It wouldn’t be a real Australia Day without Uncle Sam – that’s OUR Uncle Sam…

First the entree

and now the main course

My original link for the music clip was restricted to Australian viewers only. Which, I have to say, is PRETTY BLOODY UN-AUSTRALIAN!!!

And, for those keen to know more about Australian culture, a treasure out of the archives.

From the distant year of 1972:

 

PS: Mags presents the most tempting tourist video I’ve ever seen. Scroll down.

A good piece by Paul Toohey in The Punch.

Something dawned on me speaking to this group. Political protest is merely the thread that holds them together. It’s about lifestyle.

They missed the chance to turn on, tune in and drop out in the 1960s… The turnouts at the various Occupy sites gave them an instant society, an on-the-spot family who would look out for each other.

Today we call them ‘Occupiers’. Once upon a time they were ‘drifters’.

 

Almost on the fourth anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s high point as Prime Minister, a new call goes up for something that will make Aborigines feel better:

Australia is looking at changing its constitution to recognise the country’s indigenous peoples.

A government appointed panel, tasked with finding the best way to do this, has given its recommendations to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

They include the prohibition of racial discrimination and acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as the first to inhabit Australia.

The opening line is more wishful thinking than reportage, but that does rather fit with the wider story of reconciliation. Always a hope, a demand – and then, after the expectation is fulfilled, a realisation that nothing much has changed.

It seems too convenient that this new idea is announced so close to the anniversary of Rudd’s apology. Which didn’t even mark the termination of the practice of removal.

Pat Dodson:

“This is the time when truth and respect for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples needs to be achieved, through the recognition in our constitution.”

Personally I wouldn’t rely on the Constitution to do anything of the sort. I doubt that Mr Dodson could find more than a handful of people who could explain the significance of Section 64, and that was an integral element in a certain political moment.

The feelgood faction are easily excited by gestures and symbolism. But they grow bored with their baubles eventually. When the silver paint wears off and the plain lead underneath becomes visible, it’s time for something new.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has expressed some support, but with reservations. He feels safe doing so, perhaps, knowing how poor the record is for success in constitutional change.

As for Joolya:

“It is going to take the deepest and the strongest sort of bipartisanship.”

Translation for foreign readers: If it fails, she’ll blame Tony Abbott.

(Acknowledgement to Vroom for the letter link.)

TMI’s official vice-regal personage, Lord Egbut Nobacon, gives us a sample of his dramatic range.

From impassive hauteur

to butt-smacking lechery

with a costume change in between, no less.

Break a leg, m’lord. And if your dramatic urges ever move you in a more contemporary direction, I’m sure you’d cut a commanding figure in black leather.

If this doesn’t bring our illegals problem to an abrupt and permanent end, I don’t know what will.

Courtesy of Awesome Ben, who notes: “This post is dedicated to Gregoryn06 and his love of Jooolya.“

Food poisoning in return for political commentary? That’s more fucked up than the Malaysian deal, Ben.

I’ve tortured my eyes enough with those ghastly pictures of you know who. Time to apply some Gina Elise to the tired orbs.

So soothing, and yet… stimulating, too.

And that’s all you’ll hear from me. I’ll shut up now and let you enjoy the show.

 

I can’t locate the post now, but sometime late last year Merilyn directed me to a fresh pic of (S)our Jooolya. What can you do with it? asked lady M.

(Lady M?)

As long time visitors to this blog will know, pictures of Australia’s first female Prime Minister not to be elected twice are tasty snacks for me. But this pic had me stumped. There was a chilling lifelessness in the eyes. A blankness of the face that suggested Satan had chosen a suitably inconvenient moment to demand his usual fee. But this afternoon, while I was watching old eps of Aunty Jack and enjoying a Corona,  inspiration arrived.

Inspiration must be female. Your idea of late and hair-tearingly overdue is her idea of right on time.

But without further ado…

(Click on the image for the larger view)

Another one down. Bugger, though, I found this while I was looking for something else.

Intriguing side issue: this is the largest version I could find of this pic, and only one smaller.

Could it be the government’s keeping an eye on me? Denying me ammunition?

I can’t imagine why.

Created in Autmotivator.

For General Electric Co., hawking subprime mortgages was a long way from making light bulbs and jet engines…What GE got in the bargain, former WMC employees say, was a place where erstwhile shoe salesmen, ex-strippers and even a former porn actress could sign on as sales reps and make big money pushing home loans.

Another porn actress spreading her wings. There’s a lot of it about.

“Why has this card no name upon it, sir?”
“Modesty forbids it.”
“But it has no address either, sir.”
“I’m never at home.”
“Is there a message I can give to the Prime Minister, sir?”
“Yes. Tell him… this.”

Classic work from the Two Ronnies. Brilliant from start to finish.