Open Thread – Weekend 28 Jan 2023


Sailboat at Le Petit-Gennevilliers, Claude Monet, 1874


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Dot
Dot
January 29, 2023 9:24 pm

Moscow, another swamp that needs draining.

You know over there is a Russian miltonf raging about disgusting public servants in Mockba.

JC
JC
January 29, 2023 9:26 pm

Rockdoc

But even in the big cities it’s always prudent to carry cash. There’s nothing especially about rural areas other than weather events up north. In fact I’d rather be cashless in a town than a big city for obvious reasons.

Rabz
January 29, 2023 9:26 pm

Is western civilisation as it exists today worth defending?

NO.

However, were we to be plunged into an existential conflict I would utilise it as a long overdue opportunity to mightily settle some scores, mainly against the quisling deadsh*ts who enabled it.

So yeah, not fighting for the husk of this nation, but within it.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

There’s nothing especially about rural areas other than weather events up north.

The chances of an extended total failure of telephone, internet, & electricity services are greater.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
January 29, 2023 9:29 pm

More censorship by omission. The Project Veritas sting on Walker has been completely scrubbed from the Internet.

This is frankly Orwellian. This is evil. This must be stopped.

No
No, not scrubbed here
Nor here, not completely.

Perhaps there’s a special sealed edition of the Internet just for Australians.

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 29, 2023 9:29 pm

Viktor Suslov, a top economist at the Russian Academy of Sciences, has built up a body of work showing how this happens. In a 2018 paper, he and his collaborators argued that Russia’s Central Federal Region, which includes Moscow, acts like a black hole that absorbs about 35% more resources from other regions than it gives back. Siberia, the Ural region, the Far East and the Northwest (which includes St. Petersburg) each contribute 10% to 13% more than they receive. Unsurprisingly, Suslov is based in Novosibirsk, the center of one of the regions whose lifeblood is drained by the great Moscow pump.

The bit in bold sounds a lot like the ACT? Siberia, Urals, Far East and Northwest like Queensland, WA and regional areas of NSW and Victoria?

Bar Beach Swimmer
January 29, 2023 9:30 pm

Indolentsays:
January 29, 2023 at 8:25 pm

Poor John Campbell, he’s finally “lost his religion.”

https://youtu.be/xwtdhWltSIg

Rabz
January 29, 2023 9:30 pm

And the answer to that depressing list is this: What is your alternative?
You have no alternative

Hence my answer above, Arks – and apologies, I only got as far as your first sentence before deciding on an emphatic response.

Rabz
January 29, 2023 9:32 pm

a top economist at the Russian Academy of Sciences

Very much needed at the HKPA. Our “Top Men” are sounding him out right now, Cats. 🙂

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 9:34 pm

Serb and volley!

Makka
Makka
January 29, 2023 9:34 pm

No one in the west would even want to break up Russia. I doubt you could find any even a handful of proposals imagining this.

Biden has openly stated he wants regime change. And the USG’s Helsinki Commission is openly discussing breaking up Russia through “decolonization”.

https://www.csce.gov/international-impact/events/decolonizing-russia

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Auckland’s Five week blackout about 25 yrs ago is an outlier.
Then again, Melbourne had a corker of a blackout around the same era, though not five weeks.

Both of those events were followed by a noticeable muting of the chatter about the “death of cash” & the arrival of electronic banking.

JC
JC
January 29, 2023 9:36 pm

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity says:
January 29, 2023 at 9:29 pm

There’s nothing especially about rural areas other than weather events up north.

The chances of an extended total failure of telephone, internet, & electricity services are greater.

I made an exception for weather events, Dickforbrains. Read what I said, and in any event, that comment was directed to Rockdoc and not you, as you’re just there to abuse and bash around the ears. Bugger off.

Arky
January 29, 2023 9:37 pm

Rabz says:
January 29, 2023 at 9:30 pm

..
My initial response to the Ukraine war was:
1. These Ukes aren’t going to last 2 weeks against the Russkies.
2. After what you complete pricks have done to us these last two years you can F*** off getting any support from me for any more of your spastic overseas adventures.
..
I was awhile calming down and coming to slightly different conclusion about things as they unfolded.
I could still be very wrong. I don’t claim any special insight above those arguing against me. Just ststing it as I see it now.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
January 29, 2023 9:37 pm

Dot.

That would be veselyy krot
I’ve said a few times now anywhere that has an “ imperial” city lording it over everyone else cops strangulation by the capital

Gabor
Gabor
January 29, 2023 9:38 pm

Capital cities draining resources from the regions?
What a quaint idea. That’s where the votes are.
Show me a country where it happens in a worse way than Australia.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

I made an exception for weather events, Dickforbrains. Read what I said, and in any event, that comment was directed to Rockdoc and not you, as you’re just there to abuse and bash around the ears. Bugger off.

Maturity being exhibited, again.

Razey
Razey
January 29, 2023 9:38 pm

If it comes to it Arky, more than a few of us will fight with Russia.

See you on the battle field.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 9:39 pm

Calli et al:
A link to the list of terrorist victims endured by Israeli citizens.
It’s a very high price for the Israeli people to pay when their leaders deem this the price of ‘peace’.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
January 29, 2023 9:41 pm

Dali exasperated:

Melbourne crowd gee’ing up Tsitsipas between serves.

Umpire should start ejecting the loudmouths. It may only take one to serve as example.

Novaxx handed many charitable points to Tits-have-rash, but still ended up winning 2nd set.

Courier says “Tsitipas still learning how to behave in these high stakes games.”
Well that’s a nice way of saying that hitting it out or into the net is extra super annoying when you’re in the final.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 9:42 pm

Mother Lode:

Does anybody else remember where they were when they found out Amber Heard’s dog had stepped on a bee?

I didn’t know Heards came in different colours, let alone could own animals.

Arky
January 29, 2023 9:42 pm

Razey says:
January 29, 2023 at 9:38 pm
If it comes to it Arky, more than a few of us will fight with Russia

..
What’s stopping you?
I was asked that question and answered it.
What’s your answer?

m0nty
m0nty
January 29, 2023 9:43 pm

Easier said than done? How do you know this to be the case? Iran and Russia are separated only by the Caspian Sea. It wouldn’t be especially difficult for Russia to quickly assemble a decent air defence network in Iran.

Your theory is that Israel would sit back and watch Iran set up an air shield? Courageous.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 9:45 pm

Dr F.

Perhaps there’s a special sealed edition of the Internet just for Australians.

Could it be that this is how one becomes a ‘trusted source on the internet’?
By telling the faithful this is the only place to get the good stuff?

m0nty
m0nty
January 29, 2023 9:46 pm

As far as next moves go, one wonders whether the Russians are considering a sortie or two into Azerbaijan. They would presumably know where the attacks came from.

Then again Putin might save his ammo and his air shields to defend Russian territory. He barely has enough missiles for the Ukraine front as it is.

132andBush
132andBush
January 29, 2023 9:48 pm
JC
JC
January 29, 2023 9:49 pm

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity says:
January 29, 2023 at 9:38 pm

You’re an oppositional dickhead and have zero tolerance for you. I made the observation to RocDoc (not you) that city folk should also carry cash around just and excepted weather events in rural areas. Only a dickhead like you could raise an exception to such a comment. You dishonest blowhard. Just piss off.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

You’re an oppositional dickhead and have zero tolerance for you.

Maturity continues to be exhibited.

Zipster
Zipster
January 29, 2023 9:52 pm

Nigel Farage has warned that a new EU law that classifies insects as food will have a huge impact on the UK, urging the Government to enforce a “proper Brexit”.
The EU Commission recently approved “Acheta Domesticus”, more commonly known as crickets, to be used in ingredients in supermarket food if they are frozen, dried or pulverised.

JC
JC
January 29, 2023 9:54 pm

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity says:
January 29, 2023 at 9:52 pm

You’re an oppositional dickhead and have zero tolerance for you.

Maturity continues to be exhibited.

How’s it go again?

Pray for me

FMD.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 9:57 pm

Zipster:

Air Force General Predicts U.S. Will Be At War With China In 2025: ‘I Hope I Am Wrong’

There’s no point in trying to predict Chinese intentions. Every story, every photo, every video that comes out of China has been viewed by the Party/Intelligence/Armed Forces officials to adhere to what they want us to know.
All we can do is make sure we can deal with what they have the potential to do to us and remember:
“All warfare is based on deception.” Sun Tzu.

The goal of any conflict is to control your opponent and overcome them. Controlling their beliefs about your abilities helps you understand their assumptions and plan a strategy accordingly. As a well-known translation of Sun Tzu puts it, “all warfare is based on deception.”
Deception includes feigning weakness when you are strong or professing ignorance when you are informed. Appearing to be weak, unprepared, or small in size can lure your opponent into traps and make them susceptible to misguided actions or responses.
For instance, creating a scenario where only a small portion of your force is visible can mislead opponents into thinking they outnumber or outarm you. When they prepare an attack under that guise, they will be ill-prepared for the full strength of your forces.
Another example of the lesson that all warfare is based on deception is allowing your opponent to win small victories or gains. Your opponent may fall victim to greed or an inflated ego, which will confuse and hinder their strategy when the truth is revealed.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
January 29, 2023 10:00 pm

Could it be that this is how one becomes a ‘trusted source on the internet’?
By telling the faithful this is the only place to get the good stuff?

Being banned by the Internet is obviously a badge of honour for trusted bloggers and a validation for their disciples. Nothing says ‘relevance’ or ‘over the target’ quite like having Goggle or YouTube pull the plerg on you.

The grief and horror experienced when the Internet just stares back at you must be awful.

cohenite
January 29, 2023 10:01 pm

Air Force General Predicts U.S. Will Be At War With China In 2025: ‘I Hope I Am Wrong’

I hope he’s right; we won’t notice the closure of Eraring and we’ll be warmed by all those mushroom clouds.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

How’s it go again?
Pray for me

What are you on about?

I point out that a key difference between urban & rural is the chances of an extended blackout or failure of telecoms are much greater.

You carry on like Tiger Kelly when he jumped into the burr patch.
This is not how normal people behave & certainly not how mature people behave.

Makka
Makka
January 29, 2023 10:01 pm

“All warfare is based on deception.” Sun Tzu.

“In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.”= Winston Churchill.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 10:06 pm

Being banned by the Internet is obviously a badge of honour for trusted bloggers and a validation for their disciples. Nothing says ‘relevance’ or ‘over the target’ quite like having Goggle or YouTube pull the plerg on you.

Or pretending to be banned by, say, making slight adjustments to links to deliberately take people to a blind alley.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 10:07 pm

JC:

How positively Australian asking for a ban, sfw.

Tell u,s you’ve seen Wodney Woddenhead’s daily barrages against people here and the crude names he uses. Have you ever complained? No of course not. Then STFU.

Strange coming from someone who continually demands bans on Cats who refuse to put up with your verbal abuse.

Cassie of Sydney
January 29, 2023 10:08 pm

” new EU law that classifies insects as food”

Last week Youtuber Gad Saad had a great discussion with Michael Shellenberger. It’s worth listening to. Shellenberger debunks everyone about the UN/WEF climate change hysteria and dictates. One of the things Shellenberger discusses is this WEF UN EU dictate to encourage the world to eat bugs. It’s part of the plan to impoverish and starve us. As anyone with a smidgen of knowledge about human history would know, humans only ate bugs when other sources of protein were scarce or completely absent, usually due to grinding poverty or climatic and societal catastrophes such as drought, famine and war. Given the choice between a juicy cow or kangaroo and a bug, humans across the planet, ever since we came down from trees and began to walk, will always prefer the cow or kangaroo. Shellenberger went on to discuss how his wife is Korean and that in Korea there is a history of eating certain silkworm pupae, but this arose due to poverty, famine and war, when other more pleasurable supplies of protein were absent.

Of course, I can assure everyone that the elites in Davos didn’t eat any bugs.

JC
JC
January 29, 2023 10:12 pm

I point out that a key difference between urban & rural is the chances of an extended blackout or failure of telecoms are much greater.

Why should I give a rats about your point of view when I my comment was directed to rocdoc, you dishonest clow?

You carry on like Tiger Kelly when he jumped into the burr patch.

You carry on like a psychopathic criminal .

This is not how normal people behave & certainly not how mature people behave.

Counts you out then.

Driller, stop insinuating yourself in other people’s conversations. It’s bad manners and in a pub setting you’d get a whack in the jaw for doing so. Bugger off.

What are you on about?

The other week you pubbling again – pity trolling about the plight you got yourself into, and asked folks to pray for you. It was just pathetic. That’s all.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 10:12 pm

Cohenite:

Washington maybe but there’s some nice buildings in London. How about some dump in Ireland?

Bit harsh, Cohenite.
How about an enhanced radiation weapon? I’m sure the Russians have a few ready to assemble since their Greenpeace Allies forced the Wests governments to destroy theirs.

1

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
January 29, 2023 10:13 pm

And the answer to that depressing list is this: What is your alternative?
You have no alternative. All you have is God’s work of fighting all the above with all your might and defending this wonderful civilisation that gave us such brilliant lives of opportunity and happiness.

It’s much too late. The scale of the fall of a civilisation is far too big to be stopped once it has started. You’re asking for half a dozen senators to halt the fall of Rome.

The only thing to be done is try to keep your own sanity, to keep the sanity of your friends and family (who will disagree and laugh at you) and enjoy the decadence. Anything else is whistling in the graveyard to keep your spirits up.

JC
JC
January 29, 2023 10:13 pm

Whoops

Clown.

Wally Dalí
Wally Dalí
January 29, 2023 10:13 pm

Arky
What keeps my courage up now at what I’m sure is the threshold of the dark days ahead is pulling the foundations of western civilization closer around my family. Not saying it’s been easy rallying the troupe- in fact the blues which have gone on between me and my wife these last three years would probably have killed any relationship if not for the fact that we’re battling over fundamentals, not just petty niceties and fickle opinions, and because that’s the calibre we both respect the battle lines, and embrace the truce and respect the new detente when and if it comes.
Right now, we’re looking like a 50’s house all over again. We’re Catholic education, Methodist entertainment, Hayek money, Friedman economy.
I’m putting noses out of joint amongst some of our friends- reminder, a lot more important for wimmin and children than for me- but it seems I’m annoying all the right people.
I am worried that our kids will become pariahs, tho. Firstborn was a precocious talker and therefore listener, and is starting to come up with some darkly vicious one-liners… youngest is still coming to tdeal with anxiety, which I have to bear much of the blame for… unfortunately the only solution is to support her to get her stronger.
We- and there might be a few Cats n Kitts in this- might have to spend a generation or two living like the Amish or the Ashkenazis. Coercion is one thing I can easily resist… conscription? I’ll lead the charge against, don’t care which bug eating surrender monkeys I’m holding up the banner with.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
January 29, 2023 10:16 pm

Of course, I can assure everyone that the elites in Davos didn’t eat any bugs.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
January 29, 2023 10:16 pm

Robert Sewell says: January 29, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Yeah, yeah, Sun Tzu this and Sun Tzu that, but what does that mean for China today?
All their nukes are just fake inflatables?
They secretly have 10 million frogmen with rubber-duckies and Red Bull six-packs to zerg-rush all our capitals simultaneously?
It’s just FUD to say the enemy is using deception even more than the deception you already suspect.
Besides, hasn’t the Foreign Investment Review Board let the first wave through without a shot fired?

m0nty
m0nty
January 29, 2023 10:17 pm

How about an enhanced radiation weapon?

Sure, if you want to make it a three cornered contest between the Allies, Russia and the triffids.

rickw
rickw
January 29, 2023 10:21 pm

Woolworths that had no Australia Day merch is festooned with Happy Lunar New Year posters.

Anything but Australia.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 10:22 pm

OCO:

I don’t think it’s that obvious. The USSR =/= Russia, for a start.

It’s a matter of opinion, OCO. I think you’re wrong, but it isn’t worth getting riled over.

Digger
Digger
January 29, 2023 10:23 pm

Why the Victorian or federal governments need to move to save the wreck of the Cerberus….

Dived a fair bit on the Cerberus when I was the Victoria Command Diving Supervisor from 1976 to 78 and it was a bit of a mess then and really showing it’s age. We did some rudimentary repairs but nothing permanent or substantial. It really needs a comprehensive survey and a fully funded recovery effort before it is too late.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

JCsays: January 29, 2023 at 10:12 pm
Why should I give a rats about your point of view when I my comment was directed to rocdoc, you dishonest clow?
You carry on like a psychopathic criminal .
Counts you out then.
Driller, stop insinuating yourself in other people’s conversations. It’s bad manners and in a pub setting you’d get a whack in the jaw for doing so. Bugger off.
The other week you pubbling again – pity trolling about the plight you got yourself into, and asked folks to pray for you. It was just pathetic. That’s all.

Yep, maturity on full display, again.

Arky
January 29, 2023 10:24 pm

Wally Dalí says:
January 29, 2023 at 10:13 pm

..
You just described much of what we ourselves have thought and been through lately.

custard
custard
January 29, 2023 10:25 pm
Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 10:25 pm

Monty:

OCO, the Iranian media has been saying that drone factories were targeted, there are rafts of tweets about that. The originals are of course in Arabic and on live TV, bit hard to repost that stuff so quickly.

The Israeli target acquisition people are off their pace.
They usually hit baby formulae factories, hospitals, old folks homes and mosques.
Oh. And orphanages.

Arky
January 29, 2023 10:25 pm

(The wife and I)

JC
JC
January 29, 2023 10:26 pm

Strange coming from someone who continually demands bans on Cats who refuse to put up with your verbal abuse.

You’re lying as usual, Turtlehead. I think this blog would be much better off without you (and a couple of others), but that’s not my call. 
In my opinion, you’re a total disgrace, and it irks me to associate with you on this blog. In fact, I find it disgusting. But that’s just me.
Let us also recall that you went to the old blog owner, sobbing that I was a jerk to you, and told me you were threatening him with legal action unless it stopped. He suggested (at my behest) that there should be no more conversations between us, and you of course broke that agreement by grovelling to me, as though I would think better of you? Really?

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

You’re lying as usual, Turtlehead. I think this blog would be much better off without you (and a couple of others), but that’s not my call.
In my opinion, you’re a total disgrace, and it irks me to associate with you on this blog. In fact, I find it disgusting. But that’s just me.
Let us also recall that you went to the old blog owner, sobbing that I was a jerk to you, and told me you were threatening him with legal action unless it stopped. He suggested (at my behest) that there should be no more conversations between us, and you of course broke that agreement by grovelling to me, as though I would think better of you? Really?

The exhibition of maturity continues.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 10:29 pm

I wonder who will read this?

Can you give me a quick precis?

Arky
January 29, 2023 10:33 pm

DrBeauGan says:
January 29, 2023 at 10:13 pm

..
There’s this:
..

You know the story… There was once a Baron – one of those powerful land barons back in 18th century Europe – who had the power of life and death over those living in their townships… Most of them were notorious anti-Semites, but this particular Baron happened to have been pretty decent toward the Jews in his region… They were good for business, and he didn’t abuse or persecute them…
Of all the prized possessions owned by this Baron, the one he favored most was his pet dog… How he loved that dog!… Talk about man’s best friend – that mutt was the apple of his eye; the center of his universe…
One day, some of the anti-Semitic locals decided to stir up trouble for the Jews of the city… They approached the Baron – who was a pretty gullible guy – and said: “You think those Jews are loyal to you?…. They’re no such thing!… Did you know that Jews have the power to teach dogs to speak the language of man?… That’s right – if they really wanted to do, they could teach your beloved Fido to talk! You’d be able to have conversation with him every day!… But they won’t do it for you… They keep this talent to themselves and refuse to share it with the gentiles for whom they have total disdain… You watch!… Try asking them to train your dog to talk and they will refuse you”…

YOM KIPPUR SERMON 5769
7
This indeed angered the Baron… The Jews could teach his best friend to talk and they would dare refuse him – after he’d been so good to them all these years!?… He summoned the Jewish leaders of the city and demanded that they teach Fido to speak… The more these leaders insisted that they had no such powers, the angrier the Baron became… Finally, he laid out an ultimatum: “Either they teach the dog to talk or they’d all be expelled from the city in three days time!”
The Jewish community was baffled and terrified… Having no choice they began to pack their bags and load their wagons… They called a meeting at the synagogue… They wrung their hands, they cried, they prayed… What to do?… What kind of insanity has gotten into the Baron?… How can they teach a dog to speak – and Russian at that!?… But the man was adamant… What to do?
Suddenly, Yankel the tailor stepped forward: “Let me go meet with the Baron!”
“You?” they exclaimed… “You’re just a simple tailor!… What do you know from training dogs to talk?”… But Yankel insisted that he wanted a shot… At that point, what did they have to lose?… So off he went…
An hour later, Yankel the tailor comes back to the synagogue – leading Fido by his leash… He announces to the community: “Unload the wagons everyone… We are staying!”…
The people are flabbergasted… “What did you do?… What did you tell him?”
“Very simple”, he says, “I explained to him that I’d be happy to teach Fido to talk, but that he had to be fair and reasonable about this… Even a human being, who is much more intelligent than a dog, takes two years before mastering the ability to speak… For a dog, it takes at least four years!… The Baron couldn’t refute my logic, so he handed me his dog so that I could get to work…”
“Yankel, are you mad!?… What’s going to happen in four years from now when the Baron comes to you to collect his dog – expecting the animal to be talking???”
Yankel says: “Four years from now?… You know what can happen in four years?… Within four years time, perhaps the Baron will die… Perhaps I will die… Or perhaps the dog will die!… A lot can change in four years….. Everybody just go home and relax…”
..
http://chabadpw.org/media/pdf/239/KcuG2396864.pdf

Miltonf
Miltonf
January 29, 2023 10:34 pm

The biggest threat to our way of life is from the American left. Most recent example, Gates filth polluting out shores.

rosie
rosie
January 29, 2023 10:35 pm

Ma’am you’ve just swapped over $10,000 of cash for the new notes at various banks. Pray tell, where did it come from?

This is ridiculous.
Banks and many other entities in Australia and many other countries including the UK have been required to report cash transactions over $10,000 since around 1990.
They’ve also been reporting suspicious transactions ie structuring under 10k which is a judgement decision by the teller in question.
People in the UK with uncomfortable amounts of paper notes in a particular denomination, in this case £20s, have had plenty of time to spend them in the lead up to the change.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 10:36 pm

Makka:

I lived there for 2 1/2 years and traveled from the Arctic down to the stans. With my family. Worked alongside and met many Russians. We enjoyed every minute of it and made some wonderful Russian friends. My daughter was made to feel thoroughly welcomed at her Russian kindy. They are different from us, much to do with their horrible history. Very distant until they know you.

It’s the personal vs the nation.
You’d have jumped into a near frozen river to rescue a Russian child who fell in and was drowning, yes? Of course you would.
And you’d cheer on a thousand bomber raid to hit Hamburg where thousands of little girls perished?
Yes, we did.
People in the masses are very different to the individual and that’s one of the curses of the mob.

rosie
rosie
January 29, 2023 10:37 pm

And the Armstong claim was suddenly your notes were worthless.

Black Ball
Black Ball
January 29, 2023 10:37 pm
MatrixTransform
MatrixTransform
January 29, 2023 10:40 pm

The expansionary evil empire overrunning neighbouring counties

… the EU?

Of course, not with tanks but with legislation.

…wait what?

Oh Ok, tanks too

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

People in the UK with uncomfortable amounts of paper notes in a particular denomination, in this case £20s, have had plenty of time to spend them in the lead up to the change.

Just take it to a cash business & change it for new.
(You’d probably have to know the operator, or be a good customer)

Australia has scrapped & issued a new $50 three times.
Likewise the $100 note has been scrapped & reissued three times.
Each time there has been mild panic among the significant community of hoarders. (Independent miners & others who sell their product for significant cash)

Each time I’ve changed significant amount for people. No problem.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 10:41 pm

Sancho Panzer:
Sancho Panzersays:
January 29, 2023 at 8:13 pm

There seem to be a disturbing number of people here who are keen for the big red nuke button to be pushed.

No. But for the Israelis, it isn’t the worst thing that can happen. Sometimes a policy of massive retaliation can deter where a single or two strikes won’t. Most leaders of Iran think they are safe from nuclear reprisal from Israel. They are also aware massive retaliation shortens their own life spans as well as their peoples.
They may be fanatics, but they aren’t stupid.

custard
custard
January 29, 2023 10:42 pm

Click on the link Sancho , I dare you!

Christine
Christine
January 29, 2023 10:43 pm

Well, he showed them

Black Ball
Black Ball
January 29, 2023 10:44 pm

Phuck you SloMo and Hawke you turds.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
January 29, 2023 10:44 pm

Doubters find their voice on recognition: ‘fix is destined to fail’

By SIMON BENSON
Political Editor
and JOE KELLY
Canberra Bureau Chief
@joekellyoz
9:33PM January 29, 2023
13 Comments

A formal committee advancing the No case for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to parliament will be launched on Monday and warns the body would forever change the way Australia was governed while failing to improve results for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Comprised of former and current MPs and prominent Indigenous figures, the No campaign will propose a preamble to the Constitution and a new parliamentary committee to focus on the rights of native title holders under existing legislation.

The six-member committee has enlisted leading Indigenous voices including Country Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and former Labor Party president Nyunggai Warren Mundine. Former Nationals leader John Anderson will also be a key spokesman, and the committee will be administered by former Labor minister and charities commissioner Gary Johns.

Other members include Indigenous Australians Bob Liddle, who owns Kemara enterprises, and Ian Conway, who started Kings Creek Station in the Northern Territory and developed an educational trust for disadvantaged remote children.

The No Case Committee claims it will be the “foundation” group around which the No case will be fought, and is calling its campaign Recognise a Better Way.

Anthony Albanese said on Friday the referendum would be about a vote for “consultation with Indigenous people on matters that affect them. That is simply the principle that is there.”

But the No case will contest the idea a federal voice would have a benign influence on Australia’s system of parliamentary democracy, with Senator Price saying it could follow in the footsteps of the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria, which had its first meeting in ­December 2019.

Describing itself as “the voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait ­Islander peoples in the Treaty Process”, the First Peoples Assembly has proposed ideas that Senator Price warned could “split” the country.

These include making “a number of seats” in state parliament open to election exclusively by ­Indigenous Australians; creating a “permanent representative body with meaningful decision-making powers” that it likens to a “black parliament” and delivering “First Peoples oversight of the Victorian government and public service”.

The Victorian Labor government has also provided $65m ­towards “fair and equitable” treaty negotiations, something Senator Price warned would become a key focus of a federal voice.

“I think the Prime Minister needs to inform the Australian public of what his intentions are – would he block a model like what’s unfolding in Victoria so as not to create another chamber of parliament,” Senator Price said. “The current model of the First Peoples Assembly is a model that could ­absolutely be adopted and adopted in our Constitution if this referendum is successful.”

Mr Anderson also said that if the proposal was “as modest as the Prime Minister wants us to ­believe, where is the advice from the Solicitor-General? If it were as essentially benign as they say, all my experience tells me we would have had that advice by now,” he said.

Writing in The Australian, ­Senator Price, Mr Mundine and Mr Johns said the government’s proposal was misplaced and unnecessary. “The Albanese government’s proposed voice in the Australian constitution is the wrong way to recognise Aboriginal people, or help Aborigines in need,” they said.

“The voice is a second voice, a second bite at the cherry, for one group only.

“The voice proposal smacks of the paternalism of an earlier time, without proof that it will help those in need. It is an insult to the fact that Aborigines are capable of being heard in the public arena.”

With Mr Albanese deciding there will be no public funding for either side, the committee has formed a fundraising arm to bankroll its campaign through donations, with significant corporate backing expected for the Yes campaign.

Mr Johns told The Australian that he believed the referendum would swing largely on a soft Yes vote.

“Every Australian is sympathetic and empathetic to the cause of Aboriginal people,” he said. “The question is whether this instrument will do the job. We say it won’t.

“The important point is that this whole debate started out as a means of recognition, unfortunately it went way over the top and came up with a piece of architecture with enormous implications for democracy.”

Regardless of the outcome of Peter Dutton’s expected meeting with the government’s Voice referendum… working group, we’ll continue to see “resistance” from him, says Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell. “And he will continue to push for a royal commission into child sexual abuse in the Territory all the More

He said there was nothing in the construction of a voice to parliament that would resolve the issues of recent violence in Alice Springs.

The committee has proposed an alternative to the referendum and voice, with a three-point plan that seeks to recognise prior occupation of Aboriginal people in a preamble to the Constitution.

“Prior occupation is a sensible ask. Any more, such as descriptions of people’s culture, is not. We all have culture,” the committee said.

It also proposed an all-party parliamentary standing committee for native title holders, recognising that legislation already existed that was unique but needed to be able to assist those in need to “find a way into the modern economy”.

It also called for more support for “Aboriginal community-controlled organisations”.

“If we were to characterise the voice proposal, it is a great deal more than a housekeeping provision, it is a serious change to the way we govern,” they said.

Right-wing activist group Advance will also throw its weight behind the No campaign on Monday, warning that a federal voice will embrace the agenda of the First Peoples Assembly in Victoria.

“The state parliament’s version of the ‘voice’ is an unpredicted power grab that threatens to turn representative democracy in that state on its head,” the group said. “The Prime Minister must come clean and admit that this referendum is about more than just a principle. It’s the first step in a wholesale transfer of money and power to one privileged group based on race.”

Assistant Indigenous Affairs Minister Malarndirri McCarthy on Sunday said the negotiation of the treaty process was under way at a state government level. She made the observation after Greens’ Indigenous affairs spokeswoman Lidia Thorpe signalled she would not support the voice amid concern it did not go far enough, including a commitment of reconciliation through treaty.

On Australia Day, hardline Indigenous activists – including Senator Thorpe – used anti-Australia Day rallies to strike out at the voice campaign and demand the treaty process take priority over the referendum.

“(It’s) interesting that Senator Thorpe has made the position and the stance that she has,” Senator McCarthy told Sky News. “Treaty is occurring in each state and territory … In fact, Victoria is actually one of the first. I’m very interested to have a further discussion on that in the Senate when we return next month.”

Senator McCarthy also acknowledged this week was a “critical moment” ahead of a report handed down by Central Australian Regional Controller Dorrelle Anderson after she conducted community consultation regarding the reintroduction of alcohol restrictions and an opt-out system for communities across Alice Springs.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
January 29, 2023 10:46 pm

Yep, NoVaxx scores payback at AO.
Absolutely bawling.

Bar Beach Swimmer
January 29, 2023 10:46 pm

Well done Djoker!

He’s shown us the way: we never give up.

custard
custard
January 29, 2023 10:48 pm

Presidential Executive orders 13818 and 13848 have yet to be seriously considered by this blog.

Sunset clauses and their renewal under the (so called Biden administration) don’t make sense.

They are an anathema to a legitimate DS, Democrat money laundering regime.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 10:50 pm

January 29, 2023 at 10:35 pm
Ma’am you’ve just swapped over $10,000 of cash for the new notes at various banks. Pray tell, where did it come from?

This is ridiculous.
Banks and many other entities in Australia and many other countries including the UK have been required to report cash transactions over $10,000 since around 1990.

Yes, I thought the same thing, but I didn’t realise the $10k reporting limit had been around for so long.

rosiesays:
January 29, 2023 at 10:37 pm
And the Armstong claim was suddenly your notes were worthless.

So.
He’s a thief and a liar?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 10:51 pm

custardsays:
January 29, 2023 at 10:42 pm
Click on the link Sancho , I dare you!

I am afraid to!
Am I off the pace?

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
January 29, 2023 10:58 pm

It has been 739 days since the mythical Q failed to send Military Intelligence in black helicopters down onto the Capitol dais to slap the cuffs on Joe. And still Custard keeps the faith.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 11:00 pm

Colonel Crispin Berkasays:
January 29, 2023 at 10:58 pm
It has been 739 days since the mythical Q failed to send Military Intelligence in black helicopters down onto the Capitol dais to slap the cuffs on Joe. And still Custard keeps the faith.

All will be revealed.
Remain patient.

rosie
rosie
January 29, 2023 11:01 pm

I’m a bit hazy about the exact date Sancho, Austrac was born in 1989 and there was some sort of international consensus in 1990.
Doesn’t matter; it’s been at least a couple of decades.
I certainly always carry a little cash, when travelling more than a little.
Lots of places are still cash only.

Gabor
Gabor
January 29, 2023 11:01 pm

Bar Beach Swimmer says:
January 29, 2023 at 10:46 pm

Well done Djoker!

He’s shown us the way: we never give up.

First open I watched for yonks, just to see if he still had it.
Some say he is arrogant, I didn’t see it, but if he is, he has lot to be arrogant about at least as far as playing tennis goes.
Great match.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
January 29, 2023 11:03 pm

custardsays:
January 29, 2023 at 10:42 pm
Click on the link Sancho , I dare you!

I read it all. It defends QAnon from the charge of nuttiness by pointing out all the bad things that are happening, and claims that believing in the forces of evil being organised is not crazy.

Yes, it is. There’s a confluence of bad things as ppl go dotty and governments try to take even more power over us. But the idea that there’s a small cabal running it all is to say the least implausible.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 11:05 pm

rosiesays:
January 29, 2023 at 11:01 pm
I’m a bit hazy about the exact date Sancho, Austrac was born in 1989 and there was some sort of international consensus in 1990.
Doesn’t matter; it’s been at least a couple of decades.
I certainly always carry a little cash, when travelling more than a little.
Lots of places are still cash only.

Prudent.
No-one is going to jail for carrying $500 in cash (despite what Martin says).

Black Ball
Black Ball
January 29, 2023 11:06 pm

Tsitsipas trying to say it’s a great privilege to play Djokovic. And he’s done great things for the sport.
Rewind 12 months

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
January 29, 2023 11:09 pm

Dan Andrews will be sending his sincere congratulations to Djoker – he’s that sort of guy.
Alex Hawke can shove it up as far as it can go – “civil unrest” – what a tool.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 11:11 pm

Farmer Gezsays:
January 29, 2023 at 11:09 pm
Dan Andrews will be sending his sincere congratulations to Djoker – he’s that sort of guy.
Alex Hawke can shove it up as far as it can go – “civil unrest” – what a tool.

Dan a no-show tonight?

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
January 29, 2023 11:13 pm

Please Djoker, dedicate your win to Dan Andrews and Alex Hawke.
They can shove it up as far as it can go.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
January 29, 2023 11:14 pm

Sorry double up. India to Oz takes time.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 11:22 pm

Sancho Panzer:

Most cotton buds are used indoors, so would most likely end up in the rubbish bin or in the sewer, but not stormwater.

That’s the part that should be ringing the bullshit bell, but it isn’t.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 11:23 pm
rickw
rickw
January 29, 2023 11:28 pm
Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 29, 2023 11:29 pm

Farmer Gezsays:

January 29, 2023 at 11:13 pm

Please Djoker, dedicate your win to Dan Andrews and Alex Hawke.
They can shove it up as far as it can go.

And Nanny Neil Mitchell and all at 3AW who have been going hysterical over him for a month.

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 11:35 pm

Sancho Panzer:

There seem to be a disturbing number of people here who are keen for the big red nuke button to be pushed.

Don’t mistake the need to understand the weapon and the ways to protect ourselves from it for eagerness to use it.
Ignorance isn’t bliss. That’s a rookie mistake.
I have a very good idea of what happens if the “Big Red Button” is pushed. Medical & Nursing Corps makes sure we know. And I’ve sat through Educational/Professional film and lectures about Chemical, Nuclear and Biological that would have you vomiting in your lap.
Knowledge is one thing that can save your life.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
January 29, 2023 11:40 pm

Daily Mail has a candid photo of Albo stuffing his gob with ice cream while watching the tennis. No leadership in Alice Springs, watching the tennis is far more important!

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

… a candid photo of Albo stuffing his gob with ice cream while watching the tennis. No leadership in Alice Springs, watching the tennis is far more important!

Albo is “leading & taking responsibility”

I don’t hold a hose er.. give a stuff, mate.

Anthony Albanese @AlboMP
Australia government official

Two years ago Scott Morrison told Australians he “doesn’t hold a hose”.
Australians deserve a Prime Minister who actually leads and takes responsibility.
8:38 AM · Dec 20, 2021

Robert Sewell
January 29, 2023 11:58 pm

Wally:
Wally Dalísays:
January 29, 2023 at 10:13 pm

Arky
What keeps my courage up now at what I’m sure is the threshold of the dark days ahead is pulling the foundations of western civilization closer around my family. Not saying it’s been easy rallying the troupe- in fact the blues which have gone on between me and my wife these last three years would probably have killed any relationship if not for the fact that we’re battling over fundamentals, not just petty niceties and fickle opinions, and because that’s the calibre we both respect the battle lines, and embrace the truce and respect the new detente when and if it comes.
Right now, we’re looking like a 50’s house all over again. We’re Catholic education, Methodist entertainment, Hayek money, Friedman economy.
I’m putting noses out of joint amongst some of our friends- reminder, a lot more important for wimmin and children than for me- but it seems I’m annoying all the right people.
I am worried that our kids will become pariahs, tho. Firstborn was a precocious talker and therefore listener, and is starting to come up with some darkly vicious one-liners… youngest is still coming to tdeal with anxiety, which I have to bear much of the blame for… unfortunately the only solution is to support her to get her stronger.
We- and there might be a few Cats n Kitts in this- might have to spend a generation or two living like the Amish or the Ashkenazis. Coercion is one thing I can easily resist… conscription? I’ll lead the charge against, don’t care which bug eating surrender monkeys I’m holding up the banner with.

There’s some damn fine thinking in that there couple of paragraphs.

Robert Sewell
January 30, 2023 12:06 am

JC:

You’re lying as usual, Turtlehead. I think this blog would be much better off without you (and a couple of others), but that’s not my call.

Let us also recall that you went to the old blog owner…

Fifteen years ago? I couldn’t be bothered looking for the original post, and you’re still telling that lie?
I bet you still hate that kid you bragged about bullying in school.
Talk about carrying a grudge over something that didn’t happen.
Strange world you inhabit when “Good manners” = “Grovelling.” …of course you can’t tell the difference.

Robert Sewell
January 30, 2023 12:17 am

ZK2A:
Seeing that the Aboriginal People are doubly overrepresented in Parliament, which ones will have to give up their seats to accommodate the Voice?
I bet they weren’t thinking of that when they decided to lunge at the feeding trough?

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Seeing that the Aboriginal People are doubly overrepresented in Parliament, which ones will have to give up their seats to accommodate the Voice?

Most logical would be: Linda Burney.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Fifteen years ago? I couldn’t be bothered looking for the original post, and you’re still telling that lie?

Shanta-struth is still making up stories?
(without any citation)
* Yawn *

Oh come on
Oh come on
January 30, 2023 12:40 am

Your theory is that Israel would sit back and watch Iran set up an air shield? Courageous.

Firstly, my theory is very much contingent on your bonkers theory being correct, which I highly doubt. I still haven’t seen sufficient evidence of any great attack. At this point, it looks as though one facility was attacked by three small drones and very little damage was done. If that’s the best the Israelis can muster, it was a complete debacle and several senior people in Israeli intelligence need to be fired. It would be a national humiliation. I don’t think the Israelis were behind it, unless it was a feint of some kind. And even then it would be rather crude – they would pull off a more convincing distraction than that.

Anyway, my point is this – IF the Israelis did to the Russians in Iran what you claim, the Russians in such a scenario would almost certainly step in to make sure it didn’t happen again. And yes, in that situation the Israelis would indeed have to sit back and watch Russia install air defences in the parts of Iran where it wants to protect its interests. However, this is extraordinarily unlikely to occur as it is extraordinarily unlikely that the Israelis are responsible for what you claim them to be., for the reasons I have mentioned above.

rickw
rickw
January 30, 2023 1:04 am

The American civil war veteran who served in WWI:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7bbd-ckiHc

bons
bons
January 30, 2023 3:44 am

There are some clever people around.
I just saw Iran’s drones described as ‘Obama bombs’.

bons
bons
January 30, 2023 3:50 am

Scummo turned up to Jim’s funeral which left me feeling uncomfortable.
He was not one of the far too many speakers, but just his presence forced me to exercise a more than accustomed degree of self control.
I didn’t realise how visceral was my loathing.

Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:07 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:08 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:10 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:11 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:13 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:14 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:16 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:17 am
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
January 30, 2023 4:18 am

Re the discussion upthread about a cashless society, we have used hardly any cash in Britain, carding it most places, so Hairy gives me some cash and says you’d better spend it before we leave. Then we called into what was once Britain’s first Services on the M1, on our way down to Tunbridge Wells, a late and cold afternoon at 5 degrees with the surroundings equally distressed-looking and dismal. It wasn’t very busy. At the entry sat a young man, looking cold with a light sleeping bag on his legs beside his hat with had a few coins in it. Hairy passed me a pound coin and unusually for him who doesn’t reward begging said give it to him, which I did. I stopped to talk to the lad, who was about 25, and asked him how the collecting was going and what was it for. He said he’d got twenty-three pounds, but not from sitting there, mostly left from his savings. He added that he was hoping to make a further eighteen pounds in order to get a hostel place for a week. That clearly was not going to happen for him tonight. I thought about that for a second or two, thinking that we would decide to add a sea view to our room for an extra twenty pounds, or not, simply on the basis of only having it for an hour or two till dark, and I felt supremely over-privileged. I passed him a crisp twenty pound note and said I hope this helps. He was so surprised. Big tears welled up in his eyes as he said no-one’s ever done anything like that for me before and he asked if he could hug me. No need, I said. I clasped his hands instead for he was still seated and said good luck to you, just go and do what you have to do, and I raced inside after Hairy.

I don’t know if he was scamming for drug money or whatever, but I suspect not. He seemed a nice sort of young fellow, just for whatever reason down on his luck, and wanting to pay for a warm bed.

That night I felt so glad that when I thought about him that he wouldn’t have to be sleeping in the cold although doubtless thousands of others were. I am not saying this for any ‘my lady bountiful’ kudos, so those who think so can get lost. I am just saying it because it was sad and because I could make it less so. And because he said that most people passed him by saying they didn’t have any cash on them to help him. And I did. I had heaps. Perhaps I should have given him more .. my guilt trip kicking in.

Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:18 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:20 am
Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 4:21 am
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
January 30, 2023 4:39 am

They wiped out La Kalsa on 9 May 1943. Bombers came to destroy the port, and while they were at it, they demolished the area behind it. Photographs from the days following its destruction show little else but rubble, rubble and more rubble. Beyond the many dead and the extensive damage the 1943 bombing also created an environmental disaster yet to be resolved. The massive quantity of rubble was simply dumped into the nearby sea.

You just can’t escape some horrible history in Europe. Everywhere are reminders. Yet people picked themselves up and started to rebuild.

We have watched some fairly stark reminders of the awfulness of what happened in Europe around the time of my birth in Britain, because one TV channel was running continual Holocaust documentaries for Holocaust Memorial Week, finishing with Schindler’s List, which we have seen of course but which still packed its punch with another viewing. The message in that movie of doing what you can, albeit imperfect, against evil being done to others is still an important one.

Gabor
Gabor
January 30, 2023 4:39 am

Tom, probably not practical, but is there a chance of giving a hint, a one line at least, what the ‘toon is about?
I know I’m not speaking for the majority here, who are up-to date with all the world’s affairs but most of the cartoons are meaningless to me, the OZ ones are easy.

Sorry.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
January 30, 2023 4:45 am

Sorry for interrupting your toons, Tom.

I should have waited a while. It’s only 5.45 in the evening here, dark, and I’d lost track of time.

rosie
rosie
January 30, 2023 5:03 am

It seems to me impossible to do justice even to la kalsa let alone Palermo in a month let alone a week, I haven’t even ventured to the port area yet, a few hundreds metres in the other direction.

a blogger on la kalsa in 2013

Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 5:55 am

Gabor, I try to use British and American ‘toons that are not too regional or specific to a topic that would require you to live there to understand. I’ve taken note of your concerns.

Barking Toad
Barking Toad
January 30, 2023 6:03 am

Thanks Tom.

Jorge
Jorge
January 30, 2023 6:17 am

Rosie, thanks for the link to the blog post about La Kalsa. You’re in an interesting country.

Ed Case
Ed Case
January 30, 2023 6:28 am

Comprised of former and current MPs and prominent Indigenous figures, the No campaign will propose a preamble to the Constitution and a new parliamentary committee to focus on the rights of native title holders under existing legislation.

BullShit.
You donna like the Albanese Voice?
Here ya go, get the Anderson/Price/Mundine Voice up ya!

Anchor What
Anchor What
January 30, 2023 6:37 am

They can have a voice in the same way everyone else has to – by voting, lobbying, discussing.

Ed Case
Ed Case
January 30, 2023 7:06 am

The extreme Right are certainly getting hysterical over Peter Dutton not choosing the No position and allowing Albanese and NewsCorp to get down and dirty in the gutter.

A Preamble acknowledging Aborigines as the Rightful Owners, eh?

What’s next?
Bring out The Gimp?

Ed Case
Ed Case
January 30, 2023 7:08 am

They can have a voice in the same way everyone else has to – by voting, lobbying, discussing.

No.
Albanese can Legislate a Body and call it The Voice, he’s got the numbers and a Mandate.
What he can’t do is change the Constitution.
He needs to go to an Election and seek a Mandate for that.

shatterzzz
January 30, 2023 7:17 am

How pathetic can Tennis Australia get? .. out comes the “begging bowl’ AGAIN .. cos Ukrainian players ect, apparently, can’t go home!..
These are folk that travel the world all year earning $squillions and only see the homeland for holidays but TA feels the prize money isn’t enuf toget home on so needs everyone, except TA, to dig deep .. FFS! ..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-29/craig-tiley-urges-sports-support-war-affected-ukrainian-players/101904498

shatterzzz
January 30, 2023 7:23 am

I’m guessin’ the main criteria for making the Oz “A List” is just to turn-up! .. LOL!
A bunch of “C” graders (& I’m being generous!) getz promoted beyond their ‘celebrity” appeal ..!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11689057/Australian-Open-celebrities-courtside-tennis-Anthony-Albanese-Bill-Gates-Rachel-Griffiths.html

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 30, 2023 7:30 am

How thick can special ed be? Luigi’s got a mandate. He can’t change the constitution. Luigi has to go to an election and seek a mandate. The constitution can only be changed by Referendum.

calli
calli
January 30, 2023 7:41 am

That’s the “A” List? Eeeek.

Have to laugh at the Mail’s captioning.

Gates – sixth richest man
Luigi – busy, greedy and careless
Tsitsipas – Greek hero, underdog
Hemmes – pub “baron”
Griffiths – raised in Melbourne
Wilkinson – veteran showbusiness
Dutton and Costello – and the price of seats. Damned elites!

Although it was updated at 2340 last night, there appears to be no mention of who won. Was it that “divisive” fellow?

sfw
sfw
January 30, 2023 7:54 am

Apparently these pics are computer generated, 100% not real women.
https://twitter.com/heartereum/status/1619053999008931840

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 30, 2023 7:58 am

Cassie

Of course, I can assure everyone that the elites in Davos didn’t eat any bugs.

Possibly some ate Moreton Bay Bugs?

calli
calli
January 30, 2023 7:59 am

Their cozzies shrank, sfw. That’s what happens when you set the machine at 60degrees.

Be kind to textiles.

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 8:00 am

One of my favourite hidden gems in Palermo is the Museo Palazzo Branciforte. It has odd opening hours from memory but it’s puppet museum is worth the trouble.

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 8:02 am

Was it that “divisive” fellow

It was indeed, calli, and more strength to his nonvaxxed arm. He certainly stuck it up ’em.

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 8:04 am

PS. Craig Tiley is an A grade idiot. Bever saw a government $ he didn’t covet.

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 8:05 am

Bever???? Never!!!

shatterzzz
January 30, 2023 8:06 am

Scummo turned up to Jim’s funeral which left me feeling uncomfortable.

“Jim” was one of his favourite “YES” men so why wouldn’t BRADBURY acknowledge him?

Cassie of Sydney
January 30, 2023 8:11 am

Gates – Epstein buddy, regular flyer on the Lolita Express
Luigi – inept, vulgar, far-left, Trot, spent more time at the tennis than he did in Alice. Gifted to the nation by the more inept Scumbag Morrison and the stupid effing Liberals
Tsitsipas – Half Russian/half Greek, what a combination, an Adonis, the image of my gorgeous nephew.
Hemmes – I could say something else but it would be extremely defamatory
Griffiths – Hypocrite, anti-Catholic bigot, mediocre actress.
Wilkinson – The Queen of amphibians, the Queen of Subjudice, should be charged
Dutton and Costello – one should have been PM, the other will probably never be PM

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 8:12 am

It seems to me impossible to do justice even to la kalsa let alone Palermo in a month let alone a wee

I first visited Palermo in 1973 and the scars of war were still very much apparent. The water in our host’s apartment was turned off every night and 7pm. Next door was still a rubbled, empty reminder of the bombardment and the wall of our building facing still carried the scars of bullets holes scored from top to bottom. The city was a depressing, filthy, rubbish strewn mess.
I did not appreciate it’s astonishing history and beautiful treasures in my callow youth. Many subsequent visits have cured me of that immature perspective. Never judge books/covers etc.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
January 30, 2023 8:17 am

Calli.
The djivisive one did, in fact, win.

calli
calli
January 30, 2023 8:18 am

Sorry. Wilkins, not Wilkinson. Sporting a bottle of insta-tan on his face.

You are wise to say nothing about that baron guy. Although I used to buy his mum’s lovely frocks back in the day.

calli
calli
January 30, 2023 8:20 am

That’s why we decided on Sicily, Megan. What lies beneath.

shatterzzz
January 30, 2023 8:31 am

one TV channel was running continual Holocaust documentaries for Holocaust Memorial Week,

I watched a doco last night, HOW THE HOLOCAUST STARTED, British BBC production .. most of it was stuff that anyone who has read/watched HOLOCAUST atrocities would be familiar with but then towards the end came a real shocker ! .. one I’d never heard of before .. an SS major Lange was ordered by Himmler to devise ‘economic” methods for killing & disposal of large numbers of people .. between 1938 & 1941 he killed around 3 000 disabled, Jewish, gypsies and political prisoners using various techniques before settling on gas as the quickest and most “cost” effective .. one of the experiments detailed was truly horrific, frightening to believe anyone even thought it up ..!
A pit 3 mtres deep was dug the the bottom foot or so was filled with quicklime .. the “victims” were then thrown alive into the pit/quicklime and the trench half-filled with water .. the reaction of quicklime/water is boiling .. these people were boiled alive! .. the “experiment” was deemed a failure because it took several hours for all the victims to succumb …….!
SS Major Rudolph Lange was last seen alive in 1945, tho his body was never identified, he is believed to have commited suicide rather than be captured during the seige/battle for Posen …….

flyingduk
flyingduk
January 30, 2023 8:47 am

Was it that “divisive” fellow…. It was indeed, calli, and more strength to his nonvaxxed arm. He certainly stuck it up ’em.

And i got an SMS, not 30 seconds later, saying ‘NOvax wins! – another victory for the freedom fighters!’

Methinks our wise masters have seriously underestimated the depth and durability of feeling of those they chose to make into second class citizens – They have certainly expanded the cadre of people who will never trust the government, or most of their fellow citizens, again.

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 30, 2023 8:49 am

Ed Casesays:
January 30, 2023 at 6:28 am
Comprised of former and current MPs and prominent Indigenous figures, the No campaign will propose a preamble to the Constitution and a new parliamentary committee to focus on the rights of native title holders under existing legislation.

BullShit.
You donna like the Albanese Voice?
Here ya go, get the Anderson/Price/Mundine Voice up ya!

Richard Cranium continues his shilling for the Liars and the Voice.

He’d be better of trying to learn how to Google, so he could work out the difference between the two Kermit Roosevelts, son and grandson of Teddy.

Then he could research the two Quentins and Teddy Jnr, and maybe learn something.

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 30, 2023 8:52 am

shatterzzzsays:
January 30, 2023 at 7:17 am
How pathetic can Tennis Australia get? .. out comes the “begging bowl’ AGAIN .. cos Ukrainian players ect, apparently, can’t go home!..

They’re not keen on some training hitting grenades towards the Wussians on the Donbas front line?

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
January 30, 2023 8:53 am

Adam Creighton has a good article up at the Oz about MSM covering up the Pfizer Director story.

Comments also talking about media cover up. Jonova site even gets a mention.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
January 30, 2023 8:55 am
flyingduk
flyingduk
January 30, 2023 8:55 am

And in more ‘burned down suddenly’ news:

https://www.algora.com/Algora_blog/2023/01/29/strange-things-are-happening

At this rate, the ‘sudden death’ of refineries and food factories is going to start vying with the sudden death of athletes in this years ‘coincidence’ stakes.

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 30, 2023 9:04 am

OldOzziesays:
January 30, 2023 at 8:51 am
Louise 7-Nil-Again with another hatchet job on Catholics and the Liberal Party

It’s amusing (in a cynical way) to contemplate that Labor used to be the Party of the rural and urban working class, and had a strong Catholic base.

Now, Labor bigwigs hobnob with the Big End of town, and the party harbours anti-Christian bigots (well, maybe not anti-Uniting Church).

Roger
Roger
January 30, 2023 9:12 am

Tennis Elbow…

Albanese’s been at the Australian Open 3 nights running.

Keeps him out of mischief, I suppose.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
January 30, 2023 9:12 am

Shaterzzz, we watched that same BBC video and were also sickened by that tale of ‘experimental’ brutality. As was the interviewer, a relatively young man. I noticed he went white and looked as if he was about to throw up when he heard this.
So much brutality done by evil people to others during that truly horrific period.

JC
JC
January 30, 2023 9:17 am

It’s gotta be the Simulation. “Novax”wins the Australian Open.

H/T Twitter

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 30, 2023 9:20 am

Hemmes is very good at giving Sydney what it wants. No, not like the Mardi Gras after party. Hospitality is a tough game. Arguably no one does it at scale better.

Eyrie
Eyrie
January 30, 2023 9:22 am

For the fools who think handing in old bank notes is no problem – a government can simply say that after a certain date the old notes are no longer legal tender, so hand them in before that date.
As usual rosie missed my point. You may have a fair bit of money in notes, say over $10,000 and you think that swapping for new notes over a period of weeks or months in smallish, variable amounts means that you will not get noticed. Ha! With modern tracking, recording and face recognition you can bet that when governments now do a note swap they will record EVERY time somebody does a swap and then it is simply a small matter to put your personal record together.
Side note: I actually designed and manufactured some prototype gear for the Reserve Bank note printing branch when they were doing the original plastic $5 notes.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
January 30, 2023 9:23 am

OldOzziesays:
January 30, 2023 at 8:51 am
Louise 7-Nil-Again with another hatchet job on Catholics and the Liberal Party

Hatchet job?
How can you say that when she’s uncovered an actual cilice?

Mr Perrottet was school captain at Redfield College in 2000. Many staffers and candidates for pre-selection for the New South Wales Liberal government also went to the schools and have been involved in this community.

We’ve all read Dan Brown; it’s crystal clear that Perrottet and the Liberal government are covering up secret chapels for rituals with chosen virgins and murderous albino Angus Day monks. And scourging.

Perrottet himself admits to coming from a family of 12 children.
Hmmm?

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 30, 2023 9:25 am

The ALPPBC does their usual Monday Four Corners promo as News. Seven Nilligan does some vox to make sure Perrottet is linked with Opus Dei. Oooo spooky.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 30, 2023 9:28 am

Perrottet does a Gillard by folding like a cheap tent and announces an inquiry and goes back to his deckchair on the Titanic.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 30, 2023 9:33 am

Albanese’s been at the Australian Open 3 nights running.

Small reward for 30 years in the Liar party room. I would rather try and scrounge whatever tickets aren’t given to the corporates.

Roger
Roger
January 30, 2023 9:36 am

PHON reportedly polling well in western Sydney.

flyingduk
flyingduk
January 30, 2023 9:37 am

I was cheering him on too.

Yep, I generally find Tennis batshit boring and almost never watch it, not even the big matches.

Last night, however, I did tune in to see Novax stick it up em.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
January 30, 2023 9:43 am

30 January.

Tomorrow Trump will be resurrected!

Gitmo full! Indictments unsealed! Mass arrests! ‘Army tanks’ in the streets!

It’s Happening!

Big_Nambas
Big_Nambas
January 30, 2023 9:45 am

Safe and effective!! Rosie this is for you.

Catastrophic COVID-19 Vaccine Casualties in 2021

New Data Estimate 278,000 Americans Had Life Ended by Immunization Campaign.

Several sources of data emerged in 2021 pointing to a biopharmaceutical public health disaster with the COVID-19 vaccine campaign. Pfizer recorded 1223 deaths occurring shortly after administration of their product within the first 90 days of use starting December 10, 2020. Pantazatos and Seligmann reported an excess in all-cause mortality from vaccine administration and US census data during 2021 between 146k and 187k, with a midpoint of 166k deaths. By the end of December, 2021, the CDC VAERS system had reported ~8K with an under-reporting factor of 30, the casualty estimate from that source was 240k. In a recent paper published in BMC Infectious Diseases, Dr. Mark Skidmore used a valid representative survey to learn from population reporting. A total of 22% knew of someone who was seriously injured by the vaccine and the estimate based upon deaths attributed to the vaccine by respondents was 278K deaths.
As an added powerful point, note that the recently published analysis of Pfizer documents used to get FDA emergency use authorization for the vaccine revealed that the fatality rate among clinical trial volunteers was an amazing 3.7%. This is an extremely high death rate for any medicine or vaccine. With hundreds of millions of vaccine shots used worldwide that means millions would die from the vaccine shots. Some soon after getting vaccinated and others over months and years because of damage by spike proteins, especially damage to immune systems. And that figure may be too low because Pfizer intentionally included a small fraction of men (just 22%) who are especially vulnerable to cardiac problems from the shots, including deaths.

When thinking in terms of risks and benefits, what this analysis shows is that for nearly all people the risks of the vaccine far outweighs its benefits.

https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/biggest-pandemic-shocker-deaths-from-covid-vaccines-greater-than-from-covid-infection-37e03d13

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
January 30, 2023 9:46 am

Anthony Albanese leads nation’s charge to Australian Open centre court
By James Madden
Media Editor
and Sophie Elsworth
Media Writer
@sophieelsworth
7:54AM January 30, 2023
144 Comments

While crowd favourite Rafael Nadal made an early exit to Tullamarine and hometown hero Nick Kyrgios didn’t even hit a ball – or anything else – in anger at this year’s Australian Open, there was no shortage of big names in the corporate suites and courtside seats at Rod Laver Arena.

The nation’s top seed, ­Anthony “Tennis Albo” Albanese, enjoyed a front row view for Friday’s men’s semi-final between Serbian Novak Djokovic and American Tommy Paul, and in what may have been a first for an Australian prime minister at a major sporting event, he wasn’t even booed when he was introduced to the crowd. Clearly, the PM’s honeymoon period rolls on, although tennis crowds do have a reputation for being excessively polite.

Albanese, with partner Jodie Haydon by his side, was seen in deep conversation with various acquaintances during his three-hour courtside stay on Friday, most notably the US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, who arrived late but proudly clutched, waved and unfurled the Stars and Stripes as she urged her countryman Paul to rally against Djokovic. No luck there for the US ambo, but at least she didn’t get in any trouble for posing with a flag, which is more than could be said for the Djoker’s dad, Srdjan.

flyingduk
flyingduk
January 30, 2023 9:46 am

For the fools who think handing in old bank notes is no problem – a government can simply say that after a certain date the old notes are no longer legal tender, so hand them in before that date.

And don’t forget, history has shown us that government can ‘demonetise’ cash in a number of ways (this would now apply to digital dollars as well).

This would include
– The country going broke/failing militarily (Saddam Dinar, US ‘Continental’)
– Inflationary printing (numerous examples, but I have a 2007 Zim dollar on my fridge, and a 2008 Ten Trilliion dollar next to it)
– Simply stating that certain denominations are no longer ‘legal tender’ , as India has done at times
– Ceasing to make the larger denominations whilst relentlessly destroying the value of the remaining denominations via inflationary printing
– Barring certain ‘undesirables’ from accessing their accounts – Canadian Truckers etc
– Dipping into your account and freezing your money or confiscating it.

Guns, gold and Bitcoin are the only sound moneys now.

Tom
Tom
January 30, 2023 9:48 am

It’s Happening!

KD, are you still in the ancestral homeland or have you retreated to South Peking on the Timor Sea?

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
January 30, 2023 9:48 am

Going down to the Latrobe Valley tomorrow (while Trump’s coronation occurs) to see my younger sister and 12 year old nephew for a day or two.

Am packing some extra pig’s heads into the tray of the ute, just in case I need to throw one through someone’s window.

mem
mem
January 30, 2023 9:48 am

Gaborsays:
January 30, 2023 at 4:39 am
Tom, probably not practical, but is there a chance of giving a hint, a one line at least, what the ‘toon is about?

Gabor whilst I understand your frustration, I don’t think it is up to Tom or anyone else to interpret the cartoonist’s work for the public. Cartoons speak for themselves. The cartoonist would be insulted and it would also put a heavy burden on Tom to get the gist of the cartoonist’s message, and frequently cartoons can’t be put into words. Perhaps ask other cat’s to tell you what they think the toon is about. You might get several different answers though.

Oh come on
Oh come on
January 30, 2023 9:49 am

You may have a fair bit of money in notes, say over $10,000 and you think that swapping for new notes over a period of weeks or months in smallish, variable amounts means that you will not get noticed.

Given modern surveillance technology, if the government wants to track you, it’s going to be extremely difficult (albeit not impossible) to avoid.

The best reason for using cash is to prevent the state from switching to an electronic currency (which would make mass surveillance even easier). If a critical mass of consumers insists on paying in cash, it’ll be that much more difficult to transition to a fully electronic payment system.

calli
calli
January 30, 2023 9:49 am

Today on my Shakespeare insult date block:

Thou art violently carried away from grace: there is a devil haunts thee in the likeness of an old fat man – Henry IV, Part I

Can’t help but think of the Davos crowd.

Roger
Roger
January 30, 2023 9:52 am

Three hours in Alice, three nights at the AO.

What’s next…a Hawaian holiday?

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
January 30, 2023 9:53 am

Tom,

Won’t do the retreat until later next month. Still in Mongyang, catching up with various punters and so on. The Valley this week, potentially back to God’s Country the next.

Incidentally, while up in wheat country last week I made a trip into Horsham to drop off some of the old man’s stuff at Vinnie’s, at my dear old Mum’s request.

While there, and asking the nice old love working the counter where she wanted the stuff I noticed a shelf there with boxes and boxes of RAT tests for sale. I remember them being flogged off at Colesworths for $50 or more for a pack of three, although I never bought one.

They’re now at op shops. Two packs for $3. That’s where we’re at.

Roger
Roger
January 30, 2023 9:55 am

Given modern surveillance technology, if the government wants to track you, it’s going to be extremely difficult (albeit not impossible) to avoid.

Unless you’re on their fixated persons watchlist.

In which case their resources are limited, apparently.

bons
bons
January 30, 2023 9:56 am

Has anyone seen the musical Hamilton.? We went yesterday. We had decided not to after reading the reviews of the US production but we received tickets from Santa.
Let’s summarise by saying that we wanted to leave at the interval but couldn’t because of our companions.
Two hours and fifty minutes of rap was, shall we say, testing.
I’m probably wrong but I got the feeling that the (very accomplished) cast were contemptuous of the audience.

Dot
Dot
January 30, 2023 9:59 am

BREAKING

Trudeau arrested by patriotic American border patrol militiamen group, “WWG1WGA” near Detroit crossing over from Windsor, Ontario to thwart a plot to stop Congress removing Biden and Harris and making Trump the U.S. President again.

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 10:00 am

That’s why we decided on Sicily, Megan. What lies beneath.

It has taken the Prince almost 70 years to develop a sense of pride in being Sicilian. Looked down upon and exploited by mainland Italy since reunification it has taken many visits and exploration of Sicily for him to come out from under the widely held stereotype of the mafia’s steel grip on all aspects of society since the last war.
It has been an interesting journey to have witnessed. Invaded by virtually every other tribe in the vicinity it has endured through sheer grit and hard work.

When i stood amonst the ruins at Selinunte Goethe’s quote that ‘To have seen Italy without seeing Sicily is to not have seen Otaly at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.’ pretty much summed up my own feelings of love for this enchanted island.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
January 30, 2023 10:01 am

Ringside at the Reckoning

Five Things That Are Killing America

Cowardice, Dishonesty, Ignorance, Sloth and Mush

What really explains why the country is in the state it’s in, with inflation, worker shortages, propaganda replacing education, race huckstering galore, and Oprah-style gooey sentiment getting poured over everything?

I can’t answer that in one post, but I can at least begin. Our reaction to COVID is a good place to start. COVID was a new and ominous disease, and a good deal of caution was justified when we were first dealing with it. But it soon became clear that it posed significant mortal danger only to old people and those with serious health problems to start with. There was some danger to people under 60 but not much, and next to no danger to children, teenagers, and people in their twenties.

Nonetheless, we were seized with fear. We shut down schools, where COVID’s danger was minimal, telling parents that education would proceed via Zoom (or, you know, whatever). That was false. An entire generation of kids lost major ground in their education, as Paul has documented elsewhere on Ringside.

We also shut down the economy, even though for the great majority of workers and consumers, that was an obvious overreaction. Because workers were at home, and not earning paychecks at their jobs, they got sent government checks ($1400, if I recall correctly — I never got one) for doing nothing. Then they got sent a second round, also for doing nothing. The may have been sent a third; I’ve lost track.

What happens when you pay people for doing nothing? Well, two things to start with. First, they get used to getting paid for doing nothing, so they’re in no big rush to get back to work, and haven’t. Hence worker shortages from coast to coast, and masses of those still employed are still, even now, allowed to “work” from home on, say, Mondays and Fridays. If you think a loss of productivity is a big surprise when millions of people are “working” from home for 40% of the workweek, I have this bridge……….

The second thing that happens when you print of millions of fat government checks that correspond to no goods or services getting produced is inflation. No surprise there either: The very definition of inflation is expanding the money supply without a corresponding expansion of real wealth.

In other words, while alarm and caution were plainly justified initial reactions to COVID, they ballooned into something resembling national cowardice, then stuck around longer and in a more stringent form than even arguably warranted, producing disastrous effects for the education of our kids and our national wealth. A principal reason they stuck around was dishonesty.

The dangers of COVID were relentlessly fearmongered and overhyped; any questioning of this orthodoxy was condemned and suppressed, including on social media; and there was never anything approaching an honest accounting of the enormous and probably years-long cost of the shutdowns, lockdowns and authoritarian stay-at-home orders.

But what I’ve said up to now is only by way of introducing a piece by Andrew Sullivan in The Weekly Dish. Sullivan is far to my left on policy questions, but wonderfully honest and straightforward in calling out the devastation Wokeism has wreaked and is wreaking.

Now check out the data on how the DC Public School system is faring. A key metric is what they call “proficiency rates” — a test of whether the kids are passing the essentials of reading and math at every stage of their education. Overall, only 31 percent of DC students have proficiency in reading and just 19 percent have proficiency in math. Drill down further in the racial demographics and the picture is even worse: among African-American kids, the numbers are 20 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Among black boys, it’s 15 percent and 9 percent. Which means to say that DC Public Schools graduate kids who are overwhelmingly unable to do the most basic reading and math that any employer would need.

This is not a function of money. In the most recent federal analysis: DC spends far more per student — $30,000 a year — than any other state, double the amount in many states across the country.

Let’s put it this way: if this were a corporation, it would be in liquidation. If it were a house, it would be condemned. But since it’s a public school system, it can avoid this catastrophic failure by emphasizing “equity”!

Then there’s the other stat that blew my mind — on the post-BLM surge in murders of African-Americans, including many children. The rise in homicide has cooled off somewhat, as Robert Verbruggen notes. But check this out:

Top Ender
Top Ender
January 30, 2023 10:02 am

Being an ambo in the Alice:

Triple-0 surge in Northern Territory after strict alcohol ban lifted

Northern Territory ambulances have attended to nearly double the number of assaults and sexual attacks since strict alcohol bans lapsed late last year, as Alice Springs residents braced for chaos amid a new sweep of grog restrictions this week.

New St John Ambulance NT data obtained by The Australian shows that after the lapse of Stronger ­Futures legislation, the number of call-outs attended by paramedics in the Northern Territory for reported assaults and sexual assaults increased by a massive 88.5 per cent – with 522 cases ­reported last June and 984 cases in ­December.

For the first six months of last year, 3520 calls were attended by paramedics territory-wide for ­assault or sexual assault, and 4802 for the second six months – marking a 36 per cent increase.

Paramedics in Alice Springs experienced a 40 per cent increase in attended calls, with the total call-outs last January recorded at 1281 cases compared to 1795 call-outs in December – the busiest month of the year.

It comes as households and ­licenced venues braced for a huge increase in break-ins as the town faces a two-day takeaway alcohol ban from Monday.

Locals fear the number of break-ins will “skyrocket” with people who haven’t pre-purchased alcohol invading homes and businesses to seek it.

“The problem drinkers of this town, the people from out bush, they are not going to buy alcohol today to last them three days, that’s just not how it works,” local business owner Darren Clark said.

“By Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon they’re going to realise, ‘Geez we’ve got no grog,’” he said. “That’s what people are fearful of in town.

“You’ve taken away the takeaway supply on Monday and Tuesday, so if there’s no supply of takeaway alcohol on those days, they’ll have to go and look for ­alcohol somewhere.”

“I just love it; it’s just awesome, hey,” Mr Cox says with a cheeky laugh just before his shift on Saturday night. A Wiradjuri man who moved to Alice Springs eight months ago, he says his background has helped him connect with many of the Indigenous population he works closely with.

He says when locals have seen the Aboriginal flag on his name tag, they’ve shown him “a bit more respect and understanding”.

“Trying to educate the Indigenous population is quite rewarding, but it is very challenging as well,” Mr Cox said.

Many jobs the paramedics in the region attend are mid to low acuity, with a large part of their job involving educating locals.

“When you put in the effort and try to educate them as well, you may see further down the line some benefit from that as they may not call for their sore toe in the future because you educate them on what to do and how to handle those things,” Mr Cox said.

His partner for the evening, Mr Bye, who has worked in Alice Springs for 18 months, says he’s noticed a heavy increase in the workload over the last 18 months.

“The moment you sign in on ­either shift, you’re just straight out the door,” he said. “There’s a great scope of practice in the NT; you get a variety of jobs you might not get elsewhere, a lot of times it is very much low acuity work.

“The environment we work in as far as the landscape, every sunrise is beautiful, every sunset is beautiful, it’s just the little things, the lifestyle is really good.”

Ambulance Services NT director Andrew Thomas said while working in a region such as Alice Springs had its challenges, it was a “really great experience for paramedics”.

“Some of the work that you do you would never get anywhere else in Australia,” he said.

When The Australian joined Mr Thomas for a ridealong last week, we gained first-hand experience of the uniqueness of the role of a paramedic in Alice Springs when a female patient called from a payphone with chest pains – a priority job attended to under lights and sirens.

Upon arrival, the patient was on the ground beneath the payphone, with her distressed dog comforting her, and when loaded on to the stretcher, the dog jumped on the stretcher too.

Mr Thomas loaded the dog into the rear seats of his vehicle, and drove to the town camp where the patient lived.

“Hopefully, the dog will be safe in the camp and reunited with the patient once she comes out of hospital,” he said. “Working in the NT has its unique challenges and opportunities and this is an example where you need to think out of the box to deliver the best care for the patient, and that care goes beyond just that physical treatment.”

Oz. Note the tone of the article though – it’s all wonderful out here, and more ambos should be Aboriginal etc.

m0nty
m0nty
January 30, 2023 10:03 am

Anyway, my point is this – IF the Israelis did to the Russians in Iran what you claim, the Russians in such a scenario would almost certainly step in to make sure it didn’t happen again. And yes, in that situation the Israelis would indeed have to sit back and watch Russia install air defences in the parts of Iran where it wants to protect its interests.

The Israelis would not “have to sit back”. They have just shown that they are capable and willing to conduct special ops inside Iran. This is a pretty silly talking point you are running.

Mak Siccar
Mak Siccar
January 30, 2023 10:03 am

From the Oz.

Date disaster exposes big pharma, big tech, mediaADAM CREIGHTON
Follow @Adam_Creighton

Pfizer executive Jordan Tristan Walker is approached by James O’Keefe, the founder of Project Veritas.

12:00AM JANUARY 30, 2023 173 COMMENTS
The worst first date ever unfolded somewhere in Brooklyn, New York, last week. A Pfizer executive, seeking to impress his potential beau, casually boasted that his employer might be mutating dangerous viruses for profit. This was followed by a series of other bombshell claims that, a few hours later, tens of millions of people would be watching on social media.

“Don’t tell anyone, promise you won’t tell anyone,” Jordan Tristan Walker said to his date, who, unbeknown to Walker was an undercover reporter with Project Veritas and had videoed the entire conversation. “Well, that’s not what we say to the public, no,” Walker added, when asked if Pfizer was deliberately mutating viruses that caused Covid-19.

“One of the things we’re exploring is like, why don’t we just mutate it ourselves so we could create – pre-emptively develop new vaccines, right? If we’re gonna do that though, there’s a risk of like, as you could imagine – no one wants to be having a pharma company mutating f..king viruses,” he explains, noting Covid-19 would be a “cash cow for a while yet”.

When the first video appeared – it has so far attracted about 40 million impressions on Twitter – many, myself included, suspected it must be a fake. The claims were simply too shocking: “You have to be very controlled to make sure that this virus that you mutate doesn’t create something that just goes everywhere, which I suspect is the way that the virus started in Wuhan, to be honest,” Walker said on the date, as if his comments weren’t controversial enough already. “It makes no sense that this virus popped out of nowhere. It’s bullshit.”

Yet around 24 hours later Veritas released a second video, perhaps even more jaw-dropping than the first. After the date concluded, James O’Keefe, the 38-year-old founder of Veritas, approached Walker with cameras in tow and asked him to explain his statements. Walker, a Yale-educated scientist, then had what appears to be a complete and understandable mental breakdown as he realised the awful implications for the rest of his life of what had just happened.

He said he was “just lying” to impress a date, before angrily trying to call the police and even playing the race card by claiming O’Keefe and his four similarly white colleagues were a threat. You have to see it to believe it.

Strikingly, Pfizer itself issued a response on Friday night, which neither confirmed nor denied Walker’s employment and conceded “in a limited number of cases” viruses “may be engineered”. Maybe Walker wasn’t lying.

Shocking claims: Walker talks during his ‘date’ with an undercover reporter with Project Veritas.

But none of this was enough for much of the US media, which almost universally ignored the story, with Fox News a notable exception, despite the huge public interest. Even if Walker’s claims were totally false, the fact tens of millions of people had seen them and Pfizer itself hadn’t denied his employment surely warranted at least a short article or two.

The silence was, for me, an unsettling insight into the power of pharmaceutical giants (among the biggest advertisers in the US), the groupthink in elite US media, and the Orwellian role of big tech in deciding what’s permissible.

As the first video went live on social media, Google, which has a near total monopoly on internet searches in the US as in Australia, appeared to start removing references to Walker’s career and background.

Indeed, YouTube, owned by Google, scrubbed the two Veritas videos altogether on Friday, vaguely citing “community standards” – presumably not a reference to how Walker’s date went.

One wonders if an employee similarly caught on a “date”, but instead bragging about cheating on carbon dioxide emission reports or racism, would have been similarly ignored.

Big tech and mainstream US news outlets loathe O’Keefe, whose reporters have previously caught CNN employees – in similar “date” situations – conceding their channel was “propaganda (that) got Trump out”, and their coverage of his relations with Russia “mostly bullshit”. A Facebook director was similarly charmed by one of Veritas’ team of attractive employees, revealing he worked for a company that “was doing a lot of damage in the world” and “should be broken up”.

Pfizer said in a statement ‘in a limited number of cases’ viruses ‘may be engineered’. Picture: AFP

But the loathing for O’Keefe is also philosophical: his style of undercover muckraking is contrary to how most journalism is conducted these days, where a variety of named and unnamed sources provide journalists with statements and information.

Indeed, in NSW, the Veritas videos would have been illegal, but the US is more lax; in New York, for instance, recordings are legal as long as at least one party has consented.

Deception has real costs. It’s hard not to feel sorry for Walker, who now faces potentially crippling infamy for the rest of his life, so much so he’ll probably have to change his name to avoid death threats. But as O’Keefe writes in his impressive 2021 book, American Muckraker – Rethinking Journalism for the 21st Century, journalists have a moral obligation to society to deceive their subject if that’s the best or perhaps the only way to obtain facts that could have potentially profound consequences.

The two Veritas videos prompted powerful Republican senator Marco Rubio to write a public letter to Pfizer last week demanding answers, sentiments echoed by numerous other congressmen in their own public condemnations on social media. “As has been proven time and time again, attempts to mutate a virus, particularly one as potent as Covid, are dangerous,” Rubio wrote.

His colleague, Ron Johnson, said “it was time congress thoroughly investigated vaccine manufacturers and the entire Covid-19 vaccine approval process”, an eventuality that’s only a matter of time in coming months in the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

In the meantime, one imagines far fewer people in the pharmaceutical industry will be going on dates.

Megan
Megan
January 30, 2023 10:04 am

Am packing some extra pig’s heads into the tray of the ute, just in case I need to throw one through someone’s window.

So, moccasins on everyone, then?

Dot
Dot
January 30, 2023 10:07 am

The 000 workers and hospital staff must hit the piss very hard themselves in the Alice.

Guy I played hockey with and was a few grades above me told me about 000 parties before they were common knowledge. Blew my mind, the degenerate rascals.

Oh come on
Oh come on
January 30, 2023 10:08 am

Has anyone seen the musical

Hamilton.?

Won’t the rock-rocks broke their bok-boks?

Skip to 3m30s for song, but the whole series illustrates what a cringe fest Hamilton is.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 30, 2023 10:09 am

Am packing some extra pig’s heads into the tray of the ute, just in case I need to throw one through someone’s window.

Good idea. I tried the butcher in Moe. Durrr.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
January 30, 2023 10:10 am

Tell your kids marriage is more important than money or career — because it IS

Would you trade your family for money? Which one of your kids would you swap for certain wealth?

All parents know what they would answer. None. Never. No way.

Yet a new Pew study shows parents would prefer — by a lot — their children prioritize financial independence and a good career over family and children. Eighty-eight percent of parents said it’s “extremely or very important” for their children to be financially independent when they reach adulthood; 88% also said the same of their children having a job they enjoy.

Only 21% of parents said it was “extremely or very important” for their child to get married, and just 20% felt that strongly about their progeny reproducing.

This is a giant mistake.

For one thing, with the stability of family comes a higher income. Want a better shot at having a good career? Get married.

It makes sense. The dude swiping on Tinder every night just isn’t going to have the same focus on succeeding as the man who has a family to support.

It doesn’t apply just to men, either. An October 2021 Pew study reported that in the last 30 years, the coupled have come to outearn the singles. Coupled women make $8,000 more a year on average than single women.

“The gaps in economic outcomes between unpartnered and partnered adults have widened since 1990,” Pew noted. “Among men, the gaps are widening because unpartnered men are faring worse than they were in 1990. Among women, however, these gaps have gotten wider because partnered women are faring substantially better than in 1990.”

Married people also pool their resources. Want your kid to be financially secure? Move marriage to the top of his or her to-do list

Chris
Chris
January 30, 2023 10:11 am

Daily Mail has a candid photo of Albo stuffing his gob with ice cream while watching the tennis. No leadership in Alice Springs, watching the tennis is far more important!

I feel that if the journalists got a better photo, it would all be OK.
For instance, a photo of Morrison queuing for a flight home after cancelling his Hawaii trip to spend more time watching the ABC talk about watching the volunteers fight bushfires.

cohenite
January 30, 2023 10:15 am

The Billionaires Behind The Gas Bans

Silver stakes needed there.

  1. Yep- I’d go Finnish and Icelandic for the Roman alphabet adjacent, Georgian Cyrillic, Yemeni Arabic for authentic origin, Japanese to…

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