The Editor, John Surname, Ant Rogenous, Jeremy Sear, Wah and Craig discuss the following:

* Blogging
* Kevin Rudd’s first 100 days
* The Liberal Party
* Brendan Nelson
* Interest rates
* Cricket
* The Herald Sun
* David Hicks
* Dick Smith
* Osama Bin Laden
* Prince Harry
* Connex
* Lynne Kosky
* Public transport
* Victorian Labor Party
* Fleshlight
* What is the plural of “penis”?
* Liberal leadership future

** I don’t know why but that bloody “Play now” link is still serving up episode four. I have no solution yet. Something to do with the intertubes broken or something. Just to be safe, use the “Play in popup” link or the “Download” link. **

 

 GrodsThink 6 (4/3/08) [31:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Prince Harry’s teenage years have been torrid, to say the least. When not flopping at his studies, binge-drinking or smoking grass he has wiled away his youth groping the odd breast, belting the odd photographer and dressing up as the odd Nazi. The media pounced on this like vultures and Harry’s PR stock soon was lower than a mole’s scrotum. Not even a few weeks helping AIDS sufferers in Lesotho could regain his public image. But there’s one thing - one single, solitary thing - that can restore your credibility in a flash:

THE MILITARY!

Yes the military, where anyone who pulls on fatigues, flak jackets and eats crappy tinned food in a desert is saving the world. Where lost souls can be redeemed and the most poo-stained public image can emerge smelling sweeter than lavender. Where boys become men, zeros become heros and even a lapsed commie could become masturbation fodder for the likes of MK. Where all sins are absolved and all character flaws obscured by four simple words: He’s defending our freedom.

It’s sure worked for Lieutenant Wales. Just one edition of The Sun smothered him in a tonne of adulatory newsprint, containing eight separate stories:

Hero Harry’s home!
Prince Charles is a proud Dad
Harry the bullet magnet
Queen speaks out on Harry
Troops sing ‘Nice one Harry’
British Muslims hail Harry stint
Harry’s fun on a dumped bike
Pop star [James] Blunt sings Harry’s praises (???)

Just the one article about a British serviceman who was actually killed in Iraq, but that’s another story. For Harry it’s ‘mission accomplished’ as he returns to the UK with a blank slate after his drawn-out 10-week stint. If you were cynical - or well-versed in public relations and ’spin’ - you may think the whole thing was carefully engineered. But not me, I’m right behind Prince Charles’ second son (if he is) all the way.

WE LOVE YOU, HERO HARRY!