Goodes puts buddy on notice.

[Xie Shan]

And of course our beloved footy is a big part of the distraction to keep our minds off the important stuff that actually may effect how we live. Thankfully, football is so entertaining I don't care. It's arguably one of the safest drugs around, although most of us have been close to heart attacks at times.

I have no idea how to even begin to respond to the rest of your post, but this reminds me of an old Yiddish saying I heard once: "If I am going to be forced to eat pork, it better be of the best kind". Like you said, at least the footy is entertaining (and harmless).

[Dosser]

And of course our beloved footy is a big part of the distraction to keep our minds off the important stuff that actually may effect how we live.

If only the Romans had thought of this.

[ernie koala]

If only the Romans had thought of this.

Or the Greeks

[dimelb]

I'm surprised that no-one has a kind word to say for Fairfax. They aren't perfect - no organisation is - but in Australia I suspect they're our best shot in the mainstream. Two issues out of many possibles: Would VW have considered a large scale recall without the media fuss? And where would we be in regard to the Obeids without Kate McClymont and the SMH sticking to their guns, despite being sued and losing damages? I think they've earned a measure of respect.
On the Buddy stuff, I've had my say. I'm (nervously) with the club.

[Swansongster]

Aah, they don't make comedy any more like they used to.

Inspired by Yes Minister/Prime Minister, almost as good and providing a local perspective is the shows by Working Dog - "Frontline" and "Hollowmen". Both are brilliant too.

[Bloodthirsty]

6 years takes us through the 2019 season. I think there's less than a 50-50 chance that there will even be a 2020 season. So it's a pretty good deal.

Well, you may ask what I mean by not having a 2020 season.

This planet is unravelling right before our very eyes. Our plutocracy is in the mode of stealing everything they can lay their hands on. First from the impoverished, then from the working class and finally from each other in a winner take all feeding frenzy. We are really in the red-zone as far the world goes. Notice how climate change was such a big issue at the turn of the century. Now it's hardly talked about. The conferences still go on. Impassioned speeches are made. But politically it's a non-issue. It's all about jobs, jobs, jobs. (Whenever you see the word 'job', just substitute the word 'profit' and the sentence will make much more sense).

The corporate media are there to make us believe that something else is going on, and there's nothing to worry about; everything is on track. Even those that pose as the non-corporate media are part of the game. It's hard to figure out what's really going on with Alex Jones, because he gets a lot of it right, but he is very competitive with those who are supposedly taking similar positions to himself. Notice how much self promotion goes down on his show. He's spent a good many shows undermining Wikileaks, although he was forced to cut them in on the posted show, as they broke the story he was supporting.

As for the Huffington Post, they are very much a part of the corporate media. They were purchased by AOL in 2011 and refuse to take on any truly controversial issues, just ones ostensibly pitting Republicans against Democrats. The point is to make us believe that the solutions lie within the political system and not outside of it. Our own political class will set the Anglo working majority against 'Boat People', Muslims, indigenous Australians and anyone else that doesn't fit the stereotype of a "true" Australian, in order to deflect attention away from themselves and their masters.

Even the much acclaimed 'Democracy Now!' from America, which I quite enjoy, have some untouchable issues that are too politically hot to handle, although I must say that Amy Goodman and crew do quite a good job under the circumstances. Our own self-acclaimed spokesperson for the Left, Phillip Adams, is just another of the establishment stooges selling the mainstream story line. His adoration of books and hatred of sport is a pretentiousness that substitutes for intellect.

And of course our beloved footy is a big part of the distraction to keep our minds off the important stuff that actually may effect how we live. Thankfully, football is so entertaining I don't care. It's arguably one of the safest drugs around, although most of us have been close to heart attacks at times.

I know what's going down, but there's nothing I can do about it. The power imbalance between the super-rich and the rest of us is so enormous that it's hopeless to resist. The best you can do is be as well-informed as possible. As has been pointed out in previous posts, this is not so easy to do. In a sense, even I have become a tool of the plutocracy by espousing the futility of resisting.

My recommendation for the best of the online news aggregaters is Global Research, although there is a strange anti climate change bias to the site. http://www.globalresearch.ca/

It really takes a big effort sorting out the truth from all the propaganda, and most of us don't have of the time required to take it on. So it's best to just enjoy the footy while the world is still up and running, because it may not be long before it's gone along with everything else.

So back to the Buddy story: I think it was a brilliant end game strategy by Colless and Ireland signing Buddy for 9 years realising that the last few years probably wouldn't matter. It's all about winning premierships now.

Interesting views, I agree with most. Alex Jones has to fund his show somehow, so is of course going to run it like a business - one that is in line with what he stands for. Not sure what you're you're saying about climate change. The climate has fluctuated for thousands of years - it's normal. They stopped using the term 'global warming' because that was clearly BS and the earth is now cooler, so they use a different vague term now (like 'terrorist'), the sole purpose of which is to hit the people with more fraudulent taxes (carbon tax). Meanwhile the many, many REAL environmental issues are ignored and continue to poison the planet.

[R-1]

What the hell just happened to this thread.

[Melbourne_Blood]

From horrible puns derailing threads to critical discussions of media. I don't know which is worse

[Jewels]

Bloody off-season......

[Primmy]

Bloody off-season......

I'm hearing you J

[aardvark]

Bloody off-season......

Doesn't training start soon? Anyone going to see Buddy run around with the young uns?

[Primmy]

Would love to but I think nowadays that constitutes perving for me. Don't want to be arrested.

[annew]

I am so desperate I am watching 2012 grand final and I cannot wait to see a fit Buddy, Tippett, Rohan, Jetta, Goodes, Jack etc running around, bring on 2014 I am very excited