John: I have sent this to an Aussie writer friend who lives in Greece - her own anxieties re Saturday stronger than your own. I have written back that it is impossible for the LNP to be returned - that yesterday's polls suggesting the divergence in favour of the ALP was narrowing was merely for the purpose of newspapers to sell papers/su…
John: I have sent this to an Aussie writer friend who lives in Greece - her own anxieties re Saturday stronger than your own. I have written back that it is impossible for the LNP to be returned - that yesterday's polls suggesting the divergence in favour of the ALP was narrowing was merely for the purpose of newspapers to sell papers/subscriptions - by creating anxiety - fear-mongering if you will - and/or to deviously suggest that the LNP mob were likely to win - that such suggestions - typical of Murdoch/NewsCorp/SkyNews - were NOT honest ... to remain calm.
I have also used the SHARE to post this to my FaceBook page. With the following intro:
One of Australia's great writers - and so clear-eyed in his unregulated and creative use of English in defining the LNP nasties (Nazis?) who have so destroyed decency and any "aspirations" for Australia to be a better society - in favour of selfishness and greed. All hail, John Birmingham!
John: I voted last week - at a pre-polling place where my wife was rostered to hand out pamphlets. It was on our way home one afternoon from an outing. Apparently nearly half of those eligible will have voted by this afternoon. We have a decent fellow holding this seat currently - of the Canberra Andrew Leigh style - in some respects. (And Hope is all we have, John. And I meant all the words I wrote about you...)
Thanks J. I voted on Tuesday. IN and out in less than 3 minutes. I fear the lines will be long tomorrow, however, because of staff shortages for the AEC.
I used to live in Leigh's electorate and spoke to him on many occasions. He is exactly the kind of politician we need - smart, dedicated to the community and his constituents, progressive. He still takes my occasional emails and replies in person. Impressive fellow, pity he'll likely never be PM as I think he'd be a good one.
Some years after my return from Japan I read one of his books - mightily impressed - contacted him - we spoke by 'phone. Later he was at the ANU when I was about to begin a house-sit for friends in Canberra (Weston) and we attended his live interview with Qld ALP MP Terri Butler - and I was able afterwards to introduce myself in the flesh. I am more impressed by him with each and every arrival of his newsletter - and just two days ago I read in the latest edition of The Podcast Reader (best podcasts by various Australian/other thinkers/philosophers - printed format) an interview by Andrew Leigh of Cal Newport at Georgetown U "On Deep Work and the Curse of EMAIL" - distractions etc. There seems to be nothing about which Andrew cannot dig down deep into. I found reasons of course for my own shortening ability to remain focussed on various tasks (which might also simply be due to age.) A first-rate PM he would make - but I suspect that is not his ambition.
John: I have sent this to an Aussie writer friend who lives in Greece - her own anxieties re Saturday stronger than your own. I have written back that it is impossible for the LNP to be returned - that yesterday's polls suggesting the divergence in favour of the ALP was narrowing was merely for the purpose of newspapers to sell papers/subscriptions - by creating anxiety - fear-mongering if you will - and/or to deviously suggest that the LNP mob were likely to win - that such suggestions - typical of Murdoch/NewsCorp/SkyNews - were NOT honest ... to remain calm.
I have also used the SHARE to post this to my FaceBook page. With the following intro:
One of Australia's great writers - and so clear-eyed in his unregulated and creative use of English in defining the LNP nasties (Nazis?) who have so destroyed decency and any "aspirations" for Australia to be a better society - in favour of selfishness and greed. All hail, John Birmingham!
Thanks for spreading there love around, Jim. I hope you're right about the polls.
John: I voted last week - at a pre-polling place where my wife was rostered to hand out pamphlets. It was on our way home one afternoon from an outing. Apparently nearly half of those eligible will have voted by this afternoon. We have a decent fellow holding this seat currently - of the Canberra Andrew Leigh style - in some respects. (And Hope is all we have, John. And I meant all the words I wrote about you...)
Thanks J. I voted on Tuesday. IN and out in less than 3 minutes. I fear the lines will be long tomorrow, however, because of staff shortages for the AEC.
I used to live in Leigh's electorate and spoke to him on many occasions. He is exactly the kind of politician we need - smart, dedicated to the community and his constituents, progressive. He still takes my occasional emails and replies in person. Impressive fellow, pity he'll likely never be PM as I think he'd be a good one.
Some years after my return from Japan I read one of his books - mightily impressed - contacted him - we spoke by 'phone. Later he was at the ANU when I was about to begin a house-sit for friends in Canberra (Weston) and we attended his live interview with Qld ALP MP Terri Butler - and I was able afterwards to introduce myself in the flesh. I am more impressed by him with each and every arrival of his newsletter - and just two days ago I read in the latest edition of The Podcast Reader (best podcasts by various Australian/other thinkers/philosophers - printed format) an interview by Andrew Leigh of Cal Newport at Georgetown U "On Deep Work and the Curse of EMAIL" - distractions etc. There seems to be nothing about which Andrew cannot dig down deep into. I found reasons of course for my own shortening ability to remain focussed on various tasks (which might also simply be due to age.) A first-rate PM he would make - but I suspect that is not his ambition.