Australia: An Effective Government?

Americans reading this: you have two seconds to tell me who the Prime Minister of Australia is. One-Mississippi. Two-Mississippi. Time's up! It is the honorable Kevin Rudd, ladies and germs. The more I learn about him, the more I am in awe. With unprecedented approval ratings of 70%, SEVENTY PERCENT, Mr. Rudd is intelligent, well spoken, effective, and actually listens to the people and does what he promises. (None of which I can use to describe another president we know so well. ) As soon as Rudd and the Labor Party took office late last year from the National/Liberal Party led by John Howard who is well known for his love affair with Bush, he immediately ratified the Kyoto Agreement (to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for global climate control), leaving U.S. as the only industrialized nation not to do so. Then he apologized to the Indigenous Australians (Aborigines) for the mistreatment and removal of their children in the past (known as the Stolen Generation for racial purity). He also plans to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq. All this and so much more in just a few months. Earlier this week, at a speech Premier Rudd delivered in perfect Mandarin at Beijing University, he brazenly denounced the Chinese government for human rights abuses in Tibet. Well, our president is bi-lingual too! So what if Bush often pretends to speak fluent Spanish (Hola. Si Si. My name is Hennifer Lopez.) and actually thinks his party trick never gets old? Alright, that's enough. Who isn't sick of Bush-bashing already? Let's all move on to Rudd-loving.

Speaking of loooove, my manwhore whom I haven't seen or touched in a month arrives next week. He sent me a picture of his last day of skiing (as you may recall, the bastard stayed in Colorado to finish ski season before joining me) to subtly remind me that I have plucked him out of the mountains to live in the city. What is even more unfortunate is that I'll be on the bloody rag - pun intended - the day he arrives. How's that for timing?

Picture 1: Courtesy of Parliamentary Education Office

Picture 2: Justin launching off a big one on his skis