eightyknots

...

 

Many Australians could give less a toss about anything to do with policies and actual knowledge of how a country actually works and hence we got popular clowns like Hawke for 3 terms whereas Keating was far smarter but hated more than even Abbott.

 

....

What has often been forgotten is that, Paul Keating, as treasurer ran surpluses (yes! Labor ran surpluses but that is so "last century") and used the surpluses to retire an enormous amount of debt. This gave Howard and Costello a fantastic start ...again, a fact largely forgotten. What a pity that government indebtedness is increasing almost every year since the turn of the century, both under Liberal/National and Labor administrations.

The Australian economy is going down badly at present, well below estimates and of real concern and policies such as marriage equality are NOT front line issues in this economic climate, Corps/large Companies supposedly underpaying tax are just some of many examples of how the Greens need a reality check and how they grovel for dirty grubby votes by way of social guilt tactics. "Oh you're against marriage equality then you must hate gays you bigot". "Oh you don't think Companies should pay more tax, then you're a grub against the common working man who pays his taxes". "Oh you don't believe in climate change (as presented) then you don't care about our beautiful earth you ignorant denier" blag blah .......

I fully agree. Unfortunately, many votes are captured by grubby politics. Sadly a number of voters are influenced by these hollow statements and, the way democracy works, you only need to capture a handful of voters to your side of the fence because there is the constant 'base-load' of National, Liberal and Labor supporters who will always vote the same way, regardless of the issues, the leader or the economy.

The question is, how do you prevent this kind of grab for these votes by such misleading, simplistic statements? Could it be better Civics education at school? Could it be better, impartial education of adults via the media? Should there be an independent Truth Commission established who checks all the politicians' statements in the lead-up to the election and then publishes a easy-to-read analysis? There appears to be no easy answer to the problem.

In the 70s beards and long hair were often worn by hippies and anti Vietnam war protestors. They were not popular with the establishment.

So, on the one hand people are saying that the RSL did not like:

(A) Vietnam Veterans.

... and now you are suggesting that the RSL did not like:

(B) those who opposed the war in Vietnam (i.e those who did not like group A)?

Something doesn't quite add up, so it seems, but I am sure someone can shed some light onto this.

About 1970 a mate and I were refused entry to an RSL in country NSW because we had beards. Both had fathers who were members.

The RSL was established about halfway through World War I ...I think 1916. I wonder if the RSL would have refused entry to, say, recently voted-out Prime Ministers of the day? For instance Chris Watson (ended 1904):

[ATTACH]47770._xfImport[/ATTACH]

...or Alfred Deakin (1910):

[ATTACH]47771._xfImport[/ATTACH]

or, for that matter, Joseph Cook (1914):

[ATTACH]47772._xfImport[/ATTACH]

A revered institution such as the RSL would not reject someone with (manly) facial hair unless they suspected other reasons why you may not have been "of good character". Why would they change their stance on beards since the 1920s when this was still de rigueur for men? Surely there must be better explanation?

Remember when the lads got back from Vietnam and the RSL refused to serve them?

No, I don't remember. Which RSL branch are you talking about? Tenterfield, Toowoomba?

The RSL also refused to serve aboriginals... don't let that mateship nonsense taint your view of history.

Mateship (in time of disaster, adversity or distress) is not nonsense. It is very real. History is straightforward on this: when Australia was first settled by Europeans, it was a harsh place. Survival often depended upon the help of others when a great need arose. From this Mateship was born. It sets Australia apart from other nations.

Several pages behind the action I know, but here is an observation about the difference between the US and Australia as discussed about Katrina vs the Qld floods.In Japanese WW2 prison camps, the survival rate was considerably higher among Australians with their " look after your mates" ideal than it was with the Americans "Strong silent individual " ethic.

 

Although as an experiment it wouldn't have passed the ethics committee I once sat on, this was a pretty good test of what culture worked best in these dire circumstances. I reckon the differences between New Orleans and Brisbane still showed this difference in culture.

I fully agree.

Australian mateship transcends all religious views (e.g. from Protestant to Catholic to Greek Orthodox) or political leanings (e.g. from Pauline Hansen to Bob Brown). The national "Look After Your Mates" psyche is extremely valuable and I would hate to see this disappear from our culture. Mateship really comes out in times of adversity and trouble. I am concerned that with much of the imported media having a North American bias, that a US-style focus on individual wealth, fame or glory will diminish the unbeatable concept of Mateship that sets our country apart from all others.

I just hope that those with Muslim background will also join the Mateship revolution which helps to promote the welfare of our neighbour/friend/fellow citizen.

Having a qualified science teacher at a Primary School might just stop some of the uniformed BS that many primary school teachers feed the kids especially related to all matters green. Not against Green, quite the contrary, but it must be science based not folklore.

The one thing we don't teach much in primary school is foreign language. Kids learn language very easily when very young when the brain is more pliable. By the time they get to high school, it's too late. Only way to get rid of unreasonable xenophobia is to study "foreign" cultures.

Yes, I agree. Perhaps one of the many Aboriginal languages could be studied and learned as well? That may improve relationships with the First Inhabitants.

... and the bloke in the green shirt on the left has brought his weaponry with him.rgmwa

You don't think that is his fishing rod*?

* In accordance with the well respected principle: "Give a man a fish and you have fed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you have fed him for life"

And that's the heart of the problem, ISIS is State funded in the opinion of many.

Where does the money come from? We're not just talking millions here, but billions. There are simplistic views abounding that they are selling oil to fund this BS. Well I've worked in the oil patch most of my life and this is absolute c**p in my opinion. Oil sales are just their pocket money. Look at the map and figure out how the oil can get out of the country in large enough quantities ( at $50/ barrel, not much above break even price) to fund their show. A few Toyotas or trucks sneaking across the border with barrels of oil might fund their smokes for a week.

 

So what's the alternative? Pump it through a pipeline where the middle man country can say 'Gee, I didn't notice that happening'. And the recipient country saying 'Gee, this oil is cheap, I wonder where it comes from?'.

 

Even occupation and taxing of the local population would not come anywhere near funding them. The most basic logic would tell us that sovereign governments are paying them. Well, if that theory is wrong, I'd be quite happy if anyone can tell me where the money is really coming from.

 

Cheers, Willie.

Islamic State funding, as I recall, comes from a number of areas:

1. Because some of the "state" is in a fertile region, there is a surplus of food produced; the excess is sold through Turkey for cash.

2. They have many small refineries and they can be moved at short notice. The oil is sold at about half price on the black market. Buyers are falling over themselves to get hold of this at this price. There is quite a long coast line and border with Turkey and that is where it disappears for cash.

3. They have robbed many of the Christians who lived in the IS controlled "state". This has raised quite a few dollars.

4. Artifacts. Many have been sold for large sums to private collectors.

5. When they took over parts of Iraq, IS raided all the banks and netted an estimated 2 billion dollars of US currency and Euros kept in those banks.

I did not say "containment", I said segregation, as in everybody simply being in their countries minding their own business as was previously. If America started minding it's own business and stopped being Israel's lacky, well that would be a good start.

I have no problems with Moslems, the problems arise from false and forced integration of different cultures that blatantly doesn't work in some cases.

 

The integration of Italians and Greeks has been fantastic for Australian culture, other cultures that isolate themselves and demand special treatment, not so much.

The reason why so many Italians, Dutch, Maltese, Greeks and Germans have fitted so well into Australian society is because they have the same Judeo-Christian background. There is an mutually understandable affinity which assists with integration.

Iraqi born Faisal Saeed Al Mutar has a funny fb post about this:

 

 

It must be incredibly frustrating as an Islamic terrorist not to have your views and motives taken seriously by the societies you terrorize, even after you have explicitly and repeatedly stated them. Even worse, those on the regressive left, in their endless capacity for masochism and self-loathing, have attempted to shift blame inwardly on themselves, denying the terrorists even the satisfaction of claiming responsibility.

 

It's like a bad Monty Python sketch:

 

"We did this because our holy texts exhort us to to do it."

 

"No you didn't."

 

"Wait, what? Yes we did..."

 

"No, this has nothing to do with religion. You guys are just using religion as a front for social and geopolitical reasons."

 

"WHAT!? Did you even read our official statement? We give explicit Quranic justification. This is jihad, a holy crusade against pagans, blasphemers, and disbelievers."

 

"No, this is definitely not a Muslim thing. You guys are not true Muslims, and you defame a great religion by saying so."

 

"Huh!? Who are you to tell us we're not true Muslims!? Islam is literally at the core of everything we do, and we have implemented the truest most literal and honest interpretation of its founding texts. It is our very reason for being."

 

"Nope. We created you. We installed a social and economic system that alienates and disenfranchises you, and that's why you did this. We're sorry."

 

"What? Why are you apologizing? We just slaughtered you mercilessly in the streets. We targeted unwitting civilians - disenfranchisement doesn't even enter into it!"

 

"Listen, it's our fault. We don't blame you for feeling unwelcome and lashing out."

 

"Seriously, stop taking credit for this! We worked really hard to pull this off, and we're not going to let you take it away from us."

 

"No, we nourished your extremism. We accept full blame."

 

"How many people do we have to kill around here to finally get our message across?"

The US President announced (at a military base!) that:

1. "climate change poses a serious threat to global security"

2. "an immediate risk to US national security"

3. "this [climate change threat] will have an impact how our [i.e the US] military defends our country [the USA]".

This is how the Arab media sees Obama's perceived climate change threat to global security:

When I move to Tazmanier, we're going to secede from the commonwealth and set up our own republic with an ELECTED president, Then we can give the finger to all you poor unfortunate mainlanders who will still be suffering under a bent political regime that doesn't allow you to elect your own leader!

Ha!

 

And I bet we don't drift away to New Zealand, either!

Continental drift is slow but sure.

I dont want to give credit to any racism or fuel any debate aimed at an entire religion...I find racism and sexism etc funny in jokes, but not at all when its meant to hurt or harm or stigmatize.

But a few things are clear... we cant go down the current path where we have racist Australians labeling peaceful muslims as bad or evil...and we cant bury our heads in the sand and say its not a predominantly muslim problem...We will need muslims on board to solve this issue..

 

I have as strong a views as anyone on what we should do to extremists and in light of much stricter rules for immigration and refugee status. I would even go so far as to say that anyone who does not accept Australian way of life should be deported to place of origin .

 

But my real point is we will only fan the flames of racism and hatred if we are not careful to make peace loving muslims feel 100% embraced, loved and welcome in Australia. They are probably more horrified by what is happening, simply because they are sensible peaceful people as well, in Syria their fellow muslims are being slaughtered by all sides and they know the backlash from France will make them victims in Australia by racist white supremacists and the ill informed morons that abound..

 

I feel for the majority peace loving muslims every time this crap happens...they get labeled, harassed and stigmatized... and they hate this crap as much as we do, if not more.

I think it is important not to mix up race and religion. You may have a Christian Syrian and a Muslim Syrian, A Christian Lebanese and a Muslim Lebanese, A Christian Pakistani and a Muslim Pakistani. Both Syrians look the same racially; the same with the two hypothetical Lebanese and ditto the two Pakistani people mentioned in my example. But their religion is different. Please, Australia, do not target people because of their perceived race just because a number of redneck Muslims perpetrate atrocities.

GNu showing compassion for anyone

Yes, it appears he certainly did. Here is the proof:

Personally I feel for the families that have lost innocent loved ones, butchered and torn in an instant and those that are left seriously injured and traumatized, many of whom may never fully recover. Can't find so much sympathy for the feelings of perpetrators, sympathisers and enablers.

@Ultralights only one man can keep us safe...

[ATTACH=full]39389[/ATTACH]

I cannot see the resemblance with anyone.

Who is this cartoon meant to represent?

If you remember the lines of refugees during other conflicts they were made up of Women and Children and the Elderly. I don't remember seeing Men running away from those oppressing their Country. When England had its back against the wall in 1940 did all the young Men run away to hide from the Nazis. Why are these young Middle Eastern Males fleeing their Countries. Are they Cowards or are they planning to fight in a different war.

I say: planning to fight in a different war.

"The Syrian operative claimed more than 4,000 trained ISIS gunmen have already been smuggled into Europe – hidden among innocent refugees"

Read more at: www.wnd.com/2015/09/isis-smuggler-we-will-use-refugee-crisis-to-infiltrate-west/

for silly signs :

[ATTACH]48470._xfImport[/ATTACH]

There's a museum in Beijing that only Chinese can enter...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiwis do it too. It is $25 for foreigners and $15 for people with a New Zealand passport to gain entry to the Waitangi Treaty grounds:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand/northland-and-the-bay-of-islands/paihia-and-waitangi/sights/historic/waitangi-treaty-grounds

I always loved how the ADF made Howard wear his helmet crooked, it always made him look incompetent.What do you mean it makes him look incompetent. He was incompetent and in my opinion one of the worst ever PMs of Australia. Unless the US told him what to do he was lost. He missed a great chance with the MV Tampa fiasco. Should have charged them with piracy, but gave in to the invaders.

I always have two questions about this:

1 Why did they ask John Howard to wear his helmet at such a strange angle?

2 If John Howard looked around he would have noticed that he was the only one doing it, so why did he do it?

WAAAAAAAAAAAYCIST ! ! ! ! !

I am not sure if you have followed the around the world thread but in India, the admission price was 5 Rupees for Indians and 100 Rupees for non-Indians. [ATTACH]48469._xfImport[/ATTACH]

At least they are honest:

[ATTACH]48464._xfImport[/ATTACH]

No, don't think so,. . . ."Center" is spelled the American way. . . .

Darned good lookin' spacecraft though eh ?

 

Good one Knuckles. . . .

Those aliens like a bit of recreational flying too, so it seems!

[ATTACH=full]39283[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]39284[/ATTACH]

Is that in Australia?

This may be useful to some patrons:

[ATTACH]48461._xfImport[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]48459._xfImport[/ATTACH]

Recreational Flying?

[ATTACH]48455._xfImport[/ATTACH]