think Andrew pretty much nailed it. Crabbs opinion piece I thought had the whiff of (insert your locality here) Effluent Treatment plant to it.

        I wouldn’t be righting of the Greens with this change, whilst I’ve never been a fan of Milne she’s been effective in her time as leader. di Natale will prove to be a good leader. My preference would have been Scott Ludlam, he’s someone who could really strip votes from the Labor and Liberal partys.

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  11. vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

    FINALLY … the Drum moderator says something:
    Moderator: The Other John,
    Your post re: tax revenue did indeed go up at the time you posted the comment. On looking at your submissions, so far today 16/18 of your comments, which have met house rules, have been posted.
    Cheers.

    Like

  12. vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

    I was so outraged when I saw the ABC headline about Ruddock calling for the Abolishment of the death penalty that I emailed the ABC and gave them the correct word – ABOLITION. They have just fixed it.

    Like

  13. I don’t understand what the story is with my atavar. It appears and then disappears! If anyone knows how to make it re appear, the one I’d like to have is where I cacking myself laughing… daughter made me say some stuff in Japanese and, unbeknown to me, she had her mobile clicking!
    Forgot the phrase in Japanese but in English it was, “babies, they’ll crawl down from their seat to pick up a dropped noodle.” Or words to that effect.

    Like

    • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

      https://en.support.wordpress.com/avatars/

      Maybe this might help. May need to reload it.

      Like

      • Thanks, Alge. I’ll check it out now.

        Like

      • A page full of crap, alge followed by “We believe everyone deserves fantastic support for their WordPress.com blog. At the moment, our team of Happiness Engineers is working through a backlog of support requests. For the time being, we currently limit the contact form to customers with paid upgrades. As we get caught up we will work on bringing a high level of support back for everyone.”

        I wasted almost an hour yesterday being spun about like a dirty pair of undies in a washing machine. This one looks that it’ll be doing the same.

        Not to worry.
        Thanks anyhow.

        Like

        • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

          I wasn’t sure if it might help or or just give a clue. FIIK what a happiness engineer is?

          Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          I don’t know much on this but my first thought was to go to the Avatar website and delete all the ato avatars and start afresh with the best one you want and then sign in to the Pigs Arms afresh.
          It’s what I do when there is a computer/modem problem and more recently with hubby’s mobile phone which had a blank but bright orange screen and would not do anything. Pulled it apart, took out battery, sim card and reassembled. Worked.

          Like

        • You’re probably right, Vivienne but that requires some time and psychological energy… both of which are in very short supply these days.

          Lunch is getting prepared…

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        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          Oh dear.

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  14. vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

    How’s this for another dumb response to me:
    Stuffed Olive:
    01 May 2015 2:00:38pm
    It is no more a waste of their time (and what do you really care what they do) than any other matter. Tabanus, whether many are interested or not in marriage equality does not mean it should not get a hearing. We do know that a large majority of the population are in favour of this. But I guess you prefer the look over there attitude because that is what happens when we discuss the really big issues like falling revenue and climate change.
    Alert moderator
    Alphamikefoxtrot:
    01 May 2015 5:47:39pm
    If we ‘have enough space in our brain to also fit other issues’, then why did Labort do absolutely nothing in 6 years on any of the issues you listed??

    Like

    • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

      I tried commenting on that but the mods thought otherwise. The seem to let these off topic comments through from the idiots of the right.

      Like

      • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

        It’s getting worse by the week. Worse still is when I do reply to some shitty comment I don’t get up ! I turn off computer by 5 pm and so saw the above reply this morning. Utter garbage.

        Like

  15. http://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2015/05/02/factions-jockeying-over-key-alp-policies/14304888001826#.VUQIJqbwwvR

    The Saturday Paper
    Factions jockeying over key ALP policies

    SOPHIE MORRIS
    Ahead of the ALP’s national conference, the party’s factions are manoeuvring on metadata, climate change, same-sex marriage – and the future leadership.
    …..
    In other words, between crass, Lowest Common Denominator populism and doing what is right, ethical, humane, democratic. What we will get is crap because they will… compromise. They will compromise all the human policies to the point they become crass, LCD populist and we’re back to Bullshit 101! The ALP is fucked by the bible pushers and the racists, the self-interested, the thieves and the thugs. The zionists and the war mongers, often one and the same thing.

    Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      Is it really that bad?

      Like

      • Absolutely certain of it, Vivienne.

        Like

      • The problem is that religious politicians don’t only have to deal with their own personal religiosity but with that of their congregation. Sometimes because the votes are substantial and other times because they get harassed by them, either at the church or at the office. Otherwise wonderful people become door stoppers to progress because of this religious interference. My own rep, Anna Burke is a great person but there’s no way that she’ll move on gay marriage, euthanasia or the stolen land called Israel. And there are far too many like her in both Majors.
        And religiosity is only one thing that divides this party.

        Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          I have no time for religions of any kind and while it has always been rolling around Labor (think DLP) I foolishly thought they had more sense than what is going on. De Bruyn (spelling) should piss off. Horrified by what I read about that particular union today. Still, I have to vote Labor and keep my fingers crossed (and toes too). Greens are going nowhere here, the Libs are so blue ribbonly safe. A strong well known independent could make inroads but Ley is no where near being as despised as Nasty Mirabella.

          Like

      • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

        I think ato has a point vivienne. The last few elections I’ve gone to the ballot box wondering who I’d vote for. I 2011 at state level, The Greens put up a candidate who was 85 years old, he was a well known communist. I challenged the scrutineers who were talking upper house. I said if you want credibility then put up a creditable candidate not someone whose time belongs in another century. I voted Labor that election without any enthusiasm. This time around they put up someone younger and increased the vote from around 4 to 12%

        Now Labor locally is nurturing a young bloke under John Faulkners wing. runs his own business and is President of one of the local branches. He lost my vote when he enthusiastically supported a public transport move in the electorate without thinking through the ramifications. He could pick the seat up at a by election with the current member, possibly needing to front ICAC in the future. I’m also a fan of John Kaye in the upper house, one of the best in the state parliament.

        Labor got rid of John Robinson who I had little time for and put in place Luke Foley. At least Robinson had had a real job. Foley is a Sussex Street apparatchik, seems a nice bloke but seriously after 2011. A work colleague and a member of an inner city branch laments the thinking of the current Labor party.

        Federally well what do they actually stand for how do they demonstrate that. Here they parachuted Jason Sun Yat Sen thinking the Chinese would vote for him. The B grade tennis player is useless and ripe for the picking but have they found someone ready this far out no. I struggle to understand what they stand for anymore. Ye they have relics of the past and homophobes like Joe De Bruyn saying no poofters and having influence. This bloke would have been at home with Arthur Calwell. Yet he has power to select people to stand in cushie positions. Labor needs to hose people of his ilk out.

        I’ve been a Labor voter most my life but they will no longer automatically get it. I’m more likely to vote Green.

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  16. Ann is a strange creature when she is not taking her medication.

    Like

    • Article: Bali 9
      JoeBloggs:
      01 May 2015 1:07:17pm
      Approximately 10,000 kg of heroin is consumed in Australia each year.
      ,,,,,,,,,,,
      Now, I checked it on the internet, one heroin hit is about 10 mg. Therefore 10,000 kg of heroin is 1 billion hits. I tried to point this fact and replied to Joe but the coffee boy didn’t want to post it. Go figure!

      Like

      • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

        I was allowed one post on any blog yesterday pathetic. Yet loons were allowed to post on multiple occasions.

        Like

        • The ABC Drum is no longer a ‘free speech platform’ for those on the Left who have traditional political-philosophical sense and values. Whoever they are at The ABC, they are allocating more space for The Right and for The Middle of the Road (Centrist) types. We are becoming a mini USA.

          Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          I think you should post that on the Drum on Monday.

          Like

        • I will try, Vivienne.

          Like

  17. George Theodoridis's avatar George Theodoridis said:

    I’ve been informed by nameless sources that I’ve been accused of “having a chip on my shoulder.”

    This is partly to respond to that accusation but also to set straight some of the thinking behind my banning from Ellis’ blog.

    I don’t rightly know what the modern usage of the idiom means (for its etymology the net is replete with information) but I do remember hearing it ever since I came to Oz as 13 year old. The moment I retaliated to some snotty kid’s accusation that I was a stinking wog, some other snotty kid or a chorus of snotty kids would call out that I had a chip on my shoulder.
    Couldn’t understand it then, can’t understand it now. I retaliate, sometimes passionately against bullshit, especially if that bullshit is aimed directly at my character.
    What is wrong with that? The passion or the retaliation? If there is anyone to whose bullshit I have retaliated and who can claimed that my retaliation was unfair, disproportionate, uncalled for then let them say so and let them explain why they think that.

    As for the Ellis denouncement.

    The Table Talk blog is nothing more than a political church, a congregation of ALP devotees. It is Ellis’ church where, as its High Priest, stands at his golden pulpit and announced the beauty and fairness and wonderment of the ALP, its glorious neo-cons, like Shorten and Bowen and Conroy and Burke and Butler and Dreyfus and the rest and denounces the deeds of every other member of Parliament.
    It is not a place to discuss their deeds but to glorify them, no matter how egregiously nasty and traitorous they are.

    Ellis has been an employee of the ALP for many, many years and a great advocate for them. He has a engaging panache with words and uses it to delight his congregation.
    I loved his work ever since I first came across it, along with that of Mungo McCallum back in the days of The Nation Review, the heady days of political revolution that lasted but a brief flicker of an eye. That was quickly followed by the Fraser years and that, in turn was followed by the New ALP, which is still carrying on its dirty, fascist work now. If Bob had any dignity and self respect at all, he’d either have worked towards getting the party back to its moral compass or fucking off out of there.
    Perhaps old age (just a couple of years older than me) is holding his conscience back. That’s something no one else can know. Oldies do get to lose the fervour of their fire in many cases and too reluctant to shift their ever unshiftable bum (figuratively their mindset).
    It is people like Ellis who keep the ALP deeply stuck into the putrefying sludge of the conservatives: religious, political and moral and will be a bloody long time, if ever, before it gets out of there. Every day in every way, it sliding back, it is being pulled deeper and deeper into it. It is now cheek-to-jawl with the LNPs.
    People who care for the ALP -better still, who care for the country, should either pull that gang out of there of kill it once and for all. Either would do but something needs to be done.
    Ellis gets paid by it so he’ll go on patiently defending it.
    I don’t get paid by anyone and am free to voice my opinion, equally as passionately.
    The worst thing anyone can do is defend evil. Wherever and whatever it is and Right Wing politics is, to my list of social morality, at the very top, to be fought with one’s life.

    I don’t care what Bob Ellis -or anyone else for that matter- does with his blog. Their blog, their management of it. He can open his door or close it to anyone and at any time he wants. I have not the slightest problem with that.
    But I do have a slightly disturbing question about his state of mind. It seems it is becoming less and less stable and less and less rational. But that, too is my own impression and apart from my pathetic acquaintance with Psychology of Education back in my Uni years (over DipEd) and the occasional foray into the net’s pages, I know nothing of the psyche, as psychologists deal with it.

    He had banned me before because I didn’t think Gerard Depardieu is as great an actor as Ellis thinks he is! No matter how often I had admitted to the idiot that it was my personal opinion and that he would certainly know more about the skills of actors, he kept arguing until he banned me.
    Fine!
    Then he calls me back!
    I didn’t want to go back but one of the commenters, Dali, sent me a personal email and with generous praise asking me to go back. So I did.

    Then Ellis asks me to write on the Greek economy which I did. It is an article which, incidentally, started off a huge discussion, bringing in an idiot called Claire, who knows nothing about Greece, who loves Germany but who kept presenting me with links to articles written by anti-Greek austerity economists and propagandists of Wall Str, and Fleet St! But I am straying. I mention this only because the conflict between us had created a huge number of posts for that blog and brought in many commenters. It attracted much attention.

    Then I wrote something about my father on ANZAC Day and finally I wrote a passionate comment accusing ALP of being slack and idle. To that he answered with pathetic crap about Shorten and the ALP being “tactical” and that it wouldn’t be wise to make any announcements about their policies just yet, lest they lose the Sydney drongo vote!
    He disallowed the comment, which I include here so that the reader can judge for him- or herself, if said reader is interested and if, indeed this letter is published.

    It is in answer to Bob’s exhortation to helenmarg, “If you do not want a Labor government, say so.” That I have written the comment below which never got up.

    If you think I’ve got a chip on my shoulder, then surely you would agree that Ellis’ chip is a fucking log!

    So he curses me with:
    “May you never have a day’s luck.”

    Does he still believe in cursing incantations?



    The man, as I said, is unstable!
    I should not have gone back after Dali’s letter. I shall certainly never go back.

    ———-
    Definite article, instead of indefinite article.

    “The” Labor Party, instead of “A” Labor Party.
    I want a Labor Party that is Labor through and through. A full time Labor Party.
    A live, ebullient, effusively protective of the poor and the workers, Labor Party that can drink a shot of ouzo and dance the zorba on the graves of right wing policies.

    A Labor Party that is fully alive and awake all of the time, engaging with the public about every single breath of a policy, not waiting in ambush behind some sleepy willow, for ever waiting for the fascists to die so that they can jump out and claim victory. A party that inspires, one with energy and the willingness to work hard, to work ethically and imaginatively.

    Since the Hawke-Keating morals-and-ideals removal, this ALP has been blamed, absolutely validly, for being a party of pragmatists, of seekers of opportunity, of political mice (fighting the political rats of the other side) rather than a party of virtuous policies, pursuing human rights and the rights quintessential to a fair and equitable society.

    Let the ALP work out its policies and shout them out to Oz. If they are wrong, the people will tell them, as they will tell them if they are right. What they’re doing now is -well, fucked if I know what it is they are doing now; and that is why I am gravely distressed.

    Granting the occasional token to socialism is anathema to socialism. A betrayal to it. Not a party I would call a Labor Party.

    I want a truly left party, whatever name they want to call it.
    I’ll even settle for SYRIZA.

    Why is it that “Labor cannot win government without SEEMING to go along with some of the prejudice in some of the Sydney suburbs.”

    What does “seeming” mean?

    All these years of teaching Shakespeare in our schools have we not learn anything about dignity from the wise bard?

    MACBETH
    If we should fail?

    LADY MACBETH
    We fail!
    But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
    And we’ll not fail.

    ———–

    As the banning unfolded:
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/#comments

    george theodoridis April 25, 2015 at 9:28 am 
The ALP is “considering” winding back negative gearing.Is it also “considering” doing something about this issue that has shamed this country beyond redemption?
 What -IF FUCKING ANYTHING!- is the ALP doing about this – or about any number of other shameless policies this menagerie of sewer animals has or is about to deliver us?
 Just fucking asking!

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=927997 – respond



    Bob Ellis April 25, 2015 at 9:47 am 

    Go fuck yourself.
Comment on this article, or not at all.

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928001 – respond



    george theodoridis April 25, 2015 at 10:08 am 
I am very much talking about this article Bob!
 Or do you have the answer to my question, “what is the ALP doing about this?”
    Or to put it more directly, “what difference would we see in the treatment of asylum seekers from the ALP?”
    
Either give me the answer to this or you go fuck yourself, Bob!

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928009 – respond



    Bob Ellis April 25, 2015 at 10:54 am 
Banned for life.

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928018 – respond



    george theodoridis April 25, 2015 at 11:37 am 

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928036 – respond


    (erased by Bob)

    Bob Ellis April 25, 2015 at 12:40 pm 

    Let us be clear about this.
Labor cannot win government without SEEMING to go along with some of the prejudice in some of the Sydney suburbs.
In government, it is likely they will do what Rudd planned, greatly enlarge the number of admissable refugees, and let in some, not all, of the imprisoned of Nauru.
 It is therefore not useful to talk of what Labor is saying. And it is essential to talk of what the present government is DOING.
 Of deeds, not words.

    helenmarg April 25, 2015 at 9:47 am
    
Could not have said better Chris and George. What is wrong with the ALP.
    Is there no one strong enough to stand up to this appalling lot, no backbone.

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928002 – respond



    Bob Ellis April 25, 2015 at 12:41 pm 
See above. 
If you do not want a Labor government, say so.
 If you disapprove of them winning in this way, and you would rather they lost, say so. 
If you believe they would behave, in gvernment, as badly as this lot, you are a fucking fool.
 And a loser.



    JiJi April 25, 2015 at 10:37 am
    Although I have previously commented how difficult it is for the ALP to go into the refugee space, I agree with you George that we the left/ALP/compassionate Australians can no longer stand by and let this occur in our name. The current govt/dictatorship is completely out of control and will keep getting worse if something’s not done.
    I heard Paul Murray(Abbott lover)discussing the little girl being sent back to Nauru despite many doctors reports regarding her physical and mental health. He was all for it – we can’t have these people getting into Australia, small children are a small price to pay. Anne ?, a media person (liberal lover) agreed and added ‘what were her parents doing while she was raped and tortured’. They both went on to say the worst aspect of this was Sarah HY’s description of all of this as ‘torture’. The other panellists agreed that torture was ridiculous but they stopped short of inhumane treatment of little children.
    What have we become in a short 18 months! I would like to see a campaign #NOT IN MY NAME.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928014 – respond
    george theodoridis April 25, 2015 at 10:48 am 

    “What have we become in a short 18 months!” 
What a painful question, JiJi!
 Stressful enough to cause the most egregious cancer!
 Fuck the ALP putrefying carcass! Fuck the ALP deformity! Fuck the ALP dildo on its last squirmings!

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928017 – respond



    Bob Ellis April 25, 2015 at 10:56 am 
Banned for life.
 You have said, in effect, fuck broadband, NDIS, Gonski, Medicare, Bob Carr’s pro-Palestinian manoeuvres, Rudd’s Apology, Gillard’s inquiry into child abuse, Rann’s million trees, Palaszczuk’s preservation of the electricity and Foley’s koala reserve.
 Get out of my life.

    May you never have a day’s luck.



    george theodoridis April 25, 2015 at 11:34 am 
Up your b

http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/?replytocom=928035 – respond


    #comment-##

    Glow Worm April 25, 2015 at 9:54 pm 
Bob, in defence of george (and I’m reluctant to speak on his behalf without his consent) he is a passionate man of the left – he’s on our side – albeit he’s an irascible all-or-nothing man who would rather cosign his side to the fire of hell than compromise. 
Perhaps not the best fellow to have at the table negotiating a truce, but not bad with a ‘doru’. 
If any of us have seen the film ‘Z’ we would know where he comes from. 
I dislike banishment, so would ask for a reinstatement.
We need all the gladiators we can muster.

    Like

    • Great to hear from you ‘Mou. I’m at work but I’ll digest this as soon as I have a spare moment. Kind regards, comrade !

      Like

    • Keep up the fight GT

      Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      I think your observations on Ellis the person are right Ato. I was just so delighted to see your name there and said hello. I mentioned here that you had been banned by Ellis. I thought his telling you to fuck off was appalling. He can get very weird – accused me of being a Liberal troll on Unleashed ! I was pretty pissed off too with his constant denigration of Julia Gillard – he was being totally disgraceful and a traitor to the Labor cause.
      I trust you are well and no doubt have a bumper olive crop. My tree is chock a block – too many for me to handle. My Greek fish lady got a bag full. Best wishes……

      Like

    • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

      Nice to see you ato. Keep that fire in the belly.

      Like

    • And while I’m at it:

      Is there anything that the Oz neo-cons do that the ALP disagrees with?

      What are they saying about Manus?
      About turning back the boats?
      About wars at the whims -if not the commands- of the yanks? How different is our intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan to that of Galipoli?
      About metadata?
      About TPPs?
      About the Khazarian brutality in Palestine?
      About the zionist lobby here in OZ? (flood the Parliament with an ever increasing number of the thugs?) Ellis’ reference to Carr’s “Pro-Palestinian manoeuvres” is nothing short of an insult to my intelligence.
      About Uni fees?
      About negative gearing? (And I must have heard the pre-election promises, “we’re considering this issue” or “everything is on the table,” a million times, each time leaning harder against the walls of “Egregious Lies”)
      About selling the last of our public assets?

      What the fuck are they saying about anything?
      Who are they? Where are they? What, in effect are they?

      This is not a Democracy. It’s a collusion. It is a very exclusive little club where only the elite can join. A duopoly of similar, if not at times identically nasty interests. Members of both parties act, not in the interest of the country but in the interest of their own, private, cozy deals. If something they do just happens to also be in the interests of the country then that is a mere welcomed accident of fate and they will milk it until the other side works out that the plebs are having fun, so they put all their efforts into undoing it all.

      And if you need a reminder: It is this ALP -beginning with the Hawke-Keating era, that has all but obliterated the Union movement, that has undone pretty much every good policy that Gough had brought in, including free Unis and has gone to sleep when the LNP’s had chipped away at Medicare, or at refusing to go to other people’s wars, or to developing a sense of Australian culture and identity, or of including the Indigenous in our conscience and consciousness by more than decorous words.

      The New ALP is a party consisting mainly of bastards. It is a bastard party, born out of an illicit sexual union with the thugs of Wall St. and the only reason these bastards ever get in and get any worthwhile policies up, is because of the Greens, against whom they constantly shoot shit.

      Please discuss

      Like

      • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

        But they are far nicer bastards than all the Liberal bastards.

        Like

        • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

          I think Ato has some valid points. What does Labor actually stand for nowadays. Whilst I dislike the absolutist of the Greens I find myself more likely to vote for them first.

          Like

        • No such thing as a nice bastard, Vivienne; unless we’re talking about the cutesy world of pope-loving drunks of Nino Culotta. And of all bastards, political bastards are to be viewed with the most contemptible disdain.

          Like

    • Great to hear from you, Atomou, am away on a romantic getaway so will ruminate and digest this next week.

      Like

    • I tend to agree with Atomou’s assessment of Ellis. Ellis is such a rusted on Labor supporter that he defends the absolute nothingness that the party seems to stand for. Opposed to selling off infrastructure, yet give away the ports in nsw. Anti bribery, yet Union mates rip off their own union. Then Ellis spent every word during Gillard’s pm ship trying to undermine her.

      Ellis still writes brilliantly, on occasion, yet sometimes it’s like reading ramblings by a mental patient. Anyhoo, I’m exhausted from ranting over the current government, and the lack of opposition, so will desist.

      Good health, Atomou.

      Like

      • Thanks, Big one.
        And good health to you too.
        I am getting ever more distressed with the ALP.
        Ellis has been writing for a long time, so he should be quite proficient at it. Pity his politics are scumoferous. It’s people like him who treat the party like a religion to be revered and not a political entity which should be criticised like Socrates criticised Athens, the bastion of Democracy, acting, as he said, like a gadfly, goading it to move and get out of its status quo slumber.

        Liked by 1 person

        • What I used to love about the Labor party was, that if you disagreed with anything, you could stand up and make it know, now they are like sycophantic right wingers. Can’t disagree with Labor royalty. Still better than thecurrent mob….marginally.

          Like

        • Big one, once I loved everything about the ALP. Then, suddenly one began to get a bitter taste in one’s mouth, the sort one gets when he finds out one or both of his parents are having nasty affairs with others.
          The nastiness gagged all my love for it.

          Like

        • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

          They’re all machine men and women, They do their job in the office then get parachuted into a cushie seat somewhere. No job to speak of outside the party. In many respects they’re little different to the LNP. Turd man and nearly all his front bench have never had real jobs.

          Like

        • Good analogy, Atomou, unfortunately, I know that bitter taste.

          Yes, Algernon, parachuted in. Not many with integrity. Just there for the post-politics career.

          Like

  18. Article: Earthquake reveals Nepal’s vulnerability

    a happy little debunker:
    27 Apr 2015 3:26:54pm

    “…
    I realise that my comment was inflammatory – as it was supposed to be. (surprised that Mod’s let it pass, actually)
    …”
    ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    an insensitive comment from a dipstick and The ABC. Hah haa, see what I mean!.. We are being orchestrated.

    Like

  19. vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

    Ato just got himself banned from Bob Ellis’ site. Thought some might be interested – it’s here http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/25/31763/#comments

    Like

  20. Yes. The Drum has become a different site for exchanging opinions compared to 10, 7 or even 5 years ago. Liberty: the freedom of thought and the freedom to express your thoughts is a myth. It seems that in our ABC ‘all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others’ to post their comments. Even The SBS is different these days. We can’t criticise The Right no more, especially The USA Right… Instead, we get lots of gay, zombie and Texas chainsaw movies.

    Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      I posted this on the Misha Coleman piece (Vietnam) at about 4.45 pm (while ‘debating’ John) – “From 1975 to 1982, some 200,000 migrants arrived from Asian countries, including nearly 56,000 Vietnamese people who applied as refugees. In addition, policies were put in place to grant entry to 2059 ‘boat people’ – refugees from Vietnam who arrived without documents or official permission after hazardous sea voyages to the northern coast of Australia.” (from official National Archives)
      It was not posted but I still got another from him at 5.49 pm. Confirms your view I reckon hph.

      Like

      • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

        That’s weird vivienne why shouldn’t that get up its a quote from a reliable source. The mods play silly buggers a bit which twists the conversation. I posted some in the last few days. One against the dog walker on Jonathon Greens blog about ANZAC. I pointed out that he didn’t get the meaning being English, regardless of the the disaster Gallipoli was it was the first campaign fought under an Australian Flag. Dove of course suggest that there was no “Australian Flag in 1915”. Technical knitpicking. DW comes back claiming the SMH backed his claim. His claim was “Anzac : I’m over it. It’s ground hog day.”

        The silly clown seems to think the days a celebration (mind you there are many others that share that point of view).

        Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          Yes, distorts the discussion/debate. There was an Australian flag then, of course – it’s changed a bit over the years but still retains that piece of poo in the top left corner. That luke warm feedback referred, I believe, to poor ratings on all the ANZAC/WAR stuff on the tele. Too much of it all round. The dog walking dish washer can go stick his head up a dead bear’s bum.

          Like

        • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

          I agree with that its all gone into overdrive with every boofhead, talking head, showbiz “personality” et al being “there” for the giant piss up. Not to mention the businesses trying to make a quick buck off the jingoism.

          Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          Yes indeed, every boofhead and all the school kids having their say. Most really don’t know what they are talking about, just saying/repeating the lines. My grandfather was a lighthorseman in WW1 and he never talked about it. My grandmother’s brothers fought too, one in both World Wars – he never talked about it either (except he turned into a mess of a man) – I knew them, grandfather died when I was 6 and the brother I knew died when I was about 16. Personally I find all the worship of Gallipoli and going there (and the road building, car parks and gawd knows what) just awful.

          Like

        • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

          My Grandfather fought in WW1 and tried to enlist in WW2 but was too old at 48. He was involved with some intelligence regarding the Japanese subs though. The war was never spoke about. My father worked for Defence and worked on Warships. He was questioned on the occasions I visited communist countries or changed my travel itineraries overseas. I’d march in the local marches with the Scouts wondering what for and stopped when some RSL person chose to criticise those conscripts in Vietnam.

          I’ve been to one Dawn service, 30 years ago and wondered what I was doing there. Went to Gallipoli 30 years ago (Anzac Cove was officially named 30 years ago today). It was a confronting experience. This was a monumental stuff up of British proportions all the allies were nothing more than fodder. The turks lost huge amounts too. 30 years ago nobdy went there save the odd bus every week or so. Bob Hawke made something of it in 1989. Howard made it the jingoistic shitfight it is today.

          It pisses me off when I see younger people saying they are going there for a celebration. Celebrating what FFS!

          Wars all wars are futile. I’m respectful of those who fought but I have no truck with the jingoistic shit that now goes on around it. Lest We Forget.

          Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          Exactly so Algy.

          Like

  21. The comments are scrutinised by *some others* at the ABC or outside of the ABC before they go thru the filter of the Moderator. The whole thing is tailor-made. But at the same time they are letting pass a few ridicules comments from dipsticks to give the impression of being random in their selection. This is the reason for the long pauses between postings. I also noticed on few occasions that ‘a reply’ and ‘a counter-reply’ appear on the screen at the same time !

    Like

  22. Article: Reclaim Australia
    ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    A pocketful of wry:

    17 Apr 2015 12:07:33pm

    An excellent (underline that) article by a very thoughtful and intelligent contributor – there’s nothing else I wish to add.

    My congratulations to the ABC for finding some space in amongst the sad, usual collection of barrow-pushers, spruikers, and intellectual misfits to publish this piece. If you took a bit more time, and were a bit more selective, with your standards, you’d be less of a laughing stock than you are. Pumping out reams of predictable dross is no substitute for fewer articles of better quality. Hopefully someone there will twig to this at some point, although I’m not holding my breath.

    Reply Alert moderator

    Cobbler [responds to Apow]:

    17 Apr 2015 1:45:19pm

    Translation – The ABC publishes mostly things that I don’t agree with and that makes me mad……….

    Reply Alert moderator

    …and then:

    A pocketful of wry:

    17 Apr 2015 2:50:52pm

    If that’s your level of translation ability Cobbler, I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to learn that when you once ordered a cup of coffee and a muffin in Finnish in a Helsinki cafe they brought you a reindeer penis sandwich and a side order of beaver vomit.

    Translation – I think you’re unintentionally funny…

    Reply Alert moderator
    ,,,,
    🙂

    Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      I haven’t read that article. Thought it might be a bit depressing.

      Like

    • Vivienne, yet another good reply (same thread):

      A pocketful of wry:
      17 Apr 2015 4:55:27pm

      I’ve read Chris Berg’s stuff for a while now Mojo, and I’ve never once seen it drifting anywhere near to epiphany-instigating status (and that applies be the reader a mammal, a table vegetable, or an aspirational amoeba with pretensions above its abilities). Admittedly I did feel that way once back in the days when Peter Reith was regaling us with his innovative fiction, but that was more a sudden awakening to the fact that the man had been extremely fortunate in life to have never been declared clinically insane.

      Like

    • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

      Wry was good I thought accused zing of spending too much time playing with the family jewels.

      Like

    • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

      Wry made the best comments I think. The topic just brought out a lot of rubbish and a fair bit of unthinking nasty shit. That’s the problem with some of the articles on the Drum – brings out the worst from the usual shit. Not worth getting involved ! Made the stupid mistake of replying to dog walker and got idiot nutty reply (Cassidy’s piece).

      Like

      • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

        Ignorant as usual was he. Doesn’t understand the circumstance but we’ll comment anyway because its political. I mean I know Madrid more than Melbourne demonstrates his stupidity on the topic.Then claims you have a narrow view. The only good point he made was about public transport.

        I probably know less about the east west link than say Westconnex here, but the signing of the contract exposed the Victorian people to a massive payout. I also worked with the company with connections to the M2 in the 1990’s, The executive couldn’t believe their luck and dealing with LNP amateurs. The M2 owners reaped the rewards but the cost to the area has been in the $100b’s due to lost productivity. The initial contract allowed for punative damages should public transport be built in proximity to the road. It was only the widening of the road and the extension of the ownership that now allows for public transport to be built.

        That is the famous business sense that he’s talking about. But on the other hand he would know nothing about it.

        Like

        • I hadn’t bothered too much with either the Reclaim Australia, or the Cassidy articles, as I know nothing about either matter. WS manages to write a couple of hundred words to state the same thing! I do think that this obsession with building toll roads, then leasing them out to private companies is a complete nonsense. Good on the Victorians for canning the road. A great pity the previous government couldn’t write a contract without losing money!

          Like

        • vivienne29's avatar vivienne29 said:

          Yes, Big – usual thing – comment on something and actually admit you know nothing about it.
          Yes, Algy – they see a mug and milk them for all its worth. Minister’s are so easily taken in but today the game played is worth billions, not just some sweet bits and pieces. My first experience of this was in the late 70s when the Council was so flattered that someone wanted to get their hands on land out at the Hume Dam (the old workers cottages built for use while the dam was built). They let go of it for peanuts and not long after it changed hands for lots, lots more.

          Like

        • We are in Melbourne this week. The locals reckon that the Labor government has lost about 400 million, in order to save tens of billions. The tendering process and the contract were faulty.Would have leaked cash for decades.

          Like

        • algernon1's avatar algernon1 said:

          That sounds how these PPP’s work. A licence to print money for the contractor at the taxpayers expense.

          Like

  23. One evening an old Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

    The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’

    The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’

    The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed.’

    Like

  24. Article: Fantasy Island

    See what I mean by ‘choreographers at the ABC Drum’ !

    I posted this yesterday:

    HPH:
    09 Apr 6:14 pm

    “Hah !
    About morality and humanity, you are talking to the wrong person, Rabbie.”

    ..and then gbe replies to me at 7:58pm yesterday evening but his comment does not appear until this afternoon !!! :

    gbe:
    09 Apr 2015 7:58:57pm
    “You don’t fool anyone with your false indignation those not tainted left would know lthis about attacking me because you think I support the the government. It’s all just so transparent.

    If you were concerned about these little kids you would have something to say about the ones who died at sea thanks to Labor dismantling the Pacific solution . So before you have a crack at me mate get your own Humanity and Morality in order.”
    ,,,,,,,,,,,,

    Someone plays the tune and we dance…

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