Saturday, July 04, 2015

In which the pond shows off its expertise as cat and reptile whisperer ...


(Above: oh come on this is a serious blog, but we're all allowed a Saturday meme. Found here).

As a skilled cat whisperer - oh the cats and the cowboys and cowgirls the pond has herded over the years, up Tamworth way and beyond - the pond naturally thought that reptile herding would be a piece of cake, a doddle, a walk in the park.

Foolish pond.

You just can't keep the reptiles down. From the light-hearted to the solemn, they always have a view, but you never know when they're going to turn, break on the flank, and come up with a piece of gibberish that, it turns out, is at the heart of their world view.

Look at the reptiles of Oz. Now it's well known that the reptiles have their hearts set on a little recognition of Aboriginal people in the constitution.

But it must be just like the porridge in that tale of Goldilocks and the bears. Not too hot, not too cold, but just right, or put it another way, certainly not too much, perhaps not too little, but just a little above too little, and so just right ...

They've had their own in-house, pet tame black helping them measure the temperature for years, and their latest outing in today's reptilian editorial finds them in top Goldilocks form. 

Now summon up all your remaining strength because this is the reptiles in solemn mode:

You see, Goldilocks? But not a word about how the reptile approach would solve the serious problems faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ... except perhaps by returning to the good old days when governments were very busy legislating for indigenous people, with fabulous consequences and results ... and they're still busy doing it today, with or without changes to the constitution. Anyone for food stamps?

But hey ho, nonny no, on we go and let's see where the reptile musings will get us. Perhaps the perfect bowl of porridge?

Now let's ignore the fuss surrounding Pearson's model - Patrick Dodson raises concerns over Noel Pearson's model for recognition, What is behind Noel Pearson's change of stance ... etc - or the tragi comedy of the attempt to revive an ATSIC in some form or another, without mentioning that name or it being put to the sword by the Howard government containing one Tony Abbott - Howard puts ATSIC to death - did anyone spot the fatal flaw in the reptilian thinking?

Here it is again:

Abbott, modest change, bipartisan agreement, wide consultation and later wider consultation? Now there's a miracle of conflation, to fit all those words and the name Abbott in the one sentence.

What land does he live in, this modest marvel? Is it the same one as the boofheaded bulldozer flattening everything around him? A man so Islamic Taliban fundamentalist that the thuggee boofheads of rugby league emerge as caring, compassionate and kind people, with a sympathetic and generous capacity to understand others? People just need to get over it, says Rabbitohs star as NRL backs gay marriage.

One thing's guaranteed. If that's what's being asked of Abbott, the Billists might come on side, being craven and always open to consensus for fear of being discovered as a policy free zone, but Abbott is completely hopeless at wrangling his conservative base. 

There's no way the Bolter and all the raging, rabid, Adam Goodes booing black haters are going to come on board, no matter how minimalist Pearson cares to make his proposals and no matter how he tries to pander to the fundamentalist conservatives, who claim dear Tony as their fearless non-consultative, kick 'em in the head or the guts leader.

Let's see how Abbott's leadership continues to play out in the gay marriage debate, which has been handled without much fuss in other countries which claim some adherence to whatever "western values" might mean, droning wedding parties aside.

For that we must turn to the bouffant one, returning for another epic bout of hand-wringing apologetics today:


Yep, it's another round of the bouffant one explaining how poor Tony is caught up in the machinations of others and so simply can't do a single thing:


You see how generalities can be turned to good effect? But who were the debaters making overblown emotional claims and displaying no real judgment on what the public feels?

Sssh, please don't mention Erica, or the Asians or Pandora's Box, or bigotry, or marrying your friendly South Australian poodle, or doing a Jack Thompson with sisters, or fear of gays, or being threatened by same, let's get on with poor hapless Tony, hamstrung by absolute necessity and the tyranny of the base:


What's funny is that in the same way that the Oz reptilian editorialist delivered today an impassioned plea for Abbott to do something about Aborigines, yesterday the Oz editorialist suggested that maybe gay marriage should be allowed to happen.

But there you can also see the nonsense of all this talk of bipartisanship. In Abbott's world, bipartisan means the Billistas caving in and agreeing with Abbott and not rocking the leather-jacketed boat.

Hence the bouffant one's handwringing, because look what's happening to the coalition, what with the fluffing of the feathers, and the hissy fits, and the name calling, and the cat yowling, and the cat calling, mrrraaowwww, and the foot stamping, and the cheek slapping, and there's the Billistas getting away scott free.

Naturally the handwringing bouffant one has to be deeply sympathetic to Abbott's plight and feel the necessity of pointing out the misunderstandings about Liberal party backbenchers. Many of them remain deeply homophobic and deeply attached to their long-standing policies confirming and supporting their homophobia:


Gay marriage from an Abbott government? You'd be better off herding cats, and damned if you'll get any sense or help out of a herd of reptiles ...

Of course, as is their duty, the reptiles also provided some light relief today, because, as everyone knows, today is Prattling Polonius day, and we can always rely on Polonius to be still blathering on about an issue which reached its nadir with reptile Sherri Markson grave robbing to discover the opinions of Jonathan Shier:


Yes, the horse is well and truly dead, but they go on flogging it, and today it's the prattler's turn, arriving late to the scene like an ambulance that had only just discovered its siren:


Sweet long absent lord. If they really had a decent left liberal group think, they'd have blackballed the tedious old fart, known as Polonius to his adoring fans only, years ago ... but instead he keeps on popping up and droning on, like a gathering of cane toads or the roar of a locust plague, thereby helping the pond not to waste its time watching the commentariat talk to each other on 24 ...

But it's the weekend and the pond has suffered enough with its attempts at cat and reptile herding - as has anyone else who made it this far - so let's have a little real humour instead, thanks to First Dog, and as always find more of the good-hearted Doggie - git along lit'le dawgie, the pond loves ya, all the way to the moon and a crispy News Corp - at the Graudian here.



12 comments:

  1. Come off it, DP! A paragraph that begins "Importantly ..." sets the seal on absolute Truth. If the phantom editorialist slips in a "... correctly ..." then it's a lay-down misère and we should all get in line.
    Moreover, DP, as any svelte blonde (citing Fox News chicks) with an eye to the main chance will testify, thugs & brutes like Abbott have an especial appeal to the gold-digger, and that may as well extend to the over-proportioned ore-scrounger, as well.
    Oh, Sharri Baby!
    Anyway, won't next Australian Story even the score?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with the editorialist at the Oz: Abbott needs to listen. Won't happen of course.

    ReplyDelete
  3. TPP/ TiSA - Expect few restrictions on foreign businesses competing in the service industries, relaxation of trade and professional qualifications requirements, restrictions on business 'cross-sponsership' (like Australia Post selling radios and cameras in Post Offices), freedom for foreign companies to sue the Government for anti-competitive laws that affect their profits (such as environmental regulation or generic medicines on the PBS) and allowing an influx of foreign workers whose conditions will be unrestricted from such anti-competive practices such as minimum wages and health and safety laws.

    This the real new world order! (reaches for the tin foil)

    http://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2015/07/04/wikileaks-secret-trade-deal-exposed/14359320002083

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The onePercent Project / The incredibly Stupid Abbott deal!

      Delete
  4. The inevitable slippery slope of allowing SSM which will of course lead to Polyamory. (Or what Erica is REALLY scared of).

    "Biologists gasp at lemur's improbably colossal bollocks - Madagascarine Mirzas' mighty nads equivalent to grapefruit sized on human chaps (Warning, graphic content)

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/03/lemur_impressive_plums/



    ReplyDelete
  5. Watching Lateline now and the Hon Bruce Scott who looks like such a nice man is nearly crying about the state of primary producers who are suffering from the current 'drought'. I'm nearly crying because the poor bugger cannot mention the word climate change; cannot wrap his head around this vital fact and be able to do something for the people in his electorate.

    Says the businessman in town; we need the farmers, tourism won't be enough. The banks are the problem because they will not lend them more, and those less efficient farmers are a problem. They should just get out and let the corporations get on with buying the farms and farmers and making a profit. No mention of climate change.

    Hard bitten resolute Aussie farmer says "if you gonna farm in this environment you gotta build strength in your business". No mention that "this environment" is going to continue to change, like the climate, and we don't have any business plans that will cope with climate change.

    There is a picture of a road side sign that says "Pray for Rain".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Abbott said today he is going to fund some new dams. What he really means is that he will fund some hole digging and, hey presto, coal!
      Dams can wait.

      Delete
  6. DP,
    I come here to get the gist of the Lizard's excrement without having to dirty my keyboard by accessing Rupe's cesspool, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to read more than 10% of any of the dross they foist on the suckers who are actually desperate enough to subscribe or buy the hard copy dunny roll on offer.
    In fact, I wouldn't use the printed stuff to wipe my arse on because the cheap ink they use comes off the paper and causes clacker befoulment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's okay Dave C, that's why the pond has cartoons, and the reptiles in chunks that can be raced past in a bid to get to the cartoon at the end. The pond cares about the potential mental suffering of its readers ...

      Delete
  7. What Freedom Boy has managed to spend of our money.

    In the 12 months after he took up the position in February 2014, the former Liberal Party member Tim Wilson charged taxpayers $77,763 for expenses. These were in addition to his $332,000 salary package and $40,000 accommodation allowance.

    He spent $14,562 on cab fares, including almost $3000 for family reunion travel for his partner, according to a departmental response to a Labor question on notice.

    Mr Wilson also claimed for an iPhone, an iPad, a laptop and a $1400 standing desk.

    The so-called "Freedom Commissioner" has roamed far and wide in his job. He has spent about $11,000 on business class airfares abroad – although about $2000 of this was reimbursed by groups that hosted him – and $26,000 on domestic fares, including $10,800 for his partner.

    The taxpayer also picked up a $17,800 bill for meals and other expenses while travelling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Freedom Boy has expensive tastes and habits, and let's give those wicked Fairfaxians a link so all might marvel at the caped crusader as he flies through the air and burns through the cash:

      http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbotts-human-rights-man-tim-wilson-racks-up-77000-in-expenses-20150704-gi46m3

      How did that song run, Junket man, junket man, and I think it's gonna be a long long time till touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home, Oh no, no, no, I'm a junket man, junket man burning out his fuse and his cash down here in Oz land ... Or some such thing

      Delete
  8. Goldilocks has more processional work to do, steal-cutting the oats just so, so that the recognition due in January 2012, or August 2014, or July 2015, or hopefully by mid-year 2016, for step-wise re-presentation in 2017, is substantive enough to appear to nullify residual sovereignty claims whilst being symbolic enough not to unsettle the ongoing, accelerating erosions of native titles or to in any way address the existant framework of (un)recognised, and routinely-violated, rights of indigenous persons per established international legal norms: Indigenous referendum: Australians invited to join community conferences on recognition vote.

    ReplyDelete

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