Can you plug Akismet into Moveable Type? I know you can with some other blogging engines. Just requires someone to write the connection code for it. I have Aksimet in a Wordpress blog and a webblog using Expression Engine. Works a treat.
Post something clever and I'll be inspired to comment!
i gave up on watching insiders, pompous wankers are they
only a person with an evil agenda would not see howards aboriginal invasion as electioneering stunt
I didn't actually say Ms Hanson was my principle threat - although this is how it's been reported - I said people couldn't write her off whlie others were refusing to rule out giving her preferences. Familiy First got a seat on 2% primary vote after all, and Ms Hanson will poll more than that.
However, her policies are a threat (or at least the ones which seem to get her publicity), and they are held by more people and parties than her.
The different parties aiming to get my seat are so many that it doesn't really matter which is the most serious - Greens, Family First, Hanson, James Baker plus the major parties - they're all after that seat. Although you are right to note that any Democrat seats that are lost won't necessarily go to another minor party. The party lost 4 Senate seats in 2004, and 3 of those went to major parties.
gave up on insiders months ago, cassidy was so piss weak with the panel , letting them get away with outrageous statements.
i realized that it was just another right wing pat each other on the back show in the usa fox network mode and i could do with out that crap in my life
Although I have asked of climate-change deniers, I have never received an answer to the question of why it is a good idea that humans go on emitting 7,000,000,000 tonnes of CO2 annually and think there could not possibly be any adverse outcomes.
It is becoming increasingly clear that at a personal level it is not that difficult to reduce our greenhouse footprint by 50% with little if any inconvenience. It also saves money. But to me it seems that at the heart of denialism is selfishness of the 'why should I have to change anything I do?'.
It's cold comfort to think that in a decade or so the denialists will be regarded as quaint remnants of a bygone era - like flat earthers.
Even you make that fundimental error which allowed the Rodent to gain control of the Senate, it should NOT be "A mark in that square.." we should all mark the requisite minimum number of square -usually about a thrid. Come on if you can't count up to 20 or 30 you shouldn't be allowed to vote.
Over 97% of people vote ABOVE THE LINE in the Senate which is how the majors want it, despite being introduced by Hawke supposedly as a way to obviate 'informals' - the same 5% still vote 'none of the bastards' volunteer to be a scrutineer at the next election you'll soon see the informals are mostly of that ilk, not people to dumb to follow a how to vote card (I'll resist venting my spleen on that idiot obscenity).
Since you aren't cursed with the joys of life in the Emerald (ferous oxide akshally) Shitty, you may not have realised that this shut down is just a trial run for the biggy, APEC in a month or two.
And that is gonna be the whole CBD & environs, employees will get holidays (interesting context for WorkChoices there - how do you compell a private business to give an unlegislated, payed oh, wait I see...
People should also check out the recently rushed through Air Traffic Amendments Act, re. dignitaries & VIPs, not that those VIPs would ever include our "commercial Princes"
Come on, you know greenism is a gay, communist,black/muslim Martian plot! Rusty, Porkerman & the Rodent have told us so. they wouldn't lie! Or be dumb as posts.
yeh, but think of the spam you'd also get!
First it was people going broke putting new paper rolls into their faxes, then hours spent deleting the "enlarge your...brain" ads from the email
No one would doubt the balls of the average Digger (see the difference in the recent Shat-al Arab [Persian Gulf] imbroglio, brits caputured and crying over losing their iPods, Oz sailors using ...err... robust language and aiming those metal thingies that go BANG)
I bet they're chafing sitting out of harm's way so the Rodent doesn't have any body bags before the election.
But, pace Red Gum, why the f*** are they still there?
What can he say? I'm an (ex) coke addled drunk who doesn't know his a*** from his elbow?
And it's all Darth Cheney & Rummy's fault And that buck toothed rusky specialist paino playing hym singer.. i wuz only the (P)resident of the White House, you voted for me, twice, kinda sorta.
Indeed, you are quite right. Personally, I do always number every square below the line. I completely agree that those who choose to use that one box above the line are surrendering their right to democratic process. Such as it is.
May I make the suggestion that the problem is NOT the price of a house but the AREA in which one seeks that house, ie anywhere within cooee of city jobs/slaries. Or even a town.
Villages and elsewhere, now that is a different question. Often still over priced but usually serviceable on the dole, since that's all there would be until enough like minded people chose to live in the (previously & currently depopulating).
I'm not sugesting a return to the good ole daze. They never were, OZ has NEVER, since 1788, been anything other than an urban society, unlike any other on the planet.
Even the amerikan colonies were more rural, almost from the day the coffin ships hit port. Not OZ, because this 'vacant' continent was settled in a uniquely different historical period, for a specific purpose, and sturdy indepenent yeomanry was NOT it.
Currently, 85% of our population lives within 50 miles of the coast, 98% are on 'town' water. In other words the continent is almost empty - and thus would be far cheaper to inhabit. Simpson Desert anyone? Perhaps not but Western Division of NSW which was, until a few months ago, was ALL Crown lease (rent fixed at 0.36% of rateable value - not even peanuts, just a couple of scraps of the brown skin thereon) except for the small excisions on towns and Torrens Title buy outs. The cash strapped and ethically vacant NSW gov. is now desperately begging many lessees to buy out their holdings at insanely cheap values, about 5 years rent (rember it was almost nil rent...).
Go west young woman, the blokes will follow.
I'd like to get excited about the issue but surely it's a case of "if only both sides could lose"?
Incidently, from my schoolboy Latin (circa 1960) i think the plural of 'haruspex' is "haruspices".
Maybe i can get a job in Pope Ratswinger's reTridentined Church? Can't be many left of the old smells & bells, dress wearing shirt lifters who may have intoned the Cureare whilst fiddling.
"Labor ... gives a damn good impression of understanding" it's all about perceptions not reality.
Do you REALLY think they'll do jack once in power?
Hawke 'tamed', castrated actually, the Big Unions more effectively & with less resistance than his hero (sic!) thatcher did and more than the Rodent could dream of in his suburban conveyancer phantasies.
As for wage pressure building up, when was it ever not so? Tories keep them down and, when chucked out, who cops it in the neck?
Anyone with a grasp of Ancient History may remember the outbreak of the 70s worldwide, oil going from $2pb to $14pb in a less than a year, with concomitant flow-on to every aspect of western lifestyles... can't think of the Great Man's name, Edward something i think...
I must agree with Trinifar & Slim - comments posted, correctly, do disappear into the ether. I myself had a zinger on the Inciters go astray - so spiffingly scintillating and all encompassing of human knowledge that I can't remember it.
Thanks for putting your sanity at risk by looking, hope that you weren't too damaged - I accidently happened upon a MySpace once and it took me hours before i dared return to the keyboard. Exactly what IS being bred/hatched in that region of netherspace?
Poiltically astute - no way; socially aware - surely by definition NOT; worth their oxygen - no convincing evidence.
If that is the future, praise god that I'm an elderly atheist.
My personal inclination is that euthenasia, from a spiritual perspective, may not be the optimal way to die. But I equally have the conviction that it is indeed a decision for the individual to make, not the State. I am appalled at Kevin Andrew's action and performance today. I'd forgotten that he is 'deeply religious'. Makes it an even greater act of moral bastardry.
Short version of 7.30 report:
O'Brien: Isn't this premeditated vindictiveness for political gain?
Andrews: It's legal
Here is my understanding.
Organised religions have their origins as systems to attain spirituality (however it be culturally defined) but are not that actual spirituality.
Although manifold and various in abundance, the failings of organised religions are not sufficient grounds to condemn the notion of individual spiritual growth, for it is a universal tendency of humankind.
The religious systems historically have acted in concert with the governance of the State, and so become battlefields for politics and commerce, which we are now seeing on a global scale. It is no accident that Bush's neconservative free market US is politically dominated by apoclyptic Christians wanting to bring it on down so that the End Days will arrive, Jesus will appear, and all true believers will be raptured, youthful and whole, into the radiance of God's heavenly realm. Equally as narcissitically insane as 'the mad mullahs' fighting God's great battle to literally die by the sword, to attain 17 virgins in heaven.
But the point is that the scriptures of both these Abrahamic religious traditions should correctly be regarded as metaphors for the personal struggle for spirituality, not a political handbook. People tend to confuse the two, especially if vulnerable to manipulation by unscrupulous leaders and politicians.
As they say, you can't throw out the baby with the bathwater. And these days, there's a whole lot more bathwater than baby.
It comes across as a bit wholesome at times, but the Compass program, The Quiet Revolution last night was interesting in this respect. Looking at some individuals' efforts to extract the baby from the bathwater.
Remember, if the people vote for this crowd, it means that they want more of the same...
What gets me about Andrews, is that he won't say whether Haneef's guilt is that he had prior knowledge of his cousins' intended criminal action, or was Haneef "guilty" of having lent his sim card to his cousin BEFORE Haneef became aware that these dudes were involved in a criminal act? Questions about Haneef's character hinge on the answers to these questions and Andrews won't come clean and resolve them.
He's Howard's man alright... And until it's sorted, it's all just another beat-up. It's Tampa and Children Overboard all over again...
People get the government they deserve but, unfortunately, I get it too!
For all the talk of Latham's looniness in 2004, the voters knew the Ratty's record Truth Overboard,(don't forget who first called him a Lying Rodent, one of his more intelligent colleagues!), his unique concept of core & non-core promises, never-ever GST ad nauseam and still they gave him what only 3 Federal govs. have ever had, control of both Houses.
Vote your own preferences in the Lower House - eschew or tell ALL party hacks to shove the 'how-to-vote' card and in the Senate vote below the line, it isn't that difficult to count to 20 or so. DO NOT VOTE ABOVE the THICK(Y'S) BLACK LINE otherwise it could well be the last opportunity we'll have to do so, we'll have our Bunyip Aristocracy and deservedly..
Both Faris & Andrews cling to "it's legal" to reject criticism.
So was Kristallnacht, Agent Orange, napalm, drowning Lake Pedder, Stolen Children etc etc.
Not moral, ethical,intelligent, reasonable, sane or even half sensible.
But legal.
That was the point made by many observers when these laws were rushed through Parliament with barely a murmur from Bomber & his boyos.
Hand on heart though, do you believe Krudd will repeal them?
Hand on heart though, do you believe Krudd will repeal them?
Hand on heart? No, more than likely not. The politics of fear know no particular ideology. I'd like to think that suitable amendment with accompanying consultation might be undertaken though. It's what should have happened originally, but when you have all the power, why not reap all the glory as well?
PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO THE FBI OR TO THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE (AFP)
***Here is a TIP that could be of some help for the Australian Federal Police.
Please read on…..
Gabriel Christou says please see
www.gabrielchristou.blogspot.com
AS PER 1st REQUEST:
Gabriel Christou Says: In the past 4 months I have made frequent telephone calls to the Australian Embassy on 66 2 344 6300. The person that I always seemed to talk to is Vic Stoykovski. He assures me that he is from the Australian Federal Police and I should go and meet him over a cup of coffee.
AS PER 2nd REQUEST:
Gabriel Christou Says: In the past 4 months I have made frequent telephone calls to the Australian National Security on 61 2 62709401. The persons that I always seemed to talk to are Paul Prescott and Rodney (surname unknown), they also issued me with a reference number 126823022. They assured me that they have pass on the information and that someone will contact me.
Today Monday the 9th of July 2007 at 9:19 am called Australian National Security on 61 2 62709401 and an answering machine was on and recorded message said: We are sorry can cannot take your call at the moment, please call back in 20 minutes.
AS PER 3rd REQUEST:
Gabriel Christou Says: 6 weeks ago, I have made a telephone call to Mrs. Jaye Walton’s (who is the Honorary Consul – General for Thailand South Australia and Northern Territory) home in Adelaide on 61 2 62709401. The persons that I spoke to said that he was the butler and that Mrs. Walton was currently in Bangkok and the best way to contact her was to call this number 66 2 253 0123 room number 475.
So, I’ve called and spoke to Jay but during our ten minute conversation mostly regarding the terrorists that I know of them and where and who they are, she promised she will contact Mr. Bill Paterson who is the Australian Ambassador to Thailand and revert back to me within a week.
Well, I am still waiting for her call but nevertheless I should also say that I am aware now that I was not talking to Mrs Walton at the time, even though her voice sounded the same, she failed to remember her best friend’s name.
***Here is a TIP that could be of some help for the Australian Federal Police.
At the time when I met Sunny (MOHAMMED ALI HAMADEI) he gave me a business card that had
www.espressoessential.com/ and are based on the Gold Coast.
In saying this, please keep in mind that these terrorists are very much involved in food and drink chains.
I KNOW WHERE THESE TERRORISTS ARE
I know where these terrorists are: The photos tell the story.
Gabriel Christou says please see
www.gabrielchristou.blogspot.com
I am the founder of Pizza Haven Australian and International, I have been fortunate to discover these criminal terrorists and I wish we could do something URGENTLY.
PLEASE FORWARD IT TO THE FBI AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE:
I have information on the following Terrorists including and more
OSAMA BIN LADEN or BIN LADEN
AYMAN AL ZAWAHRI
MOHAMMED ALI HAMADEI
ABDULLAH MOHAMMAD SHALLAH
IMAD FAYEZ MUGNIYAH
Just going through some material I have notice Noordin please below.
NOORDIN MOHAMMAD TOP
My description of Noordin is (Nick name is Top) height is 150 -155 tall, stocky build person with a fuller face. His hair is waving and uncared.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMMENT TO READ AND YOU WILL KNOW
I am very familiar with these inhumane people as I was given an opportunity by the man himself to work his network under no knowledge of who they are and when I discovered their identities, I resigned and since then I have been trying to make contact. See below the story and attached photos of some terrorist that I have in my possession.
Bin Laden is really a shy person but a good con man as it seems well educated and knowledgeable to induce others in return.
Osama Bin Laden’s ego and orchestrated behavior, seems to lack experience and wisdom.
His strengths are nothing more than a perception of many that he is rich and entrepreneurial. Perhaps, his disguise is his main strength, as he has avoided getting capture.
Thank you
Gabriel Christou nitalia_ms@hotmail.com tel 66 56 203 178 hm cell 66 848190411
Typical of this pack of moral myopics that they couldn't just settle for a 4% poll boost for catching an evil darkie intent of Medicine of Mass Destruction.
They just had to lie, obfuscate and then lie some more, so desperate are they at the looming prospect/certainty of utter rout.
That creature Andrews, the question is not so much WHERE do they find these golems (not 'gollum' tho' the etymology is obvious) but WHY?
It's difficult to pinpoint if top management is at fault or if it's a line manager covering their butt. I do work at Telstra and I have found that it's often that a line manager or team leader, who will use personal language in a negative manner in the hope that this will motivate an employee. Then there are the Telstra cliques, those who maintain a cohesive group, who view new starters as outsiders in some cases. It can go on for quite a while. I have worked there for some time and I still don't feel accepted. If a minor thing occurs, I'll be pulled aside and the issue magnified beyond anything. I keep on telling myself that it isn't cardiac surgery or similar, to keep my head up because I am in need of a regular income, and short of blowing my fuse, I remind myself that such corporations are structured to work in this way. All about hierarchies and approval, obeying a certain chain of command. If one deviates from this, one is pulled aside and given a subtle warning (not an official warning).
In the wake of the suicides, many managers went to workshops to discuss these events, and I don't think that many of them returned with any improvement to their communicative technique. It doesn't matter. It's about maintaining their foot in the ladder, maintaining their position, even if it means pulling an employee out of a task to complete something the manager has forgotten to complete.
Of course it's not a company's fault, and it's not the fault of some underqualified managers (underqualified in the sense of effective communication or even human communication on a real level), but there are many who begin a career wanting to make a go of it. Like the saying, there are a few bad apples everywhere, but there is room for progression, however if one is unfortunate to end up in one department managed by a mini Hitler, it makes such progression difficult, even if the rest of the company is positive and offers positive incentives (outside of sales, there are many other departments within Telstra that offer good career development).
Like anything, it's random. A person is fortunate to start in a team, managed by a personable team leader or is unfortunate to work for a sycophant without an ounce of integrity. It happens, and sometimes it is the principle. Unfortunately there are some people who try to tough it out, who find themselves in a dark place later on in time and it is unfortunate, but a company does need to constantly monitor its management.
If management is poor, or a manager has poor communication skills (negative, 'spare the rod spoil the child' mentality) this has repercussions that are obvious: high staff turnover, high staff absency (sickies, etc) rates, lowered productivity. This is easy to spot, as companies such as Telstra keep records of their progress across each department and this is why I can understand the anger in the community. Senior management can monitor their line managers or team leaders and/or supervisors, but more often they don't.
It's no fun having to approach a supervisor who nit picks over things that aren't even part of an official Telstra process, to hand you back documents with red pen corrections for the hell of it, or for them to hardly provide ongoing training. I've seen many resignations. They stand out like a sore thumb, but other departments aren't aware of them. I feel they are hushed, minimised and the peer groups (managers) guard this because a high turnover only leads to one thing poor managerial skills.
They're probably pulling 50% more rpm than the older style group C or A I'd guess, which would contribute to the different sound - think about the noise an F1 car makes which is nearly double again. Combine that with much more sophisticated valve overlap timing, differences in exhaust specs etc.
Interesting observations, Anon. Your own reactions to this negative and sub-standard form of management speaks volumes of the impact it has on a person's psyche. In my estimation, any business which doesn't monitor it's managers at all levels is ignoring its corporate responsibilities to all staff as both assets and human beings.
I think it's to do with the precise computer management of what essentially are old engines in technological terms. More alloys are used today while the Group C cars used the older 'iron' engines. It's interesting to note that both makes still use overhead pushrod valve actuators. We were privleged to be given a personal tour of Tony D'Alberto's Futjitsu car (sponsored by GMAC) and quite frankly, the electronics sitting in the floor of the passenger well would rival the space shuttle in terms of data logging, engine management and real-time information telemetry. One look into the cockpit of these cars shows you very clearly that they are NOT anything like a standard road car. From the metres and metres of high-strength roll cage tubing to the driver positioning back past the 'B' pillar, these machines are purpose designed to race.
Hi Niall,
My nephew won the his race on Saturday although I didn't get to see it myself. He was invited over to America to race near the end of the year. We are very proud of him. His name is Ashley Walsh.
Indeed he did, AJ. Formula Fords I believe. If I remember correctly, he drove a spotless couple of races as well. I wish that the support categories, like FF, would attract more publicity in the media. It's people like Ashley who struggle to be recognised by the sponsors they need in order to excel at what they're best at.
Tell Ashley for me that I'd be only too happy to host him here if he'd like to write the occasional supporting piece for his sport.
The family said thanks for the kind words Niall and I'll pass on the message to Ash. I got the destination wrong I'm afraid it was England not America. doh!
There is nothing rational to be said on this matter because, whatever assumption of stupidity & malevolent incompetence is made, 10 minutes later the Feds come out and admit idiocy beyond any Konspiracy nut's wildest phantasies.
Therefore I'm really gonna really dig deep and opine that it's the Rodent's Sampson Option - knowing he's for the chop, he wants to bring down as many others as possible with him by the most egregious actions which even the headbangers like IronBar Tuckey & Heffernan would abjure.
Too wild? Oh, oh he's just about to come on TV, what will he say next...?
It long ago went beyond the question "what didn't X know, and when didn't he know it?" re Tampa.
Everyone knows that they were gorrrnnn unbti it hove onto the scene.
The right has tried to claim that the Rodent was on the way back BEFORE Tampa; that must be why charmers like Peter Reith (remember that specimen? sorry to remind anyone who'd succeeded in expunging his loathesome viasage), Moore and several others deservedly forgotten jumped ship before the elction was even called.
ooops, i forgot the bannerman verifier...
The Hefferlump referred to 'having wood' only a couple of weeks ago in reference to priests and Blind Freddy (last heard when Fraser devalued the Oz dollar in 1976) made a come back recently but got jumped on as unPC to the disabled.
The dominant kulture (currently amerikan language, less so its 'ideas' thankfully) usually overwhelms with its habits & language but surprisingly often adopts the underlying idoms.
Indians drink their tea as 'chai' - milk, tea, water & sugar boiled up together because, for two centuries, that's how the British seemed to drink it yet the British got the habit from the Indians originally, go figure.
And the word 'chai' is still common in Britain but I don't recall hearing it here since the 60s.
As bad as legislation is (and it IS pretty crook - thanks a heap Bomber for your stalwart Opposition, one of the few (only?) times I recall when Mr Prolix Verbiosity said too litle), anyone who's ever had any occasion to deal with wallopers (or ANY puffed up bureaucrat, from the gas meter reader to a PPS) knows that the letter of the Law is far less importance than attitude. When you're picked, you stay picked.
Face it, with the immense power of the State and sheer lazy incompetent inertia propping them up, fairness is not a consideration, even when it wouldn't (unduly -sic!) inconvenience the pants-polisher.
Anyone with decency or dignity in those jobs very, very quickly either quits, (being, by definition, the State most have tenure so, until recently, sacking wasn't common except by attrition) or is transferred to filing in the basement.
Which isn't a bad place to be, as that's where the bodies are buried - there'll almost always be a piece of paper pertinent to the scandal d'jour. Except that the Rodent has learned from experience that the less written down, the easier ignored, denied or denigrated.
No offence, but you've ruined my evening. I haven't thought about that wanker for at least 6 months. Now I've got the willies. Please don't mention TB for another year at least ;)
You are right on the money...lenders need the right information to ensure they get the lending decision correct...but that is only part of the story. Credit file content alone won't deliver the right outcome. Controls over access and use are also needed. These are needed to ensure this information is consistently reliable (via strict definitions and rules about placing info on a file) and appropriately used (not for marketing purposes).
All 3 elements are needed to ensure better lending decisions.
I'd be very interested in any other feedback you get in relation to your posting.
Isn't iot a sad commentary on our 'trust' of government that, what ever Android Andrews said, anyone with double digit IQ would assume that he was spinning?
If he held his briefing at High Noon and said it was 12.05pm I'd look out the window to check the sun was shining.
These are our RULERS, no longer OUR government, our servants whom we pay and 'choose' at roughly three year intervals.
Re hannef and who ever the next victim is, read the opening lines of Fanz Kafka's "The Trial"
'Someone has been telling lies about K ..' and without knowing why he was sent for trial... I paraphrase, not having a copy to hand after reading it 40yrs ago.
It doesn't even need to be 'lies' just "intel" which is logged onto AFP, state police or other agencies. They all feed off each other and 'nothing' can very quickly become 'war of the worlds' without additional input, or rational evaluation.
Think credit agencies, dodgy at best but orders of magntitde superior toi what is logged on LEA databases.
When I saw those first Rover pics. years ago my first thought was, "slightly less inhospitable than the Oz Outback.."
I'd happily take a one-way flight there just for the chance to stand on another world, no religion, above ... only sky.
And spend what ever time left setting up the processors necessary for the first colonies.
It's now clear that the best strategy is to manufacture oxygen & other eseentials from what's available rather than try to (space)truck it there. Even on the Moon this would be possible for slightly different reasons - there may be no indigenous water but always the chance that some comet or meteor dumped a load which may have ben held together by the 1/10 gravity in the form of H20. But on the Moon there solar radiation is undimmed by even a thin atmosphere and thus PV & even radiant heat collectors/pumps would gather ergs like crazy.
"...a lack of spending by the Commonwealth on infrastructure in order to procure the much vaunted budgetary surplus..."
which is purely ideology driven - 'we're Liberals' it's wot the Right does' - nowt to do with ".. a part of some Machiavellian plan by the feds to make themselves look good.."
waayyy too much credit given to think 3/4 could even spell Machiavellian even if the other 1/4 thought it was a new Starbucks' flavour.
NO it is simply the brain dead belief that the market will supply all - which is why we have so many plumbers, scientists, technicians that 457 visas are a left wing phantasy.
And don't forget the strongest, (though smallest) union of all, the AMA which throughout the 80/90s where bribed into not sabotaging Medicare with Bulk Billing and allowed to drastically restrict the numbers in mediacal training.
Dr Hannef or Dr Patel anyone?
Finally,"... has forced State governments into this (infrastructure) funding.."
If only they would! Don't know about Brisbane but anyone with the unconcerned luxury of listening to morning & evening traffic reports in Melb/Syd knows they haven't spent a zac more than aboutsolutely unavoidable on roads nor train/bus services which would obviate the road works.
Except for PPFs like beltways & undercity tunnels, each one a cash cow for the privateers and utter failures for the motorists.
In 1983/4 I had the doubtful pleasure of watching a young(? was he EVER young?) Dolly trying to appeal to a corwd of Syndye uni & inner city types. Despite the audience, his 'swishy' body language was just so OTT.
I'd had loved to have seen him being grilled by a teenager who has not yet been 'levelled' into deferring to dumbarses for the sole reason that they're (a) older or (b) in postions of authority (for the moment).
Just not enough of that damned forelock tugging these days.
Bye bye Rodent & your ratbags.
we are now feeling the effects of howard's economic policy, 9 interest rate rises in a row now and it is because the keating hawke reforms ran out of puff around 2000 and costello and howard have done nothing except spend money since then
unfortunately for australia we missed an opportunityto strengthen our economy through education and infrastructure spending since 2000 and now we are going to pay for it - higher inflation, higher interest rates
i'm pissed at howard and costello for letting such an opportunity go by
Who needs skills training when we have 457 visas and 2 billion northwards clamouring to skivvy for us?
As for infrastructure, that's why the Great God Keynes gave us PPP/PPI.
Look at the great success of those in Minneapolis and the UK water supply industry or, at home, Cross City tunnels and Ringroads..
You've previously expressed general approval of Kelly as fair minded but I cannot agree.
Like most (tho far from being the worst) of the Oz's scribblers he implies, when he does not openly state, certain parameteres to a contentious discussion.
eg above "..in an age of terrorism.." anything can be excused and he refuses to acknowledge Kirby's point that, by removing the freedoms which make our society superior to any that have gone before, we are losing what is important.
Sheridan is a classic case of this, positing the most extreme threats in order to justify stunning leaps of illogic & non sequiters.
I find Paul Kelly to be a fairly accurate commentator on matters political, and pretty much a person who doesn't openly exhibit his known biases
which doesn't translate to general approval, nor does it qualify him as fair minded. He has biases, of which I'm well aware. Why else would he be working for Rupert? What I wrote means what it says. I find him to be a fairly accurate commentator and pretty much a person who doesn't exhibit his known biases.
We all lean one way or the other, and despite what Ken Parish likes to claim, there is no such animal as a centrist in the game of ideologies.
I was interesting that David Leftfooter Marr was in the middle, on the right of the couch, and kept flinching from Rusty's touching and fondling. He spent the rest of the prog. distinctly back shouldering the Dolt.
Gerard is just dreary and even Porkerman seems to have lost his edge so, for want of better heandbangers - PP MycG perhaps? - rusty Dolt will have to do.
Piss & wind, pass the parcel, musical chairs, lock arms & lie... whatever it is called, there's only ever ONE loser in the end, yer mug punter with his 2/4 hostages to fortune.
Could WorknoChoice have found its Saviour?
A lot of poor bastards have going to have to work for food before this shakes out and then there's that eco crisis thingy...
No wucking forries though, you can't have an environment without an economy.
What most rocked my socks was Dilemma's rpeated use of the word "weapon" referring to his new toy.
Just two words for the Daze of APEC - agent provocateur
Android Andrews attitude & responses , on PM tonight, to the criticism of his actions would, in the military, invite a charge of "dumb insolence". But then the Rodent comes on the 7,30 report and refuses, over & over to discuss the implications of the gorunds that "there is an appeal underway...".
Yeh, right up until Election Day.
My knees buckled & my guts twisted, in 1991 after Gulf War I, when I heard Herbert W Bush proclaim proudly, apparently without shame or awareness of the need thereof, "We've finally kicked the Vietnam Syndrome".
What did he THINK that he meant? That they'd finally succeeded in winning a war, after the his & Raygun's shameless bullying of mini states like Grenada & Pananama?
Nice to know that the therapy worked... glad we could help.
It was his version of Raygun's "amerika's back in the saddle" and said without irony (hardly surprising given that amerikans seem to lack the gene). Until Juniour got his finger on the Button he was Irony personified - his classic quote was "we're looking at the "vision thing"
Now Shrub sez "we've made such a mess that we daren't leave otherwise it'll be just like that other mess we made, in which I helped by protecting Texas from
Comments (0)
Hey, hey...it's working!
Can you plug Akismet into Moveable Type? I know you can with some other blogging engines. Just requires someone to write the connection code for it. I have Aksimet in a Wordpress blog and a webblog using Expression Engine. Works a treat.
Post something clever and I'll be inspired to comment!
Cheers
Posted by Slim![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waddayano.org/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 18, 2007 6:50 PM
Posted on April 18, 2007 18:50
i gave up on watching insiders, pompous wankers are they
only a person with an evil agenda would not see howards aboriginal invasion as electioneering stunt
Posted by oyster | July 1, 2007 3:50 PM
Posted on July 1, 2007 15:50
Thanks Niall
I didn't actually say Ms Hanson was my principle threat - although this is how it's been reported - I said people couldn't write her off whlie others were refusing to rule out giving her preferences. Familiy First got a seat on 2% primary vote after all, and Ms Hanson will poll more than that.
However, her policies are a threat (or at least the ones which seem to get her publicity), and they are held by more people and parties than her.
The different parties aiming to get my seat are so many that it doesn't really matter which is the most serious - Greens, Family First, Hanson, James Baker plus the major parties - they're all after that seat. Although you are right to note that any Democrat seats that are lost won't necessarily go to another minor party. The party lost 4 Senate seats in 2004, and 3 of those went to major parties.
Posted by Andrew Bartlett | July 8, 2007 10:53 PM
Posted on July 8, 2007 22:53
gave up on insiders months ago, cassidy was so piss weak with the panel , letting them get away with outrageous statements.
i realized that it was just another right wing pat each other on the back show in the usa fox network mode and i could do with out that crap in my life
Posted by oyster | July 9, 2007 11:02 AM
Posted on July 9, 2007 11:02
this is not me someone esle is using my name in the papers CM is the main one I write to.
Posted by bob of qld | July 11, 2007 7:06 AM
Posted on July 11, 2007 07:06
Tends to raise another issue, doesn't it. Why bother if you can't secure your identity?
Posted by Niall | July 11, 2007 8:24 AM
Posted on July 11, 2007 08:24
Hmm... case in point :-)
Posted by Slim | July 11, 2007 1:04 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 13:04
What happened to my actual comment?
Posted by Slim | July 11, 2007 1:30 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 13:30
This was my original comment!:
Although I have asked of climate-change deniers, I have never received an answer to the question of why it is a good idea that humans go on emitting 7,000,000,000 tonnes of CO2 annually and think there could not possibly be any adverse outcomes.
It is becoming increasingly clear that at a personal level it is not that difficult to reduce our greenhouse footprint by 50% with little if any inconvenience. It also saves money. But to me it seems that at the heart of denialism is selfishness of the 'why should I have to change anything I do?'.
It's cold comfort to think that in a decade or so the denialists will be regarded as quaint remnants of a bygone era - like flat earthers.
Posted by Slim | July 11, 2007 2:01 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 14:01
Even you make that fundimental error which allowed the Rodent to gain control of the Senate, it should NOT be "A mark in that square.." we should all mark the requisite minimum number of square -usually about a thrid. Come on if you can't count up to 20 or 30 you shouldn't be allowed to vote.
Over 97% of people vote ABOVE THE LINE in the Senate which is how the majors want it, despite being introduced by Hawke supposedly as a way to obviate 'informals' - the same 5% still vote 'none of the bastards' volunteer to be a scrutineer at the next election you'll soon see the informals are mostly of that ilk, not people to dumb to follow a how to vote card (I'll resist venting my spleen on that idiot obscenity).
Posted by epicurean | July 11, 2007 6:11 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 18:11
Since you aren't cursed with the joys of life in the Emerald (ferous oxide akshally) Shitty, you may not have realised that this shut down is just a trial run for the biggy, APEC in a month or two.
And that is gonna be the whole CBD & environs, employees will get holidays (interesting context for WorkChoices there - how do you compell a private business to give an unlegislated, payed oh, wait I see...
People should also check out the recently rushed through Air Traffic Amendments Act, re. dignitaries & VIPs, not that those VIPs would ever include our "commercial Princes"
Posted by epicurean | July 11, 2007 6:29 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 18:29
Come on, you know greenism is a gay, communist,black/muslim Martian plot! Rusty, Porkerman & the Rodent have told us so. they wouldn't lie! Or be dumb as posts.
Posted by epicurean | July 11, 2007 6:44 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 18:44
yeh, but think of the spam you'd also get!
First it was people going broke putting new paper rolls into their faxes, then hours spent deleting the "enlarge your...brain" ads from the email
Posted by epicurean | July 11, 2007 6:52 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 18:52
No one would doubt the balls of the average Digger (see the difference in the recent Shat-al Arab [Persian Gulf] imbroglio, brits caputured and crying over losing their iPods, Oz sailors using ...err... robust language and aiming those metal thingies that go BANG)
I bet they're chafing sitting out of harm's way so the Rodent doesn't have any body bags before the election.
But, pace Red Gum, why the f*** are they still there?
Posted by epicurean | July 11, 2007 7:01 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 19:01
What can he say? I'm an (ex) coke addled drunk who doesn't know his a*** from his elbow?
And it's all Darth Cheney & Rummy's fault And that buck toothed rusky specialist paino playing hym singer.. i wuz only the (P)resident of the White House, you voted for me, twice, kinda sorta.
Posted by epicurean | July 11, 2007 7:08 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 19:08
Indeed, you are quite right. Personally, I do always number every square below the line. I completely agree that those who choose to use that one box above the line are surrendering their right to democratic process. Such as it is.
Posted by Niall | July 11, 2007 7:31 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 19:31
Dunno what happened to your 'original' comment(s) Slim. There is no guardian software on this blog at present.
Posted by Niall | July 11, 2007 7:37 PM
Posted on July 11, 2007 19:37
A comment I left a day or so ago also appears to have been swallowed.
Posted by Trinifar | July 14, 2007 4:56 AM
Posted on July 14, 2007 04:56
as I say, Trinifar, it's not due to any gatekeeper software on this site.
Posted by Niall | July 14, 2007 12:05 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 12:05
May I make the suggestion that the problem is NOT the price of a house but the AREA in which one seeks that house, ie anywhere within cooee of city jobs/slaries. Or even a town.
Villages and elsewhere, now that is a different question. Often still over priced but usually serviceable on the dole, since that's all there would be until enough like minded people chose to live in the (previously & currently depopulating).
I'm not sugesting a return to the good ole daze. They never were, OZ has NEVER, since 1788, been anything other than an urban society, unlike any other on the planet.
Even the amerikan colonies were more rural, almost from the day the coffin ships hit port. Not OZ, because this 'vacant' continent was settled in a uniquely different historical period, for a specific purpose, and sturdy indepenent yeomanry was NOT it.
Currently, 85% of our population lives within 50 miles of the coast, 98% are on 'town' water. In other words the continent is almost empty - and thus would be far cheaper to inhabit. Simpson Desert anyone? Perhaps not but Western Division of NSW which was, until a few months ago, was ALL Crown lease (rent fixed at 0.36% of rateable value - not even peanuts, just a couple of scraps of the brown skin thereon) except for the small excisions on towns and Torrens Title buy outs. The cash strapped and ethically vacant NSW gov. is now desperately begging many lessees to buy out their holdings at insanely cheap values, about 5 years rent (rember it was almost nil rent...).
Go west young woman, the blokes will follow.
Posted by epicurean | July 14, 2007 2:14 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 14:14
I'd like to get excited about the issue but surely it's a case of "if only both sides could lose"?
Incidently, from my schoolboy Latin (circa 1960) i think the plural of 'haruspex' is "haruspices".
Maybe i can get a job in Pope Ratswinger's reTridentined Church? Can't be many left of the old smells & bells, dress wearing shirt lifters who may have intoned the Cureare whilst fiddling.
Posted by epicurean | July 14, 2007 2:50 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 14:50
"Labor ... gives a damn good impression of understanding" it's all about perceptions not reality.
Do you REALLY think they'll do jack once in power?
Hawke 'tamed', castrated actually, the Big Unions more effectively & with less resistance than his hero (sic!) thatcher did and more than the Rodent could dream of in his suburban conveyancer phantasies.
As for wage pressure building up, when was it ever not so? Tories keep them down and, when chucked out, who cops it in the neck?
Anyone with a grasp of Ancient History may remember the outbreak of the 70s worldwide, oil going from $2pb to $14pb in a less than a year, with concomitant flow-on to every aspect of western lifestyles... can't think of the Great Man's name, Edward something i think...
Posted by epicurean | July 14, 2007 3:04 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 15:04
I must agree with Trinifar & Slim - comments posted, correctly, do disappear into the ether. I myself had a zinger on the Inciters go astray - so spiffingly scintillating and all encompassing of human knowledge that I can't remember it.
Posted by epicurean | July 14, 2007 3:09 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 15:09
How sacreligious! You'll go to the Cathoilc Hell, you realise. But only if you're Catholic.
Posted by Niall | July 14, 2007 4:10 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 16:10
I'll apply the mirror theory and look into it.
Posted by Niall | July 14, 2007 4:11 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 16:11
Lotsa luck - would you like us to keep a log of comments so we know which disappear? So much gold, lost to posterity..
Posted by epicurean | July 14, 2007 6:13 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 18:13
Good luck.
Like I say "Let the comments flow freely!"
Does MoveableType have an Aksimet plugin? The best thing for spam since sliced bread.
Posted by Slim | July 14, 2007 7:08 PM
Posted on July 14, 2007 19:08
well, a log of date/time would be handy I suppose. I wouldn't be getting overly serious about it though
Posted by Niall | July 15, 2007 9:48 AM
Posted on July 15, 2007 09:48
Thanks for putting your sanity at risk by looking, hope that you weren't too damaged - I accidently happened upon a MySpace once and it took me hours before i dared return to the keyboard. Exactly what IS being bred/hatched in that region of netherspace?
Poiltically astute - no way; socially aware - surely by definition NOT; worth their oxygen - no convincing evidence.
If that is the future, praise god that I'm an elderly atheist.
Posted by epicurean | July 16, 2007 3:19 PM
Posted on July 16, 2007 15:19
My personal inclination is that euthenasia, from a spiritual perspective, may not be the optimal way to die. But I equally have the conviction that it is indeed a decision for the individual to make, not the State. I am appalled at Kevin Andrew's action and performance today. I'd forgotten that he is 'deeply religious'. Makes it an even greater act of moral bastardry.
Short version of 7.30 report:
O'Brien: Isn't this premeditated vindictiveness for political gain?
Andrews: It's legal
Here is my understanding.
Organised religions have their origins as systems to attain spirituality (however it be culturally defined) but are not that actual spirituality.
Although manifold and various in abundance, the failings of organised religions are not sufficient grounds to condemn the notion of individual spiritual growth, for it is a universal tendency of humankind.
The religious systems historically have acted in concert with the governance of the State, and so become battlefields for politics and commerce, which we are now seeing on a global scale. It is no accident that Bush's neconservative free market US is politically dominated by apoclyptic Christians wanting to bring it on down so that the End Days will arrive, Jesus will appear, and all true believers will be raptured, youthful and whole, into the radiance of God's heavenly realm. Equally as narcissitically insane as 'the mad mullahs' fighting God's great battle to literally die by the sword, to attain 17 virgins in heaven.
But the point is that the scriptures of both these Abrahamic religious traditions should correctly be regarded as metaphors for the personal struggle for spirituality, not a political handbook. People tend to confuse the two, especially if vulnerable to manipulation by unscrupulous leaders and politicians.
As they say, you can't throw out the baby with the bathwater. And these days, there's a whole lot more bathwater than baby.
It comes across as a bit wholesome at times, but the Compass program, The Quiet Revolution last night was interesting in this respect. Looking at some individuals' efforts to extract the baby from the bathwater.
Posted by Slim | July 16, 2007 11:05 PM
Posted on July 16, 2007 23:05
Remember, if the people vote for this crowd, it means that they want more of the same...
What gets me about Andrews, is that he won't say whether Haneef's guilt is that he had prior knowledge of his cousins' intended criminal action, or was Haneef "guilty" of having lent his sim card to his cousin BEFORE Haneef became aware that these dudes were involved in a criminal act? Questions about Haneef's character hinge on the answers to these questions and Andrews won't come clean and resolve them.
He's Howard's man alright... And until it's sorted, it's all just another beat-up. It's Tampa and Children Overboard all over again...
Posted by Gerry | July 16, 2007 11:55 PM
Posted on July 16, 2007 23:55
People get the government they deserve but, unfortunately, I get it too!
For all the talk of Latham's looniness in 2004, the voters knew the Ratty's record Truth Overboard,(don't forget who first called him a Lying Rodent, one of his more intelligent colleagues!), his unique concept of core & non-core promises, never-ever GST ad nauseam and still they gave him what only 3 Federal govs. have ever had, control of both Houses.
Vote your own preferences in the Lower House - eschew or tell ALL party hacks to shove the 'how-to-vote' card and in the Senate vote below the line, it isn't that difficult to count to 20 or so. DO NOT VOTE ABOVE the THICK(Y'S) BLACK LINE otherwise it could well be the last opportunity we'll have to do so, we'll have our Bunyip Aristocracy and deservedly..
Posted by epicurean | July 17, 2007 12:06 PM
Posted on July 17, 2007 12:06
Both Faris & Andrews cling to "it's legal" to reject criticism.
So was Kristallnacht, Agent Orange, napalm, drowning Lake Pedder, Stolen Children etc etc.
Not moral, ethical,intelligent, reasonable, sane or even half sensible.
But legal.
That was the point made by many observers when these laws were rushed through Parliament with barely a murmur from Bomber & his boyos.
Hand on heart though, do you believe Krudd will repeal them?
Posted by epicurean | July 17, 2007 12:18 PM
Posted on July 17, 2007 12:18
Posted by Niall | July 17, 2007 2:46 PM
Posted on July 17, 2007 14:46
PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO THE FBI OR TO THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE (AFP)
***Here is a TIP that could be of some help for the Australian Federal Police.
Please read on…..
Gabriel Christou says please see
www.gabrielchristou.blogspot.com
AS PER 1st REQUEST:
Gabriel Christou Says: In the past 4 months I have made frequent telephone calls to the Australian Embassy on 66 2 344 6300. The person that I always seemed to talk to is Vic Stoykovski. He assures me that he is from the Australian Federal Police and I should go and meet him over a cup of coffee.
AS PER 2nd REQUEST:
Gabriel Christou Says: In the past 4 months I have made frequent telephone calls to the Australian National Security on 61 2 62709401. The persons that I always seemed to talk to are Paul Prescott and Rodney (surname unknown), they also issued me with a reference number 126823022. They assured me that they have pass on the information and that someone will contact me.
Today Monday the 9th of July 2007 at 9:19 am called Australian National Security on 61 2 62709401 and an answering machine was on and recorded message said: We are sorry can cannot take your call at the moment, please call back in 20 minutes.
AS PER 3rd REQUEST:
Gabriel Christou Says: 6 weeks ago, I have made a telephone call to Mrs. Jaye Walton’s (who is the Honorary Consul – General for Thailand South Australia and Northern Territory) home in Adelaide on 61 2 62709401. The persons that I spoke to said that he was the butler and that Mrs. Walton was currently in Bangkok and the best way to contact her was to call this number 66 2 253 0123 room number 475.
So, I’ve called and spoke to Jay but during our ten minute conversation mostly regarding the terrorists that I know of them and where and who they are, she promised she will contact Mr. Bill Paterson who is the Australian Ambassador to Thailand and revert back to me within a week.
Well, I am still waiting for her call but nevertheless I should also say that I am aware now that I was not talking to Mrs Walton at the time, even though her voice sounded the same, she failed to remember her best friend’s name.
***Here is a TIP that could be of some help for the Australian Federal Police.
At the time when I met Sunny (MOHAMMED ALI HAMADEI) he gave me a business card that had
www.espressoessential.com/ and are based on the Gold Coast.
In saying this, please keep in mind that these terrorists are very much involved in food and drink chains.
I KNOW WHERE THESE TERRORISTS ARE
I know where these terrorists are: The photos tell the story.
Gabriel Christou says please see
www.gabrielchristou.blogspot.com
I am the founder of Pizza Haven Australian and International, I have been fortunate to discover these criminal terrorists and I wish we could do something URGENTLY.
PLEASE FORWARD IT TO THE FBI AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE:
I have information on the following Terrorists including and more
OSAMA BIN LADEN or BIN LADEN
AYMAN AL ZAWAHRI
MOHAMMED ALI HAMADEI
ABDULLAH MOHAMMAD SHALLAH
IMAD FAYEZ MUGNIYAH
Just going through some material I have notice Noordin please below.
NOORDIN MOHAMMAD TOP
My description of Noordin is (Nick name is Top) height is 150 -155 tall, stocky build person with a fuller face. His hair is waving and uncared.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMMENT TO READ AND YOU WILL KNOW
www.gabrielchristou.blogspot.com
community.myfoxorlando.com/blogs/GabrielChristou
I am very familiar with these inhumane people as I was given an opportunity by the man himself to work his network under no knowledge of who they are and when I discovered their identities, I resigned and since then I have been trying to make contact. See below the story and attached photos of some terrorist that I have in my possession.
Bin Laden is really a shy person but a good con man as it seems well educated and knowledgeable to induce others in return.
Osama Bin Laden’s ego and orchestrated behavior, seems to lack experience and wisdom.
His strengths are nothing more than a perception of many that he is rich and entrepreneurial. Perhaps, his disguise is his main strength, as he has avoided getting capture.
Thank you
Gabriel Christou nitalia_ms@hotmail.com tel 66 56 203 178 hm cell 66 848190411
Posted by Gabriel Christou | July 19, 2007 10:54 PM
Posted on July 19, 2007 22:54
He's obviously run across the TB(lair) crowd .... "ill-informed, hate-filled, obsessive ", could you put it better?
Posted by Fred B | July 20, 2007 2:16 AM
Posted on July 20, 2007 02:16
Probably not, Fred
Posted by Niall | July 20, 2007 3:46 PM
Posted on July 20, 2007 15:46
Typical of this pack of moral myopics that they couldn't just settle for a 4% poll boost for catching an evil darkie intent of Medicine of Mass Destruction.
They just had to lie, obfuscate and then lie some more, so desperate are they at the looming prospect/certainty of utter rout.
That creature Andrews, the question is not so much WHERE do they find these golems (not 'gollum' tho' the etymology is obvious) but WHY?
Posted by epicurean | July 20, 2007 7:28 PM
Posted on July 20, 2007 19:28
It's difficult to pinpoint if top management is at fault or if it's a line manager covering their butt. I do work at Telstra and I have found that it's often that a line manager or team leader, who will use personal language in a negative manner in the hope that this will motivate an employee. Then there are the Telstra cliques, those who maintain a cohesive group, who view new starters as outsiders in some cases. It can go on for quite a while. I have worked there for some time and I still don't feel accepted. If a minor thing occurs, I'll be pulled aside and the issue magnified beyond anything. I keep on telling myself that it isn't cardiac surgery or similar, to keep my head up because I am in need of a regular income, and short of blowing my fuse, I remind myself that such corporations are structured to work in this way. All about hierarchies and approval, obeying a certain chain of command. If one deviates from this, one is pulled aside and given a subtle warning (not an official warning).
In the wake of the suicides, many managers went to workshops to discuss these events, and I don't think that many of them returned with any improvement to their communicative technique. It doesn't matter. It's about maintaining their foot in the ladder, maintaining their position, even if it means pulling an employee out of a task to complete something the manager has forgotten to complete.
Of course it's not a company's fault, and it's not the fault of some underqualified managers (underqualified in the sense of effective communication or even human communication on a real level), but there are many who begin a career wanting to make a go of it. Like the saying, there are a few bad apples everywhere, but there is room for progression, however if one is unfortunate to end up in one department managed by a mini Hitler, it makes such progression difficult, even if the rest of the company is positive and offers positive incentives (outside of sales, there are many other departments within Telstra that offer good career development).
Like anything, it's random. A person is fortunate to start in a team, managed by a personable team leader or is unfortunate to work for a sycophant without an ounce of integrity. It happens, and sometimes it is the principle. Unfortunately there are some people who try to tough it out, who find themselves in a dark place later on in time and it is unfortunate, but a company does need to constantly monitor its management.
If management is poor, or a manager has poor communication skills (negative, 'spare the rod spoil the child' mentality) this has repercussions that are obvious: high staff turnover, high staff absency (sickies, etc) rates, lowered productivity. This is easy to spot, as companies such as Telstra keep records of their progress across each department and this is why I can understand the anger in the community. Senior management can monitor their line managers or team leaders and/or supervisors, but more often they don't.
It's no fun having to approach a supervisor who nit picks over things that aren't even part of an official Telstra process, to hand you back documents with red pen corrections for the hell of it, or for them to hardly provide ongoing training. I've seen many resignations. They stand out like a sore thumb, but other departments aren't aware of them. I feel they are hushed, minimised and the peer groups (managers) guard this because a high turnover only leads to one thing poor managerial skills.
Posted by anon | July 22, 2007 11:47 PM
Posted on July 22, 2007 23:47
They're probably pulling 50% more rpm than the older style group C or A I'd guess, which would contribute to the different sound - think about the noise an F1 car makes which is nearly double again. Combine that with much more sophisticated valve overlap timing, differences in exhaust specs etc.
Posted by phil | July 22, 2007 11:49 PM
Posted on July 22, 2007 23:49
Interesting observations, Anon. Your own reactions to this negative and sub-standard form of management speaks volumes of the impact it has on a person's psyche. In my estimation, any business which doesn't monitor it's managers at all levels is ignoring its corporate responsibilities to all staff as both assets and human beings.
Posted by Niall | July 23, 2007 8:40 AM
Posted on July 23, 2007 08:40
I think it's to do with the precise computer management of what essentially are old engines in technological terms. More alloys are used today while the Group C cars used the older 'iron' engines. It's interesting to note that both makes still use overhead pushrod valve actuators. We were privleged to be given a personal tour of Tony D'Alberto's Futjitsu car (sponsored by GMAC) and quite frankly, the electronics sitting in the floor of the passenger well would rival the space shuttle in terms of data logging, engine management and real-time information telemetry. One look into the cockpit of these cars shows you very clearly that they are NOT anything like a standard road car. From the metres and metres of high-strength roll cage tubing to the driver positioning back past the 'B' pillar, these machines are purpose designed to race.
Posted by Niall | July 23, 2007 8:47 AM
Posted on July 23, 2007 08:47
Hi Niall,
My nephew won the his race on Saturday although I didn't get to see it myself. He was invited over to America to race near the end of the year. We are very proud of him. His name is Ashley Walsh.
Posted by aj | July 23, 2007 10:56 AM
Posted on July 23, 2007 10:56
Indeed he did, AJ. Formula Fords I believe. If I remember correctly, he drove a spotless couple of races as well. I wish that the support categories, like FF, would attract more publicity in the media. It's people like Ashley who struggle to be recognised by the sponsors they need in order to excel at what they're best at.
Tell Ashley for me that I'd be only too happy to host him here if he'd like to write the occasional supporting piece for his sport.
Posted by Niall | July 23, 2007 2:58 PM
Posted on July 23, 2007 14:58
The family said thanks for the kind words Niall and I'll pass on the message to Ash. I got the destination wrong I'm afraid it was England not America. doh!
Posted by aj | July 23, 2007 3:33 PM
Posted on July 23, 2007 15:33
There is nothing rational to be said on this matter because, whatever assumption of stupidity & malevolent incompetence is made, 10 minutes later the Feds come out and admit idiocy beyond any Konspiracy nut's wildest phantasies.
Therefore I'm really gonna really dig deep and opine that it's the Rodent's Sampson Option - knowing he's for the chop, he wants to bring down as many others as possible with him by the most egregious actions which even the headbangers like IronBar Tuckey & Heffernan would abjure.
Too wild? Oh, oh he's just about to come on TV, what will he say next...?
Posted by epicurean | July 23, 2007 6:35 PM
Posted on July 23, 2007 18:35
It long ago went beyond the question "what didn't X know, and when didn't he know it?" re Tampa.
Everyone knows that they were gorrrnnn unbti it hove onto the scene.
The right has tried to claim that the Rodent was on the way back BEFORE Tampa; that must be why charmers like Peter Reith (remember that specimen? sorry to remind anyone who'd succeeded in expunging his loathesome viasage), Moore and several others deservedly forgotten jumped ship before the elction was even called.
ooops, i forgot the bannerman verifier...
Posted by epicurean | July 23, 2007 6:45 PM
Posted on July 23, 2007 18:45
The Hefferlump referred to 'having wood' only a couple of weeks ago in reference to priests and Blind Freddy (last heard when Fraser devalued the Oz dollar in 1976) made a come back recently but got jumped on as unPC to the disabled.
The dominant kulture (currently amerikan language, less so its 'ideas' thankfully) usually overwhelms with its habits & language but surprisingly often adopts the underlying idoms.
Indians drink their tea as 'chai' - milk, tea, water & sugar boiled up together because, for two centuries, that's how the British seemed to drink it yet the British got the habit from the Indians originally, go figure.
And the word 'chai' is still common in Britain but I don't recall hearing it here since the 60s.
Posted by epicurean | July 24, 2007 4:56 PM
Posted on July 24, 2007 16:56
As bad as legislation is (and it IS pretty crook - thanks a heap Bomber for your stalwart Opposition, one of the few (only?) times I recall when Mr Prolix Verbiosity said too litle), anyone who's ever had any occasion to deal with wallopers (or ANY puffed up bureaucrat, from the gas meter reader to a PPS) knows that the letter of the Law is far less importance than attitude. When you're picked, you stay picked.
Face it, with the immense power of the State and sheer lazy incompetent inertia propping them up, fairness is not a consideration, even when it wouldn't (unduly -sic!) inconvenience the pants-polisher.
Anyone with decency or dignity in those jobs very, very quickly either quits, (being, by definition, the State most have tenure so, until recently, sacking wasn't common except by attrition) or is transferred to filing in the basement.
Which isn't a bad place to be, as that's where the bodies are buried - there'll almost always be a piece of paper pertinent to the scandal d'jour. Except that the Rodent has learned from experience that the less written down, the easier ignored, denied or denigrated.
Posted by epicurean | July 27, 2007 10:38 AM
Posted on July 27, 2007 10:38
No offence, but you've ruined my evening. I haven't thought about that wanker for at least 6 months. Now I've got the willies. Please don't mention TB for another year at least ;)
Posted by Tony | July 27, 2007 10:05 PM
Posted on July 27, 2007 22:05
"You move me to tears."
Of joy, naturally.
Posted by phil | July 28, 2007 9:02 PM
Posted on July 28, 2007 21:02
You are right on the money...lenders need the right information to ensure they get the lending decision correct...but that is only part of the story. Credit file content alone won't deliver the right outcome. Controls over access and use are also needed. These are needed to ensure this information is consistently reliable (via strict definitions and rules about placing info on a file) and appropriately used (not for marketing purposes).
All 3 elements are needed to ensure better lending decisions.
I'd be very interested in any other feedback you get in relation to your posting.
Posted by Michael Hartman | July 31, 2007 11:51 AM
Posted on July 31, 2007 11:51
Isn't iot a sad commentary on our 'trust' of government that, what ever Android Andrews said, anyone with double digit IQ would assume that he was spinning?
If he held his briefing at High Noon and said it was 12.05pm I'd look out the window to check the sun was shining.
These are our RULERS, no longer OUR government, our servants whom we pay and 'choose' at roughly three year intervals.
Posted by epicurean | July 31, 2007 9:32 PM
Posted on July 31, 2007 21:32
Re hannef and who ever the next victim is, read the opening lines of Fanz Kafka's "The Trial"
'Someone has been telling lies about K ..' and without knowing why he was sent for trial... I paraphrase, not having a copy to hand after reading it 40yrs ago.
It doesn't even need to be 'lies' just "intel" which is logged onto AFP, state police or other agencies. They all feed off each other and 'nothing' can very quickly become 'war of the worlds' without additional input, or rational evaluation.
Think credit agencies, dodgy at best but orders of magntitde superior toi what is logged on LEA databases.
Posted by epicurean | August 2, 2007 5:44 PM
Posted on August 2, 2007 17:44
When I saw those first Rover pics. years ago my first thought was, "slightly less inhospitable than the Oz Outback.."
I'd happily take a one-way flight there just for the chance to stand on another world, no religion, above ... only sky.
And spend what ever time left setting up the processors necessary for the first colonies.
It's now clear that the best strategy is to manufacture oxygen & other eseentials from what's available rather than try to (space)truck it there. Even on the Moon this would be possible for slightly different reasons - there may be no indigenous water but always the chance that some comet or meteor dumped a load which may have ben held together by the 1/10 gravity in the form of H20. But on the Moon there solar radiation is undimmed by even a thin atmosphere and thus PV & even radiant heat collectors/pumps would gather ergs like crazy.
Posted by epicurean | August 5, 2007 8:22 PM
Posted on August 5, 2007 20:22
"...a lack of spending by the Commonwealth on infrastructure in order to procure the much vaunted budgetary surplus..."
which is purely ideology driven - 'we're Liberals' it's wot the Right does' - nowt to do with ".. a part of some Machiavellian plan by the feds to make themselves look good.."
waayyy too much credit given to think 3/4 could even spell Machiavellian even if the other 1/4 thought it was a new Starbucks' flavour.
NO it is simply the brain dead belief that the market will supply all - which is why we have so many plumbers, scientists, technicians that 457 visas are a left wing phantasy.
And don't forget the strongest, (though smallest) union of all, the AMA which throughout the 80/90s where bribed into not sabotaging Medicare with Bulk Billing and allowed to drastically restrict the numbers in mediacal training.
Dr Hannef or Dr Patel anyone?
Finally,"... has forced State governments into this (infrastructure) funding.."
If only they would! Don't know about Brisbane but anyone with the unconcerned luxury of listening to morning & evening traffic reports in Melb/Syd knows they haven't spent a zac more than aboutsolutely unavoidable on roads nor train/bus services which would obviate the road works.
Except for PPFs like beltways & undercity tunnels, each one a cash cow for the privateers and utter failures for the motorists.
Posted by epicurean | August 7, 2007 2:45 PM
Posted on August 7, 2007 14:45
Apart from being an old, inveterate liar he is, apparently, the best the Liberal party can find - a failed suburban conveyancer.
T'rrific.
Posted by epicurean | August 8, 2007 3:34 PM
Posted on August 8, 2007 15:34
In 1983/4 I had the doubtful pleasure of watching a young(? was he EVER young?) Dolly trying to appeal to a corwd of Syndye uni & inner city types. Despite the audience, his 'swishy' body language was just so OTT.
I'd had loved to have seen him being grilled by a teenager who has not yet been 'levelled' into deferring to dumbarses for the sole reason that they're (a) older or (b) in postions of authority (for the moment).
Just not enough of that damned forelock tugging these days.
Bye bye Rodent & your ratbags.
Posted by epicurean | August 9, 2007 8:49 PM
Posted on August 9, 2007 20:49
we are now feeling the effects of howard's economic policy, 9 interest rate rises in a row now and it is because the keating hawke reforms ran out of puff around 2000 and costello and howard have done nothing except spend money since then
unfortunately for australia we missed an opportunityto strengthen our economy through education and infrastructure spending since 2000 and now we are going to pay for it - higher inflation, higher interest rates
i'm pissed at howard and costello for letting such an opportunity go by
Posted by oyster | August 10, 2007 8:59 PM
Posted on August 10, 2007 20:59
Who needs skills training when we have 457 visas and 2 billion northwards clamouring to skivvy for us?
As for infrastructure, that's why the Great God Keynes gave us PPP/PPI.
Look at the great success of those in Minneapolis and the UK water supply industry or, at home, Cross City tunnels and Ringroads..
Posted by epicurean | August 11, 2007 4:18 PM
Posted on August 11, 2007 16:18
You've previously expressed general approval of Kelly as fair minded but I cannot agree.
Like most (tho far from being the worst) of the Oz's scribblers he implies, when he does not openly state, certain parameteres to a contentious discussion.
eg above "..in an age of terrorism.." anything can be excused and he refuses to acknowledge Kirby's point that, by removing the freedoms which make our society superior to any that have gone before, we are losing what is important.
Sheridan is a classic case of this, positing the most extreme threats in order to justify stunning leaps of illogic & non sequiters.
Posted by epicurean | August 12, 2007 5:16 PM
Posted on August 12, 2007 17:16
Actually, what I wrote was:
which doesn't translate to general approval, nor does it qualify him as fair minded. He has biases, of which I'm well aware. Why else would he be working for Rupert? What I wrote means what it says. I find him to be a fairly accurate commentator and pretty much a person who doesn't exhibit his known biases.
We all lean one way or the other, and despite what Ken Parish likes to claim, there is no such animal as a centrist in the game of ideologies.
Posted by Niall | August 12, 2007 5:48 PM
Posted on August 12, 2007 17:48
I was interesting that David Leftfooter Marr was in the middle, on the right of the couch, and kept flinching from Rusty's touching and fondling. He spent the rest of the prog. distinctly back shouldering the Dolt.
Gerard is just dreary and even Porkerman seems to have lost his edge so, for want of better heandbangers - PP MycG perhaps? - rusty Dolt will have to do.
Posted by epicurean | August 13, 2007 6:11 PM
Posted on August 13, 2007 18:11
Piss & wind, pass the parcel, musical chairs, lock arms & lie... whatever it is called, there's only ever ONE loser in the end, yer mug punter with his 2/4 hostages to fortune.
Could WorknoChoice have found its Saviour?
A lot of poor bastards have going to have to work for food before this shakes out and then there's that eco crisis thingy...
No wucking forries though, you can't have an environment without an economy.
Posted by epicurean | August 16, 2007 8:21 PM
Posted on August 16, 2007 20:21
What most rocked my socks was Dilemma's rpeated use of the word "weapon" referring to his new toy.
Just two words for the Daze of APEC - agent provocateur
Posted by epicurean | August 21, 2007 9:31 PM
Posted on August 21, 2007 21:31
Android Andrews attitude & responses , on PM tonight, to the criticism of his actions would, in the military, invite a charge of "dumb insolence". But then the Rodent comes on the 7,30 report and refuses, over & over to discuss the implications of the gorunds that "there is an appeal underway...".
Yeh, right up until Election Day.
Posted by epicurean | August 21, 2007 9:37 PM
Posted on August 21, 2007 21:37
My knees buckled & my guts twisted, in 1991 after Gulf War I, when I heard Herbert W Bush proclaim proudly, apparently without shame or awareness of the need thereof, "We've finally kicked the Vietnam Syndrome".
What did he THINK that he meant? That they'd finally succeeded in winning a war, after the his & Raygun's shameless bullying of mini states like Grenada & Pananama?
Nice to know that the therapy worked... glad we could help.
It was his version of Raygun's "amerika's back in the saddle" and said without irony (hardly surprising given that amerikans seem to lack the gene). Until Juniour got his finger on the Button he was Irony personified - his classic quote was "we're looking at the "vision thing"
Now Shrub sez "we've made such a mess that we daren't leave otherwise it'll be just like that other mess we made, in which I helped by protecting Texas from