Open Thread – Weekend 19 Mar 2022


Boulevard de la Madeleine, Edouard Cortes, early 1900s

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Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 10:49 am

“It’s like a bad movie. There are many here who will say that they saw it coming a long time ago. But me?
I am just staggered by their ability to throw out 1) the lessons of history 2) bloody common sense 3) all the liberal thought of western traditions.”

Progressivism is the antithesis of history, common sense and western civilization.

The progressive world currently being installed is a very cruel place. Either you conform or you will be punished. We need to batten down the hatches and prepare for the world to come.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 10:50 am

Craft brewers are renaming Imperial Stout – so called because the style was created for export to Russia in Catherine the Great’s time – Anti-Imperial Stout.

I’ll grant that has some wit about it though.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
March 19, 2022 10:52 am

Speaking of Mean Girls.

It should be the name of a Left wing skin care range. LOL!

Or a weight loss shake.

Kimberly lost a lot of weight before she died. Stress can do that, as well as pressures for ‘health’ and against mean girls maybe calling her fat for her not abnormal chubbyness?

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 10:53 am

Progressivism is the antithesis of history, common sense and western civilization.

Whereas conservatism is the fruit of history, common sense and Western civilisation.

Note the small “c”, because it’s a perspective and an attitude, not an ideology, despite the ism.

Bar Beach Swimmer
March 19, 2022 10:53 am

Ed Case:
Dunno,
but he rode Hedy Lamarr in 1938.
Gave her a gold cigarette case adorned with a Swastika inlaid with diamonds and Hedy wasn’t shy about showing it off until the day she died

Hedy Lamarr:
From Wiki:
After a brief early film career in Czechoslovakia, including the controversial Ecstasy (1933), she fled from her husband, a wealthy Austrian ammunition manufacturer, and secretly moved to Paris. Traveling to London,[2] she met Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio head Louis B. Mayer, who offered her a movie contract in Hollywood. She became a film star with her performance in Algiers (1938).[3] Her MGM films include Lady of the Tropics (1939), Boom Town (1940), H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941), and White Cargo (1942). Her greatest success was as Delilah in Cecil B. DeMille’s Samson and Delilah (1949).

At the beginning of World War II, she and composer George Antheil developed a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes that used spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to defeat the threat of jamming by the Axis powers.[6] Although the US Navy did not adopt the technology until the 1960s,[7] the principles of their work are incorporated into Bluetooth and GPS technology and are similar to methods used in legacy versions of CDMA and Wi-Fi.[8][9][10] This work led to their induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.[6][11]

Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, the only child of Gertrud “Trude” Kiesler (born Lichtwitz; 1894–1977) and Emil Kiesler (1880–1935).

Her father was born to a Galician-Jewish family in Lemberg (now Lviv in Ukraine) and was a bank director at the Creditanstalt-Bankverein.[12][13][14] Trude, her mother, a pianist and Budapest native, had come from an upper-class Hungarian-Jewish family. She had converted to Catholicism and was described as a “practicing Christian” who raised her daughter as a Christian, although Hedy was not formally baptized at the time.[12]:?8?

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 10:55 am

“Whereas conservatism is the fruit of history, common sense and Western civilisation.

Note the small “c”, because it’s a perspective and an attitude, not an ideology, despite the ism.”

Nicely said Roger.

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 10:55 am

SpongeBob throws the switch to Concern Trolling.

You seem to be getting very close to suggesting that the death was not natural. Be careful.

As I’ve said in numerous comments, SpongeBob, Kitching was obviously dying.
See the more recent pictures of her, she was unrecognisable.
In particular, her skin colour and the fact that she’d lost a lot of body mass.

Rabz
March 19, 2022 10:58 am

They are requiring Medvedev to denounce Putin or not play in Wimbledon

Some choice, innit? Denounce Vlad the Inhaler, play in Wombledon and risk choking on a polonium laced cucumber sandwich served by an Anna.

“You vill eat ze sammich, Danii”

local oaf
March 19, 2022 10:58 am

Old School Conservative says:
March 19, 2022 at 10:11 am

When a pundit says “Labor has a women problem”, do they mean Labor has a problem with women or that Labor women are the problem?

Labor has no problem with women; nor with gays, trans, indigenous, or any other “minority”.
They are useful weapons with which to attack the sheep.

As long as the weapons stay on the reservation that is. Any that stray from the party line will be destroyed mercilessly.

Bar Beach Swimmer
March 19, 2022 11:01 am

From the OOT:

Bar Beach Swimmer says:
March 19, 2022 at 8:53 am
feelthebern says:
March 18, 2022 at 10:10 pm
The bigger issue with Jackson is she continually rules in favour of corporations.
The socially “progressive” rulings are cover

Bern, yet those socially “progressive” rulings potentially will do just as much, if not more, harm to individuals, their families and the communities in which they live.
(And not suggesting that you do not agree).

While a person in a position of authority should not make decisions only from the perspective of their individual beliefs – for in this “modern” diverse world they represent many “voices,” individual beliefs, whether they be from formal religious tenets or originate from a personal frame of reference, do in fact inform the person, and for good or ill.

The fact that this nominee has, according to Hawley, sought to weaken what are reasonable sentences/controls for sexual predators says something about her individual moral attitude about many things, not least of which seems to be her legal demeanour to ignore the huge risk that weak custodial sentences of perpetrators have on the safety of the weakest among us.

If her lack of any moral standard to protect children is being used simply as a cover for her support of corporations in legal matters it is doubly shocking. She would be close in behaviour to a latter day Caesar of the worst kind – I’m thinking of the Christians and the lions

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
March 19, 2022 11:01 am

As I’ve said in numerous comments, SpongeBob, Kitching was obviously dying.

No doubt about it Ed.
Her friends reported that she was concerned as she’d seen a black cat that morning and walked under a ladder not long after.

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 11:02 am

“They are requiring Medvedev to denounce Putin or not play in Wimbledon”

No different to the Great purges. Do they not see the irony?

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
March 19, 2022 11:03 am

I still have empty bottle with an engraved metal salmon embedded on the outside of it and labelled ‘Noble Russian Vodka’. It came back full with us from Moscow. I’ve liked the bottle far too much to chuck it out and I’m not doing that now either. Visitors can have some Polish vodka from Dan Murphy’s who won’t sell Russian if they want a Martini, or have it made with gin.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
March 19, 2022 11:03 am

Winston those ten lines you deleted may have filled in the puzzle for someone else. Sometimes its the question not the answer. I am a visual person, an observer. My wife only really sees through the written word. If we had answers the scum politicians would ignore us anyway as it may interfer with the nose in the trough. They are the only ones allowed answers and almost always wrong.

incoherent rambler
incoherent rambler
March 19, 2022 11:04 am

The Petrov defense is to banned in Chess?

cohenite
March 19, 2022 11:04 am

He had no Criminal History to justify killing him, so NewsCorp has made up a lot of lies instead.

Look donut, you attack a cop with a knife, scissors, sledgehammer or shotgun you can expect to be shot; and since cops aim for the main body mass with a .40 FMJ bullet death is on the table.

Makka
Makka
March 19, 2022 11:04 am

Rebel News
@RebelNewsOnline
· 47m
The first man in space, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, has been stripped of his honours by the Space Foundation, which censored his name “in light of current world events.”

All good. There are hundreds of cities across Russia with grand streets and beautiful prospekts bearing the name of the great man.

Old Lefty
Old Lefty
March 19, 2022 11:05 am

La Vitrioli of the ABC joining the anti-Kitching pile-on on behalf of the Left:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-19/kimberley-kitching-mean-girls-labor-party-political-battle/100922856

Quelle surprise (not).

cohenite
March 19, 2022 11:06 am

Check out this Dem lunatic in DC.

There’s a lot of that about.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 11:06 am

“They are requiring Medvedev to denounce Putin or not play in Wimbledon”

Bear in mind this didn’t originate with the tennis admin but the UK Sports minister.

“Mainstream” political parties of whatever stripe now want to exert political control over everything.

Franx
Franx
March 19, 2022 11:07 am

The extent of the ‘tokenism’ towards things and persons Russian is no doubt under review in relation to the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia.

bespoke
bespoke
March 19, 2022 11:09 am

Not sure what you mean here about organized conspiracy.

That most of it is seems to come from personal enitative and not directed by insistence of the government, Dover.

Makka
Makka
March 19, 2022 11:12 am

Whatever they are doing now they will do in a heart beat if they feel they must against their own domestic opponents.

And if the last 2 years have taught us anything , it is that our Govts are a bunch mean spirited, vicious c’s who WILL use all means of coercion in their power to have their tyrannical will imposed on us- the defenseless citizenry.

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 11:14 am

The Bolsheviks in the ALP thought they had it in the bag, now it’s gone with the wind.
Forget winning now, switch back to Bill to save the furniture.
Either that, or draft Rudd, as I predicted earlier.

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 11:14 am

Ed Casesays:
March 19, 2022 at 10:55 am
SpongeBob throws the switch to Concern Trolling.

You seem to be getting very close to suggesting that the death was not natural. Be careful.

As I’ve said in numerous comments, SpongeBob, Kitching was obviously dying.
See the more recent pictures of her, she was unrecognisable.
In particular, her skin colour and the fact that she’d lost a lot of body mass.

Dick Ed continues his highly unethical practice of diagnosing from afar, while also suggesting that certain people in the Liars Party hatched a plot to oust AnAl before the election, apparently based on Kitching conveniently dying before said election.

Nice one, Dick!

cohenite
March 19, 2022 11:17 am

Pete Buttigieg’s husband leads kids in a pledge of allegiance to the gay pride rainbow

Child abuse of course. But if this poofta is the hubbie and therefore the giver, that must mean pete is the wife and taker.

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 11:22 am

cohenitesays:
March 19, 2022 at 11:04 am
He had no Criminal History to justify killing him, so NewsCorp has made up a lot of lies instead.

Look donut, you attack a cop with a knife, scissors, sledgehammer or shotgun you can expect to be shot; and since cops aim for the main body mass with a .40 FMJ bullet death is on the table.

Dick Ed is too stupid to understand that he was not killed because of his criminal history, he was killed because he was attacking police officers with a deadly weapon. Dick is so stupid, he doesn’t understand the concept of “self defence”.

Makka
Makka
March 19, 2022 11:22 am

For those interested, this is a feed from the Russian side POV. Looks like “Tony” is in Melbourne and receiving input and imagery from the warzone and elsewhere.

Unemotional and informative. You won’t see any of this in the MSM.

https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1

lotocoti
lotocoti
March 19, 2022 11:30 am

Stand aside, women and children, the alphabet people are now the hardest hit.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
March 19, 2022 11:33 am

Dick is so stupid, he doesn’t understand the concept of “self defence”.

For shame, you think so little of Grogarly Q.C.’s towering intellect?

H B Bear
H B Bear
March 19, 2022 11:35 am

Groogs why don’t you take the day off and go and look for spooks.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
March 19, 2022 11:40 am

Groogs why don’t you take the day off and go and look for spooks.

He won’t have far to go, he’s only got to look under the bed.

H B Bear
H B Bear
March 19, 2022 11:40 am

But if this poofta is the hubbie and therefore the giver, that must mean pete is the wife and taker.

I’m less concerned with the mechanics but rather the whole alphabet people in abstract.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
March 19, 2022 11:43 am

The narrative of the Kimberly Kitching imbroglio is being nudged towards her treatment in the ALP being an episode of ‘mean girl’ behaviour – localised on Wong, in the safe #1 spot on the SA Senate ticket.

Which neatly sidesteps the fact that she was chewed up by the Labor movement generally. Including by ‘cleanskin’ Albanese.

Sure it’s news.com.au, but this piece from a week ago sketches out the ALP side of the factional shite that dominates Australian politics – and impacts our personal lives.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
March 19, 2022 11:43 am

You won’t see any of this in the MSM.

Some of it is fun. That deep-fake Zelenskyy vid is notorious. And the rally: lots of interviews of participants around the internet. Not entirely what it seems on the RT coverage, lets say.

The Brazilian volunteer vid is interesting since I also saw it earlier on a UKR partisan site suggesting those guys had uploaded it themselves, rather than a captured GoPro upload. Who knows? It’s interesting trying to sort real stuff from fake in this unpleasantness.

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 11:43 am

Hi bear
Why don’t you put a Help Wanted ad in the paper, asking for guidance in locating your brain?
Perhaps your Procologist could be of assistance?

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
March 19, 2022 11:45 am

‘Jed had a go at Hedy Lamarr?

I believe he has a real fondness for dead people: you can mock, abuse, lie, denigrate, smear and besmirch them as much as you like and they can’t fight back.

custard
custard
March 19, 2022 11:50 am

Off to a freedom protest today, 12.00pm Supreme Court Gardens.

Fuck MarkistMcGowan

Bruce
Bruce
March 19, 2022 11:50 am

This Rolfe / Walker caper id utterly out of hand.

Detail 1: The cop was actually STABBED by the other bloke.

What was he supposed to do; negotiate?
Offer to buy him a soy latte?

I refer all and sundry to a couple of “rules of engagement” for the REAL world.

Note that in Australia the “gummint” has arrogated ALL power of life and death, and any peasant breaching this arrangement WILL BE SMASHED by the courts AND the LSM.

In the unlikely event you actually have a suitable firearm, loaded and in hand the “Mozambique Drill” is a useful one:

“Two to the body, One to the head. Repeat as required”.

Running this on a nice, sunlit range, with hi-viz static rectangular corflute targets, against the clock, is a good challenge. Doing it in the dark, with a moving target as the adrenaline courses through your body is likely to be a whole different matter, especially if you neither have a suitable weapon nor have a clue how to use one.

When seconds count, the cops are minutes (or hours) away.

Then, there is the “Twenty-foot rule”.

This states that, if confronted by a physical threat at a distance of twenty feet (6m) or less, IF you do not have your own weapon drawn AND pointed at the threat, you are in deep trouble. A reasonably fit individual can close that distance BEFORE you have time to draw and present a weapon OR (unless you are extremely agile), sidestep with precise timing, a sufficient distance to avoid the knife, club, broken bottle, or the sheer body mass of the assailant.

If you are “merely” knocked down, unless you are in a martial arts establishment with padded floors, you body WILL strike the hard, unforgiving pavement, etc. with considerable force. Death or permanent disability are the likely consequences., even of the villain does not circle back and “dispatch ” you.

Once you have been assaulted and robbed on the grassy footpath outside your own home, and if you are vaguely sentient, there will be a definite “perspective shift”.

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 11:51 am

Which neatly sidesteps the fact that she was chewed up by the Labor movement generally. Including by ‘cleanskin’ Albanese.

Thanks.
So, was Albanese the initial target, he got a heads up and threw Wong to the wolves?
Interesting move, hard to see how Wong can survive.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 11:52 am

The extent of the ‘tokenism’ towards things and persons Russian is no doubt under review in relation to the Russian Orthodox Church in Australia.

Whose archbishop is an ethnic Ukrainian; although since being elected primate of the worldwide Russian Orthodox Church Abroad he no longer resides in Sydney but in NYC and has appointed an American born bishop as locum tenens.

Most of the members are descendents of White Russians who came here in two waves: out of Siberia in the 1920s and out of northern China, principally Harbin, in the 1950s.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union they have reestablished communion with the Moscow Patriarchy. after 70 years of schism due to the Communist infiltration of the latter body, but they remain administratively autonomous.

So holding them responsible for Putin’s actions is inherently absurd.

Stand by…

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
March 19, 2022 11:52 am

‘Jed?

Should have been ‘Ked.

As in D. Ked.

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 11:54 am

Bluey

But enough about scrapping in the outback, thoughts on defending more developed regions to follow later.

But before that, a bit on the pre-landing actions that can improve the defence of Australia.

Any land invasion of Australia has to come from the north, into northern Australia or down the west coast to Perth, or the long way around east of PNG/Solomon Islands towards south east Australia.

The approaches to northern Australia or Perth must come through the Indonesian archipelago, or across the Indian Ocean. In the first case, the straits are relatively few in number, and vulnerable to submarine blockade (those SSNs would come in handy). Across the Indian Ocean puts a large number of ships together as a collective target.

As mentioned earlier, there are ballistic missiles that are claimed to have to be capable of terminal homing on aircraft carriers. Doing the same to amphibious fleets should be practicable. Some investment there would vastly complicate the task of those planning an invasion. Shorter range rockets with terminal homing, and aircraft and shore launched anti-shipping missiles, do the same as the potential invasion fleet gets closer.

All of these are methods are suitable for those taking the long Pacific Ocean cruise on the way to south east Australia.

That then leaves handling those who make it through the deserts of the ocean defences.

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 11:58 am

Ed Casesays:
March 19, 2022 at 11:43 am
Hi bear
Why don’t you put a Help Wanted ad in the paper, asking for guidance in locating your brain?
Perhaps your Procologist could be of assistance?

Feeling a bit edgy this morning Ed? Slightly sensitive to criticism? Have a cup of tea, avoid a Bex, and then a good lie down. For about a month.

Makka
Makka
March 19, 2022 11:59 am

It’s interesting trying to sort real stuff from fake in this unpleasantness.

My loathing of much of the present “west” and it’s deviant malicious leadership is such that I’m open to taking in the Russian POV from what looks like factual unemotional sources. Knowing they too are tainted. Just to attempt some balance of input vs the despicable MSM brainwashing versions.

What we are witnessing is how totalitarian cancel culture can cripple whole nations and peoples. IMO a similar situation to 30’s Germany and the Nazi approach to those they don’t like.

First the came for Trump, then his followers, then the anti-mandaters, then the Russians….

Overt intimidation directed at anyone who aspires to freedom from oppression by the state.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
March 19, 2022 11:59 am

Ed Casesays:
March 19, 2022 at 8:07 am
. Eva Braun had the excuse she was mentally ill and tried to top herself several times before marrying Hitler.

Wasn’t that his cousin?
Dunno,
but he rode Hedy Lamarr in 1938.

He must have had a very long dick, since Lamarr had fled Austria to Paris in 1937, and was in Hollywood by 1938.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
March 19, 2022 11:59 am

As to “Tony” I can understand and respect his position, but the amount of other stuff around is huge. His seems a little sparse by comparison. Guys like War Noir have more Russian footage.

I’ve got two dozen sites bookmarked from the full spectrum Russophile to Ukrainophile. My summary from going through them this morning is pretty much what the centrist strategy sites and official mobs like the Pentagon and MoD have been saying: Russia is severely bogged and the Ukrainians are starting to counter attack in limited areas like from Mykolaiv to Kherson and west of Kiev. Mariupol is being flattened since the Russians don’t have the forces to commit to a messy urban warfare assault, but they need the place for the linkage between Crimea and mainland Russia.

The peace negotiations also don’t seem to be going well. That suggests both sides believe they can get what they want, which is impossible since those criteria are diametrically opposed.

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 11:59 am

Dick Ed

And add some “t” to your spell checker.

lotocoti
lotocoti
March 19, 2022 12:01 pm

As in D. Ked.

Dee-Ked sounds awfully like the way a Russian would say it.
Do you renounce Putin and all his works, Lode?

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
March 19, 2022 12:02 pm

“It’s Hedley”

calli
calli
March 19, 2022 12:02 pm

Perhaps it was Hedley Lamarr.

calli
calli
March 19, 2022 12:04 pm

Oh, OSC! We are quite horrid! 😀

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 12:05 pm

Yeah, Hedy Lamarr.
She sued Mel Brooks after learning that Blazing Saddles featured a 2 headed goat named Hedly Lamarr.

H B Bear
H B Bear
March 19, 2022 12:06 pm

Richard Marles is lucky. He comes out with his reputation unscathed because no one has ever heard of him.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
March 19, 2022 12:10 pm

My loathing of much of the present “west” and it’s deviant malicious leadership is such that I’m open to taking in the Russian POV from what looks like factual unemotional sources. Knowing they too are tainted. Just to attempt some balance of input vs the despicable MSM brainwashing versions.

Makka – Yeah, know what you mean. All those FBI and CIA names from this morning for example. The West is really in a bad way due to Fabianism plus the recent green-progressive-wokery. (Climate Depot has a nice little take on that today: ‘The Church of World Climatology’ ).

The best I can do is to read as much as I can and try to sort out what is really occurring from the rubbish, of which there’s lots. Primary sources are best (eg a destroyed BMP is pretty much what it is, although you then have to work out whose it was, where the vid was shot and even what year…since quite a few old vids are resurfacing). What is pretty correct is that all sides have their agendas and all are spinning like wind turbines in a gale. Plus there’s a lot of signs that the Biden clique is using this whole thing as a giant squirrel to distract from their domestic woes. I could become quite cynical from all this.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 12:13 pm

What we are witnessing is how totalitarian cancel culture can cripple whole nations and peoples.

Russia won’t be crippled in the medium to long term.

They have large markets for their resources in China, India and Africa.

What we are witnessing is Western leaders – the most corrupt and amoral generation of leaders we’ve been afflicted with – undermining the very hegemony they imagine they are upholding.

I wonder if Xi is familiar with Nap’s dictum, “Never interrupt your enemy while he’s making a mistake”?

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 12:13 pm

Ed Casesays:
March 19, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Yeah, Hedy Lamarr.
She sued Mel Brooks after learning that Blazing Saddles featured a 2 headed goat named Hedly Lamarr.

Link, or did you make it up?

Eyrie
Eyrie
March 19, 2022 12:13 pm

As mentioned earlier, there are ballistic missiles that are claimed to have to be capable of terminal homing on aircraft carriers. Doing the same to amphibious fleets should be practicable. Some investment there would vastly complicate the task of those planning an invasion. Shorter range rockets with terminal homing, and aircraft and shore launched anti-shipping missiles, do the same as the potential invasion fleet gets closer.
We need something like the Russian Kalibre and Iskander M missiles. The anti shippingversion of Kalibre has another solid rocket which accelerates it from cruise at mach 0.9 to 2.9 in terminal phase. Around 1 km/sec. Hard to defend against. Iskander has manoever capability in all phases and electro-optical target homing, guided or autonomous.
Although currently blockading this country would be easy. Just declare a maritime exclusion zone. No cargo, no tankers and we run out of liquid fuels in a week.
First, drill for oil and refine it here. Or go coal to liquids. Have our defence people figure out and build missiles with the capabilities of the Russian ones. The program would need careful structuring though to avoid the usual Aussie defence procurement screw ups.
Do we really need the submarines? Long range bombers may be better, carrying both kinds of missile.

Shy Ted
Shy Ted
March 19, 2022 12:13 pm

Let’s have another look at the video from brave reporter Chris Reason, shall we?

Such heavy bombings in Kyiv over 48 hours

He’s walking on the roof of a building that has supposedly been bombed! Might that not be dangerous? The “drone” footage shows a building completely undamaged by a bomb, more likely a fire or vandalism with the windows pushed or blown out. You’d expect wires on the roof to be damaged if fire but they aren’t though the outside of the building suggests a fire or two on lower levels. Stop the footage and you see most of the apartments are gutted so nobody lived there recently. At the end are a few construction workers not doing much and certainly not worried that a “bombed” building might collapse on them. Look at all the buildings in the background at the beginning. Any damage? No.
It’s a long-abandoned building somewhere, Kyiv or no. Fake news.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 12:24 pm

From the Herald Sun:-
Positions Vacant.

Australia’s leading libertarian blog, FlashCat.com, is looking for a Hyper-Bowl Officer Grade 2.
The successful applicant will have a proven track record in making shamelessly outlandish predictions and regurgitating intricate but grandiose global conspiracies. He (and it will be a “he”) will also have an ability to randomly CAPITALISE words.
A proven track record in delivering gratuitous abuse, narcissistic self aggrandisement and bulk coffee scrolls will be highly regarded.
This is a strictly work-from-home role and a generous salary package will be negotiated to attract the right applicant.
Wogs and COWS need not apply.

calli
calli
March 19, 2022 12:25 pm

Thanks, Ted. His fans think it’s real.

Perhaps the missile knocked on the door, realised no one was home and went to squib mode out of disappointment.

Makka
Makka
March 19, 2022 12:29 pm

They have large markets for their resources in China, India and Africa.

That’s true and those connections are getting stronger daily. The kleptocrats and oligarchs will adjust and eventually prosper again.

But the younger generations in Russia are quite westernised and aspirational. They travel and now have many links across to the west with family and work. Their cultural connections etc. Now they see the west quickly throwing them and their lives ad livelihoods onto the trash heap which will both raise patriotism and the distrust of Putin. Heightened cynicism of the west will win out I suspect which does not raise hopes of a stable “friendly” Russia in the future.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 12:32 pm

Has the first dog in space, Laika, had her status revoked too?
Remember when the left laughed at conservative Americans for boycotting French Fries over the French reaction to one of the USA’s forays into the Middle East?
That is where we are right now.

incoherent rambler
incoherent rambler
March 19, 2022 12:34 pm

Hedy Lamarr

That’s Hedly

Dot
Dot
March 19, 2022 12:35 pm

Custard mentioned Clapper. He should go straight to prison.
I have seen him blatantly lie to a Congressional hearing under oath.

He is such an insufferable hack.

Walker got justice thrice. Poor old Slater never felt justice’s searing kiss once.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
March 19, 2022 12:37 pm

Russia won’t be crippled in the medium to long term.
They have large markets for their resources in China, India and Africa.

They will if a reprise of the 1905 Revolution occurs. Quite a few similarities.

For example there’re reports today that Russia is pulling most of their units out of South Ossetia. And Moldova has told Russia to withdraw the three battalions they keep in Transdienepr. Mouses roaring stuff. If the peripheral bits get denuded of their garrisons the locals might decide to try something.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 12:38 pm

Heightened cynicism of the west will win out I suspect which does not raise hopes of a stable “friendly” Russia in the future.

Yes, a massive own goal by Western elites.

I also wonder what young Ukrainians will think of the West when the dust settles.

Middle Europe needs to take responsibility for its own security, NATO notwithstanding, because – borrowing Bernard Lewis’s line – the West is harmless as an enemy and treacherous as a friend.

Orban has already indicated that this is the path Hungary will take.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 12:41 pm

rosiesays:

March 19, 2022 at 12:36 pm

I’m even going to try to make this but I think I will prorata the pecorino with parmesan.

My favourite!
Cacio e pepe.
Spaghetti, cheese and pepper.
Incredibly simple but results may vary.
It can be really gluey if not done properly.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 12:43 pm

…the locals might decide to try something.

I don’t think the critical mass of popular dissent exists, Bruce.

And Russians are very patriotic people. They also know that bad leaders pass, even if only to be replaced by another cast in the same mould!

Dot
Dot
March 19, 2022 12:44 pm

A conversation

List of countries I have considered

Macedonia
Andorra
Hungary
Japan
West Virginia, USA
Cabo Verde
Namibia !

Why Portugal?

……..
Portugal is the overall winner of all countries

Some of the best architecture in Europe
Quality of food is sensational – the Algarve is supposedly the most arable land on the planet
Cost of living is almost eastern europe levels
Freedom levels are high as anywhere, you can do whatever you want no one cares
Beaches and natural beauty of the landscapes are second to none. Its the only other country with beaches on the level of Australian beaches
People are great, all speak english and are not c***s
Great live music scene

For a million bucks you would be buying a baller penthouse in the middle of Lisbon

For half a million you would be getting a baller pad on one of the coastal towns a little further out

Cant go wrong

Apparently a top spot for fishing too, Dot.

…….

You put a strong argument forward for Portugal.

Morrocco was my choice earlier but they went full batshit crazy over COVID.

P
P
March 19, 2022 12:45 pm

BRICS is Working, India Purchases 3 million Barrels Russian Crude This Week
March 18, 2022 | Sundance

A report in the AP shows the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) trade alliance seems to remain strong despite western sanctions. India admitted to purchasing 3 million barrels of Russian oil at a 20% discount rate this week.

There’s no mention of how the purchase will be transacted, what currency they would use; however, the top-line story of India refusing to follow western trade sanctions reflects the BRICS alliance is delivering economic results.

rosie
rosie
March 19, 2022 12:46 pm

I’m hoping the linked method avoids the pitfalls.
And disappointing I didn’t get a rise out of you after you recommended I try it in Rome and I said I didn’t like it.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 12:48 pm

And disappointing I didn’t get a rise out of you after you recommended I try it in Rome and I said I didn’t like it.

No biggy.
If people choose to deprive themselves of some of the great pleasures of life, that is their prerogative.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
March 19, 2022 12:49 pm

I don’t think the critical mass of popular dissent exists, Bruce.

I was thinking especially of places like Ingushetia and Dagestan. Plus a couple other majority muslim bits like Kazan/Tatarstan.

As to the critical mass of popular dissent the many interviews I mentioned of participants in that flag waving patriotic rally are really interesting. I’ll leave you to hunt them up.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 12:52 pm

I was thinking especially of places like Ingushetia and Dagestan. Plus a couple other majority muslim bits like Kazan/Tatarstan.

OK…I misunderstood. Yes, that could happen. And it would be a blow to Putin’s Eurasian ambitions.

rosie
rosie
March 19, 2022 12:53 pm

I’ve seriously considered a long term stay in Portugal dot.
My biggest issue as that I would like to be able to limp around in the local lingo is that it is more difficult to pronounce than Spanish.
The Algarve is wall to wall British expats in places like Albuferia (and Irish, French and even Italians) but the climate is superb.
Plenty of renovator’s delights in places like Lisbon and Porto.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 12:56 pm

This is a strictly work-from-home role

Snort.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 12:57 pm

Morrocco was my choice earlier but they went full batshit crazy over COVID.

Don’t.
Just do not.
Anything south of Gibraltar is to be avoided.
Before the new blog rules I would have called them all shitholes.
But I don’t want to fall foul of the new rules by calling them shitholes.
So I will not.
Call them shitholes, that is.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 12:58 pm

Knuckle Draggersays:

March 19, 2022 at 12:56 pm

This is a strictly work-from-home role

Snort.

Oh.
You’re still here.

Dot
Dot
March 19, 2022 12:59 pm

Call them cultural incubators.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 12:59 pm

Anything south of Gibraltar is to be avoided.

Sound advice.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
March 19, 2022 1:00 pm

That UKR is counterattacking in “Mykolaiv to Kherson and west of Kiev” tells you how tenuous their position is right now. Mariupol is almost done; RUS are isolating the remaining defenders into about four areas. UKR just lost Izyum overnight and that opens the door to RUS forces in Kharhov and Donbass joining up and then isolating UKR forces in the south east. If that happens in the next week or two it will be catastrophic for the UKR.

Dover – Most of that is incompatible with the reports via the Pentagon, MoD and others like ISW.

I’m just telling what I am seeing, and what I am seeing is a mess with no one winning. The only tiny caveat is that Ukrainian territorial forces infiltrating Russian logistics corridors and rear areas seems to be increasing. Some people are saying that that may change at the end of the mud season, reckoned to be 1 Apr or thereabouts. That’s two weeks away – a long time. I don’t know about that as the Russians really don’t seem to do patrolling and area dominance like the ADF historically has done.

rosie
rosie
March 19, 2022 1:01 pm

It’s a long time since I had a coffee scroll.
I think I had a mini ‘Cinnabon’ when travelling with my friend in the US a few years ago.
Whatever happened to those long sweet rolls with the coffee icing I remember from the late seventies?

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
March 19, 2022 1:02 pm

incoherent ramblersays:
March 19, 2022 at 12:34 pm
Hedy Lamarr

That’s Hedly

Fun movie. Imagine the howls now if was first released.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 1:04 pm

True story.

Yesterday afternoon, a bloke in lovely old D-Town was wandering about the house, doing nothing with his teenage son in tow.

Kapow. Heart attack. Dropped like a stone on the back verandah. The young bloke rang 000, took the advice and was doing CPR on Dad when the ambos and jacks rolled up a few minutes later. Sadly, the bloke never got off the canvas. Brown bread, there and then.

He was unvaccinated, and he was 52 years old. Yes I knew this bloke. We weren’t mates, but knew each other to say g’day to in the street, and I knew he was unjabbed.

I will now wait for the usual conspiracy sheep to provide their considered views on the matter. When they inevitably rise to the occasion, I trust they will bring their complete and unfettered knowledge of all Shane Warne and Kimberley Kitching’s respective medical histories and offer a comparison of how this bloke from yesterday was different – a mere anomaly to the 13 to 43 month rule.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:05 pm

I think I had a mini ‘Cinnabon’ when travelling with my friend in the US a few years ago.

Those things in New Orleans.
Deep fried dough smothered in icing sugar.
Beignets?

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 1:07 pm

Oh.
You’re still here.

Well, yes. You see, I haven’t had a lot of couch time recently.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:07 pm

He was unvaccinated …

That is just antidotal evidence.
Move along, nothing to see.
Unless he had been on the beignets.
That’ll do it every time.

Tom
Tom
March 19, 2022 1:08 pm

Whereas conservatism is the fruit of history, common sense and Western civilisation.

Roger, a more useful — and accurate — definition is that conservatism is the opposite of radicalism.

In democracies — except in the USA, where election-rigging is now the left’s preferred method of avoiding the consequences of its irresponsibility — radical governments (like the Whitlam rabble in Australia in the 1970s) are quickly thrown out because they are rejected by the electorate, which is inherently conservative.

rosie
rosie
March 19, 2022 1:10 pm

Haven’t been to New Orleans.
I saw beignets in France but if I was going to indulge, tarte citron, millefeuille or tartelette frambois or frais were always higher on the list.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:11 pm

mere anomaly to the 13 to 43 month rule.

We are only days away from it being the “rule of 12/42”.
Sad to think that I might only see one more Kangaroos premiership in my lifetime (three, absolute tops).

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 1:12 pm

Eyrie

Do we really need the submarines? Long range bombers may be better, carrying both kinds of missile.

There is something about a possible submarine (or even a couple of autonomous underwater vehicles) in the area that makes surface sailors nervous.

So, “Yes” to your question, we need them.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
March 19, 2022 1:13 pm

The Womans Weekly spread with his Beard was his last chance but evidently was a failure.

Good lord, either Ed-Mong…

Doesnt know what a “beard” is
or
Thinks Captain rub’n’tug goes to brothels to get his poo punched.
or
and stay with me here.
Ed knows nuffink.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
March 19, 2022 1:14 pm

Middle Europe needs to take responsibility for its own security, NATO notwithstanding…

Pretty sure that Europe had woken up to this essential truth with a hell of a start.

Loosely following commentary in the Brit, French and German press over the past year – as China has started to throw its weight around, the Biden Administration turned into a Little House of Horrors, and Russia tightened the screws on Ukraine – it’s pretty clear that US is no longer widely viewed as a reliable anything. Far less any sort of bulwark.

Russian tanks trundling Westward (albeit slowly) has been the European nightmare for the past seventy years. Now with nuclear implications.

Add in the sudden, stupid, late-onset realisation that most of Europe’s energy requirements are either compromised beyond function, or dependent on Russia, and you have the break line in the schism between EU Europe and the US.

We’ve been in a multi polar world for the past 20 years.

From my armchair, it’s looking like we’re moving quickly towards three poles: China (including Russia and a mixed bag of win-win failed client states); the US (including WW2 Pacific hangovers); and Europe under the uneasy leadership of Germany.

To plagiarise a great man: the lights are going out around the world. And I’m afraid Australia might not be on the A Team.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:14 pm

rosiesays:

March 19, 2022 at 1:10 pm

Haven’t been to New Orleans.
I saw beignets in France but if I was going to indulge, tarte citron, millefeuille or tartelette frambois or frais were always higher on the list.

Bwah ha ha ha ha.
I had a French waiter coach me in the correct pronunciation of millefeuille (apparently “mill-fuel” doesn’t cut it.
Reckons I wasn’t getting one if I couldn’t say it properly.
Funny guy.
I ended up with the tarte citron.
Who needs your fancy layer cake anyway.

pete of perth
pete of perth
March 19, 2022 1:17 pm

Quote from article about DeSantis linked at smalldeadanimals

“He loves to crush his enemies, see them driven before him, and to hear the lamentation of their women-identifying persons.”

lol

rosie
rosie
March 19, 2022 1:18 pm

Being an idiot I was pronouncing ‘mille’ with the LL as a y as if it were Spanish until a lady at a bakery repeated my order back and I realised.

dopey
dopey
March 19, 2022 1:19 pm

Albo’s next trip to the dentist….’any chance of a refund cobber? I’m feeling some pain.’

Pogria
Pogria
March 19, 2022 1:21 pm

That’s Hedley!

Not a two-headed goat in sight.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 1:22 pm

Deaf Ed, at 8.43:

The kids name was Arnold Walker.
The “Kumanjayi” is something journalists cooked up to dehumanise him.

‘Kumanjayi’ is a term used by the Central Australian indig (and nowhere else, save potentially some parts of the northern Pitlands in SA) to refer to someone who has shuffled off this mortal coil.

The media didn’t cook it up, but what they have done is pick it up because it sounded a) cool, and b) as though they knew that they were talking about.

‘Kumanjayi’ has now joined the following list of terms harvested from social media by spotty analysts and used wholesale in vain attempts to obtain street cred:

Bullying
Variant
Weather Event (including ‘rain bomb’)
Pandemic
War Crimes
Supply Chain
Strategic

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:24 pm

Come on, guys.
Enough!
The world is burning (literally) and you are making small talk about French patisserie.
And boulangerie.
Sacre bleu!

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 1:30 pm

Page 7 of today’s

The Australian

:
Scotty Morrison has commanding lead over AlboFlamer among Female Voters.
Heh, it’s over, losers.
Also on that page, Kimberley Kitching denied that she gave Linda Reynolds a heads up that the Brittany Higgins scandal was going to be blown up by Wong & Co.
The takeaway is that Reynolds did the Liberal Party a huge service there by
giving Kitching up, the fallout has destroyed Labor’s hopes.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:33 pm

KD.
On the subject of NewSpeak, apparently the word ‘flounced’ has been replaced with ‘booted’.
Please amend your manual and style guide accordingly.

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 1:34 pm

Most likely, it’s always been like this.

It’s 70 degrees warmer than normal in eastern Antarctica. Scientists are flabbergasted.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/it-e2-80-99s-70-degrees-warmer-than-normal-in-eastern-antarctica-scientists-are-flabbergasted/ar-AAVfk4m?ocid=uxbndlbing

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
March 19, 2022 1:36 pm

The world is burning (literally) and you are making small talk about French patisserie.
And boulangerie.

Merde alors.
It’s been patisserie, all the way down.
No boulanger involved.

Le 12/42 can’t come soon enough.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 1:39 pm

This is how bad the Rolfe thing is in the NT. Favourable comparisons are now being made with the Andrews government (Editorial, NT News):

AT THE height of Victoria’s Covid crisis in 2020, Premier Daniel Andrews fronted the media for more than 100 days straight.

He didn’t just make a statement, he stood there, often for more than an hour, and took every question the journalists wanted to ask him.

And this:

Contrast the actions of Mr Andrews with the performance of Chief Minister Michael Gunner and Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker this past week.

[ … ]

Mr Chalker could have answered some of these questions when he called a press conference last Friday afternoon, three hours after the jury’s not guilty verdict.

Instead, he gave one of the more bizarre statements ever seen in this jurisdiction, speaking about car accidents and house fires and “critical incidents” but failing to mention the words shooting, Yuendumu or Rolfe.

Then, after saying he wouldn’t prejudice the coronial inquiry, he offered this veiled warning:

“I look forward to our institutional response as part of the coronial inquest where the facts will come to the fore that will diminish a significant amount to the mis-truths and the rhetoric that is out there that has had no basis of foundation.”

If he had something to say he should have said it, otherwise he would have been better to say nothing at all. Instead, he left the press conference without taking any questions.

And:

If Mr Chalker’s intention was to quell the discontent with his own ranks and the Yuendumu community, he managed to do the opposite.

There were more questions after Northern Territory Police Association president Paul McCue addressed the media on Monday.

Documents obtained by the defence during discovery show Detective Sergeant Kieran Wells noted it was “extremely concerning that crucial elements of an extremely serious criminal/coronial investigation were being hastened for no discerning justifiable reason.”

Detective Sergeant Isobel Cummins who was directed to compile a brief for the DPP by 1pm on November 13, 2019, four days after the shooting, wrote she was “not comfortable with arrest and rushed process without full assessment of evidence and ability to investigate objectively”.

After Rolfe was charged Det-Sgt Wells noted: “Investigators on scene do not agree with course of action, both arrest element and charge.”

Why were police executives in such a rush to have Rolfe charged? Why were detectives working on the investigation over-ruled?

And, perhaps more concerningly, why did police issue a media release saying Rolfe had been charged with murder and given bail, while he was still sitting in the cells at the Darwin watch-house?

And:

But rather than acknowledge these legitimate concerns, Mr Gunner flipped the switch vitriol during his only public appearance in Darwin this week on Mix FM.

Asked by host Katie Woolf about an independent inquiry, Mr Gunner said the only people pushing for such a move were “conspiracy nutters”.

The failure of Mr Gunner and Mr Chalker to front up and take questions has allowed the racial tensions simmering in the wake of the Rolfe verdict to boil.

At a time when leadership was desperately needed, it was sadly missing.

Gunner and Chalker went to school together. It’s a matter of time before Gunner puts Chalker under the bus to briefly prolong his own time on the throne.

Kieran Wells and Isobel Cummins are both highly experienced and competent detectives. Wells has resigned and now works interstate, and Cummins is now on a two-man station on the north coast of Arnhem Land.

Tick, tock.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 1:42 pm

On the subject of NewSpeak, apparently the word ‘flounced’ has been replaced with ‘booted’.

What? How do I get my Dr Rumack lines in now?

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 1:52 pm

Rolfe ain’t no Lindy Chamberlain.
He’ll disappear once this has blown over.
Even VicPol won’t touch him.
Zelenskyy needs blokes like him in 404 right now though.

Morsie
Morsie
March 19, 2022 1:52 pm

Re KDs anecdote above apparently 30 % of coronary deaths occur with no prior warning or symptoms.
Make if that what you will.

Pedro the Loafer
Pedro the Loafer
March 19, 2022 1:55 pm

Well, isn’t this an interesting little fact about the NT Police Commissioner from 2001:
NT policve officers charged with assault.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
March 19, 2022 1:57 pm

“He loves to crush his enemies, see them driven before him, and to hear the lamentation of their women-identifying persons.”

This is indeed what is best in life… 🙂

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 1:58 pm

“I look forward to our institutional response as part of the coronial inquest where the facts will come to the fore that will diminish a significant amount to the mis-truths and the rhetoric that is out there that has had no basis of foundation.”

How does characterising evidence given in a three week murder trial as “mis-truths and rhetoric” sit with that contempt of court thingy?
Of course, the inquest will be a circus run by a Gunner appointed ring-master who will bring down a “landmark historic judgement”.*

* It will neither be a judgement in the legal sense, nor an historic landmark.
It will be a grab-bag of BLM feelz slogans tied up with a bunch of “findings” recommending no more white-fella law for black crooks.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 1:58 pm

From my armchair, it’s looking like we’re moving quickly towards three poles: China (including Russia and a mixed bag of win-win failed client states); the US (including WW2 Pacific hangovers); and Europe under the uneasy leadership of Germany.

+ India. An emerging power with a large diaspora that isn’t easily pigeonholed and can’t be expected to toe any line, despite its numerous formal and informal alliances.

+ Japan, which has reignited a territorial dispute with Russia

As I’ve noted before here, Samuel Huntington’s clash of civilisations thesis was dismissed by globalists (both benign and malign) but it’s proving truer to the world’s multipolar reality than their vision.

duncanm
duncanm
March 19, 2022 1:59 pm

Do we really need the submarines? Long range bombers may be better, carrying both kinds of missile.

subs are a pretty good platform for both defence and attack.

*very* long autonomous time & range – limited only by crew needs (food), essentially un-findable once out of their pens, and can roam pretty much anywhere in the world without local support.

I would have though they’re the cheapest thing for Aus for limited defence, and to disrupt Chinese fleets anywhere from their home bases to Aus.

srr
srr
March 19, 2022 2:00 pm

Vicki says:
March 19, 2022 at 10:49 am

Ukraine ‘Cannot’ Defeat Russia
[UKRAINIAN VOLUNTEER SOLDIER SPEAKS OUT!]

Of course not. I can’t immediately find it, but in the last day or two I came across a post by an American volunteer to Ukraine who had served in Afghanistan & elsewhere. He was appalled at the lack of any feasible resistance with the armaments at their disposal etc. He reckoned he would be just cannon fodder if he stayed and was, with other US military volunteers, about to return home.

Someone I know get’s a lot of video’s that all my search engines block and they show just how badly ‘Palliwood’ the Ukrainian propaganda videos are and how what we’re being told (by the Clinton/Obama/Biden/Pelosi et al Globalist Mobster Media), is nothing like what locals are seeing, recording & sharing.

The biggest, ugliest & most consistent reports being of how from the beginning the ‘Ukrainian’ Govt has been trapping & forcing people to fight & die against far superior Russian forces that actually go to a lot of trouble to not only avoid killing civilians but also to save infrastructure & let them get crops in etc.

Oh and anyone who yells, “Putinist!’, at such news, you can pretty safely yell back, “Clintonite!” or “Idiot!”, at them.

Mind you, it is also sad to see how many people who are not idiots or bad, are still terrified of showing anything other than deranged hatred of all things Russian & especially Putin, while continuing to help Hunter, Joe, Hillary et al skate by refusing to acknowledge the already known contents of Hunter’s laptops now that they’re acknowledged as real.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
March 19, 2022 2:04 pm

AT THE height of Victoria’s Covid crisis in 2020, Premier Daniel Andrews fronted the media for more than 100 days straight.

He didn’t just make a statement, he stood there, often for more than an hour, and took every question the journalists wanted to ask him.

Well, those journalists who he permitted to be present.
Near one presser Avi Yemeni was surrounded by four PSO’s and hustled out of the area on bogus assertions that he was a threat to public safety, but one of the PSO’s admitted that the real reason was that Andrews’ PA had told them that Maximum Leader didn’t want Avi there. That’s despite Avi being a properly accredited journalist.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
March 19, 2022 2:07 pm

subs are a pretty good platform for both defence and attack.

*very* long autonomous time & range – limited only by crew needs (food), essentially un-findable once out of their pens, and can roam pretty much anywhere in the world without local support.

Except ones which are retrofitted with outmoded technology in order to placate anti-nuclear pants-wetters and to provide pseudo-jobs at taxpayers’ expense in a marginal electorate held by the world’s no 1 contemptible little ponce.

srr
srr
March 19, 2022 2:08 pm

Lots of locals videos showing this before it became news –

Hundreds of unharmed civilians rescued from Mariupol theater
Ukraine initially claimed Russian bombs had killed more than 1,000 people, but local officials now say otherwise

Hundreds of unharmed civilians rescued from Mariupol theater
Ukraine has accused Russia of destroying the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was sheltering more than 1,000 civilians. Photo dated March 17, 2022 © AFP / handout / TELEGRAM / pavlokyrylenko_donoda [image at link below]

More than 200 civilians have been rescued unharmed from the bombed Mariupol Drama Theater, and one injured woman has been taken to hospital, the deputy mayor of the city told reporters on Friday. Initial claims from Kiev estimated over 1,000 people may have been killed in what they said was a Russian airstrike.

Ukrainian media announced on Wednesday that the Drama Theater – located on the main square of the city – had been struck by the Russian air force while civilians were sheltering inside. By Thursday morning, however, reports switched to saying that those civilians had survived, with a journalist with the Kyiv Independent calling it a “miracle.”

On Friday, Deputy Mayor Sergey Orlov told Human Rights Watch that more than 200 people have so far been rescued from the rubble unharmed, but one woman had been taken to hospital with injuries. Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Lyudmila Denisova, told reporters that some 1,300 civilians had been trapped inside.

Meanwhile, Mayor Vadim Boychenko told the BBC that the fighting had reached the city center, where the theater is located.

Read more Civilians feared trapped and killed in Mariupol theater explosion
[at link below]

Responding to the Ukrainian accusations on Wednesday, the Russian military said none of its planes had carried out any ground attacks in Mariupol that day, and the theater had not in any case been on its list of targets.

“Previously, it was known from the refugees who got out of Mariupol that the Nazis of the Azov Battalion might be holding civilians hostage in the theater building, using the upper floors as firing points,” military spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said at the time. He added that what he described as “reliable information” from locals had indicated that the militants might have blown up the building to try to pin the blame for any civilian deaths on Russia.

Russia says Mariupol is the stronghold of Azov, the notorious Ukrainian militia that uses as its emblems Waffen-SS symbols and other iconography of Nazi Germany. The city has been surrounded by Russian regular troops and those of the Donetsk People’s Republic, a breakaway region Moscow recognized as independent in February.

Moscow attacked its neighbor in late February, following a seven-year standoff over Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered protocols had been designed to regularize the status of those regions within the Ukrainian state.

Russia has now demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.

https://www.rt.com/russia/552266-mariupol-theater-civilians-survived/

Zipster
March 19, 2022 2:13 pm
CrazyOldRanga
CrazyOldRanga
March 19, 2022 2:14 pm

Boambee John,

Have you read any of Keith McArdles books? Great stories of Indonesia invading Australia.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
March 19, 2022 2:19 pm

The Ben Roberts-Smith case is proving an ordeal for some soldiers
Deborah Snow
By Deborah Snow
March 19, 2022 — 6.06am

They have been trained to withstand the toughest psychological and physical pressures of combat. But there came a moment this week which crystallised the emotional toll the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case is taking on some of the battle-hardened men summoned to give evidence.

That moment arrived when Person 24, a former member of the Special Air Service regiment, broke down under prolonged cross-examination from Roberts-Smith’s barrister, Arthur Moses, SC.

Moses had challenged the soldier multiple times on his evidence, putting it to him that he was lying, “making things up”, concocting a “story”.

By late morning on Tuesday, Person 24 had reached snapping point. Choking up, he told Justice Anthony Besanko: “I am not telling any lies, your Honour. I am not making this up. I am as uncomfortable as any other person has been coming through here … I do not want to be here, I am here because I have been subpoenaed.”

Then came the disconcerting sound, briefly, of a grown man weeping, as he added: “I find it extremely difficult to stomach, having to give evidence against that man in the corner.”

The “man in the corner” is Roberts-Smith, who is suing The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald over allegations of unlawful killing of prisoners, bullying of fellow soldiers and striking a former lover. He has denied all wrongdoing.

For the past seven weeks the Victoria Cross recipient has spent every day between Monday and Friday silently occupying the same seat in the back row of the courtroom, adjacent to the window with its sweeping views of Sydney Harbour.

Person 24 is not the only one to have found the case gruelling. Thirteen soldiers have so far given evidence for Nine, owners of the media outlets. Many have had to endure prolonged grilling by Roberts-Smith’s legal team not only on their experiences in the special forces and in Afghanistan, but on sensitive personal details such as their mental health, medications, drinking habits, quality of sleep, whether they have nightmares and flashbacks, and any blots on their service record.

Repeatedly they have been challenged on whether they have imagined, lied about or made up the scenes they’ve described.

What made Person 24’s outburst striking was how starkly it laid bare his conflicting emotions. On the one hand, he told the judge: “I still don’t agree with the fact that BRS is here … he’s under an extreme amount of duress for killing bad dudes who we went over there to kill.”

He added that it was “extremely unfair the way this has panned out for BRS” and that he had severed some of his own friendships over attitudes to speaking with the media. Yet despite his avowed aversion to the proceedings, Person 24 has delivered some of the most damning and unequivocal eyewitness evidence yet to be produced in the case.

He swore that he saw Roberts-Smith execute an unarmed prisoner, in cold blood, outside an Afghan compound known as Whiskey 108 on Easter Sunday, 2009, by machine-gunning the man in the back.

So overt was the action, Person 24 told the court, that it seemed “an exhibition execution”, one which Roberts-Smith “wanted people to see”.

Person 24’s evidence was very similar to that given by another soldier, Person 41, the first military witness in the case in early February.

Person 41 too described seeing Roberts-Smith “frog-marching” a prisoner outside the compound, throwing him to the ground and firing machine gun rounds into his back, before turning to person 41 and asking: “Are we all cool?”

A third soldier, Person 14, who was on guard duty outside the compound with Person 24, has a less precise recollection but says he saw a “black object … similar to a human” thrown to the ground and machine-gunned during the mission, though he was initially unsure which of three soldiers were responsible.

Person 24’s angst has not just been for himself. “Good soldiers have been adversely affected not only by someone else’s actions on the ground, but also in this courtroom,” he said on Tuesday. He said Person 14 had told him that Moses had come at him like a “rabid dog”.

He made clear his particular concerns for a soldier code-named Person 4, a man he’d mentored into the SAS, and who was kept under questioning for close to five days earlier this month. Person 4 is on a range of medications for psychological injury as a result of his service in Afghanistan and these were raked over extensively during cross-examination.
This man, whose right leg is prosthetic, was among Afghans killed in 2009 in incident that involved an alleged war crime. We have chosen to blur the image.

This man, whose right leg is prosthetic, was among Afghans killed in 2009 in incident that involved an alleged war crime. We have chosen to blur the image.

”I know he was struggling with his family,” Person 24 said. “And I saw in the papers that, as you [Moses] are doing to me, suggesting that because he is on some form of medication that he’s not fit to be a witness.

“To see how [Person 4’s] life has been turned upside down … I find heartbreaking, Mr Moses.”

Person 4 has significance in the case as a key witness to Roberts-Smith allegedly kicking a bound prisoner off a cliff outside the village of Darwan in 2012.

The court has also heard evidence that Person 4 allegedly executed a detainee himself, at Whiskey 108, on the orders of Roberts-Smith, though for legal reasons he has been shielded from giving evidence on this point in the defamation proceedings.

The primary defence tactic adopted by Roberts-Smith’s legal team has been to depict their client as the victim of a rumour-mongering campaign by soldiers jealous of his Victoria Cross and other military decorations.

Some military witnesses have agreed that they either harboured doubts about the awarding of the VC, or heard of others in the unit who questioned whether it was deserved. But all of those called thus far have denied this shaped or motivated their evidence.

The most direct attack on the awarding of the VC has come from Person 7, a senior SAS non-commissioned officer who said this week he believed the citation on which the award was based had contained “lies and embellishment”.

However his most damaging testimony against Roberts-Smith was on other fronts.

He claimed to have seen Roberts-Smith assaulting Afghan prisoners on two separate missions. He said Roberts-Smith had once told him of wanting to strangle a man with his bare hands and “watch the life drain out of his eyes”.

He gave evidence about what he alleged was Roberts-Smith’s years-long bullying of another soldier, Person 1. And he was instrumental as a confidant to Person 4, taking that soldier’s account of events at Darwan to more senior officers.

Under questioning, Person 7 revealed he’d been a key source for Nine’s investigative journalists, Chris Masters and Nick McKenzie, and he admitted to being one of two SAS soldiers who’d appeared (their identities disguised) on a 60 Minutes program in late 2019.

He accepted that while his first ever meeting with Masters had been green-lit by Defence for the purposes of helping Masters research a book on the special forces, subsequent contacts with the journalists had been unauthorised.

He conceded that some of what he’d conveyed about Roberts-Smith during an initial 6½-hour dinner with Masters amounted to “petty gossip”, in addition to the more serious allegations.

But he denied any intention to assassinate the character of Roberts-Smith. His 60 Minutes appearance, he said, was designed to head off what he saw as attempts by Roberts-Smith to silence, dissuade or intimidate soldiers against cooperating with a Defence force probe into war crimes allegations.

Not all of Person 7’s SAS colleagues will have agreed with that decision. Yet without the courage of insiders such as Person 7, it is questionable how much of the grave allegations of wrongdoing by a small group of SAS soldiers in Afghanistan would ever have come to the attention of the public.

Winston Smith
March 19, 2022 2:20 pm

Dover Beach:

Check out this Dem lunatic in DC.

He’s seriously unwell – and on his way to a cardiac event where he’ll be the star performer.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
March 19, 2022 2:20 pm

far superior Russian forces

Indeed…

A credibly ‘far superior’ force is not so utterly lacking in its rear area security, that a militiaman with an RPG-7 can casually wander up into firing range in the open, slag the security vehicle for a propaganda truck and not resemble an exploded sausage before he pulled the trigger.

Let alone be a militiaman with an RPG-7 in an occupied rear area in the first place. And that’s without the viral troop truck ambush video doing the rounds at present.

Everyone’s into the information warfare these days…

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 2:20 pm

Pedro:

I am extremely surprised that this hasn’t hit the media yet, as it (apparently) has been quite the subject of discussion in certain circles.

Chalker (allegedly) had been on the gas with several other coppers in Katherine after work, and were on their way to somewhere or other when they encountered a group of local ne’er-do-wells. Words were apparently exchanged, which apparently led to pushing and shoving and then, inevitably and apparently to some fisticuffs in which the locals were bested by the off-duty jacks, including Chalker.

Bearing in mind this was a) in the NT and b) 20 years ago, the fact that Chalker was charged at all is significant.

He beat the rap in the end, but if he’s going to go after someone like Rolfe for low-level assaults on crooks then he’d better look in the mirror first.

cohenite
March 19, 2022 2:25 pm

+ India. An emerging power with a large diaspora that isn’t easily pigeonholed and can’t be expected to toe any line, despite its numerous formal and informal alliances.

+ Japan, which has reignited a territorial dispute with Russia

Plus a loose amalgamation of SE Asia nations, like Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand etc, none of whom are disposed towards China and have flexible relations with the West.

Top Ender
Top Ender
March 19, 2022 2:25 pm

Do we really need the submarines? Long range bombers may be better, carrying both kinds of missile.

The whole point of a submerged submarine is that it can be anywhere inside a huge circle, drawn from when it left port to the point where its maximum speed underwater could have brought it to.

Anywhere in that circle it is a threat.

If you’re the possible target, you have to guard against that in an ever-increasing area of ocean.

Ed Case
Ed Case
March 19, 2022 2:29 pm

Russia builds their own Nuclear Subs, but they’re using DieselElectrics in the Black Sea at the moment.
Meanwhile, where are our Nuclear Subs?
20 years away from the Drawing Board?

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
March 19, 2022 2:34 pm

Do we really need the submarines? Long range bombers may be better, carrying both kinds of missile.

Wasn’t the F 111 armed with anti shipping missiles at one stage?

rickw
rickw
March 19, 2022 2:38 pm

He didn’t just make a statement, he stood there, often for more than an hour, and took every question the journalists wanted to ask him.

Stupid people don’t lack stamina to continue to be stupid.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
March 19, 2022 2:41 pm

If you’re the possible target, you have to guard against that in an ever-increasing area of ocean.

Correct, and like the airpower vs. a tank troop/ battlepair argument, a submarine represents a persistent threat.

It can sit in a place, discern its targets, provide information up and down the communications chain, strike at whatever it pleases and will only be dislodged either its own resupply requirements, or by a concerted attack by forces beyond all proportion to its actual size.

Aircraft and missiles alike can be detected from the point of launch, and intercepted at almost any point in the flight path. Particularly the longer their approach run is.

Granted that supersonics and hypersonics are even harder targets to hit, but the present perceived superiority of the latter is just down to the fact that current interceptor and point defence systems are geared towards primarily sub- and then supersonic threats. And that is a fixable computing power and counter-projectile speed problem.

You can also nobble a terrestrial launch platform or airbase more easily.

Each has their part in the puzzle- Semi-fixed and mobile missile launchers give you long-range artillery against an incoming force. Particularly if you have snuck them onto approaching reefs and island chains.

Aircraft present a quick-reaction force that can loiter at a point of interest or broader area to gather information, mine ahead of the enemy, strike opportunistically and/or wear down a fleet’s defences with their own missile attacks. Heck, they might even get a lucky missile through and strike something. Even killing a little escort frigate might turn out to be useful.

But the submarines can be deployed into potential chokepoints and stay there for ambushes. And deploy SF teams for surveillance and potential strikes themselves. Or even shadow and pick off the enemy’s fleet as they go.

Eyrie
Eyrie
March 19, 2022 2:42 pm

or even a couple of autonomous underwater vehicles

Depending on size they could be taken to the operational area by the long range bombers. If I was a sailor I’d be just as worried about a Mach 2.9 missile appearing over the horizon.
So long range bombers and autonomous underwater vehicles also known as mobile self propelled mines or “loitering munitions”. No submarines.

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 2:44 pm

At the Lollipop Cat. Hallward Huhges discussing strategy with the Messiah. What a limey slime-ball.

Eyrie says:
March 19, 2022 at 12:23 pm

Nicely said, Struth.
There are plenty of utterly obnoxious dickheads who rarely say anything sensible instead of their usual snark, denigration and attacking other commenters and even stalkers at so called posh Cat, who should be booted long before you are. That place has degenerated severely.

rosie
rosie
March 19, 2022 2:48 pm

What’s the cat policy on two timing?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 2:48 pm

Did you actually say that Eyrie?
Care to name who should get booted?
Don’t be shy.
And more importantly, an objective analysis of why they are deservong of a booting?
PS. Let’s correct the record.
St Ruth didn’t get ‘booted’. He flounced because some of his more egregious abuse got binned.

Eyrie
Eyrie
March 19, 2022 2:49 pm

or even a couple of autonomous underwater vehicles
Same for the bombers only they can be closer to where the enemy ships are in less time. Satellite recon. and/or long range ocean surveillance aircraft, probably uninhabited, although if detected they would be very vulnerable to things like S-400 and S-500, the latter of which ought to able to reach LEO satellites. Subs can be taken care of with nuclear depth charges. Unless it’s the Indons currently, anyone capable of invading Australia is going to have them.
All pointless unless we can withstand a siege.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 2:50 pm

I find all this talk of weaponry highly distasteful and dull in the extreme.
It should be banned.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 2:51 pm

Nicely said, Struth.
There are plenty of utterly obnoxious dickheads who rarely say anything sensible instead of their usual snark, denigration and attacking other commenters …

Exactly.
No-one can recall St Ruth ever doing that denigration and attacking thing.
Never.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
March 19, 2022 2:52 pm

+ India. An emerging power with a large diaspora that isn’t easily pigeonholed and can’t be expected to toe any line, despite its numerous formal and informal alliances.

+ Japan, which has reignited a territorial dispute with Russia

Yes. Important floating pieces and possibly wild cards. But personally, I don’t see either of these being a ‘pole’, as such, anytime soon.

Although I‘m as likely wrong as any other punter.

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 2:54 pm

Don’t bother fronting Hallward, Sanchez. He’s generally goes off to the can claiming he has a prostate issue.

Kneel
Kneel
March 19, 2022 2:55 pm

“Incredibly simple …”

Pasta of your choice (spaghetti is good), sauce is olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes, olives, capers.
Finely sliced garlic, just warmed (not hard fried) in the oil for 2 mins.
Add rest of sauce ingredients, warm for 1 min.
Stir in slightly underdone pasta, then stir occasionally until pasta is done.
Serve with bread to sponge up the excess olive oil.
Strong flavours, simple, but really nice when done well.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 2:56 pm

We here at the Freedom Australia blog realise we are in the minority, the new Jews and we can guess, from doing our research what awaits us.

New Jews.
FMD.
If it wasn’t so disgusting it would be laughable.

But we will die standing, not kneeling.

What is it with these guys?
They can’t decide between standing, falling (if necessary) and kneeling.
Faux martyrdom bullshit.
Get off the cross, you wanker, we need the wood.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 2:58 pm

rosiesays:

March 19, 2022 at 2:48 pm

What’s the cat policy on two timing?

I think Eyrie is in an open blog marriage with Dover, AdamD and the Furniture Guys.
It’s the modern day thing I guess.
Who are we to judge?

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 2:59 pm

CrazyOldRangasays:
March 19, 2022 at 2:14 pm
Boambee John,

Have you read any of Keith McArdles books? Great stories of Indonesia invading Australia.

Not previously heard of them. Will follow up.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 3:00 pm

Who are we to judge?

Two things:

1. Love is love; and
2. Eyrie is from Toowoomba.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
March 19, 2022 3:04 pm

Have you read any of Keith McArdles books? Great stories of Indonesia invading Australia.

I’ve got the first “alternative history” of Australia being invaded by the “Paramount Power”, and being forced to surrender after a long and bitter guerilla war – Erle Cox, “Fool’s Harvest”, written in 1938.

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:04 pm

Dover

Has Hallward Hughes emailed you to ban people?

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:06 pm

Eyrie is from Toowoomba.

Of course, the Seattle and Silicon Valley of the north (combined).

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 3:09 pm

JCsays:

March 19, 2022 at 3:04 pm

Dover

Has Hallward Hughes emailed you to ban people?

He wouldn’t do that, would he?
Surely someone with such vast military experience (101st Airfix Squadron) would confront the issue like an officer and a gentleman.
Openly declare here who should cop the (ahem) “Begone!” treatment and, more importantly, detailed reasons as to why they should be “Begoned!”.

Tom
Tom
March 19, 2022 3:09 pm

Montefilia ($6.10) defeats odds-on favourite Verry Elleegant ($1.28) in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m, $700,000) at Rosehill, proving that champion jockeys like James McDonald (Verry Eleegant) can make rookie errors.

McDonald tried to come from last and, like every other runner today at Rosehill, found himself bogged in the sodden conditions unless he was within striking distance of the lead throughout.

Do your form, you arrogant idiot. It’s a front-runner’s track in the mud.

The boggy Sydney autumn is in the process of ending many promising racing careers. For example, it will be fascinating to see how many starters in today’s Golden Slipper Stakes (the world’s richest race for two year-olds, $A5 million, 1200m) haven’t been retired this time next year.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
March 19, 2022 3:10 pm

but they’re using DieselElectrics in the Black Sea at the moment.

Someone want to explain the concept of small and large to Ed-Mong?

As in a small body of water as opposed to an entire bloody ocean.
….

Or even shadow and pick off the enemy’s fleet as they go.

/Zeppelins intensify…

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:10 pm

St Valentines Day in March.

How romantic is this.

struth says:
March 19, 2022 at 1:02 pm

Thanks Eyrie.
I liked this blog better but most people think along the same lines as me here, so with the slow comment speed I sort of wandered off, knowing points and arguments I’d raise would be raised here by others anyway.
Not so at the snob cat.

They found each other.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 3:10 pm

Tom, please.
No horsey talk.
This is serious.

Boambee John
Boambee John
March 19, 2022 3:12 pm

Eyrie

Satellite recon. and/or long range ocean surveillance aircraft, probably uninhabited, although if detected they would be very vulnerable to things like S-400 and S-500, the latter of which ought to able to reach LEO satellites. Subs can be taken care of with nuclear depth charges.

Once you start casual chat about slinging nuclear depth charges around, you are in a different war.

It’s been a while since I chased it up, but I recall that a low earth orbit is around 100nm (~200kms up). That’s vertical range, slant range from off the orbital ground trace would be more. What are the slant and vertical ranges of S-400 and S-500?

Runnybum
Runnybum
March 19, 2022 3:12 pm

Amazing Head Prefect who doesn’t like being called a wog or dago buts OK to insult an English person.
Hippocrite much?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 3:12 pm

JC at 3:10.
That would have worked better with some slurping noises and ecstatic groans dubbed into the soundtrack.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 3:13 pm

On the back of the ‘new Jews’ thing, I went over and had a look at The Shop. He’s in full wordwall mode, this time with nobody to point out the rather obvious flaws in his rationale. A sample:

Over the last two years I have lost four jobs due to my stand against tyranny.

So he either had four ‘jobs’ and lost all of them, or he had one or some ‘jobs’ and lost all of those too. Or, he got several jobs over that time and lost all of them.

It’s either the stand against tyrAnny, or being a loud annoying white Anglo-promoting ukele-thumping classist trying to ram square pegs into octagonal holes in between driving courier vans.

An employer’s dream. Or not.

One was my own small business as a solo musician/entertainer.

Now that I can believe.

dopey
dopey
March 19, 2022 3:13 pm

Tom. McDonald would have his instructions.

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 3:13 pm

“the new Jews”

Err…….no.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 3:14 pm

Ted.
They’re not here.
They left yesterday from Dash-Cat.
Eyrie just came back for his Airfix models.

Zipster
March 19, 2022 3:14 pm

Biden, Xi’s 1st phone call since invasion; Chinese dissident-turned lawyer killed: NYC
01:01 Biden, Xi’s 1st phone call since invasion
03:34 Men charged with conspiring on China’s behalf
06:40 Chinese dissident-turned lawyer killed: NYC
10:16 U.S. navy officer sentenced to 4 years in prison
11:09 Taiwanese willing to fight to protect home: poll

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 3:14 pm

Hi Struth. You didn’t stay away long.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
March 19, 2022 3:15 pm

detailed reasons as to why they should be “Begoned!”.

Be careful not to get your begoned mixed up with your begated.

Particularly during church readings, funeral orations and around packs of nuns.

Telling someone to begated from your presence is right out.

Winston Smith
March 19, 2022 3:15 pm

Doc Faustus:

Russian tanks trundling Westward (albeit slowly) has been the European nightmare for the past seventy years. Now with nuclear implications.

And yet, the silly buggers have been taunting Russia to provoke this for years. Are they after the Chinese solution where they’d love for Russia to attack them, then be unable to extricate themselves?
Unfortunately, Putin has dipped his toe into the pond and realises there is something wrong with his armies. He will now attend to those issues.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 3:15 pm

101st Airfix Squadron

*golf clap*

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:15 pm

Actually, I don’t really, Ted. I’m perfectly at ease with my background.I make a note of it and then respond in kind. But go ahead, you obviously want to go there to as most Queerslanders resort to racist taunts when cornered like a dirty rat. And yes, Hallward is a limey piece of shit. No biggie.

Runnybum
Runnybum
March 19, 2022 3:17 pm

Biggles what the fuck are you on about you daft bastard?
I haven’t looked back but you have probably been here for the last 24hrs…go have a sleep & come back in an hour or so.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 3:18 pm

The Geelong fancyboys doing the business against Etherdun.

Billy Duckworth would not be impressed.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 3:18 pm

Yes. Important floating pieces and possibly wild cards. But personally, I don’t see either of these being a ‘pole’, as such, anytime soon.

Not if a pole is defined as having roughly equal power with all others, no.

Perhaps ‘polycentric’ more aptly described the emerging balance of world power, since it allows for overlapping alliances and relations, of which India has quite a few.

.

Runnybum
Runnybum
March 19, 2022 3:19 pm

Yes HP & You are a greasy wog, so all good 🙂

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
March 19, 2022 3:22 pm

You know what you lot need to do?

Go out and show this charming little feel good family film to all the gerbil worming kiddies to give them the real existential dread they are craving.
https://archive.org/details/threads_201712

Or if you want to condense it down just the bunker scenes…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4TSgE4KJZ8

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 3:23 pm

I haven’t looked back but you have probably been here for the last 24hrs …

St Ruth.
Drawing evidence-free conclusions since 2003.

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 3:24 pm

“Perhaps ‘polycentric’ more aptly described the emerging balance of world power, since it allows for overlapping alliances and relations, of which India has quite a few.”

Yep…India straddles alliances quite effectively. It had a good relationship with the US under Trump (I don’t know what relations are like under the Sniffer but the progressive left in the West love to smear Modi as akin to Bolsonaro, Trump and Orban). India’s relationship with Russia goes back to the old Soviet Union and Russia uses its security veto at the UN to help India with the disputed Kashmir. There’s no way India will backstab Russia…..no way.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
March 19, 2022 3:25 pm

Be careful not to get your begoned mixed up with your begated.

Yeah, I know.
It didn’t sound right, but what is the past tense of Begone!?

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 3:26 pm

All of this current Russia/Ukraine imbroglio is because of a weak America. And who do we thank for this…..the Demonrat party, progressives/wokism and a corrupt MSM.

We are living in dangerous times.

Vicki
Vicki
March 19, 2022 3:27 pm

I find all this talk of weaponry highly distasteful and dull in the extreme.
It should be banned.

No! No! Some interesting stuff – always interested in logistics and appraisal from guys who know what they are talking about.

We live in extraordinarily volatile times. All info welcome.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
March 19, 2022 3:28 pm

So, err…

Who’s going to call me a ‘Nazi’ five times an hour for sixteen hours a day now, then call me a dribbling mental wreck denialist unionist communist koala whenever I reply?

I demand my stonings, dammit!

(The finance terms on my pebbles are quite strict, and anything left unthrown will cost me a motza in interest payments…)

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 3:29 pm

It didn’t sound right, but what is the past tense of Begone!?

Begoned is in fact correct.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 3:30 pm

but what is the past tense of Begone!?

Begunt. As in:

‘I was begunt the other day for suggesting the pub singer play Midnight Oil songs.’

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:30 pm

We live in extraordinarily volatile times. All info welcome.

We don’t really. We actually live in extraordinary stable time.

Cassie of Sydney
March 19, 2022 3:33 pm

“We don’t really. We actually live in extraordinary stable time.”

Perhaps JC, but a weak America means a more dangerous world.

Roger
Roger
March 19, 2022 3:34 pm

We actually live in extraordinary stable time.

That’s what they thought heading into the northern summer of 1914, JC.

Runnybum
Runnybum
March 19, 2022 3:36 pm

I was walking down the road & a bloke I don’t really know but we say hello to each other, stopped me & said I am 52 & haven’t been jabbed.
Happens all the time to me knobhead.

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:39 pm

Cassie

I’d rather politically weak rather than economically weak. Theoretically, you can turn the politics around and detractors will always have to consider what’s coming around the corner. That’s because around the corner means a US$21 trillion gorilla coming at you in the next few years.

What’s your take on the current Ukraine thing?

Mine is that I’m absolutely freaking shocked how inept the Russian military is. This may also suggest the Chinese military is shittier too.

The risk I worry about is nukes.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
March 19, 2022 3:40 pm

‘I was begunt the other day for suggesting the pub singer play Midnight Oil songs.’

You should have been tarred and feathered.

Kneel
Kneel
March 19, 2022 3:41 pm

“a low earth orbit is around 100nm (~200kms up)”

Tungsten telegraph poles with a small rocket and enough smarts to de-orbit themselves onto a target – I believe they call it “Thor”. A couple of hundred kg at even 10km/sec (low orbit is ~20km/sec) makes short work of destroying pretty much anything – aircraft carriers, large dams, city blocks, that kind of thing. Less than 20 secs warning it’s on the way, near impossible to hit with anything. Depending on orbit, potential global reach. Hard to find in orbit once deployed. Maybe we should develop those…

JC
JC
March 19, 2022 3:42 pm

That’s what they thought heading into the northern summer of 1914, JC.

They may, but it wasn’t the case. The people who lived from about 1860 to 1914 lived through a massively unstable period both Geo-politically and technologically.

Also Roger, you’re talking about the future whereas I’m talking about the present day and the recent past. It is and has been pretty stable.

duncanm
duncanm
March 19, 2022 3:45 pm

Meanwhile, where are our Nuclear Subs?
20 years away from the Drawing Board?

we shouldn’t be ‘drawing’ anything.

Lease some US subs, FFS.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
March 19, 2022 3:47 pm

I was walking down the road & a bloke I don’t really know but we say hello to each other, stopped me & said I am 52 & haven’t been jabbed.

I see someone’s into their second can of Dark and Stormy a bit early.

I know the bloke. He was on the periphery of a circle of mates. The bloke brought it up at the golfie in conversation a few months ago, when all assembled were discussing the level of shithouseness going around on that subject.

He didn’t stand on a table and start yelling. He didn’t play a protest song. He didn’t mention the Stonecutter Conspiracy or the NWO or the Great Reset, and he didn’t mouth off about standing and fighting and if necessary falling over a decade ago about a different subject entirely.

He just said ‘Nah, it’s not for me’ and the conversation moved on. He wasn’t obese, or as far as I am aware had any other comorbidites. Maybe he had a family history of ticker issues. I don’t know.

And he died yesterday afternoon in front of his son, who tried to save him as best he could, and now (as mentioned) I am waiting for the insecure consipracy sheeple to explain why a bloke in his 50s could possibly drop off the twig in these circumstances without the vax being responsible.

So – as the man said in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels:

‘And now….. you may enlighten me.’

Tom
Tom
March 19, 2022 3:47 pm

Zaaki easily wins the $5 million All Star Mile at Flemington. Ice-cool ride by Jamie Kah. Along with trainer Anabel Neasham, they’re the new champions of the sport of thoroughbred racing.

PS: Leigh’s daughter, Emma Freedman, is the perfect thinking man’s crumpet in the Channel Stokes coverage.

Kneel
Kneel
March 19, 2022 3:50 pm

“Mine is that I’m absolutely freaking shocked how inept the Russian military is. “

Could be rules of engagement, or political objectives, or corruption , or ineptitude – hard to say. Probably some combination. If it’s mainly the latter two, Putin will not be happy. If it’s mainly the former two, it may be something he can live with or even desires. Only if it turns into full-blown war against someone with a bit more “oomph” behind them will we ever know.

P
P
March 19, 2022 3:50 pm

Be careful not to get your begoned mixed up with your begated.

Gospel for today’s Mass – Matthew 1:16,18-21,24.

lotocoti
lotocoti
March 19, 2022 3:54 pm

Only successful Ukrainian ambushes make it to social media.
Dead men don’t do Twitter.
Old jungle saying.

Tom
Tom
March 19, 2022 3:54 pm

Woops. Emma Freedman’s dad is, of course, champion racehorse trainer Lee Freedman, not Leigh.

Winston Smith
March 19, 2022 3:56 pm

Rex Anger:
I realise its old weaponry but does Australia produce an equivalent to the RPG7?
Reason I’m asking is because it seems to be an excellent stand off door opener/truck bender. (And doesn’t weigh a shitload for the overburdened diggers to cart around.)

  1. No, it’s a myth.That settles it. Neutrality Acts aren’t per se ‘isolationist’. The Brits used Belgian neutrality as a tripwire…

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