Reported in the AP, written up in the Weekend Australian, a couple of op-eds, and the NYT, but not a lot of attention …
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea called on Friday for an end to “the hostile relationship” with the United States, issuing a New Year’s message that highlighted the reclusive country’s attempt to readjust the focus of six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
In the meantime, an interesting snippet from of the The Mainichi Daily News earlier today …
This year, the Obama administration will continue to take various actions on the nuclear issue. The U.S. and Russia are heading toward an agreement on strategic arms reduction. Meanwhile, the U.S. is working on renewing the country’s Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) for the first time in eight years, and is expected to incorporate anti-nuclear terrorism measures. The nuclear security summit this April will aim for an international agreement on enhanced protection of nuclear materials, and in May, a review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) — held every five years — will take place in New York.
I may be too hopeful, too optimistic, but I don’t care …
Our world *is* moving to a better place.
Polls are now coming out regularly showing swings back to the Democrats. They do need to sort out the health care bill.
This to me sounds like the death of Senator Conroys censorship laws.
****************************************************
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/85755-reps-smith-wu-establish-new-net-freedom-caucus-
1497
KL Mark Scott has even played subbie and come up with a header for the baby elephant story. “Miracle at Tooronga”.
Meanwhile, FDOTM has done it again.
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ThingsWeKnewAllAlong.jpg
What a pity that Steve Fielding is a senator instead of a comedian.
Come to think of it… Stephen Conroy should join him in the same game.
They’d make a great double act on stage.
Meanwhile, we could (hopefully) get a couple of actual sane people to represent us in the senate for a change.
Big Rush has vowed to leave the country if health care passes.
He has said he will go to Costa Rica where, yes you guessed it , the health care system has universal health insurance and excellent public and private hospitals.
The comments say it all.
http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=108243
paddy @ 1503
That Q&A was a real turning point for me re Fielding. I will forever think of him as a comedian. Just the sight of him is humourous. Everything about him is simply ridiculous.
Here is a link to the best photo you will have seen today. Go look and make sure you read the caption.
http://twitpic.com/17jywj
1505
Agreed KL
That Q&A was pure gold.
Plus it even had Julie Bishop’s death stare.
But far and away,
http://twitpic.com/17jywj
that’s absolutely the photo of the day.
(I’ve already spammed most of my friends with it.)
1505
Damn it KatiLou.
Looks like we’ve been sucker punched again.
http://tinyurl.com/lrat7o
Bloody photoshop!!
paddy
Did anyone else imagine a thought bubble coming from her head? A “Do you know who I am?” shaped bubble?
1508
No… …….But I wish I had.
But then someone else came up with this gem, which was almost as funny.
http://tinyurl.com/ykpzp46
Then again, as we’re assailed from all sides by fake pictures and fake politicians, there are those occasionally lovely moments when you stumble across something real.
Paul Kelly telling a family story. (No, not that wanker who writes for the Oz. The *real* Paul Kelly.)
http://wheelercentre.com/videos/video/a-gala-night-of-storytelling-paul-kelly/
Spruiking for Mossad now Paddy?
3 elephants…… 4 trunks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN2xQ2zqmCI
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83071
OK- friends
I need you all to be on self-harm- watch as I was told by a (former) dear friend that I reminded her of Julie Bishop – mainly due to her penchant for a pearl necklace
am shattered.
Hi Jenners!
Did you give your ex-friend a Death Stare?
actually – I meant
Flanners-
I killed her – no hands.
Wonder how the audience member that Julie zoomed in on. survived.
(delete fullstop)
EC at 1477
I agree. I want our pollis to make ALL religions subject to Corporation Law for tax purposes and the Trade Practices Act for what they proselytise. That would effectively do away with the nonsense they peddle and might even see some church leaders in the docks.
1512
Jen
But Jen it’s every girls dream to have a pearl necklace, especially one of this type.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VEYgZcswcw
1517
Good to see ya again Cardster.
There’s only one good thing that ever came out of religion and that happened when i was 7 years old.
The only day of the week that i wore shoes and socks was when i went to Sunday School.
The dickheads quite often asked me to count the plate out the back room and stack up the different size coins.
Quite a few silver coins went out the door in my socks and my brother and our mates had a feast of goodies from the shop later.
When they stopped asking me to count the plate i stopped going to Sunday School.
My motto now is beware of blokes carrying bibles and there are a few too many of them in our Parliament at the moment.
It is now official that the AB friggin C journos are officially being nobbled when the chairman, Little lying Johnnies mate Maurice Newman was outed today by Mark Colvin for telling them they weren’t giving enough climate change sceptics airtime.
Let us see how far it plays.
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2842177.htm
excellent Gaffers -
50% airtime for 2% basis in , ahem, ‘fact’.
That would be balance – neocon style.
Check out the comments on Clive Hamilton’s blog on The Drum for a taste of insanity/inanity … scary stuff.
And speaking of style – you just so got it re the jewellery.
and yeah –
hiya Cardster.
1520
gaffhook
A quick google reveals that the slimy little rodent loving chairman, was appointed in 2006. So, hopefully, he’s on a 5 year term like the rest of the board. That would mean he can join Keith Windshuttle in looking for a new job next year. Hopefully, Crikey and maybe Fairfax will run with this tomorrow. (I can’t imagine News Ltd spouting outrage.)
Bloody denialists!!!! They’ll be the death of us all.
Three more Democratic senators said on Tuesday that they would either support the public option in a Senate floor vote or were heavily leaning that way.
***************************************************
It’s still on the cards, more here..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/09/still-surging-public-opti_n_492363.html
Bill Halter, the lieutenant governor campaigning against Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic primary, announced Tuesday that he has never been a lobbyist and that he will never become a lobbyist.
*************************************************
he’s saying all the right things….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/09/bill-halter-blanche-linco_n_492127.html
Its spreading like a wildfire throughout Europe.
*************************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8559514.stm
BBC NEWS REPORTS THAT:
*********************
More on those Melbourne heathens…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8555953.stm
1520
Well Gaffy, it looks like Fairfax has had a nibble at Newman this morning.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/abc-chairman-warms-to-the-climate-sceptics-20100310-pz9u.html
Plus News Ltd has weighed in with the “trouble at the ABC meme.
(How surprisement!!)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/climate-balance-urged-at-abc/story-e6frg996-1225839329115
I’ll now await Crikey’s take.
Newman must be lampooned for labelling peer reviewed scientific findings as groupthink. The groupthink is all in the deniers camp. Moron.
What took them so long?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/10/democrats-to-upend-senior_n_493812.html#postComment
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/10/public-option-support-now_n_493725.html
1529
Well KatieLou, here’s the text of Maurice Newman’s address to the troops.
Bloody hell, the man’s a friggin dinosaur.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/maurice-newman-speech/story-e6frg996-1225839427099?from=public_rss
Mr Newman suffers from the chronic ailment of “blind in one eye and can’t see out the other.
Fancy having the gall to stand up and say what he has after the exposure that the ABC has given to Mr Monkeyton and that other Adelaide Charlattan. Plus all the bullshit they publish as copy and paste direct from the MSM.
It is not only in the area of climate change as it is patently obvious there is a get rid of Labor at all costs agenda with reckless disregard to the lies the push.
Good on Jonathon Holmes and Bernie Hobbs for sticking it to him while all the other MSM Liebral shrills just sat there probably frightened of loseing their jobs.
What a gutless lot of cretins but i suppose the likes of Fran Bailey and Chris Toolman would be loving being told to go harder with their love of Tony.
Public Option Through Reconciliation — Has your senator taken a stand?
***************************************************
http://whipcongress.com
1530 Chris B This will make the Democrats a real progressive party. It will really speed up the changes needed.
Internet’s Future in America — You Must Play A Role in Crafting It.
**************************************************
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jose-antonio-vargas/internets-future-in-ameri_b_493849.html
Telstra messages with American accents? Can’t they make them here?
Compare presidential approvals.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Approval-Center.aspx
Note: Obama is ahead of Regan.
There was a big swing to the Democrats in the 1982 house of representative elections – they picked up 27 seats. So, I would expect the Republicans to pick up fewer seats than that. I think my prediction was 12 to 20, with 2 to 3 in the Senate. That still seems reasonable.
Progressives: Punish Lincoln! Sen. Sherrod Brown: Stay Tuned!
*************************************************
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/progressives-punish-lincoln-sen-sherrod-brown-stay-tuned.php?ref=fpb
The American Mini Series The Pacific, shot in Australia is getting a big push on the Internet. (Some of it shot in Melbourne).
Good stuff. Crikey weighs in on Maurice Newman’s fatuous rant about climate change.
http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/11/abc-chairman-gives-editorial-independence-a-kick-in-the-groin/
Well well, hands up who is surprised that the Liberal Religious Party and the Labor Religious Party joined together to vote down Xenophon’s inquiry into The Scientology Church?
Bastards one and all.
As Xenophon says: “What are they afraid of finding”
Talk about unrepresentative swill.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/11/2842893.htm?section=justin
Rasmussen is particularly effective at it because is has flooded the zone with their heavily pro-GOP polling.
*****************************************************
Full story of the Republican polling company here…
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/8/844085/-Rasmussen-flooding-the-zone
1544 HarryH They then set a precedent and may have to look into the Catholic (Pedophile) Church.
Internet ‘in running’ for Nobel Peace Prize.
*********************************
continued here….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8560469.stm
Dear Jesus….I want a tranquilliser gun for my birthday please.
http://media.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/VegemiteHalal.jpg
Chris B,
I have to say that I am coming to the conclusion that the Internet has damaged our ability to communicate scientific knowledge effectively. It has served to polarise rather than increase consensus, particularly in the political arena. Basically, internet sites such as WattsUpWithThat and ClimateAudit are able to make themselves appear to be equals in the debate, simply because they have a website. All websites are of equal initial value. There is no filtering; there are no gatekeepers. Hence, an internet website promoting climate change denial is just as powerful as one promoting the truth. The internet has artificially levelled the playing field. Something must be done about this. I do not know what, but it has already proven to be a serious problem.
The true truth about Maurice Newman.
http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=122363
Church Abuse Scandal ‘Creeping Ever Closer’ To The Pope.
continued here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/10/church-abuse-scandal-cree_n_494087.html
Time waster alert!!!
http://www.incredibox.fr/
Facebook has 471 million users. My Space undergoing revamp.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/myspace-makeover-aims-to-stall-user-exodus-20100311-pzxj.html
Friends of ABC are into it now Paddy.
http://australia.to/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1451:abc-chairman-maurice-newman-must-explain-&catid=97:news-media-releases&Itemid=161
Seppo citizen is on the march. Joe six pack and Jean Vodka Shooter have had enough. They are getting angry with the insurance companies. Good shit.
http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=108271
Possums latest post on AS is a hoot.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2010/03/11/perspective/#more-7364
1556
Oh the power of a good graph!!
What a beauty.
That possum is a national living treasure of marsupial magic.
Paddy
Labor should print that on to an A3 and pin it to all the Lib Parliament office doors overnight.
The question I always wanted to ask Ruddock and Howard after they demonised boat people as “queue jumpers” was “Who is the last person in you queue, the second last, … ?” As they would be unable to answer this, it should have demonstrated what a ridiculous construct the notion of a “queue” and “queue jumping” was. It was done to make their venal playing to the ill-educated and innumerate racists amongst us seem reasonable to the target audience.
The way to fix boat people is to fix the problems. My neighbour is an Iranian Christian who spent 2-3 years in an Italian refugee camp starting about 20 years ago (”bloody Shiites”).
He is someone I genuinely admire because he has used the opportunity Australian offered to set up and run a thriving painting business. Australia needs more people like him.
A few of words were missing from
“The way to fix boat people is to fix the problems. ”
should read
The way to fix boat people is to fix the problems in their country of origin.
Bruce Haig has an excellent piece on the parallels between Vietnam and Afghanistan in the drum today.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2843242.htm
yay for Possum!
Fake Steve Fielding writes about this weeks Q&A appearance.
http://www.groupthink.com.au/2010/03/12/steve-goes-on-the-telly/
Crikey has a graph of comparisons between airtime for Hansen the NASA scientist and Monkeyton the sceptic on the AB Friggin C.
What a ljoke he is. He should be told to clean his desk and fuck off ASAP.
http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/11/crikey-says-group-think-a-crikey-graph/#comment
Any coffee lovers out there…Look away now.
Firstdog has committed yet another outrage.
http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/12/if-australia-is-the-question-poo-is-the-answer/
Lovely little slapdown for
son of SamMaurie Newman over here.http://stilgherrian.com/politics/abc-chair-newman-out-of-line-on-climate-change/
1565
Paddy
Aint that just brilliant.
1567
Definitely one of his better efforts Gaffy.
BTW
I’ve just ordered myself a triple treat of bumper stickers.
http://www.crikey.com.au/emporium/bumper-stickers/
The local bogans will probably firebomb my car.
But what the heck.
Cardster, lovely to see you gain. Agree 100% on the collective mega-rorts that is State-subsidised (zippo tax etc.) religions. Spiritual pick-pockets and money sucking control freaks the lot of ‘em. And bloody hypocrites to boot!!
Always bonzer to glom your acerbism too, H.
AH, gaffy, how long did it take the spiritual pickpockets to twig to the material “shortages”? Great story.
At the church I was dragged to for Sunday mass, Perc Galea used to usher the collection plate from aisle to aisle and he eyeballed it from hand to hand. Twice during each performance, two collectors (one being Perc) would walk up the centre aisle to the front pews. Perc would then drop a ten quid note on “his” plate to set the tone. That was about half a working man’s wage in 1954. Dad would surreptitiously change the ten bob note to a “frogskin” (One pound note) when he saw Perc was collecting on his side. A similar ripple effect occurred, choreographed by raw fear, among the adjacent parishioners.
There were never any “shotages” on Perc Galea’s Sunday shift.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Allan
(that’s more like a couple of mill. in today’s tender)
———————————————————————-
———————————-oOo——————————
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83041/
———————————-oOo———————————
———————————————————————–
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83146
March 12:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/tony-auth
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83132
Mar 11:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/jeff-danziger
Mar 10:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/ted-rall
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83105
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83133
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83134
Tim Benny Hank & Co. know what’s best for us:
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/83185
——————————————————-
Naturally your chariot is ratshit and you wish to update courtesy of your insurers, n’est-ce pas, paddy?
1569
EC
There was another joker named Bumper Farrell in charge of the vice squad around that time i believe.
More sanity starting to prevail re: teh unrepresentative swill that are the Denialists…
http://newmatilda.com/2010/03/12/abc-climate-denial
Gaffy, Det Senior Sgt. “Bumper” Farrell ruled Darlinghurst and the Cross with his mere presence and occasionally his “iron gaultlet” or knuckle dusters. Heat was packed, but used sparingly, mostly as a whip.
The amazing thing was that in those days kids could roam the nearby streets and nobody dare lay a malfeasant hand upon them beacuse they knew that they would answer not only to Perc’s heavies (Les Norton types) but to Bumper himself.
Things changed forever on the streets of Sydney (a sort of social 9/11) when Scots College schoolboy, Graham Thorne, was kidnapped and snuffed. His folks decided not to pay the ransom (Graham Thornes parent were already reasonably well-off).
The perpetrator’s brain was zorched when the Thornes’ Opera House Lottery win was splashed all over the front pages of Sydney tabloids.
Soonafter, lottery ticket purchasers could tick a NFT box (not for publication) when buying.
Anyhow, nobody messed with Bumper because he had a rep of being able to bash a felon to within an inch of his life. And if he didn’t get the info he wanted, he’s back up again to administer another hiding.
In the U.K., otoh, some of the villains were somewhat more formidable.
MA 15+ :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HAQ3pNHwj4
1572
EC there was a story did the rounds but don’t know how much truth there was in it.
Apparantly Bumper fronted up to the door at Easts Leagues Club and the policy was , hair touching collar equals no entry. The bouncer at the door told him hair too long no entry.
Bumper did the old you know who i am trick.
Doorman says sir my job is nobody goes through the door with hair touching collar don’t really care who you are.
Bumper was supposed to have went to push him out of the way to go in and finished up a bloody mess on the footpath that night.
I would imagine if that happened Bumper would have paid him another visit at another time.
gaffy, I think that’s an urban legend, however the Easts Tricolours as they were known then, did have a ban on long hair in their club in Spring St. Bondi Junction.
Several hirsute “don’t you know who I ammers” were denied entry but every thug bouncer in the East would have known who Bumper was. Menschkeit like that was the metier of gym habitues in the 60s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDntUxPN2PQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Farrell_(rugby_league)
Anyway gaffers, I’d bet against it having happened, but there would still be a few old timers out there who would know for sure if the Saying No To Bumper story was ridgy didge.
Bozo and Johnny Raper would know the truth for sure.
Maybe it was Chapelli ?
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19730520&id=cxIfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qOUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6293,3941780
The mind is always boggled at what the scientists will come up with next. I have trouble coming to grips with how they could even come up with the basic idea of where to start with something new.
Like I am going to turn that picture on the wall into a speaker by modifying the glass covering the picture.
Absolutely amazing.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Invisible-speakers-powered-by-martinweiss-100312-503.html
Church Sex Abuse Scandal ‘Has Now Reached’ The Pope: AP.
*************************************************
more here….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/12/popes-former-diocese-admi_n_497167.html
I like this bit from the same article above.
*********************************
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/12/popes-former-diocese-admi_n_497167.html
Apparently Size Does Matter.
After all these months we finally learn the real reason Republicans, to a man, oppose health care reform … self-esteem:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/12/845317/-Apparently-Size-Does-Matter
Democrats Link Student Aid Bill To Health Care Bill For Reconciliation Vote.
continued here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/12/democrats-link-student-ai_n_497686.html
1579
Chris
Looks horribly like he has the retards locked well and trully in the vice now and is just winding it in slowly.
Soon he will be saying, is it hurting yet. It’s not, well hang in there brother i will just tighten it a bit more. Now how is that, retard?
Paddy have you been playin Lepracorns today?
Alan Grayson has a way with words that makes it very difficult for the Retards to talk him down or call his bluff.
He has introduced a house bill to tack on to the Health care bill and is trying to get it voted on.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/HR-4789-and-The-Public-Opt-by-Alan-Grayson-100313-437.html
Catholic Church Child Abuse Claims Sweep Across Europe.
*********************************************
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/13/catholic-church-child-abu_n_497942.html
complete article in the New York Times
The campaign has started…
continued here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/12/dnc-ad-attempts-to-capita_n_497166.html
Meanwhile……….. on Planet Wood-Duck:
http://www.salon.com/entertainment/comics/this_modern_world/2010/03/08/this_modern_world
Streetwise enterprise on a typical Glengarry Glenross sidewalk:
Mar 13:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/the-quigmans
Mar 12:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/mike-luckovich
A top media rights watchdog has listed Australia along with Iran and North Korea in a report on countries that pose a threat of internet censorship.
Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders on Thursday put Australia and South Korea on its list of countries “under surveillance” in its “Internet Enemies” report.
Australia was listed for the government’s plan to block access to websites featuring material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse.
Critics say the plan is a misguided measure that will harm civil liberties by blocking a broader range of content than just nasty material.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said he plans to introduce legislation by the end of next week that would require ISPs to block a blacklist of “refused classification” websites for all Australians.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/australia-on-internet-watchlist-with-iran-north-korea-20100312-q23p.html
We Have 51 Senate Votes for Public Option” Adam Green to Ed Schultz;
http://www.opednews.com/articles/We-Have-51-Senate-Votes-f-by-Rob-Kall-100313-139.html
1588 Now to get it passed.
It could be all coming back to haunt Tim The Toolman Geithner after an 18 month investigation of Lehman Bros dingaling circus.
“The video that will put Geithner behind bars”
story
http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-video-that-will-put-Ge-by-Mike-Whitney-100313-179.html
Video
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35841681#35841681
There was never a doubt that it would happen after the Supreme court said that Corporations were people for the purposes of donations to shysters and own your own polly schemes.
In an attempt (maybe) to mock that mockery a dude, why donate to someone when your Inc can do it, has nominated his company inc as a candidate in the primaries.
Knowing Seppos no doubt if he is knocked back it will go to the courts. Good luck with that.
http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=108479
Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbl–JbGGQ4&feature=player_embedded
Obama Proposes Sweeping Education Reforms, New Federal Commitment To Kids.
*************************************************
Anyone would think there was an election on the way.
more here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/13/obama-proposes-sweeping-e_n_498128.html
Couple of points on Prof. West.
1/ his interview technique of rhythmically “bobbing” to control the pace of the interviewer’s questions……..
2/ West listens to Avi Lewis and answers his questions.
3/ his sense of humour, erudition, eloquence and charm.
Da man got Major League game. Yessuh!
4/ his definition of “neo-liberalism”, a descriptor that till now, I hadn’t really got a handle on.
5/ how plenty of politically involved black folk are now earnestly saying wtf about Obama.
6/ ah, stuff it! Suggest yez lend him an ear
http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/cornell_west_on_fault_lines_20100312/
It’s only words
But words are what they have
To snatch your mind away.
http://www.salon.com/news/terrorism/index.html?story=/opinion/greenwald/radio/2010/03/14/terrorism
Richard Dawkins offers some insight as to why so called moderate xtians rarely or never distance themselves from the loony tune offerings of the fundies and dingbat extremists within their own flocks.
“They are all the same.”
———————————–
THE creation of saints is “pure Monty Python” and the Family First senator Steve Fielding is more stupid than an earthworm, says the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.
“I do find it very discouraging,” Dr Dawkins told the 2010 Global Atheist Convention in Melbourne yesterday when asked about the support of the media and the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, for Mary MacKillop, who is to become Australia’s first saint in a ceremony in Rome in October.
“The whole idea of creating saints is pure Monty Python,” he said. ”Why do they have to clock up two miracles? These are people we are supposed to take seriously.”
Dr Dawkins said he was often criticised for attacking easy targets such as Christian fundamentalists instead of serious theologians such as “Pope Nazi”, a presumed reference to Pope Benedict.
Catholic theologians “believe in miracles and get doctors to provide testimony that someone got cured from cancer”, he said.
“It’s just surreal and completely gives the lie to the claim that sophisticated theologians should look down on fundamentalist wingnuts. They are all the same.”
http://www.smh.com.au/national/dawkins-derides-sainthood-as-pythonesque-20100314-q676.html?autostart=1
1597
EC
Would ave been a hoot to be there. Love this bit from your link.
Robyn williams
Is the Pope Toast?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-wolff/is-the-pope-toast_b_496910.html
Texas Education Board Approves Conservative Curriculum Changes By Far-Right.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/12/texas-education-board-app_n_497440.html
Dodd May Toughen CFPA In Financial Regulatory Reform Bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/14/dodd-may-toughen-cfpa-in_n_496729.html