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Ah, the USA. Let’s celebrate their own celebration of ignorance and stupidity. How these people get on television is anyone’s guess. WEE mean, Australia has its own crass and appalling TV journalists, commentators and entertainers (Kyle Sandilands anyone?) but the US really takes the cake in promoting the truly sub-intelligent and moronic to celebrity prominence.

News Ltd, has found some commentators and journalists worse than their own to pick on for once…

‘Serial killer’ for approving camel cull “Launched air strikes against camels” Anchor is serious The Punch: A bit too far?PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has been labelled a serial killer on US TV for approving the culling of feral camels.Erin Burnett, an anchor on American financial news channel CNBC, launched a verbal attack targetting Rudd following his government’s decision to spend $A19 million to cull feral camels in the outback.

via Kevin Rudd called a ‘serial killer’ on CNBC | TV | News.com.au.

These people are really stupid and so dumb transparent -  you can bet if John Howard had made this decision it wouldn’t have rated a mention.

But their real stupidity is that they have sat and barracked for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for the last few years and simply cannot see the offensive irony of calling the cull of camels in the outback ‘genocide’.

These people represent a portion of the American establishment that is sick, sick, sick. They are so out of touch with any kind of reality that it really is not worth talking about their outlandish behaviour and hateful, bile filled speech. They are so tired and dull. Let’s just hope they go away.

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Exactly how did Kate Schneider know the nationality of Twitterers to claim that, “many Australians posted messages on Twitter and social networks saying they would postpone travel plans”? Answer, she didn’t. After making that claim the first tweet she quotes is from someone who identified themselves as from Singapore. In face she only attributes quotes to people of other nationalities and doesn’t identify any as Australian. Sloppy journalism that tries to make a story out of zero evidence.

Even before the revised warnings, many Australians posted messages on Twitter and social networks saying they would postpone travel plans.

“My trip to Jakarta has been postponed… Hotel bombings in Jakarta – Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott. And I was going to be staying at Ritz Carlton,” Martin Tay from Singapore said on Twitter.

“I’m leaving Jakarta,” another user, Marisa Della, said.

“So scary. I will not go to Jakarta,” Rua Dernawab said.

“The Ritz Carlton and the JW in Jakarta were just bombed. That’s why you shouldn’t travel to Indonesia,” Matthew Bourne, from the US, said.

“Jakarta is now right up there on my list of cities never to visit,” Kim Walbridge said.

However other travellers have not been put off their trips by the bombings.

“I go to Jakarta every now and then. As with previous bombing it isn’t changing my travel plans,” Twitter user wanting to be known as Global Traveller said.

Others are questioning what the bombings will do to the country’s tourism industry, which has just recovered after hard times.

“Tourism in Indonesia just back to normal this year after several tough years. Will the Jakarta bomb completely screw this up?” travel business owner J Tindall said.

“Bombings in Jakarta will not be good for the economy or tourism,” Indonesian Scott Stricker said.

“Explosions at Ritz Carlton Jakarta has just destroyed so many Indonesians’ dreams and wasted their efforts for years building the nation. People are dead and buildings destroyed. Next, Indonesian’s economy will take a deep plunge,” Jennifer Frentasia said.

“One step forward, 3 steps back. Let the travel warnings begin,” Twitter user Soma said.

via Australians warned not to travel to Indonesia | Travel News | News.com.au.

The truth is that she doesn’t know the nationality of the Twitter users. She is trying to beat up a story without doing any real research – heavans, it wouldn’t be hard to find some Australians who probably have postponed their travel plans but it’s easier to write ‘Twitter’ and then make something up as though that’s evidence enough.

The story then goes on to quote other Twitter posts at the time of the blast. Honestly, why doesn’t News Ltd just put up the Twitter search page instead of their own banner?

It’s fascinating to see how these mainstream news outlets are dealing with phenomenon like Twitter – it’s clear they are not. But at least they are exposing their own sloppy standards of journalism in their rush to keep up with the new information sources.

Trouble is we are probably going to rely more on the established press to filter and corroborate what comes through social networks as news – News Ltd provides no evidence that they are up to the task.

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Well, it seems that there is finally proof emerging that Bush was a complete nut job. Following close on the heels of news that Donald (the other nut job) Rumsfeld would put religious quotes on memos to Georgie about the war in Iraq, it now emerges that the same George W tried to convince the French President of the biblical proportions of the war on terror.

Alternet brings us this article.

The terrifying thing is that this nutter was in control of a nuclear arsenal while he had little control of his own brain. Maybe the US system is sound in that Bush got nowhere near the nuclear trigger – or maybe we all were just lucky and dodged a bullet over the last eight years. Whatever, thank god he’s gone. Let’s hope we never see another like him.

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Here’s a wee live micro-blog on North Korea’s latest missile launch…

• 3:11 PM mg_trends - #North Korea launches rocket over Japan .. tinyurl.com
• 3:11 PM mallybaby - psssh. koreans. “ooh, we see how much we test united states’ patience..we fire “satellite”. stupidity. can we just get along? #North Korea
• 3:11 PM doylebrau - I love how the current trends on #North Korea are mostly either expressions of indifference or taunts from conservative wackos.
• 3:11 PM mg_trends - ANALYSTS VIEW-#North Korea launches long-range rocket .. tinyurl.com
• 3:16 PM WEEver - #North Korea has apparently just launched a test missile – weather must have cleared up
• 3:19 PM raffale - @RachelZehava why not? #north korea
• 3:27 PM raffale - Rocket went over Japan….#north korea
• 3:27 PM raffale - first debris of #north korea rocket went down into Pacific Ocean 270 km west of japanese teritory…
• 3:27 PM DivadNhoj1981 - Flying to the Philippines is now a potentially scary experience because of Kim Jong-il’s rocket fetish. Asshole’s ronery again. #North Korea
• 3:27 PM raffale - Japan files official protest with UN Security Council #north korea
• 3:28 PM mg_trends - #North Korea Launches Rocket, Passes Over Japan .. tinyurl.com
• 3:30 PM 1002things - I think we need to be more worried about Kim Jong-Il forcing us to be in his musicals than killing us with phallic missiles. #North Korea
• 3:39 PM raffale - RT @libertyrant “IMO 3 reasons for N Korea missile launch: 1. Test #bho 2. G20 3. Rehearsal for Iran missile launch. #tcot #sgp #teaparty”
• 3:40 PM raffale - RT @KAZPORT “Wonder if Obama will be mad that North Korea will be the headline tomorrow instead of Michelles fashion report”
• 3:41 PM raffale - RT @Grodge “North Korea launch: Former Bush diplomat admits Bush failed to prevent it tinyurl.com” Amen!……….
• 3:48 PM raffale - RT @Pistachio “BBC North Korea historical timeline. is.gd current dictatorship since 1948!?”
• 4:28 PM mg_trends - #North Korea Fires Missile over Japan .. tinyurl.com
• 4:30 PM raffale - RT @skinnykoehler: I feel safe now that North Korea was allowed to launch a missle. I hope the whole world sees how complacent we are. BS!!
• 4:33 PM raffale - RT @phxgonline: RT North Korea didn’t have the balls to shoot a rocket when a real man was in office – BUSH. (via @wouldee5150) BU**SH**!:)
• 4:39 PM raffale - RT @tonyrobbins Here are some Q&A on how to deal with the challenge I did on the today show a few months ago :bit.ly
• 4:56 PM mg_trends - Minister: #Palm Sunday has lesson for today's world .. tinyurl.com
• 4:57 PM lol_lennon - Oh my god, what is going on with the world? #North Korea
• 5:09 PM raffale - rt NKorea says its satellite in orbit is transmitting revolutionary songs as “Song of General Kim Il-sung and “Song of General Kim Jong-il”.

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Oh for ____’s sake! Well the Liberal Party of Australia is really focused in on the important issues.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been accused of swearing on purpose on national television to increase his appeal to voters.

Last night on Channel 7 Mr Rudd dropped the word “shit” as he spoke to sacked Pacific Brands workers about the Government’s decision to spend billions stimulating the economy.

“People have to understand that, because there’s going to be the usual political shit storm, sorry, political storm, over that,” he said.

His comments were applauded by the audience.

But this morning Melbourne’s Liberal Mayor Robert Doyle and Opposition frontbencher Peter Dutton both accused Mr Rudd of scripting the moment

via Rudd flies into swearing storm – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

What a bunch of tossers. With all there is to criticise Kevin Rudd over this is the one? Or is it payback for the equally moronic carry-on about the Labor Party’s horror that Malcolm Turnbull mentioned the name of the Prime Minister’s wife and wealth in the same sentence.

Can someone inform both parties there’s an economic meltdown, bushfires and industrial relations legislation to discuss in rational and mature ways – WEE guess that’s hoping for too much.

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photo credit: azrainman

UPDATE: Oh the exquisite irony of it all!

* Obamas told they can’t stay in mansion

* John Howard already has place booked

* Obamas have to move into a hotel

BARACK Obama and his family have been forced to move into a hotel because John Howard is staying at their place.

via John Howard bumps Barack Obama out of Blair House in Washington | World News | News.com.au.

ORIGINAL POST:

Howard to receive US freedom medal

Samantha Maiden, Online Political Editor | 10:30am JOHN Howard will be awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom next week, in one of George W Bush’s final acts as president.

via The Australian, News from Australia’s National Newspaper.

Just how out of touch are these guys? Can’t someone quietly tap them on the shoulder and say, “Hey fellas, it’s all over, you can leave now”? It is astonishing that they keep pretending that the disastrous war that they sent our countries into was not one of the most appalling foreign policy disasters for a generation.

So again WEE will be subjected to another round of back slapping and self-congratulation by Bush, Blair and Howard. They will repeat the lie that the world is safer because of their actions and the mainstream media will again cast no critical eye on their actions – they’ll just quote the press releases that trumpet the great achievements of these diminuitive leaders.

WEE think the ceremony would be the perfect opportunity to round up the ‘three amigos’ and send them to the International Criminal Court to be tried for their war crimes. WEE’ll keep dreaming on that one.

WEE do not look forward to watching another orgy of ineptitude when these three unimaginitave leaders get together to celebrate their contribution to freedom in the world. What all of this demonstrates is just how out of touch George Bush is. Some 80% of the US population wants him to just go away. Perhaps he could just stay on vacation until 20 January?

Still, we may well get our wish that we never hear of George W  Bush again after 20 January. Apparently he is not planning to be a high profile former president. He was barely a high profile serving president given the amount of time he spent on vacation.

And WEE will not forgive him for giving further oxygen to our own former little leader John Howard. At least Howard still hasn’t cottoned on to the fact that being associated with George W Bush is actually not anything to write home about. Little Johnny is so out of touch too that he still thinks Bush is a man of substance and power – as opposed to the lame duck president he has been for about the last 3 years.

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photo credit: Jari Carr

This is a depressing read and the final insult to those who have remained opposed to this ridiculous war from the start. The final disgraceful twist in the Iraq saga in the final twilight of one of the most disastrous presidencies in American history. Bush’s administration has been an utter failure on so many fronts who counts any more…

Report Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders

Published: December 13, 2008

BAGHDAD — An unpublished 513-page federal history of the American-led reconstruction of Iraq depicts an effort crippled before the invasion by Pentagon planners who were hostile to the idea of rebuilding a foreign country, and then moulded into a $100 billion failure by bureaucratic turf wars, spiraling violence and ignorance of the basic elements of Iraqi society and infrastructure.

via Report Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders – NYTimes.com.

What is outrageous is that the lies that this mob have generated over the eight years of their administration have just gotten bigger and bigger and more and more bizarre. But through all of this none of the mainstream media in the US have seen fit to scream at the top of their voices enough. It’s been left up to internet-based progressive media to hold this administration to account.

Roll on the Obama administration. There must be some kind of prosecution of these nit wits for their appalling prosecution of what has always been a pretend war. That so many lives were wasted on both sides over this fraud makes it all the more tragic and induces blood boiling if dwelt on for too long by any sane individual.

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photo credit: Larsz

Stephen Conroy has had a brain meltdown on this issue of internet filtering. And hundreds of Australian expressed their concern today around the country (and many thousands more have expressed their outrage at the laws online).

Digital Liberty Coalition protests against web filter held across Australia

Protests

Digital divide … hundreds attended rallies across Australia today to oppose the Government’s web filtering plan.

* Protests against web filtering scheme

* Held in capital cities across Australia

* Monthly rallies until March

HUNDREDS of people attended rallies in Australian capital cities yesterday to voice their opposition to the Rudd Government’s planned internet filtering scheme.

via Digital Liberty Coalition protests against web filter held across Australia | News | News.com.au.

The internet censorship proposal is ricidulous. It is another ‘moral panic’ issue. The Rudd Government is only trying to pander to the likes of Family First and Nick Xenophon on this one. But in the process of pandering to these two annoying senators who account for a fraction of the population, the Government is ignoring everyone else.

It’s a curious issue because techies keep advising that it won’t be hard to bypass the filter – so you can get around the stupid legislation – and so can the weirdoes and gambling people and any other nutter. It’s like gun laws – if you really want to get your hands on a gun you can. If you really want to get around an internet filter you can. So it’s not going to stop criminals or those folks intent on using the internet for ill.

But it will by all accounts really slow everything down for everyone. And here is the greatest irony of the genius Conroy’s plan. At the same time as he’s about to build a fast broadband network, he’s introducing legislation and technology that will slow it down!

Explain the logic in that if you can.

The other problem is that there is very little clarity around what exactly will be blocked. Image of child pornography yes, and euthanasia information (that’s a whole other debate). But there is also talk of other things such as all porn, peer to peer sites, the list goes on and on.

The Rudd Government is officially out of control. Rudd talks about innovation and needing to be technically advanced. Australia is about to become the only western democracy in the world to censor its internet – yeah, clever country indeed.

If you want to join the fight for our internet freedom you can here:

[iframe http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet/442 600 800]

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