Abbott Birthers

[IQS.RLOW]

Hurr durr

[Outlaw Yogi]

Didn't know what

this lefty twitterati brain fart

was until Rawsack's post.
Sounds like a re-run of whether Obama is American born or not.

Personally, I think Abbott's done OK for the most part so far .. except for ...

... his desire to kick under 30s off the dole for 6 months .. or now 1 month .. or whatever.

Now if he's planning a war and wants them in the army, fair enough.
But if not, it suggests he (Abbott) either fails to understand the fundamental reason for having the dole in the first place (to prevent/reduce crime)
or to boost the security industry.

In ancient Rome the regime/republic ran on a war economy much like U$A does today. After campaign costs were recouped for the republic, the conquering general usually became Governor of that territory and was free to divvy up war spoils amoungst his cronies as he saw fit. The further Roman armies went, the more the campaign cost the republic and the less spoils gained because people hid their valuables before the Romans arrived, so wars began to cost money rather than generate it.

The Senate would not incur debt, so to cover costs, taxes were levied. Many people borrowed from the bank/temple off the bankers/priests @ 33&1/3rd% pa, and lost their farms because they had agreed to pay the debt in gold talons, not sheep or wheat or slaves. Gold currency only. The dispossessed began loitering in the city and were called "the mob".
The senate worried that if the mob began robbing the merchants, the merchants wouldn't go to Rome and the economy would collapse, so they invented the dole.

The dole had to be paid for, so more taxes were levied. Many couldn't afford the taxes so walked off their farms and joined the mob, on the dole.
Taxes were raised, so tradesmen quit work. The senate created a law making it illegal to quit your trade. In the end, things got so bad that when barbarians invaded, much of the population sided with the invaders against their govt.

Now for Joe Hockey - Watching him on channel 7 against Kevin Rudd in the morning a few years back, I got the impression of a pretty likable (easy going) bloke.
But recently I heard him ask why don't the unemployed youth do fruit picking like back packers?
Well I'll tell you why. #1 because like Joe Hockey our youth tend to be fat and soft. I've seen plenty of all ages quit before morning tea on the first day.
#2 Fruit picking is hard work for shit pay ... but it keeps you fit. The pay rate is currently $20 an hour, but most farmers are too tight arsed to pay it.
So call pice work "Contract" despite no contract actually being signed.
Contract varies depending on the crop and from farm to farm.
For example, the last citrus farm I worked on paid $200 a tonne, and I usually did 1 half tonne bin, then went home.
But most inexperienced pickers, including back packers can only pick 1/4 of a tonne a day, so get paid peanuts.
To be honest, I doubt Hockey could pick citrus at all, his torso would get stuck between the branches.
NB: most citrus have thorns. Lemon tree thorns tend to be an inch long, and so when doing lemons I hear back packers squeal with pain so often I dub lemon groves 'Field of screams'

[Rorschach]

Well thanks Yogi.... for backing me up.
As for the insults...

[Outlaw Yogi]

Like I've stated previously, I don't play politics with the forum.
I either agree or disagree with a statement on whatever topic regardless of who made it.
To me it's not about backing up or knocking down an individual, it's about the topic/subject/issue.
There's probably hardly a soul here who I haven't insulted or had a go at in some way at some stage.
But it remains my favourite piece of cyberspace because we have freedom of expression .. and if others are offended, too bad so sad.

[Rorschach]

Not everyone shares your opinion apparently.

[IQS.RLOW]

Not everyone shares your opinion apparently.

Including yourself

Hurr durr