Loose cannons

December 14, 1994
Issue 

Cluck

"Give a Chick a chance." — Election slogan of Kerry Chikarovski, new deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party, during her first campaign for parliament, in 1981.

New World Order at home

"Every American now has a realistic chance of murder victimisation in view of the random nature the crime has assumed". — Annual report of the FBI, noting that most US murder victims are now killed by strangers.

New World Order abroad

"Atomic Bombs Hasten War's End, August 1945." — Slogan on a stamp planned by the US Postal Service to mark the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The design features a mushroom cloud — tasteful, no doubt.

Father of New World Order

"I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street ... I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-12. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras 'right' for American fruit companies in 1903 ... Looking back on it, I feel I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three city districts. We Marines operated on three continents." — US Marine Corps Major General Smedley D. Butler. Twice wounded in action and 20 times decorated, Butler was one of the few people to be twice awarded the US Congressional Medal of Honor.

Culture

"One of the problems was that in some areas ... there were superintendents and above who had doubtless done insufficient about endeavouring to root out corruption. Because of the traditional culture, they had probably never felt compelled to root it out." — John Avery, former NSW police commissioner, on his experience as head of the force.

Spike for G-G!

"Oh, the little grovelling bastard." — Comedian Spike Milligan on Prince Charles.

Like Caesar and Brutus

"Mr Howard and I are old friends." — Alexander Downer.

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