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Last updated on May 20th, 2017 at 07:24 am
Kevin Rudd launches his 2020 Summit:
Today we are throwing open the windows of our democracy, to let a little bit of fresh air in.
A few hours later, as the SMH’s Annabel Crabb reports:
By late morning they had closed off the Creativity group session to the media …
UPDATE. The ABC reports: “Blanchett thrilled about new Govt-arts relationship”. Closed doors are symbolic of this.
UPDATE II. SMH summiteer Miranda Devine:
At Friday night’s cocktail party for 2020 Summit participants in Canberra’s National Portrait Gallery, gossip swirled about which groups had given the summit secretariat – the public servants who make it work – the most trouble. Surprise surprise, it was the creatives.
UPDATE III. Kevni’s Ruddfest is a nodfest:
Blanchett set the audience nodding in approval when she stated her belief in ‘a long and meaningful relationship between arts and government’ …
Dissent is so 1996-2007.
UPDATE IV. Lots more from Andrew Bolt, including:
Barrie Cassidy this morning discussed with Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard only one fresh summit idea – about the only one he could find, I suspect: Teaching children at school how to choose the best mobile phone package.
UPDATE V. Barry Jones GotUp! a short while ago and began jabbering in an old-mannish way about the precise wording of something or other. I felt like Dr Frankenstein watching a column come to life.
UPDATE VI. Lili Gans writes:
We sat down to watch the opening of the 2020 Best and Brightest Summit at 8.30 am on Saturday and three and a half hours later we gave up.
Lili – please read her entire post – couldn’t endure any more Ruddchat even though her son is a participant.
UPDATE VII. Annabel Crabb – striking a fine mocking tone in her direct-from-Ruddfest online coverage – hits the wall:
I was forced to leave the Governance session yesterday when I saw the facilitator draw a house on a piece of butchers paper. The brick bit was the media consuming public, TV the roof or some such.
A worthy reader challenge to Annabel:
I wonder if you can sneak in an objection to the low-flow shower heads for low-income households? Surely this will discriminate and identify them on the street when they step out each day with flat hair caused by unrinsed shampoo?
UPDATE VIII. “Butchers paper, indeed.”
UPDATE IX. Get cracking, summiteenies:
Each of the summit’s 10 groups have until three o’clock this afternoon to identify their three ideas, including one that costs nothing to implement.
Imagine the panic if they’d been asked to come up with ideas that made money.
UPDATE X. Piers Akerman:
If there was an independent thought voiced in opposition to the generally anodyne motherhood statements, it went unheard.
A delegate on the Dole Bludging Arts Scum panel made a similar point a few minutes ago, then called for bold ideas. “My bold idea is …” he began, then the ABC coverage cut to another session.
UPDATE XI. More from summit superstar Cate Blanchett:
Wearing an olive green dress-suit, she told the 100 creative-arts participants about meeting former US president Bill Clinton in a hotel room in London a few years ago.
“He liked talking to blonde artists, he said, because they existed just a fraction ahead of culture,’’ Blanchett said.
UPDATE XII. In the future, there will be no chairs:
UPDATE XIII. Melbourne mother Kate Hands, invited to attend by the Herald Sun, isn’t impressed:
Ms Hands said she was disheartened at lunchtime, wondering if her trip to Canberra was worthwhile … Most of the suggestions were obvious and had already been done in the past, she said.
UPDATE XIV. Summiteer David Marr is in Canberra on behalf of his entire fan base:
I’ve decided as a last resort I might as well represent myself.
UPDATE XV. There is no joy in Rudville! Also: get fit or pay the penalty.
UPDATE XVI. Sandra Lee calls crazy talk on Maxine McKew.
UPDATE XVII. Ruddlers in space! Summiteer Joshua Gans has Martian plans:
I decided to get more ambitious and put forward that perhaps our goal should be to put an Australian on Mars by 2020. When queried about the cost, I elaborated that it was not part of the goal to bring them back — that was the expensive bit. But let’s face it, if that idea gets up it will have the quality of being new!
UPDATE XVIII. Margo Kingston and her student Webdiarists planned to cover RuddCon ‘08, but so far they haven’t posted a single word.
UPDATE XIX. The SMH’s Mike Carlton wasn’t invited:
What a relief it is not to be on the A-list any more.
Carlton was previously on an A-list? What did the A stand for?
UPDATE XX. Rainmaker Tim Flannery didn’t turn up, thus preventing any floods.
UPDATE XXI. The summit’s best idea:
“Make death a better experience”
Ahhh, White Owl cigars – takes me back to watching pro football on TV when I was a kid! (An extreme few of you may recognize that my nom de blog is taken from a much lesser-known brand of cee-gars).
And maybe there little get together is across the street from the stockyard, perhaps?
Posted by Tex Lovera on 2008 04 19 at 04:43 PM • permalink
My brief moment of Summit glory was the greatest moment of my life. I spoke on the need to reequip the ADF* with non-CO2 producing weapons -I mean, one decent napalm strike and there goes the sea level by like 1, 2,3 maybe 10 metres. Details, details. Even the 5.56mm bullet has a huge carbon footprint. My solution…yes, what else, dichlorodiethyl sulfide….. MUSTARD GAS!!! Greenhouse-friendly, with hints in its name of fine European dining, not to mention that it sounds like pepper spray so must have about the same effect….. it is perfect, and the proposal was received with tears and wails of joy, rapturous applause and breathless thanks . Meeting the Dear Leader, Julia, Joan, Cate, Bob, Barry, Phil, Lois hundreds of other of my childhood heroes, what a priviledge, and to receive their accolades………OH joy, the ENVY of my Fitzroy neighbours will be so palpable I could almost touch it.
Onwards, ever onwards, towards a prosperous and united paradise.
Just what we need, fresh ideas for working families.
I’m just waiting for the miraculous increase in tractor production figures.AC: The situation is excellent, Gary. Wait patiently, and the Provider shall provide
WTF is Annabel on about?
#11 Kae, you’ve almost mastered the dialectic: The creatives want the government to support them so they don’t have to be creative.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 04 19 at 06:09 PM • permalink
The “creatives” dream of a new Medici era.
The Medici Bank was one of the most prosperous and most respected in Europe. There are some estimates that the Medici family was, for a period of time, the wealthiest family in Europe.
The most significant accomplishments of the Medici were in the sponsorship of art and architecture, mainly early and High Renaissance art and architecture.
Money to get power, and power to guard the money
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 19 at 06:54 PM • permalink
- #17
Stacks, the Medicis were private citizens, not some arm of the government, and therefor not taxpayer funded.If some rich sponsor wants to support the wankfest which passes for Yartz these days I’m happy for them to do so.Unfortunately, with that will disappear any vestigal chance for popular, saleable art to continue and to flourish. This includes comedy, visual and performing arts.
O/T, but I have to get this off my chest. I am watching the Pope live from St. Joseph’s Seminary live from my hometown, Yonkers NY. All very solemn and spiritual. He takes a seat for the singing of Ave Maria (Catholicism’s best song). It starts out ok, in Latin as is customary, but the girl singer misses a word in the first line. Benedetto raises an eyebrow. Next thing you know she is singing it in English, and jazzing it up American Idol style. Sure enough, it is in fact American Idol Kelly Clarkson who is singing, and the Pope gets this look on his face such that all I can do is imagine this thought bubble coming out his head – “WTF???!!” He looked completely gobsmacked. The TV people are of course loving Kelly’s rendition, because to them the show is nothing more than entertainment, this is what they have been waiting for through all the boring sermons.
Since they’ve closed the doors, can we lock them from the outside?
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2008 04 19 at 07:18 PM • permalink
This is why they always have wine on those art walk things – it’s the only way to tolerate a group of the “creative” set all yammering away at once.
Also – why is the fair Cate’s opinion so all-fired important to the media? Man, her publicist deserves every dime he/she makes!
Posted by Infidel Librarian on 2008 04 19 at 07:40 PM • permalink
I do like the comments on the SMH blog and these in particular by Anthony Peterson:
Has anyone mentioned a standard, public and open approach to the pricing of human life yet?
Or intergenerational equity?
Or having realistic KPIs to judge our happiness? Average time taken to get to work? Median House Prices relative to median wages?
Or making our nation more creative by having affordable housing so that creative people can afford to take the necessary risks to actually be creative? Mmm, should I take six months off work to write that screenplay or should I work two jobs to pay my mortgage?
Yes, indeed Anthony.
Didn’t Mao say something about “let a thousand flowers bloom” or whatever, before he went and mowed down anyone that responded?
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 19 at 08:01 PM • permalink
Noticed on TV last night that Rudd’s summit photo ops all involved Cate Blanchett.
Does anyone believe that crap about Rudd telling Blanchett she could miss the summit because of the birth of her baby. Bullshit! Rudd was so desperate to get her there he skipped the funeral of a Labor icon – John Button – to fly to Sydney to personally shore up her participation. Wonder what that has cost the taxpayers? A multi-million dollar grant to the Sydney Theatre Company in the budget? A guarantee to underwrite some film project Blanchett or her husband wants to undertake?
- Why not just call it for what it is – ‘Vanity Fair’. From brainless hack actor Blanchett hogging the limelight to braindead Phat Phuc Phil Adams (just what does he offer to the future of Australia other than as fertiliser?), what a complete waste of time and money.
The ABC News led last with the three supposed big ideas of the meeting: a Republic (wow, that’s a new one!), Reconciliation (haven’t heard of that one before) and climate change (here we go again).
Loved the shots of Krudd sitting in on the meetings, looking intently interested. You know what they say; ‘Once you can fake sincerity, you’ve got it made’!Posted by AlphaMikeFoxtrot on 2008 04 19 at 08:18 PM • permalink
Me: “I’d like a grant please.”
Minister: “And what is it that you want to create?”
Me: “I want every delegate to donate a sample of ear wax. I am going to mould a bust of our Dear Leader, and display it at the Olympics opening ceremony”.
Minister: “Is $100k enough?”
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 19 at 08:36 PM • permalink
Warren Mundine called for something good: that all Aboriginal children must be taught English. Mark Bahnisch at leftie LP says this was “aggressive” and “very Pearson-esque.”
Pearson was the conservatively-inclined Aborigine racially vilified at LP last year as an Uncle Tom and a “coconut.”
- #29 and #35
It didn’t even work at Prague. The Catholic officials ruling the country on behalf of the Habsburg King fell on a dungheap and that broke their falls enough so that they survived. About two years later they had their revenge and the guys who threw them out the window (and a lot of others) were beheaded or exiled.Posted by Michael Lonie on 2008 04 19 at 08:57 PM • permalink
from the desk of the Ministry Of Social Inclusion.
Posted by Col. Milquetoast on 2008 04 19 at 09:01 PM • permalink
#17 if those poor idiots only knew one thing about Pope Benedict, it should be that he LOATHES bad church music. It would be harder to think of something more calculated to offend him than some TV popster Beyonce-fying ‘Ave Maria’ (’Ave melisma?’)
And on the Summit, the images that will stay with me are of Rudd adopting various fake-casual poses while pretending to listen to people, especially the photo in today’s Age of him sitting on the floor FFS!
Try as I might I can’t satirise this crap; the whole sorry episode is like a self-basting, self-satirising turkey; the disconnect of these summiteers is astounding; don’t they realise crudd is taking the piss? Don’t they realise that if their breathless ideas about climate change were enacted they would be stuffed? Every time I see the artistes speak I’m reminded of Hitchcock’s dictum that actors should be treated as cattle; actually, I don’t think he went far enough; actors are cattle; this mindless oppressiveness is everywhere; Lawrence Soloman of the Financial Post in Canada has been trying to correct wikipedia’s entry on that slag oreskes’s consensus and Benny Peiser’s alleged capitulation and retraction of his hatchet job on her shit; but one kim dabelstein petersen, an editor at wikipoo, won’t let him; petersen is a globalist warmalist and will attempt to censor any anti-global warming argument, even to the extent, in Benny’s case, of telling people what they have done and said.
- If anything more profound emerges than another run at the Republic, more ways to tax us and give to the indigent, or feelgood crap about climate/health/education, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
It would be asking too much, I guess, for some discussion of decentralisation initiatives in a post-industrial information economy?
Fr Chris Riley: Child abuse ‘sidelined’ at 2020 summit.
“Whenever we mention the word youth or sexual assault of kids, because this is in epidemic proportions at the moment, it just wouldn’t rate,” he said.
“They’re not focusing on kids at all, it didn’t get up at all, and I guess that’s a particular fight we’re just going to have to keep going individually with.”
What the hell have children got to do with the future? There are art grants to be had.
Mum phoned me earlier thismorning and said she’d seen a bit of the 2020 Summit on the teev.
She was surprised with the, er, primitive facilities.
Some time ago she attended a Volunteers conference where they were asked to put forward their ideas. The gathering broke into groups of 10-15 and sat at round tables, each table was equipped with a laptop. As an idea was formulated and polished it was entered into the laptop and tidied up. When the idea was well articulated it was immediately sent to a projector and, with all the other ideas formulated at the conference, projected onto a screen for all to see, so that groups would know what other groups were working on.
Mum was gobsmacked that this huge, important 2020 Summit didn’t have this type of technical support.
Butchers paper, indeed.
#18 kae Medicis were the government they had the money.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 19 at 10:18 PM • permalink
“…her son is a participant.” His linky
The best part for me was when I decided to get more ambitious and put forward that perhaps our goal should be to put an Australian on Mars by 2020.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 19 at 10:29 PM • permalink
Hilarious! Politicians are shoved in front of microphones and acute oratoriasis sets in. The “creatives” are no sooner let loose than they start baying for handouts. Kevin Rudd suddenly blacks out over the notion of no-cost solutions (“No cost, or negligible cost. No cost or negligible cost. I have lost my place…”). The doors to the conference hall are locked from the outside. Someone strongly resembling Richard McEnroe is seen throwing a set of keys into the harbor, after which he strolls along jauntily whistling “Waltzing Matilda”. This is a special summit, indeed!
#47 Where’s Peter Hore when you need him?
Paco. for God’s sake shut up or the little buggers might escape!
Richard McEnroe has done his bit, to be sure.
But we have not quite got the mustard gas cylinders connected to the air conditioning system yet.
That, and bloody Wronwright keeps snorting the stuff and giggling wildly. Something about a PACO Industries genetic modification that makes him really relish mustard gas.
Yes, yes, we checked it on some greenies first, it is the real McCoy. The Persian Asphyxiants Chemical Organisation did a splendid job.
MarkL
Minionmeister to the VRWC
Meanwhile The Belmont Club will move to a new site. story linky
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 19 at 10:50 PM • permalink
#57 Paco, you missed the bit that: it was not part of the goal to bring them back
LMAO
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2008 04 19 at 11:02 PM • permalink
As I pointed out elsewhere…who would want to live in a country that actually implements these ideas?
Posted by Jack Lacton on 2008 04 19 at 11:03 PM • permalink
Those webdiarists have nerves of steel – it appears they are waiting for the most strategic moment to cover Kevorama ‘08.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2008 04 19 at 11:15 PM • permalink
to let a little bit of fresh air in …
Precautionary, noting the leguminous diet of the Yartz fraternity?
When are they Christening Canberra Tinsel Town?
As someone said previously, the poor creative dahlings were instructed to come up with Big Ideas(TM) …
Moonbat Left full steam ahead, Cap’n!Re the Hitchcock ‘cattle’ quote, isn’t there a quote re actors being “props with dialogue”:
So, what do you think of the screenwriters’ strike, Cate?
“No Comment.”
Thought so.My agent will call your agent …
With such a brief agenda, most of the Krudd must’ve been prearranged?From previous, hope there’s some video highlights, it’ll prolly out-do the low-attendance poor ole Melbourne Comedy Fest – they should’ve integrated it with 2020 …
Per Contrail, I reckon Krudd is working his way throught Hitchhiker’s Guide, as opposed to Orwell … he’s cynically working the new infotainment meeja to the max, but he still ain’t no leader …
- On some morning show they had a phone in poll, and last figures I saw had 72% people believing this would all achieve nothing.
I think it has the potential to alienate people because it is so, you know, elitist.Posted by ooh honey honey on 2008 04 19 at 11:21 PM • permalink
The “creatives” dream of a new Medici era.
We’re already living the new Medici era in New South Wales with Don Iemma and the rest of the family.
While the rights of private property are finally being respected in fledgling democracies such as Mongolia, Don Sartor is about to oversee new planning laws that will allow the New South Wales government to compulsorily acquire private land, not for railroads and hospitals, but to resell to developers (just like in China).
All we need is <b>Don Tripodi</a> to be elected Pope, or perhaps Archbishop of Sydney, and we’ll be living in the new Borgia era.
So does anyone have an idea about how to get rid of this mob of evil thieving congenital-lying wife-beating rat-bastards?
First Mars now Houston we have a problem.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 19 at 11:39 PM • permalink
“My bold idea is …” he began, then the ABC coverage cut to another session.
What a pity. Now we’ll never know.
“He [Bill Clinton] liked talking to blonde artists, he said, because they existed just a fraction ahead of culture,’’ Blanchett said.
Oh, I’m sure that’s the reason, Cate, I’m absolutely positive.
#77 skirting issues seen from below.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 12:09 AM • permalink
Why is Rudd sitting on the floor?
Is he wearing shoe mirrors?
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2008 04 20 at 12:11 AM • permalink
So when’s this show over, when Therese sings?
#82 Dons do not tolerate elections. Bad for business.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 12:34 AM • permalink
do you think Cate may be intelligent enough to utilise Modern Technology?
#76 C.L. – I can see it all now: concentration camps for smokers.
The inmates moved aimlessly about the exercise yard, puffing on their cigarettes. All were dressed identically, in black-and-white striped uniforms, with a “Joe Camel” patch stitched onto their right sleeves. Guards wearing masks – to protect them from second-hand smoke – stood in towers located at each corner of the camp, leaning on their machine guns. Tall chain-link fences, topped with razor wire, formed the perimeter; sentries patrolled outside of the fence with leashed German shepherds. Two inmates approached each other not far from the main gate, above which was a sign reading “Nicoderm Macht Frei”.
Bob: Harry, how’s about a gasper, mate? The Red Cross cigarette packages are late this month – as usual. All I’ve got on me is this crappy state tobacco: a pack of Rudd Menthol Lites.
Harry: I can let you have one, Bob, but that’s all; I’m getting pretty low, myself. (Pulls out a crumpled pack of Marlboro’s, extracts a cigarette, and hands it to his friend).
Bob: Thanks, Har’. Listen, me and the guys in blockhouse five have got the tunnel dug all the way to the east boundary; we’re goin’ under the wall tonight after lights out. I wish you’d come with us.
Harry: No, mate, we’ve been all over the idea. I’ve got a wife and kids on the outside. And the Peoples’ Republic of Australia doesn’t forget little details like that.
Bob: Well, I’ll miss you Harry. Any message?
Harry: If you get to Victoria (he smiled grimly) – I mean Gillardville – tell the missus…you know…
Bob: I know, ol’ boy. You love her and you miss her.
Harry: Well, er, yes, that, too. But what I really wanted you to tell her is to send me Marlboro’s in the hard packs. And a few extra cartons; the guards, you know…
Bob: Will do, Harry. See you on the other side.
Harry: Good luck, fella!
(In the wee hours of the morning, Harry suddenly awakened, sitting up in his bunk. The camp sirens were going off, the dogs were barking, and troop trucks were roaring out of the gate. Not long after, the sound of rifle fire was heard, and the trucks returned. He listened at the window. “Got ‘em all, Commandant!”, he heard a jubilant guard say to the camp commander. Damn!, he thought; he reached under his pillow and pulled out an empty pack of Marlboro’s. Sighing, he extended his hand up to the little shelf by his bed and pulled out a pack of unopened Garrett’s (unfiltered). Harry lit a cigarette, grimaced, and stubbed it out on the plank floor.
Today we are throwing open the windows of our democracy, to let a little bit of fresh air in.
More Windows news
No new updates are created for unsupported versions of Windows.
Emulation allows the use of some Windows applications without using Windows.Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 12:42 AM • permalink
Shutters and boards cover the windows
Of the house where we used to livePosted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 01:01 AM • permalink
Blanchett handed gift from 2020 Delegate
The lino cut is the work of a year 10 student, who’s father is representing sub-subcontinental Australians in the “Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion” stream.
“subcontinental Australians”?
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 01:10 AM • permalink
I found the new lyrics for the new national anthem. Apparently, it rhymes better in the German, but it will be sung in Mandarin.
New Song lyrics – English translation
a.k.a. “Flags Raised High”Flags high, ranks closed,
The Party marches with silent solid steps.
Comrades shot by the red front and reaction
march in spirit with us in our ranks.The street free for the brown battalions,
The street free for the Storm Troopers.
Millions, full of hope, look up at the Leader;
The day breaks for freedom and for arts grants.For the last time the call will now be blown;
For the struggle now we all stand ready.
Soon will fly Rudd-flags over every street;
Slavery will last only a short time – trust us.Flags high, ranks closed,
The Party marches with silent solid steps.
Comrades shot by the red front and reaction
march in spirit with us in our ranks.With a spit on the floor for Horst Wessel and the S.A.
MarkL
canberra
- I suspect Karl Rove suggested this festival of our brightest and and got someone to tell Rudd the conservatives were planning one. And what the hell is this’We are going to have a ‘conversation’ lots of conversations-gawd streuth- perhaps we’ll have watermelon sandwiches and Earl Grey Tea whilst we have them!!what happened to discussions?
what an unctuous load of of tenacious BS- BETTER NOT GET THE BS METERS OUT THEY’LL FUSE THE POWER GRID.
Is there a ‘without a paddle’ stream? … or just ‘Rudderless’?
Has the Barry Jones stream got a plentiful supply of NoDoz?
Will the Rudder get his head on Entertainment Tonight?
Stay tuned …
#9. I think she’s talking about the nebulous “Soviet” mentality of Krudd’s planless planning and the meaningless bureaucratese that spews forth from his pursed cats-bum of a mouth.
Perhaps one of my posts from the Bolt blog will assist:
He would direct Prime Minister & Cabinet, Treasury and the Department of Finance and Deregulation to develop specific targets in each of the areas of government policy that directly contributed to increasing productivity growth.
Deja vu…
Does anyone here recall Gosplan, the Soviet department established to set targets and map indicators that would show the 5 year plans were succeeding in terms of productivity?
They set a certain target for how much iron ore was transported across the Union, how many couch-miles were manufactured, how many coffins, the exact mileage for taxi drivers and so on.
It’s why iron ore was loaded into cars and railed across the Union, then back again to it’s original intended destination so the miles would be prosperous. It’s why excess coffins were made in certain villages despite not enough people dying. It’s why cab drivers had to spin their wheels back to hide the additional fares they were accepting and get under the correct target. It’s why the Kremlin and other Soviet government buildings had couches that are 6 and 7 metres long.
So now we have Kevplan, from the Prime Librarian.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 01:49 AM • permalink
Why is Rudd sitting on the floor?
An artist “conceptualised” a chair for the Dear Leader, and is now waiting for the grant to come through in order to get to the materialisation phase.
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 01:54 AM • permalink
#102. Julian Burnside notes we should outlaw politicians lying. That of course would be an admirable objective. But it’s not what he means. He’s not talking about lying (since to ban all lies would undermine Rudd).
What he means is that issue motivated advocates and commentators like him should be allowed to know everything and anything they want regarding issues of national security and defence where it affects his dumbass clients.
In other words, throw out the entirely sensible notion that some information should be classified because release might harm the national interest. Hand over the national interest from the elected officials to journalists, lawyers and minority groups.
What a total air bandit.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 01:54 AM • permalink
How can Webdiary cover the summit when they haven’t been given a grant to cover the consumption of bold tags?
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 01:56 AM • permalink
- #106
OMG Abu, I have Deja Vu here!
I read your comment elsewhere and agree wholeheartedly with you.A bit like the Haneef debacle where everyone demanded to know everything. Very foolish when talking about National Security.Can you imagine the problems if the police have to divulge information gathered and followed up by ongoing investigations?
All the crims will never be caught.
Newsreel summary for OS: Rudd gives Australia the Yartz?
Hi Kae – yes exactly. I think if you’re going to lay charges then you need to disclose to the defence, but in terms of AAT decisions about immigration and so on, there is no RIGHT to divulge all the info to everyone. Certain info is shared between governments on the proviso it will be protected. If we started broadcasting sensitive info it would mean our access would dry up. Talk about “cutting your nose off to spite your face”. Of course advocates like Burnside don’t consider the broader impact, they only give a shit about their client’s personal interests – which is all good and well and why more level-headed people need to be able to say, “too bad about your amore for your criminal mate but sorry you can’t know that information. He can’t migrate here now tell him to fuck off back to his shitbag mates. Next.”
Now, on to that photo of Rudd. What a fucking plastic desperado. Those staged images of the man of the people hanging with his homeys and sitting on the floor. So much for the position of PM having some dignity. He’s reduced it to the same level of the slightly creepy High School form master who is “hip to the youth of today” but secretly all the kids think he’s try hard.
You’re try hard, Rudd. Grow up and do your job, you waster.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 02:16 AM • permalink
Just looking at that photo of Rudd again. Like the lovelorn teenager trying to strike a tragic Byronesque pose in front of his unrequited love interest (the media). But of course his love has been consummated many a time, with the press sluts ready to spread their ruddy cheeks at any time for some lurve-making.
(Shudder).
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 02:29 AM • permalink
Why is Rudd sitting on the floor?
Kevin, being a great student of Chinese culture, (among his other greatnesses), would have known that Mao once swam across the Ganges to counter the perecption of himself as an old man in failing health.
Kevin may have got the idea that he is perceived as a raving control freak egomaniac. Can’t see how.
And on the subject of ‘good governance’ and the politics of climate, for those who missed the performance of Verity Firth, New South Wales Minister for Climate Change and proof positive of Berlusconi’s theory about left-wing women, here’s a <a href=”http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nsw/content/2006/s2214959.htm”>transcript</a>.
A key plank of our climate change fund, of course, is the $30 million Green Business Program. Mr Speaker, I am pleased to inform the house that the first round of energy and water savings projects for NSW businesses under the Green Business Program has now been finalised.
There has been a great response by business to the program and a huge range of projects have now been funded. These projects, Mr Speaker, are exciting, they’re innovative and they’re really showing the way, showing that NSW is again leading the way. $1.4 million to the University of Technology, $540,000 to reduce electricity demand by 80 per cent at a feed lot in Corowa, $90,000 has been awarded to install water efficient spray cleaning equipment, saving 46 million litres of water at Coles supermarkets, a $444,000 grant to Kelloggs in Botany, $140,587 grant to Sarah Lee at Lisarow, $105,000 will go to Rouse Water based in Lismore, $1 million will go to Bunnings to upgrade lighting in 16 stores around Sydney, $256,000 to the Dry Cleaning Institute of Australia, $2 million to Tooheys plant at Lidcombe, a $50,000 grant to help rainwater collection from the roof of Coca Cola’s Northmead plant in Sydney.
I know, it’s just a wonderful package, Mr Speaker, a wonderful package of initiatives across the State, supporting businesses to make them clean and green.
A recap:
$90,000 to Coles supermarkets
$444,000 to Kelloggs
$140,587 to Sarah Lee
$1 million to Bunnings
$2 million to Tooheys
$50,000 to the bottlers of Coca ColaI’m sorry, aren’t these all private, profit making enterprises? Aren’t Coles and Bunnings two of Australia’s largest retailers? Aren’t Kelloggs and Sarah Lee vast multinationals with annual profits well in excess of the combined GDP’s of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia? Aren’t Tooheys, the recipient of two big ones, brewers of beer in a country where brewing beer can be somewhat profitable?
Fuck-a-duck and Christ-on-a-bike! I bet all the Mum and Dad hardware stores that Bunnings have sent to the wall would of liked some free money, let alone a cool million.
But I’m sure it’s all totally above board as New South Wales Labor are such a stand-up bunch of guys.
Kevin Rudd is the “Mister G” of Australian politics.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 02:42 AM • permalink
I’d love to know how many of the 1000 delegates were at Parliament House this afternoon.
Decided to duck out to the shops as Sunday trading is sedate. Wrong! Not a carpark to be had and when I finally managed to get into the shopping centre it was very, very busy.
Surely, the best and brightest wouldn’t skip KRudd thanking them for their “brilliant” ideas?
#111 Labor does leak. DFAT staff, David Combe…
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 02:44 AM • permalink
I think mostly they might be Cth plated cars, driven by our fine Left-wing legislators.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 03:01 AM • permalink
“I don’t have the view that people who sit in Canberra as politicians, or the public servants who advise them, have a monopoly on wisdom,” Mr Rudd said.
I would like to write something deep and profound about this but my mind has shut down. Obviously this is some sort of auto-defence mechanism to prevent permanent damage.
Let’s have a show of hands. How will you vote in a referendum to make Australia a republic:
(a) I will vote for a republic.
(b) I will vote against a republic because I’m a monarchist.
(c) Although a republican, I will vote against a republic to wind up the luvvies.
(d) A little from ‘B,’ a little from ‘C.’
In all the gabfest reports I heard no mention of the parlous condition of our nanny state sentencing laws for criminals.
And definitely no mention of capital punishment.
Which is further indication that the bulk of the attendees were hand selected and of the Labor Government’s flavour.
It irks me constantly that Milat is breathing in his cell.
- # 125
(b) I will vote against a republic because I’m not a monarchist, but do not see need to change.Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 03:19 AM • permalink
- Did the Creative Stream create a diversion? linky
VIDEO: RAW VISION: Fly on the wall look at one of the stream meetingsPosted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 03:24 AM • permalink
It is quite amazing to read the amount of cynicism by Blair and his cronies on this site. Life must be very dissapointing for many of you.
Regardless of your political affiliation or preference I find it hard to criticise the PM for having an ideas forum and for giving many people a voice.
Seriously people-give the guy a chance. Mayube, just maybe, there is something that you don’t know already that this ideas forum might bring up!
#130; I’ve been arguing AGW with cement-headed egotists for months; I’ve listened to crap about islam, self-serving, grandstanding about the ‘sorry’ plight of aboriginals and the hypocrisy of law and order and education issues with your brethren for months, so I’m going to indulge myself on this weekend of sanctioned self-indulgence: fuck off.
Wasn’t Marie Bashir better qualified to be Governor General? I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Yarralumla being occupied by the Children of the Damned.
#136 – Essentially my point is that Rudd is at least trying to do something new and engage some fresh ideas. I think that it is quite sad that most people on here only want to riddicule that and not look beyond the very outdated left/right point-of-view.
If in 6-12 months nothing has come of this 2020 summit then crucify Rudd and the Summit with some legitimacy. I just don’t think this Peanut Gallery approach is very healthy or mature.
Judge people on their track record rather than their left/right political affiliation. God knows there are fools on both ends of the political spectrum.
Agile: no rational person could view this event as anything but political grandstanding and toadying. We didn’t vote these 1000 fuckknuckles in to set the policy agenda. They are unrepresentative and it is an insult to DEMOCRACY. This is an abrogation by the government of the day to prove it actually has some sort of vision.
Please stop posting your asinine drivel masquerading as an even-handed approach to such matters. You’re rampant Left-wing war woody is showing.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 03:58 AM • permalink
- #130
The cynicism is born from years of hard labor.For you it is dissapointing (sic) Mayube (sic) might bring up!
Like a sushi meal?
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 03:59 AM • permalink
If in 6-12 months nothing has come of this 2020 summit then crucify Rudd and the Summit with some legitimacy.
Thanks for setting a time frame for critical reasoning. Setting aside this summit, how many months should we allow to pass since the 2007 Federal election before we start expecting to see some bang for our buck?
Twat.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 03:59 AM • permalink
- #142 Clang ,clang, clang went the trolley
Ding, ding, ding went the bell.Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 04:03 AM • permalink
Essentially my point is that Rudd is at least trying to do something new and engage some fresh ideas.
New ideas? You mean like this equally half-arsed copy of Hawke’s earlier summit? Do you mean Rudd’s copping of Blair’s child care policy? Do you mean the asinine motherhood and aspirational statements that have emerged over the weekend? New Ideas! Are you on drugs?
The quote above – your quote – is either a bias for Rudd or an overly charitable interpretation of events that could only have been presented by a person of diminished intellectual capacities. Which are you?
Own up to your Left-wing bias. Embrace your deepest flaws.
Plonker.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:06 AM • permalink
Over here, agile. The real fight is over here.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:17 AM • permalink
“me to discredit me?”
You are doing a good job yourself.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 04:17 AM • permalink
- Re many mentions of the Republic: there was a summit on this, then a referendum vote. It is, despite this, a one way street, where only the republicans can keep trying until they get lucky. Once done, we will have no way back.
Agile – go talk to your genotype – you’re making little headway here. Voting for O’Farrell – not verifiable!
Tch, tch, agile. Your left wing war woody is poking out of your flannie jammies.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:19 AM • permalink
- Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 04:26 AM • permalink
The likes of agile seem to be so naive and juvenile that it defies questioning. Which makes me think that certain trolls wrap their waffle here simply for the joy of watching the responses.
Maybe the point they don’t get is that most of us have tasted the pointy bits that result from experiencing many many useless gabtypefests. Either in our dealings with government departments or charities or large corporations over a few decades.
They occur when supposedly intelligent people with credible titles gather to discuss ideas or resolve issues, and produce nothing except more tax consuming bureaucracies that take on an existence of their own and are very difficult to remove once established.
If people like agile can’t see this they are either very young or they are part of the system I described.
Either way they should consider Cohenite’s advice.
Basically agile, the bulk of the Rudd government’s policies fall into two categories: Those which were the same as the Liberal Party’s before the election, e.g. mandatory detention, HECs and scrapping ATSIC; and those which, despite previously being ridiculed, have come to resemble Liberal Party policy in the aftermath of the election, e.g. a national curriculum, a national industrial relations system and a much less faith based approach to the Stern and Garnaut reports.
Of course that still leaves them with plenty of room with the degree of middleclass welfare they dole out (Universal Childcare Australia) or the amount of pointless bureaucracy they establish (Fuel and Groceries Watch Australia) or the amount of personal freedoms they take from us (Office of the Human Rights Commissar and Other Star Chambers Australia).
#154. In that case I unreservedly apologise. I had no idea of your personal circumstances. I had no idea you worked with the disabled and I did not mean to insult those who were disabled. Only those who are willfully and irresponsibly ignorant. There’s a difference.
Please substitute the previous interpretation with the concept that you are “blinded by an ideological bias that reduces your capacity to engage in rational analysis” and let’s continue the debate.
Glad we were able to resolve this.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:36 AM • permalink
160. I take it that is also a concession that the definition of your capacity for rational thinking is also correct.
You’re welcome.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:44 AM • permalink
#159 – I am not even saying the ideas that came out of the summit will even work or are all necessarily good. I understand why some people would think I am naive. However I would rather be a little naive and open to ideas and change than to be so cynical as to dismiss everything that the so called liberal governemnt (small L) proposes without giving them a chance.
Essentially my point is that Rudd is at least trying to do something new and engage some fresh ideas.
Proof positive that either a) lefty hangers-on like ‘agile’ truly do have a memory that doesn’t extend back longer than two weeks, or b) even such lefty hangers-on can’t be arsed to actually pay any attention to what the lefty opinion leadership is saying day in and day out.
I can’t see any other way that somebody could possibly consider the rehashed utopian claptrap coming out of the summit to be “fresh” or “new”.
- #154 “I am a special education teacher who works in a ulti-disabilities school.” Who cares? I spent 15 years coaching aboriginal sporting teams, and another 15 years defending aboriginals in court; it doesn’t stop me recognising ego-stroking crap when I see it; this weekend was designed to obfuscate and manipulate; its pagentry is of the same level as is vomited up in the celebrity tabloids; the smirking toading of dear leader and his androgynous assassin to the insipid and vacuous shenanigans and pronouncements of the summiteers is an insult and a distraction to the number one issue which has been manufactured, endorsed and fecklessly embraced by these very same elitist nitwits; namely AGW; to be told by these egregious idiots that unless I believe in AGW I should lose my citizenship is the most resonant and indicative statement to come out of the whole orgy.
As to verifiction on the internet; give me your take on AGW and I’ll give you verification you arrogant non-identity.
Agile: It is arrogant to assume that people who scoff at this summit are not open to ideas and change. I think you’ll find that some of us are – but it is a question of the quality and merits of those ideas that is important. Pretty much all of the “ideas” I have seen over this weekend have been laughable and, frankly, embarrassing.
Good God, at least some of us have good taste and sense.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:52 AM • permalink
#166. How disingenuous of you.
Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 04:54 AM • permalink
#130 Gagbile; Only an 18-20 year old would expect something new from a wankfest of 1000 assorted leftys. We’ve heard it all before, taxpayer money for no-talent bums, etc etc. Putting an Aussie on Mars and leaving him there, wait, that is rather original. Encouraging people to die to make way for their betters (update 21) is rejected by the people who the 1000 are supposedly speaking for and really, I have a life to live so if you’ll excuse me?…
Posted by dean martin on 2008 04 20 at 04:55 AM • permalink
- Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 05:01 AM • permalink
Okay my view of climate change. I think that humans have some input on climate change however I am not convinced that we as humans have as much impact as some environmentalists presuppose.
Conversely I think it absurd that people knock attempts to save energy in events such as Earth Hour (which I did not participate in). Blair’s Energy Hour thing was pathetic and juvenile.
This weekend waste of oxygen was as stage-managed a non-event as I have ever seen. it is already obvious that there will be no results. Its a masquerade, designed to give the gullible the illusion of government action while stroking the egos of the 995 luvvies, wannabes and self-important socialites who were invited (and 5 token conservatives). Nothing – absolutely nothing – of substance can be achieved in such a pitiful joke of a forum.
Ask yourself this: if this was a serious event, why was the desperate condition of aboriginals in the remote ghettoes not raised? Why was any attempt to raise the issue of rape of aboriginal kids not permitted?
That is a serious issue, a national disgrace and these are your and my fellow citizens we are talking about!
yet, what we saw was lots of fawning over some blonde bimbo actress and two days of gabble about every leftist talking point of the past 30 years! Show me one new serious policy concept. Just one. I do not think you can. Even the idea of this ridiculous summit is over 20 years old, its a warmed up Hawke-era leftover which was a load of bollocks and a waste of time then, and is a load of bollocks and a waste of time now. Ye Gods, it even has what, 100-odd of the SAME participants! To borrow a Keatingesque appraisal – what a bunch of unrepresentative swill.
Plain as a pikestaff what this was: an egregious waste of time.
Fortunately, this is exactly what we all expected. SO we are not surprised, and are in fact highly amused. What you are seeing here is mockery for such a blatant piece of puffery.
MarkL
canberra
Agile, in your current line of employment, honourable as it is, I doubt if you’re likely to get hit around the head often enough so that you develop a built in shit smeller.
You’re part of the insulated, well meaning demographic that the likes of Rudd appeal to.
I can imagine the chatties around the lunch table at your school. So don’t rely on peer pressure to help you develop a bullshit sensor.
So naive you will remain.
Any over taxed small business proprietor knows that this weekend of feel good, gratuitous applauding and back slapping is mainly for the benefit of academics, public servants, charity bedfellows, teachers and other groups reliant on the public trough.
But you seem young and enquiring, so keep it up.
- Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2008 04 20 at 05:13 AM • permalink
My take on the whole summit is that it is not much different to “Big Brother” and other TV trash of that ilk. It is manufactured pap to keep a certain class of viewers glued to their screens.
I have participated in too many “corporate strategic planning” wankfests at work to have anything but a completely jaded view of this sort of fluffified extravaganza.
I’m sure there is an episode of “The Office” where everyone gets dragged off to a retreat somewhere to get eyeglazingly bored in front of white boards, the junior managers get blinding drunk on the corporate tab at night and where the poor schlebs are made to climb across logs or do some sort of “SAS-lite” team bonding thing on the morning after.
If you can visualise that, you can understand my cynicism. If you’ve been spared that because of your career choice, then you are one lucky bastard.
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 05:13 AM • permalink
Damn. I got so involved in this thread, I burned the pizza.
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 05:23 AM • permalink
#174; lotocoti; worm medicine for a worm.
#173; I can’t respond to this wet noodle of a statement; one of the most reprehensible aspects of the AGW religion is that real environmental issues have been submerged under the excrement; read Lomborg’s “The Skeptical Envionmentlist” and “Cool It” for a lucid account of this; as to the chicanery and paucity of the AWG ‘science’; here
AS a matter of curiosity, why should humanity have to save energy when this planet and the surrounding space is awash with it?
173; Earth Hour wasn’t an attempt to save energy, it,and the ones to follow, are an attempt to convince comfortable, middle class people to think of themselves as victims and needing the protective hand of their betters. It plays well to a certain kind, but not here.
Posted by dean martin on 2008 04 20 at 05:31 AM • permalink
#180 – then don’t be surprised if the next events are similar to the following:
“Leadership”
“Managing people for high performance”
“Developing systematic outcomes based performance metrics”
“Developing high performance teams”
“360 degree performance reviews and holistic human resource management”
I could go on and on all day. I’m sure you could dredge up some similar horrors from your CV.
Anyway, I see the whole thing as a substitute for sound, simple management practices and policies; and a smokescreen to cover the fact that IDHAFCWTDN*.
*I don’t have a fucking clue what to do next.
Now – if he had pulled in all his senior public servants and department heads for a lecture on what his philosophies, policies and priorities are, then I would have a completely different view of the whole thing. I might disagree with much of what he would have said, but at least the latter might have performed some useful purpose.
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 05:32 AM • permalink
- #188 he has buzzed off it seems.
#190 tick, tick, tick, upsets some with these stories, but the same somes like Rudd, go figure.Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 05:48 AM • permalink
188; But I didn’t respect your viewpoint! Boohoo nobody listens to me.
Posted by dean martin on 2008 04 20 at 05:50 AM • permalink
Two days, 10 streams, 1003 Delegates, thousands of ideas
“I don’t want to wake up one morning in the year 2020 with the regret of not having acted when I had the chance, that’s why it’s important to plan ahead,” Rudd said.
He is dreaming.
Posted by stackja1945 on 2008 04 20 at 05:57 AM • permalink
154 I am a special education teacher who works in a multi-disabilities school.
Listen to the self righteous twat. I can’t stand people who pretend to take offence at some throwaway remark just to put the person they’re arguing with on the back foot. Try making Abu look stupid by actually tearing his arguments apart, Agile. You can’t, can you? Retard.
Conversely I think it absurd that people knock attempts to save energy in events such as Earth Hour (which I did not participate in). Blair’s Energy Hour thing was pathetic and juvenile.
I call bullshit. Firstly, EA was not an effort to save energy. Everyone with half a brain does that every day just to save costs.
It was a purely symbolic emotive action by know-nothing fools to make themselves feel good about themselves. Little more than public masturbation. The sort of clowns involved were so clueless that they saw nothing wrong with advertising it with hot air balloons and skywriting, and thought it a great idea to send helicopters up to get photos of the ‘impact’ – which was negligible. Earth Hour was indeed pathetic and juvenile.
The ‘Hour of Power’ done by quite a few people here was a protest at the imbecility on public display.
Lefties like protests (especially with pathetic and juvenile giant paper mache heads and wankers on stilts) – unless they are directed at the imbecilities and empty symbolism of the left itself, of course.
MarkL
canberra
Hunting through the TV channels I hit the summit just as some woman talking fluent social worker said she wanted an artist in every school and performing arts to be a mandatory school subject. Which made me wonder why someone wanted to send an Australian to Mars when there were so many Martians here.
The summit ended as expected. Rudd said it was a great success and he would think about the new ideas one day. The Rev Costello made a joke at his brother’s expense just to remind people that his mob was in charge now. The only new idea was a call for Australia to become a republic, which was very similar to a new idea Keating had 15 years ago. And Cate Blanchett said she was happy to be at the summit and headed home to wait for the seven-figure cheque to arrive.
Apologies if someone beat me to this link, but Yahoo is reporting unhappy campers at the wankfe – er, gathering of great minds.
Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2008 04 20 at 06:23 AM • permalink
#203 – bloody hell Walter, now I’m going to be up all night howling with laughter. My guts hurt already. Enough of the funny links I say.
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 06:28 AM • permalink
By the way, if you are wondering what Walter has linked to, it’s a blog about Collingwood.
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 06:36 AM • permalink
#210 woah, too much information.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2008 04 20 at 06:41 AM • permalink
#202; Hiya babydoll! I knew you’d come to my rescue.
Posted by dean martin on 2008 04 20 at 06:46 AM • permalink
My experience is similar to Mr Creosote. Over the years I’ve obliged to attend many idea-generating and empowering business conferences. Usually held at an upmarket resort or, if at the office, on your own time, and following the same pattern as 2020: lots of butcher paper, role plays, brainstorming sessions, summaries, &c. Then off to a boozy dinner.
One thing these gabfests have in common is managers who can’t manage. They achieve nothing and in a few weeks the butcher paper and outcome papers are quietly shredded and life goes back to normal.
In my experience firms that run these gabfests are poor performers. They’re firms that, when the going gets tough, respond by cutting costs rather than increasing sales. Cost cutting always starts with stationery: “We’re using too many pens!. There’s too much photocopying!”
For anyone who has worked in the corporate sector will recognise Rudd’s beanfest for what it is: A commonplace but superficial, insincere technique for making people think they are valued and listened to. All the ideas will be binned and Rudd will do just what he wanted to do in the first place (that is, assuming he has a philosophy and a plan). He’s a typical bureaucrat/manager. Business experience has taught me to detest the type.
Posted by walterplinge on 2008 04 20 at 06:53 AM • permalink
#117 Thank you monaro for bringing this speech by Verity Firth to light. My wife saw Ms Firth on Stateline during the week and was incredulous at the crowing and aura of smugness about the awarding of these grants. Rarely have I seen my wife so fired up over something political.
It is amazing that there are no funds for health or education (blame John Howard)but there is plenty to go round when it comes to the new religion of going green.
Do I blame the companies for taking the grants? Not at all. If the government is foolish/cynical enough to offer grants to private enterprise to go green, then private enterprise would be foolish not to take advantage of the grants. However, how much more respect would these corporations have garnered from Joe Public had they paid for these projects out of their own coffers? It seems that they are all morally corrupt. Maybe these corporations can make a donation to our ailing health system from the funds that they saved.
“#102 Regarding Little Julie Burnside’s suggestion that we bang up politicians for lying, a bit rich coming from any lawyer, how about we not only extend that law to the legal fraternity, but hold barristers responsible for the crimes that their clients commit after they’ve helped them avoid justice.”
At least Kevs “New Idea” has now prompted one good idea. A pity it didn’t actually come from any of the muppets at Kevfest.
It’s the Revenge of the Nerds, I swear – a bunch of unpopular kids no one wanted to play with finally making everyone listen to them. They’re Bill Gates to a man, only less useful and certainly incapable of making a buck.
— Nick
Posted by The Thin Man Returns on 2008 04 20 at 07:26 AM • permalink
#213 – one interesting side effect of taking everyone away for a boozy weekend is the Saturday night assignations. Did Joe from Accounts really bonk Sally from Marketing after the fire walking? Did I really see Jane coming out of Bill’s room at 3am as I staggered back from the bar? Why do so many people have that smug look of “I just pumped the cat” the morning after?
We know who got screwed at Kruddfest – the electorate. But who was rooting whom?
Posted by mr creosote on 2008 04 20 at 07:52 AM • permalink
#224- Woody Woodpecker had an I got lucky last night look on her puss on Insiders this morning- if so I expect to read about some poor bastard being foundfloating face down in Lake Burley Griffin, a look of anguish, despair and self-loathing forever ethed on his mush. Imagine if it’s possible to be that completely shitfaced, maggotted, ratarsed pissed you’d have to be to don beer goggles of sufficient power to find that baggy thighed, hatchet-faced, air-raid siren voiced harpy vaguely human, and still be capable of tumescence- utterly mind-boggling.
What wasn’t so boggling was the level of dribbling idiocy that permeated that wasted weekend; I remarked to the missus over lunch that I highly doubt it was our best and brightest present- smart and successful people have better things to do with their weekends than to hang out with friendless dorks in the world’s most boring city, being lectured and hectored by ratchet-jaws, bucketheads, ideologues, dolts, parasites and someone who sources nourishment from his auditory canals.
- #224 mr creosote; all this talk of screwing and rooting reminds me of digger:
Digger comes back from WW11 and finds his missus in bed with the neighbour. After thumping them both, Digger is hauled before the beak:
Beak; well Digger, explain yourself.
Digger; yaw worship, I’ve been over fighting fucking jerry, risking me fucking life for king and fucking country, and what do I fucking find when I fucking come home? Me wife engaged in illicit cohabitation!
BTW, our much beloved Ms Fits got trumped by an even bigger dingbat, who put up the suggestion that artists be eligible for a living wage, with side benefits of superannuation and workers compensation.
Oddly enough such a system exists now- it’s known as “getting a job”.
I’m actually all for it- I’ve always seen myself as a latter-day Fangio, but lack the skill level to get a contract offer from Frank Williams; why should lack of talent be an impediment to my dream of being an F1 driver and inhaling dumb dust off the pert breasts of pneumatic floozies? The gummint can pay me the going rate for an open-wheeler jockey, and I can indulge my fantasy at the slot car centre.
Is there anyone out there prepared to admit to voting for these gits?
- Is there anyone out there prepared to admit to voting for these gits?
Fortunately I’m spared that embarrassment. But your proposal about dusted breasts I find most interesting.Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2008 04 20 at 08:36 AM • permalink
On a slight tangent, on the BBC last week, Stephen Fray, hosting a doco on the Guttenburg press, made a comparison between the Catholic Church before the Reformation selling indulgences so people could buy their way out of sin, to the way people today try to buy their way out of environmental sins through carbon credits. I love that man!
#17 Ah, yes, so true. You know, the difference between socialists with taxpayers money and Medicis with their own money is, apart from the obvious, the Medicis didn’t have an ideology.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 04 20 at 08:42 AM • permalink
There are two types of people in this world – those doing their masters, and liars.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2008 04 20 at 08:43 AM • permalink
#35 Interestingly, the defenestratees actually survived their falls. A large portion of the German population didn’t in the ensuing 30 years.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 04 20 at 08:48 AM • permalink
#57 Flannery and Traceee. They could breed if they survived the impact (see next para.)
It was stated that bringing the blokes back was the expensive bit. I think it is actually making a soft landing.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 04 20 at 08:52 AM • permalink
Also in Canberra, Village Idiot in Chief, Jon Stanhope, is counting down the sleeps to the greatest day in his life – the day the PRC’s Protective Squadron takes command of the streets of the Australian capital.
Meanwhile, the ‘goons and thugs’ back at Communist H.Q. (that’s the one in China not Stanhope’s branch of the A.L.P) have gone into Orwellian overdrive:
China’s foreign ministry said: “China and Zimbabwe maintain normal trade relations. China has always had a prudent and responsible attitude towards arms sales, and one of the most important principles is not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.”
When I first heard about KRudd’s wankfest, I could only shake my head. The organization for whom I work actually tried that concept for several years. For us, it was supposed to be the way to set organizational goals and objectives for the next year.
I attended the first session as a “delegate”, where I was paid my normal salary to vote on ideas generated by the group of about 100 people, and tell my boss what to do. It quickly degenerated into a competition for whose pet projects received higher priority. New ideas? Pshaw!
I won’t describe what happened during the subsequent years, except to say it’s a classic example of people voting themselves bread and circuses…..and an utter embarrassment to any honest person. Thank God, the process was summarily trashed.
The biggest problem with “idea generation” is that any group larger than 6-8 people is simply unmanageable. 1000 people, even if they broken down in smaller groups, remains unmanageable. Not just because of the size, mind you, but because of the objective, which covers an entire country.
And I’ve done this with small groups as well, as have other people here. There, it can be made to work…..because the information is much easier to manage.
Add in the clear and obvious bias favoring, ummmmmm, “non-conservative political views”, and it’s like having children in grade school plan their own curriculum.
Which would likely include plenty of time on the playground, and not much studying. Not unlike the latest leftie wankfest.
And, FWIW, KRudd’s 2020 wankfest actually sounds like a miniature version of the current US Congress. Lots of shit and noise, not much of substance. Alas, they hold the purse strings, and we have to live with it. At least there’s the hope that this Down Under fiasco will fade quietly away…..because I suspect that’s the way KRudd wants it.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2008 04 20 at 10:51 AM • permalink
fucking moronic fucking bastards the lost of them except for, & it pains me to say it, warren mundine wanting aboriginal kids to be able to speak english. give that man a slap – he’s said something sensible. productivity growth in this country has slowed to zero & these wankers want more grants for bad art. fuck them all sideways with a sharpened stake of bamboo wrapped in barbed wire
angry? what? who me?
Green hysteria: the final frontier.
Today we are throwing open the windows of our democracy, to let a little bit of fresh air in.
And if there’s any justice in the world, there will be a hobo standing just below that open window, puffing on the butt of somebody’s discarded White Owl cigar.