There is a term that I am very familiar with but which a lot of people may not know at all - it's called FUD.
Which is an acronym for "Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt" and as best I can determine was invented - or at least came into the mainstream lexicon - when IBM started to see lots of smaller competitors trying to pick off pieces of it's then lucrative computer hardware business - way back in the 1960's.
And as a result, there was once a raft of companies who offered *big iron* - and now there is one.
So the context is that a big monopoly company was being nibbled at by lots of small and technically competent companies. And FUD was invented as a way of helping to keep IBM's customers loyal and making them *beware* the offerings of the small fry. If the customer was not certain about the way forward - then feed them some more FUD!
It was a bit like feeding monkeys - or sheep.
And it worked very well. But what it also did was spawn a whole new industry - which is now known as the *spin* industry. It probably worked a little too well.
What happened since those early days is that the charlatans and the politicians - noticed how well it worked and how successful the big corporate was at keeping the small fry at bay - and so they replicated it.
They built a FUD machine in the *political* world that replicated it's success in the *corporate* world. And ever since it has worked spectacularly well.
To the extent that most people who are uncertain about the way forward - in other words they don't know enough about the *big issues* to make valid choices - are now bombarded with lots of FUD.
Firstly the charlatans make sure that folks are kept in the dark - "we can't have the voters being exposed to the facts - can we". And then we must run campaigns to inundate them with FUD. All designed to manipulate the poor souls.
It's how in 2009 we now have a substantial subset of the rusted on *blues* team thinking that "Climate Change" is a communist plot.
The *spin* doctors and their brand of *FUD* have replaced reality - especially for those people who have difficulty in working it out for themselves.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Skill Shortages - Honestly its BS
From time to time I get to rail against people in the mainstream media who write and bleat about "skill shortages".
The reason that I do is because IMO Australian employers have gone way past the point where they feel obliged to take *any* responsibility for their own workforce or individual workers.
And ten + years of the conservatives and their hidden - "exploit the workers agenda" seems now to become the *blues* actual "out-in-the-open" policy.
Which is quite amazing when you think about it. For ten years in government, the Liberals and Nationals put in place programs and policies designed to dud the poor old aussie worker. THey didn't tell them of course - but that was the effect and still they kept getting re-elected! No wonder Tony feels as though he can BS his way back onto the Treasury benches - no-one on their side is listening - or thinking.
However, mutual obligation was such a *last century* concept. These days - with a few notable exceptions big and small business alike expect that "the government" will create a skilled and capable pool of workers - who are ready and able to be exploited.
How on earth did we get to this point?
The way that I see it is:
* There is bugger all loyalty between employers and employees.
* There is an ongoing campaign by employers to reduce hourly rates and salaries and claw back previously hard won working conditions.
* Workers are being asked to do more - and are often paid less - sometimes a lot less.
* Working conditions are often shocking and sometimes dangerous.
* Cheaper workers are always valued over experienced workers - regardless of the job.
* Older workers are often treated very poorly and are at the bottom of the heap.
* Many migrant workers are seriously exploited - why do we still have that 457 visa scam?
* The *game* appears to be a serious "race to the bottom". $5 bucks an hour anyone?
Except for one class of worker - "The Executive CEO" where all of these things are reversed. And perhaps another - that curious beast "The state and federal politician".
Now I only mention this because I have had some recent experiences that demonstrate how bad things have become.
I can't tell you about it ;-) One day soon I will.
But I can suggest that it wouldn't be a bad idea to get back to a concept of "mutual obligation" between employers and employees. A mutual obligation based on that old fashioned concept - "truth and honesty". Now there is a novel concept.
The reason that I do is because IMO Australian employers have gone way past the point where they feel obliged to take *any* responsibility for their own workforce or individual workers.
And ten + years of the conservatives and their hidden - "exploit the workers agenda" seems now to become the *blues* actual "out-in-the-open" policy.
Which is quite amazing when you think about it. For ten years in government, the Liberals and Nationals put in place programs and policies designed to dud the poor old aussie worker. THey didn't tell them of course - but that was the effect and still they kept getting re-elected! No wonder Tony feels as though he can BS his way back onto the Treasury benches - no-one on their side is listening - or thinking.
However, mutual obligation was such a *last century* concept. These days - with a few notable exceptions big and small business alike expect that "the government" will create a skilled and capable pool of workers - who are ready and able to be exploited.
How on earth did we get to this point?
The way that I see it is:
* There is bugger all loyalty between employers and employees.
* There is an ongoing campaign by employers to reduce hourly rates and salaries and claw back previously hard won working conditions.
* Workers are being asked to do more - and are often paid less - sometimes a lot less.
* Working conditions are often shocking and sometimes dangerous.
* Cheaper workers are always valued over experienced workers - regardless of the job.
* Older workers are often treated very poorly and are at the bottom of the heap.
* Many migrant workers are seriously exploited - why do we still have that 457 visa scam?
* The *game* appears to be a serious "race to the bottom". $5 bucks an hour anyone?
Except for one class of worker - "The Executive CEO" where all of these things are reversed. And perhaps another - that curious beast "The state and federal politician".
Now I only mention this because I have had some recent experiences that demonstrate how bad things have become.
I can't tell you about it ;-) One day soon I will.
But I can suggest that it wouldn't be a bad idea to get back to a concept of "mutual obligation" between employers and employees. A mutual obligation based on that old fashioned concept - "truth and honesty". Now there is a novel concept.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
What a day
Well it's been an interesting day - so far.
* Tony Abbott became the *blues* leader in a 42/41 result - and started in the gig by telling everyone that he wants to reintroduce a "WorkChoices" style IR system. Clever move.
* Can't wait to see Tone's *top quality* front bench. Suspect that Kevin Andrews will get to choose between Industrial Relations and Immigration ;-)
* Malcolm takes a breather on the back bench - but what is to become of him and the other 40 who supported him? He will work it out over the next couple of days.
* Joe trips over his own bootlace - and loses again. Dumb strategic move Joe. He is far too nice to be Liberal leader - which is probably why the Doctor's wives take pity on him at election time. Joe is my local member - I really wish he would make the effort to upgrade his software to v2.1.
* The *black* team led by Barney Rubble are ecstatic - they are now "bestest buddies" again - with their coalition friends in the *blue* team and will now jointly rampage against those dreaded *socialists*.
* The 35 *numbnuts* and 7 *opportunists* who pushed Tony over the line are now trying to work out who will get what spoils. Will take them a while - first they must learn to read and write.
* Labor MP's are grinning from "ear to ear". Can't believe their luck.
* Kevin is working out how to adjust his strategy - he already has upgraded to v2.1. Of course the *blues* will just drop their dummy again if Kevin gets the upper hand - worked last time.
* A double dissolution is on the cards - but first Kevin needs to let Tony make a complete goose of himself.
* I think I need to reboot now.
* Tony Abbott became the *blues* leader in a 42/41 result - and started in the gig by telling everyone that he wants to reintroduce a "WorkChoices" style IR system. Clever move.
* Can't wait to see Tone's *top quality* front bench. Suspect that Kevin Andrews will get to choose between Industrial Relations and Immigration ;-)
* Malcolm takes a breather on the back bench - but what is to become of him and the other 40 who supported him? He will work it out over the next couple of days.
* Joe trips over his own bootlace - and loses again. Dumb strategic move Joe. He is far too nice to be Liberal leader - which is probably why the Doctor's wives take pity on him at election time. Joe is my local member - I really wish he would make the effort to upgrade his software to v2.1.
* The *black* team led by Barney Rubble are ecstatic - they are now "bestest buddies" again - with their coalition friends in the *blue* team and will now jointly rampage against those dreaded *socialists*.
* The 35 *numbnuts* and 7 *opportunists* who pushed Tony over the line are now trying to work out who will get what spoils. Will take them a while - first they must learn to read and write.
* Labor MP's are grinning from "ear to ear". Can't believe their luck.
* Kevin is working out how to adjust his strategy - he already has upgraded to v2.1. Of course the *blues* will just drop their dummy again if Kevin gets the upper hand - worked last time.
* A double dissolution is on the cards - but first Kevin needs to let Tony make a complete goose of himself.
* I think I need to reboot now.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
It's Sunday night in the suburbs
Well, I have been watching and listening to the *Liberals* explanations this weekend - in the vain hope that they have a logical and rational explanation about why they have acted like *numbnut* lemmings.
And the short answer is that they don't.
They certainly don't have logical reasons why they would even attempt to depose Malcolm and the moderates.
It seems they are driven by a mad ideological rightwing *numbnut* view of the world that simply says - "we are not in government at the moment - and we were clearly born to rule so lets be as disruptive as possible and create lots of chaos".
This is tempered with the views of their *base* who apparently are complaining somewhat about the fact that *the government* is even contemplating dealing with "climate change" - which according to the *base* is plainly not even happening yet!
Here's the problem: The Liberal party *base* is largely "dumb and uninformed". Sorry but someone needed to say it. They are folks who are uneducated, often racist, mostly pig ignorant and who don't apply much intellectual rigor to their decision making. They think that Andrew Bolt makes sense and is PM material!
They seem also to elect others from the same "social class" and send them to the parliament. Apparently there are a lot of these folks in the Liberal party - by my count around 35.
Sometime early this week we will see if Malcolm and the *thinkers* get the gig - or if Tony and the *numbnuts* prevail.
My prediction: Malcolm will win - but that won't change anything - because there will still be at least 35 *numbnuts* in the federal parliament!
That's why Kevin needs a trigger for a double dissolution.
And the short answer is that they don't.
They certainly don't have logical reasons why they would even attempt to depose Malcolm and the moderates.
It seems they are driven by a mad ideological rightwing *numbnut* view of the world that simply says - "we are not in government at the moment - and we were clearly born to rule so lets be as disruptive as possible and create lots of chaos".
This is tempered with the views of their *base* who apparently are complaining somewhat about the fact that *the government* is even contemplating dealing with "climate change" - which according to the *base* is plainly not even happening yet!
Here's the problem: The Liberal party *base* is largely "dumb and uninformed". Sorry but someone needed to say it. They are folks who are uneducated, often racist, mostly pig ignorant and who don't apply much intellectual rigor to their decision making. They think that Andrew Bolt makes sense and is PM material!
They seem also to elect others from the same "social class" and send them to the parliament. Apparently there are a lot of these folks in the Liberal party - by my count around 35.
Sometime early this week we will see if Malcolm and the *thinkers* get the gig - or if Tony and the *numbnuts* prevail.
My prediction: Malcolm will win - but that won't change anything - because there will still be at least 35 *numbnuts* in the federal parliament!
That's why Kevin needs a trigger for a double dissolution.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Now I get it
So the "big carbon emitters" grand plan is coming together then.
When the Liberals talk about their *base* they mean those folks who seldom read, never write, who get their news and information from channel 10 and the test pattern and who fall for every spurious claim that gets pushed at them by the various right wing and religious charlatans with an axe to grind.
These folks don't get science and certainly don't believe that climate change is a threat.
No siree that would be a conspiracy by those elite scientists all directed against we ordinary folk.
And so the *bogus* science that is funded and peddled by the big carbon emitters and their proxies is all geared at reinforcing the uninformed views of these folks in the Liberal *base*. And its all designed to get them to revolt and put some heat on their local MP's.
Which is apparently what is happening.
Does anyone recall Joseph Goebbels and his propaganda technique which is based on the principle that a lie - if audacious enough and repeated enough times - will be believed by the *base*?
And a large number of the Liberal MP's - 35 to be precise - have fallen for it.
They are now taking the concerns of their *base* to mean that they should roll their "moderate" leader and install a more acceptable one who will appeal to the *base*.
Tony Abbot will be perfect for them - go Tone.
When the Liberals talk about their *base* they mean those folks who seldom read, never write, who get their news and information from channel 10 and the test pattern and who fall for every spurious claim that gets pushed at them by the various right wing and religious charlatans with an axe to grind.
These folks don't get science and certainly don't believe that climate change is a threat.
No siree that would be a conspiracy by those elite scientists all directed against we ordinary folk.
And so the *bogus* science that is funded and peddled by the big carbon emitters and their proxies is all geared at reinforcing the uninformed views of these folks in the Liberal *base*. And its all designed to get them to revolt and put some heat on their local MP's.
Which is apparently what is happening.
Does anyone recall Joseph Goebbels and his propaganda technique which is based on the principle that a lie - if audacious enough and repeated enough times - will be believed by the *base*?
And a large number of the Liberal MP's - 35 to be precise - have fallen for it.
They are now taking the concerns of their *base* to mean that they should roll their "moderate" leader and install a more acceptable one who will appeal to the *base*.
Tony Abbot will be perfect for them - go Tone.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Go Malcolm
I don't have much time for most of the *numbnuts* in the *blue* team but I do like Malcolm - he is a smart and capable man and if the *dumfuks* roll him then they will have shot themselves - not in the foot but in the head - multiple times.
If they do that then this *silly little* political party will become irrelevant and remain in the wilderness for decades - it's just incredible stupidity.
But what would I know.
If they do that then this *silly little* political party will become irrelevant and remain in the wilderness for decades - it's just incredible stupidity.
But what would I know.
Blue Politics and Climate Change
Dear oh dear - the *numbnuts* in blue have excelled themselves this time. Apparently 35 of their current MP's were so annoyed that Malcolm wants to negotiate with the government over its emissions trading scheme that they wanted to vote for a new parliamentary leader.
Let me repeat that. Thirty five existing Liberal Members of the Australian Parliament want to be rid of Malcolm because he wants to do something about climate change - and they don't.
Every Australian should be seeking these people out and making a mental note NEVER to vote for them EVER again. And while they are at it they should take away their ongoing parliamentary benefits and their gold travel passes. Which planet do these *numbnuts* represent for goodness sake?
And that *genius* from the Victorian country town of Sale - Kevin Andrews was going to nominate for the parliamentary leadership!!! Apparently he wants to be "numbnut in chief".
Yep - the same Kevin Andrews that brought us "WorkChoices" and the "Haneef" circuses when he was a *Minister* in the Howard government.
Its not that words fail me - it's just that I am completely dumbfounded by these last few sentences. Who would have thought that the Australian "Liberal" party would plumb such depths.
Just goes to show how the extreme and ultra right have captured the local conservatives like they have everywhere else in the world.
I think I need a bex and a good lie down - because if all this is true then we may already have lost our democracy.
PS - I just discovered that another intellectual MP from country Victoria - Alby Schulz has suggested that Malcolm will lead the Liberals to "A Landslide Defeat" by supportting the ETS and wanting to do something about climate change.
"I've received over the years many, many emails and phone calls, he said. They have never been to the level that I'm receiving them at the moment."
Quite right Alby. It's because you have allowed your party to be captured by the *numbnuts* on the right and you have abandoned your responsibility to the ordinary people of this nation. That's why you and you colleagues can look forward to a right royal drubbing at the next election - so get used to it.
Let me repeat that. Thirty five existing Liberal Members of the Australian Parliament want to be rid of Malcolm because he wants to do something about climate change - and they don't.
Every Australian should be seeking these people out and making a mental note NEVER to vote for them EVER again. And while they are at it they should take away their ongoing parliamentary benefits and their gold travel passes. Which planet do these *numbnuts* represent for goodness sake?
And that *genius* from the Victorian country town of Sale - Kevin Andrews was going to nominate for the parliamentary leadership!!! Apparently he wants to be "numbnut in chief".
Yep - the same Kevin Andrews that brought us "WorkChoices" and the "Haneef" circuses when he was a *Minister* in the Howard government.
Its not that words fail me - it's just that I am completely dumbfounded by these last few sentences. Who would have thought that the Australian "Liberal" party would plumb such depths.
Just goes to show how the extreme and ultra right have captured the local conservatives like they have everywhere else in the world.
I think I need a bex and a good lie down - because if all this is true then we may already have lost our democracy.
PS - I just discovered that another intellectual MP from country Victoria - Alby Schulz has suggested that Malcolm will lead the Liberals to "A Landslide Defeat" by supportting the ETS and wanting to do something about climate change.
"I've received over the years many, many emails and phone calls, he said. They have never been to the level that I'm receiving them at the moment."
Quite right Alby. It's because you have allowed your party to be captured by the *numbnuts* on the right and you have abandoned your responsibility to the ordinary people of this nation. That's why you and you colleagues can look forward to a right royal drubbing at the next election - so get used to it.
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