Reckon the Shah would give you a run for your money when it came to romancing women - Iran was definitely a liberal muslim state back in the 70’s.
In a lot of places, it still is. Like every country, there’s widely differing opinions about politics, religion etc across different areas and different people.
Worked with a guy recently who travelled here from Iran recently on a 457 visa. His family (back in Iran) are winemakers going way back. Yes, alcoholic wine. It’s not like they run a Dan Murphy’s, they all have other jobs and the making of alcohol isn’t publicly acknowledged, but everyone knows and nobody cares. And they’re not the only ones. I get the feeling it’s seen as something like as serious as driving at 85kmh in an 80 zone or torrenting Game of Thrones, on the criminality/immorality scale. He’s an observant muslim and likes a beer (plenty of people brew beer over there too - it’s a bit safer because it’s easier to explain why you’re growing/buying barley than wine grapes, though getting hops is still a problem). He wouldn’t rub it in the face of the morality police or whatever they’re called, but they don’t go out of their way to bother him either. I think the rulers are smart enough to know that cracking down on this sort of stuff would cause serious unrest, and venal enough that they prefer staying in power over enforcing the strictures of the religion they supposedly run the country on behalf of.
Real life tends to be more complicated and varied than you think. And religion isn’t the be-all and end-all of what makes a society. Iranian culture has some deep roots in Persian and Parthian culture which was in turn heavily influenced by the Macedonians dating back to Alexander. There’s a strong tradition of wine, art, romance, and drama there. Like in most countries, culture shapes religious practice as much as religion shapes culture.
5 Likes
This might just be the most insightful article on this presidency yet…
3 Likes
Wow, truth is stranger than fiction.
I love that people will claim fake news, or made up sources. But if you make it all the way through you realise the writer was actually there, the administration was so dumb they just invited him in.
He was in the White House and has folks on record. There has been no comment (or tweet) on this. Someone like Wolff and NY Mag (as well as Macmillan, the publishers of the forthcoming book) would not take a legal risk. They know it is true.
More from the Wolff book
Sleep with dogs and get fleas they said.
True, it was not sharia law, and the times I went there before the ayatollah in late 1970’s there was great night life, lots of beautiful ladies and much fun. Hope it returns, though I am too old to appreciate it.
The Shah and his Secret Police were much worse than Sharia Law, where at least you get a trial. Shah was a murderous dog, who killed any opposition.
1 Like
But those few minor things aside, it’s been all positive…
3 Likes
It’s Bannon, isn’t it? He’s as dishonest as Trump, if in a different way, so I think I will maintain a little skepticism for the moment. He did champion Roy Moore, Paul Nehlen, and runs Breitbart after all.
Gee this thread has turned into a ■■■■ salad, so I am going to try post back on topic - to see if this thread can recover on topic?
Firstly @Ants - thanks for taking the time with your post regarding corporate tax. As someone who has worked with and now a small business owner, I am all for less corporate tax - I strongly believe a lower corporate tax rate gives business owners a greater control in their cash flow and allows them to invest back in the business/community. Yes large corporations will to a degree exploit this, but I don’t think large corporations paying a lower tax rate is an issue, the issue in the states (and Australia and other Western tax jurisdictions) is paying NO tax. That has been well documented and lowering the corporate tax rate, will come eventually at a cost benefit for large corporations to pay their share.
I am firm on the belief that commerce/industry are far more efficient in distributing monies compared to government, I also believe that large organisations will ALWAYS be a step ahead of governments and legislation and your better off with them coming to the table.
I would much rather $100 in the pocket of a business owner than any government, put simply if those funds are not utilized property, that business is closing the doors - where the government may not get re-elected.
Now onto the thought of ‘How did Trump get elected’. I have been living in NYC for the year and recently took a road trip through PA,NC,SC,GA,FL to get a feel of ‘real’ America and I must say it’s like NYC is a different country. One of the stark differences is every is happy and friendly.
Firstly American’s are extremely individualistic and perhaps this has been pushed to the extreme over the last decade - you vote for what is going to impact ‘I’ and not ‘WE’.
I have heard a lot about the ‘Liberal’ states of CA and NY throughout the election and post results, yes it has been well reported that the opinions coming out of those states is not a reflection of ‘true’ America. I understand this, but what I have not been able to get my head around has been how individualistic the liberal states have been. Take for example the devastating fires in Cali - have heard not a great deal here in NY.
When I compare that to when I was in Melbourne and the floods went through Queensland, it was on the news, donations, drives, state and federal governments working together etc. This is a massive difference I have experienced and will link back to this later.
My next point is Americans love to have ‘their’ guy. If I was in a coffee shop in Bairnsdale, they will probably have a photo of Cam White and the owner will follow up with ‘he grew up here’ and they that’s the end of that. In the states, they love to have ‘their guy’ - be it a football players, they will have the shop with photos/tops etc and they will hitch their bandwagon to that guy. ‘He is XXXX born and breed’ - I also think that is an important factor - a guy in Florida showed me his MAGA tattoo and said ‘I’m a Trump guy’
You would very rarely hear that in Australia. But having a candidate that you can get behind like a team is so important.
What I noticed is down south, is things are a little simple in terms of needs. Jobs, economy, minimal taxes, freedom, military and God. That’s what a lot that I spoke to value (and football)
So when you think about climate change, international diplomacy, international aid etc and think about the ‘I’ - it does not surprise me that Trumps methods have not cause outrage outside of the Liberal cities. This is not just the states (I expect Andrews to get swept in Vic because ‘I’ do not feel safe) - a lot of those issues, if ‘I’ cannot see the benefit then it is not a big deal. I mean think about climate change policies in the current state (do they really resonate with the average voter?) - if someone said to combat climate change I will limit population growth to ‘x’ and with that your roads will be less congested and houses will be more affordable - they that makes sense and policy that ‘I’ can benefit from.
Now linking back to the ‘that’s my guy’ - Republicans have thrown up figures in the past to try and muster the God vote - but Trump does represent a ‘that’s my guy’ personality for his voters. He has re-written the rules on candidates that’s for sure and someone people can stand behind.
4 Likes
Sounds about right from my knowledge of the US outside the East / West - insular, selfish & ignorant of the wider world (and terrible food & coffee). Sad.
You would think a public health system would resonate though.
1 Like
Great post. Could not agree more with the above.
It also does not help either that people with average common-day concerns are sneered at by the political class. All it does is bring them together as one.
@anon53387714 really good post particularly on the irony of individualistic preferences. Our culture is built on the exceptionalism of the self, not the community. This is starting to bite us.
The one point I disagree with is US corporations sharing the wealth. Just watch Share Buybacks skyrocket this year sending the stock market higher. Now, half of all Americans do not own shares so will not participate in this wealth.
Governments can’t be as efficient as corporations because by design they have to service the entire market regardless of the cost effectiveness of the nooks and crannies.
Hmm, … Dandrews “swept” because “I” don’t feel safe.…
The Lieberals along with their rich right wing media mates are doing a pretty good brainwash job again it would seem. 
Never let the facts get in the way of a good Law & Order fear campaign eh?
“SUDANESE GANGS!!!” Fk off Malcolm, and take that lying weasel with you.
’Biggest decline’ in Victoria’s crime rate in 12 years as car thefts, aggravated burglaries fall, data reveals
5-6 minutes
Updated 14 Dec 2017, 12:41pmThu 14 Dec 2017, 12:41pm
Victoria has experienced its biggest drop in its overall crime rate in 12 years, but sexual assaults and family violence remain the biggest problem areas, the latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) reveal.
Key points:
- 6.2 per cent drop in overall crime in the last year
- Crime has fallen or is stable in almost all local government areas
- Arson, theft, burglary are down; family violence, sexual offences up
- Warning from police to be very careful about social media meet-ups
The overall crime rate in the state dropped by 6.2 per cent in the 12 months to September 30, largely thanks to a fall in theft from cars and aggravated burglaries.
But sexual assault and robberies remained on the rise.
“What that [data] has shown is that in every single LGA (local government area) crime has either been stable or gone down except for three,” Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
"This is the biggest decline, a significant decrease, since 2005.
“So I think if you look at the crime stats over the past 18 months, I think we are heading in the right direction and there is a trend here, a downward trend.”
Ms Neville said the figures were encouraging but more work needed to be done to reduce family violence, with over 90,000 offences recorded last year.
Family violence accounts for 17.5 per of all crime in the state, and Ms Neville said the “silent crime” left a “lifetime legacy.”
Crime trends since October 2015
Offence Change
Arson Down 24.6 per cent
Theft Down 11.5 per cent
Burglary/break and enter Down 9.7 per cent
Property damage Down 4.1 per cent
Sexual offences Up 18 per cent
Robbery Up 12.6 per cent
Dangerous and negligent acts Up 13.7 per cent
Deception Up 8.5 per cent
Source: Crime Statistics Agency
Ms Neville said the state was also focused on reducing robberies on service stations and convenience stores.
“People shouldn’t have to feel scared going to work, and so [we’re] getting on top of that,” she said.
“They’re small numbers, only an extra 59 [robberies], but you think about the numbers of people that are impacted by those crimes and how long it takes people to recover — if they do — that’s the sort of crime that for me, we’re going to continue to focus on.”
‘Don’t invite an online date to your home’
Crimes relating to social media dating apps like Tinder were beginning to show up in the crime statistics, Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp from Victoria Police said, but the force needed to do more work on the subject.
Local areas with the most crime
Local government area Offences per 100,000 people Trend
Melbourne 18,334 Down 8.6 per cent
Latrobe 12,945 Down 5.2 per cent
Yarra 11,284 Down 7.5 per cent
Mildura 9,277 Down 1.5 per cent
Greater Shepparton 9,242 Down 4.3 per cent
Source: Crime Statistics Agency
He cautioned people to be “very, very careful” when meeting people through the apps.
“We know that people are engaging via social media and some of those people do end up the victims of a sexual offence or an assault, or [have] some property stolen,” he said.
“If you are connecting with someone online, don’t invite them to your home. If you’re going to meet in a public place, make sure someone else knows where you’re going.”
Government, police deny crime stats leak
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy whined he was concerned his lies would be exposed, now the statistics had been leaked to the Herald Sun newspaper, after a story was published before the data was officially released.
Similar accusations of a leak caused an uproar in the lead-up to the 2010 state election, and accusations the compilation of the data had been politicised.
Ms Neville flatly rejected the accusation.
“Police collect the data. They are constantly talking to media about the trends in crime,” she said.
“There were no statistics leaked, absolutely none.”
Deputy Commissioner Crisp denied data from the CSA had been released ahead of time.
“What we’ve talked about is trends, and we’ve had a conversation with the crime stats agency about that,” he said.
"It’s for me to talk about how we’re traveling in relation to our crime statistics, what I’m seeing in terms of our intelligence and our trends.
“That’s all we’ve spoken about to the media.”
But African street gangs!!!
Nothing will stop a marginalised section of the community from committing crime quicker than making them unemployable and discriminated against.
5 Likes
From the Age this morning:
Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch called US President Donald Trump a “f—ing idiot” after a phone call with the newly-elected president, according to an explosive book chronicling the inner workings of Trump’s chaotic administration.
In another of several bombshells to emerge on Thursday in the first extracts of American journalist Michael Wolff’s book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon unleashed on Donald Trump’s children and close advisers.
He said Trump’s daughter Ivanka was “dumb as a brick”, her husband and White House adviser Jared Kushner was “greasy” and Donald Trump Jr’s infamous Trump Tower meeting with a high-ranking Russian lawyer was “treasonous” and he will be cracked “like an egg on national TV” by those investigating Russian election meddling.
The president hit back on Thursday, saying Bannon “lost his mind” when he was fired from the White House last year". Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency," Trump said in a statement. “Now that Steve Bannon is on his own, Steve is learning that winning isn’t as easy as I make it look”.
Never thought I would ever agree with Rupert Murdoch!
Await with great expectation the rabid bleatings of Essendon12 wailing fake news!!
Deputy AG Rosenstein and FBI Director Wray met with Speaker Paul Ryan today. Early, but sparsely and unofficially sourced, reports suggest it was about the Russia investigation and Devin Nunes.