Monday Forum: July 21, 2014

Posted on 3:00 pm, July 21, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

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1,284 Responses to Monday Forum: July 21, 2014

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Shelley

#1392431, posted on July 23, 2014 at 3:31 pm

Supporters believe the tax would discourage financial market speculation and trading, while the funds raised could be put toward social purposes – specifically, in this protest, the fight against HIV/AIDS.

I don’t even get the connection – how did someone come up with this? What, do they want the taxes raised put towards condoms or something?? Did the Occupy crowd meet the Mardi Gras crowd?
entropy

#1392433, posted on July 23, 2014 at 3:32 pm

I think it needs to be plugged.
johanna

#1392438, posted on July 23, 2014 at 3:42 pm

nic
#1392412, posted on July 23, 2014 at 2:58 pm

Apparently Knopfler ruled Dire Straits with an iron fist.

Its true. Did you know that the other members of Dire Straits didn’t make the sort of money you might think they did as they were ‘employees’ in a contracted sense, as opposed to band members?

You are quite right about talent versus those such as the Clash who couldnt play an instrument. I think Knopfler met his match though when recording with the demanding Steely Dan when laying down a track ‘time out of mind’.

Not unusual. There is no rule that says that members of a musical ensemble are automatically equal partners. Indeed, in the history of popular music, it is relatively uncommon. Members of big bands did not all get paid the same, and the bandleader got more than anyone. Chuck Berry paid his supporting bands (who he picked up wherever he happened to be) union rates. When new members joined successful rock acts, like the Stones, they were on wages, not automatic equal partners. The free market at work.

As for Knopfler and Steely Dan, now there is a pair of virtuosi (Becker and Fagan), with a very idiosyncratic style. I imagine that most well above average guitarists would have trouble fitting in with them, although I reckon that Tommy Emmanuel could pull it off.
Armadillo

#1392444, posted on July 23, 2014 at 3:54 pm

I was wondering how long this would take.

http://pickeringpost.com/glance/lakemba-lads-call-to-arms/3573
nic

#1392445, posted on July 23, 2014 at 3:56 pm

As for Knopfler and Steely Dan, now there is a pair of virtuosi (Becker and Fagan), with a very idiosyncratic style. I imagine that most well above average guitarists would have trouble fitting in with them, although I reckon that Tommy Emmanuel could pull it off.

The problem was that they wanted him to improvise to a standard that only they knew, ie, what it is they wanted. Being perfectionists only added to the pressure no doubt.
oldsalt

#1392447, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:04 pm

The Vatican has a dilemma. The Church doesn’t lack the networks on the ground to spirit refugees to safety. They don’t want to facilitate ethnic cleansing and serve the interests of ISIS types, and would prefer the ME Christian communities to remain viable. UNHCR is occasionally faced with the same problem.
notafan

#1392451, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:14 pm

There were approximately 60,000 Christians in Mosul , many fled when ISIS first arrived. The remaining 35,000 have apparently been told to walk out in the clothes they are wearing, taking nothing.
How can that happen without serious suffering and some deaths?
Not to mention what is/has been happening to Christians in Syria (and Egypt).
Where will they go?
JC

#1392453, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:23 pm

Fat woman posts a pic along with an essay about her pride in doing do. Gets tons of support. Let me guess the average weight of other females posting support.

https://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/fat-woman-wears-bikini–world-doesn-t-end-180736209.html

The world doesn’t end, but the laughing hasn’t stopped.
Steve of Glasshouse

#1392457, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:27 pm

JC..stop being redundant; a tax is a form of being rear ended.
Steve of Glasshouse

#1392458, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:29 pm

Enough of the jokes about butts and being rear ended; the spirit of Steve of Brisbane might be accidentally invoked
JC

#1392464, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:32 pm

Glasshouse

But seriously the fucking nerve of those arseholes demanding stock trading be connected to unprotected gay sex. The sheer fucking nerve.

Jeez I hate the left.
.

#1392466, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:34 pm

Infidel Tiger
#1392377, posted on July 23, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Tax Financial Transactions To End AIDS

If taxes stopped AIDS, the ATO would also be raising the dead right now.
incoherent rambler

#1392471, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:36 pm

Hypothetical: Muslims in Western Sydney start launching rockets at Randwick.

What would you see as an appropriate response?

Methinks the Israelis have been very tolerant.
C.L.

#1392473, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:37 pm

Liberals, collaborating with the “new paganism”, are driving the Catholic Church towards a split, according to Bishop Athanasius Schneider, the liturgical specialist who is carrying on a rearguard fight against “abuses” in the Church.

So serious are the problems, Bishop Schneider said in an interview last week, that this is the fourth great crisis in the history of the Church, comparable to the fourth-century Arian heresy in which a large part of the Church hierarchy was implicated.

Finally, a bishop who gets it.

Say the word “crisis” and most bishops will say “no no because spirit of Vatican II.”
egg_

#1392474, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:38 pm

the spirit of Steve of Brisbane might be accidentally invoked

Is he concerned of the deadly log jam of policy that Michael Kirby is appealing to Tony Abbott to fix.
johanna

#1392477, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:42 pm

Meh, the Tobin tax (and versions thereof) pops up every time some interest group wants billions for their pet hobbyhorse. Also called the Robin Hood tax. The “theory” underlying it is garbage. Firstly, they promulgate dedicated taxation, which makes as much sense as predestining a percentage of your income for superannuation, irrespective of the circumstances – i.e. none. The second is that certain areas of economic activity are inherently deserving of additional taxation, because they are evil/incomprehensible/bad for Da Planet.

If it had been implemented every time someone asked for it, we would all be living in caves.
C.L.

#1392480, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:46 pm

Somebody send this to Pope Francis:

Fatah Charter Calls to ‘Eradicate’ Israel.

Article 12: “Complete liberation of Palestine, and eradication of Zionist economic, political, military, and cultural existence.”

Article 19: “Armed struggle is a strategy and not a tactic, and the Palestinian Arab People’s armed revolution is a decisive factor in the liberation fight and in uprooting the Zionist existence, and this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished and Palestine is completely liberated.”

Pictured: Pope Francis kisses Mahmoud Abbas.
Baldrick

#1392481, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:52 pm

Thanks to the efforts of Shine Lawyers, 157 country shoppers will be kept waiting for several more weeks onboard Customs ship ACV Ocean Protector.

A legal fight over 157 asylum seekers detained at sea will be heard by the full bench of the High Court. Justice Kenneth Hayne, who heard revised cases from both sides today, said the judges will hear the matter in Canberra on August 5.
Lawyers for the Sri Lankan asylum seekers held on board an Australian Customs ship are seeking a court order preventing the Federal Government from sending them to Sri Lanka, Nauru or Papua New Guinea.

… and Aussies pay good money for such a long cruise.
Lysander

#1392483, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:54 pm

CL I’d argue more but am unwell today. That is the richness of the RC; that a Ponti can do these things while also standing up for Israel; and a Bishop can come out and say things in support of Israel too. Only a few weeks Cats were complaining that one had been to a service where the priest made a political statement in a homily. Remember Archy Romero…when he met with the people the State called him communist and vice versa when he met with te State.

I’m out for the count now sorry.

Roma Locuta Causa Finita.
H B Bear

#1392484, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:54 pm

Well done for putting “Michael Kirby” and “deadly log jam” in the same sentence and not falling foul of the moderators.
Baldrick

#1392487, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:57 pm

JC
#1392453, posted on July 23, 2014 at 4:23 pm
Fat woman posts a pic along with an essay about her pride in doing do. Gets tons of support. Let me guess the average weight of other females posting support.

JC, in the interest of human dignity, next time please put an ‘extremely graphic’ warning.
thefrollickingmole

#1392491, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:03 pm

Token.

As a mitigating factor JP was dealing with an Orthodox Christian majority regime which, while not liking Catholics all that much wouldnt celebrate like the beardie weirdies would if there was a pogrom on the family down the street.

He still had to be cunning, and did it well no doubt, but the chance of internal dissent was probably too high for the soviets to unleash.
oldsalt

#1392494, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:06 pm

The Pope shakes hands with lots of baddies, its part of the job. A previous iteration shook the hand of Tariq Aziz. Christians minorities usually have a survival strategy of parachuting people into all Parties, factions of the military etc for protection. The problem facing the Mosul Christians now is to get the women and kids to safety while the men fight, as they’ll have to if they want a future there.
nic

#1392497, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:07 pm

Thanks to the efforts of Shine Lawyers, 157 country shoppers will be kept waiting for several more weeks onboard Customs ship ACV Ocean Protector.

That lot whine they can’t be sent to Sri Lanka and go to the High Court where a 3 week period stalemate exists. They then whine that the country shoppers are at sea for an extended period. Not if they hadn’t got involved in the first place…..
Shelley

#1392504, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:12 pm

I know it has been posted here and I have nothing to actually add other than how unbelievable it is that media are ignoring what is happening to the Christians in Mosul (Egypt, Syria). They are too pre occupied with Gaza (i.e. Hamas setting up the Palestinians as human shields/targets) – and colouring it with their distorted view of Israel as the aggressor.
johanna

#1392506, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:15 pm

Not up to your usual standard, Bear. Kirby is no Lionel Murphy. And he has been with the same bloke for more than 40 years, which is a lot more than we can say for around half of heterosexual liaisons dignified with the term “marriage.”

Some of us recall when an unashamedly homophobic NSW senator circulated rumours about Kirby using his official car to visit gay venues. It was proved to be without foundation, but not before his reputation was dragged through the mud in the press.

I think it was Mick of the Gold Coast (but please correct me if I am wrong) who said here the other day that he had seen Kirby at work as a judge in NSW and was very impressed by both his outstanding ability and his integrity.

These cheap shots at people just because we disagree with them about something just undermine whatever point you are trying to make.
nic

#1392511, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:18 pm

which is a lot more than we can say for around half of heterosexual liaisons dignified with the term “marriage.”

Really, the divorce rate is 50%?
incoherent rambler

#1392517, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:23 pm

Really, the divorce rate is 50%?

A statistic. That 50% is achieved by a heavy contribution from ~25%.
Mick Gold Coast QLD

#1392523, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:29 pm

From johanna at 5:15 pm:

” … Kirby is no Lionel Murphy. And he has been with the same bloke for more than 40 years, which is a lot more than we can say for around half of heterosexual liaisons dignified with the term “marriage.”

Some of us recall when an unashamedly homophobic NSW senator circulated rumours about Kirby using his official car to visit gay venues. It was proved to be without foundation, but not before his reputation was dragged through the mud in the press.

I think it was Mick of the Gold Coast (but please correct me if I am wrong) who said here the other day that he had seen Kirby at work as a judge in NSW and was very impressed by both his outstanding ability and his integrity.

These cheap shots at people just because we disagree with them about something just undermine whatever point you are trying to make.”

It was me Johanna – I’ve briefly read back up the page and I say Michael Kirby deserves better – he earned his place through being exceptional in his profession and by applying his intellect and effort across many issues. He is also a decent and personable fellow, not conceited about his high achievements.
incoherent rambler

#1392528, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:32 pm

97 percent of Australian renewables investment dries up without subsidies (so the ABC gives free adverts to the industry)

We’re told “clean” energy is a viable and cost effective. But cut the government subsidies, and 97 percent of investors vanish (in Australia it’s collapsed from $2.6b annually to $80m). The truth is that renewables are almost totally dependent on taxpayer largess.
No wonder they lobby like their life depends on it.
It does.
kae

#1392546, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:54 pm

Shelley

They all seem to be blind to so much.

Nothing happening that isn’t happening between Israel and whoever and be assured that whoever is the flavour of the age according to the media.

Israel is held to a higher standard. And Christians being murdered? Nothing to see there…
Infidel Tiger

#1392551, posted on July 23, 2014 at 5:58 pm

Really, the divorce rate is 50%?

The 50% divorce rate is a load of bullshit.

When you drill down into the figures you find that a much smaller group of couples are responsible for the majority of the divorces.
johanna

#1392571, posted on July 23, 2014 at 6:27 pm

I withdraw my comment about 50% of (heterosexual) marriages ending upon the rocks; it was bad expression = wrong. I was including de-facto relationships, but even there I admit that the data is squidgy.

Still, I don’t resile from my central point – which is that cheap shots at Kirby, who has been with Johannes for decades – as though he was some kind of rent-boy – are just rubbish.
Jessie

#1392608, posted on July 23, 2014 at 6:59 pm

“Professor Marcia Langton is reported in The Australian today that she thinks we jumped the gun by asking what proposals may be put to the Australian people. It is true that no definitive proposition has been put. All those on offer, however, including the massive one that Langton co-authored as an ‘expert’, are not acceptable.

I guess Langton wants us to fall asleep. Rest assured we will not …”
Recognise What?n