tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161793472012-01-29T17:04:49.211+10:00Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity. Lord ActonCartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.comBlogger12841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-55334406123355344592012-01-29T16:59:00.000+10:002012-01-29T16:59:21.078+10:00

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Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-24382251493233421242012-01-21T12:50:00.000+10:002012-01-21T12:50:10.522+10:00

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Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-48339850495974110132010-05-03T11:30:00.000+10:002010-05-03T11:31:03.286+10:00

Australia’s Fairfax Media have been running a story over the weekend - Capitalism is ruining the planet, and pigs might fly – by Chris Berg is a research fellow with the Institute of Public Affairs and editor of the IPA Review. I suspect Mr Berg might take issue with the hype created by headline, subhead and outtakes, but his own argument reeks of poorly target information to prove a dubious

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-4951854328721960142010-04-17T13:33:00.000+10:002010-04-17T13:36:12.046+10:00

Australia is well into election season, with two states down and more to come, including a federal election. Predictably we are also flooded with nonsense statements as the jockeying for power heats up. Out here in my rural retreat, with limited power and access, I manage a great deal of time to muse on the political dynamics. One of the issues which both amuses and annoys is claims of breaches

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-27172298298775412952010-03-18T12:35:00.000+10:002010-03-18T12:37:38.705+10:00

Living back of beyond has it’s issues, like power supplies and internet access. Both are now sort of sorted and I can post from a fly spot called Mia Mia in northern Victoria. Being on a wireless modem is great, albeit subject to the power sources I am using. Not being on the grid is fine, but balancing a solar/generator mix is difficult. It becomes frustrating listening to the ‘news’, and

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-24337625501237263242010-02-01T16:24:00.005+10:002010-02-02T22:00:00.974+10:00

I’m reminded of the old Punch cartoon with two city gentlemen in a coach on the way to a country weekend. One fop is saying: “The countryside is truly rural hereabouts.” And so it is in my Mia Mia retreat, and there is something about country people I really connect with; not well mind you, but I enjoy it. Part of the secret is not to be a city smartarse, don’t be telling the locals how they

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-11105448411414275082010-02-01T13:26:00.001+10:002012-01-21T13:51:33.451+10:00

With only a cell (mobile) phone and small radio to keep me in touch I thought I might become less of a carping critic of issues concerning poor governance. No so when you live in a sparsely populated region still in trauma from the bushfires of last February. I thought heading into the wilderness, beyond the communications systems we now take for granted, would at least shield me from the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-89522755822120437152010-01-09T10:23:00.000+10:002010-01-09T10:24:56.645+10:00

The issue of racism has come to the fore again in Australia after another senseless murder of an India student in Melbourne, scene of an increasing number of such incidents. The issue has been exacerbated by State and Federal governments going into denial about the race aspects; rather they claim that it really is just senseless violence. Indians are 2½ times more at risk of attack than

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-30761096343977059422010-01-07T14:02:00.002+10:002010-01-07T14:05:12.457+10:00

If that sounds boring, life in rural isolation has been anything but. The area of north central Victoria suffered in last February’s bushfires, so we are all nervous now as the bushfire season is back with us. I don’t have naming rights to the four acre block, but am tempted to go with the Fishbowl, as the surrounding community is watching for each improvement made. A close second is Stone

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-2950945922319559432009-12-01T10:26:00.000+10:002009-12-01T10:32:02.717+10:00

What would Robert Menzies make of this day? Three Catholics, fighting over the ruins of his Liberal Party. Annabel Crabb ABC Obviously Australia’s public are more concerned about the need for climate change mitigation than our politicians are. The circus of the Liberal Party leadership battle crossed an indistinct range from supporting the Rudd governments ineffective Emissions Trading Scheme

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-65067721739562732132009-11-29T11:09:00.008+10:002009-11-29T11:46:00.602+10:00

The occasional wilderness experience is great for the soul, and while Mia Mia in the Bendigo district of Victoria might not be the end of the earth I have been enjoying periods of splendid isolation tending to a small property owned by my son and his partner. When I first arrived at the place a month ago it was to find thieves believed they had a better use for items like the generator, the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-58330808654705708402009-11-08T09:03:00.001+10:002009-11-08T10:08:03.418+10:00

My word of the week is agnotology, defined as the study of fear and doubt. Apparently some in the IT world prefer FUD (Fear Uncertainty Doubt) but I always prefer a word to an acronym. The word came up in a discussion on the practices of big corporations, bit coincided with my personal musings on the prevalence of negative attitudes. Doubtless there is a lot in this world to be negative about

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-9458889971589215572009-11-02T11:04:00.005+10:002009-11-02T14:20:20.866+10:00

As a progressive it is easy to agree with the thrust of filmmaker Michael Moore’s stand on the many issues he addresses. The problem is not the issues but the dogged styles which allows no dialogue, simply polarizing and driving a wedge through society. I guess, as an Australian, that is easy to say as our governance is far more progressive; robust, but open to discourse. Not to say

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-62996472343747475432009-10-30T11:45:00.000+10:002009-10-30T11:46:43.457+10:00

The role and scope of issues proper for politicians to pursue will doubtlessly always be problematic. However history and real needs clearly question the role of legislators on questions related to moral values. When the world is facing crisis such as economic meltdown, climate change, various open and covert conflicts with the fallout of refugees, the broad ‘moral values’ arguments are

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-49886518523985825552009-10-27T10:31:00.001+10:002009-10-27T12:07:01.730+10:00

The Economics of Innocent Fraud - J K Galbraith – 2004 – Pocket Penguin Second hand bookshops are one of my great delights, something I have obviously passed on to my son. He recently picked up the most exciting ‘slim volume’ I have seen in ages and I have tripped over some fairly exciting tomes among used books. Galbraith, himself, described this book as an extended essay, I would add a

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-25403639253726676032009-10-18T12:36:00.004+10:002009-10-18T13:59:45.266+10:00

Having only recently relocated to Melbourne I was delighted when fellow blogger, Lindsay's Lobes, invited me to an all day Life Writing conference at La Trobe University. A delight, I should add, slightly marred by mention of biography and autobiography, perhaps my least favourite genres. As it turned out the day was about far much more than raconteur and name dropper dressed as

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-3504743241464884692009-09-23T15:01:00.000+10:002009-09-23T15:02:30.582+10:00

Most of us have fairly set computer/internet regimes, with the basic aim of getting the job done with a minimum of fuss. The constant threat of malicious software attack, spam overload and other electronic vandalism can hardly be seen as positive, but it has created an important realization around the world. Governments and major software corporations must develop working relationships to deal

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-44114786904838760182009-09-17T13:28:00.000+10:002009-09-17T13:29:45.663+10:00

I have been diverted just lately, preparing a submission to my federal government to drop its nonsensical IP filtering program, Clean Feed. One intention of protecting children who were vulnerable due to claimed parental computer illiteracy. However the system is being tested in Australia without any great explanation or wider community consultation. I would be the first to stand in line to

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-77079291395823987172009-09-07T15:28:00.002+10:002009-09-07T15:31:16.237+10:00

With a dubious election process set to return Karzai, a puppet of the drug lords, we really need to wonder why our military people are being exposed to the incredible dangers this country presents. By we and our I refer to the non-Afghan combatants in that country. It is seldom I agree with Canada’s PM, Harper; but this did accord with reality: “The insurgency in Afghanistan will never be

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-48409068592819888792009-09-04T10:37:00.001+10:002009-09-04T11:00:01.916+10:00

British Columbia (BC) and Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) are both special places to me, but what a political heartbreak they both present. In both, for simplicity let’s call them electorates, the incumbent governments present a major branding headache for their federal counterparts. The BC Liberals have ruled that province now since 2001 where they made an all but clean sweep of seats,

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-80626284118306061052009-09-01T15:02:00.000+10:002009-09-01T15:04:25.247+10:00

The state of NSW is currently the largest economic unit in Australia. On population and other statistics it should be, but given the appalling lack of political talent across the spectrum it might well sink to second, or worse. Prime Minister Rudd must despair at times over the political albatross represented by his Labor state counterparts, particularly the NSW lot. In fact I’m certain if I

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-81463562845244903902009-08-31T08:10:00.000+10:002009-08-31T08:11:02.038+10:00

I am still enjoying my vicarious safari of the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, in fact in raptures over depictions of ancient Gwion Gwion rock art. But first the disclaimers, vital to this post: Nomenclature: My hosts were understandably excited by what they came to know as “The Bradshaws”, named after the white bloke who ‘found’ them in the 1890’s. The traditional people of the area

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-10643684916245797952009-08-29T15:24:00.000+10:002009-08-29T15:25:24.264+10:00

Australia’s Federal police are to drop the investigation into wheat cheat and oil-for-food pirates – AWB Ltd. The move is hardly surprising as major and officially sanctioned, corruption is rarely prosecuted. At this stage the only hope is the a continued effort by ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) Having recently recovered files from my now defunct Scandal Files site I

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-53796737895436962712009-08-29T15:16:00.002+10:002009-08-29T15:21:21.219+10:00

From the mid 90’s to around 2006 Australia’s government, some statutory authorities and public service were implicated in attempts to subvert the UN Oil for Food program. Australia’s major involvement revolves around a former statutory body – The Australian Wheat Board and eventually the offspring AWB LTD. Here are some of the major issues as they unfolded: August 1990 the UN Security Council

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-59669965509453752372009-08-29T15:09:00.004+10:002009-08-29T15:23:05.717+10:00

From the mid 90’s to around 2006 Australia’s government, some statutory authorities and public service were implicated in attempts to subvert the UN Oil for Food program. Australia’s major involvement revolves around a former statutory body – The Australian Wheat Board and eventually the offspring AWB LTD. Here are some of the major players in the AWB scandal: John Howard: Australian Prime

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-21998340878395503382009-08-20T09:35:00.011+10:002009-08-21T11:28:27.914+10:00

I have been house sitting for the past month while my hosts have been employed on a tour of the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. [Map Of Western Australia] There was no problem for me, in this wonderful sub-tropical rainforest area to let my mind wander, but seeing the excellent photos of the Great Outback Safari allowed my mind to wander even further afield. Those road signs on any

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-37658320681959789532009-08-14T08:57:00.002+10:002009-08-14T09:00:25.502+10:00

Family history has been a long time passion, albeit one that tends to ebb and flow, for this blogger. Part of the problem is being in the right place, i.e. where the recourses are, to effectively pursue this interest. However, thanks to technology and other interested parties I’ve recently been able to pull together some of my previous writing on the family story and have posted it on Cartledge

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-68402623256892915062009-08-11T10:03:00.002+10:002009-08-11T10:24:46.551+10:00

There was a school of thought which proclaimed the 1960 and 70’s represented a paradigm shift. Doubtless the ‘liberal’ indulgences led to the real thing, but I would argue that it occurred in the 1980s, quite probably a result of the tedium of constant social tension. In the eighties a jaded world seemed ready to acct the concept that father (or the corporate interests) know best. It

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-72152459169151874872009-08-08T13:15:00.001+10:002009-08-08T13:19:46.923+10:00

Most Australian’s would not know about the ‘buy American’ campaign or particularly care, but Canada sure does and resents it. There seems little cause for concern. As always, simple concepts become prisoner to highly complex realities. “Obama's stimulus spending has run into a problem: A shortage of General Electric water filters. GE makes them in Canada. Under the program's `Buy American'

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-62335627128828878082009-08-05T10:11:00.000+10:002009-08-05T10:12:34.349+10:00

As a literary type of bloke I’ve been pondering on which author might conjure the name Godwin Grech as a key character. Beyond Roald Dahl and maybe Rowlings I’m flummoxed, it sounds far too contrived; a passionate but misguided soul, bound to bring himself undone by overdoing. In fact Godwin Grech has starred endlessly in our headlines of late; the Australian Treasury official, neo-liberal

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-21816528249093927882009-07-31T14:27:00.001+10:002009-07-31T14:30:05.255+10:00

Economics is as much, or more, about sentiment than it is the various statistics and indices. Vis-a-vis the global economic crisis the sentiment is increasingly that it was a bad scare, but no so bad really. That is why leaders like Rudd and Obama talk up recovery, but even they must be dreading the second shoe dropping – the corporate debt bomb. When the current financial crisis broke it was

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-86456581463933422482009-07-21T08:44:00.002+10:002009-07-21T08:47:46.798+10:00

These articles were first posted on the defunct galleonpoint.com in September 2006. I’ve recently been able to recover some of these older files and given the number of search queries on this issue decided to repost here. ALASKA: The FBI is looking for hats or garments with the label of “Corrupt Bastards Club” or “Corrupt Bastards Caucus,” according to the search warrant. That's the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-3487408680057582832009-07-15T11:24:00.000+10:002009-07-15T11:26:30.649+10:00

Cheney's secret plan pushed legal limits Paramilitary units key to CIA program Bush's ghosts threaten Obama's agenda Given the excesses of the Bush years there are many of us inside the US and elsewhere who want to see a full investigation into illegal activity sanctioned by the administration. Despite the dramatic headlines it is highly unlikely these new revelations will trigger any

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-59994165710930575232009-07-07T13:54:00.000+10:002009-07-07T13:56:47.998+10:00

THE global recession continues to worsen, but the Australian economy is showing signs of recovery. So goes one breathless media report. Though for the moment, recovery or not, the Australian economy is is far better shape than many others. According to my preferred economic commentator, Ross Gittins of the SMH, a key factor is: “China's continuing demand for our mineral exports was the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-42294859360801385622009-07-02T15:16:00.000+10:002009-07-02T15:18:11.123+10:00

Despite my sentimental feelings for the print media I tend to have a morbid fascination for watching the mediums slow demise. Rupert Murdoch's chief Australian minion, John Hartigan delighted my sick obsession no end when he recently chose to attack a symptom rather than the disease.Obviously you don't need to have insight or intelligence to be a Murdoch minion, so Hartigan seems eminently

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-13710617843084799802009-07-01T11:43:00.000+10:002009-07-01T11:48:03.615+10:00

I was inclined to take a swipe at the ‘<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Jackson distraction’ until I realised it was the current reality; unreality is the current reality. Kevin Rudd knows that, so does Barrack Obama – they realise the great public is sick of politics and looking to pop culture distractions.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-78260071387923135472009-06-03T14:56:00.003+10:002009-06-03T15:05:33.967+10:00

Clean Feed the system is called, and it is intended to save kiddies from porn and kiddie fiddlers. Clean Feed is the product of a bunch of politicians who wouldn’t know a piece of code from a hole the their backs! For months now I’ve been trying to find out why I have been denied access to a site on which I was a contributor ragebot. As Kvatch points out –“The Frogette and I have discovered

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-49967370443868400512009-05-31T13:22:00.002+10:002009-05-31T13:25:36.628+10:00

For such a pleasant chap I do seem to have the knack of pissing people off. I still haven’t resolved the ragebot block and now I’m blocked from updateamerica. It is curious for a couple of reasons; first they are the only privately hosted blogs on my list and second, I have hardly been blogging lately. Mind you, my previous blog was a dig at poor ole Sol Trujillo and his racial sensitivities.

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-49092710126365129822009-05-26T18:56:00.004+10:002009-05-26T19:08:08.685+10:00

Controversial former Telstra chief Sol Trujillo has taken a swipe at Australia, describing the nation he called home for four years as racist, backward and like "stepping back in time". SMH Never mind Sol, we weren’t taking the piss over you being an escapee from the barrio, we were more concerned about your destruction of our premier communications company. I guess you didn’t give a fig

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-58611653089269122652009-05-22T16:12:00.002+10:002009-05-22T16:16:54.916+10:00

Here in this ‘South Pacific Paradise’ we can expect several intense low-pressure systems, knows as East Coat Lows (ECL) each year, apparently mainly through autumn and winter. We seem to be up to six or seven now since the start of summer, through almost to the start of our winter. While southern Australia still suffers drought we are drowning further north. Just since the start of the year

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-31958030164835545312009-05-19T11:51:00.001+10:002009-05-19T11:53:02.064+10:00

While my blogging has dropped off research on a book concept continues apace. Criminal gangs are the focus, particularly where there is apparent sponsorship or involvement of authorities. Because the ideas necessarily reflect concepts of conspiracy, with evidence often difficult to uncover, the research so far is aimed at gaining an understanding of how organised crime is really organised.

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-86128388019949833642009-04-25T08:56:00.001+10:002009-04-25T08:58:50.482+10:00

Troop Stress The Sydney Morning Herald ranks as one of Australia’s ore serious newspapers, and has a long history of stern, pedantic sub-editors. Several oddities today caught my attention, including the headline: Stressed out troops sent to war zones Well I don’t know abut you, but I would be pretty bloody stressed going into a war zone! But the headline doesn’t match the story, which is

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-14161166684984096762009-04-20T15:15:00.000+10:002009-04-20T15:17:01.635+10:00

I’m doing far more writing in my head than on the blog or elsewhere lately, and I’m not sure that anyone is the poorer for that. The times are changing thankfully and watching things unfold is both instructive and encouraging. Except for dear old Canada, stuck with an anachronism for a Prime Minister. While the world rapidly readjusts to new economic and political time Stephen Harper insists

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-54371165829205726892009-04-14T14:31:00.000+10:002009-04-14T14:34:26.520+10:00

When the Rudd government came to power in Australia it was partially on a promise to deliver a much waited broadband roll-out. The promise was based on a fibre to the node concept, depending on Telstra’s copper wire network to deliver to homes and businesses from local exchanges. Instead of cooperation from Sol Trujillo’s Telstra we ended up with the highest stakes poker game this country has

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-90072923121427699172009-04-05T15:15:00.000+10:002009-04-05T15:17:17.724+10:00

The Harper government is hanging in, but their days are numbered. How long? That is the big question with the minor parties not keen to head to the polls and oblivion. Even so some of us are watching carefully for the trigger. As one put it, quoting former British PM Harold Macmillan when asked his greatest fear: “Events, dear boy, events”. More often than not Harper creates his own events

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-49338018910029686042009-04-03T14:40:00.001+10:002009-04-03T14:42:09.331+10:00

The G20 Summit has been impressive, for the speed in which a consensus was achieved and an apparent lack of egos. So much so that Canada’s Stephen Harper would gone totally unnoticed if he had not gone missing during the obligatory photo shoot. So Canada provided the equally obligatory humorous moment. What capped that sad episode of was the country’s main conservative newspaper, the National

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-60105660172996129652009-03-29T12:38:00.003+10:002009-03-29T12:43:02.925+10:00

David Bercuson, director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary recently published an article in Canada’s Globe and Mail - How long will this madness last? Don't ask the historian. He asserts that “People who study the past are no more likely to know what the future brings than people who read tea leaves.” I take issue with a number of points in the article

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-85548890106193557662009-03-18T10:27:00.001+10:002009-03-18T10:27:26.161+10:00

If my blogging hasn’t been excessive of late it is hardly because of a deficit of issues. Some like economics have become a problem for me; it’s one thing warning of looking problems, quite another formulating appropriate remedies. It also seems a little redundant going on about predicted situations like AIG. Leaving those excesses behind, a whole raft of others have been playing on my mind,

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-37268492100147269042009-03-09T15:13:00.002+10:002009-03-09T15:21:06.244+10:00

"Armitage is always one of those characters who just happen to be standing around when something BAD happens to America. Never anything good. ALWAYS something BAD. If he was a sailor, his shipmates would call him a Jonah." Libertypost.org, 8 May 2004 If you are still focused on Karl Rove as the bad guy who escaped justice give some thought to an even worse specimen - Richard L. Armitage.

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-58402066381202539732009-03-08T13:28:00.000+10:002009-03-08T13:31:38.058+10:00

Since 2003 I have been waiting for the full story on a pair of British Columbian ministerial assistants arrested in a raid on the province’s legislature. The charges included money laundering and bribery corruption in relation to the secret sale of British Columbia Rail (BCR). Documents released this week by a judge in a political corruption trial trace the government's route from staunch

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-85292112119656316082009-03-04T12:06:00.001+10:002009-03-04T12:09:05.423+10:00

When it comes to communications technology I expect Australians are not alone in enduring second rate services. Sure we have a particular and ongoing corporate/political battle resulting in retention of an antediluvian network infrastructure. In the past few weeks we’ve found out just how antediluvian. In the wake of a series of severe storms and local flooding, not too local fortunately, we

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-64650188400350719512009-02-17T09:15:00.000+10:002009-02-17T09:16:26.269+10:00

There is good news and bad news for your erstwhile correspondent, the writing muse has finally taken a firm grip; the inspiration is crime, but the research is going places I never contemplated. I’ve blogged previously about this strange neighbourhood I’ve landed in; the proximity to serious rime past and present, to jailbirds historic and current, to the violence and desperation which

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-40850162272141945882009-02-14T10:06:00.002+10:002009-02-14T10:13:40.267+10:00

As I sit here in my South Pacific paradise, enduring a third day of intermittent torrential rain, I read that 31 fires are still burning out of control in Victoria. For a full week I’ve found the unfolding disaster in Victoria beyond words. Today I still find personal reflection pretty much irrelevant. I note, with a great deal of pleasure, that people around the world care. I also note that

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-22329883669473693152009-02-10T09:35:00.002+10:002009-02-10T09:42:41.382+10:00

Like many people around the world, Canadians have been suffering for several months with a nagging chronic condition… The condition is Obama-envy, and the flare-up will be induced by the visit of the new President on Feb. 19. G&M I understands the US looms large as the direct neighbour of Canada, the glare must be powerful as it constantly blinds Canadians to the realities of the rest of the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-9572349442550451842009-02-08T09:35:00.003+10:002009-02-08T09:40:52.803+10:00

"With the impeccable sense of timing that has marked my career, my wife and I chose to renovate last year. But next spring we shall be joining millions of Canadians in saying "sod it." And then sending you the bill" Bob Rae Bob Rae is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and the Liberal foreign affairs critic, who should be even more respected for stepping back from the recent Canadian

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-63564481409245348662009-02-03T08:19:00.003+10:002009-02-03T08:26:42.296+10:00

I’ve always had a soft spot for Charles Darwin, not just for coming up with "the single best idea anyone has ever had". Now a new book suggests that Darwin’s theory of evolution was motivated by his outrage against slavery. It seems a long call come up with a such a complex attack on slavery, and despite the debates at the time I suspect had only a marginal effect. Darwin’s family, along

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-79652728688965697692009-02-01T12:36:00.003+10:002009-02-01T12:43:14.239+10:00

When it comes to desired motives for our involvement in Afghanistan I tend to share the ideals of such exulted persons as Prime Minister Rudd and President Obama. The desire is a purely humanitarian one, the chance for the majority of people of that country to chose their preferred destiny. For the Bush administration for the Afghan conflicts was primary stated purpose was the capture Osama

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-11347201200787693962009-01-28T19:13:00.000+10:002009-01-28T19:14:04.161+10:00

Corruption has always fascinated me, but then I grew up in Sydney with its unapologetic culture of corruption. My current community didn’t escape either, and research I’ve just been doing on some local figures is proving incredibly far-reaching. I was chasing up the story on a guy I only ever knew through other people here, an exile mob lawyer Harry Wainwright. I still don’t know just where

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-20367801644995744242009-01-23T07:28:00.000+10:002009-01-23T07:29:53.779+10:00

“When I go home tonight and I look into the mirror, I’m not going to regret what I see,” Bush to his Texas home crowd NYT If George W needed to make that statement I expect he really does have some issues to deal with. I doubt many believe Obama was out of line drawing a firm line under the Bush years. In fact he was really drawing the line under the results of 30 years of dubious policy.

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-3622473480245436752009-01-17T07:14:00.002+10:002009-01-17T07:19:38.899+10:00

The jailing five Australians “for illegally entering Indonesia's Papua province” shines an unwanted spotlight on this forgotten corner of the world. The group were accused of entering Indonesia illegally, after they travelled to Papua on a small plane from Horn Island, off the tip of Queensland's Cape York on September 12. The Australians have described it as a sightseeing flight and

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-19893850195512319012009-01-15T09:43:00.001+10:002009-01-15T09:45:44.116+10:00

In the lead up to the November election it was made clear, even by McCain’s campaign, that a Republican loss would devastate the party. The loss of a majority in the Senate has increased the electoral destruction with a number of incumbents willing to serve without the perks of power. McCain failed to develop any continuing direction for the party, preferring his shoot from the hip approach.

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-82805954718169697112009-01-14T08:21:00.001+10:002009-01-14T08:26:32.667+10:00

Thanks to D.K. (the lazy man’s C-Span) - Medal of Freedom, or THE STING ... you decide – I didn’t need to resort to the TV. A great description of a ceremony which would have made me puke.(Image - I thought they said moth...) There has always been mumblings downunder about the unhealthy relationship between Bush and Howard. In fact we are now wondering if Bush isn’t taking this further with

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-42540031807618039872009-01-09T19:39:00.001+10:002009-01-09T19:41:41.875+10:00

It would be a strange world indeed if ideas of religion did not occasionally tease even the most cynical mind. I was prompted here by a couple of things; first a recent blog Perhaps I’ll Give Buddhism a Try , second was a book passed on to me, because I am a prodigious reader, What the Great Religions Believe – Joseph Gaer; which I find out is now a rare book. On reading the volume I’m

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-39429819342102019962009-01-07T12:51:00.002+10:002009-01-07T12:54:31.792+10:00

It was once said that communism might be a great system, if anyone actually tried it; the same can be said for democracy. Given the plethora of practical examples few democracies adopt anything close to the ideal. Recent news, particularly from North America, has highlighted one major shortcoming – senates. A few years back I was commissioned to prepare a briefing paper arguing for the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-5248486850523579922009-01-05T08:42:00.003+10:002009-01-05T09:49:39.087+10:00

I love the blogosphere, an anarchic wherein we have no real idea who is watching, or why. Then out of the mix come the most frightening changes, like the tag from No Blood for Hubris. It’s scary enough to be challenged by a Humorless lipstick feminist. Clintonista, doubly so when the challenge is to list – chronologically, my work history. Having been involved in politics, one way and another

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-37059893008667303292009-01-03T14:22:00.001+10:002009-01-03T14:24:54.801+10:00

There is, to some of us, something sensual about the feel and smell of a fresh newspaper; the printery can be every bit as evocative as the bakery. Even transferred to the web a quality newspaper can still be evocative, but shifting with technology isn’t stemming a flowing tide and demise of quality journalism. While media groups are searching for the silver bullet, the Knut to stem a

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-52820881471128198932008-12-30T08:23:00.003+10:002008-12-30T08:28:01.873+10:00

When the going gets tough it is probably time to play the strengths, or so Prime Minister Rudd seems to believe. The ‘service economy’ approach was a key factor of neo-liberal economics, with participating economies dumping manufacturing and agriculture in favour of intangibles. The downside of this approach has been the lack of originality in favour of a follow the leader approach. At best

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-11924554277044334242008-12-21T12:26:00.000+10:002008-12-21T12:28:03.834+10:00

Most assuredly one would not seek out commentary from the economic right, the likes of Human Events.com (Headquarters of the Conservative Underground…), still these commentators tend to popup from time to time. Unfortunately the only thing they add to economic debate is transparent dishonesty. “Only a couple of weeks ago, Canada’s Conservative government was headed for defeat because of its

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-9398791028136400732008-12-19T09:24:00.002+10:002008-12-19T09:27:20.266+10:00

Sol Trujillo was appointed Telstra's CEO on July 1, 2005 after stints like President, chairman and CEO of U S WEST Communications, Inc. Telstra was the publicly owned phone company in Australia, until it was sold off by John Howard as another asset plunder. Telstra and its previous incarnations, including the Post Master General’s Department, have owned the copper wire infrastructure in

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-52395333626003989412008-12-17T17:39:00.000+10:002008-12-17T17:40:48.626+10:00

Bush Prepares Crisis Briefings to Aid ObamaWe know “a catastrophic attack could occur with little or no notice”, but can Obama duck flying shoes as nimbly as Dublya?Ok, so George sort of screwed things up a bit, generated a few enemies. But if he’d just get off the stage now the world might start to return to normal insanity.I wonder in Vlad Putin can slam a shoes as well as Nikita did?

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-25615639018599543162008-12-13T10:25:00.005+10:002008-12-14T07:02:39.182+10:00

Australia, Canada and Ireland have been lashed in a UNICEF report, The Child Care Transition. Using 10 benchmarks, including the amount of GDP spent on early childhood services, the availability of paid parental leave and the subsidies provided for childcare and education, the report ranks Mexico, Slovenia and Portugal higher than the three welfare economies. Britain didn’t fare well either,

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-72313164035427258672008-12-10T11:18:00.001+10:002008-12-10T11:21:08.046+10:00

Canada's Liberal Party has a new leader following the last week’s abortive coalition attempt by Stephan Dion. Michael Ignatieff has been anointed, following the withdrawal of his main opponent Bob Rae. The party is now furiously searching for a mechanism to legitamise the arrangement. This time last week the minority Harper government was facing down a non-confidence challenge in parliament

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-61518649623107796092008-12-09T11:15:00.001+10:002008-12-09T11:19:19.914+10:00

“These errors make us look either incompetent at credit analysis or like we sold our soul to the devil for revenue, or a little bit of both.” A Moody’s managing director [Debt Watchdogs: Tamed or Caught Napping?]There is no real reason most of us would ever know of the existence of the various international credit rating organisations like Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poors or Fitch

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-89759248858868249972008-12-07T10:38:00.001+10:002008-12-07T10:42:27.084+10:00

A government has opted to run and hide over the Christmas season, rather than face a hostile parliament. An opposition ends the year in disarray, its leadership failing to hold the respect of its own or of the government. A parliament seemingly peopled by members prone to verbal, physical and sexual abuse – across party lines. Three parliaments in two countries, ensuring goodwill is not part

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-3938635446784626392008-12-03T16:20:00.002+10:002008-12-03T16:23:47.231+10:00

PM Harper as bound to overstep the mark sooner or later. Despite his training as an economist Harper has shown a greater regard for the practice of political thuggery, ignoring global crisis to create his own. The crisis he has created has plunged the country in relatively uncharted waters, but only relatively. The splintered, albeit majority, opposition have worn Harper’s bulldozer tactics

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-74724792436168483922008-12-02T09:12:00.001+10:002008-12-02T09:17:17.443+10:00

“The publishing sector has continued to be squeezed as readers and advertisers increasingly migrate to the Internet.” E&PI grew up, one way and another, in the print media sector. I was also an early adopter of the transition to print media electronics, hardly a good move twenty years ago. I’d moved from stringer for one regional newspaper to advertorial writer for another. The first, the

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-55902968957078282102008-11-30T08:30:00.003+10:002008-12-01T10:03:31.731+10:00

Canada's Conservative Party, ignoring the economic crisis, have opted for a high stakes gamble to force a fresh election and Conservative majority. Canada’s Prime Minister is known as a man who gets up in the morning with a determination to destroy his political opponents. Harper's ridiculous act of political brinksmanship has taken an economic crisis and made it into a political crisis. it

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-42861827690333048962008-11-27T12:05:00.000+10:002008-11-27T12:06:56.455+10:00

It should not take a sociology major to determine that adequate, affordable housing is a social imperative. Which makes the proposition of the home as an investment, wealth generation vehicle a dubious development. The resulting housing stress as the ‘free market’ approach to property trading implodes must surely flow on and reduce overall productivity. Historically, while home owners might

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-70842726341686996802008-11-24T07:41:00.000+10:002008-11-24T07:42:28.344+10:00

The Rudd government has just would up its first year in office remarkably blemish free. Contrasted with Howard’s scandal prone administration that seems an incredible achievement. In John Howard’s in shaky first term lost 7 Ministers in various scandals, four of them in the first year. Arguably Howard set the bar too high from the outset, with his Ministerial Code of Conduct, but he was

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-29559858528396079112008-11-22T10:56:00.002+10:002008-11-22T11:03:55.351+10:00

I’m inclined to the idea of federal systems of government; they more easily reflect regional diversity. Federal systems can also mitigate against bad policies; innovations tried first in one jurisdiction before spreading nationally. For all that there are a wide diversity in federal models.I tend to defend the Australian model against perennial attack from the Canberra centralists. Aussie

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-22444310308324076292008-11-19T12:12:00.002+10:002008-11-19T12:16:03.262+10:00

On Nov. 19, 1858, the Crown Colony of British Columbia was created. Happy 150th birthday BC! I fell in love with BC, the place felt like home, albeit the other side of the coin; so many similarities mixed in with the obvious differences. Having lived for many years around Australia’s Bass Strait the presence of Boston sailors was one of the curious similarities. On the edges of the Great

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-7531156742588363312008-11-16T13:27:00.000+10:002008-11-16T13:29:27.000+10:00

“Conservatism's current intellectual chaos reverberated in the Republican ticket's end-of-campaign crescendo” 'Socialism'? It's Already Here Little wonder we are in a global economic mess when US commentators have little real understanding of the terms and dynamics of economic/political theory. The United States of America is just coming out of one of the greatest national socialist periods

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-90551248121354634012008-11-13T11:14:00.000+10:002008-11-13T11:15:56.966+10:00

For years now I have been chided for the use of economic expletives, like deficit and Keynesianism. Now those sort of words are coming back into semi-respectable usage I’m left confused rather than overjoyed. My two preferred economics tutors, economics editor Ross Gittins and fellow blogger Lindsay have no real concept of how thick I really am, but they keep trying.Gittins is now revealing

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-27352670052517654282008-11-09T15:00:00.000+10:002008-11-09T15:02:16.383+10:00

Sarah Palin of Alaska, accused Mr. Obama of “palling around with terrorists.”Politics throws up ugly words from time to time; but palling? With so much else going on I let it slide for awhile, but it worried me. It looks wrong ad sounds wrong – it’s plain ugly. Thanks Sarah, we need more ugly.I no longer have a hard copy Oxford English dictionary, but the online version simply reverts the word to

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-71502917773432058052008-11-09T10:43:00.001+10:002008-11-09T10:45:24.787+10:00

When told a country has just 4.3 million people there is a temptation to ask their names; but New Zealand are used to being the butt of jokes. Try the fact they still have nearly 2.9 million registered voters, and they are not exactly a geriatric society.In recent times an estimated 100 Kiwis a week have relocated to Australia. I guess it’s a matter of the grass is greener… both the migration

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-67173045049410054152008-11-06T16:00:00.001+10:002008-11-06T16:02:46.772+10:00

Eighty-nine percent of people view the economy negatively, and 85 percent think the country is on the wrong track. NYTGiven the assumed complexities of economics its easy to understand why my much repeated economic election prediction method is generally greeted by a shrug of the shoulders. Not one to give in easily I’ve continued to refine this prediction process, for myself as much as

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-6254538859414858782008-11-02T08:24:00.000+10:002008-11-02T08:26:09.902+10:00

Pity the poor boomers being bought down by McCainAnd pity for the boomers being threatened once againBought low by generation X and a gen that has no nameThe boomers have the numbers but they still can’t play the game(To a confusion of half remembered melodies from the John Wesley Harding album – Bob Dylan 1967)It was another asinine headline - Next week the Boomers go bust – in a generally

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-86792787569227416702008-10-31T12:36:00.002+10:002008-10-31T13:33:23.867+10:00

One of my favourite English ‘kings’ was the Anglo-Saxon Cnut. He ruled in the 1020’s and 30’s, before your time of course. The thing I like about Cnut is that having done a great job of conning his followers he found it necessary to disabuse them a little.He had his followers carry him down to the beach on his throne where he ordered the tide not to come in and wet his tootsies. The tide failed

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-6194983315098361232008-10-26T14:36:00.002+10:002008-10-27T06:48:15.638+10:00

“Based on past elections and economic factors, two professors at the Universityof Oregon predict that Senator Barack Obama will win the presidential electionby a 52 to 48 margin.” NewswiseThis blog has bored readers rigid since at least mid 2006 on election prediction models. That was when we became excited about the predictor based on simple household economic indices - the unemployment rate,

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-67626435804908336442008-10-24T09:24:00.000+10:002008-10-24T09:26:56.052+10:00

Electoral laws are increasingly under the spotlight in various efforts to reduce electoral fraud, or alternatively to entrench to political elites. Canada has some of the toughest laws, extending to Elections Canada overseeing party leadership contests. Given outcome, there is a question over how effective strong regulation is, particularly in leadership races.The Canadian Liberals went into a

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-33886181526309830492008-10-22T13:07:00.000+10:002008-10-22T13:10:39.126+10:00

“The NSW National Party leader, Andrew Stoner, says the federal Liberal MP Alby Schultz should be shot after he helped the independent Peter Besseling during the weekend Port Macquarie by-election campaign."If I had my way, I'd march him out at dawn, put a blindfold on him and shoot him,'' Mr Stoner said today.” SMHIf there were any doubts about the fascist tendencies of the NSW National Party,

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-68497062198908854562008-10-21T17:38:00.002+10:002008-10-21T17:44:42.908+10:00

I’d call it post election blues, but it doesn’t have the swing. A week after the ‘Clayton’s’ government was returned in Canada – that is the government you have when you aren’t having a government – the devastated Liberal leader has resigned.I don’t want to attack Stéphane Dion, I expect we’d almost get on well despite the language barrier, but he’s made yet another bad choice. Dion has decided

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-71436558006753973262008-10-20T08:56:00.001+10:002008-10-20T08:56:56.396+10:00

Even for a political junkie the constant election trail over the past year or so gets wearing. On Saturday there were four state by-elections, including my home electorate of Port Macquarie.While the governing Labor Party were flogged in three contests the Port Mac contest was between the Nationals (conservative) candidate and a raft of independents, including a former Labor candidate.The stand

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-29576945561118181472008-10-17T11:13:00.002+10:002008-10-17T11:21:41.442+10:00

Canadian politicians are frequently inspired by Australia, in part because the two countries' economies are similar. But Australia's handling of the global financial crisis offers a cautionary tale for Canada's next government. Over the weekend, Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd introduced a $10.4-billion (Australian) stimulus package, joining many other major governments in using taxpayers'

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-11998317156570137512008-10-16T14:15:00.002+10:002008-10-16T14:19:38.821+10:00

In Canada, more than anywhere I’ve ever experienced, there is only one poll that counts and that is election day. My prediction that the Conservatives would fail to win government, purely on economic indicators, was part right.Progressive parties have the numbers, but not government; just look at the bald numbers -the broad progressives just over 60% - the winning conservatives just short of 40%.

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-42471313516366890382008-10-14T13:13:00.001+10:002008-10-14T13:17:05.821+10:00

While we prepare for the various political and financial crisis to end we should be waving the demand banners – Whadda We Want? Some of us hope for a broad progressive approach to life on this planet, but a fascist outcome is not unknown from these sort of crisis points.Whadda progressives want?Social and economic stability for a start. Perhaps not the ‘Ward Cleaver’ American brand of stability;

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-35535037595377063292008-10-11T11:59:00.000+10:002008-10-11T12:00:34.670+10:00

The legality of Canada’s October 14 election called by Prime Minister Stephen Harper was referred to the Federal Court but the court ruled it did not have time to intercede before the federal election. When Parliament passed Harper's fixed election date legislation last year, MPs were assured he would not break his own law.Harper wanted to transform Canada into a loose confederation of autonomous

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-3461945759750202472008-10-10T08:05:00.000+10:002008-10-10T08:07:50.129+10:00

If logic did not inform us experience should; but despite experience there are still calls in the US and elsewhere for lower taxes and minimal, if any, regulation. A low tax regime and high level of self-regulation are surely at the heart of US woes.Doubtless we would all like to avoid paying our share of taxes, and often the wealthy can afford to minimize their portion. The trouble is, the sort

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-87744405679887955192008-10-07T13:54:00.000+10:002008-10-07T13:55:36.043+10:00

Histories should be part of our general thinking and pertinent historical facts can com from all sorts of places. As a voracious and eclectic reader it rarely surprises me to come across relevant gems; the latest being comments on the ’29 crash and the great depression. It was a John O’Hara novel, first published in the 1950s – 10 North Frederick. The part which caught my attention, the rapid

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16179347.post-84778623885549351642008-10-03T11:25:00.003+10:002008-10-03T12:44:09.119+10:00

Tasers won't kill anyone, says Scipione"There has been no documented death from the use of tasers here in Australia, and they are in widespread use." The tasers would be a "less-than lethal option" in subduing violent offenders, he said. Herald Sun October 02, 2008 Taser guns have been rolled out to general duties police officers across New South Wales. ABC I’m inclined to support the role of

Cartledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11929350278316125588noreply@blogger.com3