Bloody awful waste of good "roo" burger mate.

After protesting the culling of kangaroos, the protestors will be heading over to the local abortuary to protest the gratuitous destruction of human lives.

Or, maybe their concern for life stops at kangaroos.

There goes Kate, ignorantly commenting yet again on things she doesn't really understand.

FYI: For some time now, pro-whaling Japan has been making the argument in international diplomatic and trade circles that if Australia can sustainably cull and utilize animals of its choosing, like the kangaroo, then Japan ought to be able to do so with other animals of its own choosing, like the whale.

So, it's a fair journalistic question to pose, even if the stock political answer is entirely predictable.

QE, isn't there a slight difference as the kangaroo is solely on Australian soil and an integral part of their country whereas the whales are not in Japan but are in the oceans which are shared by all peoples of the world?

There goes QE, ignorantly commenting on things he doesn't understand.

Whaling in Japan was an economic activity; kangeroos were not and are not part of the economic viability of Australia. Whaling in Japan continues but is now hidden under the theme of 'scientific research'.

The Australian kangaroo cull is not for the meat of the animal but to prevent its overpopulation and overgrazing.

Don't let the facts bother you, QE.

Too bad we couldn't have a cull on leftoids ;) /that was a joke for those who haven't figured it out yet.

One thing never addressed in the article and brought up by WLMR, was the harvesting of the 'roo. The meat is lean and good and the hides are tanable. And don't forget the nifty "change purses" either.

You want something to disappear? Let them come to Canada with dodgy papers. We'll never see them again...

Grant your media absurdity and raise you a media disgrace. Shame on Tabor and the G+M.

Canadian Media Porn Queen Jane"Giggles" Tabor begins her article thusly:

An introverted, hard-core Conservative with a strategic mind and a deep religious faith is set to take over as Stephen Harper's top adviser.

She includes:

If he, in fact, becomes chief of staff, they're running this government and they are the same five-man wrecking crew whose lingering effects we're still feeling in the province of Ontario," Liberal MP David McGuinty said.

She ends it as such:

And like some of Mr. Harper's other top advisers, Mr. Giorno is a practising Catholic with deep convictions. Although his faith was the source of some conflict during his years at Queen's Park - there were articles questioning whether as a Catholic he should bring a "wider sense of social justice" to his job - his friend says that he is professional in his work and private in his faith.

Media porn at its finest!

"Whaling in Japan was an economic activity..."

Thanks for those irrelevant facts, ET.

I realize that kangaroos are not whales, that one is endangered and the other is not, and that culling is not hunting. I realize too the different economics and cultural factors at play in these two activities.

But none of that is the point.

Kate thinks that, in yet another poor reflection on the journalism profession, foolish reporters are trying to draw this tenuous link between 'roo culling and whale-hunting ("Great moments in journalism"). In truth, it's the Japanese government who are putting forward this argument (which has been subsequently taken up by animal rights groups in Australia).

Japan is currently Australia's second largest trading partner, a major APEC player, and a key ally in the Pacific region. So when it says culling is like whaling, if you're Australia, you have to respond one way or another, whether you like it or not, because of the domestic and diplomatic implications involved. Thus, the reporter's question is fair-game. As a political (rather than empirical) issue, it doesn't matter whether Japan's argument holds water or not (you and Kate can take it up with the Japanese consulate); what's important is that it's out there.

Anyway, I suspect Kate couldn't care less about the whales or the 'roos. She's just using this issue to take a (misguided) shot at the journalism profession. Won't be the last time. Let's hope her next is a little better aimed.

Canada's misguided media:

Jane "Giggles" Tabor begins thusly:

An introverted, hard-core Conservative with a strategic mind and a deep religious faith is set to take over as Stephen Harper's top adviser.

She includes:
If he, in fact, becomes chief of staff, they're running this government and they are the same five-man wrecking crew whose lingering effects we're still feeling in the province of Ontario," Liberal MP David McGuinty said.

She concludes:

And like some of Mr. Harper's other top advisers, Mr. Giorno is a practising Catholic with deep convictions. Although his faith was the source of some conflict during his years at Queen's Park - there were articles questioning whether as a Catholic he should bring a "wider sense of social justice" to his job - his friend says that he is professional in his work and private in his faith.

More of Canada's misguided media.

For many more examples see the Canadian Senate/Liberal Party.

Canada's media....misguided is our name....deception is our game.

Try again:

Canada's misguided media.

Horway still uses whaling as economic way of living and you cant ever change their ways even with hundreds for showing of hollywood junk like FREE WILLIE

Yes QE, Japan is making this comparison. It is an "apples and oranges" comparison. A journalist asking a question about it does not validate an invalid comparison. Therefore, a humorous observation like the one Kate made might just point to the fact that she understands something about the whole business which seems to have eluded you. Namely, that the initial comparison made by Japan is a stupid one. By bringing the lack of whales in the outback into the mix Kate effectively displayed the problem with the initial comparison.

Not a fair comparison. Perhaps a fair question by the journalist, unless he or she thinks it is a fair comparison. In which case it is a stupid question, and "gotcha" journalism.

QE - what do you know what Kate thinks? Stop making arrogant know-it-all assumptions and stick to expressing and examining your own viewpoints.

Your viewpoint that 'culling' and 'economic hunting' can be legitimately viewed as comparable or debatable is the issue here. Your argument that because Japan and Australia are trading partners, then, this partnership or collaboration means that their actions towards animals (kangaroos, whales) can be transformed into a political issues and then compared - is specious and invalid.

That's like saying that because we trade with the USA, then our actions towards seals and their actions towards mice can be legitimately compared. No..it can't. Not economically and not politically. It has zilch to do with either.

The question about the whales, by the reporter, is vapid nonsense and the fact that you think it's a valid question...well, that's your problem.

good comment ET,

QE slapped both sides of a very thick head.

Meanwhile, the whales are doing just fine.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24788056/

(Humpback whales make a dramatic comeback)

What media bias,that giggles the airhead is even considered a news reporter does great damage to real news reporters.How can a partisan rant like her diatribe about Mr Giorno slip by her editors?Oh yeah ctv is a close cousin to the tor red star guess that answers my questions.Must go get my blood pressure pills.As for Mr Harper's choice of advisors there sure isn't any chance Mr Giorno,
with his political savvy and deep personal values will ever be mistaken for a closet lieberal.

When you go into the outback you always bring a spray can of "Roo Away".

Actually, the place was overrun by cane toads and rabbits, which have made the Aussies pretty straight shooters.

But then the animal rights activists will drag out the slur that all the Aussies are simply ex-British criminals.

Maybe they should re-introduce the Tasmanian Devil to act as a "get back to nature" predator.

Cue the "Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Devil

Cheers

Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht
Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group "True North"

"Your viewpoint that 'culling' and 'economic hunting' can be legitimately viewed as comparable or debatable is the issue here."

ET, please point to where I claimed that those two activities "can be legitimately viewed as comparable or debatable." I've noted several times that this is Japan's viewpoint, not my own.

I'm serious -- point to it. Please quote my exact words where you think I claimed this viewpoint as my own.

"That's like saying that because we trade with the USA, then our actions towards seals and their actions towards mice can be legitimately compared. No..it can't. Not economically and not politically."

Actually, if our government ever decided that, as a matter of official policy, it was opposed to US actions towards mice, and the US retorted publicly that their actions towards mice were comparable to our actions towards seals, then yes, that escalating war of words would indeed have political, and perhaps economic, implications.

QE doesn't care about the facts or the lack of logic behind his attacks on Kate. Clearly, he has "Kate McMillan derangement syndrome. It is similar to what so many in the USA and many in Canada and elsewhere have developed against Mr. Bush.

It is a horrid disease that makes one wake up each day filled hatred for anyone who is not just like them. That sounds a lot like radical Islam doesn't it? They are largely deranged as well, thus the similarity.

QE's purpose is to insult and attack Kate for simply having a point of view and a blog site that posts interesting and entertaining information for an apparently, more sophisticated audience than can be found on any Leftist blog. I have checked. That is more than QE can handle so he obviously has flipped out.

This derangement syndrome that first appeared in the ranks of the far left has now spread throughout the main stream media and now affects even relatively normal people who disagree with reality and prefer to live in the fantasy world of the Socialist Utopian government of "HOPE and CHANGE (Cap and Trade) who care deeply for each and every one of us and solve all our problems no matter how big or how small.

The best way to prevent this this debilitating disease happening to you is to stay real, stay calm, be an adult, think things through to a logical conclusion, don't believe anything the MSM tells you and vote for most conservative candidates available.

Also, be understanding to those who have the syndrome, they will likely never recover and should not be argued with, but rather, simply ignored and pitied.

QE, Hey dork, you want to know why they have to cull the friggin' kangaroos? Because farmers are not allowed to shoot them like they used to.
Know why they have to hire "military contractors" to do the job? Because farmers are not allowed to shoot them like they used to.

Know why farmers are not allowed to shoot them like they used to? Because of imbeciles like you my friend. Only a true imbecile could possibly equate whaling-to-extinction with an animal control problem arising from socialists disarming their own people.

You must live in Toronto.

QE - don't slither out of accountability. The fact is, you accepted Japan's comparison rather than rebutting it as irrelevant and invalid - as did Kate. You chastized Kate of not accepting it.

I'm criticizing your acceptance of the comparison.

I equally criticize your vapid acceptance that the hypothetical US attitude to mice, understood as a pest, could be comparable to our behaviour to seals, understood as an economic action. Instead of acknowledging that such a comparison is ridiculous, as any reasonable thinking person would do, you accept it..and say that such claims could have economic and political implications.
I think they'd have derangement implications.

Again, you mocked Kate's rejection of what is basically an invalid comparison (whales and kangaroos). That means that you accept Japan's comparison. Get real and don't slither out of accountability.

ET (earlier): "what do you know what Kate thinks? Stop making arrogant know-it-all assumptions..."

ET (now): "The fact is, you accepted Japan's comparison rather than rebutting it as irrelevant and invalid - as did Kate."

Hmm.

*****

ET: "Again, you mocked Kate's rejection of what is basically an invalid comparison (whales and kangaroos). That means that you accept Japan's comparison."

No, I mocked Kate for rushing to slag off one of her favoured targets (journalists) on dubious grounds. Personally, I agree the comparison is invalid. But since it was Japan who raised it, the reporter is perfectly justified for seeking ministerial comment about it. It's not a reporter's job to "acknowledge that such a comparison is ridiculous," though it is his/her job to determine whether the Minister thinks so.

*****

Just because you ask somebody a question about something, doesn't mean you accept that something. To wit:

ET: "Kate, do you think unicorns exist?"

Kate: "Nope."

ET: "Neither do I."

What a load of crap.

Seems the Media are as clueless and pandering as ever .... and certain people seem to think think it's about them and their own obsessions.

QE, you're wandering into troll territory. Stick to the topic, and the rest of you, stop getting drawn into side debates.

QE, you'll roo the day you got involved in this!

ebt: Two minutes for bad punning (and getting caught).

In all honesty, I believe the Disney people (inadvertently mind you) and the tree hugging PETA types have given the media absorbing world a false idea of nature and life in general. A cull isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially since the influence of man has probably screwed up the balance in the first place.

EQ

the jurnos should have couched the question in an entirely different manner to be "valid"

and as far as Kate's concern for whales or roos, she's a dog luver, thusly quite probably an animal luver, try digesting that

Hey guys:

Take a deep breath and understand Kate's sense of humour.

“... as the data clearly shows, whales have been hunted to extinction in the Outback.'' Or, across large parts of Australia.

OK guys. Can anybody out there please tell me when whales lived IN the Outback? Or an example of desert-dwelling whales?

Sheesh.