politicks and bullshit

will it be kevin in 07?

 

I love the chasers take on those t-shirts

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war/video/default.htm (click on "pollie T-shirts")

 :laugh:

will it be kevin in 07?

 :hehe:

I love the chasers take on those t-shirts

Haha, the "Costello Never" one was what had me laughing like crazy. That was gold.

Haha, the "Costello Never" one was what had me laughing like crazy. That was gold.

haha, yep, that was fucking funny. costello will never be PM, everyone knows he's a twat
 :laugh:

I really want Costello to become Liberal leader.

With Abbot as his deputy... 

Because then we'll have Abbot and Costello ruling the country :teef:

will it be kevin in 07?

 

 :laugh:

 :laugh:

will it be kevin in 07?

 

The way things are going with the Coalition, it appears he will be.

Minimise debt and stock up cash reserves now people, there are rates rises on the horizon *sigh*

R

The way things are going with the Coalition, it appears he will be.

Minimise debt and stock up cash reserves now people, there are rates rises on the horizon *sigh*

R

And they're not now?!

And they're not now?!

Apologies, I meant 18% rates, not 8% rates.

With a change of Government forthcoming (for the worse, but that is conjecture and speculation on my behalf), plus the sub-prime mortgage issue in the states (which might trigger a recession there), it might be time to batten down the hatches.

Or not. What do I know? Could prove to be an interesting 6 months either way.

R

My point being that I think rate rises are inevitable, change of government or not.

My point being that I think rate rises are inevitable, change of government or not.

Not disagreeing with you there at all big guy

Not sure about you, but I'd rather my mortgage at 8 points as opposed to 18 points though.

Perhaps I am being too cynical about the incoming Labour Government?

I think you are...

I also think most Liberal supporters will bang on to Bob Francis about how Rudd (when he wins) caused the latest round of rate rises.

The fact is that with the economy still going off its pickle, the ridiculous personal debt we all have et al we're in for quite a few rises no matter who is sitting on the government side of the house of reps.

The way things are going with the Coalition, it appears he will be.

Minimise debt and stock up cash reserves now people, there are rates rises on the horizon *sigh*

R

:rofl:

And they're not now?!

I think you are...

I also think most Liberal supporters will bang on to Bob Francis about how Rudd (when he wins) caused the latest round of rate rises.

The fact is that with the economy still going off its pickle, the ridiculous personal debt we all have et al we're in for quite a few rises no matter who is sitting on the government side of the house of reps.

Stop spending and racking up CC debt and we'll be ok.

Question: Does Wayne Swan stike you as a complete fucking jerk-off, or is it just me? I am concerned

Apologies, I meant 18% rates, not 8% rates.

With a change of Government forthcoming (for the worse, but that is conjecture and speculation on my behalf), plus the sub-prime mortgage issue in the states (which might trigger a recession there), it might be time to batten down the hatches.

Or not. What do I know? Could prove to be an interesting 6 months either way.

R

Not disagreeing with you there at all big guy

Not sure about you, but I'd rather my mortgage at 8 points as opposed to 18 points though.

Perhaps I am being too cynical about the incoming Labour Government?

Question: Does Wayne Swan stike you as a complete fucking jerk-off, or is it just me? I am concerned

Doesn't seem too bad to me, at least not compared to people like Abbott and Costello on the other side...

Stop spending and racking up CC debt and we'll be ok.

Question: Does Wayne Swan stike you as a complete fucking jerk-off, or is it just me? I am concerned

Doesn't seem too bad to me, at least not compared to people like Abbott and Costello on the other side...

Dunno where to post this, its Mos Def and Cornel West on Bill Maher discussing 9/11. Mos Def is so funny and charismastic, about 1/3 of the way in he makes the best point hhaha!

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/62344/

John Howard says he will quit if re-elected

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22408586-2,00.html

JOHN Howard will quit as Prime Minister and hand the party leadership to Peter Costello part way through his next term if he wins the looming federal election.

In that case i hope the polls prove to be right...

oh my fucking God!

In the financial year 2006-2007 the Howard Government spent $175million on adverts.

That's fucking ridiculous.

Just to put all this in context, Coca-Cola Amatil spent of $35million and David Jones $50million

oh my fucking God!

In the financial year 2006-2007 the Howard Government spent $175million on adverts.

That's fucking ridiculous.

Just to put all this in context, Coca-Cola Amatil spent of $35million and David Jones $50million

I hate the Howard government and John Howard.

I hate the Howard government and John Howard.

You should start a club Lexy.

You should start a club Lexy. :D

You could call it "Labor"...

Clever 

I do like Kevin Rudd. I've liked him ever since I saw him on Sunrise a while ago, and he would always stick it to Joe Hockey. I don't give a crap that he went to a gentleman's club. I think he's going to be much better at leading our country than John Howard.

Also, on a side note... I really don't like it how some politicians seem to think that religion and politics go together like peas and carrots. COS THEY DON'T.

John Howard doesnt know if he is coming or going...

John Howard says he will quit if re-elected

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22408586-2,00.html

JOHN Howard will quit as Prime Minister and hand the party leadership to Peter Costello part way through his next term if he wins the looming federal election.

PM says he'll serve full term if re-elected

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22422723-29277,00.html

PRIME Minister John Howard says he will serve a full three-year term if elected at the next federal election.
"If I'm returned and the Government's returned at the coming election I will serve my full term at the member for Bennelong, the full three years, and I won't be inflicting a by-election on the people of my electorate,'' he said.

Does anyone *really* want Peter Costello as PM, should Howard quit?

I think the prospect of having Costello as PM is frightening.

:lol: :nahnah:

You could call it "Labor"... ;)

:lol:

Clever  :nahnah:

I do like Kevin Rudd. I've liked him ever since I saw him on Sunrise a while ago, and he would always stick it to Joe Hockey. I don't give a crap that he went to a gentleman's club. I think he's going to be much better at leading our country than John Howard.

Also, on a side note... I really don't like it how some politicians seem to think that religion and politics go together like peas and carrots. COS THEY DON'T.

Clever 

I do like Kevin Rudd. I've liked him ever since I saw him on Sunrise a while ago, and he would always stick it to Joe Hockey. I don't give a crap that he went to a gentleman's club.

yeah no shit, he's only human!!  good on him i say!!

i never voted labour coz of latham, he was a dick, and i certainly won't be voting liberal if costello will end up PM, he's a dick too.

and on the local side of things... fucking christopher pyne... *shudders*

I hate Christopher Pyne.

John Howard doesnt know if he is coming or going... :funkyj:


PM says he'll serve full term if re-elected

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22422723-29277,00.html

PRIME Minister John Howard says he will serve a full three-year term if elected at the next federal election.
"If I'm returned and the Government's returned at the coming election I will serve my full term at the member for Bennelong, the full three years, and I won't be inflicting a by-election on the people of my electorate,'' he said.


:rofl:

:lol:

Does anyone *really* want Peter Costello as PM, should Howard quit?

I think the prospect of having Costello as PM is frightening.

yeah no shit, he's only human!!  good on him i say!!

i never voted labour coz of latham, he was a dick, and i certainly won't be voting liberal if costello will end up PM, he's a dick too.

and on the local side of things... fucking christopher pyne... *shudders*

Not disagreeing with you there at all big guy

Not sure about you, but I'd rather my mortgage at 8 points as opposed to 18 points though.

Perhaps I am being too cynical about the incoming Labour Government?

mate
when howard was treasurer, australia had double digit inflation, double digit unemployment and double digit interest rates (higher than under labor).
we're in the middle of a huge resources boom and yet we have the most unaffordable housing ever, a growing gap between rich and poor, higher levels of poverty, debt stress and homelessness, all the while being told that we've never had it so good, and then they have the cheek to remove basic working rights.
looks to me that the libs are asleep at the wheel, not better economic managers.



the christopher pyne seat should be a 'hot or not' vote

pyne or handshin

Pyne rocked up for the usual 'Cut a ribbon and take all the credit' at an Environmental Rehabilitation project I was involved in.

It was to his benefit to be seen to be involved and photos were put into his newsletter mailout.

I gave a presentation on the future management of the area and later had the 'honour' of fetching a cup of tea for him.

I drank his cup of tea in front of him amongst the bigwigs whilst in conversation.


That was a sweet cup of tea!
 

I gave a presentation on the future management of the area and later had the 'honour' of fetching a cup of tea for him.

I drank his cup of tea in front of him amongst the bigwigs whilst in conversation.


That was a sweet cup of tea!
 

 

who has the posters up with the slogan "adelaide is kick-ass"

mate
when howard was treasurer, australia had double digit inflation, double digit unemployment and double digit interest rates (higher than under labor).
we're in the middle of a huge resources boom and yet we have the most unaffordable housing ever, a growing gap between rich and poor, higher levels of poverty, debt stress and homelessness, all the while being told that we've never had it so good, and then they have the cheek to remove basic working rights.
looks to me that the libs are asleep at the wheel, not better economic managers.



the christopher pyne seat should be a 'hot or not' vote

pyne or handshin :E
(http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/pics/photos/9V5.jpg) (http://www.saxton.com.au/saxton_db_data/images/Handshin_Mia.jpg)

:lol:  :thumbsup:

who has the posters up with the slogan "adelaide is kick-ass"

:slayer:

OPPOSITION Leader Kevin Rudd has likened himself to former Mr Universe bodybuilder and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after questions about his health.



http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22446212-29277,00.html

ALEXANDER Downer is considering switching to state politics to lead the Liberals against Premier Mike Rann in the 2010 state election.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22449750-2,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22449750-2,00.html

FOREIGN Minister Alexander Downer says he is never going to be premier of South Australia, and that he was speaking hypothetically about what he might do if he were the State Liberal leader.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22449750-2,00.html

FOREIGN Minister Alexander Downer says he is never going to be premier of South Australia, and that he was speaking hypothetically about what he might do if he were the State Liberal leader.

Downer's a wanker. Is it just me or does anyone else think that this would make the Liberals even less likely to win a state election?

Downer's a wanker. Is it just me or does anyone else think that this would make the Liberals even less likely to win a state election?

Not according to the 'Adelaide Now' internet poll (BS).

Yes, agreed, Downer is a bit of a chop.

I can confirm this as an eyewitness.

Maybe older people like his vaingloriousness? Perhaps the same people who are not offended by Peter Costello's 'smug cnut factor'?

maybe they think he would be better than mike rann

im pretty sure if you gave me a couple of years and the appropriate resources i could train a monkey to do a better job than rann.

You got me there.

I guess I am just a hater...

its ok to hate, they are politicians

its ok to hate, they are politicians

:lol:

Peter Costello's 'smug cnut factor'?

You're allowed to say cunt here (especially when referring to politicians).

CUNT CUNT CUNT!

See? 

You're allowed to say cunt here (especially when referring to politicians).

CUNT CUNT CUNT!

See?  :)

You're allowed to say cunt here (especially when referring to politicians).

CUNT CUNT CUNT!

See? 

Yeah I'm new here
a Rookie

SMUG CUNT

:lol:

Yeah I'm new here
a Rookie

SMUG CUNT
(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3475/hmmmtl2.th.jpg)

Is this just for Oz politics or can the big issues be discussed?



 

fuck this thread is cracking me up at the mo!

Is this just for Oz politics or can the big issues be discussed?

(http://img32.picoodle.com/img/img32/9/9/27/f_Georgidasanm_aa10c7e.png) (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/9/9/27/f_Georgidasanm_aa10c7e.png&srv=img32)

 :lol:

i just checked out the form i need to fill in as i will be overseas come voting time, and it has an option which removes me from the electoral roll completely. my name will not go back onto the roll until i decide to re-register.

Where'd you find that form? I thought they were only available once election has been called...

I am going to be away as well so need to sort out postal voting before I leave.

funky j posted a link, but that was for overseas peoples, not too sure about the absentee stuff.

Take action to stop undemocratic and unchecked political advertising masquerading as government information!

www.getup.org.au/campaign/NotWithMyMoney

This Government has spent more than any other on its own advertising – estimates have it at almost $2 billion, but without proper accountability it's impossible to tell. Our Government is now one of the biggest advertisers in Australia, and one of the highest spending governments in the world. It is all with our money, but without our consultation or consent.

The last federal Labor government did the same, as do current state Labor governments – there is nothing in Australian law to prevent this unbridled abuse of public trust and purse.

Now rumours abound that John Howard even intends to break with time-honoured convention and continue taxpayer-funded propaganda during the election period. Sign the petition now – and we'll put your name to the $2 billion invoice we'll send to the government for our monies spent:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/NotWithMyMoney

$2 billion of our taxes could do so much – fill the shortfall in public schools funding, help the health system, ease the pain of home loans, even buy every Australian a pony!

Signed.

I hate Christopher Pyne.

biggest closet homosexual ever.

pretty sure he's the man the media was talking about the other week in relation to a married politician frequenting certain gay establishments...

biggest closet homosexual ever.

pretty sure he's the man the media was talking about the other week in relation to a married politician frequenting certain gay establishments...

 

LINKS?

unfortunately not.

can only go by a colleague of my office who went to uni with him to study law.

 :uhhuh:

LINKS?

some stupid voting test.

http://www.news.com.au/feature/0,,5012863,00.html

I got told to vote Labour, followed by Democrats.

some stupid voting test.

http://www.news.com.au/feature/0,,5012863,00.html

I got told to vote Labour, followed by Democrats.

Stupid? That was heaps funny!

I got Labor then Greens.

Stupid? That was heaps funny! :)

I got Labor then Greens. :E

I got Labor and then Democrats.

I was aiming for the Nazi Party and Burmese Junta though.

Labor, Nazis, Democrats, Burmese Junta... All the same anyway FunkyJ.

Labor, Nazis, Democrats, Burmese Junta... All the same anyway FunkyJ. ;)

biggest closet homosexual ever.

pretty sure he's the man the media was talking about the other week in relation to a married politician frequenting certain gay establishments...

dude
he's not closet if you talk to the people who know him, ie his wife.

dude
he's not closet if you talk to the people who know him, ie his wife. :lol:

dude
he's not closet if you talk to the people who know him, ie his wife.

like i said. i'm only going from the info someone i work around has told me from when they were at uni together.

like i said. i'm only going from the info someone i work around has told me from when they were at uni together. :D

dude
he's not closet if you talk to the people who know him, ie his wife.

so his wife knows he is out and proud?

i hate the guy so im not gonna challenge the claim Chris.  I wish the stupid fuck face would stop sending me election mail though 

so his wife knows he is out and proud?

:gheyslay:

so his wife knows he is out and proud?

umm yeah... maybe i was being a tad too subtle
but the guy is gayer than a handbag full of rainbows... and yeah, his wife is quite the perfect beard.

chris: yup anyone who knew him at uni says the same thing

umm yeah... maybe i was being a tad too subtle
but the guy is gayer than a handbag full of rainbows... and yeah, his wife is quite the perfect beard.

chris: yup anyone who knew him at uni says the same thing ;)

gayer than a handbag full of rainbows

fucking

fucking :rofl:

oh my fucking God!

In the financial year 2006-2007 the Howard Government spent $175million on adverts.

That's fucking ridiculous.

Just to put all this in context, Coca-Cola Amatil spent of $35million and David Jones $50million

Thats interesting, but seriously wrong

Bush & Rice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccUxaxPD0yc

are we allowed to post us election stuff in here? hope so, cause...it looks like the crappy electronic voting machines are striking again!!!! wont they ever learn? fuck america is fucked!

European press: It wasn't a miracle - Hillary won via a rigged vote

By Michael Carmichael

(Planetary Movement) -- The mainstream Italian media are reporting both the rigging of the New Hampshire primary for Senator Hillary Clinton and the official demands for a swift, accurate and impartial recount. In an article written by Marcello Foa, one of Europe's most respected journalists, it appears that vote tallies for all Democratic candidates as well as Republicans were reduced by Diebold vote-counting machines.

In an analysis of the hand-counted ballots, the influential Milanese newspaper - Il Giornale, reports that all Democratic candidates except Senator Hillary Clinton made gains when the New Hampshire ballots were manually tabulated, while Senator Clinton made inexplicably large gains where ballots were tabulated by computerized scanners.

According to the report, Ron Paul should have finished third in the Republican primary rather than fifth. Thus, it would appear that both Barack Obama and Ron Paul were the primary targets of vote-rigging operations in New Hampshire.

Il Giornale cites the Princeton study that alerted public attention to the vulnerability of computerized voting machines used throughout America to deliberate vote-tampering and election-rigging via manipulation of the memory cards.

The state of New Hampshire is equipped with computerized tabulation machines manufactured by Diebold, devices that have received a massive amount of negative publicity after the public awareness of vote-rigging surged dramatically following the presidential election scandal of 2000.

In previous statements, former President Jimmy Carter - who has a global reputation as one of the foremost authorities on election procedures - has frequently pointed out that the United States of America does not meet international criteria for electoral security.

oooh lordy

todays NEWSPOLL has given Kevin Rudd the highest approval rating of any PM ever in the history of newspoll - 70%

conversely, Brendan Nelson has polled 9% as preferred PM - the lowest rating ever recorded.
ouch

Wow. 9%. Even I feel sorry for him 

Haha

That's funny regardless of which way you voted.

todays NEWSPOLL has given Kevin Rudd the highest approval rating of any PM ever in the history of newspoll - 70%

Little bit of context... Newspoll has only been running 18 years, so that covers the ratings of only 4 PMs - Hawke, Keating, Howard & Rudd.

true true.

just the same, 2% error of margin could mean that Nelson was actually only on 7%

Rudd's 2020 boys' club bagged

A PROMINENT equality advocate says she is sick with disappointment that predominantly white-anglo "blokes" have been chosen to lead the prime minister's 2020 ideas summit. Actress Cate Blanchett, who will chair the creative discussion at the two-day talkfest, is the sole woman on the 11-strong independent steering committee. Also on the committee is Dr Kelvin Kong, Australia's first Aboriginal surgeon, who will chair a panel on "options for the future of indigenous Australia''.

Women's Electoral Lobby spokeswoman Eva Cox said the rest of the committee was made up of "white-anglo blokes''. "When I looked at the list this morning I felt slightly sick in my stomach about it - if this is an indicator of what they are trying to find for the future, it isn't a good indication,'' Ms Cox said. "I was disappointed, I would have expected a more diverse group.''

The committee members will help select up to 100 participants for the summit, to be held in parliament's Great Hall on April 19 and 20, and lead the discussion in their area of responsibility. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the summit will help shape policies for the nation's next decade. Ms Cox said she had written to co-host Glyn Davis when the summit - billed as a meeting of 1,000 of the country's best and brightest minds - was announced, to ask him to make sure women were well-represented.

"We know from other sources that women are not seen as leaders, so they get left out,'' she said. "There are obviously some very good women around, but you have to think about it harder (because their profiles are not as high).'' Ms Cox said Professor Davis and the Rudd government had chosen a "very conventional group''. For an innovation summit, they had not shown a lot of innovation in the selections.

They've not made a good start,'' she said. "It doesn't give you the warm feeling that they actually understand Australia is a diverse country. Creativity comes from diversity, not uniformity.'' Ms Cox said World Vision Australia head Tim Costello would chair the debate on strengthening communities and supporting families, an area in which a very large number of women worked. Professor Davis, vice-chancellor of Melbourne University, will chair the steering committee while former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer will head the rural discussion.

Others on the committee are Westpac chief executive David Morgan (economic), climate change expert Roger Beale (population, sustainability, climate change and water session), Queensland Institute of Medical Research director Michael Good (health), former Howard government communications minister Warwick Smith (economic infrastructure and the digital economy), international security expert Michael Wesley (security and prosperity) and News Ltd chairman John Hartigan (Australian governance).

Been thinking about the USA elections lately, and the claim that the Republicans are running with that chick from Alaska to get the woman vote from Hilary really gets my goat.

If this is indeed true and women are going to just vote for women because they're women, and not based on their political stances, then why the fuck did we give women the vote in the first place?

Been thinking about the USA elections lately, and the claim that the Republicans are running with that chick from Alaska to get the woman vote from Hilary really gets my goat.

If this is indeed true and women are going to just vote for women because they're women, and not based on their political stances, then why the fuck did we give women the vote in the first place?

Holy shit Julian, you better be fishing here, otherwise I'll hang yo ass out to dry.

Do it anyway Lexy, for our entertainment!

 

Women shouldn't be able to vote! Women brain size of squirrel. Government scientist Dr.Yamak has proved it.



PS. Don't kill me, it's a quote from the Borat movie...

Yeah, go on Lex...

I bet I can still win... after all, I did study feminism (to meet chicks...)

(pity they were all housewives and lessos)

[video: www.youtube.com]

Matt Damon's views on Palin. Some pretty interesting points there.

Yeah, go on Lex...

I bet I can still win... after all, I did study feminism (to meet chicks...)

(pity they were all housewives and lessos)

Oooh is that so? So have I... and am currently!

im not a housewife or a lesbian (yet) so what feminist perspective will you woo me with before i turn?

Well, the problem was all the lessos and housewives constantly disagree with the lecturer and reading material, so I didn't learn shit.

But please, feel free to explain why women should be given the vote if they're just going to vote for women...

But please, feel free to explain why women should be given the vote if they're just going to vote for women...

When all the options are shit, who really cares?

Who made this claim, firstly? Who is claiming that women are only going to vote for a female candidate?

And second of all, people vote for many different reasons. If a woman chooses to vote for a woman, then that is her choice... what business is it of yours?

they've already got the vote! you from the last century?

Good point.

And second of all, people vote for many different reasons.

And it is a scientific fact that women have no understanding of reason.

maybe a tad of a freudian...
but each time i hear reference to this "lipstick on a pitbull/pig" debate thats been going on in US politics, it ALWAYS reminds me of that expression "looks like a bulldog eating porridge" which describes a rather loose fanny immediately after a long & hectic game of spam javelin.

And it is a scientific fact that women have no understanding of reason.

All that separates women from men is the Y chromosome and obvious anatomical differences. Men can be as devoid of reason as any woman out there.

yeah, like men dont have feelings and dont cry!! 

thats not freud - that's where the location of the man's brain and consequent thought processes come from- your penis!!

so its not just vitamins we give you with every load, but intelligence too?

thats why i use condoms - PROTECTION!!!

  touche

back on track... im keen for more women in parliament, theyd have to work hard to fuck shit up as much as men have over the years.
though this palin chick is a bit of a frigging nutter - and if mc cain won, she'd be one heart-attack away from being president.
extremely anti-abortion, anti-sex education, pro-creationist...

gender is a social construct people!!!

 

thats why i use condoms - PROTECTION!!!

BAM!

Yeah, thought as much.

Am going to their meeting to challenge their stance/s though lol. Depending on how attractive the guys are. 

  Feel free to inform them that we live in a Keynesian mixed economy, so if they want to tear down capitalism they will have to move to another country. Preferably on a one way ticket.

image not archived: kanye-west.jpg

?

LMAO!!!


Have already got that in mind, except for the one-way ticket part. Again, depending on how attractive the guys are.

Hahahaha you got my invite... I hope Tobes got a chuckle from that?

Yeah... unfortunately they're just stinky hippies.  Shame for the cause really.  

I went on Saturday.  I had to pretend I was receiving a phone call after 15 minutes .

LOL I was going to invite Tobi for a laugh.

Why the bloody hell did you invite me then? Well!

Call it a hunch...

I'm predicting a mix of unkempt hirsute proles and smartly dressed, clean-shaven, philosophy majors who wish they were unkempt hirsute proles but are having problems with the cognitive dissonance caused by wanting to send higher-brow status signals.



 


I saw you on there. I died a little inside at first. Then I chuckled.

You do not compute.


LOL. Yeah, I don't quite get their mixed signals. I assumed they wanted to turn the tables on the suits via 'fashion'able discourse.

It would lead to quite the unproductive meeting for them. But they are a bunch of socialists, so they should appreciate an unproductive state.


I appreciate your commitment to the pun more than the pun itself.

then my work here is done

I joined Socialist Alliance / Resistance in first year of Uni, and went to a meeting once.

In the first meeting they bitched about the Adelaide City Council for lack of car parking... this was after I spend over an hour on public transport to get there.

Then they essentially whined about being not rich enough and the difficulties of growing up in Unley or the Adelaide Hills for the next hour.

I walked out in disgust.

It's probably the same bunch of morons.

Or their children. 

Pick the dictator among the bureaucrats.

1, 3 and 6 are.

I don't recognise 5 or 7.

Other dictators could take much from Qaddafi's style book.

Capes are badass!

  @ the pic.

Isn't 5 Ban Moon, the UN (or what I refer to as the 'US') head honcho?

You serious? The UN is the US as much as Asia is Australia.

If you're going to make generalisations like that then the most appropriate would be to say that the UN is the US, France, the UK, Russia, and China together.

Or if you want to go by funding then you'd say it is Japan. I am pretty sure that per head they pay more towards it than anyone else.

You must think I am absolutely stupid.

I use 'US', (is what I use as a snapshot of human greed); it encapsulates the might of affliated power/s and their use of veto on the voting system collectively.

Someone's angry.

the UN has its flaws but it's better than nothing.

Edit: I don't think you're stupid, but I don't think you're an AYL.



AYL: Angry Young Lady, perhaps a common phenomenon amongst ex-partners of Rob Frost, too much ice cream?

LOL.

Would have thought too much icecream has an adverse effect...?

btw, anger is a positive human emotion if used constructively.

Ice cream comment: check.
Addresses post above: check.
Brings up interesting point about human emotion: check.
Explains how anger is being used constructively: FAIL.

Oli pissing off Alana again. Check.
Alana's anger rising to the surface again. Check.

 

That's debatable.

Can you put some more effort explaining why or how you think having nothing would be better than what we have now (the UN as it stands now that is)?

Arrrrghhhhhhh!

 

 

 

Due to the fact that not only is it an entirely futile debate, but one that can not be held under the aegis of anything resembling brevity (plus a whole bunch of 'owl of Minerva' moments where I'm forced to use speculative philosophy when I don't have much regard for speculative philosophy); I have no inclination to engage in such an act.

So, no.

Seeing as you were the first one to assume an empty rhetorical position in regards to the efficacy of the UN, feel free to plot a detailed disquisition on why you believe it is overall a positive force, if you so please. Just don't expect debate in return.

OK, no.

Let's just pretend mrthirdeye posted a tldr post and I have quit this thread. I've got work to do anyway.

LOL.

 laugh Give it a few hours and Mr Raw may have that taken care of anyway.

Not even debatable imo.

Nothing would without doubt pack more punch and achieve more than the UN ever could.

More common than I care to admit, unfortunately.

How about we pretend that you should be able to justify your independent thoughts or opinions on things you find controversial ?. Or are you scared you might be treated the same way as me and won't know how to handle it !! teef When i said to scapegoat me all you(se) want, i didn't actually realise that you may be slack enough to do so.  laugh Blame me for your throw away comments that you can't back up why don't you teef
Nup... Save it for next time we meet in person. We both know it's more productive and fun that way... plus we can understand each other  laugh
See !! Noddy has taken care of it, i agree with what he says. However *things (in the U.N.) can always improve...
this is one way to look at/ go about *it
What would you know  teef

Thoughts from a week in which I have listened to Question Time because I no longer have an I-Pod:

1. Can someone please teach Steve Fielding how to pronounce Australia. Seeing as he uses it more than any other word in his vocabulary 'Austrayea' should not be acceptable.

2. Bob Brown is a petulant turd. It has nothing to do with the fact that we have very different ideas on politics, it has all to do with his general attitude to everybody in parliament. He spends most of each speech whinging about peoples niggling comments and then spends the rest of the time whinging about how he wont stop whinging when the President tells him to shut the fuck up and present his case. He also asked if leave could be granted so he could talk for ten minutes about how he was happy with a bill, but unhappy that it wasn't done earlier. That's true of every bill, if it was done earlier it wouldn't need to be done now. Every bill you are in favour of should elicit the same reaction. No one needs to know that you would have been happier with something earlier, as everybody wants things they approve of to happen as soon as possible. Having a time preference is the reason interest rates exist, it's a law of human existence.

3. It is much easier to listen to Question Time in times where Penny Wong is not called upon to spend hours successfully not answering a single pertinent question.

 laugh Amen!

Don't you read teh intarwebs?

http://www.stevefielding.com.au/news/details/bullies_seize_on_slip_of_the_tongue/

He's got a learning impediment, you heartless bastard!

Well, another one apart from the fact he's religious and conservative.

So, please, lay off the retard.

Still I can't fathom how being dyslexic excuses him from not being able to spell fiscal. 

Um... you nuderstand how dsylaxie woks, right?

If it has something to do with knowing when to use a C instead of a K then no.

Seriously though, I know a guy who suffers from it, and he often spells things with a k instead of a c on paper.

I guess it would be the same if I asked him to spell things aloud, but I never did.

He knows how to spell a word, but when he writes it down it comes out as a K.

He can, however, pronounce everything accurately.

EDIT: But Steve Fielding is an idiot, even with the disease.

Definately agree there  laugh


Interesting...

So, do any politically minded people here have opinions on the Honduran situation? I, for one, dream of a world where America minds its own business, Zelaya finds permanent residence in a new town, or a Honduran Jail cell (his choice) and Noam Chomsky goes back to writing about linguistics. But with US diplomats trying on their sith lord voice and even progressives, people who tell you they can be relied upon to disagree with force and coercion on an international scale, not wanting to: A) disagree with a deposed leader because he was trying to become iChavez 2.0-a rather admirable aim in the eyes of today's liberal apparently- and B) become apostates in the first year of the reign of President Invisible Man - that just doesn't look likely.


Anyone have any opinions on Malcolm Turnbull's ultimatum? Anybody give me a reason why Wilson Tuckey shouldn't be fired (apparently a concept that isn't even being considered)?

what about harbisson and his bubble gum!!!

I like the Noam Chomsky idea. The Honduran stuff I don't really care about. But like most of my answers, they should probably just nuke it.

And I think Malcolm Turnbull is behaving as a leader should - working towards the best interests of the country, rather than his party.

Of course, this means he'll be out of the party before the next election.

And yes, Wilson Tuckey should be fired, mainly because his name sounds like a country and western singer.

Intrigued by certain people's opinions on one of IOZ's latest.

Thursday, September 24, 2009
Cheney/Obama

Confronted with the titanic failure of the Obama administration to live up to a single one of his progressive supporters' more or less fervent dreams, our Progressive cuts open the steaming belly of Dick Cheney and offers it as shelter: Well, would you rather still be living in there? I always say that I find Cheney preferable. I don't deny the reality of his secretiveness, his evident disdain for what good-government types call "transparency," but I propose that even a cursory examination of his character, his habits of speech, his patterns of thought as they emerged over the years, show that his commitment to the practices of secrecy are superficial compared to his deeper and more discomfiting trait of frankness. He was a blunt, misanthropic curmudgeon of a man, he kept his cards close and his subversions of the constitutional order closer, and yet it seems to me that he was and has been forthright about his luciferian principles when asked. Indeed, he famously put them right in the open at the very outset of our supposed post-9/11 era when he said quite plainly that we must tread on the dark side. I am not absolving him of prevarication. Like all politicians, he lied and dissembled. He wasn't above telling tales, and he certainly hated specifics the way all humanity hated the dentist before the advent of laughing gas. But Cheney, as a matter of character, was always willing to tell you that the dress made you look fat. If not entirely above flattering America with lies about its inherent nobility, he was markedly less prone to such nonsense than most pols, and when one regards his eight viceroyal years, what emerges, perhaps surprisingly, is far less the portrait of a blinkered neocon hoping for democracy to bloom in the desert than a man whose American exceptionalism is heterodox--is, at last, an understanding that we are an empire or hegemon and that preserving the prerogatives of such primacy require brutality.

Also he was unpopular, deeply so, whereas Obama maintains a deep reservoir of good will and a legion of loyal defenders despite clearly pursuing the same practical path. Obama is certainly more charming than Dick Cheney, but his rhetorical openness is the superficial dressing behind which lurks a much more opaque character. It doesn't require embracing some birth-certificate paranoia to ask, who is Obama?--not to ask: where did he come from, what is his citizenship, who are his secret masters?; instead, to ask: what does he believe, what are his governing principles? And that, I think, is a trickier question. Well, in the first place, I think that his American exceptionalism is orthodox. He believes the cant. He thinks this is the greatest country in the world, the greatest force for good in history as he himself once put it, although he is plainly willing to go far, far into the supposedly forsworn territory of evil Cheney in pursuit of . . . global freedom? What? Since taking office, he has ratified the policies of domestic surveillance that supposedly marked his predecessors as uniquely intrusive, has continued their policies of detention, has expanded a war, has reaffirmed rendition, i.e. kidnapping, is building a bigger, better concentration camp at Bagram, etc. etc. Practically speaking, he is at least Cheney's equal, with two exceptions. One: he is the president. Two: he is immensely popular.

Many liberals and progressives and suchlike will tell you, and not without some reason, that they oppose these policies now as they did before, that they condemn them in this administration as they did in the last. But it takes no special powers of discernment to see that their hearts aren't in it, that the frequency and fervor of their criticism is greatly diminished, that the prospect of some or other bullshit, half-assed, health-insurance subsidy causes them to pull their punches, and that their temperamental preference for Obama is a fine substitute in their minds for substantive improvement. When they begin suggesting that he be impeached, as they yowled about Cheney, I will take them more seriously in their complaints that I and others like me target them unfairly. They remain "supporters" of this president. Well, why does he need, and why does he deserve anybody's support?

So, Barack Obama is just a hipper, cooler, blacker version of Dick Cheney?

So, Az, you're saying you'd rather a secretive, yet to the point, but someone who doesn't like specifics, to rule America??

In other words, you're saying you'd vote for a woman!?

ARE YOU MAD?!?

This post should be subtitled: In which I revive 'the thread that shall not be named' to promulgate an arcane argument that will interest maybe 2 people--if I am lucky--and elicit a response from maybe one -or- Tobi needs a blog.

Take it away Arnold Kling:

"Take a look at the top ten countries in the economic freedom index. Then look at the top ten countries by population. The United States is the only country in both lists, and at the rate things are going we will not be in the top ten in terms of economic freedom much longer.

My reading is that there are serious diseconomies of scale in governance. The larger the polity, the worse the ability to govern. Yes, some small countries are very un-free, but the most-free countries are all small. Of the other countries in the top ten in terms of economic freedom, Canada has the largest population, and it is barely more than 1/10th of ours. My impression is that Canada also is less centralized than the U.S., with more autonomy in the provinces.

Several readers have asked how one can prepare financially for a collapse of European currencies. Perhaps in the short run the U.S. dollar will be helped, but I would be thinking in terms of securities from countries like Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and Switzerland.

Ultimately, I think that democracy is a very unreliable friend of economic freedom. The ability to vote with your feet is more valuable than the ability to cast a ballot. The trend in the U.S. is toward giving people less power to vote with their feet, as power becomes more centralized. If the median voter would like more decentralization, that is one message that is not getting through."


For some time now, I have said that the best thing to do with larger polities is to break them down in to smaller, competing, city-state like polities. Outside of Texas' attempts to seceed, Paul Romer's Charter Cities concept and Patri Friedman's Seasteading institute it mostly exists as a concept in folk activistic rhetoric at the moment, and will likely live on as a hopeless dream, but I'd like to posit that it is a hopeless dream that actually has great merit.

Any takers?

Oh oooh, decentralisation. I never knew you had it in you Tobes.

If Australia is #3 on the economic freedom index then they're doing it wrong.

I cannot buy X rated porn, R rated games, nor semi-automatics. Many drugs freely available in other countries are very restricted here. And TV shows and movies are always released late, again restricting our freedom to purchase. And not to mention import restrictions on wood goods, cars, grain, wine, etc etc...

The list is wrong, dude.

lol
no one cares what you can spend your money on. Economic freedom just means that the big wigs are free to make money how ever they want with little or no restrictions.(well sort of)
or am i completely off the mark?

From :http://www.heritage.org/Index/

Economic freedom is the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please, with that freedom both protected by the state and unconstrained by the state. In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself

My emphasis:

In Australia, there are huge restrictions on the consumption of goods and services.

Dictionary of Business Terms
economic freedom

freedom from regulation or other dictates from government or other authority in economic (business) matters. In the capitalist system, economic freedom is supposed to lead to efficient allocation of resources .

What is economic freedom?
Economic freedom is the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please, with that freedom both protected by the state and unconstrained by the state. In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself. (See the Methodology.)

How do you measure economic freedom?
We measure ten components of economic freedom, assigning a grade in each using a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the maximum freedom. The ten component scores are then averaged to give an overall economic freedom score for each country. The ten components of economic freedom are:

Business Freedom | Trade Freedom | Fiscal Freedom | Government Spending | Monetary Freedom | Investment Freedom | Financial Freedom | Property rights | Freedom from Corruption | Labor Freedom



It is not a perfect system, but I think you are being overly contrarian. The list certainly has a strong relation to reality, and as I look down that list, for every nation below us, I can think of multiple issues with economic freedom in each of those nations. I think the more salient point is that if we are 3rd (maybe things will change if certain incoming laws don't get repealed) and yet so economically unfree, the world is far too fucking captive within its individual systems of government. Also: Liechtenstein's non inclusion knocks us down to 4th automatically.

Even giving some ground to your provocations, you must admit that there is a correlation between large polities and poorly managed, restrictive economies and policies. So the crux of the post stands. Which nobody has spoken of yet: Would secession, decentralization, and competitive city-states with the right of exit work better than leaving the largest polities at their current size?

 laugh You sarcastic cunt.

No.

The greatest societies in history have always had the largest populations and been ruled by dictators generally thought of as Gods by the majority of the population.

OMG these Anti-Abortion posters are doing my fucking head in. It's SO offensive.

I feel for the victims of rape who have fallen pregnant only to be confronted by a MALE politician trying to dictate legislation that affects a women's life, body and mental health. FUK WIT.

Anyone want to make up some posters saying "women's right to choose" "What about the victims of rape" I wonder what the the penalty is for defacing political campaigning posters?

GRRRRR

yeah saw those and was thinking WTF?

the guy who is doing those was kicked out of family first or something?

majority of abortions occur before the twelve week mark so not only is the picture inaccurate but if, as they say, abortion is the murder of an unborn child then how can they put pictures of a corpse on their flier. 
and the slogan Abort SA? wtf? 

in all seriousness tho, what is up with julia's ear lobes?

image not archived: gillard.jpg

she has a good 3cm of lobe there... wtf?

 laugh

i feel like this election brings it very close to a certain episode of SP...
image not archived: douche-turd.jpg



i feel ripped off by Gillard as she stole kevin 07's (who i liked and thought was a good leader) spot and Tony Abbot i dont like at all...


for the first time ever I feel regret in enrolling to vote all dem years ago

Why exactly?

Also, that South Park episode was made to reflect all elections. I believe they still generally rock up, and vote Republican, but they aren't exactly fans of the process.

he did things I appreciated from saying sorry to go foriegn relations... thumbs-up

I was sorta hoping for some practical measure. Name 1 positive change in the status of aboriginal culture or welfare to happen since he said sorry.

Admittedly he was a far better foreign diplomat than parochial leader, but I'm still not sure exactly what positive things he did with that ability. I am aware of his distant dream for an Australasian Union, which is just scary.

Are you forgetting the 2020 summit tobi?  That oozed success

on a serious note he did do a lot to gain the support of Australians and tried to put it to some good use with the ets and super tax, just a pity that having the backing of a majority of the country is not enough to make any real change

I would argue the Super tax is not good use, and the crypto-idealist rhetoric that surrounded it was woeful. No matter what cherry picked and slightly irrational economic models Pollytics (Seriously, America produces the rather brilliantly non-partisan The Monkey Cage, and our forerunner is That) can come up with. It doesn't matter anyway, he failed. He also failed in spectacular form with the ETS, and I'm not entirely sure he ever envisioned getting that through, but I'm somewhat of an apostate by the terms of the church of AGW; though I do believe in some smaller level of Global Warming, I don't believe it matches the hype of the worst models, and I certainly don't believe the practitioners are looking at realistic changes that can be made to current world political and economic systems. I guess I would say I am more certain that currently suggested amendments by environmental activists would irreparably fuck whichever nations take them on board than I am that Global Warming will destroy us all within the next couple of hundred years.

I am willing to listen to arguments though....and I expect them from Jayar in 3, 2, 1....

why is the super profits tax not a good use?? 

And while I agree that going over board with environmental protection protocol may cripple a country, I think doing nothing could potentially cripple the world.  Extreme maybe but I think of global warming like aliens, sure theres fuck all evidence but deep down inside you know theres still a pretty good chance they're gonna poison the waterhole
 biggrin

 laugh If that's your argument, I'm all for Black Swan insurance, but not when the insurance costs nearly as much as the Black Swan itself.

I'm going to avoid discussions on the SPT, as I don't care enough to go through them; but, as you may have noticed, I have a rather Rahn Curve-ish view of the size of government, and I don't believe models can ever adequately allow for the effect of reinvestment of profits in any industry. Sorry for being flippant about my response, I was just tired of hearing about it after a few weeks. If someone else restarts the discussion I may not be able to help myself, though.

I've always been a fan of the Rann view of government also.

 laugh

image not archived: rahn-curve.jpg

Rahn Curve. N.B. The actual curve itself is overtly simplistic, and I don't have much care for it, but it corresponds fairly well to the basic underlying message of all the accumulated crap I spout.

[video: www.youtube.com] smash

What a dumbshit  laugh

laugh

So very owned.

i feel like smoking weed again after watching these 'gonna get wacked' ads

talk about subliminal messages!

Hahahaha so glad I don't watch Sunrise but that was terrible... fuck me.. if those cunts have any say in parliament we're all fucked... talk about walking round with your blinkers on. (Family First I mean)

surely they have someone more capable on the payroll!

wow.

just. wow.

i feel like buying a bible to keep in the toilet for 'emergency' situations after watching that

what a stupid bitch ass whore faced mole

n.b: moles are blind

https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/campaign.php?alias=Australia_GetsUp_2010&id=1251

donate or don't :shrug:

The first 12-13 seconds of filtered sound bite in that ad consists of 100% demonstrable fact. Flame on.

rofl

laugh

 laugh

rofl

fuck that was funny last night.

im working all day tomorrow so i went in and did an early vote, sober.

quickest vote ever. in/out under three minutes.

tony abbot drank a light beer shandy

gheyslayer

gillard downed a stout

pint

wtf is abbot trying to prove by staying awake for 72 hours?

laugh

Its disturbing isn't it!

You can do it without gear? He can make a strong anti-drug message with that.

I'm spewing I let this creep up on my lazy ass. I could've gone down to the embassy any time in the last couple of weeks on my days off but didn't get round to it and there's no way I can make it there today due to work.

I only care so much because they are saying it's the tightest race in the last 50 years or so. I'll be cursing myself if Abbott gets in.

Your vote doesn't matter! Ever.

The race won't be decided by one vote in your electorate, I assure you; you can put some money down at 5000 - 1 odds with me if you like.

 
what happens if that gets carried by everyone in the electorate.

i understand your point, but thats tardy dude, tardy.

NO ONE EVER WINS THE LOTTERY. EVER.
lol

do you really feel empowered by your right obligation to vote?

I think to have compulsory voting they need compulsory politically education in school.

Haha I know this man. I just like to romanticise the idea of it all. If everyone went with your admittedly accurate view of things, no one would bother voting.

Hell the Democrat rep in my electorate was a dude that went to my school and he wound up in some fucked up cyber paedophilia sex scandal. That could have skewed the votes big time!

I love that Idiocracy is on straight after channel 10's election coverage. Someone @ 10's programming has a sense of humour...

kevin 07 gave me $800 bucks too... no other pm ever did that..




STILL UNDECIDED!

It isn't a message that gets carried by everyone in the electorate. Ever. So that's a stupid argument. I have no interest in hypotheticals that have no bearing on reality. For the record though, seeing as the only discernible positive point I can make about democratically elected oligarchy is that at least it's not totalitarianism, I couldn't really give a shit. If it got carried by a mere 90% of the electorate, assuming that 90% was random, it still wouldn't make a difference to the result. If you don't believe that, do me a favour; disregard any sociological, political, economic etc. study you have every read, because they only ever really talk to somewhere between 100 - 1000 people. The biggest dataset for a study I have ever seen was 30,000*. You honestly have a far better chance of dying on the way to the voting booth than making a difference with your vote.

*You would hate the conclusion of that study, just quietly.


You do realise all of the faults with that analogy, don't you? Apart from the very obvious one about quality of life gained from minor differentiation of opposing oligarchic leaderships juxtaposed with quality of life gained from winning 20 million dollars, that does a very good job of making another argument for me; they are two entirely different types of probability. None of that analogy makes any sense on any level.

You yourself must admit that your preferences only go to Labor because you presume they are the lesser of two evils. You're wrong, but then, you are often wrong; but that doesn't matter. Neither of us could argue that we would both prefer to live life 20 million dollars richer, both of us could argue, and do argue, about whether we would prefer to live life under liberal or Liberal rule. Although I seem to be the only one who realises that it doesn't make a fuckton of difference, apparently.

Ok, here's something I don't get.

Half the people voted Liberal. Half the people voted Labor.

No doubt because the two parties are so fucking similar and try so hard to appeal to the middle, they don't appeal to anyone.

Moreover nobody really gives a shit who's in power, because we all know we're going to be ass-rammed one way or the other.

So why don't those two parties join together to form a majority government, if a majority government is so fucking important? Why do they need the Independents and the Greens?

After all, it's the Independents and Greens which have the truly frightening policies.

Labor and Liberal joining together?

I think we have more chance of the Palestinians and Israelis reconciling.

dumbest post ever

labor and liberal will never join forces

you really outdid yourself there j



in other news, yesterday saw a record number of donkey votes http://www.news.com.au/features/federal-election/election-donkey-votes-hit-a-record-high/story-fn5tasrw-1225908552299

I honestly don't care who the Prime Minister is; I just want somebody to stop the boats.

 

They took our jobs!

so if no deals get sorted out this week to determine leadership, we may need to go and vote again.

abbot has already backflipped on broadband, now supporting the NBN.

 

 

they would be like the galactic empire??? Lord Abbott and Darth Gillard would destroy the greens & family first (the rebellion)


and be fucked if im gonna pay more tax so we can build a death star.


 

I'm really interested in hearing Del's opinion on the last few days in Australian politics!

 

he's been really quiet in here lately actually. i hope nothing's wrong!

image not archived: 46131_147963075227378_147717358585283_328492_43056

 

What a shame they're all christians.

So?

Additional challenge and higher level of achievement once you get them!

Wouldn't be surprised if...

image not archived: 12875876.jpg

  Perfect website. Minimal layout, full of facts and straight to the point.

OK from someone that doesn't get into politics at all (probably the most I ever learned, though it was the British system, was when I read Jeffrey Archer's First Among Equals.), I have a casual question here.

I've been checking the ABC.net.au news site everyday to see how their little counting thing is progressing and something that has been annoying is the vote counting.

Now I understand they have an army of people doing it directly after election day and on election night at about 12am it was at 75% counted or thereabouts.

Now it has been nearly 2 weeks and the number of votes counted is only on 90% - they still haven't finished! It took them 2 weeks to do an additional 15%!

WTF is with that? Do they have less people counting now? Is that the reason? Or is that last 10 percent of no concern so they don't press on to count it all? I.e. it won't get the extra 2-3 the sides needed to reach 76 to form government so it's not that important?

I would have thought they would have finished counting them all first thing to get the final tally and then gone onto court the independents if required.

It seems backwards to me.

Absentee votes mate

Yep absentee votes seem to take ages. You'd think two weeks would be plenty though, I mean how fuckin slow is the post office these days

Ah right. Got it. didn't think of that. Bloody snail mail.

hot dog, we have a weiner!

image not archived: images

gillard, by an ear lobe!

the ranga's are runnin tings

strange times ahead

ginger, and loves playing angry birds... finally a PM i can relate to



http://www.news.com.au/technology/ipad/australian-pm-julia-gillard-has-no-problems-with-people-who-play-angry-birds/story-fn5knrwy-1225928797684?area=technology

 

hahahaha

Given the mad monk only won by one vote, I wouldnt be totally surprised if we see any internal issues within the Libs in future either.

That would be party suicide. The only thing they've got going for them is labors fuck ups