“Do you think Appalachian women like me with steel in our backbones will yield?”

Fiona Uncategorized

 

Just when I was seriously doubting America’s chances of returning to at least a semblance of sanity, this gives me hope:

132 thoughts on ““Do you think Appalachian women like me with steel in our backbones will yield?””

  1. About ScumMo’s idea to allow veterans “priority boarding” on Virgin aircraft –

    He really hasn’t thought this through.

    People with disabilities, mobility problems, whatever have priority boarding, they are boarded first on aircraft of any airline, if they request that privilege. The usual way it works is first on and seated well before all the other passengers board, then last off at the destination.

    Are veterans now going to shove ahead of people in wheelchairs, people with mobility aids, elderly people who need special help to board and other people with medical issues or disabilities so they can be seated first? I can’t see anyone wanting to do that or to treat people who need a bit of extra help to get on board in this way.

    The priority boarding process allows people who need help for whatever reason to be accompanied to transport then driven to the aircraft. It gives time for ramps or lifts to be wheeled into place and then removed, and gives cabin staff plenty of time to seat people who may be disabled, frail or aged and to stow mobility aids before the rest of the passengers board. All this is seldom noticed because it’s done before the fit and able-bodied passengers are even called to board.

    A question – does ScumMo have shares in a company that manufactures lapel pins? He’s certainly keen on handing them out.

  2. So now the government wants to pay small business owners a subsidy to employ their own kids. Sheesh!

    The Government Announced A One Nation Policy As Its Own This Week And No-One Noticed
    It’s a $60 million apprentice scheme Pauline Hanson created so businesses will hire Aussie workers and not foreign visa holders.

    Hanson hopes the program will be extended to include family businesses, so parents can employ their kids.

    Labor senator Doug Cameron labelled the trial ill-conceived and expensive, and said it shows the government is beholden to One Nation. He thinks it won’t make up for the 140,000 apprenticeships lost since 2013.

    “On top of its $3 billion cuts to vocational education, the Coalition’s last budget cut a further $270 million from apprenticeships as part of its deeply flawed Skilling Australians Fund.”

    Cameron pointed to the figures from the Department of Jobs and Innovation said in Wagga Wagga, where McCormack and Cash made the trial announcement, there are 1,108 fewer apprentices in 2017 than when the Coalition came to office in 2013. In Cash’s home state of Western Australia there were 9,615 fewer apprenticeships in the same period.

    Electrical Trades Union national secretary Allen Hicks thinks the “bush wage” trial has serious flaws that could adversely impact apprentices and the group training sector

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/aliceworkman/apprenticeship-trial.

  3. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    Ross Gittins accuses Morrison of being a populist who reads the focus group reports, not the briefing notes.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/our-oldies-have-never-had-it-so-good-20181103-p50dt3.html
    Ahead of his Australian visit, renowned economist Joseph Stiglitz warns of the triple threat of rising inequality, the undermining of democracy and climate change. He says what is happening in the US should serve as a warning to other countries.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/05/joseph-stiglitz-america-should-be-a-warning-to-other-countries
    In a very good contribution Greg Jericho says Morrison is stuck in the permanent present – and Australia’s getting nowhere. He says short-term solutions rarely actually help the government with its problems but they almost always do lasting damage.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2018/nov/04/scott-morrison-is-stuck-in-the-permanent-present-and-australias-getting-nowhere
    The Berejiklian government will deliver a tax break to future home buyers that will grow over time, cutting the average amount of stamp duty per property transaction.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-to-make-the-biggest-changes-to-stamp-duty-in-30-years-20181104-p50dy1.html
    Chris Bowen puts his case to return dividend imputation to what it was (before Howard’s desperate action in 2007).
    https://www.outline.com/whzJ27
    Reading this article on religious freedom form an Anglican school principal I asked myself the question, “Is religion a belief or a practice?”
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/anglican-schools-want-to-protect-their-inclusive-culture-20181104-p50dvt.html
    It’s back to the future for the Victorian Opposition as it declared it will try to bring special religious instruction back into normal class times in public schools if it wins the November State Election. Stephen Williams tries to work out where the problem is.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-gospel-has-spoken-religion-in-victorian-public-schools,12062
    What’s Andrew Bolt up to?
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/andrew-bolt-conservative-columnist-hints-at-stepping-back-20181104-p50dxw.html
    Sam Maiden explains why the “boat-stopper” PM let the kids off Nauru.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/11/04/scott-morrison-stop-boats/
    And John McDuling tells us why the Fox News-ification of Sky News Australia will probably stay.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/why-the-fox-news-ification-of-sky-news-australia-will-probably-stay-20181104-p50dvy.html
    Whenever you think Trump couldn’t get any worse this happens! Gun-carrying civilian groups and border vigilantes have heard a call to arms in his American security warnings.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/armed-american-militias-heed-trump-and-head-south-to-confront-caravan-20181104-p50dxe.html
    Nicole Hemmer outlines Trump’s ramping up of fear and hatred.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/once-again-trump-doubles-down-on-hate-20181102-p50dob.html
    The New York Times explains the rise of anti-Semitism in the US and elsewhere.
    https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/there-is-so-much-evil-in-the-world-still-growing-anti-semitism-stuns-american-jews-20181101-p50dd3.html
    On the verge of Foxtel launching its new direct to consumer sports streaming service, where consumers can for the first time buy sports content and nothing else, the Murdoch-controlled pay TV provider is at an inflection point.
    https://www.outline.com/pdfBTU
    The American civil war didn’t end. Trump is a Confederate president.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/04/the-american-civil-war-didnt-end-and-trump-is-a-confederate-president
    A full investigation has been ordered after a Telstra hardware failure sparked the complete breakdown of South Australia’s electronic monitoring system for 774 people on parole or home detention bail.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/unacceptable-telstra-outage-sees-state-loses-track-of-more-than-770-offenders-20181104-p50dym.html
    Eryk Bagshaw tells us that Qantas is facing calls to match Virgin’s decision to give priority boarding to war veterans and salute them before take-off. Do we really need all this Americanisation?
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/qantas-under-pressure-to-salute-veterans-on-flights-20181104-p50dxh.html
    Business and state governments will press on with the shift to clean energy despite the federal government’s retreat from policies to combat climate change, says outgoing Science and Innovation Australia chair Bill Ferris.
    https://outline.com/Zt5WJL
    Coles is suing the tax office in an attempt to claw back $40 million it paid in fuel excise, in what could prove a timely top-up for the supermarket’s coffers during its first year as an independent company. In five separate applications filed with the Federal Court in Victoria, Coles says that between 2014 and 2017 it paid tax on about 107 million litres of fuel which was lost through evaporation or leakage before it could be sold to customers at its chain of Coles Express service stations.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/coles-in-40-million-claim-against-tax-office-over-disappearing-fuel-20181104-p50dvm.html
    The Australian Federal Police is facing a $22.3 million backpay bill in employee superannuation contributions after one worker raised the alarm about years of inadvertent underpayment.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/one-worker-raised-the-alarm-and-now-afp-faces-a-22m-bill-for-super-20181031-p50d61.html
    The Morrison government has boosted APRA’s funding by almost $60 million and extended for another five years the tenure of chairman Wayne Byres.
    https://www.outline.com/tNNTEf
    The union-bashing campaign begins as the federal election looms.
    https://outline.com/ua2BaA
    Santos, Woodside, Chevron and Shell are among oil and gas companies expected to be most immediately impacted by tougher rules announced on petroleum taxation.
    https://outline.com/tAFJZ3
    Education academic Cathy Sherry comes to the defence of public schooling.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/schools-selecting-for-out-of-step-values-are-narrowing-their-teacher-pool-20181104-p50dvr.html
    Medical professionals are not being supported by the health care system and government, writes Dr Don Kane.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/think-of-the-medical-practitioners,12057
    George Williams lauds the Queensland government’s bill to introduce a human rights act.
    https://www.outline.com/pytkqe
    So much for the touted big comeback from our band of elite cricketers!
    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/little-to-smile-about-as-aussies-crumble-to-six-wicket-defeat-20181104-p50dva.html
    There can be no doubt over this “Arsehole of the Week” nomination.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/wrapped-in-plastic-on-a-factory-floor-an-elite-policeman-s-tragic-end-20181104-p50dx6.html

    A quite paltry Cartoon Corner

    Dvid Rowe with all of Morrison’s “friends”.

    Mark David with some tit-for-tat.

    Jon Kudelka at the Virgin boarding desk.
    https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/b626275f64ad78b0810a566b65668383
    Just a few more in here.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/best-of-fairfax-cartoons-november-5-2018-20181104-h17hty.html

  4. Ross Gittins is very good today he concludes

    [Morrison’s] remarks last week were probably more about signalling: the aged – particularly the better-off aged; those dreading Labor’s plan to abolish unused dividend franking credits – should see themselves as part of his party’s “base”, whose interests he represents and will fight for.

    Renters of any age aren’t part of the base. Nor are the young part of it – and others with a greater risk of finding themselves on the dole – so their interests take a lower priority. Don’t say he didn’t tell you.

    https://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/our-oldies-have-never-had-it-so-good-20181103-p50dt3.html

  5. scummo emulating trump, touring around and doing stump speeches, not governing (not that they’ve done any governing since 2013). msm think it’s all good. Gah, why do I even bother.

  7. An advantage of living in a NSW safe (maybe not) seat – I won’t have to put up with ScumMo’s “charm offensive”.

    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-scomo-express-pm-scott-morrison-kicks-off-queensland-charm-offensive

    Offensive? He definitely is. “Charm”? Absolutely not.

    Of course, if Rob Oakeshott decides to run Cowper will be deluged with Nats ministers making extravagant promises they have no intention of keeping. (Been there, heard it all many times, know it’s always lies.) ScumMo probably won’t turn up, Libs never venture here.

    The important question has to be who is paying for this electioneering? The mug taxpayers, of course.

    It’s blatant electioneering, just look at the Liberal campaign bus.

    Does the slogan mean ScumMo is not for all states, just for Queensland? Will that bus have to be repainted when it moves out of Queensland? As usual, ScumMo has not thought this through. He is making a habit of leaping in with rubbish slogans and brainfarts without bothering to consider the consequences.

    You probably won’t be seeing this on the back of that bus –

    You won’t be seeing this “Truth in Advertising” version either –

  10. Brace yourselves. Poorlene making sense…………….

    Pauline Hanson has slammed Virgin Australia’s decision to give defence force veterans priority boarding.

    Pauline Hanson has slammed Virgin Australia’s decision to give defence force veterans priority boarding and “thank them for their service” before flights take off.

    The One Nation leader said this morning that Virgin’s move, backed by Scott Morrison, was a “marketing ploy” and that it would make most veterans she knows feel uncomfortable.

    “I find it very embarrassing. And I’ve worked with a lot of the veterans and I think they’d find it terribly embarrassing,” she told the Seven Network’s Sunrise program.

    “I think this is a marketing ploy by Virgin, good luck to them if they want to use it as PR exercise marketing ploy.

    “But I think that the veterans I know, I think they’d be proud and they’d say “No, I don’t need to line up first to get on the plane first, I don’t use priority boarding.”

    https://outline.com/xXwk9m

    • Things are getting weird when Pauline makes sense.

      The only thing she had wrong as “it’s a marketing ploy by Virgin”. It’s actually Murdoch pushing this via Foxtel, which is running “Thanks for your service” ads constantly.

      I had no idea what the ads were for, it was too early for Remembrance Day when they started and they really could have been about anything, just a lot of Foxtel Australian stars making trite remarks while looking serious for the camera. I didn’t take much notice, I record everything I want to watch so I can skip through the ads.

      Now it’s all clear.

      ScumMo is acting as a branch of NewsCorp.

  12. Many thanks to Fiona for starting this thread with the link to Portia A Boulger’s speech. I fully agree with Fiona that there is hope for America while voices such as Portia’s are heard.

    • Thank you, Gorgeous Dunny.

      If you haven’t looked at it already, one of BK’s Dawn Patrol links is particularly relevant:

  13. ScoMo is electioneering in Queensland so that ABC concentrates on his antics rather than reporting on any Labor door stops, press releases, or reports on the Victorian election campaign

    In The Age this morning it was reported that the greatest use of police resources was domestic violence. Police attend a family violence incident every 7 minutes. I am thinking of finding Matthew Guy and asking what he is doing to address this problem as he is so keen on Laura Norder

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/we-ve-only-just-started-how-the-parties-stack-up-on-family-violence-20181102-p50dj7.html

    And Matthew Guy is crapping on about mandatory gaol time for child sex offenders(No imagination)
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/jail-will-mean-jail-guy-proposes-mandatory-jail-time-for-repeat-child-sex-offenders-20181105-p50e1h.html

    Meanwhile Dan Andrews

    Four more removals on track to make Cranbourne line crossing free

    The Cranbourne line will be the first to be level crossing free, with Labor promising to remove an extra four level crossings if it is re-elected.

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/four-more-removals-on-track-to-make-cranbourne-line-crossing-free-20181105-p50e0z.html

    Better check I have everything for Xmas puds

    • I had to look up “Mick Fanning”, I had no idea who he was.

      I couldn’t get through all of that, the constant cringing was making me feel ill.

    • But he’s just like us, Leone. Look at the approved Aussie stance! Listen to that authentic ocker language! The reference to a person Australians know from sport! The hat! He’s so relatable!

    • It’s not working on me.

      i don’t speak Ocker, I don’t know anyone who does. I am not interested in sports or sporting celebrities – or any other “celebrities”.

      The hat makes him look like an old fart trying to hide his balding head. (Which is exactly what he is.)

      The aggressive hands on hips fingers pointing at the tackle stance is something his minders probably told him makes him seem masculine and in charge. Does he/do they realise Turnbull was also very fond of that pose?

  22. Another brainfart hits the dust.

    Virgin Australia has second thoughts on acknowledging veterans
    Company says it will consult veterans’ groups after plan for priority boarding and public recognition gets a dusty reception

    Virgin Airlines has backed-tracked on its plan to give Australian veterans a US-style public acknowledgement on their flights and priority when boarding, amid an outcry from veterans themselves.

    Less than 24 hours after the announcement, Virgin released a statement saying it would now consult with veterans’ organisations over the plans and “be respectful” the process found public recognition was inappropriate.

    The Virgin proposal was part of a campaign being driven by News Corp Australia – and backed by the prime minister, Scott Morrison. Using the hashtag #ThanksForServing, NewsCorp said it was fostering “a movement to acknowledge the service of veterans, past and present, and the sacrifice of their families”.

    But it immediately drew fire from veterans and groups representing them as out of touch with Australian values.

    Neil James, the head of the Australian Defence Association, called the move “tokenistic” and said it was a manifestation of American culture that was unlikely to translate well in Australia

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/05/virgin-australia-priority-boarding-for-veterans-derided-by-defence-association

  24. In the interest of furthering evidence-based policy, did Scummo ask Veterans if they wanted to be named and lauded on Virgin flights or have their spending tracked through a discount card?

    • It’s just another of his endless stream of stunts and announcements. Looks as if his tactic is to just keep trying things over and over in the hope that something captures the public’s imagination. It’s a very inefficient way to run a government, I have to say. What it mostly does is undermine what’s left of the electorate’s trust in the Coalition. But considering he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing, it’s probably as good an tactic for him as anything else. At least this way he’s not actively buggering up anything vital. Passively, yes, but not actively.

      We used have policy debates not all that long ago. Even Abbott had the odd go at it. But ever since Turnbull’s personal ratings started dropping it’s been non-stop government by distraction. Morrison won’t stop until he’s reduced every policy area to a meaningless and ridiculous slogan.

    • Aguirre As much as I respect your views have to disagree, ScoMo’s stunts are undermining Australian faith in all politicians and political parties. ScoMo’s incessant shallow campaigning is sucking attention away from solid policy announcements from Labor.

      Don’t get me started about The Greens Leader Di Natale canvassing a coalition with the Liberals

  25. non paywalled version https://outline.com/3Fmq4z

  27. Like many if not most Pubsters, I deplore what Israel has become. However …

    For tomorrow’s Tuesday in America:

  30. Yes, we know about Gary Johns

    Johns, head of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), told a Senate Estimates committee last month that he had removed the acknowledgement of country from his email signature and asked his staff to do the same because it could make the ACNC look biased. The regulator oversees both Indigenous and non-Indigenous charities.

    Johns told estimates that the wording, beginning “we acknowledge”, raised “the perception of bias that I’m not treating all charities the same”. He asked his staff to remove the acknowledgement or change it to begin “I acknowledge”.

    In the same hearing, Johns refused to disavow controversial comments he made before being appointed to the ACNC, including a description of Aboriginal women as “cash cows”. While Labor senator Jenny McAllister suggested those comments were “fairly more directly relevant” to his role than the acknowledgement of country, Johns denied that he needed to do anything to “dispel any perception of bias” that his previous comments might have created.

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahryan/scullion-gary-johns-acknowledgement-country

  33. One PM has class …

    When NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met the Royals last week, she gifted Harry and Meghan a Shapeshifter album. When she discussed which songs soundtracked her election campaign at a music conference in August, she made sure to include Neil Finn and Don McGlashan.

    Yet, and this should come as no surprise at this stage in his current run as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia, when Scott Morrison sat down to create a playlist on Spotify, he thought it would be a great opportunity to shit all over the nation he’s running.

    The playlist, titled ‘Eighties plus’, features 146 songs. That’s 11 hours of music. But, of all the artists he could have highlighted in the playlist, albeit constricted to the ’80s, Scott Morrison could not think of more than one Australian song he’d like to feature.

    That’s right, 92 artists, and only one of them Australian: Wa Wa Nee’s funk-pop gem ‘Stimulation’.

    https://thebrag.com/scott-morrison-released-a-spotify-playlist/

    This one, it seems

  39. Meanwhile, there is a Melbourne Cup Thread open – just for the rest of this evening and tomorrow – and we shall revert to the mid-terms on Wednesday:

    NEW THREAD

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