Weekend Gab Fest: Special Midas Shoe Edition!
Hello,
Good afternoon and welcome to another weekend gab fest..!
And what a dramatic week it’s been!
As has been widely reported, while most of us were all enjoying a snag and a tinnie, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard spent Australia Day being unceremoniously dragged from an official Australia Day event in Canberra after the venue was stormed by Aboriginal activists from the nearby “Tent Embassy.”
Many, including the dementia club, have laid the blame firmly at the feet of Tony Abbott, however if you have actually watch the footage that was supposedly the spark that ignited the furore it is clear his remarks were harmless.
In fact, in the same footage he calls Kevin Rudd’s 2008 apology to indigenous Australians a “great achievement” of the Rudd Labor Government.
And as TB Queensland points out, Tony Abbott is one of the politicians that has actually worked alongside Aboriginal Australians when help was needed.
Personally, I think it would be a nice gesture if the so called “Tent Ambassadors” gave Julia her shoe back.
In other news, after some three-year investigation (some marriages don’t last that long), Fair Work Australia has finally, finally announced that as a result of its investigation it has determined “adverse findings” against Labor MP Craig Thomson following allegations he misused his credit card.
Today, the Gillard Government has announced it will give same-sex Australian couples who want to marry overseas a certificate of no impediment.
The certificate, which is required by some countries for heterosexual and same-sex couples, proves a person is over 18, is not married, and that there is no other barrier to them getting married.
Until now the Government only provided the certificate for heterosexual couples but same sex couples will be able to apply for the document from February 1.
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon says while it does not mean a same-sex marriage is recognised in Australia, it does remove a discriminatory hurdle.
“Same-sex couples have been very insulted that they can’t get from their government a certificate which says they’re not married to anyone else,” she said.
“It’s a pretty basic thing and that prevents them from benefiting from the laws of another country. So it’s a removal of discrimination rather than the next step, which our Australian Parliament hasn’t yet dealt with.”
One wonders what the reaction might be had yabot said to those campaigning for Same-sex marriage to ‘just move on, we’ve come a long way already’ ?
Possibly not storming the ramparts (pure speculation).
Possibly just to continue to pursue things through the established channels one might speculate…
Who knows, but the protest was not violent, it was only rowdy.
Tom R, how would you have reacted if the ‘anti carbon tax’ rally had ended in a similarly rowdy manner, with the PM being ushered by bodyguards?
I really don’t have a big problem with noisy protests, it wasn’t exactly of a G20 magnitude.
But possibly quite pissed off none the less, as can possibly be indicated by the vehemence encountered since the PM declared her position.
Let’s be clear, I’m not defending the actions of the protestors, any more than I am defending the comments of tabot.
“But possibly quite pissed off none the less, as can possibly be indicated by the vehemence encountered since the PM declared her position.”
Quite possibly, but who knows – pure speculation..
But how do you feel about actually happened yesterday, rather than speculate over hypotheticals?
But how do you feel about actually happened yesterday
http://guttertrash.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/weekend-gab-fest-special-midas-shoe-edition/#comment-89972
One of the reasons posting here is so fucking infuriating
yes, I read that, but it didn’t make your position any clearer… Just sayin…’
“One of the reasons posting here is so fucking infuriating”
Well at least you can post here….
I mentioned earlier that a few days before the mob turned up in the capital it was rumoured the old guard Black Power Movement would be there.
Not that they had anything to do with the disturbance, it was probably the younger hot heads standing in the shadow of their heroes, but it’s interesting to speculate on how it could have been avoided.
Midas: Where Prime Ministers shop.
So has the Maiden shoe been confirmed?
The stock market is on a seven week high, thanks to the miners, ratty will be pleased.
With reagrd to the Tent Embassy rattling the restaurant cage – so to speak …
Its not so much what the “ambassadors” et al really did … its how its perceived here and overseas …
==========================================================
Fair Work Australia has finally, finally announced that as a result of its investigation it has determined “adverse findings” against Labor MP Craig Thomson
But what exactly does that mean?
It was kind of funny that in the plagiarized speech, there was reference to “blame”. My recollection was that the old blame game was to be ended. It’s reached new heights.
‘But what exactly does that mean?’
Thomson is already under investigation by the police, on a related matter, so the FWA finding will also look good on his CV.
Thanks, egg, I think …
Let me rephrase … adverse findings translates into what, how, why, when, where and who!
And particularly, what “sanctions” and or disciplinary or legal proceedings can be taken …
Not sure what’s involved, but for the sake of the country we expect nothing less than a year in gaol for the lad. Hope my comment is not seen as prejudicial.
In other nooze…a Siberian winter is about to impact the UK.
‘George Goodfellow of the Met Office said: ‘It seems like we are edging toward a scenario where lower temperatures last for the next four weeks. It is going to be a contrast to the weather we have had this winter. Widespread frosts and snow could affect large areas.’ He said the wintry weather was a result of ‘a cold air mass moving across from Siberia’.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092487/Winters-coming-vengeance–Siberian-storm-bring-5C-temperatures-Britain-big-freeze-month.html#ixzz1kdwPKull
Salt is on the menu again.
I know its of no importance to anyone here, but it makes me feel better. When the AO index is below the line…..
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/ao_index.html
It is nice to see Miglo commenting here again. Just a pity he feels that he has to do it under a false name.
The mighty Black Caviar just won her 17th race in a row, to remain undefeated.
OI!
‘…he has to do it under a false name.’
If its Costello he’s done a good impersonation…three stars.
I think sock-puppets are allowed under the Gutter’s open door policy. I miss Klan Girl.
I have a comment in moderation. It must be because I mentioned Klan Girl.
I now have two comments in moderation. In both I mentioned a certain commenter with the initials KG.
I think I prefer the look of Andy Murray’s girlfriend. Mind you, Djokovic’s is no scrubber.
So I’m feeling quite ambivalent about the tennis tonight.
Mrs Sancty and I were just debating that very subject ToM. I’m with the Joker’s.
Yes, it is that type of question that makes tennis such an interesting sport.
Then it will come as no surprise to discover that Andy and his girlfriend don’t avoid sex before a big game.
And that’s official.
Why are such “no impediment” certificates granted to couples as opposed to individuals? Seems weird to me.
‘Investors bought less an a third of the 3.5 billion Egyptian pounds (US$580 million) worth of Treasury bills offered to the market on January 22, a red flag warning that Egypt’s foreign exchange position is close to the brink.
‘Yields on Egyptian government debt maturing in nine months jumped to nearly 16%, but the government could not place its local-currency debt to Egyptian investors, even at that exorbitant rate.
‘This is a new and ominous decline in the financial position of the most populous Arab country. I have been warning since last May that “Egypt is running out of food, and, more gradually, running out of the money with which to buy it.” How fast this may occur is hard to specify, but the government’s inability to borrow on money markets suggests that the crunch is not far off. ‘
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/NA24Ak02.html
More:
‘Nearly half of Egyptians are functionally illiterate. Nine-tenths of adult women have suffered genital mutilation. Almost a third of Egyptians marry first or second cousins, the fail-safe indicator of a clan-based society. Half of Egyptians live on less than $2 a day, and must spend half of that on food.
‘Under duress, and after the collapse of the secular military dictatorship that ruled Egypt since the Free Officers coup six decades ago, Egyptians naturally revert to traditional institutions: mosque, tribe and clan.
‘It should have been no surprise that the Islamists swept the parliamentary elections, given the desperation of the people and the cupidity of the political system. The Wafd Party, Egypt’s oldest secular political entity, polled just 9% of the vote.
‘Delusional as it was to expect Egyptians to support secular liberal parties that never existed and offered no solution to their desperation, it is all the more delusional to expect the Islamists to stabilize Egypt. The Islamist victory in the first round of voting last year almost certainly prompted the jump in capital flight in December, and the consolidation of Islamist power.’
By concluding that Craig Thomson has a case to answer, it is clear that Fair Word Australia is “trolling”, by the definition applied “elsewhere”.
I mean, when I suggested that this was the case, I was apparently a “troll”. When I defended myself against this, I was banned.
Fair Work Australia will need to tread carefully with this finding, or it will find itself banned barrackers who just hate debating the unethical behaviour of ALP MPs and their hangers on.
Never before seen in Seattle, ‘two feet of snow’.
Communism will collapse in China this year, apparently.
Channeling the Bolter.
‘British-born millionaire Alan Bond was grieving today after his devoted wife was found dead in the swimming pool of their Australian mansion.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093119/Entrepreneur-Alan-Bond-finds-wife-dead-swimming-pool-Australian-mansion.html#ixzz1knDQVWDc
Gay journalist snares psychotherapist and it ends up in court.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9046487/Lord-Carey-backs-Christian-psychotherapist-in-gay-conversion-row.html
“Special Midas Shoe edition”
Ms Gillard has the Midas touch: Everything she touches turns into a muffler.
‘The German political establishment seems willing to destroy Europe to avoid telling German voters the truth about how stupid it has been. Germany’s leaders are doing everything possible to conceal the ugly truth that the mistakes that the German banking and regulatory establishments made in underwriting Club Med debts are as much a cause of Europe’s woes as spendthrift Greeks.
‘German bankers (along with their colleagues in many European countries) jumped feet first into the Greek debt morass. They are also up to their eyeballs in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian bonds. It was not simply their inability to make good lending decisions that landed them in this pickle; the German government encouraged banks to load up on Club Med debt even as those countries grew steadily less creditworthy after 2008. Banks were told that the sovereign debt of eurozone members could be carried on their books risk free, in effect making those bonds significantly more attractive than other securities priced at a comparable level.
‘Much of German (and French) policy in the crisis pretends to be about saving Europe but is really about saving their own banking systems, if at all possible without drawing the attention of voters and taxpayers to the official idiots who helped make this all happen. By denouncing the profligate PIIGS, and demanding punitive austerity drives in debtor countries, German politicians are demagogically whipping up their own public opinion while covering up their own grievous and expensive misjudgments. It takes two to make a bad loan and German authorities richly deserve to be pilloried by their own population for their clueless financial leadership in the euro era. It is deeply irresponsible as well as cowardly for them to dress in the robes of righteousness and beat the Greeks.’
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/01/28/will-german-politicians-wreck-europe-to-save-their-own-skins/
‘Spain halted subsidies for renewable energy projects to help curb its budget deficit and rein in power-system borrowings backed by the state that reached 24 billion euros ($31 billion) at the end of 2011.
‘“What is today an energy problem could become a financial problem,” Industry Minister Jose Manuel Soria said in Madrid. The government passed a decree today stopping subsidies for new wind, solar, co-generation or waste incineration plants.’
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-27/spain-suspends-subsidies-for-new-renewable-energy-plants.html
WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366.htmlNo Need to Panic About Global Warming
‘There’s no compelling scientific argument for drastic action to ‘decarbonize’ the world’s economy.’
Compelling reading, Tony.
I sincerely hope the luke warmers here will join in the debate about a ‘pollutant’. It should get an airing because its at the heart of the matter.
David Burge’s Day Off
“Curator of the modern art collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.”
Sounds like a dirty cultural marxist.
Splitting poitical hairs, who said what and to whom and when, neither side giving ground, another Cultural Marxist hurdle in the Antipodes….as Europa considers her future.
Julia needs to be told, the games up.
‘The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years.
‘The figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2093264/Forget-global-warming–Cycle-25-need-worry-NASA-scientists-right-Thames-freezing-again.html#ixzz1kqc7qAdL
Hello GTers,
Not that you would have missed me but I’m just back from a very intense 4 day tax conference on the not so sunny Gold Coast. Yuck……….. It was a little wet.
Anyway after having sat through approximately 10 hours of the ins and outs of the Carbon Tax and how its going to work on a day to day basis I must make the following disclosure.
I and most of my accounting colleagues am now the Carbon Tax’s number 1 supporters. Previously I was dead against this Tax but now having seen the possible levels of “compensation” that will be available to me and my profession I am now an unabashed supporter.
Australia needs this Tax.
And having just received Mrs Rat’s America Express bill for the lead up to Christmas King Rat needs this Tax.
The rest of you rusted on Right Wing Nut Jobs are out of touch.
Roll on 1 July.
My printer’s paper tray is full and a new toner cartridge is installed.
I stand ready to begin printing invoices as and when required.
Thank you Julia and thank you Bob Brown
“I’m just back from a very intense 4 day tax conference on the not so sunny Gold Coast. … It was a little wet.”
The subject matter, or the weather?
Welcome back ratty…
But…but ratty, you’ve sold out to the hip pocket nerve. Where’s the integrity in that?
The subject matter was absolutely as dry as a dead dingo’s donga.
The weather was absolutely filthy wet
One thing I’ll never miss about Queensland is that stupid utterance of their’s to any request
“Too Easy”
They seem to utter the mindless expression every 30 seconds
Great to be back in Sydney. It only took 12 minutes out of the airport carpark to be almost run off the road by a P plater.
They seem to utter the mindless expression every 30 seconds
Unlke certain, Rats, I know! Not …
… too easy, hey, cobber!
The Denialati are still accepting recantations up to July 1, after that we are not taking prisioners.
Get on the right side of history, ratty, greed is not a great look in someone so young.
‘prisoners’
I think you actually meant ‘poisoners’ grodo
http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/met-office-in-the-media-29-january-2012/
Still peddling bullshit I see
You’ve got a scoop there midget, take it over to Tim Lambert.
For sreb’s sake I won’t get into an argument, except to say they underestimate the power of the sun.
They are headlining the Solar Cycle 25 story at Watts.
They are all sleeping over at Watts and haven’t seen your Met scoop. This is your big chance.
(I liked Watts’ relatively recent coverage of strange attractors and phase space; it had me wondering briefly what a phase space for the collected Watts’ skepticisms would look like as a comprehensive CC model.)
TomR … did I mention its nice to have you posting here at GT again
From Tom’s Met link…
‘It confirmed that although solar output is likely to reduce over the next 90 years this will not substantially delay expected increases in global temperatures caused by greenhouse gases.
‘The study found that the expected decrease in solar activity would only most likely cause a reduction in global temperatures of 0.08 °C. This compares to an expected warming of about 2.5 °C over the same period due to greenhouse gases’….
As I said previously, they underestimate the influence of our star and have put their faith in models…. jigged to frame a benign trace gas.
The trend is down,
http://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2001-2001_hadcrut3_trend.png
‘ABC journalist Kerry O’Brien has been banned from driving for three months for speeding more than 30km/h over the limit in Sydney’s south-east.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/kerry-obrien-banned-for-speeding-20120130-1qp8w.html#ixzz1kwNZ853f
reb the Rusty Cigar did not disappoint. I’ve ordered another case.
“TomR … did I mention its nice to have you posting here at GT again ”
I 2nd that.
“the Rusty Cigar did not disappoint. I’ve ordered another case.”
Pleased to hear it. I had one or two myself on the weekend.
“TomR … did I mention its nice to have you posting here at GT again ”
I thirdle it..
Always enjoy TomR’s contribution, even though we disagree on one particularly issue. I still owe him a favour, he directed me to GT.
This past week Canada and Alaska have endured the coldest temperatures on record, fortunately its only weather.
***A TRASH EXCLUSIVE****
Tony Abbott is currently blabbing at the National Press Club, here is a copy of the speech what he just read out loud…
http://www.scribd.com/doc/79913738/Tony-Abbott-s-address-to-the-National-Press-Club
The first thing he’s going to do is repeal the CO2 tax…got my vote.
Tony also mentioned Craig Thomson and is convinced 3 years to get a hearing is unnaturally long.
Political pressure applied to slow things down? The Bolter thinks so.
The Bolter may well be right…but because he says such things about almost anything the government does his impact is severely bluntened by ‘The Fuckwit That Cried Wolf’ syndrome.
Yes boss, the man’s a rabble rouser.
I only go there for useful tips.
Gina is making a power play on Fairfax’s digital arm.
‘A stockbroker acting for Mrs Rinehart – Australia’s richest person – last night approached fund managers in a $192 million attempt to acquire a 10 per cent stake in Australia’s biggest independent media company, which owns this website. If successful, the purchase would give her a 14 per cent stake in Fairfax and possibly a seat on the board.’
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/rinehart-seeks-bigger-slice-of-fairfax-20120131-1qrh7.html#ixzz1l4Y8mU5S
‘FWA said last week its investigation was nearing conclusion and a final response would be made on March 5.’
So ToM, we can expect Craig’s comprehensive statement by Easter.
‘Britain is bracing itself for yet more cold weather as Arctic winds knock temperatures lower than those currently being experienced in the South Pole.
‘Temperatures are expected to plunge to as low as -10C in sheltered parts to the west of the country, four degrees lower than at McMurdo, the U.S. research centre in Antarctica, where the mercury is at -6C at night and -3C in the day.
‘Health chiefs have also started warning that as a result of the freezing conditions, more than 1,500 people a week could be killed by the weather.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094230/UK-weather-Army-standby-temperatures-plummet-11C.html#ixzz1l4cmFxL3
I have nothing further to add.
There has been talk elsewhere that Communist China will collapse this year. Don’t know about that, but if it happens its obviously the fault of China’s ‘one child policy’.
Haven’t had time to read this, off to the gym.
http://www.economist.com/node/21543477
Wonder how this bloke and his sons would run James Hardie?
http://www.news.com.au/business/meet-victorias-best-boss-who-gave-his-loyal-staff-a-15m-bonus/comments-e6frfm1i-1226258897821
Hi EG – I’m using a slightly clunky mobile device, so I didn’t see your comment about Craig.
I’d expect a ‘comprehensive statement’ very soon’.
Here’s a draft – ‘I never done it. There’s no evidence I done it. Me opponents done it, because they want to fit me up.
The government is getting on with the job and pokies are good for the community.
Thanks youse’
There has been talk elsewhere that Communist China will collapse this year.
Some of the steel workers in the photo look pretty young, egg …
There was also an anti government protest at a fishing community a few weeks ago too …
Growing “nationalism” around the world is one of the warning signs … for gloobal collapse not just China … the Middle East has been a tinderbox for centuries …
Just imagine what we could do with all that military power and energy … eliminate famine, provide education and health services for everyone on the planet … then we move into space – the final frontier …
The old Russian aircraft carrier converted into a PLA plaything does not constitute a threat to the West, although it does appear the PLA are acting independently of the political party and this has the Americans worried.
Their long range missle plans, aimed to eliminate carrier fleets at long distance is of concern, but that is some way off.
People everywhere want freedom, its only natural, so the obvious route to paradise on earth and adventure in space….a phazing out of nationalism and the encouragement of small government.
—————————————
Kathy Jackson wants an inquiry into the FWA.
“Kathy Jackson wants an inquiry into the FWA.”
Then the FWA will claim that the Enquiry into the FWA is taking up so much time it is delaying the completion of its enquiry into the HSU.
So I guess we are likely to get an enquiry then.
And around in a circle we go.
China’s ‘one child policy’ started in 1978 so I think those steel workers are just a bunch of spoilt brats.