| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1327 Registered: 05-2005 |
So I spent all day outside a polling booth trying to persuade people to vote for ... (I'll let you guess who) in an electorate where we haven't a hope. Didn't cop as much abuse as I did at the last Federal Election. Feel a hell of a lot better tonight than I did after the Federal Election though because, despite running third or possibly lower here, we'll win the state as a whole anyway! Had fun at the end of the day saying "Vote for us and you'll be a winner tonight!" Didn't change anyone's mind but I enjoyed it. Payback for 2004. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1328 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kevin, are the Nationals really going to win power in Scotland? Will they need Labour as a junior coalition partner though; and won't that preclude a referendum on independence? Where are you on all of this? | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1470 Registered: 05-2005 |
Padraig, I havent heard that about the SNP, but I am not that interested in Scottish politics to be honest. At the end of the day its what happens at Westminster that really dictates how we live our lives. I would never vote for independance. On a slightly different tack, whats the feeling in Ireland today about the Euro qualifier taking place at Croke Park? Are there still some people who think its sacrilege? Presumably 80,000 dont think so as its a sell out. 1-0 to Ireland as I type. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 213 Registered: 01-2006 |
Kevin it was a brutal game, Ireland winning 1-0. There's loads of talk about opening Croker to non GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) games still, most people behind it. Some hardcore GAA folk against it but they voted it in themselves anyway. It's a ridiculous aregument anyway, they've had American Fooball, International Rules and Boxing there, not to mention heaps of concerts including The GBs in the eighties supporting REM I think. When France played there in the Rugby international there was a very small protest, mainly by Republin Sinn Féin. There was an hilarious photo in the paper of the protest, a guy in a Celtic jersey with a placard saying NO FOREIGN GAMES! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1091 Registered: 03-2005 |
Moving back to geeky politics, Padraig what area were you in that had such retrograde politics? Does any part of Sydney? Is Scottish independence a serious movement? What a logistic mess that would be. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1471 Registered: 05-2005 |
XY - thats a classic!! Randy, too true.Apparently up north in Scotland some English tourists get a pretty hard time. Then again the English pooed on Scotland big time for centuries, so fairs fair eh?  Speaking of England, they were abysmal tonight in the European Championships football qualifying match against Israel. Yes thats right American friends, for soccer purposes Israel is in Europe, no I dont understand it either! The game ended 0-0 and was even more boring than the scoreline hints at. McClaren will soon be joining Butcher on the dole | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1332 Registered: 05-2005 |
XY: That R.E.M. / Go-Betweens show was in the RDS. I was living in Boston by then and so didn't see it unfortunately. Those who did say both bands were great. By the time I saw that R.E.M. tour (Green) in Boston the support was Throwing Muses. Great show by both bands; but how I'd love to have seen the pre break-up Go-Betweens. Kevin: Israel play in Europe because the possibility of them drawing Lebanon / Iraq / Iran / Saudi Arabia etc in an open draw in Asia is too much of a risk. Wars have been fought over less. Randy: North of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (where I live) is all blue for the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party are not liberals. They range from conservative to rabidly right wing. South of the Harbour Bridge, with one exception, is red for the Australian Labor Party. The one exception is Cronulla; the 93% white suburb which had the notorious race riots in December 2005. Make of that what you will. Kevin: As for playing football in the holy citadel of Croke Park; I'm all for it and applaud the GAA for opening it up, even if only temporarily. Football (soccer version) is to me the greatest sport bar none. Nothing even comes close for me. Cleanliness is not next to godliness, football is! I'm guessing my love of football has long been pretty obvious on this forum anyway! Randy / Kevin: The SNP are ahead in the polls in Scotland but won't win a majority. Their leader, Alex Salmond, has said he'll hold a referendum on independence within 100 days of winning power. I can't bear him. Not for his views on Scottish independence, but for his despicable view that NATO forces were criminals for intervening to prevent Serbia committing genocide and destroying Kosovo in 1999. His old commy mates in Serbia (hello in hell Mr Milosevic) should have been allowed to do whatever the hell they wanted in Kosovo, Bosnia, anywhere in the former Yugoslavia according to Salmond. I fell out with a lot of latte lefties in 1999 over my support for NATO intervention in Kosovo. I also torpedoed my chances of a job at BBC at the time by expressing the same view in an interview in London. It was hilarious, the jaws of all three people on the interview panel literally dropped when I said that. (I wasn't being suicidally brave by the way; I'd gotten a call telling me I'd gotten a job with The Irish Times on the same day I'd gotten called for the BBC interview). | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1094 Registered: 03-2005 |
I remember sitting in front of the TV in the 90s getting really pissed at the Euros for sitting on their hands through most of the Yugoslavian disaster. I thought they were being feckless. It never would have occurred to me that it would be a leftie conviction that the people should be allowed to slaughter each other. Of course I also remember feeling something very similar when watching the reports of Rwanda & Burundi. I couldn't believe we'd bothered over Somalia and Haiti but were doing nothing to address this Biblical-scale slaughter. That was not Bill Clinton's finest hour. Padraig, how is that Labor does so well in state-wide elections but you end up with Howard at the head of the country? | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1339 Registered: 05-2005 |
Because the conservatives are very good at lying to the Australian people; eg in 2001 it was that asylum seekers were throwing their children out of a ship to drown. (Truth - the ship was sinking, they were handing their children to Australian navy personnel). In 2004 it was that interest rates would go up sky high under a Labor government. (Truth - under the conservatives interest rates rose in 2005, three times last year and are about to go up again). Keep watching this space Randy. There is a federal election due in six or seven months. Hopefully the Australia public are tired of being made fools of. | ||
| Michelle M Member Username: Michelle Post Number: 34 Registered: 09-2004 |
Another reason. The Howard government goes out vote buying just before the election is due. They choose the topics of the moment to throw money at to impress the voting public e.g. recently the "water crisis". And there is alway a little something dangled in front of the "battlers" of Australia. I seems that when it comes to the federal government, votes can be bought by money and fear for "national security" (see above). | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 32 Registered: 02-2007 |
I agree Michelle. They use fear. Fear of terrorism, fear of refugees, fear of crime, fear of drugs, fear that water is running out. We're absolutely paranoid up here in Qld. These issues need to be debated sensibly. Instead Howard (a most clever politician indeed!!!) plays the fear card. I don't think he's that different to other pollies though.The pity is that Labor lost the plot for a while and people just won't vote for dysfunction. Hey Micheel and Padriag I have recently written a poem/howl/rant about our little weasel of a a PM. I premiered it recently at poetry in the pub thing reading in Valley, and went over OK. If u r interested I can send u copy. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 216 Registered: 01-2006 |
Whatever happened to 'One Nation' with Pauline Hanson, that famous chip shop owner? She was doing very well in Queensland when I was there in 1998... | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1343 Registered: 05-2005 |
David, post it here! XY, she's back. She's considering another run for parliament. She's been on Dancing With The Stars (and was referred to as "our Pauline"; as if she were some benign, essentially lovable person). And she's written a tell all biography in which a bloke she says she shagged has denied it. She says she shagged him in the Sundowner Motel, across from the greyhound track in Canberra. And they say romance is dead. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 217 Registered: 01-2006 |
Urrgh don't wanna think about that too much Padraig...pity about her still being around, thought it was just a phase Oz politics was going through. Her policy towards Asians amazed me at the time, it was like saying that the white Euros, Anglos and Irish were OK to come to Oz 200 years ago but not Asians now ... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1097 Registered: 03-2005 |
The fear card, of course, is one we've seen a lot of here in the US. I think the chief reason people are so enthused about Barack Obama here is because he doesn't play to fear at all. He is a "can do" type. The water issue in Oz is a real one but a positive solution-oriented type of politician is what you need; not some reactionary. Does Labor have anybody like that? How does somebody rise to the level of national candidate? Do party insiders make the choices? | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1480 Registered: 05-2005 |
Padraig, found this being discussed on "Celtic Minded" website - why they were talking about Irish surnames rather than football is beyond me, but anyway you are in the fab n groovy hot top 30 you warrior you!! The most common 100 irish surnames, in english, as gaeilge and the meaning. 1 Murphy ó Murchadha sea-battler 2 Kelly ó Ceallaigh bright-headed 3 O'Sullivan ó Súilleabháin dark-eyed 4 Walsh Breathnach Welshman 5 Smith Mac Gabhann son of the smith 6 O'Brien ó Briain high, noble 7 Byrne ó Broin a raven 8 Ryan ó Maoilriain king 9 O'Connor ó Conchobhair patron of warriors 10 O'Neill ó Néill from Niall of the Nine Hostages 11 O'Reilly ó Raghallaigh 12 Doyle ó Dubhghaill dark foreigner 13 McCarthy Mac Carthaigh loving person 14 Gallagher ó Gallchobhair lover of foreigners 15 O'Doherty ó Dochartaigh hurtful 16 Kennedy ó Cinnéide helmet headed 17 Lynch ó Loinsigh seafarer, exile 18 Murray ó Muireadhaigh lord, master 19 Quinn ó Cuinn wisdom, chief 20 Moore ó Mordha majestic 21 McLoughlin Mac Lochlainn viking 22 O'Carroll ó Cearbhaill valorous in battle 23 Connolly ó Conghaile fierce as a hound 24 Daly ó Dálaigh assembles frequently 25 O'Connell ó Conaill strong as a wolf 26 Wilson Mac Liam son of William 27 Dunne ó Duinn brown 28 Brennan ó Braonáin sorrow 29 Burke de Búrca from Richard de Burgh 30 Collins ó Coileáin young warrior 31 Campbell crooked mouth 32 Clarke óCléirigh clergyman 33 Johnston Mac Seáin son of John 34 Hughes ó hAodha fire 35 O'Farrell ó Fearghail man of valour 36 Fitzgerald Mac Gearailt spear rule 37 Brown Mac an Bhreithiún son of the brehon (judge) 38 Martin Mac Giolla Mháirtín devotee of Saint Martin 39 Maguire Mag Uidhir dun-coloured 40 Nolan ó Nualláin famous 41 Flynn ó Floinn bright red 42 Thompson Mac Tomáis son of Thom 43 O'Callaghan ó Ceallacháin bright headed 44 O'Donnell ó Domhnaill world-mighty 45 Duffy ó Dufaigh dark, black 46 O'Mahony ó Mathúna bear-calf 47 Boyle ó Baoill vain pledge 48 Healy ó hÉalaighthe artistic, scientific 49 O'Shea ó Séaghdha fine, stately 50 White Mac Giolla Bháin of fair complexion 51 Sweeney Mac Suibhne pleasant 52 Hayes ó hAodha fire 53 Kavanagh Caomhánach comely, mild 54 Power de Paor the poor man 55 McGrath Mac Craith son of grace 56 Moran ó Móráin great 57 Brady Mac Brádaigh spirited 58 Stewart Stiobhard one who superintends 59 Casey ó Cathasaigh vigilant in war, watchful 60 Foley ó Foghladh a plunderer 61 Fitzpatrick Mac Giolla Phádraig devotee of Saint Patrick 62 O'Leary ó Laoghaire calf-herd 63 McDonnell Mac Domhnaill world-mighty 64 MacMahon Mac Mathúna bear-calf 65 Donnelly ó Donnghaile brown valour 66 Regan ó Riagáin little king 67 Donovan ó Donnabháin brown, black 68 Burns from Scottish Burness 69 Flanagan ó Flannagáin red, ruddy 70 Mullan ó Maoláin bald 71 Barry de Barra Cambro-Norman name 72 Kane ó Catháin battler 73 Robinson son of Robert 74 Cunningham Scottish name 75 Griffin ó Gríofa Welsh: Gruffudd 76 Kenny ó Cionaoith fire sprung 77 Sheehan O'Siodhachain peaceful 78 Ward Mac an Bhaird son of the bard 79 Whelan ó Faoláin wolf 80 Lyons ó Laighin grey 81 Reid red haired, ruddy complexion 82 Graham grey home 83 Higgins ó hUiginn 84 Cullen ó Cuilinn holly 85 Keane Mac Catháin 86 King ó Cionga 87 Maher Meagher fine, majestic 88 MacKenna Mac Cionaoith fire-sprung 89 Bell Mac Giolla Mhaoil 90 Scott a Scottish gael 91 Hogan ó hÓgáin young 92 O'Keeffe ó Caoimh gentle 93 Magee Mag Aoidh fire 94 MacNamara Mac Conmara hound of the sea 95 MacDonald Mac Dónaill world-mighty 96 MacDermott Mac Diarmada free from jealousy 97 Molony ó Maolomhnaigh servant of the Church 98 O'Rourke ó Ruairc 99 Buckley ó Buachalla cow herd 100 O'Dwyer ó Dubhuir black | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 35 Registered: 02-2007 |
Padriag, this is how I feel about the weasel! The Social Contract or What I’ll Do If John Howard Is Re-elected! I’ll abstain from sex for the full term of this government and like a celibate chaste and holy sufferer, I’ll punish myself for the sins of others, the lack of democratic wisdom mourned with every w-nk. I’ll walk arrogantly across simmering streets against the Don’t Walk signs flashing pedestrian paranoia. I’ll throw rocks at large glass windows, stained and unstained, sacred and functional, barriers to clear ventilation and the important flow of air and new ideas. I’ll agitate at local council small town minds meeting where Mrs Dorothy Jones passes motion to move Show Society AGM from early April to late May, two thirds majority needed seconded by Mr Greedy head of commerce and filthy rich dickwipe. I’ll snarl when asked by waitress in ugly wallpapered restaurant with plastic flowers and music easy listening piped in from 70’s AM station “This food tastes like shit!” I’ll seek out fat lady and scream “Congratulations. You’re pregnant!” I’ll sneer at Mr Gym muscle bound Rocky kickboxer tattoo Rambo suckin’ on a tin of energy supplement steroid growth hormone and shout “Show us your little dick!” I’ll visit local library Family First morning tea and spend all day setting up display of pornographic titilation with dog-eared and strangely stained centerfolds depicting peepees and weewees of the Western world. When I take my dog for a walk in the ocean of suburbia, I’ll stop outside white picket fences of Mr Mainstream safety God fearing Lucky Country Man and wait for as long as it takes for my dog to dump a shit. I’ll cut off traffic and beep horn and gesture middle fingeredly at old senior citizen lawn bowls driver, probably fought at Toobruk and Kokoda, and yell thru driver’s window “Fuck off!” I’ll refuse to cut my hair, even in summer, when its hot and the hair and sweat drain down my face to remind me of who I hate and why. I’ll do laps round the CBD of my world fuel charged unleaded and piped in from Iraq so that the repetition of the journey on a Friday night mirrors the repetition of the journey at work, at home, just taking a breath. I’ll do crosswords and always leave one space incomplete, even if I know the answer, as a symbol of the hole in the heart of the Great Southern Land. I’ll urinate down back alleys behind walls of large corporation supermarkets, in car parks and sign my name in piss “The Agitator”. I’ll become anonymous vicious sniper-like warrior, with anger management issues and whose only friend is a dog that shits on white picket fences. I’ll embrace conspiracy theories that involve small weedy embarrassing arse-licking Liberal (in name only) prime ministers who bully at work in front of the camera in talk back radio land of soap opera meaning, and then go home and get spanked by wife while watching X-rated guide to fulfillment. I’ll watch relentlessly Reality Television, the drug of choice in this wasteland of contemporary junkiedom, and learn to excel at the selfish strain, and like the last sole survivor in this failed little antipodean colony, celebrate victory over my fellow contestants, rivals, threats previously referred to as citizens, colleagues, friends when the State had a purpose and the country a soul. I’ll avoid unnecessary intimacy to reflect the cold, disengaged, barren landscape I travel through, I don’t need you!! my motto bold and daring, swaggering anger my weapon in this sweltering climate, as large icebergs detach themselves like U boats from Antartica, sea levels of fear rising, and a beach will form itself somewhere near Toowoomba eventually. I’ll lie when asked if I really love you and say “Of course dear” as a tear starts to form somewhere in my memory, and I wipe it away with a sneer, don’t let anyone suspect he was a poet once, rowed that boat in the Prelude, thru caves of ice measureless, before time and age and postmodern blues set in like glue and a beautiful moth is caught trapped in its sticky sea, the moth of hope killed needlessly. I’ll never say a prayer again. I’ll celebrate Howard’s victory with these divisive acts as a tribute to his vision in creating a community (there’s a community?) socially divided, fascism on our breaths, driving the witches of hope and compassion out of town, the social contract blowing like a tumbleweed down our streets, no gunslinger in sight, just a fearful ignorant superstitious acceptance of our mediocrity and for the land we left behind a dreamtime ago. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1346 Registered: 05-2005 |
Mighty strong words David! I hope Howard is swept out of power if only to save you from all of the above! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1357 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kevin, I am indeed a warrior! My first name comes from the Latin word patricius, meaning noble. I'm a noble warrior. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1358 Registered: 05-2005 |
Randy, Labor's leader Kevin Rudd is such a man. He's far more popular in the polls than John Howard at the moment. He became leader through challenging the previous leader in December and winning. So yes, party insiders did make the choice. Rank and file members do get to vote on pre-selecting candidates, but the party's state head offices, if it so chooses, can control 50% of the vote in any preselection ballot. The mere existence of this power is enough to ensure that very strong candidates such as former Midnight Oil singer Peter Garrett get pre-selected to run in safe Labor seats. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1103 Registered: 03-2005 |
Damn, David! "Witches of Hope & Compassion" would make a great song title. No, I won't steal it. Other clauses that I really like: "the CBD of my world fuel charged unleaded and piped in from Iraq" "in front of the camera in talk back radio land of soap opera meaning" These are great phrases to spit out at the audience. Your poem reminds me (inevitably) of our current President whose admonition to the public after 9/11 was to go shopping. Not help your fellow man; go shopping. And when Katrina destroyed one of our oldest and probably our second-most distinctive city (NYC always being first), his government couldn't fathom how to respond. But his mother could. She crowed that the former New Orleanders were now better off in their temporary homes in Texas. Thanks for the primer Padraig. I'll see what Wikipedia has to say about Mr. Rudd. Not sure what to think about the 50% vote control by the state heads. An arrangement like that can be disastrous if the party insiders lose touch with the populace, something that's happened over and over again here. | ||
| Michelle M Member Username: Michelle Post Number: 36 Registered: 09-2004 |
David, after my total disbelief, horror, anger etc. that this country voted John Howard back in last time, I believe that I may actually have been doing some of the above over the last couple of years. I have definitely been known to rage against a couple of small town meeting decisions in my town, I always swear when driving, I'm always leaving blank spaces in crosswords and, because I live near Toowoomba, I'll get my togs ready for when that beach arrives. And just yesterday I told my husband that I have decided to become an eco-terrorist. | ||
| Michelle M Member Username: Michelle Post Number: 37 Registered: 09-2004 |
Oops! Whilst researching my new career on Wikipedia I found that I may be in very poor company. "Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki, for instance, has described the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, as an eco-terrorist for failing to abide by the Kyoto Protocol on climate change." I will have to invent a new name for my fight against people mindlessly and greedily exploiting the environment in my local shire. | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 39 Registered: 02-2007 |
Glad I'm not on my own, Michelle. This abstainance sure gets frustrating though! |