A couple of words on that blankety blank internet filter in response to Gillard & Conroy

Sometimes a tweet or two will say it all......


From David L. Morris: @JuliaGillard "Conroy will get the filter into shape"? We recognise that shape. So does the ACL. It is a crucifix. #openinternet via web

From Kristen Obaid: Senator Conroy: "I'm not into opting in to child porn." -- Neither are we, you obtuse ignorant excuse for a Communications Minister. via web Retweeted by 51 others

Has Stephen Conroy just guaranteed that Labor will lose seats to The Greens in 2010?

Sometimes it's hard to believe just how far the ALP will go in order to lose seats in this year's election unless you track Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's chatter about plans to censor the internet.

Having slipped this scheme under the radar in 2007 he is now afraid to introduce it into law before the election in case votes walk, but intends to run yet another rigged investigation and then erect the Great Firewall by 2012 secure in the knowledge that he won't have to face the voters himself for another six years as a senator.

This consummate ministerial liar changed his tune in the space of 48 hours, because on Wednesday he was telling the press that "I expect it (the legislation) to be this year. I expect that we will table the legislation this year sooner rather than later."

In the meantime he's muscled some ISPs into introducing the filter by stealth as a supposedly voluntary feature and has the hide to say that this net will only catch baddies like child abuse, bestiality, crime, terrorism. Well last year we all saw his blacklist when it was leaked and it certainly blocked inoffensive websites.

So stuff you Conroy - even your Dad thinks you're a rightwing twit. I'm voting Green all the way!

Kellie
Grafton

Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.

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This offer is open to those living in the following shires:
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There is no wage, expenses or compensation attached to this offer - it would be done just for the love of blogging.

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Cultural dimension to glimpsing infinity

Looking unnervingly like Dr. Who's crack in the universe, this composite picture of nearly 14 billion year-old remnant light from that big bang thought to have created us all. Produced by the Planck telescope.

Click on image to enlarge

The space telescope was launched in May last year on a mission to survey the "cosmic microwave background" – ancient light left over from the big bang.
The bright streak across the middle of the picture is our own galaxy, the Milky Way, viewed edge-on. The intense light comes not from stars but from the radiation released by the dust and gas clouds that stretch between them. [The Guardian U.K. 4 July 2010 text and photograph]

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy The Wonder Cat]

A thumbnail dipped in tar musing: Dear Boy, I found this in today's SMH. Woof, Rex the German Shepherd SHE IS intelligent, friendly and one of Kevin Rudd's closest confidants, but would rather chase tennis balls than talk politics. Rudd's golden retriever Abby - featured in today's Dog's Life magazine (unfortunately tagged ''Celebrity Dogs - Therese Rein'') - is probably also the only one of his team ever genuinely happy to see him. ''Ten minutes before the phone rings to signal he's on his way, she will go and wait at the door for him,'' Rein tells the magazine. ''She is gentle, undemanding and great company.'' More driven is the family cat Jasper, evidently an even bigger control freak than Rudd - beating him to his ultimate ambition. "Jasper disciplines us," says Rein. "He's the boss of the whole world.'' Listening to Rein, it is nice to imagine Parliament as a place where our leaders don't fight like cats and dogs, with Jasper as his master and Abby the Opposition Leader. ''They touch noses all the time,'' Rein says. ''They also, when they think no one else is listening, take turns chasing each other from one end of the house to the other.'' The Rudds are patrons of a charity that finds homes for abandoned golden retrievers, the mag reveals. Shame the PM isn't as dedicated to abandoned policies, some of which have proved to be dogs, too.

A Killer musing: I've received a deff threat!

A liddle birdie tol' me musing: Rumour sez that the creator of the Facebook page YES to McDonalds in YAMBA complained in his submission to Clarence Valley Council that a local newspaper was biased and refused to publish his material. The paper is rather puzzled by this so the story goes, because it never received any additional stuff from him.

A strange but true musing: Commencing in May 2010 dogs in Danvers, Massachusetts, can now pray to Ceiling Cat during Sunday services at Calvary Episcopal Church.

Just Married musing: Cecilia, a 15 year-old German cat just got married to her owner. The happy couple dressed up for the occasion - Mitzscherlich in a wedding suit and top hat and 15-year-old Cecilia, who loudly meowed her way through the exchanging of vows, in a white dress. Wonder where they're honeymooning?

A that's some cat musing: Oscar the Siamese lives in Noosa Waters and every morning he hops on his Dad's paddleboard and goes for a ride down the canals if you please.

A She's in luurve! musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake is going around with stars in her eyes. The object of her affection is a dashing white and tan fellow living on a corner of her street. One Milo by name. She is wrapt in the fact that he is "such a gentleman".

A cherished member of the family musing: More than 50 per cent of pet owners are willing to put their life on the line for their four-legged friends, a new study has found. The New Zealand-based poll found that 58 per cent of people would return to a danger zone rather than allow their pets to perish, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Add your opinion to the poll here. Furry kidz rule!

A super pooch musing: Bravo to the male bull terrier cross who was plucked from rough seas on Saturday afternoon by two men who were on a day trip to High Island, about 6km off the coast of Fishery Falls, south of Cairns, according to Cairns Local News. The brave fella's name must be Digger!



Boy

And this is the multinational corporation Crs. Comben, McKenna, Dinham, Simmons & Howe say will benefit Yamba

The West Australian on 5 July 2010 reports on McDonald's Australia in 2010 - the same multinational championed by a majority of Clarence Valley shire councillors in the face of significant opposition from residents in the small NSW North Coast town of Yamba:

A major union wants maternity leave for migrant workers, labelling allegations that a McDonald's assistant manager was sacked after refusing an abortion a "disgusting abuse of human rights".

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association said 457 visa workers should get the same entitlements as local residents, which included the right to up to 12 months' unpaid maternity leave.

National secretary Joe de Bruyn said migrants should be allowed to remain in Australia during the leave, with the guaranteed right to return to their jobs.

He also called for migrant workers to get 18 weeks paid maternity leave under the Federal Government scheme when it was implemented next year. Mr de Bruyn rejected claims the move would undermine the spirit of the work visa, which was to fill skilled job vacancies where there are no locals available.

"Every worker should get the same entitlements, otherwise it is discrimination," Mr de Bruyn said.

It follows claims that Rechilda Moll-Sequitin, a Filipina who was brought to WA on a 457 visa to work at the McDonald's Mindarie restaurant, was forced to have an abortion before being eventually sacked because she refused to abort a second pregnancy.

Court documents show the woman alleges that she was told she would lose her job and be sent back to the Philippines if she did not have an abortion, so she terminated the pregnancy in September 2008.

"If these allegations are true, it is an absolutely disgusting abuse of human rights," Mr de Bruyn said.

ISA Group migration agency has recruited up to 60 workers for McDonald's restaurants in WA and about 150 nationally.

A minister of religion outranks a politician who outranks a used car salesman in 2010

Roy Morgan Research has its annual Image of Professions Survey out for 2010.
Here is a basic ranking given professions by 672 Aussies over 14 years of age showing who we might be likely to consider to be on the side of angels:

1 Nurses
2 Pharmacists
3 Doctors
4 School teachers
5 Engineers
6 Dentists
7 State Supreme Court Judges
8 High Court Judges
9 Police
10 University lecturers
11 Accountants
12 Ministers of Religion
13 Bank managers
14 Lawyers
15 Public servants
****halfway mark****
16 Public opinion pollsters
17 Financial planners
18 Talk-back radio announcers
19 Directors of public companies
20 TV reporters
21 Business executives
22 State MPs
23 Federal MPs
24 Union leaders
25 Insurance brokers
26 Stock brokers
27 Newspaper journalists
28 Estate agents
29 Advertising people
30 Car salesmen

South Australia still leading the way on greenhouse gas emission reductions

According to The Climate Group's weekly assessment of greenhouse gas emission levels in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, the latter state is still streets ahead in its response to the need to reduce these emissions.

In comparison over seven days (25 June to 1 July): Queensland's Indicator is 95% above the average equivalent 1990 weekly emissions and 26% above the equivalent 2000 weekly average; NSW's Indicator is 29% above the average equivalent 1990 weekly emissions and 10% above the equivalent 2000 weekly average; and Victoria's Indicator is 41% above the average equivalent 1990 weekly emissions and 9.5% above the equivalent 2000 weekly average.
While South Australia's Indicator is 11% below the average equivalent 1990 weekly emissions and 16% below the equivalent 2000 weekly average.

South Australia

Stuffin' letterboxes

Maud Up The Street is hopping mad - this week she found her letter box stuffed with advertising even though a "No Junk Mail" sign was clearly displayed.
What makes her even more annoyed is that of the 5 separate bits of bumpf lobbed at her by Woolworths, Aldi, The Reject Shop, Crazy Clarks and Cellarbrations - only one of these stores is in her local area. The rest are over 50 klms away.

Well that's telling her! Those flying monkeys take to the air in pursuit of Julia Gillard

Female, redheaded, unmarried, childless, self-declared non-believer and a former students union leader - one knew it wouldn't be long before the seriously strange inhabitants of Wingnut Land came out against new Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

This is the opening salvo on a Facebook group Julia Gillard Is A Communist, A Traitor And A Threat started by one Paulus in 2007 and now assisted by 236 followers as of last Monday:

Julia Gillard is a traitor, a communist and a threat to Australia if Rudd gets into power.

Barren, heartless, no clue about family and no sense of god. Just read the article below about her time during the 80's to get some idea about her beliefs. .....Don't kid yourself people don't change, she's playing the wolf in sheeps clothing.........

Like all communists, she is evil, souless, godless and corrupt.

She and her union run left-wing labour cronies must be stopped at all costs.

While this group Julia Gillard - Charged for Treason (created by Australian Constitution, Aaron and Greg with 353 followers) which popped up around 27 June 2010 goes even further, by rendering a rather unique interpretation of certain laws and blaming then fairly new federal MP Gillard for state legislation introduced in West Australia in 2003 and Victoria in 2000:

Julia Gillard - Charged for treason - concealing the following offenses from the people of Australia as the then Deputy Prime Minister.

Sections 121 through to 130 of the Acts Amendments Repeal Courts and Legal Practice Act, state the removal of the Crown from Western Australia.

Provided reference here:
http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/bills.nsf/
0D8EB9389A615AC448256C5B000CE87F/$File/Bill+153-3.pdf
(Please note this now an Act)

... Also the Oath of Allegiance was removed in Victoria by the Courts and Tribunals Legislation (Further Amendment) Act 2000

Provided reference here: http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/
PubStatbook.nsf/f932b66241ecf1b7ca256e92000e23be/
d94a7f6fe0d89422ca256e5b00213e6d/$FILE/00-051a.pdf

None of which have had the required referendum.
We have not had a referendum since 1999.

In case you hadn't noticed - the Kiwis have beaten us to the post again

They beat us to the post on universal suffrage in 1893, their All Blacks regularly give Oz a pasting on the sports field, they successfully invaded Bondi without using an army, navy or airforce and now New Zealand has beaten us to the punch by passing a national emissions trading scheme into law on the 1st July 2010.

C'mon Prime Minister Gillard - are you really going to let those demmed Kiwis get the better of us again?

Portrait of a Kiwi found here.

Abbott in the Twitterverse

‎
Frank_Tireur‎: Tony Abbott saying there's "something fishy about the numbers" makes me think he might've made Barnaby the Finance Minister again.
Twitter

trvllngjwllr: Every time i hear or see Tony Abbott, i want to punch him in the face #irrationallyangry
Mobile Web

people_skills: Everything Tony Abbott & the Liberal Party does and says is wrong. #myliberal
Web

jtousis: Why is Tony Abbott getting around in a school uniform today?
Twitter for iPhone

WebsterSmoggule: Follow me on boats, Abbott tells PM http://bit.ly/aitz7o #alot
twitterfeed

‎	zackster‎: Tony Abbott asking the government to explain economics to him, no surprise there .... apparently there's more just than adding 'BIG NEW' +no Twitter

gregfoletta: @p4ts Tony Abbott: no matter what you do, you're still Tony Abbott. That's gotta suck.
TweetDeck

ingovetoday: Yeah right Tony they're the victims of the agreement not you. "Abbott claims bosses bludgeoned into pact" http://bit.ly/btkH0C #miningtax
TweetDeck

MikeJohnsonMP

Has Tony Abbott blown the election with his Opposition to the Mining Tax, now that the Industry itself is satisfied at the new deal? #FB
mobile web

"So what": the face of not-so-good governance on the NSW North Coast

Last weekend a copy of Clarence Valley Council's June 2010 Budget Submissions Summary was doing the digital rounds much to the enjoyment of local cynics.
Of particular note was this answer to one concern raised about the fact that after 6 years council still had not reconciled a $1.2 million deficit brought into the amalgamation process by Grafton City Council: "So what".
But what really had locals opened mouthed was this answer to concerns about lack of transparency and accountability:
"As the 'senior administrator' who recommended that CCRT funding be used for lifesaving services, I (Rob Donges) have taken responsibility for including Iluka and will take responsibility should a higher authority determine that this funding arrangement is grossly negligent or some such thing."
That last line comes after a previous entry which goes:
"LPMA representatives have verbally raised concerns as to the funding of this service from CCRT and staff have provided our reasoning. Nothing more has been heard. If the Authority were to formally advise that the funding is inappropriate, we would recommend it be funded elsewhere i.e. General Fund."
The merry cynics are now laying bets that the Land and Property Mangement Authority won't be amused when it learns that its attempt to informally manage the problem of past misallocations of what could be hundreds of thousands of dollars in Clarence Coast Reserve Trust funds has been seen as something council staff can brush aside - especially as it was a resident's complaint which first brought the matter to light and council management has been very careful not to consult with the NSW Department of Lands itself just in case it wasn't left with anymore wriggle room.
Clarence Coast Reserve Trust Budget 2010/11