Good morning my little cabbages. Happy Halloween to those who celebrate it (I suppose it's over already in the southern hemisphere.) Anyways, a quick round-up of randomness collected before my second cup of coffee:
I see that my esteemed college Dr. Mark already posted the video which has started "ear-wax-gate" 2007, which, coincidentally made news in the Northern Hemisphere. Anyways, here's another video for you, because, you know, it's video Tuesday!! And the Rockets play tonight. Go Rockets.
Ok so not the greatest title there, but you get the impression. I wasn't going to post anything on this video that someone placed on YouTube, the only reason I am embedding it here today, is that I just heard it mention on the BBC... To think that the alternative PM of Australia managed to get attention on the Global News Podcast courtesy of the BBC...
Obviously I think even the most ardent Liberal supporter, if not solely for the sake of Australian Politics, wishes this was never released...
But it was... and that's that...
Personally I fail to see the appeal in consuming Ear Wax, granted I've never done it before, and one shouldn't chastise something they haven't tried...
The election is really shaping up to be pathetically boring, although there is a real concern that the Australian Democrats will cease to exist post November 14th, which is relatively sad because why the major parties are promising signing Kyoto, the Aussie Democrats want to save the Koala...
I wonder if that means K-Rudd and Little How How (reaching a new low on that one, sorry) are completely against Koalas?
It appears as though PMJH has decided that getting re-elected in his own seat is more important that winning parliament. The old boy has opted to take up a slightly different tactic by deleting all references to Peter Costello in a personal letter sent to voters in the Prime Minister's own seat of Bennelong.
...While Coalition MPs around the nation, including ministers such as Malcolm Turnbull and Andrew Robb, refer to "the Howard-Costello team" in their mailouts, Mr Howard uses a much less specific term - "the strong Liberal team"....
News.com.au goes further... Of the two, Mr Howard has the more humble letterhead, describing himself as "John Howard MP, Member for Bennelong, Prime Minister". Mr Costello addresses his local constituents as "The Hon Peter Costello MP, Treasurer, Member for Higgins".
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said last night he was unable to comment on the issue.
In the debate on Sunday, Mr Howard said: "One of the differences between me and Mr Rudd is that I have a fantastic team. And most of them are here tonight. And I can say with certainty that we have worked as a team over the last 11½ years. I mean, Peter Costello and I together have worked on building the Australian economy."
Costello has, from memory, something like an 8% approval rating compared to Howard's (as of today) 43%, Rudd is still holding out at 50%.
If the PM isn't prepared to back his pre-ordained successor (Howard has said that if re-elected he will hand-over the top job to Costello) why should the rest of us?
Barely 24 hours into the federal election and already I have been shocked by PMJH! It appears as thought PMJH is so keen to take on K-Rudd he has challenged him to a debate already, with conditions attached of course.
According to News.com.au... The Prime Minister wants to bypass the free-to-air TV networks, proposing that the debate be moderated by David Speers from Sky News.
Mr Howard wants a 90-minute debate to be held before an audience in the Great Hall at Parliament House next Sunday night.
In a letter sent to the ALP's national secretary, Tim Gartrell, yesterday, federal Liberal Party director Brian Loughnane suggests a panel of five senior journalists nominated by the National Press Club, including at least one person representing TV, radio and print media.
The debate would be broadcast live and be available to all media outlets on condition that the broadcast was not "wormed" or otherwise changed.
FYI the worm relates to instant polling data which used to accompany the debate proccess, somewhat determining the winner of the debates instantaneously.
Howard's move comes as a suprise as, well let's face it, the guy doesn't debate... His role in parliament is usually relegated to that as a conductor of noise, he leaves the "debate" to others. This is the first time that PMJH has initiated a debate, somewhat disturbingly the extra condition of it being broadcast on SKY News (for Cable Subscribers only) could be taken two ways -
The PM is nervous about being heard by the Aussie "Battler" who, courtesy of the interest rate rises over his period in office, are now responsible for larger mortgage payments then ever before. This newfound responsibility prevents a number of voters from being able to afford Cable television.
PMJH doesn't trust Australia's free-to-air networks, something I have to kind of agree with anyway.
Potential voters, thanks to Howard changing the laws on electoral enrollment, now have 3 more days to enroll, they used to have a week... Not to sure why the law was changed...
As mentioned we are barely 24 hours into the 2007 election and already somethings are becoming clear...
I Just posted the first of many posts concerning the election and it looks like one Government Minister is already conceding (FYI the election is still yet to be announced)...
The Foreign Minister's wife Nicky has been reported as having told friends that her husband believed the Government could not win.
Obviously Downer denies such rumor mongering (as we've come to expect) I stumbled across this whilst looking for a Downer clip to share!
1/3 of the trio is back, and having just watched PMJH speed his way through the Governor-Generals' gates it's pretty obvious why... It's officially election time here in Oz, I've been resisting the temptation to commentate until it was called, and whilst it is being called, I thought I may as well start!!!
The date is expected to be the 24th of November, plenty of time for all those negative ads to get plenty of airtime! Stay tuned to see if K-Rudd can beat down the coalition to bring Labor to government for the first time in 13 years or so...
My first bit of commentary has to go towards to high amount of people at GG's gates waiting to watch PMJH speed by, not even a stop to say hello might I add... And what's with the police escort all of a sudden, it used to be a unmarked car, but no longer...Oh and kudos to Sky News for the cut away during the arrival... Nothing better than boasting "live" coverage of his pending arrival, and completely screwing the shot up...
