tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post2409660878979281025..comments2023-12-06T00:23:28.790+11:00Comments on Press gallery reform: Media regulation: everything will be all rightAndrew Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-19204721722388926572012-10-13T12:54:52.188+11:002012-10-13T12:54:52.188+11:00"Libertarians spend time wondering why "..."Libertarians spend time wondering why "free enterprise" doesn't reciprocate their support"<br />and<br />"... won't be able to lobby themselves into existence forever, just as you can't botox yourself to immortality"<br /><br />Just gorgeous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-1210230332685665802012-10-12T19:11:36.471+11:002012-10-12T19:11:36.471+11:00A prelude to Desolation Row...A prelude to Desolation Row...Number One Baghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14743162493927293968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-22761677498750299922012-10-12T09:37:08.284+11:002012-10-12T09:37:08.284+11:00I've done some online searching and opinion se...I've done some online searching and opinion seems divided as to whether Whitlam said MacMahon was "Tiberius with a telephone" or "Tiberius on the telephone". I've always thought it was the latter, Whitlam was insinuating that MacMahon was better at back room intrigues than normal social interactions (MacMahon was partially deaf and preferred to deal with people on the telephone (where he had a booster device), than face to face).calyptorhynchushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13426373475735688961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-4666136276988537362012-10-12T09:25:05.470+11:002012-10-12T09:25:05.470+11:00I believe the correct quote is: 'to be tired o...I believe the correct quote is: 'to be tired of Jones is to be tired of shit'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-45547805138760234142012-10-12T08:42:18.026+11:002012-10-12T08:42:18.026+11:00"Something is happening here/ But you don'..."Something is happening here/ But you don't know what it is/ Do you, Mr Jones?"...but Andrew, sweary & #1bag (& a host of other nyms over the last 48hrs) do. 1968 Revisited?rhwombathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12965197378050915417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-22923690845211640102012-10-12T00:21:22.518+11:002012-10-12T00:21:22.518+11:00I've said it before and I'll say it again....I've said it before and I'll say it again. The 2013 election will be fought on facebook. The reach and scope of that entity in this country is truly amazing. Many people will know that work, family and recreation is now managed by many Australians through that platform. Indeed, many have found themselves harried on to it by family and friends in order to simply keep in touch with people, especially when the default phone position for many 'busy' people is messagebank.<br /><br />In this context Textor is worse than useless as a strategist. I share your implied fear that many of the usual suspects in the ALP will be the same, but the astroturfing during the Your Rights At Work campaign was very real, but only a part of a story that really took off in the wider community and was THE issue that changed government in 2007 - ask Brian Loughnane if you think I am over reaching here.<br /><br />In fact if the <a href="http://bluntshovels.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/organise-or-die/#comments" rel="nofollow">usual suspects from the union movement</a> had shown a bit of wit they may have done their job and kept the Your Rights At Work groups alive. Unfortunately five years of neoliberal apologism has burnt that little bridge.<br /><br />So what we are witnessing is the rise of something a tad more organic than the high functioning Asperger's candidates that populate our political class would like. People power doesn't hold well with control freaks. History from Fra Dolcino and Wat Tyler onwards has taught us that. Such undisciplined forces do not have a great historical track record, but now and again they do spill over the lip and effect no small change.<br /><br />In regards to cyberspace we could do worse than remember another new media practitioner from aan earlier age, Milton:<br /><br /><i>"At certain revolutions all the damned are brought and feel by turns the bitter exchange of fierce extremes."</i>Number One Baghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14743162493927293968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-32260967066862213252012-10-11T21:38:40.254+11:002012-10-11T21:38:40.254+11:00Step 1: media ignores and minimises Gillard's ...Step 1: media ignores and minimises Gillard's speech, explains that Slipper was the Real Story. Hartcher in particular was outstanding in this category. (I ignore Sheehan because, well, you have to)<br /><br />Step 2: in the face of a massive "what the fuck?" a number of them take to explaining to the rest of us why they are right and we are wrong (PvO on twitter yesterday was *amazing* - at one point hr resorted to the old "I am being criticized by both left and right, clearly I am right" nonsense)<br /><br />Step 3: today - media claims that well they can't be expected to know what real people think (huh - pretty sure that might be a useful skill for a writer on politics). Fairfax journo today claimed "I even speak to taxi drivers" yeah you're a regular Thomas Friedman, you are. Maybe if a polling company tells them what people think they can write it up. The hacks saying "oh its just the social media echo chamber" made me laugh so hard.<br /><br />I wonder what tomorrow will bring? <br /><br />And remember the only reason there was any pushback was that non-journos were able to see the events themselves. Why on earth should I trust the analysis of these folks when reporting on *anything* I can't confirm? Yes, there are a number of decent journalists in Canberra. And there are far far more of them who make us all dumber with every piece they write.swearyanthonynoreply@blogger.com