Open Thread – Tues 28 June 2022


Riding the Grey Wolf, Ivan Tsarevich, 1889

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Top Ender
Top Ender
July 1, 2022 5:50 pm

Albo’s girlfriend makes monumental blunder:

Jodie Haydon has deleted her LinkedIn profile after Daily Mail Australia revealed she posted about changing the date of Australia Day and supporting striking teachers.

The 43-year-old had declared she wanted to avoid making political commentary as the Prime Minister’s partner – but used her LinkedIn account to freely air her progressive views.

In the past year she called for the date of Australia Day to be changed, with a post saying: ‘Sovereignty has never been ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.’

it won’t matter much. Labor are still in their honeymoon period, which will probably last months.

Daily Mail

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 5:55 pm

Amd while we’re at it, Russia has given up trying to reinforce and fortify Snake Island as a means of exerting control over the Black Sea.

While they are officially calling it a ‘Goodwill Gesture,’ too many irreplaceable landing craft, fast attack boats, helicopters and Surface-to-Air and Surface-to-Surface missile systems and radar sets have been sunk or shattered while supplying the place to represent a reasonable rate of return for their efforts.

This will relieve some pressure on world grain export markets, as commercial shipping is now possible from Odessa.

Carpe Jugulum
Carpe Jugulum
July 1, 2022 5:56 pm

Albo’s girlfriend makes monumental blunder:

She made herself a target on the social media sewer

AAAAAhahahahahahahahaha

Schaedenboner time

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 5:57 pm

Sovereignty has never been ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.’

Guess who got his bottom smacked, by the Daily Mail, for suggesting that a collection of nomadic, hunter gatherer tribes with a Stone Age culture, never had sovereignty to cede in the first place?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 1, 2022 6:00 pm

The only conclusion you can come to is that these pilots are being told to try and force aeroplane accidents from the very top!

The key word is “accident”.
They are dropping chaff in the path of AEWC aircraft. I am not sure of the capacity of these engines to eat chaff without giving up. They don’t care if they bring one down or not.
I doubt these crews have good egress capability and, even if they did, rescue wouldn’t be easy if harassment continued.
So, a downed aircraft and lost crew.
What does Elbow do?
Not much is my guess.
The ABC will start questioning our provocation of Chinah.

Winston Smith
July 1, 2022 6:00 pm

Mind you, according to Sun Tzu, doing aggressive shit like this is only done when one is weak.

Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.

Is China weaker than it appears?
Maybe it is.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 6:03 pm

Publisher halts Ego book that details Brittany Higgins’ claims of sexual assault
Exclusive
Sophie Elsworth
Media writer
An hour ago July 1, 2022

Publication of a newly-released book which details the events surrounding Brittany Higgins’ allegations of sexual assault inside Parliament House has been stopped amid the upcoming court trial involving the former Liberal staffer.

Harper Collins, the publisher of Ego, written by Australian Financial Review journalist Aaron Patrick, has ceased further supply of the 324-page book that hit bookshelves and online stores just two weeks ago.

A spokesman from the book publishing company confirmed the immediate stop to further distribution of the book following the pending criminal trial.

“HarperCollins has temporarily paused supply until resolution of an upcoming criminal trial,” he said in a written statement.

Despite this on Friday afternoon the book was still available for purchase from numerous bookstores, shops and online sites including Angus & Robertson, Booktopia and Big W.

The criminal trial was due to start in the ACT Supreme Court last month but was delayed until October after it was derailed following a speech given at the Logies on June 19 by Network Ten’s co-host Lisa Wilkinson.

She made comments about Higgins’ allegations just days out from the criminal trial starting.

Consequently Chief Justice Lucy McCallum stayed the accused man Bruce Lehrmann’s trial, after Wilkinson made remarks about the allegations after winning the award for the story for the most outstanding news coverage or public affairs report for her interview that aired on The Project in January 2021.

During the TV interview Ms Higgins did with Wilkinson, she detailed the alleged rape by a former colleague on the night of March 22, 2019.

Justice McCallum said Wilkinson’s speech at the Logies had “completely obliterated” the line between allegation and guilt.

New & improved business newsletter. Get the edge with AM and PM briefings, plus breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Patrick’s book details the accounts of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s campaign against Scott Morrison and many recent controversies that plagued the former Coalition government including the Higgins saga.

In the book, which was released on June 15, a chapter was dedicated to the allegations made by Ms Higgins that she was allegedly raped inside a minister’s office in Parliament House three years ago.

Mr Lehrmann’s legal team last year said the ex-Liberal staffer “absolutely and unequivocally denies any form of sexual activity took place”.

Patrick said he was “disappointed” the book supply had been halted.

“I am disappointed given the sales numbers were going extremely well for the book,” he said.

“I don’t believe the book would have had any impact on this case given it’s been thoroughly vetted before it was published.”

The Australian last month reported that several other book deals could be impacted by delay of the criminal trial, including a book by Higgins, for which she will be paid about $250,000.

The deal was brokered by Wilkinson’s husband, Sydney Morning Herald journalist Peter FitzSimons.

Latest Nielsen BookScan 2022 figures showed in the first 10 days of Ego being available for purchase, about 1150 copies had been sold.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
July 1, 2022 6:04 pm

too many irreplaceable landing craft, fast attack boats, helicopters and Surface-to-Air and Surface-to-Surface missile systems and radar sets have been sunk or shattered while supplying the place

That was pretty well my first thought as well.

Sure you can take it, but can you resupply it?

A lesson Japan got hammered with in the Pacific campaigns.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 1, 2022 6:05 pm

Top Endersays:

July 1, 2022 at 5:50 pm

Albo’s girlfriend makes monumental blunder

At least BloJo’s bit of fluff keeps her pillow talk off Social Meeja.

slackster
slackster
July 1, 2022 6:07 pm

Does anyone know if there has been a decision yet in the Palmer v McClown court case?

Roger
Roger
July 1, 2022 6:08 pm

Those flat cow paddocks are just too tempting when the Population Ponzi gets cranked up again.

Which reminds me of another of Elbow’s campaign promises – to cut immigration and upskill locals.

Can’t wait for this honeymoon period to wear off.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 6:09 pm

Cool stuff Lizzie!

A nice thing about the Arthurian cycle is all the literature coming from it. Tolkien for example.
Recently I reread “The Excalibur Alternative” by David Weber, which is a Scifi Arthurian(ish) novel. Others like Steve White have incorporated Arthurian material in their SF too.

The whole Woden thing would make a fine theme also, along the lines of Sprague de Camp’s books.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
July 1, 2022 6:09 pm

Sancho if I was a betting man I’d say they are hoping for another incident like the below, one that apparently was quite compromising for the US:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

Bluey
Bluey
July 1, 2022 6:10 pm

Rex Angersays:
July 1, 2022 at 5:55 pm
Amd while we’re at it, Russia has given up trying to reinforce and fortify Snake Island as a means of exerting control over the Black Sea.

While they are officially calling it a ‘Goodwill Gesture,’ too many irreplaceable landing craft, fast attack boats, helicopters and Surface-to-Air and Surface-to-Surface missile systems and radar sets have been sunk or shattered while supplying the place to represent a reasonable rate of return for their efforts.

This will relieve some pressure on world grain export markets, as commercial shipping is now possible from Odessa.

No grain is going through that way. Even if you leave aside it’s been the Ukrainians stopping export, laying mines there and both parties having tagged shipping, no insurance company will touch a ship going though there.
No insurance means grain will have to move the way is has been, though rail to ports in other countries. I asked the question elsewhere, with a number of people who know their way around shipping.

Roger
Roger
July 1, 2022 6:10 pm

The ABC will start questioning our provocation of Chinah.

Prof. Em. Hugh White already rehearsing his lines, no doubt.

Bluey
Bluey
July 1, 2022 6:12 pm

Rogersays:
July 1, 2022 at 6:08 pm
Those flat cow paddocks are just too tempting when the Population Ponzi gets cranked up again.

Which reminds me of another of Elbow’s campaign promises – to cut immigration and upskill locals.

Can’t wait for this honeymoon period to wear off.

I reckon #Absent Albo is short and catchy enough to take off on social media. Probably hit close to home for him too, seems to care about hit social media image as much as Danny boy.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 1, 2022 6:12 pm

“Essential infrastructure is vital to the wellbeing and security of a nation and is thus too important to be left to the whims of profit”

Friedrich List
Hey, this List guy mighta been onto something there?

Top Ender
Top Ender
July 1, 2022 6:12 pm

British bank excels at go woke, go broke:

Dozens of Halifax customers are closing their accounts with the bank after a staff member told them to leave if they don’t like their new pronoun policy.

The bank announced on Twitter earlier this week that it would allow staff to display their pronouns their name badges.

In a post that read ‘pronouns matter’ and the hashtag ‘ItsAPeopleThing’, it showed a photo of a female staff member’s name badge which featured ‘she/her/hers’ in brackets.

But more than 150 social media users have since said they are boycotting the former building society after being lectured about inclusivity.

Some have cut up their credit cards while others are lodging complaints about Halifax’s social media manager who, when customers accused the bank of ‘virtue-signalling’, told them: ‘If you disagree with our values, you’re welcome to close your account.’

One user said: ‘Just closed my Halifax account after 19 years with them. They can stick their pronouns up their/his/her a**e’.

Another said: ‘My wife and I have followed this advice, partly due to Halifax’s current virtue signalling but mostly the eagerness of AndyM to lose customers.

‘Mortgage is being moved, credit cards have been cancelled, deposit account closed. Had been with you since the 90s. Nice work.’

Speaking today, PR expert Martin Townsend said Halifax’s policy is a ‘Ratner moment’ and ‘astonishing’.

It was a reference to Gerald Ratner, who infamously caused the value of the jewellery firm he was chief executive of to plummet after branding its products ‘total c**p’ in a speech.

Link

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
July 1, 2022 6:13 pm

Poor bloke.
Imagine how awful it must be to be asked a question before $80,000 gets lobbed into your bank account.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-01/uncle-jack-charles-asked-to-prove-aboriginality/101200382

This is the same cement Abo who was on Phatty Addams’ radio show crowing how he saw committing burglaries against white people while he was a junkie as reparations.
Uncle Jack says he was shocked to receive a recent phone call from a committee staff member demanding proof of his Aboriginality in order to receive an $80,000 second instalment under the Stolen Generations Reparation scheme.

He told ABC Radio Melbourne’s Drive program the worker told him there were too many people falsely claiming to be Indigenous.

And, you dont have to prove a thing.

The Victorian Government’s Stolen Generations Reparations Package website does not make any mention of having to prove Aboriginality to receive compensation under a scheme it said was designed to address the trauma and suffering caused by the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families and communities.

It also states applicants do not have to provide proof of their removal, and that searches of government and other records can be done on their behalf, if given permission.

Aboriginal Karen demands to speak to the manager.

Uncle Jack told ABC Radio Melbourne the questioning of his identity was distressing.

“I think it’s peculiarly and particularly racist against the First Nations people,” he said.

He said the incident left him questioning why someone would falsely pass themselves off as Indigenous.

“It’s too difficult to be an Aboriginal. Have a look at what I’m struggling through right now, hitting 79 in September and I’m still being bedevilled and perplexed,” Uncle Jack said.

“I have been re-traumatised with this very questioning of who I am.”

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:18 pm

Even so, it’s not as if the French and Germans have done nothing since Feb 24. The Germans have sent arms and armour, they’ve thrown hundreds of millions of investment in Nord 2 in the toilet, completely upended their energy sector, but this still isn’t enough.

Only after extreme duress was applied by their own people and aforementioned Eastern European nations in the press and EU and NATO meetings.

Mutti Merkel’s utterly forgettable replacement is hanging to his power by a thread, after his party’s dithering and contempible early shipments of utterly rotted out ex- East German RPG ammo and a few thousand helmets and body armour sets. While simultaneously still paying handsomely for Russian natural gas.

And the French only got serious after Kiev stood.

So forgive me for rolling my eyes at France and Germany, doing the right thing after first doing everything else. And still trying to play nice woth the Russians because they need the Russian natural gas, coal and oil far more than the rest of Europe (being smarter about wholesale abandonment of such resources than them)…

Secondly, that anyone can talk about Russian ‘bellicosity and weight-throwing’ given the last 30 years is incredible.

You can wHaTaBoUt at me over debbil-debbil America all you like, Vatnik.

The fact remains that you choose to accept and champion Russia doing the same things in Syria, Chechnya, Dagestan, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan that you purport to deplore the Americans doing in Iraq and Afghanistan over the same period of time, because they’re closer to you than the Russians are.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 6:18 pm

Is China weaker than it appears?

The art is to turn your weak position into a stronger position.
Like building aircraft carriers hand over fist.

China launches third aircraft carrier (17 Jun)

Long way to go before dominance, or even parity, but they’re sure spending the money.

Winston Smith
July 1, 2022 6:25 pm

Zipster:
House porn
They must go through a squillion litres of Windex a week.
Prolly rich enough to have it delivered in 1,000 litre IBC tanks.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:31 pm

I’ve never argued that.

Really?

I seem to recall you and Zipster constantly telling the Cat about NATO expansion and American manipulation of Ukraine and forcing Russia’s hand and Russia calling any NATO expansion towards their borders a redline they were justified in acting against. Oh, and how all the Ukraians were all Nazis and genocidal murderers.

And how all these things gave Russia the moral high ground and justification to act in self defence. Self defence basically meaning invade a nation and try to decapitate its government.

And how anyone who disagreed was saying that arguing against the Russians’ rhetoric and actions was denying them their sovereignty. Particularly since America was the apparent string-puller in all of this.

And if they weren’t your exact words, they were very certainly words to that effect.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare, l
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare, l
July 1, 2022 6:31 pm

A quick and accurate summary of the position of Celticism in British archaeology, its origins and the disputes surrounding it, can be found in Ronald Hutton’s recent (2016) applauded ‘Pagan Britain’ pp 166-171- which The Times reviewed as ‘A magisterial synthesis of archaeology, history, anthropology and folklore’. ‘Celts’ were ‘lodged in the heart of the continent’ he says, across a wide range, which suited the times that sought European unity.

“The characteristics of ancient ‘Celticity’ were assembled from a mixture of archaeological data drawn from all over this range, medieval texts in Celtic languages, and the comments of ancient Greek and Roman authors … Disquiet concerning this intellectual construct began to be expressed in Britain in the late 1980’s when a few archaeologists questioned whether it might not be impeding the interpretation of Iron Age Data. During the mid to late 1990’s a full scale attack on it, led above all by John Collis and Simon James. The essence of their case was that the word ‘Celtic’ had come to be applied to three different phenomena – to an ancient racial group, to a set of languages and to a style of curvilineal decoration. The problem was that the three did not correspond exactly to each other in geographic area, and that they had been developed as mental constructs independently and at different times.”

The proverbial hit the fan when Professor Barry Cunliffe, the foremost Iron Age scholar, in the early 2000’s “declared himself firmly against the idea of Celtic migrations or invasions, and a single Celtic culture, and above all of a single Celtic race”. He saw the development of ‘Celtic’ styles of speech, i.e a common language, to be the result of the extensive trading networks of the Bronze Age, which fell away significantly in Iron Age cultures, as iron was widespread throughout Europe and did not have to be traded; nor any more did tin. Thus the Celtic creole started to diverge in locationally into two forms recognised today, Goidelic in Ireland and Brythonic in Britain. In lower Europe it became incorporated in the Latin languages of Gaul, France and Spain. Hence even today French shares certain words in common with old Welsh – eglise meaning church, for instance (stemming in both cases from the Latin ecclessia).

In Britain, like a watercolour wash, languages melded into each other, including Germanic elements as Oppenheimer depicts and which I also see as very likely. As a case in point, I note that Carausius, who led a pan-Brittanic and successful Breakaway-from-Rome Empire in Britain between 286-293 was himself of Germanic origin.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 1, 2022 6:35 pm

A quick and accurate summary of the position of Celticism in British archaeology, its origins and the disputes surrounding it, can be found in Ronald Hutton’s recent (2016) applauded ‘Pagan Britain’ pp 166-171- which The Times reviewed as ‘A magisterial synthesis of archaeology, history, anthropology and folklore’. ‘Celts’ were ‘lodged in the heart of the continent’ he says, across a wide range, which suited the times that sought European unity.

“The characteristics of ancient ‘Celticity’ were assembled from a mixture of archaeological data drawn from all over this range, medieval texts in Celtic languages, and the comments of ancient Greek and Roman authors … Disquiet concerning this intellectual construct began to be expressed in Britain in the late 1980’s when a few archaeologists questioned whether it might not be impeding the interpretation of Iron Age Data. During the mid to late 1990’s a full scale attack on it, led above all by John Collis and Simon James. The essence of their case was that the word ‘Celtic’ had come to be applied to three different phenomena – to an ancient racial group, to a set of languages and to a style of curvilineal decoration. The problem was that the three did not correspond exactly to each other in geographic area, and that they had been developed as mental constructs independently and at different times.”

The proverbial hit the fan when Professor Barry Cunliffe, the foremost Iron Age scholar, in the early 2000’s “declared himself firmly against the idea of Celtic migrations or invasions, and a single Celtic culture, and above all of a single Celtic race”. He saw the development of ‘Celtic’ styles of speech, i.e a common language, to be the result of the extensive trading networks of the Bronze Age, which fell away significantly in Iron Age cultures, as iron was widespread throughout Europe and did not have to be traded; nor any more did tin. Without this impetus, localisms started to develop in language and culture. Thus the Celtic creole started to diverge in locationally into two forms recognised today, Goidelic in Ireland and Brythonic in Britain. In lower Europe it became incorporated in the Latin languages of Gaul, France and Spain. Hence even today French shares certain words in common with old Welsh – eglise meaning church, for instance (stemming in both cases from the Latin ecclessia).

In Britain, like a watercolour wash, languages melded into each other, including Germanic elements as Oppenheimer depicts and which I also see as very likely. As a case in point, I note that Carausius, who led a pan-Brittanic and successful Breakaway-from-Rome Empire in Britain between 286-293 was himself of Germanic origin.

Cassie of Sydney
July 1, 2022 6:36 pm

“Albo’s girlfriend makes monumental blunder:

Jodie Haydon has deleted her LinkedIn profile after Daily Mail Australia revealed she posted about changing the date of Australia Day and supporting striking teachers.”

I bet Albanese wants to change the date too. The other day, a leftist I work with, out of nowhere, asked me what I thought of “Jodie”. I had no idea who “Jodie” was so I said “who”? He then said “PM Albanese’s girlfriend”. I replied “I have no opinion of her”. He said “oh she looks nice”. I responded “she might be “nice”, just like Jenny Morrison was and is nice”. So I then asked “do you have an opinion of Jenny Morrison”. He didn’t respond.

“Jodie” will be treated with kid gloves, she’s won’t be subjected to the vicious commentary that Jenny Morrison was subjected to.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 1, 2022 6:36 pm

The 43-year-old had declared she wanted to avoid making political commentary as the Prime Minister’s partner – but used her LinkedIn account to freely air her progressive views.

Has she accompanied Albanese overseas?
If not, then she’s a Beard.

In the past year she called for the date of Australia Day to be changed, with a post saying: ‘Sovereignty has never been ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.’
There’s some truth in that, and the History has been horrific, but is Albanese going to pay a share of the Income from his 6 investment properties to the local Camperdown tribe?
Don’t make me barf.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:36 pm

You earlier completely ignored whether Lithuania would blockade Kaliningrad without US permission

Why does Lithuania need someone else’s permission? Why would it? It is their territory the railway lines run through, after all. Not America’s.

The Finns and Poles quite cheerfully did it of their own accord recently.

Powers independently snub each other all the time. I note that there is no question that Kazakhstan chose to deny playing Putin’s games over recognising their Ukrainian annexures of their own accord. In fact, the only people claiming it was done to avoid foreign censure are the butthurt Russians themselves.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:37 pm

If not, then she’s a Beard

Is this what you get when you cross a Spook with a Flamer?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 6:38 pm

Queensland: boring one day, fascist the next.

Balloons to be banned as Queensland continues anti-plastic crusade (1 Jul)

This stuff is hilarious since it has no linkage with science or reality.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:39 pm

It’s absolutely clear that part of the right learned nothing from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria

Really?

Because I won’t agree that Russia occupying other lands or taking bits from them by force is OK?

Why do you think I agreed with America’s actions?

Roger
Roger
July 1, 2022 6:41 pm

I bet Albanese wants to change the date too.

Yes, but Labor’s polling says “don’t even think about it.”

Bluey
Bluey
July 1, 2022 6:42 pm

Rex Angersays:
July 1, 2022 at 6:31 pm
I’ve never argued that.

Really?

I seem to recall you and Zipster constantly telling the Cat about NATO expansion and American manipulation of Ukraine and forcing Russia’s hand and Russia calling any NATO expansion towards their borders a redline they were justified in acting against. Oh, and how all the Ukraians were all Nazis and genocidal murderers.

And how all these things gave Russia the moral high ground and justification to act in self defence. Self defence basically meaning invade a nation and try to decapitate its government.

And how anyone who disagreed was saying that arguing against the Russians’ rhetoric and actions was denying them their sovereignty. Particularly since America was the apparent string-puller in all of this.

And if they weren’t your exact words, they were very certainly words to that effect.

So the concept of the Russians declaring NATO on their direct (historically vulnerable) border in Ukraine is perceived as a threat, and is absolutely a red line they will act on, is what? Something that can be ignored because everyone who says maybe they’re serious is a vatnik?
Even the places you mentioned, apart from Syria, where they were invited, everything is either inside the Russian federation, or directly on their borders. They absolutely have an pertinent interest there.
You can’t say that about US intervention in, well, pretty much anywhere in the last 20 years.

It’s pretty clear you very much on board Russia is not allowed to have their own national interest, it doesn’t make it right, it doesn’t make it moral, it does mean they have to be taken into account for places right next to them. It is simple realpolitik that so many “leaders” in the west appear to have forgotten completely, and any chance to change course is well and truly gone now.

But no doubt I’m just a vatnik, so…..

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 6:43 pm

that didn’t take long

‘Ignorant and ill-formed’: China slams Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for likening Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with Taiwan
Beijing has blasted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he said China should learn from Russia’s strategic failure in Ukraine, particularly in its ambitions for Taiwan.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 6:45 pm

Perhaps Dover, in your hatred of Americans

That’s a pretty hysterical and ridiculous statement- it implies that hatred of the military-industrial complex and the rotten US government extends to all Americans.

Winston Smith
July 1, 2022 6:45 pm

Rex Anger:

That most Europeans (particularly in the East) might be more than a little bit sick of French and German hypocrisy and appeasement of a nation that has all these other places to get through before it reaches them, while they themselves are in the firing line of emboldened Putinist bellicosity and weight-throwing, might have a slightly stronger pull on attitudes at the moment than merely any alleged or genuine meddling by the American foreign policy classes.

Seeing that these nations have been the battlegrounds for many of the frequent wars between Europeans, it’s a bit silly they haven’t formally allied together.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 6:47 pm

Bugler’s medal in Somme VC sale
Jack Blackburn, History Correspondent
Friday July 01 2022, 12.01am BST, The Times
Walter Ritchie’s medals, including the VC won on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, will be sold in London this month
Save

The first day of the Battle of the Somme, 106 years ago today, remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army. But from a day of carnage emerged inspirational acts of valour that led to the awarding of nine Victoria Crosses.

Medal collectors have a rare chance to bid for one of those medals later this month when it is auctioned with a guide price of up to £280,000.

It was awarded to Walter Potter Ritchie, a 24-year-old drummer from Glasgow, who stood on a parapet in the full face of German guns and sounded his bugle to rally comrades to repel a counterattack.

Despite making himself the focal point for enemy fire he survived “without a scratch”. British forces suffered 57,470 casualties that day, including 19,240 killed.

Ritchie was also recognised for his repeated delivery of messages under fire and his “initiative”: he had smuggled the bugle into the line of fire, against orders.

Robert Wilde-Evans, of the London auctioneer Spink and Son, which will sell the VC on July 21, said it was a “rather special” example. “Nine were awarded for the first day of the Somme, but only three of those recipients survived the war, and seven of the nine are in museums,” he said.

Ritchie rose to become a drum major before leaving the army in 1929. He returned to serve briefly in the Second World War before being discharged owing to ill health. He died in 1965. His other medals are also on sale.

“It is impossible to truly comprehend the chaos and carnage of the first day of the Battle of the Somme,” Wilde-Evans said. “The image of Ritchie standing on the parapet of that trench, under heavy fire, sounding the ‘Charge’ is the stuff of legend.”

He added: “It is the greatest of privileges to share Drummer Ritchie’s story and ensure his medals are appreciated and valued for years to come.”

Bluey
Bluey
July 1, 2022 6:49 pm

Winston Smithsays:
July 1, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Rex Anger:

That most Europeans (particularly in the East) might be more than a little bit sick of French and German hypocrisy and appeasement of a nation that has all these other places to get through before it reaches them, while they themselves are in the firing line of emboldened Putinist bellicosity and weight-throwing, might have a slightly stronger pull on attitudes at the moment than merely any alleged or genuine meddling by the American foreign policy classes.

Seeing that these nations have been the battlegrounds for many of the frequent wars between Europeans, it’s a bit silly they haven’t formally allied together.

There is the Visgrad group, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 6:49 pm

In Britain, like a watercolour wash, languages melded into each other

Lizzie, I suspect there was biff as well as melding, humans being human. Per my comment yesterday.

MatrixTransform
July 1, 2022 6:50 pm

renovations proceeding nicely here

got under another cupboard and found more gems left by the previous owners

1x 1960’s Fosters Lager. still full. very cloudy
2x 20yo Maxwell mead liqueur

I might dodge the beer but see if the bottle and label are worth anything.

reckon I’ll be cracking the mead though

what a hoot

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:55 pm

Let’s just say Dover, that this part of the Right has nothing wrong with a nation going to war if directly threatened or attacked by a nation or non-national group (Be it using the examples of 7/12/1941, 9/11 or the USMC’s Tripoli raid against the Barbary pirates in 1805.), or coming to the direct aid of a friendly nation asking for its help.

But the minute the war is won or the crisis passed, and the nation starts inventing excuses to stay on, then the legitimacy is gone.

As such, Libya ought to have been something to stay away from unless or until things started spilling over to friendly neighbouring nations who wanted help. And the Syria mess was best left untouched, until- As it did- The violence came to Iraq and Iraq called for help.

Anything else, be it politics, provocation or an unfriendly power upsetting one’s neighbours and friends, is best dealt with by them. Or with the lightest possible touch and helping hand.*

I remain a believer in a policy as enunciated by Theodore Roosevelt’s Speak Softly, and Carry A Big Stick.</em

So, what Russia has done since 1991 is thus indefensible. As has what America did after the fall of Kabul in 1991, and not immediately packing up and vacating Baghdad and Basra after their capture in 2003. Regardless of the validity of the pretexts.

* In fact, arms-length training support, financial assistance and supply of equipment has been something the US has been doing since its founding in 1776. I doubt you'd complain over its initial arming of France, UK and the Netherlands against Germany and Japan between 1936 and 1941.

And its sanctioning of oil exports to a Japan running rampant in China in the same way Russia is now in Ukraine was deemed a proportionate and effective non-military solution to a friendly power being attacked by a competitor.

Unfortunately, as history shows then (and now), the sanctioned power had no intention of backing down when it saw that everything it wanted appeared to be in its grasp.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 6:56 pm

As has what America did after the fall of Kabul in 2001.

Out by 10 years.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 6:56 pm

Bugler’s medal in Somme VC sale

On this topic I don’t think anyone has mentioned the passing of this guy.

Last Medal of Honor Recipient From WWII Dies at 98 (29 Jun)

At the height of World War II, 18-year-old Hershel “Woody” Williams tried to join the U.S. Marine Corps, but a recruiter told the 5-foot-6 dairy farmer: “Go home, you’re too short.”

The height requirement soon changed, according to a foundation named for Williams, who joined the Marines and went on to earn the Medal of Honor after single-handedly taking out a series of Japanese positions in the bloodiest battles on Iwo Jima. Williams died Wednesday at 98 years old.

Semper Fi, sir.

bespoke
bespoke
July 1, 2022 6:57 pm

Matrix

Know much about vlans?

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 6:59 pm

America was the apparent string-puller in all of this.

Are you trying to make us believe the US was just a casual observer??!?!?

puleeeeease!

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:00 pm

There is the Visgrad group, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

The Visegrad group grew apart from the EU over the immigration and cultural policies and bureaucracy. They are pretty much in it for the Schengen zone and Euro only.

They seem to treat NATO as the practical political grouping, since NATO and those debbil-debbil Americans and Poms whose idea it was in the first place, take the whole business much more seriously than France and Germany and their constant jostling in Brussels.

Winston Smith
July 1, 2022 7:01 pm

The Frolicking Moll:

“I have been re-traumatised with this very questioning of who I am.”

Pardon the language but, who fucking cares?

Roger
Roger
July 1, 2022 7:05 pm

Pardon the language but, who fucking cares?

I suggest he’s humbugging for another compo payout.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:06 pm

Self-report at 7pm.

I must be feeling guilty for upsetting the zeitgeist…

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 7:07 pm

Pardon the language but, who fucking cares?

Have you no concern that he may plead “inter-generational trauma?”

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:08 pm

Even the places you mentioned, apart from Syria, where they were invited, everything is either inside the Russian federation, or directly on their borders. They absolutely have an pertinent interest there.

All independent nations, Dover.

Last I checked, America does not invade Canada, Mexico or Hawai’i because the local leader won’t do what Washington wants today.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 7:09 pm

I suggest he’s humbugging for another compo payout.

Humbugging to be part of the “Voice” to Parliament…

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 1, 2022 7:10 pm

Have you no concern that he may plead “inter-generational trauma?”
It’s a reality.
Descendants of Holocaust victims have been recognised as suffering from Intergenerational Trauma.

calli
calli
July 1, 2022 7:11 pm

or Hawaii

I don’t think they need to, Rex.

Perhaps they could invade us.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:12 pm

All independent nations, Dover.

Last I checked, America does not invade Canada, Mexico or Hawai’i because the local leader won’t do what Washington wants today.

JFK wasn’t too impressed when the USSR was going to station missiles in Cuba

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:15 pm

So the concept of the Russians declaring NATO on their direct (historically vulnerable) border in Ukraine is perceived as a threat, and is absolutely a red line they will act on, is what?

It was never seriously offered until Russia came west in 2014.

No Ukrainian government or population or NATO member took the 2008 suggestion seriously.

Russia invaded because Ukraine’s parliament threw out his man because Vlad Bae threatened him over membership into the EU.

And all the Kissingers and but muh NATOS! will never take that historical fact away.

Vlad Bae came and took parts of the Ukraine in 2014 because of the EU.

He got a de facto NATO military on his doorstep by his actions alone.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:15 pm

Come to think of it, the Tides Foundation from San Francisco very helpful to Justine Troodoe.

calli
calli
July 1, 2022 7:16 pm

The face of a would be tyrant.

Not content with winning her place at the trough, she wants to disenfranchise voters by removing their choice by order of what is, essentially, a committee of Karens.

Good picking denizens of North Sydney.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:16 pm

JFK wasn’t too impressed when the USSR was going to station missiles in Cuba

Also, oddly enough, an independent nation.

As were the Turks, whose acceptance of Jupiter missiles was the alleged catalyst.

Neither was invaded by an irate America.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 1, 2022 7:18 pm

We the soccer moms …

Cassie of Sydney
July 1, 2022 7:20 pm

“America does not invade Canada”

Pity, they should…….I think many Canadians might welcome an invasion.

rosie
rosie
July 1, 2022 7:21 pm

No the children of Holocaust survivors have been affected by how their parents behave as the result of their wartime experiences.
It’s not some nebulous genetic problem.
Then again, the Irish might have a claim against the English for 800 years of second class citizenship in their own land.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:21 pm

Now, since Russia is perfectly okay in what it is doing and has done because of its stated historical invasion fears and of NATO encroachment, will we see posts on the Cat in support of China if and when it starts taking islands and reefs off the Philippines or directly assaulting Vietnam or Taiwan? And uses the same justifications beforehand?

Cassie of Sydney
July 1, 2022 7:22 pm

“No the children of Holocaust survivors have been affected by how their parents behave as the result of their wartime experiences.
It’s not some nebulous genetic problem.”

Correct.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
July 1, 2022 7:23 pm

I was still considered an infant in the NSW education system when this was released but enjoy it now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmQlBfxh4Us

Enjoy.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:24 pm

Remembering that China has some 3000 years of historical claims to everyone and everything around it (including Australia, at last check), a historically demonstrated fear of overland invasion from Mongolia and the Russian steppes, a great many neighbours grouped in a broadly hostile alliance against it and a meddlesome America in the mix, too…

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:25 pm

Khrushchev backed off so we’ll never know. US was happy invade Grenada and Panama in the 80s iirc.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 7:26 pm

Mistake Creek” was somewhat complicated – the white station manager who Aboriginal “eyewitnesses” described as leading the massacre, had actually been dead for two years at the time

Also, FWIW, a new book “Truth Telling At Risdon Cove”, by Scott Seymour, George Brown, and Roger Karge makes the claim that the “eyewitness” to the massacre at Risdon Cove, in Tasmania – the start of the “genocide” in Tasmania – didn’t set foot in the colony until four years after the massacre…

Dot
Dot
July 1, 2022 7:27 pm

I remember when Trump invaded Mexico.

He’s one of history’s greatest monsters.

The sooner he is barred from high office, the safer we all will be!

areff
areff
July 1, 2022 7:28 pm

JFK wasn’t too impressed when the USSR was going to station missiles in Cuba

USSR wasn’t too impressed when the JFK stationed missiles in Turkey.

Frank
Frank
July 1, 2022 7:30 pm

US was happy invade Grenada and Panama in the 80s iirc.

We came, we saw, he died. Cackle.

/lightworker.

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 7:30 pm

Neither was invaded by an irate America.

bay of pigs

Roger
Roger
July 1, 2022 7:31 pm

Good picking denizens of North Sydney.

That some of Australia’s richest electorates are also some of the most clueless is very instructive.

How do they become wealthy?

My guess is it’s not by producing anything of value that could be traded internationally.

Bank executives blacklisting coal investments comes immediately to mind.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 1, 2022 7:31 pm

Lizzie, I suspect there was biff as well as melding, humans being human. Per my comment yesterday.

Always on the cards in ancient times, Bruce.

cohenite
July 1, 2022 7:34 pm

In the past year she called for the date of Australia Day to be changed, with a post saying: ‘Sovereignty has never been ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.’
There’s some truth in that, and the History has been horrific

It sure was, until the white guys turned up.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:35 pm

Remembering that China has some 3000 years of historical claims to everyone and everything around it (including Australia, at last check)

Whoops- Not a direct Chinese claim. But an ‘alternative’ historian’s ambit:

https://www.theage.com.au/world/its-official-admiral-zheng-beat-cook-to-australia-20021125-gdutvo.html

Subsequently taken up by at least one aggressive online spruiker the Peoples’ Republic (2nd entry down):

https://www.quora.com/Would-China-make-a-historical-claim-to-Australia-just-like-they-used-in-the-South-China-Sea?share=1

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 7:35 pm

US was happy invade Grenada and Panama in the 80s iirc.

Not there now.
I don’t think Putin will just leave Ukraine like Reagan did Grenada.
It’s a feeling I got.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:36 pm

Now, since Russia is perfectly okay in what it is doing and has done

I don’t think I ever said that- I recall saying that it is to some extent understandable. Also as one of our commentators here has asked, where are the peace missions? the shuttle diplomacy? I would have thought Blinken rubbish would want to play at being Henry K. It’s pretty obvious that the western establishment wanted this war and are enjoying it. Consider Blojob’s giggling and misandry.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:38 pm

Wow Zipster- I had forgotten about the Bay of Pigs.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:38 pm

bay of pigs

I suppose that counts as an invasion by America if you’re willing to agree that the actions in the Donbass since 2015 have primarily been fought by Russian troops tearing their patches off and pretending to be Donetski and Luhanski…

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 1, 2022 7:39 pm

Test as a post trying to make is not making it through.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:39 pm

I don’t think I ever said that- I recall saying that it is to some extent understandable

That’s aimed at Dover and Zipster. Not you.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:39 pm

US was happy invade Grenada and Panama in the 80s iirc.

Not there now.
So what?
I don’t think Putin will just leave Ukraine like Reagan did Grenada.
Ok
It’s a feeling I got.
Ok

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:40 pm

Test as a post trying to make is not making it through.

Any more than 3 hyperlinks and it won’t go straight through. WordPress thinks you are trying to spam it.

Boambee John
Boambee John
July 1, 2022 7:40 pm

Ed Casesays:
July 1, 2022 at 6:36 pm
The 43-year-old had declared she wanted to avoid making political commentary as the Prime Minister’s partner – but used her LinkedIn account to freely air her progressive views.

Has she accompanied Albanese overseas?

Yes, AnAl must have had a shave.

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 1, 2022 7:41 pm

OK trying in 2 parts.

Below from SMH. They, the Govt and experts, are just itching to coerce the population into more boosters. No guesses for what Jane Halton is going to recommend based on her background. Note if they approve a 4th shot which is not the upcoming Omicron variant then that will mean they
will be going for at least 5 not counting if they try to make it annual.

What do you call a group of epidemiologists ? A plague. The problem is this is the highlight of their careers with research grants, massive Govt funding, media attention and they thrive on it. They actually benefit from the vax campaigns.

Cassie of Sydney
July 1, 2022 7:42 pm

Also as one of our commentators here has asked, where are the peace missions? the shuttle diplomacy? I would have thought Blinken rubbish would want to play at being Henry K. It’s pretty obvious that the western establishment wanted this war and are enjoying it. Consider Blojob’s giggling and misandry.”

That was me. I remain very curious at the UN and how it’s missing in action, I guess it’s too busy condemning Israel, I remain curious as to why there are so few peace initiatives and I remain very curious as to why there’s been little or zero shuttle diplomacy. All Blinken does is blink.

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 7:42 pm

I don’t think I ever said that- I recall saying that it is to some extent understandable.

its realpolitik. I said day one that ukraine should rush to the negotiating table. The idea ukraine was going to defeat the russian army is pure fantasy.

The fact they didn’t and still have not earnestly done so, implies there are various forces at work, none of which are concerned about actual ukrainian interests.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 7:42 pm

We have a climate emergency.

Old Lefty
Old Lefty
July 1, 2022 7:43 pm

Pincher by name and Pincher by nature (the government whip really resigns after drunkenly groping two men)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62002088

What is it about the British ruling classes?

Winston Smith
July 1, 2022 7:44 pm

Bruce O’Newk:

Lizzie, I suspect there was biff as well as melding, humans being human. Per my comment yesterday.

Bonobos-R-Us.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 1, 2022 7:45 pm

It’s bloody freezing in Sydney tonight.

Three electric heaters blasting our main living areas and the chill still falls on my tiny frozen fingers.

I am sooooo sympathetic to the little monk scratching away in bitter cold with a quill pen on doe hide catching the light outside his beehive stone hut in fifth century Ireland or inside under a candle, that young monk who wrote in the margins for posterity that his fingers were so cold he could hardly write.

Those little frozen fingers of complaint helped to save Western civilisation, copying the Greats of the past in an excess of zeal while the monkish desert Zealots of Alexandria lived in a truly regressive Age, destroying libraries and running amok while the citizenry were too cowed to intervene.

Deplatforming is nothing new.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 7:46 pm

I remain curious as to why there are so few peace initiatives and I remain very curious as to why there’s been little or zero shuttle diplomacy. All Blinken does is blink.

I dunno, but I suspect US is trying to take out Putin and turn Russia’s military into scrap. If the US has sent (or on way) US$50 billion, the Hidens may think they can win. Just a guess

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 7:46 pm

Ok

And lots and lots of dead Russians for years and years and years.
They hold grudges, slavs do.
For a century or so.

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 1, 2022 7:47 pm

The problem is this is the highlight of their careers with research grants, massive Govt funding, media attention and they thrive on it.

Just like Climate “scientists”. Normally third rate plodders now basking in the limelight.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 7:47 pm

I’m trying to figure what sounds more dramatic.

We have a very serious climate emergency.

Old Lefty
Old Lefty
July 1, 2022 7:49 pm

Meanwhile, Seamus Heaney isn’t ‘diverse’ enough for an Irish syllabus for senior English:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61996045

FMD

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 7:49 pm

And lots and lots of dead Russians for years and years and years.
They hold grudges, slavs do.
For a century or so.

Fester is a slavophile now. No content with a bible expert as well as a metallurgical biologist, He’s now a slavophile too.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 7:51 pm

I like this one.

We have a climate exigency.

Sounds complicated.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 1, 2022 7:52 pm

Bonobos, Bruce?

Don’t they spend all of their time having it off with each other in grand orgies?
Too peaceful and happy to fight.

Sounds a bit too suss to me. But the reports are in, and there you are.
Whereas us yumans, we’re like chimps and behave badly to each other.

So they sez.
But I am skeptical about it all and certainly so about applying these attributions to our species.

Roger
Roger
July 1, 2022 7:53 pm

I remain very curious at the UN and how it’s missing in action…

Russia has power of veto in the Security Council.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 7:53 pm

Grenada was invaded after a violent Communist overthrow of the existing government, a brewing civil war and a formal request for help their neighbours and their formal alliance the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

600 US medical students in the country didn’t help matters either. Nor did the Cuban expeditionary force and Soviet, Libyan and East German advisors that turned up in support of the revolutionaries.

This was not a punishment for not doing what Washington wanted.

You would be much closer with Panama, since Manuel Noriega first fell out with Reagan and the George H.W. Bush over corruption issues, 2 failed coups and his long-term racketeering and drug smuggling (under a blind eye from the CIA, in return for not siding with the Soviet Union).

But after the second coup, his seizure of power by force after losing a democratic election and taking US military members hostage (And the US emphatically not wanting a repeat of 1979 in Iran), there were more generally justifiable reasons to topple him than not. Panamanians did not want him, and his continued behaviour was threatening international shipping thru the Panama Canal.

Interestingly, a deal had just been signed between Panama and the US to cede the Canal to Panamanian government by 2000, so long as the US could keep a garrison in-country and continue to sail its ships through. It could have chosen to keep Panama as an annexed territory. But didn’t.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 1, 2022 7:55 pm

I still like ethology and evolutionary biology though.

Fascinating stuff, requiring complex thinking not simple take-outs.

Old Lefty
Old Lefty
July 1, 2022 7:59 pm

The funny thing, Rosie, is that the descendants of the Irish who run the bureaucratic, philistine and secularist bog that is ‘progressive’ Catholicism in this country froth at the mouth at the suggestion that anything but English – the language of their forebears’ conquerors and jailers – should be used in church. The slightest hint of Latin has them not just foaming at the mouth, but convulsing on the floor and threatening to self-immolate.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 7:59 pm

JC said something along the lines that it’s hard not the fall in love with the US and I agree. Wonderful scenery, amazing people, I found myself saying ‘wow’ so many times.

But I sure as shit hate the Democratic Party and the RINOs, they are the worst- criminal and evil. A threat not only to Americans but to us too because our left take all their cues from them.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 8:00 pm

I still like ethology and evolutionary biology though.

Oh yea, how does one conduct an experiment to scientifically prove an assertion in evolutionary biology?

John of Mel
John of Mel
July 1, 2022 8:02 pm

Speaking of real estate… Anyone wants to become our neighbour?
The home of the Melbourne Cup winner Americain.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 8:06 pm

A threat not only to Americans but to us too because our left take all their cues from them.

Only their cues? 🙂

The only difference I can detect between m0nty and an actual American leftist, is that m0nty types in an Australian timezone.

Apart from that, they’re utterly indistinguishable.

rickw
rickw
July 1, 2022 8:07 pm

Still working on getting the three phase metering and distribution board approved.

This country is fucked. Amongst the endless shit, the metering and measuring board need to be fitted with handles. Heaven forbid that the fuckheads involved with this might carry the standard electric cabinet key, or be able to use long nose pliers to achieve the same.

This country is full of fucking useless wankers dedicated to making everyone’s life as difficult and as filled with bureaucracy as possible.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 8:08 pm

Bonobos, Bruce?

Lizzie – Take that up with Winston, twas his comment.
Bonobodacea was not so luvvin.

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 1, 2022 8:08 pm

Didn’t the Russians run out of ammo two and half months ago? I remember reports that it would happen in two more weeks from three months ago.
How is this war still going?

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 8:11 pm

Speaking of Iran, Dad always told me that it was the CIA that had Mosaddegh removed.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 8:11 pm

JC said something along the lines that it’s hard not the fall in love with the US and I agree. Wonderful scenery, amazing people, I found myself saying ‘wow’ so many times.

Milton, next time get a window seat during daytime from either side on the two coasts. It’s mesmerizing. From east to west: the north eastern forests, the plains, the Rockies and then into the desert and finally into LA. I love Australia, but the US .. I just love.

JC
JC
July 1, 2022 8:12 pm

Didn’t the Russians run out of ammo two and half months ago?

They have enough to missile shopping malls though.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 8:14 pm

Apart from that, they’re utterly indistinguishable.

agree- to the extent of VicPol ‘taking the knee’ at Ballarat. Grotesque.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
July 1, 2022 8:17 pm

I’d like to return to the topic of unauthorised rooting on cruise ships, if I may.

There are actually guides for this. From Cruise West Coast – some advice for the gentlemen:

Shorter Cruises Let You Be A Baller On A Budget

We don’t usually encourage folks to pretend to be someone they aren’t. That is a terrible way to start a relationship. However, if you are a guy looking to find girls to hook up with, one way that works well is for guys to be flashy and show their wealth. That is obviously very sexist and won’t work to attract every lady. However, a cruise presents an interesting opportunity to make this happen in a unique way.

For instance, by selecting a short cruise, you can choose a suite instead of a balcony room for about the same price as you might otherwise pay on a week-long-cruise.

Absolute gold. The same piece also advises ladeeeee cruisers to get in for their chop:

Ladies – If You Are Interested, This Isn’t The Time To Play Hard To Get

Ladies, your cruise vacation is only going to be a few days long. So, if your goal is to find “Mr Right Now” don’t play hard to get. If you just simply want to flirt then that is totally fine and nobody should push you further than you are comfortable with. However, if your goal is to get some vacation action then it is important to express your desires and be clear that you are interested should you find someone potentially compatible.

Yeah, ladies. Get on board and put out.

Dot
Dot
July 1, 2022 8:17 pm

Speaking of Iran, Dad always told me that it was the CIA that had Mosaddegh removed

That’s true.

These monumental fuck ups are why libertarians believe in non interventionist ideas.

Surely Iran is far worse off now than nationalising oil companies in the 1950s.

rickw
rickw
July 1, 2022 8:19 pm

VicPol ‘taking the knee’ at Ballarat

How many cranes did it take to get the corpulent mafia back on its feet?

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 8:19 pm

This country is full of fucking useless wankers dedicated to making everyone’s life as difficult and as filled with bureaucracy as possible.

Agree and it amazes me that people still open new businesses – Woodgrove at Melton always seems to find tenants for vacant shops.

Franx
Franx
July 1, 2022 8:20 pm

Lizzie, sure, cold can be debilitating, yet the desert fathers of the Church, were in no way the regressive’ nor simply the, ‘monkish desert zealots of Alexandria’, but were, like their counterparts in colder climes, ascetics in every sense.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
July 1, 2022 8:21 pm

LOL my last for the night. Enjoy all.

“Rain bomb” for Queensland if you believe Murdoch’s kiddies. Well today we had nothing despite it was meant to be starting, tomorrow was meant to be 15-30mm now down to 5-15, I doubt we will get 1mm. Monday supposed to be the culminator. OK, Show Day Holiday would be nice as I can hide inside but I reckon it will amount to nothing.

Dot
Dot
July 1, 2022 8:22 pm

However, if you are a guy looking to find girls to hook up with, one way that works well is for guys to be flashy and show their wealth.

If you use chum instead of berley, you will attract man eaters.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 8:22 pm

Surely Iran is far worse off now than nationalising oil companies in the 1950s.

yes Dad said that too

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 1, 2022 8:24 pm

Geez your day can go bad quickly.
Just had my first ride in an MRI. Lord they are noisy things.

However fit and healthy and invincible you are, when age creeps up, get ready for left field shit.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
July 1, 2022 8:26 pm

VicPol ‘taking the knee’ at Ballarat

I will guarantee those three porky, flaccid specimens have, by now, either a) resigned or b) been identified as ‘talent’ by upper management and promoted accordingly.

It’s probably not the most disgraceful thing I’ve ever seen, but by Christ it’s in the top five.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 8:32 pm

Just had my first ride in an MRI. Lord they are noisy things.

Made all your nuclei tip over!
NMR is fun, it actually flips the nucleus of all your atoms.
Then measures the radio emissions when they flip back.
Used to use it in postgrad, although only 5mm diameter samples back then.

cohenite
July 1, 2022 8:34 pm

I like this one.

We have a climate exigency.

Sounds complicated.

Yeah, good try head prefect. Here’s a list of all the things caused by climate change.

Cassie of Sydney
July 1, 2022 8:34 pm

So Mali Cooper, the very creepy, zombie, dead eyed child from the Village of the Damned, who caused chaos in Sydney earlier this week, has had bail granted for a second time, despite breaking her first bail conditions. And one of the provisos of being granted bail a second time meant that she promised to spend last night at her Grannie’s home in Crows Nest, a suburb located on Sydney’s leafy north shore…in what is now “Teal Land”.

Think back to last year, in July, when anti-lockdowns protesters took to the streets here in Sydney and remember how “horse man” was charged, denied bail and spent over a week locked up in a prison cell.

Don’t ever tell me that justice is blind.

Gyro Cadiz
Gyro Cadiz
July 1, 2022 8:36 pm

Eyriesays:
July 1, 2022 at 8:08 pm
Didn’t the Russians run out of ammo two and half months ago? I remember reports that it would happen in two more weeks from three months ago.
How is this war still going?

Arty ammo does not go off. They retain titanic stockpiles of 152mm and 122mm from the Soviet era.

areff
areff
July 1, 2022 8:36 pm

next time get a window seat during daytime

Take the train from San Francisco to New York via Chicago: desert, mountains, farmland, then down the Hudson Valley in the morning.

Will be looking to do much the same trip again, but via a different route, in October. Counting the days.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 1, 2022 8:38 pm

Made all your nuclei tip over!

And a Gadolinium dye!
I’m a walking Rare Earth repository.

Emperor Xi will be pleased.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
July 1, 2022 8:39 pm

Desperate to squeeze out every last drop of funding, Quenthland – aka The Last Holdout – predictably tries it on (the Courier Mail):

Queensland could reintroduce mask wearing as the current immunity-evading Covid-19 wave worsens with the Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard confirming “it’s being discussed.”

Righto. Off you go then.

The possibility of Queenslanders needing to mask up again came as Dr Gerrard said the current covid wave would “get significantly worse in the coming weeks.”

He said the current strains of the virus were evading both vaccine and natural immunity, but said that being vaccinated was still the best option to avoid serious and deadly symptoms, pointing to current hospitalisation statistics.

“We are seeing the establishment of a new wave of covid, these BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants that are causing a significant wave at the moment.”

The ‘driver’ here might be several Qld Health contracts up for renewal in the near future.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 8:39 pm

No offer at this level is flippant.

You misinterpret me.

Popular support amongst Ukraians for joining NATO barely topped 20% prior to 2014. And it only began to rise after Vlad Bae started taking land off them.

And as for your near-obsession with one Victoria Nuland and her apparently mythical, magical powers of seductive mass persuasion, well let’s just say that’s your thing to contend with.

It remains historical fact that Vlad Bae threatened pro-Russian Viktor Yaukovytch into tearing up an application for Ukraine’s membership to the EU. Not NATO. People protested against this in Maidan Square. Yanukovytch ordered them shot. There was chaos. Ukraine’s parliament sacked the Yanukovytch and he fled to Russia. And Vlad Bae took a chance amidst the chaos and started a limited invasion that the Ukrainian military at the time was relatively powerless to resist.

Boambee John
Boambee John
July 1, 2022 8:41 pm

Rex A

The only difference I can detect between m0nty and an actual American leftist, is that m0nty types in an Australian timezone.

Apart from that, they’re utterly indistinguishable.

m0nty-fa seems to take most of his points from leftist US websites, or DNC talking points emails. He is a bit short on for original thought.

He has been a bit subdued today on the latest USSC decision today, but it will be interesting to see what he posts tomorrow, when those sources have had time to publish. However, the fantasy football might need his attention more.

Vicki
Vicki
July 1, 2022 8:42 pm

My sympathy Dr. Faustus. I had always dreaded being required to endure an MRI. In fact, I believed I could not endure it.

But during the big Drought of 2017/8 I was so stressed that I suffered a TGA – Transient Global Amnesia. The tipping point came when daughter breezily told me, on a visit to Sydney, that I needed to give a Year 10 lesson on the causes of the Vietnam War to my grandson. She obviously had no idea that 24 hours notice was not enough! But prepare I did – lesson notes, sources etc etc. The next day I drove to their place & gave that lesson & then couldn’t recall where my car was – or anything other than what happened in the previous minute – apparently. Husband came & got me, and on advice of doctor friend took me to hospital where, after a couple of hours my hippocampus “came good”!

That was when they said I had to have an MRI to determine what was happening in the old brain. Wonders of wonders I couldn’t give a damn – “get me in there to see what’s going on”…..& it really wasn’t too bad at all. I guess when it is really serious stuff your attitude changes.

Anyway after the customary “you have a beautiful brain” (all neurologists say that!), the neurologist asked me if I had been stressed lately…….phew, was I glad to hear that…..!

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 8:43 pm

Arty ammo does not go off. They retain titanic stockpiles of 152mm and 122mm from the Soviet era.

They reportedly ran out of 122mm for the older D-30 guns they equipped their press-ganged Donbass proxies with a month or two back (since they also onsell stocks ofthe stuff to other nations operating them), and are currently taking from Belarussian stocks to keep them supplied.

miltonf
miltonf
July 1, 2022 8:43 pm

Take the train from San Francisco to New York via Chicago: desert, mountains, farmland, then down the Hudson Valley in the morning.

Will be looking to do much the same trip again, but via a different route, in October. Counting the days.

Amtraked from LA to NY and back again a few years ago. Epic.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
July 1, 2022 8:43 pm

There is no ‘good’ title for Bob’s depressingly realistic cartoon (via Tom)comment image?format=720w
What would be an appropriate title or caption?

I’d call it “Remote Control”.

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 8:44 pm

Their performance to date seems to disagree with you.

I hear the germans put up a really good resistance too, towards the end of ww2.

donbas is cooked, the ukrainian army has been smashed by about half, meanwhile the russians are rotating part of its million man army on a regular basis and turning the fields and towns into a moonscape. at this rate there will be no more professional ukrainian army in 3-6 months. a conscript army stands zero chance to hold back the russian meat grinder.

the only thing that is going to change the situation is nato or yank boots in the ground

Bar Beach Swimmer
July 1, 2022 8:45 pm

This country is full of fucking useless wankers dedicated to making everyone’s life as difficult and as filled with bureaucracy as possible.

I’m trying to watch the footy; Carlton v St Kilda. The telecast started off with the CFC banner proclaiming gender equality and the colour orange splashed all over the place – guernsey and socks as some type of outward symbol of it – (not sure how that works – perhaps it’s just a good contrast with navy blue?)

Then, that whining Daisy someone came into view talking on the pre-game panel and on went the mute as I heard the last echoes of her expressing her support for the cause of the week.

How many weeks of the season is enough before we’ve hit saturation level? It’s almost as if every week something needing a profile emerges from the team rooms to accost the fans.

It used to be that everyone just watched footy without censure/restriction/control. It was escapism at its very best with thousands joined together in body and soul cheering on their team to a hopeful finals berth, or booing if the opposition was getting too much of the ball and the umpiring decisions. Just two hours that could cast out like demons all the stresses, frustrations and worries of the week .

I’m not sure how many weeks have been left free for more incursion from the various causes pandering to raise their profile. But I’m just waiting for one of these teams to do a deal with govt and become ambassadors for Covid Jabs.

Frank
Frank
July 1, 2022 8:48 pm

Just had my first ride in an MRI

Had one a few weeks back, was struck by how thin the tube was that you lie in. Thin as in there are people about the place that would get stuck in it.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 8:49 pm

Popular support amongst Ukraians for joining NATO barely topped 20% prior to 2014. And it only began to rise after Vlad Bae started taking land off them.

It should also be stated that Ukrainian government and practically all its parties’ policies from independence in 1990 right up to 2014 was formal opposition to NATO membership. And while the policy stance changed in October 2014 (Amazing what an invasion will do), the Constitutional change necessary for membership only happened in 2019.

Again, Vlad Bae and his government bought their dreaded NATO encroachment boogeyman all upon themselves.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine%E2%80%93NATO_relations

John of Mel
John of Mel
July 1, 2022 8:50 pm

For Vic Cats. Get something back from Dan.
https://powersavingbonus3.energy.vic.gov.au/
$250 for comparing energy provider offers. You don’t have to switch.
I’ll claw back every penny I can.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 1, 2022 8:50 pm

Wonders of wonders I couldn’t give a damn – “get me in there to see what’s going on”…..& it really wasn’t too bad at all. I guess when it is really serious stuff your attitude changes.

You are in the self-disciplined cohort.
The tech told me that 10% of his clients need medication, or can’t do it at all.

MatrixTransform
July 1, 2022 8:51 pm

Know much about vlans?

not as much as I should

they’re a pain in the arse and mainly the proper IT crew get called in to handle the details

we have some buildings where the automation and the security/surveillance share a net switch.
some of the phys ports are assigned ours and some are theirs.

different ip ranges for each vlan.

often no chit-chat between vlans but then I believe there are different types of vlan membership so, that may not be exactly true

that’s about my limit

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 8:54 pm

at this rate there will be no more professional ukrainian army in 3-6 months.

And I seem to recall on D+0 everyone who was anyone saying that they’d all be dead and Kiev captured within 96 hours.

And there’s been a variation on that statement every other Tuesday since D+1. Usually timed to land right after the You get a Nuke! And You get a Nuke! And YOU get a Nuke! Everybody’s gonna get a Russian Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke!!!1! press release…

Bar Beach Swimmer
July 1, 2022 8:56 pm

DrF,
best regards to you.
BBS

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 1, 2022 8:56 pm

Seems system is not letting me copy and paste whole article from MSN despite a few attempts.

So brief summary.

Oz should approve 4th booster for entire population within months if wait for Omicron variant drags on. TGA considering application from Moderna

Experts caution against waiting too long. This week FDA voted to allow Omicron specific vaccine to be rolled out in September. Advised manufacturers to update vaccines for BA4/5. Formula not been tested in humans yet. (Note : so basically already outdated and no human testing !).

Experts Allen Cheng and Jaime Triccas of SYD Uni divided over waiting for better jab or going with 4th now (Note : doesnt consider fact 6 million not had 3rd). Nancy Baxter of MEL Uni says cant wait longer than 3 months. She said committing to a shot that targets specific variants might be a problem due to continued mutation. Monash Uni expert James Trauer said high death rate and improving 3rd and 4th booster rates should be a priority. Death rate higher than lot of Euro countries and people lost protection.

Health Minister said Oz not performing well on booster uptake with nearly 6 million not yet had 3rd shot.

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 8:57 pm

Let’s also not forget this isn’t going to degenerate into an afghan style quagmire where the considerations of women crossing a bridge to fetch water take priority over nailling combatants. The ruskies are fighting a war, the way wars have historically been thought. You know, to win, by trashing the opposition’s will to fight any further.

The use of drones and uavs and targeted artillery and missiles has made this war particular bloody.

Bar Beach Swimmer
July 1, 2022 8:59 pm

cohenitesays:
July 1, 2022 at 8:34 pm

cohenite, I didn’t see reduced human intelligence on that list but it’s obviously occurred.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
July 1, 2022 8:59 pm

BBS at 8.45:

The telecast started off with the CFC banner proclaiming gender equality and the colour orange splashed all over the place

Yes. I had wondered why, but then discovered that the orange on Caaarlton jumpers was to pay respect to poofs – past, present and emerging.

Also, and apropos of the subject, an associate this afternoon referred to Carlton as ‘Carltank’. This is both accurate and excellent.

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 1, 2022 8:59 pm

Took a few attempts but finally made it !

KD mentioned CM mask article. There are currently 3 articles about Covid allowing comments. This in itself very rare. Huge majority negative towards further masking and jabs with the consensus being do it if you want to but dont make me do it.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 8:59 pm

Seems system is not letting me copy and paste whole article from MSN despite a few attempts.

It’s useful to know that there is a length limit as well as a link limit to WordPress.

Thank you for your discovery, Mr. Bourne… 🙂

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 9:01 pm

And a Gadolinium dye!
I’m a walking Rare Earth repository.

Faustus – Known as a rare earth shift reagent, as it shifts the response of protons in certain configurations. Used that once to work out the shape of a particularly complicated molecule. Ten pages of thesis guff!

Bar Beach Swimmer
July 1, 2022 9:02 pm

Knuckle Draggersays:
July 1, 2022 at 8:59 pm

It’s getting too murky now.

calli
calli
July 1, 2022 9:05 pm

current immunity-evading Covid-19 wave

Public Enemy Number One! On the lam and in a suburb near you.

Where can this dastardly criminal be hiding? In the sewers? In used tissues or uncleansed hands? Perhaps it lurks under your sofa, waiting for you to doze off…and then it pounces with throttling tentacles.

Captain Immunity eludes us too. It’s like he never really existed. Except in the minds of the deluded.

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 1, 2022 9:05 pm

Rex,
I have posted much longer copied articles or my own words before.

My thought was something within MSN not allowing cutting and pasting since they had basically copied a SMH article (I believe they do pay MSM for such copying) . But even when I typed my own summary (ie. 8:56) I could not even connect to the Cat.

Dont recall this problem before.

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 9:06 pm

And I seem to recall on D+0 everyone who was anyone saying that they’d all be dead and Kiev captured within 96 hours.

the ukrainian themselves have admitted they are losing between 500-1000 men every single day. the size of the professional army is around 190k. ukraine has admitted to losing half its military vehicles, and god know how much imported equipment. so we can surmise they have probably lost about that many men. given the war has been going on for 4 months that sounds about right.

at this rate 100-200 days is all they have left.

Bar Beach Swimmer
July 1, 2022 9:10 pm

Knuckle Draggersays:
July 1, 2022 at 8:17 pm

So this is the “gender equality” in the real world that the CFC is spruiking!

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 9:16 pm

I don’t think either of the 2 missiles involved hit the mall. From what I’ve gathered, they hit the factory next door

Yes, and you very recently linked a pro-Rus tweet disparaging Ukrainian reporting on missile and rocket strikes against civilian areas, in which the author was being smug about photos of Uragan and Smerch booster units* digging small holes where they land and saying how Ukraine allegedly wasn’t taking its audience seriously in its allegations of warcrimes because his alleged ‘bomb craters’ were too small…

Both these Smerch and Uragan MLRS projectiles use a multi-stage design to get their range. The expended booster has to land somewhere along the flightpath.

And given how quickly RWA ran about trying to say how few cars there were, and how it must be impossible to get fuel or anything else in Kiev because there’s a war on and all but called the photograph victims crisis actors, I’d say there’s a few issues with ethical bankruptcy there if you seriously want to cite them.

The other problem with lobbing Kh-22 guided missiles, is that they are not precision ground attack weapons in the modern sense we are used to. They are anti-shipping missiles with a secondary ground attack capability.

Given that they all fell within their expected Circular Error of Probability but failed to actually strike the alleged factory, this all sounds rather like cope and deflection. Especially when the rest of the thread’s photos point out the best result only got an edge of the building, and that allegedly set a fire that spread to the mall.

MatrixTransform
July 1, 2022 9:17 pm

The tech told me that 10% of his clients need medication, or can’t do it at all.

Last time I had an MRI, about 2 years ago, I fell asleep.

shatterzzz
July 1, 2022 9:24 pm

Seems system is not letting me copy and paste whole article from MSN despite a few attempts.
I sometimes find that adding an extra full stop at the end lets the system know you’ve activated the box .. always seems to work that way for me .. LOL!

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 9:25 pm

from above link

The winner in a prolonged war between two near-peer powers is still based on which side has the strongest industrial base. A country must either have the manufacturing capacity to build massive quantities of ammunition or have other manufacturing industries that can be rapidly converted to ammunition production. Unfortunately, the West no longer seems to have either.

I wonder where it went….

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 9:28 pm

allegations of warcrimes

look, war crimes only exist for the side that loses. you can’t seriously expect ukraine to win this?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 9:28 pm

Zipster – You actually have it backwards. Russia only ever had about 250,000 because they moved to a professional army model in 2012 as I recall, under Shoygu’s predecessor. They have various other odds and sods from DNR, LNR, Wagner and the Chechens.

Ukraine kept national service throughout, and have a large body of reservists they’ve been reactivating.

Ukraine’s problem isn’t the guys, it’s that they don’t have arms and ammo for them. Ammo in particular is really short. Russia on the other hand squirreled away a huge amount of ammo and arms over the years, which is what they’re currently burning through – especially dumb artillery shells (ie. not airburst). Hence they actually reactivated those T-62Ms to give to the DNR guys. Sixty year old tanks! Russians never throw anything away.

What Russia is doing works, but they’re seriously short of warm bodies. I don’t know why Putin hasn’t formally declared war (which would legally allow call up of reservists). Instead they’re fudging with whatever they can find. Some political dynamics I don’t understand.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
July 1, 2022 9:28 pm

And a Gadolinium dye!

You can get it betting on Ukraine.
You can get it from m0nty’s brain.
You can get it investing in energy.
You can get it from the old age fee.
You can get it from performing Teals wrecking.
As a matter of fact I’ve got it this second.
A hard-earned MRI deserves a big contrasting agent.
And the best contrasting agent is Gad.
Gad-olinium.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 9:32 pm

Having just read up on Kremenchuk, the alleged target factory was apparently used for BTR-70 maintenance for a time back in 2014.

Seriously, the strategic target planning, reconaissance and BDA processes and results for Russian air forces are about as farcical as the Luftwaffe’s were over Britain in 1940…

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 9:34 pm

What Russia is doing works, but they’re seriously short of warm bodies. I don’t know why Putin hasn’t formally declared war (which would legally allow call up of reservists). Instead they’re fudging with whatever they can find. Some political dynamics I don’t understand.

I linked it upthread.

An interesting and unusual historical take an Estonian guy found in his rounds of Russian telegram channels on the war…

https://mobile.twitter.com/mdmitri91/status/1542639879749832710/photo/1

shatterzzz
July 1, 2022 9:34 pm

Agree and it amazes me that people still open new businesses – Woodgrove at Melton always seems to find tenants for vacant shops.
I live next door to a fairly big Stocklands shopping centre and these days there is at least one business closure a week but the following week someone else takes over .. hasn’t been a empty spot for more than a week in 30 years ………!

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 9:37 pm

Presently, the US is decreasing its artillery ammunition stockpiles. In 2020, artillery ammunition purchases decreased by 36% to $425 million. In 2022, the plan is to reduce expenditure on 155mm artillery rounds to $174 million. This is equivalent to 75,357 M795 basic ‘dumb’ rounds for regular artillery, 1,400 XM1113 rounds for the M777, and 1,046 XM1113 rounds for Extended Round Artillery Cannons. Finally, there are $75 million dedicated for Excalibur precision-guided munitions that costs $176K per round, thus totaling 426 rounds. In short, US annual artillery production would at best only last for 10 days to two weeks of combat in Ukraine. If the initial estimate of Russian shells fired is over by 50%, it would only extend the artillery supplied for three weeks.

Zipster
Zipster
July 1, 2022 9:45 pm

What Russia is doing works, but they’re seriously short of warm bodies.

I don’t know where you get this idea from.

from various sources

russia has 1 million active personnel and 2+ million reservists.

these constant operational pauses are rolling in fresh troops and removing tired and worn troops

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 1, 2022 9:48 pm

Anyway, Sliante.

Finished reading “Laptop From Hell” by Miranda Devine.

Father and son Biden should be locked up and the key thrown away……just as much graft and corruption as any other banana republic..

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 9:48 pm

In short, US annual artillery production would at best only last for 10 days to two weeks of combat in Ukraine. If the initial estimate of Russian shells fired is over by 50%, it would only extend the artillery supplied for three weeks

Assuming of course, that the precision shells are expended in blanket bombardments at the same rate as Russian Batteries and Regiments might do it with their usual 152mm.

And therein lies the ubfortunate fallibility of a Russian analyst assuming Russian fire control and bombardment tactics for American/NATO guns and munitions.

Given similar analyses at the start of the war by Western analysts assuming American/NATO fire control and bombardment tactics for both Russian and Ukrainian forces alike when neither use anything remotely similar turned out to be equally wrong (Russia apparently has shells to burn, WW1-style. And Ukrainian distributed fire control and fall of shot adjustment by drone has made it far more efficient within the limitations of lesser munition availability), I think relying on any confident declaration of X will run out on day Y is not going to work.

After all, the Ukes are still fighting. And Russians can only really advance where the Ukes are either all dead, surrendered or already pulled back…

rosie
rosie
July 1, 2022 9:52 pm

Haven’t done west to east but have driven through Illinois Iowa Indiana Kentucky Missouri Tennessee North South Carolinas West Virginia Virginia and tip toed into Georgia and Winsconsin (and of course New York and LA).
Loved it all.
Hopefully can get there in 2023.

Dot
Dot
July 1, 2022 9:56 pm

I’m sorry but if Russia has nearly no losses, why do they need 2 million reservists and rotations of divisions?

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
July 1, 2022 9:57 pm

Armchair Zhukov’s in action.
I’d hazard a guess that Vlad knows declaring war and calling up all reserves will go down like a lead ballon with the citizens.
Do the parents of the soldiers really have such a hatred of Ukraine that they’d gladly have their sons killed to give Putin his victory?
Does the general population think that standing apart from the entire western world and pushing towards a world war is sensible?
Put your toy soldiers away lads.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 9:59 pm

these constant operational pauses are rolling in fresh troops and removing tired and worn troops

That’s not what the soldiers on the ground seem to be saying:

https://wartranslated.com/intercepted-call-one-half-has-given-up-morally/

https://wartranslated.com/intercepted-call-they-just-threw-us-in-like-fcking-meat/

https://wartranslated.com/intercepted-call-companies-have-10-15-people-left-in-them/

If they were being properly rotated, rested and reinforced, these call intercepts would not exist.

And Ukraine would already be bargaining for its life, if your numbers reflected the operational reality, Zipster.

The Donbass that is so allegedly ‘cooked’ currently contains the vast majority of the forces that have invaded Ukraine. Russian troops, Wagner mercs, Donetsk and Luhansk voluntold levies and Chechen adventurers.

They surround the defenders on 3 sides of a 100-odd km front.

And after 4 months of all-put fighting, they have barely taken Lysychansk and straightened their line. They could not even make a substantial bridgehead over the Siversky Donets river, in order to make the much-promised cauldron for over a month in May. Despite holding air superiority, fire superiority and superior numbers in men and equipment.

Rabz
July 1, 2022 10:03 pm

Sacré bleu, Cats 😕

Currently researching the topic of tomorrow night’s Radio Show – and I thought the others were a treasure trove.

I love Soul and Motown so much that choosing two standout tracks is likely to be well neigh impossible.

Feel free to nominate your favourites between now and 12:30pm and they might just be taken into consideration. 🙂

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 1, 2022 10:04 pm

russia has 1 million active personnel and 2+ million reservists.

Um, linky please. As I said the Russian army went over to a professional model in about 2012. That is well known and was much discussed at the time. They had about 250,000 on roster, of which about 190,000 were committed to the invasion.

You may be conflating all three services, plus others like the strategic nuclear forces. Even in the army the Australians in WW2 had about 70,000 guys per active division of 15-20,000, which was a better ratio than the UK or US. You need a lot of desk jockies to keep the front line guys fighting.

They do have a limited form of conscription, with an intake over 100,000 per year. However those guys are legally not required to serve outside of Russia. They can volunteer to do so, and there’s been reports of arm twisting. Furthermore there’s been an increasing intake into Wagner, who are allowed to pay more attractive salaries (Wagner now has it’s own air force! At least one moth-balled Su-25 is known to’ve been reactivated with a Wagner pilot, who was reserve air force and volunteered at good pay.)

One issue the Russians have had is that the professional army guys have been on 1 year contracts, and in some cases even three month ones. That’s because like everyone they’ve been having trouble getting guys to sign up. Now those contracts are expiring and the guys are reluctant to renew for some odd reason like not wanting to die.

As I said this is being fudged. DNR has been pretty much press ganging any male between 18 and 65, they’re desperate. I don’t know about the LNR and the Chechens.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 10:05 pm

I love Soul and Motown so much that choosing two standout tracks is likely to be well neigh impossible.

Get Ready by The Temptations

Bruce in WA
July 1, 2022 10:10 pm

Last time I had an MRI, about 2 years ago, I fell asleep.

Me too … but only after two Valium tablets! (Severely claustrophobic)

Rabz
July 1, 2022 10:11 pm

Rex – that is what it is all about. 🙂

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
July 1, 2022 10:14 pm

I didn’t enjoy the MRI.
Shit music and a crap sound system.

calli
calli
July 1, 2022 10:15 pm
Rabz
July 1, 2022 10:15 pm

Gladys, bringing it

Purest pop ever. 🙂

MatrixTransform
July 1, 2022 10:16 pm

Severely claustrophobic

the missus need valium for hers too and it was still like trying to get a cat into a car

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
July 1, 2022 10:17 pm

I didn’t enjoy the MRI.
Shit music and a crap sound system

Magnets probably wrecked the speakers. 😉

That, and audio propagation in a steel tube is shit. What was the music choice?

Rabz
July 1, 2022 10:18 pm

calli – there will not be any of that.

Authenticity score: Less than zero.

Rod the Mod be not.

Bruce in WA
July 1, 2022 10:19 pm

Haven’t done west to east but have driven through Illinois Iowa Indiana Kentucky Missouri Tennessee North South Carolinas West Virginia Virginia and tip toed into Georgia and Winsconsin (and of course New York and LA).
Loved it all.
Hopefully can get there in 2023.

With my in-laws we rode motorbikes Oregon to WA State to Montana to North Dakota to South Dakota to Colorado to Wyoming to Colorado to Idaho to Nevada to California and back to Oregon.

Unforgettable experience. The scenery, roads, history made even more enjoyable by the wonderful, open, warm people we met.

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