A federal grand jury handed down a nineteen count indictment against ousted former Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich. Copied below is the criminal complaint from December 2008, which preceded the indictment.

About two weeks ago I posted the amazing and funny video of an interview with someone referred to as “senator” who answered questions about a shipping mishap off the coast of Australia, in which 20,000 tons of crude oil was spilled because “the front fell off” of the tanker carrying it. See http://lifelawandtaxes.com/oil-tanker-spill-explained-by-spin-master-senator/

My post asked who this fellow is (regrettably, perhaps, we are not super-current on Australian politics).

A reader from Australia wrote in to say that this was a well regarded Aussie comedy team who “specialise in ‘Taking the Mickey’ out of current affairs.” He added that they are “Not liked by Aussie politicians.”

It turns out that they are the comedy team of John Clarke and Bryan Dawe. They’ve been at it a long time, and are regular contributors to Austrialian ABC television’s “The 7:30 Report” (self-described as “the ABC’s national flagship current affairs program, compered by one of Australia’s most respected and experienced journalists, Kerry O’Brien”). For a large collection of their political and news-event inspired comedy, see http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/clarkedawe.htm. They are all over youtube as well.

What a great thing, to be introduced to a clever, funny political comedy team from another country, on the other side of the world.

Thinking back, it all started when a former client emailed the video of Clarke and Dawe discussing how “the front fell off” to me. Then, once posted here, a reader of this blog clued me in to who these guys (Clarke and Dawe) are. Then, search engines and Wikipedia helped fill in some of the blanks.

Listen as this seasoned pol tows us all “beyond the environment” in his amazing explanation of how 20,000 barrels of crude oil spilled from an oil tanker. Lucky for us, most oil tankers “are built so that the front doesn’t fall off at all.” (You’ve got to see and hear him to fully appreciate it. Click below.)

Could John Cleese or Eric Idle of Monty Python’s Flying Circus have come up with something zanier than this Australian politician’s (a Senator?) comments?

And, if anyone can tell me who this guy is, or the interviewer, or when it was done, I would love to know. — Any Australians in the house — you might know them! Now, without further ado, the video, please.