This post was inspired by Sally Baxter’s delightful piece earlier this week, Monkey business ahead for Malcolm, Bill and Tony:
It’s the Lunar New Year, the most important festival on the Chinese calendar with many attendant traditions, all designed to maximise good luck in the year ahead. In the Baxter household we’ve been cleaning, sweeping away cobwebs and making sure that everything is pristine and welcoming for the new year.
With that important task concluded, it’s time to reflect on what might lie ahead in what promises to be a chaotic year, ruled as it is by the impetuous, clever Monkey. What does the Year of the Monkey have in store for 2016? Since it’s an election year I thought it would be fun to check out the Chinese horoscopes for our political leaders.
Our Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was born in the Year of the Horse; the leader of Her Majesty’s (for now) loyal Opposition Bill Shorten was born in the Year of the Goat; and the unofficial leader of the disloyal opposition Tony Abbott is a Rooster.
Like Sally, I thought it would be interesting to check out both the characteristics of each of the leaders’ signs, and their career horoscopes for this Year of the Monkey.
So, Malcolm Turnbull – the Year of the Horse (1954) . . . hmm, same sign as OH, though OH is somewhat older . . .
The Horse’s personality:
People born in a year of the Horse are extremely animated, active and energetic. Horses love to be in a crowd, and they can usually be seen on such occasions as concerts, theater performances, meetings, sporting events, and parties.
With a deft sense of humor, Horses are masters of repartee. They love to take center stage and delight audiences everywhere.
Sometimes, the Horse is a little self-centered, but it doesn’t mean that s/he can not be interested in others’ problems. Horses are really more cunning than intelligent, and that is probably why most Horse people lack real confidence.
What Are the Best Careers for Horses?
Jobs involving communicating with others attract Horses most. The Horse sign stands for leadership, management, and decision-making. Horses dislike taking orders.
The Horse can make it in any career that demands neither solitude nor meditation, for he is an extrovert and he needs to be surrounded by people who approve of him and flatter him.
Good career choices for Horses include: publicist, sales representative, journalist, language instructor, translator, bartender, performer, tour operator, librarian or pilot.
2016 for the Horse:
People born in a Year of the Horse will have good fortune overall in this Monkey Year. In particular, they will have better achievements in their career and win a lot in wealth.
However, everything has two sides and although things may run smoothly, they may also suffer from disruptions. Therefore, it will still be necessary for them to be on the ball.
Good Career Fortune
People born in a Year of the Horse will be very confident in their career during this Monkey Year, and they will be able to make great progress when they get the opportunity. However, they will be distracted by something and will be unable to fully concentrate on work, making it hard for them to reach the expected outcome.
However, they will still reap the rewards at the end of the year due to help from friends. In the fifth and tenth Chinese lunar months, they will have the most disruptions, so they should increase their awareness and beware of loop-holes in their business.
In contrast, they will have good opportunities in the first, fourth, eighth, and eleventh Chinese lunar months, which they should make full use of.
* * * * * * * * *
The former PM, Tony Abbott, is a feather duster Rooster (1967).
The Rooster’s personality:
People born in a year of the Rooster are very observant. Hardworking, resourceful, courageous and talented, Roosters are very confident about themselves.
Roosters are always active, amusing and popular among the crowd. Roosters are talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest, and loyal individuals. They like to be the center of attention and always appear attractive and beautiful.
Roosters are happiest when they are surrounded by others, whether at a party or just a social gathering. They enjoy the spotlight and will exhibit their charm at any occasion.
Roosters expect others to listen to them while they speak, and can become agitated if others don’t. Vain and boastful, Roosters like to brag about themselves and their accomplishments.
Their continually seeking the unwavering attention of others annoys people around them at times.
What Are the Best Careers for Roosters?
Roosters are more motivated than other animals in the Chinese zodiac, making their careers a priority in their lives. Roosters are hard working, multi-talented, and can deal with a variety of jobs.
Good career choices for Roosters are newsreader, sales person, restaurant owner, hairdresser, public relations officer, farmer, athlete, teacher, waiter, journalist, travel writer, dentist, surgeon, soldier, fireman, security guard, and police officer.
2016 for the Rooster:
People born in a Year of the Rooster will have mixed weal and woe in this Monkey Year. This is mainly because both lucky and unlucky stars will shine on them.
Good Career Fortune
People born in a Year of the Rooster will make good achievements in their career this year if they take the initiative. Businessmen will get plenty of money, officers will be promoted, and job hunters will get higher positions. However, they must pay special attention to workers around them, and avoid disputes relating to relationships and money.
They will turn calamities into blessings and get good outcomes from misfortunate events if they do everything carefully in the first and second Chinese lunar months. Everything will go extremely smoothly in the fourth, seventh, tenth, and eleventh Chinese lunar months.
* * * * * * * * *
The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten – a Goat (1967) . . . as am I, though 12 years older.
The Goat’s personality:
People born in a year of the Goat are generally believed to be gentle mild-mannered, shy, stable, sympathetic, amicable, and brimming with a strong sense of kindheartedness and justice.
They have very delicate thoughts, strong creativity, and perseverance, and acquire professional skills well. Although they look gentle on the surface, they are tough on the inside, always insisting on their own opinions in their minds. They have strong inner resilience and excellent defensive instincts.
Though they prefer to be in groups, they do not want to be the center of attention. They are reserved and quiet, most likely because they like spending much time in their thoughts. Goats like to spend money on fashionable things that give them a first class appearance. Although goats enjoy spending money on the finer things in life, they are not snobbish.
What Are the Best Careers for Goats?
People born in the year of the goat prefer to work in a team. Their best work partners are Horses. They are not crazy about status and power. Unless asked, they won’t ever volunteer for anything and act as leaders. Good career choices for goats are pediatrician, actor, daycare teacher, interior designer, florist, hair stylist, musician, editor, illustrator, and art history teacher.
2016 for the Goat:
People born in a Year of the Goat will have a prosperous fortune in 2016. They will turn calamities into blessings and be content.
Good Career Fortune
In this Year of the Monkey, people born in a Year of the Goat will have great developments in their career. They will complete work with ease and yield twice the results with just half of the effort. They will also receive guidance and instruction from the right person. Therefore, it will be a good time for them to carry out their great plans.
Their career will go extremely smoothly in the first, second, seventh, ninth, and twelfth Chinese lunar months. They should make full use of this opportunity. For the rest of the year, even ordinary working-class people will be hopeful of being promoted. When conversing with others, they should be cautious about their choice of words, or they may cause damage to their career.
They will encounter lots of disruptions in their career in the fourth and tenth Chinese lunar months, and will need to increase their level of vigilance to deal with them.
* * * * * * * * *
Just for the hell of it, I thought it would be interesting to look at the “personality” and prospects of . . .
The Coalition government – a Snake (2013).
The Snake’s personality:
In Chinese culture, the Snake is the most enigmatic animal among the twelve zodiac animals. People born in a year of the Snake are supposed to be the most intuitive.
Snakes tend to act according to their own judgments, even while remaining the most private and reticent. They are determined to accomplish their goals and hate to fail.
Snakes represent the symbol of wisdom. They are intelligent and wise. They are good at communication but say little. Snakes are usually regarded as great thinkers.
Snakes are materialistic and love keeping up with the Joneses. They love to posses the best of everything, but they have no patience for shopping.
Snake people prefer to work alone, therefore they are easily stressed. If they seem unusually stressed, it is best to allow them their own space and time to return to normal.
2016 for the Snake:
Overall Fortune Trend for Snakes in 2016 — bittersweet.
* * * * * * * * *
(I am indebted to China Highlights for the horoscopes.)
Section 3 . . . with Cartoon Corner
Bob Ellis and the death of Scalia.
http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2016/02/15/after-scalia/
http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2016/02/14/scalia/
Apart from this one from Pat Campbell on gravitational waves I can’t find any new Fairfax cartoons this morning.
Mark Knight has had enough of flares at soccer games.
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/8d7c4911abb88c2fc188b86db638ca3e?width=1024&api_key=zw4msefggf9wdvqswdfuqnr5
A pretty good one from Bill Leak.
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/f00099fc616da9d4c4c7ce24643fdcbc?width=1024
Is that Shorten in David Rowe’s spotlight?
Turnbull’s new ministry will be like one of those scrappy militia squadrons made to march to impress the visiting potentate…: all miss-steps and untidy uniforms and clumsy spins and turns …be lucky if some-one’s gun doesn’t go off and they all shoot each other in the foot!
I give them a month, at the most, before the first foot-shooting happens.
I really can’t take SMH editorials seriously, not after the one they wrote before the last election telling their readers to vote for Abbott.
Now we have weasel words – “yet another dysfunctional regime that promises big and delivers small.”
This ‘regime’ is the same government that I didn’t vote for in 2013. Despite what the MSM would have us believe it is not a new government, not unless I somehow slept though an entire election campaign. It’s not a new ‘regime’ either. Same government, same policies, same MPs, same IPA/Murdoch influence, So why the’yet another’ reference? There’s only one interpretation I can put on that. It’s a snide reference to the Gillard government. A government that despite all the handicaps managed to achieve so much more than the current rabble could even dream about. At least that allegedly ‘dysfunctional’ government managed to keep its promises, get all its legislation through a very difficult parliament, and managed to get all its budgets through as well. This government still has not been able to get the 2014 budget past the senate, last year’s budget ditto, this year’s budget, unless Turnbull pulls an election swifty on us, will meet the same fate.
The crap that passes for ‘journalism’ in this country is an absolute farce.
Wrong way ’round, Leone..: The absolute farce that passes for journalism…
i just want to put it on the record that men can be the biggest gossip-mongers and Chicken Littles, two things they’re always so keen to attribute to women. Over at my control group the two biggest topics are some ex-footballer shagging some other ex-footballers wife, and “oh my god our rents are going to double because of Labor ending negative gearing!!”
The former is an orgy of moralism. But everybody still wants to know all the gory details of course, and are quite happy to pass judgement without them.
The latter is mostly jumping to conclusions, a kind of Pavlovian reaction to the term ‘negative gearing’. Apparently, nobody is going to be able to afford to live in a house ever again.
Alan Austin for IA –
Corruption on Turnbull’s watch widens and deepens
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/corruption-on-turnbulls-watch-widens-and-deepens,8678
From Urban Wronski.
Cabinet picked, Turnbull grins, spins in nightmare week from hell.
http://urbanwronski.com/2016/02/14/cabinet-picked-turnbull-grins-spins-in-nightmare-week-from-hell/
Bloody algae that develops in my pool!..comes from god knows where..Nth, Sth, East and west!..I’m going to chlorinate the bastard till it burns your eyes just to look at it!
Quick HI Update…
After giving the other side a drubbing on process and inadmissable evidence the other day, we now have another THREE whole weeks to prepare again for the investigators. They are tying themselves in knots. They have based their case on HI being allegedly incompetent, but all they are showing up is their own.
In short, we actually do read what they send us. And it is not well-prepared at all. They are still getting used to the idea of an employee they have boxed into a corner, now with nothing to lose, actually fighting back.
We spoiled ourselves and left the house yesterday for a lovely Sunday walk by the Harbour, we have so much time up our sleeves. We used to do this often when we were courting, but not for years now. It was a nice nostalgia trip.
You’ll need some decent R&R once you’ve ground them into the dust where they belong.
I get it now!..Turnbull is like a sad-sack version of the last tuxedo-dressed “Ring-Master” at some tin-pot circus, introducing clowns and costume-dressed up as animals with all the sincerity and gravitas of a Moscow Circus big-top maestro..: ‘And NOW, ladies and Gentlemen..The greatest, largest, most magnificent…”
Tragic, hopeless, silly prick.
Ahh, you remembered
.
BB,
Each and every little win you achieve against those incompetent pricks in HI’s workplace warms the cockles of my heart. Talk about a David v Goliath battle that you and HI have on your hands! Really and truly, both of you deserve to be awarded a great big heap of dollars in compensation for the months and months of pain and suffering heaped upon you by these turkeys that ought not be in charge of a chicken run. I do wonder how on earth such people get into senior jobs in the Public Service in the first place.
Yes. Let it all play out first, but you’d wonder if there was not a case for the Ombudsman or ICAC.
.
i don’t get the one with the brick wall.
Bushfire Bill,
Sic ’em Rex.
BB
Three weeks to tear down their latest rubbish. So pleased you are both able to wind down a little and enjoy some pleasure. Go get ’em tiger. 🙂
I’m feeling antsy, so there’s a…
New Thread: Shit, or get off the pot, Malcolm