Earl Hood

Can we get back on track? It is about Tony!

I haven't been up that way for years, I would like to go but it is a long way to drive from Fitzroy and my driving skills are a bit dodgy these days. But can I still land my Cessna at Casey Airfield? Anyone know? If I can that would be great, I could do a circuit of the ground before play if you like. Happy to hang a few Demon flags out off the wings. Over and out.

Could be worthy of a Royal Commission inquiry into how the hell we ended up not only getting involved but were part of the cheer squad that encouraged the US and the UK to invade Iraq. How many hundreds of thousands paid the ultimate price for that folly, and continue to suffer. Could be worth shinning a big light into that dark area of our past. Maybe I will send a message to Tony on this one, we know how determined Tony is to root out evil, incompetence and corruption wherever it might be found.

Knowing the Hawks I am sure Garlett will come good at some stage! They rarely have things go pear shaped on them.

I don't think we are into offering 10 year contracts for a young kid who has potential. He has two years to go let's see how he goes first.

I have been non committal on Dunn for several,years. I could see his potential but also observed his behaviour in games, far from perfect. But let's be fair who could have been poised and cool in Melbourne's backline in the past two years? When the ball is down there 90% of the time every week along with 34 other players, it is hard to have poise.

Robbie I have taken your advice and signed up. Your formula makes sense but if we win 26 games I ill be happy as Larry but I could be looking for new lodgings when the Misses finds out!

As I commented at the time most of the audience were asleep and those who stayed awake were trying to work,out why he was talking to them like they were halfwits! Unfortunately that is how Tony comes across, stating the bleeding obvious but in a slow, patronising voice that assumes we are all dumb and adds nothing to anyone's knowledge. Not unlike Joe Hockey now I come to think of it. But let's face it they are talking to the Sun Herald readership and more importantly trying to get their message through to Uncle Rupert who needs the message to be very simple and repeated often to remain happy. He is a lonely and scorned old man these days who needs to be mollycoddled.

I note the Minister for Revenge, George Brandis stating to a Senate committee one minute that he had not provided cabinet papers from the previous government to the new Royal Circus inquiry into the pink batts. A few hours later it seems another senate committee found the Prime Ministers department had already sent the documents off via George's department. Of course we know George would not have read the documents, the same as the East Timor documents he and ASIO stole but did not read before it all went to theInternational Court in The Hague. George B has a lot of alternative reading to do to work through his new big bookcase.!

Yes I remember doing similar to my cricket club just by betting $50 a time on crowns or anchors and cleaning up one night. Then I realised, with some advice from others, that this was a bit counter productive for the club. So coughed most of it back to keep the peace.

I wonder if Clark will be running laps! Poor sod he must be bored shyteless.

Are you sure, my sources cannot confirm the Big Banannas status at this time, I believe it is in dispute, there are unconfirmed reports of the Big Bannana moving south toward Down the coast! I am also getting conflicting reports on the status of the Big Cod and the Big Crayfish that have been reported as being on the move. Again I say these are worrying times we live in. My sources are indicating that all these Big Things seem to be headed toward Melbourne. What is our contingency plan to deal with this?

I have to report that the Big Mango all seven tonne of it has been hijacked from Bowen in Queensland! I mean this sets up a serious precedent. What are the security arrangements in place for the Big Bannana at Coffs Harbour, the Big Koala, the Big Crayfish at Kingston, the Big Worm at Koorumburra? The big Murray Cod at Swan Hill, it could be gone tomorrow. The big Gallah, it could be already gone. I think the big wool bales at Hamilton are safe though. Who is responsible for this security? Is it Commandant Scott Morrison, anyone know? I have just been informed that a large security contingent has been deployed to guard Goerge Brandis' brand new Big bookcase! These are worrying times we live in.

Colin I have to take issue with you on this. I have always thought that Boris Badenov received a lot of undeserved bad press over the years. He was constantly bullied by that pesky squirrel and that Moose! I mean at least Boris was in a conventional, heterosexual relationship with that alluring, goth, Natasha. What do think Rocky and Bullwinkle were up to behind closed doors, hey?

Just noticed that several bleeding heart lefties, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawk are worried about George Brandis and his decision to release secret cabinet documents on the pink bats scheme! This overturns 113 years of tradition that these papers remain secret for 30 years. These papers are so important to release because of some unfortunate workplace deaths tht occurred on those jobs apparently. There are deaths every week in construction and mining but that is different. Any deaths from our venture into Iraq are different of course. why didn't Labour do an RC into that farce. Well I suppose they were plying the agreed rules of the time, the pre Tony Abbott rules. It is all going down hill from here I assure you, thanks to our Tony. Thanks to our Tony, ministers in the future will find themselves defending their policy outcomes in courts long after they retire from parliament. History, I feel will not be kind to our Tony, the fair weather friend of all working people.

I happened to read an article in Fairfax today from some bleeding heart lefty going on about refugees languishing in camps outside Oz. he was scathing of the present government's secrecy and the previous Government's policies as well. Where do these guys come from I wonder, he talked of processing refugees in Indonesia while committing to take twice as many legitimate refugees. To give them hope and discourage them to take to a boat. Look I think the guy is delusional, not sure about his credentials either. Any one know about this guy, Malcolm Fraser? I never voted for him but I wonder if current LNP voters ever stop to think about where they have come from over the last 40 years. The fact the Malcolm now sounds like a lefty says something I think. Labour voters could also have similar reflections on how far they have drifted to the right. I don't vote for either by the way, just to set the record straight.

Underestimating Dunn this season I think. Never been a great fan but I think he is now in a space where he has a mature mind, a strong body, has learnt much about the game and his own limitations. I think under Roos he may have his best season ever probably off half back, occasionally going forward for the odd goal. I like him as a run with stopper, with a big body but I don't think he will be used that way this year.

DC I agree I over reacted to your post. I admit some of my comments were inappropriate. I apologise. Yes Mr Thomson is now a convicted thief and liar and someone who would not fall on their sword. but those people are quite rare, don't you think. And add to that I think he is a fool who thought he could get way with it all. That I suppose was my point, how can these guys be so stupid, that is what amazes me? I also downplayed his nefarious activities because they fell into the soft white collar crime area, often deemed to have no specific victims. That is something that I think many of us do. I get very aggro at crimes of violence against the weak but not so much against your classic con artist, extortionist types.

Well how many then? What is the split of numbers? Old Joe, Askin, Brian Burke. Those three were as bad as each other but I think it was only Brian who did time. Craig is in trouble but how many others are doing time apart from Obeid and co?

I give up DC. No you are right he is the pure evil, unlike anything we have rarely seen it before? Now the thousands of other Craig's and Craigetts who have done exactly the same through out small and large businesses over many years, usually because they have drug or gambling addictions. What are we to do with them I wonder? Of course one of the issues here is any malfeasance with Unions which must be dealt with, these days via a Royal Commission of course but other malfeasance in small business for instance, that is just one of those things. Double standards? Never of course.

Thanks for your thoughts Colin. I think we just have to keep having these discussions and try to keep on topic and not get personal. That would be nice for a change.

Fair cop Robbie. I never defended him but I did reserve my judgement based on the reasonable, I thought, thinking that someone who has run fast and loose with their Union credit card and no doubt other dubious practices would not then put their hand up for a Federal seat in Parliament and then not expect to go under the " former life"microscope as they all do! The best course for Craig should have been to move into the Super financial management industry where you can do everything he did do but to an even higher level with little chance of being detected. We can surmise from this is that our Craig is not the sharpest tool in the shed and From the evidence I have seen, I think that is a fair assessment.

Thank God it is only pre season, last week my worst post ever, this week I am idiotic. I might still be up for round 1 though. I was trying to be facetious, adding in some humour into the relentless to and fro of this argument.But forget that. Your every reply just goes on about the evils of unionists and they must be destroyed. I was pointing out these days there is a judicial process that has to gone through. But no matter. Lets have these Royal Commissions into every area of ALP and Union influence because that is a national priority, isn't it? Now my points are: The pink bats issue, it has been gone over by coroners and juicial inquests over and over. What will we now learn from a RC that we don't know already? Do you really think KR set out to set up unsafe workplaces? We have the possibility of cabinet documents being summoned for the inquiry within the 30 year embargo, something unheard of in 100 years of Australian politics. And for what gain? You do understand the precedence that this attack is setting up, don't you? If there is a workplace death involving a project funded by the current federal government in the future anywhere in Australia, well there is no question we will need a Royal Commission! Tony has set us all on a downward spiral to nowhere. Why wouldn't a future ALP government respond in kind and you know they will. Your obsession with Julia Gillard, as you say the police are already tightening the noose so why the RC? The courts will deal with it all. Your obsession with Craig Thomson, he is in court already! What more do you want? Your other concern, union corruption, organised crime and union members being ripped off whatever. How do we deal with this most efficiently? Tony Abbott could instruct the Austalian Crime Commission, set up by Howard to investigate and prosecute where appropriate, to root out criminal behaviour in all all areas where they find it. The minister could direct the ACC to look into these area and give them more resources as required, much less than the $100 million needed for the RC. This is the most efficient way I would have thought. What are the ACC doing? Aren't they looking into these unions if it is such a problem? Or are they corrupt Robbie? But of course the ACC works behind the scenes with little media exposure but its brief is to identify the bad guys and set them up for the courts to take action. Whereas Royal Commissions are about high profile media inquisitions into their pre determined targets. In this case it is five unions ( just in case the Herald Sun readers don't get the targets).This is the equivalent of a high cost show trial driven by politics, it is not about rooting out corruption as you may want. My point is these wall to wall Royal Commissions are politically driven, designed to seriously weaken the LNP's opponents, maybe by finding people culpable. but remember a RC can not lay charges. It is not a court. This is all about guilt by association and let's drag this out for as long as possible. I don't usually go into this boring level of detail but it seems necessary in this case and notice I have avoided any personal abuse! Maybe you and Hadrubal could take that thought on board.

DF dont disagree. just check what I actually said