Universal Love TRTT Part 8: Random thoughts also sack Hinkley

[Dylan8]

I am not a fan of Bob Hawke the politician at all. Anti-union, neoliberal and a class traitor.

His opinions nuking arabs have been floating around as well.

I’m sure he was a great bloke though, and his ability to supress his gag reflex while both chugging pints and corporate dicks alike was quite impressive.

RIP Hawkey

You've cooked it

 

[wannabejack]

Washing machines must be vying for the most boring need to buy things imaginable.. my old one is leaking & also starting to dance across the floor during the spin cycle.

I wanna spend money on fun things dammit!

Doesn't need to be boring.

 

[Janus]

Barry Cassidy had been a journo in Canberra for 15-20 years before Hawke asked him to be his press secretary for 5 years or so and has then continued to watch politics for 28 years since then.

He was making a comment about the blokes personal integrity not about his policies. He was asked what did he learn from Hawke when asked about his time working for him.

He was going to give a personal answer, not one about the policies and great changes he made to the country. Barry's answers is about what human qualities Hawke had, that touched him the most. That's not about his CV of political achievements. Barry probably had seen plenty of racist people in politics, and those in a position to do something about it, but didn't.

He personally saw Hawke lead the fight for financial sanctions, not just economic and trade sanction, but banking and movement of monies sanctions to help get rid of apartheid in South Africa. That tactic is now standard done by the UN and the west in trying to control dodgy regimes. Today, the Iran Nuclear deal is being debated because those financial and banking sanctions tactics Hawke helped devise, crippled Iran and forced them to give up their nuclear weapons strategy, but have said they will go back to building bombs if the US reimposes them.

How old were you in 1988? I went to Canada for a year in May, so I wasn't in Oz for the nuances of the debate, but John Howard was proposing racist immigration policies of severely limiting immigration based on race , and specifically cutting back and restricting Asian immigration. It was a cheap, easy, nasty populist policy. But Hawke said no way will I let him get away with that, and let it fester, and contrary to advise, Hawke went after him, straight out, calling out him a racist. It wasn't even dog whistling like you get today by Howard. I may have been travelling, but when I read the papers at consulates I got the gist of what was going on and after Hawke's attack on Howard, he become Mr 18% by the end of 1988 as per this famous Bulletin cover page.

Howard was kicked out as oppo leader in May 1989. Tienanmen square massacre happened a few weeks later. What would have been Howard's response to those then 20,000 students in Oz at the time compared to Hawke giving them permanent residency?? What would Australia be like if Howard was PM and introduced his anti-asian immigration policies?? Would Australia have had a minerals and trade boom with China this century? Would Port be playing games of footy in China? I think not.

Howard was sent to purgatory for his racist views thanks to Hawke being prepared to do what no other national leader had done up to that time. Howard did a bit of a Hawkie after losing the leadership, hit the bottle hard, reassessed himself and as his electorate of Bennelong - especially Lane Cove, North Ryde, Chatwsood, Epping etc became more Asian, he faced reality and changed.

Hawke calling out Howard's racism helped him, it meant he got the chance to be PM in a lot better economic times.


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I know he was speaking about his character. I just think it’s a very odd thing to be impressed by, and says more about the prevailing attitude of Australians than it does about Bob Hawke.

People in positions of power who have the ability to affect real change are supposed to be better than the common people, who might be living in the fear of ignorance. I think the Hawke-Keating government was the best the country probably ever had for that reason alone - they did what they knew was right, even if it wasn’t the most pleasant.

The reason why Howard was known as Mr. 18% was due to the fact that even though Hawke was declining in the opinion polls, Howard was worse. Shorten was at 14% at one time, which goes to show you how unpopular he is. Hawke positioned himself in a manner for the 1990 election - an election where he had promised that no Australian child would live in poverty - where a vote for Liberal was a vote for racism. Pretty much the reverse of the Howard/Liberal Tampa saga, where a vote for Liberal was seen as a vote against being pushed around by the “foreign hordes invading our shores who will threaten to throw a baby onto an Australian ship (or into the water if you believe Murdoch’s doctored photo bullshit) so they can claim asylum.”

Like everything in life, the pendulum swings both ways. Howard’s temporary asylum visa policy was in direct response to Hawke letting those Chinese stay in 1989 - from 1976-1982, 2000 illegal immigrants applied for asylum in Australia. Keating introduces detention centre policies to discourage the practice in the 90s, but the word had spread that Australia was a great place to go. From 1999-2001, the number was 12,000.

When Howard introduced his hard-nosed policy, it dropped to under 300 from 2001-2007.

Then Rudd comes along and dissolves that, and the pendulum swings back to lax provisions and it’s 50,000 or so immigrants in those years, so ***** Abbott gets voted in to solve a problem that was never a problem in the first place.

And it all started back in 1989, when Hawke without consultation granted visas to 42,000 Chinese students and their families. Everything worth doing has a cost, and some of them are unforeseen. Especially when you don’t discuss it with your cabinet first and call it leadership. The Chinese who were allowed to stay became a great asset to the country, but the image it portrayed in Asia said that Australia was open for business to people smugglers.

And that’s how everything works in politics. One party says black, the other party says white, and the votes swing back and forth over every election cycle.

Also known as the Hermetic Principle of Rhythm. Once you start something in motion, it will continue to swing back and forth.

 

[bomberclifford]

Washing machines must be vying for the most boring need to buy things imaginable.. my old one is leaking & also starting to dance across the floor during the spin cycle.

I wanna spend money on fun things dammit!

We bought a new washing machine a few years back.
Had to take the stackable dryer off the old one to get rid of it and move the new one in.

Mrs Bomber and I were very impressed by the solid vibrating hum of the new machine, and the waist height platform it provided.

Needless to say, that dryer didn't go back for some time.

 

[bomberclifford]

I am not a fan of Bob Hawke the politician at all. Anti-union, neoliberal and a class traitor.

His opinions nuking arabs have been floating around as well.

I’m sure he was a great bloke though, and his ability to supress his gag reflex while both chugging pints and corporate dicks alike was quite impressive.

RIP Hawkey

Am I missing some sarcasm here or have you just read a hacked wiki page?

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

We bought a new washing machine a few years back.
Had to take the stackable dryer off the old one to get rid of it and move the new one in.

Mrs Bomber and I were very impressed by the solid vibrating hum of the new machine, and the waist height platform it provided.

Needless to say, that dryer didn't go back for some time.

What's the brand? BigCumz?

 

[edgie]

The main reason I won't be voting for the Libs is The Nats.

What a morally and ethically empty mob of campaigners and nobody is buying their rural/country shtick any more, except those they're in bed with.

 

[bomberclifford]

What's the brand? BigCumz?

Fluffy Towel.
No More Crust™

 

[edgie]

Have you tried the cry it out method? Some people swear against it but maybe without an alternative it's worth a try?

Think we've tried inadvertently as she cries it out most nights.

Sometimes she cries, more like screams, real bad, her arms go stiff, it's like she is putting herself in to shock. No something I can just leave her on her own for.

She's doing well, it's just the sleep that makes her a bit of a challenge.

 

[glitch01]

The problem is we can see she is sleepy, she is tired, she's showing signs, we do the things we are taught... nup. She knows it too and she fights it and wins, she kicks and punches her way out of it and stimulates herself. It feels really hard to talk about to someone properly, they need to be there to see.

Mate, seriously see a specialist.
We were the same, “what are we doing wrong “, “we’re bad parents “.
In our case we were arguing every day and it was affecting our relationship and our older son.
We saw a specialist and talked about everything and they came up with a few simple ideas to change routines etc and it really helped!!!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[sobrave]

janus it's ok to be mistaken on things, just take it in your stride and move on

 

[sobrave]

on washing machines, get one of those ones that dries as well. that seems like a good deal.

also 'SMEG' seems like a good brand because they're called SMEG.

 

[Magus]

Think we've tried inadvertently as she cries it out most nights.

Sometimes she cries, more like screams, real bad, her arms go stiff, it's like she is putting herself in to shock. No something I can just leave her on her own for.

She's doing well, it's just the sleep that makes her a bit of a challenge.

Fair enough, you can't really leave them if they're working themselves into a fit and getting distraught.

I was thinking about your and your partner's sanity more than anything. It's one thing for your baby to go sleepless but dangerous for your guys health too. Definitely chase up a sleep consultant like Power Girl said though, there's no point struggling if your situation could be improved.

 

[Janus]

janus it's ok to be mistaken on things, just take it in your stride and move on

A difference of opinion and viewpoint on the content of someone’s character isn’t a mistake.

 

[LukeSA]

on washing machines, get one of those ones that dries as well. that seems like a good deal.

also 'SMEG' seems like a good brand because they're called SMEG.

Depends on what washer/ dryer combo you get.

One uses the old tech of pumping hot air in and venting, which is horribly inefficient and makes your laundry like a sauna or newer condenser driers which can use up to 200L of water to dry.

Actually, cutting out my dryer usage has cut $200 off of our power bills quarterly, that was 3 hours at half heat.

 

[Butters Made Me Do It]

Not being racist is probably rarer than we give credit for. I often feel like the left, particular centre-left, have almost as much interest in maintaining racial inequity as anyone else.

Guaranteed voters based on race could dissipate if being anti-racism was non-partisan and minorities weren’t forced to vote left for survival

 

[chiwigi]

I've come to terms with the fact that Labor will win the election and the Bill ******* Shorten will be Prime Minister. Some polls are saying it is going to be close. I don't believe that at all. There's a mood for change. Libs deserve to get a smack for their shambolic dumping of Turnbull. People are sick of that stuff. I think the mood has shifted on Climate change considerably, with most people now believing in it and that we must act on it. Too many Liberal/National politicians are stuck in outdated thinking on this issue.
Boat people are no longer a wedge issue either. Labor has stated that what the Libs have done is working and they will simply continue this policy.
I don't think the Negative Gearing/ Imputation Credits is enough of an issue for the Libs to win an election on the back of.

Libs have also lost a fair bit of talent too (Turnbull/Pyne/Bishop) and some less talented (O'Dwyer) and has the feeling of Rats fleeing the sinking ship.
I hope the Right wing nasty types like Dutton and Abbott (and even Boothby's Nicole Flint) get banished, sending a clear message to the Liberals that moving to the hard right isn't the answer.
I hope they regroup and become a better party.

If the Libs weren’t so blatant in giving handouts to those who don’t need it, they’d have a chance.

 

[Janus]

Not being racist is probably rarer than we give credit for. I often feel like the left, particular centre-left, have almost as much interest in maintaining racial inequity as anyone else.

Guaranteed voters based on race could dissipate if being anti-racism was non-partisan and minorities weren’t forced to vote left for survival

Which goes to my point about the difference in asylum policies between the two parties. They make it a political issue because it can swing votes.

Not being racist means not judging someone based on their ethnicity. Most confuse it with racial parity, which is the practice of giving assistance to minorities in order to compensate for perceived social and economic inadequacies - which is also important. You need to be an advocate for both, with the hope that the first eventually mitigates the need for the second.

 

[edgie]

Fair enough, you can't really leave them if they're working themselves into a fit and getting distraught.

I was thinking about your and your partner's sanity more than anything. It's one thing for your baby to go sleepless but dangerous for your guys health too. Definitely chase up a sleep consultant like Power Girl said though, there's no point struggling if your situation could be improved.

It's just like, most people said by six month it will get better. That has come and went. Next one we hear it when she starts solids it will get better. When she is finished teething it will get better.

Her regular doctor is a bit of a FIFO doctor but we will see him again when he's back, he was the first one to help with her reflux rather than just put it down to colic. He's good.

 

[edgie]

Also the partner had a head scan just then as she may have had a minor stroke, so yeah.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Also the partner had a head scan just then as she may have had a minor stroke, so yeah.

Jeez mate sorry to hear, best wishes to you both.

 

[edgie]

Jeez mate sorry to hear, best wishes to you both.

Thanks JBC.

We are all alive and kicking, that's more than half the battle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Contested Marx]

Washing machines must be vying for the most boring need to buy things imaginable.. my old one is leaking & also starting to dance across the floor during the spin cycle.

I wanna spend money on fun things dammit!

I leak and dance across the floor and also raman and Bomber Clifford are tops blokes what

 

[Eddie Dingle]

We bought a new washing machine a few years back.
Had to take the stackable dryer off the old one to get rid of it and move the new one in.

Mrs Bomber and I were very impressed by the solid vibrating hum of the new machine, and the waist height platform it provided.

Needless to say, that dryer didn't go back for some time.

I look forward to discussing this with quite some gusto next week.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Also the partner had a head scan just then as she may have had a minor stroke, so yeah.

Jeezus Edgie, hope everything is ok mate. Your little family is certainly facing some challenges at the moment. Keep fighting the good fight mate.