Guess there's not much happening on the political front these days.  (Jordan) 

Oh well.  Maybe we'll get back to living in interesting times one day soon.

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Well Susan, my voting card for the Scottish Parliamentary elections on 3 May arrived today, but I suspect that I'm the only one remotely enthused by this fact. 

I wish I was an optimist. The polls at the moment suggest that Labour are lagging behind the SNP, but I have a sinking feeling that (as is traditional in this country) we'll 'snatch defeat from the jaws of victory'. I'm pretty convinced that the bulk of the electorate will demonstrate its usual 'cannae be arsed' attitude, and either not bother to turn out at all, or the Caledonian Cringe effect will kick in by polling day and McConnell and his smug cronies will return by default.
Ach.

However, there's one thing to look forward to, maybe. Tony promised us he'd be gone from office soon after the elections. Wey-hey!
Aww, hang on, but since I've never believed any of Blair's previous promises, I'd be daft to think he'd keep one now.
Ach.

You might be able to make the case that things are actually going as well as can be expected when a only small percentage of voters turn out for elections. The opposite case can be made when it is so dangerous to vote that only a few turn out. But when the numbers really start to dramatically increase -- you know, "rocking the vote" -- then you know you've got trouble.

Oh, for the good old days of arguing whether private ownership of automatic weapons should be legal. Or debating when life REALLY begins. Sigh. Those were the days...

I was kinda thinking about the released hostages from the Royal British Navy when I started this thread. Thinking there was a time on the Gazette when this would have been a heated debate. Same with Nancy Pelosi on the Road to Damascus.  Oh and then there's all the talk about the most money raised by which 2008 presidential candidate.  All the latest on how we're all going to burn to death on the fevered planet and how we in the US southwest will be engaged in 'water wars' within 20-50 years.  So much is happening on the political front!  There are even a war or two, depending on how one defines those.  

So I wonder what the dealio is. Is it the missing leader Jordan? Is there an overall sense of ennui? Do we like each other too much to want to argue anymore?

I'm goin' with ennui due to an amorphous free-floating anxiety that is worldwide. Something like depression.

1. Do you find yourself losing interest in things that you once enjoyed?

Answer:  NO!  But it's hard, doc.   

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Ennui. And the Rep administration is in place for a year and a half. A lame duck situation. The 2008 election is such a marathon that the need to post on that is certainly not pressing.

Pelosi trip and Brit captives would normally call for a post or three. That I attach to a slump or ennui period we are in. this thread has been active since 2003 and the build up to the Iraqi war, kept going with elections and differences in view of the current events. Pelosi is under the gun for her trip from the right and the Cindy Sheehan, Code pink crew, so that may take some steam out of that one.

I guess we have learned however that the Royal Marines' mission is to stay alive-period- first order of conduct. A sea change from name ,rank, and serial number. Is it an indicator that the west lacks a will to defend itself these days ?  Not sure, maybe. Maybe that is the big hulking ennui ( realization)we are in ? I read that the only criticism of the "show "  from one  woman was to chastize the female marine for smoking ! Showing a bad example to youth. O K.  Margaret Thacher might have called the show " going wobbly ". What do you think? Also, the female member is set to make 100,00lbs to tell her "story." Some others are also in the market to clean up on this situation.

We can talk Aussie politics if you like.

The conservatives have been in power for several terms now.  They have by almost any economic measure done a fantastic job - we have record low unemployment, massive increases in real wages, the dollar at a 20-30 year high, low interest rates - things are looking really good.  They reformed the tax system.  They've also dealt with and stopped the illegal immigration problem we were having.  They've basically done a raft of positive things.

In terms of what they've done wrong, they've told a few lies on minor issues - these have been highlighted by their opposition.  But this cynic expects all politicians to lie at one time or another, and over a term of over 10 years, there's going to be a couple.

The opposition was just so, so bad when last in power that the electorate hasn't given them a second look.  However, level heads have chosen a more conservative, palatable, christian leader for their party, and their fortunes have done a complete 180.  Now they are streets ahead in the polls, their leader is streets ahead of the "man of steel" PM Howard who has looked almost invincible over the years.

The biggest issue appears to be industrial relations.  The govt has put in place a range of reforms to try and put more flexibility in workers rights, particularly in the area of small business.  Basically for small businesses, they wanted to give them the power to sack unproductive or troublesome employees - that's right, previously this was virtually impossible.  They also gave workers the right to join a union, or not join a union if they wish - previously some workplaces you were forced to join a union.  The unions over here are in their final death gasp - now representing less than 20% of the workforce.  Before they go out, they've been levying their members for funding, and spamming the radio and TV airwaves with anti-govt ads.  It's been a relentless, one-sided propoganda campaign (and highyl dishonest mind you), and it's working a treat.  According to polling, voters are switching in droves away from the govt.  Of course these changes have been in place for over a year now, and the sky hasn't fallen in, only a handful of people across the country have been negatively affected, many workers are far better off, and unemployment has plummetted.  Basically it's achieved all it's objectives and shown the scare campaign to be baseless - but that hasn't deterred the voters.  It seems the facts are hard to hear in a sea of media saying the opposite.

Anyway, it looks like people are bored with good times, bored with the mundane predictability of low unemployment etc...and are looking for a change.  All recent polls show the govt will be ousted at the end of the year in a landslide, so it'll be interesting to see what miracle Howard can pull out to win this one.

I've been really impressed with Howard and most of his govt, so wish to see them returned.  That said, the new opposition leader is brilliant - an intelligent, fair, level-headed bloke who'd be a great diplomat for Australia.  It's just a shame he has such a lousy bunch behind him on the benches.  Something like 70-80% of the front bench of the Labor party are ex-union leaders.  That's a very, very small subset of the community, and hardly representative of the broad fabric that constitutes our society.

Anyway, I'm trying to ignore politics until it gets closer to the election.  I'm remaining optimistic that good sense might prevail...until it doesn't, and then I'm sure it'll only be a brief term before many of the same incompetants from last time screw things up for everyone.

Peace has broken out in Northern Ireland http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6497393.stm so i'm all loved up right now .

I couldn't be bothered arguing over politics anymore, especially arguing over the perpetually depressing middle east.

Thank you Raymond thats very kind.

The political landscape over here has changed so much recently, even in the last 2 years. The issues that dominate political TV programmes now are the bread & butter issues like water charges and corporation tax. I can't begin to tell you how refreshing that is!

It's all good news - anything to avoid paying those water rates for another year, eh? 

Now we can look forward and bring NI into the fold because the rest of the UK's been far too keen to hold them out at arm's length for far too long. But that means we can also take the p1ss out them too......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIKVlNEbUhg

Unfortunately, this clip doesn't include the best sketch - Adams and Paisley sitting on a sofa, clearly at the end of a long party - the only two still there. They still can't really talk to one another and amid several long awkward, embarrassing pauses try (but fail) to talk the weather, TV, etc, until after a final lengthy pause....

Paisley: I still fookin' hate you-ooooo!

Adams: Well, I still fookin hate you more!

(Sorry for bringing a sensible topic down to the gutter - again!)

DMG

I hope they cannot see / The limitless potential / Building inside of me / To murder everything / I hope they cannot see / I am the great destroyer

it is a ho-hum few months lately. The only really exciting stuff seems to be the British troops being captured, Imus, while at the same time the Duke players having charges dropped. It was an interesting week of hypocrisy last week.

So where have I been?

Working 60-80 hour weeks since November. Started slowing down in April, but still really busy, and in my free time, I don't even think of checking the board. I never realized that checking YOUR OWN MESSAGE BOARD becomes a habitual thing.

If I'm coming home between 5 and 8 each night, I've been listening to Dr. Michael Savage -- not a Bush friend, but he does have an interesting "fix" to Iraq. He suggested the other night to pull out all troops into Turkey and other friendly surrounding countries. Let Iran come in. Since the Iranians are Shia, the Sunnis will be more than happy to fight against them. We support the Sunnis with weaponry, etc, and let Iran and the Sunnis fight it out. Iran will end up depelting their threasury after a few years, and then the US can come back in with a destroyed Iran and a destroyed Sunni tribe, and then the clean up the mess. Interesting take. But if history has taught us anything, becming friends with the Sunnis only led to Saddam.

So let's see.....anything else? No, not really. Did see a bumper sticker lst night that said, "I'd rather hunt with Cheney than drive with Ted Kennedy." Found that mildly humorous.

Ho hum.

(BTW - just a little link for when "Sicko" comes out )

Jordan .

Geez, Jordan, there's been more than that!  You forgot Nancy Pelosi's Road to Damascus for starters.  Weren't there a couple of Al Qaeda bombings in Algeria and Morocco and then that one inside the Green Zone in Baghdad?  Elizabeth Edward's cancer comes back but John will still continue his run for the White House.  Something about Attorney General Gonzalez.  Britney shaved her head and went into rehab.  Well, that's not political really, I guess.

Michael Savage used to be on from 6 to 9 pm here but has been moved to the 9 to midnight slot.  It's my making dinner listening time.  Dennis Miller has taken his place and has a FANTASTIC show!!!  He has finally found his groove again after that horrible cable show went south.  He interviews politicos (Jeb Bush last week!) and journalists but also comedians like Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon in the first two weeks of the new show.  Very funny, very quick-witted and always a fresh take.  I'm pleased with the switcheroo though Savage amoozed me too, mostly when he'd reminisce about his childhood.   His callers tended to slow the show down but fortunately (not for him), he doesn't seem to have many.  Dennis's callers are good too.  If anyone remembers the earlier Dennis Miller HBO show where he'd interview one person, take phone calls from viewers and present a slide show with commentary called The Big Picture -- that's more the tone of this show.  Extremely entertaining!

I hope you can check in more often, Jordan!  If you're spending this much time working, you may end up missing out on the pre-election fun.  You don't want to miss a thing once the primary season is here, do you?  Like Hillary losing the nomination?

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Savage seems happy to have been moved over to a radio station with a bigger potential/audience. I guess he was on a small station previously.

Jordan .

Obama on top, Edwards a close second, Shrillary a distant third. I think she in trouble!

Oh, and check out Michaelsavage.com. He is 'mulling' a shot at the presidency, and over 7 million people have gone to his website and voted for him to run. And folks, ya can't vote twice! He has invited the rep and dem hopefuls to debate him on the air, and no one will take him up on it. Veeerrryyy interesting!