In years to come our children might ask, “What did you do in the Macklemore War, Dad?” My response will be, “Like a lot of people, I fought and died just a little bit inside.”
The noise around the same sex marriage voluntary postal survey has turned this country into a dismal, joyless place, where proponents and opponents quibble over meaningless symbolism like seagulls over a chip.
I confess I didn’t have the slightest idea who Macklemore was until earlier this week. I would be perfectly happy to bathe in that ignorance today. I might even have watched him perform in the NRL Grand Final pre-match, wondered out loud who he was before going to the fridge and grabbing another beer before the kick off.
By the time the match ended and the premiership trophy was held aloft by the victorious captain, Macklemore’s performance would have been a distant memory, rather like my knowledge of the 2004 coup d’etat in Equatorial Guinea in that it was a long time ago and didn’t really make a whole lot of difference to my life.
Full column here.
Why is it, Mr Insider, that whenever those who believe in Reincarnation tell us who they were in a past life they were always a King or Queen or a Famous person. Never the sad old Peasant who had to clean out the toilet pit day in day out. Trivial I know but its an observation none the less. I myself was a well paid Chastity Belt maker in the 1500’s and a Fitter too, nice work if you can get it!
Not to mention that given the worlds current population is greater than the number of people who have ever lived, there aren’t enough past lives to go around!
it is all our multiple lives catching up with us.
I guess it depends on what you got Mr HB and how often.
I was Jesus, Hank and will probably come back as a Queen next time around (some may say that is not much of a change!). On trivial matters, after seeing a weird Scandanavian film on sbs last night, I am wondering whether female vampire’s get periods? I don’t know why (actually one snippet of the film may have contributed) but the question came to mind.
Maybe ask the next one you come across Milt…..
Back in July I posted in the blog (Dark Politics … 28/7) about the high cost of medical care in the USA after spending 4 days in a hospital in Las Vegas. Luckily I had travel insurance that covered me, so I only had to make up $600 of the cost. The total bill for 4 days was just under $9000, which was the basic bed charge plus care. The daily bed charge was $1800, slightly higher than the cost for locals who pay about $1600. (NB this is the cheapest of the 3 hospital care options). That is the basic fee for the bed alone, and doesn’t include food or medical care. I’m not sure where universal health care in the USA is up to atm, but I’m sure some of the injured from the latest horror would not have cover, or would be insufficiently covered. I heard there was a crowd funding drive to raise funds for the injured to assist with medical bills, and tracked it down and donated. The page has raised over$10M so far. If anyone else feels similarly moved, here’s the donation point.
https://www.gofundme.com/dr2ks2-las-vegas-victims-fund
The actions of this madman will have lasting impacts on all the victims. I hope this drive provides sufficient cash to negate the financial burden.
11 days in hospital up here at John Flynn cost $9,000 so we are not that far behind. It DID include food though Bald.
Had to look up John Flynn. It’s a private hospital, so I expect they would be dearer. US hospitals are categorised as State/County, for profit, and non profit. These don’t mean anything to the costs. I was in a for profit hospital and it was cheaper than State/County. This link should guide you back to that post. See what you can make of the pricing. Costs came from my insurer. Locals are charged about $200 less than the prices shown in Nevada, but I’m not sure about elsewhere.
https://www.jacktheinsider.com/?p=336
About halfway down.
Two days in the San in Sydney for a back operation cost me $10,000 Bassy, and that was nearly five years ago, so there. There was a 125ml bottle of wine with dinner though, but it wasn’t Grange.
Oh forgot to add this….3 days in the Brisbane Mater cost me $4, 500 for a neck operation.This was with top hospital cover….its rort….how can it me medical ‘insurancee’ when you get slugged like this?
Oh and this was in 2005……..I shudder to think how much it would cost now Bald.
Yup, free to own guns but not to get care if shot by one.
Sad to see the nastiness and vitriol over the SSM issue and voting has permeated this blog, as if the recurrent abuse over just about any subject wasn’t enough. I’m over it.
We are towards the end of an enlightening trip, especially the remote parts of Morocco. If you think you’ve had it tough, our guide was a Berber who is one of eleven children born in a nomad family who came out of the desert when he was a kid. His older two brothers had no education at all, and now run local mines. Our guide speaks eight languages. But when I asked about their attitude to theft, he told us of an incident in the local market where a man was caught thieving. The crowd, our host included, beat the offender to death. How’s that for a reality check.
Back in Seville, we are again enjoying some Spanish hospitality. That may end next Monday as we have to transit by train through Barcelona before flying home. I see the Catalan government is calling for a vote on independence that same day, so it might not be such a good place to be given the unrest on voting day.
Maybe wherever you are in the world, voting has consequences.
Agreed Lou oTOD, Morocco out of all the places we have lived and worked is the one that gave me the biggest reality check, in fact I still miss it. There was however a great need to get out of the country into Spain and Portugal every so often to look at life with a different perspective. Coming back to Australia for a brief visit while we were still there even felt a bit weird with the absolute (from our point of view of course) normality of it all.
Have fun in Seville, good luck in Barcelona, friends of ours who live near there for six months of the year are a bit worried about getting out of there and have put off any travel plans until after the vote
Hi Lou
Have a good trip back! Sounds like you had a ball. Yeah perhaps Barcelona may not be the best on that particular day!
Yes, like you I am over the petty nastiness that permeates here – I thought it had been put to bed. But no.
Having just returned from a wonderful stay in a civilised country I have decided that I don’t need to be in this to be insulted by a couple of little people who seem to enjoy targeting certain people because they put up contra opinions.. It’s a pity.
Someone, who stays on the outside and reads but doesn’t comment (can’t remember his blog name) made a similar point the other day. .
So rather sadly I think I shall become a background reader, but not a contributor any more. I enjoy JTI’s articles but I seriously can live without the irritation of personal jibes that are unwarranted! There are a few of us out there these days I think – so I shall be in good company!.
Come back anytime, Boa. Always welcome.
Thanks JTI. Take care of yourself!
I will still be reading and would be interested in your progress with your treatment.
Boadicea just stay. Over the years I too copped more than my share of flack here but I kept posting regardless of the name-calling insults ( ie a Greenie/left idiot, a black-clad, brainwashed, violence loving criminal activist) I just thought; Is that all you got? Ho hum……..
I hope you change your mind.
In light of your trip I googled this for you,
S’il vous plait ne partez pas. (French I ain’t.) 🗼
Do what I do Boa take a couple of days off.
The fact he pays to subscribe to a paper he hates tells you heaps. The fact he continues a particular line of argument regardless tells you heaps. As soon as he is proved wrong or reasonable argument counters his point he moves on. He is an operative for a particular group hence he has easy access to subjects of the day and just happens to be an expert on everything, they pay or it’s his donation to the cause. Another hint is he has never ever made a bipartisan comment once. Even Bassy, Bella and many who one could term on the left call out bad Labor policy when it happens. He never, ever does.
HAHAHA. Paranoia paranoia’s getting to you. What a load of absolute rubbish. Whoever you are talking about.? there Is no one on this blog like you just described. I have an idea who it was aimed at, but seriously what a load paranoid delusion rubbish. Stop blaming others for your own issues.
I doubt he is any more than a minor irritant, Razor. The vile rancour is palpable in other posts old mate.
BODHISATTVA….aww please don’t take things so hard…we have already lost Walter Becker and Tom won’t be breaking any more hearts. You have many worthwhile contributions to make to the blog. Hang around. Take no notice of insulters. I have many that disagree with me but I still read their stuff and appreciate their opinion. Its a big love in here. Hang around mate!
Your posts are always readable and civil. You will be a loss. I haven’t been here long but I have noticed a few names from earlier topics have gone. Don’t make it permanent.
Suspect it was me Boa. I do comment occasionally, or ask Jack a question, but not regularly. That worked for me until one individual’s (assumption) contribution became excessive IMNSHO. Fortunately Jack agreed.
Please stay involved and if moved to contribute, do so. I always read yours.
Cheers, Nick
Seville is lovely and it’s years since I last went to Barcelona. You should be ok, foreigners aren’t the issue at the moment although that probably differs peak tourist time.
The voter turn out was quite poor and there were masses of people at work in Barca yesterday. I wonder if this is all as big as it is being made out Tracey.
It’s hard to tell isn’t it and it also depends on which newspaper you read, Belgium has a separatist movement as does Italy etc and so forth.
Problem with the Spanish tourist areas is that the younger generation/s that dislikes the hoardes of tourists has no experience of what their grandparents lives used to be like, very poor more often than not all presided over by Franco.
I wish you were right Razor, but don’t think so this time.
Puigdemont has already declared he feels like a President. The crowd on Sunday was estimated at 700,000, a much smaller crowd against separation in the following days the assaults by police drew no comment from the EU, and seven Catalan officials called to Madrid to face sedition charges.
Mate, if we get in and out of there next week I’ll be a very happy vegemite.
You’re on the ground Lou, hope you get out and keep the noggin down.
I’m reminded of Kipling, if you can keep your head whilst all around you… .
Sounds like a great trip Lou. If you haven’t already been, Cordoba’s a great place. We spent Easter (semana santa – sounds like xmas!) there one year.
Jacksprat how can you support the coalition knowing they doubled immigration under howard and have continued to increase numbers each year again all the while attacking desperate people who may end up on a boat?
Because Labor and its policies are far far worse.
As to the boat people, it is uncontrolled in numbers and quality of immigrant.
How many boat people per yearwould you be comfortable with Dismal and what would you do when that number is excceeded. It s a case of all or nothing.
The only increase in migration since the election of the coalition is the humanitarian intake has risen from 13,500 to 17,500 in 2015-16 ( est19,000 this year). We can take more real humanitarian cases because faux refugees and destination shoppers are no longer arriving. Or dying.
The total national migration figure has been 190,000 to 200,000 under both administrations and has been stable for 5 years. John Howard was voted out 10 years ago, but under Rudd total migration increased from 158,000 in 2007 to 190,000, but this figure does not include boat arrivals under either administraion.
The rorted 457 Visas have dropped from the ALP’s high of 126.000 to 85,000, 41,000 more potential positions for Australians.
Figures here are from Parliament House – http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1617/Quick_Guides/MigrationStatistics
Howard more than Doubled the intake from an average of 86K to 188K.
One of Abbotts first act was to half humanitarian intake after supporting a lift in it opposition.
The 457 and 400 visa rorts along with bringing “skilled” workers in and having them get a ABN continues at pace supported by the coalition. Another of Abbotts first acts was to give the green light to the NT government for open slather on 457’s and “contractors for the big gas projects up there.
Yes under labor there were a lot of 457’s but that is because of the number of mega projects that were taking place. You may remember the Australian headlines about skills shortages because everyone was drawn to the resources. you are also conveniently forgetting the coalition calling the labor party racist for daring to raise the 457 visa issues a couple of years ago.
The cons have form they demonise the desperate few an open the door to “big Australia” immigration from school kids as young as 6 on student visa’s along with their guardians and now allowing aged family member to join their families.
“Dutton’s approach to immigration policy resembles that of former Prime Minister John Howard, who performed a ‘bait-and-switch’ on the Australian people whereby he scapegoated and slammed the door shut on the relatively small number of refugees arriving into Australia by boat all the while stealthily shoving open the door to economic migrants arriving here by plane.
The ultimate result was a massive lift in Australia’s net migration intake, which surged from the early-2000s and pushed population growth to roughly twice long-run norms. In Howard’s first three years in office, Australia’s annual net overseas migration (NOM) averaged just 86,000 people a year. In his last three years in office, NOM averaged 188,000 people a year, and has remained high ever since (and is projected to remain high indefinitely).”
We see another push by the command and control cons trying roll out even more citizen surveillance. Not content with trying to divide and the scare the nation they now want their own “minority report” unit. to track every Australian. this is the worst government in Australia’s history.
Just assists in preventing attacks at airports and places of mass gathering Dismal. Do your kids go to airports and places of mass gathering? Do you want the best possible technology in place to manage the risk and protect them?
Seriously razor how do manage to leave your house with the fear you live in? Terror experts have already canned the idea as unnecessary. Have you ever actually questioned your coalitions agenda on anything. this is just the usual coalition overreach and fear campaign that is rolled out whenever their other hopeless agenda’s are put under scrutiny. Have you ever seen a mass “gathering at an airport? People go in then fly out that is NOT a mass gathering. Do you have any awareness of the Risk Assessment done on the Airports? why do you think you cannot drive up to the door anymore? Get back behind you bullet proof curtains the world is to dangerous for you.
Dismal,
I know mass gatherings and airports are two seperate things. Where did I say anything about mass gatherings at airports. You never read what I said nor answered my question regarding how you would like the risk managed for protecting your children at a rock concert.
Terror experts you say? Who may they be? What is their current security access?
For a whole range of reasons I am laughing at you right now and the joke is you don’t know why!
JTI may be even having a little giggle himself……..
Take a hint Eddie, this is one subject you have no knowledge in other than what you read in the guardian. The more you take me on in this the more you show yourself to be a fool.
Right – one last suck of the sauce bottle.
No crowd build up at airports? You don’t know what you’re talking about.
I was at Charles de Gaulle (Paris, in case you don’t know where that is Dismayed) last week. France is on high alert.
An A380 holds 450 passengers. The check in queue begins about 2 hours before the desk opens. It takes a long time to check in 450 people. Heavily armed squads patrolled the queue constantly. A bomb in a small space would kill about half of them probably. 200 people would be a lot of dead people
I was flying Business Class – I didn’t queue – suck that one up.
Yes, I am angry.
Ta Bella et al for kind comments. Cheers.
It had bipartisan support I think.
Yvonne. Wrong.
Yvonne. Right.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/facial-recognition-technology-introduced-to-combat-terror/news-story/dba92acccc7deb51aa6f2c61d40b7482
Even a half wit like you would understand what unanimous agreement means at a COAG meeting. Last I looked only 3 states were Libs……..
I suppose I don’t really care because I don’t do anything the Government would be interested to know. The most likely outcome of someone placing me under surveillance would be death by boredom for some unlucky operative. You are under surveillance everywhere these days – at shops, railway stations, airports, the pub, using an atm, everywhere, And you have no control over any of it.
After my meeting with DHS last year in Chicago, the database already has everything that matters–and I have a card in my wallet that carries it all.
That’s right. It is already over the top. this is all part of your coalition “look over there” strategy. Scare the masses.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/disgusting-government-spends-300k-on-60-seconds-of-grand-final-advertising-20171003-gytvxq.html
Now you know why I call them The Looters….and let us never forget the record $2billion Howard spent on ‘advertising’ when he had his stint at trying to buy elections with ads. Turnbull’s Grand Final ads claim the government is bringing down power prices and improving energy reliability. Of course the truth is exactly the opposite. Power prices have doubled since the Liberals won government and all of the blackouts and coal fired power station shut downs have all occurred under their watch. What a disgrace. Budget emergency!! End the debt!! How do they keep getting away with it.
1./. Both sides do it.
2./. If SA had sufficient base load generation and not shut the coal fired power station then they would not have needed the interconnector and whilst the powerlines came down it would have only been a partial blackout and not the whole state as occurred. Nothing to do with the Feds there Bassy.
I am totally tired of the argument ‘both sides do it’ whenever the Looters get caught out. Just look at all of the jobs Brandis (even in caretaker mode!) has given his mates as well as those who have lost their seats-no advertising of the positions/no interviews…some of them over $300k.
Still going on about SA old mate-next thing U will say it was renewables….23 towers went down mate.-enuff to close the fires of hell down….gas-fired generators close to Adelaide could not increase production quickly enough to make up the demand which led to the automatic disconnection of the interconnectors and hence the cascading failure of the South Australian power system. The Australian Energy Market Operator stated the blackout was due to a “weather event”. Lots of criticism from the Looters about the big SA battery they are building but NONE about China investing in the biggest Lithium mine in Australia. I smell something.
Bassy,
Labor are just as bad with their union mates giving people jobs on the various Qangos that abound. Don’t be so one eyed. Do some research.
The blackout was due to a weather event. The complete blackout of the state was due to reliance on an interconnector they would not have needed if conditions were not such that the Northern Coal fired station had to close in May 2016. Note the date there it’s important. Just before the summer of 2017…….if that stoic was open then no statewide blackout. Just a partial weather related one.
razor the comment is just plain wrong. You are ignoring the multiple AEMO reports. I notice you don’t mention over a third of the NEM’s coal fired power stations were also unavailable at the time? Is that to rough for you? Are you gong to claim I am picking you again by using facts? PFFFFT weak
SA have had an interconnector with Vic. since inception of the NEM. Should SA withdraw all the gas that goes to NSW to feed it power? You are wrong as usual. you refuse to acknowledge the facts as usual because you place cons ideology over the national interest. What sort of person continues to make false statements over and over to prosecute and idea lie you. you have serous issues with facts.
They were going to advertise during the AFL preliminary finals as well but Josh Frydenberg couldn’t be convinced that Adelaide could host a game on a still night.
Wish we’d played the Grand Final in the dark though.
Braille footy? Could catch on.
“How do they keep getting away with it.”
A talent for duplicity, born liars, an incredibly compliant media & a pitifully gullible uninformed public.
Simples B’man.💡☹
Logan council in QLD of all places will save $2million plus $50K per year running costs by installing what is believed to be Australia’s first off-grid solar and battery storage system to include a Tesla Powerpack, as part of a micro-grid powered “electro-chlorinator” that will help maintain local drinking water quality 24 hours a day. In QLD?
But wait there’s more SA leading the way again with another world leading Salt water pumped hydro energy storage and by 2020 it will host Aurora, the world’s largest single-tower concentrated solar tower and molten salt storage facility. The coalition response? not worth repeating.
In a late night awake moment last night I listened to an interesting interview on Between the Lines with Tom Switzer and Brett Stephens. Worth a listen if you’re bored.
61% of coalition voters support a strong clean energy target. Makes you wonder why the hard right cons keep trying to run their misinformation campaign. China will soon have a Nation wide Emissions Trading Scheme and Australian companies will have to pay big $ because there is not one in place in Australian. Again we see the regressive coalition costing the Nation $$$$$
I caught an interview with LauraTingle on Late Night Live last night. (Jet-lag produces strange sleep patterns for a while).
She has been in Germany following the election there.
Her feelings were the same as mine. She wasn’t looking forward to returning to the ugly Australian political scene either.
Elections over there are civilised. No paid political ads and games. Everyone keeps their dignity intact.
After the result which is almost instantaneous, there is a debate and the leaders then have their say.
But crucially the people are allowed to make up their minds without harassment. What a joy that must be.
You know Yvonne, its not compulsory to come on blogs and fight with people. No-one forces you to engage in politics in this country, you have a choice. You have done nothing but whinge about Australia lately, one would ask why you bother?
Most old women learn to knit when it gets to much for them, maybe its time…..
Oh really, Wraith. Take a look at some of the other blogs here and see who is whingeing most about Australia. I don’t ”fight” with anyone. I make comments and am quite prepared to accept that I may not be right all the time and listen to another point of view – unlike some here. That’s what the blog is .
And yes, I find Australian politics ugly and depressing right now. I doubt if I am alone on that.
I have made plenty of other comments about light-hearted stuff. I am not obsessed.
I am interested in the intelligent comments made by the intelligent people on this blog. And here are plenty of them .
You’ve latched onto Dismayed’s practice of thinking that calling someone ”old” even though you know nothing about them – or their age – is a means to insult.. I just think it’s amusing. So call me what you like Wraith – water off a duck’s back.
Actually I like knitting – and am quite a good knitter. One doesn’t have to be old to knit.
Have a lovely day
Just saying no-one makes you. And to me, you are old, sorry. My opinion, entitled to it.
cheers.
You certainly are entitled to an opinion. Wraith. Whether I choose to hang around for more of your petty opinions on my personal attributes is up to me though.
I too could voice my thoughts on how I perceive you – but I don’t think personal observations are what this blog is about.
So I am quite happy to leave you to it.
Have fun.
Everyone’s entitled to my opinion!
Yvonne normally gets attacked Wraith. She’s entitled to her opinion and doesn’t even come close to the constant ranting posts and Dismal vitriol that occurs constantly by one on here. I think I counted 15 ranting posts out of 20 last week. JTI kindly gave us a break for awhile and I noted some of the old posters re-engaged but they a ramping up again and as such some of the long lost are gone again……
Yes, I noticed the return of a couple of past bloggers, whose opinion is always interesting and well put too, Razor. It was nice to see. They will not hang around.
One gets little weary of some of the childish stuff that I see is cranking up again.
As you correctly point out the blog is a forum for thoughts and opinion. Not all of it can conform to a mutual opinion.
I enjoy the counter -argument banter when it’s well meant and not crassly vicious . I think we all mIss JB’s brilliantly crafted, sometimes wicked repartee . He is a master.
The way to get people around to one’s way of thinking is to adopt reasonable rational debate and not resort to insult. JTI is a perfect example. I have taken his responses to my posts on board with respect. And one benefits from that and learns.
Talking of disappeared bloggers. I wonder what became of Darren? Another one who got fed up I think.
It’s freezing here! Apparent temp of 6 degrees yesterday ! Yikes where is Spring?
Maybe time to hibernate ;(
I like the FACTS
HAHAHAHA the victim sisters in action. You 2 along with the Milton are the first to have a crack every time then claim victim status the moment anyone dares to respond in kind. It is a cons trait to always feel persecuted and to try and deflect. Oh and by the way. I was heading to work and couldn’t post for a couple of days. the posts last blog were mostly accompanied by factual information to highlight you falsehoods. you call fact ranting’s because you don’t like to be shown up constantly. Stop whingeing and try using actual factual comments.
Provide just one example of me claiming victim status, you fatuous bore.
Dismayed…….just stop, please. There is no point to your contributions any more. I understand your need to stick up for SA, I really do. And I understand why you dislike conservative voters, but on this side of the wall, I believe that the participants are reasonable. Insulting people though is not cool, Dismayed and it does get tiresome. I subscribe to The Australian because of JTI, but never seem to have time or the inclination with some of the opinion writers from this newspaper to read a lot of it. What I really do deplore though is the comments from the true conservatives and red necks inside the paywall to some columnists reasonable and logical points of view, so I try never to read them. That’s what you’re sounding like at the moment and it’s pissing me off.
Hear Hear Wraith, Hear Hear.