A thread on politics- have some balls and post

Tassie4ever

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Just my normal (?) cat pigeons thing.

Can't let all you green nutters have it all your own way.

BTW, if you want an example of a rag of a newspaper I give you the SMH. Hard times I know but the financial stresses are very obvious.
 
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Just my normal (?) cat pigeons thing.

Can't let all you green nutters have it all your own way.

BTW, if you want an example of a rag of a newspaper I give you the SMH. Hard times I know but the financial stresses are very obvious.

FWIW financial stress's are huge in the newspaper industry anyway. The print is dead mantra comes from that medium specifically but it also fails to mention that the industry itself is still one of the biggest manufacturers left in the country, employs 100,000 peeps and is worth a nice 30 odd billion. There are the obvious reasons for the decline of the newspaper sector and our medium of chat is one specific reason. Alternative media is now getting lots of reader and then there are apps to the phone plus more. I am convinced that the print media in the country has not dealt with this particularly well and the 70%, News, has just become an odd mouth piece for the weird robber Barron attitude of it's owner.

I have not read The Australian for along time and recall giving it away when it become far too obviously one sided to the point of idiotic parody. The same 4 or 5 op-ed writers saying the same thing? Oh lordy! once yes but lets cut the faux fair and balanced shyte out. In the words of Ian Hunter "dont want to vote for the right wing, dont want to vote for the left, gotta have both just to make me fly". I religiously purchased The Australian once, and read it cover to cover. Once that one sided direction became the norm I walked with my $1 and spent it on other things. I was over a pals place the other week and caught a copy. I see they have stooped so low as to have the likes of Gerrard Henderson writing his angry old man nonsense, the same stuff he was saying in Fairfax over and over again. Scrapping the bottom of the barrel much.

As to the Curious Snail. Long gone are the days of it's relevance to anything worthy of discussion. I am told it is now selling for the lowest denominator silver coin to outlets and that is why the Qantas club is inundated with them. Fairfax? Not really read much recently but in my travels when read seems to attempt to be a counter balance to the 70% but not a particularly good one. It may never have recovered from Warwick's escapades back in the day and it's day may be numbered.

It makes me think that newspapers are now close to irrelevant to how us the voters thoughts and opinions are shaped and the demise of the last state LNP mob was case in point. The peeps to impress when trying to win elections are the swinging voters. Forget the died in the wools. They will vote their side warts and all generally. The 20 odd percent of those that have to be impressed were not impressed and changed against the LNP in a manner hitherto unseen. After seeing a collage of its front pages leading up to the election it proved it a sheer and utter parody.

With that IMO social media is now exposeing the past verbal diarrhea of the pollie. Case in point is Can Dooooooo. We had just about every little lie from "No rates rises over CPI or I will resign" early in the BCC days to the "No PS sacked" used and then through to the social media taking the piss over him saying "strong" a billion trillion times a minute may prove that point. It is maybe why Palaszczuk was to a degree less visible coming onto the election. The less you say the less it can be thrown back at you. I think Shorten is trying this tactic but does have a few moments that may come back to haunt him. Tone on the other hand, bless his knowledge of Irish history while chomping on a raw onion (get it, social media taking the piss?) has had so much to say that he has an entire life time of odd things and events being thrown at him on a daily basis that he now looks like dead meat if the polls are to be believed. We may be looking at a future were the opposition may be making themselves small targets if the governments of the day are inept. Why hang yourself when the social media can find you guilty?
 

Tassie4ever

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FWIW financial stress's are huge in the newspaper industry anyway. The print is dead mantra comes from that medium specifically but it also fails to mention that the industry itself is still one of the biggest manufacturers left in the country, employs 100,000 peeps and is worth a nice 30 odd billion. There are the obvious reasons for the decline of the newspaper sector and our medium of chat is one specific reason. Alternative media is now getting lots of reader and then there are apps to the phone plus more. I am convinced that the print media in the country has not dealt with this particularly well and the 70%, News, has just become an odd mouth piece for the weird robber Barron attitude of it's owner.

I have not read The Australian for along time and recall giving it away when it become far too obviously one sided to the point of idiotic parody. The same 4 or 5 op-ed writers saying the same thing? Oh lordy! once yes but lets cut the faux fair and balanced shyte out. In the words of Ian Hunter "dont want to vote for the right wing, dont want to vote for the left, gotta have both just to make me fly". I religiously purchased The Australian once, and read it cover to cover. Once that one sided direction became the norm I walked with my $1 and spent it on other things. I was over a pals place the other week and caught a copy. I see they have stooped so low as to have the likes of Gerrard Henderson writing his angry old man nonsense, the same stuff he was saying in Fairfax over and over again. Scrapping the bottom of the barrel much.

As to the Curious Snail. Long gone are the days of it's relevance to anything worthy of discussion. I am told it is now selling for the lowest denominator silver coin to outlets and that is why the Qantas club is inundated with them. Fairfax? Not really read much recently but in my travels when read seems to attempt to be a counter balance to the 70% but not a particularly good one. It may never have recovered from Warwick's escapades back in the day and it's day may be numbered.

It makes me think that newspapers are now close to irrelevant to how us the voters thoughts and opinions are shaped and the demise of the last state LNP mob was case in point. The peeps to impress when trying to win elections are the swinging voters. Forget the died in the wools. They will vote their side warts and all generally. The 20 odd percent of those that have to be impressed were not impressed and changed against the LNP in a manner hitherto unseen. After seeing a collage of its front pages leading up to the election it proved it a sheer and utter parody.

With that IMO social media is now exposeing the past verbal diarrhea of the pollie. Case in point is Can Dooooooo. We had just about every little lie from "No rates rises over CPI or I will resign" early in the BCC days to the "No PS sacked" used and then through to the social media taking the piss over him saying "strong" a billion trillion times a minute may prove that point. It is maybe why Palaszczuk was to a degree less visible coming onto the election. The less you say the less it can be thrown back at you. I think Shorten is trying this tactic but does have a few moments that may come back to haunt him. Tone on the other hand, bless his knowledge of Irish history while chomping on a raw onion (get it, social media taking the piss?) has had so much to say that he has an entire life time of odd things and events being thrown at him on a daily basis that he now looks like dead meat if the polls are to be believed. We may be looking at a future were the opposition may be making themselves small targets if the governments of the day are inept. Why hang yourself when the social media can find you guilty?

Might surprise you, but I agree with much you have written.

With 2 exceptions- anyone who always votes for on side, regardless, needs their head read. They all need booting out on a regular basis.

And second- the ABC not biased? You can't be serious. It's now almost a parody of itself. I used to joke that the organisation could save itself a lot of money if it just deposited Bobby Brown in an office in Ultimo- would save heaps on travel time etc.

Ask yourself why both State and Federal debates [such as they are] are now always run by SkyNews.

One good thing at least to come out of Twitter is now you can actually clearly discern the biases of our so-called ABC commentators.

My comment re George Megalogenis was related to the fact that back when he was a regular on Insiders his relationship with Annastacia should have been declared. Just like Chris Uhlmann's.

FWIW, I am not suggesting our Anna is corrupt. From what I know [and we know the family quite well], she is squeaky clean. Just lacking wordly-wise experience, which was my point. And she is of Polish extraction, like my wife. Trust me, I know from personal experience that nothing good can ever come of this.

Last, and it gladdens my little heart, from what I hear Bernie Rippoll looks like getting rolled by Milton Dick next pre-selection. First met Milton, he of the large frame and deep voice, in David Beddall's office years ago when he was a media flunkie to David Beddall, a politician I had a great deal of respect for. As Minister for Customs Beddall kept his Qld. office at Inala, on the grounds that travelling out to the 'burbs exposed the mega-bureaucrats to life in the lower soci-economic jungle, however briefly.

Anyway, I'm glad to have woken you all up.

As I recently responded to my daughter who queried why they were all carrying on during Question Time: well, in most other places they shoot each other when they disagree. In the end we have a lot to be thankful for.
 

carnthemlions

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Might surprise you, but I agree with much you have written.

With 2 exceptions- anyone who always votes for on side, regardless, needs their head read. They all need booting out on a regular basis.

And second- the ABC not biased? You can't be serious. It's now almost a parody of itself. I used to joke that the organisation could save itself a lot of money if it just deposited Bobby Brown in an office in Ultimo- would save heaps on travel time etc.

Ask yourself why both State and Federal debates [such as they are] are now always run by SkyNews.

One good thing at least to come out of Twitter is now you can actually clearly discern the biases of our so-called ABC commentators.

My comment re George Megalogenis was related to the fact that back when he was a regular on Insiders his relationship with Annastacia should have been declared. Just like Chris Uhlmann's.

FWIW, I am not suggesting our Anna is corrupt. From what I know [and we know the family quite well], she is squeaky clean. Just lacking wordly-wise experience, which was my point. And she is of Polish extraction, like my wife. Trust me, I know from personal experience that nothing good can ever come of this.

Last, and it gladdens my little heart, from what I hear Bernie Rippoll looks like getting rolled by Milton Dick next pre-selection. First met Milton, he of the large frame and deep voice, in David Beddall's office years ago when he was a media flunkie to David Beddall, a politician I had a great deal of respect for. As Minister for Customs Beddall kept his Qld. office at Inala, on the grounds that travelling out to the 'burbs exposed the mega-bureaucrats to life in the lower soci-economic jungle, however briefly.

Anyway, I'm glad to have woken you all up.

As I recently responded to my daughter who queried why they were all carrying on during Question Time: well, in most other places they shoot each other when they disagree. In the end we have a lot to be thankful for.
ABC bias. Oh dear.
Look, I'm not going to waste my time on a long winded response. But can you please attempt to explain Mark Simkin?
 
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The right has moved so far out to the right nowadays that any attempt to straddle the centre appears left wing to those of the right. There are many polls suggesting Australians view the ABC as the most trustworthy news source available. Here's another.

As for Fairfax it certainly has its flaws, but I've heard Greens voters claim it is right wing and Lib voters claim it is left wing, which probably indicates it's doing something right. I generally read the Age in Melbourne, but will occasionally read the Herald Sun to remind myself why editorial independence is so important. The sooner Murdoch departs this world the better.
 
I reckon Fairfax just takes the alternate view to News, purely for differentiation purposes. If News started hugging trees and calling for an open borders policy on refugees, then I suspect the SMH would put a swastika on its masthead and call for a return of the White Australia Polcy.
 

Judge

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I reckon Fairfax just takes the alternate view to News, purely for differentiation purposes. If News started hugging trees and calling for an open borders policy on refugees, then I suspect the SMH would put a swastika on its masthead and call for a return of the White Australia Polcy.

I tend to read The Australian, The Age and the FR most days - if you don't read them all you're not getting a balanced perspective.;)

IMO, The Australian and The Age are as biased as each other, just from opposite ends of the political spectrum.
If I read the comments sections in either it's certainly for comic relief and not edification.
 

carnthemlions

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The right has moved so far out to the right nowadays that any attempt to straddle the centre appears left wing to those of the right. There are many polls suggesting Australians view the ABC as the most trustworthy news source available. Here's another.

As for Fairfax it certainly has its flaws, but I've heard Greens voters claim it is right wing and Lib voters claim it is left wing, which probably indicates it's doing something right. I generally read the Age in Melbourne, but will occasionally read the Herald Sun to remind myself why editorial independence is so important. The sooner Murdoch departs this world the better.
I find it odd that people are so determined to convince themselves that the ABC is anything other than centrist for the most part. Fairfax as well, although I think the quality of their journalism is often lacking these days. The Guardian is a genuinely left wing publication for those looking for one to complain about.
 
Ask yourself why both State and Federal debates [such as they are] are now always run by SkyNews.

Sorry to cherry-pick one line out of your post, but I would have thought this was blatantly obvious. Skynews don't ask question that make pollies shift uncomfortably in their collective seats. They should be able to answer the hard questions or at the very least they should welcome to opportunity to.
 
After personally seeing how the ABC works during an election I will strongly refute any claims of bias. Every single piece of coverage is logged to the second to make sure that the two major parties get equal air-time.

If all an independent review can say in regards to it's bias is in the case of one particular interviewer asking some hard questions to a sitting treasurer as "disrespectful" then I think they are doing something pretty right.
 
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Might surprise you, but I agree with much you have written.

With 2 exceptions- anyone who always votes for on side, regardless, needs their head read. They all need booting out on a regular basis.

And second- the ABC not biased? You can't be serious. It's now almost a parody of itself. I used to joke that the organisation could save itself a lot of money if it just deposited Bobby Brown in an office in Ultimo- would save heaps on travel time etc.

Ask yourself why both State and Federal debates [such as they are] are now always run by SkyNews.

One good thing at least to come out of Twitter is now you can actually clearly discern the biases of our so-called ABC commentators.

My comment re George Megalogenis was related to the fact that back when he was a regular on Insiders his relationship with Annastacia should have been declared. Just like Chris Uhlmann's.

FWIW, I am not suggesting our Anna is corrupt. From what I know [and we know the family quite well], she is squeaky clean. Just lacking wordly-wise experience, which was my point. And she is of Polish extraction, like my wife. Trust me, I know from personal experience that nothing good can ever come of this.

Last, and it gladdens my little heart, from what I hear Bernie Rippoll looks like getting rolled by Milton Dick next pre-selection. First met Milton, he of the large frame and deep voice, in David Beddall's office years ago when he was a media flunkie to David Beddall, a politician I had a great deal of respect for. As Minister for Customs Beddall kept his Qld. office at Inala, on the grounds that travelling out to the 'burbs exposed the mega-bureaucrats to life in the lower soci-economic jungle, however briefly.

Anyway, I'm glad to have woken you all up.

As I recently responded to my daughter who queried why they were all carrying on during Question Time: well, in most other places they shoot each other when they disagree. In the end we have a lot to be thankful for.
We will have to agree to disagree on the bias. FWIW I have read a few studies now that are very much supportive of them being fair. Heck they are the only media outlet to give the IPA airtime and these turkeys would shut them down in a flash. Chris Berg talking history makes me vomit to be frank with all that crap about Judea Christianity being taught as definitive history. May as well study the history of Narnia.

As to the Palaszczuks I met Henry's predecessor Kev Hooper once or twice through a mates old man who knew him. Very serious chap from memory but then having a truck load of Chook s**t put into your front yard can do that I guess. Polish history what little I have read is fascinating.
 
We will have to agree to disagree on the bias. FWIW I have read a few studies now that are very much supportive of them being fair. Heck they are the only media outlet to give the IPA airtime and these turkeys would shut them down in a flash. Chris Berg talking history makes me vomit to be frank with all that crap about Judea Christianity being taught as definitive history. May as well study the history of Narnia.

As to the Palaszczuks I met Henry's predecessor Kev Hooper once or twice through a mates old man who knew him. Very serious chap from memory but then having a truck load of Chook s**t put into your front yard can do that I guess. Polish history what little I have read is fascinating.
CS Lewis - clever initials... Christian Supporter/apologist.
 
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CS Lewis - clever initials... Christian Supporter/apologist.
Interesting bloke was C S Lewis. Read a bit on him years back. Love the Narnia serious but the parallels between The Lion etc and the crucifixion are obvious. Not sure I will read him again though. Moved on I guess.

Interestingly watched the final episode of The Sixties tonight and there was some footage of Altamont. Thought of you and Sam Cutlers book.
 
Interesting bloke was C S Lewis. Read a bit on him years back. Love the Narnia serious but the parallels between The Lion etc and the crucifixion are obvious. Not sure I will read him again though. Moved on I guess.

Interestingly watched the final episode of The Sixties tonight and there was some footage of Altamont. Thought of you and Sam Cutlers book.
Might have to wear this next Friday to the Black Cab/NUN gig with my norf mate. :cool:
ADtee2.jpg
 

James North

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Climate Change? Everyone calm down and stop freaking out - we've got this under control and it's not as bad as you all think.

The economy? s**t GUYS - WE'RE HEADED FOR GREECE.
 

Skoob

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http://www.canberratimes.com.au/fed...intergenerational-report-20150318-1m2csq.html
Lying bastards.
In Parliament, Prime Minister Tony Abbott continued to claim the report was a Treasury document,
Mr Hockey also described it as a Treasury document on its release, telling a radio interviewer Labor hadn't bothered to ask questions about it in Parliament.

"To release a Treasury document and the Shadow Treasurer didn't even ask me a question; it was a Treasury document," he said.
The Treasury has disowned the contents of the Intergenerational Report being used by the government to claim that it is a better economic manager than Labor.

Asked about the political content of the report, Treasury deputy secretary Nigel Ray told a Senate hearing the content was "a matter for the government".
...
Asked why the Treasury had spent $380,000 on more than 30 focus groups in the lead-up to the Intergenerational Report, Mr Ray said that, too, had been a government decision, and was more closely related to the advertising campaign that followed than to the report itself

And if that isn't bad enough, after the disgusting treatment given to the Human Rights Commission report a couple of weeks ago, the slimy bastard has the hide to;
"I know they don't like looking at the expert document produced by the Treasury but here it is," he said, holding aloft.
Don't like looking at an expert document??? What a campaigner.

There should be laws for this sort of crap.
And why hasn't Shorten had the guts to bury these clowns, weak prick.
 
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And why hasn't Shorten had the guts to bury these clowns, weak prick.

Yeah, and Labor doing deals with the government on data retention makes me sick too.

**** both parties to be honest.
 

Tassie4ever

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I am prompted by the above "defence" of the ABC and it's totally unbiased, centrist, non-political, balanced, dependent on the evidence approach to all matters. Right. Of course it is all of these things. No, really!

Takes me back a few years to those pre-Rudd/Gillard/Rudd days when a carbon tax debate was firing up the well-balanced ABC types at Radio National [as it still does]. RN put Tony Eastley on the road to seek diverse opinions. Eastley interviewed 4 coal miners in the Hunter Valley. All of them were pro-CT. That's 4 out of 4. Quite balanced really. On one side that is. That example has always stuck in my mind. But what was most interesting was that in a subsequent conversation I had with ABC management types they honestly couldn't see anything wrong. I mean, we all agree, right, so where's the bias?

Or when ABC's Tickey Fullerton [amazingly, she's still around] a few years back went on the road in my very own Tassie to demonstrate the evils of logging. She flew in from Sydney for 2 weeks for some in-depth research and to learn them ignorant Tasmanians the follies of their ways. Tickey's Four Corners program unfortunately managed to produce a totally misleading map of the State in attempting to show how very little of the place was protected from logging [around 50%, BTW, although Tickey's map showed only 23% IIRC]. You have to dig hard for it but Four Corners was, after some extended debate, forced to produce a revised map on its web site which of course countered all the nationally distributed crap. Not. Incidentally, ponder for one moment the prospect of 50% of Queensland being locked away from all commercial development- mining, logging, agriculture, etc. Not likely, IMHO.

More recently, I give you the ABC's apologies to those well-known lefties, Chris Kenny and Andrew Bolt. But not, unfortunately, the Navy. Toughed that last one out, IIRC. After all, no-one could prove that our sailors hadn't tortured those would-be refugees. I mean, they wouldn't lie, would they?

Or last weekend, I give you Sunday's Insiders when all 4 participants were in furious agreement that it was all Tone's fault. Of course [and I still can't believe he got away with "the wink", absolutely scot free. More or less]. That's balance for you.

Like another poster above, I read the CM, The Australian and the SMH each day, and I browse the Guardian, The Drum, the Daily Telegraph and Andrew Bolt's blog on line when I have time. All of them have their individual perspectives which are quickly obvious. As is the ABC's. Just don't pretend bias doesn't exist.

FWIW, despite overwhelming media support I think Abbott is gone, gone, gone. It's what comes after that worries me.
 
Balance isn't about giving all sides an equal say, it's about letting the weight of evidence speak for itself. A few anecdotes don't prove a point, I wish conservatives learnt that in their high priced private education...
 
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