">My Big World Of Crap

In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, Ross Gittins wrote a nice column which points out a few home truths about the Rudd government which I’ve thought for a while. To quote from it:

In the short time he’s been in office, Rudd has established a record of over-promising and under-delivering.

One of his greatest weaknesses is an inability to set priorities. He has a thousand things he wants to do and problems he wants to fix, and while he’s focused on fixing something, it’s his top priority.

Exactly – overpromising and under-delivering is the hallmark of this government.  After the excitement of seeing a new government elected with the promise of change, and the end of the rather stale Howard government, I have to say I’m underwhelmed by what the Rudd government has actually done.  For example, given a strong mandate on climate change, they’ve squibbed it completely, making concessions to every interest group under the sun, resulting in a climate change policy that’s likely to achieve 2/5 of fuck all.  Broadband – nothing delivered yet, health reform – on the never never …. and so on.

Too interested in process, not enough outcome focus, in my view.

“Curry bashing” apparently is a form of amusement for some of the lowlife scum among the population.  It means going out looking for Indian people to beat up.

Or, if you’re John Caratozzolo, and you can’t find an Indian, a Chinese will do just fine.  Caratozzolo and his mates were out one night in January last year, when he suggested to them they go “curry bashing” because he needed a new mobile phone.  However they ran into  Dr Zhongjun Cao, who was on his way home from his job as a university lecturer.  The group attacked him without warning, assaulting him "for pleasure" without even asking for his phone. One of the group dropped Dr Cao on his head during the attack and as he lay badly injured.  Carotozzolo kicked the dying man in the head as a parting gift, laughing with his mates as he did it.

Soon afterwards, Caratozzolo and friends attacked another man, an Indian student and robbed him.  He didn’t die, but he was injured seriously enough to spend time in hospital and to require 2 weeks of sick leave from his job.

Caratozzolo pleaded guilty to murder and two counts of robbery.  The judge talked tough in sentencing him, but in the end gave him only 15 years, with a non-parole period of 10 years.  Way too lenient in my view – Carotozzola is 21 and will be back out in the community in his early 30’s.  It completely escapes me why scum such as him should be fortunate enough to see the outside of a prison cell before they are very old and infirm.  25 years should be the absolute minimum for a murder, especially when its random and completely unprovoked and done just for the hell of it.

A 16 year old was also charged in connection with Dr Cao’s murder.

Their families must be so proud of them!