U.S. Pesidential Election 2012: middle-aged wealthy farts show they have enough money to race

In 2010 Barack and Michelle earned US$1.7 million, Newt and Callista earned US$3.1 million and Mitt and his mittette Ann earned US$21.6 million. With effective tax rates of 26%, 31.6% and 13.9% in the order of mention.

The Washington Post
Click on image to grow
those dollar signs

This week the Los Angeles Times told the world that; "the Romneys expect to pay $3.2 million on $20.9 million in income for the 2011 tax year, for an effective tax rate of 15.4%".
No wonder Mitt didn't want to show and tell!

And here's the 2011 IRS tax rates for ordinary Americans.......

Are we seriously considering this fool as our next prime minister?

On one of the most politically sensitive days in Australia’s public events calendar that feckin’ eejit Tony Abbott opens his gob wide:

“FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it's time to move the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra, 40 years after four indigenous activists camped at the site opposite Old Parliament House. “

And this is what happens.....

The Australian: Gillard, Abbott escorted under guard amid Aboriginal Tent Embassy protest

The Sydney Morning Herald

Down memory lane on Australia Day.....

Remembering Mum's vanilla ice cream made with Gold Medal Condensed Milk, served with Aeroplane Jelly and seasonal fruit grown in the backyard

http://youtu.be/GSBizeS62IM

'Steve' Gulaptis MP and Deb Newton share the love........

Gulaptis and Newton...............

The Daily Examiner 23 January 2012

 

CLARENCE Valley Nationals planning a tribute dinner for former Member for Clarence Steve Cansdell have dismissed claims the dinner is a slap in the face for taxpayers.

Critics claim taxpayers forked out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a by-election for the seat when Mr Cansdell resigned last September after he admitted to falsifying a statutory declaration to escape a speeding fine.

Mr Cansdell's successor in the seat of Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, said "there is a lot of love out there" for his predecessor......

Grafton resident Col Brown was more succinct in his criticism.

If you you've got a kid who misbehaves and you give him a lolly instead of a smack, he'll just keep on going the same way," Mr Brown said.

"This is offensive to me, Justice Einfeld copped jail time for doing something similar to this."

 

The Sydney Morning Herald 22 January 2012

 

THE National Party has been accused of profiting from the misdeeds of MP Steve Cansdell.

A ''tribute dinner'' has been arranged to honour Mr Cansdell, who quit the seat of Clarence in September after being forced to admit he falsified a statutory declaration to avoid losing his driver's licence. He faces possible criminal charges.

Up to 200 people are expected to attend the $50-a-head function at Grafton on February 4. The organiser, Deb Newton, Mr Cansdell's former campaign manager, said it was ''not really a fund-raiser'' but any money left over would go to the Nationals' local electorate council. ''There is still a lot of love out there for Steve and a lot of forgiveness,'' she said.

The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, said: ''Fund-raising off the back of the resignation of a disgraced state MP who stood down so his generous parliamentary pension would not be cut off is an insight into the real values of the government.''

The rest of the world.....................

 

The Daily Examiner 24 January 2011

 

PROTEST AGAINST THE CANSDELL TRIBUTE DINNER

Public Event · By Ursula Tunks

• When Saturday, February 4, 2012
• Time  6:30am until 9:30am
• Where  Outside the Clarence River Jockey Club, Powell Street , Grafton, Australia

By waterhen from Waterview Heights on 24/1/2012 at 6:36AM

So the new local Member, Chris Gulaptis states Cansdell made a mistake. Gee, last I knew it was a crime to lie when swearing on a Statutory Declaration and I am sure the Parliamentary Secretary for the Police knew that as well. Cansdell is costing the taxpayer big time by way of salary whilst he covered up his lie, pension for life and the cost of a by-election.
Are there any takers out there for a protest rally at the gates of the venue?
Why should we be saying to our children it is O.K. to lie as the National Party believe it is and when is this matter going to be heard in court?

Oi, oi, oi!

Northern Territory News 25th January 2012

January 2012 is luverly weather for ducks on the NSW North Coast - rain, river heights & roads info

Mann River at Cangai from The Daily Examiner

Latest River Heights for the NSW Mid North Coast

Issued at 6.15am on Wednesday, 25th January 2012

Latest River Heights for the NSW Northern Rivers

Issued at 6.15am on Wednesday, 25th January 2012

North Coast LGAs Regional Road information
Regularly updated

At 10:47 am EDT on Tuesday 24^th January 2012 the Bureau Of Meteorology said:

Flood Warnings are current the Bellinger Nambucca and Orara Rivers

At this stage there is a greater than 70% chance of Minor to Moderate flooding as well as local flash flooding along the following river valleys from Monday onwards:

1.Tweed River

2.Richmond & Wilson Rivers

3.Clarence River

4.Macleay River

5.Hastings River

This Flood Watch means that people living or working along rivers and streams must monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop. Flood Warnings will be issued if Minor Flood Level is expected to be exceeded at key sites along the main rivers for which the Bureau of Meteorology provides a flood warning service. Across NSW, about 75% of Flood Watches are followed by flooding.

Bellinger River from ABC News

UPDATE:

Latest Image Received at: 00:12 UTC/GMT Wed 25 Jan 2012

WST	CST	CDT	EST	EDT
08:12am	09:42am	10:42am	10:12am	11:12am
Wednesday	Wednesday	Wednesday	Wednesday	Wednesday

Issued at 10:55 am EDT on Wednesday 25 January 2012.

Weather Situation:

"Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms which may lead to flash flooding are forecast for the Northern Rivers forecast district, as well as eastern parts of the Northern Tablelands and northern parts of the Mid North Coast forecast districts.

In the six hours to 11am today the heaviest falls occurred in the Tweed Valley area, with 116 mm of rain recorded at Kingscliff, 105 mm at Murwillumba, and 101 mm at Chillingham. Slightly lower falls were recorded further south.

A Flood Watch is current for the Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Nambucca, Macleay and Hastings river valleys.

Flood warnings are current for the Bellinger, Orara, Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Nambucca and Clarence Rivers.

For latest flood warning information, refer to www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/"

Australian Journalism 101: Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant

A published letter to The Daily Examiner editor by Holly Shiach on 23 January alerted me to the many errors packed into so few lines by one notorious repeat offender employed by the APN regional media group.
See how many factual errors you can spot in the opinion piece below after reading a little about Greenpeace.

Whale of a PR machine by Graham Orams on Page 8 of The  Daily Examiner,  16 Jan 2012:  

WHALE activists aren't doing themselves any favours with some of their antics.

Greenpeace activists are losing a lot of support among the mainstream public because of their eco-terrorism approach to this matter.

For a start, despite its ostensible outrage, Greenpeace would have been rubbing its hands together when three of its crew members were detained on board a whaling ship recently.

In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that was the plan all along.

After all, a big PR firm like Greenpeace needs to constantly find new and exciting ways to get media attention.

That's not to say whales are not worth saving; it's just funny how activist organisations like Greenpeace never seem interested in saving endangered spiders, for instance.

That type of endeavour would unlikely stir the public's emotion enough for them to donate money (cynical, aren't I?).

And having to send an Australian rescue team to bring the "captured" activists back to Western Australia hasn't gone down well with many in the community, who are less than impressed at the cost to taxpayers.

Now we hear anti-whaling activists are throwing acid at Japanese whaling boats to get their message across.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Greenpeace claim to care about the environment?

I'm no marine biologist but isn't it bad for our oceans to have acid poured into it?

No matter what I say, though, there are many people who believe the means justifies the end.

But all too often that attitude amounts to hypocrisy.