Footy in an election year. What pisses me off is that politicians become footy fans on or around grand final time. Especially in an election year.
John Howard has announced he intends to go to both codes of grand final this year. Firstly the Australian Rules footy. AFL that's today Saturday here in Melbourne. And tomorrow he heads off to Sydney for the Rugby League NRL grand final. Whether he has any true interest about the outcome, is neither here nor there, it is seen as a, must be seen at, event. So I imagine the Leader of the opposition, Kevin Rudd will also be seen somewhere in public making his predictions and giving his support.
One wise spark wrote in the letter page of The Age, that he wondered if it was tax payers money that will pay for the airline tickets and accommodation, I think the Prime minister should pay for his own ticket. Cause really who wants to be bothered with a senior pollie at a footy match.
On another note. We need to reuse our rain water as a community and stop using tap water to water the gardens.
Woof.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Are you Experienced
Are you Experienced was the question Jimmy Hendrix asked us all back in 1967, 40 years ago. Well that is the line coming out of the coalition parties here in our election year that is truly upon us.
Of course, it is as usual, a load of old bollocks, on behalf of the seasoned old farts known as the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
I don't remember it being a prerequisite, to being a member of parliament or a cabinet minister, that you have experience in the job. In fact you often can't have experience because you have to be elected at a parliamentary election before you can sit as a politician.
I don't have any statistics on how many cabinet ministers were ministers before they were ministers or prime ministers, if you understand what I mean. It is very easy to say, especially when you have been in office for 11 years. The opposition wont of been in power and therefore no experience in office. [Where's that rocket scientist when you need him?]
John Howard was asked a question about the cut in interest rates in America and immediately launched into a political spiel about the need for experience in times of financial uncertainty.
You can just tell the mantra that will be pushed out every time the government is asked to comment on anything. From the oppositions policies, [supposedly bereft of any substance] or broader issues like the financial woes of the U.S.A. or the decline in the share market. The government ministers will say, 'It will all be a lot worse under a Labor government, because they are a bunch of inexperienced ex Union officials.'
[Watch out lock up your sons and daughters, ex union officials worse than communists]
As I said awhile back, I just want them to call this election and get it over with. It is going to be so dirty [especially from the prime minister]. He is now a desperate man fighting for his last gasp of political air. Even his own parliamentary seat is in doubt. He could be the first prime minister in 80 years to loose his seat.
Woof.
Of course, it is as usual, a load of old bollocks, on behalf of the seasoned old farts known as the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
I don't remember it being a prerequisite, to being a member of parliament or a cabinet minister, that you have experience in the job. In fact you often can't have experience because you have to be elected at a parliamentary election before you can sit as a politician.
I don't have any statistics on how many cabinet ministers were ministers before they were ministers or prime ministers, if you understand what I mean. It is very easy to say, especially when you have been in office for 11 years. The opposition wont of been in power and therefore no experience in office. [Where's that rocket scientist when you need him?]
John Howard was asked a question about the cut in interest rates in America and immediately launched into a political spiel about the need for experience in times of financial uncertainty.
You can just tell the mantra that will be pushed out every time the government is asked to comment on anything. From the oppositions policies, [supposedly bereft of any substance] or broader issues like the financial woes of the U.S.A. or the decline in the share market. The government ministers will say, 'It will all be a lot worse under a Labor government, because they are a bunch of inexperienced ex Union officials.'
[Watch out lock up your sons and daughters, ex union officials worse than communists]
As I said awhile back, I just want them to call this election and get it over with. It is going to be so dirty [especially from the prime minister]. He is now a desperate man fighting for his last gasp of political air. Even his own parliamentary seat is in doubt. He could be the first prime minister in 80 years to loose his seat.
Woof.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Maggie Thatcher had it too.
Why is it that politicians are the last to realise they are on the nose and should step aside? Around the time that Maggie Thatcher was rolled someone commented that politicians are the last to see that they are no longer wanted. It is like a tide of change has to build a head of steam for it to wash back to the politician.
It goes a bit like this.
Firstly and few members of the public start to say things about the prime minister, just chatting away in the pub. What a dork he/she is couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery sort of thing. This becomes a nightly event. Every time their head comes on the TV there are calls to get him off! etc. Then maybe a year later perhaps months depending on the electoral cycle, a journalist, probably not strictly a political journalist. Writes a piece criticising the prime ministers autocratic way or lack of policy or bias, whatever the criticism it starts a ball rolling, and before you can say, jack knife, the serious journos are in on the act, and they can really lay the boot in. Where as for 2 to 3 years they have been considered in their reporting, they all of a sudden pull the plug on fair play and reveal private conversations and the rot has started.
Finally some back benchers in the prime ministers party start to whine about their leader.
He is out of touch, he can't win the next election, looming up on the calender.
Even then the stubborn, weary, not so wise prime minister, doesn't get it. He says he is going to work harder, he will win on his record, experience over inexperience. ETC ETC.
By then the change has already happened, it is only a matter of time. The bulk of the swinging electorate have swung away and made their decision so no contest.
Why prime ministers have to be pushed I really don't know. Except to say, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Now lets have the election we have to have.
Woof.
Any additional comments can be sent to mark_brickel@hotmail.com
It goes a bit like this.
Firstly and few members of the public start to say things about the prime minister, just chatting away in the pub. What a dork he/she is couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery sort of thing. This becomes a nightly event. Every time their head comes on the TV there are calls to get him off! etc. Then maybe a year later perhaps months depending on the electoral cycle, a journalist, probably not strictly a political journalist. Writes a piece criticising the prime ministers autocratic way or lack of policy or bias, whatever the criticism it starts a ball rolling, and before you can say, jack knife, the serious journos are in on the act, and they can really lay the boot in. Where as for 2 to 3 years they have been considered in their reporting, they all of a sudden pull the plug on fair play and reveal private conversations and the rot has started.
Finally some back benchers in the prime ministers party start to whine about their leader.
He is out of touch, he can't win the next election, looming up on the calender.
Even then the stubborn, weary, not so wise prime minister, doesn't get it. He says he is going to work harder, he will win on his record, experience over inexperience. ETC ETC.
By then the change has already happened, it is only a matter of time. The bulk of the swinging electorate have swung away and made their decision so no contest.
Why prime ministers have to be pushed I really don't know. Except to say, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Now lets have the election we have to have.
Woof.
Any additional comments can be sent to mark_brickel@hotmail.com
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Petrol Prices
Here in Melbourne like most mainland states in Australia, the price of petrol goes up every week and down again. And guess what, all the petrol outlets go up together and down again. When they have been accused of collusion, they say, 'they don't price fix and they are just discounting fuel to benefit the consumers.' But of course they have to put it back up again to make money. They also say the price of fuel is based on the Singapore crude price.
Having set the scene, we have an enquiry by the Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC) that started a week or so ago, for the government, into fuel pricing, it is an ongoing enquiry and it hasn't reported yet.
The NRMA a motoring body like the RACV have released their own findings that show since the announcement of the enquiry, the major petrol companies have actually reduced the cost of fuel, and the typical cycle of high to low pricing has stayed in the low zone much longer.
[This is despite a rise in Singapore crude, which normally produces an immediate price rise at the bowser.]
The NRMA draws the conclusion that the petrol suppliers have been ripping us off [we all knew that, but couldn't prove it] and are now deliberately keeping the price lower to look good in the eyes of the enquiry. In fact the NRMA have called for the price of fuel to be regulated like, gas, electricity and water. That is a big call for a motoring organisation.
I have heard that if big business is allowed to control over 60% of the economy we would have real problems to contend with. Governments are there to, in part, protect us from the excesses of big business. Are the Shells and BPs of the world making smaller profits since the price rise in world oil? I don't think so.
Woof.
Any additional comments can be sent to mark_brickel@hotmail.com
Having set the scene, we have an enquiry by the Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC) that started a week or so ago, for the government, into fuel pricing, it is an ongoing enquiry and it hasn't reported yet.
The NRMA a motoring body like the RACV have released their own findings that show since the announcement of the enquiry, the major petrol companies have actually reduced the cost of fuel, and the typical cycle of high to low pricing has stayed in the low zone much longer.
[This is despite a rise in Singapore crude, which normally produces an immediate price rise at the bowser.]
The NRMA draws the conclusion that the petrol suppliers have been ripping us off [we all knew that, but couldn't prove it] and are now deliberately keeping the price lower to look good in the eyes of the enquiry. In fact the NRMA have called for the price of fuel to be regulated like, gas, electricity and water. That is a big call for a motoring organisation.
I have heard that if big business is allowed to control over 60% of the economy we would have real problems to contend with. Governments are there to, in part, protect us from the excesses of big business. Are the Shells and BPs of the world making smaller profits since the price rise in world oil? I don't think so.
Woof.
Any additional comments can be sent to mark_brickel@hotmail.com
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