Crompton's the man

To be fair, so far we haven't seen any evidence full stop. We have no idea what ASADA presented, nor the players for that matter.

To be fair, THAT'S not fair

Maybe Australia could secede from WADA, the UN and the Human Rights Commission

Noel Pearson seems to make a lot more sense in this segment than in another Q&A where his ideas of the 'radical centre' were , to say the least, treated with skepticism.

I was just looking for his book (as yet unread) which I have at home and while doing that was reflecting on the seemingly insurmountable and intractable problem of righting the slow train wreck that is the divide between the Capitalist Consumer and the society of original inhabitants that prefers to take what it needs.

What I was thinking is that there is no hope for these Aboriginal communities and hope is what is needed.

In that Q&A where he was pretty much scorned, Pearson was promoting partnership with mining companies and similar to have training programs to bring his constituents into workforces - presumably his way of offering them hope.

One of my children did a placement with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in remote outback Australia

Educational and pretty sad - The lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, most Aboriginal children anaemic, lack of running water ( no surprise) compromises hygiene levels.

In the major cities we expect access to fresh produce - a dream in some places

supposedly a lot of money finds its way into aboriginal health programs - I always thought that some effort should be made to supply what we enjoy as an expectation to those far far away. Naive perhaps, but I deep down expected ATSIC when it was alive to make this a goal.

Instead what is available is milk out of date and food deep-fried (talking about remote communities)

The lack of water leads to a host of other problems.

Seriously can't believe they wouldn't live in it for twelve months so they can avoid capital gains tax.

What are they thinking ?!?!!??

Or maybe this is one of the ways they have chosen to repay their debt to society ?

I think the unproven but possible suspected factor in the ABC building was electromagnetic radiation which would be found perhaps in higher than average levels in a broadcaster's building.

Nothing was able to be demonstrated as a causative factor; in any case should not be relevant to any MFC premises.

Being in the field, I suspect that disposing of a substantial quantity of pharmacologically active ingredients, whether into landfill or the general sewerage system, might well be an offence.

Hope the EPA don't pick up on that.

Unless of course it went the way of biohazardous waste ( a more expensive option of course and one that necessitates a paper trail)

So much paperwork !

If EFC get backdated six month sentences I would puke to think how much they would have received from the AFL if they had have co-operated.

They have shown the AFL up to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons.

Lets hope the public are not the same....

They should receive discounted sentences because they have cooperated every step along the way and just want the truth to come out

Dr John

I'm sure that Querty agrees that if it is proven that they did use or intend to use substances banned under the ASADA/WADA code then the players who sought to gain advantage over all other players in the game (which of course is why it was all being done in the first place) and all culpable administrative and coaching staff who participated in, or negligently allowed the continuance of, the illicit program should be banned for two years and life respectively.

I'm sure that's a fair summary of your position, isn't it Querty ?

Maybe Tony should stay on as PM Earl ?

My understanding is that they have sought and been granted permission to train, but it's only matches that 'count' in regard to sanctions. There was some debate as to whether or not the IR game was in effect an AFL game.

Hence my query as to whether this is a real thing as opposed to a wisp of smoke or a shadow of a wraith or a white lie

Is this an actual fact that the players are " provisionally suspended"?

Does this mean any real thing?

T

It's a digital article.

I refuse to pay for anything LeGrande writes.

Can you paste the text.

That's what I done

The missing text is only interesting if you have a boring life

The Australian (yes I know ) today reports AFL held plea bid without ASADA by Chip Le Grand

AFL held plea bid without ASADA

The AFL conducted backroom negotiations without the knowledge of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in a failed bid to secure guilty pleas from current and former Essendon footballers accused of taking a banned peptide.

It is understood that Peter Gordon, an influential figure in Melbourne legal circles and president of the Western Bulldogs Football Club, was personally involved in negotiations to settle the case against the Bulldogs’ star forward Stewart Crameri.

Under a potential plea bargain discussed between counsel for the AFL Jeff Gleeson SC and legal representatives acting for Crameri and Bulldogs reserves player Brent Prismall, a two month ­suspension was suggested and ultimately, rejected.

...

Negotiations between the AFL, Gordon, and Crameri’s lawyers were held without the knowledge or approval of ASADA, the prosecuting agency in the hearing. Any penalty not endorsed by ASADA would be vulnerable to appeal by anti-doping authorities.

In response to questions from The Weekend Australian, a spokes­person for ASADA said: “ASADA has no knowledge of the alleged discussions referred to. There is no sanction proposal before current or former Essendon players, or their legal representatives, from ASADA.’’

The AFL also raised the idea of a plea with lawyers representing the other 32 players. The suggestion was rejected out of hand.

The secret talks took place last week amid growing concerns within the AFL and affected clubs that the anti-doping tribunal may not decide the case before this year’s football season starts.

The 34 players are provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the case.

Essendon will enter the 2015 season with only half a playing list to pick a team from if the tribunal does not hand down a finding before the opening round.

Just an observation from the far distance

From where I sit, closed hearings stink to high heaven of impending cover-up

If light or minimum penalties are handed down as is surely in the best business interests of the AFL the stench of corrupt and compromised dealings will pervade the next ten years ( not that the Herald-Sun would kick up - not suggesting that)

Clearly climate scientists are not real scientists

I know that cos Rupert told me

He lost the plot last year

Missed training sessions according to my Carlton mate.

Had to go. New Start.

Could be a stroke of genius in recruiting if he is hungry again

Let's hope he is Martin Pike reincarnated

Hope Clark's contract wasn't front-loaded

Well I'm a "Christian" - someone who thinks about Jesus and reads his messages and tries to understand what I realise is a constant effort (if you choose to make an effort that is) to make a path in the world when my flaws are no doubt as significant and my selfishness no doubt as sincere as pretty much anyone else's.

Now given that my family has an Irish background and that the IRA waged a terrorist war over a long period I have no difficulty putting my metaphorical hand on my heart and saying that these people ( the IRA) were not acting as "Christians" but rather were attaching themselves to a pseudo-religious position to achieve ends that no doubt at the time they would have killed me or mine should public opposition to them have been expressed.

The argument seems to be being put in various quarters that these extremists in Islam who perpetrate these bombings and assassinations/murders are poor misguided brainwashed dupes and we need to protect the young ones from being seduced by the attraction of the messages projected to them drawing them toward this pathway which seems to me to have the end of achieving maximum infliction of death and suffering on the identified targets (and "collateral damage" is acceptable )

Now the point to this offering is this: I have zero difficulty in stating that the IRA actions were against Jesus' explicit directions and without doing any research whatsoever I give two examples : when Jesus was arrested, one of his followers used a sword (it is recorded) to defend him and was rebuked for his efforts by Jesus who told him to lay down the weapon.

Further, Jesus said that " no one takes my life from me - I lay it down freely"

These are just two examples of the nonviolent approach that the author of "Christianity " demonstrated and which if I was to engage in a public debate with "Christians " promoting violence I would refer to to demonstrate that their methodology was contrary to their alleged loyalty.

Not saying that would have changed anything in their actions - they ( IRA or similars) may well have been being deceitful about their motivations in any case and I may have been killed or kneecapped for my efforts.

Now it may be that in a similar way these murdering Islamists can be shown (by the majority of Muslims who are not treading this path) to be being untrue to the faith they claim to be following and that the majority's contrary approach demonstrated to have a sound philosophical underpinning given the presuppositions of Islam.

( and the bald statement that the majority do not ascribe to that approach will not suffice - that alone does not oppose the deeply held justification of the militants)

If it is the case that there are anti-militant arguments contained within Islamic scriptures, I for one would love to see that debate in the public arena because if counter-arguments to the Islamist position exist, I haven seen them yet - and I do mean from within the Islamic community.

And I have been looking.

If similar examples to the ones I quoted above from Christian writings ("scriptures ") exist within the Qur'an it is time they hit the naked light of day so that it may be clearly seen that the actions of these killers who claim to be true followers of the Prophet are not indicative of the core and nature of Islam.

It's time.

Thanks WJ

I can still remember going to the footy and arriving with a reasonable expectation of hearing the club song at the end.

I sincerely hope that those days can return for us all

( all we need are a couple of heroes and we'll get there)

Thanks for your contributions

Me: I got a new puppy!

RPFC: don't love it, it will die.

More likely it's going to run away and find a new house to live in first

Shockingly thin contribution when weighed against previous works but this from Christmas bonbon and not entirely without merit I am told

Q.

How do you turn a dishwasher into a snow digger ?

A.

Give her a shovel

Well said dees2014 and deefrag

Next to no chance that James would be entirely without admirers

But who, one may enquire, might accompany him on this grand adventure? ( be discreet)

There was an apologist for Essendon who was posting frequently in recent times - "Querty" ??

Totally missing that skewed contribution with its zany love of all things Hird

Querty where art thou ?

regression toward the mean