April 2011
In a face-off between a simple argument and a complex one, the former usually wins hands down. Over the last year and a half, this is where Tony Abbott has had the edge over Julia Gillard.
True, Opposition leaders can do this more readily because their chief task is criticism.
Delivering programs is inherently more complex. For governments, the normal budget jiggery-pokery notwithstanding, the sums must add up.
Continue reading "Labor’s shifting deckchairs while Abbott fiddles" »
Nearly half of all Australians don’t visit the dentist regularly. Cost and anxiety are the stumbling blocks, and no wonder.
I took my kids for a check-up last week. My 12-year-old, who has never had a moment’s dental drama, leapt smugly into the chair and had the smile wiped from her face when she was told she’d need her first filling.
The dentist anaesthetised her gum with a large needle and occupied her mouth with his mirror, an amalgam condenser and the hygienist’s suction implement. You’d think this would have impeded her capacity to talk, but no.
Continue reading "At the dentist: You’ll just feel a little sting…" »
Latest 2 of 54 comments
-
cath delaney says:
Lord save my teeth first then my soul! (quote-me) Just make sure u go to reputable! dentist. If u suffer under an incompetent dentist u can make official complaint in writing or phone at dentalboard.gov.au/ Im 50 yr old-(i.e fillings upon fillings!) & i went to a random cheaper suburban… Read more »
-
Dr Nicholas says:
Firstly, your ramblings above only uncover your severe lack of respect for health professionals, especially dentists. When you present to the surgery, you are presented with a diagnosis and treatment plan. No one forces you to stay, no one forces you go to the dentist. However, like most healthy adults,… Read more »
By now many of you will be royally sick of marriage talk - and it hasn’t even been consummated yet (ahem). But it’s still going to dominate the whole day… and the next, and the next, so we thought we’d give you this space to indulge or vent, as you see fit. Are you excited or nauseated? Bored? Pissed off at the Chaser ban?
Here’s a thought for all you Royal Wedding pundits out there; the only surprising thing about today’s big event is just how much the world collectively knows about it. Without even trying it’s possible to evaluate Prince Harry’s post-wedding-party breakfast menu and tell you why the bride’s sister, Pippa, has strung disco balls around the throne room.
Or how much the plonk they’re serving at the reception goes for in the aisles at British supermarket Tescos and why Kate’s honeymoon clothes are more than just a bit ordinary for a future Queen.
Continue reading "When too much wedding guff is barely enough" »
Latest 2 of 123 comments
-
Jakskido says:
look at ugg sales online at my estore UfyHKVZI [url=http://uggsoutletonline3.metroblog.com/]http://uggsoutletonline3.metroblog.com/ [/url] Read more »
-
Cat says:
I thought I wouldn’t watch based on the fact that the whole royalty thing is not my cup of tea, but I tuned in and had a great time yelling at the inane commentary on channel 9. “Kate is such a normal girl!” riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight “doesn’t Charles look happy!” well no… Read more »
Anonymous says:
“It is my fervent hope, as I’m sure it is the hope of every citizen of the world, that every decent citizen of the world enjoys a long and fruitful life. Sadly, war, disease, pestilence and accidents tragically cut many lives short. One such instance was that of Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a road accident in Paris in August, 1997.
When Princess Diana died, there was a huge upwelling of grief from around the world, and especially in the British Commonwealth. For some reason, I didn’t share this emotion.
Continue reading "Friday’s dilemma: I didn’t cry about Princess Di" »
Latest 2 of 88 comments
-
Racu says:
Nate I am so sorry to hear of all the recent evtnes that have unfolded. I can’t even being to imagine what you must be going through or the stregth you have to had keep up to be able to handle this. I know the Lord is with you and… Read more »
-
Rachel says:
Does anyone known where this girls is now? And her name, I’m just interested to know how she’s going. Read more »
New Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson got married last Saturday and had a splendid ceremony and celebration in the tourist-depleted north Queensland resort of Port Douglas.
He will now spend time which might have been allocated to a honeymoon doing all-nighters in the Treasury Building as the May 10 Budget is locked into place.
Crazy honeymoon. And it will be a crazy Budget in crazy economic times.
Continue reading "Budget 2011: Quick! To the fiscal bunker!" »
Latest 2 of 151 comments
-
St. Michael says:
@ Persephone: First, you should find a better source than Domhoff (the “Who Rules America” article). Leaving aside Domhoff’s been spouting the same line since the sixties and demonstrating conformational bias in order to support his rather antiquated ideas on class, power, and how America works, he’s a psychologist and… Read more »
-
Watcher says:
I come from Newcastle, we always voted Labor, till the last state election. I will never vote Labor again, they have lost their core values. And let me add nor will many many others I talk to daily. We all appalled. The poor they are attacking,who ironically are Labor voters.… Read more »
I’m thinking about making a sockpuppet. Not like the one on the Telstra ad – although that is kinda cute. A fake online identity to talk myself up.
I’d call it something subtle like Trace is Ace or Spice Rack. It seems to have worked for Scott Adams.
He’s behind a brilliant comic strip called Dibert and a not-so-brilliant blog post comparing women with children begging for candy.
Continue reading "And now, a word from Tracey Spicer’s sockpuppet" »
Latest 2 of 74 comments
-
Darsh says:
Hi, great sock! If its any encouragement ..this wool wears relaly well. I knit a few pairs for my son last year in it, and they are still looking good, considering the abuse they get! Best of luck. Read more »
-
The Observer. says:
You gotta love it the right wing lunatic fringe calling someone a left wing fringe dweller. Pretty much sums up the punch And what is this unhealthy obsession timmie has with The Badger? Read more »
Political correctness rules our lives and while I’m all for equal opportunity, why not extend it to some of the creatures that share our great country?
Why is it considered acceptable for one or two species to regularly claim human lives, while another is hunted down and killed in retribution? Or a whole colony culled, after what might be little more than a nip?
If you are unlucky enough to be eaten or bitten in the sea, you are intruding, you knowingly took the risk and the chances are very high that the protected predator responsible will be allowed to swim off in search of its next feed.
Continue reading "This specific dingo did not eat any babies" »
Latest 2 of 125 comments
-
Onural says:
Yeah it would be a bit scary to see 5 dingoes rnnuing towards you, so you can see why people run and scream to get away. But with proper education about dingo puppy play behavior all the tourists would be better off. If only DERM would understand about dingo behavior… Read more »
-
Lisa says:
Let’s share this to encourage colprmsouy reading. It is really common sense for people who have any kind of compassion, intuition and sensitivity for humanity including any living beings. Dogs in council parks behave much worse than this; I had a mother dog who would run and bark at people… Read more »
“What girl doesn’t melt at the sight of a hot guy with a cute dog?”
With those words, a testament to the complex and slightly weird sexuality of women, Cleo magazine’s annual meat wagon, its Bachelor Of The Year competition, was rolled out.
Flying thick and fast, as the announcement of the winner was made, were double entendres like: “Eamon Sullivan BEATS OFF STIFF competition to win”, “it was a HARD decision”, and “CLEO Bachelor of the Year winner REVEALED.”
Continue reading "Male beauty comps: Show us your double entendres" »
Latest 2 of 65 comments
-
Hiessattabsek says:
<a >cheap levitra</a> - <a >levitra online without prescription</a> , http://buylevitrahereonline.com/#688 purchase levitra Read more »
-
Radarekex says:
<a >buy generic zithromax</a> - <a >cheap Zithromax</a> , http://buyzithromaxonlinerx.com/#19742 buy generic zithromax uk Read more »
A few weeks back, Adam Baidawi took to the online newsstands with a statement befitting most thirteen year old girls: “Back off, haters. Justin Bieber’s Got Talent.”*
Baidawi’s main statement was that the world of social media perpetuates unfounded assumptions, especially those related to taste, and I’m inclined to agree: We jump on the bandwagon.
But there’s more to it than that – Adam’s argument ends up here: “For those curious, the sample principle should be applied to poor old Rebecca Black … who has endured a lifetime of ridicule … despite bands like the Black Eyed Peas pumping out lyrics that, frankly, read like OUTTAKES from ’Friday.’”
Continue reading "Bad lyrics: Oooh baby, oh girl, hit me. Please. Hit me." »
Latest 2 of 64 comments
-
mbt scarpe prezzo says:
I wish to show my thanks to this writer for rescuing me from this particular matter. Because of checking through the world-wide-web and coming across tricks that were not beneficial, I thought my entire life was gone. Being alive without the presence of approaches to the difficulties you’ve fixed all… Read more »
-
gayday says:
Net - Source For Nude Celeb Pictures And Movies. hillrisefarms Read more »
Today’s open thread is brought to you by Punch reader, “Iansand”:
“Why is it that, whenever a proposal for funding a program is made, someone with a special interest claims that the money would be better spent somewhere else? A proposal is made for something that will improve life in the cities and some person from the bush claims that the money should be spent out there. A charity raises money for the treatment of a particular affliction and boosters for some other disease claim that the first charity is diverting resources from their pet scourge. If a sport is to get some funding the arty-farties claim that the money should be spent on promoting art that is incomprehensible and uninteresting to the vast majority of the populace. It happens with child welfare – won’t somebody think of the other children. It happens with health. It happens with defence. The education lobbyists do little else than complain that a different group has more funding. It goes on and on and on. They all know that their obsession is the obsession everyone else should share.
Latest 2 of 84 comments
-
amencyowevacy says:
Colorado dispensaries possess great use answer pending popular price Medical less present pertinent legal documents. In addition, dont miss the lower card criminal needed feels a sense of relaxation or euphoria. This condition, Cachexia, is something testing and 150ng/ml for confirmatory drug testing. vaporizer reviews These withdrawals will become strong—especially… Read more »
-
beitaddeple says:
After you be undergoing submitted your perseverance to the uscis case status my case you should receive a Discern of Power literatim indicating that they have begun processing your Carriage I-130 application. Some time ago your supplicate has been received it last will and testament be checked through despite completeness… Read more »
Facebook Recommendations
Read all about it
Punch live
Up to the minute Twitter chatter
Bloody big week at @newscomauHQ, especially with the tornado and the gay marriage issue. Here's to a weekend without news.
RT @MichaelHJHall: Going into weekend thinking how critical it is for people to stay #humanasleaders while the system does what it can to s…
RT @heldavidson: @lucyjk @lucyjk times a million when it precedes "yarn". Actually I hate "yarn" on its own too. Unless you're talking abou…
Recent posts
The latest and greatest
The Punch is moving house
Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…
Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?
I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…
Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”
In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…
Gentle jabs to the ribs
Superman needs saving
Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more
Latest 2 of 238 comments