A Sunday meander through Northern Rivers art

Rock Pools At Brooms Head by Steven Giese
A Dog's Tale by Julie Hutchings
A Native Waterlily by Debrah Novak

All three artists exhibit at Arthouse Australia, Yamba NSW

Taylor makes yet another mark after Twenty20 Final

Mark (Tubby) Taylor, former Australian XI captain and now Cricket Australia board member made a proper goose of himself at the awards presentation after the Twenty20 Big Bash Final at Sydney's ANZ stadium on Saturday night.

NSW won the match by one one run, thanks to a bye from the last ball of the match.

Victoria batted first and scored 4/166. Opener Rob Quiney scoring a fantastic 91 off 56 balls while recent Test debutant Andrew McDonald hit 30 runs off 29 balls.

NSW's best bowler was Aaron Bird who finished with 3/21 off his 4 overs.

The NSW side incuded the Kiwi ring-in Brendon McCullum who managed to score just 10 off 11 balls.

Although it was a pyjama cricket match, this game produced the goods for players and spectators - it went down to the last ball.

However, the lowlight of the day/evening was Taylor's "gem".

Taylor, whose public speaking skills are not his greatest asset, took to the microphone and announced that the player who made a fantastic contribution for Victoria (Quiney) was not the recipient of the award.

The TV audience sitting comfortably in their lounges at home heard Taylor's words quite clearly, but poor unfortunate Quiney and his Victorian team mates didn't.

Quiney, thinking he'd been announced as the winner of the award, headed off in the direction of Taylor but then Taylor announced that NSW player Ben Rohrer, who hit 44 off 20 balls and steered NSW to victory was the player of the match.

It makes one wonder how often Channel 9 has to hit the idiot button to ensure that idiotic remarks made by Taylor don't go to air. This writer reckons the controller/s of the idiot button must work overtime.

See the match scoreboard here.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to Bill Leak for his pic of Tubby (above) ... www.portrait.gov.au

Has President Obama given an undertaking that his new administration will discourage any move against the architects of the Iraq War?

The US Department of Justice website lists all presidential pardons and commutations granted by George W. Bush up to March 2008.

Since then it has released media notification of the granting of least 34 other pardons - 14 in November 2008, 19 in December 2008 and 2 in January 2009.

Now it would be hard to word any pardon for the human rights violations and alleged war crimes committed by the former president, members of the Bush Administration and/or their agents, because George Bush appears to have quashed or suspended many of the US federal legal provisions which recognised or protected against such violations.

However, this does not make the former Bush Administration fire proof and so one is left to wonder if the new US President, Barack Obama, has given the past president an undertaking that neither he or his administration would assist in any international or domestic investigation of these individuals and would resist calls for their prosecution.

I would like to know the answer to that query as would a number of others.

Young Liberals - marching backwards towards the future

After the debacle last year when the Young Liberals were so publicly humiliated by the Senate as it quietly pricked their 'all teachers and uni lecturers are biased lefties' balloon, you might have thought that this brush with the real world would've led to something productive - like a more balanced view of the world.
You'd be dead wrong.
They are holding their annual conference this weekend and the Young Liberals mouthpiece, Noel McCoy, has announced that they want to bring back compulsory national service for those between 17 and 24 years of age.
Though what they think 9 months of conscripted service would do for a fella's country I'm d*mned if I know.
But then most of these young wannabe pollies would be expecting exemptions, wouldn't they?
Liberal Party Federal MPs Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz, and Bronwyn Bishop will attend the conference and are perhaps hoping that the media do not notice their attendance at the annual party for young wingnuts who still believe Little Jonnnie Howard was the Second Coming.

Pic from Flickr

'No Drama' Obama now 'Back-up' Barack?

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Seems hard to believe that one simple 35-word sentence could be so publicly scrambled doesn't it?
But what is really hard to believe is that Barack Obama had to take the presidential oath again just so that the rumours would not start flying that he was actually not the US 44th President and Commander-in-Chief.

Obama is not the first president to have to repeat the oath however - Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur also mangled the original swearing in and had to repeat the process behind closed doors according to The Washington Post last Wednesday.

What I did notice particularly was that there was no Obama stumble over the additional phrase "So help me God".
That should upset the great number of atheists and agnostics around the globe.

It also gives me pause for thought - if the wording of the oath is mandated by the US Constitution why is it not thought to be an improper oath if additional words are added?

Obama starts his presidency with a blog

On 20 January 2009 the WhiteHouse website was up and running under new management by midday and the first Obama era blog entry was posted.

It was followed a couple of hours later by President Obama's first proclamation which had a disturbingly evangelical tone that does not bode well for a supposedly secular government and society.

The official breakdown of the new faces in the White House and administration:

• President Barack Obama


• Vice President Joe Biden


• First Lady Michelle Obama


• Dr. Jill Biden


• The Cabinet


• White House Staff


• Executive Office of the President


• Nominations and Appointments

Australian workers get 22 per cent less severance pay than rest of world, but Clarence Valley beats that record hands down

According to the Business Spectator last Friday:

Employees laid off in Australia took home close to the least amount of severance pay in the world, according to a global study by Right Management.
The release of the survey came as official figures showed a sharp drop in the number of full-time jobs in Australia in December, as the unemployment rate rose to 4.5 per cent.
Out of 28 countries surveyed by Right Management, Australia came 21st in terms of severance pay and conditions. The survey looked at 1,500 human resource professionals and senior managers, including 101 from Australia.
In cases where employees lost their job involuntarily because of a company restructure or down-sizing, they pocket on average 22 per cent less than their global counterparts, with 2.79 weeks' severance pay per year of service, compared to a worldwide average of 3.6 weeks per year of service.

If the average Australian worker gets less severance pay than his international counterpart, then Grafton abattoir workers in the Clarence Valley must hold the individual world record.
For they frequently find that they are let go with no payout entitlements being paid due to a Byzantine business model involving at various times Ramsey Wholesale Meats, Ramsey Holdings, Ramsey Food Packaging 1 and 2, Tempus Holdings, Paul Allen Contracting Service, Mortimer Administration Service and others.

Here is a brief history.

Sacked meatworkers fear entitlements lost [2006]

Workers 'boned [2006]

Merry Christmas...you're boned [2008]

New Twist as workers fight for lost money [2009]

Sacked meatworkers remain on the hook [2009]

The Member for Page, Janelle Saffin, speaking in The Daily Examiner expressed concerned about the plight of these sacked workers:

"I encourage the sacked workers who have not already done so to contact me or my office individually so that I can advocate on their behalf."

I doubt whether it has slipped Ms. Saffin's notice that some of the same individuals found as directors of Ramsey companies are also spending literally millions in total on bloodstock and race horses.

After two runs in Sydney at this year's autumn carnival, Zizou was acquired from his owners, a Coolmore syndicate, as a foundation sire for one of the best quality breeding operations in the Hunter region, Stuart Ramsey's Turangga Stud at the entrance to the historic Segenhoe Valley, a short drive away from Scone. Owner of a major meatworks on the NSW north coast, Stuart Ramsey has become involved in racing and breeding in a big way in recent years. His breeding operation includes an 80-strong high quality broodmare band, many of which will give Zizou every chance to be another brilliant Golden Slipper performer make it as a first class sire. His base in the Hunter Valley, the Turangga Stud, has a history of horse breeding stretching back more than a half a century.

Perhaps it's time the Deputy-Prime Minister Julia Gillard stirred herself (as the minister responsible for industrial relations legislation) and ensured that any pea-and-shell corporate structuring that has a potential use which would see workers being denied their rights is made illegal under Australian law once and for all.
Rather than listening to the likes of Heather Ridout of the Australian Industry Group who would obviously like the status quo to continue for her members.

What the masses are saying about King Rudd this week

A small sampling from The Courier Mail of what people are saying online about Kevin Rudd's call for wage restraint.
The overall response was mixed, but if the Bananabenders are not really supporting their native son, then it must be on the nose with voters.

John Howard awarded his senior advisors bonuses and I had one thing to say "STUPID, STUPID, STUPID." Now Rudd does the same thing and I still only HAVE one thing to say "STUPID, STUPID, STUPID."
Posted by: andi of Ausie Ausie Ausie 11:38am today Comment 169 of 193

This make me ill.
I had to reduce my work hours at my work and take a pay cut. The union agreed that this was the case as all the floor workers reduced thier hours. My family is going to hurt because of the reduction of my wage but we will manage.
What happened to a 'fair go' Mr Rudd I voted for you to scrap IR laws and to secure not only mine but my kids future. I cant understand what you are saying you give us money to spend at Christmas then turn around and say we are greedy, then give your staff a pay rise. The tough economic times are not the fault of the ALP but what are Mr Rudd and MR Swann going to do other than talk? Why does Mr Rudd giving the elite a pay rise and the worker a bone. This is typical Johnny Howard and Pete Costello Liberal stuff not the ALP. Who side are you on Mr Rudd , because it doesnt look like you are on mine.
Posted by: Simon of Raceview 11:04am today Comment 149 of 193

He giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other ! Well, it's bound to happen when a man thinks that he is God !
Posted by: Brad Coward of Brisbane 8:29am today Comment 39 of 193

Rudd is just following the lead of his mates down the big end of town. Do a good job, get a bonus. Stuff things up completely, still get a bonus.
Posted by: oldefellah of Coral Coast 8:04am today Comment 22 of 193

The irony here is that Rudd's policy 'advisers' would have concocted his latest little spruik that - 'greed is bad, and workers must defer wage claims'. But then...some are more equal than others eh, comrade ?
Posted by: Alf of Carindale 8:04am today Comment 21 of 193

COMRADES ! Some of use are MORE EQUAL than others ! Oink Oink Oink. Greedy little piggies with their snouts in the trough.
Posted by: Denny Crane of Grange 8:01am today Comment 20 of 193

And from the blogs, this example.

The biggest enemy of "working families" is not the financial crisis. It is the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and his offensive and simplistic suggestion that middle Australia should show restraint in wage negotiations so as not to compromise their jobs.People are not morally obliged to remedy problems not of their doing. Families struggling to afford the necessities of modern life made no contribution to the financial problems. They owe nothing to the rest of community when it comes to wage negotiations.The suggestion that more money for bosses equals more jobs for workers breaks the laws of economics and human nature. Trickle-down economics has long been discredited; there are simply too many greedy sponges at the top. Rudd's call for wage restraint is a misguided justification for employers to exploit the vulnerable by undervaluing the toils of their labour.
From Notes on A Civil Society post on 21 January 2009

Hot times on the old farm........

You know the temperature is rising when:

• You go to feed the fish in the pond and there is a black snake doing laps in the pool.
• The chooks refuse to leave the shed and start demanding ice in their water.
• The cows spend all day in the swamp, they turn into hippopotacows.
• The ants only get half way up the wall before they give up.
• Frogs fight one another for a place in the shower while you are using it.
• Ice does not melt it evaporates.
• No matter how much you drink there is not enough for a good pee.
• Dogs don’t want to go for a ride in the paddock basher.
• The blue tongue lizard moves from under the peach tree to under the couch in the living room.
• Politicians say they know what they are doing.
• The corners of the paddock keep curling up.
• The wire in the fences melt.
• The Cat sleeps for 25 hours a day instead of the usual 23 hours.
• Wasps and hornets decide to walk rather than fly.

Add your own favourites in the comments box

Who us? A short blog review too good not to share

North Coast Voices has been chuckling about this excerpt from a letter to the editor in The Daily Examiner ever since it was published on Saturday 17 January 2009.

I don't think the author thought for a moment that we would find this characterization hilarious enough to share, but we just couldn't resist.

Personally I'm a little disappointed that we missed out on the classic "dragging their knuckles in the dust" line!

We're all in this (recession) together and other fractured fairy tales

The Prime Minister is back from his annual hols and has jumped up before the cameras with the cry We're all in this together! in his Australia Day reception speech.

"This is a difficult time, and in the short term there is no quick fix.
Things will get worse before they get better.That is where all of us – not just government – have a role in lessening the effects of the crisis.
We are all in this together: business, unions, governments, the community sector – and every nation in the world.In these times, employers must do their utmost to protect their workers from dismissal, knowing that these workers will serve them well when times turn good again.
Workers, too, must restrain any wage claims."

No, Rudders, we are not all in this together.
The Aussie banks and their boards, mines and their multinational owners, top CEOs across the country, big national businesses, kings of the racing world, those with inherited wealth, and many more citizens with large salary packages, are not standing shoulder-to-shoulder with anyone. Unless it's with a pollie or two they think may send a cash injection or tax cut their way (look at who's complaining about your fiscal stimulus package and getting ready to close an outlet if you don't believe me).
So don't give me that guff about wage restraint being a strategy to lessen the effect of the global financial crisis.
It's only a strategy which will be used to increase the personal profits of many of the big employers.
Why? Because the bottom line is that most employers still secretly feel that they are paying workers money for jam and that no unskilled or semi-skilled worker deserves more that a pittance wage.
As for small business owners (especially in some parts of the NSW North Coast) they seem to believe that workers should pay their employers for the privilege of having a job.
And I'm not the only one saying so. Get the picture, mate?

Poll results for Tuesday 20 January 2009 in the mid-afternoon.

Update later in the morning:

The Australian reports that Kevin Rudd has given pay rises to two of his top advisors through bonus payments. "With superannuation and overtime added to salaries, principal advisers earn close to $250,000 in annual income." and therefore are already well paid. It seems Kev thinks that there is one rule for his 'friends' and another for the checkout chicks of this world. The former get to live life as usual, the latter get to fund the national recession fightback.

Obama inauguration live feeds and links for Tuesday 20 January 2009 ceremony

Commencing between 7am and 10 am Tuesday 20 January 2009 on the American east coast and around 3am Wednesday Australian EST, many sites will be covering the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.


The Presidential Inaugural Committee will live feed the inauguration (using Silver Light 2) at its own website here.

C-Span has an inaugural hub using Mogulus to webcast here.

CBS will be online with latest here, here and at CNet webcast here.

Hulu will be live streaming here for members.

CNN Facebook will follow the inauguration day here.

CNN has its inauguration watch here and streaming live here.

MSNBC is covering the inauguration here and here.

Fox News will being reporting live at The Strategy Room webcast found here.

The Washington Post online coverage here.

The New York Times reporting online here and live streaming on it home page here.

ABC News (America) will be providing online coverage here embedded in its homepage.

ABC (Australia) coverage on ABC 1 and ABC Radio starts at 3.24am on Wednesday 21 January AEST.

Possum explains those Australian unemployment figures

It is always a joy to see Possum Comitatus breakdown the gobbledegook surrounding government agency statistics.

The Statistical Reality of the Unemployment Figures post was no exception and, although a job lost involves real pain (something we know well in the NSW Northern Rivers), it was enlightening to see how the statistical margin of error played out in the latest numbers:

The actual Labor Force Survey results can be easily downloaded, and toward the end of the document – pages 28 and 29 to be exact – the ABS has gone to the trouble of providing the standard errors of not only the point estimates of all the unemployment metrics, but also the standard errors of the monthly change in those metrics. It's quite nice of them to do that since the press doesn't seem to pay any bloody attention to them whatsoever. But their incompetence aside, what these standard errors allow us to do is create a maximum margin or error for the unemployment figures using a 95% Confidence Interval – just as we do with the polling, and more particularly, Pollytrack.....

First up, the change in Full Time job numbers. The seasonally adjusted point estimate suggested that 43,900 full time jobs were lost between November and December of 08. We can be nearly 100% confident that the 43,900 figure that is getting so much attention isn't actually true.

What we can say is that there is a 95% probability that the true change in full time job numbers was somewhere between a gain of 6300 full time jobs and a loss of 94100 jobs, for the margin or error attached to the 43900 full time job loss figure is a whopping 50200. .....

On the trend figures, the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.4%, full time employment dropped by 11,200 nationally and total employment increased by 2000.

Far from this being a terrible result requiring widespread bouts of wrist slashing – in the broader scheme of things and considering the state of the international economy, it's probably a remarkably good result. I say 'probably' because we must acknowledge the large uncertainty involved in the figures - the point estimates really aren't the gospel they are too often made out to be.

What happens in the future is unknowable, things might tank, things might not - but what we should all be aware of is just how much uncertainty is actually contained in these figures.

Of course it would be too optimistic to hope that Malcolm Turnbull and friends would approach these figures with a degree of calm.

Over at Liberal Party headquarters they were shouting out that there will be More Than Half A Million Australians Out Of Work and waxing lyrical about the Howard years.

While Access Economics (in attention getting language aimed at front page media coverage) is predicting 300,000 jobs will be lost in the next twelve months, but also appears to be predicting modest national growth by 2009-10.

By late last night Channel 10 News had hysterically taken the figure higher to a million unemployed

Think I'll place my trust in Poss and wait for more concrete figures to come in over the next year. Access Economics director Chris Richardson now cries Wolf! so often that I no longer find his media announcments all that credible.