worst day ever?

could it be today?
8 September 2007:

17 people arrested and 2 police officers injured after clashes during today's anti-APEC rally
NEWS.com.au reports that police were "targeted and assualted" by protestors marching against the APEC meeting being held in Sydney. News footage shows police blocking streets using highly armoured buses and other vehicles; police roaming the streets with special capsicum spray guns; heavily armed snipers travelling in helicopters overhead; and a massive water cannon circling Sydney's streets.

Sure there were a few dickheads there to cause trouble. Including the idiots that threw a dart, and used iron crow bars to hit the cops. But, were the police being heavy handed? The footage on all the news channels here shows them being very physcial and intimidating, even for those protestors that seemed to be marching peacefully. It is really a sad day when most of Sydney is guarded by police on every corner, in the sky, and with massive fences blocking off the best parts of the city. I myself dont care one way or the other about whether APEC exists or whatever, but it is pretty outrageous that taxpayers forked out more than $300 million to host it. And what did we get for our money? Most of the city locked down for a week. The experience of living in a police state for a week. Massive reductions in civil liberties including fundamental democratic rights such as the right to protest, and freedom of speech. Sounds like we got sold a big lemon.

And to make it even worse, just to stick the knife in and twist it a bit further, we the taxpayers of NSW funded a fireworks extravaganza this evening for each of the world leaders. Again, news coverage is showing huge fireworks displays over the harbour and the bridge, not unlike the usual New Year's Eve celebrations. But the public were not invited, and not allowed to watch. All the key spectator areas were locked off. What a stinking bust. Haven't these backpatting, pen pushing, arse kissing twits ever seen some fireworks before? Why should we fund it for them? Its all take, take, take in these instances, and despite what they may claim about the trading benefits, I think that that there are very little (or maybe even no) benefits to Joe Smith on the street. In fact, Im not even sure that selling billions of dollars of uranium to Russia is such a good idea!

But I guess, to be fair there were some bright sides to it all. Most of Metropolitan Sydney got an extra public holiday on Friday. Who could complain about that? And also, The Chaser had an absolute field day:


Also, NEWS.com.au reports a 300 per cent spike in brothel trade to cater for the extra business brought in by APEC! Apparently they had to bring in the mistresses from interstate to service all those secret service agents and envoys. I guess it is a bit of risk management going back to the Bill Clinton days...it would have been a real shame to leave a white stain on those dreadful drizabones they dragged out that they deemed to be our national dress. Oh well, I just hope they kept all those ladies of the night away from Kevin Rudd!


Manly Sea Eagles bundle Souths out of the NRL finals
After an absolutely appalling referreeing performance, some dodgy injury faking, and yet another over-rated performance, Manly Sea Eagles beat the Rabbitohs 30-6, knocking the bunnies out of their first finals series since 1989. In what was a very ordinary spectacle after watching the Cowboys scoot over the Bulldogs, Manly scored 5 tries to 1.

For Manly, it was a continuation of amazingly over-rated season. They are a very lacklustre team bar some flashes of brilliance from Brett Stewart. And if I have to hear Ray Warren tell me that Brett Stewart has diabetes one more time, i am gonna reach through the TV strangle him.

For the Bunnies, it was a lacklustre end to a pretty decent season. New coach Jason Taylor and Messrs Crowe and Holmes-a-Court have made some significant inroads into establishing a strong club for seasons to come. But for this year, it seems they peaked too early against the Tigers two weeks ago.

Here's hoping that someone, anyone, can put Manly in their place in the next few weeks!

Collingwood knock the Swans out of the AFL finals
In another lacklustre game (for Swans fans anyway) Collingwood steamrolled the Swans out of the race for the AFL flag. It will be the first time in 3 years that the Swans havent been in the grand final. And it is also looking pretty bad for last years winners the West Coast. Looks like there will be a new winner this year. Geelong would be deserving victors, after an amazing season. But they will have to fend off some quickly finishing teams in the Power and the Hawks.