Thank the long absent lord the pond has got a Rowe cartoon for a starter - and more seminal Rowe dresses up the AFR opinion page here - because the pond is still gently simmering, having been shaken and stirred ...
Those with long memories that go back a full week - past the pond's usual use-by date - will recall that Media Watch addressed the issue of the ABC's reporting of the Census disaster, drawing particular attention to these remarks ...
Now you can find the original intact at 7.30 here, with sundry other remarks like ...
TOM IGGULDEN: But Mr Jennings says China has got form.
PETER JENNINGS: China was identified as having stolen almost 22 million records of American government employees so they have the capacity to do this and the interest to do it.
Note that mention of xenophobia, though it all seemed very official and important and likely ...
It just so happened to be complete nonsense ... a bit like a NSW plod getting out the old phone book from times past and whacking out a confession from a crim in the neighbourhood who happened to have some form ...
It reminded the pond of why it had resolutely shown a lack of interest in childhood yarns of a boyish kind ...
Follows a clue? Into the land of the clueless?
And what's the reward for flying that kite so shamelessly?
Yep, this day the reptiles trot out Jennings, still searching for a clue ...
Yes, the reward for completely silly speculation is a shift from the ABC onto the pages of the lizard Oz, with this confounding headline ...
That should have read "Jennings left floundering after nonsensical muttering about ABS census", followed by "It has been a bumpy week for tea leaf reader Jennings, reflecting no great credit on his insights into the ABS census disaster ..."
Now don't get the pond wrong. It has no time for the Beijing government, especially in its current expansionist mode, alienating its neighbours, carrying on like a pork chop and flexing its muscles. It's as devious as the CIA and the US government and Vlad the impaler's men, and Donald Trump's resigned chairperson, and possibly a tad more ...
But at the same time there's a well-known syndrome, and it should be more widely acknowledged and respected ...
And that's why the pond tuned out on the rest of what Jennings had to say for the reptiles ...
Yes, but what about the ABS and the Census?
Was it what has been rumoured? A minor DOS attack, possibly of domestic origin, that could and should have been easily handled? And that China had nothing to do with it? How to look the Chinese government straight in the face after that, and stop them from laughing?
The question kept popping up each time Jennings went searching for more clues ...
Yes, yes, but what should we do with people who jump at shadows and cry wolf, when there are serious issues to be solved?
It's some fair cheek isn't it, to talk of people showing absolutely no understanding or interest in the broader direction of Chinese strategic policy, when those that supposedly do, go off half-cocked like a Donald Trump ranting about China ruining the world.
And what about the ABC, ever so willing to help fly the kite and call it news, as opposed to uninformed speculation?
Should they say that they're sorry, and should they all control their tongues and their thoughts a little more? Or read a book the pond really did like?
Well, it was Tamworth, everyone had to like horses, or die.
Never mind, here's the rest of the rant, in case anyone wants to complete their anxiety attack, and quaintly, there's a defiant reference to the poodle's reference to xenophobia ... the pond knew remembering the word would come in handy ...
Of course it all becomes clear enough with that tag at the end.
When you're a hammer, it's a matter of some fair urgency that everything looks like a nail, even an attack on the Census that from every rumour the pond hears didn't involve the Chinese government or its minions in any way ...
It's a bit like all those home security programs ... they need the bugs and the worms as much as the hackers letting them out into the world ... and by golly it can lead to some weird things, like the current feud between Kim Dotcom and John McAfee ...
And whatever you do, don't get yourself into a tizz about Stuxnet ... because Israel ... just keep watching China muck up the Census ... because swimmers and drugs and Olympics ...
Never mind, so long as the pond has got a Pope cartoon to wrap things up with, all's well in the world, and more Pope here ...
Yes, that's the way to lift the spirits and look forward to a bright future ...
Now excuse the pond, we must get back to digging up the country and shipping the Liverpool plains off to China ... and then it's Queensland's turn ...
Hi Dorothy,
ReplyDeleteThere certainly seem to be a lot of people queuing up to rattle China’s cage at the moment. What’s changed?
From 2010 AirSea Battle was the U.S. military doctrine for dealing with China, which basically worked at containment.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirSea_Battle
Unfortunately the U.S. Army felt left out and a more forthright policy was advocated in late 2014.
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/10/01/whats-displacing-air-sea-battle-in-us-military-planning/
This is Third Offset Strategy. In order to know what that is, it’s worth knowing what the First and Second Offset Strategies were. Basically they were the Cold War Arms Races with the USSR and were major spend-fests for the military-industrial complex.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_strategy
The Third Offset Strategy offers to be much of the same and promises to deliver lots of new toys for the boys and not just in the USA.
“Of particular interest to the ADF are the repeated calls from Secretaries Hagel and Carter for the involvement of allies. The call has suggested that the U.S. can no longer do it alone. This sentiment is echoed by Deputy Secretary Work and is evident throughout the U.S. academic debate. Themes of allied collaboration in the development of operating concepts, mission-specific technologies and investments in future capabilities are common in public announcements by Work. He leaves little doubt as to his willingness to share the investment burden, encouraging allies to ‘push the boundaries of innovation’ and collaboration.”
http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/Blog/Articles/2016/07/Third-Offset-Strategy
All that’s needed is for the Hawks in China to keep ramping up the aggression and their military spending and soon it will feel like the good old days when we were going toe to toe with the Roosskies.
DiddyWrote
Well, never mind the sacred New Man (who is eyeless in Australia), that Peter Jennings is a whizbang mugwump, isn't he. Does he actually get paid for spouting that nonsense - if so, how do I join the dispensary ?
ReplyDeleteI especially liked the intro bit:
"Urgent steps are needed to secure our future against a more intrusive Beijing."
Yeah, sure, and those steps are ? The only step(s) I can think of to secure our future is to become the 51st State of the USA. That way, we might actually get some level of MAD protection in return for our sacrifices.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Australian_Strategic_Policy_Institute
ReplyDeleteI received a letter addressed "TO THE RESIDENT" the other day for a street number that doesn't exist. China, eh? Just typical. On the envelope face in green ink was writ: "Missed the date? Act now before it's too late." I did so, and binned it unopened.
ReplyDelete