Saturday, February 22, 2014

The Townsville Bulletin completely sells out – but not at the newsagency counter.


Yes, without a whimper but the rustle of mega-dollars, The Astonisher surrenders its last vestige of credibility with an Australian first in the newspaper industry.

Indeed, The Magpie goes all Media Watchy, because in the past few days, the Daily Astonisher has been so - well, astonishing, let the old bird count the ways ... 

... and the dangers of zoo poo: the Darwin Awards start rolling in for 2014.

All that and a lot of other trinkets here in the nest at www.townsvillemagpie.com.au

Saturday, February 15, 2014

DID YOU MISS IT?!? Yesterday’s introduction to the Townsville Bulletin’s new tactic … the Seinfeld front page?


Yes, loath though he is to admit it, The Townsville Bulletin gets under The Magpie’s guard with a cunning Baldrick-like plan to outfox the old bird. The Pie is devastated.  But a closer look, and it ain’t so much unintentionally funny as it is intentionally callous.

Also this week, Brisbane sucks another business out of the ‘Ville …

An interesting list comparing council rates around Queensland – it was supplied to the Daily Astonisher which chose not to run it – wonder why?

And more naughty fun with unfortunate font styles from overseas , all here in the nest at www.townsvillemagpie.com.au

Saturday, February 8, 2014

And they said he'd never make it - The Magpie becomes a double centurion!


It is about to be your pleasure – or, if you are a lawyer, work for News Corp or Townsville Enterprise, or are certain TCC councillors, it may be your distasteful but essential duty – to peruse the old bird’s double century in cyberspace.

Yup, welcome to Magpie’s Nest blog #200.

But this regular load of cobblers is proof of the adage that the more things change, the more they stay the same, soooo …

To paraphrase the Creedence Clearwater ditty ‘Still I wonder, who’ll stop the drain’ – the latest readership figures show that the Townsville Bulletin’s readership is well and truly down the gurgler.

Returning the compliment: Simpo Templeton graced us with his assessment of councillors’ performances last week, so we thought this week, it's only fair we should start rating journos’ performances …

And is Kid Crisafulli seeking Federal office, with a bid to join Tony Rabbit’s new style diplomatic corps? He gets Quote of the Week, and political pest Paul Jacob gets joke of the week …  and wait, that’s not all,  The ‘Pie will throw in a few extra verbal steak knives as well at www.townsvillemagpie.com.au

Saturday, February 1, 2014

It is no contest … this week's Chicken Little The Sky Is Falling Award takes pride of place on Townsville Bulletin's crowded awards mantelpiece.


It’s been an all-round hilarious week on several fronts for the Astonisher … The Magpie counts the ways …

… the biggest mystery about a mystery Chinese visitor to Townsville recently is why was it a mystery? …

… Is one of the Townsville Ratba ...  errr ... Ratepayers Association leading lights in for a hiding … perhaps that should be whipping – in court later this month.

And exclusive … the pic the paper missed out on which graphically shows the devastation of Cyclone Dylan …  all that and other odds and sods unearthed during the week here in the nest at www.townsvillemagpie.com.au