Deaths threats and all the usual hysterical Islamic screams of “racism” have been hurled at an Aussie artist for his mural, above. Police have arrested seven “activists” who defaced the artwork.
The picture here appears in “news/com.au” in an article which provides links to the parent article in The Australian newspaper. It is an interesting comment on the differing political biases within the Aussie news media that the article in The Australian shows a different version of the mural, where the image has been photoshopped, presumably to reduce the impact.
Boadicea's Chariot 
As a very sensible commenter pointed out not long ago. Muslims seem very thin-skinned and defensive about their religion, don’t they? Perhaps they subconsciously realise how threadbare it is, a patchwork of bits and pieces borrowed from other religions much older than the camel salesman’s. They also have to learn the difference between “race” and “religion”.
Quite right, Sheona. And who better to teach them than multi-ethnic (not multi-cultural) Australia? Our police have not yet become the fascist tools of left-wing social engineering (they are still delightfully right-wing fascists!! :lol:)
For the benefit of those with a deficient or atrophied sense of humour, such as Sipu, Tocino and Araminta, my previous comment is humour.
Having a quick macchiato in the local tapas bar (how multi-culti is that?) this afternoon, I saw the decor was ready for next Wednesday, with adverts for Vili’s Pies, etc. Not a delicacy I’ve ever tasted. Would any Aussie food critic recommend it?
Never eaten one! But they look interesting!
http://www.vilis.com/
That was a bit nasty……I forgive you though. Not a muslim trait I know.
P.S. I have no problems with Sipu but Araminta……FFS, are you off your freaking head? 🙂 Note the smiley Bearsy, it apparently makes all the difference!
I’m sorry Tocino, but I have removed your entire comment because IT IS A SPOOF.
These words have been published many times on blog sites, first as though they were spoken by John Howard, then by Kevin Rudd, and now, apparently by Julia.
The truth is that the original was written by an American, and it has absolutely no connection with Australia. Look it up on one of the spoof-debunking sites, if you don’t believe me. We’ve seen it on MyT many times, and each time it has been debunked.
Sorry chum, you have been “had”!
😥
Sheona
I’m assuming that your local tapas bar is having an Australia Day event – is that right?
Oh well, there we are as they say in Wales. I thought the sentiment was there though.
Odd as it may seem, Boadicea, I think so. Don’t know what the menu will be yet – not exactly barbecue weather here.
Tocino – the sentiment is fine, and both Howard and Rudd have at times made statements about Australian Law being the only law that is recognised in Australia, but that particular e-mail is over the top and has the potential to do harm to Australia if people read it and believe it to be true.
I don’t like deleting comments, but it wasn’t actually yours, it was the phantom Yank’s, so I don’t feel too badly about it in this case. 😀
Australia Day – time to get the flags on the car. Thanks for reminding me. 🙂
Not a problem mate. My wish is that someone would say something along those lines in the UK.
Bearsy, if it is the same widely disseminated rant attributed to a succession of Australian Prime Ministers, since 2005, its origins lie in fact in statements made originally by Peter Costello, an Australian Lawyer and former politician. The usual culprits have simply converted it to have come from your latest representatives. If they attributed it to that female fish-and-chip shop owner you had standing for government I might have believed it!
See http://www.hoax-slayer.com/howard-muslim-speech.shtml for further details.
Had quite a few pie floaters during our sojourn down under. Don’t know if they were Vili’s or not, but I can’t think of a better way to end an evening.
OZ
CWJ – No, not quite.
If you read the article that you have linked, you will find that my assertion that it was written by an American is substantially correct. The quotes attributed there to Peter Costello and Brendan Nelson are possibly correct, but the links given in “Hoax Slayer” to the Australian media are dubious – try them! The alleged remarks have been used out of context and unattributed, in any case.
You are clearly ignorant of Pauline Hanson’s politics and are merely parroting what you have read elsewhere – shame on you – go read her maiden speech, there’s a good chap. 🙂
Anyway, what is wrong with running a fish-and-chip shop in Ipswich, QLD? Touch of the upper-class Pom leaking out there, I fear. 👿
If we had more MPs whose experience included running fish and chip shops and fewer whose experience includes ‘public service,’ we would probably be much better served.
You’re not far wrong, Bravo! 😆
In fact, no one should be able to stand for Parliament who hasn’t held down a ‘real’ job for at least ten years.
Personally I think that since running our country should be considered a privilege then no wages should be paid to federal politicians. That way only successful people who want to do the job for the sake of our country would take up the offer.
Are ‘successful people’ alone likely to be representative of the views of the people?
I think you’re misreading my comment, it is not about views, it is about wages, in the end it would be the people who would vote them in taking due regards of whatever views those successful people have 🙂
But it does bring to mind … are not all political leaders successful people? They don’t often share the views of the ordinary person on the streets but they still make it to the top.
Except for poor Kevin they get to stay there as well 😦
“They don’t often share the views of the ordinary person on the streets.” That’s Guinness Book of Records generalisation! 🙂
No, that’s a typical Australian view of our politicians 🙂
Wait till Mary takes over Denmark, you’ll understand then. I hear our dilution of Danish blood is virtually accomplished?
Donald, yes, the Danish royals are about as Danish as croissants! 🙂
Bearsy, there’s nothing wrong with running a fish and chip shop. But it wouldn’t be the previous experience I would be looking for in a Prime Minister.
Perhaps it should be, CWJ. The UK experience with Eton and Oxford has not been exactly inspiring. You live in a defunct third world country oppressed by Orwellian doublethink thought police, you have no go areas in Birmingham (inter alia) where the enemies of British society operate freely, and a dying health system. In short, the UK is a basket case.
I think I’ll go for a real person, not for upper class twits, thanks.
If I were running for Prime Minister my motto would be on transparency of government, something like …
“I too will rip you off, but I’ll do it openly so you can all get kick-backs out of me..”
I’d get voted in for life 🙂
With a platform like that, Donald, you should romp home in the coming NSW elections. Labor have rorted your state for years! 🙂
And I’m sure the other lot will do just the same.
Bearsy, do you have a chip on both shoulders to keep you upright?
The British experience with an ex-Cross-Channel Wine steward as recent Deputy P.M. speaks for itself. Presently we have an opposition Chancellor of the Exchequer, an ex-postman, who, to his credit, admitted he wasn’t up to being Prime Minister or Leader of the Labour party. He is clearly way out of his depth as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. I happen to admire his honesty and modesty, but it would worry me if he was involved in negotiations with the IMF, as I am not convinced he has sufficient intellectual grasp to handle his own civil servants, let alone the IMF. I don’t disagree with those who consider that public service of itself is not as valuable as having “held down a job”, but if it is a prerequisite in your ideal world, that you have had to have been driving a bus, or worked down a coalmone to be Prime Minister, I am relieved it is not my political view.
Having read Hansen’s maiden speech, it confirmed my view that she is a xenophobe, as it seems are large swathes of the Australian population, judging by her popularity.
coalmine!
CWJ
“………ex-Cross-Channel Wine steward……” I think he was a wine steward or saloon waiter with Cunard. This was a plumb job as the waiters received very large tips plus the innumerable catering fiddles .
I wouldn’t be surprised if he earned more than most of the ships officers.
Most seamen would not regard Prescott as being one of them.
Get this, when I used to run the AFULE (Railways Union) as their secretary for the Mortdale branch, Michael Costa used to work for me.
I could have been a contender 😦
Old Liverpool joke
Two women in Asda, Birkenhead.
“My husband’s a shipbuilder. He works for Cunard.
“My husband’s an accountant. He works quite hard too”
Taxi!
OZ
You seemed to have passed over quite a lot of her speech…
As to her being a xenophobe – she said a great deal less and far less vociferously than many Brits are saying about their immigrant population.
As to what sort of former job qualifies someone to be a PM – I distrust the man / woman who has been ‘educated’ beyond his / her intelligence in a Public School as much as I distrust the fast-talking former Wine Steward.
Jazz, I stand corrected. I was too young to have ordered alcohol the last time I travelled on Cunard (I celebrated my 3rd birthday on the QM) or I might have been able to claim I had told him to make mine a gin and tonic…
OZ: Love it!
Just for the record, Boadicea, Prescott is not fast-talking. He goes through the English language like the scythes on your chariot and he is a barsteward, not a wine steward. 🙂
OZ
OZ
Just for the record – I liked your #35!
Shipboard romance even on Cunard, is fraught with difficulty if the age gap is too large; sadly she wasn’t a return passenger on the QM for the voyage back…
Boa, re-#36, What some Brits are saying about our immigrant population displays similar streaks of xenophobia. Your snipe at distrusting those educated at public school beyond their intelligence, might be considered by some to be fair comment in general terms. However if it was directed at the present P.M. he to obtain a First Class Honours degree in PPE at Oxford. These are not handed out on the basis of class or background by our leading universities.
Chips on both shoulders? No CWJ, not at all. Level-headed, that’s me (it’s useful for carrying trays).
But I come from a different socio-economic group to you, I am a citizen of a different country, which has a different culture and a different way of tackling problems to yours – one that is demonstrably successful, too. So, when you use throwaway remarks attacking an ex-MP of my country, without understanding how offensive it is considered here to criticise somebody for being a woman or for running a small business, you must expect me to return the compliment.
Your reading of Pauline’s speech must have been selective, and I will guess that some of her cultural references went straight over your head, for you do not have the background to appreciate them. That’s not your fault, for without living and working here for an appreciable period it is impossible to acquire that sort of knowledge. You also probably are not aware that a fair proportion of her ideas were incorporated by Howard as Coalition policy.
My knowledge of the UK is, of course, greatly out of date; I know nothing of your current crop of con merchants, but I do have a passing acquaintance with the evils of Blair, who should be festering in gaol for a range of offences. I would, I repeat, prefer an honest fish and chip shop owner any day over that devious crim, irrespective of his so-called “top drawer” education.
Boa, re-#36, What some Brits are saying about our immigrant population displays similar streaks of xenophobia. I don’t defend them – in fact in find them repellent. Their anger should be directed towards those who permitted such open immigration policies in the hopes of gaining voters amongst the new arrivals, not at the immigrants themselves. Your comment at distrusting those educated at public school “beyond their intelligence” – whatever that may mean, might be considered by some to be fair comment in general terms. However if it was directed at the present P.M. he also obtained a First Class Honours degree in PPE at Oxford. These are not handed out on the basis of class or background by our leading universities. I may agree with you that his sole business experience in the private sector in the PR industry, is hardly adequate, but a disproportionate number of MPs had prior careers in law and journalism, and we could be equally disparaging about the relevance of those to serving the public as an MP. But at least he is not intellectually challenged.
Bearsy, let us agree on one thing at least – Blair should be behind bars – snake oil salesman of the first order.
CWJ – My word, you are getting into dangerous territory. For the avoidance of doubt (thanks JM), Boadicea and I were both educated at “public schools”, although we acquired our places through merit, not inherited wealth; she has a doctorate from the London School of Economics and I have an honours degree from City.
These days, as compared with the days when we were educated, universities DO hand out degrees and doctorates as though they were lollipops. There has, I believe, recently been a report on precisely this subject in the UK. Certainly, I have employed, at times, some remarkably useless people with firsts, masters and even doctorates.
A first in PPE from Oxford? To quote Shania Twain, “that don’t impress me much.” Can he bowl a decent yorker? Now that’s far more to the point. 😀
Bearsy, I agree that some of the more recently classified universities do hand out degrees like lollipops, but I don’t think it is fair to include Oxford and Cambridge amongst them.
Your reference to his bowling capability reminds me that at my interview for my first job overseas I was asked what position I played at rugger. The rest of it seemed relatively plain sailing 🙂
I had completely forgotten, CWJ, but at my first post-graduate interview, the entire conversation was about chess, except at the end, when I was offered the job! Thanks for reminding me – indirectly! 😆
Second Serve (c’mon Andy)
Morning, cwj and a good New Year to you.
What did you tell the interviewer? I seem to remember from previous exchanges in another place that you opted out of the school team sport of dismembering visiting oik schools at rugger and manned either the very necessary first-aid station or the slightly less relevant fire engine on such occasions.
John, A Happy New Year to you. I was in Edinburgh recently admiring the Castle from an apartment in Cornwall Street for an annual lunch reunion of rapidly ageing expatriates, which meet for a Hair of The Dog on the 2nd.
At the interview they looking for speed and agility for our team at the Calcutta Rugby and Football Club – they already had plenty of weight for the scrum. “I’m your man”, I responded. By the time I reached Calcutta, it would have been far too expensive to send me back. You have a good memory – I was the volunteer ambulance driver on occasion, to cart the broken-limbed off to the nearest Orthopaedic Hospital. But the Fire Brigade was the realm of the budding arsonists amongst us – nothing to do with me, sir…