Rupe’s Troops Rally for the Cause

So I gave up reading news.com.au because it is like 99.6% tabloid crap, but The Australian is starting to piss me off again.  I can’t remember why I quit it last time, and I don’t know why I went back again this morning. A ‘comment’ piece in the flashing Opinion widget at the top of the site got my attention, though:

To what extent is the Democratic presidential nominee still in thrall to extremist friends, asks Mervyn Bendle?

The online copy editors @ News Ltd really need to get off the crack and actually read the articles before writing the subhead/dek.

One assuming this piece is going to be a considered analysis of the totally ridiculous (and totally refuted) claims about Obes Pallin’ Around With Terrorists, which one should expect in a country in which there are unlikely to be many swing/undecided voters, would in all likelihood be confused to find themselves reading propagandist drivel that reads like a stump speech delivered to rednecks who will respond with “Terrorist!” and “Kill Him”.

Merv, who is apparently a “senior lecturer in history and communications at James Cook University”, apparently also wants a job as She Who Will Not Be Named’s speechwriter.

Because why else will some bogan from a Queensland uni care to spout out random facts and 40-year old soundbites about The Weathermen, select snippets from Obama’s books about his influences and then make ominous warnings about What American Voters Really Need to Think About (dun dun dun):

The question that the American people may have to ask themselves is how much this extremist milieu still drives Obama’s political outlook and how much it will guide his decisions, policies and appointments throughout the federal government system as the next president of the US.

Don’t it just fill you with fear and trepidation? Don’t you hear the call to arms to ring up your friends Nelly-May and Billy-John who live in some Red State and warn them of the imminent danger of That Radical Extremist*?

Aside from the lame/misleading technicalities, why the eff is this article even in The AUSTRALIAN?

Yeah, ok, people are allowed to have their opinions, and WTF-ever, Rupert’s editorial cronies are allowed to print whoever’s opinions they want, but seriously, how is propaganda for the US election worthy of publication in this country’s national paper?

Sigh. I don’t know why I even bother.

Aside: not to get too nit-picky, or nothin’, but do you think McCain knows that a press release listing big donors who support him includes Leonore Annenberg, chief of protocol in the Reagan White House, the president/chair of the Pennsylvania-based Annenberg Foundation and the widow of Walter H Annenberg, the late publisher, philanthropist, ambassador, and founder of the  Chicago Annenberg Challenge (that being the nasty “radical” organisation that indelibly taints Obama with horrible, evil, lefty-terrorist-scumness)? The Republicans are a fricking joke.

* From the Devil’s Republican’s Dictionary/Thesaurus —

“Radical Extremist“: (n) 1. generally, a coloured person; or a white person who may like coloured persons. 2. Terrorist. See also: Socialist; Gun-Hater (But Bombthrower); Baby Killer.

101* things I missed blogging about over the last few weeks

(*note: number may or may not refer to actual count of items in the list below, and most likely refers to the number of posts in this blog so far):

• Western Australia had an election…
  • Then went a week without a government while some plucky young country-to-the-bootstraps upstart tried to convince his party to go with Carps.
  • Unfortunately, he had to go with Barney Rubble.
  • But at least Carps’ electorate officers won the lotto.
• Malcolm Turnbull was voted as Leader of the Federal Opposition…
  • when Nelson “did a Carps” and called a spill in an attempt to catch Mal off guard. Oops.
  • Kerry O’Brien had a go at Mal for claiming to be a Typical Aussie Battler.
  • Mal had a go about how Kevin Rudd is so totally rich.
  • And Ben Pobjie the new matilda wrote what may be my favouritest political article ever on the whole thing.
• The US Election got into full-swing…
  • John McCain, in just another example of his senility, chose some Alaskan woman who kinda looks like Tina Fey to be his VP running-mate, and I really dislike her (so do lots of people).
  • Obama continued to be awesome.
  • And Jon Stewart just kept going and going for gold.
• The US economy went into full uh-oh mode.
• In the wonderful world of science…
  • The Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator started up, with great fanfare AND doomsday fears ( see http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/)
  • A week later, it turned out that it broke on the first day. Bummer.
  • But at least a cute, white, scientist chick did a fun rap song about it’s theoretical awesomeness.
• On the education front…
  • Administrators at my old uni are apparently a widdle wupset over the damage being caused by a couple of blog posts I wrote earlier this year (who’d’ve ever thought I’d be so influential?? Not me, that’s for sure.)
  • And in proof that it’s not just ND that is lame-o, the Uni of WA decided to slash the number of undergrad courses they offer (they reckon “employers would approve”) in a move which pretty much signifies that we’re well and truly in the dusking of the age of enlightenment (or that UWA peeps have forgotten that Julie Bishop ain’t Education Minister any more)
• Law-stuff included…
  • Lloyd Rayney, the Perth barrister who had been labelled by police as the “prime suspect” in his wife’s murder, lodged a writ suing for defamation.
  • I discovered the power that PR companies have to make news out of thin air.
• Awesome TV shows right now…
  • Dexter. Matt & have finished watching Season Two and next season is round the corner. That show is just to effing good!
  • The X-Files. Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. I effing love that show!
  • 30 Rock. We’re not worthy.
• Personal stuff included…
  • An appreciation for the teachings of The Buddha, through, of all things, Twitter.
  • I joined the Australian Youth Climate Change Coalition. (Starting on Goal # 5! But I haven’t had time to actually do anything since joining, but I’m working on that)
  • Speaking of goals, my gym-going schedule has been fairly ok, but I think I’ve been going pretty lamely on the rest. Ah well.

Right, that’ll do. I’m not going to count those things, because I suck at counting, but, I hope y’all enjoy those links til I find time to get back to seriously writing about stuff… hopefully not too long now!

Until then, in the words of Gossip Girl,

you know you love me
xoxo