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Weekend open thread: Top five reads of the week

The Punch Team

by The Punch Team

03 Nov 04:00am

Must Reads

The Punch is moving house - this is a caption

The Punch is moving house

385

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this? - this is a caption

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

122

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming” - this is a caption

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

251

Filed under: Open Thread, Weekend Punch

38 comments

And now, for a wrap of some of this week’s best reading…

Does this remind anyone else of a scene out of Cormac McCarthy's, The Road

CNN’s Richard Quest documented his journey across America with Barack Obama’s campaign trail

Jess Irvine gave us the bottom line on the “dazzling” Asian century

Most commented

38 comments

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    • Bill says:

      05:34am | 03/11/12

      It’s a beautiful sunny spring day in Melbourne and I’m off to join more than 100,000 other people at the races. Just hope I have enough dosh at the end of the day for a taxi. smile

      Reply

    • Gregg says:

      07:55am | 03/11/12

      There’s always walking Bill or just saddle up a thoroughbred filly.

    • pa_kelvin says:

      05:30pm | 03/11/12

      So did you walk ,or taxi??

    • Gregg says:

      05:39am | 03/11/12

      Just looking at the news headlines, it’s hard to choose between Wayne Swann with fiscal cliffs of battering and a Korean elephant learning english as oddest and funniest.
      http://www.news.com.au/business/swan-to-warn-us-of-fiscal-cliff/story-e6frfm1i-1226508674521
      http://www.news.com.au/world/elephant-in-s-korea-imitates-human-speech/story-fndir2ev-1226509529814
      Like Swanny, drawing parallels with the eastcoast battering where in total, the number of people affected one way or another is probably well in excess of Australia’s total population and then lecturing them on fiscal situations, I’d not at all be surprised if he copped his own battering from both democrats and republicans.
      And then with our Asianising, Julia wants to put us on the track of Asian languages and that could be great for conversing with elephants it seems! , but only if we add Korean and grow a trunk for sticking in the mouth which many of us might actually need to do to master asian tonal variations.

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      01:17pm | 03/11/12

      Gregg ...Both articles are comedic gems….. smile

    • PJ says:

      07:53am | 03/11/12

      A statement that the AWU Slush Fund was all over and done with in1992. .... But then it comes to light there were further dealings in 1993.

      Will we ever know the truth if it?

      Reply

    • Bailey says:

      10:14am | 03/11/12

      care factor - zero
      clutching at straws factor - 100%

      tell us more about Abbott’s university days and his proclivity for intimidating women.
      Tell us your thoughts about his setting the benchmark for opposition leader disapproval ratings.
      Tells us more about the NOalition NOdirection policies.

    • Brad says:

      06:01pm | 03/11/12

      Let me summarize the AWU slush fund: Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Gillard, I’ve done nothing wrong, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott Abbott, 17 years ago, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, lets be clear about this… Abbott, Abbott, Abbott, Abbott…

    • stephen says:

      08:12am | 03/11/12

      No it doesn’t remind me of that ; It - those hoodies - reminds me of Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio.

      ps the bowsers, probably ‘On The Road’.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      08:19am | 03/11/12

      Bob Carr has pledged 100 million dollars - that’s Australian dollars - for the eradication of malaria, and under the auspices of non-permanent membership of the UN.
      I’d like to know what the Permanent Members will give.

      Reply

    • JamesP says:

      05:35pm | 03/11/12

      If Warren Mundine had replaced Mark Arbib, he could have been our Foreign Minister instead of Bob Carr and still a member of the Labor Party. Mundine has had enough of Labor’s bullshit and is no longer a member of the Labor Party. Bob Carr speaks about his wife as a good representative of multiracial Australia being of Malaysian background, an Indian father and Chinese mother. Who could be better to represent us overseas than an indigenous, fair dinkum Aussie! LNP has Aborigines amongst them, Labor hasn’t and about time.

    • stephen says:

      09:08am | 03/11/12

      A British policeman was suspended for firing his gun inside his squad car whilst the royal couple were in their house - which may or may not have been 500 miles away.

      Scotland Yard should send this copper to Tarin Kowt - inside hs car.

      Reply

    • dweezy 2176 says:

      10:03am | 03/11/12

      We need a LIKE button, please!

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      01:15pm | 03/11/12

      <>  there you go smile

    • pa_kelvin says:

      06:31pm | 03/11/12

      Nope didn’t work, try this one…..... (0)  smile

    • pa_kelvin says:

      06:34pm | 03/11/12

      Or this one…...... [L]

    • pa_kelvin says:

      06:36pm | 03/11/12

      If none of them work… try facebook…. smile

    • Achmed says:

      11:06am | 03/11/12

      The carbon tax, MRRT, asylum seekers, the economy, foreign land ownership, the Murray-Darling, middle class welfare, housing costs, employment all major policy issues that effect the future of Australia.
      Yet all Abbott and his cronies can only harp on about allegations that Gillard attending a meeting over 10 years ago.
      Yep, The Libs are really focused on policies that matter and not petty schoolyard stuff.  There plan to win the election is to “play the man”.  Is that because they don’t have any real policies? Except Abbott’s one line rants? All rhetoric no substance?

      Reply

    • interesting says:

      12:57pm | 03/11/12

      Achmed says: 11:06am | 03/11/12
      “all major policy issues that effect the future of Australia.”

      Indeed.

      The carbon tax that, by the government’s own admission, won’t change the temperature.

      The MRRT that has not only failed to raise one cent but may end up in sending tax rebates back to the largest miners.

      1,000 drowned asylum seekers.

      I agree that the opposition should ideally focus on holding the government to account for the lousy job it is doing in all policy areas.

      However, given 75% of respondents to The Age’s survey were not satisfied that Gillard has properly explained the extent of her involvement in fraud suggests that most people don’t share your opinion that the theft of nearly $1,000,000 is petty or that investigating said theft is “playing the man”. What a curious moral barometer you have.

    • Achmed says:

      05:39pm | 03/11/12

      and only about 36% think Abbott would make PM.  You’d think that Abbott and the Liberals would be more interested in improving his rating.

      Or have they resigned themselves to fact that’s impossible so concentrate on lowering Gillards?

      Noted that there is still no “shouting from the roof tops” about how great Abbott and Liberal policies are

    • Terry2 says:

      01:04pm | 03/11/12

      One interesting and encouraging development is that Minister Tony Burke has liaised closely with Barnaby Joyce in the preparatory stages for a Murray - Darling plan and according to Joyce this morning, he is happy with the proposals so far. Now, it remains for Abbott to find a way to block the proposed compromise deal.He came out with egg on his face in trying to block the wheat marketing deregulation which was, in fact, coalition policy.

      Reply

    • ma_kelvin says:

      01:09pm | 03/11/12

      Our children are learningJapanese and chinese and other asian languages now. The Japanese and chinese have been learning english and our culture for more than 30 years.
      Our children are just catching up and most likely only will learn a few words and minimal conversation and culture.  Culture exchange programs and sister cities were joint intiatives to respect other cultures and language.
      As you are all aware one wrong gesture in a different culture can sometimes set back relations years.
      ITS TOO BLOODY LATE ABOUT THE PAST.  Its not too late for the future and the best thing that we can do is foster in our primary, high schools and its not to late for Universities the peace and understandings initiatives of the United Nations.  Also if you watch Star Trek and recently Avatar our fantasies sometimes can turn into reality for our future.  E=MC2

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      01:22pm | 03/11/12

      My Movember site   http://mobro.co/4851509  please help a worthy cause. My wife is matching donations up to a total of $500.oo.

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      12:30pm | 04/11/12

      You there Mouse?? go to the above link to see three of my grandsons supporting my movember cause….... so cute… smile

    • bring it on says:

      02:04pm | 03/11/12

      Id like to know how OLD is the average poster on the punch?
      Talk about living under a rock when it comes to learning an Asian language!
      This is the Asian century economically and here we are perched in amongst it and old crusty hasbeens, hillbillies and culturally crippled clowns are still pondering on this. Snap out of it, fast or last, in it to win it or get out of the way of the new bloods!

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      02:12pm | 03/11/12

      ‘Britain’s Foreign Office has come under fire after it emerged that it paid $15,488 to re-stuff a giant anoconda named Albert.’

      This, ladies and gentlemen, has to be the end of British Rule.

      Reply

    • A Concerned Citizen says:

      02:16pm | 03/11/12

      I found it interesting that Craig Thompson is now an overnight advocate for asylum seekers.
      Aside from being an obvious attempt to get stupid people to love him again and forget the fact he is an accused embezzler, it reeks of political blackmail to the Labor party. “You didn’t look after me and hide me from the law enough, so I’m going to sabotage you next vote I get”.

      A man with no morals is hardly worthy of dictating morality on the whole country. On that note, now that we know Fred Nile is endorsing Packer’s illegal gambling den, could he kindly stop injecting himself in debates about Gay rights, abortion, Euthanasia- or anything at all please?

      In fact, as both of you have been a profoundly negative influence on our country, the only decent thing either of you two scoundrels could ever do for this country is resign and spare us more of your rubbish.

      There is nothing worse than a moralizing hypocrite- which brings me to Abbot (and probably Gillard too)- but I could go on and on.

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      05:37pm | 03/11/12

      And the whole of Parliament…..

    • stephen says:

      03:11pm | 03/11/12

      I’m listening to a band called ‘Chicago’, now, and I remember buying their first 2 records - double albums too, which was about a weeks wage as a bicycle paper/deliverer in ‘69/70 ... and how refreshed I am after listening to them on iTunes ... and after so long ago.

      They’re an excellent band - though a bit to brassy for the rat salad crew - and I wish young people would go back a-ways, back, back, way back, and listen to quality sounds ... the way all rats yoused to.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      03:13pm | 03/11/12

      ps ... thank God wine bottles ahve (hic) no corkes in’em.

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      11:53am | 04/11/12

      Cask is even better….More bang for the buck.. smile

    • Terry2 says:

      03:26pm | 03/11/12

      Now, what exactly did Rob Oakeshott say that prompted Martin Ferguson to initiate a defamation action ? Obviously it was something very personal but what was it and can it be repeated here ?

      Reply

    • Glenn9 says:

      05:25pm | 03/11/12

      Agreed- thanks pa_kelvin.

    • stephen says:

      06:49pm | 03/11/12

      Coda : ‘I remember Wes’ ...  a very good song sung by George Benson.

      Sung amongst others ; but he sang it best.

      Reply

    • Gregg says:

      02:49pm | 04/11/12

      Good stuff, Sunday now recognised as part of the weekend if a little late.

      I was catching up yesterday on some reading and see that while Wayne is on that fiscal cliff edge, tottering a bit actually, Bailey was blowing hard to prevent that and is hoping Wayne recovers his balance with:
      ”  Bailey says: 09:53am | 03/11/12
      The 10 Countries Deepest in Debt
      Feb 2012
      1. Japan
      Debt as a percentage of GDP: 233.1 percent
      General government debt: $13.7 trillion
      2. Greece
      Debt as a percentage of GDP: 168.2 percent
      General government debt: $489 billion
      3. Italy
      Debt as a percentage of GDP: 120.5 percent
      General government debt: $2.54 trillion
      4. Ireland
      Debt as a percentage of GDP: 108.1 percent
      General government debt: $225 billion
      5. Portugal
      Debt as a percentage of GDP: 101.6 percent
      General government debt: $257 billion
      6. Belgium
      Debt as a pct. of GDP: 97.2%
      General government debt: $479 billion
      7. United States
      Debt as a pct. of GDP: 85.5%
      General government debt: $12.8 trillion
      8. France
      Debt as a pct. of GDP: 85.4%
      General government debt: $2.26 trillion
      9. Germany
      Debt as a pct. of GDP: 81.8%
      General government debt: $2.79 trillion
      10. United Kingdom
      Debt as a pct. of GDP: 80.9%
      General government debt: $1.99 trillion

      Australia less than 18%
      Ranks around 140 place below this mob of the ten worst. “

      Just because there are plenty of countries ahead of us in the borrowings stakes why should we think more and more borrowing by ourselves to move up that upside down premiership ladder is such a great thing.

      Bailey might also want to consider the location and/or industrial bias of other countries as well for that could be a huge factor in their ability to pay down debt.
      Exactly how any country will do it, including Australia is another matter.

      Reply
 
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