Open Thread – Weekend 8 Oct 2022


The Battle of Lepanto, Paolo Veronese, 1572

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duncanm
duncanm
October 10, 2022 1:36 pm

If I come across a climate protestor with both hands occupied (glue, chains, whatever), I think I’ll just dack ’em and leave them to it.

Not sure why that strategy isn’t employed when they’re out in the middle of the street, for example.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 1:37 pm

Boambee John:

PS, look more closely, that fireball seemed to be centered on a truck which was not visible on the span afterwards. Where did it go? Over the side, or off in all directions in small pieces?

Looking at the orbit, I’d say it’s just about to be overtaken by Elons Roadster.
Bing Bong!

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 1:39 pm

I can’t find the link now but saw some interesting analysis on US Senate race claiming the Democrapts might not win a Senate majority for a generation (based on changing demographics and rustbelt trends…).

Was interesting and, in my ignorance, I never realised that the Republicans didn’t hold a House majority from 1950 to 1994!!!! 44 YEARS!!!

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 1:40 pm

He who use glue, find themselves in sticky situation.
________
Sun Tzu

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 1:40 pm

Ukrainian forces have destroyed almost all bridges and mined the roads along the border with Belarus, Anatoly Lappo, chairman of the State Border Committee of Belarus, said on Sunday. Minsk has accused Kiev of planning imminent strikes on its territory.

That’s more RT fun. Again there’ve been many reports of Russia opening a second front from Belarus, with an upsurges of such articles in the last week or two.

Much as I dislike him I have to give a hat tip to Lukashenko for managing to keep the Russians on a string this long. Vlad has been pressuring him from the start of this current unpleasantness to enter in on the Russian side. The Belarus general staff are completely against that and have been telling Lukashenko this quite often. Which means he’s been a rock and a hard place, but so far has kept on top of both reasonably well.

sfw
sfw
October 10, 2022 1:40 pm

I posted the other day about Paypal suspending my account, I rarely use it so I tried to close the account, but they won’t let me do that unless I give them info that has nothing to do with them. So I’ve just removed my cc from the account and will let it just sit there unused. This is what they sent me this morning when I tried to close it. Anyone else having this sort of problem?

Thank you for contacting PayPal Messaging. My name is Rachel and I’m happy to assist. We’re sorry to hear you’re thinking about closing your PayPal account.
I took the liberty of checking your account. I can see that there is a restrictions added to your account. We may just need some information about your account by answering this questions. YES/NO
Do you hold a position of public trust or political office?
Are you associated with or related to someone in the public trust or political office?
Once your account is updated. Your account can be closed.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 1:44 pm

Yeah, Bruce… can’t say I trust everything that comes out of RT…

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 1:44 pm

SFW – tell them you’re the Grand Knight of the KKK… 😛

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
October 10, 2022 1:49 pm

Remember the days when government shit ideas used to only cost millions?

Ah, yes, happy days.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 1:50 pm

Lysander – It’s good strategy to use the MSM as much as possible to keep Ukrainian forces pinned in place along the border all the way from Poland to Kharkov. A few million thrown at media outlets would reap a vast return on investment. The UGS can’t afford not to cover that border, but it always helps to give them extra conniptions.

Eyrie
Eyrie
October 10, 2022 1:51 pm

RT seems at least as reliable as the West’s MSM.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 1:52 pm

LOL Bruce!!! 😛

Mater
October 10, 2022 1:54 pm

Do you hold a position of public trust or political office?
Are you associated with or related to someone in the public trust or political office?
Once your account is updated. Your account can be closed.

Give them the most outlandish answers you can create. Things that can’t possibly be true (Trump’s food taster and concubine, for example).

You can identify as anything nowadays, and if you intend to close the account anyway, what does it matter?

rosie
rosie
October 10, 2022 1:56 pm

Are French power prices sky-rocketing because everyone gets paid as if they are marginal gas?
I thought France was 75% nuclear so someone is getting a gouge.

rosie
rosie
October 10, 2022 1:59 pm
Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 1:59 pm

I suspect when the UGS rotates front line units back for rest and replacement they’re being parked along the northern border. And that they aren’t being especially good at hiding their sigint. That way the Ukrainians keep the Belarussians deterred whilst rebuilding those depleted units, two birds with one stoneishly.

rosie
rosie
October 10, 2022 2:02 pm
Top Ender
Top Ender
October 10, 2022 2:02 pm

What’s “a few”…make it to Saturday perhaps?

Crown prosecutor Shane Drumgold informed the court on Monday Ms Higgins was not available for a few days.

Oz

duncanm
duncanm
October 10, 2022 2:04 pm

Top Endersays:
October 10, 2022 at 2:02 pm
What’s “a few”…make it to Saturday perhaps?

is this a weekend bender, or a re-alignment of the narrative ?

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 2:04 pm

Bruce O’Newk:

“We do not enjoy putting our bodies on the line, we do it because we must,” Declare Emergency tweeted following the protest.

“How can they be so brave?”
This bullshit will stop the first time the “Falling Down” bloke gets inconvenienced once too often.

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 2:05 pm

Vikpol pop up recruiting advertisements everywhere. I just wish you could leave comments!

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 2:06 pm

sfw at 1:40.
Send them a very formal “legalese” letter saying that you have no further use for the account and, as a prudent financial security measure, you will regard it as closed. Should you suffer any financial or reputational loss or credit rating impairment in future as a result of PayPal’s failure to close the account, you will be holding PayPal (and Rachel personally) liable for any loss or damage.
I had a problem with Amex refusing to close an account years ago. It was a corporate account with joint and several liability and I had left the company. After getting annual statements for about three years and being told verbally that the account was just dormant and it wasn’t possible to “close” an account on the Amex system I fired off a legal threat and demanded written confirmation of closure, which I got.
I will scratch around in my compuda today and see if I can find the letter.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 2:06 pm

LOL Bruce!!!

Oh I’m deadly serious Lysander. The more that the RGS can keep Ukrainian forces tied up elsewhere chasing ghosts the less they’ll be attacking Russian-held areas right now when things are hairy. The RGS has to buy enough time to bring the newly called-up reservists up to scratch before committing them. Buying time with psyops is cheap, if it can be done.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 2:09 pm

ZK2A:

Going rate for “being recognized as Aboriginal” amongst the Kimberly tribes was three cartons of VB.

Ha Ha!
They saw ya coming!
Wilcannia was a bottle of Johnny Walker Red and a pack of Winnie Blues in 2010.
Smoking ceremony optional – unless some silly bugger fell in the fire…

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 2:11 pm

Fair call Bruce, good insights!

local oaf
October 10, 2022 2:11 pm

Vikpol pop up recruiting advertisements everywhere. I just wish you could leave comments!

I’d leave them this one,

Who’d want be associated with the “brutal and cowardly conduct of a parcel of big ugly, fat necked, wombat headed, big bellied, magpie legged, narrow hipped splaw-footed sons of Irish bailiffs or English landlords which is better known as officers of justice or Victorian police”
E.Kelly, Vic.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
October 10, 2022 2:13 pm

Former Indigenous commissioners seek apology over ‘deeply disturbing’ comments
Erin Pearson
By Erin Pearson
October 10, 2022 — 5.00am

Former commissioners from the defunct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission are calling on Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to make a public apology following comments made on ABC’s Q&A that they say were defamatory.

In an email sent to Price’s office and seen by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, the 11 signatories said the Northern Territory Country Liberal senator’s comments that there was corruption in the commission were “deeply disturbing” and suggested commissioners acted corruptly in their management.

They allege the comments also suggest the commissioners were so corrupt in their management that the organisation had to be shut down, inferring they managed it without regard to their responsibility to advance the interests of Indigenous Australians.

“None of our clients at any time acted corruptly, dishonestly, without integrity, or without regard to the interests of First Nations peoples. No allegations – let alone findings – have been made to that effect in respect of any of our clients,” the email read.

The comments were made during Price’s appearance on Q&A at Garma on August 1 during an exchange with Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.

“With all due respect, Linda, ATSIC was corrupt. That’s why it was a bipartisan decision to shut it down,” Price said during the on-air exchange.

Burney replied: “I think that’s a big statement.”

Former ATSIC commissioners say comments made by Senator Jacinta Price on ABC’S Q&A program were defamatory.

The commission was established by the Hawke government in 1990 to give rise to an Indigenous voice in government, but it was disbanded in 2004 amid what then indigenous affairs minister Amanda Vanstone called “an absolute disconnect” between the majority of Aboriginal people and the organisation.

In the early 2000s, then-chairman Geoff Clark had become embroiled in personal controversies and legal proceedings and was later suspended from his role.

He is currently awaiting trial on unrelated fraud charges.

Former commissioner Cliff Foley – who served five terms on the ATSIC regional council and was the elected commissioner for the NSW metropolitan zone – said the senator’s comments were a kick in the guts for thousands of people who worked tirelessly to progress their communities as part of the commission, most of them in voluntary positions.

“It was about 2000 community people who put their hand up to do regional planning in their community – that was the strength of ATSIC. Those people are worth their weight in gold to us,” Foley said. “That’s what hurts the most about these comments, they’re demonising these people.

“Every cent was accountable.”

The email is signed by 11 former commissioners based in NSW, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and Tasmania.

They include Foley, Klynton Wanganeen, Lionel Quartermaine, Farley Garlett, Alison Anderson, Dicky Bedford and Rodney Dillon.

Melbourne lawyer Shayne Daley said the commissioners were seeking a public apology from Price and had reached out to her in an attempt to resolve the matter.

“No decision has been made at this stage as to whether proceedings will commence or what further steps will be taken,” Daley said.

Price and Burney both declined to comment when contacted on Friday.

A Parliamentary Library issues brief published soon after ATSIC ceased found that in its 14 years, the commission was subject to intense public and political scrutiny and misconceptions over what it could do with its federal funding. The report also found that around the time of its disbandment, perceptions had developed that the commission was in crisis and had failed to deliver.

Zipster
Zipster
October 10, 2022 2:14 pm

Glenn Beck

As world tension with Putin/Russia continue to rise, is the Biden administration quietly preparing for a possible nuclear war? Glenn and Stu discuss 2 recent signs that the U.S. is gearing up for a worst-case scenario: First, President Biden himself spoke of ‘Armageddon’ during a speech last week. And, second, a new HHS press release detailed a recent, $290 million government purchase of an ANTI-RADIATION MEDICINE! In this clip, Glenn details what exactly this drug does and what it could mean for the US moving forward…

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 2:14 pm

Vikpol pop up recruiting advertisements everywhere. I just wish you could leave comments!

Dear X
I wish to apply for a role with the Stasi of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Victoria.

I thoroughly enjoy working with ABC informants to smear innocent people, shooting people with rubber bullets, tear gas and would love to play an active role in covering up the behaviour and actions of Dear Leader (PBUH).

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 2:19 pm

$290 million government purchase of an ANTI-RADIATION MEDICINE!

Would be interesting to know the Pelosi’s share trades with respect to manufacturers of these medicines.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 2:20 pm

RickW – I had a look and Amgen donated to her in 2008 but not sure if she has shares in them…

Bar Beach Swimmer
October 10, 2022 2:21 pm

Discussion on mass-formation.

(I’ve never heard of this bloke) – Ivor Cummings.

He’s in discussion with Matthias Desmet, who is a Belgian clinical psychologist and professor in clinical psychology at Ghent University. He has a Doctor of Philosophy Psychological Sciences and has a master’s degree in statistics. His book is The Psychology of Totalitarianism.

According to Desmet, the preconditions to create mass-formation are:

A. Widespread loneliness
B. Lack of Meaning
C. Free-Floating Anxiety
1. Compelling Narrative
2. False Perception of Issue Resolution

Mass-formation creates a new meaning in these people’s lives. So, they don’t want to wake up because it has resolved their lack of meaning.

This is the process that been used during Covid. (70 minutes long)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPisp_VgEO8

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 2:22 pm
Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 2:32 pm

Why on Earth would a nine year old be wondering the streets (with a backpack) at 4am on a Monday morning???

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/missing-person/ruby-wood-9-is-missing-from-her-ellenbrook-home–c-8499782

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
October 10, 2022 2:33 pm

is this a weekend bender, or a re-alignment of the narrative ?

Jury reinforcement: plucky victim, monstered beyond all reason by stale male defence barrister, who wouldn’t even be able to spell “trauma” if one bit him.

Hopefully followed by a stern warning from the bench that aggressive questioning has no part to play in this court.

Big_Nambas
Big_Nambas
October 10, 2022 2:36 pm

I was told by a Larrakia man in Darwin not to worry about fishing rules, he said just tell the police you are a Larrakia man and all will be OK. when asked to explain he said you don’t have to prove you are they have to prove you are not, can’t be done.

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 2:39 pm

UKR Commander in Chief wearing some nazi bling:

C’mon Man! The Ukes aren’t Nazi’s, they’re just devout Hindu’s!

Arky
October 10, 2022 2:40 pm

I’ll break the lurking mode this once, because that “Nazi” bracelet thing is just silly.
You can buy similar symbology at Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/675353638/celtic-paracord-bracelet-with-the-symbol?gpla=1&gao=1&

Arky
October 10, 2022 2:42 pm

Stop sucking up Russian propaganda like it is mother’s milk.

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 10, 2022 2:42 pm

Matersays:
October 10, 2022 at 1:54 pm
Do you hold a position of public trust or political office?
Are you associated with or related to someone in the public trust or political office?
Once your account is updated. Your account can be closed.

Give them the most outlandish answers you can create. Things that can’t possibly be true (Trump’s food taster and concubine, for example).

They asked for YES/No answers. Just say No to both questions.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 2:43 pm

Fair enough Arky… but tends to show up a bit!!!

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
October 10, 2022 2:43 pm

$290 million government purchase of an ANTI-RADIATION MEDICINE!

The drug purchased – apparently routinely so-nothing-to-see-here – is Nplate.

It appears to cost about $9,000 per serve. So, about 32,000 treatments purchased.

Not for everyone, it would seem.
Form an orderly queue and glow quietly…

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 2:43 pm

How long before Lehrmann’s silk calls for a permanent stay?
I do wonder if Britnah hasn’t got a heads up that certain prosecution witnesses might be going wobbly.

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 10, 2022 2:44 pm

duncanm

is this a weekend bender, or a re-alignment of the narrative ?

Is there a difference?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 2:46 pm

Of course, an aborted trial will be manna from heaven for the sisterhood.
No awkward questioning of the former Dolly editor and they can squeal “no justice for Britnah” until the COWS come home.
And the underlying Seven-Nilligan agenda will get rolling again.
That is, reversal of the burden of proof and no cross-examination of the “victims”.

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 2:47 pm

I’ll break the lurking mode this once, because that “Nazi” bracelet thing is just silly.

I know you mean, I accidentally buy shit with swastika’s on it all the time!

Right now for instance, I’m wearing reg grundies with a swastika pattern waist elastic!

Zipster
Zipster
October 10, 2022 2:57 pm
Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
October 10, 2022 2:57 pm

R v Lehrmann slips behind closed doors.

Thanks for joining us. Our live coverage has ended for the day following the making of a non-publication order.

When a plan comes together…

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 2:59 pm

Remember the days when government shit ideas used to only cost millions?

rickw – 8 1/2 kms of tunneling under the Swan River and Perth’s shitty sands. Would have been a courageous decision to sign off on the tender proposal. Two years over time but on budget suggests there was plenty of fat built in. Will probably be seen as a good idea in 50 years time when the expense is forgotten and anyone involved in the project is dead or retired.

Bar Beach Swimmer
October 10, 2022 3:00 pm

Petition EN4434 – Conduct inquiry into affirmation practices for children identifying as transgender

https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4434

rosie
rosie
October 10, 2022 3:01 pm

Have any witnesses been called today in Canberra, or are things at a standstill?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 3:01 pm

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupiditysays:

October 9, 2022 at 11:29 pm

I’m not particularly fussed about Mk50.
Sounds like … um … not trustworthy?

He’s a senior officer for the Grey Funnel Line.
You may wish to choose your words more carefully.
…….
Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupiditysays:

October 10, 2022 at 12:28 am

He told us he retired in QLD and you’re now hallucinating that he is on command of a new ship.

Them stripes around the cuff aren’t wristwatch bands.

Demanding that “y’all respeck mah uniform” is so very Bosi.
And probably a tactic to divert scrutiny used by those stolen valour types who used to appear on that now defunct military frauds website.
Here’s the thing.
Respect has to be earned and doesn’t come from stripes on the sleeves, pips on the shoulders or a corner suite at Russell Offices.
And your mate Mk50 is in serious respect deficit with many here.
As for choosing words carefully?
Give me a break.
I’ve been badgered by retired braid before. Most of them are about as 16% as scary as they imagine.

Barking Toad
Barking Toad
October 10, 2022 3:02 pm

Britneee on stress leave?

Was barrister Steve going to ask her about the book deal?

Like Stewie Griffin asking Brian how that novel is going?

Delta A
Delta A
October 10, 2022 3:05 pm

At 9:12 am, BBS posted a respectful request that octogenarians refrain from posting intimate details about their breasts and sex life. Has this perfectly reasonable post been removed?

Bar Beach Swimmer
October 10, 2022 3:05 pm

On Brittnee,
Why is the accusation/charge made against Lehrmann “rape” and not “sexual assault”? Is there a difference in the ACT jurisdiction from elsewhere in the country as to how this kind of crime is reported in the media?

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:07 pm

Kanye has been cancelled by Twaddle for “violation of its policies”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-09/kanye-s-return-to-twitter-lasts-one-day-as-account-is-locked

He lasted one day.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

And your mate Mk50 is in serious respect deficit with many here.

Name those people.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

I’ve been badgered by retired braid before.

He is not retired.

Most of them are about as 16% as scary as they imagine.

Not all are of the mould of Morrison “I issue orders by Youtube, there is no place for sexism is this tranny army”
Something for you to reflect upon.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:07 pm

How long before Lehrmann’s silk calls for a permanent stay?

I think I would be inclined to just let it run. Hard to get these interlocutory things up – regardless of how big a clownshow you are dealing with.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:11 pm

Name those people.

Fuck off. Put me down for one.

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 10, 2022 3:13 pm

How strange.

No response from m0nty-fa on the subjects of photo interpretation and explosion dynamics. Perhaps Wiki has no courses on offer?

areff
areff
October 10, 2022 3:14 pm

spoken like a man who never piloted a rally car down a muddy track through a pine forest at over 100mph….

and often, very often, at night

The best drivers in descending order:

Rally drivers
F1 drivers
Speedway racers
Truck drivers
Garden variety drivers
Teen hoons
Oldies en route to the bowling
Lady drivers
Chinamen
Chinaladies*

(Once watched a Chinese lady in a big SUV spend 15 minutes trying to squeeze into a parking spot not much larger than a baby’s pram.)

shatterzzz
October 10, 2022 3:21 pm

I’ll break the lurking mode this once, because that “Nazi” bracelet thing is just silly.
Now if you want to see a “nazi” bracelet ……
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine tweeted this photo of himself.

https://ibb.co/ts4YLwt

Cassie of Sydney
October 10, 2022 3:21 pm

“I do wonder if Britnah hasn’t got a heads up that certain prosecution witnesses might be going wobbly.”

I’ve wondered that too.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 3:25 pm

I’ve been badgered by retired braid before.

He is not retired.

Retired from posting plagiarised material at the Cat.
Not retired from doing Powerpoint presentations to other tax-eaters.

duncanm
duncanm
October 10, 2022 3:26 pm

re the nazi bracelet.. me thinks the photo has been doctored.

Here’s the original, as posted by the bloke:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOEpkUEWQA06xsk?format=jpg

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 3:26 pm

Name those people.

Do you really, really, want that to run to a Cat poll?

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:26 pm

On the Russian propaganda re: Nazi UKR link…

Surely, knowing what is being circulated around the world, the last thing you’d do is:

-Accidentally buy Nazi bling for fear it would confirm Ruskies claims
-Accidentally wear it
-Accidentally take a photo of yourself with it on
-Accidentally share that photo with the world.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:27 pm

Chinaladies*

The ones in big black Mercs are the worst. Generally proportional to the cost of the car. S Class are a real problem. The problem may be insoluble. In China if you can afford a car everyone else can just get ….

duncanm
duncanm
October 10, 2022 3:28 pm

.. then again.. here’s a higher res version.
comment image

You decide.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:30 pm

Too hard to tell Dunc.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 3:31 pm

Cassie of Sydneysays:

October 10, 2022 at 3:21 pm

“I do wonder if Britnah hasn’t got a heads up that certain prosecution witnesses might be going wobbly.”

I’ve wondered that too.

The ones I am thinking of are the handpatting “first responder witnesses to her trauma” who realise after last week’s trainwreck that she has been a little bit economical with the truth, and are wondering what awaits them on the stand.
Perhaps a fear that a few injudicious late night “Yeah grrrls! Let’s get him!” texts might come to light?

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:31 pm

That one’s a bit clearer indeed!!! Still, I guess you’re right – they could be doctored..

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 3:31 pm

BBS:
Petition EN4434 – Conduct inquiry into affirmation practices for children identifying as transgender
https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4434

Dun and passed on…
Ta!

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:32 pm

The best drivers in descending order:
Rally drivers

No argument. Most good drivers can just from one car to another.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:34 pm

I recall a few (?) high profile cases where the person didn’t turn up… pretty sure Brian Burke was one…

“Funny” when I had to do jury duty. One lady got called up and said she wanted to exempt herself as she ran a business and the jury fees wouldn’t cover her costs. The judge said “too bad. It’s your civic duty.”

A few jurists later, one lady got up and said she was having anxiety. The judge let her go.

(A pro tip if you ever get called up!)

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:36 pm

(But I suspect most Cats would relish the thought of being on a jury)… 😛

JMH
JMH
October 10, 2022 3:36 pm

Delta Asays:
October 10, 2022 at 3:05 pm

At 9:12 am, BBS posted a respectful request that octogenarians refrain from posting intimate details about their breasts and sex life. Has this perfectly reasonable post been removed?

I bloody hope not. I thought it was a well-written, tactful piece of advice that had, when I saw it, around 19 to 20 approval stars. A great shame if it has been deep-sixed.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:38 pm

Or from bike to car. I got stuck in Coffs Harbour when some rally was on. Mercedes Benz had given Mick Doohan a C63 and some tyres. He destroyed them, which was the idea.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
October 10, 2022 3:39 pm

FREE SPEECH

PayPal Still Threatens $2500 Fines for Promoting “Discriminatory” “Intolerance” (Even if Not “Misinformation”)

EUGENE VOLOKH

One of the violations listed, according to the agreement, is that … “[users] may not use the PayPal service for activities that … involve the sending, posting, or publication of any messages, content, or materials that, in PayPal’s sole discretion … promote misinformation.”

But it appears that the policy continues to be in effect for other speech, according to PayPal’s official Acceptable Use Policy, last updated Sept. 20, 2021:

Violation of this Acceptable Use Policy constitutes a violation of the PayPal User Agreement and may subject you to damages, including liquidated damages of $2,500.00 U.S. dollars per violation, which may be debited directly from your PayPal account(s) as outlined in the User Agreement (see “Restricted Activities and Holds” section of the PayPal User Agreement).

Prohibited activities

And the cited “Restricted Activities and Holds” policy makes clear that “Actions We May Take if You Engage in Any Restricted Activities” are determined based on PayPal making the decision “in our sole discretion,” if Paypal “believe[s] that you’ve engaged in any of these activities.”

So if PayPal “in [its] sole discretion” concludes that you’re using PayPal “for activities that … relate to transactions involving … promotion of” “discriminatory” “intolerance”—presumably including distributing publications, or for that matter buying publications (since that’s an activity related to transactions involving the promotion of certain views)—it can just take $2500 straight from your account.

Might you, for instance, be sharply criticizing a religion? Or saying things that sharply condemn, say, government officials (police, FBI, etc.) in ways that some might say involve “promotion of hate”? Or praising people who have acted violently (e.g., in what you think is justifiable self-defense, or defense of others, or even war or revolution)? If PayPal thinks it’s bad, it’ll just take your money.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
October 10, 2022 3:42 pm

A pro tip if you ever get called up!)

I was told “Turn up, wearing your best suit, your R.S.L. badge, and a unit/regimental tie. Defence counsel doesn’t like ex servicemen on the jury – they tend to believe the accused must be guilty, or he/she wouldn’t have been arrested in the first place.”

Speedbox
October 10, 2022 3:46 pm

areff says:
October 10, 2022 at 3:14 pm
The best drivers in descending order:
Rally drivers

Jolly decent of you old chap.

By the way, I would probably have a place for circuit racers one step ahead of Speedway.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Retired from posting plagiarised material at the Cat.

Something which only you & JC care about, to the point of unhealthy obsession.
(Something for you to reflect upon)

Not retired from doing Powerpoint presentations to other tax-eaters.

You know his role is to make Powerpoint presentations…. how?

Do you really, really, want that to run to a Cat poll?

This is about an event purported to have happened on the old Cat, about Ten years ago.
Why would I care? Especially when it is an event I didn’t see the first time around.

Why do you need a poll? You mean you do not have names at your fingertips?
I’m beginning to see how much time retirees have on their hands, & what they obsess over if they’re the type who’re unable to entertain themselves gainfully.

It is Ten years ago dude.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 3:50 pm

The Biden Regime’s latest target, a Christian family of five from Texas, are set to be sentenced this week in the DC Federal Court. Chief Justice Howell will decide the fate of the Munn family, who pled guilty to attending the January 6th “Stop the Steal” Rally on a family trip. Their sentencing is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 12th and they need help.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/10/texas-christian-family-five-set-sentenced-next-week-january-6th-participation-please-help-family-patriots/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=2022-10-09

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Shorter PayPal: We’ll take from you any amount of money we please, whenever we please, in multiples of USD$2500

Yeah, that should do wonders for subscriber numbers.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:53 pm

In deference to struth, truck drivers deserve mention. Getting the deck of the 3rd trailer with 6 inches of a loading ramp when you 60 feet away is impressive.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:55 pm

HB

you forgot Italians. Crazy mutha drivers (but still exceptionally skilled)!!!

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 3:57 pm

And I’ll lump this “guy” in with the ladydriver lot:

Anthony Albanese has revealed he had to beg to be allowed to drive a car. And the police accompanied him anyway.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 3:57 pm

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FeoSkfQWIAA_IP4?format=jpg&name=small
They cannot bring back the noose quick enough.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 3:57 pm

Euros might be the only reason you will be able to order a manual car in 10 years time.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 3:58 pm

Link to story above:
Here.

Eyrie
Eyrie
October 10, 2022 3:59 pm

One lady got called up and said she wanted to exempt herself as she ran a business and the jury fees wouldn’t cover her costs. The judge said “too bad. It’s your civic duty.”
In Queensland it isn’t in the material they send out but if you look on line, there it is: Self employment is an exemption.
Mrs Eyrie found out 3 weeks after getting Australian citizenship.

Eyrie
Eyrie
October 10, 2022 4:02 pm

God, Winston. There are some total pieces of shit in the world. It isn’t for us to judge, just to expedite the earliest possible meeting with He who will.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:02 pm

Oh God. It’s the first time I’ve been here to day and the motel employee is still in denial. Jeez.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 10, 2022 4:04 pm

What insanity leads us to rush off the climate cataclysm closing coal cliff while continuing to export millions of tonnes to other countries for their energy production?

Three words.
Mining royalties.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 4:06 pm

Laruen Kay Dean pleaded guilty to murder of her 7-year-old daughter who had Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy on Wednesday.
According to KTRK, Lauren Kay Dean, then 26, left her special needs daughter, who required a feeding tube and 24/7 care, at home with her two younger siblings so she could go out and party at Shade’s Bar.
Police arrived to Lauren Kay Dean’s apartment on January 31, 2020 to conduct a welfare check when they discovered the deceased child. Two other children, aged 3 months and 5 years at the time, were also found in the home.
Words fail me.

Bear Necessities
Bear Necessities
October 10, 2022 4:08 pm

Lehrmann’s legal representation are doing their job properly. They could of gone down the politically correct path and be ‘nice’ to Higgins. But they have decided that they would directly and brutally attack her on the inconsistencies in her evidence. That’s why we have the adversarial system. It is the best way to extract the truth.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:08 pm

It pays to read the fine print on jury duty. There are a range of exemptions. Holding an LLB is one in WA that I have used a couple of times. My boss used the self employed exemption. Jury duty enables you to see people at their best and worst.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:11 pm

That’s why we have the adversarial system. It is the best way to extract the truth.

The common law has a few hundred years of trial and error behind it.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:12 pm

My boss used the self employed exemption.

I used that to get out of it a couple of months ago. I didn’t know you could use that excuse as I called to get an extension because to the family business thing and the gal said I could exempt myself.

Wonderful.

Bear, I thought you are a lawyer anyway, no? So your work colleague would get an exemption.

Rabz
October 10, 2022 4:12 pm

But I suspect most Cats would relish the thought of being on a jury

Never again. Once was enough and it was quite possibly the most unpleasant ordeal of my life. If ever notified again I will move heaven and earth to avoid ending up on a jury.

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 4:15 pm

ZK2A:

I was told “Turn up, wearing your best suit, your R.S.L. badge, and a unit/regimental tie. Defence counsel doesn’t like ex servicemen on the jury – they tend to believe the accused must be guilty, or he/she wouldn’t have been arrested in the first place.”

“Orright, RSM – March the guilty bastard in!”

Major Sun Tzu.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
October 10, 2022 4:17 pm

BBS, thank you for your advice which I trust you will now proffer to Calli re her ‘beloved’ and the many other people both male and female, your good self included indeed, who may make personal references or reminiscences here. In my view the blog loses much if such strictures are applied. They are not necessary unless individuals wish to creat trouble and havoc, which unfortunately some rather alarmingly do wish to do. Many others enjoy a wide-ranging commentary.

Please note I was not the person yesterday who brought up the topic of my breasts in reference to a long ago conversation playfully made on Sinc’s thread and my reply was simply to correct an incorrect impression of them once the issue was brought into play. Again, it was not brought into play by me. But it referred deleteriously to my body. My body, so surely my choice, my dear.

Dover has set a good tone and I will only listen to his advice re his blog. Not that such as yours, where no matter how well meant, the tone is overly sententious towards me.

Octogenarians are a diverse lot, so much like people in all other age groups. This may surprise some. It should not.

I regret that my non-presence last night caused trouble for Dover. I must have special powers to manage that!

Sent from my phone.

Heading to the U S of A tomorrow. Will be in touch sometime.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 10, 2022 4:18 pm

Any chance can we make the Cat a Cory Bernardi free zone?

We should address the “perfection is the enemy of good” syndrome.
Many good conservative talking points come from flawed conservatives. When we ignore the benefit of a current idea from Cory because we believe he was wrong in the past, we miss an opportunity to ride on the coat tails of his current position.
Credlin, Bolt, Joyce, Fordham and so on have taken positions that many disagree with BUT have also made solid arguments on many other issues.
IMHO, it’s best to let past mistakes lie and for conservatives to run with the good points currently under discussion.
Copy the Left’s MO – ignore what we disagree with, at least when debating the enemy.

Sinistra delenda est.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:20 pm

Bear, I thought you are a lawyer anyway, no? So your work colleague would get an exemption.

Only practiced for a couple of years before I went off and did something more interesting.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:21 pm

IMHO, it’s best to let past mistakes lie and for conservatives to run with the good points currently under discussion.

Remind me, what are the “good points” conservatives are currently running with or “under discussion”?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 4:21 pm

You can hardly take a photo of UKR soldiers, officers, spokesmen, journalists, or politicians without Nazi insignia (swastika, Schutzstaffel, Black Sun, Totenkopf, and the like) finding itself somewhere in the photo, whether as tattoos, bracelets, patches, t-shirts, etc.

Russian soldiers too. It’s something in the water in those parts or something.
Seen lots, starting from the Wagner group founder and working down.

sfw
sfw
October 10, 2022 4:23 pm

Thanks for all the paypal suggestions. I do like the idea of being Trumps food taster.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:23 pm

Only practiced for a couple of years before I went off and did something more interesting.

Funny that, I reckon I’ve yet to meet a lawyer who likes practicing law or hasn’t left and doing something else.

bespoke
bespoke
October 10, 2022 4:24 pm

Bar Beach Swimmersays:
October 10, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Discussion on mass-formation

Sounds like another name for institutionalization. Iv delt with long serving prisoners a welfare recipients. Severing the dependence on the system takes a long time.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:24 pm

Jury duty is best avoided. As is all dealings with the public.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 4:24 pm

JCsays:

October 10, 2022 at 4:02 pm

Oh God. It’s the first time I’ve been here to day and the motel employee is still in denial. Jeez.

I know, right?
Pretty pointless.
I mean, most Cats who were around then remember the Mk50 plagiarism incident well. They are not going to be swayed by the current round of dissembling.
And the small minority* of avid support will continue to be dazzled by the braid on the cuff, the time-server tin on the chest and in thrall to Admiral Cuttenpaste’s tales of derring-do on the high seas (6th floor, Russell Offices).

….
* Numbering precisely 1 (one).

Vicki
Vicki
October 10, 2022 4:26 pm

Re jury duty: I did a jury stint quite a few years ago. A pretty straight forward robbery case. I was pleasantly surprised at the reason, fairness & concern my fellow jurors showed. Maybe I was lucky. For once, I had relatively little to say & the elected jury foreman did an excellent job.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 4:28 pm

I think the neo-nazi subculture gets a run in eastern europe, including Russia, because there’s a lot of ennui with the system. When you have corrupt oligarchs running the place it may seem to the young guys that the system is against them. So they chase militant alt-culture. Those guys also are the sort that might be attracted to service with the private military companies and bunches like Azov. I suspect if you took the shirts off a dozen random French Foreign Legions guys you’d find more than a few similar tatts.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:29 pm

There’s a window where you can get out before the $$$$ make it too hard to leave. I’ve got a few mates who are partners and quite happy with all that that entails. I never gave a shit about the money and walked. I was never suited to it anyway.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 4:31 pm

So.
How many days does Lehrmann’s legal team standby on full pay whilst Britnah reclines on the fainting couch eating comfort chocolate?

Chris
Chris
October 10, 2022 4:32 pm

At 9:12 am, BBS posted a respectful request that octogenarians refrain from posting intimate details about their breasts and sex life. Has this perfectly reasonable post been removed?

A perfectly reasonable request can be it seems a very pointed sh1t-stir.
I for one highly approve of literate and interesting people posting whatever meets the needs of the current conversation, and those wanting to seek offense can fuck right off.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:37 pm

A perfectly reasonable request can be it seems a very pointed sh1t-stir.

I approve of suitable shit stirring.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:38 pm

Sanchez

I made two huge errors last evening.

1. I suggested the person who discovered the plagiarism was 2Dogs. 2Dogs corrected me today with the link to the lifted thread, which appeared on the Duel Thread and it was sdog.

2. The other mistake is that I said Admiral Thirtwhistle Adonis had lifted a piece from the American Greatness blog. It was in fact from American Thinker.

Funny as

We’ve gone from..
1. Prove it or didn’t happen.
2. He’s an admiral so it doesn’t matter.
3. He’s not retired so that negates the possibility he stole the piece.
4. He should be forgiven and it’s been 10 years.
5. JC and Sanchez are lying.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
October 10, 2022 4:38 pm

The older chooks round my area really look after themselves and still look good. Teach most of the younger ones a lesson. Ladies, keep it up! I’ve known my MiL for 50 years, at 85 still ok. Anyway its whats in your head and heart that counts.

Zipster
Zipster
October 10, 2022 4:39 pm
JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:42 pm

WSJ piece by Holman Jenkins. The starting sentence is funny.

Vladimir Putin has gotten himself into an increasingly ridiculous situation, holding a gun to his own head and saying, “Meet my demands or the idiot gets it.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-nuclear-weapons-and-my-emailers-russia-ukraine-war-demands-energy-nord-stream-pipeline-occupied-territory-11665176276?mod=opinion_featst_pos2

shatterzzz
October 10, 2022 4:46 pm

But I suspect most Cats would relish the thought of being on a jury

Not this one! .. I got the ‘call-up” last month and whinged to my local MP about why at 74 they want me .. letter back saying they’d decided they didn’t want me after all .. might of had something to do with me adding .. after 30 odd years in a drug addled “houso” estate and watching plod take back-handers left, right & centre there’d be no chance of me finding anyone guilty of anything based on plod, presented, “evidence” ! ..

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 10, 2022 4:47 pm

JC
Remind me, what are the “good points” conservatives are currently running with or “under discussion”?

1. Archbishop Comensoli’s criticism of Dan Andrews.
2. Mark Steyn’s constant public reminders of vaccine injury in the UK.
3. Andrew Thorburn’s defence of his Christian values.
4. Liz Truss and her mandate to the King not to address COP27.
5. Andrew Bolt berating the SMH for belatedly praising a play about white people pretending to be black.
6. Alan Jones talking about violence against Aboriginal women.
7. Jacinta Price being a loud indigenous opponent of the Voice.
8. Rowan Dean publicising the “jumbo jets” of excess deaths since Jan 2022.
9. Anything Nigel Farage says.
10. All topics by presenters and attendees at CPAC.
11. Many posts here.

That’s just a short list of issues that conservatives are interested in right now.
I assume you meant “what are conservative politicians talking about” and to that point I’d have to say whatever gets them elected, and therefore much of the above is deliberately removed from their radar. Incorrectly of course.
Bastards.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 4:48 pm

there may be a perfectly plausible reason for that patch

Dover, please. You were going on about Totenkopf insignia. If there’s perfectly plausible reasons for such on the Russian allied side you could say the same about the UKR side, like that DNR guy’s patch. Except I don’t. There’s no excuse for either side to have these guys in their ranks, or they should all shut up about it. As you well know there’s Chechens fighting on both sides for example. Maniacs. Incidentally Col Utkin has a rather nice tatt of the Nazi eagle on his upper right chest that is similar to that Russian soldier’s very artistic back tatt.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 4:48 pm

I am OK with octogenarian soft porn being posted.
I just want fair warning if Dover upgrades to video blog with preview, that’s all.
I don’t want to Britney my brekkie all over the new carpet.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:51 pm

I read an interesting piece about the pipeline going kaboom. The dude reckons that he spoke to an expert who reckons the pipeline may very well have been an accidental explosion.

The expert suggested that when these pipelines are not in use, you need to be very careful with them as you have to release pressure on both sides over a period of weeks so you don’t end up with bubbles being created in the (pipe’s) chamber. The Russians were apparently releasing pressure from their side. Also, you can’t leave the pipe filled when there’s no flow. The other possible telltale is the second major explosion occurred about 17 hours after the first one. That’s more conducive to the bubble theory. Lastly, apparently the Russians are terrible at maintaining this crap.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 10, 2022 4:52 pm

How many days does Lehrmann’s legal team standby on full pay whilst Britnah reclines on the fainting couch eating comfort chocolate?

It appears that the “he raped me” team strategy has moved from let’s get him found guilty by a court to the process is the punishment.

rosie
rosie
October 10, 2022 4:53 pm

From earlier, well aware that mining continues because royalties must continue.
It just says a lot about the reality of the climate emergency.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 4:54 pm

Which of these points below are going to persuade the average punter?

1. Archbishop Comensoli’s criticism of Dan Andrews.
2. Mark Steyn’s constant public reminders of vaccine injury in the UK.
3. Andrew Thorburn’s defence of his Christian values.
4. Liz Truss and her mandate to the King not to address COP27.
5. Andrew Bolt berating the SMH for belatedly praising a play about white people pretending to be black.
6. Alan Jones talking about violence against Aboriginal women.
7. Jacinta Price being a loud indigenous opponent of the Voice.
8. Rowan Dean publicising the “jumbo jets” of excess deaths since Jan 2022.
9. Anything Nigel Farage says.
10. All topics by presenters and attendees at CPAC.
11. Many posts here.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
October 10, 2022 4:54 pm

We’ve gone from..
1. Prove it or didn’t happen.
2. He’s an admiral so it doesn’t matter.
3. He’s not retired so that negates the possibility he stole the piece.
4. He should be forgiven and it’s been 10 years.
5. JC and Sanchez are lying.

A high seas uptick.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 4:55 pm

I expect the chances of Nordstream exploding by accident to be close to zero. Clearly operating a pipeline in a war zone has its challenges.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 10, 2022 4:56 pm

JC
Which of these points below are going to persuade the average punter?

To do what?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 4:58 pm

I really don’t know why people clutch pearls over Nazi and neo-Nazi subculture in Russia. Or Ukraine and everywhere else in eastern Europe. I hate it all, especially as it feeds the antisemitism that seems always to go with it. But surprised I am not. It’s been there since the fall of the Soviet Union, it’s a reactionary thing. To be expected. I said several times that St Petersburg seems to be a particular centre for that subculture, and I really would not be surprised if Kiev was too (which it seems to be). Get a brain people, this is the culture of those lands. Baddies vs baddies.

Slim Cognito
Slim Cognito
October 10, 2022 4:59 pm

Juries are full of people who were not smart enough to get out of jury duty.

bespoke
bespoke
October 10, 2022 4:59 pm

Way back on the old octogenarian was used as an insult against johanna many times.
Funny that.

Zipster
Zipster
October 10, 2022 4:59 pm

How many days does Lehrmann’s legal team standby on full pay whilst Britnah reclines on the fainting couch eating comfort chocolate?

Peel me a grape.

m0nty
October 10, 2022 4:59 pm

That fake Nazi bracelet is the worst attempt at a gotcha. Russian vatniks are posting L after L.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 5:02 pm

Get a brain people, this is the culture of those lands. Baddies vs baddies.

Yep, like Russia in Chechnya. Forget the Geneva Convention there.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:03 pm

Bear

Look, we also have to entertain the possibility it blew up by accident if what the expertologist is saying is true. If the Russian numbskulls were releasing pressure from their side of the pipe without notifying the krauts on the others side, then the freaking thing could very well have blown up. I’m not suggesting this is beyond debate, but it’s worth considering. I’m not a pipeologist though and simply retelling the story as I heard. We should ask the two pipeologists here for their expert opinion. Uncle Fester and Hallard Hughes would know the answer like it was on the back of their hand. Can you ask, as they’re on a JC strike at present.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:05 pm

Old School Conservative says:
October 10, 2022 at 4:56 pm

JC
Which of these points below are going to persuade the average punter?

To do what?

What do you think? How about loosening leftwing support.

Zipster
Zipster
October 10, 2022 5:06 pm

It appears that the “he raped me” team strategy has moved from let’s get him found guilty by a court to the process is the punishment. rack up some chunky fees

covfefe

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
October 10, 2022 5:08 pm

I am in mourning.

I broke my whiskey tasting glass. (You know, the sort of tulip shaped ones which have a base but no stem, with a rounded bowl below and a narrower top.)

bespoke
bespoke
October 10, 2022 5:11 pm

I broke my whiskey tasting glass

Wouldn’t happen if it was in can, ML

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 5:11 pm

Bruce O’Newk:

this is the culture of those lands. Baddies vs baddies.

I tried to give you 27 dickless upticks for that one.
It seems I am not yet one of Coders of Iniquity.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
October 10, 2022 5:12 pm

I am OK with octogenarian soft porn being posted.

‘He unhooked her, and she burst free of her brassiere like a faulty roller blind slapping down the hull of a container ship.’

Wally Dalí
Wally Dalí
October 10, 2022 5:12 pm

I am in mourning.

I broke my whiskey tasting glass. (You know, the sort of tulip shaped ones which have a base but no stem, with a rounded bowl below and a narrower top.)

You’re overthinking it, ML

Winston Smith
October 10, 2022 5:12 pm

Mother Lode:

I broke my whiskey tasting glass. (You know, the sort of tulip shaped ones which have a base but no stem, with a rounded bowl below and a narrower top.)

You idiot – that’s a vase.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
October 10, 2022 5:13 pm

The West is on the road to energy ruin

Green policies have crippled Europe. They will do the same to America

But are the high prices really Putin’s fault? He didn’t sanction himself, after all. It’s the West that chose to cut itself off from the Russian fossil fuels upon which it had come to rely. Moreover, the sanctions have failed — Russia’s corporate profits leapt 25 percent between the imposition of the sanctions and the end of August.

So what are the origins of the current energy crisis? When did it really begin?

Let’s play a game. Guess which year these headlines are from: “Curtailed ammonia production in Antwerp and Ludwigshafen.” “High natural gas prices lead to a shutdown of British fertilizer plants.” “Diesel Shortage Amid Soaring Prices: Truck Stops Resort To Rationing.” If you guessed 2022, you’d be wrong. Those are all from September 2021.

The truth is that the energy crisis began to take effect late last year. A combination of post-Covid demand rebound, a wind drought in Europe and depleted fossil fuel storage on the continent all collided to put serious pressure on the world’s industrial systems. Add the longstanding overinvestment in unreliable renewables, nuclear plant closures across the world in the wake of the Fukushima disaster and a global drop of more than 50 percent in oil and gas investment — from $700 billion to $300 billion — between 2014 and last year, and you have everything you need to kick off a global energy crunch. Russian tank treads running from the Donbas to Kyiv just made it all worse.

When politicians blame Putin, they’re deflecting from their own failures. It’s hard to blame them, especially if they’re European. Aluminum smelters in the EU have had to shutter operations, as have fertilizer plants, glass factories and various other manufacturers. Germany, the continent’s largest economy, is about to lose much of its manufacturing base to high energy prices. Industry and union leaders have been sounding the alarm for months, warning that Germany’s manufacturing sector could collapse without enough energy.

MatrixTransform
October 10, 2022 5:16 pm

A great shame if it has been deep-sixed.

no, no … I just checked … they’re still there

JMH
JMH
October 10, 2022 5:19 pm

MatrixTransformsays:
October 10, 2022 at 5:16 pm
A great shame if it has been deep-sixed.

no, no … I just checked … they’re still there

I thought as much when Lizzie tumbled in and berated BBS for her audacity! 🙂

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
October 10, 2022 5:20 pm
Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 5:21 pm

Mother Lodesays:

October 10, 2022 at 5:08 pm

I am in mourning.

I broke my whiskey tasting glass.

Back to necking the bottle, then?

calli
calli
October 10, 2022 5:21 pm

Saying farewell to Scotland today. The full moon on the Clyde…not that I saw the river but it does sound evocative.

What I did see, and the taxi driver commented upon, was a truckload of bagged coal being delivered to households.

So much for the carbins.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:22 pm

Zipster says:
October 10, 2022 at 5:06 pm

It appears that the “he raped me” team strategy has moved from let’s get him found guilty by a court to the process is the punishment. rack up some chunky fees

covfefe

That’s the prosecution though, aren’t they government employees?

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 10, 2022 5:24 pm

m0ntysays:
October 10, 2022 at 4:59 pm
That fake Nazi bracelet is the worst attempt at a gotcha. Russian vatniks are posting L after L.

m0nti-fa has been posting L after L on matters involving explosion dynamics and photo interpretation, and now criticises others for “posting L after L”. ROFLMAO.

How is the Wiki study going? Learned about stereo pairs yet?

Diogenes
Diogenes
October 10, 2022 5:24 pm

Re jury duty:

Mrs D was called up for jury duty at the very start of the Covid bullshit.

Break and Enter, Stealing and Assault.

The defendant was representing himself.
After 2 weeks of being called in every day, and often sent home after 2 hours without setting foot in courtroom, as the defendant caught a cold, and because of the stupidity of the covid rules it had to be abandoned.

They were ready to find him guilty.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 5:26 pm

At least two explosions were heard in central Kyiv shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 BST).

A BBC crew on the roof of our hotel witnessed one of the missile strikes. Air raid sirens had sounded about 90 minutes earlier.

This is the first time Kyiv has been hit for many months and the explosions also appear to be much more central than strikes earlier in the war.

There are reports of overnight attacks in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia as well.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-63193124

Tintarella di Luna
Tintarella di Luna
October 10, 2022 5:26 pm

If ever notified again I will move heaven and earth to avoid ending up on a jury.

Rabz, you could use the excuse my dear departed Mother in Law used; when asked if she would carefully consider the evidence she said she’d see but said she thought anyone that was before the court must be guilty – she was not selected.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:27 pm

Lord this is great to watch.

London is fed up with climate wankers…

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 5:27 pm

Always bring a book to jury duty and hospitals.

Delta A
Delta A
October 10, 2022 5:30 pm

A great shame if it has been deep-sixed.

no, no … I just checked … they’re still there

You are quite correct. Apologies to all concerned.

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 5:33 pm

Am amazed at how calm this UKR dude in his car in the centre of Kiev is…

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
October 10, 2022 5:33 pm

I broke my whiskey tasting glass. (You know, the sort of tulip shaped ones which have a base but no stem, with a rounded bowl below and a narrower top.)

Tragedy!

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 10, 2022 5:36 pm

Given what DPR was up against since 2014 the patch just may have been a trophy.

LOL. Look at the photo.

I really don’t care. This is a stupid war between cousins. I have Russian friends but no Ukrainian ones. Some of the Russians have left for elsewhere. They’re uni types – I’ve worked with several over the years and Russians and Australians always get along famously in my field, at least as far as I’ve experienced. A similar can-do mindset. The damage to Russia is nearly as bad as the damage to Ukraine. I am sad this is happening and I wish it would stop.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 5:37 pm

H B Bearsays:

October 10, 2022 at 5:27 pm

Always bring a book to jury duty and hospitals.

Preferably Windschuttle’s book on Pell.
And make sure the prosecution see it.
For the defence, my Clint Eastwood “Hang ‘Em High!” tee-shirt seems to do the trick.

calli
calli
October 10, 2022 5:37 pm

I am in mourning.

I broke my whiskey tasting glass. (You know, the sort of tulip shaped ones which have a base but no stem, with a rounded bowl below and a narrower top.

Poor pet. Saw stacks of them in the travels – like cognac glasses cut off at the knees.

I bought the boys some of those dinky double handled ones for sharing. And hip flasks for golf which are far more practical.

Naturally they would prefer the consumables rather than the containers, but then I would have to get an import license.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:38 pm

Lordie

Power prices in Australia will soar by at least 35 per cent in 2023 amid a choppy energy transition and the closure of coal plants, the nation’s fourth-largest electricity retailer said.

“Next year using the current market prices, tariffs are going up a minimum 35 per cent,” Alinta chief executive Jeff Dimery told an energy conference in Sydney.

“It’s horrendous, it’s unpalatable. We don’t want energy consumers getting their power bills and setting fire to them.”

And

“Just looking at the wholesale markets and buying as a retailer you’re selling retail energy, and you have to buy the energy in the wholesale market,” EnergyAustralia CEO Mark Collette said.

“Just go back a year, wholesale electricity prices are up four times from $60 per megawatt hour to $240MWh. Gas is up from $10 a gigajoule to $50 on the current ACCC netback. That’s four or five times, and it’s massive. It’s putting a lot of upward pressure on tariffs.”

Second-tier retailer Momentum Energy said there would be price hikes.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
October 10, 2022 5:41 pm

You are all being so very beastly about my glass.

For what it is worth, and I know it sounds like mere histrionics, but I feel…abandoned. We had such good times, and I looked forward to more and better times ahead.

The long nights brooding over an Islay, or gambolling through the glades with a Highlands, or even listening to music with a Speyside waiting for the traffic lights to change.

But they are all gone.

Now it is back to using a straw.

And you’re all a bunch of cads!

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 10, 2022 5:41 pm

Albo’s promised energy price falls will be in trouble. Back to the models.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:46 pm

Hey, but we need to relax. Energy prices will be fine as we transition to renewballs. Renewballs are miles cheaper.

JMH
JMH
October 10, 2022 5:47 pm

Mother Lodesays:
October 10, 2022 at 5:41 pm

You are all being so very beastly about my glass.

For what it is worth, and I know it sounds like mere histrionics, but I feel…abandoned. We had such good times, and I looked forward to more and better times ahead.

Do you not have a Snifter on hand ? Or was it your Snifter you trashed? 🙂

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 5:48 pm

Unconfirmed reports Zelensky’s office hit.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
October 10, 2022 5:48 pm

(When I say you are a bunch of cads, I don’t mean each of you is a bunch of cads – that would make you like Septimus – I mean each of you us one cad, and when there is a bunch of you, you comprise a bunch of cads.

It is important to be accurate. Many a righteous tizz has been undone by a poor or ambiguous turn phrase.)

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
October 10, 2022 5:48 pm

I’ll break the lurking mode this once, because that “Nazi” bracelet thing is just silly.
You can buy similar symbology at Etsy:

I agree. Nazism is more than a bit of jewellery, it is a vile totalitarianism, and the Nazi symbol is of course a very ancient one used religiously long before Nazism was ever known.

Arky, I’m a bit ‘me tooish’ with you in this breaking of the lurking mode. Why bother becomes the central issue, when so many other blogs can welcome our generally literate and informed commentary? Lurking here has its dangers, and is best not done too much: there are times when you can itch to just add a few words, a line or two, and then you might want to add more from some experience or other. The joy of the Cat once was that it individualised personalities and shared lives. Now people want to take that away due to peculiar hatreds or prescriptions and proscriptions, falsely made in the name of civility.

Civility is easy; it costs nothing but tolerance.

Arky, we are both smart and opinionated people who have shared quite a bit of our private lives here, in the same manner that many magazine columnists do; that is our style. Like them, that makes us real, and human. I do not regret that. You and I can still keep in touch by email, as we do.

Keep writing too, away from here. I will do so too. The best people here have been encouraging re our endeavours and are worth knowing. Dropping in to see them from time to time seems to me a good compromise and one I see other ‘old hands’ making.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 5:48 pm

Mother Lodesays:
October 10, 2022 at 5:41 pm
You are all being so very beastly about my glass.

I have a traditional Scottish glass I can send you, if Dover can arrange it.

Zipster
Zipster
October 10, 2022 5:49 pm
calli
calli
October 10, 2022 5:50 pm

So…the hoarding/stockpiling of firewood is now augmented in these parts with coal deliveries. Ponder that for a moment. Yesterday I said that Glasgow is redder than Moscow…and it is. Any progressive cause will be latched onto with vigour, including the proposed street plaques in the merchant area decrying the money made from slavery. I kid you not.

When I commented to my walking tour guide that Scottish merchants weren’t the only ones profiting from the evil trade – African leaders rounding up their enemies for fun and profit, Arab middlemen – he was non plussed. It was as if he believed the slaves magically found themselves in the marketplace. And that the call to halt the trade began in…England. I may as well have confessed to being a Rangers supporter. 😀

But back to imminent global hellfire. The Climate Catastrophe Channel, formerly known as the BBC had a program on biofuel. The use of miscanthus, a fast growing grass, as fuel to be burned for electricity. Apart from the sheer inefficiency of the proposal and other obvious stupidity, the presenter claimed that burning miscanthus produced “less CO2 than other fuels because the Carbon is retained in the root system”.

This is where the “debate” is now. We are entering the phase of alchemy and wizardry. And don’t you dare contradict it or it’s the fire for you. But keep stockpiling that sweet, sweet burnin’ coal.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:50 pm

Why are ugly bulldykes always obsessively pushing for abortion? It’s not as though they’re going to get pregnant anytime soon unless it’s a midnight Friday night accident.

Get a load of the loud mouthed middle one.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 10, 2022 5:53 pm

Bugger!
That link to a traditional Scottish glass was a MacDonald’s Hamburglar glass.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
October 10, 2022 5:54 pm

Power prices in Australia will soar by at least 35 per cent in 2023 amid a choppy energy transition and the closure of coal plants, the nation’s fourth-largest electricity retailer said.

It won’t cause any inflation though and cause further tightening of the voters’ belts.
Not at all. Never.
You only have to look at the UK, the US and Europe to see how harmless energy hikes are.
Everyone knows that money doesn’t have to be backed by anything.

Now – back to Brittanneeee and her vapours.

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 5:55 pm

Unconfirmed reports Zelensky’s office hit.

Actor suddenly finds out that this isn’t a movie.

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 5:57 pm

amid a choppy energy transition

A car driving off a cliff is transitioning to flight according to these bozo’s.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
October 10, 2022 5:58 pm

Thanks for your update, Calli. It aligns well with everything that we saw in the UK in May, but now with the added frison of the looming doom of winter without affordable heating.

Meanwhile, the BBC still babbles on and on and on…..

Talk about fiddling while Rome burns.

JC
JC
October 10, 2022 5:59 pm

A car driving off a cliff is transitioning to flight according to these bozo’s.

LOl

Lysander
Lysander
October 10, 2022 5:59 pm

Also reports SBU hit.

rickw
rickw
October 10, 2022 6:00 pm

Just about to leave Dubai for Athens.

Happily COVID-19 is long forgotten, don’t tell The Bat Eared Mong or Victoria’s fascist corporations!

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

I am in mourning.
I broke my whiskey tasting glass. (You know, the sort of tulip shaped ones which have a base but no stem, with a rounded bowl below and a narrower top.)

I feel your pain ML.
Condolences.
If you desire a (near as you can get) replacement, you may find ebay is your friend.

calli
calli
October 10, 2022 6:04 pm

Rickw, Glasgow airport – zero masks. A few asians wandering around the streets here yesterday cosplaying the pandemic and that’s all.

If Australia insists on being idiotic, they’re the only ones left. Which is odd – we usually over-worry about what other countries think of us.

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 10, 2022 6:05 pm

JCsays:
October 10, 2022 at 5:46 pm
Hey, but we need to relax. Energy prices will be fine as we transition to renewballs. Renewballs are miles cheaper.

Homer P regularly appears over at CL’s, pushing exactly that line. Currently on the “Etched in the Minds of Thousands” thread, which started off about Gilliard’s “Misogyneeee” speech.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
October 10, 2022 6:06 pm

BBS can say what she likes as long as I keep my right of reply. And we keep it civil.
I am pleased that her comment, and mine, have both passed muster.

I am sure she is a perfectly nice woman. So am I. 🙂

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