After a bit of a break, Stilgherrian Live returns to the Internet at 9.30pm tonight Sydney time — so nominations are now open for “Cnut of the Week”.
Who do you think is futilely resisting the tide of change? Nominations are open to people, organisations, nations and even abstract forces of nature — but your nomination has to reflect the news of the last week, and you have to give reasons. As usual, I’ll select the shortlist at 8.30pm Sydney time, and you can vote during tonight’s program.
Who do you nominate, and why?
Two noms from me this week:
I agree, Mike. I vote Bligh for Cnut of the Week.
Agree. Add this lastes move to the long running issues with getting applications approved for the App Store and it looks like Apple is becoming as arrogant as Microsoft used to be (or ‘still is’ depending on your pov).
I nominate Telstra… Screw the NBN, switch on 100mbs cause they can… Once again they have proved that they can’t be trusted to do what is right.
Surely Brett Stewart deserves an honourable mention.
@Michael Meloni: Interesting suggestions, thank you!
@wolfcat Hang on, if Telstra can roll out a 100Mb cable network (which admittedly only reaches a small proportion of the population) without needing to suck up any of that $4.7B of taxpayers’ money, isn’t that a good thing? Besides, if they’d wanted that money, then they could have submitted a compliant bid and stood a fair chance of getting some or all of it.
@James: I had to look up who Brett Stewart was, sports not exactly being an interest. I’ll read up a bit more before tonight.
I hope it’s not too late to bring this into your attention. This new UK law Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act:
“eliciting, publishing or communicating information” relating to members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers, which is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”
Therefore, I nominate the British Parliament who passed the law and the Scotland Yard who now can arrest anyone that takes a photo of the police. It is in the name of Counter Terrorism.
BBC’s report. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7888301.stm
Peter Costello.
It’s a hard one to beat. I second.
Well then of course we have the NSW Police with the search computers legislation…
And clarification… The problem is that telstra hold back shit all the time until they are forced to… Now the roll out 100mb cable cause they can… not because the public has been crying out for it… look at the issues with ADSL speeds…
I nominate both leaders of Queensland politics, Bligh and Springborg, for being so lame in the use of technology even after all the evidence of the Obama campaign et alia show its value.
Yes they still must visit the streets, but surely even they can grasp effective use of time to reach more with less. Obviously not!
Not Brett Stewart himself but definitely the Manly league club board, for that incredibly bit of showboating, where they had a meeting until 1am and then came out saying “OK, sure he got staggering drunk and ALLEGEDLY sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl, but he can still play footy this weekend!”
I feel like I’m picking on them, but again the Freeview bots have demonstrated their Cnutish tendancies with the issuing of a takedown notice to YouTube over a parody of their TVC.
Seconded. Parody is protected under The Copyright Act.
I nominate ‘New Mardi Gras’
They copyrighted any filming of the parade, and the only broadcast was on PPV in Australia only. There was no webcast of the parade or anything using ‘methods of the day’.
For the theme of “Nations United” it was anything but.
In addition, most photographers even could not be taking photo where the broadcast partner, Foxtel to be exact, stationed which was the best spot as they say unless you had special accreditation. I was escorted by a media stuff to pass through the area. Well, pink money is it.
The British monarchy in the form of Princess Anne — I know it didn’t happen this week, but thanks to Kevin Rudd breaking yet another election promise — we proud, individualistic Australians are happy to be lumbered with a second-hand garment given to us by the English.
HRH the Princess Royal took time from her busy schedule (I wouldn’t know what she does) to visit people who had lost everything in the bushfires.
She arrived in time to see relief work. One of the these workers was attempting to help a family in dire need. When, suddenly, one of her ‘Royalnesses’ minders barked out an order. The relief worker asked “Why?” Then came the explanation. “No one moves before Her Royal Highness moves.”
The really tragic thing is, the order was obeyed instantly (including one pretty bitter relief worker). So much for our self- belief that we are strong individualists. What kind of spineless wonders are we that we obey a foreign order without question. Shame Australia, Shame.
Brett Stewart.
I agree that Brett Stewart is a prize Cnut, but has he truly held back the tide of progress? Or just been an idiot and a bastard?
There are plenty of excellent suggestions here, and I won’t comment on them all just now. I daresay with 5 hours to go we’re get more. As always, it’ll be hard to choose a shortlist. But keep them coming!
@Venise Alstergren : Princess Anne’s visit does fall outside the week, yes — but since you make such an excellent point it’ll definitely get a mention tonight.
Andrew Bolt:
For this: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/cull_the_foreigners/
And general climate change denying cnutery.
First thought: Peter Costello for declaring himself minister without portfolio but not actually growing any cojones.
Second thought: Malcolm Turnbull for not having a single policy other than “we’d do it a bit different to Rudd.”
And the winner is: Any Rugby League player.
Simon,
I’m trying to make “Any Rugby League player” work for “holds back the tide of progress” and I think that I’ve found a way: by repeatedly bringing men into disrepute, and making a mockery of the legal system, they achieve true Cnutery.
Thinking about it, there are not many of them that I would welcome as a son in law — with the possible exception of El Masri, who seems a decent chap.
Best regards, Andrew
NSW Police for the obvious snooping powers.
Costello because he (still) exists on a bench..
Peter Costello just because he is.
Andrew Bolt.
Penny Wong deserves a mention.
Westpac for not signing there new damn contract.
Pauline Hanson, for trying to run for the election.
Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen, nominations are now closed. Stilgherrian Live starts at 9.30pm Sydney time, i.e. in a little under an hour.