Federal Parliament: A pack of galahs
The Australian Federal election has been run and won. It’s just that, we don’t know by who.
Mr Rabbit and Julia the Red have both come up short of gaining the 76 seats needed to hold a majority in the House of Representatives. Both can form government only with the support of at least one hostile independent. Labor appear to have won 72 in their own right, while the first Green elected to the Lower House in a general election—Adam Bandt in the inner-city seat of Melbourne—and independent (and former Greens candidate) Andrew Wilkie in the Hobart-centred seat of Denison, would notionally side with a Gillard Government. The Liberal-National coalition are claiming victory in 73 seats; however, while the three sitting independent, but former National Party members—Bob Katter in Kennedy (outback north-west Queensland), Tony Windsor in New England (rural central-northern New South Wales) and Rob Oakshott in Lyne (mid-north NSW coast) have all been returned and would notionally give Abbott the 76 seats he needs, all three have in the past demonstrated hostility to the Coalition over a variety of issues. Abbott would need strict undertakings from all three regarding confidence (that is, that they would not support a no-confidence motion on the floor of the House, bringing down the government). Gillard, on the other hand would need two of these three naturally conservatives to side with her to form government—implausible, yet not impossible given the political leverage it would afford them.
As I told you the other day, the Senate is a mess. And today, it got even messier. Under our system, only half the senate faced the people yesterday (a provision intended under our Federal arrangements to ensure smooth continuity of government, even across changing administrations); new senators will not take their seats until next year. Greens leader Bob Brown (himself not facing election this year) believes his party will increase its numbers from the current five to at least six and possibly eight, giving it the balance of power in the Upper House.
And there’s the rub: with an alliance of socialists and crypto-socialists controlling the Upper House, government for the Coalition would be all but a poisoned chalice; yet Labor can itself govern only through the unholiest of marriages. Memoryvault’s point yesterday was spot on; party members represent their party first, last and always, and their constituents only by happenstance.
I’m betting we’ll all be back to the polls pretty soon.
Update: The YouTube clip Swanny found is so brilliant I have to highlight it up here at the top. This really sums it up:
[Youtube = “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ_s6V1Kv6A&feature=youtu.be”%5D
Be Responsible - Be Free! 
Brokeback mountain comes to Australia. You will have another election in less than a year.
OzBoy,
I refer you to my 5:14AM comment on your previous thread regarding party rule. In the States we have suffered under party rule for 20 months now and have seen legislation most Americans don’t want jammed down our throats by Democrats who vote the party line instead of the will of their constituencies. The Australian system seems to be designed for this. I still haven’t figured out your Senate. I did notice, however, that you’ve taken to electing children.
G’day Dave,
Good points all, and I’ve hyperlinked it for you.
Regarding your earlier comments about the legal drinking age, check out this… bizarro times indeed – Oz
Ah….I see Oz. And this is a change in the voting system, that is being suggested for the UK. To prevent the same thing, that just happened in our general election?
G’day Fen,
I still say single-member preferential voting is the best system there is; it’s just that ANY system can be confounded if the electorate chooses to do so. And that (for the first time, BTW) is just what the Australian electorate did – Oz
Hi Dave,
I responded to your posts on the previous thread.
Hi Fen,
Alternative Voting broadens the scope for brokering deals. Aussies are getting pretty fed up with the dictates of the 2 party machines.
Ah…..Deals.
Like the Magna Carta? Nothing wrong with deals, (so long as you have a place at the table). I just wondered why we were being told that the Australian voting system, was the cure for what’s just happened in the UK? It has been a few months though, since I was told that, so I should make allowances for the passage of time.
Good morning All,
As I said last night – interesting evening – especially when the fix went in at 8.00pm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989707.htm?section=justin
A plausible enough story for the latte coffee crowd, I suppose.
Until one remembers that the entire population of the NT is only around, 220,000, and the total number of tourists for the whole of 2009 was less than 400,000 – for the whole year.
And a lot of them came from overseas.
A yet, here we have a quarter of a million eligible, registered, voting Aussie interstate tourists all in the Top End on one weekend.
And their votes won’t get counted until next week.
Who’da thunk?
Using the same search criteria on google
“chinese really think of ‘man made global”
18 Aug 5,000 hits
19 Aug 50,000 hits
20 Aug 134,000 hits
21 Aug 185,000 hits
JD Oz and Locusts are famous
Well done
EVERYBODY……..
You have GOT to see this!!!!
Who said “foreigners” couldn’t understand our Politics? Oooops. Me.
Blackswan
That was the most intelligent “commentary” on the OZ election ever.
Done by the Chinese – figures.
Just posted by hagar on JD
Journalist Mary Ellen Synon has this to say:
‘EU taxation without representation: but has Britain got what it takes to fight?
‘This could be yet another moment of national British humiliation. Brussels has made its move in the dead days of August, of course, in the hope it would pass unnoticed.
But some of us have noticed. And the British had better take notice. The European Commission has decided to fire up the powers of taxation given to the EU by the Lisbon Treaty. Thanks to David Cameron’s refusal to fight the transfer of sovereignty the treaty makes, the British people can now be subject to taxation direct from Brussels, with the Commons — indeed, with the Chancellor — having no control over the tax at all.
‘Today Janusz Lewandowski, the commissioner in charge of the EU’s £116bn budget, announced he intends to press for a new EU tax. The euro-elite want to be able to get their hands on your money without having to ask your Government even for a perfunctory agreement. All this talk about belt-tightening around Europe is making the euro-elite edgy: they have their luxurious pay and pensions and travel allowances, and all their empire-building to protect, after all.
‘Britain and every other member state is going through terrible budget turmoil, with spending cuts and citizens furious about increases in taxation — yet now Brussels is getting ready to activate Art 311 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (part of the Lisbon bundle — the euro-elite don’t want to make it easy for you to find it).
It says, ‘The Union shall provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry through its policies.’
The ‘means.’ That means money. Your money. Taken away by an unelected single party government (the commission) enabled by politicians over whom the British voters have no political control (the council). The British will have to pay the tax these people demand, but can never vote them out. The commission wants to start with a tax on all bank transactions, or perhaps air travel. It doesn’t really matter which. Their point now is to establish the power of Brussels to tax the populations of the countries of the EU without any control by national parliaments.
‘Once that power is in place, the taxes can be ratcheted up.
There you have it, people forced to pay taxes by people they did not vote into office, and whom they cannot vote out of office, and over whom they have no control.’
Anyone listening?
Malcolm Turnbull has just had a 10% swing in his favour in his blue-ribbon Liberal seat. What are the odds Mal is just awaiting any excuse to do-a-Jooolya on Abbott….
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/king-malcolm-bestrides-turnbull-territory-20100822-13a8s.html
Hey presto! Instant Prime Minister.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:59 am
You are probably right. It is Grey Nomad season though. I was at William Creek this time last year, and the population (3) went up to about 50, courtesy of our group of 5 aircraft, and lots of motor homes…. hung parliament, minority government, dissolution… Oh joy, another vote.
Marcus
Blackswan
Did you read the comments on You Tube?
MOTM
Taxation without representation – that’s always been the name of the game.
Thanks for the info MOTM
Blackswan
Yes, Turnbull is the man.
WHEN (not if) he eventually becomes PM, it’s lights out down here.
He is our Fascist Dictator-in-Waiting.
Marcus
125,000 Campervans?
Parked where?
Just as an off-topic aside…my girlfriend’s burning passion is gardening and landscaping. Her second burning passion is killing gophers and squirrels. She’s racked up 26 gopher kills so far this summer. Sadly only one squirrel kill. Our neighbors presented her with a gift of a box of 12 brand new gopher traps. I couldn’t have done better with diamond earrings. My question is…do ya’ll even have gophers in Australia?
______________________________________
I just listened to an interview of Julia Gillard. I finally figured it out. It sounded to me like she kept saying “tiny” when in fact she was saying “Tony”. Sociolinguistics anyone?
______________________________________
Blackswan,
Thanks for your comments. It was in the middle of the night (your time) when I had an epiphany. You actually don’t elect your PM! Your PM is selected by a majority elected party. This seems rather ill advised to me. The US Constitution has absolutely no mention of political parties although this subject was debated in the Federalist papers. Our Founders warned against them.
Party rule is roughly analogous to the way personal injury court cases are won in the US legal tort system. A lawyer doesn’t have to prove anything scientifically, they only need to convince a jury. For instance, if legislation to address the “emergency of climate change” polls well, it will be passed. Science, economics and common sense be damned!
I sincerely hope and pray you don’t end up with Julia the Red.
MV
Caught up with the comments.
some goodies.
Dr Dave
We don’t have gophers in OZ.
However, imagine the biggest, meanest, nastiest ever gopher; rabid, on steroids, and psychotic.
They are called wombats.
Blackswan
Loved the youtube video. Brilliant!
MOTM @ August 22, 2010 at 8:33 am
Thanks for that – remember when we were all commenting on the Treaty on JD’s blog months ago? This eventuality was so patently obvious but the Europhiles all poo-pooed the claims as ridiculous.
Maybe this will shut them up and force Dave to act, bringing on his promised referendum for an exit.
This American woman would make a good Aussie – or at least a worthwhile patron at the OZ Bar and Grill.
Seems we are not the only ones fed up with a total lack of representation.
Might see if I can get in touch and invite her in for a drink.
Dr. Dave says:
August 22, 2010 at 8:45 am
” My question is…do ya’ll even have gophers in Australia?”
As MV says, wombats fit the bill but they’re as big as a terrier and dig HUGE burrows.
Amanda and Crown patiently explained to me a couple of threads ago the difference between gophers, prairie dogs, groundhogs, woodchucks and all those other critters of yours – we have none of them.
Also, “ridiculously spoiling” women isn’t always about diamonds. Just follow their passions, you can’t go wrong….lol
MV,
I looked up wombats. Holy crap! How do you kill these vermin? In fact, how do you “cull the ‘roos” without firearms? I have a humble household but even I have about 30 firearms (over half of which are handguns). Has mandatory disarmament resulted in less crime, fewer murders and a utopian Australian society?
Latest results;
Libs – 73 seats
Lab – 72 seats
Grns – 1 seat
Inds – 4 seats
with Post and Absentee votes yet to be counted and preferences distributed
With a Lab/Grn accord, 73/73 = hung Parliament
Independents, and the deals they make, give them the Balance of Power.
Having been offline and engaging with the real world for a day, I found the discussion of the election completely incomprehensible and so will not comment. However, my doctor has recommended, as part of my mid-life health check, to take more exercise. I feel stimulated to discuss with him the topic of man-eating fast running birds in the Outback. Is this healthy or dangerous or fun or illegal? Can I get a visa to carry out research, or would this be “health tourism”?
Try this – Oz
Suffolkboy
The man-eating, fast running birds of the Outback are called Sheilas.
Whether chasing them is dangerous or not largely depends on how much money you have.
Suffolkboy
Being married at the time could also lead to long-term residual adverse health effects.
At least that’s what would happen in the MV household. According to Thumper it would apparently lead to genital loss.
Blackswan…Also, “ridiculously spoiling” women isn’t always about diamonds. Just follow their passions
What you mean is shoes?
Dr Dave,
Kill a wombat? You jest. Even if we wanted to, they are a protected native animal and we could be fined or in jail or both.
They certainly cause some damage, but in our recent Victorian Wildfire catastrophe, a number of people escaped certain death by hiding in wombat burrows.
‘Roos can only be successfully hunted with long arms, preferably with telescopic sights.
In full flight they get up to amazing speeds, flying over or crashing through fences.
As for disarmament reducing crime? You’re a funny guy Dave.
Only the bad guys have the guns anymore. Drive-by shootings, public gunfights, armed robbery – it’s all happening now in the gang-wars of Sydney & Melbourne.
Only legitimate licensed hunters have rifles etc, small arms licenses are approved for legit security reasons, and licensed rural property owners. Joe Citizen? No guns for him.
Dr Dave
I used to have 37 assorted long-arms, but when the new laws were enacted, I decided to be a law-abiding citizen and hand them all in.
Unfortunately, on my way to the hand-in depot my ute hit a pothole and most of the rifles bounced off – I think they might have fallen down a disused mineshaft or something – along with the ammunition, cos I never could find them.
In the end I found I only had a WWII Mauser and a .22 Ruger to hand in. Funny, you know – a lot of blokes had the same problem.
There’s an awful lot of potholes in Aussie roads – and a lot of disused mineshafts too.
Dr Dave
As Blackswan has already pointed out, we don’t kill wombats – they are protected.
Besides, trying to do so could be hazardous to your health – almost as dangerous as being married and chasing wild Sheilas in the Outback.
MV,
A real pisser about your guns. I’ve heard that some of those disused Australian mine shafts are so deep that retrieval is utterly impossible. Pity. Surely you kept your reloading gear for the sentimental value.
About 20 years ago I had a FFL (Federal Firearms License) that allowed me to purchase firearms and ammo at wholesale. It was during those years that I accumulated most of my weapons. Only in the last few years have I gotten into reloading. Funny…I don’t even hunt. But I love to shoot and I like to know I can defend myself if need be. In many of the southern states we have an infestation of wild hogs. These critters are amazingly destructive (and dangerous, too). In Texas you can hunt them year ’round and kill as many as you want/can. I guess you can eat them but I’d rather buy choice farm raised pork in the grocery.
I do however, have one piece that is my pride and joy. It’s a S&W 460 magnum revolver. It fires a cartridge that is about 5.5 cm in length and the 240 gr projectile has a muzzle velocity of over 2,000 ft/sec. Hearing protection is NOT optional…it’s required. These guns are popular in Alaskan Bear country where a one-shot stop can save your life.
Blackswan,
Gun laws might be one of the few areas where America is actually making progress. About 38 states currently issue concealed carry permits. Not that long ago you couldn’t even legally carry a gun (concealed) in Texas. The strangest thing happened. In every state where concealed carry laws were passed the armed robbery, rape and murder rates declined. This drives the liberal left butthole crazy. We also don’t have gunfights in the streets involving licensed CCW permit holders.
The UK experienced a rise in crime when they disarmed their citizens. Only the bad guys have guns…Duh. It’s really hard to conquer an armed citizenry. The Left in this country are relentless in their zeal to disarm America. The first thing socialists do is disarm the people. Me…I fear the government that fears my guns.
BTW…do you prefer your wombat fried or roasted?
Dr. Dave says:
August 22, 2010 at 10:31 am
“a one-shot stop can save your life.”
Dave, did you ever read a book called “Use Enough Gun” by an African hunter, Robert Ruark?
I read that many years ago, the principle being don’t use a pea-shooter to hit something that can kill you, and secondly to dispatch and humanely kill a target without killing it by inches, or risk wounded prey escaping and becoming a dangerous threat.
I was never “into” hunting – target-shooting yes, but not animals. My Dad was a one-time professional shooter/hunter turned National Parks Ranger. After decades of shooting anything that had the temerity to raise its head, he turned to being Protector of all Creatures great and small.
An interesting fellow who led an interesting like.
Dave,
Our national disarmament program was instituted by a right-wing Liberal Govt in the aftermath of a shocking massacre in 1996. A fully licensed, though deranged, individual with multiple automatic weapons gunned down 50 tourists and locals at Tasmania’s premier tourist attraction, Port Arthur. 35 died, including women and very small children.
This sickening incident caused such trauma in this community that it reverberates to this day.
Only the most committed shooters retained their weapons and their licenses, having to show good cause for doing so. Others, for political reasons, managed to hit a lot of pot-holes in our dodgy country roads.
The crooks are answerable and accountable to nobody, so they just please themselves.
Blackswan,
Interesting about your Dad. My Dad never hunted or fished. He thought fishing was stupid, “sitting in a boat trying to outwit a fish”. He never hunted. He used to say, “If the deer could shoot back it would be a sport”. There was never a firearm in the house when I grew up. My Dad served in the Artillery in Europe in WWII. I guess that was enough gun exposure for him. My Dad was into ham radio and flying airplanes. Hell, he didn’t even like boats and we lived just 2 miles from Lake Michigan.
I became fascinated with guns when I got my first BB gun. I bought my first firearm (a S&W .38 spl revolver in nickel) at age 25 and I’ve been shooting ever since. Too many Americans take our second amendment rights for granted. Many years ago I read a cautionary tale written by an Aussie. The crux of the message was, “you don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone). I imagine more Australians will wish they had guns when your country is invaded by a few million illegal aliens.
The video is astounding and hilarious. I’ve just seen it and would have to watch it several times to catch all of what is going on in it. It certainly does make Australia seem a place of weird and wild politics….
Dave,
You have a few million illegals yourselves, but I haven’t heard where you get to shoot ’em. At least it doesn’t seem to be a deterrent anyway…..lol
Have read Ozboy’s summary, and it sounds like a right pig’s porridge. Good luck to you all, my friends. You’re going to be stuck with bums whichever way you slice it.
Hi Amanda,
Do you mean the Taiwanese commentary on our election etc?
It’s a goodie.
It seems the crocodile sequence was a response to some wag using a croc as a predictor (much like the octopus) by dangling meat representing one party or the other.
Amanda,
Yep, we are all pretty much stuck with our bums unfortunately, some more than others …..lol
Crownarmourer: ‘Ridiculous spoiling’ in my life means the following words from Chris (Mr A): ‘I just happened to see this so I bought them for you’ (packet of Maltesers), ‘and then I passed the aisle where this was and somehow it got in the cart’ (Ghirardelli or Cadbury’s caramel chocolate squares), ‘and when I went across town I saw this and couldn’t resist’ (Italian torrone, i.e. high-quality pistachio or almond nougat). Note that all this implies that Chris does the supermarket shopping. That’s also part of the ridiculous spoiling. In return, I unstack the dishwasher!
Blackswan: Heh heh. At least you’ve got a sense of humour.
Swan at 11:24: Yes. I love the light shining in the croc’s eye at the end.
Blackswan,
Our illegals are like your wombats…we’re not allowed to shoot ’em. But gun owners have thwarted hundreds if not thousands of crimes committed by illegals by brandishing a weapon. Our infestation of illegal alien maggots is a bit different from yours. Here all they have to do is walk across a border. What do we get? Third world illiterate peasants. Even this would be OK if they bothered to assimilate.
Talk to me after you have about a million new Indonesian immigrants who refuse to learn the language or adopt the customs but still expect entitlements from your government. You’ll see it differently when you’re dealing with a new crime wave.
Blackswan Tasmania says:
August 22, 2010 at 8:27 am
Great video, and right on….
Blackswan Tasmania says:
August 22, 2010 at 11:00 am
The gun buy back…. The complexity of the new rules meant that a legitimate licenced shooter (me) would be forever shooting to stay legal , instead of earning a living to pay taxes…. I knew Ray Sharpe, killed by Bryant at Port Arthur; Ray was a member of the Victorian Alfa Club. Had breakfast at home with us before we all went to the Adelaide Grand Prix that year.
Still think that the second amendment to the US Constitution is a good idea. One carrying concealed tourist; no Port Arthur.
Marcus
Dave,
Too late. It’s all happening already.
Apart from the ones who fly in and overstay their various visas, the others turn up in Indonesian fishing boats. Since Labor got in and relaxed the Laws in 2007, they are here in droves from Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka etc etc. They flock into Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the north-west Timor Sea.
When our Navy turns up, they fear being turned around, so they disable their boats, destroy their identification and we’re stuck with ’em. Christmas Island has become so overcrowded, hundreds and hundreds have been flown to the eastern cities and block-booked into hotels and motels.
They are provided with computers, internet access, cell phones (for contacting families) taken on excursions to our SeaWorld and theme-parks, expeditions to shopping malls where they are given “spending money” and have been photographed emerging with laden shopping carts.
ALL are on Welfare and are given priority on Public Housing, ousting long-suffering locals who have been waiting years on loooong lists.
We now have African gangs (from Somalia and Sudan refugee camps), Asian gangs, Pacific Islander gangs, Lebanese gangs and on and on.
Haven’t you heard Dave? This is the Lucky Country.
mlpinaus says:
August 22, 2010 at 11:59 am
Hi Marcus,
Can’t say I disagree with any of it. It’d certainly make me feel better.
Blackswan
Interesting point about the accommodation facilities for our guests.
They used to all be housed at what was known as the “Immigration Detention Centre” in Port Hedland WA. But our resident feelie-touchie do-gooders decided the accommodation there wasn’t good enough. Apparently it did not meet international standards for housing criminals (prisons), let alone our “guests. So it was closed as a detention centre, and Christmas Island was opened.
Today the Port Hedland Detention Centre has been renamed and reopened. It is now called “Beachfront Resort”. Mugs like me pay $230.00 a night (yes, you read right) to stay there when we are contracting to BHP.
The ONLY thing that has changed since it was a detention centre, is that they now spend 40% LESS per person per day on food.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Ahhhhhh. It’s this kind of detail from the trenches that needs to leak out. I’ll tell my son.
Marcus
The West is going to be destroyed unless our governments get a hard heart to these parasites, if you want in then fine first step sterilization clinic next step reassignment as government free labour earning minimal wage picking up trash or tunneling through mountains using a pick axe, shovel and wheel barrow any task that is so menial no one wants to do it and then house them in barracks. Break up any family’s.
Personally for the UK I would rehouse them all on South Georgia.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I’ve just managed to pick myself up from the floor – very bad for arthritic knees…lol
I’d love to say “You’re joking” but I’m fearful that you aren’t.
Is that why you couldn’t get a decent feed and were “hanging out” for a Maccas?
Ye gods and little fishes.
We could rent you the south Sandwich Islands.
Blackswan
Actually, as FIFO camps go, “Beachfront” is one of the better places. I guess our “guests” just have higher expectations.
I’m currently housed at a place called “Mia-Mia”.
I suspect it’s actually where they send the CIA types for rendition training prior to them serving at GITMO.
It just so happens I’m in the process right now of putting together a little web site to share some pics.
When finished I’ll include some of “Beachfront” – the main admin office still has a big sign across the top – “Port Hedland Immigration Detention Centre”.
Crown
Does Sth Georgia have a Falklands ring to it?
Blackswan,
True Libertarians are big fans of open borders. This may be the only issue upon which I part company with the Libertarians. A brilliant, very conservative economist named Walter Williams (a black man, by the way) asks this question of Libertarians, “should anybody who wants to live in the United States be allowed to?” The answer is “of course not!” Nobel laureate Milton Friedman said illegal aliens are fine…as long as they stay “illegal”. The problem is that we give them too much and create an incentive for them to come here illegally.
The US offers citizenship to all who are born here. This is an utter corruption of the intent of our 14th amendment. Our 14th amendment was ratified to grant citizenship to newly freed slaves in the 19th century. In 1982 liberal Supreme Court Justice Brennan sneaked in a footnote to a decision that essentially reinterpreted the meaning of the 14th amendment. Accordingly, for over two decades the USA has been granting citizenship to the babies born to illegal aliens (so called “anchor babies”). As “citizens” these babies have full rights to all social services. It is estimated (very conservatively) that illegal aliens cost the USA $113 billion a year. This is about 10% of Australia’s entire GDP. We have at least 15 million of ’em. Compare this to the entire population of Australia. Our current administration views them as so many unregistered Democrats. They overburden our schools and hospitals and clog up our prisons. They are recipients of housing assistance, food stamps, Medicaid and a myriad of other social services intended for citizens.
I’m actually encouraged to hear that at least some other advanced western nation is experiencing the same problem. Here in the states it’s reaching epidemic proportions and the majority of Americans (those who don’t have illegal alien nannies or illegal alien laborers) have just about had it.
Good luck with your mess…wish us luck with ours.
MV
I’m aquiver with anticipation…lol
No, that’s not anticipation – it”s bloody unspeakable anger.
Your other shots of the Kimberley/Pilbara will calm me down.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 12:46 pm
MV. I assume this will be a site, as it were, in the public domain. A link would be just great for my son, his mates, and mine. Just told my lady wife about the accomodation. Don’t think she believed it…..Don’t think I do…. Yes …. I do
Marcus
Blackswan
Working on that as we speak.
Dr Dave
A true Libertarian has no problems with open borders, cos the only thing within the borders of a true Libertarian state to attract people is the opportunity to work hard and get ahead. These people become assets.
It’s all the other, very NON-Libertarian things you write of, that attract the flotsam and jetsam in the first place. These people arrive as liabilities and remain that way.
Blackswan Tasmania says:
August 22, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Ah. The cleansing fury. I thought I was the only one permantly in a rage with the world.
Marcus
Dr Dave
Haven’t you heard about the UK and France and the other EU countries? We are just p*$$ed off, the Brits are literally being overrun.
From Africa, the sub-Continent (Pakistan, India etc) and now, under EU rules from eastern Europe.
I’ll reserve my bitching and give our British mates the floor.
Marcus
Yes – it is a “public” site, but I won’t be “publicising” it (search engine optimisation etc) – just letting friends here and elsewhere know about it.
I’ve just finished the homepage, working on the rest now.
Registered the URL and bought some web hosting last Friday.
G’day Y’all
I think this could serve as a good theme song for this Aussie election:
Blackswan yes South Georgia is close to the Falklands.
amanda the rocky horror movie is one of my all times favourites the ending was lame though.
Crown, I never saw it. But love the song!
Amanda,
I LOVE the way you say G’day Ya’ll. VERY classy!
Dave
mlpinaus says:
August 22, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Marcus,
At first I was like Mrs Marcus – MV is taking the mickey out of us.
MV is a joker but I don’t he’d be so cruel to his friends. Nah, it’s horribly true.
Problem is, when those who have fled war zones are all claiming torture, “damaged goods” diagnosed as suffering PTSD (post traumatic stress), are put on disability pensions, given family reunion visas so that families can join and emotionally support them, and they inevitably become permanent residents.
Check out……
http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/fees_forms_appeals/
On Welfare? $20, that’s right, twenty bucks will buy you citizenship.
Handing it out like pretzels at a party.
Start at the homepage on that site……just make sure you’re sitting down.
AMANDA
You’ve never seen Rocky Horror?
Poor, deprived girl.
For about two years we used to go see it every Thursday night at the drive in. Double feature, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Adventures of Barry McKenzie.
A car load of mates, a kilo of prawns and a cold slab each, and hurling out the windows by intermission.
God, we were so COOL.
Amanda as long as you realize it’s just a send up of the scifi and horror genres and have an open mind it’s a great movie very campy but deliberately so. Looks like they have removed all the good clips.
Hi Dave,
Well thank you very much. I find it hard to be just one nationality at a time ;^)
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Looking forward to it.
A while ago Oz suggested we establish Facebook sites to share pics and the like.
Blackswan Tasmania is there with a few bits and pieces, Mrs MV might like a squiz.
As for the Chullora drive-in, were you one of the yobs two rows across disturbing the rest of us? Bad MV.
Well ‘Toucha Toucha’ is there. Though I didn’t enjoy that so much. I think ‘Sweet Transvestite’ will likely be my favourite, though ‘Dammit Janet’ is funny at the beginning at least (I switched impatiently as I’m listening to Dire Straits). The lyrics are very clever and that’s a great deal of the appeal.
MV: I like the sound of everything except for the hurling. Love, Mandy xx
Dave,
Amanda is ALWAYS classy – even when she’s wiggling into that tight wetsuit of hers.
Blackswan: Major grins!
Moi?
Tell fibs?????
All right you unbelievers – first the history (scroll down to bottom of page)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Hedland,_Western_Australia
Then a “first hand” report of how “terrible” it was and had to be closed
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/02/1062403516638.html
And finally, as it is today – remember, same rooms, same facilities – just the bar-link fence at the front removed (It’s still around the rest of the facility so you can’t walk down to the beach).
http://www.beachfrontvillage.com.au/-Beachfront-Motel-.html
Your apologies, in triplicate, should be in my email inbox within the hour.
Amanda,
Back atchya….;>)
Swan :^)
Blackswan
Not at Chullora – at Wembley in Perth. But I can guarantee we disturbed EVERYBODY.
Got my first night in the drunk tank at the East Perth lock-up after one of those nights.
Don’t remember the details, but I was arrested on the roof of the local shopping centre with a snare drum, “entertaining” the surrounding residents, at 2.00am.
Got fined $10.00 for being unlawfully on premises.
Swan ‘entertaining’ the residents. Oh good grief! Well we can laugh about it now…
Oh sorry, misread. MV entertaining the residents. Swan a spotless soul despite being black. My mistake.
Amanda,
That was MV not me. I was very well behaved when I visited Perth.
I’ve got white bits under my wings – does that count?
You’re perfect any way you are, Swan
Amanda,
Rocky Horror was lame. I never understood how it gained “cult” status. If you want to watch a great parody of a genre I suggest hunting down a little known film of about 25 years ago called Rustler’s Rhapsody. A bunch of big stars and a lot of cheap laughs. Sample can be found here:
Dave:
Some reviewers on Amazon say it’s ‘lame’, as well. I guess you have to be in the mood and preferably in the theatre throwing popcorn and singing along, etc. Not really my scene, but I can understand how it might be fun.
Will look at your link.
So far it reminds me of Zulu!
He should have said ‘Holy Toledo!’ instead of ‘Holy mackerel!’
Somebody mention zulu….
Crown: ‘Stay where you are, Maxfield!’
Who says that?
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 1:06 pm
MV thanks for your site to come. God, this site moves quickly. Just went outside for a bit. Actually calmed me down. A kind of fury is my natural rest state. But the kookaburras were in the creek celebrating the death of some creature and it was good. It is a beatiful sunny day in Adelaide and it was good. The world is rather beautiful.
I actually did a bit of blessing counting in a lapsed Anglican sort of way…..
Marcus
amanda was it Private Henry Hook been a few years since I last watched it but I do have the DVD.
Amanda,
Forgive me but I didn’t link to the of the best scenes (just one of my favorites). This scene gives you a much better taste of the tone of the movie:
BTW…Zulu is also one of my favorite movies.
To commemorate this rather confusing and indecipherable election result here is a chinese poem written using the alphabet:
It might read better if you add a ‘t’ to the end of every word. Remember to read your shi-t’s with high, rising, falling then rising, and falling tones, as indicated by the direction of the line above the i.
« Shī Shì shí shī shǐ »
Shíshì shīshì Shī Shì, shì shī, shì shí shí shī.
Shì shíshí shì shì shì shī.
Shí shí, shì shí shī shì shì.
Shì shí, shì Shī Shì shì shì.
Shì shì shì shí shī, shì shǐ shì, shǐ shì shí shī shìshì.
Shì shí shì shí shī shī, shì shíshì.
Shíshì shī, Shì shǐ shì shì shíshì.
Shíshì shì, Shì shǐ shì shí shì shí shī.
Shí shí, shǐ shí shì shí shī, shí shí shí shī shī.
Shì shì shì shì.
For our overseas friends:
This is a quote (this morning) from one of our representatives who will hold the balance of power in this country, ie he will be a numero uno.
“Many times I’ve gone to bed as a cockle doodle doo and woke up the next morning as a feather duster – this might be one of those times,” Mr Katter said.
And this is all he could say! No awe inspiring speech! No wondrous words of how he could make a positive difference to the politics of this country!
(Mr Katter is best known in Oz politics for waging a five year campaign to get public toilet cubicle doors to open outwards. I am not making this up.)
Thumper says:
August 22, 2010 at 6:13 pm
……I am not making this up.
I didn’t think you were.
….Have you tried sliding doors? Or possibly revolving doors?
Hi Fenbeagle
Oh No! Just one option. Three options would be too difficult for that particular pollie.:)
Thumper
…I like the idea of revolving doors on toilet cubicles. I hadn’t thought about it before. It could streamline and speed up the whole process. If it was a big revolving door it could contain the cubicles…..So you don’t need ‘doors’ or cubicles at all! Just one big revolving door.
If it was a pay toilet, you could charge for each ‘lap’ of the circuit.
…so much to draw, so little time to do it.
On UK ‘energy policy’ – if one can call it that.
I think I’ve got it now, in the UK we are not going to need new nuclear plant, we can have free lecky from our friendly Islamic Republic, namely Iran.
Mind you, that’s all dependent on Israel of course; it wants to send some airbourne ‘presents’ to Iran from special planes called F111s (have USA ‘given’ them F117s?), bit of refuelling problems but they’ll be sorted…… .
“It also has started a pilot program of enriching uranium to 20%, which officials say is needed for a medical research reactor.”
Medical research Huh?
Wow! The altruism of these guys is something to behold.
Has the presidents bluff been called?
Boston Bear would know, where are you BB?
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3940905,00.html
Are we going to hell in a handcart?
PS Joolya’s Aussie accent………..she tries too hard, how does the hubby put up with it?
Its all Kylie’s fault.
Bring back Paul Hogan/Thommo/Skippy, at least they sounded like Aussies:>)
Oh yeah and Merv’.
G’Day MV and All.
A mysterious personette called Eco Annie has posted the following on GreenWar Australia.
http://www.greenpeace.org.au/blog/?p=2472&cpage=1#comment-8829
It’s been sitting in moderation since Friday. Maybe the moderators don’t work weekends.
Pointman
Evening Thumper, Fen,
Not in defense of any politician, I’d like to put a case for outward toilet doors.
Some years back, my sister bought our frail aged Mum over to our place for Sunday lunch. With all the chatter going on around the table none of us noticed that Mum wasn’t there. Going past the loo for something I heard this small plaintive voice.
“Is anyone there?” Poor Mum was profoundly deaf. The latch on the door was stiff and she couldn’t get out, couldn’t shout loud enough for her boisterous family to hear, and was stuck. We couldn’t get in. We called to her to stand away from the window so we could break the glass. She couldn’t hear anything but shouts and started to panic, quickly becoming breathless.
Long story short, window broken, skinny teenage boy fed through window, rescues Nanna. She was fine but would never go to our loo again.
Case 2: My sister’s friend collapsed on the loo with a cerebral aneurysm and fell against the door unconscious. Rescue workers had to demolish the rear wall of the loo to get the patient out.
There IS a case for outward doors. We should all have one, because even with a latch accessible from outside, a person’s body-weight against the door trumps it.
Fenbeagle
Please do not forget (in your drawings) the cockle doodle doo!
Edward
Joolya isn’t married. Apparently she is a bad influence on our younger generation:
“living in a de facto” relationship. I think the “Lodge” is trying to evict them.
Edward
WOT!! – No Aunty Jack?
Yes, this really was a kids show – we breed ’em tough down here.
PS
The “Lodge” is a bit ‘beige’ – literally.
Evening Pointy
Interesting link.
Maybe we should “volunteer” for their groups.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Exactly my thinking mate. Perhaps a few of the regulars might help out and knock out a few posts on activist sites. As the poor lady said, “Something must be done.”
Save Pilbara!
Pointman
I’m not awake yet. Brain still in first gear. The comment awaiting moderation is –
“EcoAnnie Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
August 21st, 2010 at 1:27 am
I’ve just come back from a wonderful and exhilarating holiday touring around Pilbara. The scenery is beautiful, totally unspoilt and teems with wildlife. When we were there, we also visited the caves to see the famous cave drawings. They’re estimated to be forty thousand years old. Isn’t that wonderful? We were told by the guide that Geologists have found rock shards which they’d determined were brought all the way from Tasmania to Pilbara. Obviously, the caves were holy places to the native Australians. You can still feel an atmosphere as you stand quietly with your eyes shut and open your senses.
But I’m very concerned maybe even afraid, that such a near mystical place will soon be destroyed by the insatiable hunger of Capitalism. A tribal elder told us they had been approached by a representative of a mining company. Apparently the company was buying up options on the land because large deposits of various metals had been found in the northern part of the blessed land. They wanted the blessing of the tribe in exchange for some thinly disguised bribes. They’re talking about mining a mile wide, thirty feet deep seam that runs across the whole of the north of Pilbara. The proud natives don’t want to sell out but they’ve been beaten down by centuries of oppression and injustice. If only people could see how beautiful a place it is, then the whole thing could be stopped at an early stage. Something must be done. ”
Pointy
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:15 pm
“Rip yer bloody arms orf” – what is it about Aussie blokes who love to throw on a frock?
Pointman says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Pointy,
MV is just the man for the job. The Pilbara is his stamping ground.
It’s up to the vet of course.
Pointman
Somebody is a wicked boy.
And it wasn’t me.
You been posting in your sleep again Pointy?
MV,
LOL, love it.
Thumper,
G’day,
Hmmm, yes Ms. Gillard, sorry – my mistake…….a bad influence indeed, living in sin………………..blimey – though looking at her, if it came down to her or taking a risk by calling an AFL team ‘pussies’ – the 18 months in a hospital ward would be preferable.
Ed.
Blackswan
Yeah, much prefer a pleated gym skirt meself.
Shows off my legs better.
Edward
Aunty Jack was on at 4.30pm.
Little boys who survived without being too traumatised were allowed to watch Kenny Everett and Hot Gossip, which followed at 5.00pm.
Being a ‘family friendly site, I won’t post a link.
But boy they were good.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Naw. Somebody’s just doing their bit for the environment. Save Pilbara!
Pointman
Pointy
That sounds like the kind of story I try and tell Thumper when I’m late home.
Only in my case, of course, it’s true.
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:37 pm
“Everything in the best possible taste!” – Cupid Stunt!
Sid snot, Reg Prescot, then Sarah Brightman’s (when she was a raunchy Sheila) lot, ‘tents in bed’ stuff for young ‘dunno where I ams’.
Ed.
OMG
I go off to cook dinner and I came back and the bar has become “who can get in the first laugh”.
Edward: I didn’t say ‘living in sin’. That is not allowed in this country anymore.
Still eating and LOL
More U bureaucracy Pay as you go roads
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/194716/Now-EU-plans-to-make-our-roads-pay-as-you-go
Too much — Not long to the breaking point I feel
Man on the Moor
MOTM @ 8.10pm
Tell me I’m dreaming or cross-eyed MOTM
Your link tells me the EU wants to put a satellite up to track each vehicle so the motorist can be billed according to mileage travelled. To incorporate British roads into a Continental network so they can bill motorists directly.
If your Govt allows that then they all need to be drawn, quartered and hung on a Liberty Gibbert. Shameful.
Blackswan Tasmania says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:27 pm
I grew up in a small town, and as in any other, it had its end of year school concert.
Part of the concert was for the dads to do a stint (really just rubbishing women, but hilariously funny, and all dressed up in frocks).
Now, my mother, who is a devout catholic (that is why I have got six brothers), and ‘butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth’ would ‘religiously’ (being a fine seamstress) assist the men to choose and buy the fabric and design their ‘frocks’. And she even had the assistance of the other mothers to stuff their old bras (with tissues I guess – sort of didn’t look really), and the dads were given old suspender belts and stockings – not really strange – that’s all the girls had in those days.
And mind you, the parish priest was always in attendance at these sort of functions. And, of course, in his frock.
And, afterwards, the men would always discard their flippery, and my mum would throw it away – Oz men didn’t wear deodorant in those days – and all that excitement and stuff – well it was on the nose. And gosh, every year my dad, was in the thick of the excitement and participated in the concert.
If that was as close as my mum and dad could come to the edge – in those days – I salute them both.
Thumper says:
August 22, 2010 at 8:50 pm
My folks were never so “out there” as to do anything so outlandish.
The only show-pony in our lot was …..me.
As for frocks, I could never get the hemline right or my lippy on straight ;>0
I have been looking for a National Weather Service Observing Handbook No. 3, so far I have found no hint it exists.
Looking at the names on National Weather Service Observing Handbook No. 2 we find U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Robert Mosbacher, Secretary, this is a guy who was famous for bringing in the NAFTA (from wiki “he was the principal Cabinet official responsible for initiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)…
Robert was director, chairman or president of a bank, an insurance company and a couple of oil institutes or associations. His family had made money in the Wall street crash and he was a friend of George H.W Bush.
Now why would this cerptitudinous fella be involved with weather station manuals?
From an article in 2007
Click to access articles%2Fpdf%2Fmosbacher_we_v10n2.pdf
I found, and I quote…
“The yearly threat of hurricanes coupled with their predicted increasing intensity add to the volatility of natural gas prices.”
It seems he who controls the “predicted increasing intensity” controls the price of gas…
Looking for information on William E Evans I came across an alleged multimillion dollar fish laundering scheme.
I also learnt that he was a marine zoologist, Evans has been Executive Director of the Hubbs Marine Research Institute in San Diego, Calif., since 1977. Evans earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Bowling Green State University and received a master’s degree from Ohio State University. He received his Doctorate in biology and animal behavior from the University of California at Los Angeles. He is a member of numerous professional organizations and has taught at several major universities.
I really wanted to look at the Environmental Compliance memorandum of June 29, 1989. From Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere William E. Evans, but the link does not work for me.
All I could find for the last name on the manual was from
http://www.weather.gov/pa/history/timeline.php
is that in 1988: Dr. Elbert W. Friday, Jr. appointed NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Service. 1994: Dr. Elbert W. Friday, Jr. was honored as Federal Executive of the Year;
In 1989 the year that this manual was released they also declare
“Eight year national plan for the modernization and restructuring of the National Weather Service is announced.”
In 1990 they Procured and installed a supercomputer – the Cray Y-MP8 at the National Meteorological Center to run higher resolution and more sophisticated numerical weather production models.
We also find out that…
“Today, routine surface observations are collected manually each hour at 260 Weather Service facilities with 1,200 people giving at least part time to the task”
In just one year the volunteers have been cut from 11,000 to 1,200! What is the betting they kept only the shortest volunteers?
It seems an OIL baron, a dolphin talker and an early IT geek drew up this manual and then went out of their way to make it obsolete, but never issued a new revised version.
Why would big oil interests want to be playing with weather forecasts to elevate prices of gas, what would they gain from this?
NoIdea
Thumper says:
August 22, 2010 at 8:50 pm
My folks were never so “out there” as to do anything so outlandish.
Blackswan – they just didn’t tell you!
The only show-pony in our lot was …..me.
Were you ‘Malcolm in the Middle?
As for frocks, I could never get the hemline right or my lippy on straight ;>0
Now you sound like a girl.
MV has constantly and consistently said ‘how come you get to roam around with (live in) something so eroticically sensuous and we have to wear jocks.
What can I say…….
Funny how “cross-dressing” seems to keep recurring – very “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Great film by the way)
Sorry to be late today – Internet down this morning, very common here.
Anyway Καλημέρα. Off to read the posts now.
Today, in the UK, is the debate over C/A/G/W[1] being the creed of the Church?
Is it over the Australian election[2] no comments allowed?
Is it over the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare (SRA)[3] (a long-running issue)
No to all!
It’s SQUIRREL TIME again[4]!!
I think there’s a common thread, but it’s difficult to fathom, although “money” (as in “give us all you m~” is a good starter, followed by power (as in “power now resides in the third party in a coalition”). This might lead to a debate on the rights of the state to enter your property when searching for squirrels, children, terrorists or arsenal-filled mineshafts.
Links:
[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/7932201/Climate-change-Behold-the-gospel-according-to-the-UN.html
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/7958475/Fate-of-Australian-parliament-rests-in-hands-of-independent-MPs.html
[3] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/7946155/Forced-adoption-social-workers-surreal-investigation-recalls-satanic-abuse-scandals.html
[4] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/7958103/Arrested-for-defending-the-red-squirrel.html
http://www.seco.noaa.gov/documents/Framework_3/f3.html
NoIdea – is this one working?
Oh dear, there’s another belt of global warming forecast for tonight which will drown Suffolk, the Fens, and the Wash. Or it might not. Long-wellie time tonight after the barbie.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_warnings.html
meltemian says:
August 22, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Hi meltemian
Things are going very slowly at the moment.
We are all in post ‘traumatic election syndrome’
Please explain what does this mean:
Καλημέρα
Excuse my ignorance
Sorry Thumper – I was just being a “smart-ass” it says Kalimera phonetically and just means Good-Morning.
Not surprised you’ve got PTES, and you’ve still got to wait for all those holidaymaker’s votes to register. In the UK you either lose the chance to vote or arrange for a postal vote ahead of time. Postal Voting this last election however was a bit of an issue! Seems lots of votes were applied for from addresses that didn’t belong to the voters – suspected large-scale vote rigging.
meltemian says: August 22, 2010 at 9:41 pm Καλημέρα
Thanks for the translation. I had read it as “squid” which caused me to be baffled and then hungry.
Hey
meltemian says:
August 22, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Thanks for the translation – but adieu – enjoy the evening.
MV says g’night all
Καλημέρα
It’s all Greek to me.
suffolkboy – that’s Καλαμάρι but you were almost right.
Locusts – To tell the truth it’s “all greek” to me as well but I’m learning slowly……..
Meltemian at August 22, 2010 at 10:10 pm
That link you show is where I tried to get onto the one that would not work with the June 89 ECM (Environmental Compliance memorandum) the manual (National Weather Service Observing Handbook No. 2) was released the next month in July 89.
Why does the link for the 89 ECM not work on any of the pages I have seen it on?
NoIdea
memoryvault says:
August 22, 2010 at 7:44 pm
“Only in my case, of course, it’s true.” When in doubt what to say, it’s always best to consult the old masters …
Pointman
Meltemian,
I imagine it being quite difficult, them being to stuck up to use the roman alphabet and all!
NoIdea – you managed to get this ?
Home — Safety — Environmental
United States Department of Commerce
The Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere
Washington, D.C. 20230 June 29, 1989
MEMORANDUM FOR: Assistant Administrators
Staff Office Directors
FROM: William E. Evans
SUBJECT: Environmental Compliance
Although the Alaska oil spill has attracted a great deal of public attention in recent months, another environmental event has become of increasing concern to a number of government and NOAA managers. The recent conviction of three Department of the Army employees at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, regarding hazardous waste disposal has forcefully brought home the potential that government site managers have for extensive personal liability.
Without dwelling on the particulars of that case I believe that NOAA must develop a unified and straightforward strategy for dealing with environmental compliance issues. I do not believe that unsafe or hazardous environmental conditions are widespread within NOAA. Furthermore, I’m certain that most NOAA managers are now taking appropriate actions in this regard.
However, because such issues will be of continuing interest to this Administration and will receive increasing emphasis, it is important that the roles and responsibilities within NOAA be laid out and that we proceed toward taking all necessary actions to place NOAA in compliance with applicable environmental statutes and regulations.
A cardinal principle of environmental laws and regulations is that the primary responsibility for the abatement of hazardous wastes and other environmental dangers lies with the generator of those wastes. Within NOAA, it is generally well-understood that if a NOAA program creates such materials or conditions, then it also must correct it. Thus, in general, Line Offices will have the compliance role, and while conditions may vary from site to site, the primary burden for environmental correction will fall upon individual site managers.
However, it is equally clear that site managers and the entire Line Office chain of command cannot be expected to correct these conditions where they occur without a support network of technical and legal assistance, as well as some commitment of required resources. Field managers need to know where to get specific information to allow them to assess their situation and develop needed strategies.
Accordingly, I am making the following assignments:
•Each Assistant Administrator will designate an individual as a central Line Office focal point, responsible for environmental compliance. That individual will establish lines of communications with regional offices and field locations, become fully aware of compliance issues, and assure that required abatement actions are taken within that line office.
•The Director of the Office of Administration, in concert with the Directors of the Administrative Support Centers (ASC’s), will develop a plan for maintaining a smooth flow of needed information and liaison with the Department, and providing technical assistance on environmental compliance to site managers through the ASC’s.
•The NOAA General Counsel will designate an individual in its headquarters who shall be familiar with environmental laws and regulations and can provide legal advice on compliance matters to Line Offices and ASC’s.
These assignments in no way will affect the current responsibilities of the Ecology and Conservation Division of the Office of the Chief Scientist.
I am also asking that these actions be completed by July 15, 1989, and that the Director of the Office of Administration provide me with a progress report on that date.
Meanwhile we will keep you aware of compliance issues as information becomes available.
Meltemian
Thank you for finding that for me, I have managed to find a little more information on Dr. Elbert W. Friday, Jr. on page 14205-14206 of the Congressional record-senate (25th June 1998)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=o6b2i2k5MkQC&pg=PA14205&lpg=PA14205&dq=National+Weather+Service+Elbert+W.+Friday,&source=bl&ots=eZOb-6CF4H&sig=VdDnAe3qCcuQ7XUciNsAb0-NqAY&hl=en&ei=FgFxTP2ONdW6jAfrsOX6CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=National%20Weather%20Service%20Elbert%20W.%20Friday%2C&f=false
It mentions global warming amongst other things…
NI
Dr Dave: Glad to hear that Zulu is one of your faves. It’s the one I’ve watched the most.
Crown: Right, and very good. Hook, one of those that got the Victoria Cross.
Yes and like all movies they got the actual history wrong to make it a better movie. There was another attack at a different location which was also fought off but it is not as famous. The Zulu’s were terrible at attacking fortified positions.
Crown: They were pretty successful at Isandlwana just before Rorke’s Drift. It was a massacre. Could have turned out differently if the Brits had been better prepared….
Anyway the history isn’t *that* much played about with: I’ve got a book on Rorke’s Drift and it seems to me the general events are as presented. They imported the priest, I suppose, but in terms of the battle it’s fairly accurate, though the weaponry used isn’t the Martini-Henry or ought to be or something like that (would need to look at the book again). Also some Zulu extras in the film are apparently — I haven’t proved this to myself — wearing watches given to them as payment by the filmmakers for participating. Obviously not historically accurate!
Well most of the soldiers were not Welsh as the regiment was one from Warwickshire.
Henry Hook was a teetotaler.
G’day all,
Don’t know about you, but I’m all electioned out.
New post here
Oz
Crown:
Yes, I suppose they wanted them to be Welsh so they could justify all the robust singing!
Henry Hook was a teetotaller, eh? I suppose he had his reasons, but I’m temted to think ‘Poor old fool’. Fermented drinks in my opinion are a part of civilized life….
Amanda take a look at what they say about the movie on wikipedia zulu movie about the liberty’s they took generally it is roughly right but some characters became more important than they should have been with some minor prop errors etc. I thought it was only Hollywood that made such changes. I still hate Braveheart for that very reason turned an admirable figure into one I despised.
Crown: Certainly you can’t like a film that does that (turn an admirable etc.)!
I recall reading that at Rorke’s Drift the provisioning chappie — can’t remember either his name or his actual title — was actually a key person in the battle strategy, being the one to suggest and organize the mealy bag walls and so on. But all that stuff is given to Chard. I did like Stanley Baker in the role. And Michael Caine, of course.
What’s it all about?