6 - # of Straya threads or # of times we've changed Prime Minister in a decade?

[Kieran McConville]

So did the site end up crashing last night like I predicted it would? Is that the unmitigated disaster we're referring to here? What a joke.

 

[Kieran McConville]

See, this is why paper is such great idea. It's nearly unimpeachable.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Was pretty much down all evening. Is still down last I checked.

 

[Kieran McConville]

In all likelihood there was no DDOS 'attack'. In all likelihood the site just could not cope with, you know, millions of people who were told they had to do this on this one Tuesday night.

Indeed, other sources seem to be suggesting that there was not any 'attack' (except in the sense that in excess of 10 million people visiting a website within a one or two hour timespan could be seen as a DDOS attack, in this case generated by a publicity campaign run by the government itself). It's a nice line though, it's better than 'we are totally swamped'.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I hate that my first response was "oh look, a truly shocking revelation that will not change policy or the majority public opinion at all".

I think the Australian public has genuinely accepted this is the human cost of... whatever the fuck objective it is they think they're achieving.

I think that to the extent the Australian public thinks about it at all, this is probably a reasonable assessment. The meme is that if we let up, even an inch, on pointless cruelty, we will be overrun with terrusts. That this is pretty far from reality is... par for the course.

 

[Axver]

In all likelihood there was no DDOS 'attack'. In all likelihood the site just could not cope with, you know, millions of people who were told they had to do this on this one Tuesday night.

Indeed, other sources seem to be suggesting that there was not any 'attack' (except in the sense that in excess of 10 million people visiting a website within a one or two hour timespan could be seen as a DDOS attack, in this case generated by a publicity campaign run by the government itself). It's a nice line though, it's better than 'we are totally swamped'.

I love that there are about four different explanations of what happened. Come on guys, at least keep your story straight. The incompetence of giving an explanation for the failure suggests that the explanation is incompetence.

 

[Kieran McConville]

The failure could also helpfully be sheeted home to the Abbott government's funding cuts to the ABS. You reap what you sow, gentlemen.

 

[Axver]

Pretty much exactly. The bureau is so underfunded that how could it be competent at its assigned job?

 

[Kieran McConville]

Starve the beast! Maybe we should privatise the ABS, just spitballing here, because of course the private sector is always more efficient (may or may not be true, but definitely more unaccountable, and that's the way we like it)!

 

[Axver]

Privatised ABS, per neoliberal fantasy: census goes wrong; everybody is fired.

Privatised ABS, per reality: census goes wrong; CEO receives bonus.

 

[Kieran McConville]

The CEO will be promoted in fact, to oversee the privatised Electoral Commission as well. Election goes right wrong; CEO receives bonus.

 

[cobl04]

Qps.

[tweet]764289278868193280[/tweet]

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Cops are scum.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Qps.

[tweet]764289278868193280[/tweet]

In Queensland, noone can hear you scream sneeze.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I predict that Malcolm Turnbull will be gone by Christmas, and the government itself will fall before next year is out. I'd stake money on it if I was silly enough.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Is there some reason why you edited your post out of existence, cobl4?

 

[Axver]

I predict that Malcolm Turnbull will be gone by Christmas, and the government itself will fall before next year is out. I'd stake money on it if I was silly enough.

Hmm. I don't know if there is enough momentum to roll him yet, but I'll be genuinely surprised if he is still PM come Christmas 2017. All that might save him is an increasing reluctance to change leaders - but for all the talk, I think both parties are still happy to do it if they think it advantageous (keeping in mind the delcons cannot perceive what is actually advantageous).

 

[Kieran McConville]

I think that his situation is unstable enough, and the 'real true conservatives' (let's call them that for now) are quite ready to shoot themselves in the face if it comes to it. I suppose the ever-present polls might have a part to play as well. You live by the polls, you die by them - as Tony Abbott would know.

 

[cobl04]

Is there some reason why you edited your post out of existence, cobl4?

Which post?

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I know this is The Project, but when even Steve Price is calling you out on your bigotry ... geez.

[TWEET]765110714801332224[/TWEET]

Folkes is pathetically incoherent, and his beard is hilarious.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Which post?

Well, the post where you were posting that thing about the journalist pulled up at Bunnings by the police. Last I looked the post had turned into the simple acronym 'qps', sans any further explanation. It looks like I'm responding to/quoting something completely random.

 

[Axver]

I'm watching Q&A for the first time in ages because Malcolm-Ieuan: Roberts. is on tonight. The first question, about the Nauru Files, has already sent my blood pressure through the roof thanks to the callousness of Greg Hunt and rank idiocy of the Free Man, the living soul.

 

[Axver]

Cobbler, if you hear anything smash up the road in the next half hour, it was probably me. I don't know how I can keep watching this braindead fuckwittery.

 

[cobl04]

I am very glad that I stopped watching q&a years ago.

Well, the post where you were posting that thing about the journalist pulled up at Bunnings by the police. Last I looked the post had turned into the simple acronym 'qps', sans any further explanation. It looks like I'm responding to/quoting something completely random.

Oh. Sometimes tweets don't embed on a desktop computer. That's why.

 

[Axver]

AND NOBODY FUCKING ASKED FUCKING MALCOLM-IUEAN: ROBERTS., THE LIVING SOUL, ABOUT BEING A SOVEREIGN CITIZEN.

HE JUST KEPT SPOUTING SHIT ABOUT NEEDING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT ACTUALLY IS. BRIAN COX WAS FUCKING WAVING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE IN FRONT OF HIM. HE HAD FUCKING CHARTS OF DATA.

OH MY GOD.

Now I'm having a whole bottle of wine to wind down so that I can actually sleep, because that was a fucking excruciating hour of my life that I will never get back.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

"I brought the graph" is a legendary moment in Q&A history. Something really satisfying about Roberts' talking to a sea of silence, absolutely no reaction to his attempted 'humorous' Bieber reference, then Cox says one short sentence and the whole audience erupts.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I am very glad that I stopped watching q&a years ago.




Oh. Sometimes tweets don't embed on a desktop computer. That's why.

Oh ok, fair enough.

 

[Kieran McConville]

AND NOBODY FUCKING ASKED FUCKING MALCOLM-IUEAN: ROBERTS., THE LIVING SOUL, ABOUT BEING A SOVEREIGN CITIZEN.

HE JUST KEPT SPOUTING SHIT ABOUT NEEDING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT ACTUALLY IS. BRIAN COX WAS FUCKING WAVING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE IN FRONT OF HIM. HE HAD FUCKING CHARTS OF DATA.

OH MY GOD.

Now I'm having a whole bottle of wine to wind down so that I can actually sleep, because that was a fucking excruciating hour of my life that I will never get back.

I'm very glad I stopped watching Q&A years ago too. Did the show climax with an impromptu performance of Cliff Richard's 'Living Doll' set to dancefloor lighting, while the 'Things Can Only Get Better' hitmaker chair danced awkwardly off to one side?

 

[cobl04]

"I brought the graph" is a legendary moment in Q&A history. Something really satisfying about Roberts' talking to a sea of silence, absolutely no reaction to his attempted 'humorous' Bieber reference, then Cox says one short sentence and the whole audience erupts.

Doesn't matter. He'll continue to get a good run with the media and his supporters will back him. He'll play victim, underdog.

 

[Axver]

He'll get an especially good run because he's pretty well spoken and obviously knows how to deliver a soundbyte. Ugh.