Global Warming Myths Busted

Andrew Bolt dispels 10 Global Warming myths in this excellent piece on his blog.

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Happy B'Day, BJ - Boris pops the cork on 12 months as mayor

Boris Johnson has just celebrated one year in office as the Mayor of London.

The current Spectator magazine has an excellent feature on Boris, one of my very favourite politicians, and I urge you to find your copy at the local newsagent before it is replaced with next week's edition.

Cover of the April 25 edition (Australian) of The Spectator

For those of you who may not be all that familiar with Boris, the video below is a short speech by the man in question, just after signing the seals of office last year. There are dozens of YouTube clips of him - both for and agin, it must be said - so check them out.

I think he's awesome; which, when it comes to describing a politician, is as effusive as I'm ever likely to get.

Will the world ever wake up to the contradictions of Obama; and will it be too late?

From American Thinker on the hypocrisy of Obama:

Public opinion can be very fickle. Barack Obama has ridden a positive wave of opinion all the way to the White House. The public has welcomed him into office in that same spirit of hope in which he ran. Since the inauguration, however, the President is showing he has different plans than the ones he spoke about during the campaign. It should come as no surprise when the public turns on him just as easily as he has turned on them.

The contradictions between Obama's words and actions are many. He opposes big government, and then he vastly expands it. He says he
favors bipartisanship, but doesn't practice it. He says he is against earmarks, and then signs the largest pork package in history. And that is just to name a few.

Excellent article, but with worrying implications. Read the rest of it here.

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Oh, vot a feeling....

According to Forbes .com

In the first quarter this year VW worldwide sales closed the gap on No. 1 automaker Toyota. VW sales of 1.4 million fell 11%, while Toyota's 1.8 million dropped 27%--narrowing the first-quarter sales gap to 363,000 vehicles from 840,000.

I see VW's everywhere. Especially the Golf. I actually wish I had one myself, instead of the grapefruit I currently drive (well, it's not so bad that it deserves to be called a 'lemon'!)

VW said it would build its new series of small cars (minicars) in Slovakia, the now-independent half of once-Czechoslovakia. Production starts in 2011, and VW expects at least 500,000 global sales a year.

VW is one of the world leaders in the development of diesel engines, and the article refers to this, as well as the fact that Toyota emphasises hybrid technology.

On a side issue, I read that Subaru will be launching a diesel Outback next year in Australia, to be followed by a diesel Forester. I know many Subaru fans have been asking about when they can expect a diesel version of their favourite model for years. It seems they won't have long to wait.

I digress.

The Forbes articles ends with this passage - with a cringe-worthy pun thrown in by the author at the end:

What's clear is that the German Volkswagen and Japanese Toyota are in a battle for world leadership in this industry. Maybe someday the Chinese will be challenging. Maybe someday Ford will be there. But right now it's Toyota in the lead with an ambitious Volkswagen nipping at its heels.

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Kevin, if you want me to like you - stimulate me this week

Be not alarmed by the headline, dear reader: It wouldn't matter if Rudd gave me $900 every week for the rest of my life, I could never bring myself to liking the vain, characterless, self-aggrandising little Maoist.

All that aside - money problems this month. April = bugger of a month. So is July and October.

I had to go to the local computer shop this morning because I needed a new power pack for my laptop.

Buying a new power supply for a 4-year-old laptop with a dicky hinge and memory problems so bad I have to do a disk clean-up every 35 minutes, seems a ridiculous waste of money. But I had no choice. My laptop lives on the 19 volts it drinks from the powerboard at my feet. So, no power equals no laptop. No laptop equals no internet, which equals no blogging, no Bolt, no YouTube, no Susan Boyle....the end of civilisation as I know it!

I told the sales assistant I would prefer to be buying a new laptop, except that Chairman Rudd's uber computer hasn't joined the dots between my bank details and $900 as yet. Maybe Centrelink's computer needs a new power supply as well?

Nevetherless, I hold out hope of receiving the money sometime before I kark it -but not, alas, before I have to do another disk clean-up.

***

***UPDATE***

The very morning after posting this blog entry, Uncle Kevin has blessed me with $900.

The question now is a rather tough one - PC or Mac??

***

Newt Gingrich debunking Al Gore

Newt Gingrich, a politician I have long admired, delivered something recently at a Senate committee hearing in the US, something that we very rarely hear from a politician - some FACTS. Facts on climate change; facts on new energy discoveries; facts on rising sea levels, and more.

We need to hear more from this man. Here he is:

Video for the Week 24/4/09

What do they say...Live, Fly, Dream? Whatever they say, watch this video. Watch all of this guy's videos. They're superb. They are real videos, too, not simulations.

Driving me nuts

The list of requirements to which L-plate drivers in NSW must adhere is as long as your arm, and much stricter than when I was learning to drive last century.

According to the RTA:

Learner licences issued from 1 July 2007 will be valid for five years. When you are issued with your learner licence you will receive a Learner Driver Log Book so that you and your supervising driver(s) can record your driving experience. You will have to log at least 120 hours of supervised driving (which includes 20 hours of night driving) before you can attempt the Driving Test to move to a provisional licence.

When I was a novice driver, I think we could go for our Ps having only held one's L-plates for 12 months! I don't remember any stipulation about having to complete so many hours of night driving; and I certainly didn't have to fill in a log book.

With the rules set out by the RTA in mind, the task is to find a well-formed, not-too-challenging stretch of bitumen on which to practice one's driving.

The single carriageway with one lane in each direction near where I live would seemingly fit the bill nicely. And I think it does....but not at 7am at the start of the morning peak!

The road in question is the Barton Highway between Canberra and the Hume Highway just east of Yass.

Notwithstanding the dual carriageway section of the highway, the road has always been in dire need of an overhaul for at least the past fifteen years. Successive governments have done nothing about it. There is talk around that the road will eventually be dual carriageway for its entire length. But I fear that I will be looking down on such a thing from heaven!

The Barton Highway is an absolute mongrel of a road at the best of times. But it can become positively rabid during morning and evening peak hour. At such times, when you join the Canberra-commuter diaspora, you simply take pot luck as to whether you will be stuck behind a tractor, a caravan or an 80-kilometre-per-hour, speed-limited learner.

On the 40-odd kilometre section of highway between the ACT border and the start of the Barton Highway Connector there are no more than four passing lanes in either direction. If you want to overtake at any other time, then it's a bit like Russian roulette.

I understand the requirement for a certain number of hours of night driving. But does the RTA mention anything about needing to log a certain number of hours during peak hour?

I empathise with young drivers and their instructors/parents, but please consider the motorists who use this road and ones like it on their daily commute. Being stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle when all we want to do is get to or home from work as quickly (and safely) as possible, is very frustrating; and which the dulcet tones of ABC Classic FM can only do so much to soothe.

***

Evil spam a CO2-producing juggernaut

I knew this stuff was bad for you...

The BBC reports that spam, yes, humble spam, has been blamed for the production of more than 33bn kilowatt-hours of energy every year, enough to power more than 2.4 million homes.

Great! If only we could actually harness this energy source! But wait, that'd mean we'd have no more of these:


I happen to like the turbines. I know - maybe the spam could power the turbines when the wind isn't blowing?!

The report goes on:

The Carbon Footprint of e-mail Spam report estimated that 62 trillion spam emails are sent globally every year.

This amounted to emissions of more than 17 million tons of CO2, the research by climate consultants ICF International and anti-virus firm McAfee found.

Searching for legitimate e-mails and deleting spam used some 80% of energy. The study found that the average business user generates 131kg of CO2 every year, of which 22% is related to spam.

Oh gawd, this reminds me of Earth Hour & all the switching off your lights phooey:

ICF say that spam filtering would reduce unwanted spam by 75%, the
equivalent to taking 2.3 million cars off the road.

However, the ICF goes on to say that while spam filtering is effective in reducing energy waste, fighting it at the source is far better.

"Fighting it at the source"? Sure. That'd be like trying to shut down all Nigerian money scammers overnight!

I think the hills surrounding me will be adorned by the "funny white trees" for a while yet.

***

Susan Boyle has us on the floor again!

By now I am sure you have all heard of Susan Boyle - über wonder woman of music thanks to her performance in the audition round of Britain's Got Talent, and thanks to YouTube, too, of course.

It turns out that Ms Boyle's wonderful voice does actually appear on CD - although it was a charity CD produced in 1999 and only 1000 copies were pressed.

Susan does an amazingly sultry rendition of 'Cry me a River' on the CD. Her performance puts paid to the notion that she would only ever be a one hit wonder!

Somehow, after listening to this, (extract only - for the full rendition go to YouTube), and noting how giga-viral Susan has become on YouTube, I think the charity could well start thinking that they could use some more funds....!!

Sarkozy right to be cool on praise for Obama

Interesting article in The Times Online today about French Prez Nicolas Sarkozy and his anything but cosy relationship with Obama.

Says The Times Online (my emphasis):

Mr Sarkozy is annoyed by the adulation for an unproven US leader whose stardom has eclipsed his own record as a world troubleshooter. On a deeper level, he has calculated that it makes sense to strike a distance from a superpower discredited by its financial troubles.

As far as the first sentence of that extract goes, and if it is accurate, then I completely empathise with Mr Sarkozy. Not only am I annoyed by the adulation, I am perplexed by it. At least, I am perplexed that it has lasted for as long as it has. It seems Obama can do no wrong.

With fawning media coverage for Obama still continuing more than 100 days since his election, I fear that we will continue to be kept in the dark by the fourth estate as to Obama's real agenda, most likely until well into his second term in office.

***

Video for the Week 17/4/09

Too many people - especially young people - are getting killed on our roads.

Watch this video (embedding is disabled), then go to the website watermarked on the clip and buy this guy's DVD (I have no association with said DVD in any way). I bought it. It's excellent, and it might just save a life.

Susan Boyles 'em over!

I can be a pretty emotional person. I don't exactly fall to pieces at the sight of a bug in a swimming pool, or anything like that - but stoicism has never been my strong suit.

So you can imagine my reaction when I watched this clip.

I will say no more, just watch it, and remember the name: Susan Boyle.

***

Lack of space at NMA a snapshot of a wider problem in Canberra

The Weekend Australian features a story on the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra, in which the article focuses on the politics behind the museum's establishment and administration, as well as its design flaws - with the latter being responsible for difficult to manage internal spaces and cramped galleries. Apparently only about 5% of museum artefacts are on show, simply because there is no room to display the rest. I gather from the story that the museum was rushed into existence with the end result being a building that is too small and poorly patronised.

The NMA is certainly not on its own when it comes to lack of space. Indeed, as one who has worked in the public service in Canberra since 1995, I can tell you it is an ongoing problem.

I have seen, all too often, government departments move into brand-spanking new premises - or refurbished office space in Canberra - only to outgrow their accommodation within a very short space of time. I'm talking less than 12 months on average. In some cases, departments run out of space as soon as they move in.

The problem is the maximum height of buildings in Canberra which is currently a figure that I have had troubling finding. I typed "maximum height of buildings in Canberra" into Google, pressed search, and the lights went out. When they came back on I still couldn't find a figure. I believe it is eight stories - at least that's what most of the newer office buildings in Canberra seem to be. Of course, this wasn't always the case, and there are buildings in Civic which are 13 stories, and one in Woden which has about 24 floors.

With building sites for office development in the ACT at a premium, and with many already bedecked by cranes, it is time the ACTPLA, NCA, ACT government, and whatever other publicly funded body I'm sure to have overlooked, get their collective heads together and come up with a sensible increase to the height of office buildings in the nation's capital.

I'm not suggesting that the National Museum move its displays into a 12-storey building in Civic, but something has to be done about the dearth of office space in Canberra, and raising the height of new office building development seems to be the most sensible solution.

Video for the Week 10/4/09

I hope this will become a regular Friday feature - by regular, that will probably end up meaning every other Friday - but I will do my best.

The title (of the post, not the video) is 'Video for the week'. Note 'for', not 'of'. These posts will not necessarily have anything to do with the week that was - they will just be a video I've found on the net that I like and enjoy, whether they be quirky or serious - and I hope you will enjoy them too.

This new feature does not mean that I won't be posting videos during the week. If I find a video that is meritorious or newsworthy, then I will certainly post it.

I do not intend to write an intro to future posts to this segment. I have provided one here for no other reason than it's the first post.

To set the ball rolling.....In these fiscally uncertain times, and with most people's wallets closed tighter than the door of an 18th century outhouse, the thought of international travel is ludicrous - unless you're either loaded, or a Labor party politician whose first class plane tickets were a gift from a wealthy Chinese benefactor.

So, YouTube and virtual travel to the rescue. This lovely video takes us on a tour of some less well-known parts of London.

So, sit back, grab a G & T and discover 10 quirky sights of London.

Canberra Airport development finally takes off

As an unabashed airport nut, I was delighted to hear on WIN news this evening, that construction is to commence soon on the new airport terminal building at Canberra.

For all the fantastic development that has gone on in the airport precinct since Capital Airport Group became the airport's owners, the terminal building itself has not kept pace with the times. It is far too small, not functional, and just not worthy of what you would expect to see in a capital city airport.

The design of the new airport building looks very impressive.

Unfortunately the link on the airport's website appears to be on the fritz, but try www.canberraairport.com.au or here for the link to the story.

UPDATE

Link now fixed.

UPDATE

Below, check out the animation of the new terminal. A lot of animations of this "genre" if that's the right word, are gayer than a row of pink tents, and this is no exception, but it is very well done - and quite addictive. I love the attention to detail, especially in the final seconds, when you can see passenger in seat 2F drinking something as the plane takes off. Once completed, I think travellers to Canberra are going to experience something very special.



***

Last drinks at Augusta's 19th for Gary Player.

Gary Player, one of golf's original legends, has announced that the 2009 US Masters at Augusta will be his last.

Player has for long been my favourite golfer of all time. He has had to overcome tremendous adversity in his early career - with apartheid raging in his home country of South Africa - and this controversy spilling over onto the professional circuit, with demonstrators throwing golf balls between his legs while he was putting, and hurling books at his back as he tried to play shots.

But he overcame these obstacles to be the most successful golfer of all time with more than 160 professional victories.

In his press conference at Augusta yesterday, Player made a remark that will surely make it into every book of sporting quotations that will ever be published: "I'm hitting the ball so short now, I can hear it land."

Millions of weekend hackers the world over will know how he feels!

Take a bow Gary - your skill, courage, attitude and determination shows why you epitomise excellence in all sport - not just golf.

***

High speed Broadband gets head start over Very Fast Train.

A developing story that is bound to raise more than a few eyebrows is the announcement that the Australian government is going to build a national broadband network itself, after none of the tenders who bid for the project offered value for money.

According to News.com.au:

a new company, National Broadband Network Corporation, will be created to build the network. It will be jointly owned by the Government and the private sector, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said.

Great. Another corporation.

News.com.au goes on to say:

The Government's investment in the network of up to $4.7 billion remains unchanged. The network's total cost is expected to be up to $43 billion over eight years, Mr Rudd said. The Government's investment in the company will be funded through the Building Australia Fund and the issuance of Aussie Infrastructure Bonds, a new instrument.

I'm all for building a national broadband network - a high speed one which this will be. Current broadband speeds are what I would expect to see in a 2nd world country.

$43 billion dollars is a hell of a lot of money to spend on anything. Let's hope technological obsolescence is factored in as I would hate to see the network built only to have the speeds it promises be redundant within a year or two.

If the government can use this "new instrument" of Infrastructure Bonds to build this thing, then surely they can come up with a similar scheme to build a high speed rail line between Sydney and Canberra.

Perhaps the government has been too shrewd by half - build a super fast national broadband network, then people can do whatever they have to do over the net -without having to actually travel anywhere.

Speed of sound broadband is all well and good, but the populace still has to get themselves physically from point A to point B. Something successive governments for decades have criminally done nothing about.

***

A little less of me for a while

Over the next five or six weeks, my day job is, unfortunately, going to limit how often I will be able to blog.

I still hope to post a few items on weekends, however.

***

Sick 'em Gus

It seems that Gus - the pet Weimaraner of Australia's ambassador to Rome, Amanda Vanstone - has developed a taste for ankle of diplomat.

Molto divertente.

I hope Amanda has Gus off the leash when Messers Rudd and Obama pay a visit.

Hughes has a few lessons to learn

According to The Sunday Telegraph, Aussie opening bat, Phillip Hughes, is not getting perhaps the soundest advice from those who manage him.

Why he needs a manager at all, is another question.

Turns out that Hughes was expected to give an interview with The Sunday Tele last week, when Hughes' management rang the paper to ask how much moula the Tele was going to pay.

Pay? For a simple interview? Get real.

Phillip, find another manager quick smart, mate, before you get something of a "reputation" with fans and sports journos.

And another thing, the last thing I want is for you to turn into a clone of Michael Clarke, so for God's sake get rid of that bloody stupid earring!

Olivers welcome their third child. Once again stuck for a name.

Inveterate cook book author, celebrity chef and food nazi to kids of the world, Jamie Oliver, together with wife Jools, have celebrated the birth of their third child, Petal Blossom Rainbow.

Quaint.

Idiotic, but quaint.

Petal joins Daisy Boo and Poppy Honey in the Oliver's every-growing bouquet.

Obama snubbs Rudd at G20. PM likely to have the irrits for a while

Tim Blair writes:

BESIDES albino blues guitarist Johnny Winter, moon-tanned British comedian Matt Lucas and an undiscovered race of sightless subterranean mole people, Kevin Rudd is the whitest guy around.

He's Ned Flanders minus the funk. He's so white that it's impossible to keep time on a backbeat in the presence of even a Rudd photograph.

Next to the Prime Minister, Family First senator Steve Fielding looks like a Wiradjuri elder.

So it was surprising this week to hear the Bishop of London, himself not exactly in danger of melanin poisoning, describe Rudd's 2007 election as constituting "something of an Obama moment" for Australia.

Something I discuss here.

Of course, Tim is being facetious in comparing the skin pigment of our dear leaders, but, seriously, coming back to the issue of Rudd's whiteness - I made the point here that I thought there could be an underlying medical problem explaining his weird diet, pale complexion and crappy mood. I really encourage him to have some tests.

Meanwhile, Tim goes on to say:

Speaking of Obama moments, there is an absolutely delicious slice of video magic on the website of The Australian, our sister newspaper.

Shot at a G20 get-together, it shows Rudd, Obama and a bunch of other G20 types chatting amiably.

The mood changes, however, when Obama greets Brazilian President Lula da Silva. "This is my man, right here," says Obama. "Love this guy."

---

Then Obama adds another line of praise, describing da Silva as "the most popular politician on earth".

---

It's hilarious, because Rudd is utterly unable to conceal his bewilderment at this terrible injustice. Doesn't Obama know about the 74 per cent approval ratings in Australia? Hasn't he been briefed? Rudd's mouth actually opens and closes with no sound emerging before he composes himself for a rebuttal.

Brace yourself, because this is one of the most wince-making moments in Australian political history. Aiming to correct the US President, Rudd actually said: "The most popular long-term politician ..."

Unbelievable.

It was simply astonishing to watch. I mean, nothing surprises me when it comes to Rudd's utterances, but, had I not seen that video with my own eyes, I simply would not have believed he could have the gall and the hubris to say what he did.

It nearly made me bring up my cereal.

I never thought I would be congratulating Obama - least not in print - but I heartily do so now, for (albeit unwittingly) putting our little megalomaniac of a prime minister in his place.

I think Rudd will confine this particluar junket to the shredder. I don't think he's going to be a happy little vegemite when he gets home, somehow.

Funny moments from across the ditch

I admit I am not a huge watcher of New Zealand television, due in part to the fact I live about 2,500 kilometres outside of the New Zealand television broadcasting area, and my antenna isn't big enough.

But, thanks to YouTube, I can catch up with clips of a guy called Paul Henry, a co-host of TVNZ's morning program 'Breakfast'. The guy is an absolute riot. There are dozens of YouTube clips of him, and below is one of them that has me in stitches each time I look at it.

Classy Bruni stays at arm's length from Barry

The Sun reports:

FRANCE'S first lady broke with protocol today as she held out a frosty hand to welcome Barack Obama.

Stunning Carla Bruni was business-like in her greeting — while her hubby treated the US President's wife to a hug and Continental double kiss.

The former model gave customary pecks on both cheeks to Michelle Obama and other dignitaries when the couple arrived in France.

But when it came to the dashing US President the beauty kept a
noticeable distance.

Very wise.

Amusing group photo at the bottom - particularly of Bruni's bloke, French Prez Nicolas Sarkozy, standing on his tiptoes. Perhaps he thought the photographers were only taking head shots.

US electricity supply could be blowin' in the wind

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Simply harnessing the wind in relatively shallow waters -- the most accessible and technically feasible sites for offshore turbines -- could produce at least 20% of the power demand for most coastal states, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said, unveiling a report by the Minerals Management Service that details the potential for oil, gas and renewable development on the outer continental shelf.

The biggest wind potential lies off the nation's Atlantic coast, which the Interior report estimates could produce 1,000 gigawatts of electricity -- enough to meet a quarter of the national demand. The report also notes large potential in the Pacific, including off the California coast, but said the area presented technical challenges.

Meanwhile, I took this photo today (from the passenger's seat) of the Cullerin Range wind farm near Gunning in NSW, Australia.

Once completed and commissioned, the Cullerin turbines will produce a humble 30 megawatts of electricity.

And the difference between 30 megawatts and 1,000 gigawatts? About an extra 499,985 of these -

Rudd makes flight attendant cry

Chairman Rudd reportedly made a flight attendant upset on a flight from Port Moresby to Sydney when Rudd didn't get the meal he wanted.

"As I recall it, there was a flight, I think from Port Moresby, and I had a discussion with, I think, one of the attendants on the provision of food. It didn't last very long and if anyone was offended by that, including the attendant concerned, of course, I apologise," Mr Rudd said during a news conference.

"As I said, if anyone took offence, of course, I apologise for it. Prime
ministers make mistakes, I'm sure I've made mistakes, that'd be one of them. If people have been offended I apologise for it."

It was no mistake. Rudd did his block - something for which he is renowned.

I used to be a very frequent traveller - however, I don't hold a candle to Kevin Rudd when it comes to clocking up the frequent flyer points - but I have a word of advice for our prime minister: always be nice to flight attendants ... for they usually prepare the food when the passenger is not looking.

UPDATE

I'm beginning to wonder if the funny fruit-only diet Rudd is or was on is due to some hitherto undisclosed ailment. I think if I were on a fruit-only diet I'd be a bit fratchy too. In no way does that excuse the prime minister for his evident rudeness towards this flight attendant, but could be an explanation for it.

Quentin Bryce: remember why you are where you are

I nearly fell off my chair when I read this.

Apparently, Australia's globe-trotting Governor-General, Quentin Bryce has said that she thinks Australia will eventually become a republic.

I remind people - and Ms Bryce as well - that she represents the Queen as head of state of Australia. Clearly she has little appreciation for the position she holds.

"I think that that will happen in the future, yes," Ms Bryce said of Australia becoming a republic.

If it is going to happen in the future, then why is she concerning herself with the issue now?

"I think that it is part of the development of our democracy in future decades."

Ms Bryce is fast gathering a reputation as someone who, in her official capacity, is not only doing the government's bidding, but speaking out on issues that should be clearly off limits.

It is high time Ms Bryce put away her portable pulpit and started treating her role in the impartial, unprejudiced manner it deserves.

Costello's thoughts 12 months on from the 2020 love-in

Peter Costello wrote a fine article in the 'Boring Broadsheet' this week on the wash-up from Chairman Rudd's much-hyped 2020 summit held in Canberra last April.

The former treasurer writes:

Reviews and strategies backed up by independent commissions were the main ideas of the 2020 Summit. Reading the report one can't help but notice how few specifics there are. Such specifics as were mentioned were down paths we have explored before, such as constitutional amendments on the republic and indigenous rights.

The Government, when it gets around to responding to the report, will not have much trouble dealing with it. It can just adopt the process - set in place the reviews and strategies to decide the outcomes that it wants.

The last paragraph is most certainly what will happen.

The whole 2020 love-in was an expensive PR exercise designed to make it look like Rudd was seen to be doing something about the issues facing Australia, by sitting down (on the floor) with the delegates, listening to them, scribbling in his notebook, and nodding at the appropriate moments while looking very grave. Great theatre. Shame about the cast.

In reality, Rudd should have known what needed to be done without going through the charade that was the 2020 summit. Like many things he has done since becoming prime minister, it was meaningless symbolism.

Is it JPD? JPY? No, it's JPL!

Jean-Paul Duminy, he isn't. It's not John Paul Young either.

No, the new leader of the Liberal National Party in Queensland is 48-year-old Surfers Paradise MP and dentist, John-Paul Langbroek. He was elected in a party room ballot this afternoon.

John-Paul Langbroek

The Dutch-born MP and father of 3 was first elected to Queensland parliament in 2004.

To balance the ticket, former opposition leader, Lawrence Springborg - with 20 years' parliamentary experience behind him - was elected deputy opposition leader.

According to Craig Johnstone from the Courier Mail, Queensland could be the first jurisdiction in the world where its leader and opposition leader have admitted to using Botox. Well, the best of British to them, I say! I'd rather vote for someone who has admitted to having used Botox, over that most de rigueur of substances, marijuana, any day.

Election of Rudd Australia's 'Obama Moment'

In London on Tuesday, Anglican Bishop Richard Chartres heaped praise on the Australian Prime Minister during a forum at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Said the good Bishop to those assembled:

It would not be too strong to say the election of Kevin Rudd constituted something of an ‘Obama moment’ for that country.

Well, as nauseating as that comment appears at first reading, I don't think Chartres is all that far from the truth.

Like Obama with Americans, on several fronts Kevin Rudd conned Australians into voting for him, not least because he wasn't the incumbent.

Like Obama with Americans, Australians voted for Rudd because he represented something new and fresh.

Like Obama with Americans, Australians do not have the political savvy to cast their votes according to party platform (what's that?), rather they voted for Rudd because they 'liked' him. 'Why' they like him will doubtless remain for me an unfathomable question until the day I kark it.

Like Obama, Rudd is a cliché-humping socialist who loves the sound of his own voice, as well as the fact that it has a mesmeric effect on those who bother to listen, culminating in the audience either falling asleep or switching off before the diabolical reality of what he is actually saying dawns on them.

So, yes, I can see many similarities between the election of Barack Obama and Kevin Rudd.

However, unlike America, Australians don't have the comparative luxury of knowing that their dear leader will only ever remain in that capacity for a maximum of eight years.

As long as Rudd keeps on dishing out (borrowed) money in the guise of "stimulus payments" then I shudder to think how long we will have to put up with him.

Welcome

Welcome to The Right Aussie.

I will be blogging my opinions on the state of Australia and the world. I do not intend for all posts to be serious all of the time, nor will they always be about politics. I hope to blog at least a couple of times a week.

Disclosure:

I stress that this blog is a mouthpiece for MY personal views. When those views are of a political nature, they might or might not be those of a particular political party. I am not a politician - nor do I have the least desire to be one.

According to The Political Compass, I am 3.62 on the Economic Scale and -0.87 on the Social/Libertarian Scale, which apparently has me in rare company (along with P.J. O'Rourke) on the Libertarian Right. Well ... I always knew I was non-conformist.


Occupationally, I work for the government - which is as boring as it sounds, which is why it won't be expanded upon.
Likes: Good scotch, strong coffee, Dilmah Earl Grey Tea, Fennel, Lord Monckton, Peter Costello, Alan Jones, Boris Johnson, Nigella Lawson, Sarah Palin, Rick Stein, Paul Klee, St Bernards, Rabbits (as pets, not food), winter, photography, Japan, watercolours.
Dislikes: Kevin Rudd, Wayne Swan, Nicola Roxon, Barack Obama, Earth Hour, socialism, the 'global warming' myth, the misuse of the apostrophe (including people who think your and you're are alternative spellings of the same word), slow-walking people (grrr!!)

Contact me at ngjhwpc@yahoo.com.au