For someone who once vowed that he would do anything to become prime minister, 'except take it up the arse', a very interesting gaffe from opposition leader Tony Abbott.
If you talk long enough, you're going to get things messed up, eventually.
But you have to wonder sometimes if politicians ever gaffe on purpose, knowing it will dominate news coverage, be a hit on YouTube and probably not do all that much harm at all, except for making you look more human.
UPDATE: Has Tony Abbott been watching a few Dirty Harry movies recently? Easy for this kind of thing to bleed over, right Harry Callahan? See 2:30:
UPDATE: Or maybe Tony Abbott's been watching Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket? See 0:36:
More soon
Monday, August 12, 2013
What Goes On At Pine Gap? One Extraordinary Theory
The American military controlled base at Pine Gap is about to leap back into the news, as Autralia's role in helping co-ordinate drone attacks that have killed more than 3500 people in Pakistan comes under legal scrutiny.
Not surprisingly, there's very little public information about Pine Gap, or what goes on there. This gap in factual knowledge has led to some extraordinary, bizarre theories. Here's one of the wildest, from the late 1970s.
Not surprisingly, there's very little public information about Pine Gap, or what goes on there. This gap in factual knowledge has led to some extraordinary, bizarre theories. Here's one of the wildest, from the late 1970s.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
The Wrong Kind Of Master Debate - Federal Election 2013
By Darryl Mason
Prime minister Kevin Rudd faced off against Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in the first debate of the Federal Election 2013 campaign.
Australia could barely disguise a stifled yawn.
Very little fresh policy detail, outside of PM Rudd's promise to deliver legislation to recognise marriage equality legislation into Parliament within 100 days of being re-elected, and 'the worm' scrolling across the bottom of the screen either said Rudd Is Shit, if you were watching Channel 7, or Rudd Rocks if you were watching Channel 9. The polarisation between audiences for two TV commercial channels seettmed absurd.
Channel 7's online debate vote gave Abbott an extraordinary 18 point win.
But hold on, Channel 9 debate voters gave Rudd an 18 point win.
Ugh.
How boring was the debate? The only glint of Story! resulted from Rudd checking his notes, in apparent violation of debate rules, though the moderator failed to pull him up on this. Incredibly, Rudd Reads From Notes During Debate is now an international headline.
Here's the most important thing. Word clouds, lovely words clouds via Ben Harris-Roxas. Red is Abbott, Blue is Rudd.
THE FIRST DEBATE - FULL TRANSCRIPT
AUSTRALIA'S TWITTER RESPONSE IN DETAIL
DEBATE OPENING STATEMENTS
Prime minister Kevin Rudd faced off against Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in the first debate of the Federal Election 2013 campaign.
Australia could barely disguise a stifled yawn.
Very little fresh policy detail, outside of PM Rudd's promise to deliver legislation to recognise marriage equality legislation into Parliament within 100 days of being re-elected, and 'the worm' scrolling across the bottom of the screen either said Rudd Is Shit, if you were watching Channel 7, or Rudd Rocks if you were watching Channel 9. The polarisation between audiences for two TV commercial channels seettmed absurd.
Channel 7's online debate vote gave Abbott an extraordinary 18 point win.
But hold on, Channel 9 debate voters gave Rudd an 18 point win.
Ugh.
How boring was the debate? The only glint of Story! resulted from Rudd checking his notes, in apparent violation of debate rules, though the moderator failed to pull him up on this. Incredibly, Rudd Reads From Notes During Debate is now an international headline.
Here's the most important thing. Word clouds, lovely words clouds via Ben Harris-Roxas. Red is Abbott, Blue is Rudd.
THE FIRST DEBATE - FULL TRANSCRIPT
AUSTRALIA'S TWITTER RESPONSE IN DETAIL
DEBATE OPENING STATEMENTS
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