Posts by Paul Williams

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  • Hard News: Loving your dog and owning…,

    Perhaps in a few years we'll be reduced to 'Which Presidential Candidate would you like to watch doing your wife?" instead of having a beer with. In which case I'd hope Obama would romp home ahead of McCain. Americans are funny.

    Wow, we just went there! The half-life of this thread's going to be amusing while it last...

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Loving your dog and owning…,

    you reap what you sow.

    Yup, something Franks ought to be pondering before he next speaks.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Loving your dog and owning…,

    it's easy for anyone, whether "MSM stalwarts" or "MSM stalwarts" to make someone look like a fuckwit, or elide all that annoying context for a more punchy soundbite.

    Particularly when presented with a range of glib answers delivered with a derisory grin!

    Frank's is the dog of this piece Craig. Sure the MSM might be able to spin a turd from candy floss, but Franks is a perfect candidate for parody. His smug, dismissive tone and high-handedness scream out of this clip and he deserves the media slap he's getting - I'd have more tolerance if he'd just simply and quickly said "sorry, that came out wrong, what I mean is..."

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Loving your dog and owning…,

    It is all a plot, he believes, "to paint me as homophobic".

    I've no idea if Franks is homophobic, but if he's not, he's really got to tighten up on his choice of language. His glib answer is what's got him into trouble, nothing anyone else says and re-watching the clip, I can't see how Grant could be accused of setting him up... as you say, he's digging his own hole (though at 60 on the list, you'd think he'd hit sedimentary rock soon)

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Crash and Contempt,

    I like the "democracy of the dead" concept and it's a great piece not only for the writing but for the sentiment. Cheers.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Telling Stories for Change,

    I don't recall Finn well but I found re-reading his story simply overwhelming.

    I can't imagine how he or his family felt when the health carers weren't responding to him. I feel very sorry for him and his friends and family.

    I currently work in the NSW education system where there's a growing awareness of the needs of ASD kids and adults. The forecasts I've seen of enrolments over the next 10+ years are for a significant increase in people with disagnosed ASD. By significant I mean almost 30 per cent per annum! That's the trend over the last five years however I wonder if that's not partly about better diagnosis. We're exploring various strategies in partnership with relevant bodies, ASPECT being one. Let me know if I can help by putting you in touch with anyone here on the West Isle.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: A plot point is reached,

    Well Craig, I've gotten used to agreeing with you more often than is politically acceptable to a self-confessed lefty but on this, I too am genuinely confused by Trotter. I know his reputation for being querulous and unpredictable. That he is unbidden to individuals but not values... yadayadayada... however he's coming across more and more as simply ill-tempered... like we need more of that!

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Need to Know,

    Paul: but is it a "crisis" if the money has simply been prespent on things you don't wan tto spend it on, and which are politically very difficult to unravel? OK, for the donors and cronies, yes, but for the rest of us...?

    Indeed. Bloody salaries for cleaners and the Police is what I heard, as if they need more money!

    Paul: it's also worth notingthat Key could simply structure Labour's existing tax cuts differently. But that will raise obvious points about favouring the rich...

    Seriously, I suspect that Key's capital in caucus doesn't allow this. His capitulation on WfF will be the most low-income earners can hope for I suspect.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Weekend Warriors,

    __Obama quite clearly does and has vastly more credibility there.__

    And y'know. He's actually been overseas.

    To Islamic nations? To France? Was he carrying a piece at the time? Probably a terrorist!

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Hard News: Need to Know,

    Meanwhile, looking away from the sideshow, National has just set itself up to claim a financial crisis if elected as a way around Labour's fiscal poison pill. So, we'll get 1990 all over again - marvellous. I guess we'll get to see whether MMP is any safeguard against this sort of behaviour...

    This was clearly evident in English's approach and although Cullen argued that the fiscal position precluded only tax cuts, Key won't budge on that front so unless there's a money (non-inflationary) tree hiding somewhere...

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

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