I’m not! ?
Open Thread – Wed 27 Sept 2023
Bruce o Newk, here be the Fozzie article: Politicians and Jewish groups have condemned human rights activist and former Socceroo…
Yep. Xi invades Taiwan and dares the US to start a war with two neighboring nuclear-armed states.
We are all individuals!
Hell, they can put one in my backyard if they want and let me have free power.
Anyone who has experienced leggings in their local Westfield wouldn’t be relaxed.
DrF I understood the field extends outside the 200nm boundary. Park your platform outside it.
Poirot meets the supernatural in city of canals
28 September 2023
In A Haunting in Venice, intrepid inspector Hercule Poirot is encouraged to come out of retirement to investigate the death of the daughter of an opera singer and to solve two murders. Source: Australian Catholics.
ADFA was started in 1986, under Hawke. That said, I have little time for it.
An option: Six (Scheyville) to 12 (Portsea) months initial course, followed by the balance of six years in a deployable combat arms or combat service support unit. That takes the new officer to Captain (E) level.
Either a junior staff course or leave on half pay to attend a university. Then split into two streams, staff and field service.
Those not selected for LTCOL (E) after 15 years leave, with their accumulated pension funds transferred to the superannuation scheme of their choice. Those selected to stay on a fast stream to the top, and retired (same super system) after 25 years service.
Good summary Speedy. Thanks for sharing.
Old work colleagues in Russia pretty much concur with everything you said as well. No shortages of anything worthwhile reporting on and prices are in fact lower on most household items than here. But they have risen since the war started but roughly the same rate as here. Energy though not so much.
The sanctions have failed without a doubt. But the real spectacular failure was the Russia/China/ Saudi convergence brought about by Biden’s sanctions. A colossal US blunder which has yet to be fully exploited by that allegiance. And to make it much worse the current WH regime is white anting the nation’s fabric from within.
Unstable times.
Hey, take it easy!
Shadow alert.
Feelthebern:
This is classic Union behaviour – agree to the new factory, then as soon as the owners have sunk millions into the project, come up with a new list of wage demands that were already agreed to.
Which is why I printed up multiple T shirts with “The Voice is not the end of the agreement – it is the starting point of the next round of demands.”
Why do people not realise this?
Vicki:
Of course, Vicki. It benefits the Kulaks, who are the enemy of the people. Didn’t you get the memo?
People keep seeing this as a struggle between the Environmentalists and The People. It’s not – it’s a war declared on us by the Communists.
Russell Brand on the effect of the “vaccine” on pregnant and breastfeeding women. The lies told were staggering.
So, They Knew It Was A Lie All Along
Nothing good comes out of Canbra.
I won’t have that!
The Monaro Highway is excellent, going north at least.
OO: Scarborough and the Greater Scarborough project area is inside the 200nm boundary.
Unfortunately, even if it weren’t, it couldn’t be commercially developed through Australia without Aunty Raelene’s say so – because the project EMBA extends out into international waters and the pipeline would come ashore at Dampier.
Eli from Russia:
My sister and I decided to look for the answers to our lives at the top of the Mount Big Iremel in Bashkortostan republic, Russia. Do you think we found the answers?
Exploring the Ural mountains in Bashkortostan republic, Russia
Just a reminder:
Laufey is Kween.
What a dame.
This Christmas I hope we get spammed with Laufey. Mariah will do in a pinch I suppose.
He could no worse than the supposed incumbent, and would probably actually do a halfway decent job, all things considered.
Gabor:
There is more than one coal/oil/gas deposit on the planet. They can – and will – go elsewhere if Australia keeps stuffing them around.
Sovereign Risk is a real thing, and Australia runs the risk of having its economy crashed if stupidity like the voice is allowed to have a crushing effect on development.
Shares in the Dot – Faustus Indonesian Slant Drilling & Undersea Pipeline Co. Ltd. are now open for subscription.
ZK2A:
Blocking their funding is a very good way of getting their attention, and would only need to be done properly one time.
But then, Trump’s lucky. Because if Putin were the president, Trump’s private jet would’ve mysteriously blown up. 🙂
JC
Sep 29, 2023 2:00 PM
My perspective and reports are from a non-economist/currency trader viewpoint. I can only relay those remarks that are said to myself (or Mrs Speedbox). But our group of family/friends in Russia report only modest inflation and no difficulties buying whatever they need from the stores.
You are correct that wages growth has been high but that has moderated in the past few months from earlier this year. You would recall that Russia has been a voracious buyer of gold since 2000 and especially since 2014 (what a surprise!/sarc) and the Russian answer to SWIFT arriving in 2015. BRICS has grown and Putin and Xi declared their “no limits” relationship. The ruble/yuan is stable.
Coupled with Russia’s continuing history of self-sufficiency in manufacture and ongoing exports of oil, gas, fertiliser, wood etc to the other 150 countries in the world that haven’t imposed sanctions, perhaps these issues collectively assist Russia’s capacity to fend off the worst of the intended harm from the sanctions and the currency issues. Trade between Russia and China will probably tick over $US200 billion this year – and is all being conducted in ruble and yuan.
I acknowledge that the Russian economy has some issues and needs a steady hand but the ‘man on the street’ is not overcome by raging inflation and the economy is not in ruins. There are plenty of jobs for those who wish to work. Today. Things can change but at present, I don’t see/hear anything that alerts me to a looming abyss.
If only Putin was the American president.
He could no worse than the supposed incumbent, and would probably actually do a halfway decent job, all things considered.
agree and the old thief is trying to get his opponent imprisoned or worse.
But then, Trump’s lucky. Because if Putin were the president, Trump’s private jet would’ve mysteriously blown up.
not really- the incontinent old corruptocrat and the lesbian bitch are playing every bit as dirty as Putin is accused of doing.
BBC Breaks Ofcom Rules Over Anti GB News Rants
If Putin were President, Trump would be a not-so-humble ex-Pres with no reason to drain an already defenestrated swamp. So he’d just be chugging along outside politics, and thus entirely safe.
Unless he perchance beat Putin at golf, which seems unlikely.
Well, I know one.
House in Palmerston. Boring as batsh1t, except for wondering when their car will be stolen.
He is the only soldier I know who was upset that he had to wear pants in the ANZAC Day parade.
(Because he is a piper, but did not have the approved Army kilt.)
My favourite bit about the ADF reorganisation is that we base our missile defences in Adelaide. You know, in order to reduce their range by thousands of km.
Apparently because of Woomera I was told but I see your point.
Talking to a mate today, the above gets even worse if what he told me is true. Apparently a new Naval base is being built out to the east of Darwin to take deep water ships including US troop ships. Our big landing ships Choules, Adelaide & Canberra were expected to spend a fair bit of time up there as well. There was talk of building a new base at Whyalla as well. The littoral infantry element was to be moved to Darwin to accommodate. Rail links with Adelaide’s mechanised unit and a motorised unit in Darwin would have had 2 heavy battalions and 1st Armoured ready to go with a couple days sailing time knocked off from Queensland ports already being north. Darwin also has the space to expand that Townsville and Brisbane don’t.
Apparently now the littoral battalion is staying in Townsville, nearly the whole of Australia’s armoured capability will be in Townsville (Not dispersed between 2 cities, hmm Pearl Harbour anyone) and there’s no more room to accommodate all the new hardware. Not only that they have to go through Townsville port which is a bit of a choke point with limited berths. I won’t even go into the helicopter element where there is literally no more room at RAAF Garbutt to accommodate anymore.
Mate tells me vast areas of Lavarack will have to be rebuilt as the hangars were built for 2 light infantry battalions and hangers on like a cavalry squadron, engineer regiment & so on.
Dunno the cynic in me sees payoffs to the restive CMFEU boys here, mass headlines by compliant lickspittles in the media on the ALP delivering to NQ to tip out Phil Thompson and a thin veneer of an appearance of doing something for a public that won’t scratch the surface.
Fun and games…
Farmer Gez:
Thereby guaranteeing that the rest of the Quolls that get caught will be killed out of hand.
The NPWS is staffed by idiots.
Indeed. Given the comprehensive punitive nature of the imposed sanctions, Putin’s regime has shown themselves to be reasonably adroit economic managers. The US meanwhile , has managed to deliver itself $90+ p/p oil , 4.6% bond yields and now $33 Trillions in debt.
From The Oz…
Court prohibits naming of high profile rape accused
The identity of a high-profile man facing charges of rape in Toowoomba magistrates court must remain secret for now, under a temporary court order.
A well-known Australian facing rape charges over alleged offence in Toowoomba has been granted an interim suppression order protecting his identity.
The high-profile man was charged with two counts of rape in January this year, after being accused of the offence in 2021, but he has not yet been committed for trial.
The man could not previously be named because, under a soon-to-be abolished Queensland law, defendants charged with sexual assault or rape cannot be identified until they are committed for trial.
New legislation taking effect from Tuesday would have allowed the media to reveal his identity, but on Friday his lawyers obtained an interim order in the Supreme Court of Queensland prohibiting any “identifying matter” in relation to the man.
Justice Applegarth said the man intended to apply for a suppression order under the new legislation “as soon as practicable” but noted that it might take “some time” for this to be heard and determined.
“Given the publicity that the committal proceeding has attracted, there is a substantial risk that, unless a temporary order is made, media reports identifying the applicant as the defendant in the committal proceeding will be published as early as Tuesday 3 October 2023.”
That would be “contrary to the interests of justice in permitting an application … to be heard and determined on its merits”, Justice Applegarth ruled.
The Queensland Police did not oppose the interim injunction.
Last year, the Queensland government announced that the state’s rape laws would be changed after the second Hear Her Voice report – which highlighted the experiences of women and girls across the criminal justice system – recommended naming people charged with sexual offences, bringing Queensland into line with other states.”
And, to ensure their vassal Euro states stayed “committed” to their cause, the US destroyed the NS2 gas pipeline, plunging it’s “ally” Germany into energy and inflation chaos.
Hell of a friend , that US. Our significant “other”.
This is the bed Australia lies in and we don’t have much choice for partners. It’s our lot.
Except the obvious.
Tartaria.
They are also in no hurry to end the war as they indicated this week, both when Laveov said its now capitulation not negotiation, and Shoigu said that plans are ongoing to 2025.
Johanna:
For the same reason the thug who fractured my skull while I was working at a Remote Qld Hospital & was fined $500 instead of the 10 year sentence he was eligible for – he worked for a Labor Party ‘supporter’.
Albanian PM tells a joke.
Speedbox
Sep 29, 2023 1:32 PM
JC
Sep 29, 2023 10:00 AM
JC, no, I’ve seen multiple reports of grocery prices and consumer goods, from various people including Speedbox, and they don’t indicate any such thing. Sanctions have failed.
(in my best Lurch voice…..You rang?) Just cruising past.
Sorry for the long post but the sanctions are a failure, the US$/ruble exchange rate is irrelevant to most, the shops are well stocked, prices are generally stable notwithstanding modest upward pressure on some goods.
The biggest issue seems to be the loss of Ukrainian soldiers lives. I heard repeated references to how sad it was about “all those young boys”.
In Ukraine, problems began with the burials of fallen military personnel due to a lack of space in cemeteries.
The authorities are slowing down the creation of a new large military cemetery. Thus, the relatives of those killed on the Maidan demanded that Zelensky give permission to create a military cemetery.
During the action, people asked to build a National War Memorial Cemetery in Kiev in Bykivna, and not in Hatnoy, Fastovsky district, as proposed by the Government, and also for the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky to sign the law on the creation of a military cemetery, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted on May 2, 2023. .
Relatives complain that they still cannot bury their children, men, brothers and brothers.
The event was attended by the wife of the deceased member of the Azov regiment Vitaly Krasovsky with the call sign “Cross” Victoria Krasovskaya, who is the author of the petition for the creation of a National War Memorial Cemetery in Bykivnya. A woman keeps an urn containing her husband’s ashes at home because she wants to bury the man with dignity at the National Military Cemetery.
“This petition was created to remind Mr. President that he had a period of 15 days if the constitutional majority passed Law 9240. These 15 days have already lasted more than 4 months. This is a reminder from active military personnel, from the families of those killed, that he must sign the law,” Krasovskaya noted.
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they like chooks. better to warn them off with a shovel.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PR8VVBiwp-I
It’s almost as if they don’t realise who/what pays their wages.
I don’t think it is the junior ranks.
I think it is mostly middle and senior ranks who are driven by having the kids in Adelaide prahvate schools, mummy’s Wednesday tennis and Saturdays watching the Crows from the members.
Old Ozzie:
Imagine in 1950, a Nork Navy with a fleet of 40 submarines – even if they were semi obsolete German Uboats.
China is steadily building an alternative world order
While it purports to eschew superpower competition, Beijing’s global governance initiative is driven by it, unfurling in a slow burn over more than a decade.
Richard McGregor – Columnist
To little fanfare in Australia, Beijing launched a grand plan this week to remake the rules governing global politics, positioning itself as the leader of a loose alliance of scores of developing nations.
We should take notice, though, as the proposal solidifies Beijing’s ambitions to sign up Australia’s immediate Pacific neighbours and the countries of South-East Asia to its alternative world order
China has already made ground in our near abroad. The Solomon Islands security deal, struck last year, is bedded down.
Last week, Timor-Leste signed a new agreement with Beijing that includes military co-operation.
China’s failure last year to sign up 10 Pacific nations to a regionwide, trade and security pact was a high-profile setback, but the episode was only a way station in a long campaign to build power and influence.
What’s next? An undersea cable in Papua New Guinea? Pacific nations such as Tuvalu that recognise Taiwan switching their diplomatic ties to Beijing?
Canberra will sweat every Chinese advance, large or small.
The white paper released in Beijing by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposal and Action, is a West-versus-the-rest package.
In the words of a Chinese academic quoted approvingly by state media this month, the old Western-dominated rules are based on the bullying and plunder of developing countries.
Beijing’s global governance is built on fairness and development.
It might be phoney, but Beijing’s we-stand-up-for-the-little-guy mantra makes for a real jumping-off point for engagement.
Put another way, the US represents hegemony and coercion, while China stands for democracy and balance.
The hard truth, and a marker of the contest facing Australia in the region, is that this topsy-turvy pitch often goes down far better than many want to acknowledge.
The Ukraine war is a prime example. The refrain often heard in Australia – that the world is united against the Russian invasion – is wrong.
Western democracies, along with Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Singapore in Asia, have sanctioned Moscow.
But other nations, even some that condemned the initial invasion, have stayed above the fray, or, like China and India, used the moment to solidify trade ties with Russia.
Fault lines are exploited wherever possible
China has also highlighted what it contends is Western hypocrisy. The US invaded Iraq. Russia invaded Ukraine. What’s the difference?
Beijing exploits these fault lines wherever it can.
Most remarkably, it sells alignment with it as a way to avoid costly entanglements with superpowers such as the United States.
While it purports to steer clear of superpower competition – in Chinese code, “Cold War thinking” – Beijing’s global governance initiative is driven by it.
To say that Beijing is building an “alternative world order” may sound like a conspiracy theory, but the plan has slowly unfurled over more than a decade.
Beijing’s tactical moves, such as the Timor-Leste deal, often emerge with an element of surprise – China’s opacity makes it good at keeping secrets – but the direction of policy has long been plain to see.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) started in 2013 as an infrastructure play to link China, the Middle East and Europe, by way of Central Asia and South-East Asia.
Chinese BRI lending has wound back, partly because many countries have overborrowed and can’t take on more debt, and partly because of concerns in Beijing about corruption and waste.
But the BRI served its purpose, providing a concrete foundation – in some cases, literally – for ideas now emanating from Beijing about development, security and culture.
China’s exceptional, economic growth over decades has put it on the verge of developed country status. In a few years, it should qualify to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
But politically, Beijing has little interest in such institutions. In the words of one Politburo member, speaking recently in Cuba, China will “always be part of the developing world and a member of the Global South”.
The Global South may have become, as the Financial Times recently said, a meaningless descriptor for all lower-income nations, some of which, like Russia, have extensive imperialist traditions themselves.
The Pacific and South-East Asia are a case in point. With multiple nations of varying wealth and political traditions, and disparate relations with Washington and Beijing, the countries can hardly be lumped together.
Unifying message can prove appealing
But Chinese leaders have a unifying message to these nations. The US-centric order has pushed them to the margins, they argue, whereas China will put their interests at the heart of global governance.
It might be phoney, but Beijing’s we-stand-up-for-the-little-guy mantra, combined with a focus on development and an indifference to issues of domestic politics, makes for a real jumping-off point for engagement.
China doesn’t just have money (which almost always takes the form of non-concessional loans) to hand out. It has a narrative to sell as well.
If you were Timor-Leste, you too would want investment from wherever you could get it.
Given that country’s leaders’ struggle for independence, all the better that it comes with a seductive political story.
What’s Australia’s narrative? It needs to be a mix of development, security and democracy, executed consistently and independently of great-power competition. A combination of shared values and shared interests.
It can’t just be that we are the good guys, which we haven’t always been anyway, or about excluding China, which is not happening.
Richard McGregor is a senior fellow at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.
The 20 years and retire on half pay thing seemed a lot easier and to have actually worked.
Fabulous Phil Adams interviewed this bloke the other night:
A few times during the interview they reached a point where they both seemed to realise that the next sentence that should emerge from their mouths was ‘Senator Joe McCarthy was right.’ This was after a reluctant admission that documents released in the 1990s showed Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs were Soviet spies. Diana West covered all this years ago in ‘American Betrayal’. The State Dept was a nest of treachery from the 1930s. This is familiar territory to many Cats.
What was laughable and contemptible was the way Adams just couldn’t acknowledge the truth. Both of them kept repeating with strangulated vehemence ‘But he destroyed so many careers’ as if that was somehow the main point. Perhaps it was, but not in the way they had imagined.
Eventually they got on to Philby and the Cambridge Five. The point was made that after WW II a recruiting program got under way for Mi6 etc. Emphasis was on recruiting the right type of person so of course Cambridge was fertile soil. Their Soviet handlers warned Philby and Co that they should under no circs be associated with lefty groups so the Communist Party was out.
Over thirty years Philby rose to the top. Spectacular. The individual in charge of intelligence was working for the Soviets. It’s breathtaking. Every time Stalin negotiated with the Western powers he had advanced knowledge of their ambitions and the true state of their organisation. At the top, Philby was able to subvert all attempts to investigate by sending the investigators off on a wild goose chase or down cul de sacs. It’s an incredible story of incompetence, trust in our type of man, and malevolent deception.
Crossie:
How did she become a custodian? Was she elected, chosen, appointed or did she inherit it from a family member? I suspect this is about to be ensconced in the constitution if the voice gets the nod.
The chicken guts. The Leaders of the Past spoke through the chicken guts.
(On special at Colesworths today)
Why challenges are mounting for the Yes camp
Polls this week show the Voice to parliament could be set for defeat, setting up the final weeks of the campaign as a heated fight.
Tom McIlroy
Political correspondent
Noel Pearson is logging a lot of miles in support of the Yes case for a Voice to parliament. Travelling through airports across the country, the Cape York leader is pleased with his “carousel rate” for winning over voters.
“I’m waiting for the baggage and I’m approached by somebody,” he explained at the National Press Club on Wednesday. “The baggage is falling all over the place, but nevertheless, I’m finding that the conversion rate is better than John the Baptist.”
Pearson strikes a determined tone, but two weeks out from a referendum set to be a milestone in the history of reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, he faces an uphill battle getting the Yes vote over the line.
Since the referendum was announced in August last year, the Voice has become bogged down in an increasingly acrimonious debate over Indigenous self-determination and the shape of the Australian Constitution, amid political fights and jockeying over legal powers.
The Yes camp believes the Voice is the last best chance to radically change the disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, recognising them in the founding document and establishing an advice mechanism to government to improve policy design. But the No camp says the Voice is reckless and divisive, legally untested and a power grab by a select few.
As the clock ticks down to polling day, leading No campaigner Warren Mundine is seeing the polls swing his way. He used his own Press Club address this week to underline that the Yes side had misread the national mood and taken the wrong approach to the historic referendum.
“Imagine if all the celebrities, corporates, law firms, sporting codes, religious groups, local, state, territory and federal governments, unions and agencies and bureaucracies had devoted all that energy, time, money and other resources they’ve devoted to the Voice to getting Indigenous children into school,” he said. “That’s what those groups would do if they really want to make a difference.”
More than 17.6 million Australians are preparing to cast their vote in the first referendum since 1999. To win, the Yes side needs to convince a majority of voters nationally and win in four of the six states.
But the polls suggest the Voice is on track for defeat.
This week’s AFR/Freshwater Strategy poll showed support for the Voice was at 33 per cent, while the No vote had reached 50 per cent. Some 17 per cent said they remain undecided, but if they were excluded, the No vote was 60 per cent and the Yes vote 40 per cent.
That level of support will result in a bad defeat of the referendum. But the poll offered a glimmer of hope for the Yes campaign: 28 per cent of those polled said they might yet change their minds.
The results show the No vote was firming faster, with those opposed more likely to say they were certain about how they would vote (35 per cent), compared with 15 per cent for Voice supporters.
Knowledge of the vote was high, and 59 per cent said they understood the Voice’s proposed powers well, or fairly well. The remaining 41 per cent said they didn’t understand well, or at all, what it would do.
Amid a flurry of opinion poll results, of the 1003 people surveyed last week, about 15 per cent told Freshwater they had shifted from a Yes to a No vote over the course of the campaign. About 60 per cent of them said they changed their minds because they felt the Voice was distracting from bigger national priorities, such as the cost of living and housing shortages.
More worryingly for the Yes campaign, about 52 per cent said they shifted because the more they found out about the Voice, the less they liked it. Concerns about possible treaties and compensation payments persist with voters, as well as frustrations with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Nearly 20 per cent believe the Voice will “legitimise the occupation of sovereign Aboriginal land”.
Still, some Voice supporters believe there are signs some of the campaign’s messaging and TV advertisements are landing with undecided voters. They expect the race to tighten as early voting gets under way on Monday and Tuesday next week, and say the No campaign’s slogan of “If you don’t know, vote No” is running out of steam as voters learn about the Voice.
But prominent No campaigner and former Labor minister Gary Johns wrote to supporters this week predicting support for the Voice would fall further. He said it was important for Voice opponents to “crush the Yes vote”.
The challenge for the Voice was evident in other polls out this week. Newspoll, published by The Australian, had No ahead on 56-36, compared to 53-38 earlier this month.
No case support grew across all demographic indicators in the poll, including younger voters. Even Labor supporters were moving away from the Voice, the Newspoll suggested, with support falling from 61 per cent three weeks ago to 56 per cent on Monday.
Another poll out this week, this time from Roy Morgan, found that Victoria and Tasmania were the only states where support for the Voice outweighed opposition to the proposal.
Victoria recorded 46 per cent support in the online poll, with 56 per cent in Tasmania. That result is based on a small sample size. The No vote was between 42 per cent and 49 per cent in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
Roy Morgan’s Michele Levine compared polling for the Voice to polling for the same-sex marriage referendum in 2017. Polls for the same-sex marriage survey showed that voters who remained undecided in the late stages of the campaign were likely to vote No, she noted.
As postal voting got under way on the marriage question, polls showed 38.5 per cent said they would either vote No, or were undecided. Some chose not to reveal how they intended to vote.
“If the trends from the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey are repeated at next month’s referendum, the proposal is set to be rejected both at a national level and in the key states the proposal needs to win to stand a chance of being successful,” Levine said this week.
Pollinate, a research and strategy businesses, asked participants in its latest survey how they responded to the Uluru Dialogue’s latest ad campaign, featuring John Farnham’s 1986 hit You’re the Voice.
If the Yes case was hoping the ad would change the minds of voters, they are likely to be disappointed. More than a third of voters said the ad had reinforced their voting intentions, while 55 per cent said it had not influenced them. Among undecided voters, 16 per cent said the ad left them more confused about the Voice.
Within reach of victory, Warren Mundine at the Press Club had a simple message for anyone yet to decide whether they supported the Voice. Calling the plan a political ploy and a power grab, he said an advisory committee to government and the parliament would not change Indigenous lives for the better.
“If this was true, the gap would already be closed because Indigenous voices have been giving advice to governments for decades,” he said. “The fact is that most Indigenous Australians are doing fine. They go to school, go to work, run businesses, take care of their families, and they are not in prison. They don’t need a special Indigenous Voice.”
But Pearson urged the 97 per cent of Australians who are not Indigenous to give the 3 per cent who are the chance to take more responsibility for their lives, in an emotional appeal.
“Empathy is so important that only love can move us now,” he said, receiving a standing ovation. “We don’t need mutual affection to succeed in this referendum. We need to recognise our mutually shared love for the land.”
One thing is certain. The emotional temperature will only get higher before October 14.
Oops culs de sac ?
See my later comment on officer training and careers. If most officers move on to a civilian career by their mid-40s, the problem largely goes away.
Family issues can cause difficult choices. I worked with a LTCOL who declined command of a regiment to avoid moving from Canberra. IIRC, he later retired as a LTCOL. Choices have implications.
Bought a mob of sheep at Wycheproof today. Big one and a half year old ewes at $110. Excellent first cross ewes made no more.
Sheep are in a slump but I fail to see how breeders that will give you five years service will not be see better times. I’m happy anyway.
GreyRanga
This will be a long auction.
After Inchon, they began laying old contact mines from fishing boats. At least one further landing was cancelled as a result.
Cassie of Sydney
Sep 29, 2023 12:36 PM
“The fight back has to start somewhere”
GB news will broadcast from a derelict freighter off the coast of Great Britain.
As someone who worked on Pre-Stressed Concrete Curved Panels on site at Opera House Construction, then worked on creating exposed concrete panels used for lower walkway at Opera House at Roseberry Site
Why we all won the lottery the day the Sydney Opera House opened
After 50 years, the Sydney Opera House is still a marvel of 20th-century design – and our country’s global calling card.
‘But he destroyed so many careers’
Retire at around 38 to 40 on a defined benefit scheme? Good luck trying to revert to that.
Toyota LandCruiser Mini due next year: Everything we know so far
Two reputable Japanese car magazines have outlined plans for a miniature version of Toyota’s most iconic off-road nameplate, with heavy-duty underpinnings and, possibly, hybrid power.
Can I just remind Putin lovers that Putin isn’t wearing a bikini, nor has he won a beauty contest?
Also, all I’m seeing as counters (some indirectly and very courageous) is anecdotal evidence that a couple of Russian dudes sharing a bottle of vodka reckon everything is super cool.
Inflation in 2022 was officially at 14%. This year, the exchange has been cut in half, and central bank intervention in the interest rate market saw a single rise of just under 4%, which is a record of sorts. Meanwhile, wages have jumped by 50% in the past few years, while productivity has faltered.
Everything is good, though. All is fine, we’re told.
We’ve now started on the “whataboutism” regarding the US. The one difference is that in the past, the US has recovered from these antics. That’s not saying it will, but there’s hope.
Meanwhile, perhaps people here have forgotten that because they imagine Putin in a two-piece bathing suit, impeachment proceedings have begun in the House. Oh, but they’re going after Trump through phoney indictments. That’s true, but the fat lady hasn’t sung yet, and most of this will end up in Scotus.
Trump’s plane hasn’t blown up in a mid-air accident. Speaker McCarthy has yet to fall out of a 4th-level hotel balcony, and no one we know of has suddenly died from being injected with radioactive poison. Not yet, anyway.
Dot
PS, those (the vast majority) who left before 20 years with not much at all were not always fully gruntled.
Just received news of the death of wifes relative. Hardly knew her, old school labour, when it meant something. I admire what she did in her early life, later on she she became a rusted on. Didn’t realise the new Liars didn’t include her. Probably get a mention on the news in Victoria. She died the way she advocated, a real pioneer. Dignity to the end.
What’s the Mandarin for Whataboutism?
JC the Pute still looks better than cohenite’s cute owls. At least he doesn’t tuck.
Philby was a piece of shit. One of the satisfying parts of the 4th Protocol is watching the commies shoot the bastard between the eyes; from 3 minutes 50 seconds onwards.
Ha…snap, JC!
I will accept $0.01 increments to be paid in cash.
Leaving aside the history of the cause and what now looks like the insane idea of nation-building, the US left the desert.
China’s better analogy would be to look in their own backyard and debate their ethnic cleansing of a minority that wasn’t playing ball with the regime. Actually, Tibet would be a better example. The US has left, Russia intends to stay on, and China isn’t leaving Tibet and won’t stop treating the Uyghurs as slave labour.
snap to snap Roger. 🙂
By popular demand: cute owls; aren’t they cute and not a dick in sight.
As I’ve said before, the shite that has gone down in the US eg the theft of the 2020 election and the imprisonment (and abuse) of dissenters without trial has totally put me off the place. I have no doubt the Tides Foundation, Move on, the DNC and the Clinton foundation are meddling here bigtime.
Climate cnuts making more friends:
https://www.watoday.com.au/national/victoria/protesters-glue-themselves-to-road-during-grand-final-day-parade-20230929-p5e8hy.html
Earlier:
Then:
That was the original plan.
I sometimes wonder what would have played out had my company 2IC (Captain Ed Black, looking at you) who was one of the great flogs of this or any age, not stopped a pre-approved corps transfer from infantry to a loadie/gunner gig at Aviation or handed out a discharge date smack in the middle of what would have been the crossover course.
I got three grand in the end which contributed to a couch, a TV and a series of monumental sessions at Tatts, the Criterion, the Seaview, Opus One, the Bank and the Exchange.
Still – sliding doors and all that.
Merino? And x what?
FMD
The US should impose price controls on domestic oil production to impact domestic consumption. It just gets funnier by each comment.
They already have that opportunity. We all do.
Milt
They’ve had more extreme crap happen before and Americans have managed to right the badly listing ship.
The Civil War with the bottom half of the country wanting to keep their slaves.
The bout of fascist economics during the early years of the Roosevelt term.
Prohibition.
It has fixed itself in the past which is more than you can say about Russia since 1917.
Merino yes, 1st x are bred from merino ewes and Border Leicester rams. Long held as the best mothers for fat lambs production.
Philosophically, yes, we all have moral agency.
Practically speaking, I think many in the remote communities have become so passive through welfare and substance dependency that they can’t exercise that agency anymore. In a different context they’d be under some form of custodianship.
The best thing we can do is take the kids out of those situations and prepare them for life in mainstream society.
If Trump wins next year I’ll take most of what I’ve said back JC. Thing is, it looked to me like the US fixed itself in 2016 and that the constitution was working but criminals/marxists/ vested interests undid all that 4 years later. As for those west coast cities- worse than the 3rd world.
I’m not belittling what you’re suggesting Milt. It’s serious and problematic, and there needs to be a wholesale cleansing.
Also, I forgot, the sixties was a tumultuous period there beginning with the JFK assassination and RFKs, Martin Luther King, the race riots, the Vietnam war…Then Reagan came along and helped win the Cold War.
Roger, considering your comment, I must agree in the case of remote communities – what I see as the captive museum pieces.
They are kept that way to belt us with, deliberately. I refuse to be belted any longer.
They are used as the pea and shell trick for taxpayer theft.
Dunno, but Kuldesak by Richard Cowper is a fine scifi novel. I also like his novels Clone and Twightlight of Briareus. His wiki is here.
China in Africa should make better viewing than MAFS. The Belgians have set a high bar.
I know you’ll agree, calli, that the tragedy is that these are not exhibits but human beings. The prog-left is culpable for this. Yet we’re the “racists.”
MAFS?
Agree JC – Reagan was one hell of a guy. His 1964 speech is brilliant. Was glad to go to Simi Valley and pay my respects. I also needed to atone for all the bad things I said about him in my 20s.
That’s the real test – can the institutions and offices established within a democracy continue to function regardless of who fills them? I would say it is very much an open question in many parts of the “West”.
I grew up in an army family, somehow found myself somehow living near bases through not any conscious choices in my life.
From what I have heard the closure of Adelaide will remove a choice for the rank & file, which is a bitch the Generals get all the time apparently. You have a choice of Darwin or Townsville (Anywhere from 3-4 hours flying time from anywhere, most red eye flights or connections till recently) or Brisbane which is pot luck due to popularity. Rest you need to be a loggie.
You either love the north (I’ve been here over 25 y now) or don’t last. IMO for knowing a lot of ADF types DFR need to be more honest with potential recruits and especially females.
Roger, how different is it to slavery? Or maybe sideshow alley? What they “live” is not freedom.
I am not their jailer. We know where to look for the culprits, living fat and large on OPM.
Reagan’s ‘time for choosing’ speech is as powerful and relevant as it was 59 years ago.
dover0beach
Sep 29, 2023 4:20 PM
They are also in no hurry to end the war as they indicated this week, both when Laveov said its now capitulation not negotiation, and Shoigu said that plans are ongoing to 2025.
No, they’re not in a hurry. And with some justification (from their perspective). There are already cracks appearing in the west’s resolve and although they are not outright fissures (Poland notwithstanding), the fact remains that slowly, ever so slowly, it is dawning on the west that Ukraine cannot win. Russia is simply too big and powerful and Ukraine does not have the manpower resources – no matter how many weapons they are given.
Over the coming winter I expect Ukraine will embark on a vast recruitment (aka dragoon) of able bodied young men into the military but it will all be to no avail.
This is not being an apologist for Putin – it is accepting a reality. And that reality is that no matter how many missiles, tanks, APCs or drones we provide Ukraine, Russian production of those same items generally dwarfs the supplies to Ukraine AND Russia has a population at least five times that of Ukraine and an economy ten times larger.
Added to that, the Russian economy is not in tatters despite what some economists may say (wish). I recently saw one media report that Russian inflation was 60%!! For the love of God, get a grip. Utter BS.
Another Japanese observation.
Admittedly there are some pretty wild cosplay outfits on display but no-one … and I mean no-one … wears “active-wear” in public.
I’m finding the Guelzo title on Gettysburg most restringing reading, indeed – much new material on a subject I thought had been done to death years ago. Thanks for the recommendation..
interesting reading, F.F.S!
Cohenite I don’t think Philby was shot in real life. He was the character of Bill Haydon in Tinker Tailor.
That’s why the left captured the institutions.
They continue to function, but not in the manner they evolved to do.
No Philby died of natural causes in Moscow c1986 iirc.
Philby died of a heart attack…or so the Russians tell us.
Hmmmm…. 😀
Cosplay isn’t really suitable for school pickup. I’m sure it would have been frowned upon in my day. Especially some of those 2nd wives.
Dot:
I made that quote because from the reports coming into the Cat, that’s a good description.
If it isn’t – and the same derogatory comments can be levelled at just about any town in Australia including Barcaldine. (well not crime ridden, although we did have a drink driver lose his licence for a while, that’s about the only crime we have here.)
Perhaps some nice stories about the shopping, the beach, the Saturday night entertainment could help?
We have already seen that scenario, with the Korth Koreans in Zimbabwe.
Did you check with the dog before putting your hand up?
Ah…you’re welcome, Zulu.
He’s a very engaging writer and personality, even when one disagrees with him.
Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President is working its way up my ‘to read’ pile.
Thancho here in Toytown activewear is the de rigueur at the moment. The number of front bums recently exhibited especially in the paperbag required set is nothing short of deplorable. A few of the better ones appeared to be advertising.
And nor should we.
No-one deserves a 50% pension after twenty years service at age 40.
I expect Darwin is like the curate’s egg…good in parts!
EV battery vapour explosions:
Nobody will admit it’s a problem
“Can I just remind Putin lovers that Putin isn’t wearing a bikini, nor has he won a beauty contest?”
True, but I’ve seen pictures of Vlad at the beach, and I’ve seen pictures of the old Sniffer at the beach. I know who I would prefer near me if a large wave swept me under.
Kim Philby died of natural causes, in great comfort, a hero of the Order of Lenin.
Every third comment of mine is basically Sopranos bait for bern or mole.
Ant, that Ted Cruz supporter, whatever happened there?
It’s over for the little guy.
Oh and I’m serious about the Pit Vipers. Their advertising budget must be in the hundreds of millions.
Some people – men and women, thrive in the North and Outback. Lots don’t. I did 12 months in the Pilbara before starting Uni and was happy to leave it at that but could see the attraction of the place to people.
Rock Doc
Turn the junior ranks over quickly (out after six years in a Field Force unit, combat or support, unless tapped for promotion to SGT (E). Their families will not yet have school age kids.
There are still (or at least used to be) opportunities for combat arms and supporting services SNCOs in training schools, most of which are in southern locations, as well as in the combat arms. Rotate between the two, but aim to have most other ranks finish their career by their late thirties. Older SNCOs can do many admin and staff (Canberra) jobs currently occupied by officers, many of whom are all too aware that their chances of further promotion are minimal.
Keep the front line forces young.
Roger at 5:34.
One thing which leapt out at me from the advert with the whingey Aboriginal kid:-
“I want to learn my native language”.
Huh?
“Well, what’s stopping you?” came the cry from the couch. “Fkn get on with it!”
What they deserve and the ability to maintain recruitment and retention with a volunteer military may not be related at all.
If the military was run better and the liability wasn’t crippling, I could live with it.
I couldn’t care if they joined on their 18th birthday and retired the day they turned 38 If it’s feasible and effective then let’s run with it.
The irony is that in most instances those languages only survive because a Western linguist, anthropologist or missionary took the trouble to compile a lexicon and grammar.
Auntie raelene, the 3rd nations ratbag who has succeeded via a wet lipped, tight arsed judge to temporarily halt Woodside’s gas project has some supporters in the comments at the Daily Mail.
Dot
Those who didn’t reach 20 years might not share your admiration for a scheme that preferenced the old and bold, most of whom would never again serve in a Field Force unit.
Think the issue through.
Speedbox:
…and it looks like there is little to no violence on the street – once you get out of Ukie missile range 🙂 – so perhaps Russia is walking all over the attempt by the US etc sanctions.
I may not have mentioned it lately, but IMHO Russia had a case when she invaded the Ukraine after the continued murders of her citizens/peoples by a rogue Ukrainian government. This stupid little war can only end when the people who were being shelled and bombed by Ukrainian forces are safely back in Russia – in their properties.
The issue of course is whether Russia will ever trust the West/US even if the Democrats are all consigned to the deeper bits of Hell.
Russia would have been very foolish to treat their double agents like your average Dark Friend.
Not good for recruitment.
Three ways can work to defend a nation:
1. Pay the warriors well, plus things like free uni tuition.
2. Give them honour and respect above ordinary people
3. Conscript them
We don’t do any of these, instead as a nation we seem to regard them as mass murderers and put them in front of courts. Any wonder why recruitment is so hard now? Textbook example of what not to do.
Indolent:
Sep 29, 2023 3:46 PM
Lovely stuff. I subscribed on the basis of the three vids of his I’ve watched.
Teh webs inform me that the Pies are $1.75 favourites over Brismong at $2.08.
Oh no. This is bad.
Chris:
You realise that in the HBBear Brigade, pants are NOT an option?
🙂
Even though it’s probably only spoken by a couple of hundred other people on the face of the Earth?
They got rid of the long service incentive and they still treat injuries as a joke. These are two separate problems. Any perceived problem regarding fairness arises from the issues being conflated.
Sure, there’s a moral hazard in paying out injuries off the assumption they’d commit to the 20 year plan.
You’d have to be slightly nuts and have balls of steel to cop a blighty as an able bodied young man.
Consider it a cost of doing business as the less reliable weed themselves out during peacetime and not when we’re in a pickle during a real war.
Most guys get hitched and have kids. Paying off a house and retiring on a higher rate of pay after an additional 10 years is a very good incentive. You’re still relatively young at retirement if you sign up before 25.
Dot
I remember in the 80’s & 90’s, you couldn’t book into a motel without the Landlord appearing to be XForces or a copper.
The security industry was full of ex – servicemen.
the Pies are $1.75 favourites over Brismong at $2.08
I really hate Deddie McF*ckwit, man …
And the accumulated literature is one volume of child’s fairy tales by Patsy Durack, plus the New Testament?
When i retired from the RAN i was 37yo i took $92K in cash and my pension was/is $14.5K, if i had retired on 50% pension it would have been $55K. We are talking turn of the century (year 2000) dollars.
k
Waiting for the Carringbush to shorten on the day before committing my hard-earned. And, let it be clear, I am on the side of said Carringbush (FiL).
Boambee John
Underestimating the opposition seems to be a mindset among our military intellectuals, but even a fishermans son could have predicted that one.
The simple truth is the current US and Russian regimes are brutal, self serving, militaristic, corrupt, kleptocracies. Neither have moral high ground. Both are oppressive.
The difference however is that one regime does not claim to be the white knight of democratic liberal values, lecturing , hectoring and preaching to the world how best to run our lives and boasting about being the “land of the free”.. The current US regime hates the nation , hates half it’s citizens and everything the once truly great country stood for.
And this is a very dangerous situation for everyone when you consider the US is doing it’s best to escalate the war, with the real potential to provoke a nuclear conflict in Ukraine. How fkg smart is that from the so called leader of the free world?
Putin isn’t a bikini clad beauty, but the US is certainly a blood sucking ghoul. And will remain that way until this current regime is removed.
STALIN, MAO, POL POT…SHOULD WE ALSO INCLUDE BIDEN OR OBAMA? They didn’t care about the loss of life caused by starting “wild fires” as long as they served to advance their agenda, now Globalist (MONSTERS) want WWIII to advance the “Great Reset” (they do not care about the loss of life this will cause)
It wouldn’t surprise me.
And prominently there was … Julia Gillard. Who doesn’t know what a woman is.
“Yes” is just a rich, white, elitist folly. No help at all to deprived aboriginal people living in welfare ghettos in remote areas under a malign ‘culture’ of drink and selfishness.
look after your own spirit animals.
Meme
Boambee John
Can you link to that for us, please Boambee John?
Either I’ve forgotten, or wasn’t listening.
I do remember the Cubans in Africa somewhere, but.
The difference however is that one regime does not claim to be the white knight of democratic liberal values, lecturing , hectoring and preaching to the world how best to run our lives and boasting about being the “land of the free”.. The current US regime hates the nation , hates half it’s citizens and everything the once truly great country stood for.
Well said.
Putin isn’t a bikini clad beauty, but the US is certainly a blood sucking ghoul. And will remain that way until this current regime is removed.”
Yep. My argument from the beginning.
Scottish ballet redoing Cinderella who now has testicles.
Mouthing the same old ballocks about how an Aboriginal woman who was the same age as Gilliard, would not have been a citizen until 1967, and probably would have been part of the “Stolen Generation”, taken away because she was “Aboriginal.”
““Yes” is just a rich, white, elitist folly. No help at all to deprived aboriginal people living in welfare ghettos in remote areas under a malign ‘culture’ of drink and selfishness.”
I wish I could give your comment a thousand upticks.
“Scottish ballet redoing Cinderella who now has testicles.”
I bet the Bolshoi Ballet won’t be doing a Cinderella with testicles.
Yes, yes. But does it wear a sporran?
I believe they do a bit of damage if executing a fouetté.
Robert Sewell
Sep 29, 2023 6:21 PM
I can assure you there is crime in Russia. Russia is no different from other societies with its fair share of assorted criminals. It is not a utopia with a rainbow at every corner and a populace riding unicorns. I’m sure you didn’t think it was.
As for the Ukraine conflict, that is a complex matter that has its genesis many years ago – elements can be traced back to when Bill Clinton was President of the USA. Been discussed on the Cat, many times, in detail.
As to whether Russia will ever trust the west – well, I think we know the answer to that.
Awwwwww…we appear to have a ballet philistine in the cheap seats. Dry you tears, ‘cheeks.
Fine. Learn it in your home, from your family, outside school hours.
But learn fluent English unless you wish to spend the rest of your life, unemployable, and talking only to the very small number of people who might know that language.
The Iceman Cometh. Or at least he did five thousand three hundred years ago, aged around 45, walking in the high peaks not far from Belzano where we based in an apartment overnight to do washing and see Oetzi (O umlaute) in his new home built specially for him in Belzano, Italy, after quite a tussle with Austria about who owned his corpse (the quickley surveyed Italian high border does a remarkable dog leg metres around the ‘find’). Found by walkers in 1991 the museum in his honour is a remarkable display of a world-famous find, his body viewable in its monitored wet ice environment through a glass window. He was murdered. Archaeological Agatha Chrisies abound concerning why. How was due to a stone arrow-head embedded in his shoulder severing a major artery. Who shot him is unknown. Ritual sacrifice seems unlikely given his extensive provisioning of equipment, but is one possibility. Some believe he was escaping, on the run. Another alternative is that he was a transhument shepherd and shot for his sheep.
The equipment is all set out in the museum and is a wonder to see, it is in very good nick. Such self-sufficiency, well dressed in leather leggings and a goat skin coat and bear skin hat with warm shoes insulated with tree grass. His leggings were held up with leather thongs tied to a belt around his waist, which also supported other small belongings, plus his ‘undies’, a loin cloth. He carried fire-starting flints and dry moss and beakers with maple-leaf wrapped embers. He had a raincoat head and shoulders shelter of a sort of thatch. His bow was six foot long, taller than his own 5 ft 4, and his quiver had eleven arrows in it, some in the process of being made.
His discovery indicated the usage of plain copper with no alloy a thousand years before generally accepted, as his wood-hafted copper adze was his most important tool, well used. The copper was analysed as traded up from around Tuscany. Quite a way from the Dolomites. His genes are now found mainly in Corsic and Sardinaia.
Dot
I did not mention injuries, which are a different subject. Stop trying to verbal me.
HBBear:
H B Bear
I love it here in Barcy.
No bastard annoys me, no bastard knocks on my door selling vacuum cleaners.
Perhaps it’s the “Beware of the Leopards” or “Achtung Minen” signs. Or perhaps the bear traps.
Yeah.
Probably the bear traps.
Julia Gillard strikes me as a person who feels the need to make herself seem like a woman, while a woman comfortable in her own self does not feel more feminine by seeming. She already knows she is.
I wonder if her political career made her see herself from the outside, playing to what she thought other people expected. She always seemed an incomplete and unconvincing human.
And the drag queen, while embarrassing as a known man playing at womanhood while she wished to be a woman to whom womanhood was natural, perhaps gave her the assurance that being a woman in 2023 can be won merely by tacky clothes and a terrible voice – this last something she has long been renowned for.
The idea that the US “regime” is as brutal as Russia’s means the idiot posting this drivel is either doing masses of heroin or lives in a parallel universe.
Example: Elon Musk bought a left-wing Twitter, fired most of those imbeciles, and now runs a pretty decent shop in comparison, and he’s anti-administration. Try that shit in Russia, pal, and then take a bet on which hotel balcony level you accidentally fall from.
It’s the US’s fault if the war escalates. Russia could pull up its tent and retreat anytime it likes, but if it escalates, it’s the fault of America. What a deadshit comment, but as always, total drivel from the likely source
Not a chance .
I’m sure the Bolshoi is expensive now but in the 2000’s Russia supported a huge regional ballet network scattered across the country. These were artists and troupes who couldn’t quite break into the top league but were always knocking on that door. Highly skilled, perfectionists. And they were superb- glamorous rich productions in ornate old opera and ballet theatres which you could go see for around $3 a head then, with the coat service for free. Drinks and nibbles thrown in at intermission. The ballerinas were gorgeous , revered by the locals.
Russians truly value their artistic and literary history- their language. And all the west seems to be doing is finding ways to trash ours.I sometimes think that what motivates some of the Russian hatred in the west is Russia’s gritty determination to protect it’s heritage.
Sorry, no link, memories from times past.
A bunch of Norks were attached to a Zim brigade, from memory the one stationed in the regions occupied by the “other” tribes to Mugabe’s Shona tribe in Zim. They had a very nasty reputation, ensuring that there were no rebellions there. Try the later 1980s.
ooh, my typing.
quickly … and Corsica .. and Sardinia
Should proof read but we are now in a resort hotel in Fiera di Primiero ten km of precipitious road down from the high town of San Martino di Costrozzo and heading out to explore some more of this little Alpine town. The drive from Belzano has been one of stupdenous vistas, snaggle-toothed bald mountain ranges hanging over the greener lower ranges, and the drive both scary or invigorating depending on one’s viewpoint, up and down on seemingly never-ending precipiced roads, and no prizes for guessing my sense of it vs Hairy’s. He’s off this morning back to San Martino up the top again to take a Gondola to the highest point around. I am staying here, recovering from nervous shock. lol.
So why do I care if we go back to that system and someone does 15 years and has a whinge and we don’t have “up or out at 15” and so on?
“I do remember the Cubans in Africa somewhere, but.”
In the 1970s and 1980s. Cubans were in Angola and Mozambique, doing the bidding of the Soviets. It was the height of the Cold War.
Please Explain.
Hey, collectivists! He is (cue spooky muzak …) your worst nightmare 🙂
Cass
Would Oligarch, Dimistri Muskov have ever been allowed to purchase Russian Twitter and turned it, not anti-government, but just took a neutral stance? How long would Dimitri have lived after that? 🙂 I bet 2 hours tops.
And the temperature will be … gasp … bang on the Brissy average for September.
It won’t be ‘arf hot, Mum.
PS, IIRC, the Cubans were in Angola.
This is all now in the heart of the Dolomites, Italy’s tyrol. We have been so lucky with the weather, cool nights and warm days. Early autumn. End of season up here, where skiing is the main game. But the vistas are such that the tourist still come, mainly German and Italian as both ;anguages are spoken. We had to get the Italian phrase book out at breakfast in order to translate the menu offered to us here for tonight so that we could mark our choices in the little box ready for the chef.
Lol, you’re not in Joisey now, Tony. Fk off.
The old system was deemed not satisfactory, and replaced. My thoughts were on possible new systems, to focus on front line capability rather than expanding the Canberra military bureaucracy.
But if you are attracted to the old ways ….
Wow!
—
Eli from Russia:
Two cultures merge in this republic – Tatar and Russian. And this fusion of cultures makes the republic of Tatarstan a very special place.
Russia’s third capital Kazan and Tatars’ biggest ethnic holiday
They do indeed. The Ballets Russes are an example, overwhelming the dancing and theatrical world.
Shame the Revolution destroyed so much that was good and replaced it with brutalism.
Julia Gillard strikes me as a person who feels the need to make herself seem like a woman, while a woman comfortable in her own self does not feel more feminine by seeming. She already knows she is.
She’s a lesso and the most corrupt PM this shit hole has elected. Even rub and tug is just a commie.
When we there in’96, a Kraut was taking pot shots at Italiano looking peoples … 😕
Two months in Yerp in ’96 – most yerpians mistook me for a Kraut. While we were getting around in a brand new Renault with French license plates.
Talk about existing on the edge, Cats!
It’s U.S. meddling that caused the war in the first place. And wasn’t there a signed agreement that NATO would not expand east which has since been exposed as being entered into in bad faith simply to buy time to build up arms? Who was behind that?
This is the vegetable that named the continent “Yerp”.
Fifth Brigade, carried out a series of massacres in Matabele land – who had dared to oppose Mugabe’s Shona.
Fidel Castro was hotly denying any Cuban presence in Angola – the South Africans produced a group of Cuban Prisoners of War….
Indolent
Remind me, because I just don’t know. Ukraine split off in the early 90s, and Russia was happy with the border. In the past 30 odd years, has Ukraine joined either NATO or even the EU? I don’t know how to get the information, and I was hoping you could help.
A heroine of the Order of Lenini
Not sure if up-thumbers understand what “ k “ means.
JC
Sep 29, 2023 8:00 PM
Cass
Would Oligarch, Dimistri Muskov have ever been allowed to purchase Russian Twitter and turned it, not anti-government, but just took a neutral stance? How long would Dimitri have lived after that? ? I bet 2 hours tops.”
No, JC. But I will say this about Musk and X, whilst he’s still living, they’ve made life difficult for him. They are trying to starve X of advertising, which is why he’s launching legal action against that disgusting Jonathan Goldsplatt and his corrupt organisation, the ADL, a once august and decent organisation, now trashed by the far-left, and which now joins the SPLC and the ACLU as partisan far-left mouthpieces.
I haven’t given up on the USA yet, I still have some hope, I remember how Reagan transformed the country after the pitiful doldrums of the post-Nixon, Ford and Carter years. But America then wasn’t drenched in self loathing. I don’t pretend Russia and the USA are the same. They are not, Russia is no democracy, Pute is a despot but he doesn’t pretend to be anything other, and that is Russian history. However, I do think the Demonrats are also despotic and authoritarian and they, unlike Putin who does love his country, detest their country, their history, their flag. I find what’s happening in the USA disturbing and distressing, particularly the lawfare against Trump. They want to imprison him.
So, no I haven’t given up on America yet, I might after November 2024 if the Demonrats under Governor Gruesome win. Then it will be all over.
Makka
Sep 29, 2023 7:54 PM
Speaking of the Bolshoi, Mrs Speedbox and I attended the Bolshoi theatre in Moscow courtesy of a friend who is one of their senior managers. We sat in a private box at the very front (almost over the orchestra pit) for a performance of Swan Lake.
I’ve never really been into ballet but jeez, that was impressive. And the venue – indescribable. Afterwards, we went out for a very late dinner with our friend, her husband and a couple of other Bolshoi managers and the restaurant specifically stayed open late for our group of six. We were the only people in the restaurant – the Bolshoi name carries a lot of weight in Moscow.
Yeah, after 70 odd years of hardcore communism, a decade of chaos under a permanently drunk Yeltsin, and now Mr KGB. Russia is a cultural oasis of human kind.
It really is z-grade banana republic type stuff.
However, Gov’nor Gruesome ain’t the dumbocrat candidate yet, Cass.
I just want Geriatric Joe to run again. For the “Weekend at Bernie’s” type amusement if nothing else.
With the Fetterlump as VP. A dream ticket.
“Yeah, after 70 odd years of hardcore communism, a decade of chaos under a permanently drunk Yeltsin, and now Mr KGB. Russia is a cultural oasis of human kind.”
Actually JC, even at the height of the Russian civil war, during the siege of Leningrad, the battle of Stalingrad, the economic collapse in the 1990s, and other dark times, Russians always, despite frequently living on the edge and starving, flock to the arts. Russian governments would rather deprive Russians of food than the arts. It’s part of the Russian psyche.
Speedbox, do you agree?
Lizzie – Epic summary of poor Mr Otzi. One of the most fascinating unsolved mysteries in history. Him carrying a copper adze is one of the other fine questions, since the Chalcolithic was just then morphing into the Bronze Age. The value of a prized metal-headed axe is confirmed by Otzi’s fine possession.
That there was an unexplained fight to the death, with arrows and axes, on the roof of Europe in 3300 BC is one of those things about humanity we always know occurs but can’t know the why and wherefore of. A story which ended in a death, and we have the pieces but not the background. As you say Agatha would find this case fascinating I think. Also a Mr Holmes.
The depth and breadth of Russian arts and crafts which exist despite the grim political past is impressive. Beautiful, breathtaking stuff.
It just means you can’t keep genuine creatives down.
Marginally better than existing under Dan the Disasterstan Man, JC?
Yeah; let’s go with the yank option (it always works so well) and nuke the shithole. Then let’s infest it’s institutions with Godless trans freaks , drag queens and associated deviants, communists, oppressive surveillance , green scum and make it just like home. We’ll call it victory.
What an amazing evening!
One of my best mates, who is a collectivist, has a hard cover picture book of the Treasures of St Petersburg.
The images are amazing, although way too much gold for my liking. Silver is best, you tacky tasteleless slavs… 🙂
Which reminds me, I still haven’t watched “Russian Ark“. 😕
Yes. The old recruiting ads were good.
Navy knows you’re the pride of the fleet, etc. iconic advertising.
Now…it’s an eat pray love fantasy.
Why would a young man join the ADF now?
The Yes campaign’s official launch in the UK has been met with mixed reactions after the event featured a drag queen wearing an Australian flag costume …
I miss the days of Lara Bingle marketing Australia
Ironically, I see a lot of parallels between Russia and the US, at least in broad terms, with respect to current political leadership. Some people here seem to equate Putin with Trump, whereas Putin is Russia’s Hiden. Ossified, too long in the political arena, totally corrupt and vindictive to the end. Russia’s Trump is Alexei Navalny, the former opposition leader currently serving 10 years in jail because he was too popular. If Trump goes to jail, the equivalence will be striking.
Miranda Devine
@mirandadevine
#impeachmentinquiry has just released this WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to his uncle Jim: “you’ve been drawn into something for the purpose of protecting Dad”.
“Gettysburg – the Last Invasion.”
“Gunners are a race apart” ran the British doggerel “hard of head and hard of heart.” P43.
Welcome to what infantrymen have always known.
Not necessarily for the reasons that they joined 40 years ago. Like it or lump it, we need to attract the current generation. Old fogies lamenting change don’t help.
Hence my suggestion of a focus on short enlistments spent in the Field Force, followed by selective retention to maintain the Field and Training Forces, and selective movement into the military bureaucracy.
Retaining too many for too long can (and has in the past) produce the RIP (Retired in Place) syndrome.
Miss Ellie as a Space Chick … 🙂
Who could not be in awe.
The premiere of Shostakovich Symphony 7:
today’s word is … teleological
Oh … Indolent … snap!
Jorge – this is why you never march East.
The siege of St Petersburg was a monstrous event. Lasted from mid ’41 to mid ’44, when the Russians finally broke it. The deprivations of the citizens were legendary, even worse than those in Volgograd.
That concert – when you have nothing left to sustain you than music and art.
Robert Sewell 29/6 @ 6:21
I agree with what you say – totally.
Tell me – in your opinion are the eunuchs in the west after Putin because he is a real man
Whoever’s down thumbing my comments – you’re a stupid li’l z-grade zunt.
I’ll now go and down thumb every comment on this page.
Happy now, dick head?
Eddles is still not happeee 🙂