PAST POST May 8 2009 – Cryptic Crosswords, Demir Dokic, Position Papers and Brimbank City Council

01Nov09

When purchasing a crossword dictioney (yes I use them, whatever), look for hints on how to solve cryptic crosswords. What I’ve learned so far is to deconstruct the clue and concentrate on seperate parts. So tried that for the following:

Dough’s aim: cure Somali population (9)

sterilisation: > 9
cake < 9

So far no progress, will keep trying.

As this is the first post, I think it prudent to explain the title a little. I’m currently studying PR and it’s mind-boggling how intricate the area can be. We’re learning some of the tricks of the trade, but I’m learning a lot outside the classroom as well.

Position papers are nifty little things that help present an organisation or individual’s opinion on an issue. They can also to incite open dialogue regarding an issue, and counter another organisation’s opinion. The idea behind them is to convince the audience that the opinion is worth listening to.

I found that it’s handy to include in the position paper:

Factual Knowledge – to gain credibility
Statistical Inferences – interpretation and examples of an accumulation of facts to back up the argument
Informed Opinion – opinion developed through research and/or expertise of the claim; to appeal to the intellectual lot
Personal Testimony – personal experience related by a knowledgeable party; to appeal to everyone else
The position paper should be targeted at an audience (more of that later) as people process information differently.

Demir Dokic is like the wog* father I never had; disciplining his daughter when deemed necessary, able to protect himself, colourful language, thinks the whole world’s out to get him, threatening to blow up the Australian Embassy in Serbia, you know the way.

For those of you who don’t know him, Demir Dokic is the estranged father of Australian tennis player Jelena Dokic. Jelena returned to professional tennis is great form at this year’s Australian Open (good on you!). Her old man’s something of a non compos, to put it fairly.

What goes on in his head has confused Australians for a while now. He’s like that American dad who forced his 9 year old son to start bodybuilding and claims that he’d be “nothing’ without his father’s help.

I think Demir would be great on television in something like “Expel my Family,” or “Aussie Towers.”

Poor Steve Brumby. His constituents are really up ‘that kind of’ creek in the west right now. Veteran Labour MP George Leitz, was found to have “extremely close” links with the council majority while Theo Theophanos exercised some political muscle over the relocation of Cairnlea Park.

Premier Brumby has said that the behaviour of the offending Brimbank Council members was “an affront to democratic processes,” but hasn’t so far given any of the the boot.

Position papers, Premier Brumby?

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* this term is used affectionately, as blogger’s origin is mixed European, aka ‘white wog’