By Scott
Cross-posted at GrodsCorp
Andrew Bolt has had a crack at McDonald’s for using their Happy Meals, in conjunction with Australia Zoo, to promote conservation of endangered animals. Now, I’m no fan of Happy Meals, and I’m vegetarian, but if Maccas is going to take advantage of kids they might as well push a worthy cause while they do it. However, Bolta sees a pernicious lefty conspiracy.
McDonald’s Happy Meal isn’t so happy when the kids are warned mid-bite that other animals – no, not the ones they’re actually eating – are endangered. It’s even less happy when McDonald’s has the hide to claim that fluffy wuffy kangaroos, cute elephants and lovable pandas are those close to extinction. Do they really expect the kids to swallow that?
Except it’s not a “fluffy wuffy kangaroo”, but a yellow-footed rock wallaby, and the yellow-footed rock wallaby is listed as near-threatened.
And the “lovable” panda is very much endangered, while only about 10,000 African elephants remain in the wild.
Does Bolta really expect his readers to swallow his McTripe? Of course he does.
131 Comments
17 November, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Bolt’s well know for hating anything that resembles what he would call “lefty greenie conspiracy/marxists”.
Hardly unsurprising…pity about his use of the juvenile vernacular “fluffy wuffy“.
17 November, 2008 at 5:40 pm
“Does Bolta really expect his readers to swallow his McTripe? Of course he does.”
Half of them will, and still are even though it’s been pointed out by many posters that it’s the yellow-footed rock wallaby.
Boltards – would you expect anything better?
17 November, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Mega-triumphant after Bush’s 2004 electoral victory — he claimed that conservatives were clearly winning the culture war — Bolt has now been reduced to sniping about fluffy-wuffy animals and yawning dismissively about Obama.
Maybe it’s time to move on.
17 November, 2008 at 6:18 pm
i wonder if bolt was one of those who opposed maccas moving from styrophome containers to wrapping burgers in eco-friendly paper.
17 November, 2008 at 6:19 pm
sorry that should be eco-unfriendly styrophome to paper wrappers.
17 November, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Seriously. Just when you think you have some kind of a semblance of what makes the guy tick he goes and pulls something like this! What is he on?
I have had a theory for a while that he is on some kind of bonus related to page impressions he gets and often just throws absolutely random crap out like this to piss his haters off enough to get a nice little boost.
17 November, 2008 at 7:08 pm
That truly is a ridiculous post from Bolt.
Wasn’t he only too happy to laud the late Steve Irwin when it was as a means of belittling the despised Germaine Greer?
17 November, 2008 at 7:10 pm
there are at least 4 posts point out that it is a wallaby not a kangaroo that is endangered. yet andy still does not admit his mistake…i mean LIE. and his sheep still continue to post away anti AGW/anti maccas/anti australia zoo garbage unable to read, process and think for themselves – how many clicked on the link? fucking none i’d bet.
when is a wallaby a kangaroo? when it’s andrew bolt describing native wildlife to kids…i mean stirring up his sheep-like fans.
17 November, 2008 at 8:09 pm
This really is an odious, selfish and ugly belief system that Bolt and other rightards possess. Not only should governments be condemned for passing laws that encourage corporate responsibility, when corporations engage in it by their own volition, they should also be condemned.
This, anti-any measures to lessen man’s impact on the earth and other species, belief system possessed by Boltard types, is not rooted in any sort of morality or logic whatsoever. It is simply the result of selfishness and self-centredness magnified into absurd and juvenile paranoia.
He mocks those who harbor concern for threatened species, with a typical display of
his knee-jerked ignorance and very un-human like lack of compassion for things unlike himself.
Its refreshing too see that a huge coporation like Macdonalds is starting to inject at least small bit morality into its agenda, although I won be rushing to buy a Big Mac any time soon.
Bolt see a psychiatrist and take a good hard look at yourself.
17 November, 2008 at 8:12 pm
“Wasn’t he only too happy to laud the late Steve Irwin when it was as a means of belittling the despised Germaine Greer.”
Yep. But that’s Bolt, no consistency is his arguments whatsoever. Which is typically the result of attempting to paint the world in an ridiculously narrow and black and white way.
17 November, 2008 at 8:54 pm
My favourite bit of Boltian logic from the commenters on that post – in response to someone pointing out that it’s not a kangaroo and observing “At least that hamburger mob is educating the kids about bio-diversity and the need to protect these cute little critters before it’s too late”, we’re told:
Apparently, those dicks at McDonald’s just don’t know their place. They are supposed to be morally bankrupt capitalist scum. How dare they attempt to perform any service to the community other than serving up bland, non-nutritious food and providing a place for travellers to stop and let their kids wear themselves out on play equipment while the oldies have a coffee?
17 November, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I’m sure Andrew Bolt is only a shock jock type of Journo who only tries to promote HS advertising and make himself rich in the process.
Surely he couldn’t believe half the crap he writes. Its only to suck in gullible idiots who can not think for themselves. This actually makes it more embarrassing for idiots like MattR,Gordon of Perth,Dave Wane,The Dean of Doonside and all the other brainless twits who but all his ridiculous lies.
17 November, 2008 at 9:06 pm
TZ: the boltard logic works something like this: “i’ll rail against bias at the ABC cause it’s my tax dollars, but i don’t care about bias at channel 9 or news ltd cause they are private and can do whatever it takes to sell their product.”
now we have the same fools trying to tell private company mcdonalds what to offer and how to market to customers. it’s hilarious!
17 November, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Bolt is obviously paid on the number of clicks to his blog. No sensible person could write that garbage. He sold out a long time ago. He’s just a ridiculous caricature of a right wing opinion writer – still I guess it pays the bills and that’s all he cares about ….
17 November, 2008 at 11:05 pm
“It’s even less happy when McDonald’s has the hide to claim that fluffy wuffy kangaroos, cute elephants and lovable pandas are those close to extinction”
“hide the claim”? Huh. WTF is he on about?
18 November, 2008 at 7:40 am
Lets wait and see Rad Pipper’s defence.
Should be a doozy
18 November, 2008 at 8:37 am
RadMatt won’t offfer a defence – he’ll offer a distraction.
18 November, 2008 at 8:38 am
“Education isn’t their job”.
Really?? Typical bully, Bolt thinks that it is his job to tell everyone else what their job is.
Finally we are seeing society move back toward a more socio-centric one as a result of the ego-centric one we’ve all just gone through.
The Cult of Me is dying and he’s just not coping all that well with the grieving process, the poor dear.
18 November, 2008 at 8:45 am
ANDREW REPLIES: I care about animals, and care about the truth.
Thanks for the laugh, Andy.
No one’s arguing that you’re an animal-killer, Andy. You care about your version of and your spin on the truth, certainly.
It’s obvious to all that what you care most about though, is being heard and how that translates into $ and notoriety for yourself – And all I hear is misleading, carping, whining, self-centred tripe.
A Tabloid Wanker is all you are and all you’ll ever be – whatever spin you put on it for your kids – there’s a bit of truth for you.
18 November, 2008 at 8:54 am
“ANDREW REPLIES: I care about animals, and care about the truth.”
Yeah, he cares about the truth, distorting the truth. The guy is a racist prick who thinks he understands science better than scientists (even though he cannot perform simple arithmetic). Who writes for a living but frequently fails to use a spell checker.
Andrew Bolt is vile, he revels in dogwhistling his viler, stupider support base. You know, pricks who not only support his disgraceful stances but actually go to other Blogs to attempt to defend him.
18 November, 2008 at 10:16 am
“….pricks who not only support his disgraceful stances but actually go to other Blogs to attempt to defend him.”
RadMatt? Hello? Are you there RadMatt?
18 November, 2008 at 10:33 am
Andrew cares about the truth. His version of the truth.
18 November, 2008 at 10:48 am
Never thought I’d see the day that MacDonalds would be accused of being Lefties..
18 November, 2008 at 10:55 am
“Never thought I’d see the day that MacDonalds would be accused of being Lefties..”
Well, you know if Bolt doesn’t agree with it or someone is left of John Howard then Bolt calls them a ‘Lefty’ or a ’socialist’ like his followers, he doesn’t have a clue (and if he does have a clue then he’s just being dishonest).
18 November, 2008 at 10:56 am
Never thought I’d see the day that MacDonalds would be accused of being Lefties..
Not at all surprising when you realise that:
Leftie = Not(Think Like Andrew Bolt)
18 November, 2008 at 11:07 am
“Andrew cares about the truth”
…in the same way Tim Blair is an tofu merchant.
18 November, 2008 at 11:09 am
Never thought I’d see the day that MacDonalds would be accused of being Lefties..
I never thought I would see the day when lefties openly supported one of McDonald’s marketing toy gimmicks targeted at children. At least corporations now know what to do to win over the lefties.
18 November, 2008 at 11:13 am
Ahhh the pipper chimes in with a strawman attempt.
Tell us Rad. Do you think Bolt’s correct, and why?
18 November, 2008 at 11:19 am
Rad – Nice work champ. Even in the post Scott says he is no fan of McD’s and provides a link. Try again.
18 November, 2008 at 11:23 am
RadP won’t even get it. He doesn’t see the distinction because he doesn’t want to. If he gives up on his strawman, he won’t have anything to say and therefore he won’t get the attention he so craves.
18 November, 2008 at 11:24 am
Tell us Rad. Do you think Bolt’s correct, and why?
I think that you are reading way too much into Bolt’s post.
Putting Bolt aside I do think that McDonalds is using this as a marketing ploy as they have come under a lot of criticism for their actions of targeting children with cheap toys in their happy meals. This is a perfect way for them to continue doing what they have been doing while silencing all the critics. Instead of marketing toys from the latest block buster film, substitute them with fluffy animals and say that you are trying to teach the little kiddies about endangered animals. The Presto, McDonald’s has claimed the high moral ground and silenced all the critics.
18 November, 2008 at 11:28 am
Don’t put Bolt aside. That’s lazy.
What exactly about Bolt’s post am I reading too much into.?
P.S. I don’t think anyone here is arguing that McDonalds is not trying on a marketing ploy, so don’t bother to go down that path.
18 November, 2008 at 11:34 am
Macca’s are enviro-Nazi’s in Bolt-World.
Shows how far Bolts typing is disconnected from reality.
18 November, 2008 at 11:38 am
Don’t put Bolt aside. That’s lazy
No it’s not because bolt’s post on McDonald’s is more sarcasism than an attack.
18 November, 2008 at 11:40 am
What exactly about Bolt’s post am I reading too much into.?
I wasn’t refering to you individually, rather those posting in this threat attacking Bolt.
Comments like this;
Macca’s are enviro-Nazi’s in Bolt-World.
I think Michael need a paper bag to help him control his hyperventalation. He is getting himself all worked up over nothing.
18 November, 2008 at 11:41 am
I guess the larger question is – what on earth is wrong with trying to save endangered species? Is the answer – nothing, it’s just part of Bolt’s playing to the conservative base, anti-science jihad?
18 November, 2008 at 11:45 am
I guess the larger question is – what on earth is wrong with trying to save endangered species? Is the answer – nothing, it’s just part of Bolt’s playing to the conservative base, anti-science jihad
No one, even bolt has said that trying to save endangered animals is a bad thing. What is pathetic is blatant corporate marketing, jumping on the band wagon of the latest cause, simply to sell more happy meals to children.
You have to admit, it is a stroke of genius from McDonalds. All of a sudden, their marketing of happy meals to children is a noble thing where as before it was a ploy to get kids fat by eating more junk food.
18 November, 2008 at 11:47 am
Is the answer – nothing, it’s just part of Bolt’s playing to the conservative base, anti-science jihad?
LOL Oh Michael, since when has criticising McDonald’s latest Happy meal gimmick been anti-science jihad.
18 November, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Rad “No it’s not because bolt’s post on McDonald’s is more sarcasism than an attack.”
Is it Rad. Where does he state he is being Sarcastic? Back up your statements please.
18 November, 2008 at 12:04 pm
If only Bolt would attack Macca’s over advertising and its food!
But being a free-market ideologue, there’s no chance of that. What’s the bet that Bolt would object to the idea of banning fast food advertisng tagetting children as ‘nanny-statism’.
(http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/facts_thin_for_such_fat_heads/)
Sadly, all this is a just a symptom of conservative wing-nuttery, for which Bolt is the poster boy. Their thinking remains mired in the very distant past, when it was believed the the world was an endless resevoir and recepticle. We could keep taking from it without restriant and dump our rubbish in it and it would be magically diluted to vanishing point.
When the science says it an’t so – dump science.
Sure, Bolt writes a lot of stuff for his audience and to provoke those he sees as his enemies, but it’s his core conservatism that sympathises with such opinion.
18 November, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Is it Rad. Where does he state he is being Sarcastic? Back up your statements please.
Where does bolt state that it’s a a pernicious lefty conspiracy?
18 November, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I thought this one finally signalled that Bolt has completely lost the plot, and that obviously his sycophantic followers have joined him.
Hi “update” (read lame arse attempt at justification) just showed how far off the deep end he’s gone.
BTW I just got banned this morning! Bolt’s pathetic article suggesting Rudd was to blame for shutting down our Navy over Xmas because he won’t pay them enough (which was not the reason) prompted me to question:
” How much would it take to get a chickenhawk like you to $erve?”
Apparently this is “childish abuse of the host”
Which just goes to show the moderators are chickenhawks and sycophants.
18 November, 2008 at 12:37 pm
“Bolt’s pathetic article suggesting Rudd was to blame for shutting down our Navy over Xmas because he won’t pay them enough (which was not the reason) prompted me to questio”
What a TWAT, our hard working sailors are getting a break which will SAVE money and Bolt is whining……
“” How much would it take to get a chickenhawk like you to $erve?”
Apparently this is “childish abuse of the host””
LOL – well we all know that Bolt is happy to instantly snip any comment that shows him for the idiot he is but lets the racist comments stay. He’s a racist bigot!
18 November, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Nice try Rad – You STATED that Bolt was being sarcastic. Where?
18 November, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Nice try Rad – You STATED that Bolt was being sarcastic. Where?
Just read the post from bolt.
For example; McDonald’s Happy Meal isn’t so happy
And; It’s even less happy when McDonald’s has the hide to claim that fluffy wuffy kangaroos, cute elephants and lovable pandas are those close to extinction.
And; Do they really expect the kids to swallow that?
No where deos Bolt claim that this is a pernicious lefty conspiracy.
18 November, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Nice try Rad – You STATED that Bolt was being sarcastic. Where?
Now Dam WHERE does bolt claim that this is a pernicious lefty conspiracy.
18 November, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Rad – You are directing the question at the wrong person. I did not make that statement. Again you stuff up.
18 November, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Rad – You are directing the question at the wrong person. I did not make that statement. Again you stuff up
So you agree with me that Bolt is not claiming that this is a pernicious lefty conspiracy as suggested in this post!?
18 November, 2008 at 12:57 pm
“Again you stuff up”
LOL – Seriously, Rad is like Barry Bones, a plant to get us posting, except Rad sticks around… It works though, he’s a troll and a fool but I still engage him, I guess it’s easy sport.
18 November, 2008 at 12:59 pm
WTF Rad? I ask you why you claim he is being sarcastic and you turn it around.
Again you deflect and try the great trolling tactics.
I never said I agreed or disagreed with the statement. Do not try and put your bullshit arguments on me.
18 November, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I never said I agreed or disagreed with the statement. Do not try and put your bullshit arguments on me
OK so I will ask you then.
Do you or do you not agree with this post?
18 November, 2008 at 1:16 pm
It’s sarcastic ‘lil Pip.
18 November, 2008 at 1:29 pm
No, that’s not how it works RadMatt. We’re discussing Bolt’s post you see. Someone asked you if you agreed with Bolt’s post, and you said Bolt was being sarcastic. You then provided some examples of Bolt’s derisive ridicule and characterised them as sarcasm. But you didn’t say whether you agreed with his post. Unless, of course, you equate sarcasm with irony, in which case you are saying that Bolt didn’t mean a word of it, and in fact meant the exact opposite. Is that what you are arguing?
18 November, 2008 at 1:41 pm
But you didn’t say whether you agreed with his post. Unless, of course, you equate sarcasm with irony, in which case you are saying that Bolt didn’t mean a word of it, and in fact meant the exact opposite. Is that what you are arguing?
What I don’t agree with is this post’s interpretation of Bolt’s post. I believe that Bolt is highlighting the pathetic attempt by McDonald’s to use a populist cause as a method of selling junk food to kids.
Ask yourself this, Do you believe that McDonald’s is pure in it’s use of Toys of endangered species to sell it’s happy meals?
18 November, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Ask yourself this, is Bolt really against advertising targetting children, or was it just another lame-brained excuse to ridicule concern for the environment?
18 November, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I for one am quite happy for the use of the Happy Meal toys to help out some endangered animals. It is better than some useless piece of plastic they normally give out.
Australia Zoo and the Irwins are a corporation. They plough millions of dollars back into environmental research, protecting habitat and funding programmes to assist endangered animals.
Do i agree with everything Scott has put in the post? No, I am not a vegetarian.
Do i think Bolt was being sarcastic? If he was trying he failed.
So based on Bolt’s theory we should ban McHappy day because the burgers that are sold to raise money for kids hospitals will put some kids into hospital for being fat.
18 November, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Ask yourself this, is Bolt really against advertising targetting children, or was it just another lame-brained excuse to ridicule concern for the environment?
It was bolt highlighting McDonald’s use of populist causes to sell happy meals.
What I find interesting is that it has worked;
Now, I’m no fan of Happy Meals, and I’m vegetarian, but if Maccas is going to take advantage of kids they might as well push a worthy cause while they do it.
Even a leftist vegetarian thinks that McDonald’s is doing a good thing.
This is the kind of lunacy that Bolt is making fun off.
18 November, 2008 at 2:02 pm
So based on Bolt’s theory we should ban McHappy day because the burgers that are sold to raise money for kids hospitals will put some kids into hospital for being fat
Bolt isn’t saying that. Bolt is highlighting how a corporation is using marketing tactics via populist causes to target a market that previously criticised it’s happy meal marketing tactics into being in favour of it.
18 November, 2008 at 2:12 pm
No Rad he does not say that anywhere in his post.
18 November, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Of course Rad Pipper you fail to explain why Bolt’s update was to argue that certain species aren’t as “endangered” as others. Do you think this was sarcasm as well.
I imagine if Bolt told us tomorrow that it was okay to kill babies that cried in public places, you would either argue it was sarcasm, or that it had merit.
Sad really.
18 November, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Even Bolts updated gotcha was off the mark. He picked on the Red-Tailed Black cockatoo as an example of Macca’s “pulling a tear-jerking swifty”, but it is threatened as well. There are several populations of RTBs. While the northern variety is common (I see flocks of them fly past my office window nearly every day), the Vic and WA populations are threatened through habitat destruction.
18 November, 2008 at 2:48 pm
A Bolt commentator has gone through the complete list of animals and shown that:
“[o]f the 10 animals on McDonald’s list only four are endangered or critically endangered. Two are ‘vulnerable’ – the next closest level to ‘endangered’ – and the rest are all nowhere near the ‘endangered’ level. ”
Leaving aside that it wasn’t a kangaroo as originally suggested by Andrew – do commentators agree that Bolt has a point that McDonalds appears not to be telling the truth about some of its animals’ status in order to sell more burgers?
18 November, 2008 at 2:57 pm
No. I disagree.
Do you think that the technical classification of the level of endangerment of a species actually sells more burgers for McDonalds?.
“Daddy I want that Happy meal, it’s species is endangered”
“What about that one over there”
“Nahhh, it’s just vulnerable”
18 November, 2008 at 3:05 pm
RadMatt, it’s not that Bolt objects to the use of marketing to advance “populist” causes in general. Far from it in fact. He’d be more than happy, for instance, to see marketing used in aid of one of his silly culture war causes. What he objects to is this particular cause, because it has the potential to highlight the damage that is being done to the environment by the cause he champions most of all, i.e. limitless economic growth.
18 November, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Nic,
But what you state is not what Bolt’s point is:
Even substituting his error regarding the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby the three specific animals he cited are Near Endangered, Endangered or Near Threatened.
Being the social commentator he leaves the research to others rather than doing his own dirty work in finding out some facts.
If there were not the education campaigns in the past it is possible that a number of the species listed in the 10 would in fact be extinct in the wild.
18 November, 2008 at 3:09 pm
McDonald’s has other education campaigns through happy meals. They did a great road safety one last xmas.
18 November, 2008 at 3:15 pm
“Bolt isn’t saying that. Bolt is highlighting how a corporation is using marketing tactics via populist causes to target a market that previously criticised it’s happy meal marketing tactics into being in favour of it.”
Ah I see, Bolt the champion of corporate responsibility and ethics. Are you seriously that naïve? All this was, was a typically, ideological knee-jerked, negative response by Bolt, to any sort of environmental consideration. In his typical exuberance and sloppiness he didn’t even identify one of the main animal represented properly. Then he later engaged in one of his pathetic nitpicking of semantics in order to try to cover his hide. All of the animals listed by Maccas face some sort of threat to the continuation of their species due to the influences of man, to varying degrees.
Sure brand growth would have come into this within the Maccas corporation, but if you think that Bolt’s priority in this case was too attack Maccas on the ground of capitalist immorality, and not just use this as another predictable, boorish attempt to place a boot into any sort of environmental sensibility, then you have a serious problem with deluding yourself.
18 November, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Nic, see my post above yours.
DBP, was Bolt outraged about Macca’s then too?
18 November, 2008 at 3:27 pm
“….was Bolt outraged about Macca’s then too?”
Can’t remember, but I doubt it somehow.
18 November, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I believe that Bolt is highlighting the pathetic attempt by McDonald’s to use a populist cause as a method of selling junk food to kids.
Funny how this only showed up on Bolt’s radar when the ‘populist cause’ was an environmental one, wouldn’t you say Matt?
You can pretend all you want but the fact is that Bolt is clearly indulging his anti-environmentalism. If the McHappy meals had instead used their happy meals to promote a different ‘populist cause’ – say, a message of road safety – Bolt wouldn’t have batted an eyelid.
McDonald’s has other education campaigns through happy meals. They did a great road safety one last xmas.
Oh look – McDonalds actually did do a road safety campaign and Bolt didn’t bat an eyelid.
Surely you’re sick of being proved wrong by now Matt.
18 November, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I think Rad is Bolt. They seem very similar in too many ways, and Rad always seems to know exactly what Bolt was thinking when he writes something.
It really wouldn’t surprise me at all if it were true.
18 November, 2008 at 3:54 pm
No of course he wasn’t.
When the kids got a Happy meal they gave a colouring book and pencils as well as bumper stickers. the colouring book had a heap of stuff about road safety for kids as well as games to play on the road and how often you should stop to take a break.
18 November, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Bolty has been trying to introduce the ’socialism’ meme into his typing. I can’t remember the exact context, but it was someting Rudd was proposing relating to the financial crisis.
Who’s gonna break it to Andy that aping the US conservatives and their scare tactics isn’t going to work so well here.
18 November, 2008 at 3:57 pm
A – Nah I doubt it. Rad spends too much time here defending his love of Bolt to be Bolt himself.
No dodgy conspiracy theories as Rad has said that he did 2 years of under graduate physics but Bolt never really went to Uni.
18 November, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I wonder if McDonald’s House will be next in Bolt’s firing line…surely looking after kids with cancer isn’t McDonalds’ job either…
18 November, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Michael,
A lot of the responses to the financial crisis have been socialist. Anything which involves increasing government ownership or use of government funds to bail out is socialist. I’d need to see the actual reference to know whether it is scare mongering or not.
There is a argument as to where to draw the line – some would say that any giving of government funds to private industry is socialist (e.g the ABC child care bail out). Others would say keeping centres open is not socialist – where the alternative is massive dislocation to the economy if 20% of child care places were to disappear overnight.
However if there was a proposal for the government to take ownership of banks or the car industry or some failing bank – then that is clearly a socialist suggestion.
Doesn’t mean that it is necessarily evil (unless, like myself, you consider that government’s should get out the market place and leave private enterprises to survive or fail on their own).
18 November, 2008 at 4:26 pm
michael: i’ve noticed that too, esp andy using the term as a sort of smear against ‘teh left’.
nic: if socialism is what you describe then the 2 biggest socialist political leaders in my lifetime are john howard and george w bush. suddenly bolt’s socialism meme looks plain ridiculous. doesn’t it?
18 November, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Nic, you’re kidding right?
This is only socialism when viewed through the prism of the wingnut-o-sphere.
Even Cuba is only socialist in aspiration.
All we are seeing here is a ramping up of ‘guided capitalism’.
18 November, 2008 at 4:38 pm
And only then due to the massive failings of the much vaunted “market place”.
18 November, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Michael, must really depend on your definition of socialist. If, by your definition of the term, Cuba is only socialist in aspiration then we obviously have different definitions of socialist.
Think of the definition I gave as small s socialism and the utopian full economy socialism that Cuba aspires to as big S Socialism.
Of course, one may ask – if Cuba is aspiring to Socialism, why does its recent transfer of power appear to resemble an old fashioned monarchy (same, obviously, could be said for North Korea).
18 November, 2008 at 5:56 pm
If the Govt bailing out some failing private industries is “socialism” then the term has lost all meaning.
18 November, 2008 at 6:11 pm
“Anything which involves increasing government ownership or use of government funds to bail out is socialist.”
No it doesn’t, and such a misguided definition of the term distorts discussion and understanding of politics and economics and regularly leads to alarmism and name- calling.
An incremental change towards more government intervention, doesn’t mean that Socialism in place. I acknowledge that this term “Socialism” is one that has been increasingly brandied around by Right-wing ideologues in the US, and subsequently is becoming increasingly inappropriately used with American political vernacular, but as per the real definition of the term, there are only a few regimes in the world that come close to being ones that could be classified as Socialist. As Confessions notes above, if we were to go by your definition of the term, George Bush and John Howard would be two of the most prominent Socialists leaders of our time.
The misuse and misunderstanding of the term “Socialism” within American political vernacular, led to the out-right imbecility of many of Obama’s detractors, who tried to label him as a Communist.
18 November, 2008 at 8:31 pm
“nic: if socialism is what you describe then the 2 biggest socialist political leaders in my lifetime are john howard and george w bush.”
How is that confessions?
18 November, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Daics: re-read what Nic wrote. and think about it.
18 November, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I just did. Why exactly are Bush and Howard “the 2 biggest socialist political leaders in my lifetime” considering Noc’s definition?
I honestly don’t see what you are getting at, even having read Nic’s post more than once. I’m happy to have it spelled out to me though.
18 November, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Daics: socialism: “Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and the creation of an egalitarian society.” (wikipedia)
BUT Nic says: “Anything which involves increasing government ownership or use of government funds to bail out is socialist.”
with howard we have all those years of government handouts (cash) to people to a) produce children and b) buy homes – household bailouts. in essence this has had the effect of distorting at the very least the housing market, and theres limited evidence in terms of distorting child care markets and other children’s services. howard also has on his watch the funds used to bail out workers his brother’s national textiles company and mitsubishi (curiously in an election year), family tax benefit system, government handouts to self funded retirees and burgeoning government – the biggest goverment that i can recall. hello! spreading the wealth anyone?
with bush we have the record $700-odd billion bailout of financial institutions, agricultural (read: protectionist) subsidies, and hugo chavez’s bold claim that “Bush is to the left of me now”. amusing i’m sure.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/3207978/Hugo-Chavez-celebrates-comrade-George-W-Bushs-conversion-to-socialism-following-financial-crisis.html
the problem Daics is that people like bolt and blair and all the other rightwing nutters like fox news talk about socialism as being a purely leftist entity while clearly having no fundamental understanding about its philosphopical or intellectual underpinnings. if they did they would of happily criticised bush and howard for their socialist tendencies. but….silence. wonder why?
18 November, 2008 at 11:06 pm
daics: i’ve replied, for some reason it’s held up in a queue somewhere….
19 November, 2008 at 5:12 am
For Ronnie McDonnie to preach `Enviroeconomical Food Based Enviromentalism` is surely a oxymoren. How can a company that is helping desimate the rain forests preach anything about the environment makes me think of them in a new `subhuman` light. Forget the health implications of consuming that `fat laden carcenagenic crap` they sell, they now want all there guinea pigs, sorry custermers to leave there with a feeling of well being `because were saving the world`. Oh please
19 November, 2008 at 8:51 am
Better update the blog post as it is now a column.
19 November, 2008 at 12:35 pm
How can a company that is helping desimate the rain forests preach anything about the environment …
Yeah I had friends that used to wear the McDeath t-shirts but I think that this indicates MacDonalds may be more approachable with your concerns. I think like all large corporations they will listen to anyone with a good idea. McDonalds has just had a corporate profit downturn according to the Courier Mail today. Maybe check to see if the vegetarian MacDonalds in India are doing any good financially and put it in the suggestion box – Imagine saying to MacDonalds 20 years ago to set up a McCafe with salads …
I believe if a company like MacDonalds can make a genuine change the world would be a much better place.
19 November, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Yeah I had friends that used to wear the McDeath t-shirts but I think that this indicates MacDonalds may be more approachable with your concerns.
LMAO – Because changing their McHappy meal toys changes everything.
I think it indicates that McDonalds has found a way to silence it’s biggest critics and all they had to do was change the toys in their happy meals. Corporate genius!!!
And just to back this up we have this comment from someone who is friends with those very critics of McDonalds;
I believe if a company like McDonald’s can make a genuine change the world would be a much better place
19 November, 2008 at 12:46 pm
What’s wrong with that comment Pipper.?
19 November, 2008 at 12:53 pm
What’s wrong with that comment Pipper.?
Nothing’s wrong with it if it was genuinely true.
But all we have is McDonalds changing the toys in their McHappy meals and sprouting a few comments about endangered animals.
Where is the tangible proof that they are doing anything meaningful to make a difference.
19 November, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Read the comment again Pipper.
Windrider is stating that if it were true, the world would be a better place.
At no point did Windrider say that it had actually happened. It was wishful thinking. Nothing wrong with that.
But in your rush to defend the strawman argument you have put up you have stuffed up -yet again.
Tell me are you critical of McDonalds when they used road safety campaigns to sell burgers?.
I put that question a number of times to Bolt’s blog, but it never seems to get published.
Playing devils advocate get’s boring.
19 November, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Tell me are you critical of McDonalds when they used road safety campaigns to sell burgers?.
Show me the campaign and I will answer the question.
I am criticising McDonald’s because their latest campaign is transparent and only seems to be about selling more happy meals.
If McDonalds runs a campaign to improve road safety and it has no tangible impact other than increasing the sale of burgers then yes I will be critical. But I have not seen that campaign so I cannot comment.
19 November, 2008 at 1:31 pm
LMAO – Because changing their McHappy meal toys changes everything.
Windrider stated that McDonald’s attempts to raise environmental awareness indicates that they “may be more approachable with your concerns” Matt – not that “everything” has changed. You really are an utterly monotonous troll.
Are you literally incapable of responding to someone without totally misrepresenting them?
Where is the tangible proof that they are doing anything meaningful to make a difference.
So surely you would be equally critical of their road safety campaign, wouldn’t you Matt, since there’s no tangible indication that it made a difference either?
Or is it just the environment that is a waste of time?
19 November, 2008 at 1:39 pm
So surely you would be equally critical of their road safety campaign, wouldn’t you Matt, since there’s no tangible indication that it made a difference either?
Read my last comment MR.
I have said that if their campaign on road safety makes no tangible difference then yes I will be critical. I have not seen their campaign on road safety so I cannot comment.
Can you provide a link to where the details about that campaign can be found?
Windrider stated that McDonald’s attempts to raise environmental awareness indicates that they “may be more approachable with your concerns” Matt – not that “everything” has changed. You really are an utterly monotonous troll.
But that’s the point. Just attempting to raise environmental awareness is not the same as making a tangible difference.
Being approachable and doing something that actually makes a difference are two different things. All being approachable seems to do is silence the critics.
19 November, 2008 at 1:44 pm
[i]Just attempting to raise environmental awareness is not the same as making a tangible difference.[/i]
How do you know it does not make a difference. In attempting to raise awareness, they are making a difference. If just one person has been made more aware then they have succeeded. How tangible would you like it?. What is your barometer for success.?
19 November, 2008 at 1:48 pm
damn html!!!
19 November, 2008 at 1:54 pm
How do you know it does not make a difference. In attempting to raise awareness, they are making a difference.
No they are not. But your comment highlights the corporate genius of silencing the critics.
It’s more about PR and improving the image of McDonald’s, (which in turn helps increase profits) than being pro-active in making a difference when it comes to endangered species.
If just one person has been made more aware then they have succeeded. How tangible would you like it?. What is your barometer for success.?
Well yours is set so low that it’s barely noticeable. If success is measured in just making one person aware, then what change are you expecting to happen?!
19 November, 2008 at 1:56 pm
RadP – http://www.roadsafe.org.au/media/LaTrobe%20Annual%20Report%202005-2006.pdf
Page 7.
19 November, 2008 at 1:58 pm
RadP or http://www.roadsafe.org.au/media/eastern%20annual%20report%202008.pdf
page 19.
Links have been provided. Going to retract your baseless argument? Or maybe do some research of your own rather than relying on others.
19 November, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Links have been provided. Going to retract your baseless argument? Or maybe do some research of your own rather than relying on others.
Well it isn’t a McDonald’s campaign. It’s a Road safe campaign where the SES are using McDonald’s restaurants as a location to distribute the booklets.
It’s also not being sold as part of a McDonald’s meal. Meaning that drivers aren’t required to purchase a McDonald’s meal to get the booklet.
Unlike the endangered animals promotion where you HAVE to purchase a McHappy Meal to get the toy.
RoadSafe has produced a new edition of the Children’s Activity Booklet. The project is designed to encourage motorists to stop and take a break.
Due to the success, the project expanded
statewide this year with approx. 25,000 activity books being distributed by the SES at25,000 activity books being distributed by the SES at Driver Reviver sites and McDonalds outlets to families travelling throughout the state. Powernap eye masks were also distributed
19 November, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Well yours is set so low that it’s barely noticeable. If success is measured in just making one person aware, then what change are you expecting to happen?!
One person is better than none.
Would you prefer one person to be more environmentally aware of endangered animals, or that person to just be happy with the latest movie/toy tie in.
Besides both you and I know it is likely alot more than one. You can play semantics all you like, but all that you prove is that you have no standards at all.
You started out by not defending Bolt at all, and now you can’t even defend your own strawman argument. What an elegant surrender!
19 November, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Would you prefer one person to be more environmentally aware of endangered animals, or that person to just be happy with the latest movie/toy tie in.
Saving endangered animals is more than just making people aware. I would prefer action where in the future the animals is no longer endangered. A fluffy toy in a McHappy Meal is not going to do that.
You started out by not defending Bolt at all, and now you can’t even defend your own strawman argument. What an elegant surrender
Oh Pleeeease. That’s amounts to you begging me to agree with you. I just have to accept that your standards are set very low when it comes to making a real difference to save endangered animals.
19 November, 2008 at 2:14 pm
That is even more evil of those corporate bastards hey Rad? you dont even have to buy anything!
And they sponsored it too.
How dare they do something that might be good without making us part with some hard earned?
19 November, 2008 at 2:18 pm
That is even more evil of those corporate bastards hey Rad? you dont even have to buy anything!
And they sponsored it too.
How dare they do something that might be good without making us part with some hard earned?
Don’t be ridiculous. There is NO comparison to be made and you know it.
It is Road safety that are responsible for making the difference as they are the ones running the campaign. It is also their job to do it as well. McDonalds are just allowing them to use their restaurants as a distribution place.
19 November, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Rad Pipper … ? Keep trolling mate. I have been very critical of Maccas in the past and Astronomer’s comment struck a chord in me when he said about the rainforests being decimated by Ronald MacDonalds business practices. Like the others pointed out to you Rad I said nothing has changed just that they may be more approachable…
I would also like to point out that McDonalds now has a range of healthy heart smart meals in response to Morgan Spurlocks documentary. I am sad to say that I have never tried one. If anyone walks out of there with an unhealthy meal and complains just point it out to them that they made their own choice.
Shane that is interesting about Bolt Blog not letting through the road safety comment.
Now if they can put the cute fluffy wuffy toys with a healthy meal …
19 November, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Saving endangered animals is more than just making people aware. I would prefer action where in the future the animals is no longer endangered. A fluffy toy in a McHappy Meal is not going to do that.
I guess the 10 cents they donate from every happy meal is not enough of a difference for you.
I guess if someone is made more aware and then takes action as a result of being made aware, is not enough for you .
Your arguments are more endangered than any of these animals.
19 November, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I finally got one through on Bolts blog.
Waiting for the wingnuts to “put me in my place”.
19 November, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Hmm no comparison between:
1. sponsoring a programme to eduacte drivers and maybe save a few lives by enticing drivers to have a break even though the road safety programme is controlled by Roadsafe
2. sponsoring a programme to educate children and maybe save a few animals lives by enticing people to eat a burger even though the animal protection programme is controlled by Australia Zoo.
19 November, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Jesus Christ Rad, you are a fucking tool. I’m sorry about the language, but it’s true.
The thing is you are right about McDonald’s only trying to improve their PR and increase their profits while pretending to care about endangered species, but that’s what corporations do.
That’s what all corporations do. All corporations deceive and manipulate in order to increase profits.
The problem is not this specific example of McDonald’s and endangered species. It is at the root of the capitalist system.
Are you going to argue against capitalism? I don’t think so.
So stop pretending that you care about corporations being hypocritical you fucking idiot.
19 November, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Found this amusing post from the incredibly pompus, annoying and STUPID Mr Logic in the Maccas thread today –
“Mr Logic replied to Cheryl
Wed 19 Nov 08 (01:37pm)
‘Ho Hum boring, boring boringly predictable
Allot like Mr Bolts posting.’
Mr Logic points out that if BB (aka Jeremy Sear) really found AB’s posts “boringly predictable” he would not read them and, therefore, not post on this forum.
Mr Logic congratulates BB on once again, by contradicting himself in a mere two lines of text, proving to all and sundry the lilliputian stature of his IQ. ”
So Barry Bones is Mr Lefty, and Sue Gant of Preston is me.
And they reckon lefties are hung up on conspiracy theories !!
OK, back to brewing my vat of kool aid (that’s especially for you, Dean of Doonside. Mwah)
Liv of Melbourne.
(or am I ? Noo nooo noo nooooooo)
19 November, 2008 at 3:12 pm
CRAP I spelled pompous wrong.
Mr Logic will be all over that like a rash – it is an obvious indicator of my low IQ.
Damn damn damn.
19 November, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Liv, I don’t see the comments you are referring to. What article are they on?
I don’t really follow your comment – are you suggesting that Jeremy is writing comments at Andrew Bolt’s site under fake names (or sock-puppeting)? Or are you just repeating an allegation made by someone else.
19 November, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I’m still convinced Bolt is Bones.
19 November, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I posted there as “Baruch Goldstein” and someone alerted him to the fact that it was the name of a mad fundamentalist Jew who went on a rampage in a mosque in Israel and shot dead a number of worshippers (he was torn apart by some of the others).
He then removed my comment and replaced it with “SNIPPED for your foul username” – but then left the “foul username” for everyone to see!
19 November, 2008 at 7:53 pm
And who is windrider?
19 November, 2008 at 8:46 pm
When is Bolt going to have a go about Ronald McDonald House, the accommodation for parents next to the the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne? Shameless marketing ploy to suck up to stressed parents when they’re at their most vulnerable?
19 November, 2008 at 10:17 pm
bolt was on radio today yabbering about maccas and their endangered species. in response to a question about the species per se he talked about the red-tailed cockatoo being listed on IUCN red list as “of least concern”. cue interviewer shock and surprise…and direction of such to bolt. to which bolt replies it’s “just as well” he gets paid “danger money” to “fact check” these claims.
excuse me, but according to his blog post “reader Dylan” alerted him to the IUCN website, not andy’s solo “fact checking” effort.
yet more lies from a man who is fast becomming a liar extroadinnaire.
19 November, 2008 at 10:54 pm
It’s wrong anyway – certain populations of the Red-Tailed Black are endangered.
But that’s Bolt for you – claims credit for “fact-checking” which was actually done by someone else, but he didn’t even bother to fact-check the fact checker.
19 November, 2008 at 11:17 pm
“Rodney replied to Frank
Wed 19 Nov 08 (09:54pm)
They love KFC Crispy Strips. I’ve seen a whole family of Sudanese surround a big carton of them.”
Who needs McDonalds when you have KFC?
20 November, 2008 at 7:39 am
Wow, Returned Man, what a nice person you are.
I may disagree with this site’s views of its subjects – but it is clear that this site is not for the purpose of trolling Blair or Bolt.
20 November, 2008 at 7:51 am
“He then removed my comment and replaced it with “SNIPPED for your foul username” – but then left the “foul username” for everyone to see!”
LOL – yeah the mods aren’t too sharp at Bolt’s, I once directly quoted a poster above me, the word “bullshit” was quoted, it was snipped on my post (SNIPPED – FOR FOUL LANGUAGE (or something similar)) but left intact on the post directly above.
Bolt and his mods don’t edit posts, they censor specific posters, this is obvious to anyone who has posted a dissenting view on his site. Those who don’t dissent and always grovel are never snipped and are simply blissfully ignorant of the heavy bias and censorship that takes place on his blog (all the while criticising others for bias).
20 November, 2008 at 9:50 am
I wonder too, when Bolt will have a go at McDonalds for donating a percentage of every Big Mac sold during the Royal Childrens Hospital appeal…
20 November, 2008 at 11:42 am
“confessions
19 November, 2008 at 10:17 pm
bolt was on radio today yabbering about maccas and their endangered species. in response to a question about the species per se he talked about the red-tailed cockatoo being listed on IUCN red list as “of least concern”. cue interviewer shock and surprise…and direction of such to bolt. to which bolt replies it’s “just as well” he gets paid “danger money” to “fact check” these claims.
excuse me, but according to his blog post “reader Dylan” alerted him to the IUCN website, not andy’s solo “fact checking” effort.
yet more lies from a man who is fast becomming a liar extroadinnaire.”
This would be 3AW, right? And what a self-important tosser Bolt is! Danger money? Get your hand off it Andy!
20 November, 2008 at 6:45 pm
“while only about 10,000 African elephants remain in the wild.”
That’s not accurate. In Chad there are 10,000 African elephants. Africa, in total, has around 700, 000 elephants according to the World Wildlife Fund.
20 November, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I posed the question today in his little ‘Have your say’ forum. Of course no answer from Botl himself, just smart arse replies from his resident fanboys.
21 November, 2008 at 6:31 am
Windrider, i agree…….i am also convinced Bolt is Barry Bones……..putting up stuff just to get the flock going, they haven’t got the brains to think for themselves.
21 November, 2008 at 10:46 pm
We know Andrew loves animals. Kangaroos especially. After-all, he got his big journalistic break by his live reporting while he was inside one…
26 November, 2008 at 3:39 am
Just thought, what about the environmental impact of shipping tens of thousands of tons of plastic crap around the planet.
Comments are closed.