It's Called Context - Rather Than Using Edits To Support Your Political Agenda

TONY JONES: OK, we have another question in the audience that comes from Melissa Rann.

MELISSA RANN: Hi, my question is directed at Bettina. In a media article reporting on your new book, The Sex Diaries...

BETTINA ARNDT: Thank you.

MELISSA RANN: So I did it for you. Yes, they tend to report that you summarise the general advice for women who are experiencing low sex drive to just do it even if they don't feel like it, or don't want to. Doesn't that sound particularly controversial to you, particularly the suggestion that somehow women should force themselves to have sex seems like it's their duty if they want to save their marriage.

BETTINA ARNDT: No, I am not suggesting women lie back and think of England and suffer through it, I'm suggesting that the person with the low sex drive, who is less interested and is constantly rejecting their partner, has an obligation to just do it, to incorporate sex in their loving relationship, and it should be one of the obligations you have in a relationship, and it doesn't matter if it's the man or the woman, but I am not saying it's about suffering, I'm saying often women can in fact, if they put the canoe in the water and start paddling...

(LAUGHTER)

BETTINA ARNDT: ..they will even though they didn't feel like having sex to start off with, they will find that they can enjoy it. That's only one of the things that we've learnt recently through new sex research, that there are many women who don't need desire in order to enjoy sex, so it's a very important I mean, you have to get your head in the right place, and you have to be with the right man who does the right thing, but then you may actually enjoy it and that's a really important thing to leave open as a possibility that your relationship that's what I'm saying, not just to women, but to men.

TONY JONES: Let's hear from another woman, Kate Ellis. Just do it is what Bettina Arndt is suggesting to married women. Good advice, bad advice, what do you think?

KATE ELLIS: Clearly I am not a sex therapist as Bettina is, but I think that you have to be really careful about generalising, and I think that it's different people put the canoe in the water as a result of different circumstances, and there might be, you know, different blockages on the boat ramp I am not sure how long I can go with this for. I think that in relationships, they differ very much from one relationship to another, what's going on, what are the underlying factors, and they need to be explored as an individual relationship, which I am sure Bettina would argue, but I just would be very hesitant to say, "Just do it" and say that it was as simple as that.

TONY JONES: Tony Abbott?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, I am not sure that's what Bettina did say.

KATE ELLIS: I am not suggesting that. That was my question, though.

TONY ABBOTT: Look, this is an extraordinarily difficult area and, you know, I just I'm just trying to write an obituary of Ron Conway the psychologist and social critic who's just died, and Ron said, in his autobiography, that, you know, after thousands and thousands of counselling sessions with people, the two subjects which seemed to most concern people, and I suppose most trouble their psyches are basically sex and god - religion, and intimate relationships, and they carry so much weight, and I think there does need to be give and take on both sides, and this idea that sex is kind of a woman's right to absolutely withhold, just as the idea that sex is a man's right to demand I think they are both they both need to be moderated, so to speak.

TONY JONES: Bruce Wolpe.

BRUCE WOLPE: I think anything that I admire what you do a lot. Anything that helps readdress a balance between love and work - somehow we can't live without work, but we can sometimes live without love for too long is good, but to have a discussion and have people think about the balance in their lives, and how to pursue it better. The Pursuit Of Happiness was a great American revolution, and this is what it's all about.

Hilter Was Not A Conservative

Some people on social media, are very fond of trying to compare Tony Abbott, as a conservative Prime Minister, to Hitler.

The only possible conservative parts would be Hitler's encouragement of allegiance to and pride for your country. Something that appears to be sadly lacking in some quarters within our political establishment on the far left.

Nazism and other Fascist movements in fact borrowed a lot from the Left; they were about mass movements, they were undeniably socialist, most adopted social Darwinism to varying degrees.  All in all they were radical movements that were in no way conservative. Whilst Hitler and his regime 'borrowed' some liberal (meaning our Labor) beliefs it would not be fair to liberals to accuse him of being a total liberal either, at least not in a classical sense.

As for the comparison to Tony Abbott, you may not like what Mr Abbott stands for, that's OK. But to  compare Tony Abbott to Hilter, a man who presided over the murder of millions of Jews is not only unbelievably offensive (insensitive and disrespectful) it's political ideologically wrong.

Halal Debate - McDonald's and KFC

I am not going to comment on the merits of traditional slaughter v's halal apart from saying that as a vegetarian I have have an issue with slaughter, full stop. 

However, the hyperventilating that is going on about some McDonald's store offering both halal and non-halal burgers is in my humble opinion ridiculous.  The Muslim population in Australia is  2.2% based on the last census.  Not a huge number but many of those Muslims centralise in various parts of the metro areas.  Areas like Punchbowl and Bankstown in Western Sydney have reasonably large Muslim populations and therefore it would be silly for business to not offer food that this group prefers.  Not to do so would be commercially naive and would also deprive children (in particular) of the 'delights' other Australian kids enjoy.  In my opinion that would hardly be fair. 

I suspect many of those who are most vocal about McDonald's, rarely, if ever frequent one of their outlets.  But even if they did visit McDonald's in some areas in western Sydney, they have a choice.  They are not being forced to eat halal food they can eat what they prefer and to me that seems fair.  Unless of course people who complain believe Muslim's shouldn't have rights but that's a different debate. 

On the other hand I do have a problem with the decision taken by KFC to remove bacon entirely from their menu choice (as I did with Qantas).  Now, I've never been into a KFC store so to learn that they actually at some point served bacon was a surprise.  However the total removal to cater for a small minority (who probably didn't even ask for the removal) to me smacks of blatant discrimination and should be condemned.  

An article from last year on the subject: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/halal-food-dishing-out-change-in-our-fast-food-society/story-fnii5s41-1226647942182

Like The Summer Breeze......We Can Unlock The Beauty Within

We look at the bare branches of a tree and see starkness,
But hidden within there is magic just waiting to burst forth,
All it takes is the warm winds of spring for the branches
to reveal their inner beauty, and to present us with the most
glorious blossoms.

Your warmth and caring has the same impact on others.

FEIGNED OUTRAGE

The recent assault by so called refugee advocates does nothing to promote their cause except expose their hypocrisy.

No decent person would be thrilled to hear of the death of the young asylum seeker on Manus Island. Although sad to say there are some who have shown very little byway of sympathy. But that said, we shouldn’t be fooled either by the circumstances in which this young man found himself. 

Reza Berati attempted to enter our country illegally.  He paid people smugglers, (an illegal trade and therefore illegal to support it) money to transport him via boat from Indonesia. He was detained and sent to Manus Island until such time as he would either be processed and given sanctuary in Australia, or returned home to Iran.  All of this happened under the previous Labor regime. We are all aware of the massive backlog of unprocessed claims left by Labor.

Reza Berati it appears went on to join the group who decided because their log of questions was not answered in a timeframe that suited them would show their displeasure by rioting. They used weapons (rocks and timber) to attack those guarding them and also cause damage to the centre housing them.  Shall I repeat? Reza Berati was one of the groups who rioted. He was not one of those who chose not to participate who were removed to safety. In taking this action Reza Berati must accept the possible consequences.

Now this is where the mass wailing started.  Illogical claims such as; Reza Berati came here seeking refuge and was murdered by the Government. The Greens cheer squad screaming for the head of Scott Morrison. How dare the government treat suppressed people this way they bellowed?  Chief Ratbags like Ian Rintoul organising protest rallies and candle light vigils. When however they were questioned why they didn’t do the same for the hundreds who were died as a result of sinking boats their responses were enlightening.  Frankly, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to deduce that they weren’t too concerned about the 1200plus who perished previously.

But of course it now transpires that young Mr Berati wasn’t one of those fleeing persecution. He came here seeking a better life. He came here seeking to further his education and to get a job. Who confirmed this? His family did.  Of course the chattering hordes whose only mission is to attack the government are silent. 

So Mr Berati is one of those economic refugees that Bob Carr spoke about not long before the Labor government lost office.  He could have chosen to apply through the correct channels to come to Australia, but it is highly unlikely that would have been approved. Knowing this, he decided to try and sneak in the backdoor.  He then decided to join the bunch of thugs who decided to riot and it cost him his life.  

It’s sad and we hope we get to the truth as a result of the investigation that will take place. But don’t be fooled.  This young man came here illegally, he participated in an illegal act in rioting, and he wasn’t running away from torture and persecution. So spare me the hypocrisy of the ‘professional’ protester and The Greens.  My concern is for those who are waiting their turn in real ‘hell-hole’ camps not the greedy young just wanting a better life.