Open Thread – Tues 18 July 2023


The Fall of the Rebel Angels. Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1562

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Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 10:52 am

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and lawyer and land rights activist Noel Pearson will address the Sydney Town Hall

Preaching to the choir.

Everyone will go home suitably edified and assured of their righteous standing.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 10:53 am

Barack Obama’s brother in Kenya has reportedly responded to the former US president’s effort to promote the inclusion of LGBTQ-themed books in school libraries by suggesting that his half-sibling is homosexual.

Slick Willy didn’t inhale …

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 10:55 am

“We have an eight-year life expectancy gap. If you’re a young Indigenous male, you are more likely to go to jail than to go to university. We have worse infant mortality rates. We have worse health outcomes. We have worse housing outcomes.

Albanese is identifying as Indigenous?
Or is it the royal ‘We’?
Anyway, he oughta be ashamed to cite those stats.
There’s been 23 years of Labor Government since the ’67 Referendum, what have they done?

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 10:56 am

Even the Population Ponzi, international students and high rise dog boxes can’t save them from here.

NSW may have to build a wall on its southern border.

P
P
July 19, 2023 10:59 am

Not just an inner city rally, but right in the heart of the CBD.

The City of Sydney event titled: Why the Voice to Parliament is essential for all Australians, will be held at the Centennial Hall, Sydney Town Hall on 19 July from 6.30 pm and feature a raft of First Nations elders, political and community leaders, and experts in constitutional reform.

­­­Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will lead a host of keynote speakers including lawyer, land rights activist, and founder of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership Noel Pearson; and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

The panel for the discussion is comprised of co-authors of The Voice to Parliament Handbook, journalist Kerry O’Brien and Thomas Mayo from the First Nations Referendum Working Group; Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Sydney, Anne Twomey, director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab and senior lecturer at Macquarie University Law School, Dr Shireen Morris and Tribal Warrior Association CEO Shane Phillips.

feelthebern
feelthebern
July 19, 2023 11:00 am

023 8:29 AM
I don’t believe Chairman Dan and his comrades had any intention of going ahead with the Games. It was a ploy to help win regional seats in last year’s election, and it worked a treat.

Cassie, this morning. +100 upticks.

Last year a Melbourne chap said this to me.
At the time I thought there would be zero chance of a government canning the Commonwealth Games.
But here we are.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 11:00 am

Biden has had a nap during his meeting with Israeli President Herzog.

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

Dot
Dot
July 19, 2023 11:00 am

Grammy Award

Jethro Tull beat Metallica, Jane’s Addiction, AC/DC etc for the best hard rock/heavy metal performance too.

Hmm

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 11:05 am

We are probably well past the stage of simply mocking these people.

A result of saying
Well, Eugenics reminds us of that Hitler guy, and we don’t wanna hear about him, so let’s forget it.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 11:07 am

The panel for the discussion is comprised of co-authors of The Voice to Parliament Handbook

Red Kezza must be the voice of Byron Bay Defined Benefits rangas.

Dot
Dot
July 19, 2023 11:07 am

People who prefer to leave other people alone and would ban child gender reassignment (and sterility) are the opposite of Hitler.

It doesn’t matter if Hitler hated the Weimar sexologists.

They were both practising a form of sterilisation by deception or force.

Nice try, dickhead.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 19, 2023 11:08 am

Wow, amazing! It must be the Streisand Effect in action, after the lefty MSM went all conspiracy theory on the film.

SOUND OF FREEDOM IS #2 IN BOX OFFICE THIS WEEK, well ahead of Woke Indiana Jones and behind only Mission Impossible. Impressively, its take is up 38.6% over last week.

That a film increases its box office three weeks after release is nearly unprecedented. And more cinemas are running it. Not only that but those cinemas are earning twice as much per showing than any other current wide release movie, except for the brand new Mission Impossible movie. Whoa is their going to wailing and gnashing of teeth in Hollywood or what!

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 11:09 am

The Grammys have been heading the way of the Logies for years.

Bar Beach Swimmer
July 19, 2023 11:09 am

Largely I am happy with the few friends I have here who like what I write. I do think however that constant huge numbers of upticks to a known stalker trying to cause trouble are a problem for me. They are distressing, and unnecessary, and most unwelcoming.

Lizzie, imho, New Cat is not here for “friends” to like what commenters write, although it is possible that others will appreciate a certain comment and give it a tick or make their own comment about it.

Gee, most comments are whipped off the keyboard in answer to someone else’s comment or because of something that’s been read somewhere else, pisses off the commenter or is newsworthy.

So, most time the ticks are about a level of insight, or understanding, a recognition of novelty, or of a well constructed argument, a willingness to locate data or to defend a position. We’re here for the free exchange of thoughts and ideas; of information about this or that; of news links; of argument and discussion.

Along the way some admiration and even collegiality if not friendship may occur. But first it comes from the idea on the screen, and sometimes in the demeanour of the commentator, though that occurs over an extended period after others have come to “know” that person. The ticks provide the nod.

Thinking and/or worrying about ticks suggests only a desire for recognition. But most of us are anonymous to each other, so any recognition can only puff up the ego and then only momentarily. So, one comment gets lots of responses while the next does not gain a mention; it’s all ephemeral, as Sancho noted last night.

No one’s going to run out on the street and proclaim “I got 10, 20, 30+ upticks on NewCat for my last comment!” It would be as ludicrous as a grown woman of 80 decades constantly complaining about the unevenness of responses.

I didn’t ask how other women felt about me, I asked how other women would like a denigrating stalker to make libellous comments about them, and have these comments upticked by a large number of people who come here to this public forum.

As to Bushkid responding – you asked for a a response but you can’t dictate what that response will be. I think Bushkid responded well. It seems that what you wanted was the females here to commiserate and perhaps help you fight back. This is not the school yard.

Finally, it’s not for me or anyone else to decide about whether you continue to contribute. That’s up to you. I think Bushkid is right, perhaps you should take a break, tomorrow, go out and enjoy you birthday. But don’t think that tears, hissy fits, or pleadings will alter the way each commenter responds.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 11:10 am

Cassie of Sydney

Jul 19, 2023 8:29 AM

I don’t believe Chairman Dan and his comrades had any intention of going ahead with the Games. It was a ploy to help win regional seats in last year’s election, and it worked a treat.

Yeah, I had a brief thought that might be the case, along with deliberately killing off the Commonwealth Games for good.
But I don’t think so.
As Peter Costello said, “The easiest way to cut spending is to not spend it in the first place”.
Had he never announced the games based in regional cities they would have continued to happily vote for him. But now that he has giveth and taketh away, they are pissed off … bigly.
I think the plan was to stiff the Feds with the bill, either directly, or via local government grants. Elbow said no.
Plan B was to borrow Xi-Dollars for this and other grand plans. I suspect that when he went to Beijing earlier this year, they offered funding, but he had reached that fork in that Belt and Road that other Xi-Borrowers had before him. That is, they went into full “pound of flesh” mode, and he knew Canberra wouldn’t approve those conditions.
So he was screwed.
I don’t even Dan, arrogant as he is, would have pre-planned this pea and thimble trick. Maybe he can win the Lower House by throwing money at metro Melbourne. But I think this has screwed their chances in the Upper House, which gives more weight to the regional areas.
People in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and particularly Geelong, which Labor has assiduously courted over the years, are royally pissed off.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 11:12 am

It doesn’t matter if Hitler hated the Weimar sexologists.

It does matter.
He burnt all their books and research in public bonfires.
They’re still screaming about it.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 11:12 am

HumeLink power line cost blows out to nearly $5b: Transgrid CEO

Ben Potter – Senior writer

The cost of building the proposed HumeLink transmission line has blown out by about 30 per cent in real terms, making it Australia’s most expensive power line project at nearly $5 billion in today’s dollars, a NSW parliamentary inquiry heard.

Transgrid CEO Brett Redman told the inquiry – called to explore the costs and benefits of putting the controversial line underground instead of overhead – that the cost of construction and transmission had gone up by about 30 per cent since the original $3.3 billion budget was submitted to the regulator three years ago.

Transgrid, the privatised NSW transmission monopoly, will submit its revised costings for HumeLink to the Australian Energy Regulator next month.

It is one of five transmission projects labelled critical for the faltering energy transition by the Australian Energy Market Operator but faces fierce opposition from landowners along the route pressing for it to go underground.

HumeLink would run from the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project in the Mount Kosciuszko National Park to Bannaby north-west of Goulburn. Holdups in approvals for big transmission projects are a major obstacle to the transition to clean energy.

If the revised costings pass the regulatory test, the increased costs will be borne by household and business customers because builders of regulated power lines are entitled to guaranteed returns on approved capital spending.

Mr Redman rejected a suggestion from Nationals MP Wes Fang that the blowout brought the cost of the overhead build closer to the cost of building underground. A consultant for Transgrid had put the underground cost at $11.5 billion after farmers along the HumeLink route objected to an initial $18.7 billion estimate.

Mr Redman told the inquiry Transgrid had formed the “professional opinion” that the $11.5 billion estimate “was at not just at the low end but it was beneath the low end – you wouldn’t find a contractor that will build at that price”.

He said placing HumeLink underground was also impractical because it would require building it as a direct current (DC) line to avoid overheating.

DC lines cost two to four times as much as alternating current (AC) lines for new wind and solar projects along the route to connect, or about $400 million to $500 million for a connection point.

Mr Redman said the costs of placing the line underground would not be accepted by the regulator because of the impact on consumers.

But Andrea Strong, who runs about 600 beef cattle on a 650-hectare property near Gunning, between Yass and Goulburn, said farmers had obtained an independent cost estimate that was little more than half Transgrid’s $11.5 billion estimate.

“We still think it is significantly overstated,” she said.

The inquiry was called by NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe last month. Ms Strong and Wagyu beef grower and former banker Michael Katz represented farmers at the inquiry on Tuesday and urged the committee to help avert the “environmental disaster” of Transgrid’s overhead option.

Farmers campaigning for HumeLink to be put underground, say this is already happening with some large power lines in Germany, North America and in one case in Victoria

Similar battles are being fought in Victoria, where farmers in the path of the Western Renewables Link are urging it to be put underground, and AusNet Services and AEMO are arguing this would be too costly and impractical. Ninety kilometres of the Marinus Link – a new transmission line connecting Tasmania to Victoria – is being put underground where it comes ashore in Gippsland.

Mr Katz, a former ING Australia CEO and Commonwealth Bank executive who owns a Wagyu beef stud at Gurrundah, west of Goulburn, said the overhead line would increase the risk of bushfires in storms and make them harder to fight near the 80-metre-high towers and 70-metre-wide easements, from which Rural Fire Service firefighters must keep their distance.

He said the multibillion-dollar cost of fires would have to be borne by taxpayers because TransGrid had inherited the legal immunity of the former State Electricity Commission when it was privatised.

Risk to biodiversity

Mr Katz said an overhead line would also pose a greater risk to biodiversity because of the practice of spraying toxic herbicides on the 70-metre-wide easement to control weeds. An underground line would only need a 15-metre easement.

Ms Strong said the increased risks of bushfires and damage to biodiversity, and lower maintenance costs, would justify the increased capital cost of building underground.

In an opening statement on Tuesday, Mr Katz said farmers wanted “the people of NSW to have the same outcomes as Victorians and people in California or Germany – safe, secure, low-emission delivery of low-emission power”.

He said underground transmission with DC cables was safe, efficient, reliable, best-practice, “cheaper in the long run” and “the default standard in advanced countries like Germany”.

“TransGrid is attempting to build overhead despite the compelling analysis that it’s much worse environmentally, economically and socially than under-grounding.”

Mr Katz’s statement said TransGrid was relying on 30-year-old, outdated regulations and ignored external costs such as bushfires and the cost on mental health of nearby residents, vast areas of native habitat and native birds.

“The issue of the carbon emissions from massive bushfires is not even mentioned,” he said. “We accept upfront capital costs for undergrounding will be more than overhead. But not 25 times higher, as TransGrid has misleadingly claimed. Experts suggest approximately two times higher.”

Mr Katz said there was no need to rush HumeLink because its primary purpose – connecting Snowy 2.0 to the NSW grid – was not urgent, as construction of Snowy 2.0 was years behind schedule and would not be finished until the late 2020s.

“We should build properly and that is underground,” he said. “Just like the Victorians are doing with federal help for the 90 kilometres of transmission required for Marinus link.

“Let’s not allow NSW to be a second-class state, with second-class, dangerous and inefficient overhead power lines that carry significant unfunded external risks and costs.”

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 19, 2023 11:13 am

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese demanded in opposition that all big projects with federal funding be assessed by Infrastructure Australia to prevent pork barrelling. But that does not seem to apply to Victorian Labor allies.

Albanese has demonstrated his characteristic rock-jawed rectitude in the face of Maximum Leader’s international pratfall:

Anthony Albanese couldn’t sprint away fast enough from Daniel Andrews’ shock cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 2026. That’s a decision for the Victorian government, the prime minister insisted as the premier was making his announcement.

Albanese says he is focused on this week’s sporting event – the FIFA Women’s World Cup and cheering on the Matildas.

“Australia has a fine record of hosting sporting events,” he said.

Just not what the Victorian premier repeatedly dismissed on Tuesday as “a 12-day sporting event”, whose price tag had suddenly multiplied from $2.6 billion to $6 billion to $7 billion.

An interesting (and unremarked) side issue; here we have the Victorian Premier making yet another high profile international farcup while completely blindsiding the Canbra government – even when Team Canbra is nominally on the same side.

Clearly zero respect for the Lil’ Tory Fighter.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 19, 2023 11:15 am

­­­Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will lead a host of keynote speakers including lawyer, land rights activist, and founder of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership Noel Pearson; and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

Ok Cats sweepstakes time: which one of these luminous luminaries will be the first to claim the Voice will save us from climate change? I’ll go with Clover.

jupes
jupes
July 19, 2023 11:17 am

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and lawyer and land rights activist Noel Pearson will address the Sydney Town Hall forum before the panel of experts

Experts!

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 11:19 am

I don’t believe Chairman Dan and his comrades had any intention of going ahead with the Games. It was a ploy to help win regional seats in last year’s election, and it worked a treat.

I wouldn’t have thought Dan would be that reckless.

I suspect it is as Panzer suggests.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 11:20 am

Even for an aging Trot like Albo, Chairman Dan is a bridge too far.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 11:20 am

SOUND OF FREEDOM IS #2 IN BOX OFFICE THIS WEEK

Any Cats who have any idea on how to watch this (I’ve tried many different ways) would be welcomed….

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 11:21 am

­­­Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will lead a host of keynote speakers including lawyer, land rights activist, and founder of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership Noel Pearson; and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

The panel for the discussion is comprised of co-authors of The Voice to Parliament Handbook, journalist Kerry O’Brien and Thomas Mayo from the First Nations Referendum Working Group; Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Sydney, Anne Twomey, director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab and senior lecturer at Macquarie University Law School, Dr Shireen Morris and Tribal Warrior Association CEO Shane Phillips.

Vomit inducing….ALL far-left progressives.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 19, 2023 11:22 am

Jethro Tull beat Metallica, Jane’s Addiction, AC/DC etc for the best hard rock/heavy metal performance too.

Someone say Jane’s Addiction?

Betty Yu @bett_yu

NEW: The Walgreens at 16th/Geary in San Francisco has chained up the freezer section ??

Workers said normally shoplifters clean out all the pizza and ice cream every night. They’re usually hit 20x a day. The whole store is virtually locked up.

12:09 PM · Jul 18, 2023 · 1.6M Views

I feel a song coming on…

Jane’s Addiction – Been Caught Stealing (1990)

caveman
caveman
July 19, 2023 11:28 am

Anthony Albanese couldn’t sprint away fast enough from Daniel Andrews’ shock cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 2026. That’s a decision for the Victorian government, the prime minister insisted as the premier was making his announcement.

Yeah,but they are called the Commonwealth Games, Elbow.

John H.
John H.
July 19, 2023 11:32 am

dover0beach
Jul 19, 2023 10:59 AM
Colin Wright @SwipeWright
It’s nearly impossible for gender ideology or queer theory to shock me anymore. But the paper this article is referring to revealed a new depth of derangement I hadn’t yet fathomed.

“Moral disgust” doesn’t even begin to describe how it makes me feel.

We are probably well past the stage of simply mocking these people.

In any other context we make huge strides to normalise the in-utero environment because that is fundamental to maximizing life outcomes for the child and the adult. There is abundant literature pointing to that with conditions like schizophrenia, autism, and depression clearly having a significant causal linkage to unusual in-utero environments.

This is an example where I completely fail in the rhetoric department because I would go nuts on them. These people need to be beaten with sticks. They are so stupid, so lacking in the ability to crawl out of the ideological obsessions, that they are incapable of cross referencing their stupid arguments with the relevant literature.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 11:33 am

As always another detailed assessment – Farmer Gez you might like the Graphs on Grain

Kerch Bridge Déjà Vu – Breakdown

SIMPLICIUS THE THINKER
18 JUL 2023

Let’s talk about Ukraine’s new terrorist attack on the Kerch Bridge before diving into other updates.

Why does Putin specifically call it a terrorist attack? Because, as he states, the Kerch Bridge is actually no longer used for military supplies and has not been for many months, and is therefore exclusively a civilian corridor. This is an interesting admission on his behalf because it appears to possibly point to a secret agreement with the West/Kiev, perhaps as part of the Grain Deal and other such backdoor handshakes that go on all the time, both explicit and implicit.

Ukrainian foreign minister Kuleba disagrees:

This new attack was carried out by naval drones, that much was obvious to me even before the attack happened. Given the new security measures the bridge implemented after the first attack, which includes extensive x-ray facilities for all large cargo trucks to scan them for explosives, there remained no realistic way to attack the bridge other than by sea.

From the air is very problematic for the following reasons:

Ukraine does not have much that can reach the bridge from its territory

The only thing it does have, like newly acquired Storm Shadow missiles, are not really powerful enough to take down the bridge without a massive swarm attack, which itself has many technical challenges. One of them is that Russian AD is too active/powerful there and shoots down everything Ukraine sends, which has already been proven many times before.

You see, in the much more complex terrain-scapes of the inner country, you can disguise missiles by designing flight paths which take advantage of geographical and terrain features, like going behind hills/mountains/buildings, etc. But in the wide open flat sea-scape of the bridge, it creates a fairly ideal environment for AD to function.

If you recall the HIMARs attacks on Antonovsky bridge, they didn’t achieve much even after dozens or hundreds of hits. To take down the spans of a massive bridge like the Kerch you need a lot of pure tonnage of explosives which simply is not feasible for airborne platforms which carry relatively small warheads. A naval drone on the other hand can be packed with massive amounts of explosives, all depending on how large you want to make the drone. Furthermore, you can sync several drones together to explode next to each other at the same time.

Lastly, the Kerch Bridge is the longest bridge in Europe, and one of the longest in the world. It’s very difficult to monitor its entire length effectively for what may be surface or subsurface (underwater) drones.

So that is all to say, I expected the next attack to be via some type of naval drone and it appears that’s what we’ve got, at least on account of early reports like this:

According to incoming information (at this stage it is difficult to assert its reliability), the attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out using the British underwater autonomous robot REMUS 600 with an additional load of explosives.

Thanks to its ability to move under water at a depth of up to 600 meters and easy control from a laptop, it was launched from a civilian ship in the Black Sea, it has a flight duration of about 70 hours at a speed of up to 5 knots.

With increased cargo capacity, it has a range of 286 nautical miles, almost 500 km.

Ukrainian unmanned kamikaze boats that attacked the Crimean bridge tonight are believed to have been captured on satellite imagery.

On July 16 at 23:59, four high-speed objects, located at a distance of 75 km southeast of Zmiinoye and going in the direction of the Crimean coast, hit the lens of the Sentinel-2 L1C satellite.

Coordinates: 44.787000, 30.905000

Apparently, the launch of surface kamikazes is carried out from the side of Zmeinoy, and either the drones themselves or their carriers, which bring kamikazes to the launch area, got into the frame.

The most important thing to note, though, is that the timing of this attack happened on exactly July 17th, which was the long awaited grain deal expiration date, if you’ll recall. That is not by coincidence.

It means this attack was specifically done to try to stymy Russia as much as possible in terms of putting it between rock and hard place in making its decisions. In essence, it’s designed to erode Russia’s stature with its allies, particularly Turkey.

Russia wants to give the appearance of interest in grain deal talks for the sake of its allies. This puts Russia in a position of two weak moves. Either they continue talks and look doubly weak because now it shows that even large-scale terror attacks on their infrastructure have no effect on their red lines; or: they completely discard the grain deal but now take a big prestige hit with their allies like Turkey and even China which recently signaled it greatly favors the grain deal extension.

The ultimate question though will be who stands to gain the most from the actual practical realpolitik effects of this, rather than the ‘appearance’ of having gained something. For instance, we know that Ukraine loses upwards of $500 million per month:

Russia has nothing really to lose as far as I understand, and everything to gain, to the extent that not allowing Ukrainian grain to flood the markets only means that Russia’s own grain becomes far more valuable all over the world.

Of course, the West is now expectedly screaming bloody murder. UN Secretary General Guterres made the alarmist statement that “millions” of starving people will pay the price now that the grain deal is off. They are predictably shifting the blame onto Russia, completely ignoring the mass terrorist attack their own security services in conjunction with Ukraine just carried out.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to heavily attrit these arrivals even in the rear, like this new report:

As ukrainian_guide (https://t.me/ukrainian_guide/8611) has learned, two echelons with military equipment were hit by two Iskander missiles last night in Kharkov on the territory of the depot of the Osnova railway station

The echelons were carrying German Leopard tanks and American M113 armoured personnel carriers. There is information that three Leopards were seriously damaged as a result of the strike.

For the information, the sources asked to thank the AFU men from the 32nd brigade, who were discussing the news in one of the closed chat rooms.

Apparently these were tanks that were being re-positioned to other fronts.

And reportedly many mercenaries were once again hit in the attack as well:

?Foreign mercenaries hit in Kharkiv. That explains the unusual airplane activity today.

Report:

“Last night in Kharkiv, two missiles hit the dormitory of the Law Academy of Yaroslav the Wise (Dinamovskaya St., 4).”

The facility was a temporary accommodation for foreign mercenaries. Immediately after the strikes, several ambulances arrived on the territory of the building.

It is claimed that up to 30 mercenaries were killed or wounded.”

— source Ukraine guide

Flighttracker showed a plane flying back and forth from Rzeszow to Ukraine under a decoy transponder, which was likely transporting dead and wounded.

The high effectiveness of yesterday’s strikes on Kharkiv, during which Western mercenaries were also killed and wounded, is confirmed: an unknown flight has just arrived in Rzeszow from Ukraine, and an Airbus A330-243MRTT transport plane has been brought to them from Berlin. A flying ambulance of the specialized airline ASL FLY MED arrived in Rzeszow today and spent an hour there.

More and more, the absolute intractability of the situation is percolating on down through the various Western think-tanks and intel agencies. For instance, here’s US Defense Intelligence Agency Chief of Staff John Kirchhofer:

There have been a variety of disturbing developments in this direction, from videos showing women now being recruited into frontline roles, to increasingly heavy-handed recruiting methods, like this video of a commissar firing a gun and threatening to shoot the ‘recruit’ in the legs, to reports from a German news station that some of the new recruits being trained in Germany on American Abrams tanks are… 71 years old.

The most interesting development to me, which stands to deal the biggest deathblow to Ukraine, is Russia’s mass ramp up of drones and drone technology in general.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
July 19, 2023 11:36 am

Country megastar Jason Aldean just released song TORCHING radical left

Times certainly have changed.
The noise at that link is neither Country nor Music.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 11:36 am
John H.
John H.
July 19, 2023 11:38 am

Ed Case
Jul 19, 2023 10:55 AM
“We have an eight-year life expectancy gap. If you’re a young Indigenous male, you are more likely to go to jail than to go to university. We have worse infant mortality rates. We have worse health outcomes. We have worse housing outcomes.

Albanese is identifying as Indigenous?
Or is it the royal ‘We’?
Anyway, he oughta be ashamed to cite those stats.
There’s been 23 years of Labor Government since the ’67 Referendum, what have they done?

8 year gap? Smoking induces that. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, poor diet, lack of exercise, all have marked impacts. Those are lifestyle choices. What’s the Voice gonna do? Shout more loudly to stop smoking, exercise, … .

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 11:38 am

Even for an aging Trot like Albo, Chairman Dan is a bridge too far.

Chairman Dan is now Dangerous Dan!

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 11:42 am

They are so stupid, so lacking in the ability to crawl out of the ideological obsessions, that they are incapable of cross referencing their stupid arguments with the relevant literature.

Or even with reality.

Unhinged.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 19, 2023 11:43 am

The cost of building the proposed HumeLink transmission line has blown out by about 30 per cent in real terms, making it Australia’s most expensive power line project at nearly $5 billion in today’s dollars, a NSW parliamentary inquiry heard.
[…]
If the revised costings pass the regulatory test, the increased costs will be borne by household and business customers because builders of regulated power lines are entitled to guaranteed returns on approved capital spending.

HumeLink is enabling infrastructure for Snowy 2.0.

Given SnowyHydro is currently backed into what will become a $10bn+ build (once they get TBM Florence up and running) the Translink CEO will not be losing too much sleep about AER’s forthcoming decision.

Sealed Section for Wonks: Using the AER’s “plain vanilla” WACC methodology, expect Translink to enjoy an ~7% risk-free annuity on whatever they spend on HumeLink. A nice clip for pension fund investors offering 5.5% annuities to the retirement market.

More runoff goodness from Miserable Ghost’s brainfart.

duncanm
duncanm
July 19, 2023 11:44 am

I see headcase is back.

Are you going to back down on your ridiculous arguments regarding Aborigines and the census prior to 1967?

rickw
rickw
July 19, 2023 11:44 am

We are probably well past the stage of simply mocking these people.

The traditional Middle Eastern approach looks good. They’re coming for your children, what else are you going to do?

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 11:51 am

Are you going to back down on your ridiculous arguments regarding Aborigines and the census prior to 1967?

Lol! Don’t get the Mong practicing wrongology all day again today!!!

rickw
rickw
July 19, 2023 11:52 am

The Romans were smart. Who knew they had drainable settling pools (piscinae limariae) near the terminal ends of the aqueducts?

Their water engineering projects were incredible, as were their construction materials. Check out the siphons they used for running aqueducts across wide flood prone rivers.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 19, 2023 11:52 am

The cost of building the proposed HumeLink transmission line has blown out by about 30 per cent in real terms, making it Australia’s most expensive power line project at nearly $5 billion in today’s dollars, a NSW parliamentary inquiry heard.

Faustus – a recent article:

Renewables versus the grid at PJM (17 Jul)

The transmission upgrade issue also looms large. According to one study, average interconnection costs for active projects rose from $29,000/MW to $240,000/MW between 2017 and 2022, an eightfold increase.

This huge jump is due to the remoteness of renewables. While the transmission upgrade costs for gas-fired power plants run around $24,000/MW the cost for renewables ranged from $136,000 to a whopping $335,000, or fourteen times gas.

Not surprisingly, these huge upgrade costs have rendered many wind and solar projects financially unworkable, which is how it should be. Those promoting the so-called energy transition have ignored the need to rebuild the grid along the way.

I suspect that has been the case here, that grid connection isn’t factored into project financials correctly. Add in the capital and maintenance costs and you can see why renewables aren’t actually as cheap as Bowen says. Especially when you have to have a whole capital cost paid CCGT plant standing idle as backup.

local oaf
July 19, 2023 11:54 am

SOUND OF FREEDOM IS #2 IN BOX OFFICE THIS WEEK

Any Cats who have any idea on how to watch this (I’ve tried many different ways) would be welcomed….

There are copies available on most bittorrent sites. They’re listed as CAM so may not be high definition video, but made with hand held cameras in cinemas.

You need a VPN and bittorrent client software and some experience.

Not personally aware of any way to see the movie by paying for it yet.

Frank
Frank
July 19, 2023 11:58 am

Pearson’s shtick as an evangelist for the Voice – vocal cadences lifted from MLK Jr. even – strikes ordinary people as just weird.

Another one. He succumbed to the allure of his own press long ago which (in his case) resulted in the transformation to ridiculous old windbag. At least he got to keep his tackle, for now.

rickw
rickw
July 19, 2023 12:00 pm

In a move that should boost Qantas’ international earnings, Transport Minister Catherine King said: “The Australian government is not considering additional bilateral air rights with Qatar”.

Airlines with existing slots into Australia are quite simply gouging travellers. Of course the shit stained government of Australia approves this.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 19, 2023 12:01 pm

Let’s talk about Ukraine’s new terrorist attack on the Kerch Bridge before diving into other updates.

LOL. Hitting a legitimate logistics and supply target in time of war is terrorism? Pull the other one.

This is one reason why I discount Russian milbloggers, they are discrediting themselves with this hyperbolic rubbish. They’d be much more credible if they played a straight bat.

One thing I am amazed about is how many people went to Crimea for summer holidays. The place is adjacent to an active war zone. When the Kerch Bridge was hit apparently there was a mass exodus of these tourists, which had to be through Mariupol. Consequences: massive traffic jams and a lot of unhappy generals trying to use the same roads for military logistics.

rickw
rickw
July 19, 2023 12:03 pm

Lathe of the week! Myford Super 7 with screw cutting gearbox in NSW:

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/forestville/power-tools/myford-super-7-metal-lathe/1314588446

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 12:05 pm

Those promoting the so-called energy transition have ignored the need to rebuild the grid along the way.

You know what the response will be?

Government intervention and five year plans.

This is essentialy what QLD has gone for after it was realised that even with generous subsidies the private sector wasn’t going to be able to deliver.

rickw
rickw
July 19, 2023 12:08 pm

Those promoting the so-called energy transition have ignored the need to rebuild the grid along the way.

The program of impoverishment.

Chris
Chris
July 19, 2023 12:11 pm

Lathe of the week!

Ripper.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 12:19 pm

Anonymous commenter at Unz Review say the British Underwater Drones were launched from a Grain Ship in the Black Sea.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 19, 2023 12:20 pm

We are probably well past the stage of simply mocking these people.

Shirley this is an overreaction, I thought.
So, I glanced at the paper itself.
Good God.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 12:22 pm

Are you going to back down on your ridiculous arguments regarding Aborigines and the census prior to 1967?

My assertion that the 1967 Referendum was a con and a disaster for the Australian Natives?
What’s your argument [apart from lies]?

Morsie
Morsie
July 19, 2023 12:25 pm

Victoria may as well be run by the Mafia.Enrich yourself and your close associates and kill or destroy your enemies. and ignore or subjugate everyone else.

duncanm
duncanm
July 19, 2023 12:25 pm

Ed Case
Jul 19, 2023 12:22 PM
..
My assertion that the 1967 Referendum was a con and a disaster for the Australian Natives?
What’s your argument [apart from lies]?

Those goalposts have moved so far I can’t even see them any more.

Morsie
Morsie
July 19, 2023 12:29 pm

My mail is that the initial costings on the Games were in the region of $5-6 Billion.Woah said the public servants , that is way too high, we cant sell that.
So by various accounting tricks and conditions it was massaged down to $2.6 billion but was always going to be $5-6 billion or more.
There is no blow out so it appears it was never intended to hold teh Games.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 12:31 pm

Someone on Unz is saying that [Senator] Joe Biden voted in the 2005 Iraqi Election, citing his Iraqi Gran’pappy as proof of descent.
It was covered by CNN, now scruibbed.
Anyone got the story?

WolfmanOz
July 19, 2023 12:37 pm

Sancho Panzer
Jul 19, 2023 11:10 AM

100% agree Sancho.

Quite a bit is falling off the wheels off the imbecile dictator . . . it won’t be long before he announcing he’s retiring to hand off the poisoned chalice to his anointed successor.

I beginning to think this might be the last term of this insidious and evil Govt – just too much incompetence and debt to cover up and lie about that the electorate might just say enough is enough and let the other mob have a go. The stench is really quite overwhelming.

Now I know the SFL in Victoria are absolutely hopeless but there’s half a chance that govt. might accidentally fall into their lap (like it did for Ballieau/Napthine). But of course they’ll do nothing for four years (like Ballieau/Napthine) and will be turfed out after one term. I suspect the current opposition leader will be gone by Xmas or early next year.

Govts are voted out not oppositions are voted in – just look at the last Federal election with Mr. 32% getting up.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 19, 2023 12:39 pm

Anonymous commenter at Unz Review say the British Underwater Drones were launched from a Grain Ship in the Black Sea.

Haha! Putin cancelled the grain agreement because Erdogan, who brokered it, let Sweden into NATO. The reason he did so is that Biden’s kiddies stiff-armed the IMF into giving Turkey $11 billion. (This is from Mr Hersh, who many Cats like.) Money is amazingly persuasive. Presumably he’ll get his F-16s now as well.

I suspect the grain agreement will get uncancelled after a polite and decent interval. The main players harmed by its cancelling are skint African countries and China.

Black Sea Grain Deal Abandoned – China Was “Biggest Recipient of Ukrainian Grain Under the Deal” (18 Jul)

I suspect one of Xi’s guys will be having a quiet word in Vlad’s shell-like.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 19, 2023 12:46 pm

In Quality News from News news:

Rumors swirl there’s trouble in paradise for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Rumors are swirling that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s marriage is on the rocks.

RadarOnline reported Tuesday that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are “taking time apart” to heal and rebuild their bond.

“They’re trying to figure out what hit them. Harry doesn’t fit in Meghan’s tacky Tinseltown world,” a source told the outlet, adding that he’s hoping to “find himself.”

However, an insider close to the couple — who wed in May 2018 — assures Page Six that any speculation of a breakup is untrue.

“It’s not true, it’s literally made up,” the insider explains.

The penalty for literally opting to live in a literally made-up world and Far King grifting.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 12:48 pm

The Age’s View

EDITORIAL

In a normal government, someone would resign over such a colossal embarrassment

Irrespective of how Premier Daniel Andrews might fashion it, his government’s decision to cancel Victoria’s promise to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games is a colossal embarrassment.

Globally, it pitches Victoria as a state that does not follow through on major commitments, one that cannot afford to develop, manage and sustain long-term multibillion-dollar projects. It also raises questions about the Andrews government’s trustworthiness, transparency and integrity in dealing with partners.

Put bluntly, the manner in which this unilateral decision came about has been shambolic.

The Commonwealth Games Federation, Commonwealth Games Australia, local mayors in regional cities, members of parliament and others have been blindsided.

The London-based federation was given only eight hours’ notice of the formal decision. The locally based supervising body, Commonwealth Games Australia, says it was told at 8am on Tuesday, just 90 minutes before Andrews’ press conference.

If the extraordinary cost blowout as stated by the government is close to accurate, then the decision to cancel was the right one. To continue to pursue a high-cost decentralised model for the Commonwealth Games, when Victorians have already been saddled with an intergenerational debt burden, would have been reckless.

But exactly why costs would have blown out so much – from $2.6 billion budgeted after Victoria secured the Games in April 2022, to beyond $6 billion – is far from clear. We’ve asked; they won’t say.

Commonwealth Games Australia, for its part, seriously doubts the government’s revised costs forecasts are honest, describing them as a “gross exaggeration”. It warned against taking the figure at face value. At the same time, the Commonwealth Games Federation says the $6 billion is 50 per cent more than it was told at a board meeting in June, implying the board was told last month that costs were running close to $4 billion. Already, that would have been about 43 per cent more than the budgeted estimate.

Deputy Premier and Minister for the erstwhile Commonwealth Games Jacinta Allan was keen to highlight the involvement of consulting firm EY costings, at a time when the big four consultancies are out of favour thanks to the PwC tax scandal. But the government must be answerable for the financial commitments it makes, the projects it oversees, the consultants it engages and the increasingly large amount of taxpayer money it spends outsourcing advice and research.

Many questions remain. The federation says expanding the sporting line-up and adding Shepparton to the list of regional cities hosting sporting events – changes that were announced in 2022 in the months before the state election – increased the expense and were done “often against the advice” of both the international federation and Commonwealth Games Australia.

Commonwealth Games Australia sheets blame to the government, saying it “wilfully ignored” recommendations to curb expense by transferring some events to established venues in Melbourne, and instead “remained wedded to proceeding with expensive, temporary venues in regional Victoria”.

To be clear, the decentralised, regionally based Games program was entirely a creation of the Andrews government. It trumpeted the model as one that would inject vast economic and social benefits to host cities and regions of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Gippsland. A noble aim, but one it clearly could not afford. The government says it will proceed with some regional housing projects already planned under the Games proposal, and with proposed upgrades to some sporting facilities.

It has not been transparent or honest about the costs of this now-abandoned sporting project.

It is not remotely plausible that the government has only just discovered that building materials and labour costs have increased sharply.

After all, the government is the single biggest, and busiest, entity behind infrastructure development in this state. And it was clearly warned a year ago by Infrastructure Australia and Skills Victoria, via a report in The Age, about future labour shortages, rising costs of materials and bottlenecks in infrastructure development.

What lies ahead should also concern the government. The Commonwealth Games Federation has warned it is taking advice about its options, a barely veiled warning that it may sue for compensation. At home, Commonwealth Games Australia has mentioned the cancellation brings into play the necessary severance of multiple contracts.

As recently as a month ago, the state government was triumphantly touting the 2026 Games as a showcase for Victoria, saying the legacy of the Games would last for years.

But the model that spread the 2026 Games sporting schedule predominantly across the regions was fundamentally flawed from the outset. It was foolishly optimistic because it mostly overlooked logistical constraints on the regions’ accommodation, transport and ancillary infrastructure.

In April, the government postponed the construction of the much-awaited rail link to Tullamarine airport – again blindsiding vested interests and its own backbenchers. And construction of the Geelong Fast Rail project depends on the outcome of the federal government’s ongoing 90-day strategic review of federal-funded proposed infrastructure projects.

This latest decision to cancel the Games raises questions about competency, but it also underscores deserved criticism of the state government for excessive secrecy in its dealings with the public and its decision to persistently ignore warnings about rising debt levels.

Andrews bears responsibility for this and so does his loyal deputy Jacinta Allan, who is not only Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery but the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop and the heir apparent to the Labor leadership.

In a normal government, the person or people responsible for the Commonwealth Games debacle would resign. This is no normal government, however, and accountability will not be counted among its virtues.

Victorians are entitled to an assurance that this humiliating and expensive mistake is never repeated. While the people responsible for this omnishambles remain in positions of power, any such assurance would count for nothing.

shatterzzz
July 19, 2023 12:52 pm

Any Cats who have any idea on how to watch this (I’ve tried many different ways) would be welcomed….

piratebay.org .. type title in the search box and download one of the offerings ..

P
P
July 19, 2023 12:54 pm

SOUND OF FREEDOM IS #2 IN BOX OFFICE THIS WEEK

Any Cats who have any idea on how to watch this (I’ve tried many different ways) would be welcomed….

A hard-hitting Sound of Freedom breaks the silence on child trafficking
The Catholic Weekly – By Mathew De Sousa – July 19, 2023

Sound of Freedom, rated PG-13 for thematic content involving sex trafficking, violence, language, sexual references and some drug references, was released in the US on 4 July and has currently made more than $65 million at the box office.

An increasing demand for worldwide distribution and overwhelmingly positive media attention will see Angel Studios release the film in Australia later this year.

Kneel
Kneel
July 19, 2023 12:55 pm

“Those promoting the so-called energy transition have ignored the need to rebuild the grid along the way.”

Follow the money.

Of course they haven’t considered the grid – they are busy virtue-signalling and investing in the green blob.

If you are getting subsidies to build, preference for supply, no penalties for not supplying, and no worries about environmental impact statements, if you can force your competition to not only back up your unreliability but the competition is forced to buy “renewable certificates” from you, why would you consider the transmission lines as anything other than an “externality” that someone else will pay for?

We’re saving the planet here, you know!

Why would you include “artificial” inertia in your gear when you can leave it out and force your competition to supply it for you – especially when every watt or VAR they supply grants you another opportunity to rort even more “renewable certificates” from them, and you don’t pay for it, someone else (the long suffering consumer) does.

And if your rorting them forces them to the wall, then more subsidies will keep them open long enough for you to pull all the mega-profits from your “infrastructure”, and still get out (or go “broke”) well before the cost of decommissioning comes your way.

Meanwhile, the media will tout your virtues, amplify your need for “help”, and ignore the engineers that actually run the system when they state the bleeding obvious that this is in no sustainable, and we are rapidly approaching the cliff.

Full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes!

After all, just as in 1988, 1998, 2008, 2018 and now in 2023, we have less than 10 years to completely change our entire economy or the world will burn. Burn, I tells ya! Why won’t you think of the children?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 1:02 pm

Testing 1.2.3
Upticker One to Upticker Two.
Come in, Upticker Two.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 1:09 pm

Wolfie at 12:37.
Agreed.
This is deck-clearing for Jacinta Allen in advance of Dear Leader heading off to his Black Sea Dacha (single level, no steppes).
First we had the burying of the Lawyer X thingy (or Saving Private Overland, who knows where the bodies are buried).
Second comes the canning of the Comm Games.
Next will be the official announcement of the worst kept secret since Princess Margaret’s alcoholism … the cancellation of airport link.
When they finally “scale back” (i.e. cancel but can’t say cancel) the outer suburban rail loop, you will know we are one throw of double-six away from the end of Dan.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 1:12 pm

‘bern at 11:00 and Cassie earlier, re Comm Games.
Once it became clear that there was no free money for the regional cities to do it, it was obvious that model wouldn’t work.
Most people thought the bigger events would be pulled back to Melbourne, with the regions getting women’s farnarkling, crocquet and vagina knitting.
Our LGA didn’t score anything when the goodies were being handed out, and were bitterly disappointed. I had been doing a bit of unrelated work for them and a few weeks ago (in the midst of the latest funding bunfight) I ran into the CEO in the street … “Between you and me, we dodged a bullet there”, he said. “Dan has given them a used car with 47 of 48 monthly payments plus a massive balloon payment to go.”

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 1:15 pm

This is no normal government, however, and accountability will not be counted among its virtues.

And… how many years has it taken for The Age to come to this conclusion (particularly after Pell, Slug-gate, Lawyer X, Red Shirts etc.. and etc… AND etc…!)

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 1:15 pm

(This is from Mr Hersh, who many Cats like.)

Sy Hersh, the longtime Intel mouthpiece?
It’s bullshit.
Yeah, VVP will probably fold and renistate the Grain Deal anyway, but the deal undercuts Russian Export Grain prices, and if the U.N. is worried about starving Africans, it can always send troops to stop the War in Sudan?

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
July 19, 2023 1:16 pm

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has held breakthrough talks with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines on the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in India.

Who broke who? Surely this cannot be good.

During the talks, Mr Chalmers reiterated the government’s eagerness for China to remove trade tariffs on Australian barley, wine, and lobsters.

At what price in what bargain?

The Treasurer also raised concerns about the detention of two Australians in China – journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun.

No word on Julian Assange?

Also what is this clickbait nonsense I see on sky of Albo having a “fiery clash” with Ben Fordham. Albo is as fiery as wet newspaper – and these days read about as often.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 1:29 pm

Here‘s The Australian‘s take on the Fordham interview [not paywalled].

I think it’s possible that the writers of The Constitution foresaw interested Parties exploiting Australian Natives in the way that The Voice Campaign is doing and that’s the reason they wrote that the Federal Government may make Laws relating to any Race, excepting the Aboriginal Race.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 1:36 pm

Lysander.
The Age is no mere casual observer here.
They, along with the ABC, have enabled the corruption.
Lawyer X was a prime example. All media outlets were aware of it, but only the Hun took up the running. Even when the Hun finally got the suppression orders overturned, their lukewarm response was tinged with warnings of “shadowy figures linked to the Mudrock press trying to discredit Dan and Plod”. Then quickly cut to a “Lobster with a Mobster” story about Matthew Guy having dinner with some minor crook.
“Hey, join the dots, people!”
Of course, Covid was the other one. The minute Peta Credlin stood up among the cowering media throng and started asking pointed questions about hotel quarantine and the health advice behind curfews and 5km limits, The Age and Their ABC obligingly ran with “She’s not a Walkley accredited j’ism”.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 1:41 pm

Bwah ha ha ha.
The latest spin in defence of Cancellor Dan (h/t the Oz) goes like this:-
“The Comm Games were already dead in the water. Even the brilliance of Dear Leader couldn’t save them”.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 1:42 pm

A few days “off grid” could be enlightening for the Climate zealots:

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Intermittent G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible for the next 2 days as Earth’s magnetic field reverberates from a series of CME impacts and near misses since July 16th. The storms could intensify to category G2 or G3 on July 20th when a new and more potent CME arrives. See below.

A SIGNIFICANT EXPLOSION ON THE SUN (UPDATED): We’ve been waiting for this. Big sunspot AR3363 just produced a significant solar flare, a long-duration M6-class event during the early hours of July 18th.

[link to http://www.spaceweather.com (secure)]

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 1:44 pm
Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
July 19, 2023 1:49 pm

Dan Andrews was set to sneak into Maryborough this morning but a few of our transmission line protest group were tipped off and made a mad dash, hoping to get the message across.
(Heir/Heiress) apparent Jacinta Allan is present as well. She’s agreed to talk to our group for half an hour. This is the first time any government minister has spoken to an impacted community since the project came to light in March.
I had a doctors appointment and couldn’t go but I’ll report back to you re the Allan meeting and whether Dan scuttled out a back door as usual.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 1:53 pm

Chairman Dan looking at a Sneakers goodbye shortly I expect.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
July 19, 2023 1:56 pm

The official Yes pamphlet does not contain the word “racist” but it does point out it is divisive and then leans heavily on a quote from Price saying AVtP will divide the nation by race. Okay that’s good enough, so they were not paid to take a dive.

Another deft demand delivered by MP Price:

“What we need in Canberra is ears, not a Voice.”
(Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians and Warlpiri woman)

How good is that. Imagine Jacinta as PM.

But no amount of change in Canberra will change minds in the red centre.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 1:56 pm

Lysander
Jul 19, 2023 1:42 PM
A few days “off grid” could be enlightening for the Climate zealots:

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Intermittent G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible for the next 2 days as Earth’s magnetic field reverberates from a series of CME impacts and near misses since July 16th. The storms could intensify to category G2 or G3 on July 20th when a new and more potent CME arrives. See below.

A SIGNIFICANT EXPLOSION ON THE SUN (UPDATED): We’ve been waiting for this. Big sunspot AR3363 just produced a significant solar flare, a long-duration M6-class event during the early hours of July 18th.

[link to http://www.spaceweather.com (secure)]

And of course. our Sun has no impact on Earth’s Climate Change. The Models tell us so. FFS.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
July 19, 2023 1:57 pm

BBS at 11.09:

No one’s going to run out on the street and proclaim “I got 10, 20, 30+ upticks on NewCat for my last comment!

Oh I dunno.

People used to proclaim their genius by reiterating the number of posts they had on a blog that had since ceased to exist. Sort of like:

I had 1000+ posts on the old Blair, so shut up

Hi egg_roomba.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 2:00 pm

Gez, ignoring the specific issue for a minute, the fact that the Heiress Apparent has even conceded she might deign to meet with Little People is telling.
She was on 3AW yesterday, which has been a no-go area for Ministers in Cancellor Dan’s regime, with the sole exception of the occasional “feed the chooks” appearance on Nanny Neil Mitchell’s show by Tim Pallas.

feelthebern
feelthebern
July 19, 2023 2:05 pm

Vomit inducing….ALL far-left progressives.

I understand how the word “progressive” has been captured, but it’s become less of the case now.
Elon Musk is progressive, trying to get humans to Mars (or having a crack at it).
Peter Thiel is progressive, trying to use bio-sciences to extend human life.
By comparison, Clover Moore is a luddite trying to get people to cycle.
And this indigenous frame work being set up isn’t exactly going to foster innovation.

Jorge
Jorge
July 19, 2023 2:06 pm

Having been warned repeatedly that the Games were not viable months ago, I wonder if Dan thought to himself: ‘idiots, don’t they know I’m six moves ahead and my good mates in Beijing have deep pockets.’
When the Chinese knocked him back it really was games over.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 2:07 pm

Why won’t you think of the children?

And our children’s children, and our children’s children’s children, and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,More and more crappola speech writing………………………..

Chris
Chris
July 19, 2023 2:10 pm

I just read part of a Ed Mong post before I realised who it was.
I am disgusted with myself. Scroll on by!

Jorge
Jorge
July 19, 2023 2:10 pm

The idea of hocking your State to the Chinese to stage a reminder of our links to the British Commonwealth is an irony to be deeply savoured, but one lost to Dan.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 2:20 pm

Morsie
Jul 19, 2023 12:25 PM
Victoria may as well be run by the Mafia. Enrich yourself and your close associates and kill or destroy your enemies. and ignore or subjugate everyone else.

Chairman Dan has learnt from the Chinese Mafia.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 2:25 pm

Ed Case
Jul 19, 2023 12:19 PM
Anonymous commenter at Unz Review say the British Underwater Drones were launched from a Grain Ship in the Black Sea.

Head Case. You do drone on a lot. How about doing it underwater for around 10 minutes. There, that should fix it. Then we only have MontyPox Virus and Struth and, and, and……………to deal with.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 2:29 pm

I just read part of a Ed Mong post before I realised who it was.
I am disgusted with myself. Scroll on by!

Chris, unfortunately I did the same this AM as the Mong’s avatar is a very similar colour to another Cat (can’t recall which Cat but this should be fixed!).

Penance…

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 2:30 pm

A few hiccups with loading this page and “database error” here or is it just me?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 2:33 pm

Jorge at 2:06.
I do think Dan was all set to return triumphant from Beijing with his pockets stuffed full of Xi-Dollars, but I don’t think Beijing knocked him back. However, I think they have recognised that he had enough Beltin’ Road line down his guts to start reeling him in.
That is, offer him unders on interest rate in return for “concessions”.
Trouble is, not even Elbow was going to sign on to Xi’s concessions, so no deal.
The fact that Elbow then knocked Dan back on Comm Games funding tells us that Elbow thinks Dan is a liability standing in the way of Mr 32% reaching the heady heights of Mr 35%, so Elbow has pulled the rug.
When Elbow inevitably gets the wobbles, watch Hunchback put the steel between Elbow’s ribs.
No-one does revenge like Hunchback.
No-one.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 2:35 pm

A poll of 700 Warringah voters shows 59% in support of nuclear energy to 28% against.

Did Zali not “read the room?”

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 2:41 pm

Dover.
Can we drop back to thirty comments per page please?
It provides greater opportunity for “top ‘o de page” gloating.
(It’s the little things in life).

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 2:42 pm

A poll of 700 Warringah voters shows 59% in support of nuclear energy to 28% against.

I should add that support was highest amongst under-35’s, at 71%!!!!

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 2:45 pm

A poll of 700 Warringah voters shows 59% in support of nuclear energy to 28% against.

Dodgy Bros. Polling?

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 19, 2023 2:50 pm

Courts & Justice
Evan Martin: Hakea prisoner who killed Ashley Bropho pleads ‘very guilty’ to paedophile’s murder
Sarah Steger
The West Australian
Wed, 19 July 2023 9:50AM
A 42-year-old prisoner charged over the death of a fellow inmate at Hakea Prison — who was due to be sentenced for luring a little girl to his house — has admitted to his murder.
A 42-year-old prisoner charged over the death of a fellow inmate at Hakea Prison — who was due to be sentenced for luring a little girl to his house — has admitted to his murder. Credit: Steve Ferrier/The West Australian

A 42-year-old prisoner charged over the death of a fellow inmate at Hakea Prison — who was due to be sentenced for luring a little girl to his house — has admitted to his murder.

Evan James Martin pleaded guilty to killing Ashley Bropho in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.

It was the first time the murder charge from March 9 of this year was put to him.

When asked how he pleaded over the video link from Casuarina Prison, Martin responded, “Very guilty”.

He also urged the court to list his sentencing “as early as possible” and was remanded in custody until September 28.

His victim, Bropho, was set to be sentenced for abducting a young girl from a park in Doubleview last year to sexually abuse her, was found unresponsive in his cell on March 9.

Bropho? Bropho? Where have I heard that name before?

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 2:54 pm

A 42-year-old prisoner charged over the death of a fellow inmate at Hakea Prison — who was due to be sentenced for luring a little girl to his house — has admitted to his murder.

The murderer is also a pedo.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 2:54 pm

Dover.
I think you know that, if you need extra resources to keep the plates spinning, just yell out.

John H.
John H.
July 19, 2023 2:55 pm

Lysander
Jul 19, 2023 2:35 PM
A poll of 700 Warringah voters shows 59% in support of nuclear energy to 28% against.

Did Zali not “read the room?”

On a recent Q&A they had a poll which had a similiar result. It is an example of the Liberal Party not reading the public mood. June 23 2023

Yes 61%

No 32%

Unsure 7%

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 2:58 pm

The Bidens’ Influence Peddling Timeline

Since taking the gavel in January, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability has accelerated its investigation of the Biden family’s domestic and international business practices to determine whether the Biden family has been targeted by foreign actors, President Biden is compromised, and our national security is threatened.

Below is a timeline that details key dates in our investigation.

The main points of interest are:

A) Romania
B) China- CEFC
C) China- Bohai Harvest RST Equity Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd. (BHR)
D) Kazakhstan

bons
bons
July 19, 2023 3:00 pm

Wow, what a hit team Burney has put together for her Yes fest.
With names like those they will have no trouble convincing voters to go with yes.

So she has the voters east of Oxford Street wrapped. Now for Byron Bay. “Wow, the progress we are making”.

WA will be a disaster for them. Just like the ‘slapper’, these clowns think that passing legislation in their pissant little Parliament will lead to compliance. Compliance, no. Revolt, yes.

Do they honestly think that tens of thousands of farmers are going to call in the local blackfella every time they hitch the plow. They are off their heads. The legleslation is dead before it starts.

Equally, they can’t conceive that people will reject their net zero insanity. Like all recent Labor governments they never look out the window at real Australia.

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 3:01 pm

“Site maintenance is underway. Could be bumpy for the next hour, I’m told. This involves a major upgrade, temporarily, that will give us some breathing room to work out exactly what to do for the long haul.”

Appreciate your efforts Dover. A big thank you.

It’s coming up to two years since Sinclair pulled the plug on the original Catallaxy. Thank God Dover stepped in.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 3:02 pm

dover0beach
Jul 19, 2023 2:37 PM
Site maintenance is underway. Could be bumpy for the next hour, I’m told. This involves a major upgrade, temporarily, that will give us some breathing room to work out exactly what to do for the long haul.

Just get rid of those bugs. Head Case, MontyPox Virus, Struth and the many others dragging down the performance of this lovely Blog. QED.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 3:03 pm

Voters should know whether quid pro quo undergirds U.S. war support for Ukraine

By Editorial Board – The Washington Times

President Biden has left no doubt that the United States stands behind Ukraine‘s effort to repel an unjust Russian invasion.

Yet increasingly credible allegations suggest another, less seemly explanation for the zeal with which the White House has been executing its policy during the conflict — namely, the appearance of financial entanglements between the Biden family and Ukraine.

Mr. Biden returned last week from Europe, where he championed the NATO alliance, a long-standing bulwark against first Soviet and now Russian aggression. “We’ll defend every inch of NATO territory, and that includes Finland,” he vowed, referring to the alliance’s newest member.

The president stopped short of endorsing NATO inclusion for Ukraine while its war with Russia rages, but he said, “We will continue support to Ukraine, which is defending not only herself but also all the values we represent in the Western world.”

Further, he welcomed the day when Kyiv is invited to join the pact, now numbering 31 nations.

In the meantime, Mr. Biden agreed to provide Ukraine with a fresh supply of U.S. munitions consisting of cluster bombs worth $800 million, bringing the total U.S. investment in the Ukrainian war to a pricey $41.3 billion.

While the president’s European sojourn has bolstered Ukraine’s cause in the face of Russia’s invasion, Mr. Biden’s earlier involvement in Ukraine while serving in the Obama administration has engendered creeping skepticism regarding the purity of his motives.

Recently revealed FBI FB-1023 whistleblower documents that FBI Director Christopher Wray had attempted to withhold from Congress reportedly contain charges that then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter each accepted $5 million from a Ukrainian businessman whose name is redacted.

On Thursday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican and member of the House Oversight Committee, alleged that the payer is Mykola Zlochevsky, founder of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The firm hired Hunter in 2014 to serve on its board of directors at a $83,000 monthly salary, and his father used the threat of withholding $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees for Ukraine to force the firing of a prosecutor investigating corruption at Burisma.

Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk then drew an obvious inference in a tweet: “Joe and [his brother] James and Hunter were willing to sell out American interests to keep the Ukrainian money flowing. And now hundreds of billions of your taxpayer money is flowing back to Ukraine.”

To be sure, Americans back the effort to halt Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bloody offensive, with a Gallup Poll in June finding that 62% wanted to see Ukraine reclaim its territory.

Support would likely sour, however, were it to be found that self-enrichment on the part of the Biden family is lurking beneath U.S. government actions in Ukraine.

Fairness requires moving beyond innuendo to fact. Americans deserve to know the truth about any overseas business ties that raise even the appearance of impropriety.

Only then can suspicions be dispelled of a quid pro quo in which millions the Bidens purportedly received under the table are being redeemed with weapons worth billions and Mr. Biden’s shoulder-to-shoulder support for Ukraine.

feelthebern
feelthebern
July 19, 2023 3:04 pm

Every month, a blog I follow releases the Peoples Daily (the internal China edition) mentions of foreign leaders.
Albo hasn’t been mentioned for 18 months.
Even the new Kiwi bro has been mentioned a few times over the past 6 months.
It’s a good indicator of where things are at trade-wise.
The Peoples Daily is a better barometer than the Global Times.

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 3:04 pm

“So she has the voters east of Oxford Street wrapped. Now for Byron Bay. “Wow, the progress we are making”.”

Whilst she has the voters in Sydney’s inner-west wrapped up, I’m not sure about the voters of Teal electorates such as Mackellar, Wentworth and North Sydney. I think there’s a lot of silent NO votes in the Teal electorates, electorates I strongly suspect won’t be Teal after the next federal election. But I may be wrong!

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 3:05 pm

On a recent Q&A they had a poll which had a similiar result. It is an example of the Liberal Party not reading the public mood. June 23 2023

Anything on Q&A is an example of ALP AgitProp.

Banks won’t lend for it and Unions won’t build it.

The Liberal Party can still run on it, it just means they’re losing the next Election and every Election after that until they ditch the Nuclear Policy.

feelthebern
feelthebern
July 19, 2023 3:06 pm

When the Peoples Daily starts mentioning Albo, you know the thaw is done.
(the internal China edition).

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
July 19, 2023 3:06 pm

Our young farmer protesters got right up in Andrew’s grill, close and personal with security.
Jacinta Allan cancelled a meeting because of the confrontation.
It’s unlikely it was filmed by the media as they were still inside doing their piece to camera after the Comm Games interview.
A Hun reporter interviewed those present.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 3:09 pm

The No Campaign is taking a huge risk with Jacinta Price.

What if she wakes up one day and decides to shill for Yes?

John H.
John H.
July 19, 2023 3:10 pm

feelthebern
Jul 19, 2023 3:06 PM
When the Peoples Daily starts mentioning Albo, you know the thaw is done.
(the internal China edition).

Albo’s two great dreams of historical relevance, renewables and the Voice, are vanishing. He will soon be secretly having ECT and microdosing MDMA to overcome his PTSD.

Gabor
Gabor
July 19, 2023 3:14 pm

Bar Beach Swimmer
Jul 19, 2023 11:09 AM

a grown woman of 80 decades

That’s a bit harsh, BBS, she is only 80, going to be 81 tomorrow.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
July 19, 2023 3:17 pm

Evan James Martin is a good man, doing what the feeble minded won’t. The little girl and her family have received more justice than the full force of the legal system can deliver.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 3:17 pm

Ed Case
Jul 19, 2023 3:09 PM
The No Campaign is taking a huge risk with Jacinta Price.

What if she wakes up one day and decides to shill for Yes?

The YES Campaign is taking an enormous risk by not explaining itself truthfully. What if the Australian voting public wakes up and……………..Oh, it now has.

feelthebern
feelthebern
July 19, 2023 3:20 pm

The parallels between the Moran & family shenanigans & the bikie related war in Sydney are getting pretty clear.
VicPlod were happy for them to off each other until the notorious shooting at the kids footy.
How long with NSWPlod be happy for this to go on and what will be the shooting that makes the population say enough is enough?
Keep in mind the powers that NSWPlod have are 10x what VicPlod had back then.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
July 19, 2023 3:21 pm

Hopefully Luigi the Unbelievable will be suffering from DCM and FOF. (F Off Forever).

Top Ender
Top Ender
July 19, 2023 3:21 pm

Alternative headline – “How Victoria’s schools are filling students’ heads with ridiculous rubbish”

How students embrace inclusion, diversity in Vic schools

New uniforms are just one of the many ways Victorian schools are promoting diversity and inclusion. This is how our schools are celebrating the changing needs of students.

Susie O’Brien

Carey Grammar students have joined their peers at other schools in paying tribute to Indigenous occupation on their year 12 jumpers.

The students have chosen the numbers 60,000 in black, yellow and red to display on their sleeves.

The number is designed to indicate the number of years Aboriginal people have been in Australia compared to white occupation. A male student, who didn’t want to be named, said he was “proud” of the gesture.

“It was chosen by the students, it’s what we wanted and everyone is happy with it,” he said.

Carey Grammar principal Jonathan Walter said the jumper was designed by students but approved by the school.

“Our 2023 cohort requested to include ‘60,000’ in the colours of the indigenous flag on the sleeve of their jumper. They wanted to acknowledge that while we celebrate our school Centenary, that this is in the context of a much longer history of First Nations People in this country,” he said.

“As a school, we encourage our students to think beyond themselves to the wider context of the world they live in. We are proud that our students look outwards and took this opportunity to acknowledge the legacy of Indigenous peoples in Australia,” Mr Walter said.

It follows students at Cheltenham Secondary College, who sparked debate over the inclusion of the Indigenous and pride flags on their optional school puffer jackets.

According to the My Schools website, Cheltenham Secondary College has one per cent of its 883 students who were Indigenous in 2022 while there were no Indigenous students at Carey Grammar.

New uniforms are among the many ways Victorian schools are promoting diversity, inclusion and gender fluidity in a bid to accommodate and celebrate the changing needs of students.

Here are some of the other measures.

Expressions of pride

Many schools now are flying rainbow pride flags and holding pride rounds in sport.

For six years now, private schools including Carey Grammar, Brighton Grammar and Melbourne Grammar have been holding a pride round as part of their sporting fixtures. Depending on the sport and the school, students wear rainbow socks, jerseys or shoe laces. Melbourne Grammar, which has a Gay Straight Alliance group, said the pride round showed how important it was for all students to be supported and feel like they belong. Other schools flying rainbow flags include Daylesford Primary.

The Herald Sun reported in March that St Kevin’s students were pushing for an annual school-wide pride round for all sporting teams, but the school has said it was unlikely to happen this year.

Gender fluidity and pronouns

Schools across the state are supporting and including gender-fluid and non-binary students.

Victoria allowed VCE students to declare their gender as non-­binary in 2017 – the second state to do so.

The number of VCE students nominating as “gender X” has quadrupled in three years – and these non-binary students are outperforming boys in a number of subjects.

In 2022 there were almost 200 students who identified as gender diverse in year 12 – up from 54 in 2020 and 28 in 2017.

It comes as eighteen pronouns have been included in a new guide used by thousands of Victorians school students and staff.

The Wear It Purple guide to pronouns include choices such as “fae”, “xe” and “hu” alongside the more widely used she/her, he/him and they/them.

Gender inclusion

Schools such as Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School have gender inclusion policies which “endorses the right for students and staff to express their individuality and gender identity, whether or not conforming to gender stereotypes”.

“In circumstances where conflict exists between a student and their parents concerning transition or affirmation of gender identity, consideration will be given by the Principal to the stance of the student as a mature minor in support of the student’s wishes.”

Other schools such as Geelong Grammar, Richmond West Primary, Carlton North Primary and Brentwood have similar policies.

Schools such as Killester College, Mentone Girls Secondary College and Brunswick East Primary have gender-neutral bathrooms and uniforms in a bid to support non-binary and transitioning students.

In 2022, St Bede’s in Mentone – a boys’ school – announced terms such as “boys” and “young man” would be replaced with “students”.

The decision was overturned and the principal noted that: “there will continue to be boys, young men and Beda Boys within our College community”.

Drag story time

Another way for schools to embrace diversity is to hold drag story time events.

Although the 2023 Woodleigh School’s drag story time was cancelled due to police advice, the event has been successfully held in recent years.

The progressive school in Langwarrin was due to host well-known performers Frock Hudson in the senior school and Dolly Diamond in the junior school to celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia earlier this year.

The school said they had “disappointingly and most reluctantly decided to cancel the planned visit by the previously arranged storytellers”.

“Our first priority at our school is child safety, and we do not want to place our community at risk.

The risk was from protesters who threatened the safety of organisers, not the drag story readers.

Single-sex schools and gender diversity

Students at a number of single-sex schools have continued their education there after transitioning to a different gender.

While this is more common at girls’ schools, such as Melbourne Girls’ College and Canterbury Girls’ School, male students now identifying as female have been embraced at elite male schools such as Melbourne Grammar and Xavier College.

One student at Melbourne Grammar explained her decision in 2022: “I also hope that this will improve the culture surrounding LGBTQIA+ people in our community.

“If I can spark insightful discussion, improve understanding, or make it easier for anyone at Melbourne Grammar and beyond to be comfortable with themselves and others, then this decision will be well worth it for me,” she said.

Anticolonialism and Sorry Day

Some schools are responding to concerns about celebrating colonialism because of the association with Indigenous violence, loss, massacre and disease.

The Victorian government has taken a strong stand on the issue, with Premier Daniel Andrews stating last year that schools will be strongly ­encouraged to mark Sorry Day, recognise the “significant trauma” of colonisation, hold welcome to country celebrations and fly the Aboriginal flag, under new state laws.

The word “colonial” was dropped from an upcoming dress-up day at a Mornington Peninsula primary school after some parents raised concerns about the term in May.

Grade 5 students at Mount Martha Primary School were asked to dress in “goldfields” attire instead of “colonial” for an upcoming incursion, following concern in the parent community.

In a note sent to grade 5 parents, the school said: “It has come to our attention that there is some concern in our parent community around the use of the word colonial in our Year 5 History unit for term 2.

The school went on to say its incursion in Term 2 would be known as Goldfields Day, with children invited to dress in goldfields attire.

Herald-Sun

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 19, 2023 3:22 pm

Gary Varvel in fine fettle this morning with the toons. An exquisitely depicted Biden nibbling towards a terrified child and appalled mum; and then Kamala exposed as an AI bot with a peel back of her face to show the deficiency beneath.

By the way, all the fuss and hullaballoo about AI is fairly stupid imo. Kamala is about all a bot could produce, a cackle and a mouthpiece for curated opinions fed in prior as the substrate for the bot to work on. Nothing like a real and human creative brain. Currently not much more than a style-tailored piece of Google. Flash in the pan, tho’ it can take over mundane work and probably do it badly.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 3:26 pm

Lysander
Jul 19, 2023 2:35 PM
A poll of 700 Warringah voters shows 59% in support of nuclear energy to 28% against.

Did Zali not “read the room?”

On a recent Q&A they had a poll which had a similiar result. It is an example of the Liberal Party not reading the public mood. June 23 2023

Yes 61%

No 32%

Unsure 7%

Q & A is no way a representation of the Public mood. FFS.

Vicki
Vicki
July 19, 2023 3:28 pm

Our young farmer protesters got right up in Andrew’s grill, close and personal with security.

Way to go, Gez! Just might inspire some city tradie kids who saw through the pollie propaganda screen during the vax scam.

Boambee John
Boambee John
July 19, 2023 3:32 pm

Cassie

“Vomit inducing….ALL far-left progressives.”

Language please. There is nothing even the least bit”progressive ” about their policies, they are regressive.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 3:34 pm

Johnny
the numbers I quoted were from internal Liberal Party polling…. someone else quoted QandA….

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 3:36 pm

The Truth About Ukraine’s Failed Counteroffensive

“The American Neocons have been pushing for weapons and everything they can muster. They tell Ukraine they MUST get back the Donbas even though the people there are ethnically Russian and not Ukrainian. This would be like Mexico invading Texas, claiming it was their former border even though Americans live there. The Neocons want to believe that Russia is weak, so that is all they tell the press. How else to get Americans to support another endless war like they did in Vietnam?

Western weapons have proven not enough to give Kiev a decisive advantage to defeat Russia. Fighting in Ukraine has reached “a bit of a stalemate,” which is the first time a US Defense Intelligence Agency Chief of Staff John Kirchhofer told a conference in Washington. His assessment of Ukraine’s chances of actually winning this counteroffensive is about zero.

“Certainly we are at a bit of a stalemate,” Kirchhofer said, according to Bloomberg. “One of the things that the Russian leadership believes is that they can outlast the support of the West.”

Ukrainian forces have been unable to advance from Kherson to Donetsk since early June. They have failed to make any significant territorial gains against the Russians whatsoever. So much for the Nuland claims that weapons will defeat Russia. The Senate leader of the warmongers, Lindsey Graham, was willing to sacrifice every Ukrainian to defeat Russia.

Here is Graham cheering that it’s the best money the US has ever spent to kill Russians. They claim they are fighting for freedom when in fact Russia is not interested in conquering all of Ukraine. They are defending the Donbas which was supposed to have been granted the right to be free from Ukraine. Zelensky has destroyed his own country all to conquer the Donbas, occupied by Russians for hundreds of years. This has nothing to do with Ukraine’s freedom. It is the freedom of the Donbas — not Kiev.
If it were Americans in the Donbas, the US would also be there to defend them in a civil war had Russia instigated it. This is a sick individual who takes pleasure in killing Russians. This is how Americans are being viewed because we elect such people. He cares nothing about the loss of lives. This offensive cost Ukraine 26,000 men and over 3,000 pieces of military hardware in the first two weeks. Zelensky has publicly blamed the West for failing to provide enough weapons – including long-range missiles and fighter jets – to guarantee the offensive’s success.

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace reportedly told Ukraine that his country was not “Amazon” for weapons and that members of NATO wanted “to see a bit of gratitude.” The Guardian reported that Wallace said during the NATO summit in Vilnius that “whether we like it or not, people want to see a bit of gratitude” from Ukraine. Zelensky never bothers to say thank you. Wallace made the point that Zelensky is running through all the NATO stockpile of weapons. He is “persuading countries to give up their own stocks” of weapons and ammunition,” and that they also had “to persuade doubting politicians” that supporting Ukraine was “worthwhile” in its war with Russia. Wallace then added: “I told them that last year, when I drove 11 hours to be given a list, that I’m not like Amazon.”

The Neocons keep putting out propaganda that Russia is losing. The truth is that 20% of Ukrainian weapons were destroyed in just the first two weeks. To my shock, New York Times actually told the truth that 20% of Ukrainian weapons were destroyed in just two weeks.

All of my sources are saying the same time. No weapon system will change Kiev’s fortunes. Neither US-supplied HIMARS rocket artillery and cluster bombs, nor British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, have thus far tilted the battlefield situation in Ukraine’s favor, he pointed out. All of this has failed, yet Zelensky continues to push his country toward annihilation, all to profit from Blackrock and JP Morgan.

The Neocons keep claiming using the White House that the pace of Ukraine’s counteroffensive is progressing. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said last month that Ukrainian forces were “advancing steadily,” but that progress would be slow and “very bloody.” This is simply an outright lie. There is no independent source on either side that confirms that outlook. The other Neocon spokesman of the White House National Security Council, John Kirby, told CNN last month that heavy Ukrainian casualties are “to be expected” but that Zelensky will continue to receive “the support he needs not just from the United States, but from 50 other partners.”

This is clearly propaganda coming from the White House, most likely at the direction of Victoria Nuland and crew refusing to acknowledge that their current war game is failing. The fellow Neocon Secretary of State Antony Blinken has repeatedly rejected the idea of Ukraine entering into peace talks with Russia. This is why India and France are turning their backs on the Biden Administration. They can see that the United States has undergone a coup, and the Neocons are in full control.

Russia maintains that Western arms deliveries will only serve to prolong the conflict without altering its eventual outcome. That appears to be an honest assessment from all my sources on both sides. This is why Zelensky wants F16s to escalate the war dramatically by attacking Crimea and Russia to provide a major confrontation to drag in NATO.

Western-supplied tanks and armored vehicles have all burned. Beginning in early June, Ukrainian forces launched a series of attacks all along the front line from Kherson to Donetsk. Advancing through minefields. That is what cost 26,000 men and more than 3,000 pieces of military hardware in just two weeks. Ukrainian losses were at their highest during the initial two weeks of the offensive. This was Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Brigade – a NATO-trained unit – which by all reports, apparently lost 30% of its 99 Bradley Infantry Fighting vehicles in two weeks. Ukraian’s 33rd Mechanized Brigade lost nearly a third of its 32 German-made Leopard tanks in a single week. According to Russia, they destroyed a total of 311 Ukrainian tanks in two weeks. They claimed: “At least a third of them, I believe, were Western-made tanks, including Leopards,” was reported on Russia 24 TV.

This is why Ukrainian commanders decided to pause the counteroffensive. They simply lost so much. Zelensky acknowledged that there was a pause but blamed the West for failing to supply him with enough weapons and equipment for a successful operation. He omitted that some say he has lost more than one-third of all the weapons sent to Ukraine. Zelensky claims that the decisive phase of their counteroffensive has yet to begin. This, too, seems to be just propaganda.

Zelensky is running through ammunition like water, particularly 155mm artillery shells. Even Biden was forced to admit that “we’re low” on these shells, explaining that the shortage compelled him to send controversial cluster munitions in their stead, which is a war crime by all standards. What’s next? Tactical nuclear weapons instead of peace?”

This is why there will be NO Real Election in 2024
The Neocons will NOT Allow their Loss of Power
There Worst Nightmare — Trump & RFK together

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/war/the-truth-about-ukraines-fail-counteroffensive/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=RSS

Rosie
Rosie
July 19, 2023 3:37 pm

Sound of Freedom sounds like a reasonable movie but not something I’m not desperate to watch right now.
I certainly won’t be doing the producers out of their well earned profits by watching a pirate copy.

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 3:38 pm

Early this morning I watched a Youtube video with Nigel Farage. Farage uploaded it overnight. He’s received notification from his former bank, Coutts, on why the bank closed his account. Since then, Farage has been unable to open any other personal bank accounts in the UK, thus far he’s been rejected by 10 banks. He’s now effectively cleansed/banned/disappeared from UK financial services. The Coutts letter, over forty pages, details why Farage is now persona non grata with these banks. The reason? It’s political, pure and simple. They don’t like or approve of his politics.

However, I’ll say it again and again and again. whilst I like Nigel enormously, and what’s been done to him by UK banks is outrageous, it is worth remembering that he refused to speak up for more marginal political players such as Hopkins and Robinson, neither of whom have a UK bank account, they’ve been banned for years.

You see, free speech involves speaking up for speech you might not agree with or like. Farage and others in the mainstream don’t have to like Hopkins or Robinson or others, however they do have a responsibility to speak up when other people’s free speech and rights are under attack.

Which brings me to the Free Speech Union Australia. Rafe has posted a link on this site’s Home Page. The concept of the Free Speech Union Oz is great, and I’ve signed up. I also recommend others sign up too. However, I want a robust and fearless FSU Oz, I don’t want some organisation that sits on its bum, taking in money yet doing nothing when the shit hits the fan. Because that’s what happened to Bettina Arndt. When under frenzied attack, with a senate censure supported by the Liberals and Nationals, the IPA refused to help her. I will always regard what was done to Bettina as shameful and a stain on this country.

On the new FSU OZ homepage, it has its core values and one of these “core values” is as follows..

Defend the Free Speech Rights of others, even the most unpopular or disagreeable opinions: We expect our members not to restrict others’ freedom of speech and will insist that our members and those we come to the defence of will also defend the Free Speech of others, even those they vehemently disagree with. The Free Speech Union of Australia believes that if society doesn’t uphold the right to express controversial, eccentric, heretical, provocative or unwelcome opinions, then it doesn’t uphold free speech.

Noble words, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. So, next time some is under frenzied attacks for speech, and there will be a next time because they’re coming for us, to silence us, to shut down our bank accounts and so on, I expect a FSU Oz to be unequivocal in its defence of free speech, unlike when ex-IPA alumni Senator James Paterson, said that “he agreed with Senator Keneally that Arndt’s “comments are reprehensible, that they are abhorrent and they deserve to be condemned and criticised and I’m quite comfortable for politicians to do that.”

And if the FSU Oz puts up hypocritical scum up like Paterson or Mulholland to be on its board, I’ll know immediately that it’s not serious about free speech, and I won’t give them a cent. In fact, here’s some names they should have on any FSU Oz board…

Moira Deeming
Bernie Finn
Bettina Arndt
Gerard Rennick
George Christensen
Craig Kelly

That’d be a good start!

duncanm
duncanm
July 19, 2023 3:39 pm

Ashley Bropho

I think someone alluded to it at the time, but Ashley was the step-brother of 4yo Cleo Smith’s kidnapper, Terence Kelly, and I presume related to Robert Bropho, also a convicted kiddie fiddler.

Nice family.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 3:44 pm

I think someone alluded to it at the time, but Ashley was the step-brother of 4yo Cleo Smith’s kidnapper, Terence Kelly,

and what a weird case that was…

feelthebern
feelthebern
July 19, 2023 3:45 pm

Considering there are laws against banks colluding in the UK, I’m surprised Firage hasn’t fired that shot.
Or isn’t de-banking covered ?

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 19, 2023 3:53 pm

Some schools are responding to concerns about celebrating colonialism because of the association with Indigenous violence, loss, massacre and disease.

The Victorian government has taken a strong stand on the issue, with Premier Daniel Andrews stating last year that schools will be strongly ­encouraged to mark Sorry Day, recognise the “significant trauma” of colonisation, hold welcome to country celebrations and fly the Aboriginal flag, under new state laws.

The little dears can always persuade their parents to hand all their worldly goods to the nearest Aboriginal Corporation, and leave for whatever country their ancestors came from.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
July 19, 2023 3:56 pm

The Big Pharma sponsored media whores are in full swing, again. Going back in time, anyone that had a flu was classed as a covid case. Now with that running out of steam, it is back to seasonal flu. Get a jab!

Apparently, the human immune system is defunct and in order to survive, one must consistently be injected with ‘vaccines’. Ludicrous.

Fun fact from the USA. By the time you are 18, you are expected to have 83 jabs from birth. It was 11 or so in the 1950’s

I am not sure of the date of this ‘news report’

Here is Channel 9 South Australia report.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 19, 2023 3:58 pm

“Recklessly indifferent to truth”: Linda Reynolds blasts DPP Shane Drumgold over Brittany Higgins case.

EXCLUSIVE
By janet albrechtsen
Columnist
@jkalbrechtsen
and stephen rice
NSW Editor
@riceyontheroad
3:40PM July 19, 2023

Former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has launched blistering attack on ACT chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold, accusing him of making “baseless and unsubstantiated allegations” that she was motivated by political forces to suppress Brittany Higgins’ rape complaint.

In a submission to the Sofronoff inquiry obtained by The Australian Senator Reynolds asks chairman Walter Sofronoff KC to find that Mr Drumgold “was recklessly indifferent to the truth of this mistaken belief, and was otherwise prepared to assert a position that had no evidentiary basis despite being an officer of the Court with ethical and prosecutorial duties that attach.”

Senator Reynolds alleges multiple breaches by Mr Drumgold of the Barristers Rules, the Legal Profession Act, the Director of Public Prosecutions Policy, the Freedom of Information Act and the Human Rights Act over the trial of Bruce Lehrmann.
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The allegation that she had tried to pervert the course of justice would have remained unchallenged, she submitted, but for the intervention of Mr Sofronoff, who elicited from Mr Drumgold the startling admission during the inquiry that he no longer believed his own claims.

“The evidence of the DPP at the Inquiry demonstrated that there was no basis to make such a serious allegation during the trial or at any time before or after the trial. It was a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation made irresponsibly and has damaged the reputation of Senator Reynolds irreparably,” her submission states.

The Liberal MP reveals her shock at being declared a hostile (or “unfavourable”) witness in the trial by the DPP who, without warning, suddenly cross-examined her on her credibility.

That included questioning about the presence of her husband, Robert Reid, sitting in the courtroom, even though no one had suggested there was anything wrong with this, including the DPP, who had met and was aware that Mr Reid was her partner. An ODPP solicitor had even approached Mr Reid in the court to ask if Senator Reynolds could appear sooner than previously scheduled.

Senator Reynolds was also cross examined over a text message she sent to Bruce Lehrmann’s defence counsel, Steve Whybrow, requesting a transcript of the trial. She said she had not been aware this was not permitted.

She says Mr Drumgold “ambushed” her in the trial and had given her no indication beforehand in discussions that he intended to do this, even though he was already well aware that Ms Higgins’ was claiming political interference to suppress her complaint.

“I was shocked and frustrated at this approach as it appeared the DPP was seeking to undermine my credibility (and that of Senator Cash) in an effort to re-assert the credibility of Ms Higgins and increase his prospect of securing a conviction. Alleging that a politician was motivated by ‘political forces’ was an easy line to run.”

The DPP repeatedly asked questions which alleged Senator Reynolds was motivated by “political forces,” she said, even though he was well aware from her statement that it was she who had suggested to Ms Higgins she should talk to the police and assured her the AFP had expertise in handling sensitive personal matters.

In his summing up Mr Drumgold told the jury that “it is abundantly clear from the evidence and actions of Senator Reynolds during this trial that those political forces were still a factor.”

Senator Reynolds alleges Mr Drumgold had breached the Barristers Rules as his allegations were made “principally in order to discredit or embarrass” her and requested that Mr Sofronoff recommend the DPP’s conduct be investigated by the ACT Bar Council.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 19, 2023 4:03 pm

and I presume related to Robert Bropho, also a convicted kiddie fiddler.

Also related to Timothy Lenin Bropho, who drew twelve years, for the rape of his two and a half year old niece.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 19, 2023 4:07 pm

Competitive Eating – I never knew it was a thing until instead of the Weekend Australian we were delivered the Weekend Telegraph by mistake. On the front page of the Magazine is a cropped-bearded bullet-headed smiling youngish Croatian guy holding two hot dogs and there are 21 others stacked neatly in a pyramid in front of him on the table. He’s making a career of it, being invited now to Competitive Eating Meets in the US. It’s big in Australia too – for the first time I notice driving through Redfern today to visit a son on the way home from dance class an advertising sign applauding the good work of a local competitive eater who can down 123 eggs in a sitting. Apparently there are tricks of limited chewing that allows the human mouth to swallow fast and furiously. Secrets of the trade, apparently.

Now the Kookaburras are outside looking hungry. I’ll take them some meat and watch how they would have skill in this game if it was open to Kookas. Currawongs would come off a second best.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 19, 2023 4:09 pm

I am trying to image a Weekend Magazine cover on the Oz having such a pic and detailing the achievements of this dedicated eater. Nikki Gemmel would never get over it. lol. The telegraph definitely reaches a different market segment.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 4:10 pm

In his summing up Mr Drumgold told the jury that “it is abundantly clear from the evidence and actions of Senator Reynolds during this trial that those political forces were still a factor.”

Senator Reynolds alleges Mr Drumgold had breached the Barristers Rules as his allegations were made “principally in order to discredit or embarrass” her and requested that Mr Sofronoff recommend the DPP’s conduct be investigated by the ACT Bar Council.

The whole thing is a shite show. Higgins has a 3 million dollar payolla and is now apparently working with the UN as an intern. Que? Give back the money knickerless if you are still able to suddenly be able to work. And to work in the future.

Barking Toad
Barking Toad
July 19, 2023 4:11 pm

ZK2A @ 3:58…..

Yes just read it in the Oz online……..

Reynolds has got over the sads and is now hunting.

Never impressed by her as a politician and Defence performance seems perfunctory but, she has every right to put the boots into Dumbgold and, by extension, Knickerless.

Janet A is on top of everything on this. 31 July will be interesting.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
July 19, 2023 4:12 pm

Based on the Bidens’ dealings, should we expect a new war to start in Kazakhstan or Romania?

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 4:13 pm

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Jul 19, 2023 4:09 PM
I am trying to image a Weekend Magazine cover on the Oz having such a pic and detailing the achievements of this dedicated eater. Nikki Gemmel would never get over it. lol. The telegraph definitely reaches a different market segment.

The Daily Telegraph has a far better puzzle 2 pages as well as Terry McCrann.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 19, 2023 4:16 pm

ZK2A @ 3:58…..

I’m always comparing the speed with which Knickerless got her three million quid, for being “unable to work” with the poor sods who battle Department of Veterans Affairs for years.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 4:19 pm

“Vomit inducing….ALL far-left progressives.”

Another Sydney-centric Leftist circle jerk. Talk about preaching to the choir.

Johnny Rotten
July 19, 2023 4:19 pm

Colonel Crispin Berka
Jul 19, 2023 4:12 PM
Based on the Bidens’ dealings, should we expect a new war to start in Kazakhstan or Romania?

Try Baltimore. Chicago, LA, SF and anywhere lefty and deprived in the USA. Normally Democrat areas.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 4:24 pm

Drumgold was already for the high jump. This latest won’t help.

Top Ender
Top Ender
July 19, 2023 4:25 pm

Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney says she will not debate the Indigenous voice to parliament with Liberal party’s spokeswoman on Indigenous affairs Jacinta Nampijinpa Price because “this is about Australians, not politicians”.

Senator Nampijinpa Price said on Tuesday she would be happy to debate Ms Burney on the topic of whether the existence of an Indigenous advisory body should be guaranteed in the constitution.

“No, this is about Australians not politicians,” Ms Burney told reporters on Wednesday.

“It’s always been about politics for the Liberals and Nationals.

“That’s why they want a Canberra debate.

“We want an honest and open conversation with Australia about a path to a better future. They want typical political conflict and obstruction.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price is a Country Liberal Party member from Alice Springs and a recognisable face of the No campaign. Earlier this month she was the voice of 2.6 million robocalls made by the No campaign as it sought to survey the views of Australians.

Burney will look even more a clown than usual as a result.

Oz

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 4:27 pm

It beggars belief how the human species cam come up with monsters like this.

Why cops arrested accused Gilgo killer Rex Heuermann away from his home

He owned around 300 guns.

Police arrested Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann near his Manhattan office due to worries about the arsenal of weapons at his Long Island home, officials said.

Heuermann, 59, had up to 300 guns in a vault in the basement of the rundown Massapequa Park home he shared with his second wife and two adult children.

He serially killed several women.

Heuerman was ultimately arrested by plainclothes police outside his Fifth Avenue office late Thursday.

He pleaded not guilty on Friday to three counts each of first- and second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello.

He is also the primary suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

Police initially linked Heuermann to the so-called “Gilgo Four” — whose bodies were found in the marshes off Ocean Parkway near Gilgo State Park in December 2010 — through his first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, which matched the vehicle linked to the unidentified killer, court documents revealed.

It’s always the pizza which turns them in.

A slew of additional evidence against Heuermann — including gruesome porn searches and a fake Tinder account — eventually led police to test his DNA found on a discarded pizza crust.

The sample was matched to a male hair found on the burlap used to wrap Waterman’s body, the bail application stated.

The count could be over a dozen murders.

A total of 11 bodies, mostly women, were found in the Gilgo Beach area starting in 2010.

It is unclear if he is tied to any of the other Gilgo bodies, including that of Shannan Gilbert, whose May 2010 disappearance sparked the search that uncovered the other victims

Not content with murdering them, he taunted the family of one of the victims.

Mobile phone bills later tied Heuermann to the burner phones used to contact the victims and taunt at least one of their families.

Who’s against the death penalty again?

https://nypost.com/2023/07/18/why-cops-arrested-suspected-gilgo-killer-rex-heuermann-away-from-his-home/

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 4:27 pm

Never impressed by her [Reynolds] as a politician and Defence performance seems perfunctory but, she has every right to put the boots into Dumbgold and, by extension, Knickerless.

If Martin Bennett is driving things now expect some fireworks.

Barking Toad
Barking Toad
July 19, 2023 4:28 pm

I’m always comparing the speed with which Knickerless got her three million quid, for being “unable to work” with the poor sods who battle Department of Veterans Affairs for years.

It was obscene the way this was rushed through by Dreyfus with Finance minister Gallagher claiming no knowledge of it while they shut out Reynolds and Cash from being able to be present and give evidence against the rort.

Vets should be rightly disgusted when compared to their treatment.

Lee
Lee
July 19, 2023 4:28 pm

I’m always comparing the speed with which Knickerless got her three million quid, for being “unable to work” with the poor sods who battle Department of Veterans Affairs for years.

Labor government gotta pay her off for her part in bringing down the Liberal government.

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 4:31 pm

The Daily Telegraph has a far better puzzle 2 pages as well as Terry McCrann.

Wodney, but why bother with McCrann when you’re an Armstrong devotee? You’re obviously a busy man, so just focus on the acclaimed, former Leavenworth innate and don’t waste time, you genius.

shatterzzz
July 19, 2023 4:31 pm

“No, this is about Australians not politicians,” Ms Burney told reporters on Wednesday.

So why is the gucci gnome spending her entire working week cavorting around Oz spruiking the VOICE..?
You’d think there’d be plenty of 251 affairs stuff that she’s being paid close on $8 000 a week to keep her busy in the office …… FFS!

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 4:31 pm

If the microscope gets turned on that payout Dreyfus might be in the crosshairs too.

shatterzzz
July 19, 2023 4:42 pm

He’s received notification from his former bank, Coutts, on why the bank closed his account.

Don’t know the truth of it but the story going around London banking circles at the moment about Mr. Farage’s bank account closure is that it was with a rather exclusive bank that has rules about your money and if you don’t have the bank required minimum deposit in your account you get closed .. period!
Mr. Farage, apparently, dropped below the minimum required and closure was automatic …….!

shatterzzz
July 19, 2023 4:46 pm

Sound of Freedom sounds like a reasonable movie but not something I’m not desperate to watch right now.

Try one of the Liam Neeson TAKEN series or even RAMBO, LAST BLOOD .. different actors but similar plot lines .. LOL!

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
July 19, 2023 4:48 pm

Dance class was so good today. I felt like I was sixteen again, just jazz ballet today, with full warm up and then action, and a lovely slow movement to this song, a guy singing it, but a girl can also apply it, and it’s here from me for Hairy, dear sweet man:

“I need some some-body who can love me at my worst,
No, I’m not perfect but I hope you see my worth”

No regrets for my justified temper last night. Completely warranted against stalker.
You’ve lost friends, says Hairy, hugging me, but you knew that would happen and you did stand true. From my point of view, I said when he warned me, it couldn’t really get any worse, so nothing is lost.

Great coffee with my real friends, who were all so happy with Ben Fordham on 2GB laying into Albo. I never listen to 2GB so they fill me in. They are in teal electorates but are not teals. So good.

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 4:49 pm

Don’t know the truth of it but the story going around London banking circles at the moment about Mr. Farage’s bank account closure is that it was with a rather exclusive bank that has rules about your money and if you don’t have the bank required minimum deposit in your account you get closed .. period!
Mr. Farage, apparently, dropped below the minimum required and closure was automatic …….!

Coutts used to be a very snooty independent private bank catering to the very elite brits including the royal family. I think it was taken over by one of the majors, but I suspect it continues to operate with a minimum requirement in terms of funds held.

shatterzzz
July 19, 2023 4:51 pm

Alternative headline – “How Victoria’s schools are filling students’ heads with ridiculous rubbish”

I’ll make it short ……… 407 upticks ….. LOL!

cohenite
July 19, 2023 4:53 pm

So why is the gucci gnome spending her entire working week cavorting around Oz spruiking the VOICE..?
You’d think there’d be plenty of 251 affairs stuff that she’s being paid close on $8 000 a week to keep her busy in the office …… FFS!

Not to mention the 1000s of grifters working (sic) for NIAA and the countless abo land councils. If these arseholes were doing their job there would be no 3rd nations living in poverty etc.

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 4:53 pm

“Don’t know the truth of it but the story going around London banking circles at the moment about Mr. Farage’s bank account closure is that it was with a rather exclusive bank that has rules about your money and if you don’t have the bank required minimum deposit in your account you get closed .. period!
Mr. Farage, apparently, dropped below the minimum required and closure was automatic …….!”

No, nope, and nyet. The fact that his account was closed had nothing to do with his reasonably healthy bank balance (others at Coutts have less), but because of his politics.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 4:54 pm

Dover, site is loading well and I think marginally quicker than usual…

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 4:55 pm

Yep Cassie, looks like the BBC report his account was underfunded was typical fake news.

In July 2023, former MEP Nigel Farage had his account closed by the bank, reportedly for failing to meet the required minimums.[23] However, revelations published in The Daily Telegraph newspaper not only dispelled the BBC’s report, but showed Farage’s accounts were closed after an internal risk committee judged his “views were at odds with our position as an inclusive organisation”, whilst financially his account’s “economic contribution is now sufficient to retain on a commercial basis”.[24]

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 4:55 pm

**marginally** (but not much!)

Appreciate your work mate!

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 4:56 pm

“Labor government gotta pay her off for her part in bringing down the Liberal government.”

Correct. And it was a job well done.

I want to see Dumgold crucified.

Lysander
Lysander
July 19, 2023 4:56 pm

Well my first post above about site performance took a while to reload the page but my second comment was instantaneous…

bespoke
bespoke
July 19, 2023 4:57 pm

I cannot wait to see the transcript on this one.

Because I have no clue what he said.

Rosie
Rosie
July 19, 2023 5:01 pm

Does that mean the series ‘Lost Girls’ needs a couple of new episodes?

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 19, 2023 5:02 pm

I’m slightly bemused by those who want to watch people run around in circles or jump up and down. I don’t mind you doing it, I just think you’re weird.

Like most maths Ph D theses.

There’s weird, and then there’s really weird.

I have no objection to weirdness. In moderation.

Crossie
Crossie
July 19, 2023 5:03 pm

shatterzzz
Jul 19, 2023 4:42 PM
Don’t know the truth of it but the story going around London banking circles at the moment about Mr. Farage’s bank account closure is that it was with a rather exclusive bank that has rules about your money and if you don’t have the bank required minimum deposit in your account you get closed .. period!
Mr. Farage, apparently, dropped below the minimum required and closure was automatic …….!

Any indication about the excuses of the rest of the banks?

Rosie
Rosie
July 19, 2023 5:05 pm
Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 5:08 pm

First YES sign spotted.
Coupla aged poofters, inner suburban, mongrel dogs, yard never mowed, property worth about $1.5 mil.

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 5:11 pm

Cassie of Sydney
Jul 19, 2023 4:56 PM

“Labor government gotta pay her off for her part in bringing down the Liberal government.”

Correct. And it was a job well done.

Honest question.. as in really honest. Do you and others think the Higgins bullshit goaded voters away from voting Lib? This doesn’t mean the Liar’s party didn’t attempt to use it as a stick to beat up the Libs. It just doesn’t gel with me that it would’ve persuaded anyone to vote against the Libs because there may have been a sexual assault in parliament at 1.00 am one morning.

Chris
Chris
July 19, 2023 5:13 pm

Any indication about the excuses of the rest of the banks?

A number of articles blamed a ‘politically exposed persons law’ designed to stop pollies and troughers laundering their ill-gotten bribes.
No requirement to be convicted or suspected or have any magically-known intent. It applies to family as well, I gather.

Tom
Tom
July 19, 2023 5:20 pm

Dover, site is loading well and I think marginally quicker than usual…

Correct. And I don’t think it has anything to do with the number of comments per page, so the sooner 250-comment pages are restored the better — to reduce the amount of time it now takes changing pages.

Cassie of Sydney
July 19, 2023 5:20 pm

“Honest question.. as in really honest. Do you and others think the Higgins bullshit goaded voters away from voting Lib? This doesn’t mean the Liar’s party didn’t attempt to use it as a stick to beat up the Libs. It just doesn’t gel with me that it would’ve persuaded anyone to vote against the Libs because there may have been a sexual assault in parliament at 1.00 am one morning.”

Not with rusted on voters, but I do think it definitely goaded some swinging voters away, and particularly some empty headed vacuous swinging women away.

However, the Liberals’ loss was due to a combination of factors. The Higgins’ crap allowed Labor and the MSM to push the bullshit that the “Liberals have a women problem”, this bullshit was and remains utter codswallop but it worked because the MSM ran with it hysterically for over a year. This was combined with a rotting and feeble old government, Scumbag’s constant ineptness, and Scumbag’s complete and utter betrayal of all things “Liberal”.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 5:21 pm

Labor government gotta pay her off for her part in bringing down the Liberal government.

The Liberal Party brought it on themselves.
Contrast how they treted Hiuggins with how the Labor Party did.
And she’s not even one of theirs.
That’s one of the few good things about the Labor Party:
They acknowledge their debts.
With the Liberal Party it’s
What have you done for me today?

Chris
Chris
July 19, 2023 5:21 pm

and I presume related to Robert Bropho, also a convicted kiddie fiddler.

Also related to Timothy Lenin Bropho, who drew twelve years, for the rape of his two and a half year old niece.

Kulcha!

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 5:33 pm

Question for all. Have the pages been loading quickly since mid-afternoon

Quicker than in the morning, I would say.

Dot
Dot
July 19, 2023 5:34 pm

An underfunded bank account. Hmmm. Why can’t they just say he had a zero balance and when fees were charged, they waived the fee and closed the account?

This is why I suspect they targeted him politically.

An “underfunded” bank account?

Get outta here! His chequing account was also his margin lending account?!

Dot
Dot
July 19, 2023 5:35 pm

“Honest question.. as in really honest. Do you and others think the Higgins bullshit goaded voters away from voting Lib? This doesn’t mean the Liar’s party didn’t attempt to use it as a stick to beat up the Libs. It just doesn’t gel with me that it would’ve persuaded anyone to vote against the Libs because there may have been a sexual assault in parliament at 1.00 am one morning.”

It was a narrative for their army of NPCs to ear-bash everyone else with for two years.

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 5:36 pm

Not with rusted on voters, but I do think it definitely goaded some swinging voters away, and particularly some empty headed vacuous swinging women away.

As I waited at a set of lights this morning, I noticed a number of banners and posters that had been affixed to the side of the road the warned of the impending end of the planet due to global warming. It was close to a town hall, which evidently attracted attention for some reason. An older woman was crossing the street while holding a sign warning that the world is about to end caught my attention. She had the appearance of a typical, well-groomed middle-class grandmother. It was this morning around 8:30.

She wore winter clothing. She dressed warmly, wearing a coat, trousers, and ankle boots. She was demonstrating about gerbil warming while wearing that outfit to keep warm.
It’s a religious cult.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 5:37 pm

Sharp Focus on Africa

REAL IMPACT OF RUSSO-UKRAINE WAR ON AFRICA

CHIMA OKEZUE
4 JUN 2022

I am writing here to clear up what I feel are misunderstandings of the real impact of the war on Africa in general (and sub-Saharan region in particular).

Let me start by saying that the African continent indeed imports a lot of wheat from Europe, particularly from Russia and Ukraine. Why? Because little amounts of wheat are ever grown on the continent. Having said that, it is a myth to say that Africans will starve without wheat imports. Wheat is not a staple food in most of Africa. In fact, this particular grain was introduced to many parts of Africa by European colonials back in the 19th Century.

People in the sub-Saharan region live on their real staple foods like rice, maize, cassava, yam, etc. Wheat is mainly used for making bread and pastries (none of which are traditional foods in the sub-Saharan region). Saying that Africans will starve without Ukrainian/Russian wheat is akin to saying that Europeans will starve without imported Caribbean bananas.

The real effect of the war will be felt in the soaring energy prices. Petroleum-rich African nations such as Nigeria, Algeria and Angola will not feel that adverse effect to the same extent as resource-poor African nations such as Malawi, Senegal and Mali.

For example, some petroleum-rich African nations will barely feel the impact of reduced availability of Russian/Ukrainian fertilizer in the market for the singular fact that they produce their own fertilizer.

Nigeria alone has several state-owned and private companies producing fertilizer. In late March 2022, a new privately-owned fertilizer plant opened in Nigeria. It is the largest anywhere in Africa and is capable of producing three million metric tonnes of fertilizer annually.

Resource-poor African nations like Senegal or Malawi have to import Petroleum from abroad. The high energy prices means that the importation of this precious energy resource will be incredibly expensive.

The cost of transporting real staple foods (e.g. maize) from the farms to the marketplace will rise with high petroleum prices. Before appearing in the market, staple foods such as rice needs to be processed first. The operating costs of processing machines soars with rising petroleum prices.

In other words, the market price of genuine African staple foods–which are not in short supply on the continent thanks to local production and imports from Asia–becomes incredibly expensive and out of reach of poor people with soaring petroleum prices.

Like I stated before, African nations that produce their own petroleum and fertilizer will not feel the impact to the same extent as resource-poor African states. For example, the Nigerian government is heavily subsidizing the cost of petroleum for its citizens to cope with the soaring energy prices. Resource-poor African nations cannot do the same.

So the primary concern of the Senegalese President in Moscow is soaring energy and commodity prices for countries like Senegal, Malawi, Central Africa Republic, etc, which have zero petroleum resources of their own. (Wheat availability and food importation are secondary issues)

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 5:39 pm

I think the country has a grandma problem.

Dot
Dot
July 19, 2023 5:41 pm

There Worst Nightmare — Trump & RFK together

LOL…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Dot
Dot
July 19, 2023 5:46 pm

Top-tier comments on that DM article, no one cares about the murder of sex workers!

Except many convicts have been executed over these murders.

Oh well. I’m sure a misogynist was slain in those comments and a white knight got laid.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 5:47 pm

Ukrainian naval terror drone bases destroyed – Moscow

The strikes came in retaliation to the Crimean Bridge attack, which claimed two civilian lives

The Russian military has conducted strikes on Ukrainian facilities used to prepare terrorist attacks, the Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday. The attacks were carried out in retaliation to Monday’s attack on the Crimean Bridge, which claimed two civilian lives and left one child injured.

In a statement, the ministry said that Russian forces overnight launched “a group retaliatory strike” using high-precision sea-based weapons. The attack was aimed at facilities that were used to prepare “terrorist acts” against Russia involving unmanned drones, as well as the shipyard in the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa that produced them, it added.

Apart from this, the barrage targeted depots in Odessa and Nikolaev that contained around 70,000 tons of fuel meant for the Ukrainian military. “All designated targets have been hit. Fires and detonations have been registered at the destroyed facilities,” according to the statement.

On Tuesday, Sergey Bratchuk, the head of the Odessa administration, reported a rocket attack on the city which involved six Kalibr missiles, but claimed that all of them had been downed. However, he noted that “port infrastructure facilities” and several other buildings were damaged in the strike.

Vitaly Kim, the head of the Nikolaev administration, said the attack hit “an industrial facility,” causing a fire that was promptly extinguished.

Unverified footage circulating on social media shows Ukrainian air defenses firing at an unknown target in Odessa Region, with a powerful explosion occurring several seconds later. Local media suggested that the strike could have destroyed a German-supplied Gepard air defense system.

On Monday, Russia accused Ukraine of staging a terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge involving two maritime drones which damaged one section of the roadway and killed a married couple, injuring their minor daughter.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised retaliation, noting at the time that the Defense Ministry was already preparing “necessary proposals.”

John H.
John H.
July 19, 2023 5:49 pm

ohnny Rotten
Jul 19, 2023 3:26 PM
Lysander
Jul 19, 2023 2:35 PM
A poll of 700 Warringah voters shows 59% in support of nuclear energy to 28% against.

Did Zali not “read the room?”

On a recent Q&A they had a poll which had a similiar result. It is an example of the Liberal Party not reading the public mood. June 23 2023

Yes 61%

No 32%

Unsure 7%

Q & A is no way a representation of the Public mood. FFS.

The polling wasn’t on the Q&A studio audience. There are other polls apart from those 2 which find public support for nuclear. I take your point though, we must be wary of sources so I can no longer trust The Australian, the The Spectator, or Sky News, or ADH TV, or any politically motivated organisation because they are only representative of their political perspective.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
July 19, 2023 5:54 pm

Travellers to pay more after Qatar rebuffed: airports

Ayesha de Kretser – Senior reporter

Australian tourism and airport operators say a decision to block Qatar Airways from expanding services into east coast cities will hurt consumers and businesses, rubbishing suggestions that the state-backed airline would distort the market for carriers trying to restore international capacity.

Industry sources were furious that federal Transport, Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Catherine King rebuffed Qatar Airways when it has the planes to meet demand and reduce prices.

“More seats means more competition and that is what we need to improve connectivity and to help bring down airfares,” Australian Airports Association chief executive James Goodwin said.

One tourism operator said Australia needed to do more to negotiate open skies agreements instead of relying on bilateral air agreements, which he derided as “really just a smoke screen for quotas or limits to the number of flights allowed”.

Arrivals have not picked up at the same pace as Australians are departing since the easing of flight restrictions, with visitors put off by high airfares that stem from airlines being slow to reinstate flight capacity. Airlines are struggling with returning planes and pilots to the skies.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed that the number of short-stay overseas visitor arrivals in May was down 23 per cent compared with May 2019 at 512,330, while the number of Aussies heading overseas was down only 11 per cent at 830,750.

Qatar Airways, however, has been running at around 96 per cent capacity into the east coast, one source said, and was keen to expand its European routes. It had applied to add 28 flights: 21 into Sydney and seven into Melbourne.

The source said the clear beneficiary was Qantas, which stopped flying via the Middle East to Europe in 2018 and is yet to reinstate services via Dubai. Qantas instead flies to London via Singapore, which is a more lucrative route because it is allowed to sell tickets on each leg of the journey, rather than strictly Sydney to London.

Qantas also scrapped two of its largest planes, the A380s, and has not yet returned the rest to full service because of maintenance delays.

Another source said the Qatar request was for permanent landing rights, rather than to fill a temporary gap while other airlines rebuild services, which would have given the airline a sustained advantage in the Australian market.

Mr Goodwin said the government’s decision would hurt tourism income. “This is a bad outcome for tourism and sends a bad signal to international carriers wanting to fly into and out of Australia,” he said.

“International travel is still well below pre-pandemic levels, so I would be urging the Australian government to be doing everything it can to attract and retain more airlines and build their confidence that Australia is a reliable place to do business.”

United Airlines announced its biggest network expansion into Australia and New Zealand from the US, with 66 flights a week starting this summer. United confirmed on Tuesday that it was still waiting for government approval to launch a route between Brisbane and Los Angeles.

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 5:58 pm

The source said the clear beneficiary was Qantas…

Maaate!

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 6:03 pm

The Guardian:

The Indi

genous Australians minister, Linda Burney, has ruled out holding a debate on the voice to parliament referendum with her opposition counterpart, accusing the Coalition of seeking “typical conflict and obstruction” on the issue.

“No, this is about Australians not politicians,” Burney said.

She’d be out of her depth in a wading pool.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 6:04 pm

Maaate!

It’s as if Geoffrey Dixon never left. The poor Mangy Roo.

H B Bear
H B Bear
July 19, 2023 6:06 pm

I don’t mind taxpayers subsidising airlines. Preferably other taxpayers.

Roger
Roger
July 19, 2023 6:07 pm

The Daily Mail:

‘The New Zealand Greens have released an election policy to return stolen land, included privately owned land, to Maori.’

bespoke
bespoke
July 19, 2023 6:08 pm
Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 6:14 pm

Site wasn’t refreshing at all for me at 5:00pm.
Why login to WordPress?
I just fill out the name and email every time I comment.

100 comments/page makes it easier to find old comments when a verballin’s a’ happ’nin’.

JC
JC
July 19, 2023 6:14 pm

bespoke
Jul 19, 2023 6:08 PM

I built a TANK for my son – Inspired by World of Tanks

Upspoke, I’m hoping you didn’t teach him how to spell.

Ed Case
Ed Case
July 19, 2023 6:19 pm

There was a Mayor in Japan about 30 years ago who put forward the suggestion that all women past Menopause who hadn’t had kids ought to be euthanased.

On the basis that they’d never done anything worthwhile when they had the chance, so there was no percentage in investing in them once their use by dated had expired.

I could see his point, but I don’t think he got what he wanted.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 19, 2023 6:22 pm

Cassie at 3:01.

Appreciate your efforts Dover. A big thank you.

Ditto.

It’s coming up to two years since Sinclair pulled the plug on the original Catallaxy. Thank God Dover stepped in.

Yes.
After a few false dawns, we ended up here, and it is most excellent.
I think less focus on the Dismal Science is no bad thing.

  1. How much will taxpayers be shelling out for all the highly paid work crews, especially the ‘lollipop’ holders in this…

  2. The pothole problem has become markedly worse over the last 3/4 years too; can’t blame the former government for that.

  3. The Federal Court ruled at 930 am this morning that the Classification Review Board did not understand the overwhelming majority…

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