Thanks for all the recent comments. I haven’t responded yet because I took most of today off work, recovering from “election overload” and hiding from the unnaturally hot weather. I will look at them all soon.
Glory Hole
Should I post this video? I mean, it’s called Glory Hole, but it’s not what you think.
Well, it is. But not quite.
Oh, bugger it. Decide for yourself.
Thanks to Alextremist for the pointer. I think. Now get back to your homework.
Why the porn filter don’t work, by the guy what did it
Tom Wood, the teenager who cracked the Australian government’s NetAlert porn filter in under an hour, has written a detailed analysis of the whole issue. Lotsa useful links at the bottom. Go, boy!
“Officially” is the new “literally”
“Labor, the party of the working class, has officially become the party of choice for intellectuals,” claimed The Australian last Thursday. Sorry, which “official” said this?
No, it wasn’t a Labor party official announcing a change in their funding source. Nor some mythical official spokesperson for “intellectuals” — could there ever be such a central organisation? No, the “official” is just the journalist who wrote the story, or his sub-editor.
In one way this is like that common mis-use of the word “literally”. As in: “Kevin Rudd was literally torn apart in Parliament this afternoon.” But there’s also some lovely propaganda at work — either because the journo thought it’d make it more dramatic, or because (heaven forbid!) The Australian is continuing its pro-Coalition stance.
The Gimli Glider
Wanna read about some amazing flying? I stumbled across the story of the Gimli Glider yesterday — a Boeing 767 which ran out of fuel at 41,000 feet and was successfully landed by Captain Robert (Bob) Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal. Beautiful work, lads.
Gentlemen, start your engines!
Ah, I love the smell of an election in the morning! Camera crews waiting outside Yarralumla sneak one last ciggie. Candidates of all persuasions reach for The Good Suit and ponder which tie they should wear. Journalists place last-minute bets on The Date and wonder just how many grams of speed they should lay in to last the distance. Media outlets everywhere reach for their plans and everybody says goodbye to their loved ones for a few weeks.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is on Sunday, live from his Adelaide Hills palace, dutifully repeating The Message. “To change the government is to change the country.” “Trade unionists.” Repeat ad nauseam.
We’ll hear Lord Downer repeating his scary mantra many, many times as the Coalition fights to the death.
“I think they need a miracle, really,” says The Sphere of Influence. “Unless Kevin Rudd falls over in the campaign, the Liberals will find it very difficult… Unless they get their [economic] message to the forefront of the campaign they’ll have no chance.”
So they’re the battle lines, at least so far. Labor will reinforce their message that it’s time for a change. The Coalition will reinforce their message that only they can maintain the economic boom. And everyone else will be scrambling for Senate spots.
And now we’re just waiting for The Announcement…
[Update 1215: The election date is Saturday 24 November. JWH is currently doing a media conference, which will doubtless be analysed to death over the next 24 hours. Have fun, kiddies!]