I’m reading a novel by Lionel Shriver ( of We need to Talk about Kevin fame) titled The New Republic. The blurb on the back claims the novel is about terrorism and personal magnetism. It does indeed deal with both, in that bitingly humorous fashion usually fuelled by deep anger, and contempt for the subjects. I won’t attempt to describe the convoluted plot, for to do so would be to ruin the story.
However, to my reader’s mind this novel is all about journalists and mainstream media, especially those who venture into theatres of conflict, and Shriver has not one good thing to say about them. For example:
“I’m a journalist,” she has a lead character, Barrington Saddler, explain, “and journalists need news. Deprive them of it, and they go a bit barking. Deprive them of news long enough, and they’ll make their own – much the way the starving will eventually turn to cannibalism.”
And this from his editor: “Journalists are parasites…on everyone else’s events. The worst thing that can happen to a correspondent is to start thinking of himself as a player. The hack who fancies himself a mover-and-shaker gets slipshod – thinks he’s covering his own story. Reporting is a humble profession, Mr Kellogg. Journalists -” Wallasek shrugged – “are History’s secretaries…a reporter’s not supposed to chip in his two cents.”
I find it significant that this novel is all about journalists, with terrorism and personal magnetism employed merely as vehicles to cynically explore the bleak terrain of mainstream media, but there’s no mention at all of this on the cover. Oh, BTW. It’s published by Harper Collins Fourth Estate.
And so to Peter Wicks’ latest expose of Kathy Jackson, her partner Michael Lawler, the HSU & FWA. Wixxy is doing an extraordinary job of investigative blogging without any of the resources or protections afforded to mainstream journalists. As Peter points out, with such limited resources he’s still been able to access flammable information about payments made by the HSU to Kathy Jackson, payments that beggar belief. These include over half a million dollars invoiced as “Key Management Personnel Compensation,” itemised only as “Employee benefits.” Kathy Jackson is the sole recipient.
Don’t miss reading Wixxy’s piece, published today in Independent Australia. Wicks provides all kinds of interesting links, including the connection between Jackson, FWA boss Michael Lawler, and Christopher Pyne, who were all spotted enjoying coffee together just last week. Why aren’t these matters receiving anything like the intense scrutiny given to Craig Thomson’s affairs? Why aren’t journos lurking beneath Jackson’s bathroom window while she takes a shower? How come the msm aren’t asking why Jackson’s child care centre whose staff do not wear uniforms, received money for their non-existent uniforms from the HSU? Are child care centres even in the HSU?
Why the mainstream media haven’t bothered to investigate these matters any further is a mystery. Idleness? Political pressure to refrain?
With a few outstanding exceptions, we don’t generally have investigative journalists, just an excess of self-regarding opinionistas. Thank god we do have bloggers.
Or maybe too many of our journos, like Shriver’s morally corrupt hacks, are far too busy trying to be players?
Oh, and this has just been brought to my attention. I don’t know how reliable this source is, but it alleges Lawler belongs or belonged to Opus Dei. The thlot pickens.
Finally I am seriously disappointed in Barack Obama who has just awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour to Bob Dylan WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO LEONARD COHEN. And yes, the medal can be awarded to non US citizens. I still take my hat off to you Leonard. Dylan is good, but you are better. Plus you don’t look as drug-fucked.
No Place For Sheep 
Great post JW. Some points here on investigative journalism where The Grant Hattam Quill Award is their prize. You are of course, expecting published ‘news’ to be completely honest. Is Harper-Collins part of Hackert Murdoch’s empire?
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Thanks Ann odyne. I don’t know if Murdoch owns Harper Collins. I loved the Fourth Estate Imprint bit though.
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Journalists, politicians and media proprietors all want to change the world.
They make for a fascinating menage a trois, especially since none can leave. The lack of deep investigation probably comes from the stability of this system, in which each party can easily become fixated on the other two, forgetting the public.
With unions, one of the oddities in this county is that there is no choice for people who want to join one. If they are in a certain industry, they have only one choice of representative. I wonder whether choice is the thing that might prevent these organisations from ending, with a whimper.
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Ownership of the media and guided reporting of selective facts have long been the path to power regardless of what political stripe the owner wears. I seem to remember the ACTU having a slice of media ownership at one stage. I wonder if a) that still exists if it ever did (anyone know?) b) that may account for the non reporting of this.
Remember too though that while investigations are underway your not going to get too far with real information unless protection and privacy of sources is guaranteed in some cases. Possibly this is still brewing and we arent privvy (yet) to the findings.
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This Tweet is what I have been wondering about –
Pen Mac @ivagripe Hey #HSU workers…You’re still paying $300K for Williamson to be on leave. FFS march, scream, shout! This is SO wrong.
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We can’t get away from the fact that there has always been a very large readership for the sensational journalism in Australia.
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Howard Jacobson: “I like it that he doesn’t jig about. Such a change to see someone on a stage, immobile—as still as thought.”
Anyone who stands still like that and gets the attention ought to receive all the medals they are dishing out …
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Cohen is magnetic on stage – I went to his last concert here a couple of years ago. I’ve never seen anything like it. All his musicians are first class, and his singers, and he so generously shares the stage with them. We were in the third row and practically fainted with delight. LOL. Groupie. Don’t care.
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Big Cohen groupie myself but I have been to a Dylan concert and it was beyond electric with the magnificent Tom Petty as opener.
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I’d like to see Cohen and Dylan do some duets together.
Islands in the Stream,The Two of Us, a choreographed version of Boots Were Made for Walking and maybe the Good Ship Lolly Pop.
Personally I reckon they are both way too light weight for me.
😉
I’m into serious music like,Katy Perry Yoko Ono and Milli Vanilli.
Don’t you think Len looks a little like Ronny Reagan in the photo above?
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Leo Cohan is Canadian Bobby Zimmerman is USA citizen, that might explain why Leo didnt get the medal.
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Sheesh Hypo. Your musical taste is, well, BLAH! Both Dylan & Chen are geniuses. Not sure if that’s the plural. But Cohen is a little bit more genius that Bob. Islands in the stream. You’re winding me up. 🙂
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Winding you up indeed.My taste may be eclectic,but it is not epileptic!
You really thought the 3 ‘artists’ nominated above would penetrate my musical taste force-field?
Blah indeed.
I still think a duet or 2 is in order.
How about a few Dr Hook numbers?
(Tee hee)
You can unwind y’self now.
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Have you seen this footage of Abbott & Pyne running way from Thomson’s “tainted vote” this morning? Ahahahahahahahahaha!! http://i.imgur.com/ib8zE.gifing
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Not yet.
I am into tantric political comedy.I need to drag it out as long as I can.
I think we have a new sport though.
Poodle racing.
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Yet another race Abbott has lost! And the poodle was far too slow following the Rabbit.
They’ll never win any races. Quote me.
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Two Words… Lou Reed!
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Yes, but he doesn’t have the magic of Cohen. Nobody will budge me on this. LOL.
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Haven’t we had the conversation about the temptation to follow strangers with magical powers.
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Yes, but it never grows boring!
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Ah, HG, Reed was good. So very good. Berlin is a classic . . . brings back the memories. I saw Lou in Sydney in 1975 or so. If he wasn’t stoned it wasn’t his fault!
As you may have gathered, I turned my back on rock music and embraced the Baroque in particular : Vivaldi, Bach and Handel leading the way. But of course Beethoven is eternally the master, and Mozart the unfathomable genius.
But I was in the scene : Roxy Music, Jethro Tull, Lou Reed and Focus in memorable concerts in the mid 70s. To quote a favourite song, “Those Were the Days, my friend . . .
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Doug, that wasn’t the tour where a pre Bon Scott Accadacca were supporting him (Reed)?
At Adelaide’s Festival Theatre he was off stage every five seconds, having some functionary massage him.
Leonard Cohen. As Skyhooks commented,
“Some people keep their egos in a bottom draw,
A fridge full of Leonard Cohen”.
Jennifer, you will be pleased to learn your old sparring partner from LP , Pavlov’s Cat, is also a fan of Cohen.
We lads cut to the chase; none of this “introspection” shit.
We’d score our bags and beers and off we’d be, like Johnny Depp’s buccaneers, as the speakers blasted out a crackly version of Sabbath and other intellectually challenging and stimulating musicians.
The Hey Chicks always looked down us with much disdain and seemingly annoyed, quoted Greer and de Beauvoir fiercely, employing quadruple syllable words in Americanised Brit Upper crust English accents..
But we knew we hadn’t a hope in the world of deciphering their censorious chatter, we were off,
“Swiss time was running out”, to quote Deep Purple
Anyway, (whatever else we didn’t know) we knew that wherever the HeyChicks were, it certainly wasn’t some where daylight reached- whatever we were after was occupied already.
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I don’t recall the supporting act for Lou, Paul; but I do recall seeing a strange bunch of clowns supporting Roxy Music – New Zealanders they were, with the strange name Split Enz.
I was impressed with their music, take or leave the make-up! But it was soon after The Rocky Horror Show with Reg Livermore hamming it up . . .
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And still the dingbat medai talk about the embattled Craig Thomson even though they are the only ones embattling him.
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MEDIA (in this context) = the conveyor of news and current affairs
(not including the microscopic % of media, especially independents, endowed with ethical,professional individuals)
OCHRE= the colour of this wide brand land and also of baby shite.
Our media = media-ochre aka mediocre.
= “No matter what medium the information comes in, all they can dish up is dirt and infantile shite.”
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Thanks for your kind words.
I do appreciate every ounce of support, as I know soon enough I will be dealing with a tonne of crap….
Keep up your good work…
The truth is out there…
Wixxy
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Yes, the crap will descend as sure as the sun rises. May the force be with you Wixxy!
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Well done Wixxy – keep up the good work.
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Madame Deputy Speaker,
My question is to the gallery and to the Speaker,
Is there any truth to the rumour that Parliament House will henceforth formalise the exact distance between the Manager for Opposition Business’s seat, and door of the chamber.
To be known from now on as as Pyne gap.
Further Madame Deputy Speaker, in order to keep voting procedures and protocols moving forward, and all possible voting Members available inside the House, could she instruct the Clerk of the House to arrange for the immediate installation of an Abbott Proof Fence.
Failing that, the Opposition Leader would ask that the House adopt the “barlees” principle when the Member for Dobell, rises to his feet.
_____________________________
Give it to ’em Craig.
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Pyne Gap! Ahahahahahaha!! Abbott proof fence!! Gold Hypo!
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If you don’t mind Hypo, I’d like to republish this on Ellis’ site!
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Of course you may DQ.
Just credit Hypocritophobe and if possible acknowledge birth of it via this incubator of the finest independent Politics, Society, Satire, Fiction, Fun Stuff on the net!
NPFS!!!!
It’s the energy here which fuels our creative engines.Share the lerve.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-30/inquiry-endorses-nsw-school-ethics-classes/4042370
Question.
Christian Democrats;
(A) Don’t like ethics
(B) Don’t like other peoples ethics
(C) Don’t have ethics
(D) Only believe in their own ethics
(E) All of the above
ANSWER:…………………………….
Hint 150 Doctors Senate Submission.
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Certainly B and D. They are sanctimonious and self righteous enough not to trust any ethics not specifically approved by their religious authority of choice.
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He may not be Len,but I think he has something to say.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-31/springsteen-lashes-out-at-bankers/4044602
Perhaps Garrett, were he still a performer and a man of principles, would be an Oiler today, and substituting the word ‘bankers’ for ‘miners’, in a similar vein.
Peter who?
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http://wixxy.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/hit-me-with-your-best-shot/
Those strange numbers some of us questioned on the so-called credit slip?
It is a rejection number.
And it is a rejection number because the code to access the card was wrong.
And Kate McClymont has not bothered to even find out or question the bloody thing.
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Dodgy
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-05/hsu-case-judge-critical-of-jackson-emails/4053366
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-06/court-told-of-defamatory-remarks-against-fwa27s-lawler/4056228
Getting more of a ‘Grech whiff’ as this chugs along.
Why would that be I wonder?
Can we ask who Lawlers law firm is?
Who is chipping in?
Any media barrons?
Mining magnates?
Political parties?
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You are close to the money, Hypo. Marilyn has shown great determination as usual. I think she is right on this one.
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Did you hear the sex worker has apologised to Thomson tonight for claiming she could identify him as a client?
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No.
Was it reported on the ABC or MSM?
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That reminds me of the thirteen year old girl who saw a naked man run through her bedroom after being caught in the act : her description? “It was white and about six or seven inches long” . . .
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‘Mistaken identity’: prostitute unsure if she slept with Thomson
Sydney Morning Herald – 12 minutes ago
The former sex worker at the centre of allegations against federal MP Craig Thomson tonight recanted her story that she had slept with him while he was at the Health Services Union – and accused the Nine Network of misrepresenting her
I like to see evidence that a hooker has higher morals than ACA
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It is indeed obvious that a hooker has higher morals than any MSM.
She is the sort of character witness Murdoch could only dream of finding to speak on his behalf.All he has is equally ethical peers.
This whole fiasco smells incredibly typical of the right in Canberra.
12 degrees of separation between the string pullers and the victims.
Well there may have been 12 to start with,but each day the thickening plot draws us ever closer to the main game.
Heads will roll over this.And not just Thomson’s.Not just on the Labor side,either.
Malcolm is quiet,isn’t he?
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I digress.
The human race is so brave…………………..
http://ausafari.com/countries/zimbabwe/
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-07/afp-officer-told-to-shut-down-awb-probe-reports/4057146
So now we must have a Royal Commission into every sleazy episode of the Howard years.(Including this one)
Including any promotions involving senior Federal police and the heads of our military.(Tampa etc)
We have already seen Howard rewarded Royally for scuttling our republic.
This RC must go ahead.
If Labor calls one as a condition if re-elected they will gain 12-15% in the polls.
Where are the farmers apologists now?
Off in the corner denying again?
Soldiers and civilians from many countries died during the period of these slimy transactions.Their memories and sacrifices must be honoured well above political pride and partisan manoeuvring.
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And as taxpayers we should be disgusted that the MLA has gotten away with this scam,and we will all pay for their incompetence.
$200 million which could have educated,housed or healed.Used for famine,environmental reparation or any number of causes.Even to satiate the fiscalites, and pay some debt off.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-07/cattle-export-ban-damages-claim-action/4057554
Financial advice,peeps, become an ag product exporter,wear RM Williams gear, grab a flash 4X4, and masquerade as a ‘farmer’.
(You can even live in the leafy suburbs if you want)
Guaranteed preferential treatment.Guaranteed income.Guaranteed policy implementation and pork barrelling for your ‘other’ community.No matter what.
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If all the Royal Commissions that should be called on Howard’s several disasters were held, Abbott, the Noalition front bench, Howard, Reith etc would never be out of the witness box, or the dock.
What are we waiting for?
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My point exactly, DQ.
Start with the illegal war and work back.
Most will go down with that one.
Following that cull,
We could accelerate the process by having a RC into which front-bencher was not involved in indictable behaviour.A much shorter list.
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wheat board scandal, to name one!
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I’ve been wondering for years what happened in that scandal. Seemed to fall off the radar with unseemly haste.
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NEWSFLASH*
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-15/mal-brough-subpoenaed-in-slipper-case/4072794
Oh dear!
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