One for the Brits on the board

lol!

The news of Bob Crow's death was surprisingly big in Oz too, even getting a mention in the Murdoch rags.


ETA: If that isn't a reference to Bob Crow, I'll be over here...looking embarrassed.

mirandashell said:

Why was he such big news in Oz?

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Because socialism


ETA: Comrade.

I'm not sure why it was picked up by the Murdoch press, but there was a lot of discussion in my Twitter feed of Crow's work and its implications and legacy. I'd say the commentary was split fairly evenly between journos and union leaders.

There's still some Socialism happening. Not enough.

Murdoch's Australian (notionally national)* and Daily Telegraph (Sydney) are fiercely right wing, to the extent that they are almost lock step with the Daily Mail. Paul Dacre would be comfortable at either of those, although of the two the Daily Tele might be more his style. Especially with all the childish Photoshopping. There's no pretence of political balance, to the extent that editors and journos of those rags even take to Twitter to castigate pro-Labor tweeters and to say what a waste of money the ABC is. That's when they're not threatening to sue the ABC for saying mean things about them.

The Herald-Sun (Melbourne) is slightly less barmy, although it does have Andrew Bolt. I don't have the words to describe Bolt. Well, I do, but I don't want to use them here.

*The Australian is Murdoch's pride and joy, despite it losing millions of dollars a year. It's got culture in it, you see.

It's just the Australian nowadays. I used to read it -- it had thoughtful, detailed commentary and excellent arts coverage (esp. books) -- but it became increasingly deranged.

But now the Guardian has started an online Australian edition and Morry Schwartz has just launched the Saturday Paper, which is available in print and online.

The main opposition to News Ltd is Fairfax, which publishes the Age (Melbourne), Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and others. (Each state has one or two major local papers.)

Then there's the NT News in the Northern Territory, which is a law unto itself. But it does have a very good Twitter account that tells you everything you need to know about that part of the world.

I love the internet. Some good English language versions of SE Asian newspapers are available online. They're always interesting -- esp. on alternative views of Australian policy.

ETA: I adore the Beeb's huge library of radio podcasts. Am currently listening to a prog. celebrating the life of Alan Coren.

The younger Corens are popping up from time to time, but there are plenty of other people offering opinions, insights and anecdotes. The prog is 3 hrs long, so I don't think I'll be listening to the whole thing tonight.

It's about 11.20 pm here, so I'll be up for about another half an hour.

SOMEBODY EXPLAIN THE JOKE, DAMMIT.

mirandashell said:

Alright, ask nice!

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Thank yooooou!

Haha, it made me laugh. It's sad that he died though, he was a great man IMO.

Yeah, Bob Crow was a trade union leader who used to threaten to cause strikes fairly often. You'd get all these train strikes (like one that happened fairly recently) that'd drive London to a standstill.

Everyone would have to walk or get on replacement bus services I read the joke as meaning that the guys carrying his coffin have to take the bus because there's a train strike going on xD

My mum loved him because a few years back the strikes got her the occasional day off work ^^

johnhallow said:

My mum loved him because a few years back the strikes got her the occasional day off work ^^

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We always have to slog in to work *grumbles*

Ken Livingstone pointed out that the last working class people in London making a decent wage were Bob Crow's members...

johnhallow said:

Haha, it made me laugh. It's sad that he died though, he was a great man IMO.

Yeah, Bob Crow was a trade union leader who used to threaten to cause strikes fairly often. You'd get all these train strikes (like one that happened fairly recently) that'd drive London to a standstill.

Everyone would have to walk or get on replacement bus services I read the joke as meaning that the guys carrying his coffin have to take the bus because there's a train strike going on xD

My mum loved him because a few years back the strikes got her the occasional day off work ^^

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Made me laugh too, for the same reasons!