Carlton Confirm that Brendan Fevola will be on the Trade Table - Swans May Be an Option - Soft C*ck Geese at Carlton
Right. I'm officially outraged that the Carlton Football Club would cave into the pressure of the media and basically sack Brendan Fevola.
What did Fevola do wrong at the Brownlow Medal awards? He got drunk and made a fool out of himself. Well woopdeedoo. There's a fricken first in football.
Sure, Fevola acted like a bit of a tool. But the Carlton Football club should hang their heads in shame for getting rid of one of their best players. A player who performed well both on and off the field during the game season.
Carlton got sucked in by the media. Stephen Kernahan you were a great centre half forward, but you suck as a President. Sorry mate. Take a leaf from Eddie's book. He knows how to be a president. And he sticks by his players.
Don't the Carlton football club know that Fevola has been set up by the media? This is one of the biggest beat ups in football history. As we speak, that great football thug and boxer Barry Hall is given another chance to play at the Bulldogs. But someone gets turfed for having too many drinks at the end of the season? I don't get it.
I watched the Carlton v Brisbane game where the blues got knocked out of the finals. It was breathtakingly obvious that Carlton needed another target up forward. So way to go in getting rid of the one thing you had going for you in the forward 50. Idiots.
It might just be my opinion, but its also a fact that there are a pack of fricken soft c*ck geese at Carlton.
Car Crash Test Video- Head On Smash Between 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
I think we all know that car safety has come a long way in the last 50 years. But in case you had any doubt, check out the following video of a head on collision at 40mph between a 1959 Chevy and a 2009 Chevy. Its amazing.
40mph is only around 64kmh. Many head on crashes occur at much greater speeds than that. But if you happened to be in a 59 Bel Air, you wouldn't have much hope of survival. In a 2009 Chevy, you are likely to walk away with only the most minor of injuries.
The 59 Bel Air has no seat belts, no padded dash or roof and no crumple zones. The driver as you can see has little chance. In the 2009 Chevy, the testers concluded that there was a chance that the driver might sustain a minor injury to the left foot.
The test was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Higway Safety in the United States.
Rising Property Prices? Housing Prices Tipped to Go Through the Roof -That's What Economists Say
Sometimes i think id like some of the fantasy pills that economists take. And id also like a couple of the special "suspension of disbelief" drugs that are obviously issued to every journalist at the beginning of every working day.
Because here we have the latest report of the comments from Reserve Bank economist Dr Tony Richards. Screaming headlines greeted us regarding a potential surge in housing prices in Australia. "Surging house prices could price battlers out of housing market" and "Brace for a housing price-rise flare up" were just a couple of their leads.
I'm sorry. Where have you all been in the past year? Housing prices have gone through the roof already. Why must economists and the media continue to predict things after they have already occurred? Baffling.
So all their stories related to the comments from Richards who suggested that Australia might see a serious rise in house prices due to a lack of supply."Looking forward, the risk is that we might move towards undesirable strong growth in housing prices," Richards said.
Really Doctor? And the last year, what, those serious price rises didn't happen?
In a statement of the bleeding obvious Richards stated that "It is looking increasingly clear that Australia has avoided the large falls in housing prices seen in some other countries over the past two years or so." Hmmm. Yes Doctor. Thanks for that wisdom.
So the battlers could be excluded from purchasing a house? Umm, I'm sorry, but who do you think has been buying over the last 12 months? The number of loans issued to first home owners have hit record highs. I'm just thinking out aloud here, but if they are battlers and find it difficult to make mortgage payments, should they really be borrowing $300,000? We are likely to see them come under stress when interest rates rise.
Ive been keeping a close eye on the property market here in Melbourne. Thanks to low interest rates, high wages, stimulus payments and first home owners grants, property prices have never been higher. Ive watched as older one bedroom apartments in an outer suburb of Melbourne went from around the $200-220,000 mark to $270-300,000 - all in the space of about 9 months.
That's actually a true story. Its hard to believe, but prices for one bedroom apartments in many of Melbourne's suburbs have almost doubled in the last 5-6 years.
Is that not a price surge that has already occurred Dr Richards? Its much the same all over Melbourne, and as far as i can tell, most of Australia. That's not just anecdotal evidence. The size of the average loan has increased significantly over the last 12 months. Add that to the massive first buyers grant and you have increased prices.
The problem is that Dr Richards suggests that it is all about supply and demand. True, to a point. I didn't do an economics degree, but the problem as i see it is that he is equating current demand with what will occur in the next 12 months to 2 years. I don't think it will be the same. Which then in turn will lead to a drop in house prices.
Why? Numerous factors, which i went into here previously - 3 months ago. In summary, interest rates are set to rise significantly, coming off 50 year lows. Stimulus payments have ended. The first home buyers grant is winding down. And all these factors could well lead to a drop in market confidence. Take some of the investors out of the market and prices could soon start tumbling.
Yes, a belief that house prices might fall actually means less demand Dr Richards. I understand the "people need a roof over their head" argument, but there is more to prices than just that. There is always a tipping point. See the United States housing price crash.
Australia has some of the most expensive housing in the world. It cant keep rising, it's just not sustainable.
Warning - If the Future for Myer is So Good - Why is it Being Sold?
Sure, Myer is a trusted name in Australian retailing. But being a trusted name does not in itself lead to a long term investment opportunity. Please see Telstra, worth only slightly more now as it was when it floated in 1997. Then think to Telstra 2. If you bought into that in 1999, you have literally halved your investment.
Myer shares will hit the market in early November at between $3.90 and $4.90, depending on investor demand. Id expect it to be at the upper end of that target. Based on their earnings projections, Myer will have a price to earnings ratio anywhere from 14.3 to 17.3. The first full year fully franked dividend is projected to come in around 21 cents per share.
So why is Myer such a bad choice for a long term investment? In one simple word, Myer is overpriced. That's just my opinion of course, but based on their rather optimistic future earnings, your best rate of return in dividends is likely to be around 4%. Nothing to write home about, but OK if there was sustained capital growth. I'm sceptical that there will be. And a possible 17 times earnings at listing on their optimistic projections? My God, that is high.
You need to answer the question, if Myer is such a good investment opportunity, why is the Myer family and private equity owners TPG and Blum Capitol selling the business? Because they know they can make a profit in this market. And its a profit in the hundreds of millions of dollars from their purchase of Myer in 2006.
What is the role of private equity firms in all of this? Basically to make a quick profit. Their mode of operation is to take over a company, slash costs through whatever means, then flog it off to whoever will buy it.
Over the last 3 years, TPG and Myer has gone all out to improve the balance sheet. And in the last year, Myer's profits have risen significantly from previous years. Why? Cost cutting, aggressive discounting and a market filled with stimulus payments and low interest rate money. Most retailers should make a decent profit with those variables.
But you will need to keep in mind that despite all of that, Myer's sales have actually dropped in the last 3 years. Believe it. Which means that it has been savings measures and discounting, not increased sales which has driven a profit. Is that sustainable in the long term? Probably not. But it is a good way to make a balance sheet look good before a sale.
So what about TPG and the Myer family? They may retain some of the shares, depending on how well the float goes. But if it is oversold, they will likely hold nothing. At best they will have a combined shareholding of around 15%. Is that confidence? Not in my mind.
There are projected earnings increases from Myer over the coming years and even big plans for expansion. But what about when the cost cutting stops? Remember that the stimulus payments are finished and interest rates are on the rise, leaving less household disposable income.
If Myer couldn't increase sales over the past year, then seriously, what hope do they have for the future? Unless Myer turn into a serious discount style department store, I'm not sure that they will be able to compete with other retailers.
Myer just isn't the store that we all grew up with. Our tastes have changed. Think about the shopping centres from 25 years ago. A massive department store like Myer and a few choice retail outlets. Now, every shopping centre is filled with a vast array of retail outlets, stealing the sales that used to be made at Myer.
Think electronics. I remember a time that Myer was one of only a handful of outlets offering electrical. But does anyone who worries about money seriously buy electrical items from Myer? Vastly overpriced. And think about the competition from places like JB Hi Fi, Retravision, Harvey Norman, Clive Peeters and The Good Guys.
That's serious competition for Myer. To compete, they must discount. Not easy to do when your overheads are much bigger than the other guy.
So have a long hard think before committing to Myer shares in the long term. If they weren't discounting, would you still buy there? If you would choose to spend your own money in other stores then maybe Myer isn't such a great investment after all.
Note: These are just my thoughts. I could well be wrong and Myer could be incredibly successful. I have a hunch that it will list at a premium, meaning there could be a quick buck to be made by traders. But i am concerned for those looking to hold long term.
Herald Sun Confidential - Up to the Minute News and Entertainment Scoops - Will You Pay for This?
Rupert Murdoch recently indicated that News Corp websites around the world will soon start charging for user access. A good thing too - you just cant expect people to get top quality, up to date information for free. Speaking of which, I happened to check out Melbourne's Herald Sun Confidential pages.
I was astounded to see some amazing stories. Firstly, Madonna is preparing to marry Jesus - great news huh? And we also have the Emmy's worst dressed. But then i happened to glance across at another potentially religious story.
This was not the headline, but it may as well have been: "Stan Zemanek Back from the Dead - Seen on Great Ocean Road". The story to go with their Starwatch column tells us of "Former shock jock Stan Zemanek is enjoying a road trip along the Great Ocean Rd to celebrate his 60th birthday." That's just unbelievable, particularly given he died a couple of years back.
Then we have the next little gem. "Ritchie is Still Logie Favorite". Hang on a minute, aren't we in September? I'm staggered that the Herald Sun has the scoop on the betting for the Logies even before next year's nominees are announced.
Nah, its all too good to be true. Stan Zemanek is still dead - the story was hot off the press on June 4, 2007. And Kate Richie was the hot favorite for the Logies on May 4, 2008.
I just cant wait to pay for these types of breaking stories. Stan Zemanek driving down the Great Ocean Road. Doesn't sound like a huge scoop, but to still be on the website as lead starwatch story over 2 years later - by God, that story has some legs. Top Notch.
Cheat? Chris Badenoch on A Current Affair - Gemma Pritchard Spills the Beans - Video to Follow
As reported here yesterday from an exclusive tip off to YG News, A Current Affair is set to air explosive allegations about Chris Badenoch on Masterchef Australia
ACA's entertainment reporter Peter Ford has confirmed on 3AW radio this morning that Chris took a mobile phone into the Masterchef House, against the explict rules of the show.
Chris' ex girlfriend Gemma Pritchard has presented ACA reporter Martin King with the physical evidence of her contact with the Masterchef third place getter. Chris is said to have broken all the rules by asking Gemma to provide him with assistance before many of the show's challenges.
Video of A Current Affair expose on Chris Badenoch to Follow.
Read the exclusive story here.
UPDATE: An interesting twist to this story. The lead reporter on this issue for A Current Affair, Martin King, has seemingly been provided with the documentary proof of text messages by someone other than Gemma Pritchard. Despite what we were led to believe, the information of contact between Chris and Gemma appears to have been procured from other sources.
I'm just thinking out aloud here, but could A Current Affair been party to theft of the information, or even worse, broken Australian Telecommunications Laws?
Brooke Sheehan Poses For Front Cover of Men's Magazine Zoo Weekly Photos
The wowsers were up in arms over the most recent episode of Packed to the Rafters which showed simulated sex scenes and a just a little bit of self lovin. Amazing when you think about it, because Packed to the Rafters is hardly family entertainment. It fills the 8.30pm timeslot and does come with a warning before hand.
Some choice comments on News Limited Sites regarding the show:
Too far Rafters. Totally unappropriate, yeh there are other channels, and people have pay TV to watch smut etc but why ruin a good show with great ratings. We will be changing the channel this week as it was very uncomfortable , not so much for my hasband and I, but our teenage children.
Usually like to watch it. Turned it straight over to another channel. Not interested in muck.
I love packed to the Rafters.. but to sit down and watch a family show with a 10 year old child was not on last week. Its the kind of show that has real life every day stories but leave the Adult smut out of it. I wasnt letting my child watch that. Shame on the writers.
Yeah, good one. Let your 10 year old watch it. Idiot. Sometimes i think we have gone back to the 1950s. Its like that whole revolution thing of the 1960s and 1970s just didn't occur.
Anyways, Brooke Sheehan, the boss and love interest of Nathan Rafter has decided to pose for the cover of Zoo Weekly. Good for her. But it will probably add to the angst of family groups all over Australia. That's good too. They need to get a grip.
Exclusive - Ex Girlfriend Gemma Pritchard Says that Chris Badenoch Cheated on Masterchef Australia - Used Mobile Phone to get Recipes
A few months back, Gemma Pritchard, the ex girlfriend of Chris Badenoch, spilled the beans on their relationship in a tell all exclusive to tabloid rag, New Idea. Yes, she was paid to dish out the dirt on the third place getter in Masterchef Australia's first series.
But now Gemma Pritchard is about to go further, revealing even more sordid information to the tabloid TV show, A Current Affair. We have yet to be told how much she was paid for her story this time.
Exclusive sources have revealed to YG News that in an interview with ACA's Martin King, Gemma will allege that Chris Badenoch cheated his way through the Masterchef series. Against the rules of the show, Chris is alleged to have asked Gemma to provide detailed information to him regarding upcoming recipes.
According to sources, Gemma complied with the request, doing the research and coming back to Chris with the results. It is alleged that Chris was perpetrating these underhanded tactics while other contestants were safely tucked up in their house, without any real contact with their friends and family.
It is suggested that against the rules of the house, Chris Badenoch had a mobile phone with him, which he used to communicate with Gemma.
Having kept the information to herself and some close friends, for some reason Gemma has decided to go public on the matter. And it is believed that she has numerous printed pieces of correspondence between Chris and herself.
The contact between Chris and Gemma is said to have taken place at around the same time that he was pursuing a relationship with fellow contestant Jullia Jenkins. He was also said to have been in a relationship with his flatmate in Melbourne as well. All very interesting.
It is also understood that A Current Affair will reveal even more details about Chris' former business affairs, including his declared bankruptcy.
These latest revelations are perfectly timed by ACA and Channel Nine to try to spoil the new Celebrity Masterchef which begins on Wednesday. It wont work of course, but they do like to try.
I will come back with a video of the interview on A Current Affair as soon as it becomes available.
I'd just like to say Go The Saints.
Thats all.
Thank you.
Saturday 8.30pm Update: Bugger. No, I'm not a St Kilda supporter...i just really hate Geelong. Sorry Cats fans. Its just something i grew up with.
Yes, St Kilda should have won - they didnt make the most of lots of chances. But the final score is what matters, so congrats to Geelong.
Just as a note to those playing in wet weather - try to get the ball onto the boot and move it forward. Its old advice which modern players just don't seem to be versed in. Handballing and trying to play possession footy doesn't always work.
Id also love to see footballers kick to contests outside of the forward 50. And this kicking back into defensive 50? Can it change? Probably not. But just imagine the first coach who takes us back to the way footy was played in the 1980's. He is going to confuse every other team with a "new" style of play.
Oh, and a final note. If you have the chance, straighten up before kicking when in front of goal. Sure, a snap looks amazing when it comes off. But when it doesn't, hell, it could cost you a premiership.
Thats all. Bring on 2010.
AFL Footballer Michael Hurley Questioned by Police over Assault on Taxi Driver in Richmond (Update - Confirmed that Taxi Driver is Indian)
Essendon AFL star Michael Hurley is said to be in police custody, being questioned about an alleged assault on a taxi driver in Hoddle Street Richmond at about 5.30 am on Grand Final Eve.
It is being reported that the taxi driver was allegedly kicked and punched by a passenger whose journey began in South Melbourne. It is also being reported that there was a dispute over the fare.
Without suggesting that it was the case here, problems with correct fares are becoming increasingly common in Melbourne, something i have previously written about.
In this incident, the taxi driver is said to have suffered only minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment.
Michael Hurley, 19, was Essendon's number one draft pick in 2008.
All i can say is God help us if the taxi driver in question was an Indian Student - we will never hear the end of it. This at a time when Premier John Brumby is pointlessly trying to calm the waters in India over so called racist attacks on Indian students in Australia.
As the Premier will find, when you are up against the might of the Indian media, you really don't have much of a chance.
Footy Show - Brendan Fevola Doing Street Talk at the 2009 Brownlow Medal Awards
Was i dreaming about the Footy Show saying that they wouldn't be showing Brendan Fevola's street talk at the Brownlow Medal Awards?
Seemingly not. The Age 23/9/09 "Earlier, Channel Nine confirmed it had axed Fevola from tomorrow’s grand final edition of The Footy Show after his boozy Brownlow night. The TV station confirmed today that Fevola would not be a panellist on the show, nor would his version of Street Talk appear."
Huh? So what was this that was broadcast on the Grand Final Footy Show? A Brendan Fevola impersonator? You just have to hate the rubbish that comes from the media. It puts their call for Fevola's sacking into perspective. Its a major media beat up.
Take a look at the video of streetalk. Sure, Fevola is drunk. But even worse for wear, he is one hell of a funny guy. Does he do anything wrong here? He may take the pressure point, Steven Seagal stuff with Judd a little far, but it's still inspired. And what about that lip kiss on Ryan O'Keefe? Classic. All harmless fun.
Its Time to Leave Brendan Fevola Alone
Sure, Brendan Fevola doesn't act like a gentlemen when he has a drink. He openly admits that - he knows he has a problem. This time, he has vowed to do something about it.
But has he done something which is so outrageous that he should be sacked? Give us all a break, please. The guy got drunk. But did he hurt anyone? No. Most of us have had too much to drink on occasion, sometimes in public. I can think of a few times where i have made a fool of myself.
Truth is that Fevola has been on his best behaviour all year - which was displayed by his performance on the field, winning the Coleman medal. He let his hair down for two days this season, on Mad Monday and at the Brownlows.
The worst part about both of those days was that the media were there to watch his every move. They basically sit in wait, private detective style, hoping for an indiscretion. That my friends is how you sell news. Hardly fair though is it? Do one thing wrong and its front page news. Not real news of course - just fabricated nonsense.
Fevola is no different to most footballers currently and certainly in the past. The difference being that others are not subjected to massive media attention that the Fev gets. And dont give me that rot about footballers being role models. Its the media that make them that way by covering their every move. You want them to be good role models? Dont follow them everywhere looking for a mistake to report.
Which brings us to the editorial from the Herald Sun, calling for Fevola to be sacked. I'm sorry Mr Tosspot, but stick to writing about real issues please, or you might find yourself being followed to your regular drinking hole. Don't have too many, or the footage from the amateur cameraman might end up on youtube.
That wont be much fun for you will it? Give me a good chance to call for your sacking i suppose. I might even do that given your propensity to allow drunken journos to write absolute rubbish. Who holds you to account Mr Freaky McFreak?
We in the blogosphere just might. After all, we know that you are fond of the drink in Southbank, keeping many of the bars in business. So be on the alert. A hidden camera may await.
Editorial from the Herald Sun regarding Brendan Fevola.
FOOTBALL bad boy Brendan Fevola says sorry, but it's too little and it's too late, Fev.
You deserve to be dumped by the Carlton Football Club for years of drunken behaviour that even for you went over the top at the Brownlow Medal night at Crown.
This sorry night showed that your countless promises to change your ways have meant nothing.
At Crown , there was the usual foul-mouthed, loutish, binge drinking behaviour that has characterised your off-field antics.
This time, a $10,000 fine by the Carlton Football Club is not the end of it. The fine is little enough to a player who is the AFL's leading goalkicker on a super salary of $750,000, plus whatever else he picks up from television and advertising.
No, this time Fevola has to front the Carlton Football Club board where he may be told his services are superfluous to the needs of the re-emerging team.
The club, the AFL, the police and the fans have had more than enough. Fev, it's time to go.
Outrage About Pay Rise for Politicians
You know that politicians are on a hiding to nothing when the ABC join the fight against MP's pay rises. Leading their Lateline program was a story about how politicians are receiving an equivalent 2.25% pay increase at a time when every other worker in the community is supposedly on "struggle street."
In order to prove their point, they consulted some of the most "hard done by" workers in our community. A building company in Canberra. That's the best they could do. Or was that just the most convenient?
Lets get this straight. The general working community has received an average wage increase of 3.9% over the past year. So the MP's 2.25% comes in well under that figure. But we need to keep in mind that unlike other workers, MP's had a pay freeze last year. They knocked back any increase to their salaries due to the financial crisis. They haven't actually had a pay rise since July 2007.
Do the media and the community seriously expect that politicians shouldn't ever have any increase to their salaries? That would be a very strange position to hold. Particularly given that backbench MP's, our nation's legislators, receive only around $130,000 per year. While that might sound a lot to some people, these are the people who represent you in Australia's national Parliament.
And it needs to be compared to other highly paid sections in our community - say to workers in the building trade. Which brings us back to that ABC report. Are building workers, tradesmen and contractors really suffering in this so called downtown? Not even slightly. And its probably at its worst in Canberra, where demand for housing far exceeds supply.
Not so different here in Melbourne either. An example. About 12 months ago a friend got quotes for some minor renovations to his property in Melbourne's north. The best quote came in just over $60,000, with the top figure at just over $70,000. Obviously he chose the lower, but then had to put the work on hold for family reasons.
He was only in a position to get the work underway recently and contacted the lowest bidding builder again. Despite the fact that the plans were exactly the same, the builder stated that he needed to re quote. Fair enough i suppose, 12 months could see some minor changes in the industry.
The new quote from the same builder who could do it 12 months ago for just over $60,000? Wait for it....$97,000. I kid you not. New quotes from other builders were then sought. They were all over $100,000. One came in at $135,000.
The renovations are on hold. But that's no stress to the builders. They have more work than they can handle. Thank new home buyers grants and economic stimulus packages.
So these price increases come at a time when the cost of materials are supposed to have come down. If that's not a section of the community that are doing incredibly well, I'll eat my shorts. That is the worst example of price gouging. So its a little bit hard to take when builders in Canberra pay out on pollies for gaining a measly 2.25%.
I know of numerous tradies earning well over $100,000. And one, who is an electrician and left school at 16 is on over $250,000. He works overtime and weekends - its not your regular 9-5 job. But neither is that done by our politicians. Lets get some perspective before bashing our nation's legislators.
Jeff Wortman and Paul Hogan - MMM Peanut Gallery - How About Some Comedy?
There are some great comedy duos on Australian radio and television. Roy and HG. Hamish and Andy. Merrick and Rosso. I could go on.
But the list would stop dead at the Peanut Gallery aka Jeff and Paul on Triple M. These two guys are exclusively unique in Australian comedy circles - they aren't even accidentally funny. And i mean that in the most sincere way.
Ive tuned in numerous times to the show. And i feel myself cringing at what is just an extended version of an open mike session at a country pub. Who are these guys kidding? Well, nobody as it happens.
Even a worse for wear Brendan Fevola has their measure. He is right - they aren't any good. Their comeback to Fevola? They couldn't come up with one. Comedy? I get more laughs from a Radio National weather report. Idiots.
Have a look at the Peanut Gallery and their "interview" with Brendan Fevola "Number One, You Blokes are no good..."
The Onion Video - Former Pedophile Shares Tips on How to Make Your Kids Less Attractive
And they say that the Chaser team pushed the boundaries of comedy. The Onion is an amazingly funny satirical website. But have they gone too far this time? Have a look at the video below and let me know what you think.
I think their interview with ex pedophile and "child safety expert", Terry Parker is more a satirical look at the ridiculous segments and feigned concern of morning TV shows and their hosts. And don't those shows love their "experts", particularly those who have recently written some kind of self help book? So in that context, the Onion's Today Now hits the mark exactly.
But is using the subject of child abuse acceptable? Or should we stop taking what is supposed to be comedy so seriously? Ive scanned the Internet to see how much outrage there was over this video and Ive found very little. But its been around for well over a month now.
Could you imagine how the Chaser team would have fared if they put something like this on our screens? You could expect that they would get even worse vigilante style treatment than Dennis Ferguson. And the News Limited press would endorse it.
What do you think? Please comment below.
Who F*cken Cares if Kevin Rudd Swears? Morals Crusaser Susie O'Brien from the Herald Sun Does. F*ck Me Silly.
I really wasn't going to touch the issue of Kevin Rudd swearing at his MP's over printing entitlements. The outrage that has been expressed in numerous quarters about Rudd's use of the F word has only confirmed my view about the wowserish nature of the press and so called "interest groups".
But I really couldn't let a piece of utter rubbish from the Herald Sun's Susie O'Brien go through to the keeper without comment. Hooly dooly it was some tripe. Sorry, I'm not going to link to it, its just that bad. However, I will pick some choice phrases for response.
O'Brien happens to maintain her as career as a family reporter with the Herald Sun while simultaneously and almost single handedly keeping Southbank's many bars in business. She is also a self confessed menace on our roads. I'm not suggesting that she drinks then drives. But she does drink and she does drive.
Back to the point. O'Brien managed to put together a lengthy feature piece in the Herald Sun regarding Rudd's swearing. Lengthy, yes. Substance? No.
Just a pointless opinion from a person who wouldn't look out of place as a 1950's housewife, with shades of a femo nazi from the 1970's and just a hint of a PC crusader from the 1990's. In other words, O'Brien is slightly mixed up. Perhaps it's the drink.
I'm not quite sure what is so wrong with swearing now and again. We get it every weekend at the footy. Its in every school. And, i hate to say it Suse, swearing has been around forever. Perhaps it was born with one of the world's oldest professions? No, not journalism.
Some choice points from...hic...sorry...Susie O'Brien:
The Prime Minister's behaviour in the workplace could be seen as workplace bullying all over Australia, including the Australian Capital Territory, where this unsavoury incident took place.
I'm sorry? What the f*ck are you trying to say Susie? That someone swearing is now bullying? Holy Crap. And whats with needing to spell out that the ACT is part of Australia? Down on your word count? Just add a couple more F*cks next time.
If Kevin Rudd were running a corner store, carpet store or real estate agency, his staff would be well within their rights to claim workplace bullying, and seek support and compensation.
And that's the problem with people like you Susie. Whenever things don't go your way, its off to the courts to solve the problem for you. So if you turned up to work late after a heavy session the night before and your editor called you a bloody drunk, who is in the right?
Imagine if a story broke in the Sunday Herald Sun and other Sunday papers that Kevin Rudd was overheard talking to his wife, Therese, like that?
I wonder Susie if your husband (or is it wife?) talks to you like that? If they don't, they should. Nothing wrong with a bit of robust language to keep things interesting.
Oh yeah - way to go in trying to add a gratuitous little attribution to the Sunday Herald Sun for "breaking" the swearing story. For the record - they didn't. It broke a week earlier on Vex News. Perhaps some credit there would have been appropriate.
Imagine if someone saw Rudd standing there red-faced telling Therese: "You can get f---ed. Don't you f---ing understand?"...with most sensible people concluding the behaviour was a form of spousal abuse.
Seriously Susie, drugs and alcohol just don't mix. I'm just saying. I'm not sure what planet you are on to think that a couple swearing at each other is spousal abuse. It takes a bit more than that. Otherwise i know of plenty of couples who would have already been dragged before the courts.
Calling someone a "f---er" is not robust. It is abusive and Kevin Rudd needs to pull his head in.
Whats with the "pull his head in" line Susie? You aren't a football coach. I call plenty of people F*ckers...usually journalists.
And, by the way, where is the intellectual Left during this debate?
Sorry Susie, which f*cken side are you on? For all their faults, and there are many, the intellectual left know damn well that there are more important issues to talk about. Sometimes they even understand that pandering to the f*cked up views of hard drinking journos really isn't worth it.
I don't care if this is the way it's always been. Up until a few years ago the same lame excuse was used to justify bosses sexually harassing secretaries, and a while before that the same excuse was used to allow husbands to rape their wives.
Wow. An analogy between swearing and rape. Why not throw in something about people who previously defended the attempted extermination of entire races or religions. Surely that's not too long a bow to draw is it?
Nice going in adding a little "man bashing" into the story too. Write about that chip you have next time OK?
The Prime Minister is a nasty bully and his flippant justification shows he doesn't get it.
Yeah, but Susie, he runs the f*ckin country. You cant even run your own car without smashing it. He gets it. He just swears too. Have you ever used "potty mouthed" language as one of your colleagues describes it? Or do you not remember sometimes? I'm told that happens.
Susie, if you are a family reporter as you claim to be, perhaps you might be better to stick to writing about kindergartens or child care issues. Or better still, if you want to live in the 1950's, get yourself a delorean and build a time machine.
The rest of us will happily keep f*cking swearing.
Emmy Awards Host Neil Patrick Harris sings the opening number Put Down the Remote
You just have to hand it to Neil Patrick Harris. A former youth star in Doogie Howser MD who just stuck around and made it back to the big time. It would have been easy to be typecast in that role for the rest of his life. And many of us still have fond memories of that teenage show.
But Harris has managed to pull off a great comeback, as the star of the show in How i Met Your Mother. His performance in that role is one of the funniest Ive seen in recent sit coms.
I cant say that i watched all of the Emmy's. However from what i did see, Harris excelled as host and even put in a fantastic little tune to kick off the show. Here is the video - what a voice hey?
Photos - Brynne Groden Steals the Brownlow Medal Awards With Her Lack of a Dress
I wasn't going to write about the Brownlow Medal red carpet (or is it blue carpet). I really don't have much time for the fanfare surrounding the WAGS or wives and girlfriends of footballers. Shouldnt it be about the best player? Maybe im living in the past. Im also anti the handball too. Bring back the 80's...
Anyways, the partner and fiance of Dr Geoffrey Edelsten, Brynne Groden - love that name - has stolen the show with her ridiculous outfit.
I always love it that only about 5% of the world's population are blonde, yet more than 50% of footballers partners have that hair color. Id ask why footballers are so obsessed with blondes, but id have to then spend some time talking about our cricketers - they are even worse.
Brynne is apparently a 25 year old fitness instructor from California. 25? Seriously girl, what are you taking? For the record, Edelsten is 66. Way to go brother. Or not. Id ask Brynne if those things were fake, but i think we already know the answer dont we?
Is there an echo in here? National Times online site - Be the First to Comment
No, that's not a request for a comment here. Although feel free to say what you like. I always enjoy reading people's views. But its just so hard to know what people think by reading the National Times website.
Because very few people are posting comments to their articles. The most comments i have seen today for one of their articles was 37. And that was for a story about shooting in national parks. Many of the articles have been sitting there for days, with not one person prepared to make their opinion known. "Be the first to comment" screams the tagline.
For example, their "Goanna" anonymous contributor whose stories get pride of place top right on the page has incredibly few comments. I would have thought they were pieces which would elicit emotive responses. Not so. An article by Goanna one week ago about Rudd and Co. has but 2 comments. And that was during a Parliamentary week. Oh dear.
I'm tipping two reasons for this. The first is that in order to post a comment to the site, you need to set up an account with Fairfax Digital. Now that's not too hard - but it is a step that a lot of people don't want to take. All too complicated for some. I get that.
But the second reason for the lack of comments is fairly straightforward. Very few people are visiting the site. How do i know this? Not through any sophisticated technology or access to the National Times traffic logs. No. On most of the article pages, the National Times give us a little indicator " # people are reading this now"
They do this on the main Fairfax sites like The Age and the SMH. The difference being, that at any one time the main page stories have dozens if not hundreds reading at the one time. On the National Times site, many of the pages have just a couple. The most i found in the middle of a weekday was 9. That's decidedly unimpressive.
The Punch and other blogs get vast amounts of commentary. Even this little site has gone comment crazy on a few issues. And im a minnow. So with few people reading or making a contribution to their site, it seems a very bad start for the National Times.
Maybe the boffins at Fairfax are more concerned with getting rid of their only hope for the future - Ron Walker. Cant say that i agree with his politics but the man knows business.
Outrageous Racist Attack on an Indian Student in Sydney Australia
Stay tuned to be amazed. This has got to be one of the most brazen and disgusting attacks on an Indian student. Check it out about 26 seconds into this video. Poor Shabir Singh. I feel for the guy - i really do.
Now if you ever thought that a public broadcaster like SBS wouldn't stoop to tabloid style journalism, you were wrong. How this comment made it to the news defies belief.
The question from the journo "And do you think this was a racially motivated attack?" was fair enough. But Shabir Singh's answer of "it was, it definitely was" is ridiculous. I'm sorry, but how does a coke bottle being thrown at you and the label of poofta make it a racist attack?
Is Shabir Singh saying that only Indian men are gay? If all the gay people in the world are Indian, then yes, i might be able to find a potential form of racism. Even then though, it would be more of an attempted gay slur than racism.
It wasn't racism Shabir. It was just a waste of a perfectly good bottle of icy cold coke and a stupid teenage styled piece of abuse. As someone commented on a previous post, harden the f*&k up.
We have all had that slur thrown at us, and plenty of us have been walking while cars drive by throwing eggs or other projectiles. Maybe I'm the only victim of such attacks. Then again, i reckon some of the people who have done that to me may be of Greek origin. Does that make it a racist attack against the white man?
Or is it just idiots going about their regular retarded days before they get married to some skank and settle down in the burbs?
On another point, as this video continues, you see the co-star of 1980's movie The Goonies, Gautam Gupta advocating violence yet again. And yet again he is let off by the media. This is what he said: "Desperate people, desperate times require desperate steps". In other words, Gupta wants Indian students to break the law and fight back. The media needs to stop going to this ratbag for comment.
At least Sloth in the Goonies had a good nature.
Gautam Gupta as Sloth in the 1980's Movie Classic The Goonies
Julian Mathias Buchwald - Convicted Kidnapper Granted Bail Escapes to Singapore
Total Breakdown in Courts and Customs Receives Scant Attention
I'm just staggered at the absolute breakdown in our legal system that has allowed a kidnapper to escape to Singapore - post conviction. I think I'm even more surprised that such a failure has received such little attention by the national media.
Julian Mathias Buchwald was convicted in August of kidnapping his girlfriend in March of 2008 and then making a false report to police. But in an amazing decision, which defies belief, Buchenwald was granted bail pending a sentence in the County Court.
I'm sorry, i just don't get that. Am i living in a dream world? A kidnapping conviction would almost certainly give him a custodial sentence. So why would he be granted bail until sentence? It's not as if kidnapping is a minor charge.
In fact, after he broke bail, Buchwald was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail. He wasn't there to hear the sentence of course. He'd fled as soon as he had the chance.
So if the failure of bailing this guy wasn't enough, we then have his departure to Singapore. How did he get there? That's unclear at this stage. But i have a guess. Just as drunk driver and dirty dog Puneet Puneet was able to clear customs on a mate's passport, Buchwald is likely to have travelled through an Australian airport. He may have even done it on his own passport.
If that's the case, what kind of keystone cops brigade are running our airports? And is there no red flag for bailed people that comes up on a person whose passport gets scanned at an airport? If not then what the frick are they doing when people leave Australia?
I know, more questions than answers. But it took authorities in Singapore to track this guy down. Are we that backward as a country that we don't have systems in place to protect against this sort of thing? I guess so.
I note that Puneet Puneet was also bailed. And he also fled. The unfortunate thing with that case is that unlike Singapore, we don't have an extradition treaty with India. Truth is though, it should never have happened in the first place.
At least Buchwald was caught and is coming home. Let someone learn a lesson from this please.
Apple Iphone 3GS stopped working for no reason - Wont turn on - Problem and Solution
Yes, i succumbed to the temptation and got myself an Iphone 3GS. It really is a wonderful piece of technology. Except for one thing - Battery Life. Its woeful. I guess that's what you would expect when its a little mini computer.
However I'm kind of curious if the lack of battery life is deliberate by Apple. It means it cant be used as effectively as an MP3 player, meaning people still need to get an Ipod.
Anyways, onto my problem. I woke this morning to find that my Iphone had switched off. Battery was mostly charged. I pushed the home button - nothing happened. Tried the on switch button at the top - again nothing. Weird. Chucked it into charge. Still nothing.
But i found the solution to this mini problem with the Iphone. What you need to do is to hold the home button down while simultaneously holding the top "on" switch button. You will need to do this for anywhere up to one minute. What should appear on the screen is the white apple symbol.
Then all you need to do is to switch it on as per normal by holding the top button down for a second or two. I think this whole process resets the phone but doesn't seem to mess around with any of your stored information.
If this doesn't work, you may need to contact apple or take it back to the retailer for a solution.
Violent Attack Beatings on Indians Student In Melbourne Australia Video
Racist attacks on Indian students in Australia are apparently out of control. See the following video which highlights the terrible problem that exists when people have no tolerance for other cultures.
Oh, I'm sorry, there appears to have been some mistake in the editing process. The above video is of the bashing of Christian Pastor Walter Masih in India who was accused of the radical crime of...preaching Christianity. Ahh, intolerance. Its only a bad thing when someone else is doing it.
Bigoted Author Farrukh Dhondy Urges Indians to Fight Back Against Violence in Australia
Yes, Farrukh Dhondy is a bigot. He hates Muslims. Tolerant tool isn't he? But now Dhondy is urging Indian students in Australia to fight back against the so called "racist" bashings.
Who is Farrukh Dhondy? He is an author, playwright and former media executive. He is also just another expat Indian living in the UK. His knowledge of the situation in Australia? Probably what he reads from the blinkered media in India.
In other words, Dhondy is a prize tosser. I wonder if he spends any of his time concerned about the abject poverty that hundreds of millions of his fellow countrymen and women live in. Or the violence and mass murders that take place every year in India. No? Tosswod.
This is what Dhondy said to the ABC:
There really has to be some form of retaliation from the Indian community as a whole. India has to stand up. The Indians in Australia have to stand up and demonstrate that they are not there in a victim culture simply complaining to the police.
No dramas Farrukh. If it works that way for you, then no doubt it will be OK to take matters into our own hands when Indian students come here and break the law. Could we kneecap them for instance? Not acceptable to you? Nor me.
Its called rule of law here Dhondy. If only it worked that way in India.
Examples in recent months of Indian students violating Australian law:
Puneet Puneet - killed a man while driving under the influence of alcohol, lied about it, then fled the country like the dirty dog he is. Oh yeah, and he got out by using a borrowed passport from a friend.
2 Indian students on a train from Sydney to Melbourne - sexually assaulted a young girl while she slept. Charming.
A Punjabi man in Springvale, drives up to a young girl in his van, abducts then sexually assaults her.
Do you ever wonder why Indian Australians have been living here peacefully for countless years, but these "racist" attacks are relatively recent? Its a simple answer. Most of the crimes against Indian students are crimes of opportunity - they aren't specifically racist. That's why dozens of people of mixed nationalities and colour are assaulted each weekend.
I hate to say it - but if you go walking by yourself at all hours of the night, or travel on public transport at odd hours, then you are more likely to be attacked. Doesn't matter what your background is. It seems that many Indian students just aren't accustomed to a vastly different culture. That requires more education on Australian society immediately after they arrive. In fact, a compulsory course in Australian society should be a prerequisite for any student visa.
At the very least, it might teach the Indian students to actually walk on the footpath and not in the middle of the road. Yes guys, roads are for cars you know.
Fairfax Launch National Times Opinion Website as Yet Another News Feed Aggregator
It took them some time, but they finally did it. After promising to relaunch the National Times in August, Fairfax finally got around to it two weeks into September. While they deny it and suggest it was always in the offing, this is Fairfax's response to the success of News Limited's The Punch.
And what a whirlwind success the National Times is going to be. All i can say is WOW. Wow - that after all this time they have produced a website which looks exactly like those offered already by the SMH and The Age. Sorry, they changed the masthead and added some quirky little caricatures of their columnists.
You do have to wonder why it took Fairfax so long to construct a website based on the same format as their other publications. I know that Fairfax is going through some dark days, but that didn't mean they needed to contract their website construction to the U3A computer class.
And then, to top it all off, much of it is just aggregated content from all of their print and online publications. In other words, its material that would have been produced anyway, but obviously wasnt located on each of their sites.
Therefore, much of the National Times site is a feed. Thats not original. I could set up a news feed website today, publishing the best articles from around the world. Difference being, i could get it up and running in a day. It wouldnt take months.
Keep in mind that Fairfax are going down the path of the charge for access model - you the reader will soon have to pay. You wont pay of course - you will find your news elsewhere for free - but Fairfax have yet to work that out.
So is the National Times part of the answer to Fairfax's revenue woes? Not even remotely. This site needed to be different, needed to be unique. That's whats The Punch has done - and it has worked a treat.
Dishing up the same old stuff that we could already have found, then adding some commentary from guest bloggers (mostly politicians) just wont cut it. And showing us a website which looks the same as everything else they produce is just really slack. How about some originality?
How can you expect to drive traffic to a site that is just an extension of your current print/online versions? If it took them more than 3 months to come up with this, then i despair for the Fairfax brand. They should have taken a leaf from The Punch's book. But that would have been smart strategy.
Public Option Now Campaigner Braves the Tea Bag Protests in Washington DC
I cant say that I'm the best student of politics - I'm not sure that i get the difference between minimal government advocates and anarchists. Same thing to me really - they are all pretty nuts.
Personally, I'm not an advocate for big government. But they are there for a reason, and there are certain responsibilities that i wouldn't want left to the free market.
Take these Nazi wannabees in Washington DC, protesting about a range of topics like taxes and bailouts. They are also big opponents to Obama's proposal for universal health care. Of all the things to get upset about, i wouldn't have thought providing basic health care to your fellow citizen would be one.
Take a close look at the protesters in the following video. Notice anything? They are all white. I'll hazard a guess from here in Australia that a vast bulk of them are southern racist white trailer trash types. Have a look at how fat and ugly they all are too. For all the good that the United States does, by God, they have their far share of loonies.
I take my hat off to the brave soul who decided to protest his way through the crowds of racists, bearing a sign advocating for the new Obama health plan. Gutsy. Note the police surrounding him - yes, these teabagger nut jobs could have become violent.
Kanye West Interrupts Taylor Swift MTV Award Speech - Publicity Stunt or is Kanye West on Drugs?
Its all the buzz on twitter and message boards. Basically the talk is that West is a prize "douche bag". Couldnt agree more. Certainly he is a tosser and probably needs a good slapping.
But is he on drugs? Or is this just one big publicity stunt? I'll let you be the judge. At least Beyonce had the good grace to save the situation later on in the evening, paying tribute to Swift. Good for her.
One thing is for certain. Id never heard of Taylor Swift - now the world knows her name. There you go. Nothing negative about this at all.
Could the Stock Market Be Priming Itself For Another Significant Setback?
Sure, its a bold prediction - that the stock market could suffer yet another downturn in the near future. But how likely is it? As always, it depends on who you ask, keeping in mind that every forecaster, every economist and every investor will have a different opinion.
I'm no different, and i could just as easily be right or indeed, very wrong. In fact, I'll be happy to be proven wrong. Its so much harder to make a buck as a trader in a bear market. But I'm looking at the fundamentals and I'm not sure i like what i see.
In April this year i suggested that it wasn't such a bad time to get your money back into shares. That wasn't such a difficult call. In March, shares dropped to levels not seen in several years and many stocks were well undervalued.
Since then the markets have rocketed. But as i suggested just a couple of weeks back, i believe they have come too far too fast. And the prices for many stocks just aren't reflecting their true earnings capacity.
In fact, even in this recessionary environment, price to earnings ratios are reaching levels not seen since the heady days of the bull market. Granted, they are off lower earnings in the past 12 months but it suggests significant speculation for future growth which may or may not eventuate.
So what is driving the significant gains in the market? It cant be earnings, and it certainly isn't a prospect of strong growth in the short term. We are left with speculation and maybe even some careless gambling.
But what are the indicators for a correction? Personally i point to a number of things. The role of China, the price of gold (and silver), potential for short term recovery in demand and the behaviour of big investors like hedge funds.
It has been suggested that China will continue to record strong growth over the coming year, as much as 8%. That's massive. But where is the growth coming from? It certainly cant be the United States and much of Europe is still in recession. Which leaves us with a healthy chunk of domestic demand, fuelled by huge Chinese stimulus packages.
But that's not enough for a sustainable worldwide recovery. Add that to the fact that China appears to be stockpiling commodities it means that long term output could be well below that 8%.
Then we have gold - the safe harbor commodity in times of economic crisis - when the market drops, gold rises. And hasn't gold been on a wild bender lately? It recently hit an all time high, over $1000 US an ounce.
If you are curious as to how the share market keeps rising simultaneously with gold (and silver), you are not alone. But it points to some worried people out there seeking a safe option. This includes the Chinese who are dumping their greenbacks in favor of precious metals. Does that fill you with confidence?
Lets take a look at demand. The biggest economy in the world, the United States is suffering from double digit unemployment - and rising. And that's just the official figure. Some commentators suggest that there are as many as 30 million unemployed Americans. That doesn't take into account underemployment - those who have had hours cut back.
Given the lag factor of employment recovery, a sizable turnaround in this figure is likely to be at least 18 months or a couple of years off. So where does the demand come from if more people are out of work than ever before? When the stimulus payments stop - where are the dollars coming from to encourage growth?
Then we need to have a look at hedge funds, and serious investors. While they weren't quite on the money with many of their bets in 2008, they made a killing in the preceding couple of years. Where is their money now? Its sitting on the sidelines.
That's right - the big money ain't all in the market yet because they predict that it is priming for another setback. Just like me, they may be wrong. But just like professional race punters, I'll more likely follow them than stick my money on any old nag.
Ive taken much of my money out of the market. As Ive said, I'll be happy to be proven wrong. But id like to see some of those key indicators turn around before i jump head first into what may be the shallow end. And anyway, i like to buck the trend. There are a weight of forecasters predicting another bull market - and didn't they get it so right in the past?
Senator Steve Fielding Declares he has a Learning Disability - Translation - "I'm a Certified Dummy"
Granted, that's a little harsh. But lets put things into perspective. Sure the guy has an engineering degree and apparently excelled at Maths. But he failed English dismally. Apparently it was all caused by his learning disability.
Does that mean that any time he makes a language stuff up, he can point to his disability as being the reason? Hooly dooly, if only life were that easy. Its not me, its my disability. And this guy is a Senator with the balance of power.
I didn't excel in English either, as many of you reading my poor grammar can attest. But i wont put it down to any disability. Nor will i suggest that others in my school who received even worse marks had a disability either. They just weren't as smart as some, or didn't apply themselves.
Welcome to human nature Mr Fiskal Fielding. Some people are good at maths. Others are good at English. Some even do well in both. And some are just born stupid.
I'll note that people with Down Syndrome have learning difficulties too. I'm just saying.
Steve Fielding is a tosser. I can spell that. Can he?
Will Kyle Sandilands be Sacked for the Concentration Camp Slur on Magda Szubanski?
He's been at it again. Kyle Sandilands has been suspended from his radio show with Jackie O for his slur on comedian Magda Szubanski. Sandilands suggested that she could only lose weight in a concentration camp.
Ive got no love for Kyle Sandilands. In fact, i think that he is one of Australia's biggest tossers, and i called for him to be sacked after the recent stunt involving the 14 year old girl.
But was this latest incident bad enough to warrant suspension? I'm not so sure. I don't think he should have been allowed back on the airwaves after the last stunt, but this one is not a sacking offence in my mind. Its a stupid comment, and its a poor attempt at humor - but i think that's all it was.
Anyway, I'm not convinced that 2dayFM can afford to sack him. He makes way too much for the station in advertising revenue. And even if he is the most hated person in Australia, people still tune into his show with Jackie O. Go figure.
I'm all for Sandilands to be removed from the airwaves and from public view. But this latest issue stinks of a media beat up.
2 Week Suspension Offered to Carlton's Chris Judd for Face Contact on Brisbane's Michael Rischitelli
Could the great Chris Judd's reputation be tarnished by an unfortunate incident in Carlton's loss to the Brisbane Lions? It seems it will.
Ive got a lot of time for Chris Judd - there isn't any doubt that he is a champion player. But its looks as if he has had a minor brain freeze in going after the face of Michael Rischitelli.
Judd claimed that he was using some kind of martial art technique on Rischitelli, but didn't concede that he was going after the eyes. The video is a little unclear. Some reports suggest that he was trying to find a pressure point behind the ear, much like police use to break up some protests.
Judd was charged with making unreasonable and unnecessary contact to Rischitelli's face, and was offered a 2 week suspension by the AFL tribunal, if he pleads guilty. Otherwise, if he contests it and loses, its 3 weeks.
Is Judd still eligible for the Brownlow Medal in 2009? Yes, because the incident happened in the finals. Interestingly, he would also be eligible in 2010, even though any penalty will be served in the next season.
What do you think? Does Judd deserve to be rubbed out for this contact?
Kate Miller Heidke Sings The Last Day on Earth on Rove - Video
No doubt about it, Kate Miller Heidke has some talent. The song "The Last Day on Earth" from her album Curiouser was never intended for a single release. But after being used for promos for TV show Neighbours, the song rocketed up the itunes charts. It was then pumped out as a single release, hitting number 1 on the Aria singles chart. Quite an achievement.
This song has the potential to be huge outside of Australia too. It's unique, but it has that familiar U.S style to it - one of those that get picked up by a major TV series like Grey's Anatomy. Lets hope so.
Here is the video of Kate Miller Heidke on Rove - followed by the original release.
Joe Hockey Videos Ross Cameron And Python on the Road in Queensland
I'm not quite sure why this is big news exactly, but you can bet that it will get aired endlessly on all the media. On a trip to Queensland with former MP Ross Cameron, Joe Hockey came across a giant python on the road.
Not wanting to run over the snake, Hockey urges Cameron to pull his tail a bit to help move him. I'm curious why Hockey urges Cameron to do it, but not seek to lend a hand. Instead, he's trying to capture something for Australia's Funniest Home Videos.
Will Shadow Treasurer and leadership aspirant Hockey use a similar approach on Turnbull who is also in his road? Maybe one of his parliamentary colleagues could be urged to grab Turnbull on the backside to see if he will move. Id suggest Bill Heffernan, he'll do anything for a dare.
Parenting Fail - Geelong Mother Allows 16 Year Old Daughter To Text While Driving Without a Seatbelt
This mother has to be the perfect example of white trash irresponsible parenting. She allowed her daughter, a L plate driver, to use her mobile phone while driving to text a friend. In addition, she didn't make her daughter wear a seatbelt.
What was the trash mother doing at the time? She was sipping on a coffee and looking out of the passenger window. When police pulled the driver over, they asked the mother why she wasn't supervising her learner daughter. Her response "How can I do anything? I have a terrible headache."
Amazing. We allow this skanky mother to breed. Yes, you need a licence to own a dog, but any dog can produce a child.
The 16 year old driver explained to police that she needed to text her friend. I'm not quite sure where she was going in such a hurry that she couldn't pull over to do it. She was fined $227 twice for failing to wear a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving. The penalties also carry 3 demerit points each.
I wrote last week about the dangers of driving while using a mobile phone. Here is the video again from the UK. Its graphic - we need the same thing on our TV's here. We could also do with some parenting skills courses for the white trash mother. Anyone care to name her?
Hotelaffordable is a scam website - Use their Service at your own risk
Last year i wrote about a little business called Flight Genie, which was a scam cheap flights travel agent supposedly operating out of South Africa. It was a well known scam in the industry, but unsuspecting people could get caught out very easily. Have a read here about what Flight Genie got up to.
Thankfully, after they were exposed here and even after an attempt to make comments on this blog supporting their business, Flight Genie was shut down.
But that doesn't mean that they wouldn't try something else. The same scammers behind Flight Genie have numerous other websites - and there will be more. Some get shut down after a few months with replacements following soon after.
Hotelaffordable is one of their more believable websites. It looks real enough. It works kind of like this, which is a fairly simple process:
- Give them your request of a city for accommodation.
- They get back to you with a number of options.
- You choose the hotel that you want
- They confirm the hotel for you and tell you that it has been paid for
- They ask you to give the hotel a call to confirm for yourself
- Having confirmed that you do indeed have a booking, they ask you to transfer money to them
Sounds easy enough yes? Of course all they have done is to make a booking at the hotel. You could do that yourself. They usually haven't paid for the room. But even if they do, remember, the payment has been made by them - not you. As soon as they receive your money, they can just as easily cancel their booking at the hotel and get a full refund.
The contract for any booking was between the hotel and hotelafforable com. You would be none the wiser if any change to the booking is made. In fact, you would only find that out that you don't have a booking when you arrive at the hotel itself. It worked very much the same way with Flight Genie.
This is what the scammers say on their website:
"Once you receive your booking receipt, you can call the hotel directly to confirm that the booking we made for you is legit and that it is fully paid for. You can then make payment to us afterward."
So beware when dealing with these scammers. Its fraud - but don't expect to ever be able to recoup your money from them after it has been sent. Use only reputable websites like wotif or asiarooms to name a couple. You know that you can trust them.
These guys also have another scam website which looks real enough. Its for website design for small businesses, called Vog Webdesign. Don't trust them either. More on that one later.
.
Channel Nine TV Program Money for Jam Paid Online Surveys
I have already written about how TV Show Money For Jam is one long advertorial for the National Australia Bank. But will following their advice actually make you any money?
Paid Surveys Are a Waste of your Precious Time for Very Little Reward
I didn't watch most of the program. But it seems from the comments on their site that they ran a little segment about making money from completing paid online surveys. Ha. That's funny.
As a little test, i signed up to one of these paid survey sites a few months back. The one i joined was myopinions.com. Join at your own risk. Because I'm yet to encounter a more difficult and time consuming way to make money. Seriously, for the time spent completing the surveys, and the little reward points you get, you would be much better off getting a paper round.
Having joined the team at myopinions (which takes at least an hour) i waited anxiously for my first survey. And waited. And waited some more. When it finally did come, i thought great, here we go, some easy money for me. For the benefit of completing the survey, i was granted a total of 200 points. Whoopee.
That 200 points is worth around $2. Sounds alright so far you might say. But the survey took at least 40 minutes. No kidding. And you cant cheat and do it quickly - they will know if you have and you wont get your points. Its not an easy survey either, it requires detailed and considered answers.
Then, having finally received the survey, if you don't meet the criteria after the first few questions then sorry - no 200 points for you. Maybe just a few for taking part.
In the entire few months that i have been a member, i would have received maybe 8 surveys, for a grand total of just over 1000 points. That's a big $10. Some surveys are quick and only worth about 50 points. Others take forever and could be up to 400 points.
But here's the catch - you wont be able to redeem your points for cash until you get up to 6000. At this rate, i could be waiting the best part of a couple of years just to withdraw a measly $60.
Actually, i lie. Having just checked their website again, when you get to 6000 points, you will be able to get a transfer of just $50. For 11000 points, its $100.
If you wanted an example of making money for jam, its sites like these. They would get paid a fortune for your completed surveys. These things don't come cheap. But you get paid peanuts for the experience.
Take my advice - if you want to make money for doing surveys, head to a reputable market research company. They pay real money for your time. Sometimes they will even come to your own home. Other times you will be asked to go to a neutral place to participate in focus groups or road test products. You might even get a free meal out of it.
Just dont waste your time on online surveys - you wont feel terribly rewarded. Thats not money for jam - its money for scam.
Channel Nine's Money for Jam a 30 Minute Paid Advertorial By National Australia Bank
Is it a paid advertorial or just regular cash for comment? Its hard to tell, but Money For Jam is nothing short of misleading. Its led by the formerly respected wealth expert Paul Clitheroe. Now who would have thought that he would be an apologist for the major banks?
I cant say that i watched the entire program. In fact i only caught the last few minutes. But in that time there were at least two promotions for National Australia Bank products. They were disguised as being a part of the program - making money for jam.
Want to save money? Then just go to the NAB who are offering a very special 2.99% interest rate for credit card balance transfers. Sounds like a great deal right? Wrong. Sure, for the balance you transfer, you will save on your current interest rate for a period of 12 months.
But if you haven't paid off the balance within that 12 months, and most don't, then the interest rate reverts to a whopping 19.99%. And thats at current low rates - which are subject to change when the RBA hits the interest rate lever soon. For your reference, that 19.99% rate is as much as 10% higher than some budget credit cards.
Thats not saving money - its merely a simple short term fix to a long term problem. In fact, its likely to make the problem even worse.
The second offer to help you save money, was to head to the Money for Jam chat room, where an expert would be standing by to answer your questions. An expert from where? The NAB of course. I hope that their Indian call centre staff were up to the job.
Is this dishonest TV? You bet it is. The whole show is brought to you by the NAB. In fact, the NAB logo appears on all the advertising for the program.
If you watch any late night TV, you will have seen the ridiculous promotion shows for exercise machines or look younger make up products. But at least they have a disclaimer at the beginning declaring them to be a paid advertorial. Sadly, Money for Jam doesn't do the same.
Convicted Killer Ryan Leigh Johns Sentenced to Just 8 months for Violent Assault
You may remember Ryan Leigh Johns from an incident at the Village Green Hotel in 2002, where he killed a man with a roundhouse kick to the head. 18 year old Aaron Linskens died after suffering a massive brain injury after falling to the ground.
Johns' penalty for that killing? Just 6 years, with a minimum of 3 and a half. How much of that sentence did he serve? The minimum of course, 3 and a half years.
But Johns' of course hasn't learned his lesson. Earlier this year, Johns and a friend were at Casey's Nightclub in Hawthorn. They both launched an unprovoked attack on a patron on the dance floor, Andrew Colbeck. The victim was thrown to the ground where he was repeatedly kicked in the head. He is good with those kicks is our Johns.
So what was the penalty this time for the repeat offending convicted killer. 5 years? 3 years? Try 8 months. Yes, that was all that Magistrate Duncan Reynolds thought was appropriate for this retardo. But because of Johns' record of killing, the whole sentence must be served. Wow. What a bonus.
Well done Duncan Reynolds, you have joined the weak sentencing brigade. Not that there are many tough judges out there. Do you live in the real world? Or are you part of a gated community? I'm just asking is all. Because in 8 months this guy will be back on the streets. If he didn't learn his lesson after killing someone, you think this 8 months will make a difference?
And when he offends again - and he will - lets hope that Duncan Reynolds can take the blame. That's only fair.
32 Year Old Man Arrested after threatening Scotch College - Students Locked in - Heavily Armed Police Surround Building
It doesn't seem so long ago, but when i was in high school, bomb threats were a fairly regular occurrence. The sirens would go off, and we would all get up and file out of our buildings to a designated area. Some of the time, these sirens were just a drill. But mostly, they were in response to a real threat phoned into the school.
I never could quite understand the school's strategy though. Our designated area was always the same place - basketball courts right next to a set of buildings. Too bad if the "bomb" happened to be placed there. Kind of funny given we had such massive ovals, which remained vacant. Go figure.
The police were called, and they sent a couple of officers. No bomb squad and no special response team. Just your regular uniformed constables from the local station.
Then teachers, not bomb disposal experts, would go through every room, conducting a cursory examination for a bomb. It never existed of course. That's not to say that precautions weren't necessary - they were. But we always treated it as a great break from class. Better if it happened during a test or exam.
How times have changed. Scotch College went into lock down after a threat was received by a former student from a 32 year old Mt Evelyn man. There is no indication that he ever went to the school. And we don't yet know the exact nature of the threat. He was arrested in Elsternwick - which i am reliably informed is a fair distance from Scotch College.
But the threat must have been big. Because countless heavily armed police descended on the school to protect the students from the potential threat. But was the threat any bigger than the bombs in my high school not so long ago? Perhaps we take things much more seriously now. I suppose that's a good thing.
I think the following photo will go close to being photo of the year. Smiling, albeit very heavily armed police, watch as two kids walk by with backpacks and a scooter. Nobody seems too fussed. Photo by Paul Rovere, The Age.
New Update: Accompanying a story in the Herald Sun entitled "Terror Grips School" is the following photo. Not sure if the Asian kid in the background feels too terrorised. This has to be one of the funniest photos ive seen in a long while. Photo - Craig Borrow (Thanks, i did)
About Just Grumpy
