Australia - you're standing in it
frog wrote:Hitching your wagon too closely to The Empire of Truth and Peace which has the following track record of misadventures is not without risk:
Vietnam
Haiti
Central America - multiple
Bosnia / Serbia etc
Iraq
Afghanistan
Syria
Yemen
Libya
UkraineHas anything ever gone well for the exceptionals since WWII ?
But Albo signed up to AUKUS within 24 hrs of getting the sales pitch. Either he is a Geopolitical and Military genius with remarkable prescience, or he got totally steamrolled.
Or he did not have a choice????
frog wrote:http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2023/may/08/nato-...
Balkansation (fragmentation) and fermenting internal divisions of countries in eastern Europe (and the ME) keeps them weak - easy to manipulate and dominate. Not so nice for residents:
"The test run for NATO as human rights superheroes was Yugoslavia in 1999. To everybody but NATO and its neocon handlers in DC and many European capitals, it was a horrific, unjustified disaster. Seventy-eight days of bombing a country that did not threaten NATO left many hundreds of civilians dead, the infrastructure destroyed, and a legacy of uranium-tipped ammunition to poison the landscape for generations to come.Just last week tennis legend Novak Djokovic recalled what it felt like to flee his grandfather’s home in the middle of the night as NATO bombs fell and destroyed it. What a horror!"
A lot has been done under the seductive flags of promoting Democracy, Human Rights and Freedom that you would wish on no country with often the opposite results.
Sorry frog but this is utter rubbish. Although I feel for Djokovic and 79 days in 1999, the actions were taken to bring down a genocidal regime that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands in the name of 'ethnic cleansing'. While 79 days must have been horrific for Serbia their counterparts in other places (including myself as I was there) had to endure 8 years of bloodshed before finally seeing the end of this madness. And if it wasn't for UNPROFOR early on the bloodshed would be 10x.
or, as Stu would say, the Nato and the Unprofor.
Some money needs to be spent on police training, is this the best response they can currently come up with ? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/18/nsw-police-twice-...
basesix wrote:or, as Stu would say, the Nato and the Unprofor.
Whatever. The aim should be to act quickly and decisively. It's quite contrary to a lot of nonsense being shared online. Legendary Nordbat 2 comes to mind.
https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2017/9/20/trigger-happy-autonom...
Or maybe start taxing the miners so they pay their fair share for the 'Commonwealth' of Australia's resources.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/18/gina-rinehart-tells-sum...
Supafreak wrote:Some money needs to be spent on police training, is this the best response they can currently come up with ? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/18/nsw-police-twice-...
That's sickening and so sad. Surely there were other options.
Supafreak wrote:Some money needs to be spent on police training, is this the best response they can currently come up with ? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/18/nsw-police-twice-...
Horrible....
andy-mac wrote:Or maybe start taxing the miners so they pay their fair share for the 'Commonwealth' of Australia's resources.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯https://twitter.com/squizzstk/status/1659096715830472705?s=46&t=5RczxwAf...
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/18/gina-rinehart-tells-sum...
basesix wrote:or, as Stu would say, the Nato and the Unprofor.
Whoa whoa whoa, don't you even joke about that!
haha, AM.. programme or program? Is oftentimes acceptable in Oz? Oxford comma? Prime Minister or prime minister?
I'm going to touch base and say that oftentimes I hunker down when it comes to creeping Americanisms.
First I go to the ANZee bank, then I put some gas in my Tucson or Tribeca and put my kids Montana and Dakota in the back.
Then we go hike some trails as long as there's no wildfires in the forest.
nice...high five, haha...
funny how words acclimate given enough time though, people will order a (soft r) cwoissant with an elegant affectation, but do so at a RESTRONT then use the TOYLET.
I heard an announcer on the ABC a while back pronounce poignant in a way that brought tears to the eyes.
And not in a good way.
We're all doomed :)
And then there's the letter haitch...
Yup. I've even heard a few people accusing others of hyperbowl recently.
#rikmayallaheadofhistime?
Supafreak wrote:andy-mac wrote:Or maybe start taxing the miners so they pay their fair share for the 'Commonwealth' of Australia's resources.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/18/gina-rinehart-tells-sum...
What a horrendous piece of work he is....
On side of foreign owned corporations and a few billionaires over Australians....
May he long be leader of leftovers...
AndyM wrote:I heard an announcer on the ABC a while back pronounce poignant in a way that brought tears to the eyes.
And not in a good way.
We're all doomed :)
And then there's the letter haitch...
We could all take some lessons from former PM Malcom Trumble.
"On side of foreign owned corporations and a few billionaires over Australians...."
Don't think Labor is too much different.
AndyM wrote:"On side of foreign owned corporations and a few billionaires over Australians...."
Don't think Labor is too much different.
Maybe, maybe not.
I seem to remember though a previous government talking about taxing the mining companies properly and that had Gina and Twiggy in the back of utes in work clothes screaming it would bankrupt Australia, or something like that.
MCA had a lot of ads on telly also....
I hope you're right.
Hasn't looked good so far.
- Albanese government opens up nearly 47,000 sq km of Australian waters to oil and gas exploration
- sends immigration through the roof at the expense of housing and rental affordability, employment, wages, environment etc etc, all to please the usual masters.
Labor to lead us towards a fairer, more equitable and sustainable Australia?
Meh.
AndyM wrote:I hope you're right.
Hasn't looked good so far.- Albanese government opens up nearly 47,000 sq km of Australian waters to oil and gas exploration
- sends immigration through the roof at the expense of housing and rental affordability, employment, wages, environment etc etc, all to please the usual masters.
Labor to lead us towards a fairer, more equitable and sustainable Australia?
Meh.
I agree with your sentiment. My hope (maybe deluded) is that the Labor government is just trying to place themselves in this term as a safe pair of hands whatever that means and then go to electorate next election with some more progressive policies.
The msm is just waiting to jump on anything they do as breaking promises etc and blame them for any economic problems after giving LNP free ride for decade or more.
How is it that Dutton and other LNP members get so much media space to sprout their bullshit. If situation was reversed I cannot see Albo and his party members get the platform Taylor Dutton etc are getting with an unquestioning media as members of opposition.
Sunny Coast local radio on news only ever really states what the opposition has said, no counter narrative or govt position. 'Dutton says immigration too high,' 'Dutton says inflation Labor's fault' etc etc. Then end of report.
Ok may be raving a bit now, but this is the environment Albo's govt have to deal with.
If they go too hard too early they will be one term govt and Dutton will be PM.
I'm pretty pissed with them in a number of areas, :
Aukus being no. 1.
Stage 3 tax, even though I will benefit personally,
Reckon they should be going harder after opposition members who stink of corruption, eg Taylor. Maybe waiting for ICAC to get going?
Anyway let's see next term if they get one.
Choice between LNP shit sandwich or ALP shit sandwich, I'll still go Labor.
Even CNN has picked up the story of the 95 year old 43 kg dementia patient who was advancing on police with her wheely walker armed with a steak knife . https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/19/australia/australia-95-year-old-woman-tas...
It's everywhere, our reputation as a totalitarian state is growing again.
Jim Chalmers with a short but very accurate appraisal of spud .
Jim Chalmers with the long and the short of Dutton preaching to the oil & gas industry that he will reverse market intervention that reduced power bills.
— Squizz (@SquizzSTK) May 19, 2023
"he is long on division & dishonesty and short on credibility"#auspol pic.twitter.com/nkEVw7pkn2
Supafreak wrote:
Crazy that the law allows an ex PM to go and work for the interests of a foreign country.
Especially with the pension he will be receiving.
Geez..... Will the NACC find anything on him??? Surely there must be something.
The temptation of Scommo
And so it came to pass,
After 40 days and nights fasting his ego in the back bench desert
The devil came to Scommo to tempt him.
Scommo looked deep into his empty soul and chose his path
Henceforth Scommo set off to the land of Mammon to be a salesman for the machines of war whose feverent desire is the killing of men in their multitudes.
Jesus wept.
Robo-debt royal commissioner Catherine Holmes requested a one-week extension to the inquiry’s reporting date so she can make referrals directly to the new national corruption watchdog, which does not begin operating until July 1. https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/05/20/exclusive-r... …..still waiting on the findings for glady’s and co. ( you can put in a fake email if you want to read the full article )
Really, The Murdoch media really is a cesspit of rotten racist red neck nasty misinformation...
Freedumb speech....
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/20/stan-grant-faced-...
I knew mum would want to watch when she got home and actually called her to avoid watching via ABC as they were completely off topic and it just sounded like Uni social sciences griping tbh, very little to do with what was happening in the leadup to the ceremony. Can't tell you if they improved as time went on as didn't listen to them.
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/sharri-markson/abc-failed-to-understa...
Rule #1: understand your audience, or market.
Sky News criticises ABC. Now there is an example of “know your audience“.
velocityjohnno wrote:I knew mum would want to watch when she got home and actually called her to avoid watching via ABC as they were completely off topic and it just sounded like Uni social sciences griping tbh, very little to do with what was happening in the leadup to the ceremony. Can't tell you if they improved as time went on as didn't listen to them.
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/sharri-markson/abc-failed-to-understa...
Rule #1: understand your audience, or market.
I never watched it, but i did hear lots of callers on ABC radio the next day complaining.
Theres a time and a place and obviously it wasn't the time and place, bad judgement by ABC and bad judgement by Stan.
I've kinda been following this a bit and I can't say I've seen any published racism towards Stan in the media, both liberal and conservative.
Social media is a different story, but that's a cesspit and there are always going to be tons of slack-jawed morons sticking their red necks out. I still think the people that hold those extreme racist views are firmly in the minority though
Two points, have to agree that the ABC didn't read the room and underestimated the affection a huge swathe of Aussies have for the monarchy. I don't think it was the time and place to put forth indigenous issues. Kinda akin to protesting on ANZAC day. Second, Stan wasn't exactly rating so probs jumped ship and pulled the racism card as his justification. Shame though, he's an intelligent, articulate man and one of the more sensible voices out there.
I was expecting sites like the ABC and the guardian to publish specifics.
I’m guessing it’s extraordinarily dumb stuff on social media like “if you hate the monarchy and English colonialism etc then you should give up using modern technology”.
But like he said it’s more a case of the ABCs failure to back him up.
Yeah I like Stan too, it’s Australia’s loss if he really does walk away.
Interestingly enough, my old man is 90, a proud Englishman, quite conservative in his views and only ever watches the ABC. He is also not one to keep his opinion to himself. He had nothing to say about their coverage. I reckon Stan will be be a great loss.
Andy M "I’m guessing it’s extraordinarily dumb stuff on social media like “if you hate the monarchy and English colonialism etc then you should give up using modern technology”.
Twitter was pretty harsh on Stan even prior to the Coronation telecast. A lot of accusations about being a LNP shill and his hosting style on Q&A, also accusations he was "blacking up" with dark makeup and pointing to his role in ASPI and the fact he was interviewed for Liberal Party pre-selection at one stage. He was copping it from all sides and some of it pretty ugly, and racist.
I actually watched the part of the ABC Coronation telecast he was so heavily criticised about, over 150 articles and stories in The Australian and on Sky News alone, and didn't think at the time it was too over the top or would attract so much attention. It was pretty factual and contextual, it was also a conversation which Craig Foster participated in just as much as Stan, but he seems to have escaped the vitriol which is interesting and might in part explain Stan's feelings that racism is involved. Whether it was appropriate to discuss Australia's colonial history during a coronation telecast or not probably depends on people's own personal views but to me it didn't seem out of place. They had a lot of air time to fill.
I think Stan has also been hurt by the lack of back up he got from ABC management when the pile on started and I think he has a point there when you compare his situation to other ABC presenters like Lisa Millar, Fauziah Ibrahim and Leigh Sales who copped it and ABC was very quick to publicly support them.
I have never been a big fan of Stan but think he's been given a rough ride with this, also think it has a lot to do with the right side of politics and the Murdoch's hate of the ABC looking for any excuse to go on the attack. It's a bit ironic when you consider the platforming the right and Murdoch journalists get on air and the number of LNP appointees on the ABC Board and management today, maybe a hangover from the Howard era where people like Kerry O'Brien and Barry Cassidy would hold politicians to account and the ABC was seen as a "leftie" network.
Also find it interesting that Stan has come out and quit and criticised his bosses yet will still be hosting his last Q&A tomorrow night. It might finally get some of the ratings back it has lost since Tony Jones left.
Will also be interesting to see who they replace him with and hope it's not David Speers. I might have to watch it again to see. It will be a big loss to the ABC and journalism generally to lose the guy, whether you agree with him or like his style or not, the fact is he has a great knowledge and intellect and is highly capable and it is very sad to see him feeling this way about a profession he has devoted his working life to.
thanks adam12 and the above commentators. Not being a telly or socials watcher, (mostly an RN listener), I find these considered observations interesting.
I've read lots of the blackface comments, "hitting the solarium" etc etc. the insinuation that he's hamming up his Aboriginality.
Now for the evolution of the argument:
Can't win really.
Hopefully this fan mail Stan received 31 years ago encourages him to keep going.
Anything specific prompt the fan mail? were(are) you a frequent correspondent Stu?
loungelizard wrote:Anything specific prompt the fan mail? were(are) you a frequent correspondent Stu?
Can't recall the story, LL. Couldn't even recall the letter till I rediscovered it a few years ago.
I've also got similar replies from letters that I wrote to Daryl Somers and Gene Simmons - kinda hard to find a link between them all.
I'm impressed that he signed off with the word cordially.
Should be bought back into common usage.
Journalists are gathering at the ABC studios in Sydney in solidarity with Stan Grant. pic.twitter.com/oxL0iE4KC0
— Natasha May (@natasha__may) May 22, 2023
I’d like to see it made public who funds the defendants in these high profile court cases .
No prizes for guessing who the accused grub is in this case . https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/22/high-profile-man-...
Supafreak wrote:I’d like to see it made public who funds the defendants in these high profile court cases .
No prizes for guessing who the accused grub is in this case . https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/22/high-profile-man-...
Just read that article and was about to post it....
Yep good to have friends in high places.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may...
“I am down but I will get back up. And you can come at me again and I will meet you with the love of my people.” Stan Grant delivers a powerful message on Q+A before taking a break from the media. #StanGrant #QandA #WeStandWithStan pic.twitter.com/avNBJtzSMK
— QandA (@QandA) May 22, 2023
^^^ good onya stan
'the media is the problem'
yep
and there, stan grant has shown he is wise enough (and big enough a man enough) ...to acknowledge his role in the wider problem...
be good if abc could do the same
I still 'love my abc'
but...
(they really really can be just as trashy as sky news - just different)
Good on you Stan, you're allowed to be a proud man, and you're allowed to be overtly sincere. And you're allowed to hang stick on an industry you feel you have had to step away from.
Laughed out loud at your well-rounded fan-letter list Stu, maybe a school project? or maybe a dream (nightmare?) three-piece - Daryl on drums, Gene on bass, and Stan on guitar:
('I ain't got no home in this world anymore' - poignant)
Danka, Wilhelm.
FJ on point again. You mightn't like his style but he raises legitimate points....
https://m.
&pp=ygUPZnJpZW5kbHlqb3JkaWVz
The "I can't believe it's not politics" thread.