(no subject)

The Chaser got hold of Beazley's Loyalty Oath For Visitors:

I promise during my visit to Australia that I will:

1) Respect other cultures if completely assimilated into Australia's own

2) Respect for other religions as long as they're not fundamentalist (except Christianity)

3) Respect for Australian institutions such as Don Bradman, Phar Lap, Steve Irwin and Peter Brock

4) Respect Australia's democracy unless I have a Senate majority

5) Respect the equal treatment of women, except when depicted in Ralph, FHM and ZOO. I note note that 'equal' does not extend to pay, hiring policies, seats in parliament or adequate childcare facilities.

6) Respect hard work, especially when directed towards avoiding tax

7) Respect Australia's Laws, and also its Jones and Mitchell

8) Respect Australia's armed forces no matter where America may deploy them

9) Respect Australia's parliaments, except the 'fun-sized' NT and ACT parliaments which no-one respects

10) Above all respect Australians' most important value – the value of their mortgage repayments

I keep thinking "No, this time Beazley has completed jumped the shark", and then he goes and finds a new shark to jump.
Please, won't someone in the ALP put him out of our misery?

To re-use a quote (I can't recall who made it, right now) originally about Joe Lieberman:
"I'm not sure if absence makes the heart grow fonder, but in his case, I'd like to find out".

olbermann gets (more) medieval on their arses.

Apparently the ratings for Countdown have taken a large leap upwards recently. I'm sure his brutally honest commentary like this is a large part of the reason. The latest is "The Hole In The Ground", and takes as it's starting point the giant hole that remains in the heart of NYC. Another heartfelt and eloquent expression of rage.


When those who dissent are told time and time again -- as we will be, if not tonight by the President, then tomorrow by his portable public chorus -- that he is preserving our freedom, but that if we use any of it, we are somehow un-American...When we are scolded, that if we merely question, we have "forgotten the lessons of 9/11"... look into this empty space behind me and the bi-partisanship upon which this administration also did not build, and tell me:

Who has left this hole in the ground?

We have not forgotten, Mr. President.

You have.

May this country forgive you.


Here's the video:

Or get the downloadable version from Crooks and Liars

( full transcript below the fold )

UPS fight continues

So the fight (the start of it was here) fucking CONTINUES. Despite my actions last time - finding all the details confirming payment, faxing them through to the recovery agents, and then speaking to someone on the phone who confirmed that she had the fax and that the account would be closed... Today I received ANOTHER letter, this one a final demand threatening legal action.

Rang back, said "huh?" They claim that they never received any correspondence/faxes. Right. OK. Sure. The AngrySwearyPants were donned at this point. I faxed it again, and told them I expected a phone call back confirming they'd received it. This latter phone call happened. "Ok, I have the fax and the account will be closed". Right. Excuse me if I'd like to receive a fax back from you confirming this.

I figure give them until next Monday to do this, then it might be time to get a lawyer to go stomp them. So, anyway - if for whatever reason you want to ship something, don't use UPS. Ever. And if you ever need to get money back, don't use a firm called "Recoveries and Reconstruction Australia" of Kogerah, NSW.