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listohan

Listed below are comments made by listohan between Tuesday, 12th August 2008 and Thursday, 22nd October 2009.

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Is Australia unusually racist? 08:55am on 22 Oct 2009 Perhaps it is a measure of the lack of racism that the skit was telecast at all. Many people coming to Australia bring with them fears about snakes, spiders and sharks. Those who get their noses out of the guide books and British newspapers soon find the locals unconcerned by these perceived threats.

It’s the same with racism despite the fact the level of recent arrivals is so high at least in the cities, it is almost impossible to avoid dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. Not that most people would care.

1. Because periodic instances of “racism” are so rare, they are news when they happen.

2. The level of inter-ethnic marriage is amongst the highest in the world.

QED
Seeking asylum by boat or by plane 07:44am on 22 Oct 2009 Herr Hitler probably wasn’t the first politician to realise demonising a minority is s good way to gain and stay in power by diverting attention from other inconvenient issues. In recent memory, it served John Howard too. Experience has shown it isn’t hard to whip up the citizenry, often more engaged in work, sport and meeting their own budgets, into a frenzy on all sorts of issues: Americans are doing a good job of this now in the debate on health insurance. Real leaders with a good majority and a weak and disunited opposition should take that rare opportunity to do the right thing and educate the electorate on the real issues. Leaders who fail to do so should be marked down all the more severely when they don’t.

Many in the population are first generation migrants who could be reminded of that fact when criticising those who seek refuge here now.

As to what the locals are thinking, there is no shortage of contributors here http://is.gd/4vfZK
The end of Australian books? 09:19am on 25 Jul 2009 Aussieauthor: The complaints by authors are reminiscent of the warnings of the recording industry which complained too long about the dangers to their business of the digital revolution rather than forming an alliance.

Farmers are getting less for their milk, car prices tend to stay the same while the number of features formerly extras become standard, electronic gear is constantly dropping in price and the folk who worked for Bonds don't have jobs at all. Are there different rules for authors? Should the Olympic Games restrict foreign competition?

I sense the authors have become unwitting advocates for Australian publishers and their rights to the rewards of their intellectual property might even increase if they just lie back and enjoy it. Who knows the Australian authors who complain the most might even benefit: the market for their writings might increase. Roll on the Kindle.
The best prime minister Australia never had? 02:06am on 20 Jun 2009 Anyone who was party to the decision to become a member of the Coalition of the Willing does not deserve to hold any public office, let alone draw a princely pension.

Peter did not have the ticker to take part in any of the reconciliation bridge walks despite allegedly wishing to do so.
Fortress Australia 08:52am on 04 May 2009 The pen (for signing cheques) is mightier than the sword. Why would China need to invade when it has so much in the bank? And if we could not prevail in Vietnam and Afghanistan is looking shaky, why pretend to defend against the Middle Kingdom? This is the thinking of boys who want an excuse for bigger toys, not the fears of Australians many of whom have Chinese people as neighbours.
What Obama win means for Oz 12:11pm on 08 Nov 2008 SydneyKate, Will the US Budget have recovered sufficiently in three years for them to continue subsidising large farming corporations?

There will be (or should be) large demands for the measures you suggest on health and tertiary education on top of their huge accumulated deficit.

The other measure they should attend to is compulsory voting (as if) and centralised administration of electoral laws like the AEC.

On the whole US citizens don't seem to expect efficient government services and guess what? They don't get them.
GB pedal-powers to success 12:18pm on 22 Aug 2008 And will the GB medellars get gongs from OUR Queen? We never do when we win things.
Still battling 12:06pm on 22 Aug 2008 Is Australia suffering from the slow down it had to have? But no one has the political spherical objects to say it?
Sport - the great divide? 11:59am on 22 Aug 2008 Sydney not posh? I graduated in Commerce at UNSW then Law at Sydney. No mention of my first degree in the program nor could I wear the UNSW hood. It was a while ago but Sydney has a habit of telling itself how marvellous it is.
The Olympic Gold Standard 03:30am on 12 Aug 2008 The abiding memories of the Sydney Olympics were the olly vollies in their distinctive and ubiquitous presence throughout the city and suburbs and, of course, at the venues themselves and the spontaneous, self mocking outbursts of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" at railway stations and where ever a few people were gathered.

I have yet to see or hear of their Chinese counterparts. Perhaps the equally ubiquitous uniformed members of the ever helpful Chinese Liberation Army are keeping them (along with spectators) behind what appear to be a large number of unnecessary barriers.

And with the luck of the Lucky Country, the weather was better too.

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