AFL Grand Final 2011

       VERSUS      

Wow, it’s Grand Final eve and tomorrow we get to see if Collingwood goes back-to-back or if Geelong exerts its dominance with 3 flags in 5 years. Boy, am I excited or what? No. I’m not.

“Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……………….” Would someone kindly wake me up when it’s over?

“Sorry” seems to be the hardest word …. for Andrew Bolt

What is all the fuss about?

Why is Andrew Bolt crying over the Federal Court decision that found he breached the Racial Discrimination Act?

Loss of free speech?

Give me a break.  Bolt’s front page bleatings in today’s Herald Sun  prove – conclusively – that he has suffered no such loss by the court’s decision.

He’s said it all again, only this time he removed the nasty bits.

Big deal Andrew.

Just publish a bloody apology and move on.

There’s nothing like Bright in Spring

The Azaleas are blooming already, and you just can't beat them for colour - click on image to enlarge.

Maybe I should enter these photos taken @ Grevillea Gardens  this week in Tourism Australia’s “There’s nothing like …” competition. Then again, maybe Tourism Australia doesn’t even know where Bright is?

I’ve always believed that Bright should be choc-a-bloc full of tourists at this time of year because it really is the best time to visit. Unfortunately though it’s always bloody quiet – maybe we just need to advertise it on TV and in print in Melbourne??? Oh, but that would mean someone actually caring … like I do.

Anyway, I’m doing my bit with this post and the one at our GG website. More photos below (click on “more” and click on each image to enlarge). So … where the bloody hell are you?

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‘Nasty Narda’ strikes again

The Bright Observer article - click on image to enlarge.

Councillor attacks citizen in open council

“I wonder if you believe cluttering up the shire with ugly cars and ugly writing will help” - Alpine councillor Narda Cain berating resident Ray Dyer at the recent council meeting over his ‘Save Mt Buffalo Chalet’ campaign.

Alpine councillor Narda Cain has publicly criticised and belittled an ordinary citizen over his colourful attempts to highlight the plight of the much maligned and decaying historic Mt Buffalo Chalet.

Cr Cain’s criticisms of Dyer – in an open council meeting – are inappropriate. If she is so concerned that the placement of the cars is a dangerous distraction that may cause an accident, then the appropriate thing to do is to either (a) speak to Dyer in private, or (b) speak to the police.

No councillor has a right to take it upon herself to act as the shire’s arbiter of good taste or as the road safety sheriff. And no councillor should publicly berate a private citizen the way that Cain did at this month’s council meeting. It’s not on.

Perhaps Ray Dyer should park his car outside Narda’s gift shop in Ireland Street, Bright, painted with a slogan that reads:

“I wonder if you believe cluttering up the footpath with cheap & ugly junk really helps the image of the town.”

That would serve the anti-growth, anti-progress and anti-just about everything councillor right.

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Oh, Sophie!

Mirabella in the spotlight over money matters

This situation certainly needs to be looked into because on appearance it looks like Sophie Mirabella took advantage of a man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease to further her own financial position …

They are not my words above. They’re from the comments left by a reader of The Age article I refer to here … and they ring major alarm bells for our local member of Federal Parliament, Sophie Mirabella.

All voters in this electorate (Indi) really do need to read today’s Age article Power, love and money. Even rusted-on Liberal supporters would have to agree that it raises serious questions over the integrity, ethics and honesty of Sophie Mirabella and whether or not she is a fit person to represent us.

It’s a long story but to put it in a nutshell (click on “more” below to continue):

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Mafeking makeover back on the drawing board …

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But Cr Cain still stands in the way

This week’s Bright Observer brings us the news that the much maligned and long overdue redevelopment of Bright’s CBD has been “put on ice”. It’s basically the same story I wrote about under the post Mafeking makeover squashed, only with comments added. Actually the news is slightly better and there now appears to be some hope that the upgrading of Bright as a more attractive & tourist-friendly centre has finally been recognised as a major council priority for next year. Not that this article explains that but after the meeting I attended this week with the Framework Committee, Councillors & Council staff, my hopes have been somewhat restored. I’ll make my comments at the foot but firstly, here’s the Observer’s article (click on “more” below to continue):

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No Some news on Apex Hill burnoff

It looks like the Alpine council doesn't give a shit about Bright (click on image to enlarge)

It’s now over a month since I wrote about the DSE’s potentially disastrous plan to burn off 236 hectares of beautiful forest on the majestic Apex Hill that overlooks Bright this Spring. Not only have I not heard back from the DSE since lodging my submission in late August, I’ve also heard nothing from the Alpine council, to whom I also wrote the following letter last month Update: The Alpine council now claims to have sent a response (click on “more”):

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AFL Finals (2011) week 2

I know I said I’d be getting back to some more serious blogging soon but the reality is I’m just not ready yet. Too busy and too many distractions right now. So maybe next week I’ll start writing something a little more hard-hitting than footy, although after last night’s shock events with Ross Lyon walking out on the Saints (and going to bloody Freo, of all places!), I’m tempted to go to town on that issue. But I’ll restrain myself and just say this:

I think Lyon’s departure has been coming since the St Kilda players went a bit off the rails over last summer and started the season so badly. I reckon Lyon lost patience and, ultimately, hope that he could take them any further after coming so close but so far two seasons running. Christ, they surely should have had at least one flag from those two stellar GF appearances in 2009 & 2010. Anyway, they don’t and that’s history now. I think St Kilda must go hell-for-leather after Mick Malthouse who surely would relish the opportunity to coach again after his deal with Collingwood ends this year. If he won’t come across for 2012 and, instead, honours his one-year non-coaching contract at the Pies, then I suggest the best thing St Kilda could do would be to simply leave Robert Harvey as interim coach for 2012 and wait until Malthouse becomes available the following year. He’ll win them that flag, for sure. That’s the way I see it.

My tips for the finals this week are Sydney & West Coast. Gotta go now - it’s Leanne’s birthday today.

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Open thread – AFL finals 2011

I won’t be posting much over the next week or so, but please use this thread to comment on all things AFL in the meantime. As I said yesterday, I’m tipping: Geelong to easily beat Hawthorn, Collingwood to narrowly beat West Coast, St Kilda to smash Sydney and Essendon to put Carlton out of its big-headed state of pretense.

BTW: I plan to up the posting later this month. In particular, I’ve got some pretty hard-hitting stuff I want to say about the Alpine Shire Council, who are coming in for criticism from many people around here and who really do need to be taken to task over their lack lustre, go-nowhere, empire building, couldn’t care about the ratepayers attitude. It’s going to be game on! Cheers.

A.O. AFL tipping comp 2011

Not as stupid as he looks.

And the winner is ….

Bright’s own Baldrick, who from 187 games picked an amazing 141 winners.

That’s a 75.4% success rate.

The others/also-rans scored pretty well too, if you compare their results to all other tipping comps. Well, apart from the bloke who finished last, that is:

Greg 137 (73.3%),   Rox 134 (71.7%), Ray 128 (68.4%).

Thanks to all the ‘experts’ for making this the highest-ranked AFL footy tipping site in the world.

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AFL round 24 (2011) ‘expert’ tips

Julia Gillard looked more than a little stressed and 'washed out' when she faced the media yesterday.

It’s “Going Nowhere (fast)” round

Who’d be in Julia Gillard’s shoes right now? She can’t take a trick. The opinion polls show her government at all-time-low support. And the latest news – the decision by the High Court to reject her ‘Malaysia Solution’ on boat people – has dealt her a further and massive blow if you believe what the the Opposition and the media are saying. Even the PM seems to agree:

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has dismissed reports of disquiet in the Labor Party about her leadership, saying she is the best person for the job.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she told ABC Radio.

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