Paul (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fremantlebiz) wrote,@ 2007-11-30 07:53:00 |
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November ends
The end of November already, already. I've woken today to banks of grey cloud and large puddles of rainwater on the ground outside. A lot of aqua pura must have fallen in the night, but I didn't hear a thing. My wife thought the forecast was for rain all weekend, but I've just taken a look at the 256km online radar and it looks not too bad to the southwest, where most our inclement weather comes from.
During the past few days the new world political order in Canberra has been establishing itself. Mr Howard the ex-PM hosted a final dinner for his former henchmen at The Lodge, which is the official residence for our dear leaders, except that it wasn't to his liking for most of eleven years in office. He chose to live in Sydney where he was closer to King's 'bloody' Cross and Australia's ugliest building, the Sydney Opera House.
However, he kept the key to The Lodge's wine cellar on a chain around his neck and presumably allowed his cronies to have one last sample of some of Australia's national treasures at the final gourmand's bash this week - all at taxpayers' expense of course.
Mr Rudd, the PM elect has picked his cabinet. It's been jobs for the boys; and girls time. His deputy PM Julia Gillard has apparently been set up to fail by being given two of the most difficult portfolios in the political grab bag, education and industrial relations. If she under-performs in either she will become the patsy when the proletariat becomes restless. Importantly, no one in caucus will vote for her to replace Mr Rudd as PM when he eventually stuffs up.
The Liberals have been in a spin - they copped such a thrashing in the election that most of the remaining potential contenders for the job of Leader of the Opposition have showed their true lack of fortitude and declined to stand for it. A case of when the going gets tough, the 'tough' got going - like with as much distance from it as possible. Instead they've resolved to become unreliable parliamentary bludgers.
Nevertheless, the remaining in rats on the sinking ship SS Liberal have selected a new leader in the form of Brendan Nelson. He used to be Defence Minister. He used to be a Labor Party member too until he decided to become a turncoat and join the Liberals. As Defence Minister this year he seemed pretty dedicated to the job, but not without criticism over some of his acquisition decisions. He's a better choice than the other contender Malcolm Turnbul whom in the final days of the election campaign gave the nod to some questionable and even curious environmentally impacting decisions during his final days as a government minister. Hopefully the Labor government will investigate if there was anything untoward about these matters as it gets up to speed, but I won't be holding my breath.
Anyway, such is life, as various people have said in the past. Yesterday I went to JB Hi Fi and discovered they had put out another pile of jazz CDs at .99 cents each. I did the only sensible thing and picked out 29 CD's. I guess I'll eventually get around to listening to them all. I'll probably start with Quincy Jones and the Jones Boys. Track one is 'Stormy Weather.' That's appropriate.
My original purpose in going to JBs was to check out the price of a new iMac. Apple Australia are having a one day online sale today and so my wife and I wanted to sus out some of the local retailers like JBs, DJs and Myer before making a decision. All I'll say at this stage is that all the local retailers are very competitive, and certainly willing to be squeezed.
© MMVII Paul R. Weaver.
About the writer
Check out each month's subject index on the Calendar Page for my "common-man" monologues about survival in 21st century Australia – plus a little history occasionally. An original essay is added most days as part of an undertaking to write a couple of million words.
The end of November already, already. I've woken today to banks of grey cloud and large puddles of rainwater on the ground outside. A lot of aqua pura must have fallen in the night, but I didn't hear a thing. My wife thought the forecast was for rain all weekend, but I've just taken a look at the 256km online radar and it looks not too bad to the southwest, where most our inclement weather comes from.
During the past few days the new world political order in Canberra has been establishing itself. Mr Howard the ex-PM hosted a final dinner for his former henchmen at The Lodge, which is the official residence for our dear leaders, except that it wasn't to his liking for most of eleven years in office. He chose to live in Sydney where he was closer to King's 'bloody' Cross and Australia's ugliest building, the Sydney Opera House.
However, he kept the key to The Lodge's wine cellar on a chain around his neck and presumably allowed his cronies to have one last sample of some of Australia's national treasures at the final gourmand's bash this week - all at taxpayers' expense of course.
Mr Rudd, the PM elect has picked his cabinet. It's been jobs for the boys; and girls time. His deputy PM Julia Gillard has apparently been set up to fail by being given two of the most difficult portfolios in the political grab bag, education and industrial relations. If she under-performs in either she will become the patsy when the proletariat becomes restless. Importantly, no one in caucus will vote for her to replace Mr Rudd as PM when he eventually stuffs up.
The Liberals have been in a spin - they copped such a thrashing in the election that most of the remaining potential contenders for the job of Leader of the Opposition have showed their true lack of fortitude and declined to stand for it. A case of when the going gets tough, the 'tough' got going - like with as much distance from it as possible. Instead they've resolved to become unreliable parliamentary bludgers.
Nevertheless, the remaining in rats on the sinking ship SS Liberal have selected a new leader in the form of Brendan Nelson. He used to be Defence Minister. He used to be a Labor Party member too until he decided to become a turncoat and join the Liberals. As Defence Minister this year he seemed pretty dedicated to the job, but not without criticism over some of his acquisition decisions. He's a better choice than the other contender Malcolm Turnbul whom in the final days of the election campaign gave the nod to some questionable and even curious environmentally impacting decisions during his final days as a government minister. Hopefully the Labor government will investigate if there was anything untoward about these matters as it gets up to speed, but I won't be holding my breath.
Anyway, such is life, as various people have said in the past. Yesterday I went to JB Hi Fi and discovered they had put out another pile of jazz CDs at .99 cents each. I did the only sensible thing and picked out 29 CD's. I guess I'll eventually get around to listening to them all. I'll probably start with Quincy Jones and the Jones Boys. Track one is 'Stormy Weather.' That's appropriate.
My original purpose in going to JBs was to check out the price of a new iMac. Apple Australia are having a one day online sale today and so my wife and I wanted to sus out some of the local retailers like JBs, DJs and Myer before making a decision. All I'll say at this stage is that all the local retailers are very competitive, and certainly willing to be squeezed.
© MMVII Paul R. Weaver.
About the writer
Check out each month's subject index on the Calendar Page for my "common-man" monologues about survival in 21st century Australia – plus a little history occasionally. An original essay is added most days as part of an undertaking to write a couple of million words.
