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Punch on: Open thread 31/03/2011

Lucy Kippist

by Lucy Kippist

31 Mar 05:00am

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Filed under: Al Gore, Open Thread

43 comments

Welcome to Thursday at The Punch. What’s on your mind?

Al Gore was born in Washington D.C on this day in 1948.  The 45th Vice President of the United States, a business man and an environmentalist, Gore also loves going in for the big pash with wife, Tipper.

Check these out:

Star-spangled love. Photo: AP.

The old-fashioned dip. Photo: AP.

And just plain awkward:

Try coming up for air. Photo: AP.

 

Most commented

43 comments

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    • Reg says:

      06:02am | 31/03/11

      I could NEVER spit-swap with anyone named Tipper…..  eeerrrrk

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      06:16am | 31/03/11

      I stated on this forum testerday that the milk pricing war being conducted by our two major supermarkets indicates a failure of the free market economy. It may have similarities to the GFC where blatant opportunism collapsed the whole house of cards.  The supermarket buying groups’ behaviour could destroy the viability of the dairying sector of our rural economy, by forcing the farmers to walk away. There would be a huge outcry from the public.  I believe in the free market, and that the behaviour is not really anti- competitive, except in the sense that each opponent is power seeking in the market place to gain a monopoly.  If the free market always requires strong government intervention to curb exploitive behaviours,  the ideology might be in danger of flipping, and reverting to the command economy? And who would want that?

      Reply

    • Kebabpete says:

      09:19am | 31/03/11

      I’m not sure which way I swing on this debate. I can understand the frustration of the farmers. The duopoly lowers their price, they then force their suppliers to lower the cost, they then force this onto the farmers, and it is they that struggle.
      However, if their are only a few milk productions that are able to supply the volumes that the duopoly want, then why should they cave in to their customers. And why can’t they sell this as a loss leader. It is their choice to reduce the retail price so its up to them to manage that.
      Also, I know everyone hates the big 2 because of their extortionate pricing that they get away with, but why is everyone now complaining when they’ve done what the public wanted and lowered the price of a basic food.
      Is this debate going to now come up if they lower the price on anything else. Seems as though they can’t win. Not that I’m defending them, I think a lot more thought should have gone into this before it was launched.
      My question is though, where is the ACCC in all this? Aren’t they the watchdog that should be investigating pricing and competition?

    • fairsfair says:

      10:16am | 31/03/11

      Acotrel - that is such a good comment. Well thought out and well articulated.

      Kebabpete, what grates on me is that the “Big 2” are cutting the prices but not at their expense. I think it great that they are supplying us all with cheaper milk, but they are not in any way reducing their profit margin or positively contributing to the reduction. They get all the kudos when it is the farmer and the intermediaries that are wearing all the costs of the chearper product. So for me it feels like we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Coles and Woolies are still earning the big bucks while we as consumers are allowing increased pressure to be put on our own producers. They will go tits up and then we will be left with limited choice. From there I do not doubt for a second that the Big 2 will start to gouge us with the steady increase of prices once more. They have the country over a barrel and they know it and it is not just milk.

    • Ryan says:

      12:52pm | 31/03/11

      @acotrel: 100% agree, now what is your incompetent government doing about it? Oh I know, here is a solution, slug local producers with a Carbon Tax, that’ll fix it.

    • persephone says:

      06:53am | 31/03/11

      Um, I don’t think she’s his wife any more.

      They separated in June 2010.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      07:22am | 31/03/11

      Perhaps she tired of the liposuction?

    • Lucy Kippist

      Lucy Kippist says:

      08:39am | 31/03/11

      Really? That’s sad for them. Although, with kisses like that ....

    • AdamC says:

      08:51am | 31/03/11

      I would have thought it was Big Al who needed the lipo. I seem to recall that, before the Hillary v Obama juggernaut tendered him irrelevant, ‘liberal’ media outlets in the States were performing a running commentary on Gore’s weight circa 2007/8 (and 03/04). The idea being, of course, that a shrinking girth may have meant he was going to take another stab at the Presidency.

    • NicoleG says:

      07:21am | 31/03/11

      Hey Lucy, what was yesterdays word? I’m dying to know.

      Reply
    • Lucy Kippist

      Lucy Kippist says:

      08:40am | 31/03/11

      Great word iansand, thanks. As there were no correct answers the floor is open to anyone else who’d like to take up next week’s word challenge. Rely here or email me.

    • Maginthatey says:

      09:17am | 31/03/11

      Right poet wrong poem - damn wink  - A form of transport iansand?

    • Seanr says:

      09:20am | 31/03/11

      Nice word. I will endeavour to use tintinnabulation in a sentence today, first must practice my pronunciation.

    • iansand says:

      09:37am | 31/03/11

      Hear the sledges with the bells
      ....
      To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells

      A sledge is a sleigh type jobby.  Mind you, the thought of the slips cordon ringing bells to distract a batsman has its attractions as an idea…

    • fairsfair says:

      09:37am | 31/03/11

      so that is where ‘Tinitus” originates from! Wow, I’ve had a personal breakthrough here today….

    • Lily J says:

      10:22am | 31/03/11

      Good work @iansand.  The 19th century transport reference had me convinced it was ships, trains,horses or paddle steamers.  I now know more about paddle steamers than I did 24 hours ago.  May come in handy…...

    • NicoleG says:

      10:34am | 31/03/11

      My God Ian, where did you pull that one from? Twas good though.

    • iansand says:

      10:47am | 31/03/11

      We could dress the slips as Morris dancers and they could do their twee little dances between overs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1gPT6pTTB8 

      Perfect for 20/20.  And the hankies would be great for scaring seagulls.

    • iansand says:

      10:52am | 31/03/11

      Lily J - Then you no doubt know that the total navigable length in the Murray - Darling river system at the height of Australian inland navigation exceeds the navigable lenth of the Mississippi - Missouri - Ohio.

      Just one of those useless facts one accumulates.

    • Tony of Poorakistan says:

      08:33am | 31/03/11

      Still waiting on some news about Gillard’s East Timor solution - when does it open?  We need something, ‘cause we can’t build centres here faster than the illegals can burn them down.

      Reply

    • The Original Oz says:

      01:47pm | 31/03/11

      Tony - are you referring to the never was, never will processing centre for country shopping ‘refugees’ that even to this day Gillard refuses to relinquish even though it was just a blatant porkie (and policy on the run) that she made up during the campaign and didn’t bother to even ask the East Timorese if they were interested??? Well according to (Puppet) Prime Minister Juliar Gillied it will materialise any day now and nearly all of our problems will be solved (except for the ones that will be solved by the “Never by a Government that I lead” Carbon Tax _ Ooooops sorry Carbon Price, not a tax, read my lips not a tax)

    • fairsfair says:

      08:51am | 31/03/11

      Yo Iansand, what was the WOTW?

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      09:22am | 31/03/11

      How did I not get that? wink

    • TChong says:

      10:20am | 31/03/11

      Very sad news about the little boy from Melbourne, may have gone for a wander , just to see something that he liked. (trains)?
      Deepest sympathy for all family, friends class mates etc.
      Makes ( or should make) most of us very much more appreciative of what we have, and realise just how easily everything can change.

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      10:37am | 31/03/11

      Very true TChong. It would be absolutely devastating and it is rather had to watch on.

      My town is currently in the midst of a significant missing persons event. It is very sad as there is just not one single lead as to this young boy’s whereabouts.

      Has anyone seen Declan?

      http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/03/22/155461_local-news.html

    • Seanr says:

      11:29am | 31/03/11

      Exactly TChong, so quickly things can change. Terrible news, my deepest sympathy for the family and train driver.

      The equally terrible thing to me seems to be that people saw this boy wandering the road and no one stopped or called police…I hope those reports are wrong.

      Fairsfair, good mention, I hope they find him soon.

    • TheRealDave says:

      12:19pm | 31/03/11

      I was in tears reading that story. Its not often I mist up but you can guarantee if I do it will be because of stories like this.

      Who the hell sees a little boy almost get hit by a car and does absolutely nothing about it?!?! What kind of low life just keeps going on their merry way more interested in getting home for dinner?? All it would have taken was one person to stop for 10 bloody seconds and this poor little bugger would be home with his parents right now, where he belongs. One phone call, one person stopping to see if he was OK. It was a 6 year old kid for gods sake. Not some homeless drunk junkie begging for bloody change!.

      I despise what we have become as a society. Where people don’t even stop to see if a 6 year old kid is OK wandering around at night, nearly hit by cars and wandering on train tracks. I could understand if it was a teenager walking around gobbing off with a ciggy in his mouth. But a 6 year old. 6 for gods sake!

      My heart goes out to the little fella’s parents and the train driver.

      And then I turn the page and there is a story of Childcare workers leaving a 9 year old in a park because, and I quote “It was too dangerous for the worker to stay there in the dark at that time of night’

      Double U Tee Eff ?!?!

      They left a 9 year old in the park, because he didn’t want to go home, because of safety concerns for themselves?!?! Not only should these people AND their supervisor who OK’d it be sacked they should be friggin thrown in gaol for Child Endangerment…or something. These are Child Protection people. People we pay to look after the safety of young children.

      Jeasus Christ! WTF is going on around here?!

    • darragh scully says:

      10:51am | 31/03/11

      Yee ha happy birthday All Gore and Me.

      It was a good thing to see that in Vanuatu the unemployed can pay for half the airfair to newzealand and live in a caravan for 9 months and pick fruit for $9 an hour. In a day they can make what they might make at home if they find a Job, in a day. One of they guys managed to save $5000 and was able to fix up his shanty town shack and turn it into a holiday cabin. The newzealander farmers are overjoyed at the program that they have managed to persuade the NZ government to bring the total number of Vanuatian fruitpickers up from 300 to 5000. Now as it seems the same plane is set to be rolled out in Australia. So would somebody tell me what the hell Tony Abbot is on about when he says he wants Disabled and Unemployed people to take up seasonal work picking fruit. I just dont get it.

      Most of these long term unemployed people have a lot of other problems including a lack of stable accomodation, support networks, symetrical appearance, police clearance and integrity etc and so on and so forth. The list of excuses goes on as to why they are only ever offered work that is low paid and low skilled and demeaning. And thats the catch. They can be cut off from Social Security Benefits which lets face it are not really there to help people look for work they are really there because if they were not bodies would be piled up in the gutters all over the country. And now to make matters worse the Government is rolling out a plan that imports foreign workers who will work for less and feel 4 times better off (even so not all of them in NZ do the righty, some of them dissappear to work illegally to get paid 4 times as much, and its not like the immigration department didnt just recently deport over a 100 islanders for overstaying). How are the Unfortunates of our society going to be able to compete with the highly motivated. Killing two birds with one stone. Increasing you tax revenue by using foreign workers who pay a higher rate of tax while at the same time making an excuse to not uphold the obligations set out in the Social Security and Disability Acts etc.

      Lets look at the facts.

      Reply

    • jim morris says:

      10:57am | 31/03/11

      Who are these idiots running the world? It has been obvious from the start that the rabble (rebels) in Eastern Libya are all just going to get themselves killed because they took the fluke in Egypt too seriously. Maybe everyone thinks they live in an action movie and they’re the good guys? No! Real world! Real power! Real blood! Like watching babies playing with razor blades.

      Reply

    • TheRealDave says:

      12:22pm | 31/03/11

      I like the press reports last week, some Libyan Rebel Leader “Thanks for the airsupport guys but we can take it from here’ And fast forward to this week “Help! We need airsupport because we are getting our arses kicked!!’

      Yeah…nah. You had your chance. You blew it.

    • darragh scully says:

      01:41pm | 31/03/11

      The Plot Thickens.
      Today I had to head to my mandatory Appointment with Max Employmen as part of the Job Services Australia thing.

      It didnt go to well. First of all I have been supported by centre link through High School and passed year 12, got into University got through an Arts Degree. Subsequently havent found any job or lasted in any job longer than 6 months since graduating from uni and none were related to anything I have studied. Then after a longer than 6 month stint of unemployment benefits Centrel link put me through yet another course. It was a course in Laboratory Skills Certificate 3. Then after 10 weeks of year 10 science revision I graduated no drama. Then the only work I managed to get was a 3 week casual position with a bunch of metalurgists doing saple prep. Most of the jobs advertised stated a minimum of certificate 4 was needed. So Centrelink aggreed to let me go on to do certificate 4 which I have just completed 6 months ago. Then I spoke with Clinipath whom sent me yet another cold rejection letter. I asked so how many people have you employed with the minimum certification of certificate 4 in the last few years and the answer was 2. He added that most of the hired technicians have degrees in medical science because they have more experience and better skills. He said they regularly have 80 or more applicants though for the positions but ussually only those with the most experience and the higher qualifications get the jobs because they are promoted easier though the company.

      So here is the catch. Im talking to the job network worker and she is complaining to me that I am a job snob. So I tell her that I had an interview with company filling drums with chemicals from vats and they ask me if I would be happy doing that kind of work. Its repetive, faced paced and generally mind numbing work he says and asks me if I would be happy doing this. So I tell him that if I was offered the job I would be happy to take it however I am looking for a position where I would be progressing and that requires a higher level of stimulation and responsibility. Which may be the reason I didnt get the position says the case worker whom also says that I could now be cut of from benefits because I am not lying and I am sabotaging my chances of getting a job. 

      I dont get it. I am expected to take any job, lie to the employer that I am happy about being his lacky, and then face the possiblity of a Damages law suit because I found a better job or face Starvation.
      Meanwhile the Governement is importing Cheap Labor from the Islands and cashing in on the tax benefits that go with that, pillaging the natural resources at the expense of the natives, or First Australians, and spending up big on F35s, and Interfet deployments to East Timor (making it easy for the communists to undercut us while they are at it).
      When will the bullshit end. Its such a shame I was raised in a Christian fammily becasue I believe If I lie to the employers and tell them what they want to hear that I have studied for 6 years to be a Picker Packer, Forklift driver lacky and that ok and the flip side is that I also get to go to hell if I commit suicide oh the Irony.
      Lets face the facts.

      Reply

    • James1 says:

      03:23pm | 31/03/11

      So in other words, the government should support you until you find the job you want?

      That is not how it works, I’m afraid.  I did some pretty bad jobs after leaving university, and I used the money I earned doing them to support my family while I looked for a better job (although I was lucky - and found one very quickly, albeit at the other end of the country).  Just hang in there, do what you have to, and keep applying.  You will get there eventually.

      Also, F35s are awesome, and totally innocent.  Leave them out of it.

    • darragh scully says:

      04:46pm | 31/03/11

      The F35 is Awesome! Only because you cant have the Raptor.
      But lets face it why do we need 100 f35s. We could get away with 14. Infact how many missions do the Aircraft they are replacing even fly in real operations. Then you have to consider the reality of the situation. Where is it. Grounded, at the moment they cant even get the oil pumps to work. I wish they would hurry up. I think the f18 super hornets are a much better option. Saw one at the beach 2 days ago as it returned from ripping HMAS stirling to shreds (in a exercise).  Come on but dude we have talked about everything on here but the F35 and we shouldnt leave it out. By the time they get here they will be obsolete and we will be doing precision strikes with Drones equipped with high powered Lasers just like in Battle of the Clones. Has my tone changed think I am in a better mood all of a sudden.

      True Im not entirely Innocent when it comes to Job Snobbery however the fact remains that I have since I was 13 worked the bulk of shit jobs.
      Lets start with I had my own paper round and at the same time I was working at hungry Jacks. 
      Then got a job cleaing up the food court.
      Got a job as a guitar teacher at age 15. Funny that. I had a regular session for allmost a year with Eddie Fisher, Isla Fishers little brother. He just landed a you beut Job himself as a co star in the new Aussie Surfing movie being made here in Margert River staring Sam Worthington. I wonder if he is managed by the same mob that manages Isla. There you go I just got my two lines of fame right there.

      Then I got a job in an Aerobics and Fittness centre for 2 years man. I was on the dole and they paid me $50 a week. It started off like I was allways in the Gym and they new I needed a job so they asked me to clean the dunnies and change rooms. Then they liked my work they got me to do it 3 times a week. Then it just kept comming, everyday work work work and by the time I was sick of it they had promised to promote me to Instructor after putting me through the training but I was still only on $50 a week. I did manage to get some dishwashing work during the lunch time as not much cleaning could be done while the lunch classes where on and I got to do Ninjutsu under wayne roys code for 2 years. But they never did come up with a full time position and I eventually took a job with the opposition only to get fired after week. Seems like I was only worth $50 a week after all.
      Luckilly doing all that dishwashing led to getting a few different places in Kitchen Hand work. Im a pretty good cook now because of that to.
      Ive washed alot of cars, Ive dug alot of holes and Ive made alot of concrete moulds. All shit work all dead end work leading to no where.
      I should of stuck with the Guitar Teaching I think.

      But yeah just then I got a job interview for some sample prep work. I wonder if they just want to meet me over my random comments on my job application though. But thats just paranoia. Looking forward to it though I love Bio Chemistry and Micro.

    • fairsfair says:

      05:20pm | 31/03/11

      Darragh, do you have a drivers license?

      You should try and get a job as a courier driver for a blood service. From there you will progress to a Phlebotomist (short course supplied by your employer) and then from there you end up in the lab. Yes, your non-degree may hinder the level that you get to, but you will be in the lab and doing what you are trained to do with prospects of further development.

      I wouldn’t want to drive around picking up blood samples and delivering them to the lap forever either, but it is a job that would lead you to something in time and I reckon I could handle doing it for a couple of years if I had to. Here in QLD the job pays in the early 20s per hour. It isn’t much - but it is more than the dole.

      Good luck. I was unemployed for about 2 months once. I never turned to centrelink (was probably stupid not to) and it wasn’t fun.

      Oh, and Happy Birthday!

    • TheRealDave says:

      05:26pm | 31/03/11

      So you bludged through Uni to get a bullshit ‘Arts’ degree and expected it to be worth something in the real world?

      If you don’t want to starve you work ANY job, not expecting someone to offer you your dream job while you’re sitting on the couch playing with your x-box and stuffing cheetos down your gob. Unfortunately, outside of Hollywood and your dreams it just don’t work that way.

      Get ANY job to pay the bills and get something on your resume. No employer will touch someone with huge blanks in their resume because they were ‘waiting for the right job’. I know I wouldn’t.

    • darragh scully says:

      05:45pm | 31/03/11

      @fairplay.
      I was a nutter as a teenager. Left home quite young 15, more like booted out. Got directed to centrelink by the Perth City Mission and have never looked back apart from now having to live with my parents. Have been practically on the dole since. My ex used to say that studying is a job. If you count that then I have about 15 years of experience. I wouldnt turn down a job driving samples. Yes I have a licence and experience as a driver. They dont do things that way these days. These days they hire the phlebotomists through the phlebotomy trainneeships and they get nurses to do it. Im more in to the Fractionation process myself, Factor 8 and so on and so forth. Drivers do get paid well though.

    • Shifter says:

      02:22pm | 31/03/11

      I had a child greet me with a wide eyed hello as I passed him on the street this morning. I returned the greeting and felt fantastic…

      ... until 10 metres down the road his mother (presumably) would not return the same greeting and looked at me like I was a serial rapist or similar.

      It’s amazing what a few extra decades in the world can do to your outlook on life.

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      05:58pm | 31/03/11

      The Crazy Nastyass Badger

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

      Courtesy of Arj Barker - I thought this was too good not to share. I am chosing to believe that the commentary is inline with our very own honey badger wink

      Reply

    • The Badger says:

      08:26pm | 31/03/11

      The Badger just doesn’t give a shit.
      PS = Those Cobras were conservative first, then they were just dinner.

    • Shane From Melbourne says:

      06:56pm | 31/03/11

      If reports that Samsung installed spyware on their laptops (and possibly phones and tablets too), then this will the biggest case of corporate self destruction in corporate history….

      Reply

    • TheRealDave says:

      09:13pm | 31/03/11

      My Galaxy Tab and Omnia II are clean

    • Jock says:

      08:51am | 15/06/11

      AFAICT you’ve covered all the bases with this anwesr!

      Reply
 
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