Michael Jackson: an urban myth in the making?

I happened to have had ABC News Radio on all of last Thursday night and most of Friday morning, so I heard the developing news on American singer Michael Jackson's death.
I was also connected to the Web for much of that time and there was no noticeable problems.
Therefore this headline has the distinct smell of an urban myth developing.
Web grinds to a halt after Michael Jackson dies.

GroceryChoice website yet to carry news of its own demise

The Rudd Government's GroceryChoice web site is to be axed.

A good idea which was doomed to fail because it lacked the enthusiastic participation of the big supermarket chains and so could only ever supply the bare bones of a compartitive shopping guide.

Even the tranfer of management to Choice could do little to change public perception that the site was a lemon, for the lead-in time was far too long for the promised upgrade which would allow consumers more information.

Maintaining its irrelevance to the last, the GroceryChoice website still hadn't posted a notice of its own death thirty-six hours later.

Annual Whale Census Day, Sunday 28 June 2009

If you are out and about on NSW beaches tomorrow or taking a boat out ocean fishing, keep watch for whales and note how many you see.

From ORRCA:

We are gearing up for another whale migration season and ORRCA will, of course, be conducting our annual Whale Census Day on Sunday June 28th. Many of you will be familiar with this activity and we really hope you’ll participate again this year. For those of you new to the game here’s what we do.
Groups of people gather at certain spots and headlands along the coast and spend the day counting the passing whales. All sorts of observations are recorded e.g. numbers, species, behaviour with all recorded on a form (which we supply).
The statistics are correlated and available to anyone with an interest in cetacean research; the state and federal authorities add our figures to their data on marine mammals and it all goes towards managing our ocean in a manner conducive to the well-being of marine life.
Apart from providing useful data it’s a terrific way to spend a winter Sunday. No special equipment is required, just a comfy seat, food + drink, warm clothing and, of course, a pen and observation sheet. A pair of binoculars is a great help as is a camera.
There are particular places that are used every year but if you would like to participate at your own favourite spot, that’s just fine. Just let us know where that might be. The count goes from 7:00am until 4:30pm but not everyone can manage a whole day; no matter – even a couple of hours will help.
Unfortunately due to this now being a national event, we can't list the all the viewing points on the website. If you are interested in taking part and would like to know of some great observation points near you, please contact us on (02) 9415 3333 or email orrca@orrca.org.au .

A bad case of the blues

Peter FitzSimons apologises to Alan Jones

Writing in The Sydney Morning Herald, Peter FitzSimons
admitted he did broadcaster Alan Jones wrong recently and apologised.

Apology

Last week, TFF had an intemperate rant at the successful radio broadcaster Alan Jones, asserting that he was wrong to misuse his position to constantly defend misbehaving sportspeople and others within his tight coterie, entirely irrespective of what the truth of any given matter was.

I even went further and named what I sincerely thought at the time was a comprehensive list of examples of those who had enjoyed his largesse: Darrell "Tricky" Trindall, Jacin Sinclair, Dean Capobianco, the Poo, Scott Miller, Julian O'Neill, Damien Martyn and myriad others …"

This was wrong, and I do sincerely apologise.

For, as so many readers reminded me, no such list could be complete without adding the names of Robbie Waterhouse and Andrew Kalajzich.

Kalajzich, seeing as you ask, was the most classic example of Jones misusing his power in this manner, barking that the Manly hotelier, who had his wife, Megan, murdered, was innocent - to the point that the State Government caved in and had his appeal heard, at enormous cost to taxpayers. This was only for the judge to decide that if there was a verdict beyond just "guilty" - as in, So Astonishingly Guilty It is Amazing That Anyone Could Doubt It - then he would have qualified for that, too.

For shame, Alan, for shame.

pic sourced from SMH

Shades of Charles and Cromwell in Macquarie Street this week

I didn't think that I would feel sympathy for the Rees Government, but even I was affronted by The Shooters Party's attempt to bail-up the government of the day with one of the worst environmental bills to come before a New South Wales parliament - a bill to allow the shooting of native animals in national parks and the further introduction of exotic and potentially feral species onto private land as well as removing peak body representation for indigenous communites.

The Shooters Party believed that because it could, it would give the Rees Government the option of passing its bill or seeing other government-sponsored bills blocked.

Tony Kelly may not have had as dramatic an impact on parliamentary proceedings as Oliver Cromwell and King Charles before him, but he was just as effective in bringing a democratic institution to its knees.

However, this is a two-edged sword the Rees Government is playing with here.
Sometimes it is better to take a political drubbing in seeing its own bills go down rather than undermine the very institution which allows for democratic government.

The Australian reports:

IN an unprecedented move, MPs have been locked out of the Upper House of NSW Parliament after the Government shut it down, causing chaos and confusion among members.

Upper House leader Tony Kelly walked out of the Legislative Council just before 1am (AEST) today, leaving 15 pieces of Government legislation unconsidered.

These included the vote on the Government's plans to privatise NSW Lotteries, which was likely to be defeated.

With no minister or parliamentary secretary present, president Peter Primrose closed down the Upper House until the "ringing of the long bell".

That long bell could ring at any time of the Government's choosing.

But it is unlikely to be heard until after the return from the winter recess on September 1, even though the Upper House was scheduled to sit today.

In protest, Liberal, Nationals, Greens and the one Independent MP arrived at the doors of the Legislative Council at 11am (AEST), only to find them locked.

It is believed to be the first time the Upper House has been shut down in such a manner since its inception in 1824.

"I've never seen a situation where a house has been shut down on a long bell for up to three months," Greens MP Ian Cohen said.

Opposition Leader in the Upper House Mike Gallacher said Mr Kelly all but ran out of the house when it appeared the Coalition would oppose moves to adjourn a day early for the winter break.

"By the time we turned around, in the blink of an eye Tony Kelly was not only gone from the house, he was gone from the Parliament," Mr Gallacher said.

"We couldn't find him, no one knew where he was.

"We're in limbo. The Parliament is effectively still sitting.

"We're just being denied access to the Parliament."

As the Upper House has not been adjourned, when Parliament does resume, Hansard will record the proceedings as having taken place on June 24.

NSW North Coast councils didn't make it into the 2009 winners circle at the National Awards for Local Government

2009 NATIONAL AWARDS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT - CATEGORY WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Twenty one council and shire projects have been selected as Category Winners in the 2009 National Awards for Local Government.... Independent judging panels selected the winners across 11 award categories. The 2009 Category Award winners came from every state in the Commonwealth, and included urban, regional, rural and remote councils. The theme for this year's Awards is 'Local Government - Building Australian Communities'. The 2009 Awards were open to all elected councils and shires around Australia. The National Awards have been held annually since 1986 and are intended to highlight innovation in delivering infrastructure and services to local communities. This year's Award categories encouraged innovation in infrastructure, health, natural resource development, environmental sustainability, Indigenous engagement and collaborative service delivery. Since 1986, the Awards have helped councils to share good practice in order to find local solutions for community challenges. Overall, 233 entries were received from local councils, making this year one of the more competitive awards in recent times.

National Awards winners here. Unfortunately this year no North Coast council made it into the winners circle.