The Next PM of the United Kingdom

I wish our PM said these things a bit more often.

On having faith in people:

'And is not our history the story of yes, progress through the fulfilled talents, even genius, of some but, yes, also of the wasted potential of millions for too many, their talents lost and forever unfulfilled?

That's why I joined the Labour party - out of faith - faith in people, that they should have the opportunity to realise their potential.

And I believed then and I believe now that at all times the Labour party must stand for more than a programme: we must have a soul.'

Note that Kimbo, Senators Ray and Conroy- a soul

On Education:

'Strip away the rhetoric about globalisation and it comes down to one essential truth:

You can buy raw materials from anywhere, You can borrow capital form anywhere, You can engage with technology half way across the world, But you cannot buy from elsewhere what in the global economy you need most; the skills and the creativity of all our people - and that means that in education we must aim to be number one.'

Full employment as a policy goal:

'I want a Britain not just of excellence in education but a Britain of full employment and an end to the dole as we know it.'

On youth:

'So let us in every area of the country champion youth councils and youth budgets, young people deciding for themselves the shape of youth facilities in their communities.

Let us do more to support what gives young people opportunity and idealism: a youth community national service offering thousands of chances to expand horizons.'

On Power:

'I want a radical shift of power from the centre...

It is right that local councils, not Whitehall, should have more power over the things that matter to their community and from economic regeneration to public transport, the empowerment and strengthening of local councils and local communities is what we must now do.

And I will also champion community ownership of local assets and so that people who want change can secure that change community petitions to trigger action. And in that spirit of devolution I want to work with the lottery so that for even the smallest community, local budgets for local community facilities can be voted on by local people.'

Full employment, youth policy, citizens initiated referenda, government with soul, increased education spending- you won't hear John Howard or Kim Beazley speaking out on any of these issues. Well maybe Beazley on education. I guess the criticism of this sort of politics is that it is 'big picture' stuff that doesn't really shift many votes, but I storngly feel that these are the sort of things Labor should be talking about with conviction. They may be ambitious, and the results may not be as great as imagined- but it is a powerful vision and narrative for the future that people can follow and understand. We frequently hear that politics these days is about trust. Not necessarily personal trust as John Howard has shown, but trust in a shared vision for the future. Quite simply, people want to know where a politician stands. I don't think they care If you are centre left or centre right- as long as they can see where everything is headed, that's OK.

I'll leave it with a shocking joke:

'It will not be a surprise to you to learn I'm more interested in the future of the Arctic circle than the future of the Arctic Monkeys.'

His speach writer must be about 25! what a twat

WEAVE IN, MY HARDY LIFE

Weave in, weave in, my hardy life,
Weave yet a soldier strong and full for great campaigns to
come,
Weave in red blood, weave sinews in like ropes, the senses,
sight weave in,
Weave lasting sure, weave day and night the weft, the warp,
incessant weave, tire not,
(We know not what the use O life, nor know the aim, the
end, nor really aught we know,
But know the work, the need goes on and shall go on, the
death-enveloped march of peace as well as
war goes on,)
For great campaigns of peace the same the wiry threads
to weave,
We know not why or what, yet weave, forever weave.

Walt Whitman

Pain Relief for Today

Ignite- Our Darkest Days LP
Morrissey- The Ringleader of the Tormentors
The First Step- What We Know
Life Without Buildings- Any Other City
Bluebottle Kisss- Doubt Seeds

4 coffees
2 nurofen
0 cuddles

Sending pictures like this to a workmate who's afraid of flying:


hehehe!

Costello and Human Rights

What exactly is Peter Costello's position on fundamental human rights after claiming Turkey to be a beacon to the muslim world?

This a country where you can be charged with 'insulting turkishness', a country with a track record of ruthlessly oppressing minority communities.

More on 'The Bastard of Istanbul' trial here and here

I can't help but agree with Keysar Trad that poor old Pete is a fool. As for Trad's claim that Malaysia is a shining example of Muslim democracy- has he ever heard of Anwar Ibrahim? Does that situation concern himat all?

Conservative Muslim on Conservative Christian smackdown action- let the violence/ hatred begin!

Sexy Man Cipo at the World Cup!!!

Still looking great- but Jesus Christ that's a big block head!!!

I don't think Mark Latham would like my admiration of the flamboyant former world champion. I'm all man baby- just like Cipo. His ride in Ghent-Wevelgem in 2002 is one of the greatest hard-man rides of all time. Let's just forget the fact that he has been implicated in Operation Puerto for his great 2002 world beating season. Sigh.

Urban Sprawl

To all those lovers of urban sprawl, Micahel Dufy et al, comes this article from Brian Welch of the Master Builders Association of Victoria.

'If Melbourne is going to maintain housing affordability in the 21st century, the market must contain a diversity of housing choices — a diversity that requires greater access to development opportunities in established areas, as well as access to land on the urban fringe...

If the State Government acts now to lower property taxes, and provide development opportunities in inner suburbs, then Melbourne 2030 may yet live on — along with housing affordability and the great Australian dream of home ownership.'

I can't help but agree. Poorly serviced outer suburban enclaves build nothing but poverty, disadvantage and environmental degradation. We can do better, but it may require a more civil minded approach from local governments.

Billy Bragg and The Smiths Red Wedge Bootleg

Just bumped into this post.

Looks interesting, although the sound quality is apparently not that good.

I guess that would be my all time dream gig!!!

Noel Pearson on Kim Beazley

Another good weekend quote from Noel Pearson, writing in relation to the Noongar peoples land rights win in South Western Western Australia.

'Both Kim Beazley and John Howard support the WA Government's decision to appeal. Howard's aspiration to limit the extent of native title to a minimum is at least consistent with his well-known convictions. Beazley was a minister in the government that enacted the Native Title Act in 1993 under the leadership of Keating and Gareth Evans. Beazley's position on Noongar is a measure of the man: he has no convictions.'

Shame Beazley shame.

Neglecting the Keating economic legacy is bad enough by itself, but repudiating Labor's committment to Native Title is unforgiveable. He's a nice enough bloke, but the time has come for him to go. You can't try and enter the values debate if you have no values to defend- end of story.

While Pearson decries Beazley selling out Labors soul, Greg Combet is caught eloquently defending labor principals and values on the same page. He writes:

'The freedom of people to associate in a union and the right of workers to collectively bargain are internationally recognised human rights. These are not new, radical, revolutionary or economically irresponsible ideas.

They are contained in the UN Charter of Human Rights and the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation, both of which Australia is a signatory to. The principles that underpin these rights are widely recognised as essential to the effective functioning of a successful liberal democracy.

In free and democratic societies, collective bargaining is a fundamental mechanism through which individual employees are able to rebalance the inequality in power and negotiating positions in the workplace between a single worker and their employer.'

Could this man be the next ALP figure to win a Federal election? I'd rather Combet than another Beazleyite conservative like Shorten, Rudd or Swan that's for sure.

A great article for these times

'Sport and shopping cannot keep this country under sedation forever.'

Indeed. Bravo Richard Neville.

For the rest here.

Friday Haiku (I'm clearly having a stinker)

Oh sweet misery!
I bemoan kind thoughts misplaced
The promises broken

An Awkward Situation/ Office Life

Possibly the scariest moment of each office workers day is travelling in the lift first thing in the morning. There are so many pitfalls to the elevator conversation. What if I get stuck in a lift for twenty floors with someone I can't stand/ someone I tried to seduce at Friday night drinks/ boss conversations/ partner small talk/ gee the weather's funny at the moment isn't it etc etc. OK multiply the awkwardness of lift chats with your boss by ten and you're somewhere close to my predicament. Three days a week I train in the mornings and hence ride to work. On at least two of these days my boss goes to the gym in the morning. I shower in the gym after my ride. My boss showers in the gym after his workout.

How would you like awkward lift conversations with your boss whilst you are both wearing nothing but underpants?

Frightening... ordinary frightening

Yesterday Peter Brock's state funeral was on just down the street. I didn't see any Liberal pollies in attendance- could this have been a political snub from beyond the grave? Heaven only knows. It was slightly haunting to look out the window and see a funeral procession snake it's way up exhibition street.

In other celebrity funeral/ memorial news, I wonder if Germaine Greer is knocking up an opinion piece commenting on how Steve Irwin's management managed to turn his memorial service into a massive plug for Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin Inc., and a range of Holywood celebrities? I can't help but feel that the Australian media feels guilty for not showing Irwin's documentaries in Aus. If you loved the guy so much why didn't you put his programs to air while he was still alive. Ahhh guilt, what a powerful emotion.

Haven't had the chance to see any footage of either event due to being stuck in the office- damn.

Songs to Register Entities for ABN/TFN/GST/PAYG/WET/FBT to

1. Tennage Fanclub- Sparky's Dream
2. Billy Bragg- A Lover Sings
3. Miles Away- This Heart
4. Betrayed- Substance
5. Editors- Open Your Arms

Robert Hughes- Grumpy old Man

Despite what I have written recently- I don't think Robert Hughes is all that bad.

He's a bit of a grumpy old bugger, but that's about it.

The Australian seems to have taken a bit of an interest with this article.

Basically- it's an 'I'm not the arsehole the media paint me to be, I actually don't mind Australia, buy my new book' story.

On Germanine Greer v Steve Irwin:

'It also rapidly became clear that any Greer-Hughes cabal might end in fisticuffs. "Germaine I basically can't stand," he says. "Oh, she's never done me any harm, but her pretensions to being the grande dame of Aboriginehood and all that stuff are ludicrous. There's no question about her intelligence, but the uses she makes of it ... man!"

He was most recently appalled by Greer's attack on Steve Irwin, the Australian crocodile hunter who was killed by a stingray. Hughes says he had barely heard of Irwin and "certainly didn't know he was regarded as this (Australian) hero ... Then Germaine weighs in with all this stuff about the torturer of reptiles and disturber of the natural order, and I mean, for Christ's sake, who gives a flying f-- about that?"'

On becoming an art critic:

'Hughes reveals in his new memoir that he became an art critic by accident. He was working as a cartoonist on a fortnightly Australian journal called The Observer, which was modelled on Britain's The Spectator. The journal's previous art critic was found to have reviewed an exhibition of Blake drawings without having bothered to see it. The Observer's editor Donald Horne promptly fired him and asked if there was anyone else on the staff who knew anything about art. Nobody spoke up. "You're the cartoonist," Horne then told Hughes. "You ought to know something about art. Good. Now you're the f--ing art critic."'

The weekend

This weekend just gone started with a great shit celebrity sighting.

None other than former Australian Cricketer of the year Collin 'Funky' Miller.

Gold! I witnessed Funky down ten scotch and cokes in an hour before I went home. It was nice to see that he could still pull a crowd too. There was some stunning brownlow medal style blondes accompanying the man. After downing a few quick beers I went and got a new track bike. Awesome. Can't wait for Thursday night at Disc, I'll post a few pictures and results.

Saturday morning I went to the Nongs with Jono Lovelock for a hills hammerfest. This guy is seriously one of the best climbers floating around at the moment. He did SE efforts in the big ring and still flogged me up every climb! By the end of the day I had 5 climbs under my belt, and he had 6.5- he's that much quicker. On the way home there was another shit celebrity sighting in the form of former Australian Champion Road Cylist Matt Wilson. He looked a bit lonely pedalling along by himself, presumably on his way down to Beach Rd. He had his unibet clothes on with the FDJ Selev helmet. You'd think the uniet people would have at least given him a helmet. Oh well, no such luxuries in the continental ranks. Or maybe it was just that he didn't want to be seen dead in the emabarassing 'A bugs life' style helmet from LAS that Stefano Garzelli likes to wear.

Saturday night went over to a mates place to watch the Bulldogs get done by West Coast. Sigh. The poor old Doggies had a shocker- it was like there were four or five extra Eagles players on the ground for the entire match. And when the Dogs had the ball in hand they made some shocking skill errors. I was really hoping the Doggies could go all the way. As for Melbourne losing- good.

Sunday did absolutely jack. Monday, still tired

And my ode to Abe Saffron (I have to be careful, apparently he, and his estate, are a bit litigous)!

The Alleged king
of sin, drugs and gambling.
Allegedly died.

Friday Haiku

If he was driving
An HSV, would he have
Wrapt it round a tree?

The loudest couldn't
Smite him, ne'er did he break stride
Throwing hand grenades

Give me one dream to
hold and carry through my life.
A stone foundation

Don't send me flowers
when I die, give me them now.
To touch, hold and smell

When seas are rough and
stormy, and you need solace
you can spew into this

Poor old windbag made
his stand for Western values
Relevance crisis

I have to stop doing these stupid things, but what else do you do in a GST trainigns ession for 1.5 hours???

Dickhead Watch

Possibly the most daft opinion article written this year.

GWB 'a great president'. Greg Sheridan steadfastly tows the company line where no other self respecting journalist is prepared to tow it.

It just has to be ironic.

In the meantime I thoroughly recommend all writers get their resumes in to the Australian where they are employing idiots left, right and centre (but mainly right).

There were some stupid headlines today: 'Naomi kicked out of Indonesia', 'Warney hit in the Head' care fo The Age alone, but GWB great president quite possibly takes the cake.

And how's this for a conspiracy theory:

'The latest CIA conclusion, that Saddam Hussein had no connections with al-Qa'ida, has to be viewed against the CIA's record of getting everything wrong about Iraq. It was CIA director George Tenet after all, who assured Bush that the case that Saddam had WMDs was a "slam dunk". It also should be noted that saying Saddam had no connections to al-Qa'ida covers the CIA's bureaucratic posterior and lets them off for their flawed assessments of terrorism all through the 1990s. There is substantial evidence of Saddam-al-Qa'ida connections, but that's another column.'

Breathtaking?!?!?

The Hand Grenade Business

Paul Keating was interviewed on Lateline last night, pure gold.

For those who can't be stuffed reading the lot I'll summarise it for you.

- Says 'I'm almost bulletproof so I'm actually in the conflict business, I'm in the hand grenade business. Most people are not.'
- Calls Eddie Macguire 'Fast Eddy'
- Likens conservative journalists to Nazi's
- Drops in a mention of Mendelssohn and Mahler
- Advocates crash through or crash
- Pumps up his own economic credentials

I miss you Paul

Some memorable passages.


TONY JONES: Here is something you wrote late last year - were these changes to come about, ordinary bods would need the Packer and Murdoch organisation to stamp their passports for their free movement through ordinary society. It's a pretty big statement.


PAUL KEATING: It is. What would happen is if you cross them up they would go for you. They'd go for you in the print and if that didn't hurt you, they'd go for you in their television magazines or news and current affairs programs.

TONY JONES: You mean if you were a major politician and crossed them?

PAUL KEATING: Yes, or anybody. Anyone who suits them. Now, I've been on the receiving end of this, as you know. I had the Packer organisation the only time ever run a full 60 Minutes - one-hour program -against me, built around a pile of lies, where its primary journalist prostituted his journalism to do it. And at the same time they're into me with the Bulletin, for instance. Now, I'm almost bulletproof so I'm actually in the conflict business, I'm in the hand grenade business. Most people are not. But, let's say these organisations did have these controls, you'd have to simply keep your nose clean with them. You'd have to make sure if the Packer organisation controlled the Herald, the Age and Channel Nine, you'd have to make sure that you got on alright with little John Alexander. You'd have to be in his good books.

TONY JONES: As a politician?

PAUL KEATING: You wouldn't rub fast Eddie up the wrong way, for instance. That great Gary Linnell, that great, great power of journalism that runs now Channel Nine, you'd have to sort of keep your nose clean with him or the hapless John Lyons. This is the way that life would become. You would tippy-toe around them. Is this the kind of society we want?...

TONY JONES: Alright. You suggested in that article I quoted from last year that we're headed in the same direction as Nazi Germany. Tantamount to that - it's a huge overstatement - as well you said, "It's not as dire as the days of the Volkische Beobachter, but it's getting there."

PAUL KEATING: Yeah.

TONY JONES: By the way, for anyone who doesn't know that was Hitler's newspaper.

PAUL KEATING: The Nazi Party newspaper would have the line and you crossed that line, you know, and you crossed that line if you wanted to. For instance, they said, "We're not going to have any more music by Mendelssohn, we're not going to have any more music by Mahler." Now that's not going to happen in Australia, but the line went out and so therefore everyone just dropped them from their programs. In this country, the line goes out with all of those conservative journalists who support the current Government, but at least we have some diversity. People can get their views across, as indeed I am myself now. But, if we go to a close-down of the kind Senator Coonan is proposing, where we've got effectively two owners, why would any nation do that to itself? Why would you? Why would you let any party in power, particularly a conservative one, rule the roost in this way?...

TONY JONES: One final question - why do you think it was that no one in Federal Labor today seems able to articulate as clearly as you just did these kind of political messages?

PAUL KEATING: Well, I think you've got to be indignant, Tony. I hope I'm still - when they plant me I'm still banging on the top of the box and asking for a mobile phone. You've got to be indignant. Working people only get a crack at the title if they can have some savings and have them in the stock market. Stock markets are always reserve fodder the wealthy. Through super funds now everyone is in it, but you've got to let them in it.

TONY JONES: I'm talking about the Labor Party here. Is it a daft of talent or is it just the wrong people on centre stage.

PAUL KEATING: The Labor Party does its best on these issues. But, you know, to get something like super through, you've got to crash through a lot of barriers. It's a hard reform, it's a very hard business and it is not for pole-driven parties. The trouble about the Liberal Party today and the Labor Party they are focused and poll-driven. I never was. I never was. But look at the things that are around. Look, we've had 15 years of growth, low inflation, super. These things came out of a vision of the place being better.

The world works in mysterious ways

Or so they say...

Bit of a strange one, Oil for brooms!

Shit Celebs

I just saw Leaping larry L from RRR radio walking down Collins St amidst all the suits.

One day it's former prime ministers, the next day stars of community radio!!!

How I pass my time at work

Timboy... Hey dude, are you going to hit subway at some time this morning?
J-Crud... nah man
J-Crud... didn't train
J-Crud... can't justiy it
Timboy... damn- what do you recommend from the menu?
J-Crud... aussie is good
J-Crud... with tomato and tasty cheese
Timboy... What's that?
J-Crud... sausage
J-Crud... bacon
J-Crud... egg
J-Crud... stockmans
J-Crud... meal
Timboy... Mad
J-Crud... get on it
Timboy... Keep talking dirty
Timboy... Oops, gone to far
J-Crud... i have no come back
J-Crud... you had me
J-Crud... at dirty

Hell Ride III

Just thought I'd post this comment I posted at Spinopsys because it's heaps long!!

Sorry for being boring, and covering some old ground, but the Hell Ride is really important to me.

'As a regular hell rider the recent incident has provided me with a lot to think about over the last two weeks.

A lot has been said about the Hell Ride, and almost without exception it has come from people who don’t even do the Hell Ride. People who have no connection to the ride feel free to dump shit on it because they have nothing at stake. They have no idea how important it is as an institution for racing cyclists in Melbourne.

The SKCC ride was the right thing to do. I know Jeff from SKCC, and I also know that he doesn’t do the Hell Ride frequently. He’s a really nice guy with a big heart.

The Hell Ride goes through stages where 1 or 2 cyclists insist on doing the wrong thing. Some people say it used to be worse 10 years ago, some people say that its worse now than its ever been. The truth of the matter is that mostly everybody does the right thing. To highlight this point, for the first 1.5 years I did the ride it had a police escort every week. About three months ago they stopped doing the escort. Why? because people by and large were doing the right thing.

All this talk about self policing and cracking down on the hell ride is a complete overreaction.
There are hundreds of groups of cyclists on Beach road each weekend. The only thing that differentiates the Hell Ride is that it is a fast training ride full of fit riders. In fact, many other bunch rides are just as fast as the hell ride- but they fly under the radar somewhat. It is not for lunatics, corporate cowboys, or try hard cafe racers- all the stereotypes that get trotted out by people who don’t know what they’re talking about. The Hell ride is A and B grade club racers trying to get a hit out into their legs when there is no other racing on.

Sometimes on the Hell Ride I will see a person do something that I don’t approve of. That can happen anywhere, any time in any walk of life. It doesn’t help to say that everyone who has done the Hell ride is a lunatic. I feel safer on the HEll ride than on many races conducted by Cycle Sport Victoria or clubs. The midlands team race two weeks ago was the most dangerous thing I have ever done on a bike- and that was ‘organised’ and sanctioned by officials.

None of the media attention that has focused on the hell ride over the last two weeks will have any impact on the ride. There is no organisation, no head, no directing mind or will. The ride is a puff of smoke, a collection of people who turn up in the one spot at the one time each week to ride as fast as they can for 70km. This is what the media, bloggers, cycling clubs and organisations and the police hate. They can’t control it. They can’t tell the hell ride what to do. This is the undercurrent of all that has been said in the media about the ride. ‘Official’ types don’t like the ride because they can’t collect money from the riders, and they can’t control what the riders do. The number of tinpot dictators in cycling clubs and organisations in Victoria is just ridiculous- especially Caufield Carnegie and the bayside clubs.

There has been talk of removing racing licences from people who take part in the hell ride. If you did that there wouldn’t be many A or B grade riders left. If you’re at the VIS you probably don’t need to do the Hell ride, because you do motorpacing three mornings a week. I frequently see Will Walker, Baden Cooke, Matt Wilson, AIS-Mapei riders etc etc in the Hell ride over summer. Are we going to kick them out of the sport too?

I’m going to keep writing about the Hell ride because I’m passionate about cycling, and I’m passionate about the hell ride and the people who take part in it. That doesn’t mean I approve of every person and everything that takes place on the ride. I’ve seen everything in terms of bad cyclist behaviour, bad pedestrian behaviour and bad driver behaviour. But I’ve seen all that and more on other rides- so it seems ridiculous to single out one ride.

Bob Hughes continued

MrLefty said...

Timboy - is this friend of yours an older gentleman? Is he somewhat portly? Does he wear a neck-brace? Do you feel uncomfortable when a passenger in his car?Is he in fact the actual Robert Hughes?I feel your first priority should be to rule out this frightening possibility.

Dear Mr Lefty

He isn't old and nor does he brace his neck, but he drives like an old lady going to bowls and is getting a bit portly (too many exhibitions, opening nights, red wine and cheese).

I don't think my friend is Robert Hughes, although sometimes I wonder if I’m communicating with him, or Robert Hughes via ESP.

This has me worried because when I think Robert Hughes, I think Tory cum rag.

Will my mate start befriending know-it-all artswanker types like Christopher Hitchens and Philip Adams?

Will I be forced to bluff my way through hours upon hours or artswank dinner party banter?

How many boobies and how much jagemeister will it take to knock the artswanker out of him?

If I combine the boobies with jagemeister Bob log style will the treatment be more effective?

Where do I find volunteers for this boob-jagey treatment?

Have I asked too many questions?

Can i get away with it?

Ms Fits

1. Your friend will most definitely befriend know-it-all artswanker types as they are now his 'people' and as everyone knows we gravitate towards the folk who remind us most of ourselves. This is why I am now surrounded by short women with an attitude problem who like to 'entertain' after a couple of sherberts.

2. Yes, but bluffing is a fairly easy profession when it all comes down to it. A lot of nodding and the word 'yah', followed by the grand proclamation 'well, Ron Radford tends to feel the Archibald is a circus, which I can't help but agree with', ending with a vehement waving around of your champagne flute and perhaps a short, sharply mocking laugh. You will be wonderful.

3. It's hard to tell exactly without meeting your friend, but I'd say he needs at least 8.3 pairs of boobies and seventeen shots of Jager. Give or take a boob or two.

4. OMFG BOOB SHOT. I insist that this become a newfound Melbourne tradition. At the very least it will provide us with an endlessly entertaining parade of women attempting to poke their nipple into the somewhat restrictive circumference of a shot glass.

5. Pony, 6am Sunday morning.

6. Not at all. I am here to help.

7. I THINK YOU JUST DID, YOUNG MAN.

Some assistance from the lovely sublime, anyhow:

sublime-ation said...

Dear timboy,I can write you a short guide on how to deal with art wankers. You can treat it like a sport, if that makes you more comfortable.

btw, where do you find volunteers for boob jagey treatment?

Tell any girls in the near vicinity that you are an artist. Artists do that shit all the time.

Gabi has a big sign in her bedroom saying WE ARE ARTISTS. We like to take it to the airport in order to embarrass our international guests when they arrive in town.

Hell Ride and Wheels of Justice

yay- I got linked to wheels of justice- a very cool website.

Check out their coverage of the hell ride incident, good stuff.

Friday Haiku

Deep heat is nice when
massaged into aching thighs
Avoid testicles

Rambo: My New Cycling hero

For all those who think cyclists are a bunch of girly men who wear tight lycra and don't go out in the rain- this man is your answer. Nico Eeckhout- power animal.


Look at those choir boys standing next to him, earning big money and underperforming.

To confirm his giant killer status he just beat Robbie McEwen in a bunch kick in the Memorial Van Steenbergen yesterday. Legend.

Shit Celebrities

Haven't done one of these in a while.

Bumped into former Tory Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser grabbing a coffee yesterday.

For those who don't recognise him, he looks a bit like this.



Sort of cool that you can bump into a former PM doing something very ordinary in Australia.

Special Edition Friday Haiku

Don't be a punk and
fiddle with a stingray's junk
Vale Steve Irwin

Sad news :(

Exceptionalism

Recent events re the Hell ride have made me think about exceptionalism in our everyday lives.

When somebody doesn’t obey the rules in our private space- our homes, our roads we get mightily upset.

However for some reason this dislike of exceptionalists in our immediate daily lives does not always extend to the business community or politics.

For people who view themselves as being an exception to the tax laws- We grant them state funerals.

For those who think that the human rights that apply to themselves shouldn’t apply to other people- we confer on them the position of President or Prime Minister.

It seems the public/ private divide is alive and well.

Vandenbroucke Update

My favorite drug addled manic depressive cyclist has been in the news recently.

Firstly he was sacked from his dodgy druggo gambling team Unibet.com for not showing up to races.

Then he got into trouble for riding in Gran Fondo races in Italy (essentially cyclo-toursit races for old blokes) under the assumed identiy Francesco De Ponte (which roughly translates to Francke vandenbrouke in Italian) with a picture of Tom Boonen on his licence. It is alleged that he would go on a solo break for 150kms, then leave the course and ride home to let the old buggers win. Very strange behaviour indeed.

Now he has been signed to Italian team Acqua Sapone, so he will be racing full time in Italy. This means he has ridden for Lampre, Fassa bortolo, Mapei, Quickstep, Cofidis, Unibet/ Mr Bookmaker, and Lotto. With six teams in the last six years. He makes the great rock and roll swindle look like childs play.

He says he has overcome his depression/ legal problems/ other issues and is now ready to race. He's still youngish (32), and given that he hasn't been racing frequently he might have another 6 years left in him!!!

Bob Hughes

Hmmm, I have started a little (very little) internet bonfire over at Reasonsyouwillhateme.blogspot.com!!!

timboy said...

Dear Fits

A friend has started to study art books, volunteer at an art gallery and insist upon people calling him Robert Hughes, or just 'Bob' for short. To make matters worse he shows no interest in footy, or any other sports for that matter.

Should I tell him to pull his head out of his arse, or just go along with it and hope it's just a phase he's going through?

Hope I'm not too late

Ms Fits:

OMFG YOUR FRIEND HAS TURNED INTO AN ARTSWANKER(TM).

There is no known cure other than time. Time, and copious shots of Jagermeister.

Oh, and boobies. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SHOW THE MAN SOME BOOBIES.


MrLefty said...

'A friend has started to study art books, volunteer at an art gallery and insist upon people calling him Robert Hughes, or just 'Bob' for short. To make matters worse he shows no interest in footy, or any other sports for that matter?'

Timboy - is this friend of yours an older gentleman? Is he somewhat portly? Does he wear a neck-brace? Do you feel uncomfortable when a passenger in his car?

Is he in fact the actual Robert Hughes?

I feel your first priority should be to rule out this frightening possibility.

Ms Fits:
Answers on the back of an envelope please, Timboy. Failing that you could just go to Lefty's blog and leave reams and reams of comment spam informing him that NO WAY ARE YOU FRIENDS WITH THE REAL ROBERT HUGHES NO WAY, NO WAY IN HELL