Thursday 28th of March 2024

Richard Tonkin's blog

Cricket On The Radio- A Holiday Interlude

When I wake up each Summer's morn there's this music in my head
It means that I must go outside and get a life instead
of hearing word of something new, what 's happenning in town
Now I have to listen to some cricket loving clown..

And there's cricket on the radio.

Listening to paint dry is twice as entertaining
and I nearly have an orgasm when I find out it's been raining
But sun shines on these drongos with their silly bat and ball
and the people on the ABC can't make it fun at all

and there's cricket on the radio

In case I haven't made it clear how much I find it boring
I'd rather listen to a tape of Auntie Beryl snoring
It must be me.. five million armchair experts can't be wrong
Another piece of soul will die each time I hear that song

Australia/US Joint Munitions Factory

 Extract from today's Australian::

A HIGH-security explosives factory and munitions-loading wharf is being considered by the Defence Department as it finalises plans for a joint military training facility for Australian and US troops.

In a move likely to fuel speculation the US will eventually use Australia as a military staging post, the Australian Defence Force is eyeing sites in Queensland and the Northern Territory to complement existing facilities at Twofold Bay in NSW.

The "joint combined training centre" was put on the agenda last year and became a key item of discussion at AusMin, the annual bilateral meeting between US and Australian cabinet ministers and officials, held recently in Adelaide, where a memorandum of understanding was signed.

"Armygeddon" Australian Defence Recruitment Campaign

I worry for the minds who created this concept, and hope it's not a Freudian slip.  To get the kids in, or at least the ones who aren't too fat or stoned, The ADF has prouldy launched ARMYGEDDON, a "street machine" that that does for Land Rover what Herbie the Love Bug did for Volksies.

"It's unique capabilities will attract the attention of those who really know about Street Machines," the blurb proclaims.  Aha... Senator Hill's found a job for "joyriders". !

 

"I believe this project will raise the profile of some of the technical trades available as
well as promoting the Army as a varied and interesting career to a key target
market - young people,"

said the Chief of Army, Major General Leahy.

Son Of Star Wars II: Neocons Down Under

SON OF STAR WARS II: NEOCONS DOWN UNDER

"It’s
not Star Wars. It’s basically the capability to defeat ballistic
missiles whilst they are in the air after launch, during cruise or as
they reenter the atmosphere and that defensive capability has developed
enormously in the last few years. A year or so ago it was thought to be
decades away. Now the United States will in fact deploy the first part
of its defence shield next year. So it’s a rapidly advancing
technology."

"The need in a very unpredictable world is to be
able to defend ourselves, whether it’s troops on the ground or whether
it’s strategic assets and what we have is the opportunity to get into
this massive project at an early stage, to be able to invest in it, to
learn what capabilities might be suitable for us in the future and
basically to have that option, the option to be able to develop that
form of defence in the future."

"We think that in the science
and technology area we will make a contribution from the start. The
Americans have been out here looking at our capabilities. They have
been most impressed with JORN, for example, and new forms of radar and
sensors that are being developed here north of Adelaide. And they will
have the opportunity to promote and invest in their science through
this project. This is a massive project, a huge public expenditure by
the United States and it gives us the opportunity to get into the
project and to play our part and to get a benefit in terms of a more
secure Australia."

"We will choose the projects within the
massive program that we want to invest in and obviously we will do that
to the background of our successes to date, in terms of radars and
sensors and the like. And we will get benefit back from that investment
in terms of better capability for Australia."

"We have said the
Air Warfare System will basically be a US design but the US designers
are interested in Australian companies contributing complementary parts
of the system. That again will be an opportunity that our companies
have never had before at that level of sophistication."

Robert Hill December 5 2003

Now let's take the Tardis to December 6 2005

[extract from the Adelaide Advertiser]

Adelaide Missile Centre.. Pentagon Announcement

In spite of Defence Minister Hill leaking the fact that a test had occurred.  A Boeng lied, Raytheon assisted Australian missile interception test has been announced as a success by the Pentagon.

 The test involved, from what Mr Hill said previously the JORN over-horizon radar network control centre in Adelaide. 

 This announcement from the Pentagon tells all..

 [Extract from today's Advertoser]

 

The latest test in the Pacific was designed chiefly to evaluate the
performance of the interceptor missile's rocket motor system and
Raytheon Co-built "exoatmospheric kill vehicle", the bit designed to
smash into the target warhead and pulverise it in space, MDA said.

Battle-Station Adelaide... New Battallion Coming

State Treasurer Kevin Foley is about to announce 1,200 more troops to Adelaide.

 Paratroopers from the Holsworthy base in Sydney will be shifted here to create Australia's Second Mechanised Battalion.  The First Mechanised Battalion is in Darwin, at the other end of the Halliburton railway.

The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.. I"ll write more later in the day when the dust has settled

 

 I'll be writing more later in the day, when the paperwork comes out.

Deported Halliburton Activist Questions Australian Intelligence

(Proudly reprinted from Halliburton Watch and Houston Indymedia )

Houston-based activist Scott Parkin,  deported from Australia after protesting the activities of global energy and war-industry giant Halliburton, has mounted a legal challenge against his treatment by ASIO, the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.

On September 10 this year security and immigration officials detained Parkin at a Melbourne coffee shop.  Parkin was scheduled to co-present a workshop on non-violent protest techniques that afternoon.

Parkin had previously assisted co-ordinating a street-theatre protest at Hallibuton/KBR's Sydney offices, coinciding with an international business conference at the Sydney Opera House.

Parkin had declined a request to appear at an ASIO interview.

According to The Australian, security officers were concerned that Parkin would teach Australian Halliburton protesters how to roll marbles under the hooves of police horses.. presumably the marbles that ASIO lost years ago.

Parkin is seeking to overturn the adverse security finding that caused his deportation.

John Howard's Conscience Resigns

How can you compassionately tell the media of your faith in Australian human nature when you've been so busy destroying it?  How can you dare to say that you don't believe in underlying racial tensions when mobs are attacking minorites?   I can't work for you anymore... you never listen to me.

 Read this cabbie's blog account of working in Sydney on Sunday night, and if you don't feel at least the slightest bit of shame, you'll never feel a sense of conscience again.

[excerpt

Intercepted Project for a New American Century Memo


Memo to the Downer-Under department.

A big Christmas Howdy to all of Alex's boy's! Our little buddies have been working their butts getting the Apocalypse Headquarters ready. Little John, with some gentle persuasion, has decided to stay with the team... thanks, Agent Gerard! You've saved us a bundle yet again!

Don't forget the date of our next party, on June 6th next year. The Sexy Six will provide the music, George will be serving the pretzels, and Osama as always will be running the chook-raffle

Halliburton Mal has always delivered our every need, and he's lived up to his reputation. The catering he\s provided for the bash is more than anyone could ask for.  Another fat Christmas bonus of Defence Research stocks are coming to stuff your stocking, Pally, hand delivered by Director Dick! Secretary Don says we won't run out of anything, and that the playground's second to none.  He was particularly impressed with the Liquor Cabinet you supplied after tasting your samples.

Today, Tomorrow, Forgotten

This is the philosophy ascribed to by conservative politicians.  They believe that anything ithat is said wil be dust within days.   

 They may be correct, but I don't think so.  We have the potential to see beyond the bullshit, but to do that we need to know that it's bullshit we're seing beyond, if you know what I mean..

I might  be wrong, but I now think that ike the pro-Yank ads being paid for in Iraqi media, Australian journalism is slanted to suit the cause of the current US regime.

LOCAL BOY MADE GOOD is the theme (yep, a really new one) that's been used to sell the militarisation of the state to the locals... it's a pity that BAE isn't "a Salisbury-based comany", and there's not a little cottage industry  winning worldwide work called Halliburon/KBR.

Clipsal, Halliburton, Old Uncle John Olsen and all

Costello:"If you have any inquiries into the proceedings of the tax office I
suggest you refer them to the tax office or to the taxation
commissioner."

Searle: " He wouldn't be able to tell you much at all because he would be subject to the secrecy provisions of the taxation act."

A retired senior tax officer says that the matter should have been
referred to the DPP but that he can say no more as, although retired,
he's still subject to the secrecy provisions of the income tax act. This
is much of a tune as Chris Searle can whistleblow, and it's a strong
and stirring lament.

This Is Style Of Protest Parkin's Deportation Was Intended To Suppress In Australia

Pre-planned, brilliant "photo-op" creation.  I reckon that ASIO didn't think the Australian protest movement would be able to think like Diane Wilson unless we went to a Scott Parkin class.

From Houston Indymedia :

Katie Heim reports from inside the Westin Oaks Hotel: This evening, as Republicans gathered in the Galleria to raise money for the GOP Diane WIlson, cofounder of Code Pink and author of An Unreasonable Woman infiltrated their ranks. Photos of the banner and arrest. Wilson, who has done work around issues such as the Bhopal distaster and against the Iraq war, got on Delay's RSVP list by donating $50 to his campaign.

After speeches by the chairman of the Republican Party and a rousing rendition of "God Bless the USA" Tom Delay himself took the stage. Delay referenced the protesters outside, citing the Socialists and the Progressive Workers parties. Then Cheney himself took the stage. WIlson was about 15 to 20 feet away from the VP when she opened up her black velvet wrap to reveal a banner which read "Corporate Greed Kills-From Bhopal to Bagdad". Conservative moralists nearby grabbed WIlson as she chanted "Corporate Greed Kills, and Iraq kills too!" One GOP member called Wilson a bitch and a whore. Police dragged Wilson out and she's still detained as of this report.

Scott Parkin Deportation Justified- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

Halibucks are fake money (in the style of Halliburton) used by U..S. protesters to demonstrate the idea of dodgy transactions in street theatre.  If the idea wasn't conceived by Scott Parkin,the concept originates from his training program.. 

At a recent anti-Cheney protest in Houston , a protester was ushered behind police lines by alleged Secret Service personel to be asked questions about her use of the Halibucks.

Meanwhile, back at the Southern Ranch, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security
Ian Carnell,in his review of  the role of the Australian Security Intelligence
Organisation (ASIO) in the Parkin deportation, found  it had  acted within
the law.

Adelaide- US Radar Base

The Federal Minister of Defence, Robert Hill announced yesterday that trials that would enable Adelaide to play a key role in the U.S. MIssile Shield were successful.

Mr Hill said that the trials "might" allow Adelaide to participate.

The news follows announcements earlier this year that Adelaide to become the location of the construction of three warships equipped to participate in the "Star Wars" shield.

Top Enthralling Notions In Xenophobia

Whoops, another contract for Tenix... onya Reefeee...wonder how his second job out frm the Defence Ministry is going.  Maybe It's Time for Labor and the Democrats to match the current rounds of contracts to those of a couple of years back  (why didn't you mention the Kinaird Report Robert,? it was in your notes!).

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