Tuesday’s Missing Link on Tuesday (I think)

See, this Kevin bloke walked into a bar…

Ozblogistan (like the MSM, but somewhat more cynically) got into Kevin’s Komedy Kapers at a New York strip club big time, and spent (a fair bit of) time concluding it was a storm in a teacup, albeit a highly entertaining one. Some of the best responses have been from our resident photoshoppers, and I’ve includedruddstrippergatemc8.gif two as illustrations for today’s Missing Link, one from Guido at Rank and Vile, and one from Andrew Landeryou. Andrew’s effort is on this side of the fold, while Guido’s (slightly non worksafe) piece is over the fold. There’s more naughty Kevvie goodness in the links in our News and Politics section.

So subscribers don’t get the impression we Missing Linkers can’t get our collective mind above our navels, I’d also like to draw your attention to three superb and challenging posts at Muslim blog Austrolabe, which is rapidly climbing up my list of favourite Oz blogs.

It’s been widely reported that Turkey has blocked WordPress.com, but not the reason why. Austrolabe has the inside story on Islamic creationist nutter Harun Yahya’s knack for manipulating the Turkish legal system. Amir then follows up with two superb posts, one on the cringeworthy experiences he’s had when taking non-Muslim friends around Aussie mosques, and another that brings together in their most potent form the debates about race and IQ that have accompanied Charles Murray’s recent visit to Australia.

Today’s issue brought to you by James Farrell, gilmae, Peter Black, Amanda Rose and Helen ‘skepticlawyer’ Dale, with editorial dogsbodying by the latter.

1. News and Politics Stuff

Niall Cook points out basically every logical fallacy in Downer ‘s claims supporting selling uranium to India (fungibility, not in NNPT, unrepentant double standards). On the other hand, Robert Merkel believes it’s unrealistic to imagine that India is going to give up its nuclear weapons any time soon, given the regional politics and nuclear energy may well be preferable to fossil fuel energy. slim at the Dogs Bollocks compares the sale of uranium to the Menzies government’s sale of pig iron to the Japanese.

Niall also took the time to pick apart the inscrutable phrase, “Aspirational Nationalism“. Tim Dunlop argues that the government’s recent initiatives regarding state affairs and industrial relations spring as much from self-delusion and hubris as from outright cynical electioneering. Like Niall and Tim, Ken Lovell cringes at the newest term in the lexicon. He translates the PM’s latest foray into political philosophy thus:

Between now and the election Ill be looking for every chance I can to make ridiculous promises in marginal seats that will piss off the state government concerned and force Kevin Rudd either to disagree with me and anger voters or agree with me and and anger his Labor colleagues.

Andrew Bartlett opposes the Queensland Government’s local government amalgamations, and also happens to favour experiments in direct democracy. Nevertheless he still can’t resist this comparison:

Not surprisingly, the Prime Ministers stout defence of the right of people to have a say about major changes which affect their lives doesnt extend to giving Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory the right to have a say over whether they support the federal government giving itself sweeping new powers to take over Aboriginal townships changes extending far further than just forcing local councils to amalgamate.

Cam Riley has a series graphing the changes of governments in the states.

Andrew Elder takes the Press Gallery to task – nothing new there – over minor party reportage. Or lack thereof.

After the criticism of the last federal election, the Reserve is not going to stay respectfully silent this year. Nicholas Gruen, James Farrell and Peter Martin all have their – slightly tangential to each other – say.

Margo Kingston posts a superb biography of Justice Susan Kiefel, the most recent appointee to the High Court, and Federalist Ian Callinan’s replacement. Highly recommended.

Mark Bahnisch notes the arbitrariness of gaging voting margins by the last election: what if people just hated Latham?

Gianna gets it exactly right on Kevin Rudd, the strip club, Kerry O’Brien and Jack Marx. Ken Lovell too is right in surmising that if the government passes ‘new laws banning people who have ever gone drunk to a strip club from holding cabinet positions…the way the ALP is carrying on lately its bound to support the legislation.’ tigtog speculates the likely significance of the ‘warning’ Rudd received, while Apathetic Sarah reckons Glenn Milne is just jealous. Dr Faustus at The Killfille believes given the types that politics attracts, the chances of Kevin Rudd being alone in having less than salubrious nights in his past are pretty low. Brendan Nelson agrees, presumably. Graham Young suspects there’ll only be an impact on Rudd’s chances if this is just the beginning.

Any minute now, there’ll be a stripper hooked up to a lie detector on Today Tonight.

Simon Jackman’s stripper pun review collection is a beauty.

Kev’s strippers aside, Audrey’s latest statscounter discoveries are distinctly disturbing.

Silent Speaking is really, really over Tweedledumb and Tweedleevendumber and can’t be bothered with this voting crap any more… oh, wait, it’s compulsory.

Robert Merkel reports that the debate about alternative carbon trading schemes is bubbling in the US. He has useful links for anyone interested in learning the details of the proposals. Also on matters American, John Quiggin explains why the Federal Reserve again has to bail out the very organisations that put the credit system at risk.

Harry Clarke is keeping an eye on Big Tobacco… and its lawyers.

Andrew Norton’s argument against Friedmanesque flat vouchers in education.

2. Life and Other Serious Stuff

The Department of Numbers Pulled From One’s Arse claims that Facebook wastes $5 billion a year in lost business in Australia alone. Heath G at Catallaxy has some lovely Facebooky cliometrics. Cameron Reilly of the Podcast Network notes how easily one can substitute ‘Facebook’ for almost anything else. Speaking of Facebook ((yawn.~gilmae)), Legal Eagle is objectively anti-strange-frog. RG has a you-beaut Facebook rant.

Oz at Decomposing Trees notes something with which I’ve (gilmae) also become uncomfortable, the mass dumping of free newspaperlets after the evening train ride.

Paul Frijters muses on economic policies that shouldn’t be implemented, with the expected quibbling, pedantry and deliberate obtuseness in the comments that is expected whenever economics is spitballed.

Prolific dog blogger Gummo Trotsky introduces some lesser known breeds.

Tim Lambert reviews recent denialist antics at home and abroad. Scroll down for the ‘most clueless’ award, to Robert Bryce of the Energy Tribune, who wrote: “Hey, what about breathing? Don’t we produce carbon dioxide through respiration?”

Helen investigates the case of the groper who got slapped, and finds it’s merely another routine instance of misogyny in the criminal justice system.

Chris Fryer manages to combine Warcraft, Yank-baiting and gays in the military. It’s all good.

Oanh’s secret plan to move rain from the UK to Brisbane appears to be working.

Mark at OzConservative catches Robert Manne indulging in a spot of Rousseauian primitivism.

Barrister Stephen Warne on recent developments in the law surrounding s52 TPA, and its intersection with state law.

3. The Yartz

Tanja Liedtke Tributes at The Rest is Just Commentary, The Morning After, sydney arts journo, Minktails.

Last week Sydney was treated to a great musical double with musical darlings from the past and present, The Shins and the Cure playing on alternating nights.

~ Decomposing Trees

There really haven’t been any seriously arse kicking mainstream action film chicks since the 1990s. Where are the Linda Hamiltons, the Sigourney Weavers of the 21st century?

~ dogpossum

In the last few weeks, I’ve been churning over the all-too-regular stand-offs between artists and critics. The various “bannings” and attempts at manipulating or silencing critics.

~ The Morning After

Bob
~ cs at Troppo

The recessive gene pool of tone-deaf middle Australia has taken its bruised egos and banana suits back home for another year, to make way for the genuinely entertaining drama of group performance preparation and, occasionally, to some talent.

~ Australian Idol semi finals start at Scott, To Be Certain. And the entire thing is being recapped by PetStarr. Is ace.

~ Classy film reviews (This is England and Snow Cake) from Richard Watts.

guido.gif4. T.S.S

(troppo sports stadium)

barista becomes part of the sportsblogging community with a metaphorical tale of politics as cricket.

Niall Cook – he was busy over the weekend but still managed to cram in some TV and beer and thus not go crazy – describes the action in round 8 of the V8 Supercars.

Christopher Sheil reveals the sordid truth behind how Greg Growden still has a job.

Heath G rounds up the national netball league grand final – the last of its type before a new Trans-Tasman competition is introduced next season.

5. Mad, Bad, Sad and Glad

Since every man and his dog insisted on posting it, we might as well too. Dick Cheney and a interview he’d rather forget. (Youtube)

Farewell, sweet Jack. You’re a sneak and a cad, and that’s why I read you. If not at the Telegraph, at least investigate Blogger.com, neh?

Stephanie Trigg does something interesting with memes (and writes a great piece to boot).

Help! Glen has proof we’re living in a simulacrum.

In news from the land of the sue, Pommygranate tells of a bloke who put his genitals in a mousetrap, and is now bringing an action against Jackass star Johnnie Knoxville. Wonders will never cease.

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Sacha
16 years ago

I’ve written an update post to my post about the US primary calendar – the Sth Carolina Republicans want to move their primary forward, potentially bumping Iowa’s caucuses into 2007.

skepticlawyer
16 years ago

Thanks Sacha – working the system indeed ;)

Teamslanderyou
16 years ago

So Andrew Landeryou’s pictorial editing and promotion of porn is acceptable? If its not strippers, its naked footballers.

Gianna
16 years ago

thanks for the link!

Philg
Philg
16 years ago

On more than one occasion I have gone looking for that photo of Downer in his fish net stockings, but in vain. If anyone has a link to it I would be eternally grateful.

skepticlawyer
16 years ago

I’d never seen the original until I included Andrew’s graphic in this issue of Missing Link. I’m assuming he must have it saved somewhere, or he couldn’t have generated the image… so it is out there.

Sacha
16 years ago

There’s another update on the U.S. Presidential primary calendar. The parties in Michigan want to move Michigan’s primaries forward to Jan 15.

Mr G. H. Schorel-Hlavka

I admit that I attended to a show in St Kilda, where they stripped naked and for all to see. And they were males who had a sex change and so eager to display their new found contours.
Having a table with right at front near the podium it hardly was for me to miss anything, but then again I was more interested to look at the women who sat at the other end of my (small round) table (for two). Gosh was she beautiful. OK, she was my (first) wife, but that besides bias I am honest she was beautiful.
Now you may ask what was I then doing in a strip club? Well, my wife and I were invited for a dinner as was other fellow workers in the company. So, being new in Australia we decided we might as well go along. Here we were sitting at the table having our meal when suddenly those people came up and not long after were peeling off their clothes.
We left early and never again accepted a companies invitation.
Hence, I can understand that Kevin Rudd may have unwillingly been there and hardly could be deplored for such innocent incident.

skepticlawyer
16 years ago

I think you’re right, GH. Rudd used to be my local member (when I lived in Annerley, Brisbane) and anything I ever had to do with him led me to believe that most of my female friends were more likely to finish up doing something vaguely ‘naughty’ than him. He probably spent the whole night trying to leave discreetly.

gilmae
16 years ago
Sacha
16 years ago

*laugh*

Phil
Phil
16 years ago

when you see Mr Rudd’s wife you can understad why he likes to go to strip’s clubs, and better in a place no one can see him…same for his mate with the big hat…
and more, is Mr Rudd going to close all the strp clubs in Australia when he be the next pm ? Where are you going to go when this happens ?
and more, if Mr Rudd cannot have a drop without having a blackout of what he did, what is he going to do when he meets Mr Putin and his vodka, or Mr Brown and his whisky…pole dancing ?

gilmae
16 years ago

when you see Mr Rudds wife you can understad why he likes to go to strips clubs

It’s like I’m reading Fark. I wasn’t half-sure you were pulling legs, Phil, I’d ask if have you ever actually had a relationship with a woman.

amphibious
16 years ago

gilmae – re Fark et al. Isn’t it amazing the way certain topics bring out the knuckledraggers who, on other matters, can appear reasonable?
I’m bothered, but not surprised, by Jacques’ mention at the start that the most heavily visited post, despite being off-screen, was ‘female masturbation’.

Ken Parish
Admin
16 years ago

Of course, by repeating that term, amphibious, you’re probably elevating us further up the Google rankings for that term. So we’ll have both of you to thank when we get swamped by knuckledraggers.

observa
observa
16 years ago

Well we all need to leave the final word to the expert in such matters
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22295872-29277,00.html

gilmae
16 years ago

Ken: One or two idle mentions here and there on Club Troppo are just noise in the background of the blaring of all those sites actively trying to capture eyeballs through google searches for such terms. I’m guessing Club Troppo is safely ensconced far far down the search list :- )