Open Thread – Tues 3 May 2022


The Raising of Lazarus, Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet, 1701

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feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 12:00 pm
Mother Lode
Mother Lode
May 3, 2022 12:01 pm

Second!

rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 12:03 pm

Third!

rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 12:04 pm

I thought I should probably have given that one some lead but didn’t need to!

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 3, 2022 12:10 pm

Continuing on from the old thread in relation to exaggeration of air kills…

I dunno Bruce, check this one out from 25 April 1942 over northern Australia:

P-40 USAAF pilots claimed ten bombers and three Zeroes, which were all credited.

There were in fact four Betty bombers shot down.

(Link as above)

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 3, 2022 12:15 pm

Check out the subtexts running through this:

MULTIPLE families and clans have been squashed on top of each other in Wadeye due to years of inaction following consultations with traditional owners.

Thamarrurr Development Corporation chief executive Scott McIntyre said the seeds of the latest wave of violence was built into the streets of Wadeye through a lack of response to community consultation on housing needs.

Since February police, including the Territory Response Group, have been attempting to quell unrest between Wadeye families.

Four hundred people are estimated to have been displaced after riots and arsonists destroyed at least 37 homes in the remote community, 394 km south west of Darwin.

The diaspora from the violence has exaggerated overcrowding pressures in the region, with pressures on the services in surrounding smaller communities.

NT Police confirmed the weeks of unrest had resulted in serious injuries, including claiming the life of a 32-year-old man who passed away following an alleged assault with an 18-year-old man, who has been charged with manslaughter.

With 20 clan groups in the Wadeye region, Mr McIntyre said Wadeye’s housing layouts were not designed with the complexities of the local community in mind.

“The government policy is ‘We’re going to build a house here next to this one’ and then they start fighting each other because they’re on top of each other..,” he said.

“So we’ve been saying for years that this is not working, don’t do this.

“The Housing Minister needs to understand the scale of the impact and the opportunity to work with us to change that approach completely. “

Mr McIntyre said Wadeye needed to adopt a rural development approach to housing, allowing families to spread out while still able to access the essential services in town.

Mr McIntyre said five acre “bush blocks” — similar to homes in Berry Springs and Humpty Doo — would allow families to become more self-sufficient and empowered.

“(It’s) seven acres or five acres of bush and somewhere in there, there’s a house and a shed and a bore and stuff and people living in there,” he said.

“And that’s what we want. That’s what we’ve always said. In fact the first missionaries said it.”

He said the approach differed from the Homelands approach, which would bring infrastructure, upgrades and services to existing sites and communities.

“It’s not people falling into outstations and homelands — is not that,” Mr McIntyre said.

“It’s families able to have a patch in and move out and do whatever they want to do on that.”

Critically he said the larger lots could offer families’ business opportunities not available “if they’re stuck on a little house with no front yard and not even a driveway”.

The NT Government said there were 17 new homes under construction in Wadeye, along with a 30-lot subdivision.

Mr McIntyre said there were still major questions about the restitution and repair of at least 80 homes, on top of the 40 homes destroyed in the unrest as of last week.

Remote Housing and Town Camps Minister Chansey Paech said he had met with members of the Wadeye community to discuss their concerns and proposed solutions.

“I am now working with my Department to look at options around the urgent provision of infrastructure to make it possible for residents who wish to move on to their homelands as soon as possible,” Mr Paech said.

“I know homelands are places of critical social and cultural importance and that’s why I have been a strong advocate for better housing on our homelands.”

He said the Wadeye community would also negotiate with the Northern Territory Government once the current housing agreement expired in mid-2023.

Mr Paech said there was a $100m Federal Labor commitment to extending housing support to homelands.

In reaction to the immediate unrest, the Chief Minister confirmed the government was working with non-government organisations, the regional council and local Aboriginal organisations to provide emergency relief.

A spokesman said food, shelter, bedding, clothing, fuel, and infrastructure on homelands was being provided to help displaced and impacted residents.

Despite the clinic being down to two health workers, the Chief Minister’s office said the health centre was operational with “staff are available for call outs with a police escort”.

He said if people were concerned they could apply for an escort to the shops.

The government confirmed six people were flown to Darwin because of security concerns, with more people being assessed for evacuation.

“(And) approximately 150 others have left either by their own means or have been assisted to travel to their homelands with the help of community organisations, mainly with fuel vouchers.” he said.

He said those leaving Wadeye were being supported by Territory Families, Housing and Communities case management team.

NT News

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 12:18 pm

Replied on old fred TE! I’m an old fashioned guy.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 12:28 pm

Here’s one for you TE.

Mike Yeo ???@TheBaseLeg
An Australian KC-30A tanker has completed a deployment to Japan for a refueling test program with JASDF F-2s, marking the first time aircraft from both countries have conducted midair refueling with each other
included news link
10:28 AM · May 3, 2022

https://twitter.com/TheBaseLeg/status/1521285654034132993

Long time since 15 Aug 1945.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
May 3, 2022 12:31 pm

Continuing with the TE theme, and from the OOT:

1. Hobart Airport – free and not annoyed through checkin.
2. free and not annoyed through security.

No. No no NO.

It’s too late for that, traitor. If everyone else in the country had done that when I said so, it might have improved my life – and to hell with everyone else’s.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
May 3, 2022 12:34 pm

It’s too late for that, traitor. If everyone else in the country had done that when I said so, it might have improved my life – and to hell with everyone else’s.

Funny innit?
When people were asked to trade Klaus TyRanNy for Couch Potato TyRanNy most gave it a pass.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 12:38 pm

When people were asked to trade Klaus TyRanNy for Couch Potato TyRanNy most gave it a pass.

Needed more form letters.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 12:38 pm

Kiwis say anything Elon can do we can do too.

Chris Bergin – NSF@NASASpaceflight
Ah good, our first catch of the day!

Rocket Lab successfully catch a returning Electron booster from an orbital mission. Another reusability milestone!

9:07 AM · May 3, 2022

Catching a returning booster using a helicopter is pretty amazing. Well done Kiwis!

(Sorry for the NASA tweet, they’re trying to own Rocketlab’s success. Get lost NASA wanker types, all you did was give them some money.)

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 12:39 pm

The SCOTUS leak might keep the Fed lifting rates off the front page.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 12:52 pm

I still can’t get my head around that there was a SCOTUS leak.
A lot of fingers being pointed, but I wouldn’t rule out someone from the Roberts camp doing it.
Or Sotomayor who is a retard.

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 12:55 pm
feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 12:56 pm

Kagan is rational.
Wrong most of the time but rational.
Sotomayor is the AOC of the court.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 12:56 pm

the impending collapse and destruction of what remains of the Ukrainian army

I don’t know where he is getting that from. The news I see is the offensive south out of Izyum has ground to a stop. It was the best tactical advance for a while, with pretty good artillery and air strike coordination.

Gerasimov appears to’ve been lucky as the decapitation attack failed.

U.S. can’t confirm top Russian general wounded during Donbas visit, U.S. official says (3 May)

WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) – The United States believes that the Russian military’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, visited Ukraine’s Donbas region last week but cannot confirm media reports that he was wounded during fighting, a U.S. defense official said on Monday.

Reports though are that one of his generals was killed. It’s pretty clear that the Ukrainians found out about this meeting and dropped a MLRS strike onto their location. That implies very bad things for Russian counterintelligence.

Very interesting question why Gerasimov was there, within artillery range of Kharkov.

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 12:59 pm

wow. SCOTUS leak…. amazing!

Struth
May 3, 2022 1:01 pm

The bitches penetrated by government talking about tyranny.
Funny stuff.

C.L.
C.L.
May 3, 2022 1:04 pm

The Supreme Court leak has one purpose: the Democrats want this fought on the streets.

What do all y’all think?

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:06 pm

CL – I’ve seen live pics just now of barricades going up around the court…. could get nasty…

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:06 pm

And here’s my political joke for the day… if the Teals win seats, what game are they going to play?

Simon Says.

Eyrie
Eyrie
May 3, 2022 1:06 pm

Chris Bergin – NSF@NASASpaceflight

BoN, dig a little deeper. nasaspaceflight.com isn’t a NASA site. It is a privately owned organisation of spaceflight enthusiasts. Lots of good information about everything space and lots of comments by working or retired rocket engineers.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 1:08 pm

The winners and losers in the Victorian budget

The Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has handed down a budget deficit of $17.6 billion, driven by $44 billion in pandemic spending, with debt to balloon out to more than $167 billion within four years.

But the budget bottom line has been helped by a “spectacular” economic recovery and $15 billion in extra taxes from the booming property market.

Here are the key winners and losers of the 2022 Victorian budget.

Winners

. Energy users: A $250 payment for Victorians who seek out a better energy deal.

. Victorian regions: $2.6 billion for the Victorian regions to prepare for hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2026.

. Melbourne arts: $1.7 billion to transform the Melbourne Arts Precinct.

. Builders: Infrastructure spending to average $21.3 billion a year.

. Schools: $1.8 billion for 13 new schools and building upgrades.

. Health: $1.5 billion for COVID-19 catch-up surgery.

. Renters: $1 billion for low-interest loans and guarantees for up to 6,000 new social and affordable housing.

. Advanced manufacturers: A $120 million Victorian Industry Fund to promote advanced manufacturing including $20 million to attract companies.

Losers

. Crown Casino: More tax on its 2600 poker machines under changes being made to bring in an additional $30 million a year.

. Property buyers: An extra $15 billion has been raised from land tax and stamp duty.

. Developers: An extra $58 million a year from July 2023 as a windfall gains tax on decisions to rezone land.

. Business: Required to pay close to $1 billion a year for a mental health levy, and support a $246 million pilot program to guarantee sick leave and carer’s leave entitlements for eligible casual employees and contract workers.

. Future taxpayers: Facing over $167 billion in debt.

. Road users: Uncertainty remains about the plan to partially privatise VicRoads to modernise the state’s registration and licensing system and how road users data will be used.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 1:19 pm

nasaspaceflight.com isn’t a NASA site

Oops, sorry, my mistake. Eyrie, I was intending to point to Rocketlab and their achievements, which for a mob started in the Shaky Isles is extraordinary.

I have a NASA pullover somewhere that someone gave me, possibly my mum. I wore it a lot. I was a tragic before they went to seed.

rugbyskier
rugbyskier
May 3, 2022 1:20 pm

I know there are some on here who think that all public servants are totally useless but to give credit where it’s due, Fair Trading NSW has helped my elderly mother from being screwed over by a car company.

Mum received a recall letter for the Takata airbag problem and rang the car company as there was a problem, they had a dealer in town when my mother and late stepfather bought the car new but no longer have a dealership there, the nearest one is 300km away. The car company said they’d make arrangements to get the car repaired locally but when Mum hadn’t heard anything for three months she rang them and the attitude had changed to “you’ll have to get the car to our nearest dealer at your own expense”. I drafted a letter to Fair Trading NSW for Mum to sign and dropped it off last week at the local office when I was visiting for her birthday. She rang me this morning, a senior manager from the car company rang and said she’d had a call from Fair Trading and they’d come to an agreement where the car company will freight Mum’s car to the nearest dealer to get the airbag replaced and ship it back.

Rabz
May 3, 2022 1:20 pm

The transformation of Albanese as a political leader has been the most extraordinary in Australian history.

What transformation? He remains a stupid collectivist knobhead and hypocrite.

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 1:23 pm

What transformation? He remains a stupid collectivist knobhead and hypocrite.

vicious and retarded clown

Eyrie
Eyrie
May 3, 2022 1:24 pm

I have a NASA pullover somewhere that someone gave me, possibly my mum. I wore it a lot. I was a tragic before they went to seed.
They went to seed after the end of Apollo. The particular Space Shuttle design they chose was the worst of the three on offer.

Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
May 3, 2022 1:24 pm
Rabz
May 3, 2022 1:25 pm

Forgot to block to blockquote the first sentence above. Hard to believe anyone could pen such dross and expect to be taken seriously.

J’ismist: “Behold ye mighty Albansleazey Transformismo!”

Significant proportion of the electorate: “Err, WTF?”

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 1:27 pm

Albo is an example for chaps over 50 what they can do with a keto diet & intermittent fasting.

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:30 pm

In the words of Biden, Albo’s government will be a kelpocrady with kelpocrats.

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:30 pm

what time for news on rate hike or not?

anyone? Bueller?

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 1:32 pm

Ukraine is winning the battle on Twitter, but in the real world Kiev is losing the fight for Donbass

Western media coverage of the Ukraine conflict has been so hysterically one-sided, and divorced from reality, that it’s probably only a matter of time before Iraq’s erstwhile ‘Comical Ali’ is brought out of retirement to insist that there are no Russians advancing towards the Ukrainian army’s front lines.

Meanwhile, the actual fighting continues to result in a string of defeats for Kiev’s battered forces, who have already lost control of two major cities, despite unprecedented support from the US and its allies.

As American officials work with the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to craft a perception of Kiev’s victory against the Russian military, Moscow is preparing to counter with a harsh dose of reality.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on the heels of a dramatic visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev where, together with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, he met with Zelensky, testified before Congress that the goal of the Ukrainians in fighting their two-month-old conflict with Russia “would be to push the Russians out of the territory that they’re trying to occupy in eastern Ukraine.”

Blinken added that the administration of US President Joe Biden was providing “full support” to Kiev to achieve this goal. The Secretary of State added that Zelensky’s objective was to degrade the Russian military so that it would not be able to attack Ukraine in the “next month, next year or in five years,” echoing similar sentiments expressed by Lloyd Austin, who had declared that the goal of the US was to “see Russia weakened” so that it cannot “do the kinds of things that it has done [in Ukraine].”

The shared optimism of Blinken, Austin, and Zelensky comes from the joint embrace of a narrative of the Russian military operation against Ukraine which holds that the Russians are in the process of suffering a strategic defeat in Ukraine. But in a sign that this narrative may represent little more than wishful thinking on the part of these three leaders, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, had a more nuanced take, noting that if Russia were to get away with what he termed its “aggression” against Ukraine “cost-free,” then “the global international security order” that has been in place since the end of the Second World War would be put at risk.

Far from projecting a sense of optimism as to the outcome of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Milley’s statements reflected a sense of urgency that comes with the recognition that the war in Ukraine has reached a critical juncture.

The gap between perception and reality when it comes to assessing the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is a direct result of the confusing nature of the conflict itself, where a well-oiled propaganda campaign waged by Ukraine and its Western partners, both government and media alike, contrasts with a Russian public relations effort which is reticent to delve deeply into Russian strategic goals and objectives, let alone the day-to-day details of the fighting on the ground. The result is an information war where two competing narratives wage an unequal conflict, and perception is ultimately trumped by reality.

Some harsh truths

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 1:33 pm

Lysandersays:
May 3, 2022 at 1:30 pm
what time for news on rate hike or not?

anyone? Bueller?

Supposed to be 2.30pm today

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:33 pm

Thanks OO> 🙂

P
P
May 3, 2022 1:34 pm

I still can’t get my head around that there was a SCOTUS leak.
A lot of fingers being pointed, but I wouldn’t rule out someone from the Roberts camp doing it.
Or Sotomayor who is a retard.

TheLastRefuge Retweeted Matt Wolking@MattWolkin · 1h.
I do not wish to quote it here. There is no proof. You can look it up if you wish.

Cassie of Sydney
May 3, 2022 1:37 pm

“The Supreme Court leak has one purpose: the Democrats want this fought on the streets.”

Yep. The Democrats go to weapon is now violence.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 1:38 pm

No way P.
Wow.
Good get.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 1:40 pm

rugbyskiersays:
May 3, 2022 at 1:20 pm

Mum received a recall letter for the Takata airbag problem and rang the car company as there was a problem, they had a dealer in town when my mother and late stepfather bought the car new but no longer have a dealership there

Had Takata airbags replaced twice on Honda Jazz – 1st replacement both were defective – 2nd replacement seems – OK . Both done before Crawford Honda lost the Honda dealership

With Mercedes and Honda going to direct selling and fixed prices – best of luck getting a Dealer (if they exist) to deal with any warranty problems

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 1:40 pm

I’m shocked!

Gen Gerasimov may need new underpants though.

Why the Chief of Staff should be so near to the front line is a very interesting question. It’s almost unprecedented in modern conflicts. The conclave included about 40 senior officers. Why do it there?

I can understand the imperative for the GoC to want to be close to where his guys are fighting. I was struck by the accounts of MacArthur arriving at Balikpapan and Labuan as the Aussies assaulted. He may’ve been a bit down on our guys but those two quite dangerous gestures would’ve been very well regarded by the diggers.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
May 3, 2022 1:41 pm

The Climate Council has published scientific research, with statistics and everything, that tells us that Brisbane will be uninsurable/uninhabitable by 2030 because burning coal, gas, and oil.

This is a disaster and a huge challenge for the whole of Australia. We must immediately create an emergency fund to save the Olympics and provide climate equity for Brisbane rate payers.

Alternatively, if Australia maintains its paternalistic approach, the Palacechook must invite China to establish a win-win presence.

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:42 pm

If you thought the Black Lives Matter protests were bad.

Wait until they start the Unborn Lives Don’t Matter protests…

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 1:44 pm

ASTOUNDING LEAK FROM THE SUPREME COURT

Liberals love to bleat on these days about how Republicans have been breaching “democratic norms,” but late today one of the most sacrosanct norms of our political order was breached: Someone leaked a draft Supreme Court opinion striking down Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in the pending case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Association.

The opinion, drafted by Justice Samuel Alito, is 98 pages long, and I’m going to want to read through it carefully before offering conclusions or analysis. But some of the language in the opinion on a first skim seems promising, such as “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.” Heh: The left has been saying for years now that a liberal Court could overturn precedents they hate such as Citizens United under the heading that it was “wrong the day it was decided.” More:

Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.

A complete draft opinion has never leaked from the Supreme Court before, and it has long been understood that anyone (especially a law clerk) who leaked an opinion would be kissing their legal career goodbye. This is why I think the leak probably came from one of the Justices. And my money is on Sonia Sotomayor, who is by far the most politicized Justice on the Court, though she will soon have company when Ketanji Brown-Jackson joins the Court.

A leak of the opinion is surely a desperate attempt to stir up a public firestorm (so the left hopes) that will cause a Justice to switch his or her vote at the last minute. (It also provides desperate Democrats with something to distract from inflation, crime, education, Biden’s senility, etc.) This suggests the Court’s vote was 5 – 4, likely with Roberts once again defecting. The media isn’t even trying to disguise the purpose of this leak. Politico “reports”:

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 1:49 pm

If you thought the Black Lives Matter protests were bad.

Wait until they start the Unborn Lives Don’t Matter protests…

Hang on… what if you’re unborn and black?

But let’s take a pause to remember how the LDP voted in favour of universal access to abortion and buffer zones around abortion centres…

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 1:50 pm

I apologise to Gen Gerasimov. I shouldn’t’ve said what I said. The guy is a soldier who has served Russia well. I very much doubt being stonked by Ukrainian artillery would affect his professionality at all, as it wouldn’t any Aussie general officer.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 1:53 pm

Shut Up, the Disinformation Governance Board Explained

The only way to overcome lies is with truth, and the government can’t be the arbiter of what that is.

It’s always exciting for progressives when they create a new government office of something or other. They live for this: another excuse to spend piles of taxpayer dollars; another polysyllabic title and flashy logo; another opportunity to extend the long, comforting arm of the bureaucracy into the business of ordinary citizens who never knew how impoverished their lives were without it.

So there was a tangible buzz of excitement around Washington last week when the Department of Homeland Security proudly inaugurated the Disinformation Governance Board.

Other than its title and the identity of its executive director, there’s not much we know about this exciting-sounding new body. Its job, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told a congressional committee last week, is to tackle falsehoods that threaten the national security of the U.S. He made it sound over the weekend as though it is all about preventing human traffickers and smugglers from misrepresenting themselves—all harmless enough.

But we also learned last week that it will be headed by Nina Jankowicz. Her Twitter feed makes her look like a cross between Madame Mao and Bette Midler—a mix of impeccably conformist left-wing views about politics and media misinformation—the Hunter Biden story was Russian disinformation, the Steele Dossier was all true, etc.—with excruciating political parodies of musical-theater numbers. Watching her videos is a little like being an audience member at a Christmas concert in a prisoner-of-war camp.

The institution she heads—let’s call it the DGB, which has a nice ring to it and is close enough alphabetically and in spirit to another three-initialed organization from another country that was tasked with enforcing the official version of the truth—is potentially a vehicle for all kinds of new rules to stop the left’s version of untruths emanating from media and tech firms.

But how might it work? Will it have investigative powers? Will it be given its own enforcement resources? Is it going to solicit referrals from the public? Will operators be available around the clock to answer calls from concerned neighbors about violations of information protocols?

“Hello? Is that the DGB? I think the people next door are watching Fox News again.”

2dogs
2dogs
May 3, 2022 1:55 pm

SCOTUS at present is quite opposed to federal arrogation of state powers, which is what this abortion decision is based on.

Those opposing this position should bear in mind that if SCOTUS did not have it, Trump would be president today.

Wally Dalí
Wally Dalí
May 3, 2022 1:55 pm

Albo has done bugger all except lose weight (which I’ll credit him for, it ain’t easy). He was “transformed” by a lazy press looking for fresh front-cover gloss.
Rudd was a hissy bureaucrat wonk wanker, and was transformed into an urbane two-steppin’ fresh prince charming.
Gillard was a slippery union lawyer spinster dag, and corrupt at that. Then she was transformed into a tailored-blazer whip-smart mankiller.
Turnbull was a painfully condescending, podgy and self-important pinstriped silverback, and, with weight loss again, was transformed into a dishy philosopher king.
Shorten was another slippery union lawyer parasite, and after an annunciation heard only by Mike Carlton, flew on Pratt’s jet, far beyond his range, sector or membership, to become the Angel of Beaconsfield. Oh, and he dumped his wife for the chance of grabbing the front-page again with the newly bandless fair hand of another climber, empty vessel Chloe nee Bryce.
There was another transformation there too, but I can’t place it for the mo.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 1:55 pm

The Climate Council has published scientific research, with statistics and everything, that tells us that Brisbane will be uninsurable/uninhabitable by 2030 because burning coal, gas, and oil.

Brisbane uninhabitable in 8 years because of global warming?
I think someone has been doing too many magic mushrooms.

Wally Dalí
Wally Dalí
May 3, 2022 1:56 pm

Sorry, that witness to a divine calling was Richard Carlton. Carleton? RIP anyhoo.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 2:00 pm

Russia’s oil revenues expected to soar, EU economy projected to enter recession due to sanctions reducing energy consumption

Russia will see its income from the oil sector rise sharply this year and reach more than $180 billion, despite production cuts related to international sanctions, suggests a report published by independent research house Rystad Energy on Monday.

Thanks to the rising oil prices, Russia’s tax revenues will be 45% higher than last year and a whopping 181% higher than in 2020, Rystad Energy says.

“Europe’s dependence on Russian energy has been a deliberate and decades-long and mutually beneficial relationship. In this early phase of sanctions and embargoes, Russia will benefit as higher prices mean tax revenues are significantly higher than in recent years.” says Daria Melnik, a senior analyst at Rystad Energy.

According to the firm, the initial issues Russia had with its oil exports when European customers started shunning its oil were quickly resolved and loadings began to recover in late March, supported by orders from China and India. Russian crude exports remained resilient in April.

The EU, the US and their allies imposed sanctions against Russia with the aim of starving the country of cash and forcing it to abandon its military operation in Ukraine. However, Europe’s high dependence on Russian oil and gas has meant that turning away from it has proven problematic. The EU has pledged to phase out Russian gas by 2030.

EU economy projected to slow

Patrick Kelly
Patrick Kelly
May 3, 2022 2:03 pm

Musing on the subject of hydrogen as an energy source. Going back to high school chemistry, my failing memory tells me that the result of the combustion, if that s the correct word, of hydrogen is water vapour. All nice and clean one might suppose. Then again, I believe that it is generally accepted that water vapour is a far more potent “green house gas” than carbon dioxide. Has anyone done any research on the possible results with regards to the total of green house effects in the atmosphere that would result from the widespread industrial scale use of hydrogen as an energy source on so called Anthropogenic Global Warming. Rafe or another well researched Cat might care to comment.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 2:06 pm

BAGHDAD BOB DOES DHS

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared for a segment on FOX News Sunday yesterday. He alternated between avoiding questions and dissimulating in response to them. If he weren’t addressing matters of life and death, he would be a laughable clown. As it is, he and his colleagues are a menace to the well-being of the United States. They are doing great damage and lying volubly about.

He has now established a Disinformation Governance Board under the leadership of a lunatic left-wing hack. Not to worry, however. Mayorkas explained that the board specifically addresses “disinformation that presents a security threat to the homeland.” You know — “Disinformation from Russia, from China, from Iran, from the cartels.”

“This is a working group that takes best practices to make sure that, in addressing disinformation that presents a threat to the homeland, our work does not infringe on free speech, does not infringe on civil rights, civil liberties,” he continued. “It’s not about speech, it’s about the connectivity to violence. That is what we need to address. You know, an individual has the free speech right to spew anti-Semitic rhetoric. What they don’t have the right to do is take hostages in a synagogue, and that’s where we get involved.”

Bagdad Bob does Nina Jankowicz: “She has testified before Congress a number of times, she’s recognized as a tremendous authority, and we’re very fortunate to have her.”

Is the Steele Dossier disinformation? The “tremendous authority” says so. However, it wasn’t for him “to opine on that.” He doesn’t want to be judgmental. He needed a lifeline to Jankowicz for help on that one.

As for the border, Bret Baier asked if he could “name one thing that would help you deport more illegal immigrants that Congress could do?”

Answer: “What we are talking about when we talk about legislation is building the orderly legal pathways for people to obtain relief under our laws.”

Translation: Amnesty.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 2:09 pm

Eyrie:

BoN, sailing the Russian Space Station modules over to the Chinese one has a major problem. Orbital inclination differs by 10 degrees or so. You need to find over 1 km/sec of Delta V. That would require a substantial rocket stage.

Not a problem, Eyrie.
Just look behind the lounge chair/lift the cushions/ask Delta for a loan.

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 3, 2022 2:18 pm

1. Hobart Airport – free and not annoyed through checkin.
2. free and not annoyed through security.
3. Proceeded to gate; handed a mask, didn’t wear it
4. Boarded plane, handed another mask; wore it until after takeoff.
5. Mask free for 40 minutes of 65 minute flight by pretending to have a drink
6. Melb airport, no mask as soon as in terminal, about 50% of passengers mask free.
7. Awaiting next flight.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
May 3, 2022 2:18 pm

But let’s take a pause to remember how the LDP voted in favour of universal access to abortion and buffer zones around abortion centres…

That and homo marriage are the reason I can’t vote for them.

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 2:21 pm

Translation: Amnesty.new Demonrat voters

ffiixx

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 2:21 pm

well html fail

shatterzzz
May 3, 2022 2:21 pm

to become the Angel of Beaconsfield.
Aardvark of Beaconsfield was/is the more popular/apt descriptor .. LOL!

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 2:34 pm

RBA lifts rates just weeks out from election

The Reserve Bank has lifted the official interest rate to 0.35 per cent less than three weeks before a federal election focused on cost-of-living pressures.

Following its May board meeting on Tuesday afternoon, RBA governor Philip Lowe confirmed a 0.25 percentage point increase.

It is the first increase in official interest rates since November 2010 and the first intervention by the bank during an election campaign since 2007.

The rise is likely to be the first of a series aimed at combating inflation, which reached 5.1 per cent in the year to the end of the March quarter.

The decision will play directly into an election campaign dominated by cost-of-living issues.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
May 3, 2022 2:34 pm

Top Endersays:
May 3, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Continuing on from the old thread in relation to exaggeration of air kills…

I think I’ve posted this before, but it’s so on topic:
Sir Kevin Anderson’s autobiography tells of representing a couple of people who worked at an airbase and had been charged with illegal duck shooting.
The prosecution’s evidence was presented, and the Fisheries and Wildlife officer said that they’d admitted to shooting 17 ducks but he’d only found 11 ducks on them.
A voice from the back of the courtroom yelled out “they must be fighter pilots”.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 2:36 pm

Patrick – Water transforms between liquid and gas phases. Water vapour is a greenhouse gas in that it absorbs infrared radiation at nearly the same wavelengths as CO2. But so does liquid water: it too absorbs those wavelengths.

What happens is that gaseous CO2 and H2O molecules are rapidly and constantly emitting and absorbing infrared photons, since the radiative emission lines are the same as the absorption lines of a molecule’s spectrum. However when those photons are absorbed by liquid water that is irreversible, since the energy is used to convert the liquid water to gaseous water vapour. This corresponds to the latent heat of vaporization. That energy is then locked up until the water vapour finds its way to the upper atmosphere where it condenses in the form of rain clouds. On that phase change the latent energy is re-radiated as a photon, and goes out to space. It does so above most of the CO2 in the atmosphere, so the CO2 has been bypassed by the convection of the H2O vapour which includes the locked-up latent heat.

The climateers do not include any of this in their models, and indeed it’s well known that the IPCC ensemble models are woeful at modelling clouds. The water cycle though neatly evades the greenhouse effect of CO2, which is why empirically measured 2XCO2 is less than half of the Arrhenius value. The climateers don’t want to hear about that though since if they acknowledge this they all will lose their well-paid jobs. But what do I know, I’m only a water chemist.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 2:37 pm

UK’s General Medical Council to restrict what doctors can say online

A new update to the Hippocratic Oath.

The UK’s General Medical Council has updated the Hippocratic Oath to reflect current censorial times.

The updated draft will prohibit doctors from spreading “misinformation” online.

“Good medical practice is the bedrock that helps guide ethical practice and supports doctors to provide the best possible care in a world of increasingly complex medicine,” said GMC’s CEO Charlie Massey via The Telegraph.

“There is a lot of evidence of the damage bad workplace cultures can do to patient safety and, ultimately, to the UK’s ability to retain the healthcare professionals it needs.

“Toxic cultures can also spread online, undermining public trust in the medical profession.”

“We’ve had feedback that doctors want more clarity on using social media. We are already clear that doctors must be honest and trustworthy in their communications, and are now emphasizing that this applies to all forms of communication. The principles remain the same whether the communication is written, spoken or via social media,” he added.

The draft guidance also prohibits doctors from discussing topics that are out of their expertise.

It says they should “be honest and trustworthy … make clear the limits of your knowledge.. [and to] make reasonable checks to make sure any information you give is not misleading.”

The new guidance also warns against trolling.

“You must not abuse, discriminate against, bully, exploit, or harass anyone, or condone such behavior by others. This applies to all interactions, including on social media and networking sites,” the draft guidance states.

The use of social media by doctors has become controversial during the pandemic, with some using social media to express their frustration with lockdowns, promoting Covid treatments that have been ruled ineffective by public health organizations, and claiming vaccines do not work.

Last December, a judge ruled that the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service made a mistake by banning a doctor accused of spreading misinformation about Covid from discussing such topics on social media.

Aside from prohibiting doctors from spreading misinformation online, the updated Hippocratic Oath states that doctors have a duty “to act, or support others to act, if they become aware of workplace bullying, harassment or discrimination, as well as zero tolerance of sexual harassment.”

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 2:44 pm

1st

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
May 3, 2022 2:45 pm

There has been a helicopter hovering about between St Leonards and Chatswood since about 10:00 this morning. It is so low that it does not show up on Flight Radar and is lower than the tops of the buildings in Chatswood.

I am surprised it still has fuel.

And all it is doing is hovering, flying a few hundred metres, hovering again, descending, hovering, ascending and moving a few hundred metres, hovering etc.

It is bloody annoying!

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 2:46 pm

Expectations were for 15bps today & 25bps in June.
But nah, the RBA goes 25bps today.
Current futures predicting 2.5% by Christmas.
Yowser.

Frank
Frank
May 3, 2022 2:46 pm

1. Hobart Airport – free and not annoyed through checkin.

One of the benefits of living in a backwater. Did you notice the diversity bollards in the pavement outside the terminals? Basketball sized stone spheres, not scaring anyone.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 2:48 pm

The Volokh Conspiracy – Making Sense Of The Apparent Leaked Opinion In Dobbs

My instant reaction to Leakgate.

By now, you should have seen the Politico story that links to a purported majority opinion in Dobbs. Yes, there was a leak. No, I am not going to link to the story. Here are my tentative thoughts.

First, where did the leak come from?

Second, Roberts has an absolute obligation to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation. And at the end of that investigation, Roberts must publicly identify the persons who are responsible for this leak–that includes Justices and clerks. Heads must roll. Clerks cannot fall on their swords to save their bosses. Anyone implicated in Leakgate (yes, I dubbed a term) should be referred to the Department of Justice for potential criminal activity, including theft of government property.

If Roberts cannot resolve this situation, he must resign. Yes, I said he should resign two years ago, but now I really mean it. A resignation would mean giving Biden another Supreme Court nomination. So be it. I don’t care.

Third, we may not be done with leaks

Fourth, Politico got the scoop. Not the Washington Post or New York Times or WSJ or NPR.

Fifth, the Court should issue the Dobbs opinion as soon as possible. Do it tomorrow.

Sixth, if any members of the majority changed their vote in response to the leak, that change will be seen as a direct response to this leak. I can’t quote Chief Justice Rehnquist’s admonition in Casey enough.

Lee
Lee
May 3, 2022 2:56 pm

The Supreme Court leak has one purpose: the Democrats want this fought on the streets.

What do all y’all think?

Indubitably.

As Paul Joseph Watson would say mockingly about the left: “but it’s okay when we do it!”

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

The Supreme Court leak has one purpose: the Democrats want this fought on the streets.

The Democrats are motivating the vote to turn up & save the mid-terms for them.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 3, 2022 3:01 pm

Democrats, Labor/Greens in Australia – We are all equal except for you Peasants the Voters

Former Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton went maskless at the 2022 Met Gala in New York on Monday night, as a masked black staffer attended the length train of her shimmering red evening gown.

The unnamed staffer is the latest example in which the “help,” often persons of color, are masked while wealthy liberals, many of whom theoretically support draconian coronavirus restrictions on other people, go maskless at elite celebrations.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
May 3, 2022 3:01 pm

The use of social media by doctors has become controversial during the pandemic, with some using social media to express their frustration with lockdowns, promoting Covid treatments that have been ruled ineffective by public health organizations, and claiming vaccines do not work.

Interesting choice of words.
Call me old fashioned, but I thought that science was meant to be dictated by reality, not by decree.

Tom
Tom
May 3, 2022 3:01 pm

Expectations were for 15bps today & 25bps in June.
But nah, the RBA goes 25bps today.

RBA’s public servants will do whatever it takes to get Elbow over the line on May 21.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 3:02 pm

Current futures predicting 2.5% by Christmas.
Yowser.

We should panic. The mortgage rate on Cafe Bruce was 14.5% when I bought it. How about that for an apocalyptic interest rate? The RBA should award me a medal for heroism.

jupes
jupes
May 3, 2022 3:07 pm

4. Boarded plane, handed another mask; wore it until after takeoff.
5. Mask free for 40 minutes of 65 minute flight by pretending to have a drink

Which airline TE?

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 3:08 pm

C.L:

The Supreme Court leak has one purpose: the Democrats want this fought on the streets.

Are you suggesting the Left is trying for 6 months of rioting for the midterms so the O’Biden/Harris administration can call off the elections?
You may be right, but I doubt the abortion issue will sustain 6 months worth – perhaps 2 months, then you need another two ’causes’ to set the stage for a rerun of the street violence that ended the Weimar Republic.
What would be those two causes, I wonder?

shatterzzz
May 3, 2022 3:11 pm

We should panic. The mortgage rate on Cafe Bruce was 14.5% when I bought it. How about that for an apocalyptic interest rate? The RBA should award me a medal for heroism.

Could be a goer come June .. Warnie’s gettin a gong fer dying .. sooooooo maybe your in the running for survivin’ .. LOL!

Lysander
Lysander
May 3, 2022 3:14 pm

Winston, surely you know (sarc) from all ASIO briefings by now, it’s right wingers like us who are going to be rioting, looting, murdering and raping… sheesh!

The Left don’t need an excuse, they’ll just pretend to be Trumpers who, I don’t know, invade the Capitol or something…

Wally Dali
Wally Dali
May 3, 2022 3:16 pm

Tim N-
the word you’re looking for is “corrupted”.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:17 pm

I’m old enough to remember when during 2021 that “my body my choice” was far right thinking.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:18 pm

As per a thousand punters on twitter:
“We have found the new current thing”.

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 3, 2022 3:19 pm

Virgin, Jupes.

Hobart Airport – Did you notice the diversity bollards in the pavement outside the terminals?

One of the more annoying airports in the country:

– seems to have had “roadworks” outside for about 10 years
– has no airbridges – in one of the places most needed – yes, it was raining when we arrived last week, so you have to walk down the stairs and across the tarmac in the wind and rain.
– lotsa adverts everywhere for “wilderness” stuff. (Should come with “* we’ve stopped doing everything else except limited tourism, so can we have some more federal money?”)

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:19 pm

The good news for Zelensky is he already got his $US33bill (actually it’s more like $US8bill once you take the deep state gravy off the table).
He’d have zero chance getting it now since the Ukraine is no longer the current thing.

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 3, 2022 3:21 pm

Meanwhile in the Territory:

THE Northern Territory Legislative Assembly has finally removed the controversial portrait of an accused paedophile politician off its walls.

Speaker Ngaree Ah Kit has confirmed the portrait of former Territory Labor Party leader and Federal Senator Bob Collins had been removed from the ground-floor hallway leading to the Opposition Lobby.

Speaker Ah Kit didn’t say why the portrait was removed.

“The portrait of Mr Bob Collins, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly has been removed from display within a secure area of Parliament House following a decision of the House Committee,” Speaker Ah Kit said in a statement.

“The display of the portrait was referred to the House Committee for consideration. The House Committee made a decision to place the portrait in storage.”

The House Committee includes the Speaker, Johnston MLA Joel Bowden, Katherine MLA Jo Hersey, Araluen independent Robyn Lambley and Daly MLA Dheran Young.

The NT News understands the decision is for the duration of the current Parliament and that it could be re-hung at a later time in the Legislative Assembly.

Not visible to the general public unless they enter a secure section of Parliament House, Mr Collins’ portrait hung beside other Opposition Leaders who never became Chief Minister including Brian Ede, Delia Lawrie and Gary Higgins.

In 2007, Mr Collins took his own life the evening before he was due to face court for child abuse allegations.

More at the NT News

shatterzzz
May 3, 2022 3:22 pm

A short video on the side-effects of Boris getting overly excited over Russia .. !
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/russia/boris-johnsons-stupidity-who-is-the-only-statesman-standing/

Oh come on
Oh come on
May 3, 2022 3:22 pm

Dog bites man news:

High maintenance’ is a red flag on dating apps. Women are still expected to shrink themselves

In my research into dating apps and heterosexual matches, I found men sought to portray themselves as handsome, muscular – tanned, even – in their profile shots to attract more matches.

What, really? Even tanned?? Are you sure about this? Check those stats again, I think there’s been some kind of mistake.

Rarely, if ever, do we come across the term “high-maintenance man”.

We do come across maintenance men, though (somewhat of a dying breed, sadly). They’re super handy people to have around. High-maintenance men are able to fix really complex stuff, maybe. In all seriousness, though – why would this be surprising to anyone? Even blokes who might be ‘high maintenance’ for a prospective mate would either be in denial over the fact or try to hide it. How many women regard being a ‘high maintenance man’ as a desirable characteristic? How many men possessing a minimum of two brain cells to rub together aren’t aware of this?

Women looked to develop profiles which conveyed them as “not high-maintenance.”

Sounds about right. I mean, I haven’t been in the daring market for many years, but if I were, I wouldn’t be looking for someone who is going to make my life more difficult.

Then there are the overly long and fairly obvious definitions and signifiers of what constitutes ‘high maintenance’ and non-‘high maintenance’. And here’s the rub (again, no one will be surprised):

All to ensure a man’s comfort.

Then the doctrinaire feminist screed begins. I won’t repost here as it’s so tedious, dog-eared and I suspect would be of little interest to readers here, though do have a gander at the article if 1970s-era Germaine Greer is your thing.

It’s such a dumb point this woman is making, though. Okay, hetero women on dating sites present themselves in certain ways to conform with what they think the men they seek to attract want. Don’t men do exactly the same thing? It has been noted they go to some effort to make themselves look strong, healthy – OMG, even tanned! – why do they go to such effort? I would add that they are more likely to subtly (or not-so-subtly) emphasise actual or likely financial and/or career success, the possession of a good sense of humour and being emotionally stable. These efforts could be formulated as being ‘all to ensure a woman’s comfort’, I suppose. Why would men be so keen to depict themselves in such a way to prospective female partners? Why, why, whyyyy?

The unfortunate authoress of this article needs to dumb down her research a LOT and return to the basics – for her own benefit – if she is unable to answer this question. This is not complex stuff, so if she’s a PhD student researching intimate relationships between men and women, I think she’d better go back to square one.

Also, check out her bio photo at the end of the article. I for one wouldn’t go near her – looks high maintenance as all hell.

Patrick Kelly
Patrick Kelly
May 3, 2022 3:23 pm

@Bruce of Newcastle.
Thanks for the input. Couple of points. Precipitation generally originates in clouds in the lower atmosphere not the upper atmosphere – probably mostly cumulus. If transformation from gaseous to liquid did indeed occur in the upper atmosphere, surely the radiative release of the latent heat would go in all directions not necessarily into space. What about the albedo effect. We all know from personal experience that nights with low cloud cover are warmer than nights with no cover. The water vapour reflects back the black body radiation to earth More in your field than mine, I’m sure. I guess the point of my post was to try and find out whether or not large scale use of hydrogen as a fuel would increase atmospheric H2O and to what extent that might be significant in the AGW scenario. Once again thanks for the response. All a learning curve here.

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 3:25 pm

Dotsays:
May 2, 2022 at 6:52 am

Feminism is an anti-Working Class Movement

Yep!, Always was a movement to gain power for intitled narcissist.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 3:28 pm

Old Ozzie:

The Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has handed down a budget deficit of $17.6 billion, driven by $44 billion in pandemic spending, with debt to balloon out to more than $167 billion within four years.

The Dan Government – “A $10 crack whore in a fake Gucci frock.”

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:28 pm

Are you for the current thing?

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:28 pm

Or are you against the current thing?

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:30 pm

If this is what SCOTUS is willing to do regarding Roe, imagine what they’ll do regarding some of the iffy guns laws.
Pro 2A punters have mighty erections right now.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 3:32 pm

Rugby Skier:

I know there are some on here who think that all public servants are totally useless but to give credit where it’s due, Fair Trading NSW has helped my elderly mother from being screwed over by a car company.

An uncut gem comes to light in the belly of a rotting diamond thief’s corpse.

Eyrie
Eyrie
May 3, 2022 3:34 pm

Patrick Kelly, the water vapour and liquid water (cloud droplets) in the atmosphere comes from evaporation of the oceans. The water you get to split to make hydrogen comes from the same source. I doubt there’s any nett difference. That’s a first cut anyway.
Hydrogen is a dumb idea anyway.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:36 pm

Fair Trading NSW

A million years ago now but Anthony Roberts got some stick for promoting a couple of decent punters & cleaning out some dead wood.

Bluey
Bluey
May 3, 2022 3:36 pm

feelthebernsays:
May 3, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Expectations were for 15bps today & 25bps in June.
But nah, the RBA goes 25bps today.
Current futures predicting 2.5% by Christmas.
Yowser.

Going to a awful lot of people hurting then. Far too many people are in debt up to their eyeballs. And yes, I know it’s their own fault.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
May 3, 2022 3:40 pm

Sounds about right. I mean, I haven’t been in the daring market for many years, but if I were, I wouldn’t be looking for someone who is going to make my life more difficult.

Damn straight.

Women looked to develop profiles which conveyed them as “not high-maintenance.”

Yes, well, most of them fail at that. Some giveaways on their profiles include:
1. Mentioning yoga;
2. Pictures of them with espresso martinis;
3. Just a pair of legs and an espresso martini, poolside;
4. The phrase ‘avid traveller!’;
5. Mentions of ‘NO CHEATERS!!!!!!11!! NO LOSERS!!!1!! Must show RESPECT!!1!’;
6. Pictures of handbag dogs;
7. Loves animals (this generally indicates a menagerie of parrots, cats, said handbag dogs, turtles or iguanas – of whom all are more important, and whose combined personalities must be taken into account before you do so much as sit next to their owner on a couch).

*Not an exhaustive list.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:43 pm

So who is allowed to discuss abortion?
Women only, of course!
Can you please define what a woman is?
……….

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 3:46 pm

Dream catchers, KD?

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:47 pm

*Not an exhaustive list.

8. Spiritual, not religious.

Gentlemen, if you see that, run a fucking mile.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 3:49 pm

If a bird has a golden retriever it means they aren’t precious about getting hair all over them.
Or drool.
Or farts.
From their dog or prospective male partners.

Roger
Roger
May 3, 2022 3:50 pm

So who is allowed to discuss abortion?
Women only, of course!
Can you please define what a woman is?

What am I…a biologist!?

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 3:56 pm
Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

It is fair dinkum that Scomo, on breakfast TV this morning, actually said:
“Australians have put billions into savings over the past couple of years, so have plenty of money to cope with rising interest rates.”

Did he really say that? So easy to believe, considering that since Scomo-Sunday both Morrison and Frydenberg have on occasion publicly exhibited complete cluelessness about how the machinations of finance work for people who are not on huge public service salaries.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
May 3, 2022 4:07 pm

Daily Mail.

The BIG problem with Anthony Albanese’s new housing policy: How Labor could force you to SELL your home if you earn more than $90,000

Labor has proposed a plan to offer to take a 40 per cent take in people’s homes
The move would allow Aussies struggling to buy to increase their budget
It would only be available to people earning maximum of $90,000 a year
If they earn more they will have to pay back the government or sell the home

Frank
Frank
May 3, 2022 4:10 pm

*Not an exhaustive list.

What about if she rides a motorbike?

Wally Dali
Wally Dali
May 3, 2022 4:18 pm

What about if she rides a motorbike?
Lesbians are entirely another matter.

Miltonf
Miltonf
May 3, 2022 4:19 pm

There are some truly repulsive political parasites out there but low rent trash Markey is a stand out. The lawyer has been in politics since I was in short pants with my globite case.

Kneel
Kneel
May 3, 2022 4:23 pm

“I have a NASA pullover somewhere that someone gave me, possibly my mum. I wore it a lot.”

I’ve got my CSIRO one somewhere. Same thing – really impressed, until I worked there and watched how totally inept most of them were, and how much intellectual snobbery they pretty much all had. Not so much the actual lab where I worked, as they were a “transplant” from NSW Health, but the rest of the division was hopeless snobs, and for getting contracts and other financial stuff, bloody hopeless.
No concept of how stuff works in the private arena (ie the real world).
EG, instead of lots of small contracts, they wanted the one big one.
Instead of saying “12 months exclusive $x, 24 months exclusive 2 time $x, eternally exclusive 5 times $x”, it was always “we get to publish papers on this when we want – this is the price, take it or leave it”.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 4:23 pm

If transformation from gaseous to liquid did indeed occur in the upper atmosphere, surely the radiative release of the latent heat would go in all directions not necessarily into space.

Patrick – If the IR is released upwards it goes to space. If the IR goes downwards it gets absorbed by a water droplet in the cloud, the water molecule vaporizes, rises, then condenses again to rerelease the IR. Whereupon it can do the same again: up and out, or down and roundabout. So eventually all that energy goes to space eventually, either directly or indirectly.

What about the albedo effect.

That’s a key aspect of the Svensmark mechanism, and the effect of cosmic rays on cloud seeding. The climateers ignore it although it cause most of the warming last century.

We all know from personal experience that nights with low cloud cover are warmer than nights with no cover.

Again it is the presence or absence of liquid water (which can include soil moisture or the water content of vegetation – any liquid water which can vaporize thus locking up latent heat). In the tropics and at sea the diurnal difference is much smaller, but on land it’s well known that deserts can be frigid at night and boiling during the day time. If there’s no liquid water then the classic CO2 greenhouse effect is quite valid. Global warming is locally occurring – over deserts. However because weather goes from west to east the hot desert air soon arrives over the ocean and the heat evaporates liquid water and the water cycle energy conveyer kicks in – so the extra energy still goes to space, but further east.

I don’t say there’s no effect of CO2, I just point to the empirical values for 2XCO2 which seem to be around 0.5-0.7C/doubling. That is harmless if you do the sums, since there isn’t enough combustible carbon on the planet to raise the temperature more than a couple degrees.

I guess the point of my post was to try and find out whether or not large scale use of hydrogen as a fuel would increase atmospheric H2O

It wouldn’t because of relative vs absolute humidity. If hydrogen is burned to water vapour that water vapour only can be in the atmosphere in a gaseous state if the relative humidity is less than 100%. Otherwise the atmosphere is at saturation level and clouds will form. That’s why you see condensation above a cooling tower of a coal fire power plant: the hot gas is cooled and the absolute humidity carrying capacity falls as the temperature falls. Then once the pH2O exceeds the 100% relative humidity limit in the cooled gas it condenses out and you see a cloud of condensation.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 4:24 pm

Patrick Kelly:
The hydrogen has to come from somewhere.
It would probably be from water.
Therefore it will reach a steady state equilibrium.

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 4:27 pm

globite case

LOL!
Thanks for your lunch money, Miltonf.

Runnybum
Runnybum
May 3, 2022 4:28 pm

Hey BoN, is your heroic hero (Chris Reason Channel 7) of Ukraine still reporting on the price of Bok Choi in Australian supermarkets?

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 4:32 pm
John
John
May 3, 2022 4:33 pm

How does the interest jackup by 250% solve the international supply chain bottlenecks or Bidenflation imposed on us. What difference would it make waiting one month, when the election is over. This looks like the RBA bureaucrats brazenly playing political favourites. The RBA has never dared raise interest rates during an election period when Labor is in government.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 4:34 pm

Zipster:
Gravitas: China’s seeds of terror reach more countries
Remember that I said China conducts warfare across the entire spectrum of human behaviour?

Slim Cognito
Slim Cognito
May 3, 2022 4:41 pm

Apparently a menagerie of the worst leftists ever assembled is gathering outside the US Supreme Court in response to what they think the judgement will say.
Let’s hope they display their true colours for all to see.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 4:42 pm

ZK2A:

Labor has proposed a plan to offer to take a 40 per cent take in people’s homes
The move would allow Aussies struggling to buy to increase their budget
It would only be available to people earning maximum of $90,000 a year
If they earn more they will have to pay back the government or sell the home

You missed the important part:
The Government ‘might’ decide to let your excess bedroom – of which they have a 40% ownership in – to a Sudanese family of 16.

Oh, and their rooms need cleaning, and when is dinner, Infidel?
A pity about your daughters, suckers.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 4:43 pm

Milton F:

The lawyer has been in politics since I was in short pants with my globite case.

You had a Globite Schoolcase?
Looxury!

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 4:46 pm

So do birthing people get to have a say on abortion ?

H B Bear
H B Bear
May 3, 2022 4:51 pm

US “justice system” resembles Victoriastan. That is not good.

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 4:53 pm

Poor Winston only had a second hand muslin sack to carry his books in.

H B Bear
H B Bear
May 3, 2022 4:54 pm

So do birthing people get to have a say on abortion ?

Birthing people will be all over it. They have got us to where we are now.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 4:56 pm

Hey BoN, is your heroic hero (Chris Reason Channel 7) of Ukraine still reporting on the price of Bok Choi in Australian supermarkets?

You tell me Runny, I no longer have a television.

Chris Reason is better than most of the MSM journos. If he’s reporting on bok choi in Ultimo and another day on a building in Kiev then that’s a sign he’s a trouper who will eat whatever sandwich his editor puts before him. I like that. Much better than Riley. I could manage about 5 seconds of Mark Riley before the off switch got furiously squished by a thumb.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 4:56 pm

My body, my choice.
But only during the current thing.
When the new thing happens, just shut up and do what you’re told.

Runnybum
Runnybum
May 3, 2022 4:56 pm

Choo choo man, who put the interest rates up? Scummo or the RBA?

Struth
May 3, 2022 5:01 pm

It’s all WEF planned.

Is anyone here (silly question here at Dover’s denialists ) still in total denial of the WEF Agenda while Australian pollies openly talk about it?
Pauline Hanson gets it.
Malcolm Roberts gets it.
Rowan Dean gets it.
That young SA senator gets it.
We know plenty get it from behind the scenes conversations they’ve had with Cardimona.
It’s basically general knowledge and yet still scoffed at here by the usual suspects.
They are destroying the place, massive inflation coming, high interest rates after the spent the last few decades making sure those trying to keep up with the Jones’s are destroyed immediately, up to their necks in purposefully overpriced housing.
Supply and power shortages.
It’s the same old socialist play book….destroy before they rebuild their utopia through our suffering and death.
Sama old same old.
Something that before many of you lost your shit, you knew about and commented about, especially when Venezuela went tdown.
Now it’s happening to you, you can’t……no …you refuse to see it.

When they said you’ll own nothing and be happy, they only meant you’ll own nothing.

So when morons sneer at me about being angry about it, they’re right….I’m fuming…………..that’s because I’m sane.
If you are not, and you think life’s great, by christ, are you in for a fall.
Slinging off at people because they don’t live in La La land …….well……..how sad is that.
It’s very confronting to witness.

Runnybum
Runnybum
May 3, 2022 5:02 pm

BoN, Riley is a piece of shit, but your hero Reason is just another 7 mouthpiece & another piece of shit.
How much is bok choy?

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 5:02 pm

Bespoke:

Poor Winston only had a second hand muslin sack to carry his books in.

That’s a lie!
I had a used XXXX Bitter shrink wrap, which was unfortunately empty.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 5:02 pm

Apparently a menagerie of the worst leftists ever assembled is gathering outside the US Supreme Court in response to what they think the judgement will say.

The elite Judean People’s Front Post-Birth Self-Abortion Squad?
I hope they don’t set themselves on fire like that climate guy last week.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 5:04 pm

How much is bok choy?

Runny – Can’t tell you since I don’t buy it. And I don’t have a television so I don’t see Colesworth ads.

pete of perth
pete of perth
May 3, 2022 5:05 pm

Tramp stamps prolly an indicator of high maintenance.

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 5:10 pm

China in Focus – NTD
01:03 Living Shanghai senior nearly sent to funeral home
02:37 Suicides reported as Shanghai lockdown persists
04:39 Poll: 82% of Americans view China unfavorably
05:55 Declaration for the future of the Internet
07:22 China’s #Huawei posts q1 revenue drop
08:29 #ForeignInvestment in China fell 60 percent

Eyrie
Eyrie
May 3, 2022 5:10 pm

CSIRO is a sheltered workshop that produces nothing.

jupes
jupes
May 3, 2022 5:11 pm

Virgin, Jupes.

Thought so. I haven’t flown since January. That was on Qantas and they had gotten really strict, cracking down on using a drink as an excuse to leave the mask off. My mate flew Virgin and Qantas last month and reckons Virgin pretty much didn’t give a shit, while Qantas were still being arseholes.

And they are just being arseholes because even if masks did work, how the fuck does it make sense for every passenger on the plane to take their mask off at the same time to eat their meal? As it was, a few people on my Jan flight caught the ‘rona so we all had to get an extra PCR.

Runnybum
Runnybum
May 3, 2022 5:13 pm

BoN, keep your hero worship up for that sack of shit, you must have a had a TV then?

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 5:13 pm
Struth
May 3, 2022 5:13 pm

I don’t live beyond my means.
I’d never pay the price they ask for city housing.
What a fucking joke.
My house is paid off.
I own my cars and truck out right, and just had to sell a boat I owned outright to see me throught the worst of the lockdowns which were very harsh on those that worked in pubs and in tourism, which I did both seasonally.
And harsh on those that would not bend over like a bitch, to tyrannical government penetration.

So knowing things weren’t going to be great in the future, how much will I have to subsidies those that wanted to look down at me for owning my older cars outright and buying a home I can afford to pay off?
I bought a house in Perth when I was younger and on one wage paid it off when interest rates were 17%.
So my taxes should not be helping anyone no matter how high the interest rate goes.
Let’s see how that works out.

rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 5:16 pm

Now it’s happening to you

The average person is about to be fucked big time. Two years of shit mean that many individuals and businesses don’t have much left in the tank. Now for the coupe de grâce with skyrocketing prices and interest rates.

rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 5:18 pm

CSIRO is a sheltered workshop that produces nothing.

It produces the best “adjusted” data that money can buy.

rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 5:19 pm

Tramp stamps prolly an indicator of high maintenance.

At best….

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 5:23 pm

West Africa’s Mali’s ruling Junta announced on Monday that it was breaking off from its defense accords with former colonial rule of France. The junta condemned flagrant violations of its national sovereignty by the French troops in the country.

Interesting three way spat going on between Mali, France and Wagner Group.

France says mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner Group staged ‘French atrocity’ in Mali (22 Apr)

Wagner seems to be less picky about stuff than the Frogs are.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
May 3, 2022 5:26 pm

Apparently a menagerie of the worst leftists ever assembled is gathering outside the US Supreme Court in response to what they think the judgement will say.

Oh yes they have. Short order.

Load up, load up, load up with rubber bullets…

Perplexed of Brisbane
Perplexed of Brisbane
May 3, 2022 5:29 pm

Bruce of Newcastlesays:
May 3, 2022 at 5:02 pm
Apparently a menagerie of the worst leftists ever assembled is gathering outside the US Supreme Court in response to what they think the judgement will say.

The elite Judean People’s Front Post-Birth Self-Abortion Squad?
I hope they don’t set themselves on fire like that climate guy last week.

I see what you did there!

Struth
May 3, 2022 5:30 pm

No no, Boris and Trudeau, and Merkel and Macron and Ardern and Biden all just scared widdle mumpets, just silly gooses who don’t mean any harm, they’re just stupid and over reacted……….Now they’re backing off, it’s all over says Sancho and KD, and other assorted fuckwits.

That they went round doing everything the same at the same time as the WEF had organised, …that’s just a fucking coincidence…and that “build back better” slogan, they just all thought it up by accident at exactly the same time, complete fluke.
The media all over the world talked 24/7 about “cases”….never interested in actual sickness, and no overall increase in deaths was noticed until the jabs started happening.
That’s when people started dying of mean words.
Deadly, those mean words.
It’s all just coincidence, and the fact Klaus Schwab and Bill gates together tell you quite clearly what they have in store for us, it’s pure coincidence that it happens.
It’s pure coincidence that Greg Hunt was a seniour WEF player and so are most of the leaders of the west, coming out of nowhere like a young girl in Finland, WEF’s night clubbing PM.
Pure coincidence.
You’d have to be mad to see what is happening globally to be globalist.
Just a fucking tin foil hat wearing loon.

Wake up to yourselves.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 5:32 pm

Is the current thing still the current thing?

Struth
May 3, 2022 5:34 pm

As soon as Pauline Hanson saw Labor’s housing policy she new she was looking at WEF policy.
So did I.
And so did millions of others.
How did we know?
Fucking amazing that………………………………

But here at Dover’s denialists…………….

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 5:34 pm

Must be free play time at the asylum.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 5:37 pm

Runny – I saw Chris Reason’s report from Kiev because it turned up on several Ukraine War twitter accounts. I’ve been looking at many of those in the last couple of months. It was a good report. He or a producer had the idea of using a drone to take the footage of him atop a partly destroyed apartment building. Not a safe place to be. I produced an eye-catching report, which is what reporters like to do. Good on him for it – he was doing his job. Might even get him a Walkley, such as it is.

I do not have a TV because there was so little on worth watching all I was doing was checking the news at 6. Used to watch SBS news until that got too bad. Nine went even worse after the takeover, the ABC is loopy, Ten is dumb as a box of lefty hammers and Seven were the last of the bunch I could stand. Then my TV died last year and I decided it wasn’t worth getting another one. Not missing it at all.

Not quite sure why you think Chris Reason is the spawn of Cthulhu. Is there something you want to reveal to us Runny? We’re all friends here.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
May 3, 2022 5:38 pm

Bizarre twist in Ben Roberts-Smith war crimes defamation trial

Perry Duffin
Senior Court Reporter
@perryduffin1
NCA NewsWire
An hour ago May 3, 2022

The defamation trial of Ben Roberts-Smith has become a bizarre whodunit involving a “pudgy” Afghan, a dead dog, an injured Australian soldier and allegations of “collusion” and “false statements”.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Nine newspapers over articles alleging he is a war criminal, killer and abuser – claims he says are all false.

Nine newspapers are defending the allegations as true and insist Mr Roberts-Smith killed unarmed Afghans himself, or ordered executions.

But the trial has taken an unexpected turn over the last few weeks as both sides lead potentially crucial evidence on which Afghan soldier shot a dog a decade ago.

An SAS soldier known as Person 27 began testifying for Mr Roberts-Smith this week where he was asked about his multiple missions alongside the Victoria Cross recipient.

During cross examination by Nine’s barristers he was asked about a mission to the Afghan region of Khaz Uruzgan in late 2012.

Nine claims Mr Roberts-Smith and members of the local partner force, known as the Wakunish or “Wakas”, were questioning detained Afghans during that mission.

One SAS soldier has told the court he kicked a wall and discovered hidden weapons during the questioning.

That allegedly prompted Mr Roberts-Smith to order a Wakunish soldier, known as Person 12, to give the order to execute one of the detainees.

But five of Mr Roberts-Smith’s witnesses lodged outlines of evidence claiming Person 12 was not at Khaz Uruzgan because he had been removed from serving with the SAS earlier in 2012.

Person 12 had been kicked off the force, the court has heard, after he shot a dog causing the bullet to ricochet and hit an Australian soldier in the buttocks.

If Person 12 was removed from the partner force then he would not have been at Khaz Uruzgan and could not have carried out the execution or ordered it as Nine claimed.

But Person 27, this week, became the second witness to agree his legal document contained an “error” about Person 12 shooting the dog and the Australian soldier.

Person 27, under cross examination on Tuesday, told the court the first time he heard an allegation Person 12 shot the dog was when he was interviewed by Mr Roberts-Smith’s lawyers.

“Who first used Person 12’s name?” Nine’s barrister asked.

“Ben’s lawyers,” Person 27 responded.

Person 27 told the court he had been asked to look over his outline of evidence, which spelled out what he’d say in court, and he raised the issue of the dog shooter’s identity.

“I said ‘I’m not sure about that, I can find out because I am able to talk to Person 57 but I was not there, I have no idea who that partner force (Wakunish) was’,” Person 27 told the court.

Person 27 told the court he spoke to Person 57 some time in the second half of 2019.

“It’s not the one everyone thinks it is, it’s the pudgy Waka,” Person 57 responded, the court heard.

Person 27 said he told Mr Roberts-Smith, some time later, that Person 57 would be able to talk about the identity of the Wakunish shooter.

The court has heard the outline of evidence for Person 27 was filed in July 2019 and accuses Person 12 of the shooting.

Nine newspapers’ barrister, Nicholas Owens SC, said Person 27 had effectively provided a “false statement” to the court.

Last month Mr Owens alleged “collusion” because Mr Roberts-Smith and four witnesses had all accused Person 12 of shooting the dog.

Late last week one of Mr Roberts-Smith’s allies, Person 35, backed away from his document that accused Person 12.

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 5:38 pm
Struth
May 3, 2022 5:39 pm

And meanwhile, Bespoke who never has anything to say continues saying it.

Tom
Tom
May 3, 2022 5:44 pm

Wake up to yourselves.

You’ve become a whingeing troll, Struth a sad fraction of your former self — the definition of a scrollover. We tolerate you because banning you is what our enemies do.

feelthebern
feelthebern
May 3, 2022 5:44 pm

Old things (otherwise known as former current things) can not be the current thing.

calli
calli
May 3, 2022 5:53 pm

My room in Alice overlooks the Todd…ahem…river. Dry, natch, the bed fringed by tall grasses and ghost gums. It was raining when we left Kings Creek, so decided to go the long way round rather than chance the “dry weather only” road.

There is some sort of motorhome rally here – we passed a great convoy of them, many sitting way to close to the one in front and causing a tremendous hazard for faster vehicles. Naturally, the Beloved has learned his lesson and was light on the pedal. 😀

First impression- dusty, dirty, run down. Many…many shops shut, looks permanent. Shelves in Coles depleted of fresh food. What was there looked sub standard. Is this normal for the NT? I thought the Ord was a foodbowl.

Will have a better look Thursday and the town may reveal some hidden charm – tomorrow we go to the West McDonnell ranges to see some of the natural beauty there. Looks like my fix worked on the camera so I can take the large format photos rather than resorting to my “spare”.

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 6:03 pm

calli
On your way back if you spot a pub with some cranky chick In front with fist raised at the sky. That’s the publican. Say hello from her faverate Sil.
You’ll be welcomed.

Trust me.

Zipster
Zipster
May 3, 2022 6:20 pm
Runnybum
Runnybum
May 3, 2022 6:26 pm

BoN, you were the one saying Reason was a hero…not me, you were duped.
How much is bok choi?

Struth
May 3, 2022 6:27 pm

You’ve become a whingeing troll, Struth a sad fraction of your former self — the definition of a scrollover. We tolerate you because banning you is what our enemies do.

Maybe you want to stop focussing on comics, grow the fuck up and do some research.

You can ban people as well ?

The problem you have sport, is that what I say in the past has come true and what I’m saying now is also going to.

But I think you’re from an MSM background so you probably wouldn’t know who’s up who and who’s paying the rent.
So are you with Sancho and choo choo that this WEF stuff is all tin foil hat stuff?
Let’s hear it sunshine….come out from behind your cartoons and tell us all about it.

cohenite
May 3, 2022 6:32 pm
cohenite
May 3, 2022 6:34 pm
rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 6:36 pm

If I ever get back to Texas I’m visiting these two:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UnlQC3xqZ8

Struth
May 3, 2022 6:38 pm

Calli, let me give you a tip.
Even though you should be apoligising to me for your recent abhorent behaviour………

Try the Eastern Macs.

Go and visit the gaps and gorges along the way, there will be less grey nomads, (what’s the outback when it’s full of people?) it’s stunning country.
When you get into Ross River…..check that it is still open, head around some back tracks to N’Dala gorge to view excellent Petroglyphs.
Lot’s of Gold history at Arltunga (the reason for Alice Spring’s existence)

Unfortunately, Alice Springs is now a shit hole.
But go into BoJangles and see the stage where it all started for your favourite entertainer, Me, before it had the DJ shit on it.
If you do want any advice about the place and what to see and do, let me know.
We can resume hostilities after your holiday is done.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 6:38 pm

Better tell me Runny since I don’t know how much bok choi is. Chinese lettuce? I’m not on Xi’s payroll either so I can’t ask a handler.

rickw
rickw
May 3, 2022 6:39 pm

New study finds Vitamin D ‘safe and effective’ in preventing COVID-19

That one really got Craig Kelly pissed off. He got so much shit for suggesting that Vitamin D might be useful.

More importantly, how many Australians died because Pfizer couldn’t make enough $ of Vitamin D so it was shit canned?

Struth
May 3, 2022 6:45 pm

Rex the reptile man is a close friend and his place is worth a visit.
He’s not open as often as he was before the coup, but he’ll be trying to make a quid now.
Opposite the Flying Doc’s (also worth a visit).
He even has a croc….He’s a freak with snakes and well worth seeing him do a show.
If you have pushbikes, just over the road from Flynn’s grave is a bike track out to Simpson’s gap.
I used to ride it with Mrs Struth for excercise most nights as I lived in nearby Larapinta.
It’s a beautiful ride at sunset, as the flies dissipate.

Marty
Marty
May 3, 2022 6:48 pm

Does anyone know what Bill Murray’s inappropriate joke was? It must have been a ripper to shut down a film set

JC
JC
May 3, 2022 6:48 pm

The Harvey Normans are looting art now.

Ukrainian Officials Accuse Russian Forces of Looting Thousands of Priceless Gold Artifacts and Works of Art

Russian forces tracked down a collection of ancient gold in Melitopol that had been hidden in a cellar for safekeeping.

Eileen Kinsella, May 2, 2022
Destroyed buildings in Mariupol, Ukraine. Photo: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.
Destroyed buildings in Mariupol, Ukraine. Photo: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.

Widespread looting by Russian military of valuable artworks and historic collections of gold in Ukraine has taken place in recent weeks, according to several media and government sources.

Such activity appears to be particularly intense in Mariupol and Melitopol, southern cities that have both suffered devastating attacks by Russian forces. While there is little doubt that works have been taken or damaged on a massive scale, there has been considerable confusion and conflicting information about what has been successfully hidden away and what has been destroyed or stolen.

Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of seizing more than 2,000 artworks from various museums in the city, and moving them to areas in the Donbas region that are under Russian control, according to a Friday report in The Guardian. The museums that have been targeted include the Kuindzhi Art Museum (destroyed on March 23), and the Mariupol Local History Museum. Video footage, including on NBC News, shows massive damage to the Mariupol history museum.

The Mariupol City Council posted information on its Telegram account outlining the thefts, which it said included work by 19th-century artist Arkhip Kuindzhi, and renowned Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky as well as a unique handwritten Torah scroll, and the Gospel of 1811. “Mariupol city council is preparing materials for law enforcement agencies to initiate criminal proceedings and make an appeal to Interpol,” the government said, according to The Guardian. However, the newspaper included the caveat: “If confirmed, the art seizure in Mariupol would signify the first known instance of mass cultural looting by Russian forces since the start of the war.”

On Saturday, the New York Times reported that a valuable collection of gold artifacts at a museum in Melitopol, another Russian-occupied town in southern Ukraine, was spirited away last Wednesday in what it described as a “heist.” A museum caretaker described the group that seized the gold as a mysterious Russian-speaking man in a white lab coat, who showed up with “a squad of Russian soldiers [who] stood behind him, with guns, watching eagerly,” according to the Times.

But there appeared to be confusion about what had happened to the gold since some sources believed museum staff had successfully hidden away the collection for safekeeping. “There is no way to check information from Melitopol, which is a battlefield at the moment,” a source familiar with the situation told Artnet News.

According to the Times, the unidentified man in the white coat used long tweezers and special gloves to extract dozens of gold artifacts that are more than 2,300 years old, from cardboard boxes in the museum basement. The items are from the Scythian Empire and date back to the fourth century B.C.

“The orcs have taken hold of our Scythian gold.” Melitopol’s mayor Ivan Fyodorov told local media, using a common derogatory term for Russian soldiers. Fyodorov was abducted by Russian forces in early March and held captive before Ukrainian officials secured his release. “This is one of the largest and most expensive collections in Ukraine, and today we don’t know where they took it,” he added.

The theft of the historic gold is described as the most “brazen” act of the Russian invasion so far. Leila Ibrahimova, the director of the Melitopol Museum of Local History, told the Times that when Russian forces started shelling the region in late February, she and other museum workers secretly hid the gold and other important historic artifacts in cardboard boxes, “in a dank cellar where they didn’t think anyone would find it.”

In mid-March, however, Ibrahimova said Russian troops stormed her house and kidnapped her, subjecting her to intense questioning. After her release, she fled Melitopol.

Last week, according to the account, she received a call from a caretaker at the museum who said Russian soldiers, intelligence officers, and the man in the lab coat showed up at her house and forced her at gunpoint to go to the museum.

She said they pressured her to locate the Scythian gold and that she refused, but that they found it anyway, aided by Evgeny Gorlachev, a Ukrainian who was appointed by the Russian military as the museum’s new director. A Russian crew reportedly filmed part of the removal.

The stolen objects are believed to include at least 198 gold ornaments in the form of flowers, gold plates, as well as rare old weapons, 300-year-old silver coins and special medals.

Gorlachev, the new museum director, later appeared on Russian television saying that the artifacts “are of great cultural value for the entire former Soviet Union” and that the previous administrators of the museum “spent a lot of effort and energy” to hide them.

H B Bear
H B Bear
May 3, 2022 6:49 pm

Rex the reptile man

Ruh roh. Not lizard I hope.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
May 3, 2022 6:52 pm

Vaccines working well!

4-Times Vaxxed Kamala Harris Is Prescribed COVID Drug For Severe Illness

Harris has had both initial vaccination shots as well as 2 boosters, so she’s 4-times vaxxed yet:

Kirsten Allen@KirstenAllen46
Today, after consultation with her physicians, the Vice President was prescribed and has taken Paxlovid.
9:48 AM · Apr 27, 2022

For those of you who don’t know what Paxlovid is, it’s Pfizer’s anti-viral “miracle drug” designed to fight severe symptoms of COVID-19. If Kamala Harris is 4X vaccinated and has no symptoms, why would a doctor prescribe her Paxlovid?

It gets even more perplexing because the FDA Emergency Use Authorization of Paxlovid states that it is to only be used on high risk patients when COVID symptoms first appear. Kamala Harris is 57-years-old and in seemingly good health and, as she stated, doesn’t have any symptoms.

And Pfizer seems to be raking in dosh from pfizermectin too.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 6:56 pm

Zipster:
China Focus – Tiffany is back – now there’s a seriously pretty girl.
On the US relationship with China. Something like 80+ % of Americans don’t trust the Chinese ruling party – the CCP.
This may in fact be the Wests salvation.
Could you imagine a China without the dead weight of the CCP and the corruption bleeding it dry?
Imagine a Christian ethos running rampant through their economy?*
We’d be buggered.
*Yes, it’s a pipe dream/nightmare of stellar magnitude.

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 3, 2022 7:08 pm

A sign of freedom?

Just flew Melb-Canb on Virgin without a face mask on for the duration!

cohenite
May 3, 2022 7:08 pm

Northern Territory police have been accused of acting “inhumanely” when officers allegedly shot an Indigenous man armed with a spear four times.

I for one think 3rd nations people should be able to walk around brandishing spears, boomerangs and rocks as demonstrations of their superior technology. After all some one has to warn the chunks off.

hzhousewife
hzhousewife
May 3, 2022 7:10 pm

How much is bok choy?

Paid $2.00 for two yesterday at the local independent greengrocers, same volume as $6.00 worth of broccoli.
Am noting that not one media outlet is mentioning the poor old “saver” – I suppose they are an almost extinct species.

calli
calli
May 3, 2022 7:12 pm

Thank you for the tip. I doubt we will have time, but intend to come back again perhaps in ‘24. So much to see and so little time.

I reject your accusation of “recent abhorrent behaviour”. I try to be polite to everyone here.

Frank
Frank
May 3, 2022 7:15 pm

Does anyone know what Bill Murray’s inappropriate joke was?

Seriously, just a joke? I imagined it would have at least been a groping incident with a lewd “sugar tits” thrown in for good measure.

Winston Smith
May 3, 2022 7:16 pm

Struth:

And meanwhile, Bespoke who never has anything to say continues saying it.

Do you expect a Stella Artois drinker to be able to say anything of consequence?
C’mon man!
He probably dreams of upgrading to a Beaujolais.
A bubbly Beaujolais, at that.

bespoke
bespoke
May 3, 2022 7:17 pm

Ha ha!

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
May 3, 2022 7:19 pm

I for one think 3rd nations people should be able to walk around brandishing spears, boomerangs and rocks as demonstrations of their superior technology

Dunno, bringing a spear to a gunfight is not a good idea…

Roger
Roger
May 3, 2022 7:19 pm

Northern Territory police have been accused of acting “inhumanely” when officers allegedly shot an Indigenous man armed with a spear four times.

Seems he’ll survive, and hopefully learn a lesson:

A magic spear is no match for a Glock.

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