It is beyond a double standard at this point. It is a regime hostile to the general public.

Qaintarse board went along with anything the irish pouve wanted. They were lazy. Now the midget is gone won’t be able to call it quaintarse. Then again for male cabin staff it seems mandatory.

Good heavens, they are determined.
I’m staying at my daughter’s place on the Downs.
The road gate is a fair distance from the house, but the Yessers drove the distance.
They employed the Jehovah’s technique of having little kids with them. Abuse defence I imagine. Creeps.
Of course Abbottesque submission and ‘walk politely away’ politesse ruled the conversation.
The final exchange being “and shut the f*kin gate”.
Their extraordinary ignorance revealed itself when they asked if they could “talk to our workers”.
Daughter claims that they were not locals but were from the Uni in Toowoomba.
They really lit her fuse. “These people hold rural people in contempt and genuinely believe that their superior intellect will make us see the light”.
Second visit not recommended.

Most companies have a trading window after announcing full and half year results. I’m sure it is fine. Perhaps a question mark against whether a possible ACCC investigation should have been announced to the market ahead of any trade.

The ASX Dealing Policy is pretty clear on this. If you are in possession of price sensitive information you must not deal.

Other than that, as an employee, you can deal in a trading window – defined as 5 weeks after release of annual, or half yearly accounts, or an AGM, or at any time during the currency of a prospectus – or another period approved by the Board.

So presumably someone on the QANTAS Board thought that impending action by the ACCC was no biggie.

No doubt there will be someone in ASIC, who is not a member of the Chairman’s Lounge, who might ask the question.

GWGB.

Bank to Stop Giving Loans to Fossil Fuel Cars (5 Sep)

From 2025, customers of Bank Australia will no longer get funding to buy new cars that run on fossil fuels.

”By ceasing car loans for new fossil fuel vehicles, we are sending a signal to the Australian market about the rapid acceleration in the transition from internal combustion to electric vehicles we expect to see in the next few years” said Sasha Courville, chief impact officer at the bank.

Sounds like an excellent reason to transition from their bank to another bank by 2025. I don’t think they’re getting quite the level of virtue signalling out of this than they believe though – the article is on a US blog courtesy of a independent journo from Sweden. Stop the presses!

I thought the Syrian/Egyptian/Lybian overthrows/ attempts were the bottom of the barrel for US policy.
All caused and are still causing more misery than appeared to be in those areas pre-freedumb revolutions.

Egypt delivered to the Muslim Brotherhood as a gift was particularly mongoloid.

And none of us is without guilt.

Since when did I vote for neocons, Nuland, Biden, Hillary, Putin, Zelensky, Bandera…

I didn’t even get to vote for the anti-war candidates like Ron Paul or Trump, let alone Bernie or Marianne Williamson.

???

That’s a huge call Jorge; you’re saying there is not only no right take in all of this but even disinterested people are wrong. How can they be wrong if no matter of reasoning or information makes their answer any better?

What guilt should I have?

“Australia should keep out of this conflict and not even supply weapons even though I think Putin is in the wrong”

It doesn’t mean I lose a right to be wary of a hare-brained scheme to rebuild the Russian Empire (more so when the peripheral States all voted overwhelmingly to leave the USSR and Russian dominance for good).

…and no being hysterical about Putin/Hitler is silly. He’s not. He needs an incentive to agree to a ceasefire and peace treaty, as does Zelensky.

Electricity, electric cars and electric car charging will all get much more expensive soon.

Scotty Kilmer showed an example recently of a 4WD owner who compared a similar model, diesel ICE to EV and the ICE was cheaper to fill up.

Batteries need to be the right temp. If you warm your battery up for 20 minutes and recharge for 10 and are charged for TIME and not Ah/kWh, then what are you really paying for?

Bank Australia is an “Industry” (Union) Super Fund “bank” (started off as the CSIRO Credit Union and owns Member’s Equity, which has ties to UniSuper etc.) so they’re just going to be woke and shill for highly paid, high wage bill, low productivity renewables gravy trains.

I really do like the PoleStar 2. It simply isn’t a 63k – 91k car, it doesn’t have the range, reliability or quick refuelling times of a conventional ICE car and what’s the cost to repair?

Electric cars have so many problems that mass adoption will only occur if it is forced on us. They might improve. Probably not, in a short time.

We already used electric cars pre WWI and they were obsolete by the time the conflict was joined.

. At the end they wanted a group photo as a keepsake.

Such a Japanese thing. It’s such a lovely, friendly gesture to strangers. My youngest worked in Nagasaki and Tokyo for 3 years and said he must have posed for thousands of group photos in that time.

I told him that somewhere in Japan, stuck in the photo album of two 50+ Japanese women would be a photo of 13 month old him in a stroller with the Acropolis in the background, surrounded by two giggly Japanese teenagers.

I understand why though, he was exceedingly cute back then.

The bathroom references from rosie and calli made me laugh! Once experienced, a Japanese bathroom is never forgotten.

ME Bank was brought by Bank of Queensland.

Request, please. Could someone with a subscription to the OZ bring over the article “The top 10 companies backing the Yes campaign” in the Business section. I would like to see exactly which wokesters want to lose business.

When my kids were 2 and 5 Japanese tourists were lining up to have photos taken with platinum blond kids.

Dot – a couple of articles on EVs today.

Trump Courts United Auto Workers: Biden’s Electric Car Agenda Will Kill Michigan Auto Industry, Boost China (5 Sep)

“The Great State of Michigan will not have an auto industry anymore if Crooked Joe Biden’s crazed concept of ‘all Electric Cars’ goes into effect,” Trump said in a Monday Labor Day post on Truth Social, warning that such a move would hurt Americans and boost China.

BMW Warns Gasoline Car Ban Poses “Imminent Risk” To European Automakers (5 Sep)

The EU’s pledge to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars and vans from 2035 poses an “imminent risk” to Europe’s car manufacturers, which are unlikely to win a looming EV price war with their Chinese competitors, BMW chairman Oliver Zipse has told the Financial Times.

“I want to send a message: I see that as an imminent risk,” Zipse said.
…
The landmark deal was made possible after Germany – the biggest economy, the biggest car market, and the biggest car manufacturer – sought and won an exemption for e-fuels. Germany wanted sales of new cars with internal combustion engines if they run on e-fuels to continue beyond 2035, and it got that exemption.

That latter was Porsche/VW who pushed for the use of green methanol. So it’s fun that both they and now BMW are fessing that German industry will die horribly if forced to go electric. And even more fun that BMW accidentally supported Donald Trump in what he said to the UAW…

JMH

I’ll help

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorsements_in_the_2023_Australian_Indigenous_Voice_referendum

A whole list of people, entities and businesses to sneer at and avoid with your hard-earned, after-tax income.

ANZ[68]
BHP[68]
Coles[68]
Commonwealth Bank[68]
National Australia Bank[68]
Rio Tinto[68]
Wesfarmers[68]
Woolworths[68]
Atlassian[69][70]
Qantas[71][72]
Global Creatures[68] “GLOBAL CREATURES SAYS YES” (Press release). 16 August 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
Telstra [73]
Transurban [73]

The Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace (an agency of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference)[75]

Ugh…my church needs both a King Charles and an Oliver Cromwell.

JMH
Sep 6, 2023 10:58 AM
Request, please. Could someone with a subscription to the OZ bring over the article “The top 10 companies backing the Yes campaign” in the Business section. I would like to see exactly which wokesters want to lose business.

It’s a bit of a Word-Wall, but some may be interested in the detail.

The nation’s largest listed companies have overwhelmingly thrown their weight, and millions of dollars in support, behind the Yes campaign supporting an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, with no publicly-listed companies appearing to be on the record in opposition to the proposed constitutional changes.

To date, 13 of the top 20 ASX-listed companies have come out in support of the Voice, with BHP, Rio Tinto and Wesfarmers all kicking in $2m each to back the Yes campaign.

Visy Industries executive chairman Anthony Pratt also donated $1m to the yes campaign while Qantas is providing free travel to members of the Yes23 campaign group, and tech firm Atlassian has pledged to match donations by its employees.

And in April a group of philanthropic entities, individuals and family offices announced they had poured $17m into the Yes campaign, led by a $5m contribution from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, which pledged the money to the non-profit Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition.

That body – the registered charity collecting funds to be funnelled into the Yes campaign – has a high-powered board including globally influential lobbyist Mark Textor, Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney and prominent indigenous campaigner Noel Pearson.

It’s not all one-way traffic however with executives from companies including Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Agriculture expressing the view that companies should steer clear of getting involved in the debate.
Adam Giles, the Northern Territory’s former chief minister and now chief executive of the mining magnate’s agriculture assets, told The Australian last month the company preferred to “stay in our lane’’.

“We grow cattle. We grow beef. We talk to the consumer. None of our business happens in the political world, and I don’t think we should,’’ he said.

Mr Giles also suggested that spending shareholder money advocating on political matters could pose a risk to companies.

“I see a little bit of commentary about whether shareholders might have some sort of class action against companies, and I think they have every right to,” he said.

“It’d be interesting to see that tested. But if you’re spending two or three million dollars of shareholders’ money and profits on a political campaign which is only one side of a story, I don’t think that’s the best use of shareholders’ funds.”

Sam Kennard, chief executive at Kennards Self Storage – who is also a director of the conservative think tank the Centre for Independent Studies – has also been a vocal critic of the Voice.

Vitamin mogul Marcus Blackmore came out early in opposition to the Voice, backing Northern Territory senator Jacinta Price and saying he had failed to be convinced by arguments put forward by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others.

The listed company Blackmores pointed out at the time that Mr Blackmore had not worked at or been a director at the company for more than two years, and the company’s position which it currently holds is that the referendum vote is a matter for individual employees to make up their minds on.

Among the large companies that have not expressed a view ­either way, CSL and Santos are also encouraging their employees to vote as they see fit.

The Business Council of Australia, whose members include the top listed firms as well as large private and international companies such as Boeing, Cisco and the big four accounting firms, has come out in support of the Voice, as has the Minerals Council of Australia.

TOP ASX YES SUPPORTERS
Qantas

The national carrier on August 14 confirmed their support for the Yes campaign ahead of the upcoming referendum and unveiled special livery on three Qantas Group aircraft.

The livery features the Yes23 campaign logo on a Qantas Boeing 737, a QantasLink Dash 8 Turboprop and a Jetstar Airbus A320.

Chief executive Alan Joyce said in the statement support for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament continued Qantas’ long commitment to reconciliation and, more broadly, the notion of a ‘fair go’.

“We’re supporting the Yes23 campaign because we believe a formal voice to the government will help close the gap for First Nations people in important areas like health, education and employment,” he said.

“Like our Flying Art livery aircraft showcasing First Nations culture to a global audience, these aircraft will send a message of support for a Yes vote as they travel the country”.
BHP

Mining giant BHP revealed their support for the Yes campaign after donating $2m to the referendum in June.

The donation came after releasing the latest update to its reconciliation action plan, which reiterates BHP’s ongoing support for a yes vote at the referendum and promises to “connect our workforce to information about a Voice and the matters it is seeking to address.”

BHP President Minerals Australia Geraldine Slattery said the decision to back the Yes campaign with cash was aligned with their support for broader efforts towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

“BHP’s relationships with Indigenous Australians are fundamentally important to our company,” she said.

“We operate on traditional lands and we engage and partner widely with Indigenous communities and traditional owners. We are the largest resources sector employer of Indigenous Australians and we are a rapidly growing partner to Indigenous-owned businesses,” she said.

Rio Tinto

Along with BHP, Rio Tinto also donated $2m in support of the Yes as the company also stated they were moving to a model of co-management to ensure Indigenous voices are heard in their decision making.

In a statement published on their website, the company noted the relationships with the Indigenous peoples, including the agreements with traditional owners of the lands on which they operate, are a priority.

“We support the principle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples having a greater say in matters that affect them, and we advocate for the rights and heritage of Indigenous peoples on whose land we live and work

In this spirit, we welcome the additional lens that a Voice would bring to Government decision makers as they consider all important matters before them,” the statement said.
Woodside Energy

This oil and gas major was one of only three Australian resource companies to commit to support the ‘VoteYes’ campaign at the time of their announcement in April.

Woodside chief executive and managing director Meg O’Neill said in the April press conference that the company is on a journey in their relations with First Nations peoples and that “we haven’t always got it right.”

“Woodside supports the Yes Campaign,” she said.

“In my view, this would be an important step forward in reconciliation, an opportunity to bring Australians together”.

NAB

One of Australia’s leading banks NAB showed their support for the referendum early in July and called on businesses to back the Voice.

The NAB Foundation also donated $200,000 to the campaign, stating it “is leading the call to the Australian public to come together and vote in favour of the change to the constitution.”

In a statement by NAB, chief executive Ross McEwan said that business has a role to play in supporting the financial, career and business aspirations of First Nations people.

“It is time to recognise the rightful place of Indigenous Australians as the First People of this country, and enable and empower them to participate in shared decision making that impact their communities through the Voice,” he said.

ANZ

ANZ shared their support of the Voice in 2022 after backing The Uluru Statement which invited the nation to walk with the Indigenous people in a movement for a better future.

In a statement by group general counsel Ken Adams, the company asserted that “one should not lose sight of the achievement that after extensive consultation, widespread but not perfect consensus … and years of planning, we are being asked to walk with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community for a better Australia.”

“A referendum presents a rare opportunity for Australians to actively participate in fair, practical and unifying reform, and to shape the laws of the country”.
Commonwealth Bank

Another of the big banking names, Commonwealth Bank announced their support for the Voice in October 2022 after announcing their new Reconciliation Action Plan.

Chief executive Matt Comyn said in a statement that the company’s purpose is to build a bright future for all and seek to deliver on this commitment for Indigenous people every day.

“As the nation begins an important public discussion about constitutional recognition and an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Commonwealth Bank is supportive of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Taking the advice of our Indigenous Advisory Council, we are supporting conversations across the bank to understand what is proposed and how it might contribute to better outcomes for First Nations peoples,” Mr Comyn said.

Westpac

Following the lead of the other major Australian Banks, Westpac has stated they will “mark [their] ongoing commitment to reconciliation with the Indigenous community by supporting this year’s Voice to Parliament referendum.”

Chief executive Peter King made the announcement at an event to celebrate the bank’s partnership with the Jawun Indigenous engagement program in March this year.

“It’s an important year for reconciliation and I’m proud to let you know that Westpac will be supporting the Voice,” King said at the event.

“We’ll be helping our employees to understand what the Voice is, and what it’s not.”

Woolworths

As one of Australia’s largest retailers, the Woolworths Group reaffirmed their support for the Yes vote.

The company has long stated their commitment to “actively contributing to Australia’s reconciliation journey through listening and learning, empowering more diverse voices and working together for a better tomorrow.”

“Woolworths Group reaffirms our support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and its calls for a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution,” the company said.

“Representing the communities we serve, we see opportunities driving tangible and meaningful changes.

“Of these opportunities is our commitment to Reconciliation”.
Coles

Supermarket giant Coles have shown their support for the Voice to parliament and in August the company placed an Acknowledgement of Country on their receipts, joining the public discussion around the referendum.

The addition reflects the push by the Labor Party for the Yes vote.

A Coles spokesman said in a statement the supermarket was proud to include the Acknowledgement of Country as one of Australia’s largest employers of Indigenous Peoples.

“We work hard to create opportunities for Indigenous peoples, organisations, communities and customers to engage with our business and continue to increase understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and rights,” a spokesman told Sky News.

Wesfarmers

Retail and industrial giant Wesfarmers donated $2m to the Yes campaign in June and was one of the only top listed WA companies to donate to the campaign at the time.

“We employ 100,000 people of whom 4000 approximately are Indigenous people,” he said.

“We have suppliers who are Indigenous suppliers. Many of our customers are Indigenous people, whether it’s in Bunnings or Kmart and Target and so on”.

“If you think of all of those things, not supporting this referendum would be betrayal of all of those people I’ve mentioned … and I think betrayal of the Australian people because we think this is a very important move, a uniting move in Australia, and it should be supported.”

Telstra

Technology giant Telstra have pledged their support for the Voice to parliament largely due to its strong ties to Indigenous communities and employees.

In their most recent reconciliation plan, Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady said it is vital to deliver the right outcomes that First Nations customers want and need, that the company lends its voice to important reconciliation initiatives.

“I am committed to supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart, walking alongside First Nations communities to secure a better future for us all,” she said.

This was furthered by subsidiary TelstraSuper in a statement saying “the Voice will give independent advice to the parliament and government, building relationships that are collaborative, inclusive, and culturally appropriate.”

Xero

Software giant Xero announced its commitment and support of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament in Australia in July.

In a statement from the business, they said supporting the referendum drives better diversity and inclusion outcomes and can help amplify their positive impact on the world.

“Listening and understanding is the first step to enabling meaningful change and positive community outcomes,” the statement said.

“Xero supports the establishment of a Voice to Parliament in Australia to enable First Nations peoples to have a say in policies and decisions that affect them and their communities, and to help close the gap”.

Transurban Group

Major road operator company Transurban announced their support of the ‘Yes Vote’ earlier this year.

In a statement from their reconciliation plan, the company said they will work to raise internal awareness and provide ongoing updates and information on the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

“As an Australian-born ASX top 20 company that owns and operates toll roads and infrastructure on lands that are traditionally owned by Aboriginal people, we are committed to progressing reconciliation across our business and sector,” the company stated.

“We know that education will be critical to gaining public support for a successful referendum to take place, enshrining a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution”.

Lendlease

Lendlease’s global chief executive Tony Lombardo said the building giant was encouraging staff to think about the constitutional changes required for an Indigenous voice, and was “right behind” the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

In their reconciliation plan, the company stated they have a long and proud history of supporting First Nations’ recognition and reconciliation.

“For the past eight years, Lendlease has publicly supported constitutional reform and in 2019 was one of 14 companies who came together to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart,” the statement said.

“We hope that most Australians will support this recognition and the constitutionally enshrined Voice – this is essential for genuine reconciliation”.

STAYING NEUTRAL (Top 20 companies)
1. Aristocrat Leisure

2. CSL

3. Fortescue Metals

4. Goodman Group

5. Macquarie Group

6. Santos

7. WiseTech Global

Gabor

We had electric cars in the early days of motor vehicles, actually some milk delivery vans into the late 50s if I recall.

Electric milk delivery vehicles in London in the mid-1980s.

In that sense, dot, we are guilty. Abortion, trans, gays. I disagree with it all but so what ?

It means you have a clear conscience.

I’m going to be blunt. Your ideas are probably stupid but at best begging for self-harm.

If you think we should bring back the death penalty, then (“logically”) you’d gladly take a lethal injection for the collective guilt you share with the worst murderers we have currently locked up.

Hopefully, you understand now collective guilt is evil. Noah didn’t get wiped out for a reason.

I don’t feel a lick of guilt for the Myall Creek massacre, the nefarious actions to steal East Timorese continental shelf oil, the witch hunt against Pell, the movement to (ironically, after the last matter) legalise and hide child sex change surgery from parents & normalising child sex abuse. I don’t feel guilty about Ivan Milat or Daniel Morcombe’s killer. I don’t feel guilty that the West allied with Stalin after Stalin and Hitler BOTH invaded Poland, starting WWII because it truly was an existential war of survival. Sure the West might have made a better call sacrificing the USSR to bleed the Axis…but that would have been a massive and irresponsible gamble.

What if it didn’t work out though? We would have lost the whole war and Japan and Germany would be the dominant world powers to this day. Capturing that industrial base would have put the Axis on par or better than the US with an incredible amount of slaves, land, resources and millions freed up to fight the US and Commonwealth.

Likewise, I don’t feel guilty about the mess left behind in Iraq, Libya or the Ukraine.

Even if I partially agreed with some of the reasons, I don’t agree to fuel a war, ally with scum (there’s nothing stopping you from changing alliances if you find out your allies are compromised) or not listening to military advisers let alone disagree with most deployments can hardly damn me for supporting those wars.

There’s no real basis for collective guilt other than to scare people. It’s trash.

Nations will be judged but so will Popes, Kings, Lords, Knights, freemen, peasants and bondsmen & prisoners.

Okay Dover, the alleged plans to annex Belarus after Ukraine are just made up?

CSL and Santos are also encouraging their employees to vote as they see fit.

This is where we are in 2023. That companies feel the need to even state this fundamental right of individuals.

Another excellent reason to vote “No” and put these corrosive corporate posturers back in their box.

I’m glad the Ainsworths have decided to remain neutral. Now watch as their corporation comes under scrutiny. Forget the millions poured into philanthropic causes.

It doesn’t mean I lose a right to be wary of a hare-brained scheme to rebuild the Russian Empire

Neo-cons literally invented this talking point.

LOL. Putin wants to be Peter the Great v2.0. He said it himself. And Shoigu said he wants to re-establish the Soviet Empire.

I was amused by this one today:

Putin at it again: West put ethnic Jew in charge of covering up glorification of Nazism (Arutz Sheva, 5 Sep)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday claimed that Western powers had installed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, as President of Ukraine in an attempt “to cover up the glorification of Nazism”.

And here I thought Zelensky’s main claim to fame was being able to play the piano with his manhood. If Putin wants to denazify some place I suggest he starts with his own country. I’m not saying Ukraine is a squeaky clean nation, they ain’t.

I like Putin’s approach to the Orthodox Church as a stabilizing influence on Russia. But if you don’t think he’s an imperialistic old man in a hurry you are naive.

Many thanks Dot, Peter Greagg and Salvatore. I’m pleased to say I have a very small exposure with regard to the Yes companies. Unfortunately, due to my location, a couple are unavoidable. Woolworths and Telsta. Big 4 Banks – none of them have my money. Will print the list and pass it around.

Where has he said that? He’s on record as saying he admires Peter the Great.

Probably quoted in that venerable publication of record- The Express.

Bruce’s go-to for all things Russian.

Dot.
Just to be clear, all the rulers of those countries were turds.
But given the failure of Afghanistan and Iraq as ” people will choose democracy/ tolerance/ freedom if we get rid of oppressive regimes” just blindly supporting overthrows was seriously bad.
I’d go so far as to state the only winner has been Iran.

In an area full of governments which have spent decades deforming their own societies, expecting good outcomes from violent overthrow rather than ( horrible as it is) long grinding incremental change is a fools game.

Yes a great reason not to retire

Win or lose, backing Yes protects them from the Black Spot.

This is true enough.
But more than that, each of the corporations on the list has an intimate and functional relationship with governments that have their arses on the line supporting Yes.

A bit of reciprocating never goes astray when you’re in the special pleading business.

The feds are inventing nazis again the the US

https://twitter.com/Stephen19718352/status/1698174744728576039

Instead, like ALL MSM news outlets it is towing the woke/US agenda of demonizing the evil devil satanic Vlad and glorifying the saintliness of Zelenskiy and the knights in shining armour of NATO/ Biden and the Euro parasites.

Baddies vs baddies, Makka, as someone once said. Embrace the concept.

I am sad that Putin was conned into invading Ukraine. Russia had potential to be the best country on the planet, but to do that they had to go for growth, science, engineering, peace and rejecting green rubbish. Pretty much had that full set sorted, but then faceplanted on the peace bit.

A better approach would have been to become so prosperous that the ex-Soviet statelets would clamour to join – like countries did with the EU up to about 10 years ago. As it is now the top talent is getting out of Russia.

FALLOUT: Russia’s massive brain drain is ravaging the economy – these stunning figures show why it will soon be smaller than Indonesia’s (4 Sep)

A very bright Russian STEM friend and their family that I know did so last year.

I don’t know that there’d be much reciprocity about it.

Roger: I’m seeing First Nations humbugging up to government – and government humbugging back down in return.

The mutual dishonesty and mealy-mouthing would choke a brown dog.

I am sad that Putin was conned into invading Ukraine. Russia had potential to be the best country on the planet, but to do that they had to go for growth, science, engineering, peace and rejecting green rubbish. Pretty much had that full set sorted, but then faceplanted on the peace bit.

At least, we agree on this.

It was a terribly costly error. But I can’t see them giving up the territory won in Ukraine so a ceasefire is needed asap to prevent more slaughter and remove the risks of a nuke exchange. That I think is all that matters now.

Reading lots of history doesn’t make you right.

(Forgive me)

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/5/2191502/-Ukraine-Update-Ukraine-breaches-Russia-s-2nd-Surovikin-Line-west-of-Verbove

https://ustimespost.com/how-ukraine-is-storming-russian-frontline-with-tsunami-squads-british-tanks-smashing-through-putins-best-troops/

Some high-level copium but progress for the Ukrainians no less.

However, it’s (I’m a civilian) basically trench warfare. Any continuation of the war will be slow, very bloody and for little gain.

Putin and Zelensky can both save face so a peace treaty is possible.

Oh dear, note the the passive aggression.

Yes. Yes, I have noticed it. Quite often in fact.

Putin and Zelensky can both save face so a peace treaty is possible.

Dot – Nothing much is happening on the front line apart from a bit here and their. Russia sensibly fortified everything within 80 km of the frontline.

A peace treaty isn’t possible, since Putin can’t do what is required and survive (nor probably his family). And Zelenksy will never get a referendum up, which is constitutionally required. Which means this wretched farce will go on and on and on, like the Iran/Iraq War. Worse probably.

And the neocons will win because their war aim was always to knobble Russia.

Good reporting on the Sydney Metro scam (or scam adjacent) by the smh.
Now they can go through the billion dollar scams that the big four run.

Well you need to be mindful of it, plus the complete inability to accept when you’re wrong.

Well, Cassie, you need to be mindful of it too, plus your complete inability to accept when you’re wrong also. Fair’s fair.

The report that “Australia needs to invest in SE Asia” is quite ridiculous.
Many of Australia’s richest families have been for at least the last decade.
Some for a lot longer.
As have some of the smartest Australian based investors.
It doesn’t need a government granted licence or some kind of tax payer underwritten moat.
Smart money will always find innovative places & assets to allocate their funds.

The report that “Australia needs to invest in SE Asia” is quite ridiculous.

No, we need to invest your money.

Burning Challenger tank

The unarmoured fuel tanks that sit on the back likely caused the fire. Looked like diesel going up. Turret and armour appear to be intact. The most plausible observation I’ve seen so far is that it was halted by a mine then came under either artillery or AA rocket fire. The tank is stuffed but the crew quite possibly survived.

First British Challenger tank ever lost in war in flames in Ukraine (5 Sep)

I usually avoid anything Lt Col Crawford opines on strategically, but this area is his direct experience and I thought his observations were interesting. Not necessarily correct.

Challenger 2 (wiki)

A peace treaty isn’t possible, since Putin can’t do what is required and survive (nor probably his family). And Zelenksy will never get a referendum up, which is constitutionally required.

How do you know that? You’re just making an assumption here and there.

Why you are possibly wrong:

1. Russia has already made significant territorial gains.
2. Ukrainians are likely very sick of the war and retain most of the territorial integrity they had pre-invasion

The only progress being made in Ukraine is in the remittances to corruptocrats bank accounts and chewing through the lives of combatants and civilians alike.

How do you cash in a burnt-out Challenger tank? Defence is a big ticket item but so many industries have been shut down or cruelled. If there are collections to be made, I would hazard the mafia prefers peacetime.

Gas, wheat, sunflower…exported at significant volumes, but not so much now.

Zelensky really can’t hold a referendum while he’s banned opposition parties & shut down all opposition media.

The referendum thing is bit of a joke.

Was Crimea or Minsk I or II ever put to a referendum?

Putin and Zelensky can both save face so a peace treaty is possible.

Because of his territorial gains Putin might save face but Zelensky will be humiliated for the same reason. If Russia demonstrated much better military capability Zelensky could use that as an excuse but as things now stand he probably believes Putin can forced into stalemate. The Moskva, a first class naval vessel was taken out by some very mediocre missiles(the back story to that is funny), Russia still hasn’t defeated the Ukrainian air force, has been relying on mercenary groups, and is now dug in hoping to wear down an offensive. In short, militarily, Russia sucks so Zelensky continues to fight.

Dot – It is well known that a peace deal would have to go to a Ukrainian referendum. Do you really think ordinary Ukrainians would say yes to that? Really? They hate Russians worse than anything. Which is fairly mutual.

I doubt Zelensky would last long if he tried to call a referendum either. Like in Russia he has his own ultranationalists to deal with. His security is unlikely to be as tight as Vlad’s, since he’s more like an advertising frontman that the guy in actual power.

All I can see is a 2014-2022 style low grade war in prospect. I can’t see peace occurring. Grudges in that part of the world die only after geologic aeons.

Wondering out loud here. Was Trump ever told about the American biolabs in Ukeland, or were they a deepstate secret?

Dot, stick to the point. You’re fond of rants that go off on tangents.

And stop basking in your own implied brilliance by calling others stupid. You’re not some kind of eternal undergraduate are you ?

I got to the point in about three sentences and then explained in detail why I was correct.

Collective guilt is utter bullshit.

I’m not guilty of what anyone else has done.

The end.

From Sky News:

Voice Co-Design Report author Professor Marcia Langton has made it clear she will not work with a future Coalition government on a referendum for constitutional recognition of First Nations people should the Voice vote fail.

“Not in the least,” Ms Langton told the National Press Club of Australia on Wednesday.

“There’s no point in a second referendum because it’s not what we want.

Perfect. Marcia and I finally agree on something. I don’t want a second referendum either.

No you didn’t. You cited some poorly kept ceasefire agreements. Different fish entirely.

One wasn’t even a ceasefire agreement, just an acknowledgment of reality.

A ceasefire held long enough is effectively a peace treaty. Sometimes better.

Voice Co-Design Report author Professor Marcia Langton has made it clear she will not work with a future Coalition government on a referendum for constitutional recognition of First Nations people should the Voice vote fail.

“Not in the least,” Ms Langton told the National Press Club of Australia on Wednesday.

“There’s no point in a second referendum because it’s not what we want.

Marcia Langton unintentionally admitted here that the architects of the Voice wouldn’t work with their non-preferred political masters, regardless of the topic.

Poor Adam Goodes. This would be the same Adam Goodes who called a 13 year old child the “face of racism in Australia”. The child separated from her accompanying adult and questioned by police for over an hour?

Yes, yes. He certainly has had some poor treatment.

Poor Stan Grant. This would be the same Stan Grant who loudly berated an ABC colleague in the foyer a few months ago? No reason, just feeling “fragile”.

More poor treatment.

Does this mean we will hear nothing from marcia langton should a coalition government occur? I can’t wait for the shrill cries when the No vote gets announced. Sex and travel come to mind.

I think it was Bon, JC.