Flowery Friday

Fiona Uncategorized

(Image Credit: Virtual Tourist)

For me, the past week has been one of overwhelming – and very mixed – emotions. Gough’s memorial service and those magnificent eulogies, the deaths of two beautiful horses on Cup Day, the (how surprising) “aggressive tax planning” on the part not just of multinationals but also of Australia’s own Future Fund, the manic malevolence of Minister Morrison.

And – the memorial service again. Not just the studied insult to FPMJG, trying to seat her next to Rudd. But the unstudied, gratuitous insult – the complete indifference – to all those ordinary members of the public who thought they had registered – who had been told they were registered – for places at the service.

Enough already.

I dedicate this evening’s post to smelling the roses . . .

(Image Credit: Kristie Bonifacio)

And to a raffle, and drinks, and camaraderie . . .

(Image Credit: Trip Advisor)

331 thoughts on “Flowery Friday”

  4. gravel,

    A lot of people just walk by without interacting, however those who do stop do take a genuine interest in Labor’s policies and want to talk with our candidate and, IMO, the feedback from these people is fairly positive. The main aim of these street corner talks though is to make our candidate known and recognisable to the voters, this is especially important in Traralgon which is where we really need to shift votes if we want to win the seat (The nats got more than 70% of the 2 party preferred vote there last time).

  5. Gippy Laborite

    I still can’t believe Traralgon and Morwell vote other than Labor, but there you go. Thanks for the feedback, hope you had a nice cold tipple of something when you were through.

  6. Glad to hear the plan in Morwell. I’ve been thinking since 2010 that the Nationals fluked it getting that much of the vote (must be a sophomore surge for the record books), and I hope it rebounds back to Labor this time around.

  7. gravel

    Traralgon’s actually trending more conservative as time goes by,

    Kirsdarke
    Labor stuffed up big time last election, especially with the plan for closing down Hazelwood, it just let the Nats run the mother of all scare campaigns.

  8. Another thing worth mentioning is that while the margin post redistribution is 13.3%, on federal figures the margin is 6.2%. Still there is a lot of ground to make up.

  9. Well, just have a think about this

    Speaking before his departure for the summit, Abbott did not repeat his earlier threats to “shirtfront” Putin but said he would take a strong message from the Australian people.

    He said he would seek Putin’s personal assurance that MH17 wasn’t swept under the carpet or forgotten.

    “I will speak for our dead, I will speak for our nation, I will speak for decency and for humanity in stating to the Russian president he owes it to us, he owes it to our common humanity to ensure that justice is done,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/08/tony-abbott-says-hell-take-strong-message-about-mh17-to-vladimir-putin

  11. Re-post !!

    Those old Krauts did some fancy fencing ties back in those old days!…This is what I call my “Gordian Knot” piece of wire (found out the back)……You work it out !

  13. I see, that would’ve done it. While I don’t have much love for Hazelwood myself, a more delicate approach to how to deal with brown coal pollution would’ve probably been better.

    Also, I hear that Napthine is launching the L/NP’s campaign from Ballarat tomorrow, although at this point I doubt it’ll make much difference here. I’m glad I have my own do-not-knock sticker so at least I’ll be spared from the Young Liberals fresh from St. Chip-on-the-Shoulder Grammar they’ve bussed in from Melbourne to campaign here.

  14. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-08/jackie-kelly-to-run-as-independent-candidate-in-nsw-state-elect/5876938

    http://www.theage.com.au/good-weekend/alison-anderson-clive-palmers-mercurial-leader-in-the-nt-20141107-11c9o5.html

    http://parishmcculloch.com.au/captains-pick-hits-reef/

    http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/a6d2a690-6545-11e4-91b1-00144feabdc0.html

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/11216844/Japan-and-China-agree-to-reduce-tensions-over-Senkaku-islands.html

  15. Yesterday evening I asked Gorgeous Dunny whether I might quote the last paragraph of an email he had sent me. The subject was, not surprisingly, Wednesday’s memorial service.

    Permission having been granted, I shall now publish the penultimate and final paragraphs (on the basis of Gorgeous Dunny’s assertion that he hadn’t written anything he wasn’t prepared to back up):

    I think that humanity and integrity is all important for respect. I have as much regard for Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Bob Brown, Scott Ludlam or Clover Moore as I have for any leading Labor lights, apart from the legends we’ve mentioned. Our political scene is diminished by the Howard vanquishing of the old Deakinite Liberals, of which Andrew Elder is one. The Nationals have suffered a similar fate through selling out to mining. Once it had people who cared about their constituents and regional communities, and had some talented leaders like Nixon, Sinclair and Anthony.

    Too many abuses of our constitutional position, I fear. Representative government in its proper democratic form exemplified by Gough does require that our leaders are delegated to govern with our consent. It doesn’t happen that way now with powerbrokers and lobbies. It should never be about what we can get out of it, except in the sense of satisfaction/reward you feel from helping others or building a better community.

    Ask not what your country can do for you . . .

    Thank you, GD.

  19. Jaeger,

    Yes indeed. A cherished part of my adolescence, and I have been back – twice with my parents and young daughter, once for a fleeting glimpse five years ago.

  23. Puffy,

    Exquisite, but – dunno why – I just don’t like the “blue” aka lilac roses.

    Wishy-washy, perhaps?

  25. A Qld farm that grows a million roses.

    Roses are a poor choice for the SE QLD climate – order direct from a local grower to avoid disappointment.

    Roses Direct (Burbank QLD) have been very good, but their simple “rolled dozen” isn’t always available,
    (Why?!! It’s a “Strauss bouquet” without the filler…)

  27. GD. nicely said…unfortunately, with the onset of riches anticipated, the old ” iron enters the soul”…and we gets what we gets !

  28. The Blue Moon rose has an exquisite scent, which is necessary to get a spot in my garden. I just don’t have time or space for unscented roses.

  31. PuffyTMD, I have a fondness for Blue Moon roses too. As a remembrance of my very late grandfather, who treasured his carefully nurtured Blue Moons in London and managed to transport them to Sheffield in his later years where they grew and thrived, but never with quite the same exuberance of blossom as they had before (I don’t think they really liked the move).

  33. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Another good weekend contribution from Peter FitzSimons.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/noel-pearsons-speech-was-oration-of-a-lifetime-20141107-11ijl7.html
    Visiting Brisbane this week?
    http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/brisbane-g20/sonic-cannons-to-be-deployed-during-g20-20141108-11j4lf.html
    And what does “everything possible” mean?
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/i-want-a-promise-from-putin-on-mh17-says-abbott-20141108-11j4t1.html
    The informational black hole of the Defence Dept.
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/department-of-defence-destroying-and-hiding-sensitive-documents-20141107-11htgy.html
    Annabel Crabbe – All quiet on the Russian shirt-front.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/all-quiet-on-the-shirtfront-as-tension-between-tony-abbott-and-vladimir-putin-defused-ahead-of-apec-20141107-11ik89.html
    Sam Dastyari and fellow Senate inquisitors are getting set for a big week.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/victims-seek-olive-branch-from-anz-over-timbercorp-collapse-20141107-11in5t.html
    The drink container deposit scheme has been a great success in SA for many years. Just DO it!
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/beverage-giants-lobby-against-nsw-container-deposit-scheme-20141107-11iqup.html
    A beautiful piece here from Charles Waterstreet.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/barrie-cassidy-writes-heartwrenching-account-of-pow-horrors-20141107-11iih3.html
    Cory Bernardi should take a vow of silence.
    http://wixxyleaks.com/dont-speak-cory-bernadi-should-take-a-vow-of-silence/
    Barry Everingham writes a classic letter to Abbott.
    http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/a-letter-to-tony-and-a-goodbye-to-gough,7075
    How News Corp sacrifices its own reporters to save itself.
    http://www.independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/news-corp-sacrifices-journalists-to-save-itself,7076
    The three worst things the Liberals did yesterday.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2014/11/08/the-three-worst-things-the-liberals-did-yesterday-103/

  34. While one can empathise with Barrie Cassidy’s family history…for Waterstreet to describe him hosting “Insiders” with “indignation and dignity” is going one bridge too far IMO.

  35. jaycee
    I agree. I also have to disagree with Mr Waterstreet saying Cassidy is the ‘very best reporter that journalism raised in this century’.I think we might have some century confusion there too.

    I enjoy Waterstreet’s writing, same with Peter FitzSimons, but I don’t have to agree with every word they say. Today Mr FitzSimons said Paul Keating received the biggest accolade at the Whitlam memorial. Everything else I have read, watched, heard says that honour went to Julia Gillard. I know Mr F has never been a Gillard fan and that colours his version of events.

  36. Another budget worry for HoJo.

    Universities to regain hundreds of millions of dollars if Senate blocks bill

    The Abbott government could be forced to repay hundreds of millions of dollars it has withheld from universities if legislation for an “efficiency dividend” does not pass the Senate by early next year.

    Most of the public debate about university funding has focused on the 20% average cut to course subsidies that would coincide with the Coalition’s deregulation of tuition fees from 2016.

    But the government has already reduced payments to universities to reflect a separate Labor-initiated efficiency dividend that has not yet been put to a vote in the Senate

    http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/nov/08/universities-to-regain-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-if-senate-blocks-bill

  38. Anyone listening to abc/RN? I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It is background briefing. The story goes, you ground coal into a fine powder, mix it with water and hey presto, you’ve got something like oil that will burn to run electricity turbines. Millions of dollars have been spent, they hired CSIRO, to look at it. Now they are looking to get money from ‘direct action’ to keep funding the ‘research’. Oh sweet jesus, I give up.

  39. 2gravel…There’s gotta be more possibilities..after all, remember “Catch 22’s” ; Milo Minderbinder’s scheme for “chocolate covered cotton” ?…where the only problem to overcome was getting the men to eat it!

  40. Harpers Bazaar (or should that be ‘Bizarre’ now) has named Julie Bishop their Woman of the Year. Mesma used her interview to have a bitchy slap at Julia Gillard.

    Just look at the air-brushing in the photo!
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/julie-bishop-named-harpers-bazaars-woman-of-the-year-20141108-11j46w.html

    Harpers didn’t bother to look at Mesma’s past.
    https://denniallen.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/jealous-julie/

  41. Hearst publishing..now where have I heard THAT name??
    ” Harper’s Bazaar is an American women’s fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst …”

  42. Leone and Gigilene

    Very good point, which Fitzy got wrong. Julia won that one (not that it was a competition) outside and when entering the hall. The crowd simply erupted. Abbott’s nasty little prank was nearly missed by the crowd in the hall were still acknowledging her. Keating was very warmly received, as was Hawke.

    And I agree on the reporter rating. Maybe Waterstreet tried to narrow it by “raised in this century” (in which case I’ve yet to see anyone match Andrew Elder or Greg Jericho). Otherwise Memorial host Kerry O’Brien would rate above him, as would Mega George. Otherwise Leone’s ‘good in parts’ type of rating is better.

    Brilliant analogy with Milo’s “chocolate covered cotton”, jaycee. My, what a source that novel is. Trouble is that too many Abbott acolytes resemble single characters. I had Ziggy Switkowsky pegged as Colonel Cargill, the tax loss making genius. But now we’ve got Qantas’s Alan Joyce and Abbott’s chief business adviser Maurice Newman also contending for it. I don’t want to think about the rest of this sorry ministry at the moment but it is eerie how many of them show up in Joseph Heller’s portrayal.

  43. In BK’s links –

    The informational black hole of the Defence Dept.
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/department-of-defence-destroying-and-hiding-sensitive-documents-20141107-11htgy.html

    I saw that yesterday, just after I had read this, in the Saturday Paper. They belong together.
    Defence’s silence is loud and clear
    http://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2014/11/08/defences-silence-loud-and-clear/14153652001216#.VF6o2snm7AM

    If you can’t get away with rewriting history then you just destroy all evidence.

  47. Sometimes Séverine Mehault climbs the stairs to the second floor for no reason at all. She walks along the hallway, past her son’s room and into her daughter’s bedroom. Then the 40-year-old lies down on the bed, next to a white stuffed bunny, and closes her eyes for a moment, trying to understand why only one of her two daughters, 15-year-old Kenza, is still there — and why Sahra has abandoned her.

    http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/france-struggles-to-deal-with-young-jihadist-exodus-to-syria-a-1001254.html

  48. Anyone know much about Alan Johnson?

    Ed Miliband’s Labour party leadership was plunged into fresh crisis as senior Labour MPs revealed that at least 20 shadow ministers were on the brink of calling for him to stand down.

    The frontbenchers are willing to go public with their demand if the former home secretary, Alan Johnson, indicates that he would be prepared to step into the breach, should Labour be left leaderless just months from a general election. The senior status of the potential rebels and their numbers represent another grievous blow to Miliband’s authority, after attempts by his aides to minimise the extent of dissatisfaction in the party.

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/nov/08/ed-miliband-crisis-labour-mps-back-leadership-change

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