Sunday, October 10, 2004
Dead tree news roundup for October 9
Stripped of facts: A page three (really!) article in the SMH stated that Tony Vincent was arrested by police. The article stated that Tony was "one of Sydney's old-time underworld figures", a "former friend of the late crime boss Lennie McPherson" and that he ran a strip club. If a terrorist had been arrested with no charges being mentioned, the paper would have complained long and hard about it.
One HECS of a claim: On page 11, the SMH claims Perth soccer coach David Piggott has said that HECS changes will force "your daughters and even your sons" into prostitution to pay debts. He cited Eros Association research that the proportion of students amongst female sex workers has doubled (anyone able to find this report?). Considering that HECS is deferrable and required repayments are based on income, the claim is just plain ludicrous. You have to worry about the amount of research that is more plausible, but is equally bogus.
Jailhouse rock the vote: "The Greens want all murderers, rapists, drug lords, and armed robbers to be able to vote on who makes the laws of this country". Apparently it's worse than it was a month ago, where the Greens only wanted to give the vote to murderers and rapists. C'mon Eric, we know you're just jealous that hardened crims don't vote Liberal.
Latham - hater or empty chatterer?: Latham said that he regretted saying he was a hater and wanted his children to despise his political enemies. "I shouldn't have used that word at that time. I'm raising my children in a loving way, and they'll make their own mind up about politics.". I don't get it - has his personality and parenting style changed, or was his statement about him and his children "inoperative" from the start? Perhaps we should ask Simon Crean, Mark Latham's mother.
Naked Bush: Barbara Bush reportedly was part of a naked party at Yale in 2002. This is not newsworthy. Really.
French whine: France is complaining about the US making allegations about French officials and companies receiving bribes from Saddam. This is good news - it means the allegations aren't just being ignored.
"Games turns deadly for Gaza children": the article reports some Palestinian children found it fun to make Israeli forces think they were firing a RPG at them, and two of them died from Israeli fire. Hillary Clinton talked about it taking a village to raise a child - here it is more like many of those in a village poisoning each other. I don't like to demonise any race or religion or nationality, but solving this conflict will involve more than just borders or settlements.
One HECS of a claim: On page 11, the SMH claims Perth soccer coach David Piggott has said that HECS changes will force "your daughters and even your sons" into prostitution to pay debts. He cited Eros Association research that the proportion of students amongst female sex workers has doubled (anyone able to find this report?). Considering that HECS is deferrable and required repayments are based on income, the claim is just plain ludicrous. You have to worry about the amount of research that is more plausible, but is equally bogus.
Jailhouse rock the vote: "The Greens want all murderers, rapists, drug lords, and armed robbers to be able to vote on who makes the laws of this country". Apparently it's worse than it was a month ago, where the Greens only wanted to give the vote to murderers and rapists. C'mon Eric, we know you're just jealous that hardened crims don't vote Liberal.
Latham - hater or empty chatterer?: Latham said that he regretted saying he was a hater and wanted his children to despise his political enemies. "I shouldn't have used that word at that time. I'm raising my children in a loving way, and they'll make their own mind up about politics.". I don't get it - has his personality and parenting style changed, or was his statement about him and his children "inoperative" from the start? Perhaps we should ask Simon Crean, Mark Latham's mother.
Naked Bush: Barbara Bush reportedly was part of a naked party at Yale in 2002. This is not newsworthy. Really.
French whine: France is complaining about the US making allegations about French officials and companies receiving bribes from Saddam. This is good news - it means the allegations aren't just being ignored.
"Games turns deadly for Gaza children": the article reports some Palestinian children found it fun to make Israeli forces think they were firing a RPG at them, and two of them died from Israeli fire. Hillary Clinton talked about it taking a village to raise a child - here it is more like many of those in a village poisoning each other. I don't like to demonise any race or religion or nationality, but solving this conflict will involve more than just borders or settlements.
