Open Forum: December 22, 2012 at Catallaxy Files

Open Forum: December 22, 2012

909 comments

Written by Sinclair Davidson

December 22nd, 2012 at 12:01 am

Posted in Open Forum

909 Responses to 'Open Forum: December 22, 2012'

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first

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:03 am
Pfft
Betcha only told us about the new fred after you firsted!

kae

22 Dec 12 at 12:08 am
yup

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:09 am
Up there…top ten???

Skuter

22 Dec 12 at 12:12 am
Another bouquet for you Kae the other night when you responded to mAlice’s comment about you not knowing anything about universities.

classic

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:13 am
Fifth is the new first. #everychildgetsaribbon

sdog

22 Dec 12 at 12:13 am
Australians rush to join war in Syria

AUSTRALIAN security agencies believe more than 100 Australians have joined the civil war in Syria, sparking fears the conflict could produce a wave of home-grown jihadists hardened with combat skills and training.
The concerns come amid fears that hundreds of thousands of dollars a month are leaving Australia, bound for the conflict zone, with some flowing to rebel jihadists.

I wonder if Swannie has thought of taxing this? He might get his surplus yet!

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:20 am
Seventh?

Cold-Hands

22 Dec 12 at 12:21 am
Kae, the Fukushima nuclear mishap was technically a meltdown because the reactor core did melt but the molten core was successfully confined by its containment vessel, so it wasn’t what is popularly thought of as a meltdown where the core eats its way deep into the earth and explodes into radioactive steam on meeting the ground water.

Cold-Hands

22 Dec 12 at 12:26 am
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/news/investigations/we-put-300000-in-awu-slush-fund-says-bruce-wilsons-brother-in-law-joe-trio/story-fng5kxvh-1226542152787
The next installment in the AWU saga…Joe Trio speaks…

Skuter

22 Dec 12 at 12:42 am
And The Lord repeated to he disciples (some of whom who obtuse and slow on the uptake) ….. “He who is first shall be last, and he who is tenth shall get some good shit for Christmas”

Leigh Lowe

22 Dec 12 at 1:11 am
I get the feeling that the only people who were interested in the Mayan apocalypse were old media newspaper editors trying desperately to be meme-ish.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 1:22 am
I didn’t know there were two but, hey, this sounds big:

A new state of matter, and a third type of magnetism:
The discovery that could revolutionise computer storage.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 1:24 am
AUSTRALIAN security agencies believe more than 100 Australians have joined the civil war in Syria,

So Splat, you saying you got a problem with diversity? It actually enriches our culture, or something like that. Thats official.

Jannie

22 Dec 12 at 2:17 am
Sinclair,

I’d like to see a Catallaxy writer give his or her opinion on Nudge Theory – behavioural economics – libertarian paternalism.

Apparently, Barry O’Farrel is a fan and is bringing someone in from the UK to trial this on NSW residents.

This got ignored in the last Open Thread but it’s a very astute observation.

Nudge Theory(think Blair/Brown) is behind the majority of the Nanny State measures that so intrude on our daily life.

O’Farrell and Baillieu and to a lesser extent Barnett are leftist interlopers ruining our lives under the pretext of being “conservatives”. All of them have introduced legislation that is shameful and an anathema to freedom and classical liberalism.

Infidel Tiger

22 Dec 12 at 2:20 am
From CL’s link

Researchers at MIT have discovered a new type of matter, and a new type of magnetism – and say it could change the way computers store information.

The breakthrough adds to the two previously known states of magnetism.

‘We’re showing that there is a third fundamental state for magnetism,’ says MIT professor of physics Young Lee.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2251555/A-new-state-matter-MIT-researchers-new-type-magnetic-behaviour-revolutionise-computing.html#ixzz2FhbjVOyM

Hang on. But is the science in and settled on this one? I thought there was nothing else to learn.

JC

22 Dec 12 at 2:55 am
Shit on a stick. How bad is John Boehner? The bloke couldn’t negotiate extra cheese at McDonald’s.

Infidel Tiger

22 Dec 12 at 3:20 am
Dumb Mayans.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 5:26 am
Wayne Swan & Supertramp (pun intended)

jules

22 Dec 12 at 5:50 am
“A new state of matter, and a third type of magnetism”

I don’t see what’s new there. Scientists have known about spin glasses for some time now.

2dogs

22 Dec 12 at 6:03 am
IT – what is your problem with Barnett? He is an abrasive individual with a strong emperor complex. His main failings seem to me to be on a desire to be seen as strong on law and order – stop and search powers, new road rules, out of control party laws – all knee jerk reactions to the Today Tonight crowd that could be dealt with by existing laws and better policing.

H B Bear

22 Dec 12 at 6:18 am
Looks like 2013 is going to be a scorcher in another likely to be dud prediction from the British Meteorological Office (bring your long underwear)

GeorgeL

22 Dec 12 at 7:06 am
Oh goody, the world still existed when I left the virtuous couch this morning. Santa will be able to deliver the new Ferrari after all. Merry Yule all.

Mother G

22 Dec 12 at 7:15 am
Well it could be a warm year. Currently sea surface temps are broadly above average. Nearly everywhere. This is unusual. Of course, it will all depend on how quickly the warm water at the surface swaps with the cold water at depth.

And the experience of the last decade is to not listen to the British BoM.

Entropy

22 Dec 12 at 7:36 am
Obama’s Hypocrisy Problem On Guns

DECEMBER 21, 2012
KARL DENNINGER:
You may choose to delegate this responsibility to others, as Mayor Bloomberg and President Obama have, but your right to life is not inferior to theirs. It is equal. President Obama has no more right to live than you do. You are his equal from the standpoint of what your creator, and his creator, endowed both of you with.

So we have established that you have the right to live, as does the President. And if the President has the right to defend his life with deadly force, and indeed the responsibility to do so, then, should it be necessary, so do you.

This debate should end right there. Up until all of these people in political office disband their police forces, their Secret Service details, throw down their own arms, armored cars, body armor and other defensive means of interdicting assault they have nothing — not even a moral argument — behind them in their demand that you disarm and become an intentional victim — no matter who you are.

Still waiting to hear what kind of guns Rupert Murdoch’s and Mike Bloomberg’s security teams use. We pretty much know what Obama’s have to hand — and it’s a lot more than private citizens are permitted.

But there’s more:
But in truth it gets worse than that.

You see, our government has been running guns. Illegally running guns. Jaime Avila, in just one of many examples, purchased two rifles that were found at the scene of a federal agent shot near the Arizona-Mexico border. Our government knew Mr. Avila was illegally trafficking weapons to the Sinaloa drug cartel. Nonetheless, when his purchases were called into the BATFE for clearance the government intentionally approved the transactions despite knowing they were illegal.

Two of those hundreds of weapons came back over the border and were used to murder Brian Terry. Hundreds of Mexican citizens have been murdered with these guns in total — guns that our government illegally, intentionally and maliciously allowed to be delivered to this murderous cartel.

Mr. Avila’s sentence? 57 months in prison, or just under 6 years.

When?

Two days before the Newtown Connecticut shootings.

Media outrage? Zero.

They feign independence, but they’re basically courtiers.

Rudiau

22 Dec 12 at 7:56 am
Yes, I can feel it in my bones that it’s going to be a scorcher in 2013 :

Spare a thought for people in Russia. Its the coldest winter since 1938. Temperatures may hit -25 in Moscow this weekend. They have already hit -50C in Siberia. Twenty-one people froze to death in one day.

Make sure you read the comments, especially from UWA physics lecturer John Brookes, a dedicated climate zombie, who’s sure the record Russian cold is a sign of globall warmening. Hilarious.

Tom

22 Dec 12 at 8:05 am
Tom, as was noted in Nature in September :

Farther afield, this year’s record sea-ice melt might foreshadow a harsh winter in parts of Europe and North America. Recent research, although preliminary, suggests a connection between late-summer Arctic sea-ice extent and the location of areas of high and low atmospheric pressure over the northern Atlantic. The highs and lows can remain relatively fixed for weeks, shaping storm tracks and seasonal weather patterns such as extended cold surges6.

Ralf Jaiser, a climate scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Potsdam, Germany, found a significant correlation in 1989–2011 meteorological data between late-summer Arctic sea-ice extent and atmospheric-pressure anomalies that favour extreme weather such as prolonged cold snaps in winter7. He reasons that in autumn, the open Arctic Ocean sheds heat to the high-latitude atmosphere. The warming tends to reduce the large-scale atmospheric-pressure gradient and weakens the dominant westerly winds in the Northern Hemisphere. Those winds normally sweep warm, moist Atlantic air to western Europe; their weakening leaves the region more prone to persistent cold.

Now you can either swear at me, which proves nothing other than a problem with your personality, or admit that some scientists have for a few years now been suspecting a connection between low summer arctic ice and more snow and cold in parts of the world in the following winter.

steve from brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 8:32 am
‘Oh goody, the world still existed when I left the virtuous couch this morning’

It’s still 4.34 pm on 21 December in the timezone where the Mayan civilisation once existed, there is till 7 hours and 26 minutes to go before we can breath easy!!

Des Deskperson

22 Dec 12 at 8:35 am
=-O :-* :O B-) :-$ :-! :’( :-\ O:-) O:-) :-[

(Still playing with a new customisable android keyboard)

steve from brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 8:51 am
SfB.
Can’t you test that at your own shit blog instead of here?

jumpnmcar

22 Dec 12 at 8:58 am
No-one’s interested, Dogshit. This is not your private sandpit, you brain-damaged clown.

Tom

22 Dec 12 at 8:58 am
Yes, I will stop with the testing.

The thing about the arctic ice issue is that it shows AGW and climate change are not simple processes. Fake skeptics use that fact to convince themselves there is nothing to the issue.

steve from brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 9:08 am
As opposed to real skeptics, Steve? Ok, now how do you tell the real skeptics from the fake/

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 9:09 am
This is a good ¥test of the ability of the system.59654?!

steve from brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 9:15 am
Cold Hands
Hi again!
Meltdown = China Syndrome
I’m sure the media uses the term meltdown in that context, nuclear bad after all!
I suppose that’s why it all annoys me so much.

kae

22 Dec 12 at 9:19 am
Splat
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!

kae

22 Dec 12 at 9:20 am
This is a good ¥test of the ability of the system.59654?!

Go leave your droppings your own sandbox, moron.

sdog

22 Dec 12 at 9:28 am
Sh#tfer:

The thing about the arctic ice issue is that it shows AGW and climate change are not simple processes.

Gotcha.

You just admitted publicly that the entire AGW scam is a lie, and that you know it.

Because the entire AGW case is extremely simple; ‘the CO2 dunnit’.

The people saying that it is NOT that simple are the vastly outnumbered, hugely out-resourced people who are actually scientifically literate and who disdain jopining your ignorant herd of con-men, charlatans, spivs and liars.

Thanks, Sh*tfer, fror finally admitting in public that AGW is a con, and that you know it.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 9:31 am
This is a good ¥test of the ability of the system.59654?!

steve from brisbane
22 Dec 12 at 9:15 am

…and of the operator Steve.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 9:34 am
Liveware failure!

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 9:34 am
Now, I shall have the pleaseure of watching Sh*tfer wriggle and squeal.

But the bald reality is that the whole AGW case rests on demonising an entirely beneficial trace gas!

If, as Sh*tfer correctly notes, these are “not simple processes”, then the original AGW contention is horsesh*t.

Let the entertainment commence.

(eeeew, I just agreed with Sh*tfer on something. Let me just go and bath in bleach, my skin is crawling)

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 9:35 am
:!-{—<

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 9:35 am
AGW is based on fear just like the YK2 bug rent seekers who profited from lucrative contracts for a global catastrophe that did not exist.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 9:42 am
Moderator needed?
I attempted to post a comment on “Guest Post: Andrew Scobie – You will pay the ferryman“, saying in part:

Abolish payroll tax or face the consequences
An open letter to Australian Treasurers, by Gavin R. Putland

I didn’t appear, perhaps because of the number of links. I hope it’s of interest.

Gavin R Putland

22 Dec 12 at 9:48 am
When is Joe Trio going to gaol?

.

22 Dec 12 at 9:49 am
JC

This might interest you. Further north than Mozambique of course.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemba_Channel

.

22 Dec 12 at 9:56 am
“How bad is John Boehner? The bloke couldn’t negotiate extra cheese at McDonald’s”

It really is the most absurd confluence of individuals and events Infidel Tiger.

Negotiating with a character like Obamaccles II would be the easiest task imaginable. He is so immersed in his undeserved self admiration that he would never properly anticipate the “what ifs” in advance. There is no charisma or intimidating presence about him (like Putin or Netanyahu or Fiji’s Bainimarama – I’ve observed him for a while and reckon he’d be a tough one with whom to do business).

The matter for negotiation is a walk up start for the winning. Boy King OZero has nowhere to go if the Republicans simply say “No, no we won’t give you that. Now, was there anything else we can help you with before you leave?” They’ve got nothing at all to lose and two-four years to educate people as to why it was vital to say no.

What do the Republicans do? They send in the most feeble, weak, uncertain little pretend man, so overwhelmed by his elevation a couple of years back that he blubbered on national television three or four times over. They send him in alone, without an orderly to assist when he ships his pants in the aura of someone as godly as a former Chicago local council welfare housing clerk.

There is only one thing the Republicans need do, one thing, the simplest thing, and they cannot even craft that!?!?

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 9:59 am
John Kerry nominated for Secretary of State. Oh well, at least it’s not Susan Rice.

Cold-Hands

22 Dec 12 at 9:59 am
AGW is based on fear just like the YK2 bug rent seekers who profited…..

Don’t forget ‘Religion’ Splat. Into the collection plate or else. Nothing like the threat of eternal damnation to change behaviour! Being ‘green’ is the new morality.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 10:00 am
When is Joe Trio going to gaol?

The most interesting part of that article is at the very end, where the West Australian Police “refuse to comment” on their ongoing investigation. It’s not over yet by a long way.

Cold-Hands

22 Dec 12 at 10:04 am
The big difference with Y2K was that nobody was compelled to upgrade computers. The government didn’t force you to do anything, all the work that was done was voluntary. You can’t really call it rent seeking – more like market manipulation to whip up some frothy demand for limited services.

If only the carbon tax could be avoided like an overpriced ‘y2k consultant’.

brc

22 Dec 12 at 10:07 am
The Jaiser paper which steve refers to is here.

The theme that a warming Arctic will cause colder European winters has also been dealt with by Curry and her team.

It is only some time ago that AGW scientists were predicting warmer European winters where there would no snow at all.

But that aside, the fact that current Arctic conditions are no worse than in the 1930′s and that there have been numerous warmings of the Arctic during and since the Holocene, means that what is happening now is not due to AGW.

Meteorologist Joe D’Aleo explains all this in his critique of this amazing alledged effect of AGW causing colder conditions.

cohenite

22 Dec 12 at 10:12 am
The other thing about y2k is that it was a hard date. It will either all break on Jan 1, 2000, or it will all fail.

As opposed to the rather soft and squidgy dates of the global warmening scare.

5 months to save the world!
1 year to save the world!
Lots of climate doom by ~~1995~~, ~~2000~~, ~~2008~~, ~~2010~~, ~~2011~~, 2012, 2013

The average person in the street knows it’s all a crock, and the idiot climate change activists went out of their way to ‘own’ electricity increases. Plenty of politicans, from Obama to Gillard, went on record saying the price of power has to go up to save the planet.

Well, the planet is still here, and now so is the high power prices. Rightly or wrongly, the climate change lobby is held responsible for making it more expensive to live. And that’s what will ultimately finish them off.

brc

22 Dec 12 at 10:13 am
I remember that. The Atlantic conveyor would stop and North America and Europe would enter an ice age in about six months.

.

22 Dec 12 at 10:22 am
at least it’s not Susan Rice

Let’s hope the Senate Republicans go hard and insist he releases his full military record.

lotocoti

22 Dec 12 at 10:23 am
see http://news.uchicago.edu/multimedia/milton-friedman-centennial-celebration-keynote-presentation for a great tribute by gary becker

Jim Rose

22 Dec 12 at 10:27 am
A reminder of what a performer the Liberals were not smart enough to retain, there being too many with leadership batons in the backpack. I blame both John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull, but not just them. They must accept it as a group and try to be smarter.
Costello explains: why you’ll get dud government from Labor.

blogstrop

22 Dec 12 at 10:30 am
“Dumb Mayans”

No, dumb us who interpreted their artefact to mean that – so maybe it wasn’t a calendar, which does not imply that I know what it is either. Ignorance is a bit consternating in this case.

Louis Hissink

22 Dec 12 at 10:32 am
Let’s hope the Senate Republicans go hard and insist he releases his full military record.

If Clarence Thomas can get pilloried by a Biden (a rambling fuckwit who talks himself into oblivion) and Anita Hill has the gall to become a university professor after this, then those who sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.

.

22 Dec 12 at 10:33 am
Well I’m off for a drive, causing global devastation and mayhem from my emissions. Meanwhile sfb spouts more hot air. I think he’ll have the greater impact.

Meanwhile scientists have discovered that the green house effect wasn’t even mentioned in scientific circles until the eighties, so thoroughly had it been examined and falsified several decades earlier.

Keith

22 Dec 12 at 10:38 am
Don’t forget ‘Religion’ Splat. Into the collection plate or else.

Oh, yes, the numbers that swelled the early church, a number of which were martyred by the secular authorities, were drawn to it by ‘fear’.

dover_beach

22 Dec 12 at 10:42 am
Well, Louis, ’twas only a bit of very early morning humour. There was a another Mayan calender discovered earlier this year at an archaeological dig, however very little msm coverage given to it. That would spoil the gnashing of teeth and dampen the spirits of the doomsayers. The calender gives us mortals coverage for a further 7,000 years or so.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 10:43 am
“Dumb Mayans”

Gab and Louis. You two are gonna be lookin’ pretty sheepish when the world blows up in five hours. Embarrassing!

Thanks Des for time frame.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 10:46 am
lol I’ll “live” with the embarrassment in that case, Anne.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 10:50 am
The government didn’t force you to do anything, all the work that was done was voluntary.

It was progagated by fear. I remember my company spent millions on consultants and redirected internal managers to head “YK2 project teams”. They even got leagals involved to work on dreamy disclaimers on invoices and contract T&C’s to cover off all loopholes including Force Majure in case they were sued.

Then there was the government who forced companies during tender processes to prove they were YK2 ready.

Yes you are right BRC YK2 did have an end date but the principle is the same; use fear to drive your agenda and you can create a nice little earner for yourself.

Fear campaigns are not new but they are very effective.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 10:50 am
Hey, where did Sh*tfer go?

Can it be that he’s soiled his pants and is hiding under the bed becaise of this?

Sh#tfer:

The thing about the arctic ice issue is that it shows AGW and climate change are not simple processes.

Gotcha.

You just admitted publicly that the entire AGW scam is a lie, and that you know it.

Because the entire AGW case is extremely simple; ‘the CO2 dunnit’.

The people saying that it is NOT that simple are the vastly outnumbered, hugely out-resourced people who are actually scientifically literate and who disdain jopining your ignorant herd of con-men, charlatans, spivs and liars.

Thanks, Sh*tfer, fror finally admitting in public that AGW is a con, and that you know it.

I mean, we know the little pervert reads this site constantly.

So he’s in hiding. hammer him on this one, kiddies, he’s really screwed himself to the wall

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 10:59 am
Can one be martyred by someone else? That doesn’t sound quite right to me, Dover.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 10:59 am
How the other half live. It’s good to be Green.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 11:01 am
Looks like clear evidence of rising oceans, Gab.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 11:06 am
Really, Anne. Do you imagine that St. Peter, for instance, martyred himself by crucifixion? The last nail must have been the miracle.

dover_beach

22 Dec 12 at 11:07 am
Don’t forget ‘Religion’ Splat. Into the collection plate or else. Nothing like the threat of eternal damnation to change behaviour!

I don’t agree. I can’t recall ever being in a church service whether CE, Catholic, or Baptist where when the collection plate was passed around it was stated I was actually topping up my eternal life insurance policy.

The Catholic church did used to sell indulgences but you would have to go back to the 1500′s to find that practice operating.

I’m not sure what cult you may have belonged to Anne but tithing has always been voluntary where I have been to church.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:08 am
So we have established that you have the right to live, as does the President. And if the President has the right to defend his life with deadly force, and indeed the responsibility to do so, then, should it be necessary, so do you.

This debate should end right there. Up until all of these people in political office disband their police forces, their Secret Service details, throw down their own arms, armored cars, body armor and other defensive means of interdicting assault they have nothing — not even a moral argument — behind them in their demand that you disarm and become an intentional victim — no matter who you are.

Exactly. I’ve been making this point about Australia. The only people lawfully permitted to protect themselves with arms are the police – who now see guns as exclusive symbols of their own specialness and presitige. But if you happen to be an 83 year-old man who beats up a muscular young home invader while defending yourself and your wife…

Police have warned homeowners that while they have a right to defend themselves from intruders only “reasonable” force should be used.

“Our advice is that people should avoid confronting anybody it’s not my advice that people should arm themselves and confront anyone in a house,” Detective Inspector for Brisbane West Robert Hitch said.

“People have a right to take action to defend their own person, to defend their dwelling and to defend other people. The force that they use must be reasonable and must fit the circumstances, it must be considered in relation to the threat that they’re facing,” Det Insp Hitch said.

Wanker.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 11:09 am
John Kerry nominated for Secretary of State.

Didn’t he shoot a teenager in the back in Vietnam?

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 11:15 am
Now C.L.

I proposed a constitutional amendment here at the cat as a guest post on the 2nd of July.

I guess you’ve all changed your mind now and see it as salvation from wankers like Insp. Hitch.

.

22 Dec 12 at 11:16 am
“This debate should end right there.

…

“People have a right to take action to defend their own person, to defend their dwelling … The force that they use must be reasonable and must fit the circumstances, it must be considered in relation to the threat that they’re facing,” Det Insp Hitch said.

Wanker.”

It really is that simple, as you have summarised C.L. and Rudiau above.

Your observation of Constable Hitch is apt.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 11:16 am
Oh, yes, the numbers that swelled the early church, a number of which were martyred by the secular authorities, were drawn to it by ‘fear’.

I don’t get this Dover? I thought it was the faith of the early martyrs that swelled the numbers not fear?

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:17 am
Agreed, CL. SO after one shoots and kills the armed home invader one says “…the violent home invader who was armed, said he would kill me and my family, ignored my warning and within fifteen feet of me and advancing…” one says not one more word to the police who turned up after it was all over. Not one word.

IIRC (and it’s state police regulation dependent) they are permitted to fire on a knife-armed offender once he’s within twenty feet.

One then gets a lawyer. The critical thing is to say absolutely nothing (literally not one word by anyone present) to the police after the above statement.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 11:18 am
Splat, did you notice my scare quotes around ‘fear’?

dover_beach

22 Dec 12 at 11:19 am
Dover, I mean martyrdom is necessarily a self identifier not something that can be bestowed upon the killee by the killer.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 11:21 am
Good article, that one, CL. Thanks for posting it.

Be a tragedy, a real tragedy, Such a tragedy if the poor home invader shuffles off his mortal coil.

Oh look, my crocodile is shedding tears….

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 11:21 am
The same police wankers defended seven bruvver officers executing that Brazilian man on the street over a packet of biscuits. But they lecture an 83 year-old about how lucky he was not to be arrested for defending himself in his own home. This is now clearly a matter of prestige and demarcation. The police want the exclusive right to be armed – lest they no longer feel special as they stand at intersections directing traffic armed with Glocks, ray-guns and pepper spray.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 11:23 am
Sorry Dover I see it now.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:23 am
The 12 days of Climategate.

On the Twelfth day of Climategate, my true cause gave to me:

Twelve polar panics, Eleven Twits-a-tweeting, Ten Lord O’ Moncktons, Nine models dancing, Eight grants a-milking, Seven trolls-a-trolling, Six geeks explaining…Five oooold tree rings…, Four cursing profs, Three Henchmen, Two lawsuits pending…

Rafe

22 Dec 12 at 11:24 am
Didn’t he shoot a teenager in the back in Vietnam?

Do you really want Flippy to inflict upon us his questionable anecdotes about ear souveniring Americans?

lotocoti

22 Dec 12 at 11:26 am
Hmm. Where is our pet leftard, the homunculus sh*tfer, gone?

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 11:28 am
“two lawsuits pending…..”. And a…. And???

Don’t keep me in suspenders Rafe

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 11:29 am
not something that can be bestowed upon the killee by the killer.

I thought that is how a martyr is created? The killer is always the bestower of martyrdom on the victim when they persecute them or deliver death.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:32 am
The saddest thing, Mark, is that we have a Liberal Party of Howardian bed-wetters who are actually the principal enablers of the disarmed, guns-for-prestige society I’m describing. They are being pushed to more and worse excesses of fascist ‘law and order’ by noisy morons like police groupie Ray Hadley.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 11:34 am
Okay Splat, that’s it! I’m off to the library but I shall return and you’ll all be sorry.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 11:35 am
No Probs Anne, have a great day.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:36 am
Mk50 @ 1118,

Very wise words

Mike of Marion

22 Dec 12 at 11:37 am
Anne

Thanks Des for time frame.

Ahem:

Septimus @10.46pm 21 Dec on Tuesday Forum

JC

It’s 10.14 and the world hasn’t ended. I’m guessing the Mayans were wrong hey?
Mayans = Mexico, JC. 17 hours behind Sydney.

We’re still doomed

Septimus

22 Dec 12 at 11:38 am
I want to hear numb nut’s tale on John Kerry. Every yank he met in ‘Nam, man, was a bloodthirsty psychopath who couldn’t shut up and drove eco unfriendly 427 ci, obnoxiously nicknamed “Yank Tanks” which were extensions of their very, very small penises…

.

22 Dec 12 at 11:38 am
SMH headline: mood swings on pms: is it a myth?

stackja

22 Dec 12 at 11:46 am
Dover, I mean martyrdom is necessarily a self identifier not something that can be bestowed upon the killee by the killer.

Anne, how can someone murdered self-identify as anything? Someone is identified objectively by the Church as a martyr after the fact of their murder which is typically a result of their Christian witness.

dover_beach

22 Dec 12 at 11:48 am
How not to parent.

Admit it, some of the suggestions crossed your minds….

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 11:49 am
Do you really want Flippy to inflict upon us his questionable anecdotes about ear souveniring Americans?

Thanks for the Happy Tree Friends link. Ah, Memories.
‘After the rain comes the rainbow’

tylos

22 Dec 12 at 11:54 am
“after one … kills the armed home invader one says “…the violent home invader who was armed, said he would kill me and my family, ignored my warning and within fifteen feet of me and advancing…” one says not one more word to the police … Not one word … One then gets a lawyer”

We must have the same mates, Mk50, most now retired.

The same advice to me added only “I was terrified.”

As relieved as one may be the officials who flock to the scene after the event are not your friend.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 12:03 pm
Thanks Septimus. Your information is more detailed and more accurate ergo much better than Des’. You’re also clearly a more handsome fellow.

We could still be doomed, yes, and those nay-Sayers will have egg on their faces!

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 12:04 pm
Dottttt!!!

“I want to hear numb nut’s tale on John Kerry. Every yank he met in ‘Nam, man, was a bloodthirsty psychopath …”

Please type out 10 times:

I do not want to hear numb nuts on any matter
I do not want to hear numb nuts on any matter
I do not want to hear numb nuts on any matter

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 12:07 pm
Dover, the lady at the library said you are quite wrong and ought to stop speaking of crucifixion and martyrs. How about a nice cup of tea instead?

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 12:09 pm
A fairly emasculated man at the SMH has taken up the challenge of a feminist ~~hectorer~~ lecturer to read a bunch of womens books to better understand women.

He set up a blog and will discuss his progress.

The list of books is there.

I can confidently say I’ve read none. I can also confidently say most women have read none from this list.

Where the hell is Frankenstein?? The author was a sheila!

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 12:09 pm
What Mick said at 12.07. +100

I’m highly allergic to that particular troll.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 12:12 pm
Nilk. That’s hilarious! Surprise ending!

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 12:14 pm
I can also confidently say most women have read none from this list.

Sorry Dave, I’ve read at least ten of them but not once was the reason a feminist one. I’ve also attempted Beloved but could not get past the first two chapters.

Not one of the ten made my personal Book of the Year in the year I read them. And whilst I’ve read every one of the alphabet books of Sue Grafton and enjoyed them hugely, Kinsey Millhone has never struck me as a feminist role model. She certainly put me off becoming a private investigator. And, from my perspective, she is far too reluctant to carry or use her gun.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 12:19 pm
The list of books is there.

Crime fiction, what no Agatha Christie?

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:20 pm
The Millstone is dreary, as is The L-Shaped Room (had a friend who had to read them for year 11 english in the early 80s, and since I was writing her essays I had to read them lol).

If you’re going George Eliot, where’s Silas Marner? That’s a wonderful book.

I read The Time-Traveller’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger to see what the fuss was about, and found it self-indulgent and a bit creepy, so passed on her next offering.

No Brontes, I see, nor Jane Austen. Not feminist enough, I guess, and Margaret Attwood’s Handmaid Tale was okay when I read it at 18, but it’s not been on the list of things to revisit.

Personally, I always like to recommend When She Was Bad by Patricia Pearson. I also tend to keep an eye on ebay and amazon and snap up spare copies that come up for sale occasionally to give away.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 12:22 pm
No Bronte or Austin either? Or don’t these writers fit the feminist narrative?

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:24 pm
I love the silly season. The papers are full of lobbyists being given a free rant.

Case in point is this article from swimming pool rule lobbyists. This gem demanded follow up:

qualified pool inspector, Andrew Plint, whose daughter Hannah drowned in a non-compliant Queensland pool in 2007, recently inspected a pool with a 1500-kilogram horse tied to the fence.

Wikipedia provides a historical context:

The largest horse in recorded history was probably a Shire horse named Mammoth, who was born in 1848. He stood 21.2½ hands high (86.5 in/220 cm), and his peak weight was estimated at 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb)

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 12:26 pm
As relieved as one may be the officials who flock to the scene after the event are not your friend.

from Mick.

Amen to that. Many victims of home invaders have talked themselves into jail for defending themselves and then (understandably) have “co-operated with enquiries”.

Shut up, lawyer up, immediately.

Pedro the Ignorant

22 Dec 12 at 12:28 pm
No Sarah Waters Fingersmith or Tipping the velvet? I would have thought female masturbation and lesbian concepts in Victorian England would be just the thing for feminists to read.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:29 pm
OK I underestimated the breadth of the list.

I’ve only heard of 2 of them, Monkey Grip and The Colour Purple. Never read them.

I read Helen Garner’s Joe Cinque something or other though.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 12:29 pm
Oh yes, The Colour Purple. I read it when the movie came out and it made such an impression on me that I didn’t realise that it was apparently about lesbians.

Or something.

Or Oprah and Whoopie.

I think.

And let’s not get onto Ailce Walker and her wonderfully feminine nurturing skillz.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 12:33 pm
What about Julia Gillard’s book of fiction;
2012/13: A budget surplus odyssey

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 12:36 pm
‘much better than Des’

I forgot about daylight saving.

Des Deskperson

22 Dec 12 at 12:49 pm
DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc

A law school professor and former criminal defense attorney tells you why you should never agree to be interviewed by the police…

.

22 Dec 12 at 12:55 pm
Much tut-tutting today about this from the US…

Gun lobby seeks armed guards in schools.

But why?

Our parliaments are protected by armed guards.

Are Anthony Albanese or Rob Oakeshott more important than American children?

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 12:57 pm
#3

Hey, where did Sh*tfer go?

Can it be that he’s soiled his pants and is hiding under the bed becaise of this?

Sh#tfer:

The thing about the arctic ice issue is that it shows AGW and climate change are not simple processes.

Gotcha.

You just admitted publicly that the entire AGW scam is a lie, and that you know it.

Because the entire AGW case is extremely simple; ‘the CO2 dunnit’.

The people saying that it is NOT that simple are the vastly outnumbered, hugely out-resourced people who are actually scientifically literate and who disdain joining your ignorant herd of con-men, charlatans, spivs and liars.

Thanks, Sh*tfer, fror finally admitting in public that AGW is a con, and that you know it.

I mean, we know the little pervert reads this site constantly.

So he’s in hiding. hammer him on this one, kiddies, he’s really screwed himself to the wall

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 12:57 pm
Fully endorsed by Barack Obama:

A Danish survey has found that as many as one-sixth of babies show some signs of life after late-term abortions.

At Aaarhus University Hospital, of the 70 babies destroyed by late-term abortions during the term of the study, 11 showed some signs of struggling for life. The study covered only abortions performed between the 12th and 22nd weeks of pregnancy, when the operation is allowed in Denmark under limited circumstances.

A spokesman for Danish midwives said that the results of the study could be unsettling, but “not a major problem.” American abortionists often inject poison into the heart of an unborn child to ensure its death before a late-term abortion is begun.

1 of 6 babies shows signs of life after late-term abortion.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 12:59 pm
Are Anthony Albanese or Rob Oakeshott more important than American children?

1735099 declares Anthony Albanese and Rob Oakeshott, as “fascist hicks”.

.

22 Dec 12 at 1:00 pm
Agreed, CL. I can recall as a kid blokes occasionally jumping on the old double deck buses with a slung .303 (bolt in and closed, safety on, magazine out) and a pocketful of rounds. At most they got a casual glance and a comment ‘heading up the range, Bill?’

Once I recall the conductor (remember them?) asking to have the bolt opened so ensure no round was in the chamber. Other than that, a normal part of life.

I miss that Australia, it had fewer bed-wetting crybabies.

The ‘kill them all, STFU and instantly lawyer up’ advice comes from a mate who is a lawyer, obviously. Having other mates who are cops, they agree (privately) and always say that detectives are looking for an easy collar. They are NEVER your friend, WILL twist your words and are fundamentally lazy. So don’t be an easy collar!

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 1:04 pm
Not a major problem? Moral monsters.

dover_beach

22 Dec 12 at 1:05 pm
Dear sweet Jesus, CL. Yes, that’s a prayer.

I am sickened.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 1:07 pm
American abortionists often inject poison into the heart of an unborn child to ensure its death before a late-term abortion is begun.

Just remember that when you see the usual rabble protesting about guns and children. Sickening, vomitous hypocrites.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 1:10 pm
But why?
A little piece of American political history provides a clue…..

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 1:13 pm
Wow the Colour Purple author was a terrible, dare I say EVIL mother:

I was 16 when I found a now-famous poem she wrote comparing me to various calamities that struck and impeded the lives of other women writers. Virginia Woolf was mentally ill and the Brontes died prematurely. My mother had me – a ‘delightful distraction’, but a calamity nevertheless. I found that a huge shock and very upsetting.

….

My mother was the polar opposite. She never came to a single school event, she didn’t buy me any clothes, she didn’t even help me buy my first bra – a friend was paid to go shopping with me. If I needed help with homework I asked my boyfriend’s mother.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 1:14 pm
Noname declares 1735099 declares Anthony Albanese and Rob Oakeshott, as “fascist hicks”.
FIFY

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 1:19 pm
A really awful woman. Gee this bit is rough.

But she wouldn’t back down. Instead, she wrote me a letter saying that our relationship had been inconsequential for years and that she was no longer interested in being my mother. She even signed the letter with her first name, rather than ‘Mom’.

That was a month before Tenzin’s birth in December 2004, and I have had no contact with my mother since. She didn’t even get in touch when he was rushed into the special care baby unit after he was born suffering breathing difficulties.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 1:20 pm
Yeah great comeback, dickhead.

You think rpotecting civilians with armed guards is the act of “fascist hicks”.

That’s what you think of our Parliamentarians. That’s on you, and no one else.

.

22 Dec 12 at 1:21 pm
Alice Walker is an antisemite nut.

.

22 Dec 12 at 1:23 pm
Oh well, there goes the neighbourhood.

It’ll be no balls, appeals, calls for the third umpire and the inevitable spurious assertion that everyone else here is wrong and only an unassuming and modest 101st Airborne hero can be right.

I’ll skip the next session and come back in after the tea break to see if the run rate has improved.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 1:25 pm
Alice Walker is an antisemite nut.

Her ex husband, the father of her daughter, is Jewish. Perhaps her views were shaped by that.

Dreadful mother. I had no idea.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 1:30 pm
You think rpotecting (sic) civilians with armed guards is the act of “fascist hicks”.

Yep. The toxic gun culture – a product of these fascist hicks – exported from across the Pacific is responsible. You can’t tell the difference between the problem and the solution.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 1:30 pm
Pointing out spelling errors now?

Fuckhead. Reap what you sow.

.

22 Dec 12 at 1:33 pm
Yep. The toxic gun culture – a product of these fascist hicks – exported from across the Pacific is responsible. You can’t tell the difference between the problem and the solution.

If we ban guns, Parliamentarians won’t need armed protection?

You stupid, dishonest, pathetic shadow of a man.

.

22 Dec 12 at 1:34 pm
Oneshott was in the media yesterday demanding that since the surplus is finished the government should spend like drunken sailors.

No details. Just. Get. Spending.

Dick.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 1:34 pm
And that’s exactly what they’ll do.They have an Election to buy so look forward to mucho stimulus (aka bribes).

Lew

22 Dec 12 at 1:46 pm
If we ban guns, Parliamentarians won’t need armed protection?

I’ve been around a bit longer than you. The way it is now is not how it has always been. I remember when cops didn’t need guns, there were no armed guards here (outside parliament, or anywhere else for that matter) and school massacres in the US were not a regular feature of the news cycle.
Dangerous weapons have been around for a long time, but in the past they were not promoted as the solution to social problems.
That’s a fairly recent development, and it’s origin can be traced to political developments that were instigated by the NRA and coincided with Reagan’s time in the White House.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 1:47 pm
American abortionists often inject poison into the heart of an unborn child to ensure its death before a late-term abortion is begun.

Yes, let’s make sure those babies are good and dead.

This is not limited to America.

And why isn’t this “practice” called murder?

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 1:55 pm
Armed guards worked a treat at Columbine.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 1:55 pm
…school massacres in the US were not a regular feature of the news cycle.

They certainly were, in the deep south.

They were carried out by Democrats.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 1:56 pm
Awesome spinning backheel soccer goal.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 1:58 pm
Exactly. I’ve been making this point about Australia. The only people lawfully permitted to protect themselves with arms are the police – who now see guns as exclusive symbols of their own specialness and presitige. But if you happen to be an 83 year-old man who beats up a muscular young home invader while defending yourself and your wife…

Better to be convicted by 12 than carried by 6…

Skuter

22 Dec 12 at 2:01 pm
What further spending can they do?

They’ve had the spectacular waste of the million dollar tuck shop program rapidly followed by the laptops for school kids – yes they are all broken now – and…I could go on but I’m preaching to the choir.

What’s left? And I mean that seriously.

Numbers, any thoughts?

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 2:02 pm
SfB any thoughts? M0nty?

Hammy?

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 2:04 pm
Everything looks better in slow motion.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 2:05 pm
And why isn’t this “practice” called murder?

Two words: Emily’s. List.
I remember a case a few years ago when a pregnant woman was assaulted and lost the baby. She was shocked to find out that killing an unborn baby wasn’t a separate offence to her own assault. It’s all about protecting women’s reproductive rights, you see.

Skuter

22 Dec 12 at 2:06 pm
Democrats march on Washington DC, 1925.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 2:07 pm
Really really bad ad placement.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 2:08 pm
What’s left? And I mean that seriously.

I’m sure we could help out a few struggling visual artists. Doesn’t every street corner need a solid gold statue of Gough Whitlam or Bill Ludwig or something?

Skuter

22 Dec 12 at 2:10 pm
Numbers the racist anti-American bigot:

A little piece of American political history provides a clue…..

school massacres in the US were not a regular feature of the news cycle

instigated by the NRA and coincided with Reagan’s time

toxic gun culture –

a product of these fascist hicks –

exported from across the Pacific is responsible

Racist.

Anti American.

Bigot.

And by the links, a conspiracy theorist

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 2:11 pm
“hehehe. Watch me scare this guy“.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 2:17 pm
The Australian Labor Party – defending the nation:

Australian soldiers to march in uniform at Mardi Gras.

Gay members of the Australian Defence Force will be allowed for the first time to march in uniform in next year’s Sydney Mardi Gras.

In a statement made this week, the ADF said a volunteer contingent of soldiers, sailors and airmen and airwomen will be marching in formation for the first time…

We have no planes but, more importantly:

The ADF also said that the Air Force has also introduced diversity handbooks for lesbian, gay and bisexual members and commanders which will rolled out to the rest of the military.

They’re ‘rolling out’ diversity handbooks.

Yes, the following body exists:

Defence force Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Information Service chairman, Vince Chong, also issued a statement saying they strongly support the Defence Force taking part in the parade.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 2:18 pm
Skuter, sure a few bucks on The Arts…I’m more interested in spectacularly wasteful spending akin to the pink batts program.

Free* compulsory swimming lessons for all children under 10?

Rebuilding all footpaths to be wheelchair accessible? Ok that one’s the NDIS…

Free* vegetable gardens built by landscapers to encourage healthy eating?

I lack the imagination of these people.

* yes, I know.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 2:22 pm
DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE

Spot, a fascinating lecture! Do we have the same right to silence as the Yanks? I thought we did but am not so sure.

Obio

22 Dec 12 at 2:37 pm
Yes Obio, no need to say a word.

DaveF

22 Dec 12 at 2:46 pm
gab @11:01am

How the other half live. It’s good to be Green.

At Blairs, yes I say that earlier, a moral champ is David Paris.

And from Blairs first link,
Education = TAFE WA.

jumpnmcar

22 Dec 12 at 2:50 pm
I’ve been around a bit longer than you. The way it is now is not how it has always been. I remember when cops didn’t need guns

Bullshit. Australian coppers have always had guns.

They had a shoot-out with the notorious Baker and Crump in 1973. The Premier of NSW called a state of emergency in 1916 after soldiers mutinied.

You are so full of shit numbers, everything you say reeks of implausibility.

.

22 Dec 12 at 2:52 pm
LOL, just saw the headline on ABC online;
“”Obama taps Kerry as secretary of state”"
Having teenage kids that use the word ” taps ” to explain a very different activity.

jumpnmcar

22 Dec 12 at 3:14 pm
Bullshit. Australian coppers have always had guns.

Yeah, but mostly they were locked away.
I lived as a kid in various small towns in Central Queensland (amongst them Carmila and North Eton). Over a period of about 10 years my dad was the local head teacher in these places. I’m talking fifties. I well remember that the local Ambo, Copper, publican and schoolie formed an unofficial association. The copper forgot exactly where his police issue revolver was stored at one point – he’d had so little regard and use for it. He was in the shit for a while until he found it.
Any trouble at the pub (and occasionally it would happen) the copper would be contacted by the publican. He’d phone around (party line – so instant communication). My dad would disappear for a while, and come back with a tale to tell.
No “well regulated militia” necessary – just a bit of collaboration. That was the Australian way….

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 3:19 pm
A list of female authors without Austen or the Bronte sisters is just silly. He also chose the wrong Elizabeth Gaskell books. ‘Wives & Daughters’, ‘Cranford’ and ‘North & South’ are her best, IMHO. Her books were serialised by Dickens in his magazine, and I understand it was he who preferred the more sentimental stuff.

Does the guy want to understand women or feminists?

Ellen of Tasmania

22 Dec 12 at 3:19 pm
Following the Columbine shooting, schools across the United States instituted new security measures such as see-through backpacks, metal detectors, and security guards.

As time went on, and with budget cuts, security guards were scaled back.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 3:20 pm
Wow. I mean wow. Larry Correia absolutely eviscerates left-wing and enti-gun lunatics like the US left (and our home-grown racist bigot numbers) with logic, experience and facts.

…
…

… Here’s the thing. Until this national conversation is willing to entertain allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons, then it isn’t a conversation at all, it is a lecture.
Now when I say teachers carrying concealed weapons on Facebook I immediately get a bunch of emotional freak out responses.

…
…

I personally taught several hundred teachers. I quickly discovered that pretty much every single school in my state had at least one competent, capable, smart, willing individual. Some schools had more. I had one high school where the principal, three teachers, and a janitor showed up for class. They had just had an event where there had been a threat against the school and their resource officer had turned up AWOL. This had been a wake up call for this principal that they were on their own, and he had taken it upon himself to talk to his teachers to find the willing and capable. Good for them.

… (Utah has had concealed carry by volunteer trained teachers in schools for years!)
…

In all honesty I have no respect for anybody who believes Gun Free Zones actually work. You are going to commit several hundred felonies, up to and including mass murder, and you are going to refrain because there is a sign? That No Guns Allowed sign is not a cross that wards off vampires. It is wishful thinking, and really pathetic wishful thinking at that.

…
…

Every time there is a mass shooting event, the vultures launch. I find it absolutely fascinating. … They strike while the iron is hot, trying to push through legislation before there can be coherent thought. We’ve seen this over and over and over again. We saw it succeed in England. We saw it succeed in Australia. We’ve seen it succeed here before.
Yet when anyone from my side responds, then we are shouted at that we are blood thirsty and how dare we speak in this moment of tragedy, and we should just shut our stupid mouths out of respect for the dead, while they are free to promote policies which will simply lead to more dead… If the NRA says something they are bloodthirsty monsters, and if they don’t say something then their silence is damning guilt. It is hypocritical in the extreme…

And it gets better aftr that.

Go. Read. Copy and save a copy on your computer for futuer reference.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 3:28 pm
Yeah, but mostly they were locked away.

Absolute bullshit.

.

22 Dec 12 at 3:28 pm
Yawn. Numbers the racist and anti-American bigot just happens to have a BS personal story to reinforce some BS point he’s making up.

He makes up a personal yarn one for every occasion, doesn’t he?

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 3:30 pm
Yeah, cops had guns since before Federation, in WWI and in the 1970s onwards but not in the 1950s when Australia had liberal gun laws.

But having armed police or liberal gun laws are bad.

What a doozy.

.

22 Dec 12 at 3:32 pm
Any trouble at the pub (and occasionally it would happen) the copper would be contacted by the publican. He’d phone around (party line – so instant communication). My dad would disappear for a while, and come back with a tale to tell.

Agent Orange, did your dad disappear “for a while” because he was in trouble with the copper or was he a party to some vigilante justice in sorting out some perceived trouble at the pub in the form of a “collaboration call” from the publican?

I find it difficult to follow your rambling fable on life in an outback Qld country town where Policemen lose deadly weapons with the same gay abandon that my wife misplaces her car keys.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 3:34 pm
I find it difficult to follow your rambling fable

Probably because you’re a bit thick. Your problem.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 3:38 pm
He makes up a personal yarn one for every occasion, doesn’t he?

Yes, I’ve noticed that for some time now.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 3:40 pm
Anne, Des, et al,

Ay caramba. I theen’ we are safe now. Ees after 10.30pm in Mexico.

Muchoa gracias, amigos.

Septimus

22 Dec 12 at 3:40 pm
173…….

Central Queensland (amongst them Carmila and North Eton)

Now your talkin my neck of the woods.
Carmilla is a 1 cop,1 pub, 1 primary school, 1 servo ~~mini town~~ highway pit stop today. How many folk there in the 50s? 60 people?
Maybe in the crushing 120?
And everyone had a rifle there in the 50s

North Eton the same it was totally cane farmers and graziers.
More guns back then than now.

jumpnmcar

22 Dec 12 at 3:44 pm
So you think all violent crime can be solved by having a ring around with your mates and dispense summary justice in the carpark behind the pub?

No guns needed just a telephone book and a collective attitude hey Spud?

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 3:44 pm
Letter from George H W Bush to the NRA -
May 3, 1995

Dear Mr. Washington,

I was outraged when, even in the wake of the Oklahoma City tragedy, Mr. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of N.R.A., defended his attack on federal agents as “jack-booted thugs.” To attack Secret Service agents or A.T.F. people or any government law enforcement people as “wearing Nazi bucket helmets and black storm trooper uniforms” wanting to “attack law abiding citizens” is a vicious slander on good people.

Al Whicher, who served on my [ United States Secret Service ] detail when I was Vice President and President, was killed in Oklahoma City. He was no Nazi. He was a kind man, a loving parent, a man dedicated to serving his country — and serve it well he did.

In 1993, I attended the wake for A.T.F. agent Steve Willis, another dedicated officer who did his duty. I can assure you that this honorable man, killed by weird cultists, was no Nazi.

John Magaw, who used to head the U.S.S.S. and now heads A.T.F., is one of the most principled, decent men I have ever known. He would be the last to condone the kind of illegal behavior your ugly letter charges. The same is true for the F.B.I.’s able Director Louis Freeh. I appointed Mr. Freeh to the Federal Bench. His integrity and honor are beyond question.

Both John Magaw and Judge Freeh were in office when I was President. They both now serve in the current administration. They both have badges. Neither of them would ever give the government’s “go ahead to harass, intimidate, even murder law abiding citizens.” (Your words)

I am a gun owner and an avid hunter. Over the years I have agreed with most of N.R.A.’s objectives, particularly your educational and training efforts, and your fundamental stance in favor of owning guns.

However, your broadside against Federal agents deeply offends my own sense of decency and honor; and it offends my concept of service to country. It indirectly slanders a wide array of government law enforcement officials, who are out there, day and night, laying their lives on the line for all of us.

You have not repudiated Mr. LaPierre’s unwarranted attack. Therefore, I resign as a Life Member of N.R.A., said resignation to be effective upon your receipt of this letter. Please remove my name from your membership list.

Sincerely,

[ signed ] George Bush

Note this sentence –

your broadside against Federal agents deeply offends my own sense of decency and honor; and it offends my concept of service to country.

Unlike his son, whom the NRA had in their pocket, Bush senior understood the concept of active service. He didn’t need to wave a gun around to earn respect.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 3:45 pm
Ay yi yi. Muchoa ees not Muchos, no?

Septimus

22 Dec 12 at 3:51 pm
In the US, you can get fired for being too attractive.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 3:52 pm
” Kinsey Millhone has never struck me as a feminist role model ”

I really like hard hitting gritty crime mystery novels but only the ones with males as the hero, muscly strong hard bitten action man types.

I’m letting the feminists down …

candy

22 Dec 12 at 3:52 pm
Unlike his son, whom the NRA had in their pocket, Bush senior understood the concept of active service. He didn’t need to wave a gun around to earn respect.

Because he bombed, rather than shot Japanese?

“No guns in country towns in the 1950s”

This is hilarious. He has called US servicemen loud mouthed, trigger happy but taken task to US security personnel being called jack booted thugs.

You’re so full of shit Bobby.

.

22 Dec 12 at 3:53 pm
He didn’t need to wave a gun around to earn respect.

Who joins a gun club with the hope of earning respect? Who waves a gun around for that matter to “earn respect”?

No George Bush never had to wave a gun around to earn respect, he had something better at his disposal; Nukes. Ya can’t get any more respect than that dickhead.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 3:56 pm
Twelve facts about guns and mass shootings in the USA.

Another fact – this post is free of gratuitous abuse.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 4:08 pm
Collection letters from Time magazine to subscribers, 1930s:

TIME
330 EAST 22ND STREET
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Dear Mr _______:

Our accounting department does solemnly affirm, maintain, and assert that you owe us $2.50.

We hate to get excited about $2.50. We also dislike the usual “collection letter” that bursts into tears in the first paragraph and yells for the law in the second.

Trouble is, though, that you and 999 other subscribers–all holding out $2.50–leave us $2,500 in the hole. It is this little problem in elementary arithmetic that shakes our faith in humanity.

So (to quote from an esteemed contemporary) won’t you “obey that impulse” and send us your check today for $2.50, for in this case procrastination is certainly the thief of Time.

Sincerely yours,

(Signed, ‘Francis DeW. Pratt’)

Circulation Manager

And this very bizarre one:

Dear Subscriber:

Creditors are tough in Ethiopia.

When an Ethiopian owes money, his creditor may take him in tow until he pays up. A chain is welded around the delinquent wrist and from then on he is led about at the pleasure of the other fellow. When his custodian drops in for a soda, or its Ethiopian equivalent, he may be hitched like a horse, outside.

Such is the relation of debtor and creditor in the late kingdom of Haile Selassie, Power of Trinity I, Conquering Lion of Judah.

What happens when a ninety pound creditor gets hitched to a two hundred pound debtor is not explained in the current dispatches.

But it doesn’t matter much, because in our particular case, we would greatly prefer to revers the Ethiopian order of things. It would be much simpler and considerably more civilized for you to take TIME with you, wherever you go, than vice versa.

Our bill for your current subscription is enclosed. Wonder if you wouldn’t like to pay it now and thus keep TIME coming right along.

Cordially,

(Signed, ‘Charles Mason’)

Credit Manager

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 4:08 pm
That was a great ruse your old man had going numbers. Local copper rings him when there is trouble and superdad springs into action and comes home with a few “stories”.

Why odd you make things up?

Tiny Dancer

22 Dec 12 at 4:19 pm
Anne, Des, et al,

Ay caramba. I theen’ we are safe now. Ees after 10.30pm in Mexico.

Muchoa gracias, amigos.

Órale pues…. margaritas anyone? Hup, se te pasaron las copas!

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 4:21 pm
Another fact – this post is free of gratuitous abuse.

Another fact – your post if free of any relevance or interest to anyone on this blog.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 4:29 pm
Robert,you poor sad fuckwit,from at least the 40′s onward, NSW Police were not only armed they carried their revolvers,in holsters on the hip to and from work, even on public transport, as well as while on duty.

Lew

22 Dec 12 at 4:34 pm
Spuds dad – Teacher by day, vigilante crime fighter by night.

Spud is trying to emulate his super hero dad:
Look up in the thread it’s Super Spud!!!
Faster than a grant application
More powerful than a tree preservation order
Able to leap to a leftist conclusion is a single bound

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 4:39 pm
Why odd you make things up?

Catspeak. You know it makes sense…..

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 4:41 pm
Those are great Gab.

I like the lines, “procrastination is the thief of Time” and “more civilized for you to take TIME with you, ….. than vice versa.” Neat.

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 4:44 pm
Numbers the racist bigot, I urgently need a completely BS story made up about how my dad was able to use verbose tales of his adventures in the Korean War and in building tantalum mines in the Congo to disarm a demented left-handed albino lesbian during a killing spree in aseminary for homosexual Russian orthodox priests in Guatemala in 1962.

Chop chop, you are the only one here who can make up bogus crap like that on the spot.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 4:44 pm
Dave F

Hannah’s Foundation was set up after the daughter drowned. Hannah drowned at home,on a property near mine.

A terrible accident, but I wonder about what drives the family with Hannah’s Foundation. Is it guilt? You hear a lot of things, but one thing I heard was that it was the fault of everyone else because there was something wrong with the gate latch on the pool fence. Was the council responsible for not inspecting it? Were the previous owners of the house responsible for not getting it fixed? Or were the current owners responsible for not checking it themselves and getting it fixed?

Putting all the nanny rules in place makes people complacent. If you have a pool and you have toddlers you must always be aware of what they are doing and where they are.

A GP in this area had a toddler drown in a blow-up pool in a tiny amount of water.

kae

22 Dec 12 at 4:49 pm
This week it about superdad. Last week it was about numbers confronting a crazed armed man and protecting the disabled kiddies.

You must have been punched a lot in your life.

Tiny Dancer

22 Dec 12 at 4:54 pm
Well, Numbers the racist bigot comes from the long line of bunyip superheroes, TD!

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 5:03 pm
Two years ago my youngest daughter and I visited the excellent Mayan ruins at Tulum, south of Cozumel. Fantastic location on the white sand shores of the beautiful blue Caribbean Sea.

Tulum Ruins

Septimus

22 Dec 12 at 5:04 pm
This week…

Next week: How I saved Christmas by telling six year olds that Santa Claus is the commercial construct of evil Capitalists.

lotocoti

22 Dec 12 at 5:13 pm
I think Numbers and Alice would be a great match. We’ve got to get these wonderful kids together!

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 5:19 pm
Wonder how these guys are going…

http://www.2012.com.au/Site.A.html

.

22 Dec 12 at 5:27 pm
Kelly on Abbott:

The text of his speech at The Queen’s College, where a generation ago he was a student, says: “As my former teacher, Father Ed Campion, used to say of our country: the English made the laws, the Scots made the money and the Irish made the songs!” Abbott loves this sort of declaration. It sends a shiver of worry down the spines of some of his fellow MPs.

If this is true, as Paul Kelly says in The Weekend Australian, then those MPs plus Kelly should take a chill pill. Firstly, it was a joke, and secondly a lot of us resent the will to ditch our heritage, which is what the “shiver of worry” implies.

Then to say “Abbott knows little about Israel yet his views are fixed” is rather blatant cheerleading for the government, not to mention Greens, whose position on Israel is despicable. I support Abbott’s firm commitment to Israel, and agree that there should be no advancement of the peace agendum without unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel. Just entre nous, I’d go even further and say the two-state solution has about as much chance of success as a Swan/Gillard budget surplus.

blogstrop

22 Dec 12 at 5:34 pm
You know it makes sense -

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.)

“The NRA just doesn’t get it. More guns in more schools will mean more gun violence. Period, end of discussion.

“If guns kept Americans safe, then America would surely be the safest country in the whole world. Because, by a huge margin, America has the most guns. We have about 90 guns for every 100 people making us the most heavily armed country per capita in the world. Yet, the U.S. has more gun-related killings than any other developed country in the world.

“It is clear that Congress needs to act and act quickly. We need to ban assault weapons. We need to ban massacre magazines and we need close all of the background check loopholes that allow guns to get in the hands of the wrong people.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 5:38 pm
At the same time the cops in outback Queensland had no idea where they had put their service revolvers, the ANZ Bank tellers in suburban Coburg and Brunswick each had one with them beneath the counter. And they had annual range practice although I suspect the safest place in the bank would have been the spot where Life Partner was aiming.

Life Partner’s best mate at the bank copped a reprimand, although he kept his job, after leaving gun and money in a canvas bag on the footpath outside the sub-branch after he put it down to have a ciggie and forgot to pick it up before he jumped in the car back to the main branch. That was in the mid to late 60s.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 5:38 pm
I find it difficult to follow your rambling fable

Probably because you’re a bit thick. Your problem.

And yet you are as dumb as a post, being utterly unable to assimilate any life experience without scrambling it into a simple-minded leftwing view of the world.

Just another fruitcake launching himself on the world as Bill Hartley and Albert Langer did during the Whitlam years, except you remain an anonymous legend in your own mind. What is it about teachers? Do you actually talk to anyone in Toowoomba apart from the local shop keeper? It must be lonely for an old commo in the bush praying to Joe Stalin for the end of capitalism.

Tom

22 Dec 12 at 5:38 pm
I think Numbers and Alice would be a great match. We’ve got to get these wonderful kids together!

I’m of the opinion that she is his older, uglier sister. But you go right ahead.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 5:39 pm
Yet when we talk about banning terrorist acts, planning for terrorist acts, and coming down heavily on people who seem to be supporting those with terrorism on their mind, suddenly the same “ban the gun” crowd go all human rights on you and say “it really should be just a police matter”.
Well, killing people is a police matter. Whatever you do it with. Improvised bombs are already illegal, but are quite effective against “soft targets”. Are any further mentions in “banning” legislation going to help? No, because the proponents of mass murder are frootloops.
Mad people and corrupt people will do you over every which way. Your little legal bubble will not protect you. Encouraging a civil society with a measure of “tough love” might do it, but it’s now inconsistent with PC elites, just as any religion is deemed better than Christianity, you dags of the green/left/so-called labor/media complex.

blogstrop

22 Dec 12 at 5:50 pm
Hey, Numbers the racist bigot has raised a good point! He’s highlighted the sleaziest political possible use of a bunch of murdered children to support a politician’s cheap point scoring…….

…oh, wait…

Numbers the racist bigot thinks this is a GOOD thing?

What a classy act you really are, Whittaker. That class beuing the same one Ernst Rohm was in.

Meanwhile, in Utah, where the teachers carry concealed firearms, there have been no such gun massacres.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 5:51 pm
Mad people and corrupt people

would agree with disarming the population. As do rapists and murderers.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 5:54 pm
Ha ha, Megan, I’ll refrain from the obvious

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 5:58 pm
@ Mehan

At the same time the cops in outback Queensland

Get a map. Neither Carmila or North Eton are in outback Queensland.

@ Mk50
Obviously didn’t make this 11 year old feel secure.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 6:00 pm
…comment! Obvious comment.

Premature Submission!

This is a funny dog video..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaAVZ2yXDBo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 6:02 pm
Numbers the racist bigot is going to have an exploding head over this one:

… Barack Obama’s current invoking of the murdered children of Sandy Hook not just to promote gun control- but as the reason that members of the GOP should “take off their partisan war paint” and raise taxes, increase spending, and give Obama unlimited borrowing powers.

It says a lot (in fact, frighteningly too much) about this president that he would enthusiastically use the blood of innocents for his selfish political power grab. The children of Sandy Hook did not die to promote Socialism.

Why? Well, the Preshizzle’s (Paco™) a black guy, so a racist like Numbers is gonna hate him for that, but he’s exploiting the death of innocents to support a socialist cause (which Numbers will love) regarding guns (which Numbers hates too), and Hussein’s a yank (and Numbers is massive anti-American bigot).

Poor chap (chortle/snigger/giggle)

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 6:04 pm
It says a lot (in fact, frighteningly too much) about this president that he would enthusiastically use the blood of innocents for his selfish political power grab.

Taht’s just Obama’s S.O.P.

The children of Sandy Hook did not die to promote Socialism.

No but just like gillard, Obama is of the Whatever It Takes school of misanthropy.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 6:07 pm
Right, Gab, peas from the same pod.

blogstrop

22 Dec 12 at 6:09 pm
And, of course, Never Let A Disaster Go To Waste.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 6:09 pm
Yeah right Numbers, you are seeking refuge in what an eleven year old thinks.

Well, I guess he would be both smarter and more mature than you are….

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 6:14 pm
Get a map. Neither Carmila or North Eton are in outback Queensland.

The Numerical Numpty could not lie straight in bed. In the 1950’s (Which the historical period in which he set his current irrelevant memoir) pretty much everything outside of Brisbane was the outback. Even Mackay. Just ask the Italian cane cutters who started their life in Australia in that area whether it was the outback or not. And a town with a population of 400 in 1950 and growing to roughly 430 in 2006 could hardly be considered a bustling metropolis even today.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 6:17 pm
Well, I guess he would be both smarter and more mature than you are….

Not difficult…a rock could manage it.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 6:24 pm
@ Megan

pretty much everything outside of Brisbane was the outback.

If you had described Carmila in the 1950s as the “outback” you would have been considered by those who lived there as extremely geographically challenged. The same holds today.

@ mK50 – By your measure, there’a few Republicans are also “Socialists”.
You are evidently unconscious of how extreme your views are – or perhaps you’re simply up that river in Egypt.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 6:49 pm
Numbers teh racist bigot

I am an Australian and was a long service professional military man (unlike you – you were a conscripted short service amateur). I know and have worked with a lot of US military types, and have much enjoyed visiting that country.

But also unlike you I am not obsessed about goings on in that country, am not bigoted about that country, and do not servilely obsess about the minutiae of their political processes and personalities as you do.

So I have very little idea of who Governor Ritchie is, and care less.

I leave such petifogging obsessions to small-minded bigoted racists like you.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 6:57 pm
@ Mk 50

I am an Australian and was a long service professional military man

Another way of saying you were in the army to get a job.
Nashos were in the army to do a job.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 6:59 pm
Another way of saying you were in the army to get a job.
Nashos were in the army to do a job.

Absolute bullshit. Arrogant, vile, stupid arsehole.

.

22 Dec 12 at 7:16 pm
For those who might be interested in Tulum and its Mayan Ruins:

More and Better Information

Septimus

22 Dec 12 at 7:17 pm
Nashos were in the army to do a job.

Nashos were conscripted, you dissembling idiot.

Tom

22 Dec 12 at 7:22 pm
I ’ve been around a bit longer than you. The way it is now is not how it has always been.

I’m so old I remember when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights and I had to build a bloody big boat to survive the deluge.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 7:24 pm
I think Uncle Ho’s Aussie traitor is drunk.

Tom

22 Dec 12 at 7:27 pm
Nashos were in the army to do a job.

According to Bob Menzies –

It was during the next month that Prime Minister Menzies announced that Australian troops, including conscripts, would be sent to fight in Vietnam beside American and South Vietnamese allies.

That was his idea (to remove the red menace from SE asia).

Nashos were conscripted.

I’m struggling to understand how two statements of fact can be construed as “dissembling”.
(to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of)
Only on Catallaxy.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 7:34 pm
More guns in more schools will mean more gun violence. Period, end of discussion.

Yes. Let’s not introduce inconvenient facts. Let’s just end discussion.

jupes

22 Dec 12 at 7:36 pm
I’m so old I remember when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights and I had to build a bloody big boat to survive the deluge.

Explains a lot – got trampled by the larger of the two elephants and hasn’t been the same since…..

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 7:36 pm
Another way of saying you were in the army to get a job.
Nashos were in the army to do a job.

There must be a Latin phrase to describe this sort of expression. Sounds like a profound statement of truth on first blush…but then….hey…wait a minute..that doesn’t mean anything…that’s crap!

Anne

22 Dec 12 at 7:38 pm
So people who weren’t conscripts joined the army just to have a job, and conscripts were there because they wanted to be to do the job?

But Numbers, that’s not what you’ve been saying all these years. They MADE you do it, you had NO CHOICE.

another number

22 Dec 12 at 7:42 pm
@Megan, I disagree with you. “Pretty much everything outside Brisbane in the 1950′s was considered outback” – I (and history) disagree vehemently.

In the 1930′s (just for an example) Charleville & Longreach were not considered “outback”.

You may be aware of the reciprocal to “outback”, which is “inside”.

Mackay, most definitely, at ANY stage in its history, is “inside” country.

To call inside places “outback” indicates a total & complete lack of understanding of what “outback” was. (There is very little left that qualifies as outback).

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 7:45 pm
A small town on the coast is “outback”.

What a load of shit.

.

22 Dec 12 at 7:46 pm
Army?

They never went anywhere, never did anything much, and many of their combat capabilities were so simple that even a short-service conscript could learn them and apply them ina short time.

Why would I have joined the army?

The army were our cargo, numbers.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 7:48 pm
Numbers has a point.

GHWB was a President who had seen active service. The last one to do so.

The NRA (as per GHWB’s resignation letter) were waaay out of order, and his resignation was justified – and it was really really big news at the time.

Numbers is correct that GWB did not see active service. However he was in a National Guard unit, and had his unit been ordered to war (as other NG units have been) he would have seen active service.

The draft dodger (WJC) and the housing commission clerk from Chicago (BHO) not only have not seen active service, they have never been within cooee of a military unit.

All of this is beside the point, and has nothing to do with the Sandy Hook massacre, or how to prevent another!

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 7:49 pm
you were in the army

It seems somebody may have difficulty assimilating given information.
And one assumes ever since Pontius was a Pilot.

lotocoti

22 Dec 12 at 7:49 pm
Another way of saying you were in the army to get a job.
Nashos were in the army to do a job.

Numbers when you spout crap like that you slander men and women who may have joined the army for a variety of reasons, but they knew when joining that it could get them killed.

My dad’s father went to war, my dad went to war. Do you think he didn’t have any idea when he got his apprenticeship at 15 where it could lead? My uncle who did several tours in Vietnam and whose sons joined the forces afterwards, are you saying they only did it to get a job?

You don’t give up, do you?

You need to take a chisel to your shoulder and get rid of that chip. You’ve got to be getting a backache by now.

I’m sure your chiropractor will find plenty of subluxations to manipulate out of you.

Nashos were there to do a job, but because you didn’t have a choice you’ve been bagging those who chose to serve ever since.

You’re only big on your own choice, the rest of us have to ta

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 7:49 pm
Hey, Steve at the Pub! How is it wherever the hell you are tonite?

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 7:49 pm
(crap) sorry, hit the wrong key mid-rant.

Numbers you’re only happy when you have all the choice. Everyone else has to bow down to your superior wit and logic, although I’ll be buggered if I can see what’s logical about preventing crimes by disarming the populace.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 7:51 pm
Gooday Mark50. I am hoping it is really busy tonight. Last night wasn’t too bad, but it could have been busier.

How’s your end of this great nation of Qld?

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 7:52 pm
Sorry, but the task of re-educating recidivist and recalcitrant trolls is a bailey bridge too far.

blogstrop

22 Dec 12 at 7:54 pm
Not travelling (that’s over for the year thank God). I’m down home in the SE corner tonite. Steaks are sizzling on the barbie, glass of rum in hand.

Life’s good!

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 8:00 pm
Hmm. Pickles if now due up in mid Jan now…

SATP, if you are in Brisbane mid-Jan, email Kae at her blog (she’s our ‘trusted organiser’ and has been for years) and join us for a get together.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 8:01 pm
I think a few would be interested in a Brisbane get-together.

kae

22 Dec 12 at 8:03 pm
Potemkin’s Village

Not to be confused with the Catholic saint nor Adolf Hitler’s deputy… here

Grigory Potemkin

22 Dec 12 at 8:04 pm
@Nilk

you slander men and women

So it’s OK for various dropkicks on this site to slander my service? Amazing how they suddenly turn precious and offended when the boot’s on the other foot.
I have not “bagged” anyone using their service as a reason, unlike many on this site who dish it out at every opportunity.

My dad’s father went to war, my dad went to war

So did mine (RAAF in New Guinea in WW2). He enlisted, but was very angry on my callup, because like many Australians at the time it offended his sense of justice, something which I hope I have inherited.

I’ll be buggered if I can see what’s logical about preventing crimes by disarming the populace.

Even the language used here is indicative of the problem. An “armed populace” is not a right anywhere else except in the USA. The fact that this is denied as a factor is beyond belief. Common sense (and every study comparing rates of gun ownership with rates of gun homicides) indicates that the fewer guns that are readily available, the fewer will be the fatalities.
The other exceptionality evident in the USA is the existence of a highly organised lobby group which has its tentacles in every aspect of American political life.

I’ll be buggered if I can see what’s logical about preventing crimes by disarming the populace.

I’ll be buggered if I can see what’s logical about lowering gun fatalities by increasing the number and lethality of weapons. Make no mistake – this is what the NRA advocates.
Why do I care about what happens in the USA? Because it has a bad habit of being duplicated here, and judging by some of the posts on the topic on this site, the craziness is travelling across the Pacific.

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 8:23 pm
So it’s OK for various dropkicks on this site to slander my service?

You lied about it, precious.

.

22 Dec 12 at 8:30 pm
So it’s OK for various dropkicks on this site to slander my service?

Mate you were dragged kicking and screaming into the army.

You deployed on operations for 10 months.

You have lived at least another 720 months (I can’t be bothered to look up the exact amount).

Yet you define your life by those 10 months. As I’ve said before, maybe that’s the only period of your life you did something worthwhile.

jupes

22 Dec 12 at 8:30 pm
yawn. Numbers the wrongologist is at it again.

An “armed populace” is not a right anywhere else except in the USA.

Australia, New Zealand, Russia, every country in the Arab world, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Canada, every latin american country, every african country…

In ALL of these, the population is either armed or has the right to arm with restrictions less onerous or more onerous than the USA. Most are less onerous – there is absolutely no restriction on owning RPG and heavy MG in most of the Arab world (often irrespective of what the law says as tribal and clan law has precedence) and genuine private armies with artillery and tanks exist in some countries.

All of which is hardly true in the USA.

Nope, you are merely an obsessed anti-American bigot and see them as the font of all evil.

This is because you are a nutter.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 8:31 pm
The “gun ownership = more suicides” line hasn’t been used for a while. It got trotted out in the wake of the Tasmanian massacre, when Flak-Jacket & his running dogs were lobbying for guns to be taken from law-abiding citizens.

It was debunked at the time, and due to a refusal by suicide rates around the world to correlate to gun ownership rates, has pretty much dropped from use.

It is mostly only used by those for whom the private ownership of any gun is anathema, & who won’t let facts or logic get in their way.

We need far fewer such people in the world, and we need to hear far less from them.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 8:43 pm
Numbers I’ve never slandered your service, so don’t tar me with that brush. I keep things moderate because I do actually prefer dialogue.

As has been pointed out numerous times, you identify yourself by your service. Not as a teacher, not as a man or an Australian, but as a nasho.

You were not the only one conscripted, and what respect you would normally be accorded for not pleading for an exemption courtesy of homosexuality, educational commitments or some other reason you have squandered.

As for there being no right for the populace to be armed, please point me to who hands out these rights.

I guess that I have the right to lie back and think of England if someone were to break into my house? Gee thanks for that.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 8:44 pm
Dear Mr. Washington,

I was outraged when, even in the wake of the Oklahoma City tragedy, Mr. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of N.R.A., defended his attack on federal agents as “jack-booted thugs.” To attack Secret Service agents or A.T.F. people or any government law enforcement people as “wearing Nazi bucket helmets and black storm trooper uniforms” wanting to “attack law abiding citizens” is a vicious slander on good people.

No it isn’t. It’s absolutely true.

I’ve noted many times over the past few years a growing fetishisation in the US of ‘law enforcement.’ More importantly, Mr Washington’s comments were prophetic given what we’ve seen over the past two or three years: government agencies with their own SWAT teams (including the IRS), police forces acquiring military hardware – and, increasingly, resembling actual Nazis – the use of drones for policing etc. As for the Secret Service, they are a bunch of clowns (as recently demonstrated).

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 8:45 pm
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.)

“The NRA just doesn’t get it.”

Carolyn Maloney’s abortion voting record:

Voted NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions.

Voted NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime.

Voted NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes.

Voted NO on banning partial-birth abortions.

Voted NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion.

Endorsed & Recommended by EMILY’s List of pro-choice women.

Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record.

Carolyn Maloney is a passionate advocate of murder and violence against women and children.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 8:49 pm
@Mk50
You tell me which comparable country, outside the USA, has a rate of gun fatalities anywhere near theirs. To list

most of the Arab world

when much of it is at war, is indicative of ignorance or denial or both.
The other countries you listed

Australia, New Zealand, Russia, every country in the Arab world, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Canada

have a fatality rate nowhere near the USA.
USA - 10.2 per 100000.
Australia – 1.05 per 100000
New Zealand – 2.66 per 100000
Russia – .38 per 100000
Finland – 3.64 per 100000
Norway – 1.78 per 100000
Switzerland – 3.5 per 100000
Canada – 4.78 per 100000
The highest (Canada) still has a rate less than half that of the USA.
If you really want to drill down, compare the correlation between the number of firearms in the community, and the death rate internationally.
And you agree with the NRA that the solution is more lethal and dangerous weapons?

1735099

22 Dec 12 at 8:50 pm
What I find pretty amazing is that every leftwing idiot here seems to have an aversion to US schools being protected either by armed guards or teachers themselves being armed.

Yet not one of these arseholes has ever had an issue over the fact that public officials like the US president or for that matter, the Australian PM, are protected by armed guards.

JC

22 Dec 12 at 8:51 pm
Okay Spuds..

You want to see gun control in the US. Please explain how it will work.

The stark contrast in the US is that in the 70′s and 80′s there was nowhere near the number of school-like shoot ups we see now, yet in those days gun control was very weak.

You’re a fucking moron, Spuds.

JC

22 Dec 12 at 8:53 pm
@CL, Yair, this past year or so hasn’t been the US Secret Service’s finest hour. They’ve certainly damaged the mystique.

SWAT (as the seppos call them) being used for things like enforcement of traffic warrants on unsuspecting & sleeping citizens is reprehensible.

Heck in Qld it wasn’t even permissable (& still may not be) to handcuff someone who was placed under arrest, unless the arrest was for a crime that carried a penalty of (I think 10yrs+ or life). The only exception being if the arrestee resisted or became violent.

This is even more nauseous, considering most major cities have “no go” areas. If the SWAT & their supervisors want to get all macho & paramilitary, there are plenty of places they can go where they are actually, you know, needed.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 8:54 pm
the NRA that the solution is more lethal and dangerous weapons?

What rubbish is this? They do not advocate for more weapons.

more lethal and dangerous weapons

more emotive claptrap. lol are there any gentle and soft weapons? Good Lord this numbers person is a real bimbo.

A toothpick can be a lethal weapon.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 8:55 pm
Numbers, before using Canada as a comparison, you may wish to check on the rate of gun ownership in Canada.

Just sayin’.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 8:56 pm
This “numbers” bimbo has been going on and on and on with the same lame links, the same lame “arguments” for a week now. Nothing new.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 8:58 pm
If you really want to drill down,

Then compare communities with concealed carry laws and those without in the US. Which has the highest murder rate?

And you agree with the NRA that the solution is more lethal and dangerous weapons?

No. More weapons of the same level of lethality and dangerousness.

jupes

22 Dec 12 at 9:00 pm
Time for that blubbering idiot, Boehner, to be disappeared.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 9:03 pm
Eh? What the heck? Some bozo is saying they have a “moral objection” or somesuch to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War?

ROFL… Killing communists is about the most moral act there is!

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 9:05 pm
CL

I’m not sure that going over the cliff is the best thing when taxes would be going up too. The problem isn’t so much, in my mind, the deal that Boehner struck. The real problem is who ever devised the cliff in the first place and who voted for that crappy deal?

Obviously Beohner supported it and for that he ought to be whipped, but so should the others.

I think it’s time Cantor is made speaker. He’s committed to the Right and an absolute viper. He frightens the Kenyan.

JC

22 Dec 12 at 9:12 pm
Yeah, yeah, numbers, the usual cherrypicked twaddle you trot out like the obsessive anti-US nutter you are. And as usual you never get detailed with the FBI’s annual ‘Crime in the USA’ series and start breaking down things like the differences inside the stats.

But that would embarrass your ‘anything but highly sophisticated and nuanced’ “all yanks is da evil gun nuts duuuuh’ schtick.

You, and your simplistic monkey-dance, are banal, predictable and truth be told deeply boring.

It’s quite obvious that you are of low to middling intelligence, mentally fixated, infested with mental the disease of leftism, and are an obsessive anti-American bigot. You have proved yourself a racist over and over.

It’s time you were gone from here.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 9:14 pm
“it’s time you were gone from here”
Translation – “I can’t argue with the stats, so I”ll abuse him and hope he goes away”.
Hilarious.

juanluissegundo

22 Dec 12 at 9:19 pm
Some bozo is saying they have a “moral objection” or somesuch to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War?

People opposed to the Vietnam War when they were conscripted had the option of becoming a conscientious objector. Numbers didn’t do that because he didn’t have the guts.

Instead he went to Vietnam as a nasho and, being a smartarse knowall leftwing 20-year-old, became a barracker for Australia’s enemy. He has spent the rest of his life trying to assauge his guilt about being a traitor by becoming even more stridently anti-Australian. He is a common garden variety coward.

Tom

22 Dec 12 at 9:23 pm
Time for that blubbering idiot, Boehner, to be disappeared.

He’s a real dummy.

Infidel Tiger

22 Dec 12 at 9:31 pm
People opposed to the Vietnam War when they were conscripted had the option of becoming a conscientious objector. Numbers didn’t do that because he didn’t have the guts.

Let’s not besmirch his service. He did the honourable thing. Those 10 months are the only part of his miserable life worth a pinch of shit. No wonder he’s hung up on them.

Infidel Tiger

22 Dec 12 at 9:33 pm
U dont want any twenty year old son pof mine being sent to some war on the yanks dog whistle.

Id conscientiously make sure he objected. War is only for the sons of the poor to be shoved in the front lines whether you like that or not. That is what history shows us time and time again.

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 9:33 pm
War is only for the sons of the poor to be shoved in the front lines whether you like that or not.

Ha ha! Have a gander at Ben Roberts-Smith’s lineage and then report back.

Infidel Tiger

22 Dec 12 at 9:34 pm
MK50 how can we have a chat? I have just moved to Brisbane from VIC and I would like to pick your brains about a number of things including the SSAA, which club you are a member of etc. I need to organize my QLD licence and gun rego and join a SSAA branch.

Old Fridgie

22 Dec 12 at 9:36 pm
Translation – “I can’t argue with the stats, so I”ll abuse him and hope he goes away”.

US murder rate and crime rate – plummeting.

Gun sales and ownership – skyrocketing.

Infidel Tiger

22 Dec 12 at 9:36 pm
There were lots of options Tom. Numbers was not & is not a conscientious objector, merely an objector to the people of Vietnam being free.

I’l agree that to declare oneself a CC is a big step, that requires a lot of courage, particularly from someone with the imagination to know what life will be like once one has taken the white feather.

About 60% of Nashos did not go to Vietnam, perhaps numbers took a punt & lost?

However he turned up & did what the Sergeant told him to. Plenty of soldiers have done less.

I’m not going to sling off any anyone for doing what the army ordered them to.

Believe it or not, I’ve a deep loathing for the RSL in my town, (mostly Vietnam type now that the Korean & WW2 men are preferring to not get into argy bargy at long boring RSL meetings).
They seem to think the RSL have sole rights to “ANZAC”, that they “own” ANZAC Day, and that nobody else has any claim to any involvement or connection to ANZAC Day, they include in this “others” group any returned servicemen who are not members of the RSL.

It should be noted they have at their clubhouse pointedly hung out the “unwelcome” mat for any Afghan/Iraq vets who turn up.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 9:37 pm
JC says

”

What I find pretty amazing is that every leftwing idiot here seems to have an aversion to US schools being protected either by armed guards or teachers themselves being armed.

Yet not one of these arseholes has ever had an issue over the fact that public officials like the US president or for that matter, the Australian PM, are protected by armed guards.:

Good point J Cbut unfair to ascribe it to the left or right – its just a no gun view obviously. I have no objection the schools being protected by armed guards. Its getting to that in the States. Why is it that loonies always seem to take their weapon to some school or uni there (mostly schools?)

Cowards of the worst type who shoot people who are unlikely to be able to defend themselves.

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 9:39 pm
IT, he’s an outlier, you know that! :p

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 9:39 pm
Er.. Alice, the leftwing arseholes you refer to do not share the beliefs you say they do.

Perhaps you got so carried away with using swearwords you neglected to demarcate between who holds which viewpoint?

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 9:41 pm
The demasculation of the US military continues apace.

If the Marines didn’t like Barry and his crew of merry mongrels before they’ll hate him now.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 9:41 pm
If the SWAT & their supervisors want to get all macho & paramilitary, there are plenty of places they can go where they are actually, you know, needed.

Indeed.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 9:47 pm
Potemkin’s Village

I may not agree with you… here

Grigory Potemkin

22 Dec 12 at 9:53 pm
WOULD BANNING FIREARMS REDUCE
MURDER AND SUICIDE?
A REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL AND
SOME DOMESTIC EVIDENCE
DON B. KATES* AND GARY MAUSER**

While American gun ownership is quite high, Table 1 shows many other developed nations (e.g., Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Denmark) with high rates of gun ownership. These countries, however, have murder rates as low or lower than many developed
nations in which gun ownership is much rarer. For example, Luxembourg, where handguns are totally banned and ownership of any kind of gun is minimal, had a murder rate nine times higher than Germany in 2002.9

Eddystone

22 Dec 12 at 9:54 pm
A lot of men who conscientiously objected to soldiering chose to be medics – IMO, a very honourable alternative.

One of my all-time greatest heroes is Catholic chaplain Father Vincent Capodanno – aka “The Grunt Padre”.

Posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour for actions in Vietnam (1967).

CHM citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Chaplain of the 3d Battalion, in connection with operations against enemy forces. In response to reports that the 2d Platoon of M Company was in danger of being overrun by a massed enemy assaulting force, Lt. Capodanno left the relative safety of the company command post and ran through an open area raked with fire, directly to the beleaguered platoon. Disregarding the intense enemy small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire, he moved about the battlefield administering last rites to the dying and giving medical aid to the wounded. When an exploding mortar round inflicted painful multiple wounds to his arms and legs, and severed a portion of his right hand, he steadfastly refused all medical aid. Instead, he directed the corpsmen to help their wounded comrades and, with calm vigor, continued to move about the battlefield as he provided encouragement by voice and example to the valiant Marines. Upon encountering a wounded corpsman in the direct line of fire of an enemy machine gunner positioned approximately 15 yards away, Lt. Capodanno rushed a daring attempt to aid and assist the mortally wounded corpsman. At that instant, only inches from his goal, he was struck down by a burst of machine gun fire. By his heroic conduct on the battlefield, and his inspiring example, Lt. Capodanno upheld the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 9:55 pm
Push to canonise a Grunt Chaplain.

As a lieutenant in the US Marines, Father Capodanno was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour posthumously, after he had been wounded on three separate occasions while anointing dying marines.

“I am just there with them—I walk with them and sit with them,” he told David Casazza, his divisional chaplain. “I eat with them and sleep in the holes with them—and I talk with them—but only when they are ready to talk. It takes time, but I never rush them.”

Among the men he served on the battlefield, there was an unspoken resolve, “Watch over our padre.”

Moynihan describes his death in this way.

“Wounded in the face and suffering a severe shrapnel wound that nearly severed his hand during the epic battle of Dong Son in September 1967, Father Vince moved to help a wounded marine only yards from an enemy machine gun. Father Capodanno died from a machine gun blast taking care of this young marine. When his body was recovered, he had 27 bullet wounds.”

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 9:57 pm
Re the Padre, thank you, CL

Grigory Potemkin

22 Dec 12 at 10:04 pm
Picture of Servant of God Vincent Capodanno CMH; a man:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_R_Capodanno.jpg

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 10:05 pm
Pedantic terminolgy time:

CL, as any US Marine should tell you, “there ain’t no medic ever gonna come save my butt!”

The US Marines are served by US Navy Corpsmen.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:05 pm
An “armed populace” is not a right anywhere else except in the USA.

Fuck off numbers. Go look at Britain in June 1940 when the BEF were being evacuated from Dunkirk and they were preparing for invasion. With only a completely disarmed population to fall back on they had to rely on old men with pitchforks and home made molotov cocktails.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 10:06 pm
Ted tells Piers about gun stats.

It’s remarkable how Piers just doesn’t get it.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 10:08 pm
Washington DC, pre-Heller decision, handguns banned, use of firearms for self defence forbidden, 2008 homicide rate 31.5 per 100,000.

Vermont, 2008, no permit required to own or carry any long arm or handgun, homicide rate 2.7 per 100,000.

Eddystone

22 Dec 12 at 10:08 pm
LOL. OK, Steve.

Don’t dob me in to Gab. She’s very fussy about such things re the Marines.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 10:08 pm
stevie at the pub says

” you neglected to demarcate between who holds which viewpoint?”

demarcation has never been something I saw much value in.

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 10:09 pm
Good point Splato.

Should Australia ever face the same fate & be overrun, then after we’ve taken the country back every politican who voted for gun control must be tried, & executed if found guilty of compromising the nation’s security & ability to harass an occupying enemy.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:10 pm
SATP

JC said that – not me

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 10:10 pm
Alice, it’d be a good idea if you went back up & very carefully read your post apportioning view to leftwing arseholes.

It doesn’t say what you probably think it does.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:11 pm
“I think it’s time Cantor is made speaker. He’s committed to the Right and an absolute viper.”

I do not know enough of him.

I expressed my opinion of Boehner at 9:59am today, up the page – the incompetent fool is just as likely to emerge from one of his “negotiations” with the Boy King, simultaneously sobbing and peeing with excitement, waving his autograph book for all to admire.

“He (Cantor) frightens the Kenyan”

Good.

Watching OZero being quietly, coldly, publicly lectured on his home turf by Netanyahu a couple of years back demonstrated to me the effete little fop is most uncomfortable* when confronted by capable and ruthless.

* tending to involuntary pooping of pants

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 10:11 pm
its far worse when old men, old presidents, old generals and old bastards send young men off to fight wars

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 10:13 pm
So a young president like Barry is okay then?

Okay then.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 10:14 pm
Steve
You missed the quote pof JCs because I didnt put in commas – I dodnt say that

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 10:15 pm
Barry?

Alice

22 Dec 12 at 10:15 pm
Alice, very carefully reread what you wrote.
You do fail to demarcate, thus you have (perhaps inadvertantly) written about leftwing arseholes.

You’ve got the terminology correct of course, though I’d stick “vapid” on the front.

However this may not be what you meant, and to the latecoming reader, your comment is a rendered a tad meaningless.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:18 pm
Barry = the housing commission clerk from Chicago.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:18 pm
have a fatality rate nowhere near the USA.
USA – 10.2 per 100000.
Australia – 1.05 per 100000
New Zealand – 2.66 per 100000
Russia – .38 per 100000
Finland – 3.64 per 100000
Norway – 1.78 per 100000
Switzerland – 3.5 per 100000
Canada – 4.78 per 100000

The rate for white Americans is lower than Finland or Canada. The majority of the murder statistics are black men killing other black men. Countries like Norway and Finland obviously don’t have much of a problem with gang violence amongst urban blacks.

Yobbo

22 Dec 12 at 10:19 pm
Steve at the Pub wrote:

Should Australia ever face the same fate & be overrun, then after we’ve taken the country back every politican who voted for gun control must be tried, & executed if found guilty of compromising the nation’s security & ability to harass an occupying enemy.

In that case, the separation of powers won’t be among the values that we’re defending.

Gavin R Putland

22 Dec 12 at 10:23 pm
Er.. Alice, the leftwing arseholes you refer to do not share the beliefs you say they do.

Perhaps you got so carried away with using swearwords you neglected to demarcate between who holds which viewpoint?

Yea? Ya reckon steve, or have you been drinking your own profits unable to comprehend well?

My comment refers to the “leftwingers here”, in other words the leftwing morons posting at this blog.

Having said that, I will expand that to perhaps the entire population of leftwing asshats now that I think about it.

JC

22 Dec 12 at 10:24 pm
Barry Soetero, the Hawaiian who masqueraded as a foreign exchange student to get preferential entry into Harvard. That Barry.

Cold-Hands

22 Dec 12 at 10:27 pm
@Megan, I disagree with you. “Pretty much everything outside Brisbane in the 1950′s was considered outback” – I (and history) disagree vehemently

You’re totally entitled. In my original comment at 5.38 I was writing tongue firmly in cheek and was simply continuing in that vein. In hindsight, much too subtle for the literal numericaI pedant to discern the underlying contempt. I understand very well what the outback is but clearly I need to preface my attempts at humour with the word JOKE in brackets.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 10:27 pm
JC: Er… just who has been on the turps? I was making observations about Alice’s 9.39pm comment.

Alice wrote that all by herself (unless you’re confessing to being her sockpuppet!)

Better ease up on the sherry hadn’t you?

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:35 pm
Megan, the word you seek is perhaps “aprosodia”, to explain any comments thread misunderstandings.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:36 pm
Countries like Norway and Finland obviously don’t have much of a problem with gang violence amongst urban blacks.

LOL.

C.L.

22 Dec 12 at 10:39 pm
Norway & Finland don’t have much of a problem with … urban blacks?

Shame about Sweden. The “Swedish Youth” behind all those rapes & stuff, plus all those emergency service “no go” areas do not have names like “Olaf Larsen”.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 10:43 pm
Juanlessteste:

“it’s time you were gone from here”
Translation – “I can’t argue with the stats, so I”ll abuse him and hope he goes away”.
Hilarious.

ho hum, another sockpuppet troll-supporter. And a gap-toothed uncomprehending illiterate, to boot.

You have not noticed the last week of routine shreddings of this particular troll by many of the regulars here at the Cat, have you?

Poor thing. Do try and keep up better, please.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 10:52 pm
Michael Smith runs the ruler over Joe Trio‘s statements in today’s Australian and finds him wanting. Turns out Trio contradicts his story given to the West Australian in 2009. Smith concludes:

It is difficult to imagine that all of those changes and the apparent success that Wilson/Blewitt had in ensuring that no AWU-WRA cheque ever went astray from the secret mailing address to the AWU normal accounts payable address were managed without some co-operation from within Thiess.

And to top it off, no AWU WRA representative ever attended at the Dawesville Cut project to deliver training. Ever.

Mr Jukes and Mr Trio had fiduciary responsibilities to Thiess shareholders, and while I have not seen the terms of their contract with the State of Western Australia to build the Dawesville Cut, I presume that they had a contractual responsibility to deliver those things that their costs and invoices submitted to the government described as having been delivered. Where Mr Jukes and Mr Trio state that they “got what they paid for” from the AWU-WRA, their diligence, competence or honesty can reasonably be brought into question.

Cold-Hands

22 Dec 12 at 10:54 pm
Old Fridgie, email Kae via her blog, she’ll pass it to me.

Mk50 of Brisbane

22 Dec 12 at 10:55 pm
Steve

Alice said:

Steve
You missed the quote pof JCs because I didnt put in commas – I dodnt say that

Which suggested you were mistaken as to who said something and your response was to me.

JC

22 Dec 12 at 10:59 pm
its far worse when old men, old presidents, old generals and old bastards send young men off to fight wars

Thats been corrected now Alice, they can also send young women off to fight………and gays. No one needs to feel left out now : )

Oh so Maggie Thatcher was okay sending men to the Falklands?

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:00 pm
Steve at the pub

Bit tough to accuse me of a neurological deficit relating to language when prosody is virtually absent in the written form.

Megan

22 Dec 12 at 11:05 pm
Where is Kae’s blog?

Old Fridgie

22 Dec 12 at 11:08 pm
have a fatality rate nowhere near the USA.
USA – 10.2 per 100000.
Australia – 1.05 per 100000
New Zealand – 2.66 per 100000
Russia – .38 per 100000
Finland – 3.64 per 100000
Norway – 1.78 per 100000
Switzerland – 3.5 per 100000
Canada – 4.78 per 100000

These are firearm deaths only, and include suicide and accidental deaths as well as murders. The important data is the overall murder rate.

The availability of guns to law abiding people will obviously affect the gun suicide and accident rate. The crime (murder) rate can be very different from the gun death rate.

For example, in 2002, the Russian murder was 20.54 per 100,000, much higher than the gun death rate, while Finland was 1.98 per 100.000 (2004),much lower than the gun death rate.

The USA murder rate was 4.2 per 100,000 (2011) (5.6 per 100,000 in 2002) Again, much lower than the gun death rate.

As I posted above, the regional variation in the USA is enormous, and does not depend on local gun laws.

Eddystone

22 Dec 12 at 11:10 pm
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia; the term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term “the outback” is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named “the bush”.

wiki.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 11:11 pm
I think Numbers and Alice would be a great match. We’ve got to get these wonderful kids together!

Thank God they would be too old to breed.

Splatacrobat

22 Dec 12 at 11:14 pm
Oh dear. I’ve played with the idea of going into secondary education over the years, although my blogging and attendance at political rallies probably ensure that I’d never get a job even if they allowed me to graduate.

So I’ve just had a quick squiz over at the Deakin uni site.

Content

This is the first of the six units in the education studies sequence– a sequence that examines the theory and practice nexus. Through a formative collaborative project over the trimester students will represent their emergent teacher/learner identity. This will be informed by their past and present experience in schools and theoretical engagement with the field of education focused through a critical lens.

Assessment

Identity Transition 30% – Equivalent to 1000 words – Critical historical tracing of ‘self as learner’ through artefacts.

Noticing Self and Other 70% – Equivalent to 3000 words (this is in three parts = assignment 20% and collaborative work 50%) – Collaborative projects –performance, exhibition and writing- communication of emergent teacher/learner identify against purposes of schooling.

Words fail. Do I demonstrate my journey from learner to teacher using artefacts such as my primary and secondary school reports?

What a load of tripe.

nilk

22 Dec 12 at 11:18 pm
Yes, Yobbo. Your comments are similar to those that have been made here numerous times since the tragedy, and many more quoting lots of figures. However this “numbers” person keeps ignoring those comments and any information provided from sources such as the FBI that underscore what most have been saying: crime rates have dropped while gun ownership has increased. He ignores all that or he just cannot understand statistics.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 11:19 pm
CL, as any US Marine should tell you, “there ain’t no medic ever gonna come save my butt!”

The US Marines are served by US Navy Corpsmen.

Good for you. Now if you could only convince him not to call Marines “soldiers”…

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 11:21 pm
I expressed my opinion of Boehner at 9:59am today, up the page – the incompetent fool is just as likely to emerge from one of his “negotiations” with the Boy King, simultaneously sobbing and peeing with excitement, waving his autograph book for all to admire.

Geez, Mick, you’ve described the sook beautifully.

Watching OZero being quietly, coldly, publicly lectured on his home turf by Netanyahu a couple of years back demonstrated to me the effete little fop is most uncomfortable* when confronted by capable and ruthless.

Yes, it was one of those occasions that warrants the “do you remember where you were when Bibi gave OZero (Mick ™) a right bollocking?” question.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 11:29 pm
I think I found Kae’s blog.

Old Fridgie

22 Dec 12 at 11:34 pm
In retrospect, it may not be a bad idea going over the cliff. At least as this dude points out Americans will get the sort of big spending government they voted for but more of them have to pay for it.

That’s not exactly a bad thing.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/2012/12/20/on-the-fiscal-cliff-republican-rebels-are-right-no-deal-is-better-than-a-bad-deal/

JC

22 Dec 12 at 11:36 pm
“you’ve described the sook beautifully”

Thank you Gab. Boehner epitomises to me the yawning gulf between the representatives doing business in Washington, trading favours for mutual benefit, and representation of the electorate which sent them there.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

22 Dec 12 at 11:44 pm
he reminds me of Rob Oakeshott.

Gab

22 Dec 12 at 11:48 pm
Gab @11.11 That definition is not the only thing wiki has got completely & totally wrong.

Steve at the Pub

22 Dec 12 at 11:54 pm
A novel approach to the gun ownership issue.

Vermont State Rep. Fred Maslack has read the Second A mendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as Vermont ‘s own Constitution very carefully, and his strict interpretation of these documents is popping some eyeballs in New England and elsewhere.

Maslack recently proposed a bill to register “non-gun-owners” and require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun.

Eddystone

22 Dec 12 at 11:59 pm
It’s not wrong about the colloquial use of the word outback. Especially by people in the big cities. Thanks Gab!

Megan

23 Dec 12 at 12:01 am
You certainly did, Old Fridgie!

kae

23 Dec 12 at 12:01 am
Outback also refers to places which are inaccessible, sparsely populated, remote.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 12:05 am
outback

Splatacrobat

23 Dec 12 at 12:09 am
outback

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 12:14 am
Interesting take on college admissions at elite US universities by the epicurean dealmaker.

Legacy… that is the idiot sons and daughters of previous attendees appears to be bullshit.

http://epicureandealmaker.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/no-country-for-young-children.html

JC

23 Dec 12 at 12:16 am
All wrong. All written no doubt by people who’ve never been west of Strathfield, for whom a distance of 60 miles between towns is “remote”, and who have absolutely no idea of Australian cultural history.

I’m saying all those “definitions” of outback are wrong. (“Bullshit” in other words).

Not one of those definitions makes refernce to “inside”.

Someone has simply made shit up.

Steve at the Pub

23 Dec 12 at 12:21 am
Someone has simply made shit up.

No doubt. It happens all the time. But it does not change the fact that words can have a formal meaning and a colloquial meaning. You are insisting on the formal meaning of outback and I am just as insistent that the colloquial meaning applies in my posts.

And just to clear matters up – I’ve definitely been west of Strathfield and I have a very good idea of Australian cultural history. Your second requirement makes no sense. It’s roughly 60 miles from Melbourne to Portsea and about 10 times that from Melbourne to Sydney but no one in their right mind could consider any of those places remote.

Megan

23 Dec 12 at 1:09 am
They must have pretty lax gun laws in Nigeria.

Gunmen opened fire on students in a northeast Nigerian college, shooting some of them dead and stabbing others. Police say an Islamist extremist group could be behind the attack, but are also looking into possible links with student union elections.

Actually, civilian ownership of “assault” weapons and handguns in Nigeria is prohibited.

Funny I don’t remember reading about this.

Eddystone

23 Dec 12 at 1:21 am
It will be recalled that a group of civilised Indians toured Australia this year for a TV program called ‘Dumb, Drunk & Racist.’

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 1:33 am
I’m not trying to pick a blue Megan, merely ensuring that if an area has dairy farms or uses a plough, that nobody makes the mistake of calling it “outback”.

Victoria & Tasmania are states that do not have an outback. (FYI).

I’ve looked up Portsea on the map. (I didn’t need to look up either Melbourne or Sydney)
I don’t know how to break it to you any way but directly:

Neither Melbourne, Sydney, nor Portsea are 60 miles or more from the next town. In fact all of those are one helluva lot less travel to reach the next town. (Just sayin’).

Steve at the Pub

23 Dec 12 at 1:41 am
Ya know how airplanes send green fascists crazy, expect of course when they’re flying.

Well how about “affordable” private jet travel.

This dude is now selling charter that could work out cheaper than a regular commercial flight.

Linear Air charges roughly $7,000 to charter one of its jets for a round-trip from Boston to Toronto. That works out to be about $1,750 a seat, making Linear’s Toronto round-trip, on a per passenger basis, significantly cheaper than the $2,500 paid on average for the same flight on a commercial airline.

And if he’s offloading surplus

Customers can also charter a whole plane for $499 to $1,500 in last-minute deals posted every afternoon on Facebook and Twitter. JetSuite’s Wilcox says this is a good way to fill up jets flying empty. “At the very least the last-minute deals help pay for gas,” he explains.

The revolution that;’s occurred over the past few years was the introduction of the relatively cheap Eclipse jet.

http://www.thefinancialist.com/private-jets-the-no-frill-option/

Ya just gotta love markets and how people are always thinking. They’re almost magical in the way they operate.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 2:20 am
brc

I read your comment.
As much I am saddened to quote him, Quiggan had this to say about Y2K “The worldwide scare over the ‘Y2K bug’ resulted in the expenditure of hundreds of billions of dollars on Y2K compliance and conversion policies…..”

Jessie

23 Dec 12 at 2:22 am
and there’s more:

Wilcox is not the only entrepreneur eyeing profits in the relatively new low-cost private jet segment. Another is Massachusetts-based Linear Air, which aims to offer a “business jet service for less than first class.”

hahahahhahahahahaaha..

What’s not to like….

Small examples like these are what sends green-fascist bananas sending them into apoplectic spasms about how markets aren’t the answer for da planet.

Result

With examples like more people will be traveling in smaller more personal jets and there will be a lot more air traffic around. It will also cause the big airliners lots of headaches because the premium passengers will migrate to these smaller jets which are piloted by non-union employees.

As I said what’s not to like? Cheaper premium flying and lots of angry green fascists. It’s a twofer.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 2:34 am
Look at the sale board. There are flights albeit pretty restricted selling for less than bigger commercial scheduled flights.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 2:36 am
Nilk,

thanks for that.
I’d recommend some up-to-date Australian non-fiction.

Jessie

23 Dec 12 at 2:56 am
Y2K eh JC? I remember it well! I did absolutely nothing about mitigation or software backup or anything else.

And absolutely nothing happened. My software still worked, just the same as it always had!

Boral, a mutli-national company, also a bunch of complete dickheads (for reasons that shall become clear) sent me a letter earlier that year, blah blah blah-ing on about the millenium bug. It included a can of “Millenium Bug Spray” (an empty spray can, the label has a picture of a computer eprom chip centipede sorta thing accessorised to look like a mutant mosquito or something – I still have the can on my desk, it is cute, and it reminds me daily what complete dickheads Boral are.)

The letter accompanying the can of “spray” said in grave tones that Boral takes this sort of stuff (Y2K) seriously, and that Boral was “writing to all suppliers” to ensure they were “Y2K compliant”. (Boral must have at some stage in the past put a road crew up at my place)

There was a checklist & table for me to fill out. It was quite intrusive and required me to go into some detail about the steps I was taking to comply with “Y2K”.

The letter from Boral (complete dickheads) ended with the threat that Boral was treating Y2K as a deadly serious threat to humanity or something, and that it would only be able to deal with suppliers who were doing the same.

i.e. unless I was able to completely satisfy Boral that I was ~~wasting enough money~~ taking sufficient counter-measures and was ~~wasting lots of my time~~ treating Y2K with sufficient seriousness, Boral would never deal with me again.

Of course I totally ignored the letter, I have enough to do without wasting my time answering personal questions from complete dickheads.

Being as I’m the only game in town, I can’t wait until Boral do the road again. I’m a bit obtuse in these matters, and intend to hold them to their letter.

Hopefully it’ll be a couple of Boral executives who have to park-bench it! (That would make my year!)

Steve at the Pub

23 Dec 12 at 3:08 am
At the time the accommodation was not computerised. It was controlled with a Wildon feint ruled ledger and a Staedler HB pencil.

If there were any “software” glitches or anything, I’d use an invention known as a “rubber” to rub out the mistake and then start again. (This was also how I handled events such as “cancellation” or “someone wanting to change rooms”.)

Had I been inclined to fill it in, there was no section in Boral’s questionnaire(complete dickheads) that allowed a “supplier” to respond that they used pencil & paper for recording all Boral-relevant data.

These dickheads just assumed that the whole world used a great big computer for everything.

Steve at the Pub

23 Dec 12 at 3:33 am
AbbottAbbottAbbott hater Samantha Maiden is delighted to announce John McTernan has decided to use doomed Queensland Labor MP Graham Perrett as his bunny to go after former minister Mal Brough and the Coalition frontbench:

MAL Brough faces a federal police investigation into allegations he encouraged former speaker Peter Slipper’s staff to leak sensitive diaries in a “political conspiracy” to bring down the government.

The Gillard government has authorised a Queensland Labor MP, Graham Perrett, to refer the matter to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Tony Negus, claiming the Liberals may also have breached laws prohibiting the harming of a public official, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, or acted as an accessory to the conspiracy.

Labor accuses Mr Brough, a former Liberal minister, of “procuring” the Slipper diaries in breach of sections of the Crimes Act prohibiting unauthorised access to restricted data, an offence carrying a maximum two-year sentence.

Mr Perrett’s letter also asks the AFP to investigate former Slipper staffers James Ashby, whose sexual harassment lawsuit against Mr Slipper the Federal Court threw out, and Karen Doane.

Liberal political figures also accused of involvement in a “conspiracy” to harm Mr Slipper include deputy leader Julie Bishop, frontbencher Christopher Pyne and Queensland minister Mark McArdle.

“This conspiracy involved using a fabricated sexual harassment claim to politically damage and publicly humiliate Mr Slipper,” Mr Perrett wrote. “The conspiracy was designed to inflict such significant reputational, psychological and emotional harm to Mr Slipper so as to cause him to resign … thus helping to topple the current government and install Tony Abbott (as prime minister).”

Of course, you’ll never hear of it again, but McTernan gets the headline, which he counts as a victory in his little world. Good work, Sam.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 5:27 am
This story reads like it was invented by a tabloid sub-editor, except it’s in the muzzie-loving Sydney Sunday Sun-Herald:

No merriness here: mosque puts fatwa on Christmas

The religious ruling, which followed a similar lecture during Friday prayers at Australia’s biggest mosque, was posted on its Facebook site on Saturday morning.

The head imam at Lakemba, Sheikh Yahya Safi, had told the congregation during prayers that they should not take part in anything to do with Christmas.

Samir Dandan, the president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which oversees the mosque, could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

The fatwa, which has sparked widespread community debate and condemnation, warns that the “disbelievers are trying to draw Muslims away from the straight path”.

It also says that Christmas Day and associated celebrations are among the “falsehoods that a Muslim should avoid … and therefore, a Muslim is neither allowed to celebrate the Christmas Day nor is he allowed to congratulate them”.

The posting of the fatwa has shocked many Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem.

“Merriness”? The headline was obviously written by one of Fairfax’s new K-mart (outsourced) subs, who’s never heard of “merriment”.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 5:44 am
Words fail:

A 14-year-old Scottish tourist has died in hospital after he became dehydrated in hot conditions on a hike with his father south of Exmouth yesterday.

The pair were walking along the Badjirrajirra Trail in the Cape Range National Park, about 1100km north of Perth, when the teenager collapsed from heat exhaustion about 2.15pm.

The boy’s father, who lives in Geraldton, called triple-0 from his mobile phone.

A St John Ambulance spokesman said crews had to carry equipment to the scene, about 1km south of a nearby carpark.

He said it was reported to them that the boy was suffering from heat exhaustion and was having difficulty breathing.

Paramedics from Exmouth treated the teenager at the scene and took him to Exmouth Hospital. He died there several hours after he collapsed.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 6:09 am
Sometimes cartoons have an immediacy lost in text.
This from the Hartford Courant (50 miles from Newtown).

1735099

23 Dec 12 at 6:18 am
Potemkin’s Village

Meanwhile, back at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade… here

Grigory Potemkin

23 Dec 12 at 6:33 am
Steyn on the Connecticut massacre and Christmas.
Link
P.S. go away numbers, you self-obsessed, sad artifact.

Blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 6:40 am
The Conservative reaction to La Pierre’s rant.

1735099

23 Dec 12 at 6:48 am
Yeah Steve at the pub

confirmed by JC, its you who cant read

“Yea? Ya reckon steve, or have you been drinking your own profits unable to comprehend well?”

Thank you JC

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 7:07 am
Splato says
” I think Numbers and Alice would be a great match. We’ve got to get these wonderful kids together!

Thank God they would be too old to breed.

I thank god for that myself Splato. Dont give up your job to become a matchmaker….Ive had my eye on Sinc even though he is short and bald with shrinking arms and his Xmas countdowns are getting mushier by the day.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 7:13 am
Tom @5.44 re christmas fatwas. That sort of discussion comes around every year on the muslim boards and it can be quite entertaining watching how they tangle themselves up trying to find ways to justify being a part of our christmas spirit.

You can, for example give presents if they’re not wrapped in christmas paper and you only have nice feelings towards the recipient. No christmas thoughts allowed because allah knows what’s in your heart.

You can (probably) do it to keep the peace in your family if you’re a convert and your family aren’t happy with you.

Nice to see an article about it in the Silly, and I note also that serial pest Trad is there to give the last word.

Fresh from his lawfare triumph of getting Alan Jones to read an islamically appropriate apology for speaking the truth.

You will be hearing more from Trad after this – he’s back! baby, back!

nilk

23 Dec 12 at 7:30 am
The Conservative reaction to La Pierre’s rant.

Very underwhelming.

dover_beach

23 Dec 12 at 7:44 am
If there are to be gun controls, they should be worse for the criminals than they are for the law abiding.

The ammunition accountability proposal would be more effective than the measures that 1735099 is proposing.

2dogs

23 Dec 12 at 7:55 am
A “few” facts and figures compiled by Zerohedge re the US economy. Here is half a dozen or so.

#1 In December 2008, 31.6 million Americans were on food stamps. Today, a new all-time record of 47.7 million Americans are on food stamps. That number has increased by more than 50 percent over the past four years, and yet the mainstream media still has the gall to insist that “things are getting better”.

#10 When you total up all working age Americans that do not have a job in America today, it comes to more than 100 million.

#30 Electricity bills in the United States have risen faster than the overall rate of inflation for five years in a row.

#31 According to USA Today, many Americans have actually seen their water bills triple over the past 12 years.

#45 Our trade deficit with China in 2011 was $295.5 billion. That was the largest trade deficit that one country has had with another country in the history of the planet.

#47 According to the Economic Policy Institute, America is losing half a million jobs to China every single year.

#49 According to the IMF, the global elite are holding a total of 18 trillion dollars in offshore banking havens such as the Cayman Islands.

#75 Today, the U.S. national debt is more than 5000 times larger than it was when the Federal Reserve was originally created back in 1913.

Another four years of Labor we’ll beat’em to the bottom. After all we are competitive by nature.

Rudiau

23 Dec 12 at 8:49 am
The de facto Labor staffers in Treasury are as delusional as Wayne Swan. Piers Akerman:

…late Thursday, even after Swan had finally acknowledged what every thinking person had known there would be no surplus Treasury’s website was still carrying his words: “The budget is returning to surplus as promised, with surpluses growing over the forward estimates. A surplus is appropriate given our strong economic fundamentals and an economy returning to trend growth.

“The return to surplus, ahead of any other major advanced economy, sends a strong message to international investors on the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline and provides a buffer in uncertain economic times.”

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 9:12 am
MAL Brough faces a federal police investigation into allegations he encouraged former speaker Peter Slipper’s staff to leak sensitive diaries in a “political conspiracy” to bring down the government.

All legal. “Harming an MP” what a crock of shit.

What about Tony Windsor’s false statements to the AFP?

.

23 Dec 12 at 9:19 am
LOL so why did Roxon give Ashby $50,000 if they believe it’s all one big Opposition conspiracy?

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 9:21 am
Tony Burke in a hard-hitting interview (LOL) on their ABC tells me that the real problem with the surplus was they didn’t sell the message in the right way. Hilarious.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 9:22 am
The Phantom finally figures out the Left’s predilection for gun banning.

See, with the way us cwazy Conservatives have it figured out, the ObamaPhone lady has to go buy a gun, learn how to use it, and practice at the range. And worse, if she gets shot by a mad killer its her own goddamn fault because she is responsible for her own protection and her own life. Nobody to blame but her own self.

She doesn’t want that. She wants her welfare check in the mail every second Friday, she wants her Oprah on her big screen TV, she wants her free Obama phone, and she wants somebody else to do the rest of whatever. Especially if its scary.

..

That’s why the propaganda is different this time. It is aimed at de-humanizing gun owners, making them the enemy. The scape-goat. The bad ones who must be suppressed for the Greater Good. Along with the Rich, SUV drivers and those tacky Christians. And smokers.

Rudiau

23 Dec 12 at 9:25 am
Rudiau

What really gets me re your “few facts on the US economy” (and clone Oz is following the same bad pathways coutesy of US schmuck econ textbooks) is that you actually think the libs are any better than labor are any better than the democrats are any better than the republicans???

The facts are horrifying.

yet you comment “Another four years of Labor we’ll beat’em to the bottom. After all we are competitive by nature.”

We are on the way down now. I dont think it will take four years.

These parties BOTH and ALL have been taking it turns to virtually do the same bad moves to stuff the US economy up – which of course is now really messed up badly – AND that didnt happen overnight and it didnt happen with one presidency either.

What do you think the US people think now about losing half a million jobs to china every year (add that to the massive amount already lost) -?? Do they think “oh well – it will all be OK in the long run because we are a global world now?????”

I dont think so.

Like good little morons our own politicians swallow everything the yanks say without question including all the global visionary speak claptrap.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 9:27 am
The Phantom finally figures out the Lefts predilection for banning guns.

See, with the way us cwazy Conservatives have it figured out, the ObamaPhone lady has to go buy a gun, learn how to use it, and practice at the range. And worse, if she gets shot by a mad killer its her own goddamn fault because she is responsible for her own protection and her own life. Nobody to blame but her own self.

She doesn’t want that. She wants her welfare check in the mail every second Friday, she wants her Oprah on her big screen TV, she wants her free Obama phone, and she wants somebody else to do the rest of whatever. Especially if its scary

..

That’s why the propaganda is different this time. It is aimed at de-humanizing gun owners, making them the enemy. The scape-goat. The bad ones who must be suppressed for the Greater Good. Along with the Rich, SUV drivers and those tacky Christians. And smokers.

Rudiau

23 Dec 12 at 9:30 am
Alice you dolt.

Putting up trade barriers won’t win back jobs.

.

23 Dec 12 at 9:32 am
Numbers the racist and bigot: so now you have sunk to the very bottom of the moral abyss, exploiting the deaths of children for the tawdriest and most squalid of intents: to troll a blog full of people who hold you in contempt.

How classy.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 9:40 am
Well then Dot

How do you suggest winning back jobs for US people?
If the jobs have been flowing out one way to China it seems simple to me you make them flow back.

You dont do that by sqqeezing the life and wages out of labour. It may work for one firm but the fallacy of composition suggests that if all firms do it, consumption will fall. You just cant have it both ways Dot.

You may have to call the elite US producers back home so they stop exporting from the chinese companies they have formed into their own homeland and depress that so that US citizens had to borrow to meet their Consumption needs – roots of GFC Dot.

(end of free capital party is the solution Dot as is tariff barriers IMHO – if the US government cant collect it from Cayman collect it on their imports into the US)

Either way it will get some of that money out of the Cayman Islands to fix the mess up. The US elite had it too good for too long and they have trashed the place (US).

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 9:41 am
Tom:

The Gillard government has authorised a Queensland Labor MP, Graham Perrett, to refer the matter to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Tony Negus

Wouldn’t that be, I dunno, abusing the justice system for political purposes ?

duncanm

23 Dec 12 at 9:41 am
Looks to me like Mal Brough has been egging james Ashby on and could get himself into a passel of trouble, especially about those diaries. p.Slipper is disreputable enough you’d think M. Brough would have stayed clear. Looks a bit ominous for him …

candy

23 Dec 12 at 9:42 am
I am sensing that Dot is building up for a Xmas crescendo…

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 9:52 am
Just saw the “Demand a Plan” (to restrict guns to stop the lists…) well, one of the shootings mentioned is Fort Hood.

WTF?

kae

23 Dec 12 at 9:53 am
Here ’tis. Demand a Plan.

kae

23 Dec 12 at 9:58 am
I think the action against mal brough is more about harming his future leadership prospects rather than trying to get him now. Labor has found out the hard way how much trouble some skeletons in the closet can give a leader.

Personally I think brough is in the clear though seems to have used bad judgement in getting involved at any level. He was always a shoe-in for the seat so didn’t need to cripple slipper. I suppose maybe they thought he might quit and trigger a by-election.

brc

23 Dec 12 at 10:05 am
Perhaps Brough thought that Ashby needed guidance and as Ashby couldn’t go to anyone in the ALP (I wonder why?) Brough provided that guidance – ie, advice seek help.

No matter what the story is I’m sure the ALP will twist it and use it to their advantage as they have shown they’re most capable of doing.

kae

23 Dec 12 at 10:10 am
” I suppose maybe they thought he might quit and trigger a by-election.”

If that’s the situation, the LNP’s desperation will just put people right off and be the end of Brough’s political career. Really really bad judgment if he’s involved. tony ABbott would have to cut him loose.

candy

23 Dec 12 at 10:19 am
Alice, if you want protectionism generally, why not simply lower the currency rather than “pick winners” through tariffs and subsidies?

Certainly, the US should not be artificially raising its currency through the federal deficit.

Now, in general, a nation setting its currency level is a bit like an individual setting their salary expectation: rarely does one who has a job ask their boss for a pay cut, but if one is unemployed, cutting your salary expectation may help you get a job.

2dogs

23 Dec 12 at 10:30 am
I suppose maybe they thought he might quit and trigger a by-election.

In Slippery’s case would it be a by-election, or a bi-election?

Leigh Lowe

23 Dec 12 at 10:36 am
In Slippery’s case would it be a by-election, or a bi-election?

Or possibly a bivalve-election.

Megan

23 Dec 12 at 10:41 am
MAL Brough faces a federal police investigation into allegations he encouraged former speaker Peter Slipper’s staff to leak sensitive diaries in a “political conspiracy” to bring down the government.

This is just incredible. The same nonsensical claim could be made about this action itself. Honestly, does no one have the gumption to just tell this rotten government: Enough!

dover_beach

23 Dec 12 at 10:47 am
I have opened a thread on the Mal Brough business.

Sinclair Davidson

23 Dec 12 at 10:56 am
Watch what happens when Guns are banned in Australia.

Related: Lee Doren critiques the Leftist argument supporting far-reaching gun control.

H/T Small Dead animals

Rudiau

23 Dec 12 at 11:12 am
Craig Emerson: ‘No no – we can still reach surplus in 2012-13.’

Patience the path to surplus: Emerson.

TRADE Minister Craig Emerson says the only way the government could achieve its desired surplus this year would be to raise taxes to historic levels, as he pointed to economic conditions providing a likely surplus in 2013/14.

Dr Emerson said there was still hope Labor could return the budget to the black in 2012/13 and the economic data would be assessed on a month by month basis. He said he was fairly confident a surplus would be delivered the following year in 2013/14.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:12 am
Alice:

How do you suggest winning back jobs for US people?
If the jobs have been flowing out one way to China it seems simple to me you make them flow back.

Oh, Alice…

Why have the jobs been relocated?

Because of the usual mix of motives, the industrial fashion of outsouring, lower labour costs, sweetheart tax breaks etc etc etc = costs were lower

Now that costs are rising in China as it continues its development towards being a wealthier state, the cost differential is shrinking and some industries are finding that in outsourcing they lost control of design. Some of that manufacturing is indeed flowing back to the USA on that basis, much more is flowing back as US energy costs decrease.

And that is due entirely to the tight gas and tight oil revolution which originated in the USA.

The USA now out-produces Saudi Arabia in oil.

So much gas is being produced that prices for domgas have dropped 75% in five years.

Want to re-industrialise the USA (or Australia for that matter)?

Open drilling on all Federal lands and deliberatly remove eco-loony, legislative and regulatory obstacles to business…. and stand back.

Of course, all of the above is utter anathema to the left! Poor state-dependent mendicats are their power base, and enable them to loot the public finances for personal gain. The left is a predatory power-elite.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 11:17 am
Interesting. I did not know that the last time armed US citizens of the Federal Militia conducted a successful revolt against a tyrannical government, overthrew it in violent revolution, and re-imposed democracy was 1946.

I also did not know that Eleanor Roosevelt thoroughly approved even though the armed revolt was against her own Democrat Party.

We in the U.S.A., who have long boasted that, in our political life, freedom in the use of the secret ballot made it possible for us to register the will of the people without the use of force, have had a rude awakening as we read of conditions in McMinn County, Tennessee, which brought about the use of force in the recent primary. If a political machine does not allow the people free expression, then freedom-loving people lose their faith in the machinery under which their government functions.

In this particular case, a group of young veterans organized to oust the local machine and elect their own slate in the primary. We may deplore the use of force but we must also recognize the lesson which this incident points for us all. When the majority of the people know what they want, they will obtain it.

A state Representative also applauded the actions, Rep. Jennings was delighted that “…at long last decency and honesty, liberty and law have returned to the fine county of McMinn…”. (Congressional Record, House; U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1946; Appendix, Volume 92, Part 13, p. A4870.)

Most interesting!

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 11:35 am
The Leg-over Man has become chief clown in Gillard’s three ring circus.

H B Bear

23 Dec 12 at 11:37 am
Mark, did you notice that even in 1946, the New York Times took the side of corrupt Democrat officials over the uprising in Athens, TN? I’ll be in Nashville in March and McMinn County will be one of my day trips; I expect the memorabilia will make spectacular keepsakes. I was also present at the restoration of democracy in Chile in the election of 1990 after 17 years of dictatorship. We tend to take these momentous events for granted.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 12:07 pm
More EU madness.

Applying equality rules means that men are likely to get lower pension annuities, while women will pay more for car insurance where traditionally they are considered safer drivers and therefore pay lower premiums than men.

Steve of Ferny Hills

23 Dec 12 at 12:34 pm
Under a phony flag of deep and meaningful theological contemplation, Labor loyalist Chris Uhlmann analyses Tony Abbott from the standpoint of his faith and better nature… using wacko hater David Marr to argue the Opposition Leader has damaged himself.

If Abbott now finds himself the victim of a campaign to reduce him to a caricature, then he should reflect on this: he has made it possible because he has spent a political lifetime reducing himself.

Here was have another leftie arguing that if only a non-lefty was a lefty, he wouldn’t be hated.

http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2012/12/17/3656062.htm

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 12:42 pm
Here we have another leftie…

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 12:43 pm
Bear and CL

The ongoing attack on Abbott is appalling, but it seems to be working as they’ve managed to raise his negatives.

The problem as I see it is that Abbott plays defense and this doesn’t appear to be a good strategy.

Abbott or his surrogates ought to be ripping flesh from of these horrendous lowlifes.

It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if they win the next election. Stranger things have happened.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 12:55 pm
f Abbott now finds himself the victim of a campaign to reduce him to a caricature,

What nonsensical hypocritical twaddle. labor has been attacking Abbott on all levels – character, family, beliefs – since before the 2007 election. It’s only since that thug and dishonourable low-life McTernan was imported has labor jumped the shark on their vicious and false claims about Abbott.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 1:02 pm
Just picked up some lunch from my local restaurant, where I have been a customer on friendly terms with the owners for about 10 years. Opened the bag, and inside was a (non-religious) personally addressed Christmas card with a nice message handwritten inside.

They are Muslims.

But, they are Indian Muslims, and while the wife wears a headscarf sometimes, sometimes she doesn’t. Subservient she ain’t. Their kids are at uni (the girls too) and she was born in Australia, he is from Kashmir.

I make it a point never to talk religion with them (I think it is rude) but have no doubt that they have nothing but contempt for Keysar Trad and his Middle Eastern pals.

It must be galling for Muslims like them, who are nice people and an asset to the country, to be tarred with the same brush as the medieval morons.

johanna

23 Dec 12 at 1:02 pm
Johanna

Several years ago, the WSJ ran a piece rhetorically asking which was the most successful recently arrived group in the US. The piece explained muslim immigs earned twice the median US income at the time. My bet is that they were from the Indian Sub-continent.

Trad basically represents the Underbelly of that religious group.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 1:07 pm
It’s only since that thug and dishonourable low-life McTernan was imported has labor jumped the shark on their vicious and false claims about Abbott.

Yes and it seems to be working somewhat mainly because the appalling accusations go answered.

Abbott basically did nothing to counter the dishonest and disgusting Miss Ogyny speech the fat arsed slapper made in attempting to deflect their defense of a real live Miss Ogynist (slipper).

Abbott had a great opening there and let it go when he should have kicked her fat dishonest arse into the Pacific Ocean and back.

Blame him.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 1:11 pm
Ya gotta fucking laugh:

Labor says Brough candidacy ‘untenable’ in the wake of Perrett statement

That entire Liars Party senior leadership would, in a just world, be locked up for committing serious crimes of fraud and generalized dishonesty.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 1:21 pm
JC, I also feel sorry for the pre and immediate post-war Lebanese immigrants, who were overwhelmingly Christian and are now probably being thought of as the same as the later bunch who are causing all the trouble.

People like Steve Bracks and Bob Katter’s antecedents were cats of an entirely differently colour.

johanna

23 Dec 12 at 1:26 pm
“Abbott basically did nothing to counter the dishonest and disgusting Miss Ogyny ..”

you are so right there JC. The day after he should have squashed her.
On the day it was all still a shock, no-one would have thought she’d be so nasty. even cynical bloggers here who seen it all got a shock i think at the depths ALP go to!

candy

23 Dec 12 at 1:27 pm
People like Steve Bracks and Bob Katter’s antecedents were cats of an entirely differently colour.

Ummmm those two scumbags wouldn’t be the examples I’d use in showing up the Christian Lebanese community, Johanna. There are far better examples.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 1:28 pm
I agree, JC, but being a political animal, they came to mind first. Point is, neither of them has been known to participate in drug dealing or drive-by shooting or trying to keep their women in purdah. But, I would welcome other examples!

johanna

23 Dec 12 at 1:32 pm
No kidding, is Peter Van Onselen doing double doses of crack?

The fucker wants to raise consumption taxes even more to fund these “unmet needs”.

Is he out of his fucking mind?

No Peter, you asshat, spending is far too high.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 1:32 pm
Perrett said Mr Brough obtained Mr Slipper’s diaries which is a crime – unauthorised access to restricted data, etc.

That’s really serious if it’s true. M. Brough in a heap of trouble then. Unless Perrett is making it all up.

candy

23 Dec 12 at 1:33 pm
Johanna

There really doesn’t have to be any famous/well known names.

The Christian leb community here has be extremely successful.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 1:38 pm
Tim Blair wins: Christmas fatwa removed from Lakemba mosque’s website.

The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem.

“Anyone who says otherwise is speaking irresponsibly,” he said…

Keysar Trad, a former official with the Lebanese Muslim Association, said in his time with the organisation they used to regularly greet people with merry Christmas. “I don’t know what has changed,” he said. “But now as a representative of Australia’s peak Muslim body, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, I would like to wish all your readers a merry Christmas and a happy new year.”

Ah yes. When Muslims are a powerless minority they’re very loving and polite.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 1:58 pm
Just posted this over there.

While it’s open, get cracking, people.

This is an utterly disgraceful and sectarian article, nonsensical and hypocritical twaddle. Labor and its enablers in the media – led by the ABC – has been demonising Abbott on all levels – character, family, beliefs – since before the 2007 election.

This vicious campaign has accelerated sharply since that thug and dishonourable low-life McTernan was imported by Labor specifically to further vicious and false claims about Abbott.

I have found it highly worthwhile to engage people as follows:

So you don’t like Abbot?

‘That’s right’

Why not”

‘Ummm…”

Is it that he’s a solide family man with a wife and three successful daughters?’

‘Of course not’

Is it that he’s a marathon runner who is also a volunteer firefighter?’

“Of course not”

Is it because he’s a Rhodes Scholar who volunteers his time and helps Aborigines in remote communities on Cape York?’

“No, of course not!’

Is it because he’s a Catholic and a life-saver who also teached water safety to young kids?’

‘Of course not!’

Did you know any of that about the man?

‘Ummm…. no, not really.’

Then I suggest to you that you have been comprehensively lied to and played for a fool by the ALP and the media. Are you a fool like they think you are?

“of course not!!’

Then maybe, just maybe, you should check the facts for yourself and not believe people who you now know are lying to you for their own political benefit. eh?

Now scan the demonisation and vilification in these comments – this is the modern left. Small minded, vicious, petty, spiteful: a pack of hypocritical homunculus.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 2:01 pm
Amateur history buff cracks war-time secret code found on a dead pigeon.

Britain’s top GCHQ intelligence johnnies had declared the code unbreakable.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 2:11 pm
(CNN) — It’s crazy golf on an insane scale — a putting green swimming in a giant bowl of noodles and chopsticks, the Great Wall of China for a hazard, a fairway threading through Mayan ruins and a panda-themed hole.

The world’s craziest crazy golf course?

Check out the pics. The cost of this will be massive.

In China, of course.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 2:13 pm
Well said, Mark.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 2:16 pm
Oh, and with thanks to Gab, some of whose words I used (no possibility of improving on ‘em, Gab!)

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 2:25 pm
Peter van Wrongselen says taxes should be raised because they can’t keep up with a 6% CAGR in real government spending, twice GDP growth. Wrongselen again.

GST allocations need to allow for the 1,500 people moving to WA each week while not propping up the Tasmanian economic basket case whose Labor-Green government policies continue to penalise the few profitable businesses in the State – namely forestry and fishing.

H B Bear

23 Dec 12 at 2:29 pm
I might have missed this story which appears to have first been run earlier this year in the WSj:

BALTIMORE—The number of U.S. homicides has been falling for two decades, but America has become no less violent.

Crime experts who attribute the drop in killings to better policing or an aging population fail to square the image of a more tranquil nation with this statistic: The reported number of people treated for gunshot attacks from 2001 to 2011 has grown by nearly half.

“Did everybody become a lousy shot all of a sudden? No,” said Jim Pasco, executive director of the National Fraternal Order of Police, a union that represents about 330,000 officers. “The potential for a victim to survive a wound is greater than it was 15 years ago.”

In other words, more people in the U.S. are getting shot, but doctors have gotten better at patching them up. Improved medical care doesn’t account for the entire decline in homicides but experts say it is a major factor.

In other WSJ news of note, I would have to say that the comments following their story on the NRA “more guns, more guns, more guns” press conference (3,300 of them) are, from my brief survey, overwhelmingly negative – that is, against the NRA. This certainly indicates that it has indeed gone over like a lead balloon.

LaPierre was (I say in a concession) right to note that overly violent shooting games and movies share part of the cultural blame. Yet, at least in the 1980′s and into the 1990′s, it was Hollywood Right wing figures who were seen as being into violent films. Tarantino can take some of the blame now, of course.

But the fact is that other countries see the same movies and play the same games, and have tiny gun murder rates if no guns are available.

I still think the violence is a cultural problem, but the immediate issue for the US is to reduce the number of rapid fire guns available to those who may be adversely influenced by the culture.

Anyway, the NRA and the Right in the US is looking to be hugely on the nose for some time to come yet.

steve from brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 2:35 pm
MK50 – your nonsensical interpretation of a brief comment I made yesterday morning that climate change was not a simple matter just illustrated what a dim person you are on a topic on which you are ideologically driven. (See – in the spirit of the season, I didn’t call you a complete idiot, even though it is always tempting.)

As you have repeatedly trotted out the patently false claim that you have the killer argument against AGW that has never been answered here or on other blogs, you aren’t worse responding to on climate change. Or anything, really.

steve from brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 2:39 pm
It’s Homunculus From Brisbane.

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 3:07 pm
Please SfB QC let me call you a complete idiot. Stolen any bread this weekend?

Tiny Dancer

23 Dec 12 at 3:09 pm
Peter van Wrongselen says taxes should be raised because they can’t keep up with a 6% CAGR in real government spending, twice GDP growth. Wrongselen again.

What a made up, bullshit rule.

.

23 Dec 12 at 3:12 pm
SFB:

…nonsensical interpretation of a brief comment I made yesterday morning that climate change was not a simple matter …

Yet here you are, caught on the horns of a dilemma.

If, as you say (and I agree) that “…climate change was not a simple matter…”, then youa re implicitly rejecting the AGW view that is IS a simple matter – CO2 is to blame.

That is the approved greenfilth view as to why, after all, why we are taxing CO2, yes?

It only becomes complex if you start adding SIM theory, the effect of insolation, the effect of cosmic rays, the impact of cloud formation, etc etc etc. In other words, if you adopt the scientifically validated proposal that the climate is an extremely complex system and that while CO2 may be one variable, it at best one among many, most of which are opaque in terms of effects, and many of which are simply unknown.

This is what I subscribe to – but I am scientifically literate.

This is NOT what greenfilth, the Goreacle, Mann, the CRU and all the other charlatans and spivs subscribe to. For them, ‘CO2 dunnit so send me money’ is their view.

And yours.

And now you have admitted that your simplistic view is false.

No wonder your response is shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutup (vice here: “”…you aren’t worse responding to…” followed by an unfortunate trouser accident vice here: “…Or anything, really.”

But now, you are lying to yourself, as well as to us. And that will eat at you.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 3:17 pm
Lefty Gawker accidentally embraces scientific reality:

“CONFIRMED: THERE IS A HUMAN BEING GROWING INSIDE KATE MIDDLETON #baby #baby #baby” it tweeted.

Liberal Web Site Calls Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Baby a Baby.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 3:24 pm
This is one of the answers given to questions posed by Jon Stewart in his pathetic attack on Libertarians some time ago. It’s is worth revisiting and keeping in mind next time a half wit leftie/statist suggests a libertarian society would look like Somalia or some repressive shithole they dredge up.

Would the free market have desegregated restaurants in the South, or would the free market have done away with miscegenation, if it had been allowed to? Would Marten Luther King have been less effective than the free market? Those laws sprung up out of a majority sense of, in that time, that blacks should not.. The free market there would not have supported integrated lunch counters.

In America, you had government mandated segregation and then government mandated integration… you never tried “free choice”. Before MLK it was the government that enforced racist policies. If there was a free market instead, then many businesses would have been racist (like the government) but some would have pursued more “progressive” policies, and those examples would likely have sped up the changing attitudes towards more tolerance. Consider that it was in semi-libertarian UK that slavery was first abolished.

Note that it was only after most people had changed their minds that the government “did the right thing”. They did not lead anything… they simply followed a social change that was happening outside of the government, being led by people in voluntary society. And since society was changing, business practices would have had to change also (unless the businesses were being protected by the government you so love).

Consider this — anti-racism policies will only be implemented once they are politically popular, but once they are politically popular, then they aren’t really necessary since it shows that most people are already against racism. If you look at the last 200 years, there is no doubt that racial minorities in America would have been better off without government involvement.

Yep, it was semi libertarian/classic liberal Britain
that started the movement to eradicate slavery around the world. Libertarians ought to be proud of this, one of civilizations finest achievements.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 3:26 pm
How do you suggest winning back jobs for US people?

Cut payroll taxes
Allow for cheap energy like more ground and offshore drilling
Reduce inflation
Cut corporate welfare

If the jobs have been flowing out one way to China it seems simple to me you make them flow back.

No. “It seems simple to me that you can accelerate at an infinite rate” is as valid.

You dont do that by sqqeezing the life and wages out of labour. It may work for one firm but the fallacy of composition suggests that if all firms do it, consumption will fall. You just cant have it both ways Dot.

No one does that. Firms do not prosper by squeezing wages. FMG, RIO, Gina and Clive don’t do that.

Stop peddling this Keynesian crap. Consumption will not fall. You are engaging in the fallacy of composition, not me. Besides in 1984 (post recession) where wages rose, consumption in the mid to late 1980s was almost constant until the start of the down turn in 1988-89. You don’t even get this argument because you think after a downturn like in 1982/3, wages and productivity don’t go up with excess capacity. It bloody does. It happened the last three times (08/09, 1988-1991 and 1982/3).

You may have to call the elite US producers back home so they stop exporting from the chinese companies they have formed into their own homeland and depress that so that US citizens had to borrow to meet their Consumption needs – roots of GFC Dot.

The root of the GFC is overseas production at a cheaper price – heaven help them if they paid the higher prices in the US.

Chinese capital holdings are not the “root cause” of the GFC. They are a concurrent phenomena. How did China ratfuck Bear Stearns, Alice?

(end of free capital party is the solution Dot as is tariff barriers IMHO – if the US government cant collect it from Cayman collect it on their imports into the US)

So stopping people investing and trading will create more jobs in the US – the last time that was tried Alice, was with the Smoot Hawley Act. How did that turn out? US exports declined by 61%.

You’d see an immediate drop in GDP of 8.6% from trade retaliation, plus flow on effects.

You’d create another great depression, Alice. Good one, doofus.

Either way it will get some of that money out of the Cayman Islands to fix the mess up. The US elite had it too good for too long and they have trashed the place (US).

You’re suggesting to trample a sovereign nation at the behest of the OWS dickheads because they hate “da imperialism”.

FFS, get on the cluetrain, Alice.

.

23 Dec 12 at 3:28 pm
Words fail:

Fed govt denies it broke promise on budget surplus.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 3:33 pm
You are right JC.

Amazing Grace (with the “indefatigable” Ioan Gruffudd, nyuk nyuk) has to be up there in a “top libertarian movie list” list.

Also, the first use of the term libertarian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Belsham

Do not listen to deluded commie fuckwits that they are “real libertarians”. They want to murder the middle class. It seems hysterical but it is unfortunately and eerily true.

Ask them if they denounce Lenin’s Hanging Order.

.

23 Dec 12 at 3:36 pm
Either way it will get some of that money out of the Cayman Islands to fix the mess up. The US elite had it too good for too long and they have trashed the place (US).

You’re suggesting to trample a sovereign nation at the behest of the OWS dickheads because they hate “da imperialism”.

FFS, get on the cluetrain, Alice.

Indeed alice.

The Caymans already has an agreement to limit banking secrecy with the US and is an overseas UK territory.

So you want the yanks to rip up a treaty and start bossing around England, after you’ve cut exports by 61% and thus GDP immediately by over 8.6%.

.

23 Dec 12 at 3:39 pm
Let’s not generalize about gun laws in the Arab world. It is an offense to own any kind of handgun in the UAE, including air soft weapons. In Saudi Arabia, it is illegal to own any kind of rifle or hand gun, except for air rifles up to .22 calibre (for killing feral dogs).

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t illegal hand guns out there, in the boonies and used by vagabonds, but the general population is forbidden them and is punished if caught.

The old habit of firing longs into the air to communicate between camps (to signal distress or, more commonly, that a wedding is about to kick off) is generally frowned upon but does still happen in the regional areas, especially in the south and east.

But RPGs? In Africa and Yemen maybe, but in the gulf, Saudi and Jordan, you would be jailed in a heartbeat.

Abu Chowdah

23 Dec 12 at 3:44 pm
Yeah, but CL it’s Emerson aided and abetted by the Australian Bolshevik Collective.

The guy whose judgement is so good that he was at one point shagging Juliar Gillard.

I mean, seriously, how can anyone take him seriously after that? I can understand shagging sheep, goats, ducks, giant squid, even other blokes if the choice was them or Gillard.

Emerson did it voluntarily.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 3:45 pm
Of course, in Yemen it’s wide open. At the gun souq they have a Russian tank nominally for sale. For $50USD you can pull the lanyard and fire a shell to “try before you buy”.

Abu Chowdah

23 Dec 12 at 3:48 pm
Naaah. No media bias here.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 3:52 pm
New figures came in, I think it was on Thursday, and on the basis of those new figures, with revenue not growing as strongly as expected because of the surpressing effects on profits of an unusually high exchange rate, that’s what that decision/that announcement was made.”

Alright Craig Emerson I’ll take you at your word.

The surplus was planned at $1b and the tax is $3b short. So the deficit will be $2b then, right?

Right?

Soooo when it’s more like $10b we’ll know you are once again lying with intent to deceive.

Pathological.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 4:00 pm
Abu, two-thirds of the Saudi’s I know all have at least an AKMS or two in their homes. I asked about the law and they laughed about it. If you screwed up, and they searched the house it’d be added to the things you were found guilty for, but otherwise no-one cared provided you were eiterh connected or had a good personal rep for toeing the line.

Most took the view that with third-world domestics (for which they often use the word abdeed, which apparently means both slave and negro) in the house they needed the firepower to hose them down if they got uppity. Conversations about raping the maids were common.

the one-third of saudi’s I know say thay abjure this sort of stuff. Not surprisingly, these are the more likeable and ‘westernised’ Saudis I know.

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 4:00 pm
How many Saudis do you know?

Abu Chowdah

23 Dec 12 at 4:04 pm
When in that position 60-100, it varied. About 12 I am still in contact with (none of them from that ‘two thirds’)

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 4:15 pm
Honestly MK, I can’t imagine any Saudi male physically exerting himself to rape a spmeone or walk to the gun cabinet then take one out and use it.

They are undoubtedly the laziest race of humans on the entire planet.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 4:22 pm
Hi Dot. Where you been boy? (somewhere else today!! I am almost missing you Dot).

MK something reckons if we want to reindustrialise the US and Australia we should open all lands to all oil and gas and presumably coal and iron ore and whatever other subsoil producers.

What do you think?

Is this a good way to reindustrialise and get some positive movement back. I personally wouldnt want to see our entire economy invested in one industry class (digging up) which seems to be the case now.

Yet you say Im a fool for wanting to whack back up the tarriff barriers. MK says we should depreciate the dollar instead?

Isnt that what the yanks are doing to their dollar with all thse quantitative easings?

Does that mean they will end up with both a massive budget deficit and rampant inflation and still no jobs per Uncle Milton’s beliefs (or will jobs come if the dollar is worth jack?)

Unless the increase in the money supply is going straight to the Cayman islands in the form of bankman bonuses banked offshore?

I dont think we can ignore the growing extremes of the income distribution much longer Dot – but at least I will give the yanks one advantage over us. They are armed and dangerous.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 4:36 pm
I wonder whether this is more common, than we think.

Try Japanese mothers. The country is in total denial about what goes on there.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 4:38 pm
http://www.yabucket.com/serious-discussions/36895-legal-mother-son-incest-prevalent-japan-asia.html

JC

23 Dec 12 at 4:41 pm
Try this on for size

i had never had any idea that so much of this went on. Apparently, japanese mothers also have sex with their sons or offer their bodies to their sons to keep their libido satisfied so that they won’t be distracted from their studying. a statistic reported that almost 80% of japanese male young adults/adults had reported some sexual encounter of any kind in their lifetime with their mother. i hope the statistic wasn’t accurate, i don’t see how it could be..

JC

23 Dec 12 at 4:43 pm
ALice, I did NOT say this:

MK says we should depreciate the dollar instead?

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 4:51 pm
Is this a good way to reindustrialise and get some positive movement back. I personally wouldnt want to see our entire economy invested in one industry class (digging up) which seems to be the case now.

Mining made up 7% of the economy at it’s peak. Stop the hyperbole.

Yet you say Im a fool for wanting to whack back up the tarriff barriers. MK says we should depreciate the dollar instead?

Yes, you are.

The dollar should do whatever market conditions dictate.

Does that mean they will end up with both a massive budget deficit and rampant inflation and still no jobs per Uncle Milton’s beliefs (or will jobs come if the dollar is worth jack?)

WTF are you on about? Where TF did he (mk 50) say that?

Anyway. The other day you said you were against low interest rates and low inflation. Now you’re for low inflation.

Unless the increase in the money supply is going straight to the Cayman islands in the form of bankman bonuses banked offshore?

You seriously don’t understand monetary economics. Bank leverage going offshore…whatever.

I dont think we can ignore the growing extremes of the income distribution much longer Dot – but at least I will give the yanks one advantage over us. They are armed and dangerous.

Nonsense. Now is probably the best time in human history thus far to be poor.

.

23 Dec 12 at 4:54 pm
Er hang on Dot – you say

“Stop peddling this Keynesian crap. Consumption will not fall. ”

Consumption may not fall but debt sure as hell rises when you cut wages on and on Dot and the rise in private sector debt proved the US wasnt immune to a matter of it being UNSUSTAINABLE.

The problem is when people own a house are paying off a mortgage and their wages get cut – they have made an investment and are likely to gamble on extending credit for a period of time hoping they can pull out of it rather than lose their home. When everyone is doing it watch out. Debt is the stuff off dreams.You dont want to see government debt but you are happy to see the private sector carrying a mountain off it?

Also would you mind explaining to me how jacking up the tariff barriers is “going to kill exports and GDP” dot when the common equation (before Bernanke started dicking arond with it is C+I+G+X-M.

Notice the minus sign? Tariff barriers reduce Imports not exports. We are talking gross Domestic production here and thats all I want to talk about (call me selfish) but letting our economy fail to better the global economy seens like non sequiteur to me. We wont have much to contribute by letting our economy go down the gurgler.

I know some in here dont like Katter or the Nats but they make more sense to me than some of you in deep blue land.

I dont know who is true blue anymore?. Sometimes I think some of you (JC, you and a couple of others) just follow a script for the wrong antibiotic and then you accuse anyone who disagrees (maybe because its not working?) of being a lefty?

Any way, its always worth the discussion.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 4:54 pm
There is no way Alice holds any sort of degree, undergraduate or postgraduate, in economics.

.

23 Dec 12 at 4:55 pm
So the horrible term motherf***** is a noun in Japan?

Might explain a few things….

Funny culture that. Mind you, getting subtitled Clouds Over the Hill Season 3 (Saka No Ue No Kumo 3) for Christmas from one of the kids (I hope – hints have been dropped)

Mk50 of Brisbane

23 Dec 12 at 4:55 pm
Seriously watch the end though. It really is both interesting and totally worrying.

Amazing mind reader reveals his ‘gift

JC

23 Dec 12 at 4:56 pm
oops wrong thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7pYHN9iC9I&feature=player_embedded

JC

23 Dec 12 at 4:58 pm
JC – had any pap yet?

Sinclair Davidson

23 Dec 12 at 4:58 pm
Mk didnt say that
He siad open all lands to gas and oil producers (here).
Go back up and look Dot.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:01 pm
Hey all, just in case I don’t get around to it in the next couple days, I wanted to wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year.

I haven’t been around much lately as, of all things, I had a seizure in the shower (!) which resulted in a fall and a pretty bad concussion. Being semi-conscious, but somewhat out of it, I picked myself up and (foolishly) went for a nap (leaving the shower running), where I proceeded to have further multiple seizures before a family member found me. The fall resulted in a sprained shoulder and significant bruising, a huge lump on my head, and the seizures resulted in aspirated pneumonia. I have little to no memory of the incident.

I then had another seizure in hospital, and in a situation that frankly baffles me, managed to have another fall in the process – in the presence of the neurologist! – this time falling forwards, getting a black eye and requiring 3 stitches.

After a week in hospital and various tests, I was finally released on antibiotics and anti-eppy meds. I still get dizzy spells and feel woozy, am tired all the time, have aches all over, and generally don’t feel quite like myself. I visited this site a couple times, but my attention span is severely limited, so I didn’t join in any of the threads.

Anyway, tonight I have a “family do” – so wish me luck (and strength).

Fleeced

23 Dec 12 at 5:02 pm
Thats it Dot (you little coward). Dont answer the question. Just fall back on personal attack as you do.

Not good enough.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:03 pm
Consumption may not fall but debt sure as hell rises when you cut wages on and on Dot and the rise in private sector debt proved the US wasnt immune to a matter of it being UNSUSTAINABLE.

What banks are going to extend credit where real wages fall and consumption remains constant?

Less savings, lower incomes – new debt will on average not be issued.

Blaming everything on “this” without a coherent theory or empirical proof is just snake oil.

The problem is when people own a house are paying off a mortgage and their wages get cut – they have made an investment and are likely to gamble on extending credit for a period of time hoping they can pull out of it rather than lose their home. When everyone is doing it watch out. Debt is the stuff off dreams.You dont want to see government debt but you are happy to see the private sector carrying a mountain off it?

No one will extend them credit if they have lower income and less savings.

Also would you mind explaining to me how jacking up the tariff barriers is “going to kill exports and GDP” dot when the common equation (before Bernanke started dicking arond with it is C+I+G+X-M.

Based on what Smoot Hawley did to the US economy. Exports fell by 61% in a shoprt period of time, before second round effects. What the fuck has Bernanke got to do with this?

Notice the minus sign? Tariff barriers reduce Imports not exports. We are talking gross Domestic production here and thats all I want to talk about (call me selfish) but letting our economy fail to better the global economy seens like non sequiteur to me. We wont have much to contribute by letting our economy go down the gurgler.

Where do you think the incomes of miners who contribute to C comes from? Where do you think the capital investment in those mines goes to?

Assuming that C+I+G = C+I+G+X-M because the trade deficit hangs around zero is a logical fallacy – truly an example of the fallacy of composition.

The welfare effects of liberalised trade help us all, and by rejecting them you wish for all of us to be poorer.

I know some in here dont like Katter or the Nats but they make more sense to me than some of you in deep blue land.

No.

I dont know who is true blue anymore?. Sometimes I think some of you (JC, you and a couple of others) just follow a script for the wrong antibiotic and then you accuse anyone who disagrees (maybe because its not working?) of being a lefty?

Because, you’re an idiot.

Any way, its always worth the discussion.

No.

.

23 Dec 12 at 5:03 pm
Mk didnt say that
He siad open all lands to gas and oil producers (here).
Go back up and look Dot.

…and what has that got to do with currency depreciation you twit? Given the price of oil, it would probably lead to an appreciation of the TOT for the USA.

.

23 Dec 12 at 5:05 pm
Lol.. no Sinc. But I did have some sort of polenta type thing, which may have been similar. Delicious of course.

Tell me sinc, we went to the barbie, the evening before the wedding and they had a brown paper bags filled with dried meat slices and dried salami type of thing. Also delicious. What was that? I ate the whole bag full to wifey’s horror.

Personally I dunno how you moved here. I’d live in say Camps Bay in a heart beat.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 5:05 pm
Words fail:

Fed govt denies it broke promise on budget surplus.

Yes well they tried that will the carbon dioxide tax. It didn’t work then, it’s not going to work now with the “come hell or high water” surplus that has “suddenly” disappeared.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 5:06 pm
Thats it Dot (you little coward). Dont answer the question. Just fall back on personal attack as you do.

Not good enough.

I answer all of the questions and engage in personal attack because you are incredibly stupid with a haughty attitude above your station and make bizzare shit up like convenient, false statistics and attribute quotes that belong to no one.

.

23 Dec 12 at 5:06 pm
Dot.
Perhaps Alice has a degree in political economy. That would explain a lot

Jc　

23 Dec 12 at 5:12 pm
Fleeced!
I hope you’re sorted real soon!
Merry Christmas and a happy and HEALTHY new year to you!

kae

23 Dec 12 at 5:13 pm
Ok Dot – whatever you say – Ill take that as intended as a personal attack!
I think that means you dont like me??

(will you lighten up?? I actually enjoy our discussions and arguments – dont take the fun away Dot. I just dont want to have an opinion the same as the left or the right on every single occasion. What good is that to anyone?. We have been stuck here for decades paddling the same extremes of left and right. Really it is so boring and its so unhelpful. There is NO SILVER BULLET. FA Hayek had it most right when he referred to the “great conceit” (of imagining that man can “design” an economy – or something like that).

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:13 pm
Sounds very scary, Fleeced. Hope you’ve insisted on every test known to science. Have a safe Chrissy and keep us informed.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 5:16 pm
Bad Boy Bubbyhiroto.

Pickles

23 Dec 12 at 5:16 pm
Fleeced

Take it gently and have a nice Xmas. Sorry to hear you havent been well lately.

I wish you strength and get well soon.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:16 pm
Ah geez, Fleeced that sucks! I wish you a very quick recovery and send heartfelt positive thoughts your way. Hope you’re on the mend soon, I have a good feeling that you will be though.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Hugs and kisses from me.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 5:18 pm
Alice, it was me, not Mk50, that made the currency devaluation comment.

In relation to that, do you think we should “pick winners” for specific industries when imposing your beloved tariffs?

If yes, which industries, and why?

If no, why not just devalue the currency, as it is the same thing?

2dogs

23 Dec 12 at 5:19 pm
Fleeced. Buddy.

I’m a little speechless

I wish everything will be okay and that you have a good Xmas

I’ve never prayed in my life but will say one for you

Best of luck

Jc　

23 Dec 12 at 5:19 pm
truthtold
“”social and economic justice”

Why thankyou but no.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:19 pm
You are incredibly stupid and have the airs and graces of someone much more educated, experienced and skilled than you until you start talking about the issues.

You are a disgrace. You are too stupid to understand there is a benefit for Australian firms having economies of scale for a market of billions as opposed to 22 million. Your reasoning is that this additional cost saving and income allows us to purchase an equal amount of goods equal to the gain with no loss in output – is bad because you equate C+I+G to C+I+G+X-M and ignore that we lose industries we don’t have comparative advantage in – and which hold back all other industries.

You have a putrid mind.

FA Hayek had it most right when he referred to the “great conceit” (of imagining that man can “design” an economy – or something like that).

No shit. Stop asking for a design, that is my point entirely.

You then go on to proclaim “we ought to do something” which involves industry policy.

Fuck. Head.

Dot.
Perhaps Alice has a degree in political economy. That would explain a lot

Yes it would. She is an illiterate, poorly read blow hard.

.

23 Dec 12 at 5:20 pm
JC – absent reply from Sinclair – that dried meat sounds like biltong. I love it, goes great with ice cold beer and is a very healthy snack as it’s high in protein. Of course the homemade stuff is better than shop bought but you can get biltong here from supermarkets and bottle shops.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 5:23 pm
JC

how can you eat a paper bag of dried meat?. Is this a South African thing?. Like Biltong?.(which is just delicious – thicker and chewier and tastier than beef jerky).??

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:25 pm
Thanks everyone, it was a bit of a shock… It still seems up in the air as to whether I have epilepsy or not… you’d think I’d know this already, being in my thirties, but I’ve never had a seizure before.

It was my first stay in a public hospital (aside from birth). An interesting experience.

There was a good lesson in free market economics (might as well try to make it relevant to the Cat): The hospital charges $9/night for FTA TV… Meanwhile, I could get access to 30 Foxtel channels over iPad 3G (through Telstra) for $3.75/week – and the streaming doesn’t even count towards traffic. (Not that I watched much – the attention span thing again).

Fleeced

23 Dec 12 at 5:26 pm
Bilong is delicious I agree Gab. Hard to find good makers now…alas.
Where do you get yours Gab?. Havent had it for ages.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:28 pm
You’ll be right Fleeced. Wally Lewis came good. So will you.

Pickles

23 Dec 12 at 5:31 pm
My neighbour has a biltong “oven”, where he dries out the strips of beef (after applying spices). It’s bloody delicious and as Gab said, great with a beer.

tbh

23 Dec 12 at 5:31 pm
Fleeced.

Just hang in there – you could have picked up a virus or something like that. I am sure they will get to the botton of it.
Take it gently and easy at Xmas (no chocs, no booze especially) till they know what is going on.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:32 pm
I wouldnt mind a bilting oven. How long does it keep?

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:33 pm
Fleeced! More Lambsey! Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. xxoo

I must say reading of your trials I couldn’t help laughing, it sounds like a comedy skit!

Let’s hope Alice doesn’t turn up with the bedpan!

Anne

23 Dec 12 at 5:33 pm
biltong that is…

Used to be a guy in St Ives made it beatifully. I dont think he is still there.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:33 pm
Best Wishes for the Festive Season and your own health and wellbeing, Fleeced – you’ll be fine, Squire.

Rabz

23 Dec 12 at 5:35 pm
Hey Fleeced
You must have given your neurologist a fright when you tumbled over in front of him! Anyway, you sound your usual smart self in your post so you must be over worst of it, but just take it easy for a bit, cheers, candy.

candy

23 Dec 12 at 5:36 pm
Anne

If I turned up with a bedpan these days someone would tell me I coulnt help the patient sit on it. (no touch policies). If I turned up to give a back rub someone would tell me I wasnt allowed to (no touch policies).

Nursing is F*****.

Aint the way I was taught.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:36 pm
Hope your back to your best real soon, Fleeced.

As a precaution I don’t want you showering alone for the foreseeable future.

Infidel Tiger

23 Dec 12 at 5:36 pm
Jo Nova has released a two-hour video detailing the unethical behaviour of the ABC when it sent a doco crew to discredit climate sceptics:

In the final version that went to air, not only did three of the four key sets of evidence that fuel our skepticism vanish, the editors split and diced sentences to make it appear that David said a sentence he never actually said. He doesn’t think the poorly sited thermometers show the “models were wrong” (we have much better evidence than that); that’s illogical and absurd. Everything I said of any substance was edited out (which I’m kinda proud of). They came all that way to watch me try to convince Anna Rose, then left me with 18 bland words. Perhaps what I discussed (and Anna’s weak replies) was too dangerous, not easy to mock, and they couldn’t ambush Nick Minchin with any experts that could debunk what I said?

Obviously Smith &Nasht were on a fishing trip here (funded by you and me). They were fishing for ways to discredit skeptics. In the end they had to resort to deleting 75% of the evidence, and 100% of my points.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 5:37 pm
Fleeced! I meant to say ‘poor’ Lambsey. Although ‘more’ works too. can never have too much of the Fleeced comments.
Have a lovely Xmas. xo

Anne

23 Dec 12 at 5:40 pm
Strange

I have a girlfriend who was a nurse and married a doctor (who she met when she nursed him in RNSH) and he forever after referred to her as “the best back rubber in B2 (name of ward).

Back rubs are gone (no touch policy of government because government is SCARED of being suued by some pateint claiming the nurse “molested them”.)

So now two people have top be present and they have to strap mechanical devices to people to lift them on a bedpan or up the bed when they slip down (lots of people slip down and cant get back up eg to eat etc when they are sick).

TRUE!! INSANE BUT TRUE!!

Its all about the legions of lawyers protecting the government and stuff the patients wellbeing.
Of all the thousands of nurses I ever knew none were patient molesters and most were very kind people.

Its the government that is unkind and covering their arses legally by depriving patients of decent care.

Its so wrong.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:43 pm
Get well soon Fleeced. A couple of my relatives have epilepsy and if it’s any consolation, they are able to manage it with the right treatment. Hang in there mate.

tbh

23 Dec 12 at 5:46 pm
Fleeced

Dont shower alone just yet I agree.

Make sure someone is with you most of the time till they figure it out. You can do damage falling over etc.
Could just be a virus, could be an undetected allergy, anything, but the worst thing is not knowing so leave that to the doc and the tests etc.
Just be careful baout being unaccompanied meanhwile….

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:48 pm
So sorry to hear of your ordeal, Fleeced.

I trust you’ll feel better soon and get some answers too.

Truly, I wish you a happy Christmas.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 5:49 pm
Best of luck on your health problem Fleeced.

And have a great Christmas!

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 5:52 pm
I mean, seriously, how can anyone take him seriously after that?

‘doctor’ craig emerson (for a doctor he claims to be) craving some serious attention action.

The single lowest point in national politics in a year of truly subterranean lows…

Rabz

23 Dec 12 at 5:53 pm
Fleeced
As for the neuro – he wasnt very quick on his feet or didnt have the right enviro did he – if you fell when he was present. I know these things can be unpredictable and difficult to manage but pretty poor effort there, given your diagnosis.

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 5:54 pm
I watched that Anna Rose/Nick Minchin with a non sceptic mate. He was appalled by the obvious editing and when I later told him the Nova/Evans portion was in fact 3 hours of footage he became pretty much a sceptic.

Thanks ABC for a convert to the cause.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 5:55 pm
Fleeced,

So sorry, and I do hope the fog has cleared and energy returned enough to celebrate Christmas. We are praying folks, so shall certainly pray for you and yours.

All the best.

Ellen of Tasmania

23 Dec 12 at 5:56 pm
Jeez Truthtold!!! Bewildering!

Anne

23 Dec 12 at 6:06 pm
So can quite a few viruses truthtold…

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 6:07 pm
Ah, I wondered why the IMF was so excited about Argentina faking up their inflation figures. I suspected it was about the bail out and…

From Tim Worstall:

No one gives a toss that Argentina is lying about its inflation rate. Well, except maybe the economists they’ve fined and ruined for calculating the real one. We’ve all put up with Cuba lying about everything for 60 years after all.

Except, except…..Argentina has issued index linked bonds as part of the 2001/2 debt restructuring. The interest paid depends on what the inflation rate is. If the government deliberately undercounts inflation then they get away with rooking the holders of those bonds.

Late January is the deadline. They’re toast.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 6:15 pm
Truthtold
I dont think it was the wrong thing to say – the fact is a lot of docs dont really know what causes adult onset seizures either – even after the tests have been done and that doesnt help either I know. It can run in families etc

Alice

23 Dec 12 at 6:20 pm
The Leg-over Man must figure his career is over – and now he has gone all Comical Ali on us. He must think people are as stupid as a Labor backbencher.

H B Bear

23 Dec 12 at 6:27 pm
Fleeced,
Best Wishes to you, colleague. Many years a go a mate had a similar experience just before his annual uni exams. Not so much physical damage, apart from dislocated shoulder, but it must have played hell with his exam performance. He went on to recover completely and had no further episodes. Another acquaintance was a regular sufferer from petit mal but has had a full and successful life – in fact quite a character.

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 6:47 pm
that looked bad, im SO SORRY ((embarrassed!!!)) omg i wasnt inferring anything about fleeced, i was agreeing with alice

i should shut up now, we had alot of wine with lunch……

truthtold
23 Dec 12 at 6:15 pm

Ha ha, you’re quite forgiven, I’m sure.
First of all, have another drink and toast the wit and wisdom of our friend Fleeced.
Secondly, you were ‘implying’ not ‘inferring’.
Third, NEVER agree with Alice. She’s nuts!
Merry Christmas everyone.

Anne

23 Dec 12 at 6:57 pm
that looked bad, im SO SORRY ((embarrassed!!!)) omg i wasnt inferring anything about fleeced

LOL… Quite alright.

Fleeced

23 Dec 12 at 7:07 pm
I hear that there’s to be a female Wiggle.
As far as The Big Bopper was concerned, there always was.

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 7:29 pm
All the very best wishes to you Fleeced, get well soon and have a great Christmas!s

Woolfe

23 Dec 12 at 7:33 pm
I must say that it is great to see both Fleeced and JamesK back and contributing.
To all the Cat regulars, a merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.
Well, not all actually.
To ~~Bad Boy Bubby~~ SfB and numbers, fuck off. Don’t come back either, your bullshit fake lives and brain damaged contrary posting is neither welcomed nor appreciated.
m0nty, please grow up a bit and engage in some meaningful dialogue rather than repeating the daily talking points ad nauseum.
To the rest of you, thank you for an enlightening and entertaining year, I look forward to it continuing in ’13.
Hopefully the new year will bring the change of government that we so desperately need.
A special mention too for Infidel Tiger. To you Sir, I say curse you for the many times that you have caused me to literally LOL and on occasion to have my mouthful of coffee be expressed explosively from my nostrils- please keep it up.

Huckleberry Chunkwot

23 Dec 12 at 7:51 pm
Huck – well said.

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 8:07 pm
You’re twisting my Melon, man!

Merry Christmas, Cats!

Rabz

23 Dec 12 at 8:26 pm
“To the rest of you, thank you for an enlightening and entertaining year, I look forward to it continuing in ’13.”

Happy Christmas, Hunky Huck.

candy

23 Dec 12 at 8:50 pm
That’s really serious if it’s true. M. Brough in a heap of trouble then. Unless Perrett is making it all up.

A bit ac/dc there Candy.

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 9:00 pm
Ah, I wondered why the IMF was so excited about Argentina faking up their inflation figures. I suspected it was about the bail out and…

They are dead meat as far as floating bonds in the Euro or US markets. I hope they aren’t able to issue another bond for the next 50 years.

Absolute bunch of fucking thieves.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 9:01 pm
Have a great time over the hols, Huckmeister. Look forward to your return in 2013.

Tom

23 Dec 12 at 9:05 pm
“A bit ac/dc there Candy.”

yeh I know. I would like to hear Mal Brough say the extent of his conversations and dealings with James Ashby and that he was endeavouring to be of assistance, etc. Saying nothing leads to all sorts of conjectures.
Why not just out with it.

candy

23 Dec 12 at 9:05 pm
You have doubts about who the good guys and the bad guys are?

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 9:06 pm
A special mention too for Infidel Tiger. To you Sir, I say curse you for the many times that you have caused me to literally LOL and on occasion to have my mouthful of coffee be expressed explosively from my nostrils- please keep it up.

Ha ha, so true. IT is far and away the wittiest contributor on this blog!

Anne

23 Dec 12 at 9:10 pm
This Brough thing is nothing more than Labor spite and payback.Hope they get charged with wasting police time when it’s done.

max49

23 Dec 12 at 9:13 pm
“You have doubts about who the good guys and the bad guys are?”

It wouldn’t hurt Mr Brough to be forthcoming. The ALP are going to go after him, perhaps he should state his case clearly?

candy

23 Dec 12 at 9:14 pm
I think you should state your case clearly.

blogstrop

23 Dec 12 at 9:16 pm
This has Albersleazy’s prints all over it.

max49

23 Dec 12 at 9:24 pm
I’m just a poor boy

I need no sympathy

Because I’m “easy come, easy go”

Little high, little low

Any way the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me, to me…

Rabz

23 Dec 12 at 9:30 pm
Reports that the hospital nurse had a record of mental illness and suicide attempts doesn’t sway me in the least from condemning the radio idiots. If anything, it highlights why it’s not a good idea to randomly humiliate people for the entertainment of your window-licking FM audience.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 9:47 pm
‘strop, I wouldn’t go so far as to say Ashby is one of the good guys.

He’s a whining idiot, IMO.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 9:49 pm
Anyone else having problems connecting to the site?

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 9:55 pm
Yes, Gab. It’s a spluttering, backfiring old heap this evening.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 9:57 pm
Anyone else having problems connecting to the site?

Yes, in the last 20 minutes or so.

jumpnmcar

23 Dec 12 at 9:57 pm
There was an update earlier today – that has been reversed.

Sinclair Davidson

23 Dec 12 at 9:59 pm
In the news today:

Man charged after Brisbane shooting.

Police seek man for NSW shooting.

So Howard’s gun laws are working a treat.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 10:01 pm
In my lifetime I can only recall 2 mass random shootings in Australia.

Strathfield Mall and Port Arthur ( I don’t include Hoddle st, that was targeted).

Is my memory porous?

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 10:21 pm
Actually I’ll include Hoddle street as number 3. He didn’t care which cops he killed so it’s random.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 10:24 pm
I see we have a new Craziest Man On Earth. Good job, NRA. Not much discussion about LaPierre’s bizarre brain explosion on the Cat though… did I miss Sinc deleting a swathe of objectionable posts? Or do you lot support this fruitbat?

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 10:39 pm
Item one:

When two men in traditional Middle Eastern dress sat down with the owner of a Bankstown restaurant recently, they were after only one thing.

At first they shared a hookah pipe and chatted amiably about religion, but the conversation quickly turned to extortion: they wanted $50,000 in exchange for ‘’protection’’.

The terrified restaurant owner told Fairfax Media they asked him a menacing question he was sure was rhetoric: ‘’Have you heard of Brothers 4 Life?’’

It’s a question many south-west Sydney communities are grappling with as the gang founded by the murderer Bassam Hamzy attempts to flex its muscles in Sydney again.

With shootings and gun crime reaching fever pitch, the group’s insignia of two crossed AK47 machine guns has appeared at crime scenes with increasing regularity.

On Wednesday, a handful of young men, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the ‘’B4L’’ logo, arrived at Owen Street in Punchbowl following the brutal execution of Bachir Arja, a petty criminal with drug links who was shot up to eight times on the front lawn of his mother’s house.

In October, Yehya Amoud was shot dead as he and a friend, Bassam Hijazi, sat on Greenacre Road in an expensive Mercedes that bore the number plate ‘’B F L’’. And in August, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the leg in a driveway scrawled with ‘’Brothers 4 Life’’ graffiti. T-shirts with the insignia could also be seen being worn by people who were among the crowd during the violent Muslim protest in Hyde Park in September.

Underworld sources said the group was on a recruitment drive looking for young Middle Eastern men who could act as foot soldiers and carry out drug runs and criminal acts in exchange for protection and power.

Wasn’t the second generation meant to assimilate into the community the way their parents understandably could not?

But on to the third item:

A father who took his son out for a bike ride has been stabbed by a gang of teenagers who wanted a turn on the bicycle, police say.

The 58-year-old man was with his son in a park in the southwest Sydney suburb of Canley Vale on Saturday evening when three teenagers, aged about 15, asked to borrow the boy’s bike.

Oh, and the detail provided by the police media release but unaccountably missing from the SMH website:

Investigators have been given only limited descriptions of the males involved, with all three having a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean appearance and aged around 15 years.

The census tells us there are more Buddhists than Muslims in this country. Yet I cannot find a single reference in today’s paper to Buddhist Australians behaving badly.

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/another_bright_day_in_multicultural_sydney/

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 10:41 pm
‘strop, I wouldn’t go so far as to say Ashby is one of the good guys.

He’s a whining idiot, IMO.

Agreed CL but if he was a female this would be different and if was Labor Slipper would be crucified..

max49

23 Dec 12 at 10:42 pm
LaPierre

Never heard of him.

Has he got hundreds of people killed with assault rifles – like Barack Obama?

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 10:45 pm
m0nty – the argument for or against guns is independent of the NRA and its president.

Sinclair Davidson

23 Dec 12 at 10:46 pm
I see we have a new Craziest Man On Earth. Good job, NRA. Not much discussion about LaPierre’s bizarre brain explosion on the Cat though… did I miss Sinc deleting a swathe of objectionable posts? Or do you lot support this fruitbat?

What has he said that made you devour 47 donuts in an hour because he made you angry, Fat boy,

I don’t want your summation of what he said. I want to see he direct quotes.

No eating while linking, you deranged fatball.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 10:51 pm
With shootings and gun crime reaching fever pitch, the group’s insignia of two crossed AK47 machine guns has appeared at crime scenes with increasing regularity.

Thank heavens for Australia’s strict gun laws!

Now it’s only Islamic louts who are armed.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 10:54 pm
Just dripping with sincerity:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-23/muslims-write-merry-christmas-in-sky-above-mosque/4441784

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 10:56 pm
m0nty – the argument for or against guns is independent of the NRA and its president.

That’s a cop out, Sinc. A few days ago several people here suggested arming US teachers like they do in Israel, and LaPierre has suggested the same thing as a solution to the problem. The reaction in America to this idea has been revulsion from all but far right-wingers. The only publications standing with LaPierre are the usual conservative base rabble-rousers.

The argument for guns is embodied by the NRA, and their CEO is currently a reviled figure for espousing policy views shared by wingnuts on this site. It would not be surprising if you lot chose to ignore this rebuff to your world view, but it would be gutless.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:00 pm
The above link at 11:00pm includes the text of what LaPierre said, BTW.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:01 pm
An astonishing analysis from Reuters, via Instapundit:

The federal government has emerged as one of the most potent factors driving income inequality in the United States – especially in the nation’s capital.

In the town that launched the War on Poverty 48 years ago, the poor are getting poorer despite the government’s help. And the rich are getting richer because of it…

Massachusetts boasts the country’s finest public education system, but that has failed to slow a sharp increase in the income divide. Indiana has revamped the state’s welfare system, but the number of people in poverty has soared. And in the District of Columbia, the federal government’s hand in rising inequality is visible locally and nationwide.

http://www.reuters.com/subjects/income-inequality/washington

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:04 pm
LaPierre wants – and this is an old NRA pitch that has been comprehensively debunked – an armed police officer in each of the 130,000 or so American schools.

I call on Congress today to act immediately, to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every school, and to do it now, to make sure that blanket of safety is in place when our children return to school in January.

Oh I get it now, Fat Boy. I had to go searching for it on the web.

He’s crazed, according to a fat dickhead like you because he’s made the claim that there schools ought to be protected from crazy nutballs.

Okay then, lets try some lateral thinking here bozo. If you disagree with LaPierre’s comments you must also oppose senior public officials having a retinue of armed guards protecting them. So from now on I would expect you and every other rancid leftwing douchebag to publicly oppose say the Kenyan and the lying slapper having armed guards protecting them.

Armed guards in front of parliament, the Congress, the White House, the high and supreme courts, the Lodge…. no more armed protection… right fat boy.

And anyone proposing such acts ought to be classified as crazies..

And by the way, you douchebag every Jewish school in Australia has armed protection at the gates.. for obvious reasons I won’t go into. They shouldn’t according to you, yea?

Fuck off and go eat a couple of Xmas donuts.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:05 pm
Monty, how come you support Obama being defended by armed guards but not children?

GO!

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:06 pm
The forecast maxima for Christmas Day through New Years Eve in Perth are all 37C to 39C. Global warming!

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:06 pm
Going to be a lovely 22 deg.C in Melb on Christmas Day. Gosh that carbon dioxide tax really works eh?

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:11 pm
m0nty he is the Deputy President of the NRA.

And he has a fair point, if there are so many damaged people about perhaps guns at Primary Schools would be a good idea. I disagree, but he has a point.

m0nty I listed earlier the mass shootings I recall in Australia could you add to them?

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:12 pm
Monty, how come you support Obama being defended by armed guards but not children?

What a moronic argument, advanced only by fools.

CL, how come you support Obama being defended by armed guards but not children in shopping centres, playgrounds, sporting fields, national forests, public toilets and the ocean? Why aren’t you advocating for an armed guard to be assigned to each and every child in the United States of America at all times? Do you not value their safety? Do you hate children and/or kitties and/or the Constitution and/or God? Are you, in fact, Satan? Well are you? ARE YOU?!

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:13 pm
The argument for guns is embodied by the NRA, and their CEO is currently a reviled figure for espousing policy views shared by wingnuts on this site.

First off, you ought to be the last fucking person on earth to be talking about people’s appearance – calling them wingnuts.

Look at yourself.

And just who is LaPierre reviled by… the far left lesbian, Rachael Meddow? Gee I bet he is unable to go to sleep at night.

Moron, he’d be doing something really wrong if he wasn’t hated by her and her types.

It would not be surprising if you lot chose to ignore this rebuff to your world view, but it would be gutless.

Fuck head, tell us what you would like to see done that would have prevented the death of the 20 kids and 6 adults shot in cold blood by an unspeakable loon.

Bullet point form please (no pun intended)

And by the way you can’t ignore the US Constitution.

Go!

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:13 pm
LaPierre wants – and this is an old NRA pitch that has been comprehensively debunked – an armed police officer in each of the 130,000 or so American schools.

Why not? I thought lefties loved Keynesian make-work schemes. They certainly insist on armed guards at abortion clinics. (The irony, it burns).

Just abolish the ATF to pay for it. No problem.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:14 pm
Monty, how come you support Obama being defended by armed guards but not children?

What a moronic argument, advanced only by fools.

Answer the question, donut boy. That leftist swill to avoid a question leftwing stooges don’t like won’t work here.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:15 pm
25 and possible showers in Sydney. It’s never all that hot on Christmas.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:15 pm
We’ll try again, waving away the ad hom flatulence…

Monty, how come you support Obama being defended by armed guards but not children?

GO!

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:17 pm
I don’t see what all the fuss is about. After Columbine armed guards were employed by many schools. It didn’t appear to be a big deal then.

Also, as has been shown here a number of times, crime rates, including murders, are declining whilst gun ownership is increasing.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:17 pm
Oh. A Hawks fan.

I didn’t know.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:17 pm
And just who is LaPierre reviled by

Christie and Bloomberg were notable GOP critics.

tell us what you would like to see done that would have prevented the death of the 20 kids and 6 adults shot in cold blood by an unspeakable loon.

A Howard-style ban, buyback and mass meltdown of assault weapons would have been a great start.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:18 pm
“I don’t even know where to begin. As a supporter of the Second Amendment and a supporter of the NRA — even though I’m not a member of the NRA — I just found it very haunting and very disturbing that our country now is talking about arming our teachers and our principals in classrooms,”—Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican Party

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:19 pm
Why aren’t you advocating for an armed guard to be assigned to each and every child in the United States of America at all times?

Because it’s very difficult going around shooting one kid at a time to reach 20 or the numbers found in class rooms.

Now answer my question and CL’s, Fat boy.

One other thing fat boy, Jewish schools in Australia have armed guards stationed at the front of the schools while school is in. I’ve never heard any leftwing rotund fat head like you oppose that. Do you? Ummm

It’s not at though it’s a new, new thing.

Fat boy, you’re always up on the latest leftwing talking points when you show up here and then get beaten to a pulp. It’s actually funny.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:19 pm
A Howard-style ban, buyback and mass meltdown of assault weapons would have been a great start.

What an excellent idea. It sure has stopped drive-bys and shootings in Australia. And fer sure, banning guns will stop criminals from obtaining guns. uh-huh.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:20 pm
A Howard-style ban, buyback and mass meltdown of assault weapons would have been a great start.

Mass assault rifles are already banned in the US. And by the way, fat boy, even adjusted for population there are now far less mass killings in the US then there were in the 80′s when gun laws were laxer.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:21 pm
“I don’t even know where to begin.
….
talking about arming our teachers and our principals in classrooms,”—Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican Party

Your GOP spokespeople are a bit…lets just say RINO.

I will never agree with Nanny Bloomberg who I think is Independant but am happy to agree with Michael Steele.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:23 pm
Christie and Bloomberg were notable GOP critics.

And why is Bloomberg a voice of reason. The insufferably short Major of NYC has an army of armed guards protecting him 24/7 and I bet the number wouldn’t fall when he’s no longer major… god willing.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:24 pm
Dunblane.

m0nty please respond to this one.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:25 pm
I will never agree with Nanny Bloomberg who I think is Independant but am happy to agree with Michael Steele.

The insufferable dwarf (Bloomberg) was never a Republican in the real sense. He’s always been a demorat.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:25 pm
ad hom

Evidently, CL, you are too dumb to understand my point.

You are using the deranged Cold War logic of mutually assured destruction. If teachers are armed and loons are not disarmed, then the loon will not go to school to commit their massacres. They will go to a playground, or a swimming pool, or a beach, or to a sporting field. Do you propose to have armed guards at any place that young people congregate? And why would you limit this policy to large gatherings of people, isn’t a single life just as worthy of saving from bloodcrazed killers? Why do you oppose saving a lone child’s life, you heartless bastard? Etc etc.

As with MAD and the Cold War arms race, the long term solution is not to keep arming to ever more multifarious levels of lethality. Disarmament is the solution.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:27 pm
Because it’s very difficult going around shooting one kid at a time to reach 20 or the numbers found in class rooms.

I see JC, so you’re okay with individual kids dying from bullet wounds, it’s just 20 at a time you draw the line at. Nice morality you have there.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:29 pm
As with MAD and the Cold War arms race, the long term solution is not to keep arming to ever more multifarious levels of lethality. Disarmament is the solution

Dunblane m0nty.

Respond to this one.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:30 pm
The mOron. Turned on by high temperatures and the murder of children. Keeping it classy

Tiny Dancer

23 Dec 12 at 11:31 pm
As with MAD and the Cold War arms race, the long term solution is not to keep arming to ever more multifarious levels of lethality. Disarmament is the solution.

You fucking idiot. MAD, as the leftwing called it saved the West from possible Soviet annihilation. It was because of the resolve of the US administration to re-arm to the teeth that caused the evil sovs to declare defeat.

The only people calling for unilateral disarmament were leftwing lunatics and evil monsters aligned to the sovs.

We won and we won because we did the opposite of disarm.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:32 pm
the Cold War arms race,

Moronic comparison. monty believes the criminal element will sign a pact to disarm. Logic fail. Human behaviour fail.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:33 pm
The American left love their guns – when it comes to the important business of, wait for it, killing children:

Abortion Clinics Tighten Security — Doctors Wear Bulletproof Vests; Armed Guards Are Commonplace.

As abortion doctor Brian Finkel drives to his clinic in Phoenix each day, he wears a bulletproof vest and carries a Colt .45-caliber revolver with sights that glow in the dark.

When he gets to work, where he keeps a military helmet in a closet, Finkel straps a 9 mm pistol to his waist. His receptionists are armed with a baseball bat, electronic stun gun and pepper spray.

Abortion providers around the country moved to increase security yesterday after last week’s deadly violence at two Massachusetts clinics.

Finkel plans to install bulletproof glass in his clinic’s front windows and get police to pass by more often. Other clinic operators hired armed guards, ordered bulletproof vests and installed metal detectors.

But armed guards for non-killed children: no way!

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:33 pm
I see JC, so you’re okay with individual kids dying from bullet wounds, it’s just 20 at a time you draw the line at. Nice morality you have there.

Say that to my face trying to deliberately distort what I’m saying and I would deck you, Fat Boy… I wouldn’t stop either if you were knocked out or fell to the ground.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:34 pm
We’ll try again one more time…

Monty, how come you support Obama being defended by armed guards but not children?

GO!

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:35 pm
Jewish schools in Australia have armed guards stationed at the front of the schools while school is in. I’ve never heard any leftwing rotund fat head like you oppose that.

What does that prove, JC? If they hadn’t been there, would there have been any mass shootings at Jewish schools? Were there ever any anti-semitic shootings of Jewish kids in Australia?

Personally, I don’t want to live like those in Israel do. If anyone did a poll, I’d guess a policy to arm teachers with submachine guns would get asterisks here.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:36 pm
His receptionists are armed with a baseball bat, electronic stun gun and pepper spray.

And that’s just for the unborn babies.

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:36 pm
When I drive past a couple of Jewish schools which I do frequently and see the armed guards protecting the kids, I’m saddened that their parents feel threatened enough by what we’ve imported here to take such action.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:38 pm
Monty, do you agree with Democrats and Planned Parenthood that all American abortion clinics should have armed guards?

C.L.

23 Dec 12 at 11:38 pm
Dunblane m0nty.

Respond to this one.

Make a point, DaveF. What do you think Dunblane proves or disproves?

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:39 pm
What does that prove, JC?

It proves that La Pierre’s comments are actually not stupid, not rancid and certainly not off beam as Jewish schools have been practicing this form of protection for about as long as 911.

But in all that time I’ve never heard or read leftwing trollops oppose that. Only now but by default.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:41 pm
So many questions fat boy, but no answers.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:42 pm
1990: one Jewish residential college in Sydney and two synagogues in Melbourne were firebombed, an additional Melbourne synagogue was set on fire.
1991: A number of Jewish institutions were firebombed, including: Jewish Kindergarten in Melbourne; Sephardi Synagogue in Sydney; North Shore Synagogue in Sydney; Bankstown Synagogue in Sydney; and Illawarra Synagogue in South Sydney.
1993: Illawarra Synagogue was again firebombed.
1995: an arson attack was committed at a synagogue in Melbourne
1998: an explosive device was placed in the mailbox of a synagogue in Sydney, however it failed to detonate.
2000: an explosive device was defused at a synagogue in Bondi. Firebombs were thrown into private residences of rabbis and at synagogues in Canberra and Sydney on numerous occasions.
2001: shots were fired at a Jewish building in Perth.
2002: authorities intercepted a plot by an overseas terror group to attack a Jewish community centre in Melbourne.
2006: Parrammatta Synagogue was twice attacked, with concrete blocks thrown at the door and projectiles thrown through the windows. There was also an attempted arson attack on Mizrachi Synagogue in Bondi, with oil-soaked logs being thrown at the building.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:42 pm
Moronic comparison. monty believes the criminal element will sign a pact to disarm.

Don’t you lot always go on about the coercive power of the state? Law enforcement does not require consensus from criminals.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:43 pm
And idiots like monty wonder why Jewish schools employ armed guards to protect the kids.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:44 pm
It proves that La Pierre’s comments are actually not stupid, not rancid and certainly not off beam as Jewish schools have been practicing this form of protection for about as long as 911.

We don’t all need to live as if we’re in a guerrilla war zone.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:46 pm
Personally, I don’t want to live like those in Israel do.

No one is Fat Boy. As far as I know you aren’t Jewish nor have Jewish kids as you’re still a virgin anyways.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:47 pm
Figures released by Do Something! founder John Dee show the average household bins $1036 of food yearly, about four million tonnes in total across the country.

Wow.

And the site Do Something! is sponsored by a lobby group.

And the lobby group is funded by Corporate Social Responsibility money.

Fair dinkum I need a downstream gig like that.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:51 pm
We don’t all need to live as if we’re in a guerrilla war zone.

Fat boy,

We don’t and most Americans don’t either.

Every time there is one of these incidences leftwingers always want to disarm those people that didn’t commit the crime.

The leftwing argument goes something like this… Fat boy gets drunk, drives his car into a bunch of people. I’m at home in bed and the cops show up wanting to take my drivers license away.

JC

23 Dec 12 at 11:51 pm
Principals and Teachers Who Carry Guns at School

“About 28,300 schools have armed security”.

Gab

23 Dec 12 at 11:54 pm
Monty, do you agree with Democrats and Planned Parenthood that all American abortion clinics should have armed guards?

I feel like we’re getting off topic here a little.

Yes, Jewish buildings get attacked. Jewish community leaders deem it necessary to employ armed guards. It’s a free country, they can do that in their religious schools if they like.

This does not mean that everyone else should accept living like that. We are not in implacable detente with an enemy nation on our doorsteps. We’re talking about our own mentally ill citizens here, not alien guerrilla fighters.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:54 pm
Every time there is one of these incidences leftwingers always want to disarm those people that didn’t commit the crime.

Adam Lanza’s mother didn’t commit the crime. But if she had been disarmed, maybe the massacre wouldn’t have happened.

m0nty

23 Dec 12 at 11:58 pm
Make a point, DaveF. What do you think Dunblane proves or disproves?

The UK has pretty strict gun laws and a massacre at a school occurred. His guns were legal. Was it 12? 15? It was certainly a barbaric number. 1997 or so.

My point is the one I make to anyone who used to own a gun but is opposed to them now “So, how many people did you murder with yours?”.

DaveF

23 Dec 12 at 11:59 pm
But if she had been disarmed, maybe the massacre wouldn’t have happened.

You don’t know that. From all accounts what he did was premeditated and not just opportunistic. He could have purchased a second hand gun illegally or stolen a gun like he did from his mother.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:00 am
Fat boy

The evil little fuck killed 26 people. With that sort of motivation, you’re actually telling us that he wouldn’t have purchased guns illegally… you know because it was against the law.

hahahahahhahahahahahaha

Only a leftwing idiot would think like that.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 12:02 am
Here’s what this so-called “nutter” said:

And here’s another dirty little truth that the media try their best to conceal: There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people.

Through vicious, violent video games with names like Bulletstorm,
Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and Splatterhouse. And here’s one:
it’s called Kindergarten Killers. It’s been online for 10 years. How come
my research department could find it and all of yours either couldn’t or
didn’t want anyone to know you had found it?

Then there’s the blood-soaked slasher films like “American Psycho”
and “Natural Born Killers” that are aired like propaganda loops on
“Splatterdays” and every day, and a thousand music videos that
portray life as a joke and murder as a way of life. And then they have
the nerve to call it “entertainment.”

But is that what it really is? Isn’t fantasizing about killing people as a
way to get your kicks really the filthiest form of pornography?

In a race to the bottom, media conglomerates compete with one
another to shock, violate and offend every standard of civilized
society by bringing an ever-more-toxic mix of reckless behavior and
criminal cruelty into our homes — every minute of every day of
every month of every year.

Whoa, what a “nutter” damning the violent american pop culture…just like leftists do every other day.

In fact he sounds exactly like Hillary Clinton used to when she was trying to ban violent video games.

twostix

24 Dec 12 at 12:03 am
In Australia his Mum would have had the pistols I think. Locked up, but the son would know where the key was.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 12:03 am
My point is the one I make to anyone who used to own a gun but is opposed to them now “So, how many people did you murder with yours?”.

Another dumb argument.

“Have you murdered anyone? Have you? No? How about you? Well then… why do we have murder laws anyway?”

Just because you and I haven’t broken any major laws lately, doesn’t mean we should abandon the legal system, or roll it back, or lose our bottle about applying it.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:03 am
In fact he sounds exactly like Hillary Clinton used to when she was trying to ban violent video games.

And fat Algore’s wife who appeared in front of the congressional committee with Hillary.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 12:05 am
You don’t know that.

That’s why I said “maybe”, Gab.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:07 am
and maybe pigs can fly.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:08 am
Another dumb argument.

“Have you murdered anyone? Have you? No? How about you? Well then… why do we have murder laws anyway?”

C’mon mate. It’s a real question. Ownership of guns isn’t a precurser of mass murder was my point.

Dunblane was committed under strict gun laws.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 12:10 am
The evil little fuck killed 26 people. With that sort of motivation, you’re actually telling us that he wouldn’t have purchased guns illegally… you know because it was against the law.

His mother purchased those assault weapons and taught him how to use them, like she was Sarah Connor, enabled by lax gun laws. If there was a ban, that whole storyline in their lives would have remained as fiction.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:13 am
His mother purchased those assault weapons and taught him how to use them, like she was Sarah Connor, enabled by lax gun laws. If there was a ban, that whole storyline in their lives would have remained as fiction.

Bans don’t stop people from getting guns and murdering others.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:14 am
M0nty is back on his favourite topic.

“Ooooh leftist Journalists who despise the NRA said bad things about the NRA! OMG WE WIN! Now let me regurgitate their “clever” talking points and insults here like I came up with them myself.”

-says m0nty.

twostix

24 Dec 12 at 12:19 am
C’mon mate. It’s a real question. Ownership of guns isn’t a precurser of mass murder was my point.

Dunblane was committed under strict gun laws.

Gun massacres are predicated on ownership of guns. There is no good reason for guns to be owned for any purpose other than hunting, and even then it’s dubious (buy a steak from the supermarket ffs).

The UK has 1/40th the rate of gun homicides to the US. An excellent argument for stricter gun laws, I’d say.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:27 am
This does not mean that everyone else should accept living like that. We are not in implacable detente with an enemy nation on our doorsteps. We’re talking about our own mentally ill citizens here, not alien guerrilla fighters.

“we”, “our own”?

You do realise you live in Australia don’t you m0nty? You’re not an American. Are you mentally ill or do you just copy and paste this shit from the comment sections of Daily KOS and DU?

twostix

24 Dec 12 at 12:32 am
There is no good reason for guns to be owned for any purpose other than hunting, and even then it’s dubious (buy a steak from the supermarket ffs).

So you totally agree with CL then: abortion doctors should be banned from carrying guns.

Good show.

twostix

24 Dec 12 at 12:35 am
Bans don’t stop people from getting guns and murdering others.

They certainly decrease the numbers. You can’t prevent crime completely Gab, this is not the world of the Minority Report. You’re applying an impossible standard.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:44 am
You do realise you live in Australia don’t you m0nty? You’re not an American.

We were talking about Jewish schools in Australia, weren’t we? Try to read before you post, 26.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:45 am
Monty you said:

If there was a ban, that whole storyline in their lives would have remained as fiction.

and then you said:

You can’t prevent crime completely Gab, this is not the world of the Minority Report. You’re applying an impossible standard.

Perhaps you have a sugar rush or something as you were the one stating bans would have prevented this latest massacre.
At least try to be honest in your arguments, and if you can’t do that at least remember what you said and be consistent instead of jumping around like a three-legged goat stung by a bee.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:50 am
I said you can’t prevent crime completely, but maybe this one crime could have been prevented. If you have trouble parsing that statement, Gab, your lack of comprehension skills is your problem.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:52 am
An excellent argument for stricter gun laws, I’d say.

FBI statistics show murder and crime rates have fallen consistently while gun ownership has increased in the same period since 1980. I’d say that’s an excellent argument for leaving guns laws alone.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:52 am
Your disingenuous is on show again, monty.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:53 am
Try to speak in complete English sentences, Gab.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:55 am
If there was a ban, that whole storyline in their lives would have remained as fiction.

You brought up the ban and now you’re backpedaling. You have no real argument just emotion. Try to be a little rational occasionally.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 12:59 am
Gun massacres are predicated on ownership of guns.

No they aren’t. That’s both stupid and a lie.

There is no good reason for guns to be owned for any purpose other than hunting, and even then it’s dubious (buy a steak from the supermarket ffs).

Bullshit. there are plenty of good reasons to own guns.. ask about the American freedom fighters before the war of indep and the attempt by the British to disarm people.

The UK has 1/40th the rate of gun homicides to the US. An excellent argument for stricter gun laws, I’d say.

And the white anglos in the US also have about the same murder rate.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 12:59 am
Serial killers plan their attacks; it’s not an impulsive thing. If you could remove the availability of the guns from serial killers in America – which you can’t outside of America, so how could you do it in America? – the outcome would probably look more like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuhBdHc8Nqs

Even if you could succeed in disarming somebody who wants to kill you, it doesn’t mean they still don’t want to kill you. And, generally, where there’s a will there’s a way.

And if you believe that people overwhelmingly don’t want to kill you but, in fact, are more likely to use their powers for good, it doesn’t seem like common sense to embark on mission to disempower them.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 1:00 am
PRIVATE Labor Party polling shows the Gillard Government has suffered a swing against it of 5 per cent in regional Victoria and outer-metropolitan Melbourne.

The leaked results of polling by UMR Research last month in the Labor-held seats of Bendigo and McEwen shows the ALP’s primary vote has fallen 8 per cent since the 2010 election.

In two-party terms, it is down 5 per cent in Bendigo and 6 per cent in McEwen.

It would make both seats marginal in next year’s election and force Labor to spend scarce resources to protect them.

And if the swing against the ALP was uniform, the knife-edge seats of Corangamite, Deakin and LaTrobe would fall to the Coalition.

It could also mean seats such as Chisholm, Bruce and Melbourne Ports would be in what one party figure called “the danger zone”, although likely to be retained.

Sources said the two main issues of concern identified by voters in the polling were the carbon tax and Julia Gillard’s leadership.

Oh? How can this be…she’s..she’s so popular as a “leader”. LOL.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/primary-vote-drop-hits-labor-seats-in-regional-victoria-and-outer-metropolitan-melbourne/story-e6frg6n6-1226542705487

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 1:02 am
The UK has 1/40th the rate of gun homicides to the US. An excellent argument for stricter gun laws, I’d say.

The UK had about the same overall murder rate as it does today when it had the same gun laws as the US. That was less than 100 years ago. It’s a remarkable phenomenon, but it’s not due to gun laws.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 1:03 am
You brought up the ban and now you’re backpedaling.

No, I said that if there was a ban on assault weapons, it would have been highly unlikely (though not impossible) that Lanza’s mother would have turned him into a killing machine using assault weapons. She pretty much would have had to be Sarah Connor, on the lam as a criminal. Terminator 2 is just a movie, Gab.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:05 am
LOl “assault weapons” such emotion; such lack of knowledge about the facts. Keep peddling, monty, it’s good exercise.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 1:07 am
Gun massacres are predicated on ownership of guns.

No they aren’t. That’s both stupid and a lie.

Gun massacres require guns, JC. Someone has to own the gun/s. Not necessarily the shooter, but someone.

there are plenty of good reasons to own guns.. ask about the American freedom fighters before the war of indep and the attempt by the British to disarm people.

Hmm okay, I’ll just go and… oh wait, they have all been dead for hundreds of years. You’re such a moron, JC. You’d be one of the first against the wall when the revolution comes, a bloodsucking carpetbagger with no use to society. Typical pissweak chickenhawk.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:11 am
Just for future reference, Gab:

- pedalling refers to riding bikes;
- peddling refers to selling things.

Did you not have a full education, or were you present at class and just didn’t listen?

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:14 am
LOL monty only has abuse and insults left. Nothing else. nada. Typical.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 1:15 am
Not sure what an ‘assault weapon’ is, but I’m assuming it’s usually going to be a semi-automatic rifle of some kind. Per capita, the number of Americans killed with these weapons would probably be lower than the number of people murdered in Australia by being beaten and kicked to death:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/if-you-want-to-end-gun-deaths-dont-start-with-rifles/article/2516536#.UNcQWqV1RAS

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 1:15 am
I have education, Gab. You need some.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:16 am
You’d be one of the first against the wall when the revolution comes, a bloodsucking carpetbagger with no use to society. Typical pissweak chickenhawk.

There, there, Monty. Let it all out when you’re at your next men’s drumming circle.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 1:25 am
Monty addresses CL’s question about the Dems and Planned Parenthood’s support for armed guards at abortion ‘clinics’ by talking about Jewish schools and Jewish leaders. Incredible.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 1:39 am
You’re such a moron, JC.

No I’m not, you fat overeating pig. You are.

You’d be one of the first against the wall when the revolution comes, a bloodsucking carpetbagger with no use to society. Typical pissweak chickenhawk.

Would I now.
A bloodsucker is an asshat like you who lost all his investors money in that failed venture called ausbone (ausboned more like it) and then boasts about how much money he has made from another venture, forgetting to make the previous investors whole on what they lost. That’s you Fat boy, you pig.

Sell that website of yours and make those people whole, you fat boastful loser. That’s what I would do, but then you’re not me.

Thank David J for telling us all about you.

Hmm okay, I’ll just go and… oh wait, they have all been dead for hundreds of years.

Yep, oppressive governments can’t ever happen here or any western country. That could have only heppened 300 years ago. Try Germany in the 30′s fuckface. As for here, lets talk about Finkelsteining free speech, you supersized rotund dickhead… something you’ve supported.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:45 am
Fleeced, sorry to hear about your illness of the last month. I hope it all clears up soon. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 1:46 am
I have education, Gab. You need some.

Lol…You failed first year economics dickhead and then ended up at J school. hahahahahaha

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:46 am
Number of Privately Owned Firearms
The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Saudi Arabia is 6,000,000

Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population
The rate of private gun ownership in Saudi Arabia is 35.02 firearms per 100 people

Number of Privately Owned Firearms – World Ranking
In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Saudi Arabia ranked at No. 16

Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population – World Ranking
In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 179 countries, Saudi Arabia ranked at No. 7

Yes, fascinating. I hardly think it’s accurate, however, to say ordinary people in Saudi Arabia have RPGs, which was the assertion I was commenting on.

There have been a lot of stats tossed around since the shooting. If the stats you cite are accurate (factoring in 150 year old jezzails and other academic pieces) I would say it’s a testament to the Saudis that gun crime is extremely rare.

In any case, what I wrote was correct. While (as in any country) people possess illegal weapons and some may legitimately have longs in rural areas, the fact is that you can only buy air rifles, legally, at present. (I have actually asked in gun stores in Riyadh, when I have visited). Separately, a law was considered recently for handgun possession for ordinary folk, but was canned. If small arms were available, every idiot would indeed buy one. They are, after all, fun toys.

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 2:24 am
Of course, to add, black market small arms are available across the Gulf. (Especially Kuwait due to inter-tribal smuggling from Iraq.) But i was commenting on the law and the fact that you will getyour Jatz crackers in a vice if caught with a pistol in KSA and UAE. Oh, and the idea that RPGs are sitting in people’s homes in the Gulf.

Mk50, what job brought you int contact with so many Saudis? Were you in training at DOD?

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 2:29 am
National Agony Aunt, Jeff Kennett, will soon be officially feeling sorry for 3 year-olds:

ONE in 10 children under five experiences mental health problems, a landmark study has found, with early intervention by childcare staff proving to have a significant impact.

The Flinders University study, funded by the federal government and Beyondblue, assessed the mental health of more than 5000 children at 111 childcare centres in urban, remote and rural areas over two years.

C.L.

24 Dec 12 at 3:18 am
Potemkin’s Village

A David Marr quinella:

1. For some the creative process is… here

2. The ABC broadcasts… here

For the record, he is free to shove what he likes up his nose or up his arse and I am equally free to make sport of him

Grigory Potemkin

24 Dec 12 at 3:46 am
Stand by for an outbreak of mental illness on the Australian left:

PRINCE Harry has killed his first Taliban commander, The Sun can reveal.

The 28-year-old gunship co-pilot was called on to unleash a missile strike to eliminate a senior terror leader.

Harry has proved a massive hit with comrades in Helmand, Afghanistan, who have nicknamed him Big H.

A defence insider said: “Big H is a legend.

“We were on patrol and the Apache helicopters were called in. We heard this posh voice come over the radio and knew it was Big H. They were tracking a Taliban leader — he was commander level.

“The Apache then let off some Hellfire missiles and its 30mm cannon and ‘boom’. It was Big H all the way.”

The Sun understands the decisive strike occurred in late October during a partnered patrol with Afghan troops hunting the Taliban chief.

Gunship co-pilot Harry is on tour in Helmand and has been flying daily combat missions helping “troops in contact” — the code given when ground forces are engaged by enemy fighters.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 6:54 am
Repeatedly we hear that gun lobbies have too much power, both here and in the USA. We are told this by the same people who are quite happy to see the nation’s policies warped by Green lobbies, or who point to polls to tell us that some point of view has popular support.
But when gun owners vote, their vote is somehow less valid than those of the greens and the homosexual lobbyists.
I see that you’ve had your time wasted in arguing with that flotsam calling itself monty again. What a shame.

Blogstrop

24 Dec 12 at 6:55 am
Speaking of mental illness, this is one of the top stories at ShakeMyHead.com this morning.

THE Trade Minister, Craig Emerson, says a surplus this financial year is still possible, despite the admission last week by the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, that it was unlikely Labor would be able to deliver on its promise to balance the budget.

”I have not ruled out, and nor should anyone rule out the possibility of a surplus in 2012-13,” Dr Emerson told Sky News.

”There are good things going on in the economy,” he said, citing an improving outlook in car sales, housing and retail.

”I’m not saying a surplus looks likely in 2012-13, but nor should that throw us off the path of pursuing a surplus.”

Dr Emerson said the budget would return to surplus in 2013-14 if these positive trends were sustained.

ShakeMyHead.com refers to the Slapper’s former root as “doctor” for extra comic effect. He will, of course, always be known as The Singing-Dancing Fruitloop.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 7:07 am
Prince Harry for British PM!

Alex Pundit

24 Dec 12 at 8:08 am
Monty:

That’s a cop out, Sinc. A few days ago several people here suggested arming US teachers like they do in Israel, and LaPierre has suggested the same thing as a solution to the problem. The reaction in America to this idea has been revulsion from all but far right-wingers. The only publications standing with LaPierre are the usual conservative base rabble-rousers.

The usual,hysteria and lies. Teachers in Utah have been carrying concealed for years, for example. See the links I’ve already posted (Correia trains tehm for no cost). Monty, if you only go to far-left sites, you get a wildly distoruted view of teh USA.

Which is why you do it, of course…

Mk50 of Brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 8:25 am
Monty the Ignorant:

A Howard-style ban,

unconstitutional in teh USA

buyback and mass meltdown of assault weapons

That’s a lot of sticks, clubs, fists and knives, blubberball! Oh, you mean assualt RIFLE… Sorry, Monty the Ignorant, selectabe fully automatic weapons (which is what an ‘assault rifle’ is) have been illegal since 1934 in the USA under most state legislations (the machine gun ban) and are illegal now. So you’d be re-banning something already banned twice. Semi-automatic firearms (nearly every pistol in the world is such – yes a wheelgun is semi automatic) are the standard.

You are calling for civil war,aren’t you? You want the unarmed (only 40% of US Democrats own firearms) to go to war with the armed – what an emotive fascist you are.

would have been a great start.

Yeah, like it worked so well here, eh? The only people with semi-auto rifles in Sydney are the islamist gangs!

Mk50 of Brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 8:39 am
This has all the hallmarks of classic leftwing mental illness:

No sooner have predictions of one Mayan apocalypse passed by without incident, another has surfaced to keep the doomsday faithful believing.

Just two days after the much-anticipated end of the world failed to materialise, one historian has re-ignited the debate by claiming that Armageddon could come tomorrow instead.

Many apocalypse believers were left red-faced when the December 21 date they so publicly announced as the end went without a hitch.

But Nikolai Grube, a leading expert in Mesoamerican advanced civilisations from the University of Bonn, believes interpretations of the Mayan calendar may actually be off by a few days.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 8:44 am
Unhinged radio woman Robyn bailey getting worked up about “some men” at a newspaper naming black caviar Sportswoman of the Year.

Another human being unable to see the bigger picture.

Dan

24 Dec 12 at 8:51 am
Tim Dunlop put in his place in Cut and Paste

A book for Tim Dunlop? Wikipedia:

MR Nobody is the 47th book in the Mr Men series by Roger Hargreaves (also the author of the Little Miss series). Mr Happy finds somebody who is nobody. Mr Nobody is literally not much of a person.

duncanm

24 Dec 12 at 8:55 am
Still on the subject of mental illness, the zombie media’s refusal to cover the story of Prince Harry killing Taliban from his chopper in Afghanistan is hilarious. It’s all over the Fleet Street press, but The Guardian won’t run a line about it until it can be given a disapproving spin from one of its in-house hand-wringers. Likewise, Fairfax refuses to acknowledge the story even though it’s leading the Sydney Daily Tele website. And they wonder why they’re going broke.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 9:00 am
John Mc:

Not sure what an ‘assault weapon’ is, but I’m assuming it’s usually going to be a semi-automatic rifle of some kind.

The term is widely and hysterically bandied about by overwrought lefties. Them it means ‘scary big black gun’ and I am not joking, the AR-15 features banned under the ‘assult rifle ban’ were all cosmetic.

The actual definition of ‘assault rifle’ is a military one. It refers to a carbine-length firearm which can be switched between firing modes. They are normally single shot and automatic using a two-step trigger pull (our F88 is like this and I prefer that as a little practise permits single shot, two-round bursts or full auto) but recent ones have a selector for single shot, three-round burst and full auto.

These weapons are not available for public sale in the USA.

Mk50 of Brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 9:00 am
Abu. Yes, defence related job

Mk50 of Brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 9:03 am
Mk50, the idea that a few teachers might volunteer their services to the school while on duty to be one of nominate conceal and carry teachers or that even schools may decide to have armed guards at the entry/ exit points ‘revolts’ all but the most ardent right-wing ‘extremist’ but the fact that armed guards are employed by abortion ‘clinics’ is seen as a reasonable response to existing circumstances. This makes complete sense.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 9:07 am
Sinc, I have a post with four news links awaiting moderation.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 9:10 am
This is probably not in the festive spirit…but..
Looking at Australian suicide rates ( per 100,000 any method ) I found THIS GRAPH. It appears under Conservative Government watch the rates decreased, but under Labor an increase ( with about a 1 year lag for both )

I am truly shocked, this can’t be correct.

It’s from a gun site ( no pun ) so can be dismissed by some on those grounds alone.

Perhaps a certain Professor with world renowned graph making abilities could produce a more up to date graph with election markers.
Surely my connecting of the dots unfounded, or is it?

jumpnmcar

24 Dec 12 at 9:29 am
Merry Christmas all.

I’m off to Sydney for a couple of days to catch up with friends and family.

Rabz

24 Dec 12 at 9:41 am
When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation … and that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 9:42 am
Happy Christmas to all.

See-ya in the New Year.

C.L.

24 Dec 12 at 9:57 am
Have a goodie, Rabz. You, too, CL. You both give me fun and brain food here.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 10:04 am
m0nty – you and numbers are quite rightly horrified by the fact that the best way of protecting children at school may well be armed guards. I understand that. But here is the thing – we already live in that world. I would very much like to live in a different world – where kids can walk to school and be safe etc. etc. etc. I imagine you and numbers and everyone else here would like that world too.

So if the man from the NRA expressed a good idea badly or a radical idea badly it doesn’t detract from the fact that people have been talking about this idea, and even implementing this idea for some time. You will find, over time, that parents quietly start demanding (and perhaps not so quietly) better security for their kids at school. That will include armed guards.

The real challenge to my mind is to ensure the guards are better than the types of people who got recruited into the TSA.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 10:24 am
Yes. Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year to you all.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 10:26 am
And a Merry Christmas to you too Dover and everyone else.

BTW, any news you want to share, Dover?

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 10:28 am
Happy Holy Christmas to Catallaxians all – I’ve enjoyed the exchanges here especially with dear Gab ‘n kae ‘n Rabz’n Mk50 of Brisbane.

May we all profit mightily in 2013 and witness the nadir of the worst gummint since John the Apostle anchored the scrum as tight head for the Jerusalem First IV. The task then will be to give the estimable Tony Abbott both barrels here, to ensure he acts ruthlessly and swiftly and does not let up.

Off out now ‘cos the Goddess Mick announces at breakfast it’s time to buy a new fridge, this morning.

Who buys a fridge on Christmas Eve?

Mick, because he’s told to.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

24 Dec 12 at 10:31 am
Could be Gab. I’m just waiting on some snow falling while we’re strolling through Central Park. The forecast is promising over the next week.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 10:32 am
Tim Dunlop put in his place in Cut and Paste

Lol.. Cut and paste just handed Dunlop a giant sized dog turd for Xmas.

What a hypocritical turd he is.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 10:32 am
Could be Gab. I’m just waiting on some snow falling while we’re strolling through Central Park. The forecast is promising over the next week.

Dover let me know what you think the second or third day after the snow fall. Dirty snow is about as awful as you could imagine.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 10:34 am
Dover let me know what you think the second or third day after the snow fall. Dirty snow is about as awful as you could imagine.

LOL, Mr Romance himself.

Dover, I had a feeling about your scenario, you old romantic sensitive soul. How wonderful.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 10:37 am
You’re a good Santa Mick xx

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 10:38 am
Who buys a fridge on Christmas Eve?

Mick, because he’s told to.

Great picture of Facebook saying, “Nine out of ten husbands agree their wife is always right. The tenth husband has mysteriously disappeared …”.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 10:40 am
“I’m just waiting on some snow falling while we’re strolling through Central Park”

I’ve enjoyed New York in the snow dover_beach, from just across the road from Central Park at the ever so opulent The Pierre on 5th Avenue and East 61st. A fabulous experience.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

24 Dec 12 at 10:46 am
Funnily enough, JC, it snowed the first day I was here because of a Nor’easter, and I learned how difficult things can be if all you have are Vans slip-ons. I’ve got my boots now so I don’t care. But, yes, dirty wet snow is awful, but fresh snow on the ground is wonderful.

Old, Gab? Old?

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 10:47 am
Old, Gab? Old?

Gab – very old.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 10:49 am
Sounds great, Mick. H

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 10:49 am
Okay, not old like some of the ancients here, old in a soul sense

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 10:50 am
Sinclair, has it escaped your attention that Columbine had an armed and uniformed “Community Services Officer” from the local sheriff’s office who normally ate lunch with the students?

[note: this means, presumably, that his routine presence was well known by all students, including the killers]

He was at the school when the shooting started.

He exchanged fire.

It did not stop the killings. Here is a summary of what happened.

One armed man, routinely known to be at the school, obviously cannot always achieve much given the size of your typical school grounds and (obviously) does not always act as deterrent.

How many do you think it takes?

Have you seen the Business Insider’s rough estimate to have even one full time guard at each of about 100,000 schools in the US?

These facts might account for why the idea of a school arms race as being the first step to protect children from nutter shootings is not going to take off.

steve from brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 10:53 am
Ah, Steve’s back. I almost missed you.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 10:54 am
Now I don’t mean that in the target practice sense of the word, SFB.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 10:55 am
What’s your point Steve? There are plenty of armed guards and indeed police all over the place. That doesn’t stop all crime. Indeed it often happens that the guards themselves get robbed.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 10:57 am
Have you seen the Business Insider’s rough estimate to have even one full time guard at each of about 100,000 schools in the US?

Okay, the US president’s security costs $1.4 billion per year. You could cut that as a start, Stepford.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 10:59 am
I almost missed you.
…
Now I don’t mean that in the target practice sense of the word, SFB.

Gab – don’t be nice about it. Steve and his ilk are happy to have children murdered to make political points about gun ownership.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 11:00 am
Sounds great, Mick. Having recently had a walk down Madison and 5th Av from 86th St to Bergdorf Goodman I can see why JC raves about the Upper East Side. We just spent the day on the Upper West Side walking through Columbia, past the Riverside Church, Grant’s Memorial, then down Riverside Park, back onto Broadway finishing off at a nice French cafe for brunch, across from Tom’s restaurant. Then back to Crooklyn. Spectacular city.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 11:01 am
The question also applies to you stepford. Do you agree or disagree with armed security for public sector officials?

Fat boy never answered, but I’m guessing he was too busy devouring 3 boxes of Dunkins.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 11:01 am
“The tenth husband has mysteriously disappeared …”

from Sinclair – Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!

Mick Gold Coast QLD

24 Dec 12 at 11:03 am
JC – exactly. Protect public officials? Check. Kids. Hmmm. No. Too expensive. Condones violence. Bad forms. etc. etc. etc.

Hypocrites.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 11:04 am
Steve and his ilk are happy to have children murdered to make political points about gun ownership.

Yes, I don’t get their view of supporting the criminal element by disarming law abiding citizens but that’s the totalitarian left for you.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 11:05 am
“Sounds great, Mick. Having recently had a walk down Madison and 5th Av …”

And that’s the way to see it best – walk.

I’m happy for you dover_beach. I say every man should see New York at least once in their lives – It’s not a pretty city but it has a throb-throb-throb such as you’ll not experience elsewhere.

Mick Gold Coast QLD

24 Dec 12 at 11:09 am
It’s not a pretty city

Oh come on, it’s a beautiful city.

Hey Dover try this place… it just opened about 6 months ago.

Maison Keyser on “turd” Ave (as the Americans say) and around 76th. Great food and coffee as a lunchtime place.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 11:19 am
It would be wonderful if today we had the feeling of security that I remember from the late 50′s, early 60′s.

Of course I didn’t have to worry about money back then But we could run around outside all day, go to school on our own, visit friends houses, and no one worried. The sound of mothers calling their brood in for tea in the evening, after they had been roaming the neighbourhood all day, has disappeared from our streets. As has the sound of children playing in the street.

Funnily enough, gun laws were very liberal back then.

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 11:21 am
Steve and his ilk are happy to have children murdered to make political points about gun ownership.

What an offensive tool you are, Sinclair.

steve from brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 11:27 am
Congratulations on the intensification of stupidity that you’ve presided over the last couple of years in threads at this blog, too.

steve from brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 11:30 am
OK, I couldn’t sign off without posting Julia Gillard’s Christmas message (Video).

She turns it into a gender sermon.

Dripping with sincerity.

Notice the picture of Gough Whitlam in the background.

Then there’s Tony and Margie Abbott.

Note the background pictures at their place. (Video ).

C.L.

24 Dec 12 at 11:32 am
What an offensive tool you are, Sinclair.

The same to you pal. You are a disgrace. Politicising the murder of children is simply wrong.

Congratulations on the intensification of stupidity that you’ve presided over the last couple of years in threads

You’re too kind – the credit is all yours.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 11:33 am
She turns it into a gender sermon.

She’s such an old narcissistic cow of a thing.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 11:34 am
Cheers, JC; will give that a go. True, it is a beautiful city. Where we were today is magnificent. Central Park, gorgeous. Madison Square Park looking toward the Flatiron building is spectacular. The view from the Empire State, breathtaking. The Chrysler building with the afternoon sun glistening on its crown, Oh my! And this is only scratching the surface.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 11:37 am
Lol

Getting banned soured Stepford. JC’s rule seems to work 100%. Every leftwinger that shows up here eventually breaks down into some sort of mental derangement syndrome.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 11:43 am
Dover
And try Bella Blu on Lexington and about 71st street. Great great Italian food. Used to be my local haunt. They have a lobstor and pasta dish that is to die for.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 11:45 am
Happy Christmas guys, be careful driving.
God bless, xxx candy.

candy

24 Dec 12 at 11:50 am
Dogshit is very upset that, because he’s a leftwing airhead who’s never had an original thought in his life, he can’t create an audience at Dogshit Today. The only way he can get attention is as a troll at a website with a mass readership. Here, he vies with Monty for the title of Most Mentally Ill Adult Not In An Institution. In fact, this morning he’s like the delinquent daring the cop to shoot him. I should have compassion, but not for someone who hears only his own voice. Now fuck off, you mouth-breather.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 12:00 pm
well that’s just freaking great, hey? He never wanted it. Perhaps it showed.
Thanks for not wanting it, Mitt and condemning the country to another 4 years of economic barbarity.

NO-ONE wanted to be president less than Mitt Romney, his son says in an interview that raises new questions about the candidacy of the losing Republican nominee.

In an interview with the Boston Globe examining what went wrong with the Romney campaign, his eldest son Tagg explains his father had been a reluctant candidate from the start.

After failing to win the 2008 Republican nomination, Mr Romney told his family he would not run again and had to be persuaded to enter the 2012 White House race by his wife Ann and son Tagg.

“He wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life. He had no desire … to run,” Tagg Romney said. “If he could have found someone else to take his place … he would have been ecstatic to step aside.”

Mitt Romney “is a very private person who loves his family deeply and wants to be with them. He loves his country, but he doesn’t love the attention,” his son said.

Sinc was right. He never really wanted it. He took off the entire month of August when he should have been knocking on doors.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 12:01 pm
mental derangement syndrome.

CDS, or Catallaxy Derangement Syndrome?

Alex Pundit

24 Dec 12 at 12:12 pm
To be fair m0nty isn’t that bad. He could actually make a greater contribution and sometimes does. Steve – not so much.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 12:14 pm
m0nty – you and numbers are quite rightly horrified by the fact that the best way of protecting children at school may well be armed guards. I understand that. But here is the thing – we already live in that world.

We don’t actually live in that world in Australia, Sinc. Here, Howard removed many of the guns. Same thing in the UK, most of their guns are now gone, including handguns.

I would very much like to live in a different world – where kids can walk to school and be safe etc. etc. etc. I imagine you and numbers and everyone else here would like that world too.

Yes, and it is possible without arming teachers. Australia, the UK, it has been done. We don’t all have to act like we’re in Israel, with guerrilla fighters aiming at us from the other side of the nearby wall. Hell, for decades the British did have neighbouring guerrilla fighters trying to kill them, but they still didn’t arm their bobbies. Civilised countries can choose not to give in to the temptation.

The world you are proposing is a libertarian fantasy land, where everyone has maximum freedom backed up with more personal firepower than the average Taliban terrorist. You are making the extremist assumption that all people should be armed, and then trying to build a free society around that premise. Normal people start with the concept of a free society, and then work out things like gun policy around that.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:29 pm
We don’t actually live in that world in Australia, Sinc.

Well, I did. The number 1 son went to a school,in Australia, where there were guards.

Yes, and it is possible without arming teachers.

I wouldn’t arm teachers either. Employ specialists.

Civilised countries can choose not to give in to the temptation.

And I am the utopian? Civilised countries defend themselves against the evils of the world without themselves becoming debased.

Normal people start with the concept of a free society, and then work out things like gun policy around that.

Yes – I agree.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 12:33 pm
monty, there are now squads of para-military bobbies in the UK decades after the tightening of gun laws. And at the same time as the Brits had lax gun laws, they had bobbies armed with nothing more than a truncheon, what happened?

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 12:34 pm
The world you are proposing is a libertarian fantasy land, where everyone has maximum freedom backed up with more personal firepower than the average Taliban terrorist.

Sounds awesome. I’ll be sure to include that thought in my Christmas message.

Infidel Tiger

24 Dec 12 at 12:38 pm
IT – good point. Liberty Quote.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 12:39 pm
see http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/in-assassinations-aftermath-a-real-political-master-emerged-20121223-2btf1.html for a nice summary of a great biography of LBJ

Jim Rose

24 Dec 12 at 12:44 pm
Well, I did. The number 1 son went to a school,in Australia, where there were guards.

If you want to waste your money privately, that’s your business. Don’t mandate your statist, nanny state solution on me, though.

I wouldn’t arm teachers either. Employ specialists.

So Sinc, why would you do this in schools and not shopping centres, playgrounds, sporting fields, national forests, public toilets and the ocean? Given that you want loons to have easy access to heavy ordnance, where does your child’s security end? The loons what to know, because that’s where they will attack.

Imagine if the US in the Cold War had decided to protect Washington DC with anti-nuke missiles, but left the rest of the nation free for Russia to bomb. What is the implication of that for overall security? It is a direct analogy with your stupid school guard system.

Why would you not also have armed guards at every other place that children congregate? It follows from your logic that since the loons will be armed to the teeth and can attack at any place and at any time, like a Palestinian urban guerrilla, that you should protect your children with armed guards at all times, lest they fall in a hail of bullets fired from repeat fire weaponry. Why only protect your children at school?

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:46 pm
SFB
Your a ” graphs and trends ” kinda guy.
Using THIS GRAPH.
Under which Government is an Australian more likely to commit suicide, Lib/Nat or ALP ?

jumpnmcar

24 Dec 12 at 12:48 pm
Why only protect your children at school?

Everywhere else is the parents job, but since it is mandatory to drop your kids off every day at a government approved building the least they could do is fucking stop them from being murdered.

Infidel Tiger

24 Dec 12 at 12:53 pm
Everywhere else is the parents job

So IT, you think all parents should be armed at all times to prevent loons from massacring their children?

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 12:56 pm
So IT, you think all parents should be armed at all times to prevent loons from massacring their children?

It should be optional.

Infidel Tiger

24 Dec 12 at 12:57 pm
If armed guards are over-the-top at schools, why aren’t they at national or international sporting competitions like the Olympics too, and so on? Less people have been killed at these events than on school grounds.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 1:00 pm
Jeez, smashed again M0nty. OUCH!
Pretty to watch.

jumpnmcar

24 Dec 12 at 1:02 pm
It should be optional.

Just like having armed guards at schools should be optional?

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:03 pm
28,300 schools across the US have armed guards. Have done so for years.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 1:04 pm
If you want to waste your money privately, that’s your business. Don’t mandate your statist, nanny state solution on me, though.

lol.. Monst… you don’t have kids and never will.

As for mandating armed guards being statist… how about privatizing the schools then, you hypocritical rolly polly.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:07 pm
We don’t actually live in that world in Australia, Sinc.

Tell that to Australian Jewish kids and parents, you oaf.

Here, Howard removed many of the guns. Same thing in the UK, most of their guns are now gone, including handguns.

And that’s stopped gun violence? Oh wait, lets pretend Western Sydney doesn’t exist.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:10 pm
Eddystone

The sound of mothers calling their brood in for tea in the evening, after they had been roaming the neighbourhood all day, has disappeared from our streets.

There was no call when I was a kid, in the 60s. We knew we had to be home before dark…

kae

24 Dec 12 at 1:12 pm
My Kids went to private schools in Manhattan and from what I recall, one of the schools, where the girl went had a guard both outside and inside the school. Both were armed.

The boy’s school had no guard but the front of the school door was always kept closed and you had to intercom with the receptionist and be on the invite list before you gained entry.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:13 pm
oops the front school door…

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:13 pm
How did armed protection of kids end up being “arming teachers??”

Right – I can think of a lot of teachers I have known that would be no good at all at aiming a gun.

Many cant even throw a black board duster straight.

Alice

24 Dec 12 at 1:14 pm
And that’s stopped gun violence?

Again with the impossible standard. Nobody’s saying you can completely stop gun crime.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:17 pm
Why would you not also have armed guards at every other place that children congregate?

It follows from your logic that since the loons will be armed to the teeth and can attack at any place and at any time, like a Palestinian urban guerrilla, that you should protect your children with armed guards at all times, lest they fall in a hail of bullets fired from repeat fire weaponry. Why only protect your children at school?

Ya know it’s fucking unbelievable we’re having this discussion.

Kids are being murdered in schools because it’s easier than outside in a park where people could run and scatter. It’s easier to kill a bunch of people in a confined space you fat oaf.

I’m guessing you never thought of this fat boy because you can’t imagine what it’s like to run.

Sinc, ban the idiot for stupidity and malicious imbecility.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:17 pm
Yes, Jewish buildings get attacked. Jewish community leaders deem it necessary to employ armed guards. It’s a free country, they can do that in their religious schools if they like.

Oh, well that’s okay then. No comment on the fact that they feel the need to arm up like there, Monty?

Like JC, it saddens me (and angers me) that it is a necessity for the Jewish community to so protect themselves.

nilk

24 Dec 12 at 1:18 pm
How did armed protection of kids end up being “arming teachers??”

Because apparently Israeli schoolteachers pack submachine guns in class.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:19 pm
Again with the impossible standard. Nobody’s saying you can completely stop gun crime.

Sinc didn’t either you fat stupid moron. Yet you went on about how we would need armed guards at every point where kids congregate- even outside despite the fact that loons pick on kids while they are at school in a confined area.

So your impossible standard doesn’t apply to some examples while it applies to others.

Fuck off fat boy.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:20 pm
Like JC, it saddens me (and angers me) that it is a necessity for the Jewish community to so protect themselves.

Exactly how I feel every time I drive past a Jewish school and see it. I feel lots of anger over it in terms of how we’ve come to this.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:22 pm
Potemkin’s Village

A Happy and Holy Christmas to one and all… here

Grigory Potemkin

24 Dec 12 at 1:23 pm
m0nty isn’t that bad. He could actually make a greater contribution and sometimes does.

He could actually make a greater contribution by restricting himself to about one tenth the number of comments he makes now.

blogstrop

24 Dec 12 at 1:24 pm
Kids are being murdered in schools because it’s easier than outside in a park where people could run and scatter. It’s easier to kill a bunch of people in a confined space

If you’re going to have armed guards at schools to make it harder for the loons, that makes it more likely that loons would choose other areas where children congregate, like parks. This is the guerrilla war you’re fighting, by allowing the loons to load up with rapid fire arsenals.

You need to follow through on your logical train of thought, JC, and realise that it ends up with every adult who deals with children packing heat to “protect” them. This is madness.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:25 pm
Nobody’s saying you can completely stop gun crime.

But let’s disarm 100% of the civilian population anyway because it feels good (to a lefty) and fuck the unforeseen consequences and the fact that it won’t make the slightest iota of difference to the rate of gun crime.

Leftism is a mental illness.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 1:26 pm
Oh, well that’s okay then. No comment on the fact that they feel the need to arm up like there, Monty?

Like JC, it saddens me (and angers me) that it is a necessity for the Jewish community to so protect themselves.

We’re talking about gun control, nilk, not the Middle East. Australia is not in the Middle East. Neither is the US.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:27 pm
We’re talking about gun control, nilk, not the Middle East. Australia is not in the Middle East. Neither is the US.

Fuck me… how hard is this to get into your thickened fat addled skull. The Jewish schools we’re talking about are in Australia you fucking idiot.

But you may not go anywhere near them because as you once said you don’t like swarthy complexion and Jewish people can be on the dark side of the spectrum. Recall, fat boy?

Finally, yea we’re talking also about US schools because that’s where loons have been focusing on of late.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:33 pm
nilk was talking about Jewish schools in Australia, monty.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 1:35 pm
If you’re going to have armed guards at schools to make it harder for the loons, that makes it more likely that loons would choose other areas where children congregate, like parks.

Sure they could fat boy, but the problem with a park is that it’s not a confined space and there are a lot of adults around supervising kids. People can scatter easier in parks and instead of one adult looking over the kids (teacher) there are many more in parks.

This is the guerrilla war you’re fighting, by allowing the loons to load up with rapid fire arsenals.

Okay, so why doesn’t that apply to the US president. As far as i know his guards are packing hand guns, not machine guns.

You need to follow through on your logical train of thought, JC, and realise that it ends up with every adult who deals with children packing heat to “protect” them. This is madness.

Not true. I never felt the need to carry a gun in the US.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:38 pm
The Jewish schools we’re talking about are in Australia

As I’ve said, the Jewish community is free to employ armed guards for their schools, but I wouldn’t want that policy forced on any school. It’s impossible to know if there would have been any school shootings if the guards hadn’t been there. Have we even had any mass school shootings in Australia?

PTAs and school boards across Australia are free to employ armed guards. Outside of Jewish schools, you’d be hard pressed to find any who do, I’d say. That is not the way the vast majority of Australians want to live.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:38 pm
This is the stunning success and beacon to all nations of UK gun laws: the British bobby.

dover_beach

24 Dec 12 at 1:41 pm
PTAs and school boards across Australia are free to employ armed guards.

Evidence please.

jumpnmcar

24 Dec 12 at 1:43 pm
TAs and school boards across Australia are free to employ armed guards.

Okay

Outside of Jewish schools, you’d be hard pressed to find any who do, I’d say.

Well yea.. at this stage Catholic schools don’t feel the need because up to now the ABC and the Greens haven’t been able to whip up enough hatred to motivate a loon to go kill Catholic kids. But I’m sure that will come, as all you need to do is go read Scepticlawyer’s blog and see the hate she allows posted at her site by a commenter calling himself “Mel” and see that it wouldn’t be hard to flick a switch.

That is not the way the vast majority of Australians want to live.

That’s because we haven’t had the need to as yet. However I’m pretty sure that non-Jewish parents aren’t less rational than Jewish ones if the need became obvious.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:44 pm
It’s instructive to recall the Australian view of American conduct with fireams in SVN over 40 years ago.
We made sure we gave all American units a wide berth. They were poorly trained, their morale, leadership and fire discipline was poor, and there as much a danger to friendlies and themselves as they were to the VC.
Not much has changed in 40 years. Americans with guns are a bigger danger to themselves than ever, and a look at the firearm fatality rate compared with similar countries makes this abundantly clear.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 1:45 pm
That is not the way the vast majority of Australians want to live.

I think we can all agree on that – but it doesn’t take us very far.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 1:46 pm
Spuds

Oh yea, the ” Americans are really stupid” line of thinking. How original for an Australian leftwing turd.

Seriously, don’t you have potato peeling duties to attend to, you knucklehead.

And stop bringing up Vietnam in every comment, you moron. It’s boring.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 1:48 pm
Sure they could fat boy, but the problem with a park is that it’s not a confined space and there are a lot of adults around supervising kids. People can scatter easier in parks and instead of one adult looking over the kids (teacher) there are many more in parks.

This makes no sense, JC, unless you’re saying that at least one of the adults is armed to fight back against a loon wielding an assault rifle. Otherwise, what does the loon have to worry about, going to a park and killing lots of civilians? He kills some, they scatter, he escapes to somewhere else and kills some more.

The only solution to prevent such massacres, according to your pre-condition that the loon is allowed to be kitted out like Rambo, is for everyone else to be armed too.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 1:53 pm
And stop bringing up Vietnam in every comment, you moron. It’s boring.

I’ve made 19 comments on this topic. That was the first one where Vietnam got a mention.
What part of “every” don’t you understand?

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 1:53 pm
to be kitted out like Rambo, is for everyone else to be armed too.

JC thinks Rambo was a documentary.
This “arm everyone” meme is typical of gun wankers who’ve never been in a firefight. The chaotic and random lethality of M16s, AK47s and weapons designed for combat is lost on them. Perhaps a little time on the two-way range right smarten up their ideas. Any of you out there of military age? – you could always enlist.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 1:59 pm
wow, surprise surprise!
numbers fuckwit turns up trying to make some stupid bigotted point by relating made up anecdotes from a period lasting 10 months over 40 years ago.
FFS numbers, build a bridge and get over it.
Please, stop regaling us with made up stories from your past.
You have obviously lived a pathetic excuse for a life when your whole life experience revolves around this 10 month period of your life.
Fuck off and stop trying to derail threads with your invented inanities.

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 2:01 pm
On the first day of Christmas a Blue Mountains thief stole 10 legs of pork, six meat trays, nine Christmas hams and 10kg of bacon. While this may sound like a festive jingle, for police, it’s a puzzling reality.

“It’s unusual, put it that way,” said Detective Inspector Mick Bostock.

According to CCTV, the Glenbrook Butchery on Park Street, Glenbrook was broken into about 1.15am on Monday. The thief fled with $3000 worth of meat.

Either that’s the most expensive butchery in Australia or there was more stolen than reported.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 2:08 pm
Fuck off, numbers. Just go away. You are a relic from another era. Your presence doesn’t increase the standard of intellectual debate on this blog, it makes other smart people not want to join because you are repulsive.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 2:08 pm
Guns and cigarettes are the two things on earth leftists fear most.

Infidel Tiger

24 Dec 12 at 2:09 pm
Also numbers, it was your fellow traveller m0nty who referenced Rambo, not JC.
Not that JC needs me here defending his honour by the way.

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 2:10 pm
On the first day of Christmas a Blue Mountains thief stole 10 legs of pork, six meat trays, nine Christmas hams and 10kg of bacon. While this may sound like a festive jingle, for police, it’s a puzzling reality.

The Muslim and Jewish community can rest easy knowing they are out of the frame.

Infidel Tiger

24 Dec 12 at 2:11 pm
Anyone who points to “armed guards at Columbine didn’t prevent the shooting” needs to take their hand off it & tell the full story.

Just sayin’.

Steve at the Pub

24 Dec 12 at 2:13 pm
Guns and cigarettes are the two things on earth leftists fear most.

3. Abundant Electricity

4. Lower income tax rates.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:17 pm
it makes other smart people not want to join

Gets the gong for the most risible comment of the week….

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 2:18 pm
JC thinks Rambo was a documentary.

Spuds, go peel some potatoes, you fuckwit. It’s all you’re good for.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:18 pm
Fat boy

We used to have armed guards patrolling streets and parks. They were cops on the beat. We used to have them here once. You see lots of them in places like New York City.

You really are dumb.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:20 pm
Guns and cigarettes are the two things on earth leftists fear most.

5. Individual choice on anything from food upwards.

6. People who want to mind their own business.

7. People who like working hard toward their own goals.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 2:23 pm
We used to have armed guards patrolling streets and parks.

We also used to have armed guards patrolling our farms on horseback, protecting us and our livestock from barbarians and wild animals. Despite Mk50′s rank racist rubbish, that is not how we must live.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 2:26 pm
8. Independant minded successful small businesses.

Steve at the Pub

24 Dec 12 at 2:26 pm
This “arm everyone” meme is typical of gun wankers who’ve never been in a firefight. The chaotic and random lethality of M16s, AK47s and weapons designed for combat is lost on them.

You lying c***. You’ve never been in a “firefight” in your fucking life. You were in the kitchen barracking for Uncle Ho.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 2:32 pm
that is not how we must live.

What do you find objectionable to cops walking the streets Fat boy?

And who eggsactly decides “how we must live”? You?

Rotund one, you can’t even get out of a chair without destroying you back.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:33 pm
It’s the duty of every citizen to be armed so they can protect the most vulnerable in our society.

Why the Gun is Civilization.

By Marko Kloos

Reproduced by permission of the author.

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that’s it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force. The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gangbanger, and a single gay guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we’d be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger’s potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat–it has no validity when most of a mugger’s potential marks are armed. People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that’s the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

Then there’s the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser. People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don’t constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level. The gun is the only weapon that’s as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weightlifter. It simply wouldn’t work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn’t both lethal and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation … and that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

Apologies for the length of the cut and paste, but I thought it was worth it.

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 2:34 pm
made up anecdotes

These “made up anecdotes” are staements of fact. They’re also verifiable. We ran into bunkers on 22nd April, called in napalm, and the Yanks dropped it on the wrong side of the river. This kind of incident was far from unusual. They were slipshod, careless and incompetent.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 2:36 pm
This “arm everyone” meme is typical of gun wankers who’ve never been in a firefight.

Then every returned combat veteran would be in favour of gun control.

They’re not.

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 2:36 pm
We ran into bunkers on 22nd April, called in napalm, and the Yanks dropped it on the wrong side of the river. This kind of incident was far from unusual. They were slipshod, careless and incompetent.

Vietnam again laced with, da yanks are stupid.

Go peel some potatoes spuds. Go the fuck away.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:37 pm
Link didn’t work – try this one.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 2:38 pm
Link didn’t work – try this one.

Spuds, who cares about your link. Fuck off.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:41 pm
Last I remembered, napalm was delivered by means of an air strike.
I fail to see how the fuck up of a single pilot goes in any way to their gun culture or to the argument for disarming the populace.
Fuck off, you are both a bore and a boor.

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 2:43 pm
Actually, I can see where the fuck up may have happened.
When the Aussie called in the co-ordinates for the strike, he was probably a soldier who had been educated by fuckwits just like you.
That being the case, the poor guy probably couldn’t read, write or count very well and he fucked up the directions.

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 2:46 pm
It’s the duty of every citizen to be armed so they can protect the most vulnerable in our society.

Vigilantism, great. That’s all we need, everyone thinking they’re a cop.

If both are armed, the field is level.

Rubbish. It just means that the field is more deadly. More experienced shooters still have way more of an advantage in a gun fight. As do those with better weapons.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 2:48 pm
It’s the time of year when I always bring up that great health care system leftwingers often raise to support public health. Yep it’s the Cuban healthcare system.

I love it.

Here’s the x-ray room

Here’s the door to the operating theatre

Typical hallway you’d see at Cabrini in Melbourne.

Here’s the cutting edge technology they use as ambulance transportation.

It’s not too far from what I believe Kenyan Care will end up looking like. Not quite, but not too far away either.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:49 pm
who had been educated by fuckwits just like you.

You have obviously discovered the secret of time travel. In 1970 I was 23. Any kids I taught would have been ten years old. Even in 1970, ten year olds weren’t being called up.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 2:50 pm
That’s all we need, everyone thinking they’re a cop.

We are all responsible for upholding the law.

If both are armed, the field is level.

Rubbish. It just means that the field is more deadly.

Seriously, dude. Get a grip.

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 2:53 pm
You have obviously discovered the secret of time travel. In 1970 I was 23. Any kids I taught would have been ten years old. Even in 1970, ten year olds weren’t being called up.

Vietnam again. Fuck!

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:55 pm
In honor of my seth African hol … here’s Brenda Fassie to entertain you.

Watch her doing the splits at around 1.35. Man that must have hurt.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 2:58 pm
My theory is that Monty doesn’t know anyone who could be trusted with owning a gun and he certainly wouldn’t allow a weapon to fall into the hands of someone as mentally unstable as him. He’d rather Big Government (with the right in Australia to remove personal freedoms on a legislative whim) had the monopoly.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 2:58 pm
numbers, I didn’t say educated by you, I said educated by fuckwits LIKE you ie: far left idealogues more interested in pushing a political viewpoint than your proper job of educating the poor saps.
You really aren’t that bright are you?

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 2:59 pm
Seriously, dude. Get a grip.

You’re the one who needs to get a grip. A fully armed populace is a recipe for hell. It’s the well-known Somalian model. In any case, if you and your ilk are so terrified to be living in this country which has firearm laws on the sane side of rational, you could always emigrate stateside where it’s obviously so much safer.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 2:59 pm
You really aren’t that bright are you?

And you’re seriously blaming the education system in Australia for the abysmal performance of the American military in Vietnam?
You’re about as thick as two short planks….

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 3:01 pm
Japan is a very gun shy country, so much so that when gangsters quit the industry they put their gun in a station locker and let the Police know where to pick it up. I know it sounds odd but they really do that.

Anyhow in Nara (kinda like Kyoto it’s an old capital city) there is a huge park right next to the CBD. Most of the historical stuff is there amongst the trees.

What’s jarring is the caretakers on motorbikes with rifles to shoot any of the abundant deer that act up or enter the city – traffic hazard I’d guess.

Never heard of one of those guys going on a rampage.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 3:02 pm
You’re the one who needs to get a grip. A fully armed populace is a recipe for hell. It’s the well-known Somalian model. In any case, if you and your ilk are so terrified to be living in this country which has firearm laws on the sane side of rational, you could always emigrate stateside

Don’t tempt us spuds. There’s a half serious discussion going on in my household right now about that.

And you know what, Mr Good Morning Vietnam, i wouldn’t buy a gun as I wouldn’t feel the need to. However I would have a choice unlike here, you repressive fuckwit.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 3:03 pm
Fuck me.
numbers, Somalia and guns- the Holy Trinity of stupidity.
It had to happen eventually didn’t it?

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 3:04 pm
And you’re seriously blaming the education system in Australia for the abysmal performance of the American military in Vietnam?
You’re about as thick as two short planks…

Vietnam again.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 3:04 pm
Don’t tempt us spuds.

I’ll send you the one-way fare….

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 3:06 pm
I wonder if segregation would have lasted so long if black people could buy guns in the 50s and 60s?

“No I shall not give up my seat! This gun allows me to sit where I like.”

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 3:07 pm
And you’re seriously blaming the education system in Australia for the abysmal performance of the American military in Vietnam?
You’re about as thick as two short planks….

No imbecile, I was mocking you and your ideology.
I need to spell everything out for you don’t I?

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 3:07 pm
the Holy Trinity of stupidity.

The NRA, the expiration of the ban on semi-autos, and the 2nd amendment….

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 3:09 pm
Great clip, JC.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 3:09 pm
No imbecile, I was mocking you and your ideology.

You tried, failed, and made a complete ass of yourself in the process.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 3:11 pm
I’ll send you the one-way fare….

Put it this way, spuds. Fortunately your Whitlam era culture is dying a slow death in this country, which is a good thing. But let’s say people like you did manage to shape some of the future for Australia; there’s two things we could conclude:

1. Australia is fucked as we go into the asian century.

2. The culture would be so ugly who would want to be here anyway. We should sell it to China while it’s still worth something.

Fortunately, the ‘contribution’ of your generation is largely being relegated to its rightful place in an annex to an unproductive chapter of Australian history.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 3:14 pm
Don’t be too hard on number fellers. He has some valid points.
He is right about the lack of professionalism of some US forces in Vietnam.

In a way he’s making your case. It is not gun availability that causes the rot in the USA, it is cultural. Canada is armed to the teeth, but doesn’t have, and never has had, the shootups that happen south of the border (even in the days of the wild west most of the rot happened south of the border. Why?)

Steve at the Pub

24 Dec 12 at 3:17 pm
Civilised countries defend themselves against the evils of the world without themselves becoming debased.

Liberty quote.

For me, the response of the left is tiresome on the gun issue, but entirely predictable. But the stupidity of the left has been matched by the stupidity of the NRA in blaming video games. What a surprise.

Mk50: Materiel?

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 3:18 pm
Amanda Vanstone gives Miss O’Gyny both barrels:

LAST week our national leader decided to sum up the year by announcing that, due to Tony Abbott’s efforts, we were blessed with a parliament of filth. Julia Gillard decided, it seems, that to use her position to make some positive and uplifting remarks was a little too passe.

Daily the opposition must count its lucky stars for having a PM who steadfastly refuses to step into the shoes of gravitas that her office allows. The rest of us, I suggest, are bemused.

After all, it was Gillard who helped set up a union slush fund without the knowledge of her legal firm partners. It was Gillard who was unable to categorically say whether all the work done on her house had been properly paid for and it was Gillard who had a relationship with one of the key players in the sorry saga.

Oh, and it was Gillard who, in effect, confirmed there was a whole lot of sleaze going on when she told us that as soon as she became aware she had been deceived, she broke off the relationship. In other words, what she allegedly discovered was ugly enough for her to end a relationship.

Accordingly, this file was not run of the mill, it was unusual.

Anyway, she was the one in the relationship doing work on a fund about which the union movement was concerned – but apparently it is all Abbott’s fault everyone is talking about it. Apparently, he is the sleaze.

h/t Michael Smith News

Cold-Hands

24 Dec 12 at 3:19 pm
You’re the one who needs to get a grip. A fully armed populace is a recipe for hell. It’s the well-known Somalian model. In any case, if you and your ilk are so terrified to be living in this country which has firearm laws on the sane side of rational, you could always emigrate stateside where it’s obviously so much safer.

Seriously? You don’t think a gun levels the odds between an 85 year old and say a deranged Vietnam veteran?

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 3:20 pm
He is right about the lack of professionalism of some US forces in Vietnam.

It’s bullshit as well. We send a tiny well-prepared contingent and the yanks wear the brunt of the effort. It was the same in Vietnam as it is today.

How many unauthorised discharges i.e. where your rifle is accidentally fired through carelessness do Australians have on operations? Let me tell you it’s fucking heaps.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 3:23 pm
Vietnam? Let me guess without scrolling up – numbers is back. Boring.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 3:25 pm
A speedy convalescence Fleeced, and a Happy and Holy Christmastide to all who read and post at the Cat.

Cold-Hands

24 Dec 12 at 3:29 pm
The other relevant issue in relation to the Americans is their incapacity to see the world through any eyes except their often ignorant own.
They don’t get South America and it doesn’t look like they ever will.
Part of the problem in Vietnam was their incapacity to listen to anyone else (the Australians for example) who had a better understanding of counter insurgency warfare. They almost made the same mistake in Iraq.
There is something about the American mindset that makes it very difficult to see the world from more than one isolationist and rigid standpoint.
It’s very dangerous.

juanluissegundo

24 Dec 12 at 3:33 pm
Don’t be too hard on number fellers. He has some valid points.
He is right about the lack of professionalism of some US forces in Vietnam.

Prejudice against the US military has existed like a dirty snicker in the Australian armed forces since World War II. Most of it comes from resentment about the Americans’ superior budget and firepower. Of course an old commo traitor like Numbers is going to fold that into his hatred of America.

Don’t suppose we could interest you in a self-immolation with Kero Boy, Numbers? Before the Toowoomba locals take you out and shoot you.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 3:35 pm
Let me tell you it’s fucking heaps.

Really.
My platoon had 2 in the tour. Given that rifles were carried 24/7, that’s not a bad record. What’s your source for that comment?

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 3:39 pm
Prejudice against the US military has existed like a dirty snicker in the Australian armed forces since World War II. Most of it comes from resentment about the Americans’ superior budget and firepower.

True, and also from the secret denial of the fact that the Yanks are more aggressive than our own commanders/politicians. We are soft cocks by comparison, but fantasise that we get shit done better than the Yanks. Look at the entire effort around getting Bin Laden. Legendary stuff.

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 3:40 pm
This a school photo taken last year.

In it are 2 teachers and 5 children who died.

Brutal. Heart tearing content.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 3:40 pm
Correction: from earlier this year.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 3:41 pm
Part of the problem in Vietnam was their incapacity to listen to anyone else (the Australians for example) who had a better understanding of counter insurgency warfare.

This is a valid criticism of the US in both Vietnam and Iraq, and something they consistently do badly and show little improvement.

However, I can’t help but be sceptical that the criticism by other nations is always from a viewpoint of never having to do the heavy lifting themselves. If you threw them into the deep end, and they had to run the battle like the yanks do, I think it’s pretty safe to say they’d all sink. (Except maybe the Brits, but over time they’d look pretty much the same as the Yanks would anyway.)

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 3:41 pm
No imbecile, I was mocking you and your ideology.
You tried, failed, and made a complete ass of yourself in the process.

You are a complete and utter fuckwit. Your comprehension skills
approach those of a 7 year old.
I can guarantee you that if we conducted a quick poll, the result would go entirely my way with regards to you beclowning yourself again.

Interesting that despite your pathological bigotry towards the US, its people and culture, you decide to spell arse in the American way.

Huckleberry Chunkwot

24 Dec 12 at 3:41 pm
My platoon had 2 in the tour. Given that rifles were carried 24/7, that’s not a bad record. What’s your source for that comment?

A couple of orders of magnitude longer in the Army than you were including operations with an infantry battalion.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 3:44 pm
Interesting that despite your pathological bigotry towards the US, its people and culture, you decide to spell arse in the American way.

Hypocritical, too, since the febrile old chalk molester tried to accuse me of being a Yank because I called him an ass hat.

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 3:45 pm
Fool of the year!

Woman who was accidentally overpaid $2M (yes, two million dollars) by Centrelink and proceeded to spend it.

Funnily enough, when Cenrrelink realised the mistake and came to get it she’d spent some of it.

Now they’re selling her house to pay for the missing money.

And she’s whinging about it. “Poor me. It was their mistake. I am a single parent with three kids…”

Too bad, lady. The money wasn’t yours.

The lawyer she’s engaged was bleating about it being their mistake and that because she hadn’t blatently ripped off the system by deception she should be shown some leniency.

WTF?

kae

24 Dec 12 at 3:47 pm
Fleeced, All the best, speedy recovery.
IT where do I send the dry cleaning bill.
Huck @23 Dec 12 at 7:51 pm. Well said.
Sinclair thanks for your time and patience.

I have learnt a lot and am still learning, thanks to all
of you guys and gals.

Merry Christmas to all.

Rudiau

24 Dec 12 at 3:51 pm
“operations with an infantry batallion”
Do tell – what unit – what theatre?

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 3:51 pm
I’m currently reading a book by Colonel Tim Collins an ex battalion commander in the British Army (in fact his lot were all Irish).

He gripes several times how good and abundant the US equipment is. In fact they wore hand me down desert fatigues in Iraq II.

He is somewhat critical of the US troops behaviour as well.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 3:51 pm
It’s the well-known Somalian model.

Brings Somalia into the argument because it suits him today but discounts Honduras the other day, despite it having the highest number of gun killings per head of population with only 500,000 firearms spread amongst the population. Compared to 280,000,000 firearms in the US which sits in 28th spot for gun deaths per head. Because he plain and simply could not, or most likely did not have the mental firepower, to explain the difference

His total stupidity is only exceeded by his compulsion for attention at a site where he is beaten comprehensively in every single thread he contaminates.

Megan

24 Dec 12 at 3:53 pm
And I’ll take this chance to wish everyone the love, joy and peace of Christmas, wherever you might happen to be.

Megan

24 Dec 12 at 3:55 pm
However, I can’t help but be sceptical that the criticism by other nations is always from a viewpoint of never having to do the heavy lifting themselves. If you threw them into the deep end, and they had to run the battle like the yanks do, I think it’s pretty safe to say they’d all sink. (Except maybe the Brits, but over time they’d look pretty much the same as the Yanks would anyway.)

This is exactly right. Economies of scale.

It’s a lot easier to manage a boutique involvement.

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 3:56 pm
Do tell – what unit – what theatre?

Fuck off dipshit. If I share personal information with friends, it’s because they’re friends. That’s not you and you don’t need to know my history and I’m fucking sick to death of yours. Facts speak for themselves, if you’re trying to gain leverage by adding your service number to your tag you’ve already lost.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 3:57 pm
Merry Christmas, Megan, and to all Cats.

Not much festive spirit where I am but we have scored a large turkey and have lotsa booze, so it should be a good one.

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 3:57 pm
Tom says

“Don’t suppose we could interest you in a self-immolation with Kero Boy, Numbers? Before the Toowoomba locals take you out and shoot you.”

Get off the booze Tom. Its making you aggro. Xmas hasnt started yet.

Alice

24 Dec 12 at 3:59 pm
@megan
Better link to the source for your ranking of the US as 28th, otherwise readers might be tempted to think you made it up, given that the most common ranking is 10th or 11th.
And of course, the US and Honduras are remarkably similar /sarc.
Try a comparison with like societies, say Canada, the UK, or Australia if you want to seem even a little bit credible.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 4:00 pm
It’s a lot easier to manage a boutique involvement.

I love that expression, ’boutique involvement’! I’m going to use it. I’ll credit you: ‘Abu Chowdah of Catallaxy’!

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 4:01 pm
“fuck off – dipshit”
Translation – I can’t share it because I made it up……

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 4:02 pm
Try a comparison with like societies, say Canada, the UK, or Australia if you want to seem even a little bit credible.

That’s not fair either. The US isn’t the anglosphere and fought a revolution to make sure there was a difference.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 4:03 pm
Ahlan wa sahlan, John! Welcome!

Abu Chowdah

24 Dec 12 at 4:04 pm
Translation – I can’t share it because I made it up……

Whatever, mate. I wonder the same thing about you: plenty of exaggeration to say the least, eh.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 4:05 pm
Tom

Ill give you this.

At least numbers contributes to the conversation which is more than you do bozo brain.

I copped one of your sub contributions yesterday.

Alice

24 Dec 12 at 4:05 pm
heheh “exaggeration” that’s putting it euphemistically.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 4:06 pm
“there was a difference”
Of course – the myth of American exceptionalism. It’s more accurately American ignorance. Refer their rate of firearm fatalities per head of population, something they seem to be quite comfortable with.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 4:07 pm
I have blogged again about the future of online journalism in Australia, answering Andrew Elder’s comments on my last post.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 4:09 pm
So you think the list of American achievements doesn’t constitute exceptionalism? How do you think they managed what they’ve done?

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 4:09 pm
Well, well, well you can’t kill bureaucracy.

The UN Trsusteeship Council shut up shop in 1994. Oh wait. It’s charter was fulfilled in 1994 but its still with us with both a President and Vice president.

Since 1994 new roles for the council have been proposed, including administering the global commons (e.g., the seabed and outer space) and serving as a forum for minority and indigenous peoples.

I couldn’t find a budget but I’ll bet it’s at least $5m.

(it was set up to help colonies to independence after WW2, the last one was Palau)

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 4:14 pm
“how do you think they managed…”
They have many great achievements, balanced by the great harm they’ve done. Australia and Antartica are the only continents on earth that haven’t experienced US military intervention.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 4:14 pm
Just swishin’ through…

Tim Blair reports: Wayne Swan endorses gun ownership.

C.L.

24 Dec 12 at 4:15 pm
Very stodgy piece of drivel monty. Didn’t you say you went to J school? Did you graduate?

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 4:15 pm
Yes Gab, you don’t need to tell us it went over your head.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 4:17 pm
Australia and Antartica are the only continents on earth that haven’t experienced US military intervention.

Considering that for most of the other continents we’ve stood with the yanks, if not having our asses saved by them, it raises the question about what aspects of military intervention you oppose.

John Mc

24 Dec 12 at 4:20 pm
Suggest you read Cole Blasier – “The Hovering Giant” for a treatment of US intervention in the Americas.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 4:34 pm
@megan
Better link to the source for your ranking of the US as 28th, otherwise readers might be tempted to think you made it up, given that the most common ranking is 10th or 11th.
And of course, the US and Honduras are remarkably similar /sarc.
Try a comparison with like societies, say Canada, the UK, or Australia if you want to seem even a little bit credible.

The link was with the original post moron. Go back and look it up. And if Honduras and the US are comparing apples and oranges, how the hell does your Somalian comment have any relevance?

Megan

24 Dec 12 at 4:50 pm
Just read your piece m0nty.

The way to make money with a blog is to do solid book reviews with Amazon links. Or product reviews with Amazon links. Or fashion reviews with Amazon links.

Ideally you blog about a niche hobby like model trains or wooden boating otherwise it’s pretty crowded.

I’m sure you see the pattern. Google ads are hopeless they never get clicked as they are usually irrelevant anyway.

Banner ads are a possibility for political blogs but Oz would need a critical mass of blogs out there to justify political parties to make the effort to create them. So that’s off the table at the moment.

Check Instapundit for his mix of politics and Amazon promotions, he’s one of the few to do that, also the Other McCain does it a fair bit as well as panhandling.

I looked into it a year or 2 ago so my info on banner ads might be a bit outdated but the Amazon/Google Ads should still be correct.

PS the only way to make any money with Google Ads is to keep repeating the same word in your posts (they jump you if you try sly coding or write it in the background colour) to get the ad you want served up. You can’t request which ones you want, only forbid the ones you don’t.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 4:56 pm
Well, I go off to have a nap and I see numbers is in da house.

Oh well.

Fleeced, God willing you get better and have a happy healthy christmas, and to the rest of the Cats here, make sure you do too.

I am childfree tonight, so will be putting my feet up and thinking about Doing Stuff. The presents are wrapped and there is the never-ending laundry to be folded, so I might do that also.

God bless you all, a Child is born*!

*okay, tomorrow morning He will be, but you know what I mean.

nilk

24 Dec 12 at 4:57 pm
It’s the well-known Somalian model.

Brings Somalia into the argument because it suits him today but discounts Honduras the other day, despite it having the highest number of gun killings per head of population with only 500,000 firearms spread amongst the population. Compared to 280,000,000 firearms in the US which sits in 28th spot for gun deaths per head. Because he plain and simply could not, or most likely did not have the mental firepower, to explain the difference

His total stupidity is only exceeded by his compulsion for attention at a site where he is beaten comprehensively in every single thread he contaminates.

This is the entire “original post”. It contains no link. Who’s the moron?
This is the correct data.

1735099

24 Dec 12 at 4:59 pm
And don’t dismiss The Drum so quickly, I understand they pay $500.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:00 pm
Alice, you and the old commo traitor are made for each other. Just don’t breed.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 5:00 pm
And don’t dismiss The Drum so quickly, I understand they pay $500.

They pay $200 for junk their zombie authors couldn’t give away to commercial media.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 5:02 pm
Actually m0nty I’d suggest you could get banner ads from the well funded proto-commie lobby groups like GetUp and The Greens flogging their latest agitation.

There are plenty of those busybodies and they always have a new outrageous outrage to be outraged about.

If you had any readers you’d coin it.

On this side of the aisle there is basically jack.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:05 pm
Ok $200 then. Its still something and they’ll print any statist pap you want to churn out.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:07 pm
Safe merry Xmas ALL.
The Cat is a place of learning for me and rarely am I disappointed.
And remember

“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret for the past and fear of the future.”
–Fulton Oursler

Off for a bit of “extended family” adventure.

jumpnmcar

24 Dec 12 at 5:11 pm
Have a good one, Jump.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 5:14 pm
The way to make money with a blog is to do solid book reviews with Amazon links. Or product reviews with Amazon links. Or fashion reviews with Amazon links.

Don’t worry, I’ve looked into it.

Essentially the poliblog itself won’t make money. You have to subsidise it as part of a larger entity to add gravitas, or find a sugar daddy. Which is what journalism has always been about, to be truthful.

I have some ideas about how to make it work online in Australia. Dunno if I’ll ever get the chance to test my theories out. It would be difficult, no doubt. If it wasn’t, someone would have done it already.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 5:17 pm
In fact you guys could all link together to increase hits.

m0nty can hand wring about the state of the media and last years AFL season.

SfB can mummyblog about the challenges of watching Kerry Anne while folding the clothes.

Numbers could share interesting anecdotes about Vietnam.

Hammy I’m not sure of…perhaps take a Catherine Deveny role with meandering, pointless, meaningless rants? There seems to be a market for that and he certainly has the skills.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:18 pm
And don’t dismiss The Drum

Please. Even the Drum has standards, such as they are.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 5:20 pm
In spite of being snarky my points about statist lobby groups stands. I’m sure there is an ‘Ethical’ advertising agency out there that has their account.

Good money in it as long as you leave your conscience at the door We Are The World style.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:21 pm
In fact you guys could all link together to increase hits.

I am a big fan of Voltronisation. It can’t happen democratically, though. Herding these cats would be impossible. Someone has to rule with an iron fist, albeit resting on the pursestrings.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 5:23 pm
find a sugar daddy

.

Even Graham Wood is getting cold feet with the Global Mail.

Government banner ads might be worth a look it’s unlikely you’d say anything bad about the current government. Though you only have a 12 month window for that revenue.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:24 pm
In spite of being snarky my points about statist lobby groups stands. I’m sure there is an ‘Ethical’ advertising agency out there that has their account.

Yeah, like that American mob that advertises T-shirts to wingnuts using pictures of cute girls with large chests. Don’t think there’s enough coin there though.

m0nty

24 Dec 12 at 5:27 pm
The way to make money with a blog…

Exxon and the Koch Brothers pay very generously as I think we all know. Or should know, at any rate if they ever got around to sending the cheque. Which they will very soon!

Tel

24 Dec 12 at 5:27 pm
Someone has to rule with an iron fist, albeit resting on the pursestrings.

Indeed.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:27 pm
There is a group in the UK – FORREST – I forget what it stands for but its a smokers rights mob.

Fully funded by Big Tobacco.

Their spokesman travels around the country doing radio and attending rallies with angry publicans.

That would be my dream job. The pockets of those firms would be deep as the Mariana Trench. Probably illegal here, though.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:32 pm
Don’t think there’s enough coin there though.

Pretty sure they pay for page views not click throughs so if you have the eyeballs you might do ok.

American Apparel pay by the eyeball.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 5:34 pm
“A FREE PEOPLE OUGHT NOT ONLY BE ARMED AND DISCIPLINED, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO MAINTAIN A STATUS OF INDEPENDENCE FROM ANY WHO MIGHT ATTEMPT TO ABUSE THEM, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT.” – George Washington

AKA the “Somalian Model”. LOL

And there’s this.

16-year-old student, Luke Woodham, after slitting his mothers throat, showed up at school with a .30-30 rifle and started shooting. Upon hearing the shots, the Principal immediately called 911 seeking help from the Police, as more shots rang out.

Assistant Principal, Joel Myrick, reacted much differently, though. Hearing the shots, he ran to his parked truck and retrieved his own .45 caliber pistol and chased Woodham down, holding him at bay by pointing the loaded weapon right at his face. Woodham stopped his carnage right there.

Assistant Principal Myrick then forced Woodham to the ground and placed his foot on the student shooters neck.

Did the Gun Free Zone stop this nut? Nope.

Did an armed citizen with a .45 pistol? Yep.

Will you ever hear this in the mainstream media? Nope.

Eddystone

24 Dec 12 at 5:36 pm
Brings Somalia into the argument because it suits him today but discounts Honduras the other day, despite it having the highest number of gun killings per head of population with only 500,000 firearms spread amongst the population.

Ignoring the Islaimist nature of Somalia, anyone bringing Somalia into the argument, should also bring Nigeria into the argument:

* Strong central government.

* Plenty of mineral taxation.

* Plenty of government projects to improve welfare.

Of course it is totally corrupt, but that should not bother the typical socialist thinker. Should be the happiest country on Earth. The people are so happy they have nothing to do but send scam emails.

Tel

24 Dec 12 at 5:41 pm
Been thinking about a few things in the USA, mostly about the nature of modern evil, the left’s smooth philosophy of evil, and the protection of innocent life.

Since they passed the legalisation of mass murder in the USA (the bill of Roe vs Wade) over 54,000,000 babies have been murdered in the USA.

On a small number of occasions, anti-baby-murder activists have blown up the death factories, attacked and even killed some of the murderers – the Mengeles – running them.

The US left has been vehemently in favour of the murder factories being protected by armed personnel legally permitted to use deadly force against anyone trying via direct action to stop the butchery of babies. Anything goes, according to the left, so they can keep murdering babies in these death factories.

Enter the school murders. The sensible thing to do is to ensure that the same armed response the school called for is present at the start.

yet, the US left is vehemently opposed to the use of lethal force to stop anyone from murdering children in school.

But they insist on protecting their own murder factories.

What this reveals is the philosophical depth of just how fundamentally evil the US left is (a characteristic our own left shareas, of course), their deep misanthropy, and their insatiable lust for industrialised mass murder in a scale that would both make Stalin, Mao and Hitler give a standing ovation and dwarf their own blood-soaked achievements.

It has not been a comfortable Christmas Eve.

But perhaps it has been a necessary one.

Mk50 of Brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 5:42 pm
Gentlepeople – I’m off soon to Christmas dinner. So have a good one. Enjoy.

Sinclair Davidson

24 Dec 12 at 5:44 pm
Which is what journalism has always been about, to be truthful.

You spelled “faithful” wrong.

Tel

24 Dec 12 at 5:44 pm
Enter the school murders. The sensible thing to do is to ensure that the same armed response the school called for is present at the start.

yet, the US left is vehemently opposed to the use of lethal force to stop anyone from murdering children in school.

But they insist on protecting their own murder factories.

One and the same; the left ensuring the continued slaughter of innocents.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 6:10 pm
I’ll add my Christmas wishes as well. Have a good one guys and good frigging luck to any Cats in Perth – 40 degrees tomorrow.

Now these presents aren’t going to wrap themselves…

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 6:15 pm
Merry Christmas one and all.

My wife is glazing a ham and I am off to the pub. Just as nature intended.

Infidel Tiger

24 Dec 12 at 6:15 pm
Me too. Have a Holy, safe and family Christmas

Mk50 of Brisbane

24 Dec 12 at 6:32 pm
Merry Christmas, everyone. Or whatever you celebrate.

Jarrah

24 Dec 12 at 6:40 pm
Janet Daley, The Telegraph: The truth is that politicians are telling lies
Government is simply unaffordable

Was 2012 the year when the democratic world lost its grip on reality? Must we assume now that no party that speaks the truth about the economic future has a chance of winning power in a national election? With the results of presidential contests in the United States and France as evidence, this would seem to be the only possible conclusion. Any political leader prepared to deceive the electorate into believing that government spending, and the vast system of services that it provides, can go on as before – or that they will be able to resume as soon as this momentary emergency is over – was propelled into office virtually by acclamation.

So universal has this rule turned out to be that parties and leaders who know better – whose economic literacy is beyond question – are now afraid even to hint at the fact which must eventually be faced. The promises that governments are making to their electorates are not just misleading: they are unforgivably dishonest.

JamesK

24 Dec 12 at 6:45 pm
This is the entire “original post”. It contains no link. Who’s the moron?
This is the correct data.

Not my original post at all. Nor is Wikipedia’s 12 year old data the link I put on my original challenge to you EARLIER THIS WEEK.

That’s here. Thanks for proving so quickly and delightfully easily what a completely asinine, beef-witted clod you are. Not that the rest of us hadn’t worked that out.

Megan

24 Dec 12 at 7:12 pm
Great Xmas all and see you all on the other side.

JC

24 Dec 12 at 7:12 pm
“Since they passed the legalisation of mass murder in the USA (the bill of Roe vs Wade) over 54,000,000 babies have been murdered in the USA.”

Do you really want to restart this argument? Let’s leave it until the new year at least.

Jarrah

24 Dec 12 at 7:14 pm
A big highlight for us was seeing The Church, Devo and, at long last, Simple Minds in Sydney.

Here are Simple Minds live in 1984

and here they are nearly thirty years later, still holding a crowd in the palms of their hands.

Brilliant.

Myrddin Seren

24 Dec 12 at 7:25 pm
Thanks to all the Cats* for making this place a vital oasis for dissidents in the era of vicious leftist state power. This time next year I trust we will have been delivered from this nation-wrecking perversion. And thanks to the Doomlord and Jacques for making it all possible.

*except the trolls.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 7:29 pm
Monty said:

Essentially the poliblog itself won’t make money. You have to subsidise it as part of a larger entity …

Paging JC!

blogstrop

24 Dec 12 at 7:41 pm
Gotta love lefty atheists:

A religious song, but it’s in German so unless you speak the language we atheists can simply enjoy a great piece of music and the sight of people spontaneously coming together in peace.
G’nite all…happy holidays!
Warning! This will get stuck in your head for days. And I certainly hope that it does.

It’s only one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, and I’m a sucker for flashmobs.

Enjoy and God bless.

nilk

24 Dec 12 at 7:41 pm
We thrill to the inspired ascension of Australia’s first female prime minister, one of the most unpopular political leaders in Australian history, in Tim Blair’s Quotes of the Year:

“I’m good mates with Barack Obama. I tell him, ‘you think it’s tough being African-American? Try being me. Try being an atheist, childless, single woman as prime minister’.” Julia Gillard.

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 7:52 pm
Thanks nilk; pretty “flash” bit of production there. Nicely filmed and edited.

blogstrop

24 Dec 12 at 7:55 pm
It’s only one of the most beautiful pieces ever written,

Agreed! Always gives me goosebumps and I’m always in tears by the finale.

Gab

24 Dec 12 at 8:02 pm
You’re welcome, Blog. That one looks like it was put together by a bank, as I noticed the bank building in the background, and the name was also shown at the end.

I don’t mind, though – a lot of these flashmobs are nowhere near as spontaneous as they used to be, but they’re still fun.

And Gab, I had the hanky out, too. Seriously, who could watch the way it played out, with the music, and not be moved?

nilk

24 Dec 12 at 8:06 pm
This one is cute because of the fellow that just joins in and gets right into it.

nilk

24 Dec 12 at 8:10 pm
Back to Christmas. Hallelujah!

nilk

24 Dec 12 at 8:15 pm
“Since they passed the legalisation of mass murder in the USA (the bill of Roe vs Wade) over 54,000,000 babies have been murdered in the USA.”

Do you really want to restart this argument? Let’s leave it until the new year at least.

What argument?

It’s a statement of fact.

No opinion was expressed.

Unless you argue that an prenatal ‘baby’ who like a postnatal baby is vulnerable isn’t really a human life worth defending

JamesK

24 Dec 12 at 8:33 pm
Thanks for the clip, Nilk. Brilliant!

Tom

24 Dec 12 at 8:39 pm
Ah lovely Noosa. Flew up today. Wore shorts. Out of spite. Staying at a place that has no barby. No barby! Even the backpackers has a barby. Hire one they said. Chops sizzling in commanderred shopping trolley. Fuelled by their poxy fence palings. Send in the drones.

Pickles

24 Dec 12 at 8:54 pm
Oh my Pickles.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 9:18 pm
Thanks for the link Nilk, wonderful. I have sung that many times in a large choir. Always moving.

Biota

24 Dec 12 at 9:33 pm
Because our youngest daughter has to work Xmas Day, Santa visited the Septimus residence this morning and was very generous. Early Xmas Dinner was delicious roast leg of lamb & roast veggies, followed by Belgian chocolate pudding & custard/ice cream.

We wish all Catallaxy folk a wonderful Xmas.

Septimus

24 Dec 12 at 9:48 pm
And Gab, I had the hanky out, too. Seriously, who could watch the way it played out, with the music, and not be moved?

from Nilk.

Me too. I only discovered classical music late in life, and I am forever grateful that I did. Absolutely beautiful piece.

Thank you for posting.

Pedro the Ignorant

24 Dec 12 at 9:49 pm
Sorry, JamesK, I’m not feeding the trolls tonight. Have a nice Christmas. May your feasts be plentiful, your drinks plentiful, and your company enjoyable.

Jarrah

24 Dec 12 at 9:59 pm
A new report for policy makers launched by the World Future Council and the Heinrich Böll Foundation at the UN climate summit COP 18 in Doha shows that Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff policies (REFiT) are a promising mechanism to unlock the renewable energy development in Africa. The report provides an in-depth analysis of existing policies in 13 African countries: Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The study doubles as a comprehensive guide for African decision and policy makers.

TL;DR these guys reckon overpriced energy is the economic saviour of Africa.

Murderers.

FMD

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 10:35 pm
We thrill to the inspired ascension of Australia’s first female prime minister, one of the most unpopular political leaders in Australian history, in Tim Blair’s Quotes of the Year:

“I’m good mates with Barack Obama. I tell him, ‘you think it’s tough being African-American? Try being me. Try being an atheist, childless, single woman as prime minister’.” Julia Gillard.

And people wonder why Tim Mathieson, the supposed First Bloke is viewed as a handbag or accessory.

Cold-Hands

24 Dec 12 at 10:44 pm
Try being me….

I have the smallest violin in the world and it’s playing “My heart bleeds for you”.

kae

24 Dec 12 at 10:49 pm
Anyone who advocates energy ‘solutions’ that they are not willing to live under themselves – and that would be all ‘renewable’ advocates – deserves harsh condemnation. I am feeling charitable just now.

Merry Kristmas to all Kool Kats and Klassy Kittens, as James Ellroy would say.

johanna

24 Dec 12 at 10:50 pm
Bambi and Saint Gillard are handmaidens. It’s all about them.

He spent the eulogy of Daniel Inoue speaking about himself.

It was noticed.

President Barack Obama used the funeral for Hawaii senator Daniel Inouye to talk about himself. In the short 1,600 word speech, Obama used the word “my” 21 times, “me” 12 times, and “I” 30 times.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 11:01 pm
Merry Christmas, Cats.

kae

24 Dec 12 at 11:07 pm
We welcome partnerships with all of you, in governments, intergovernmental organisations, civil society, academia, media, and youth groups, to work jointly with 6
us to secure the implementation of the Global Policy Action Plan to save our shared future and
regenerate our world.

Well I’m not included. And basically 99% of the world isn’t either.

I’m with you johanna I read their communist manifesto and sighed.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 11:17 pm
The Directors of the group have a *cough* varied *cough* pedigree. Darryl Hannah for example..

Prof. Dr. Tewolde Berhan Egziabhe, Director General, Environmental Protection Authority, Ethiopia

He actually includes his CV. Bravo on the chutzpah mate, bravo.

DaveF

24 Dec 12 at 11:34 pm
Interesting editorial in the NY Times supporting the then state law referred to the Sullivan Act in 1911 restricting and permitting concealed carry.

The motivation for passing the law was no secret. During debates leading to the ultimate passage of the gun control law, The New York Times editorialized:

Such a measure would prove corrective and salutary in a city filled with immigrants and evil communications, floating from the shores of Italy and Austria-Hungary. New York police reports frequently testify to the fact that the Italian and other south Continental gentry here are acquainted with the pocket pistol, and while drunk or merrymaking will use it quite as handily as the stiletto, and with more deadly effect. It is hoped that this treacherous and distinctly outlandish mode of settling disputes may not spread to corrupt the native good manners of the community.

More at Reason.

http://reason.com/archives/2012/12/22/gun-restrictions-have-always-bred-defian

But plenty of New Yorkers have chosen to own guns outside the official system. In a city that, as I write, has roughly 37,000 licensed handgun owners and about 21,000 rifle and shotgun licenses, the running guesstimate of illegal firearms stands at two million, give or take a bit. That’s the number the U.S. Department of Justice has used in its official publications in recent years.

The article says that the compliance rate with Howard’s laws is estimated at around 19%.

That’s really successful. Lol

JC

25 Dec 12 at 1:22 am
It’s interesting how no one at this stage has equated the banning of guns to Prohibition and that was really successful. Lol.

I’ve never wanted a handgun. However I know a Greek hardware store owner who does a brisk business in handguns and would be able to buy one the same day during trading hours.

Leftwingers are truly fucking thick. They actually think that if you pass a law banning guns people who want a gun will immediately comply with the law.

What fucking imbeciles.

JC

25 Dec 12 at 1:25 am
I despise racists, I despise anti-semites, and I despise vapid poseurs who support terrorist barbarians against the civilised, yet who themselves enjoy the benefits of civilisation.
— Mk50 of Brisbane
Next quote »

We can become a Liberty Quote?

DaveF

25 Dec 12 at 1:31 am
Ban guns.

It’ll be successful. We’ll ban heroin and dope next.

DaveF

25 Dec 12 at 1:35 am
I despise racists, I despise anti-semites, and I despise vapid poseurs who support terrorist barbarians against the civilised, yet who themselves enjoy the benefits of civilisation.

That’s a really really good quote.

JC

25 Dec 12 at 1:42 am
Ban guns.

It’ll be successful. We’ll ban heroin and dope next.

By crikey Dave F, why muck around?

Just make murder illegal. End-of-mass-shooting-problems!

Steve at the Pub

25 Dec 12 at 1:48 am
Fat boy scoffed when i made a similar comment about the need to protect oneself from a tyrannical government. And by the way I do consider the current Australian Labor Government having all the traits of being potentially tyrannical…. Note Finkelstein as a baby step. Creating race riots is another.

Well, the hundreds of millions of people happily rendering gun controls unenforceable around the world probably have a variety of reasons for doing so. But the near-universal resistance to such laws suggests some commonalities.

As mentioned earlier, even much of modern, democratic Europe was under dictatorial control relatively recently. A hypothetical 80-year-old retiree shuffling today around the house in which he was born in Potsdam would have lived under four governments without ever having called a moving van or packed a box. Two of those regimes (Hitler’s Nazi state and the East German Communist government) would have been among the more evil governments to ever give a secret policeman a leather trench coat, and one (the Weimar republic) was chaotic and inept.

That retiree’s contemporary in his family home in Marseille would have lived under the tottering Third Republic, the collaborationist Vichy regime, the Provisional Government, the unstable Fourth Republic, and the Fifth Republic.

And both of them would, today, be eyeing the rise of the yet-unproven European Union.

The past century has seen the emergence of the bloodiest regimes ever to exist on the planet. During the 20th Century, the People’s Republic of China slaughtered over 76 million people, the Soviet Union murdered roughly 62 million, and Nazi Germany put another 21 million in the ground.

The Nazi regime rose out of a functioning—though deeply flawed—democracy, so even regular elections are an uncertain barrier to tyrannical rulers.

But even a perfectly stable democracy is no guarantee against the future. Not content to engage in mass murder within their own borders, totalitarian armies have exported mayhem to neighboring countries.

Those are only the headliners. According to R.J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii and author of Death by Government, autocratic regimes with a variety of ideologies, or no ideologies at all, shed blood around the world, raising the overall death toll inflicted by governments to 262 million over the course of the 20th Century.

Democratic regimes weren’t nearly as bloodthirsty as their authoritarian counterparts, though they did commit atrocities—especially in their colonial holdings. They also had a nasty habit of being invaded and occupied by their jackbooted neighbors.

Given that track record, why would even the inhabitant of a stable democracy, who is perfectly happy with the current political set-up, have any confidence that the government perusing firearms registration records ten years down the road will bear any resemblance to the government gathering those records now?

Keeping a few unregistered guns may well look like an insurance policy against a future that could all too easily resemble the past.

The United States has been happily free of dictators, purges, and occupation, but it doesn’t take a large dose of paranoia to look back over history and wonder if this one country is necessarily a permanent exception to the troubles that have engulfed the rest of the planet.

And even if America never proves to be Weimar Germany with weaker beer, or to have the border integrity of France’s Third Republic, elected officials, like those in New York and California, do their reputations no favor when they violate promises that registration records will never be used to ease confiscation schemes.

JC

25 Dec 12 at 1:50 am
We also used to have armed guards patrolling our farms on horseback, protecting us and our livestock from barbarians and wild animals.

News flash Monty, most farmers are still armed. They just keep their gun in their Ute rather than on their horse now.

Yobbo

25 Dec 12 at 2:15 am
Really interesting piece about the future of American conservatism. It looks bleak and seems to be based mainly on future racial composition.

So what to do? Target more Hispanic voters? There are big doubts. The GOP would be killing itself if it favored the immigration policies of the demorats.

Or take a serious turn and become white party and make elections based on racial differentiation? One problem is how to attract more white women.

I’ve often said that the GOP needs to be as cynical and power hungry as the American left. So go white. Become the white people’s party and let the cards fall they may.

http://www.fpri.org/articles/2012/12/crisis-american-conservatism-inherent-contradictions-and-end-road

JC

25 Dec 12 at 3:13 am
JC, I’ve been dipping into the NYT this morning; I usually avoid it completely and after today’s perusal I can see why. Reading the comments section of Ross Douthat’s blog it is incredible how many nincompoops can be filled into such a small space. The comments are generally so idiotic it is frightening. One comment was so stupid it stopped me in my tracks and I had to say: enough, anymore might be fatal. Almost everyone of the them was complaining because Douthat had compared attempts to regulate alcohol with gun, with many saying that analogy was ridiculous because they are not identical (without knowing that analogy depends on any two items not being identical but rather similar). But then some bright spark entered the conversation and took the stupid to eleventy by saying:

Isn’t drunk driving illegal Ross? So how is this comparison even remotely appropriate?

Apparently he failed to realize that murdering 26 souls is also “illegal”. I have to say, it is hard to find a generally intelligent reader at the NYT if their comments sections are anything to go by.

dover_beach

25 Dec 12 at 4:48 am
Christmas Greetings to everyone.
While we contemplate and celebrate Christ’s birth today, we cannot escape the pincer movement that has already begun. Our useful leftists in the media denigrate christianity at every opportunity, while on the other “pince” the islamics want to claim Jesus as an islamic prophet who was done away with by the jews, adding that to their infamy.
Having plenty of observant christians among my relations and friends, and appreciating those in this company, I am heartened. But for too many in the broad swathe of Australian voterland, this day has become pretty secular. The impression given by the media of the established churches is badly discoloured by the campaigns being waged. One is the rainbow mob who want gays to be accepted despite the biblical teachings ( that it is sinful and to continue in that practise is not acceptable, certainly not in an ordained person), while the other is the determined attack on the catholics, who will continue to be painted with the one brush as child molesters. It’s not so heartening to see the Uniting Church deteriorate into a happy clapping leftist lot, entertaining any cause that Labor/Greens would approve of.
The focus on those outfits that provide christmas lunch to an ever increasing lot of homeless people seems to be the number one priority of the media. The number of homeless will continue to increase while that same media fails to support a society with values, a society based on intact families, a society where being an aimless and possibly mentally unfit (albeit temporarily) person is represented as the outcome of an uncaring capitalist system rather than as yet another symptom of moral failure. The media love the welfare message, but not the hard love required to get people back on the rails.
I’m sure we all look forward to the new year and the sea change it will bring politically.

Blogstrop

25 Dec 12 at 6:45 am
My Christmas contemplation: I wonder how many of the pseudonyms at the Cat I know in the real world by their real identities? Because credibility is the cornerstone of my professional career, I prefer not to express personal opinions about politics and other matters under my own name. But I still have them. So to find an online community where the honesty and the language are cutting and direct is a liberator. To be free of the fashionable juvenile herd of the left is essential if one is to make sense of the world.

The left constantly has our civilisation under attack, but, until now, we have been used to an ordered political-economic system without the need to spell out why it works. Those who believe in the system are only just waking up to the fact that it’s time to begin to articulate the philosophical and intellectual foundation and strength of capitalist democracy.

In Australia, the Gillard Government is a perversion of the democratic system that is the result of voter indecision. Without wanting it, we have finished up with a Green Left government — led by a clumsy, incompetent extremist — that is a wrecker of the system and the civilisation.

My Christmas wish is that the electorate will be given an early opportunity to vote. The result is far from a foregone conclusion. It may be that enough people believe we are rich enough to extend this destructive experiment to the point where the wealth that supports it collapses in misery and hardship. The election, when it happens, may well be a cliff-hanger.

Tom

25 Dec 12 at 7:52 am
Yea to all of that Tom.

Pickles

25 Dec 12 at 8:37 am
Because credibility is the cornerstone of my professional career, I prefer not to express personal opinions about politics and other matters under my own name

Tom I’m in the same boat. Though sometimes I think that, if it’s socially and professionally acceptable to express a leftwing political opinion, why should I hide my views? It’s not like I support the KKK or anything.

I’ve decided on a (slightly wussy) compromise – I won’t trumpet my opinions out there like many leftists, but if asked, or if the conversation turns to such topics, I won’t hide my views.

By staying in the closet we’re just helping the leftists to accelerate the destruction of western civilisation.

papachango

25 Dec 12 at 8:55 am
That appalling effort by Bragstrip is so homophobic and Islamaphobic that he should be prosecuted for hate speech. The sooner the Finkelstein reforms can be legislated to include blogs the better.

hammygar

25 Dec 12 at 9:08 am
Dover

Stop reading it unless it’s for amusement. Be heartened by the fact that like Fuckedfax they are going bankrupt and having to sell the furniture in order to shore up short term finances.

Let me say this, if the left try to ban guns with some maneuver through the Supreme Court by attempting to ignore the Constitution (if the Kenyan manages to stack the court), it will be on for young an old. There could be a revolution and a lot of dead people.

JC

25 Dec 12 at 9:17 am
Become the white people’s party and let the cards fall they may.

yeah that’ll work. become like the KKK /sarc

papachango

25 Dec 12 at 10:00 am
Qover if comments at the NYT get on your goat try the Guardian lol

DaveF

25 Dec 12 at 10:04 am
Hammy you have no idea of what you’re talking about. I guess this was put up in the interests of initiating dialogue, because those afternoon teas with the nice interfaith sessions doesn’t appear to be working.

The christmas fatwa that was all over the news (and all over the world in 48 seconds flat, it seems) was also rather rapidly abrogated. Oops, I guess the Lakemba mob should have shut up. No matter, Sheikh Yahya will no doubt be told to stop talking where infidels can hear just like Catmeat Was.

Maybe we can call this fellow Sheikh Grinch?

As for the gay lobby, I guess they’ve never expressed any idea to drag down the church? I’m not talking of individual gays, I’m talking of those radical activists also known as the gaystapo, the rainbow sashers who like to invade catholic churches and demand the Eucharist.

Yeah, I can see plenty of goodwill there.

nilk

25 Dec 12 at 10:09 am
Sorry I can’t find an English translation, but if you can read French, this is probably the best open letter I’ve ever read.

From an actor, no less, in fierce defence of individual liberty, and against effectively paying 85% of his income int ax for France’s socialist government.

When French PM Jean-Marc Ayrault called Gérard Depardieu ‘shabby’ he took exception and wrote back to him as to exactly why he’s going to live in Belgium and renouncing his French citizenship. (The French make fun of the Belgians as hicks, so this is rather deliciously ironic)

A couple of snippets:

I’m giving up my passport and social security, which I’ve never used….

I’m leaving because you consider that success, talent, creativity, in fact any difference [between people] needs to be punished..

Bravo Gérard!

There’s a steady stream of successful French people doing the same, meaning the socialist welfare state will probably collape under its own weight.

papachango

25 Dec 12 at 10:22 am
JC: Become the white people’s party and let the cards fall they may.

papa: yeah that’ll work. become like the KKK /sarc

No, the idea is that you simply state your principles consistently and fearlessly without prejudice or pandering to this or that social group and let the cards fall where they may.

But let’s be honest, the demographic profile of Republican voters is pretty much like that of most Ivy League colleges; you know, those colleges that a great many Democratic supporter in the academy and the media either attend, attended, teach in, or wanted to.

dover_beach

25 Dec 12 at 10:29 am
No, the idea is that you simply state your principles consistently and fearlessly without prejudice or pandering to this or that social group and let the cards fall where they may.

Fair enough – I can agree with that. But to be a ‘white people’s party’ is just indulging in the same collectivism and identity politics as Emily’s List, the Aboriginal Industry, Viva Palestina and whatnot. Plus most white poeple would run a mile at something that remotely resembles the BNP or the KKK. Very Bad Idea.

papachango

25 Dec 12 at 10:40 am
Gerard Depardieu is a remarkable chap. Ugly, huge and ungainly, he is nevertheless capable of being anything on screen – lover, villain, hero, fool. His Asterix movies are magnificent – but so are others where he has played hard-bitten cops and lovestruck idiots.

A while back, he was accused of behaving badly on a plane, and it went all over the world. They wouldn’t let him go to the toilet, so he allegedly peed in the aisle. Here was his response:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIMvCA2mSag

It’s only a couple of minutes long, and well worth a look.

Losing Gerard should be a serious warning to the French government that they are on the path to self-destruction.

johanna

25 Dec 12 at 2:15 pm
But let’s be honest, the demographic profile of Republican voters is pretty much like that of most Ivy League colleges; you know, those colleges that a great many Democratic supporter in the academy and the media either attend, attended, teach in, or wanted to.

That’s not true.

The left have taken over all the institutions including the universities and inculcate leftism.

All the ivy league universities are liberal.

Conservatives who come out of said universities entered as conservatives and kept quiet to graduate.

JamesK

25 Dec 12 at 3:06 pm
A happy and holy Christmas to all Catallaxans.

Even the leftys

JamesK

25 Dec 12 at 3:07 pm
There was no need for the “link” Hammasguy, it was only three comments above your dummy spit.

blogstrop

25 Dec 12 at 3:23 pm
Sorry, it is Hammasgay?

blogstrop

25 Dec 12 at 3:24 pm
Tim Blair could have a bit of fun with this:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-25/anti-logging-activist-spends-second-christmas-up-tree/4443256

“She has been campaigning to protect high conservation-value forests from logging, and says she hopes it will be her last Christmas in the tree.

“I would really like to be coming down in 2013,” she said.”

johanna

25 Dec 12 at 5:25 pm
johanna, Sinc has opened a new thrad

Grigory Potemkin

25 Dec 12 at 5:30 pm

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