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Written by joni
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Thursday, 11 March 2010 22:37 |
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Even I think this is far fetched, but The Independent is reporting that the former head of MI5 implied that the TV show 24 influenced the Bush administrations torture policy:
In her speech, highly critical of the US's conduct during the war on terror, the former secret service chief implied that the leadership in Washington was inspired by watching the TV espionage thriller 24. She said: "Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld certainly watched 24". Dame Eliza said: "The Americans were very keen that people like us did not discover what they were doing." She insisted that she had been unaware of what was going on until her retirement in 2007.
Oh come on, the TV show 24 influenced their decisions?
But then again - perhaps it was the other way around. The Bush administration used TV to soften the public for the use of torture. And it seems that I am not the only one to think this. Archie Bland has an opinion piece in the same paper where he says:
It's likely that this is the wrong way round. The whole point about the neocons, after all, is that they've been itching to get their hands on a bucket of water and a fishy-looking foreigner since about 1987. 24 has simply caught up.
Could it be that Wag the Dog is not fiction after all?
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Written by joni
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Thursday, 11 March 2010 16:43 |
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I actually shed a little tear when I saw this article hit SMH.
The federal parliament today passed laws that ensure the death penalty can never be reintroduced by any state or territory in Australia.
A great day for Australia.
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Written by joni
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Thursday, 11 March 2010 11:25 |
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Wil the media PLEASE SHUT UP about Bingle and Clarke. It is not news. It is gossip. Nothing more, nothing less. Leave it to the glossies.
Here endeths todays rant.
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Written by joni
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Thursday, 11 March 2010 08:29 |
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There are a few politcial stories around this morning, so I thought we could have a open(ish) thread on politics.
The first is the Foil Insulation story where The Australian is outraged (outraged I tell ya) that the taxpayer is going to have to pay "$50 million bill to strip foil insulation from up to 50,000 houses or install electrical safety switches to help correct faults in the federal government's bungled $2.45 billion home insulation scheme."
The second is from the SMH which details how Tony's Great Big New Tax would cost the big companies almost as much as the ETS scheme that was so bad.
Bluescope Steel would have to pay about $19 million for carbon permits in the first year of the ETS, at an estimated price of $26 a tonne. Based on its 2008 pre-tax profits the company would face an annual bill of about $16 million under Mr Abbott's plan.
So we have those two stories for a starter, you can discuss them or any other political stories that you want to raise.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Possum reported on the latest Essential Report polling which had the government on a primary vote of 43, with the opposition on 41 (up one to the government). This gives a TPP of 54/46.
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Written by joni
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12 |
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As the time draws near for my head shave, I would like to make a final appeal for anyone to sponsor me in the World's Greatest Shave, where the total amount raised is approaching $4.5 million.
So far, I have raised $538 for the Leukaemia Foundation to provide practical care and support to patients and families living with leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders.
Here is the link to my sponsorship page, and yes - my hair looks more unruly now. The bf reckons I look like a mad (greying) professor. There will be photos taken of the event and they will be put up on Facebook.
So please consider a donation.
And to those who have donated, many thanks.
joni |
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