A lot of rubbish on Andrew Bolt’s blog and in his newspaper columns this morning. Here’s a quick round-up — feel free to add comments and additions.
Asia: It's where the Asians live.
- Bolt’s latest rant against Labor and asylum seekers, couched in the “don’t let them drown” framing that he seems to think makes him sound humane, notes that a recent boat arrival had Vietnamese asylum seekers on board. In the process, Bolt managed this superb failure in geography:
Not that O’Connor told us this. Indeed, he pretended they may have been Afghans or Sri Lankans instead, and thus subject to a government decision three months ago to suspend refugee applications from those two nationalities … So how dishonest is that? By then even the most slack-jawed of sailors on the Armidale could have told at a glance that their new passengers were in fact Asian.
I’m not sure which continent Andrew thinks Afghanistan is on (Africa, perhaps?) or where the island of Sri Lanka is located near, but it’s interesting to learn that he thinks Asians all have a particular appearance.
The rest of that column is the usual nonsense, ignoring or waving away any facts while hammering Labor for being soft on asylum seekers and luring them to their deaths. The facts that asylum seekers from Vietnam arrived by boat during the Howard era — and were granted refugee status — is dismissed as a “good try, dear”. The fact that the arrivals won’t be allowed to stay in Australia unless they are found to have legitimate claims of political or other persecution isn’t mentioned at all. He suggests Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor was being deceptive by indicating that their nationality had not been confirmed, when a look at the media release shows that even the number of passengers was unconfirmed (and possibly inaccurate, since Bolt’s column today says 28 rather than 26), highlighting that the interception is announced close to immediately, but details are not available to those in Canberra until later. And so on.
- Bolt’s other column is an attack on the Greens and anyone trying to argue for energy reform and efficiency. Once again, it’s his usual guff — suggesting that if you want to reduce our reliance on energy from fossil fuel sources you must insist on living as a Luddite. And once again, it completely misrepresents the facts. The push to close the Hazelwood coal-fired power station as soon as possible — which, as I understand it, was originally scheduled to be shut down already, and which is an exceptionally high-emitting and polluting station — is turned by Bolt into an implied demand that all coal power stations should be shut down immediately. He even includes a self-congratulatory transcript from his radio segment yesterday, in which he seems to think someone is arguing that the current sources of 95% of Victoria’s electricity should be turned off tomorrow. This helps him to dismiss any argument that we should look at improving energy efficiency as inadequate. He asks:
Hazelwood – and I know this is an irrelevant detail to a planet-saver – happens to produce a quarter of this state’s electricity. You know, the stuff that powers your home, your factory, your office, your hospital, your computer, your trains, your airport, your street lighting, your cinema, your trams, your traffic lights …
Now I don’t want to seem like a spoilsport, but I would just like to be reassured on one small point: how the hell do the Greens then plan to power our state?
A quick search indicates that there has already been consideration of renewable plans that could replace Hazelwood within a couple of years. And so on.
- Bolt delights in the schadenfreude of Al Gore being the target of a sexual assault allegation. We have an image from the National Enquirer’s front page, a blog post that apparently gives Bolt the title of his post (implying that “teh Left” will think that even if guilty, Gore shouldn’t be targeted), and a brief note that the police are going to re-open the investigation — which, to a rational person, would suggest that perhaps we should wait and see what the investigation turns up.
- Finally, some more marginal seat polling, this time by Morgan in four Queensland electorates. Bolt includes this caveat:
That said, again a caution: just 200 or so people were surveyed in each electorate.
Then he adds this:
UPDATE
Some readers in comments below seem to think the total sample size is just 200 voters. It’s actually 200 in every seat – or 800 in all.
Wrong. Commenters were noting that the margin of error on a sample size of 200 is rather large. That is the sample size available for each statistical conclusion — four separate decisions (three going to the LNP, one to Labor). The margin of error on each is based on n = 200. As the Poll Bludger notes, this means the margin of error on each data set is +/- 7%.
Have at it.
67 Comments
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LOL – It’s in his column, it’s in newsprint, he can’t alter the fact that he has displayed to the world that he’s utterly ignorant of what constitutes the continent of Asia. I imagine he’s going to feel rather stupid when he reads this post.
Yet another typical, sloppy contribution from the nations most important trollumnist!
Errr I can’t condemn him for enjoying a bit of schadenfraude prematurely, I was tickled pink about the ICCs knock back of Howard’s candidacy and will be over the moon if Kevin Andrews is left destitute by the lawsuit being raised on the behalf of Mohamed Haneef.
Oh please. If this is the best you can do, you ought to hang it up. What’s next, you’ll criticise descriptions of crims as being of “middle eastern appearance” not because its allegedly racist, but because “everyone knows Lebanon is in Asia, duh!” This is sophomoric.
And if Dick Cheney were accused of what is being said about Gore, we’d never hear the end of it from you mob.
Oh Shabadoo here to defend Trollumnist’s gross ignorance.
It’s an article of faith on the right that human ingenuity and the free market can overcome any obstacle. Except moving away from CO2 intensive power sources, apparently, which will roon us, I tells ya.
I thought bolt was opposed to communism? How can he possibly support the repatriation of people fleeing (for whatever reason) the evil communists? What if they were North Korean? Would he send them back as well?
I’m not defending Bolt, I’m suggesting that this is a pretty piss-weak effort in criticising him.
{Snip – We’ve been asked not to talk about that person}
Stating that all Asians look the same isn’t just ignorance, it’s particularly nasty, designed to appeal directly to the fuckwits out there who don’t know their arse from their brain. And it’s obviously honey to the base because already we’ve got Shabadoo here telling us there’s nothing to see, and it’s really all about Al Gore.
I see Bolt’s also mocking New Zealand for taking action on greenhouse emissions. ‘This scheme will reduce the world’s emissions by a mere 0.04%’ he scoffs. Well Andrew, what if ALL nations took the same action as New Zealand? This is a classic denialist argument – examine the effects of a countries emissions reductions in isolation, and ignore the scenario in which there is united action amongst nations. If we all adopted the “I’ll do it when eveyone else does” approach then nothing would ever happen.
Oh bollocks, it’s Shabadoo again.
Shabadoo, Dick Cheney tortured people, most of whom were guilty of nothing more than being Islamic people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gore could shag the Pope for all I care, and it wouldn’t amount to a tiny proportion of the moral bankruptcy of Cheney.
“And if Dick Cheney were accused of what is being said about Gore, we’d never hear the end of it from you mob.”
yeah lets all talk about things that haven’t happened and speculate on what people will say. how productive.
Riiiight, the guy made an ignorant and offensive comment and we’re piss weak for pointing that out!
What’s your point? Gore is being pilloried by Bolt. Oh I see, it’s OK for Bolt, it’s OK for Bolt to be completely ignorant but it’s not OK for us to criticise him. Thanks for setting us straight
Well, when you’ve got nothing but you want to join in the debate why not just make stuff up?
If I adopted the same brain dead rationale it would be OK for me to waste water, after all, I’m only one person, if I waste a few mega litres it’s hardly going to register? Yet another, childish, ignorant argument from the trollumnist!
That gore story will be interesting. The masseuse reckons she’s got physical evidence – that’s a bit different from the usual he-said/she-said claim. It should be investigated, absolutely. I still have no opinion on the accuracy of the claim. I can’t, because – like AB – I have no personal knowledge of the facts. Some of the coverage has been astonishing, though – I posted a link to this gem a few days ago, and I think it shows just how unhinged partisan reporting can be:
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2010/06/28/open-thread-june-28-july-2/comment-page-1/#comment-30433
This one’s relevant too:
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2010/06/28/open-thread-june-28-july-2/comment-page-1/#comment-30430
Gore supporters will, no doubt, employ all of the bulltish hedges so beloved of conservatives in similar circumstances – “she’s a woman and women lie”, “what did she expect in a hotel at 10pm?”, “she just wants a payout/attention” etc. And gore haters will declare that it’s all 100% bona fide fact, no matter what the results of the investigation. Meanwhile, political activists will try to destroy the accuser by going through her rubbish bins and digging up the past political affiliations of everyone in her extended family, getting her friends to dish dirt etc. Whatever the truth of the situation, she’s in for a rough ride – and she’ll be trashed just as badly by The Right if the story doesn’t go the way they want it to.
I think it’s a lot easier to just admit that I don’t know. I can’t know. Sly giggles or posturing just illustrate my own prejudices and nothing more.
If you were going to an Afghani restaurant for dinner, would you say you were heading out for Asian?
Oh my god Shabadoo, we’re talking about people not food! That has to rank as one of the sillier things you’ve said.
Desperado @ 15 !
Here’s a little bit of reading for Shabby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia
Shabadoo @ 15: No. It’s Afghani. But then, most people would denote “Asian” restaurants by the country – such as Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese – rather than the region.
Fail.
Shabadoo @15
“If you were going to an Afghani restaurant for dinner, would you say you were heading out for Asian?”
If I was eastern european, then yes I probably would. It all depends on where you’re standing. A lot of Russians regarded stalin as “asian”.
I’m not sure I’m completely on board with TZ’s line of argument here, but the question of who is “asian” is quite broad. Technically, anyone east of the bosporus can be regarded (by somebody) as asian. I have a chinese friend who has asked essentially the same question you just did when she realised that when londoners say “asian” they mean pakistanis and indians.
Only if you were the sort of person who says all Asian food looks the same.
Oh, and if we’re going to let the argument be dragged into the gutter (and it wasn’t me who decided that should happen, I stress) then lets have a look at the first (literally) two images I found for googling “afghanis” and “vietnamese”
http://blogs.newamericamedia.org/photo-of-the-day/136/agonies
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/image_galleries/vietnamese_chanting_hall_opening_gallery.shtml?29
I agree, it’s stupid, but I didn’t bring it up. I could swap the labels on those images around, and I doubt AB would know for sure. Or anyone else, for that matter. It’s best just to avoid stupid claims like in the first place.
A single glance from a slack-jawed yokel might not find this sort of profiling as easy as one might think. Ok, the moment they SAY something, sure. Yes, the style of dress is different … but not THAT different, and after a week or two at sea I reckon that wouldn’t matter a lot.
“If you were going to an Afghani restaurant for dinner, would you say you were heading out for Asian?”
Nobody answer “no”, or else that will prove Afghanistan isn’t Asian. Or something.
{Removed – not addressing the issues – Tobby}
If you guys can’t admit that when, at least in Australia, when someone refers to someone speaking of an individual as appearing “Asian”, they mean from East Asia, they are not being complete idiots, than your hatred of Bolt has blinded you more than I realised.
{Removed – Tobby}
For all the Conservative’s talk about self-responsibility, Bolt blames Rudd rather than the people getting on the boats, or the boat itself, for their deaths. Simple cause and effect relations indicate that these people got on the boat of their own volition. But Bolt and his minions believe that Rudd is entirely responsible.
This indicates that their hatred of Rudd has gotten to such proportions that they’ll suspend their slogan of ‘self-responsibility’ when it suits their hate.
I posted this over there.
I am of the conclusion that the only way to understand Bolt is through psychoanalysis. His constant barrages of anger toward immigrants, greens, Mulsims, coloured people, leftists, Labor etc etc indicates he is suffering from some kind of neurotic problem. Neurosis stems from rejected object-cathexes; which signals that he has had many disappointments throughout his existence. Immigrants, greens etc merely become scapegoats to discharge this pent up self-disapponitment toward so he can receive a temporary feeling of compensation for all past failings.
Blastbeater, I am of the conclusion that the only way to understand Pure Poison is through psychoanalysis. Their constant barrages of anger toward Liberals, industrialists, the successful, people with “McMansions”, John Howard, He Who Must Not Be Named, Andrew Bolt, etc etc indicates they are suffering from some kind of neurotic problem.
Presumably a bunch of hundred dollar a week bloggers are making those with much bigger traffic, recognition and bank balances into scapegoats to discharge this pent up self-disappointment so they can receive a temporary feeling of compensation for all past failings.
Nice links and commentary, Matthew. Another thing I’d note is that in processing asylum seekers, the last thing that should be done is to take things at first glance. Claims need to be verified and nothing should be assumed; also, genuine refugees could be more likely to not look like they come from where they have actually come from, if they’re in a persecuted ethnic minority.
Shabadoo, I like how Sri Lanka disappeared completely when you started talking about what we might or might not mean by “Asian”, food or otherwise. I love playing Dick Cheney’s Hypotheticals, too — much better than the Geoffrey Robertson version. For what it’s worth, I’m with Matthew at 14 — I have no idea about the accuracy of the claim. I hope we won’t see the sorts of excuses and rationalisations he talks about from Gore supporters, although I suspect we will from some — and I guess they’ll be used to condemn “our mob”. Personally, I’m not big on mobs, or on jumping to conclusions based on whether I like or dislike the person involved. It’s being investigated and I’ll wait to see what the police conclude.
Blastbeater, I’m afraid I don’t put much stock in psychoanalysis — I think we’re better off keeping the discussion focused on the arguments and the issues rather than trying to theorise about the person. That’s best left to the Quarterly Essay.
Shabadoo, keep ‘em coming. It would be a dull read without you sticking your head on the block like that.
As for thick skin. PASS
I despise him because in my opinion he is a dog whistler, what I don’t get is why you defend him, maybe you agree with his views?
From the top right hand corner of this website:
This is what happens at PP, if you don’t like it you don’t have to participate, it seems though you just can’t help yourself, when Bolt is appropriatley slagged of along comes Shabadoo to defend him.
Just wondering here what does an Australian look like?
And is it immediately obvious that someone is Australian?
And what criteria should we apply to determine someone’s origin? Phenotype or geography?
If your answer is phenotype shabadoo do list them for us so that we can all share your superior understanding of what defines race.
Blastbeater, I am of the conclusion that the only way to understand Pure Poison is through psychoanalysis. Their constant barrages of anger toward Liberals, industrialists, the successful, people with “McMansions”, John Howard, He Who Must Not Be Named, Andrew Bolt, etc etc indicates they are suffering from some kind of neurotic problem.
That reminds me of something….hmmm, let’s see….ahh, yes, here in my files on punitive psychiatry. Funny how people with a mania for categorising dissent fall back on the “madness” excuse…
Hands up all those who have eaten Afghan food? It’s not Afghani, that is their currency.
It’s Asian. Lot’s of rice, curries, spicey meats and mountains of fruit and veg with flat bread and gorgeous rich sweets and puddings.
Pure Asian. Because Afghans are Asians. Hazara are in particular more Chinese in appearance than Pashtuns but they are all Asians and their food is divine.
Especially the chicken curry Roqia Bakhtiyari used to cook for me.
Bolt is an ignoramus who pretends that a few people drowning is what concerns him. So much better that they stay behind and die.
RRT appeals – all countries Jan to March
China, Malaysia ,,Philipinnes ,,Lebanon , Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Sudan , Nigeria , Algeria, New Zealand
Uganda ,India ,Turkey, Rwanda ,Pakistan, Jordan ,Zimbabwe ,Indonesia ,Fiji ,Somalia ,Burma, Latvia , Korea , Colombia ,Mongolia, Iran, Bangladesh ,Macedonia , Egypt ,Tonga , Afghanistan, ,
Cameroon , Nepal, Tunisia ,Albania , Guinea , Serbia, Thailand ,Congo , Vietnam, Palestine ,Bangladesh , Sierra Leone, ,Uzbekistan, ,Vanuatu
And we never, ever mention the people from these countries who apply for asylum here or claim they should have stayed somewhere else.
The question of Rightwing psychopathology is crucial,if only because they dominate our politics, the media and business. I think that it is plain that Rightists are psychopaths,of more or less florid type. It is all there-the indifference to the fate of others, the lack of human empathy, the conscienceless lying, the bullying,intimidating behaviour, the false public persona, the gigantic egomania. Just remember Howardism.Every group for whom Howard did not bother to disguise his contempt ie refugees, Aborigines, gays, trade unionists, environmentalists welfare recipients etc,policy was not just neglectful,but actively punitive and vindictive. And the Howard project was aided and abetted all the way by similar creatures in the media, who did the hate and fearmongering that Howard relied on to push his evil agenda through. The psychopathy of the Right is nowhere better or more tragically illustrated than in the anthropogenic climate change denial crusade, which, reliant as it is entirely on lies and misrepresentations and on the imbecility and pig ignorance of the Rightwing rabble it has roused from its stupefaction, is leading us to disaster. The one redeeming feature of this debacle is that, as appears probable at present, the Right ‘wins’ and action is delayed beyond the point of no return for our species, at least that particular evil,the Rightwing psychopath, will disappear from the multiverse.
Wow, Shabs. You think even less of us than we do of you. Way to hurt our feelings.
So tell us: if you are not a troll, why are you here?
Wow! So all East Asians look the same eh Shabs?
I think at this point even Andy’s imploring Shabadoo to stop defending him!!
Blastbeater, mulga mumblebrain –
I’m nobody to make the rules, but seriously … leave it out. I’m betting neither of you is a working psychiatrist, and all you’re doing is using psychobabble to smear people you don’t like. Life just isn’t that simple, and psychopaths really aren’t that common. There are actually legitimate reasons why somebody might decide they’re conservative, although “right wing” is a bit harder to justify.
To illustrate just how bonkers that approach is …
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Industrial_Society_and_Its_Future#The_psychology_of_modern_leftism
Why has no one mentioned Nepalese food? I know a ripper place just up the road and the food is to die for!!
Now, Confessions?
I take it all back. I used to think you were the most radical, far left person I had ever come across.
Compared to Mumblebrain, you and me may as well be hanging out at Chadstone and swapping recipes! You free tomorrrow?
Matthew of Canberra, whilst combatting Bolt “on topic” is the best approach, I nevertheless find his repeated deception and aggression troublesome. Descartes famously said “we fall into error when our will extends beyond our understanding”. Often, Bolt wants to be right on an issue without actually properly understanding the issue. In short, his will extends beyond his understanding. Why this occurs frequently is an area of valid and important investigation; because it holds the key to why Bolt acts as he does.
I agree, though, he’s not a ‘psychopath’, and my psychoanalysis here will be a one off, as I agree it’s best to remain on topic to expose his lies.
Matthew, if you are blind to the state of the planet and to whom the responsibility for its parlous,probably terminal (for our species) state must be attributed, then I pity you. Perhaps you are in denial, it being a big leap,intellectually and morally, to recognise that radical evil governs the affairs of humanity, or perhaps you simply think a world running headlong towards catastrophe is somehow a good thing. Either way your dissent from my position impresses me not one jot.
I found the link to the ‘UNA-bomber’s’ manifesto quite interesting. Kaczynski was correct, I would say, to recognise that industrial civilization was destroying the biosphere, but he plainly erred, practically and morally, in murdering several low-level functionaries of the system. Much better to have started at the top of the food-chain amongst the really evil beggars. His rambling discourse on what makes a ‘leftist’ shows that he was thinking deeply about things, but I think most of it is wrong-headed. For me being on the ‘Left’ simply means believing in individual freedom, but for everyone, not just an elite, preferring collaboration to competition, which is prioritised by the Right not for its alleged greater efficacy (mostly fraudulent)but because it divides humanity into ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and the Right ensures, by rigging the terms of this competition at every opportunity, that it will be they who emerge as the victors. It means believing in equality, in freedom from want and freedom from economic coercion. It means absolute priority for the biosphere to ensure the continued existence of life in all its exuberance, on this planet, for the benefit of our descendants and for its own sake. And being of the ‘Right’ in my experience, means being indifferent, or,more often, determinately antithetical to all these positions.
Don’t take all the flak Shabs, I’ll step in to rev them up. Here we go. I happen to agree with Bolt most of the time.
I agree if you asked most Aussies what an Asian looked like they would cite Chinese rather than Turkish. I agree if you asked them isn’t India also Asian they would say yes but don’t be a pedantic prick. So, yes he wasn’t accurate but most Australians knew exactly what he meant as did every one commenting here. And he’s dead right about Labor being soft on asylum seekers and luring them to their deaths at sea. I say let Labor keep it up. This will lose them an election. Scratch one PM so far.
As for Greens being stupid, it’s self evident really. Rich, childless, atheist, inner city types (Greens) are not mainstream and never will be. By all means shut down Victoria’s brown coal stations and shivver yourselves back to sense. Working class people will see through this in a nanosecond. Basically Greens (being rich) can afford higher power prices but workers (most voters) won’t wear it. Ask yourselves why Greens don’t win Government and there’s your answer in a nutshell. Dream on Greens. Watch Tassie to see the damage they’ll do and how quickly they’ll get on the nose.
And we all know Gore’s a goose, hypocrite, liar and now a sleezy, sex crazed loser (his wife voted with her feet remember). Can’t wait for the tests on those stains!! But in the meantime the money’s still rolling in spreading those lies.
Come on lefties. Get upset.
Hey Capt Col, I know the sad reality that Gillard is going to crush your man at the next election hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but please try keeping up with the facts.Labor is going to win the next election, and what’s more, they’re going to increase their majority in the Reps, and the Greens are going to have the balance of power in the Senate.
Contrary to your ramblings on how you see the future of the Greens, they will one day be the other half of the duopoly that currently shares power in this country.The Liberal party will be, sooner than later, sent to the rubbish bin of history.This is going to be some what aided by the Liberals new leader a one Tony Abbott.If you think for longer than a nanosecond the Australian people are going to let this man represent us on the world stage, you’d better have a Bex and a long lay down.
Didn’t even attempt to hide it was a troll post, just said it upfront and reinforced it at the end, everything else inbetween was a load of generalised meaningless rubbish and Captain Col knows it, just posted to bulk out the troll post.
Has to be one the lamest troll posts I’ve ever come across.
Col, pathetic even by your witless standards.
Anyway, back to Bolt.
He has a standard operating procedure when it comes to the environment, be it climate change or The Greens: put words into the mouths of the opposition, invent the criteria for their stance, and then bag them when those fake criteria are not met, or they deviate from what Bolt says they believe in. It’s a simple strategy, tuned to appeal to simple intellects. Capt Col agrees with it.
Col, Shabs, Upy, pedro and Iain Hall perfectly represent the state of the modern Right: intellectually bankrupt, prepared to capitulate on issues of principle in order to pander to the base fears of ignorant people, and an unwillingness to reflect critically on the things they read in the popular media.
I’d love it if this site were to attract genuine conservative commenters, who are capable of framing their position within a true conservative ideology, as opposed to the populism that is passed off as conservatism these days. However, I have resigned myself to the fact that such people don’t exist in this country, hence we have to tolerate reactionary fools instead.
*sigh*
Well Duh!
And
Hahahahahahahaha.
I see you learned how to stereotype from Bolt…
Why? you’re funny
Captain Col, your post is ‘Un-Australian’
CC @43
“I agree if you asked most Aussies what an Asian looked like they would cite Chinese rather than Turkish.”
That’s all very well, but a search of images still suggests that vietnamese and afghanis don’t necessarily look different when taken away from obvious contextual clues – for example a jungle background with tigers[1] vs a rocky landscape with opium poppies[2]. I’ve never been to afghanistan, so I have to rely on potos. I don’t think there’s any need to get worked up over the “asian” category – to me, AB’s claim about the slack-jawed being able to tell at a single glance still sounds extremely doubtful.
But I repeat – the moment they SAID something, yeah, then it would be obvious.
[1] Are there any tigers left?
[2] Go the blight!
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