Friday – and a New Friend!

Fiona Uncategorized

HECTOR THE GREEN TURTLE

Explanatory note: I thought The Boss was going to do this as the Friday post. However, it seems he is otherwise occupied – perhaps a little weary after the Cairns jaunt? – so I’ve taken the liberty of gazumping him.

Thank you so very much, Joe6pack, for doing the legwork!

My fellow Pubsters, this is our new friend Hector the Green Turtle:

From the WWF’s email:

Dear Pub Blog,

Thank you. By donating $XY.00 Monthly ($XYZ.00 Annually) you have become part of a committed movement of visionary men and women who are helping to preserve some of the greatest creatures ever to walk this planet.

With your support we will move this world into a very different future, one in which humans live in harmony with nature.

I cannot thank you enough for your support of WWF.

Your account will be debited on 24th of each month. A receipt will be sent to you at the end of the financial year.

Your reference number is: hgfedcba

Your Summary: Turtle Adoption

We will keep you up-to-date on the outcomes we are working to achieve. If you would like more information about WWF’s conservation work or find out about other ways you can help, visit http://www.wwf.org.au.

To adopt an endangered animal for yourself or someone else, please visit WWF-Australia’s website.

With heartfelt thanks,

Dermot O’Gorman
CEO, WWF-Australia

He looks like a really nice young chap.

280 thoughts on “Friday – and a New Friend!”

  1. Hi everyone! Back from the Gold Coast and the celebration of my eldest daughter’s wedding.

    Currently 27 degrees according to BOM but still slightly over 30 degrees in my little den or office/study.

    Dropped into Coolum hoping to catch up with Joe 6 Pack but unfortunately, the timing was wrong. Stayed overnight and visited their markets which were just down the road from where we were staying, arriving there half an hour after it opened.

    Pulled up at the pedestrian crossing opposite the market and had Fiona Simpson and some of her crew decked out in blue T-shirts (seems to be standard uniform for LNP types in QLD now).

    Temped to miss-judge my braking distance bur thought better of it. There were about half a dozen or so blue shirts waiting for her at what looked like a stall.

    Checked out Clive Palmers Resort while there and took a few photos. Could only see one dinosaur there which disappointed Mrs Scorpio who wanted to give her new camera a good work out. (Santa Clause brought it for her)

    Left the instruction book at home so has got some “very” strange results with a lot of very ordinary photos. 😉

    I kept up with all your jottings as best as I could but it was a bit difficult when we were looking after Eli. He’s a darling but it is very labour intensive and exhausting keeping up with him.

    My three daughters looked absolutely gorgeous all dressed up for the wedding, (stunning, actually) as did the mother of the bride, Mrs Scorpio.

    Hope everyone had a good X-Mas and are enjoying the New Year so far.

  2. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    A new norm?
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/sydney-siege-aftermath-muslims-feel-set-up-over-islamic-state-flag-request-20150111-12lyte.html
    The more the cover up the greater will be the problem.
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-divided-over-strategy-during-lindt-cafe-siege-in-martin-place-sydney-20150111-12lykf.html
    Here’s Bob Ellis’s take on it via The Independent Australia.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/secrets-and-lies-from-the-lindt-cafe,7249
    Canterbury Council is on the bones of its bum but this CEO’s actions don’t suggest it.
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-king-of-canterbury-and-his-princely-50k-lunch-bills-20150111-12lukm.html
    Surely these facts speak for themselves! The St Vincent’s Hospital CEO speaks out.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/lighten-cbd-booze-controls-at-your-peril-20150111-12k1jn.html
    When one aspires to mediocrity . . . .
    http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/australias-internet-lags-behind-despite-nbn-20150111-12lugi.html
    It won’t be long before Barnaby Joyce could get the gig!
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/nation-to-be-run-from-queensland-as-abbott-goes-on-leave-20150111-12m03p.html
    Shorten says Abbott is in witness protection.
    http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/queensland-state-election-2015/queensland-election-2015-tony-abbott-in-witness-protection-says-bill-shorten-20150111-12ly7v.html
    Pyne splurges $8m on publicity for legislation that probably won’t fly.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-spends-8-million-on-higher-education-media-blitz-20150110-12lcb8.html
    The Victorian Chief Magistrate is concerned that money and influence is being used to avoid criminal records for some.
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victorias-chief-magistrate-orders-diversion-review-20150111-12jnb5.html

  3. Section 2 . . .

    A consumer guide to the economy in 2015.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/a-consumer-guide-to-the-australian-economy-in-2015-20150110-12kwaa.html
    The AMA blasts Abbott again over the Medicare rebate changes.
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/last-minute-medicare-change-evidence-of-abbott-government-bungling-says-australian-medical-association-20150111-12lytn.html
    How can we stop Larry Pickering?
    http://theaimn.com/can-stop-larry-pickering/
    Cory Bernardi just can’t help himself.
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jan/11/cory-bernardi-says-18c-changes-should-be-revisited-following-attacks-in-france
    The three worst things the Liberals did yesterday.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/01/11/the-three-worst-things-the-liberals-did-yesterday-164/
    This bikie heavy might go down big time.
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/former-bandidos-bikie-toby-mitchell-arrested-after-docklands-raid-20150111-12lr77.html
    JK Rowling attacks Murdoch and his tweet.
    http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/11/jk-rowling-condemns-murdoch-tweet-charlie-hebdo-harry-potter-news-corp-muslims-christian
    How unemployment “disappears” and why it matters.
    https://theconversation.com/how-the-unemployed-disappear-and-why-it-matters-35850
    Alan Moir in Paris for the march.

    John Spooner – the cartoonist’s revenge,
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/spooner-gallery-20090716-dmsv.html
    A call to arms from Matt Golding.
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/matt-golding-20090907-fdh2.html

  4. Just what we needed.

    Paul Sheehan, confidant and private dinner party guest of Tony Abbott, calls for calm with conciliatory words.

    With level-headed inspiration like this from senior commentators and friends of the powerful, we can’t go wrong.

    When French president Francoise Hollande addressed the nation on Friday in the wake of terrorist attacks that left 20 dead, he uttered the predictable mantra: “These fanatics have nothing to do with the Muslim religion”.

    His comment is understandable given that France has more than five million Muslims, a stagnant economy, 24 per cent youth unemployment and endemic social alienation among young Muslims.

    His comment is also nonsense.

    A de facto world war is under way and it has everything to do with Islam. It is not thousands of lone wolfs. It is not un-Islamic conduct. It involves thousands of Muslims acting on what they believe is their religious duty to subjugate non-believers, as outlined in the Koran.

    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/these-crimes-have-everything-to-do-with-islam-20150111-12lxmn.html

    That’s right: despite there being hundreds of millions of Muslims, just “thousands” of them have managed to start a “world war”. All other Muslims are part of it automatically.

    People are murdered every day, tens of thousands of them in America alone, by gun-related and other violent crime, usually without provocation or warning, and usually for reasons known only to the criminal crazy wielding the weapon… but that’s just a police matter. Indeed it’s all about Constitutional rights to blaze away. Let’s celebrate our freedoms!

    But when it comes to violent crime perpetrated by Muslims, hoping that quacks like Sheehan will take the bait and blame an entire religion… it’s a world war.

  6. cheers Fiona, was easier than i had thought.
    have searched hard to find an appropriate pic of our ‘esteemed’ prime minister, this is the best i could do but i think the resemblance is spot on. haha

  7. Phew! I think we have all dodged a bullet in Tony Abbott not attending the Paris rally.
    I cringe just thinking about how he would of embarrassed us once again following so soon after his utterly appalling performance at the g20.
    Swaggering alongside real world leaders in his simian/ John Wayne gait, leading from the groin, smacking his lips in that repulsive reptilian way he does, probably perving on any half decent female leader who unfortunately gets within ogling distance of that wanker.
    No doubt lecturing world leaders on the ‘jihadi death cult’ Maybe even lecturing Hollande, Merkel, Cameron etc on gp co-payments again and turning back the boats. Imploring protestors to join ‘team Australia’
    What a fucking joke our PM is.

  8. Stony,

    The Pending net caught you, hence publication only now – with corrected times.

    Well done with the avatar. The resemblance is striking, and I like that “subtle” allusion to joho.

  9. Swaggering alongside real world leaders in his simian/ John Wayne gait…

    John Wayne didn’t swagger. He minced…

  11. Mr Truss acted in the top job while Mr Abbott had a holiday last summer

    Ooops!
    We are supposed to believe that this is the first holiday Abbott has had since he became LOTO in 2009. The PM’s office said so. Now some pesky journalist has blurted out the truth.

    Of course Truzzzzz is running the country while Abbott is frolicking in the surf at Berrara Beach. Truzzzz is deputy PM, it’s what deputy PMs do when the leader is on holiday or out of the country. Honestly, what a dumb thing to say. It seems to imply that the PM gets to choose who will mind the shop.

  13. Queensland Election 2015: Strong Choices will have ‘adverse impact’

    The LNP’s Strong Choices plan will have an “adverse impact” on the state’s fiscal position and cost Queensland $9 billion by 2020, giving only a temporary sugar hit, economist John Quiggin said, labelling it “misleading”.

    A professor of economics at the University of Queensland and ARC Laureate Fellow, Professor Quiggin reviewed the government’s “final plan” regarding Strong Choices and said it did nothing to convince him that privatisation of the state’s assets would be good for Queensland.

    Professor Quiggin said the assets earmarked for privatisation – labelled a long-term lease by a government desperate to avoid the word ‘sale’ in its campaign materials, currently provide $1 billion a year to the state, a figure he said would grow. By comparison, he estimated interest savings to the general government sector would be between $200 and $300 million a year.

    “The majority of net proceeds are allocated to non-commercial infrastructure investments and subsidies for electricity consumption,” he concluded in his report.

    “Only around $7 billion will be available to repay general government debt.

    “As a result, the interest savings from privatisation fall far short of the foregone dividends and tax equivalent payments. The loss will grow over time.

    “Based on the government’s own projections of GOC earnings, the adverse impact will be around $2 billion a year by the end of the forward estimates period.

    “The cumulative loss will be around $9 billion by 2020.

    “The [Strong Choices] Plan will reduce the government’s net worth by $8 billion to $10 billion over the same period.

    “The claimed job creation benefits are temporary and far outweighed by previous cuts.

    “Public expenditure, including the provision of non-commercial public infrastructure, must be financed primarily through taxation. Governments that evade this reality are exhibiting weakness, not strength.”

  14. “John Wayne didn’t swagger. He minced…”
    Yep. Mr Wayne on holiday in Acapulco – love the espadrilles.

  15. Roy Morgan: Unemployment at record high

    The findings are sobering, and although there is a significant gap with the official (albeit very volatile) ABS figures, the trend is self-evident:

    1,402,000 Australians are looking for work (10.9% of the workforce, down 9,000 since December 2013);
    1,246,000 Australians are under-employed (working part-time and looking for more hours – 9.7%, up 154,000 since December 2013).
    2,648,000 Australians are unemployed or under-employed – a new record high (20.6% of the workforce, up 145,000 since December 2013);
    After this month’s rise the latest Roy Morgan unemployment estimate of 10.9% is now a substantial 4.6% higher than the figure currently quoted by the ABS for November 2014 (6.3%)

    http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2015/01/roy-morgan-unemployment-at-record-high/

  17. I just found out that one my nieces lives in Dammartin-en-Goële. During the raid, her little daughter, together with the whole class, were confined in the corridor of their school. They had to sit quietly, without light, their teachers with them. For several hours. In the evening, when the girl went to bed, she gathered all her teddy bears around her and covered them with her blanket, saying to her mum: “I cover them to protect them.”

  19. Gigilene,

    What a moving anecdote. It also sounds like a very healthy for your great-niece to be “dealing” with her terrifying experience.

  22. BB is working out.
    (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
    Post by iVillage Australia.

  24. Scorps
    Congratulations on the family hitch-up. I bet your daughters were stunners and everyone enjoyed themselves. Many toasts to Bride & Groom I expect.

  25. Thanks Puffy. They were stunners. The toasts weren’t overdone but were great and it was a wonderful occasion for members of two families to get to know each other a bit or a bit more and they “did” have a wonderful time.

    The wedding and reception were held at the same venue with the ceremony on the balcony & the reception just back from it under cover.

    I’ll E-mail you a shot & if you’re on facebook, then I’ll give you my title on facebook for you to look up some more great pictures.

  26. Hi Fiona!

    If you log onto facebook, you should be able to see a few pictures from the wedding if you are interested.

  27. Washington: An American “terrorism expert” on the right-wing Fox News channel has declared that Birmingham is “a totally Muslim” city “where non-Muslims just simply don’t go”.

    http://www.theage.com.au/world/fox-news-expert-concludes-birmingham-england-is-an-allmuslim-nogo-zone-20150111-12m8yz.html

    Perhaps the so-called expert should’ve looked at this.

    Religion 2001[41] 2011[42]
    Number % Number %
    Christian 577,783 59.13% 494,358 46.07%
    Buddhist 2,977 0.30% 4,780 0.45%
    Hindu 19,358 1.98% 22,362 2.08%
    Jewish 2,343 0.24% 2,205 0.21%
    Muslim 140,033 14.33% 234,411 21.85%
    Sikh 28,592 2.93% 32,376 3.02%
    Other religion 2,501 0.26% 5,646 0.53%
    No religion 121,541 12.44% 206,821 19.27%
    Religion not stated 81,959 8.39% 70,086 6.53%
    Total 977,087 100.00% 1,073,045 100.00%

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_Birmingham#Religion

  28. Some good news if you can call it that.

    Indonesian divers have found the crucial black box flight recorders of the AirAsia plane that crashed in the Java Sea a fortnight ago with 162 people aboard, the transport ministry says.

    But they failed to retrieve it immediately from the seabed because it was stuck under debris from the main body of the plane, the ministry added.

    ‘The navy divers in Jadayat state boat have succeeded in finding a very important instrument, the black box of AirAsia QZ8501,’ said Tonny Budiono, a senior ministry official.

    The recorders were at a depth of 30-32 metres, he said in a statement.

    Divers will on Monday try to shift the position of the wreckage to access the black box.

    ‘However, if this effort fails, then the team will lift part of the main body using the same balloon technique used earlier to lift the tail,’ Budiono added.

    http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/01/12/divers-find-black-box-of-airasia-plane.html

  29. Brandis giving the dog whistle another workout! What a pack of bastards!

    Attorney General George Brandis has pressed the urgency of legislating for the mandatory retention of metadata in the wake of the atrocities in France.

    Mr Brandis wrote in The Australian newspaper said the threat to the world is now indisputable.

    ‘After the Martin Place siege and the atrocities in France, no rational person can dispute that the world, and the democratic West in particular, faces a profound threat that is likely to be with us for a long time,’ he wrote.

    He also pointed to some of the legislation that the government had already put in place.

    ‘The government’s legislative response comprises four important bills; three have passed with bipartisan support.’

    ‘One crucial bill, requiring mandatory retention of metadata is before parliament’s intelligence committee.

    ‘Its passage is an urgent priority.’

    http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/01/12/brandis-calls-for–urgent–metadata-review.html

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