I'm of a serious mind to take down those pictures of Nik, because my traffic is going through the roof with freaks looking up all kinds of things to do with her.

A Vanity Search?

Found this little darling in the stats.

VISITOR ANALYSIS
Referring Link
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=joshua
Key Words. Joshua Frydenberg
Host Name:bagheera.australia.db.com
IP Address:203.0.62.7
Country:Australia
Region:New South Wales
City:Sydney
ISP:Db Bain Group Services
Visit Length:1 min 30 secs

On further analysis of the IP, it has certainly come from the Sydney offices of Deutsche. A collegue doing some checking, or the failed Kooyong candidate himself?

UPDATE 1: Also received hits from Harvard, where Joshua is completing his Masters of Public Administration

Little Nick's not so grown up

So while I was cleaning up some of the deadlinks due to the Herald Sun taking some articles offline, I though Nikki!
Firstly, be aware that the advertising slogan for the magazine in which she is posing describes itself as "Sex, Sport and Stupidity". Of higher educational quality than the three Rs. In other articles:
*Martin Bryant wasn't the only killer
*World's Fattest Sportsmen
*Big Brother babes
*Matt Giteau talks groupies, video games and mohawks
*50 Anzac Facts

The Age Diary, home of brutal take downs for all had a go at her during the week:
My, hasn't our little Nikki Webster grown. This Anzac Day treat in lad mag ZOO (we think her curves are meant to evoke the hills of Gallipoli) is not afraid to ask the tough questions. Interviewer: "Have your boobs gotten bigger?" Nikki: "Ha, you could well be right there! I think I'm just a later developer than everyone else." Yet another mag you don't read for erudite discourse (translation for ZOO readers: we mean the articles).

But the lack of taste doesn't end there. In trying to shed her "little girl image" from the opening ceremony of the (Olympic) games, she's gone and done one for the ANZACS. I guess that just adding the helmet makes it all better. (As you can tell, the procrastination continues).

Funny Stuff: Much Ado About Sumthin

Was procrastinating while looking to write a Microeconomics assignment, and came across Steph's, and it's the kinda blog that makes you want to trawl the archives; so I did. It's seriously down to earth, and the humour (though aggressive and a little abrasive) is very much refreshing. Can recommend.

The Battle for Kooyong: "It Begins"

The Main Event:

Joshua Frydenberg Versus Petro Georgiou

For the undisputed "Kooyong" belt, and a guaranteed seat on the Green Leather of Australian Parliament House.








In the blue corner...
Weighing in at 34 years, the challenger, educated at Bialik and Mount Scopus Colleges, Monash University, where he graduated in law, and Oxford University, where he gained a master’s degree in international relations in 1998. In 1999 he worked as an assistant adviser to Attorney-General Daryl Williams, before becoming an adviser to Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, a post he held until 2003. From 2003 to 2005 he was a policy adviser to Prime Minister John Howard, specialising in domestic security issues, border protection, justice and industrial relations. Currently working for Deutshe Bank.

His supporters include:
Richard Alston (Fmr Vic Senator)
Hugh Morgan (RBA Board Member)
Neil Brown QC (Fmr Fed Deputy Leader)
Michael Robinson (Fmr Arthurs Allan Robinson Chair)
Ian Macfarlane (Industry Minister)
Santo Santoro (Minister for Ageing)
Peter Dutton (Assistant Treasurer)
Alexander Downer (Foreign Minister)
Michael Wooldridge (Fmr Health Minister)
Sir Zelman Cohan (Fmr G.G.)
Joshua Frydenberg!


and in the other blue corner,
born in Kerkyra, Greece, and was educated at Melbourne University, tutor in politics at La Trobe University, Senior Adviser to Malcolm Fraser, Director of the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Adviser to the Andrew Peacock, Director of the Victorian Liberal Policy Unit, State Director of the Victorian Liberal Party and member for Kooyong since 1994.

His supporters include:
John Howard (PM)
Jeffrey G Kennett (Fmr Vic Premier)
John Fahey (Fmr NSW Premier)
Peter Costello (Treasurer)
Fred Chaney (Fmr Deputy Leader)
Malcolm Fraser (Former PM)
Ted Bailleu (Vic MLA)
David Davis (VIC MLC)
Michael Kroger
Tim Costello
Petro Georgiou!

Ok, enough of those boxing analogies. When a combination of state executive and branch delegates get toghether on Sunday (40/60) to decide who will represent Kooyong at the next state election, it will mark the end of something rarely seen in Liberal Party circles: A preselection scuffle. Frydenberg has certainly shown himself to be a worthy candidate, but does he have the numbers? I don't think so.

Whether he loses by one vote or 50 votes has no bearing. I think the branches have been well and truly sewn up, and Petro will hold the seat until he pleases. As you can see from the list, Petro has the more current supporters. Branch members are also a little troubled about somebody being backed from outside the state; the Liberal party is a conservative one, including when it comes to rolling the sitting member.

The other argument for retaining the status quo is past performance. Everybody knows what Petro thinks, from mandatory detention to multi-culturalism...People Know Petro. Frydenberg is an unknown quantity when it comes to policy. We know who he's worked for, but we don't know what he thinks. Another couple of terms perhaps?

When Frydenberg does lose, he should content himself with a couple of things. Firstly, there are still some great Victorian marginals out there, as well as some Senate spots that will be opening up. Kay Patterson has already announced her retirement, and Rod Kemp has had his M2006 finale. I doubt that he's ready to move on just yet. So just one juicy senate spot left. There's always next time.

P.S. Have added Google Goodness after each post.

UPDATE 2:
As predicted by LLM, Petro Wins.

• Georgiou, Petro 62
• Frydenberg, Joshua 22
• Armstrong, Alistair 1

UPDATE 1:
The Sunday Age has thrown its editorial support behind Petro, whilst acknowledging Frydenberg's credentials.
But party insiders say it would be a "massive upset" if Mr Georgiou lost. "It's very difficult to see Josh winning," one said. "People will be very reluctant to sack someone like Petro, especially when the party is in government."

Its news section agrees with LLM's assesment:
But party insiders say it would be a "massive upset" if Mr Georgiou lost. "It's very difficult to see Josh winning," one said. "People will be very reluctant to sack someone like Petro, especially when the party is in government."

Anti VSU Protests Fall Flat

Ahh, finally the fight for the hearts and minds of students is coming to a close. I'm interrupting my mid-sem study to post this. I was heartned to see Liberal Students in Melbourne getting the trot hordes excited.

On Channel 7's 6:30 news, Peter Mitchell told us that police had to keep the two groups apart. The Green/Socialist/Labor numbers (250) were met by 20 odd Liberal Students who told them to get a job. One unsucessfully tried to snatch a corflute of an eminent Liberal politician.
On Channel 10's late news, there was certainly footage of the same, including one student in a particularly loud blue patterened jacket.


What was surprising was the lack of footage on Liberal Students in Sydney. I'd been hearing about russian aristrocrats attempting to organise something, but all I saw from Sydney was protestors being evicted from George Street; and that was on both the Melbourne-centric Seven News, and the National 10 Late News.

Nationally, it seems that now Liberal Students make up a solid 10% attendance at these protests, or counter-protests depending on your point of view.

A day to show that VSU is good for me and good for you.

P.S.
The Sydney University Liberal Club was established in 1932
The Melbourne University Liberal Club was established in 1929
It makes MULC the oldest club in the federation.
One NSWelshman found this out the hard way on an Adelaide bus.