Poriot,

<<You are a piece of work>>

LOL

What, as in: "What a piece of work is [SPQR}, how noble in reason, how
infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and
admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like
a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals..."

Bloody hell, it doesn't take much to get your knickers in a knot.I was speaking in jest. Your imagery was strangely moving --but not as moving as the cinematic images of Rae Dawn Chong!

And at the risk of knotting your knickers further. As I recall you we one of those who said she was offended at the use of the word "ape" in relation to an AFL player. Yet I see you are happy to perpetuate the old slander against a whole race of people in the ME <<Philistine>> --so much for standards, ay?

Cheers!
________________________________________________

KIll-arney
(What have you got against Arnold Schwarzenegger?)

I will keep this little gem: <<The boats were never able to be stopped>> and draw it to your attention at a later date.

SPQR,

Grasping at straws.

You know full well that I was referring to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philistinism when I used the word philistine.

I wondered how you'd react to my pointing out that it was "you" who posted the link to which you referred.

Now I know.

Poirot,

Have a nice day

Cheers

Over and out.

SPQR

‘I will keep this little gem: <<The boats were never able to be stopped>> and draw it to your attention at a later date.’

Look forward to it. And in the meantime I will monitor how the media twists and distorts the continuing boat arrivals to make it look as if it is no longer an issue, because Statesman Tony has ‘nailed’ the problem.

So far, the media have been true to form – a boat bound for Australia sinks and dozens drown under Statesman Tony’s watch, but through unashamed use of some of the most blatantly obsequious media rhetoric I've ever encountered (eclipsing even the worst of Murdoch's chunder-bucketry during the Howard era), we are expected to believe he is now the hero of the day in both Indonesia and Australia.

And I'll also monitor how the 10s, indeed 100s, of billions of taxpayer dollars spent on having the Oz Navy regularly drag boats back to Indonesia will be made invisible, while the media shines its ever dependable spotlight on welfare recipients as the cause of SO much wasteful government expenditure.

Killarney,

<<So far, the media have been true to form...>>
What the WHOLE media?

<<a boat bound for Australia sinks yada yada yada ... under Statesman Tony’s>>
"50 METRES OFF THE INDONESIAN COAST" FGS!
I'm surprised you didn't indict him for the sinking off the Italian coast as well!

<<we are expected to believe he is now the hero of the day in both Indonesia and Australia>>
No sireee --judging from your intransigence on other issues--only a fool would would include YOU in any WE which was expected to make an objective assessment.

<< and I'll also monitor how the 10s, indeed 100s, of billions of taxpayer dollars spent on having the Oz Navy regularly drag boats back to Indonesia>>
LOL
Here's a wager for you. I'll bet they'll incur fewer costs in turning/towing boats back (because it is likely to be utilized so infrequently) than they have in the last 6 years in mounting (almost daily) search and rescue operations with the HMAS taxi service to collect every shonky asylum scammer boat that gets just off Singapore and makes a distress call on its IPone --and (funnily enough) I did not hear you whine about the costs of that!

Cheers!

I presume Tony, through his diplomatic contacts, knows that the PM had 'frank but clearly warm' talks with SBY, otherwise I'm inclined to think this fulsome piece is conjecture based on information we all share.
Though no fan of Mr Downer I prefer his blunt comments about the relationship with Indonesia. Not all Indonesians are sensitive souls waiting for affronts. A healthy relationship requires respect on both sides - and that includes recognising that Australians speak directly.