It is often said that Australia is a cultural clone of the United States, albeit ten years behind. That seems to have been whittled down to a neat two days as we furrow our brows and wring our hands over our historical simulacra as the Americans squabble over theirs.
That’s progress, right there.
In the midst of angry debate in the US about whether statues of confederate generals should stay or go, ABC journalist, Stan Grant, wanted the wording of a plaque below a huge image of Captain James Cook amended. Grant’s argument was almost as pointless and futile as actually standing in front of Cook’s statue and quibbling with it.
Before you knew it there was a hail of angry Op-Eds amid visions of tow ropes attached to utes pulling down statues across the nation.
Full column here.
Talking about Geelong retirees, I see that Corey Enright is now playing in my old league, for Barwon Heads. I wish I could say that I’d have given him run for his money in my prime. What a player!
We’re off to Cuba tomorrow. Razor, I’ll pass on your regards if I see JB there. I read recently that Dan Tehan said that Australian would be like Cuba under Bill Shorten. I’ll let you all know whether that’s an improvement for Australia.
Enjoy TO! It’s currently like Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory under Malcolm so your opinion as to which would be the better would be appreciated.
On another note, does Bill even smoke cigars? I thought it was a more of a Matthias and Joe born to rule thing.
Have a great trip TO. Interesting destination! I’d say that Cuba would be better than Oz will be under Bill Shorten! More fun, for starters.
Thanks, Razor/Boadicea, we’re quite looking forward to it.
I doubt that Bill’s interesting enough to drag on a Monte Christo. I plan to stock up on Cohibas while I’m there.
A strange decision by Collingwood to give Nathan Buckley a two year extension to his contract. Buckley’s certainly been given a lot more chances than most AFL coaches.
I’m annoyed that the Cats don’t get to play the first final at Kardinia Park, as I reckon they’ve earned the right to do so. I really hope they can go all the way this year, as Andrew Mackie and Tom Lonergan deserve a good send-off. They’re two of the best defenders in the League.
Have to agree with you re Geelong and home final location. Does it have to come to a choice between completion integrity and $.
If Geelong have to give up home ground advantage why not give them a start that equates to this , say 24 points. Now that would be innovative.
Grr competition, not completion
Yeah, Cats certainly have an awesome record in Geelong, TP.
It would be amazing to see a GF there. I’d make the trip from Canberra to see that!
PS: You’re not The Plumber, are you?
Nope, not The Plumber.
DUTTS:- says… “People smugglers will be back in business if Bill Shorten wins the next election”, This is all they have to fall back on. Expect another 2 years of this every day. No nation building programs, nothing to solve the rampant debt run up by this mob. Dutts knows caging refugees and tossing their kids onto the streets has nothing to do with stopping boats but a helluva loy to scoring votes. Even The Donald pleaded with Turnbull that refugees had done nothing wrong and should be freed. All of the stats show quite clearly it is boat turnbacks that have reduced the boats. If Dutts had supported Malaysia 600 refugees would still be alive. They would not have drowned. The cost of our racist madness on Nauru and Manus would have housed 400,000 refugees here for a year and built homes for 49,000 families. More votes in cruelty though. It is not illegal to arrive by sea and seek refugee status. Can this mob be even crueller? Heaps yes!
What about the people waiting in the camps who these people tried to jump?
The forgotten people. Razor. There are young adults in those camps who were born there and have never set foot outside of them.
Meantime people smugglers get very rich from those who can buy their way and may not be bona fide refugees.
A vexing issue – and it seems Europe is starting to realise the repercussions of people smuggling and us making moves against them and their boatloads.
It is NOT illegal to seek asylum. You can arrive by parachute, submarine or resurrection. How you get here is NOT the issue. Nobody has jumped anybody. There are no queues and this has been well demonstrated for years.
Why the need to ditch passports, Bassman? Need one to fly in Indo, so why dispense of it?
I wouldn’t even be surprised that destroying a valid passport is the illegal like burning money!
If you and coalition are so concerned about those in the “camps” why didn’t they and you support The Malaysia option? Abbott admitted is was pure politics. the desperate souls are cannon fodder for the coalition. the coalition cheered in every boat, announced every boat, supporting the smugglers every step if the way . At that time all over the world people were seeking asylum we see a very small % of it. But your disgraceful coalition cut the intake in half after supporting a raise in numbers under Labor. The coalition always go back to type and use Divisive bigoted tactics whether it be race, religion or even personal choice.
I perceive a growing shrillness from our two rusted on Labor contributors about border protection.
This and Shorten are the Achilles heel of Labor.
(I might add that there is a plethora of other things that are escaping analysis at the moment because of the total incompetence of the Coalition)
It is pointless saying something would have worked when it was never tried.
We take our fair share of refugees based on a population basis.
The majority of Australians have no problem with this.
However they do want an ordered and fully vetted intake – something the majority on the left cannot get through their thick skulls.
Your idea doesn’t allow them to virtue signal JS. That is what they love to do the most.
Aunt Gwyneth had a curry lunch at the club today Mr Jack and it hasn’t gone down too well. Uncle Reggie is in for a night on the lounge it would seem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXdx-xCwu8s
Just watching the cricket, good to see that the players are earning their pay rise, well Bangladesh are at any rate.
124-7 presuming they get paid😳
Shorten jumping on the statue bandwagon now. God, he’s pathetic – anything that may buy a few votes, Reckon he’d sell his own grandmother if it would get him to The Lodge.
A bit of a bum smacker in the news this morning, Mr Insider, as we see Roberta Williams has been chosen as the Australian People’s Party candidate for the Victorian seat of Maribyrnong which is currently held by Labor leader Bill Shorten. Roberta of course was the wife of slain gangster Carl Williams. As Shorten is on his way to become our next PM expect many to line up against him in the “Celebrity Stakes”, nice cheap publicity. I remember Gough Whitlam used to have a huge field lined up against him including that goose Nazi chap Ross May.
http://tinyurl.com/yckfzgcz
Quite funny HB. But Bill was generously polite about the chances of losing his seat to her.
Goodness me – maybe she should go for a senate seat rather.
Yes, congratulations on the minor premiership LoT and nice to see Liverpool giving Arsenal a serious kick up the arse.
Congrats on winning the footy tipping LouOTOD!
Good to see Richmond in the top 4.
I am sure the tipping carries on through the finals but well done on winning the minor premiership, Lou.
Pure arse so far Jack and Bo, but thank you for the premature acclamation. If I wasn’t a died in the wool Eagles boy I’d be further in front!
I’m off to Europe next week, so will have to put tips in by mental telepathy. Finals are another game aren’t they?
Me too Lou! I’ve put in my preliminary finals tips today – and hope to put in the rest from afar. I’m only 1 point behind you after all.
Stressful night tonight – trying to abide to recommended packing rules, viz. on the first assessment halve what you had intended to take – and then halve what’s left.
Crikey, that’s a challenge for a chick. I always land up taking far too much.
Yup, finals are included/
McGregor tiring badly against a steady and authoritive Mayweather. Thinking this won’t go the distance. It takes more than bluster to edge out a world champ.
Given the huge amount of money paid to each of them I remain sceptical about the whole thing.
True Boa. The purse was bizarre. McGregor, a virtual unknown, trousered about $100m US for about half an hour’s work. Good trade if it comes along. I noticed the pay-per-view promoters held up the bout for ‘late sign ins’, so they may not have had too much margin to work with. I can’t figure why Mayweather was tempted into the bout. His record was a perfect 49 – 0 and he was retired. He had nothing left to prove.I suppose $300m for half an hour’s effort was a powerful incentive to go around one more time..
A boxer coming out of retirement for the money. Now, there’s a surprise!
Must have taken his retirement advice from John Farnham.
For a measly $300million I reckon I could be tempted Wiss.
I have a feeling that it probably could have ended in the first round – but why would we want to spoil all the fun for those who paid through the nose for a publicity rip off?……..
Heard that one of the local pubs actually let people reserve stools at the bar for the fight–for $25.