RWDB

Ultimate Taser Ball

2012-02-14T13:47:00.002+08:00

This is the greatest sport ever invented.

No Door Prize

2012-02-13T22:10:00.000+08:00

A Victorian MP is pushing for a three-fold increase in penalties imposed on drivers who open car doors in front of cyclists, that would make the offence the equivalent of running a red light.

The problem grows...

Mr Barber said so-called "dooring" incidents were a growing problem and that a hefty increase in penalties would help educate drivers to look for cyclists before opening a car door.

Perhaps they already do.

My Land

2012-02-13T08:56:00.001+08:00

Good news. The Jews and the Arabs can stop fighting over whose land it is. Now we know it's Whitney Houston's.

Via Aussie Dave

Update: Channel Nine is offering their "Tribute to Whitney Houston" in the form of showing The Bodyguard tonight. Not on Channel Nine mind you, but on Gem, their spinoff channel. It's the equivalent of turning up to the funeral in thongs.

Retard hypocrite

2012-02-12T18:34:00.000+08:00

At Pure Poison, Jeremy Sear attacks Daily Telegraph columnist Joe Hildebrand for offensive use of the phrases “mentally handicapped” and “retarded”.

But here’s Jeremy himself:

"[T]he authorities come up with pretty much the most retarded "nickname" imaginable ..."

And from comments at Pure Poison personally moderated by Jeremy and teammate Dave Gaukroger:

“Is, or is not, ayn rand the most mentally retarded person to have ever been considered a “philosopher” anywhere in the last 200 years?”

Jeremy Sear is the internet's greatest. hypocrite

Resiliance to Stating the Bleeding Obvious

2012-02-11T19:21:00.000+08:00

Today's newspapers included an ad from the Commonwealth Attorney General's department offering grants to community groups who could assist with the national "Building Resilient Communities" program. The aim of that program is to reduce terrorism.

The program and its related website ignores the obvious, that most ethnic communities represent no physical threat to Australians whatsoever, and pretends this is a widespread problem which could come from anywhere. For example this page which talks about the number of Australians killed in terror attacks.

More than 110 Australians have been killed in overseas terrorist attacks in the past decade

Australians have been directly affected by terrorism and violent extremism. We are not immune to these threats, nor should we forget the many Australians who have lost their lives to acts of terrorism, including the 88 people who lost their lives in the Bali bombings on 12 October 2002. Over 200 Australians have also been injured, many seriously, in overseas terrorist attacks.
Since 2001, Australian law enforcement and security agencies have foiled four major terrorist plots on Australian soil

Law enforcement and security agencies in Australia have been successful in detecting and disrupting terrorist attacks before they could occur. In some cases, information provided by the community has been instrumental in preventing attacks that could have caused serious loss of life. While law enforcement will continue to be important, broader strategies including community initiatives are needed to challenge the ideologies and grievances that fuel terrorism in the first place.

Notice any descriptors missing? Indeed the only specifics about any terrorist were in this paragraph:

Not all violent extremists are part of an organised group. Some act alone

Although many violent extremists are part of international and national extremist organisations, others have acted individually. Examples include Anders Behring Breivik in Norway and Roshonara Choudry in Britain. We need to be vigilant against lone extremists as well as the ideologies that push them to commit violence.

What rubbish. Roshonara Choudry didn't act individually at all. She was well and truly a member of an international extremist organisation. It just doesn't have an office building.

The police investigation found that in the last quarter of 2009 Choudhry began downloading from the internet sermons and material from Anwar al-Awlaki, the Islamist cleric who western officials say is the spiritual leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. He preached the need for violent action to combat the atrocities of the west against Muslims around the world, and urged followers to do what they could, when they could, no matter how small.

The AG Department's definition of "violent extremism" is just as pathetic for its desperate avoidance of stating the dominant threat to this country.

Examples of violent extremism
Separatist and nationalist causes
Violence linked to anti-immigration causes
Violence to gain political/national independence, such as action by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the United Kingdom, or ETA (a Basque separatist group operating primarily in Spain)
Political–ideological motivations
Violence during anti-globalisation protests
Anarchist violence
Right-wing violence (such as the July 2011 attacks in Norway and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995)
Political–religious motivations
Violence by individuals or groups against abortion clinics or doctors
Violence in the name of religion (such as attacks conducted by Al‑Qaeda)
Issues-based causes
Violence or destruction of property by groups for causes such as environmental protection, animal rights or anti-gun control

One might conclude that the "attacks conducted by al-Qaeda" were something to do with abortion or gun-control. Also, while they specified the "Right-Wing" was responsible for violence, I'm pretty sure the smelly hippies at every anti-globalisation protests were from the Left-Wing, unnamed.

What a joke.

Yes, yes, not all Muslims are terrorists. But too many are and you can't deal with a problem if you don't dare name it.

This program is the same one which awarded grant money to Preston Mosque, as previously reported here, who sponsored an anti-ASIO rant about Jews.

Your tax dollars at work.

Joke Bombs

2012-02-11T18:58:00.000+08:00

The Iranians are none too happy about an Israeli TV Commercial for the Samsung Tablet.

A senior lawmaker says Iran's Majlis is considering a plan to cut off the country's economic transactions with South Korea's Samsung in reaction to the company's anti-Iran teaser.

Head of Majlis Energy Committee Arsalan Fat'hipour said the double-urgency plan, aimed at imposing a complete ban on buying all Samsung products, would make the company regret making the insulting teaser.

Samsung had nothing to do with the ad, which was produced by an Israeli Cable TV network, but why should that matter?

Fat'hipour said Samsung's apology to the Iranian nation, though necessary, would not be enough and that the company must be held accountable for producing the teaser.

There's that Islamic sense of humour we've come to love.

(Hat Tip: Antony Loewenstein who shares the Mullahs' epic sense of humour)

They just don't get it...

2012-02-10T21:57:00.002+08:00

From the "We aren't antisemites, we're anti-Zionist" files, comes the latest adventures of the BDS groupies.

If you liked the protests against Israeli company Max Brenner you will love our Israeli Apartheid inc corporate tour of companies complicit in Palestinian oppression.

As part of the global Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, Students for Palestine is beginning 2012 by taking on corporations in Melbourne's CBD that support the theft of Palestinian land and the brutality of the Israeli military.

We will begin our tour in the Bourke St Mall and then end at Max Brenner.

Look out for the Tour Guides dressed in Palestinian colours.

Can't miss 'em.

These ferals are also planning to crash a trade luncheon. There's a special type of person who can attend a protest at 11:30am on a working day, and that person isn't employed. It starts with protests. Then violent demonstrations. Then.... Well, just study history.

Vexnews reports they're hanging around Synagogues too.

Meanwhile, in Syria this week:

roads in and out of the besieged suburb of Baba Amr, in the south-east of Homs, were blocked, preventing the evacuation of children and the wounded, and food, water and medicine were running out.

Speaking at an international gathering in Sweden, the British prime minister, David Cameron, said: "It is quite clear this is a regime hell-bent on killing, murdering and maiming its own citizens … we need to take the toughest possible response we can."

More than 100 people were reported dead in Homs on Thursday during heavy bombardment by government forces, but that figure could not be independently confirmed in the absence of observers or humanitarian organisations. A local resident, Basil Abu Fouad, said it was impossible to estimate casualties accurately.

"We can't count the number of the dead in the rubble. When we pull someone from the rubble, we don't know if they were killed today, yesterday or before," Abu Fouad said by phone from a basement in Baba Amr.

"They are using helicopters and mortars and tanks, T-72 [former Soviet] tanks. Hundreds of homes have been demolished and they have come down on the heads of their owners.

"Communications have been completely cut off between neighbourhoods. The army have blocked access to the city. Some people tried to escape but they found all the roads were closed. There is no food left in the city. We don't have milk. All the water tanks have been targeted. We don't have medicines. If you go to the shops and try to get in, the snipers up on the roofs will shoot you," he said.

"The children will die here. All the people want is to escape. They can smash this place if they want. We just want to get out of there. But they won't allow us."

Dani Abdul Dayan, a resident of the Insha'at, next to Baba Amr, claimed the army had taken over the Hikma hospital, expelled doctors and was using the patients as human shields. The claim could not be verified.

In Homs, Abu Fouad said the security council veto had given the regime a green light to commit genocide against the Syrian people. "The whole world is against us. Nobody is helping us," he said, before the electricity failed. "There is nothing left but to pray."

When Muslims kill Muslims, and there are no Jews involved, nobody cares. Enjoy your boycott kiddies. Don't forget to chant stuff about "justice" and "genocide"...

Bucket List Checked

2012-02-09T13:14:00.000+08:00

BUTTE, Mont. (AP)--A 55-year-old Montana man who says he "always wanted'' to be part of a police chase can check that off his bucket list.

The Montana Standard reports John C. Hughes followed a patrol car for seven blocks early Thursday before pulling his SUV around and taking off at speeds of up to 70 mph.

Officers say the Butte man was driving faster than 100 mph [160kph] on an interstate toward Rocker, Mont.

Officers in that city laid out a spiked strip to flatten the tires on the SUV.

A police report says Hughes told officers he "just always wanted'' to see what it would be like to be in a police chase. Officers say Hughes had not been drinking.

Hughes faces a charge of reckless driving while eluding police.

Apparently driving something quicker that handles better than an SUV doesn't appear on his bucket list.

Tense Embassy

2012-02-09T01:03:00.000+08:00

Andrew Bolt:

I don’t think these protests lately have advanced Aboriginal interests.

Any moment now, it will be reported that Bolt called for Aboriginal homes to be demolished. Riots to follow.

Antony Grew Some Balls?

2012-02-06T22:06:00.000+08:00

Here is Antony at the "Festival of Dangerous ~~Idiots~~ Ideas" auditioning for Tony Jones's role as panel moderator. Antony is usually as painful to listen to as he is to read.

So someone in post-production of this video has sensibly felt that Antony's usual screeching whine could do with a bit of assistance.

DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? - with Antony LOEWNSTEIN.

The video features Antony answering the question: "Did you have any idea?"

No comment necessary.

They also spelled his name wrong. Antony's celebrity grows...

Is Being Raised by Moonbats Considered a Disability?

2012-02-05T21:56:00.002+08:00

I've always cringed when dirty hippies scream like little girls for the benefit of the cameras as they are arrested by police at demonstrations. People in real police-states must shake their heads at these lightweights. Or at least they would if they had Internet.

But this chick takes things to a whole new level. Meet Jennifer Nash. According to her blog, her son got picked on at school.

The sordid saga of abuse and administrative callousness inflicted upon Jordan Nash – and his long-suffering mother Jennifer – began about a decade ago in Brisbane, where Jordan was being severely bullied as the result of an untreated expressive and receptive speech language disorder, which severely affected his learning as a child and made him a target for other children. Exacerbating this situation, Jordan was also subject to a learning disability, though not one that was severe enough to warrant him attending a school for children with special needs.

Ms Nash complained to her local member and after (ahem) occupying the space outside his office for several weeks was ignored. See if you can work out the problem.

As her son is driven off, she loses it completely, convinced he'll never be seen again. Mamdouh Habib must be grateful he wasn't picked up by the Queensland Police. Here's an 'alternative' version of the events in the above video.

Nash was immediately denied the right to speak, told to leave by MP Mickel and brutally removed from the public gallery by an armed Queensland Police Officer who used excessive force to remove her and caused her fear, pain and bruises to both upper arms when he violently forced her down the stairs of parliament.

No mention of the permanent hearing loss the officer would have suffered.

On ejection from parliament building, the aggrieved mother was unable to take her handbag with her and was threatened with arrest when she requested the return of her bag.

The Police officer then made a phone call on his mobile phone and moments later two paddy wagons and an additional half a dozen Police officers arrived in a show of force and "lack of diplomacy" which Jennifer Nash says is inconsistent with the Police's Mission statement "To serve the people in Queensland by protecting life and property, preserving peace and safety, preventing crime and upholding the law in a manner which has regard for the public good and the rights of the individual."

He has now missed all of high school. This kid hasn't got a chance, thanks to his caring Mum.

Japan, land of violent racists

2012-02-05T18:04:00.001+08:00

Sea Shepherd supremo Paul Watson concludes, after giving the matter much thought, that Japanese racism is the only explanation for the arrest and detention of Dutch Cove Guardian activist Erwin Vermeulen. Really.

Watson's whiny rant includes a linked video claimed to show the assault of two female Sea Shepherd affiliated activists. The hilarious video does make one thing abundantly clear: Japanese fishermen and police forced to deal with obnoxious activists deserve medals for patience.

Jellyfish takeover questioned

2012-02-05T09:24:00.001+08:00

On a luckless fishing trip George Monbiot fears "the beginning of the end of vertebrate ecology":

A combination of overfishing and ocean acidification (caused by rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) has creating the perfect conditions for this shift from a system dominated by fish to a system dominated by jellyfish.

Don't worry George, jellyfish aren't taking over the oceans just yet:

In the last decade, gelatinous blobs have reportedly clogged up water treatment and power plants, overrun fish farms, and hampered fishermen around the world. They even forced the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan out of the Port of Brisbane in 2006.

But claims they will dominate our oceans are not supported by data, says Winthrop Professor Carlos Duarte director of the Oceans Institute at the University of Western Australia.

Wot Terrorism?

2012-02-04T20:17:00.000+08:00

Today's SMH write-up of the trial of a number of Islamist terrorists in Australia is chilling reading. However hardly a surprise. Australia has imported a problem to this country, refused to deal with it for too long and in many cases refuses to even name the problem for fear of upsetting somebody.

"Greek Fire" in comments to this blog:

Diversity has killed discrimination, which is a bad thing indeed. People should discriminate against bad ideas. They should be jaundiced against jihad, sick of sexism and hate homophobia. But if you do that you will be labeled an Islamophobe. And, by the way, your right to free speech has also been sacrificed to the great leftist meme of diversity.

However, if in fact your religious beliefs embody jihad, sexism and homophobia the intellectual elite and their house organs like the ABC and Fairfax will sensitively lick your arse and the government will throw money at you under a policy developed no doubt by some deadbeat deathwishing drongo in the public service.

Western civilisation is well and truly fucked. The beneficiaries of past struggles for human rights care not for their cultural inheritance. It will not be transmitted to even one further generation. The diversity-mongers have seen to that.

Entertainment reporting not newsy enough

2012-02-04T18:20:00.001+08:00

Crikey expert media analyst Jeremy Sear reveals convincing proof of "the amusing childishness of News Ltd in its ongoing war with the ABC, and the ever more shameless triviality of the 'news' content it’s willing to share with readers for free." The News.com piece in question is a comparison of breakfast television programs; since it's in the entertainment section it's bound to be trivial.

Next from Jeremy, a riveting sports coverage exposé.

Weird science

2012-02-04T17:23:00.000+08:00

An enlightened Scienceblogs.com reader comments on iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart's appointment of geologist Ian Plimer to two board positions:

Porcine pollution princess, Gina Rhino-arse, puts pseudoscientist Pliemer (silent "p") on retainer.

Jeez, who knew Lefties regard rich females with such contempt. By the way, the comment is at Tim Lambert's Dulltard snake-pit.

Update A Crikey reader is also none too keen on the billionairess:

You are never, in a million years, going to make anything but a hash of media ownership, for one very simple reason: you have never had to do a lick of managerial work in your life. All you had to do was sit tight while your old man gifted a big bunch of dirt to you, dirt that the rest of the world wanted so badly they would pay billions to get it. You have never had to actually manage your companies because a platoon of toady managers do all that for you. Like other famous business children, such as Packer and those two Murdoch dunces, the minute you decide you can actually make a business decision, it all goes immediately wrong. OneTel, anyone?

Looks like the emergence of multiple cases of Rinehart Derangement Syndrome.

Face saved

2012-02-04T16:52:00.000+08:00

Scuffing on my helmet resulting from a slow speed slide on bitumen after getting knocked from my bike. I knew there was a reason why I stopped wearing an open-face helmet and goggles.

Small Doodles

2012-02-03T20:14:00.000+08:00

One of the more well-rounded members of the Islamic Community, Irfan Yusuf provides a nice demonstration of how Muslims should react, when someone draws a cartoon.

To his credit, Irfan hasn't reached for the scimitar. Then again, if heaven promised 72 KFC Buckets....

Perhaps they can Register Wooden Spoons

2012-02-03T20:04:00.001+08:00

The Tele reports:

Smacking kids can be tantamount to child abuse and should be banned in Australia, the nation's leading paediatricians said yesterday.

This was one of the most hotly discussed topics on talkback radio today as well.

Regardless of your views on smacking children, what is the point of creating another law that can't possibly be enforced? I can already see how this will be abused. Petulant children will call the Police to arrest their parents for not letting them play X-Box. Parents in custody battles will accuse each other of smacking as a tactic.

Education campaigns are important. However creating unenforceable laws which will be ignored and misused simply encourages disrespect for the law.

Mosque Must Go

2012-02-03T11:48:00.000+08:00

Last week I reported a disgusting speech given by lawyer Rob Stary at the Preston Mosque.

The Australian has covered it.

Mosque's lesson in dealing with ASIO

A CAMPAIGN to frustrate the domestic spy agency's attempts to root out homegrown Islamic terrorism is being waged at a mosque linked to a jailed former spiritual leader.

...
A report on Mr Stary's address features on the society's website, which accuses ASIO of sowing "distrust and fear". The mosque was linked to self-styled Islamic spiritual leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 51, who along with six other men was sentenced to jail in 2009 for terrorism offences. Targets included the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Crown casino.

In his address to the mosque, Mr Stary was critical of what he claimed was Australia's pro-Israel stance, adding yesterday that Julia Gillard was showing bias towards Israel. He has hit out at what he described as the influence of the so-called Jewish lobby and added he had been reported accurately by the Islamic society.

Australia-Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said the reported comments were inflammatory.

Why do people think that opposing Jihadi suicide bombing, head-chopping, women-hating ideology is the result of a Jewish plot? There is a very simple reason why any sensible democracy, and any sensible leader of a democracy, would oppose such things. Jewish people of course have plenty of reason to oppose it. I'm sure more people would support the Arab world if it wasn't such a cesspool.

Not reported by The Australian was that the Commonwealth Government had been providing grant money to the Preston Mosque. How's that for value for money?

Watermelon Fight

2012-02-02T15:50:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, The Australian reported:

GREENS MPs and activists have complained that the party's NSW branch is run by a small "cadre" of Leninist-style ideologues whose activities are making it appear to be populated by "lunatics".

The Australian has been doing a sterling job exposing the Communist links held by Greens leaders, who evidently have other plans besides saving the odd tree. Read it all.

Lest there be any doubt, Antony Green reported yesterday that in an Adelaide by-election, on their 'how to vote card' the Greens directed their second preference to a Communist Party representative. Green notes:

Bob Briton is likely to finish close to last in a field of nine, so Green preferences will never be distributed to him. Which makes it even more mysterious why the Greens would bother listing him second. Especially ahead of one of their former candidates campaigning on an environmental issue.

It's not mysterious at all. The Greens are 'watermelons'. Green on the outside and red in the middle.

No Plagiarism Plague

2012-02-02T13:01:00.002+08:00

A rather stupid "Exclusive" in today's Daily Telegraph, with Simon Benson claiming to have caught Tony Abbott plagiarising speeches in the manner of Anthony Albanese's embarrassing cockup last week.

Albanese (or at least his speechwriter) was busted for plagiarising a speech given by Michael Douglas as the US President in a movie. Whereas, according to Benson:

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been swept up in his own embarrassing claim of political plagiarism, appearing to have borrowed from speeches of two American Presidents and a US shock jock in his address to the National Press Club on Tuesday.

An example is given:

Apparently not concerned about crossing political divides, Mr Abbott also drew inspiration from Democrat president Barack Obama, quoting the same passage from Abraham Lincoln as Mr Obama used a week ago in his State of the Union address.

"The current leaders of the Labor Party have failed to understand what Abraham Lincoln knew in the marrow of his bones, that government should do for people what they can't do for themselves and no more," Mr Abbott said.

Abbott directly attributed the comment to Abraham Lincoln (whether Obama said it is irrelevant). How is this plagiarism?

Other weak examples were offered:

In outlining his vision of small government and greater individual freedoms as being principles of the Liberal Party, Mr Abbott said: "At the heart of Labor's failure is the assumption that bigger government and higher taxes are the answer to every problem."

On February 2, 1973, Richard Nixon said: "At home, we must reject the mistaken notion ... that even bigger government is the answer to every problem."

Hardly an explosive gotcha. It's a well established conservative view that small government is a good thing. Exactly how many way can you reword the same viewpoint to avoid petty claims of copying? Ditto any reference to democracy, freedom or bureaucratic meddling.

Still desperately trying to bust Abbott, Benson comes up with this:

Mr Abbott then went on to channel conservative US radio shock jock Rush Limbaugh: "The government has completely failed to appreciate the iron law of economics that no country has ever taxed its way to prosperity."

Mr Limbaugh, February 18, 1994: "No nation has ever taxed itself into prosperity."

It's debatable whether it's an "iron law" but the comment was based on a pretty well established political viewpoint.

Once upon a time, Winston Churchill said "We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." (and Benson will probably accuse me of plagiarism now).

Albanese's cockup was amusing, he copped it sweet and everyone had a good laugh at is expense. It was hardly the biggest disaster from that government in recent memory. It seems now however we can look forward to journos Googling every single phrase of every political speech looking for similarities to expose. It will happen often - there are only so many tropes and it's not Tony Abbott who should feel embarrassed about this article.

It can't be good for the nation that political discussion in this country is being dumbed down to endless attempts at 'gotchas' which result in politicians hiring fact-checkers and speechwriters, rather than simply saying what they believe, doing what they say and letting us decide whether or not to support them.

Update: The comments on the Tele's post from rusted-on Labor voters are hilarious.

kevin marshall of woodridge qld Posted at 12:18 AM Today
what wrong with these clown canot that get some one with a wee bit of brains to think off something new not a repeat of some one else
dave Posted at 3:42 AM Today

Abbott, Abbott, Abbott. How the heck could you govern the country? You're just a cardboard cut-out of a Politician and Leader. The Liberals need to replace this guy now. The Liberals may be gloating over Albanese, but he doesn't LEAD a Party. If Abbott's the smartest politician the Liberals have, then the Liberal Party will remain in opposition forever. No wonder Gillard has you running around like a negative whinger.

Err...

Booby Prize

2012-02-01T15:38:00.000+08:00

Kel Richards was recently standing in for Brian Wilshire on Radio 2GB.

The prize for the winner of the night's quiz: A copy (unsigned) of My Israel Question by Antony Loewenstein. Plucking a Duck wasn't an option and the 'winner' is stuck with it.

I wonder who sent a complimentary copy to the radio station. I also wonder whether a single copy was sent, or an entire pallet-load.

14 Year Old Girl needs to Harden Up.

2012-02-01T14:55:00.004+08:00

Media have gone nuts over the story of Novak Djokovic's sweaty, sweaty Australian Open shirt being thrown (depending who you believe):

a) Into the crowd or
b) Directly at a young 14 year old girl who believes it was 'robbed' from her by an older woman in a manner similar to a (genuinely disgraceful) event at a baseball game.

The 14 year old had a big cry (literally) to the media which started a witch-hunt. The 'witch' in question, a Mrs Yael Rothschild had this to say (presumably after media hunted her down:

"When the shirt was thrown, there would have been 20 excited people, all with their hands out," she said.

"After (it had been) thrown, there would have been 19 disappointed people.

"Such is life.

Indeed. Why this 14 year old, or indeed a mass of poorly spelled (presumably young) commenters underneath the piece believe it was really intended for her rather than randomly hurled is beyond me. Stuff gets thrown into the crowd at sporting matches as a matter of course and there are plenty of earlier examples of what goes on at the game.

Perhaps Djokovic can mail a set of his dirty undies to the girl to keep her happy. Rothschild is now under pressure by way of fatuous Internet polls, to auction the shirt for charity. Why? Winners are grinners and it's hers.

The 14 year old's parents should not be letting her appear in the media or be identified in any way. I'm not going to name her.

No. This is a child who is being raised to believe everything is handed to her. Fortunately, the Neo-Nazis at Stormfront have sided with her.

Stand your ground, Mrs Rothschild.

It's On.

2012-02-01T11:17:00.000+08:00

Although the next Australian federal election could be as late as November 2013, Tony Abbott has just given a speech to the Press Club which has set the agenda.

The press gallery will summarise it as follows:

a) Tony Abbott is to personally scuttle boats drowning refugee babies
b) Tony Abbott is to ban computers in schools
c) Tony Abbott is to reintroduce WorkChoices and personally sack every Worker and Battler in the country
d) Tony Abbott want to see the Internet die
e) Tony Abbott wants to destroy the planet.

The above may or may not be what he actually said.

Julia Gillard's week just got a whole lot worse.

Friends like These

2012-01-30T09:02:00.000+08:00

Wandering through the Sydney CBD yesterday I saw posters stuck to walls advertising what amounts to a protest in memoriam of TJ Hickey, the young Aboriginal boy whose death triggered the 2004 Redfern Riots.

Whilst the Wikipedia entry notes that "Commemorative rallies have been held every year on the anniversary of the incident at the site of Hickey's death" this one has a different feel about it. The sponsors are the typical protest rent-a-crowd and it's a pretty safe bet that they are trying to make this the sequel to what happened in Canberra last week.

The note on Indymedia reads:

on this 8th anniversary we are attempting to build our numbers to show the redfern police and the nsw government of barry o'farrell that we are not going to forget our true obligation to the memory of tj, his mother gail hickey and his sisters. as they will never forget the injustice that was done to tj on that infamous day, nor should we.

In addition to some vaguely named Aboriginal groups, the poster also notes sponsorship of "The Unions", "LatinoAmerica Forum" (there's a relevant alliance), the Socialist Alternative and the Socialist Alliance (the alternative to the Socialist Alternative).

These are supporters that the Aboriginal Community can do without.

Crap news

2012-01-29T14:46:00.000+08:00

The Juice Media, producers of leftist orientated "socio-poetic/comedic analyses which everyone can relate to and understand", justifies revision of its Canberra tent embassy protester fracas reporting (see comments):

[T]he description was updated once we realized that it didn't accurately describe how Abbott's statement was distorted by the media; not to 'hide' anything but rather to make things clearer. Call us crazy, but that's what journalism is about. The description still places the blame with Abbott, for essentially stating that the Embassy had served its purpose and aboriginal people should get over the past and move on. That Abbott is a cunt, hasn't changed.

Yep, that certainly satisfies The Juice Media's goal of "delivering a bulletin to restore your faith in the fourth estate", as does their Australia Day Aussies-are-cunts bulletin.

Go here for Tim Blair's take on The Juice Media's reporting.

Cowards Indeed

2012-01-29T11:15:00.000+08:00

An excellent takedown by Andrew Landeryou. Everybody cops a serve.

Snap, Crackle, Pffft....

2012-01-29T09:10:00.001+08:00

News.com.au links to a viral video of a man who has 'turned his kitchen into a synthesizer'. It's currently the 'most viewed' article. Besides attracting traffic to their own site off the back of someone else's Youtube video, News appear to have added nothing beyond a truly terrible pun.

This kitchen DJ will cerealsly bowl you over

Whilst cute, the whole video screams fake. Comments at Reddit tore it a new one. The person responsible, an electronic composer was quite upfront about it not being real.

If mainstream news organisation websites are going to link to this kind of thing in order to attract traffic (not that there's anything wrong with it) it would be nice if they made a cursory attempt to validate it, being a news organisation...

It doesn't take an electronics genius to work out the challenge with tapping two non-conductive surfaces together in order to close a circuit. Then again, it doesn't take a genius to add a "Preview" button to blogs, so maybe News Ltd is lacking in that department? I'm just saying, Bolt, Blair...

Crikey, that's spin

2012-01-28T18:08:00.000+08:00

An alternative reality Crikey summary of the Canberra tent embassy protester fracas:

Tony Abbott made provocative remarks about a group of people protesting for indigenous rights. [Abbott's remarks were provocative only because he was misquoted.]

He then attended a public function right near that group of people.

Somebody told the protesters he was nearby at a public function. [Protesters were informed by a Prime Ministerial aide via a trade union official. What was the intent of the information providers?]

They went to protest to him directly. [Fair enough.]

They banged on windows and called him a “racist” and suggested he should feel “shame”. [The fracas was both ugly and threatening.]

Which part of this is a scandal other than
- the AFP massively overreacting; and [The Prime Minister's security detail and summoned police reacted as they saw fit in the circumstances.]
- Tony Abbott’s hostility to the aboriginal protesters? [How, exactly, did Abbott display hostility.]

I don’t care who told them he was nearby – they were perfectly entitled to go and let him know what they thought of his remarks on the television.

The summary is just the sort of shameless spin its provider, genius media expert Jeremy Sear, claims to aim to debunk. Lefties are incapable of rationality when it comes to Abbott.

From Cronulla to Canberra

2012-01-28T04:37:00.000+08:00

In Friday's Sydney Morning Herald letters:

Australia Day's reprehensible treatment of the Prime Minister by Aboriginal activists must be seen in the context of a disrespectful atmosphere created by white shock jocks and so-called political satirists since her accession to the leadership.

Sue Currie, Northcote

Yes. It was all Alan Jones' fault. Tony Abbott will be pleased to hear it's not his fault for a change.

Interestingly, it was one of these so-called white 'shock jocks', Ray Hadley who exposed that one of Prime Minister Gillard's media advisers had encouraged the riot.

Clear and Present Hysterics

2012-01-27T18:16:00.000+08:00

News reports:

Wrapped in the arms of an Australian Federal Police officer, Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott were then whisked away from The Lobby restaurant, where the two had been trapped for half an hour by almost 200 protesters who were yelling and banging on the windows.

It was the first time since John Howard wore a bullet-proof vest to a gun rally that a protest had presented a clear and present danger to the safety of the prime minister.

As I recall, John Howard's arrival wearing a poorly fitted bullet-proof vest was treated with ridicule by the shooters lobby who took offence at the suggestion. Exactly what "clear and present danger" existed that day, which didn't the day before or the day after?

Having said that, if a Prime Minister, Premier, Police Commissioner or Minister of Immigration doesn't need to wear a bullet-proof vest (perhaps a stylish Miguel Caballero number) he or she probably isn't upsetting the right people nearly enough.

Menzies House takes on Frenzied Tent

2012-01-27T16:06:00.001+08:00

Well. This didn't take long.

www.closethetentembassy.com

At Least Gillard Prefers Wearing Shoes...

2012-01-27T04:30:00.000+08:00

Prime Minister Gillard lost her shoe yesterday while escaping a rioting mob.

The mob were described as "Aboriginal activists" but including what appeared to be a typical rent-a-crowd of green-left ferals and professional protesters, such as the Keffiyeh wearing red-head carrying a megaphone at 1m17s of the above video. Only a certain type of person owns a megaphone and isn't a PE teacher.

As for Julia Gillard's lost shoe:

Activist Pat Eatock ended up with the size 36 blue heel and said it would not be returned to Ms Gillard, even if she asked.

"She can't have it, this is going on eBay," said Ms Eatock, 73.

"We are going to see if we can get some money for the (tent) embassy."

Ms Eatock is one of those who sued Andrew Bolt into silence, so don't expect him to pass any comment on her now handling stolen property.

If they do sell the shoe on eBay, I wonder if it will get more money than Peter Gray's dirty, disgusting hippie-loafer thrown at John Howard on Q&A.

The main difference being Ms Gillard probably owns another pair of shoes.

Media genius does transport analysis

2012-01-26T13:41:00.000+08:00

Crikey polymath Jeremy Sear wants death-dealing trucks off the road:

Seriously, if you can’t build the necessary rail infrastructure because Australians today are less capable than our ancestors 150 years ago, can’t we at least build freight trucks a separate road or something?

In fact, in the accident to which Jeremy refers, the truck WAS on a separate road to the car with which it collided. Due to circumstances yet to be determined, it crossed from one side of the dual carriageway Hume Highway to the other.

As Jeremy's fellow Green Sarah Hanson-Young says: “Accidents happen.”

Commonwealth Government Bankrolls Extremists

2012-01-25T16:49:00.000+08:00

The community was invited to an open day at Preston Mosque.

Visitors will have full access to the interior of the Mosque, climb the minaret and have a view of Darebin, ask question you’ve wanted to ask, browse through our bookstore and make new friends.

This event is open to people of all faiths and both genders.

In case you were wondering... It's all about building bridges, people.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department under its Building Community Resilience Grants Program.

Immediately below that post is a summary of a recent lecture given at the Mosque. I wonder if the Attorney General reviewed it before reaching for the chequebook.

Lots of questions were asked and answered by Robert Stary. Below is a summary of the night by one of the attendees, may Allah reward him
...
I'd like to make it clear that Robert Stary is not an ordinary lawyer. He did not charge a fee to present the information session at the mosque because he is passionate about helping the Muslim community who he believes is being oppressed. His dealings with the cases of Jack Thomas and the Melbourne 13 (Melbourne terror trial) etc. have been a means for him to increase his knowledge of true Islam and not Islam portrayed by media outlets. He said his children attend a school with many Muslim students and he thinks it's crucial that they also have a proper understanding of Islam.

I found it interesting that he stated that the only crime Jack Thomas committed was converting to Islam and that they wanted to use him as a sacrificial lamb to give a warning to others. He also referred to the convicted brothers as 'the brothers'.

Read more about him and his credentials here.

May Allah (swt) guide him to Islam, ameen.

I'll try to be concise and list the main point’s insha' Allah.

Some facts about ASIO:

- They have tripled in size since 2001.

- The new ASIO building will be the largest building in Australia since the Parliament house.

- ASIO Act gives them enormous powers.

- $26m spend on counter-terrorism.

- ASIO work with the police and although ASIO cannot prosecute you, the police can.

- What you say to ASIO cannot be used against you in your prosecution.

Does ASIO target Muslims?

Yes. Robert believes that Australia has a pro-Israeli stance due to the powerful Jewish lobby groups who have the economic upper-hand in this country. Naturally, ASIO will try to suppress pro-Palestinian groups and sympathizer (i.e Muslims). Here is an official list of the designated terrorist organisations in Australia. You will notice that they are all Islamic organisations (minus PKK).

All Islamic organisations! Clearly those Buddhists need to lift their game...

What should I do if ASIO approach me?

There are two ways they can approach you, either formally or informally.

Informal:

- ASIO operatives may approach you and ask to have a coffee or a general chat (there is no such thing as a general chat because they will be recording the conversation covertly).

Must I answer their questions?

No, you do not have to answer their questions if they do not have a warrant. Robert's advice is to be polite to them and say that you have taken advice and you do not want to speak to them.

Even if you have not done anything wrong, there is no need to talk to them. Remember that they are not our friends and you may think that you have done nothing wrong but they are contacting you for a reason, not to have a friendly conversation. Their job is to collect intelligence. If they want to engage with the community then there are other ways of doing so.

If they keep hassling you, be firm and assertive and don't give in because you don't have to. Brothers who have dealt with them will know that they will hassle you.

Formal:

ASIO may contact you formally, that is with a warrant issued by the Attorney General.

- Under the ASIO Act, you must attend their interrogation.

- You don't have a right to silence. You must answer their questions. (Up to 5 yrs prison sentence if you don't)

- You may not be entitled to a lawyer of your choice (they need substantial grounds for denying you of this right).

- No right against self-incrimination.

- You may be prosecuted if you notify anybody that you have been questioned by ASIO or the nature of the discussion. (Some brothers in the Benbrika case who were questioned were not able to contact their families nor their employers telling them where they were).

If you don't comply with the above you may have committed an offence and may be charged.

Important note: If you are approached by ASIO and they say they have a warrant, you have the right to ask them to produce the warrant and see it. If they have a warrant to search your house, they will take anything they believe is of use to them (eg, laptop, books etc).

The only way they can enter your house without a warrant is if they appear to be friendly and you invite them in, which many people naturally do.

ASIO tactics:

- Covert operatives/infiltration. The use of this tactic has increased dramatically over the years as seen recently in the Melbourne terror trials where a Turkish police officer was used to infiltrate the group.

- Phone tapping/recordings. With advanced technology, they can tap into your conversations without you having a clue which may later be used as evidence (once again, Benbrika case phone conversations). Some websites are flagged and if you visit them you may be monitored although it is legal to visit them. I'm sure this forum is also being monitored.

Is it an offence to watch and download "Jihadi" material?

- This is a grey area of law and generally it's not an offence but can be as there is an offence called 'possession of a thing'.

- The material needs to be coupled with an application. In other words, you need to somehow use the material to plan something or apply it. (once again see Benbrika case, material + application (phone recordings)). It becomes an offence when coupled with action. Conspiring to do something is an action.

Do we have freedom of speech?

Yes we have freedom of speech but it is limited. You can voice your political opinion on a matter and there is nothing wrong with doing so. For example you can say "I think the Israeli government has committed war crimes and those perpetrators should be punished". If you say something along the lines of "the jews have killed our brothers and sisters so we should fight against them and kill them", inciting violence and hatred, then you will be in hot water.

For example, the Somali brothers were discussing how easy it is to infiltrate the army barracks along with some other inappropriate talk which lead them to be charged with conspiracy although it was impossible for them to carry out an act given the circumstances. Conspiracy is an offence, you don't need to possess weapons or anything of the like, talk is sufficient. Their case will be heard in the Supreme Court on Friday.

General/Random notes:

- Be careful when sending money overseas, even if it may be for humanitarian purposes. For example, sending money to a region in Somalia which is controlled by Al-Shabaab will be an offence and you may be charged.

- Supporting groups that want to overthrow/destabilize a foreign government is an offence. (eg, Arab spring).

- The role of ASIO is to gather intelligence so little things may not seem like a lot to you but they will have other intelligence on you and can bring the two together to make something out of it...

- In some instances, you can easily be charged with obstructing an officer so avoid confrontation in all circumstances.

I hope I have made sense as these notes were scribbled on paper (didn't take laptop) so I tried to tie it all together. If you need me to clarify anything please ask. In any case, the recording will be released soon insha' Allah and you can cross-reference what I have written to verify it in case I have been inaccurate.

Also, the brothers who have been approached by ASIO should get it documented at Preston Mosque for future reference insha' Allah.

Wassalam.

Why is the Attorney General's Department sponsoring an Open Day at this place? They should be working toward closing it.

Imagine them playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey...

2012-01-24T08:03:00.000+08:00

And here's video of Chinese soldiers playing pass the parcel.

Would also be useful training for buck-passing at Labor HQ.

Antony Asked

2012-01-23T12:20:00.003+08:00

Antony Loewenstein boasts:

I was asked by Al Jazeera’s The Listening Post to comment about this press issue (my comment appears around 8:53)

No he wasn't.

Note the email address which appears on his webcam footage. It's a TV version of letters to the editor. Anybody with a webcam can send them footage. Antony's ego means he probably believes he was asked by Youtube to appear on their Leading Website.

If he keeps this up, imagine the career potential.

Coming up after the break, Death to Israel. Nuclear? Or Old School bomb belt. Jewish reporter Antony Loewenstein offers his valuable insight.

Al-Jazeera - We report, you suicide.

In further same-old, Antony states: "This is what Obama is; shameless pandering to Zionist extremism".

The page to which Loewenstein links - Electronic Intifada (nice!) adds:

Is Barack Obama running for reelection as President of the United States or Prime Minister of Israel? A new Obama campaign video makes it increasingly hard to tell, and even more ominously ratchets further the Israelization of US politics.

Pro-tip: Never comment about secret Jewish control of government. Always refer to them as "Zionists or Zionist extremists". Much safer and you can still get a gig on the ABC rather than a park bench somewhere.

Grim Reeping

2012-01-22T19:30:00.000+08:00

Legal advice from Rod of Sydney:

Glad to see miss Ashton's attemp to further ruin Mrs Pratt's life has failed. Before you try appealing remember you reep whay you sew.

Fortunately no seamstresses were sexually assaulted.

Sing it to Win It

2012-01-21T08:58:00.001+08:00

Not exactly Bill Clinton's saxophone or Kim Jong-Un's guitar, but here's US President Obama rocking out.

Surrender

2012-01-21T08:45:00.000+08:00

A letter in the Sydney Morning Herald offers a simple solution to stopping gun crime in Sydney.

Illegal drugs are the main source of cash driving our criminals and corrupting police, and the solution is the same now as then - repeal prohibition while regulating and taxing the ongoing trade.

If they legalised and taxed theft and murder, crime levels would drop overnight.

Facebook not for Kids

2012-01-21T08:36:00.000+08:00

The official Wiggles website links to their Facebook page where there is plenty of venting about Yellow Wiggle Sam's boning.

On the next page, a casual photo of (Blue Wiggle) Anthony all tatooed and bare legged gets the women into a frenzy and prompts this comment:

u mums r so horny i love it

The Wiggles attract all sorts.

The Good News is he Can't be Fired Again.

2012-01-21T08:01:00.001+08:00

Antony Loewenstein appeared on ABC TV's The Drum on Thursday. The suit is a big improvement on his earlier dress sense.

Antony spent most of the episode awkwardly waiting for them talk about Israel and when the topic turned to employment, well...

Update: Antony discusses his appearance (except for that bit which he hopes nobody noticed).

The question of racism in Australia is a live one and I argued that deep-seated mistrust of Muslims and minorities was rampant. Any more than other countries globally? Hard to say but it’s foolish to deny that media players and politicians regularly play the race card to draw votes.

The media draws votes? I'm voting for Zoo Weekly!

The Murdoch press are some of the worst offenders in this area, routinely demonising the poor and disadvantaged.

The evidence of this astonishing claim will be presented in Antony's forthcoming book, "My Making Shit Up Question". Speaking of racism, earlier in the program, Antony casually referred to Warren Mundine as a "Murdoch Pet". He stopped short of calling him Uncle Tom.

The main discussion was around Iran and its alleged nuclear weapon’s program (of which there is no evidence).

There is also no evidence that Antony knows how to use an apostrophe. I weep for his editors.

I stated that most of the mainstream media, the Zionist lobby, Israel-firsters, many politicians and commentators are now leading us to yet another Middle East conflict.

Islamic leaders specifically and openly calling for the destruction of a nation state, or Arabs shooting at each other, are merely harmless goat-herders and bear no responsibility whatsoever.

By the Balls

2012-01-21T06:25:00.000+08:00

Former NSW Police Officer Tim Priest wrote the seminal Rise of Middle Eastern Crime in Australia in Quadrant about seven years ago and Sydney is now plagued by drive-by shootings, 80% of which are confined to a particular area of South-Western Sydney. The response seems to be hand-wringing by police and calls (of course) to make it harder for law-abiding citizens to have guns, as though laws will somehow magically affect outlaw criminals.

Priest has had more to say in this week's Australian.

As I watched news coverage of Sydney's latest craze, "the drive by", I couldn't help but cringe at the sight of senior police telling the assembled media throng how difficult it is to investigate gun crime because people won't talk to them. Are they kidding?

Most criminals won't talk to police unless you have them by the testicles (metaphorically of course), and even then they will only ever tell you half the story. That's where good detectives hold their own.

Read it all.

This is not a new problem.

Forest Rescue poetry

2012-01-20T15:14:00.000+08:00

When not plotting anti-whaling piracy, perching in trees or chaining themselves to logging machines, Forest Rescue activists write touching nature poems:

At least he's employed...

2012-01-20T13:39:00.000+08:00

After a particularly nasty Tweet by Antony Loewenstein about NSW Jewish Communal leader Vic Alhadeff, Alhadeff responded:

Unfortunate that Mr Loewenstein has to frequently resort to personal slurs to try and make a point.

Loewenstein's response?

Deeply ironic that #Zionist lobbyist talks about civility when his employer #Israel occupies #Palestinians. Nice priorities.

Self described Investigative Journalist Loewenstein should be aware that Alhadeff heads the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. That's NSW, as in Australia. Not Israel. His paycheque comes from this country and the only thing he's occupying is a desk somewhere in Darlinghurst.

Loewenstein's comment is as stupid as suggesting that because he frequently calls for the abolition of Israel he must be employed by Iran. Or because he routinely defends Palestinian terrorists, he must be employed by Hamas.

It's ridiculous. As if they'd ever employ Antony. They may be genocidal Jew-hating psychopaths, but they're not stupid.

Antony made a name for himself slagging off the Jewish Community. Yet again it's clear he doesn't actually have a clue what he's even talking about. Still, as demonstrated by The Dumb Drum last night, he's still good enough for 'our ABC' when they want a comment about certain topics.

Mark Walhberg is a Dick

2012-01-19T14:43:00.000+08:00

I'm not talking about that scene in Boogie Nights.

Rather some comments he made, as reported in (ugh) Ralph.

Mark Wahlberg is no stranger to playing action heroes on the big screen, but how would he fare when the camera's aren't rolling? Exceptionally well, according to the man himself.

In an interview with Men's Journal, Wahlberg, explained how he could have single-handedly stopped the terrorists from crashing the plane into the World Trade Center on 9/11.

"If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'Okay, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry.'"

An even bigger dick in comments to that page adds:

What a coincidence it is that mark (who is a jew) cancels the flight a few days prior. Must have been told from the jews who planned the attack that it was going to happen. They didnt want any of their precious jews to do on the planes did they now.

Wahlberg had a Roman Catholic upbringing, but hey, Walhberg, Goldberg, Iceberg....

What is it with antisemites and illiteracy?

I guess they needed someone who was available at 4pm on a work day...

2012-01-19T14:03:00.000+08:00

Guess who's appearing on The Dumb tonight?

6pm on Our ABC.

Tweets to #thedrum.

Electric revolution falters

2012-01-18T12:25:00.001+08:00

A bold 2010 prediction from Fairfax Media:

The first modern mass-produced electric car [the Mitsubishi i-MiEV] is in the vanguard of a silent revolution.

Less than two years on:

In Australia last year just 49 electric vehicles were sold, accounting for 0.0049 per cent of the new-car market, according to Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the biggest selling electric car, but still managed just 30 sales.

Yep, that's one silent revolution.

Haggard Antisemites have Friends Too...

2012-01-18T11:07:00.001+08:00

Geoff has referred me to Fully taxpayer funded Holocaust denier Marilyn Shepherd's, comment in Webdiary:

I have Iraqi friends who remember the Irgun and other setting off bombs in Iraq to induce the jews to go to Israel because no-one else wanted to.

Isn't that touching. Even the most unhinged moonbats can have friends.

The preceding article by Geoff Pahoff (which makes Marilyn's comment irrelevant and off-topic as well as stupid) is an interesting read. Say what you want about Hamas, at least they are honest about wanting to see Jews dead. If only various academics and their fellow travellers of the Left were as honest, instead of talking in code.

Wiggle Choices

2012-01-18T10:29:00.000+08:00

It's official.

Original yellow Wiggle, Greg Page is set to dance and sing his way back into the kids' super group, after confirmation he will return after a five-year absence.

Replacement yellow Wiggle, Sam Moran has been shown the door.

Moran will pursue other musical projects and will be given access to the group's Hot Potato Studios, Wiggles manager Paul Field said.

"We thank Sam for his wonderful contribution to the group for the past five years. He joined at a difficult time for Greg and the group, and we're so grateful for all he has done," Field said.

The Prime Minister's Office, Fair Work Australia and the Union Movement are yet to issue a statement.

Perth Excitement

2012-01-18T09:39:00.001+08:00

Two teenagers got the fright of their lives last night when it's alleged they tried to steal items from an unmarked police car with two plain clothes officers inside.

I'd make a comment about Perth, but JF might show me the door.

Update: More Perth excitement.

Literacy Shunned

2012-01-18T09:02:00.003+08:00

Antony Loewenstein demands:

While Sri Lanka shuns interest in human rights we must shun them

Either Antony wants us to shun human rights or someone needs to teach that best-selling author how to write.

Antony is on the Advisory Council of the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice. Just check out the photo and the other professional head-tilty rent-seekers handing out unsolicited advice to Sri Lanka (run out of the UK mind you). It's amazing the lengths some people have to go to, to get laid.

It's also interesting that Antony feels the Tamils are entitled to their own state, whereas the Jews aren't.

Why Won't Anyone Listen To Me?

2012-01-17T18:25:00.000+08:00

Ramblings over at Webdiary,

WD contributor Marilyn Shepherd of course has often noted the wholesale suppression of relevant information re asylum seeker detention, particularly since this harsh process became overtised and brutal under Howard.

That would be Marilyn Shepherd, Holocaust denier (fully taxpayer funded) who is still blaming Howard. Memo Marilyn: John Howard hasn't been the Prime Minister for four years and many more "asylum seekers" have died since he left. Presumably that wasn't "brutal" enough.

Let the Silencing continue:

We've seen Pilger ostracised, Bob Brown and the environmentalists suppressed in court by Gunns and Lennon and am sure others could also recall instances, such as the Henson Affair.

There seems a pattern, likely devised in rightist think tanks by mercenary ambulance chasers, applied in general, as if from a handbook.

Anyone know where I can buy a copy of this "handbook"?

Renovated vaginas more important than rorted taxpayer billions

2012-01-17T16:45:00.000+08:00

Crikey's Pure Poison appendage has a go at The Australian for publishing a story making passing mention of a credible claim that Medicare is funding non-essential "designer vagina" surgeries:

“Designer vaginas”? At $5-6000 each? Under which Medicare category does that fit? When did that happen? Which doctors made that claim? Was it paid out, or clawed back? Are we talking about a strange operation that is covered by Medicare but shouldn’t be (unlikely) or a case of fraud, that’s been caught?

I mean – that’s not a normal Medicare charge, is it? And if not, what happened? How did they get away with it? WHAT IS THE FREAKING STORY? Did it even happen?

The AMA was doubtful:
AMA president Steve Hambleton said Dr Webber’s style and language were overblown, and he had not previously heard any suggestion that the safety net — set up as catastrophe insurance — had been used to cover cosmetic treatments, let alone highly controversial genital procedures for non-medical reasons.
And yet the piece as published in The Australian includes none of writer Adam Cresswell’s no doubt vigorous journalism on the subject. You know, the bit where he followed up with Dr Webber by asking him point blank to back up his claim, and then noted down the details for verification, and then checked them himself, and if he found that it had happened where he then discovered how and why… so that the people reading his article who weren’t partisan hacks who’d happily pretend to believe anything as long as it bashed a public service whose community support they resent, would have some basis for taking it seriously.

PP boy Jeremy Sear, being obsessed with all things News Ltd, fails to notice that News, Fairfax and The ABC all reported the "designer vaginas" angle similarly as but part of a much larger story: the alleged yearly $2 billion - $3 billion rorting of Medicare. Jeremy ignores both the similar reporting at non-News outlets and the alleged massive misspending of taxpayer dollars.

Had Jeremy done his research he'd also be aware that the AMA does not rule out the "designer vaginas" allegation:

Look, I think if there are a few safety net areas where they do need to be tweaked. I think we need to look at that. I think the safety net was built by John Howard and Tony Abbott to actually work as catastrophe insurance for those families that had high expenses in one year. It was never intended to pay for high out-of-pocket expenses for cosmetic surgery. And certainly, the government has done some changes to the safety net to - in the obstetric area. In fact, they saved a whole lot more than they were expecting to, even in the first year.

But for those families where the safety net protects them for those excess, out-of-pocket expenses when they've got sick children, it's working really well, so we do support it.

Look, some of the issues that [Dr Webber] raised I think are not the intention of the safety net. And we have no issue with calling to account individuals who are abusing that privilege. And I guess that's why we have Medicare, or at least that's why we have a PSR process. And if people are doing the wrong thing then they should be called to account.

Jeremy's reporting is much more misleading than the story he "analyses" which might prompt motivated readers to complain to the Australian Press Council. This would be futile, however; Crikey is part of the 2% of media outlets that refuses to join the Press Council so as to avoid constantly appearing before it.

Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant

2012-01-17T05:47:00.000+08:00

Despite Israel and the Palestinian occupied territories having more journalists per square mile than any other place on Earth somehow we seldom hear about what passes for 'normal discourse' in the Palestinian society.

Palestinian Media Watch does a job that most of the Western Media don't, capturing and cataloguing the brazen calls for Jihad, Jew-killing and murder which pass for daily Palestinian television and newspaper.

Unfortunately, Youtube has decided that the material is offensive (which it certainly is) and decided to censor it to protect people from hearing terrible things. In other words, the truth about our enemy.

The video that YouTube is calling "inappropriate" exposed the Palestinian Authority Mufti citing the Islamic tradition (Hadith) that anticipates Muslims' killing Jews as a precursor to the Hour of Resurrection. The Jews are also called the "descendants of the apes and pigs" by a Fatah moderator at the event.

Nice people. Let's give them a state!

Fair Work not so fair...

2012-01-17T05:13:00.000+08:00

Catallaxy Files refers to an article in The Australian which quotes a Union Rep

CFMEU assistant secretary Dave Noonan said. ‘And what that means is workers are able to be represented by a union in a collective agreement.’ He said many employers in the sector were now dealing with unions for the first time, because there was previously no requirement to do so.

Yes. Once upon a time, people had a choice in the matter.

Hours spent walking should count too...

2012-01-17T03:52:00.000+08:00

In today's Melbourne Age, one of the more stupid road safety ideas.

On-road experience
OUR 14-year-old daughter has been practising road skills for three years, initially with me as her instructor, by commuting to school by bicycle. On the 10 kilometres of back streets and cycle paths, she encounters many of the same issues facing all road users. These skills will translate into a much more aware and safer driver when she gets her licence.

Unfortunately no recognition in the form of a reduction in hours required for licence practice will be given.

If it were, no doubt it would encourage more of her peer group to emulate her. Also, many more than the required 120 hours of practice would be achieved with all the associated health benefits - with more young people on bikes, there would be fewer cars on our roads and less pollution. Schools could tick off each day whether the child rode their bike and the appropriate distance/time.
Anthony Barnes, Ferntree Gully

Yes. Because school teachers have nothing better to do.

Implementing this plan will mean that P-Platers who currently wrap their cars around telegraph poles due to a combination of excessive speed, undeveloped risk-awareness centres in the brain, peer group pressure and distractions, will all of a sudden drive better.

Admittedly, out of habit it will be up the bike path...

I'll give you something to cry about...

2012-01-15T10:26:00.000+08:00

Remember the thousands of North Koreans wailing hysterically at the death of Kim Jong Il? Here's what happened to those who didn't cry loud enough.

The North Korean authorities have completed the criticism sessions which began after the mourning period for Kim Jong Il and begun to punish those who transgressed during the highly orchestrated mourning events.

Daily NK learned from a source from North Hamkyung Province on January 10th, “The authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn’t participate in the organized gatherings during the mourning period, or who did participate but didn’t cry and didn't seem genuine.”

Hitler, Pol-Pot and Stalin were LIghtweights...

2012-01-14T16:38:00.001+08:00

Letters in The Age under the headline "Soldiers lose their humanity" damn America:

MY response to the news of US troops appearing to urinate on the corpses of Taliban fighters (The Age, 13/1) is: Why be surprised? The one-eyed, animal behaviours which war requires of immature men are unlikely to permit any feelings of respect for the other party before or after death. Today's media expose the filth of war as it is.
Angela Were, Northcote

SOLDIERS urinating on dead Taliban. I'm not sure what the fuss is about. It's a neat metaphor for US foreign policy over the past 50 years.
Lloyd Jones, Box Hill

HILLARY Clinton says urinating on Taliban corpses is not in keeping with American values. No mention of how they came to be corpses. One can only presume that killing is an American value.
John Hackett, Wonthaggi

Funny how those who will immediately try, convict and condemn American soldiers based on early media reports, are often those demanding a 'fair trial' for some of the biggest scum on the planet.

Update: Letters in The Australian are far more practical. Except the one by Jew-hating military failure Adrian Jackson, who wrote:

I would not piss on a US marine even if he was on fire

I'm sure most soldiers would piss on a loser like Adrian even if he weren't on fire.

Loewenstein Schools Employed Journalists

2012-01-14T16:36:00.001+08:00

Antony Loewenstein, who has never actually held down real employment as a journalist, writes:

The role of real journalists is to question so-called established truths and make officials uncomfortable.

How can an established truth, be 'so-called'?

Middle East commentator Antony should be travelling any moment to Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia in order to "make officials uncomfortable". Any second now...

I’m writing a chapter in a forthcoming collection I’m co-editing (I wonder if the other co-editor would write a sentence like that? -ed) on the incestuous relationship between the military and the media, an issue that has interested me for years

His interest has never extended to actually spending time with the military. No. According to Loewy:

MSM journalists see role as stenography despite claims of independence

Most journalists don't use the word "independent" in their title. They have jobs.

Stenography is a pretty rich accusation from a bloke who wouldn't know any shorthand and whose blog is nearly all excerpts of other people's work save for a sneering headline at the top.

Loewenstein is no Michael Yon. Can't wait for that "collection".

All grown up

2012-01-14T09:28:00.000+08:00

The stylish dyed hair is gone, a new wife-tickler creating a look of manly sophistication. Keep the fuzz, I say.

Lunartic

2012-01-13T20:54:00.001+08:00

With Andrew Bolt still on holiday, Bolt obsessed Crikey media analyst Jeremy Sear searches the media to find an earth-shatteringly important matter of contention: did NASA first deliver humans to the moon in 1968 (the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission) or 1969 (the Apollo 11 moon landing)?

Reliably wrong, Jeremy insists 1969 is the correct answer. By the way, the offending Age article is about a Saturn V rocket built entirely of Lego. Now there's a story worth analyzing.

Silly female motorcyclist

2012-01-13T19:29:00.002+08:00

After a strenuous week I last weekend wound down by taking my partner for a ride to a lovely picnic spot just below North Dandalup Dam, where we parked next to a behemoth Honda Harley-Davidson pretender. While we were shedding our jackets and helmets the Honda suddenly became a whole lot cooler when a middle-aged woman mounted and started it.

The coolness endured for only seconds, however, the female calling out to ask if I would give her a push backward from the curb as she didn't have the strength to dislodge the front wheel of her 311 kg motorcycle from a minor undulation in the pavement.

What would this silly woman do if caught in a similar situation without anyone there to assist her?

Update On the subject of two-wheeled idiots, this afternoon I watched as two trendy, spandex-clad, road-hogging bicyclists rode abreast through a traffic choke point apparently oblivious of the traffic building behind them.

The inconsiderate twits could have made room but were too busy chatting.

I preferred Jen Hawkin's Wardrobe Malfunction

2012-01-13T19:09:00.000+08:00

The Telegraph reports that AnnaLynne McCord accidentally exposed much more of herself than intended on Twitter.

Annalynne who?

The actress, who plays Naomi Clark in the updated version of popular Nineties show Beverly Hills 90210, inadvertently posted a topless picture of herself on the social networking website.

Uh huh.

But you've heard of her now. Mission accomplished and she only needed to flash a mere nipple.

Just don't Call him an Antisemite. He's an "Anti-Zionist". Get it?

2012-01-12T17:29:00.001+08:00

Jews are without morals and use their vast sums of money and power to cynically manipulate government.

Antisemitic slur? Or just the latest from Antony Loewenstein, who writes:

Albert Dadon is a leading Australian Zionist lobbyist who loves nothing better than cosying up to any old Israeli politician who gives him the time of day. Backers of occupation? No problem. Defender of the status-quo? Of course. He has no desire to do anything to change Israel for the better, merely to get Australian politicians face time with full-time Zionists. Amazing what money can get you these days.

What a disgrace.

Update: Raffe Gold - The Lament over Loewenstein.

Tough Words

2012-01-11T06:09:00.003+08:00

In a recent post, Antony Loewenstein sneered that Canberra needs to grow a back bone.

This from a guy who cowers at non-existent "death threats" (by little old Jewish ladies).

The good news: It looks like Antony has been widening his reading.

Good piece in today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph
Good piece in today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph
Good piece in today's Sydney Daily Telegraph.

It's not April Fools Day and that's not even "Murdoch's Daily Telegraph". Perhaps Antony's looking for work and wants to impress the Opinion Editor at the Tele? Good luck with that. Then again, Tim Blair has previously run opinion pieces by seditious twerps calling for the defeat of Australian soldiers. Antony might just have a chance. Let's hope Tim forgets when unemployed Antony called him a stenographer.

One of the comments at Loewenstein's blog (lucky enough to get through censorship) is less impressed with the Tele piece.

It's the short of article that makes me not read Australian papers.

That's the sort of literacy that makes one read Loewenstein.

Good piece in today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph that tackles

Julian Assange tells The Power Index that Canberra needs to grow a back-bone (fat chance):

Bob vs Gore

2012-01-10T20:34:00.000+08:00

Miranda Devine offers a wonderful quote.

Bob took the long view: “I am a life member of Bronte Surf Club. I am 76yrs of age and I have not seen the sea level change at all.

“In fact as a child I remember one year with the Xmas tides the water came right up through the park. How come these alarmists can predict that the beaches are going to be swamped in the next 75yrs when nothing has altered in the past 75yrs?”

Gavin Moves On

2012-01-08T20:21:00.000+08:00

I had a feeling something was up when there were no "passing shadows" for the last couple of weeks. The Shadowlands' Gavin Atkins, a good mate, writes:

I have decided to take an extended break from blogging this year to chase up some other freelance writing opportunities.

So long Gavin, and thanks.

Ex-Trad-Ition

2012-01-07T19:55:00.000+08:00

Everybody's favourite Lebanese-Muslim spokesman, Keysar Trad lost a 2009 court case against radio broadcaster Alan Jones, who made some fairly pointed comments about Muslims. After losing, Trad appealed.

Last month the appeal panel ruled against him again.

For those reasons Mr Trad's appeal would ultimately fail. It would not be necessary to consider the factual questions concerning incitement.

I was also surprised by this bit:

37 Of particular potential significance here is this material pointed to by Mr Trad's experts:
Muslims in Australia gained an image of being problem migrants largely through the particular settlement experience of Lebanese Muslim migrants settled in Sydney as a result of the civil war [in Lebanon]. In particular this image was created and sustained by the fact that Lebanese Muslims experienced chronically high levels of unemployment in the 1980's and the 1990's, by the perception that Lebanese youth were heavily involved in gang activities and by the conviction of Lebanese Muslim brothers for gang rapes in Sydney.

Really? Could it not be because of the Lebanese-Muslim community's almost complete silence in the face of a nearly total failure to assimilate into the Australian Community? Rather than saying "we have a problem, what can we do about it?" it's been constant moaning that it's "racism", like a violent, rude child saying it's everybody else's fault that they're unpopular at school.

Were there ever any protests from the Islamic Community against Jihad? Against terrorism? Against any of the other problems within the religion? Not that I'm aware of.

Whereas if Israel bombs a few armed terrorists, you can have ten thousand Muslims marching in the streets on a day's notice. So we know they can get a crowd together when it suits them.

Of course, I'll probably get called a "racist" for saying any of this.

On Balance

2012-01-06T05:24:00.000+08:00

Letter in today's Silly:

There have been a few letters wailing about the so-called left-wing bias of the ABC. I recall someone once said "the ABC couldn't balance the right-wing bias of the rest of the media if it were run by Lenin and Marx''.

Peter Butler Balgownie

My tax dollars don't compulsorily pay for the 'rest of the media'.

Fireworks Fizzer

2012-01-03T09:20:00.000+08:00

A few years ago, I had this letter published in The Silly:

On New Year's Eve I watched the fireworks from a public vantage point. I saw backpackers sending text messages to their friends urging them to come to Sydney. That is, the few million dollars spent on the event will result in many millions worth of tourism.

Yet every year there are letters from people insisting we cancel the fireworks because of (take your pick) global warming, war, poverty, bushfires or the expense.

I saw young children amazed, I saw grown-ups holding hands and I saw thousands of Australians having a fantastic time. It really takes a special kind of killjoy to want to cancel that.

The editor replaced the word "arsehole" with killjoy. Arsehole.

This year, The Australian's letters page ran this rather poorly written whinge:

Millions have been blown on fireworks to pander to the affluent. Think how many Somali children could have been saved with that.

Rob Ryan, Atherton, Qld

You can save Somali children with fireworks? Cool!

The Drone Continues...

2012-01-02T18:55:00.000+08:00

Antony still can't count.

Washington’s drone wars against countless countries receives far too little media scrutiny

Those weren't fireworks on New Year's Eve.

They were drones....

What the Face?

2012-01-02T18:24:00.001+08:00

Some models smile. Most pout. What the hell is this girl doing?

No. Seriously. What? That advertisement is popping up on all sorts of websites. I thought Blue Steel was for men only.

Doesn't Work on Door-Knockers

2012-01-02T18:20:00.000+08:00

I just watched a TV ad for "outdoor insect protection". Specifically, an automatic insecticide dispenser. Just in case the indoor plug-in sprays weren't already killing the ~~family~~ bugs.

Good grief.

Haven't people ever heard of spiders?

Loewensomething something

2012-01-01T16:26:00.000+08:00

It's been hard lately to post any of the usual observations about Antony Loewenstein's blogging as it's becoming largely impossible to work out what the hell he is even trying to say.

Headline:

When far Right hearts Zionism, sensible folk run (yet so many Jews are smiling)

Any idea?

One theme did emerge. Antony continues to protect murderers and the enemies of democracy.

Here's what's happening in Syria. Right now.

The use of artillery against protesters has been the government's favoured way of quelling unrest over the course of the nine-month uprising. The tactic has ensured disaffected soldiers do not get close enough to protesters to defect while inflicting maximum terror.

Deprived of its weapon of choice, the regime was forced to resort to cruder methods.

The security forces fired automatic rifles at protesters in the cities of Hama and Dera'a and, according to opposition groups, used nail bombs to disperse demonstrators in Douma on the outskirts of Damascus.

The regime has been accused of using nail bombs since August, resulting in a large number of amputations that have often been conducted in makeshift field clinics because protesters taken to hospitals have frequently disappeared.

If it were the Israeli government using rubber bullets against terrorists, Antony would be furious. When it's someone else using real bullets, bombs and nails against civilians? He has a slightly different view.

Syria may be convulsing but foreign intervention must be avoided

Even the far left Grauniad is advocating for foreign intervention. Not Antony though. Violence in the Middle East is invisible if there's no Israeli Jews involved.

Elsewhere, Antony's been caught out again, using dodgey statistics. Can this boy get anything right?

Spectacle

2012-01-01T16:00:00.000+08:00

Every New Year's Eve from 2000 to 2009, party goers would wander around Sydney streets wearing cheesy novelty glasses where the two zeroes were over their eyes. I figured that market would dry up in 2010 (except perhaps for one-eyed party goers) and die altogether by 2011. I didn't see many last year and figured I was right.

Apparently not. Damn those creative plastics manufacturers.

Children Deserve Cracker Night

2012-01-01T06:53:00.000+08:00

Justin Sheedy wrote:

For any young child growing up in the suburbs of 1970s Australia, there were three days of any year that you held as holy. One was your birthday, one was Christmas, one – and by far the most primordially sensual, wondrous and potentially lethal to your young life – was Crackernight.

...subsequently known as the Queen's Birthday after fireworks sale in NSW was banned 25 years ago.

We were all told that fireworks were dangerous and should only be fired by professionals.

Yeah? Well at least I never set fire to any buildings. Perhaps in Clover Moore's increasingly desperate attemtps to copy Melbourne, next year she can have the Sydney Opera House set ablaze. It will be perfectly safe as long as no child in the outer suburbs gets to ignite any bungers...

Three Demerit Points and a Defect

2011-12-26T14:14:00.000+08:00

Driving along Anzac Parade, Kensington this afternoon I was stopped at the lights when a marked police car pulled up alongside. Waiting for the lights to change I turned to check out the driver. A middle aged police officer, with his mobile phone held against his ear.

I would have taken a photo of it except the Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) website notes:

It is illegal to drive or ride a vehicle while using a hand-held mobile phone. The penalty is a significant fine and three demerit points.

This means that talking, sending or receiving text messages, playing games or taking photos are illegal when using a hand-held phone. It is also illegal to perform these activities when your vehicle is stopped but not parked, for example when you are waiting at traffic lights.

Right officer?

When he drove off, roughly 10kmh above the posted speed limit, I also watched him change lane without indicating. Oh and one of his brake lights wasn't working. But here's the thing. I'm not calling for this Officer to be pulled up, so to speak.

1) Police obviously think Mobile phone rules are silly too. There is also good research which suggests laws banning handheld mobile phone use whilst driving do not reduce accidents compared to handsfree use.

2) The obsession with speed enforcement is ridiculous. It was a three lane dual-carriageway road (Anzac Parade) and he was travelling only slightly quicker than the prevailing speed (everybody else slowed down when they saw the police car). His 70kmh in a 60 zone was harmless. I'm sure plenty of people have been booked on that section of road for 'lesser' offences.

3) Like a number of people who've probably received a defect notice and fine, he would have had no idea the brakelight was out.

Having said that, I do hope the officer concerned has never and will never book any driver for anything, ever.

Clown Shoes

2011-12-26T05:44:00.000+08:00

There were scuffles in the USA by sad losers who would get in a physical confrontation over sneakers. Stories reported shoppers fighting and arrests being made.

Scuffles broke out and police were brought in to quell unrest that nearly turned into riots across the United States on Friday following the release of Nike's new Air Jordan basketball shoes — a retro model of one of the most popular Air Jordans ever made.

It's unclear whether it was the 1% or the 99% involved.

In Georgia, officers said they had to break a car window to get two toddlers out after a woman went in after the shoes. They said she was taken into custody when she returned to the car.

No sneakers for you.

A new edition has been launched each year, and release dates had to be moved to the weekends at some points to keep kids from skipping school to get a pair.

Hey, they'll need some good footwear for their fried chicken career.

But here's where it gets interesting.

The disbelief over unruly crowds fighting and being pepper sprayed over Air Jordan Concords turned to mourning when it was reported on social media and blogs that a young man, 18-year-old Tyreek Amir Jacobs, had been killed for the coveted shoes.

Never happened.

"Nothing like that has happened here, and I hope we would know," said one Montgomery County police official. While media outlets in the district reported on disturbances around the area, none ended fatally. Still, as of this writing, some 12,000 people were participating in no less than eight Facebook groups about Jacobs' killing.

Next time you hear an unemployed 'journalist' sneering about the unmatched power of the Internet and blogs over the established media which won't employ him, consider this example, of a lie (or mistake) spreading like wildfire. People will have lost interest by the time the corrections are issued.

Be kind to animals while saving the environment: eat meat

2011-12-23T14:53:00.000+08:00

It turns out that the ethical high ground is occupied not by anti-meat progressives but rather by steak-lovers:

Published figures suggest that, in Australia, producing wheat and other grains results in:
at least 25 times more sentient animals being killed per kilogram of useable protein
more environmental damage, and
a great deal more animal cruelty than does farming red meat.

The article, by an academic unaffiliated with meat producers, is well worth reading – and you might want to refer sanctimonious veggie-eating friends to it for enlightenment.

Going Down

2011-12-23T05:21:00.000+08:00

A North Korean escalator has become something of a shrine as possibly the last escalator Kim Jong-Il rode.

Countries which have freedom tend to have much cooler escalators.

Waiting for Leunig's attempt

2011-12-23T05:17:00.000+08:00

In today's SMH, a letter urging more respect for Dear Leader.

Derisive and insulting cartoons and articles about the recently deceased leader of a volatile and unpredictable nuclear-armed country of 35 million people like North Korea are in poor taste, politically unwise and potentially dangerous.

Michael Scott South Hobart

Why? It's not as though they were cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Now that would be dangerous.

I can't believe that there are calls to limit our free speech so as to avoid upsetting dictatorships which deny it to their own people.

Bullshit Disgorgement Syndrome

2011-12-22T17:23:00.001+08:00

An anti-Israel activist advocates broadening of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign:

It is certainly a worthwhile exercise to find out if any Iranian/Syrian or other repressive regimes have direct connections to businesses in Australia. They are most certainly legitimate targets of BDS.

Yet this very same activist, a keen supporter of the boycotting of Israel owned Max Brenner shops, overtly supports the Iranian regime through regular appearances on government controlled propaganda outlet Press TV (see here, here, here, here and here).

Hypocrite.

Videotaping this crime spree is the best idea we ever had!

2011-12-21T17:12:00.002+08:00

Nothing says bad-ass quite like skinny jeans and oversize baseball caps.

Comments below the video helpfully mention the kids' parents contact details.

Brotherly Love

2011-12-21T11:51:00.000+08:00

How a man died after trying to prevent his drug-dealing brother from being convicted.

NSAE (Not Safe After Eating)

Obitchuary

2011-12-19T17:39:00.000+08:00

Antony Loewenstein, who previously said we should "spare the celebration over Bin Laden's death" feels otherwise about celebrating Christopher Hitchens' death.

Enough with the praise, Hitchens loved the smell of dead Muslim flesh in the morning

Here's a Loewenstein headline a year ago:

Hitchens loves the smell of Muslim death in the morning

Poor Antony who can't even remember his own work, must be terribly jealous of Hitchens' writing ability.

Antony's Father threatened to destroy his family with a letter published in today's Australian, or "Murdoch's Australian" as Antony would call it, praising The Oz.

From despair at the perception The Australian only publishes what might be described as pro-Israel pieces, your newspaper is to be commended for publishing John Lyons's articles dealing with how the Israelis treat Palestinian minors.

If there is to be any sort of resolution of this Israel-Palestinian conflict, the world needs to know what is actually happening on the ground in the region.

Jeff Loewenstein, Melbourne, Vic

I'm pretty sure he's never commented on his own kid's blog. Then again, Antony may have just censored it.

Too much RBT is not enough

2011-12-19T10:14:00.000+08:00

Perth's rambunctious youngsters worry Police Minister Rob Johnson:

Unfortunately, we have seen an escalation of particularly younger people, growing more violent and obviously it's something that really concerns us so we need to put strategies in place.

Perhaps Minister Johnson should scrap his plan to breath test 1 million WA motorists, instead allocating police manpower to the streets so that those wanting a night out have less fear they will be assaulted or have a body part bitten off.

Protecting morons

2011-12-19T09:13:00.000+08:00

Three West Australians required medical treatment after intentionally burning themselves with promotional Jack Daniels meat branding irons. The all too predictable response:

Health advocates are now demanding legislation that stops "reckless" alcohol marketing.

A treating cosmetic surgeon worries that a You Tube demonstration of the branding iron in use encourages copycat self-harming, but only for those wanting 15 minutes of fame as fucking morons.

Clayton's Book

2011-12-18T10:31:00.004+08:00

Antony Loewenstein:

This is an area covered throughout the recently released book, On Utoya, and my contribution covers how the Norway killer Anders Breivik rather loved Israel in his manifesto.

It's not a book.

It's a downloadable file. You would think an (ahem) best-selling author like Antony would know the difference. The 'e-book' (sounds more impressive than PDF or Text File) has not a single review on Amazon.com, presumably as this would involve actually reading the thing. According to Antony, it seems paranoid schizophrenics such as Anders Behring Breivik are representative of growing opinion. Or something.

Elsewhere, Loewenstein tries to drum up some publicity for a Palestinian film. Memo Antony: If you're going to promote a film, do try and get its name right.

Stepping Stones, a film made in the occupied Palestinian town of Hebron

It's called ~~"Sleeping in Cinema"~~ "Sleeping on Stones" and hasn't yet been "made". They are trying to raise funds:

$4,795
RAISED OF $750,000 GOAL

84
DAYS LEFT

Seven hundred and fifty grand? Must be expensive constantly replacing the talent when they blow themselves up.

Wait until they find out he's Jewish

2011-12-16T13:07:00.001+08:00

The trailer for Sascha Baron Cohen's next movie has just been released. It features some of Megan Fox's finest method acting.

Sharia Morning Herald

2011-12-15T06:15:00.003+08:00

An article in today's SMH reports on Muslim discomfort with the slow uptake of Sharia within the mainstream legal system.

Australia's Muslims would not move towards a parallel legal system if some Islamic practices were better integrated into the existing legal framework, a University of Sydney academic said.

Muslims won't implement their own set of laws? Isn't that nice of them. Needless to say, the SMH doesn't offer any critique of Sharia.

She continues to offer helpful advice on how Australians can be more culturally sensitive:

"I also think to not do anything about it at all, to dismiss this whole argument, is actually pushing the community towards setting up a parallel legal system."

In other words, this is going to happen whether we like it or not so we might as well help it along.

Terrific.

Shocker: Real Estate Agents Lie.

2011-12-12T06:21:00.003+08:00

In today's SMH:

YOUR Domain section (4/12) quotes two properties that were passed in where the seller's reserve price was not met. For the first, the ''asking price'' quoted by the agent was $680,000-$750,000, yet an offer of $700,000 was turned down because it ''did not meet the reserve of $759,000 and the house remains on the market''.

The second property's asking price was $1.2 million-$1.3 million and drew nothing but a vendor bid of $1,230,000. ''A later offer was received but did not meet the reserve of $1,325,000.''

Just what is an asking price if not the range within which the seller hopes to sell, and the buyer can estimate if they have a chance of buying, depending on whether anyone else is desperate enough to offer more? Is this another agent ruse to lure the buyer and then upsell? Why is there not an underbidding penalty if the reserve is higher than the ''asking price'', which is obviously set by the agent in consultation with the vendor as a presumably realistic expectation? Agents in both cases are quoted as warning the crowd about the potentially ugly ''auction after an auction'' scenario and one has to ask whose purpose this farcical procedure is serving.

There are in fact already laws against much of this, however prosecutions are virtually non-existent and real estate agents act with impunity.

When existing laws don't work, why do governments believe more laws are the answer?

Pinched

2011-12-11T16:44:00.001+08:00

Crikey media analyst Jeremy Sear is obsessed by someone anonymously posting items and updates on Wikipedia. Apparently this is a bad thing, although Jeremy himself has an extensive history of anonymous online activity.

There is a slight problem with Jeremy's post, however: Jeremy decided to illustrate his paranoid piece with three cartoons simply lifted from the website of a US artist. No attribution, no credit, no payment, no nothing.

Reader Nick calls him on it:

Um, speaking of references and attribution, shouldn’t you at have given attribution to the author of the cartoons you are using in this article? Looking at XKCD’s website, these images are not free for use by commercial organisations.

Jeremy testily replies:

Well, I linked straight to them on xkcd. I’ve now added a reference underneath describing what they are, although I suspect that it’s kind of redundant. If you have other suggestions on that off-topic subject, please send them via email.

Here’s a suggestion, although it shouldn’t be necessary for a lawyer who fancies himself to be an expert on intellectual property (with a special interest in copyright): how about not pinching the work of others in the first place? Or if that’s too much trouble, you could always read the artist’s website, which clearly states:

You are welcome to reprint occasional comics pretty much anywhere (presentations, papers, blogs with ads, etc). If you're not outright merchandizing, you're probably fine. Just be sure to attribute the comic to xkcd.com.

Rather than do a little research Jeremy just takes what he wants and hopes for the best.

Strangely, Jeremy is not at all understanding when his work is borrowed:

Copyright in this image is owned by me. No-one is entitled to reproduce it without my express permission.

Although, of course, I didn't need to actually write those words. They go without saying. Because - as most people with even the most basic understanding of copyright are aware - copyright exists from the moment the work is created. It doesn't need to be registered. It doesn't need to be announced. It doesn't need a little "c" in a circle stuck on it. Simply, the copyright in the image automatically belongs to the person who created it, immediately. And it continues to do so for a fairly long time. Works don't enter the "public domain" until seventy years after the death of person who created the work or, if the work is published anonymously, seventy years after it is published.

Theft of such an image is, of course, covered by the Copyright Act 1968. Those who claim their theft is "fair use" might want to read sections 40-42 of the Act. Simply copying a photograph of someone's cat is extremely unlikely to qualify as "fair dealing for purpose of research or study" (s40), "fair dealing for purpose of criticism or review" (s41) or "fair dealing for purpose of reporting news" (s42).

Copyright is indeed a complex and evolving area of the law, but as it relates to photographs, it's well-established - certainly as to the question of whether people can just take others' photographs and reproduce them, particularly where the owner has notified that person, declared ownership in the photographs and requested that those photographs be removed. (The answer is, "no".)

If you happen to be stealing any works of mine, text or images, (and I know of at least one person who is), please stop it immediately.

Quite the little ranter is Jeremy.

Hypocrite lawyer

2011-12-09T16:28:00.001+08:00

Crikey media analyst and lawyer Jeremy Sear had a big sad back in August over the Herald Sun's exposing of a public employee's Twittering:

I’m just glad we have a prominent tabloid digging through private citizens’ online opinions in order to find people who should be silenced, punished and thrown on the dole. That’s what free speech and freedom of the press are all about.

But just the other day Jeremy objected to journalist Miranda Devine listing private citizen correllio as someone she follows.

Jeremy has, since becoming a Crikey-paid professional blogger, gone all respectable and sanctimonious, losing his past appreciation for crude language, here applied to Andrew Bolt:

What a horridly opportunistic, cheap little low-life cunt.

And here's a Jeremy-approved Tim Blair and Andrew Bolt post tagged "cunts".

Now that's some classy hypocrisy, no?

Counting to two too difficult

2011-12-08T18:09:00.000+08:00

A classic title for a blog post:

When the dark PR arts are designed for only one thing; denial and money

And, what's the deal with the semicolon?

Just in Time for Diarrhoea Season

2011-12-06T09:00:00.003+08:00

Antony Loewenstein's second book (which he describes as a "bestseller") has been released in India. Can't wait to see Bollywood's adaptation of it...

Antony writes:

I hope at least one billion Indians take a read

India has the largest illiterate population of any nation on earth, so there's definitely a market for it.

Greens are Officially Something or Other....

2011-12-05T10:22:00.003+08:00

The Greens have abandoned "official support" for an antisemitic boycott of Israel.

At a State Council meeting yesterday, which was not open to the media, every local Greens group voted to support a revised motion which recognises the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as a legitimate political tactic, but to abandon it as an official party position.

Rather like suicide bombing, I suppose.

Can't Write, Can't Count

2011-12-04T18:05:00.003+08:00

Antony Loewenstein sneers at a journalist with a real job:

Another week and another column by a Melbourne Herald Sun editor Alan Howe on just how dysfunctional is the Middle East, Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians, Islamists etc

Yes, this is what countless Zionist lobby trips to Israel do to a Murdoch man.

Countless?

Let's find out. Step one, contact Mr Howe via email and ask:

I would be grateful if you could please advise:

1) How many times you have travelled to Israel.
2) How many times your trip was sponsored by (take your pick) the Jewish Community, the Zionist Lobby, the Vast Zionist conspiracy etc.

Here is his response to me merely a few minutes later:

I’ve been to Israel on three occasions: Twice with the Australian-Israeli Cultural Exchange, and once privately.

Certainly not countless and definitely at least two more trips than Loewenstein had taken before writing his first (ahem) besteller about Israel.

You would think that a man now styling himself as an "investigative journalist" (albeit unemployed) might try to find this out. But no, Howe notes:

To the best of my knowledge, I have never met Loewenstein, nor ever spoken to him, nor ever emailed him.

I wouldn’t know the man if he turned in my soup.

Such are his investigative skills that Loewenstein doesn't need to ask any questions to discover that Howe has been gotten to by the eeevil Zionists.

Loewenstein is incapable of even considering that one can identify how dysfunctional the Arab/Muslim world is, simply by looking at it.

According to the last Arab Human Development Report:

One in five Arabs still live on less than $2 a day. And, over the past 20 years, growth in income per head, at an annual rate of 0.5%, was lower than anywhere else in the world except sub-Saharan Africa. At this rate, says the report, it will take the average Arab 140 years to double his income, a target that some regions are set to reach in less than ten years. Stagnant growth, together with a fast-rising population, means vanishing jobs. Around 12m people, or 15% of the labour force, are already unemployed, and on present trends the number could rise to 25m by 2010.

And that's just the good news! The Report's Chief Author: Nader Fergany, an Egyptian sociologist. Clearly also the recipient of free trips to Israel, right Antony? It continues:

Adult illiteracy rates have declined but are still very high: 65m adults are illiterate, almost two-thirds of them women. Some 10m children still have no schooling at all....
Investment in research and development is less than one-seventh of the world average. Only 0.6% of the population uses the Internet, and 1.2% have personal computers.

Another, no less grave, result is the dearth of creativity. The report comments sadly on the severe shortage of new writing, and, for instance, the decline in the film industry. Nor are foreign books much translated: in the 1,000 years since the reign of the Caliph Mamoun, say the authors, the Arabs have translated as many books as Spain translates in one year. ...
even though women's literacy rates have trebled in the past 30 years, one in every two Arab women still can neither read nor write. Their participation in their countries' political and economic life is the lowest in the world....

Of course you'd have to be a "Murdoch Man" having been on "countless Zionist lobby trips to Israel" to notice any of this.

Update: Thanks Tim Blair for the link which reminded me of your definitive takedown of Antony Loewenstein.

It's in a movie so it's Okay

2011-12-03T16:39:00.001+08:00

Barrister Jeremy Sear employs the Mean Girls defense, a variation of the apocryphal Johnnie Cochran Chewbaca defense, in hope of exonerating the Triple J presenters who sledged Julia Gillard and her partner. According to Jeremy, it's Okay to call the Prime Minitser a whore because a character in a movie referred to another character as a whore.

Given his logic, Jeremy's status in the legal fraternity is understandable.