private school rorts to grow

At the same time as he promises to cut funding for important infrastructure programs, the mad monk of conservative politics is promising to make private school fees tax-deductable!

I was so disgusted when I read this, that I almost stopped breathing for a few seconds!

Federal government funding arrangements for wealthy private schools is already one of the biggest rorts left over from the Howard Government days. It's an outrage that taxpayers are forced to contribute so much to support these bastions of wealth, privilege (and shop-lifting), while chronically under-funded government schools are left to struggle, and their students are forced to endure sub-standard conditions.

To think that idiot Abbott is prepared to further feather the nest of his privileged constituents at the expense of the rest of the country by making fees for these unnecessary private schools deductable just defies belief.

My vote goes to any candidate who promises to stop government funding of private schools, or better yet, to 'nationalise' them and make them available to all Australian kids, equitably.

so happy for Jen!

Jennifer Aniston Adopts 33-Year-Old Boyfriend From Africa

Xavier graduating shoplifting class of 2010

Now we know what money can't buy!

$20k pa in school fees, enormous government subsidies while state schools go begging, international school excursions, but these poor little rich boys can't afford to buy the things they really need - ski gear!

Of course they had to steal it - how else could they get it?

The worst part of all this? One day, some of these kids will be Liberal party candidates and get voted in , instead of ending up in prison, where they really belong.

maybe not all boat people are scary, Tony?

aBelieve it or not - Tony Abbott scabs a free snack from a former boat person!

And a bit more fun with the anti-Marx party.

in defence of public spending

Memo to Tony Abbott: I'm a working wage slave, not wealthy enough to avoid tax, so I pay every cent of taxation that I'm supposed to.

I don't like paying tax, but I understand that it's important, and that it's the means by which this country funds services and programs that are essential to all of our people.

Public spending is not a bad thing.

I do not want your budget cuts; I don't even want a permanently in-the-black budget.

Governments should use to debt to fund essential programs in times of need, just as the Rudd government recently did to get this country through a severe recession that savaged other countries around the world.

The last thing Australia needs now is a bunch of witless, economic zombies cutting into important and progressive programs that may benefit the whole country, all in the name of bringing an unnecessary surplus to the national budget.

Australia is a country, not a business. We're not here to make a profit for the conservative parties to sit on and boast about. Every cent raised from our taxes needs to be re-invested and used to progress the nation, not sit in the Reserve Bank to impress foreign usurers.

Your social and economic policies would bring misery and disgrace to this country, in the same way as your mentors in the Howard government did. Please... go away and spare us all!

nightmare's edge

What kind of world do we live in where a man like Tony Abbott can be so close to becoming Prime Minister? This must be what Germans felt like in 1933. Howard was regressive enough; I don't want to live anywhere where Abbott's in control.

derailed

I feel so stupid.

I read yesterday's announcements from the State government about the new transport projects, and foolishly assumed them to be election 'promises'.

I was so excited about the new metro system that I jumped online to the Dept of Transport website, and completed a survey about the metro, complimenting them for finally proceeding with this vital, long-overdue public transport initiative.

Today, I read the story in more detail, and realised what had actually happened.

There is no new metro. There's just a 'plan' for a new metro. The plan has no funding behind it, and is therefore 99% likely to never happen. It's yet another lie from the oil and vehicle industry-controlled State government to make it appear as though they have an agenda to support public transport, and mask their ongoing plans to extend the road network to encourage more cars and trucks.

I'm disgusted with them, and disappointed that I didn't realise sooner. No ALP or conservative candidates will get my votes at the next State election; I just hope that enough people will vote away from all of them to send a message about what we really want for Melbourne.

holiday hangover

It's been a week since I returned to 'cool-as-ice' Melbourne, and I've almost recovered from the effects of 'holiday injuries' and jet lag. I can't believe that my long-awaited and long-planned holiday has ended so soon, but that's what time's like when you're having fun. I had the *best* time in London and especially Paris, so it makes sense that time passed even faster than normal 'good' time.

I had big plans, before I left, to blog my way across the globe and back. I lugged my netbook with me, and made sure I had wi-fi wherever I stayed, but look what happened - not one post about the holiday the entire time I was away!

I had *such* a great time every day that I was away that I just didn't get a chance to sit down and write. It's too late to make up for that now, but as I sort through some of the 2,500-odd photos that I took during the trip, I'm going to try to post a few here, like this view over Paris rooftops from the balcony of the apartment that I stayed in, and include some memories of the trip.

Since I've returned, I've realised how much time I must have devoted to planning and researching and preparing for the trip... really, since last November! And as the post-holiday blues start to set in to fill the vacuum, I've already 99% decided that I'm going back again next year. A new set of travel books is already waiting on my bedside table to be devoured and turned into plans for 2011!

holy masterpiece, Batwoman!

Not many movies that appeal lately, and ditto for graphic novels. One that I can recommend, though, was released last week by DC.

The stories in 'Batwoman : Elegy', though well-written (by acclaimed author Greg Rucka), aren't really my style (I think I'm a bit over the whole Batman / dark avenger / lots of graphic violence style stories these days), but the artwork alone, by J.H. Williams III, makes this volume worth buying.

Though the 'tough crime' stories don't appeal to me, I enjoyed Rucka's characterisation of Batwoman / Kate Kane and her supporting cast, and was glad to note that the gay angle of the series wasn't sensationalised or sermonised, but incorporated matter-of-factly into the storylines.

DC has released this collection, originally published in Detective Comics last year, in its oversize Deluxe hardcover format, which really allows the art to shine. It's a huge treat to watch Williams take the graphic novel art form to a while new level. This book is well worth checking out, and I hope the forthcoming Batwoman ongoing series looks as good as this volume.

get him to the George

The movie drought goes on.

I think I've only seen one movie at the cinema per month since April; there's plenty showing, but nothing that appeals enough to get me to go out in this cold weather.

A recent exception was 'Get Him to the Greek', a follow-up of sorts to 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', elevating two of that movie's supporting cast to star billing... and doing it well! Russell Brand, best known for his dubious 'humourous' stunts on English radio, I gather, does a great job of reprising his character of dodgy rock star Aldous Snow, ably supported by the ubiquitous Jonah Hill, co-star of many recent comedy movies, including Sarah Marshall.

It wasn't howlingly funny, but the story moved along at a reasonable pace, and both Brand's and Hill's characters were sufficiently sympathetic to keep interest up. There were some really funny moments, including Hill's efforts to score drugs for his difficult client, and a wonderful brawl scene in a hotel. I was glad I made the effort to get down to the George to see this one. 3&1/2 stars for this one.