Rooster One Day, feather duster etc.

He cut a rather forlorn figure on Wednesday morning standing quietly in a corner. Former premier Barry O'Farrel attended the gala opening of the spanking brand new Woolworths store in snooty Double Bay. And what a store it is, totally unrecognisable from the ghastly and gloomy tin shed style premises that were once there.
 It's bound to become a social meeting spot with an amazing selection of stores and delicacies.
 The vintner Dan Murphys, part of the complex was also celebrating and the Shuttle dropped in for a morning Bollinger, as one does.                            
Murphy's was also serving 2003 Grange Hermitage which retails for a $1000 a bottle. Sadly Barry had nary a nip of this fine offering. Perhaps not to his taste. After all it was less than 2 months ago O'Farrell resigned after telling the ICAC he had never received a '59 bottle of Grange valued at $3000. Such is life.

Seven Days - a Long Time...

Alan with John Serafino

It was British Prime Minister Harold Wilson who said : "a week is a long time in politics" but it could apply to many things.
Just last week the Shuttle was having celebratory drinks with a handful of guests including arguably Australia's most successful broadcaster Alan Jones at John Serafino's new city boutique.
Two days later his world crashed as a News Ltd reporter revealed Jones' distasteful remarks at a Young Liberals dinner, about the late father of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.  Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull immediatey condemned Jones via Twitter (completely unconnected with the notion he is after Liberal leader and Jones' supporter Tony Abbott's job).

Peter FitzSimon

And the trickle became a torrent with on-line petitions via Facebook demanding Jones' lucrative sponsors and Radio 2GB advertisers withdraw from his show. And they left in droves- Harvey Norman, Woolworths, Telstra, Coles, McDonalds, 7-Eleven and more.

Mike Carlton

Macquarie Radio (owners of 2GB) chairman Russell Tate condemned the call on advertisers as cyber-bullying after the network finally announced that advertisers would be suspended from Jones' broadcasts completely, a loss of around $24M a year.
 Sun Herald writer Peter FitzSimon demolished that argument in his column yesterday.
 On Saturday Sydney Morning Herald columnist Mike Carlton who was a broadcaster on Radio 2UE when Jones was there (referring to him as The Parrot)  penned a scathing piece titled  Prissy shrieks of fear and loathing casting aspersions on Jones' claim to be an Oxford graduate and with these wounding words :" This is a man who thinks Jeffrey Archer is a great English novelist, whose taste in music screeches to a halt at Andre Rieu."  Jones is a great pal of Archer.

 Media and advertising experts have claimed Jones advertisers will be back eventually. But will they? 
Mercedes Benz have issued the most damning press release saying they have not only abandoned advertising at 2GB permanently but have demanded Jones hand back his grace and favour $250,000 Merc and if not, they will re-possess it.
Still there are plenty more luxury motors in the basement of Jones' luxury apartment in the famous Toaster building. Waiting outside John Serafino's was the latest gleaming Jaguar XJ with a chauffeur perusing the Daily Telegraph while he waited for the master. Unless of course, it's a loaner as well.