A new thread is wanted, but for all that’s happening in the world right now, there is not a lot of Australian electoral news for me to hang one on right now – there are no polls this week, and there is nothing to report on the preselection front. However:
• Following former newsreader Jo Palmer’s apparent success in gaining the Launceston region state upper house seat of Rosevears (corresponding with the western end of Bass) for the Liberals at Saturday’s elections, The Mercury reports “political watchers in Canberra are now tracking Ms Palmer’s campaign with interest, with some considering how they could lure their likely new star MP to Canberra”. Both of the elections on Saturday appear to have resulted in seats passing from independents to the major parties, with Palmer taking a vacant seat and Labor’s Bastian Seidel unseating Robert Armstrong in Huon at the southern edge of Hobart (part of the federal and state lower house division of Franklin). This would leave the chamber with five Labor members, three Liberals and seven independents – the first time in its history that the chamber has not had an independent majority.
• I have had too little to say about the Northern Territory election, which will be held in three Saturdays’ time. This will come to an end when I publish my comprehensive guide to the election, which I will hopefully do later today.
A strong contender for the headline you would never expect to read.
https://news.antiwar.com/2020/08/03/pompeo-calls-taliban-chief-on-afghan-peace-process/
Would make for a big electoral boost I suppose if Trump can claim the ‘war is over’ in Afghanistan. Uber hawk Pompeo sure wouldn’t be doing it for his desire for peace.
Beirut explosion: more than 50 dead and 2,750 wounded, says Lebanon health ministry – live updates
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/aug/04/beirut-explosion-huge-blast-port-lebanon-capital
Shades of the Halifax explosion:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Explosion
Only 16 More sleeps till the night of the fireman. Looking forward to reading your assessment of Fong Lim William.
Poroti
What do you think the Trump plan is in Afghanistan? Surrender and declare victory?
Socrates @ #4 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 4:56 am
Plan?
If this is finally being recognised as wage theft then there are a lot of thieves in Australian academia. I hope the NTEU takes a long look at Adelaide University.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-05/university-of-melbourne-exposed-in-decade-long-wage-theft-case/12519588
Have a good day all.
Socrates
The Taliban and the government have made quite a lot of progress in recent weeks. Hundreds of prisoners released on both sides and a recent cease fire held. I reckon some power sharing agreement between them and Trump will claim all the credit. It would be a big feather in Trump’s cap and would play well among voters sick of the ‘forever wars’ of the Dubya Shrub years. ISIS has been getting a bit active in Afghanistan in recent times so there is one avenue the government and Taliban could find common cause.
Trump’s stream of subconsciousness becomes a torrent in car-crash interview
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/04/donald-trump-tv-interview-john-crace-sketch
An very illuminating ‘tell’ from Trump. Clearly the penny has dropped for Team Trump that his bluster on mail voting will result in less of those older Republican voters voting.
The CEO is a staunch Libertarian. He should be sent to jail.
Epstein murdered in prison? The Axios interview with Jonathan Swan seems to be a gift to Trump opponents that keeps on giving.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-questions-whether-jeffrey-epstein-was-killed-in-federal-custody-his-attorney-general-and-the-medical-examiner-say-it-was-suicide/2020/08/04/7fcc6134-d665-11ea-aff6-220dd3a14741_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_epstein-125pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans
My one and only comment about this because it needs to be said:
alfred venison @ #1938 Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 – 11:31 pm
Player One – I have re-read this several times now, and the meaning remains elusive. I am not sure why a misogynistic insult should be considered more insulting to a woman who is a labor supporter than to a woman who is a green supporter.
i find that remark somewhat ambiguous, too, but i read its criticism as directed at the board, not greens supporters or Pegasus.
to me, Bowe, W. is contending that, (1) were a labor woman to be treated like Pegasus was treated, the board would have erupted in such an uproar that he, Bowe, W., would have been well nigh driven by the force of continuous din to ban the perp in order to restore peace.
that didn’t happen in the case of Pegasus, and therefore, i think, he, Bowe, W., contends (2) the board is in the wrong, and somewhat hypocritical in its commitment to making & keeping the board a safe place for women of all party persuasions. -regards, a.v.
And this is where the Defenders of Pegasus are WRONG.
I know for a fact, that Pegasus’ vindictive focus on lizzie, as sweet and as innocent a person as we have here, nearly drove lizzie from the blog. And I’m sorry lizzie for having to bring that up but alfred venison’s sanctimonious panglossian overview just had to be answered with FACTS.
Pegasus is not the innocent blog saint that the Defenders of Pegasus are trying to make her out to be. She was/is as divisive a character as I am. No more, and certainly no less. She was eminently capable of woman on woman misogyny if you didn’t agree with her. I was just strong enough of character to call her out. Not everyone is.
And I’d really appreciate it if Douglas and Milko would quit referring to Pegasus’ contributions as original. They weren’t. What they were was boilerplate Greens agit prop. Fine, if you want to see more of that, say so, but original thought it wasn’t.
Now, personally, I don’t mind if Pegasus wants to ride back into the blog like a triumphant valkyrie flanked by the Defenders of Pegasus. However, if she or they thinks that now makes her a protected species immune from criticism but allowed to dish it out unfettered, well, that’s up to the blog moderator to decide. It’d be pretty suss though.
The full Axios interview with Trump. HBO (subscription TV in America) has made the full interview available to all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaaTZkqsaxY
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Ross Gittins explains how the virus reminds us that governments need to be better, not smaller. He gives us something to think about.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/virus-reminder-governments-need-to-be-better-not-smaller-20200804-p55ics.html
The Australian economy is in for a more subdued recovery than previously predicted, the Reserve Bank says, but unemployment is set to rise.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/uneven-and-bumpy-rba-revises-jobless-to-10pc-20200804-p55ii8
Michael Pascoe explains how he RBA is paddling furiously to keep Australia afloat.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2020/08/05/michael-pascoe-rba/
Opposition parties have pressed the Morrison government to roll out government-funded paid pandemic leave for all Australians as data shows more than a million workers in Sydney and Melbourne do not have sick leave, and more than 800 reports of COVID-19 at workplaces in Victoria in the last week alone.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/quarter-of-workers-don-t-have-sick-leave-for-isolation-20200804-p55ibz.html
Katharine Murphy tells about what Chris Bowen has said about Labor’s approach to the next election.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/05/cant-do-it-all-chris-bowen-says-alp-must-narrow-its-focus-ahead-of-next-federal-election
Chris Uhlmann issues a plea to politicians and staffers to “Stop the Slogans!”, but the article does have some sinister angles.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/here-s-an-idea-for-politicians-and-their-staff-stop-the-slogans-20200804-p55ibe.html
Anthony Galloway tells us that Scott Morrison in a speech today will warn the pace of militarisation in the Indo-Pacific region is unprecedented, likening today’s challenges to the task faced by the world at the end of the Second World War.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pm-warns-of-threats-facing-our-region-revives-criticism-of-negative-globalism-20200804-p55ij9.html
Even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the most important national security issue facing Australia is China, says Greg Sheridan.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/hardheaded-truths-in-catalogue-of-challenges-over-china/news-story/17b95ec8353fe04f155160c3f17cb94e
John Collett waves goodbye to hopes of a V-shaped recovery.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/reality-to-hit-markets-as-prospect-of-v-shaped-recovery-fades-20200731-p55hg8.html
Eryk Bagshaw reports that Australian exports to China have surged past expectations as trade with the rest of the world falls, adding an extra $2.6 billion despite the diplomatic rift between the two countries.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/australian-trade-with-china-surges-as-rest-of-the-world-falls-20200804-p55icy.html
According to the WHO, the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 who are infected with coronavirus has risen three-fold in five months.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/young-people-are-fuelling-a-second-coronavirus-wave-says-who-20200805-p55il7.html
Victoria’s tough stage four lockdown has shattered hopes of a swift economic recovery from the pandemic, with independent modelling showing state government debt ballooning to $60 billion next year.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/state-debt-set-to-hit-60-billion-as-virus-crisis-deepens-20200804-p55ij4.html
Jennifer Hewett says Victoria has shut the door too late.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/victoria-shuts-the-door-too-late-20200804-p55ii5
Michelle Grattan says that there is no case for keeping secret any aged care facility’s COVID details.
https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-theres-no-case-for-keeping-secret-any-aged-care-facilitys-covid-details-143920
Richard Baker and Clay Lucas look at what the Victorian government’s hotel quarantine inquiry will be searching for when it starts tomorrow.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/leaked-emails-show-victoria-s-hotel-quarantine-system-was-stretched-cobbled-together-20200804-p55ih1.html
Billions of dollars of projects from a new motorway for the Western Sydney Airport to an upgrade of Australian Institute of Sport facilities have been added to the nation’s infrastructure priority list to help the economy build its way out of the coronavirus recession, reports Shane Wright in this article about Infrastructure Australia’s latest report.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/infrastructure-tsar-plans-for-onslaught-of-spending-to-boost-economy-20200804-p55ief.html
Paul Keating has lashed the Morrison government’s decision to allow people to draw down on their superannuation due to the coronavirus crisis, saying that the decision forced young people to bear the brunt of bailing out the economy and robbed them of their retirement income.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/04/paul-keating-attacks-covid-19-super-withdrawal-scheme-as-unfair-burden-on-young
Preying on property owners in financial distress is a growth industry — but even these predators are being preyed upon by even meaner fish. Independent Austraia’s investigator Dave Donovan unearths another seedy cesspit.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/domique-grubisa-the-dame-selling-distress,14172
According to the Adelaide Advertiser, South Australians worried about their privacy are lying on contact forms when attending venues including cafes and restaurants, risking their health and safety, and those around them.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/covid19-adelaide-residents-giving-wrong-details-on-contact-tracing-forms/news-story/9049c5d78497e32e8ee45053edb08c47
Nick O’Malley writes that crossbenchers have come out against government plans for a gas-led recovery, citing undue industry influence and worsening greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/crossbenchers-condemn-government-s-plans-for-a-gas-lead-recovery-20200804-p55ii9.html
Lisa Visentin reveals that NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet was forced to fast-track a statutory review into the besieged insurer while admitting he knew about a conflict of interest involving the CEO.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-treasurer-knew-about-icare-ceo-complaint-for-18-months-20200804-p55ifn.html
Samantha Dick writes about the one factor separating the rest of Australia from a Victorian disaster.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/08/05/separating-australia-from-disaster/
Anna Patty explains how plans to double university fees for social work degrees have prompted warnings that training needs to remain affordable to avoid the risk of an exodus of community service workers.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/i-m-now-thinking-of-retraining-uni-fee-hike-could-see-social-worker-exodus-20200803-p55hz3.html
Eryk Bagshaw and Fergus Hunter tell us that Chinese students in Australia are scared of speaking out about Hong Kong as the Chinese Communist Party ramps up new online portals for reporting dissent and UNSW is engulfed in controversy over academic freedom.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-fear-is-real-chinese-students-in-australia-dread-reprisal-from-beijing-20200804-p55iht.html
Families have been told childcare access will be limited to ‘permitted workers’, but are yet to find out what that term means writes Adam Carey. Perhaps they will get another presser from Tehan to announce that he doesn’t how either.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/families-on-the-edge-over-childcare-as-countdown-to-lockdown-begins-20200804-p55ii3.html
But Phil Coorey writes that Victorian childcare workers will be bailed out by the federal government after wide-scale shutdowns ordered by Premier Daniel Andrews raised the prospect of most centres going under.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/feds-to-bail-out-victorian-childcare-centres-20200804-p55ia9
Governments need to plan for the long term economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the International Education industry, writes Abul Rizvi.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/overseas-students–what-is-happening-and-why-it-matters-to-our-economy,14166
John Lard describes Morrison, Murdoch, Trump – a week of shambles.
https://theaimn.com/morrison-murdoch-trump-a-week-of-shambles/
Josh Butler tells us how anti-masker conspiracy theorists are baiting police.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2020/08/05/sovereign-citizens-mask-conspiracy-theorists-baiting-police/
Zoe Samios reports that publishers such as AFL Media and NRL Media and The New Daily could be ineligible to receive payments from Google and Facebook under a newly proposed code, because of the way news media businesses will be classified.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/new-daily-sports-media-could-miss-out-under-digital-code-20200804-p55iiy.html
But the SMH editorial says that these media law changes are in the public interest.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/media-law-changes-are-in-public-interest-20200804-p55ikk.html
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/legal-changes-needed-to-support-public-interest-journalism-20200804-p55igp.html
These dogs are trained to sniff out the coronavirus. Most have a 100% success rate say these two researchers from Adelaide Uni.
https://theconversation.com/these-dogs-are-trained-to-sniff-out-the-coronavirus-most-have-a-100-success-rate-143756
The stage four restrictions in the state will accelerate the rush to online purchases and that’s bad news for Victorian retailers stuck in the digital slow lane opines Elizabeth Knight.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/victoria-s-lockdown-will-disadvantage-retail-s-digital-laggards-20200804-p55iha.html
Meat processors are hastily drawing up plans to divert livestock to regional abattoirs and interstate ahead of the “spring flush” of animals to be slaughtered.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/meat-processors-plan-lockdown-livestock-shuffle-to-combat-covid19-restrictions/news-story/f8aff4c36c751f78dec133a1ea550ef4
Callum Foote writes on Closing the Gap and tells us how a captive media failed to question Scott Morrison on defunding.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/closing-the-gap-how-a-captive-media-failed-to-question-scott-morrison-on-defunding/
Nicky Ison tells us about the manufacturing opportunities for Australia with energy storage.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6863212/the-silver-lining-that-could-recharge-australias-manufacturing/?cs=14258
Clancy Yeates tells us that bank dividends are about to resume, but at a lower rate of return.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/bank-dividends-emerge-from-deep-freeze-20200731-p55h8j.html
Noel Whittaker explores the troubling effects of a recent court decision overruling a legal will.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/super-and-retirement/court-decision-overruling-legal-will-sets-troubling-precedent-20200803-p55i3d.html
More from Whittaker who says that, given the bleak state of affairs revealed in the national accounts in the economic crisis, the long-term future of the age pension is far from guaranteed.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/super-and-retirement/don-t-bank-on-age-pension-to-bail-you-out-in-retirement-20200803-p55i2a.html
Phil Coorey looks a the wash up from the complaint against Dyson Heydon.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/high-court-moved-on-heydon-after-receiving-legal-letter-20200804-p55iac
Commercial office property was on a roll before COVID-19 hit, with record growth in rental income. But a leading fund manager says this can’t be sustained.
https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/office-values-face-covid-19-heat-20200804-p55id9
Buoyant share markets have lulled leaders into a false sense of security that could see them turn off the stimulus taps too soon, placing the global economy in deeper peril than it already is in, writes The London Telegraph’s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/don-t-pull-out-the-rug-the-global-economy-at-risk-of-a-double-dip-recession-20200803-p55hvk.html
James Murdoch has left News Corp, but not much will change at the company’s Australian outlets says Dennis Muller.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/04/james-murdoch-has-left-news-corp-but-not-much-will-change-at-the-companys-australian-outlets
The petulance of Trump was on full display when he disparaged John Lewis for not turning up to his inauguration.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/donald-trump-bashes-dead-civil-rights-leader-for-skipping-his-inauguration-20200804-p55iks.html
The president’s incoherence and unchecked narcissism were given full rein for 40 long minutes in a TV evisceration writes the wonderful John Crace.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/04/donald-trump-tv-interview-john-crace-sketch
Trump can’t delay the election, but he can try to delegitimise it explains David Smith.
https://theconversation.com/trump-cant-delay-the-election-but-he-can-try-to-delegitimise-it-143747
Boris Johnson doesn’t seem capable of making difficult choices. Instead he is masking his ineptitude with bluster says Rafael Behr.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/04/boris-johnsons-rise-to-power-wrong-skills-covid-crisis
There can be no argument over this nomination for “Arsehole of the Week”!
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/mask-dodging-woman-allegedly-smashed-female-cop-s-head-into-concrete-20200804-p55ica.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
David Rowe
Andrew Dyson
Cathy Wilcox
John Shakespeare
Simon Letch
Matt Golding
Fiona Katauskas
Peter Broelman
Mark Knight
Alan Moir
Johannes Leak
From the US
And thank you Douglas and Milko for your thoughtful contribution about moi last night. 🙂
Douglas and Milko (Block)
Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 2:06 am
Comment #1952
And before I do finally turn in, I think C@tMomma is being bullied because of her gender.
She is a very genuine poster, who contributed valuable information to this blog.
C@t has not said anything more controversial than any number of other posters here, but she is being “re-educated” by a few on the blog.
I find their posts to C@t demeaning and derogatory, and wonder why they feel the need to “re-educate” a woman on this blog, when there are many men who post similar sentiments to C@t, but who are not treated similarly.
Remember guys, you are complaining about how Pegasus was treated differently to male posters, and I will not disagree, but you are ignoring what is happening to C@t, which contain the same level of abuse.
Once again – think before you make these ad hominem posts – you are probably convinced you are not selectively targeting females, but William’s data about women being chased off / choosing to leave this blog are telling a story.
I’m only reposting it because nath and LvT need to know that people are onto them.
[Re-post from end of last thread]
“Thank you, AV — I could not (indeed, did not) have said it better myself. I’d also like to put in a good word for Historyintime, who described my general attitude to moderation very well. I suspect he may have some practical experience in the field.”
***
It’s a fine line. Speaking generally, over-moderation, undue censorship, or letting your personal views influence decisions as a moderator is a big no no. On the other hand, letting the inmates run the asylum is also a big no no.
William, it isn’t easy to admit you could have handled something better and for that I give you credit. Personally, I feel in hindsight I should have done more to defend a fellow Green from the vile attacks that she was copping on here on a daily basis. Peg did such a great job of swatting the trolls away though and considering that I reckon she is just taking a break and will be back to hold the Laborites accountable again before too long. I hope so. Posters like her make this place worth coming to.
C@tmommasays:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 7:52 am
I’m only reposting it because nath and LvT need to know that people are onto them.
_____________
Not fair C@t. I joked that I was re-educating you. Then you joked that you were re-educating me. Then we swapped versions of The Long and Winding Road.
Thanks BK for the Dawn Patrol.
and thanks William for the Blog.
A good 6cm on snow in Launceston, with drifts up to 20cm #weatheronPB
On the question of lawn mowing: it’s not merely a question of whether the mowerman gets close enough to pass on the virus. Dan Andrews made the point several times that the goal is to cut down the number of people moving around Melbourne. Travelling from job to job, the mowerman will pick up a takeaway, perhaps stop to fill with petrol.
C@tmomma says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 7:40 am
The CEO is a staunch Libertarian. He should be sent to jail.
__________________________________
Because he is a staunch Libertarian? Doesn’t that prove the Libertarian’s point about an overmighty state?
I hope Peg comes back as well. BK does the morning but Peg would post the breaking news during the day. The blog is missing that service.
I will say this too – posters like C@t also make this place worth coming to. We may often disagree but she is coming to the debate from a position of passion and commitment to her cause and that is something I admire. While I think she may have been lead astray by the Labor machine and/or the establishment on some things, I sense that deep down she is a decent human who has good intent.
C@t:
I listened to Charlie Sykes this morning interview one of my favourite commentators, Tom Nichols. A good listen as he always is.
Has Boerwar stopped posting in solidarity with Pegasus? Or did the family finally stage an intervention? Questions that need to be answered.
Texas City, 1947: 2,100 tonnes of ammonium nitrate:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster
Beirut, 2020: 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.
Not good at all.
Firefox says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 8:33 am
I will say this too – posters like C@t also make this place worth coming to. We may often disagree but she is coming to the debate from a position of passion and commitment to her cause and that is something I admire. While I think she may have been lead astray by the Labor machine and/or the establishment on some things, I sense that deep down she is a decent human who has good intent.
_____________
My thoughts too!
Lars Von Trier @ #23 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 6:24 am
No, I’d go the other way and say it demonstrates precisely why the interests of the Society should take precedence over an individual’s interest.
The shear force of the explosion.
Incredible!!! 🙁
https://twitter.com/i/status/1290769713539305474
In addition to BK’s post from Michael Pascoe he discusses Modern Monetary theory here.
https://7ampodcast.com.au/episodes/reaganomics-is-back-baby
Edit Pascoe not BK that is 🙂
Lars Von Triersays:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 8:34 am
Has Boerwar stopped posting in solidarity with Pegasus? Or did the family finally stage an intervention? Questions that need to be answered.
______________________________
Perhaps Bluey escaped his enclosure and enacted his long sought revenge for past atrocities.
I agree with William. BB’s rebuke of Peg was sexist and intended to be hurtful. I recall voicing support for Peg at the time. It was a rancid moment from BB and he should have been more forcefully censured by William. However, if BB is sexist he’s not partisan in his public fight-seeking. He’s really quite ecumenical in his punch ups. He’s not the only one, of course. There’s no scarcity of malice here.
Anyone would think from a brief reading on this theme that the bludger’s salon is dominated by Labor voices attempting to troll the dear Greens. This, of course, is absolute crap. The Greenists troll here as everywhere 24/7.
I hope no one in Boerwar’s family is ill.
Barney in Tanjung Bunga says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 8:37 am
Lars Von Trier @ #23 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 6:24 am
C@tmomma says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 7:40 am
The CEO is a staunch Libertarian. He should be sent to jail.
__________________________________
Because he is a staunch Libertarian? Doesn’t that prove the Libertarian’s point about an overmighty state?
No, I’d go the other way and say it demonstrates precisely why the interests of the Society should take precedence over an individual’s interest.
_________________________________
As Vladimir Illich once said “democracy is so precious it must be rationed”
2013 Interview with Jim.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/jmv7g8/the-founder-of-jims-mowing-will-make-you-smarter-and-save-the-world
Lars Von Trier @ #37 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 6:52 am
So in dealing with the virus, you’d like everyone to be able to do whatever they like?
Briefly
You troll big time. You are still trying to pretend the Greens are Thatcherites.
You cannot discuss an issue without finding a way to say the existence of the a Greens is toxic.
Your posts do nothing to aid in rational discussion of issues.
I vote for the failed seminarian to be the first goat tossed into the volcano to appease the angry Covid19 gods..From BK’s Dawn Patrol. Uhlmann.
.
I have seen several political blogs fail. Generally it happens when anonymous posters start threatening legal action against other anonymous posters (?) and the blog owner; and the blog owner gets sick of it. William seems to have low tolerance of such rot.
On other issues I admire his tolerance.
I think reflecting on why BB failed to take over the blog with “the pub” is instructive. I believe it has a lot to do with moderation style.
I find the blog entertaining because there is a diverse range of views, and there are a lot of bright well educated people that post.
It is one thing to express the view that the greens are a waste of space, it is a lot more fun having someone push back.
Complaining about horsy instead of Pegasus would indicate your classic education is lacking.
In my view Pegasus was fun to argue with, and she brought us details of the latest Green stunt. You don’t see them published in the MSM so much.
lizzie @ #35 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 8:51 am
Indeedy. Boerwar takes a break from time to time and I suspect that this is one of his Poll Bludger down times.
In any event. Best wishes Boerwar. 🐗 – that’s a boar. I was trying for a wombat.
Barney
You can be for Human Rights and for Andrews actions in fighting the virus.
You can be for human rights and wanting politicians being accountable for their decisions.
You can be for freedom of the individual in a Liberal Democracy and for drastic lockdowns to prevent the spread of a virus.
It’s all balance. It’s very important that the actions for health outcomes don’t destroy our Liberal Democracy. If we are going to do that we can ditch our alliance with the US and ally ourself with China now.
Barney in Tanjung Bunga says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 9:01 am
Lars Von Trier @ #37 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 6:52 am
Barney in Tanjung Bunga says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 8:37 am
Lars Von Trier @ #23 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 6:24 am
C@tmomma says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 7:40 am
The CEO is a staunch Libertarian. He should be sent to jail.
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Because he is a staunch Libertarian? Doesn’t that prove the Libertarian’s point about an overmighty state?
No, I’d go the other way and say it demonstrates precisely why the interests of the Society should take precedence over an individual’s interest.
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As Vladimir Illich once said “democracy is so precious it must be rationed”
So in dealing with the virus, you’d like everyone to be able to do whatever they like?
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I think Vladimir Illich advocated centralised healthcare in response to the Spanish Flu.
KayJay @ #43 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 9:06 am
Grunt.
guytaur @ #44 Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 – 7:06 am
Yes, it is about balance, but the Society’s interests should always take precedence.
guytaur says:
Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 9:02 am
Briefly
You troll big time. You are still trying to pretend the Greens are Thatcherites.
This is a disingenuous misconstruction of my point, which is that just as Thatcher sought the political exploitation of coal miners and their communities, so the Greens. This is not trolling. It is an observation of facts. The Greens purport to be sympathetic to working people. This is false. The Greens make political gains by politically exploiting working people. Suck on it.
From the Herald-Sun. Is Nath really Rita Panahi?
Some people just enjoy fighting.
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Anyway to wander down a different track, Bird of Paradox @2:36 AM on the previous thread noted that Julia Gillard and Gladys Berejiklian are commonly referred to by their first name only, but not other PMs and Premiers. It does seem to be selective. It is true that Julia and Gladys are commonly so called. So are Malcolm and Gough, and to a lesser extent Kevin. However, we rarely refer to Tony, John, Paul or Bob. Maybe the distinctiveness of the first name is the key. Or the persons concerned are so famous that they are referred to be their first name only (e.g. Donald). The current PM has chosen a nickname which is commonly used (not be me).
In the case of Gladys, it could be because people have trouble spelling or pronouncing her surname (Berejiklian – pronounced phonetically)