WATCH: Donald Trump Gets Applauded During Visit to Black Barber Shop in the Bronx, NY
Open Thread – Wed 22 Nov 2023
- Open Thread – Thurs 17 Oct 2024
- Open Thread – Mon 14 Oct 2024
- The Fifth Problem of the Bowen Kind
- Open Thread – Weekend 12 Oct 2024
- Open Thread – Thurs 10 Oct 2024
Also learnt today that my SIL has Jewish “descent”, if that is even a thing. Apparently her maternal great grandmother…
Remembering the TITANIC .. the “iceberg” defends itself .. LOL! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP5bu9hLH9E&t=85s
Al Smith dinner speeches: Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Al Smith dinner (youtube.com) Pretty funny stuff!!!
That is outrageous.
A conference dedicated to promoting responsible citizenship when it studiously avoided addressing the covid response Western governments inflicted on their citizens (Sweden excepted) doesn’t inspire much confidence.
I note many Australian Liberals were in attendance, including my local member, who was conspicuously silent during that egregious episode of government bastardry.
I was remembering that assuming victimhood has been a very successful tactic for muslims since the days of mo.
Something along the lines of be the victim and you shall win.
koranic verses, good luck with the reformation
[It’s not similar at all, besides being a constitutional monarchy, for exit polling data shown later].
Except President of Poland, Duda picked the PiS PM to be PM again and he has stated he will use his powers as President to stymie Tusk if he has to appoint Tusk, relegating him to a court secretary. Poland has a mixed system like France.
Yet more demoralising disinformation from you, Ronnie RAAF.
From Guardianista:
Exit polling showed Wilders’ Party for Freedom with the most seats (35), followed by the Green-Labour alliance, led by Frans Timmermans, with 25 seats.
The People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), led by Dilan Ye?ilgöz-Zegerius, got 24 seats, according to the exit polling.
Let’s think about this, off the exit polls. My source is the NL Times online.
35 (Geert) + 24 (Frans) + 7 (BBB) + CDA (5) + CU (3) + FVD (3) + JA 21 (1) + SGP (3) = 81 – there’s actually an overall right-wing majority in Parliament with 5 “spare” seats.
There’s no need for unreliable coalition partners like the distributivist New Social Contract, let alone the Greens or any social democrat/Labourites, let alone the socialists, Greens, Animals or commies.
A quote from wiki:
When asked which political parties NSC would be unwilling to work with in a prospective coalition government, party leader Omtzigt excluded Forum for Democracy (FvD) and Party for Freedom (PVV), as he felt these do not meet the “basic conditions of the rule of law”
There is no need for demoralising disinformation, Ronnie RAAF. The Dutch only have exit polls so far anyway.
Today is the memorial day of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro – the Cristero whose death by firing squad in 1927 the communists took great delight in photographing for posterity. They ran the pic in the papers to scare off mourners.
60,000 lined the procession.
I think of what the dying Malone said in The Untouchables: “What are you prepared to do?”
So he did. Making it obvious that JC has never met me. And JC is not a cruel man.
It’s you who can take pleasure in being cruel, Sancho.
You’d be wise to remember that wit is a fine friend but a poor master.
Poor me then, Lizzie.
Compare and contrast the Christian martyr and the islamic one.
¡Viva Christo Rey!
Whoops
I meant Dilan and NOT Frans.
Those Dutch Party names too, are confounding.
This is what’s needed.
People who operate in the real world calling out the ideological propaganda.
Even I could tell, given the info available, they were over cooking it, as I’ve been hinting at for a couple of months now.
Also remember how they were desperately trying to overblow the temps last summer.
“Dear World, is this enough proof for you?”
Yes, any ‘reformation’ will be tricky but Islamic scholarship can be inventive.
Theology is a useful facility of the human mind under conditions of economic advancement. Start there first, generate shared wealth, and viewpoints often change.
None of this $1.8 billion generates a single electron. It’s all battery storage (‘virtual power plants’ is a term for groups of privately owned batteries that can be called on as needed).
The total package, assuming it’s fully charged (by someone else in on the ponzi) and not committed to FCAS, delivers 8% of NSW peak summer load.
For about two hours.
The fact that this is being trumpeted is a measure of how far Australia has fallen.
I’ve watched the video. I think its a stretch to call it a complex. We’ve been told there are hundreds of kms of tunnel in Gaza, so even at face value, I’d be surprised if there is not a tunnel near or joined to most large facilities incl. the hospitals. But given what we saw in that video how many men would that hold? A squad? A platoon? Where are the storage rooms for arms, ammo, food, etc? Was it connected to other tunnels or was it a tunnel connected to one of the hospital buildings and a secret entrance on the grounds of the hospital? As he indicated in the video, one of the reasons they are near the hospital is to connect to their utilities. It would be interesting to see a map of where this tunnel is in relation to the Al-Shifa site, which building the tunnel was connected to and where the other entrance was. At the moment, the evidence indicates no major command centre but certainly minor Hamas facilities (that could house a squad) in the hospital grounds.
The curious case of the “terrorist attack” at the US-Canadian border has been interesting.
Turns out it wasn’t a car bomb. Instead a rich guy and his wife were driving along in a half million dollar Bentley when for some reason he lost it. The eyewitness who saw what happened says the Bentley was easily going 100 mph when it veered off the road and hit a low fence. The vids certainly show the thing was really travelling. It sounds like the gas tank was ruptured, because the car burst into a fireball and went airborne. Shortly thereafter it impacted on the border post office.
I can understand why people thought it was a bomb: a 100 mph+ flying Bentley, on fire, would cause an impressive kaboom.
Err the the only I’m gung ho! about is letting the Israelis do as they see fit. I have no time for people playing fantasy Rear Admirals online.
Tom
Nov 23, 2023 11:01 AM
RAAF operating hours are 0800-1600, Monday to Friday, public holidays off, lunch from 1130-1330.
LOL. Sorry, we don’t do wars outside of public service hours.
Just cause major blockages on the Sydney Harbour Bridge – both road and rail, the cycleway and the walkway, and, cause a major blockage in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Sydney will come to a standstill. Then have a couple of subs have a go at Garden Island and the Ferries. Then land a specially designed A 380 packed with special forces at Sydney Airport ready to take over the city.
A similar strategy can be used for Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin.
Then have ships full of special forces lurking off the Australian coast ready to land the troops.
Then nuke Canberra, Pine Gap and maybe a few other key installations.
Game nearly over. The Chinese 5th column are already here (immigrants) ready to join in.
Hilarious and depressing at the same time:
As a consequence of being ‘Aboriginal’, during 2019-2022 Simone went on to lead the university Aboriginal student’s rights committee. She did not have to pay university fees or medical bills, and had many other areas of her life subsidised. Simone was amazed that over time she lost friends at university who seemed resentful of her ‘Aboriginal’ identity and status. Simone soon realised they were just privileged white racists.
Quadrant
If I editorialize at all I will get in so much trouble…
Pope Francis Invites 44 Transgenders Who Work as “Prostitutes” to Vatican for Lunch (22 Nov, via Lucianne)
I hope he urged them to repent.
Aaaaand here we go with this again.
There’s someone else here you should have a conversation with.
It’s under the Qatari building, Hagari pointed to a blocked off elevator shaft.
At this stage it is early days because it had taken this long to excavate this part of the tunnel system and check for traps.
I think you will find that hamas also blantantly used rooms in the hospital proper, no need to hide a platoon underground they just put on some sort of hospital attire and mingled.
Have you seen the footage inside emergency in the Indonesian hospital, and shifa for that matter with dozens and dozens of military aged men are wandering aimlessly around, hiding in plain sight.
There was another article I didn’t link where there is complaints that the IDF have internally demolished a building inside the complex.
Another tip, the external part of that air-conditioning unit wasn’t sitting in the middle of a carpark.
No paragliders?
Excavate as in hamas filled it with sand.
“I note many Australian Liberals were in attendance, including my local member, who was conspicuously silent during that egregious episode of government bastardry.”
I note that those who did speak up about that egregious episode of government bastardry, such names as Gerard Rennick, George Christensen, Craig Kelly, Pauline Hanson, Malcolm Roberts, David Limbrick, John Ruddock and others, were conspicuous in their absence from ARC, leading me to assume that these names did not receive an invite. I might be wrong, some may have attended….don’t know.
It is pretty arch, in the sense of being coyly ambiguous as to what form the partner takes. Something along the lines of “Ooooh partner hey, he? she?” followed by a wrinkling of the nose and then “it?”. Usually serves to get the point across in a gentle way.
However, ‘[t]he milestone closure of Liddell Power Station in NSW will reduce emissions by eight million tonnes annually – equivalent to five per cent of emissions from Australia’s electricity sector in 2021.’
So, there is that.
In the meantime, however, recalcitrant conservationists and farmers are obstructing our ascent to the decarbonised sunlit uplands.
Any of the branches could be booby-trapped or be ambush hold-outs. They need to go very carefully. This is one start of a network.
What you can study
You can study an accredited diploma, certificate or short course. Fee-Free TAFE offers a range of courses in industry sectors with skill shortages or growth areas such as:
Sadly, very little emphasis on detail or serious trades.
And who will be doing all this?
Throw in some Gazan refugees and the potential Labor-voter roll-call is complete.
But it’s not immediately clear how an influx of unpaid caters with a Cert3 in ‘technology and digital’ is going to put “downward pressure on inflation”.
China is not going to learn if nations like Australia keep taking it up the @$$ from them. They’ll just rinse and repeat. Same with the ChinaFlu.
Oh, here we go again:
https://www.watoday.com.au/world/asia/clusters-of-mystery-respiratory-illness-in-chinese-children-alarms-who-20231123-p5em9b.html
You mean to tell me that the Iranian passport ‘found’ near the scene that Robert Spencer mentioned didn’t happen either? In the words of Trump…Wow. I didn’t know that.
But it’s not immediately clear how an influx of unpaid caters with a Cert3 in ‘technology and digital’ is going to put “downward pressure on inflation”.
Airbus/Tennis Elbow has a Plan dontcha’ know. Oh, you voters of so much little faith. LOL.
Maybe he and his wife were Iranian-Americans.
I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, RIP, it sounds like a horrible accident.
Wrong.
Israel has been more than generous in their offers of conceding ground to Palestine, on several occasions, but has always been rebuffed.
Every. Single. Time.
Not a car bomb? Just an EV crashing and exploding then?
Ok, nothing to see here, carry on.
What part of the hospital complex is that? Orthopedics? Maternity? Burns? Which?
Israel is winning. It won’t give up the fight now
The Hamas hostage deal is unlikely to lead to a broader ceasefire. Jerusalem knows it has to emerge victorious
CON COUGHLIN – DEFENCE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS EDITOR
The Israeli government’s decision to approve a hostage swap deal with Hamas, one that will result in a four-day pause in the fighting, has inevitably raised expectations that it could lead to a broader ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally sanctioned the deal after coming under intense pressure from hardliners within his own Cabinet to reject it. They contend that the only surefire way of securing the release of the estimated 240 people taken captive during Hamas’s barbaric assault against Israel on October 7 is the complete destruction of the terror group.
But the Israeli premier also had to contend with the views of the hostages’ families, who have demanded the Israeli government give priority to securing their release over the military imperative of destroying Hamas.
Then there is the Biden administration, which has never enjoyed the easiest of relations with the Israeli premier. It had been lobbying hard for Israel to accept the deal, arguing that Netanyahu is losing the moral high ground in the conflict because of the high Palestinian death toll.
In such circumstances, Netanyahu had little option but to accept the Qatar-sponsored agreement, even if his own view was that any cessation of Israel’s military offensive would simply allow Hamas to regroup.
There has certainly been no indication from Hamas that the deal might lead it to end hostilities against Israel.
On the contrary, a statement issued by the terror group shortly after confirmation of the agreement declared menacingly that “our hands will remain on the trigger”.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that, despite signing off on the arrangement, which will see 50 hostages held by Hamas released in return for 150 Palestinians detained by Israel being freed, the Israeli military has no intention of ending its military assault to destroy Hamas.
For, despite the optimism that has been generated by the deal, with the pause in the fighting due to start today, the reality is that, far from being the precursor to a broader ceasefire, the agreement is unlikely to distract the Israeli government from achieving its declared goal of wiping Hamas from the face of the earth.
Israel’s determination to press ahead with its mission to eliminate the threat the terrorist group poses to the country’s security is based on a number of factors, including the knowledge that, even after the first batch of hostages has been released, there will still be 190 or so who remain in captivity.
Of these, some are being held by other Islamist groups, such as Islamic Jihad, that are not under Hamas’s direct control.
Israeli commanders will also be well aware that Hamas, together with its Iranian backers, will be seeking to exploit the hostage crisis to maximum effect to undermine the effectiveness of Israel’s military assault.
So long as the possibility exists of Israeli citizens being released, Netanyahu will face continued pressure to ease the military offensive to save innocent Israeli lives.
That said, after the significant success the Israel Defence Forces has achieved during the past month, its commanders will be keen to maintain the momentum of their offensive.
Having eliminated much of Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in northern Gaza, which has so far resulted in the destruction of 400 tunnels, the Israelis will want to finish the job by neutralising the remainder of the Islamist group’s underground network in southern Gaza.
From Israel’s perspective, moreover, the notion that hostilities can be brought to end before the Hamas threat has been completely eliminated is wholly untenable.
If a single Hamas rocket is fired against Israel once the military offensive has ended, it will be deemed to be a disaster.
The other consideration that will be uppermost in the minds of many Israelis is the possibility that, with Hamas out of the equation, there could be a realistic prospect of reviving talks on the Palestinian issue.
Prior to the October 7 attacks, the Biden administration was involved in an ambitious diplomatic initiative to persuade Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel in return for the Saudis receiving security guarantees from Washington. It is unlikely that any such deal could be finalised without also addressing the plight of the Palestinians.
While the Gaza crisis has put that initiative on hold, there is no reason why it cannot be returned to once Israel’s military offensive has ended, and Hamas is no longer in a position to sabotage peace efforts, as it has done so often in the past.
One of the biggest obstacles to previous diplomatic efforts to break the impasse on the Palestinian question has been the inability of Palestinian negotiators to present a united front, with their attempts to reach an agreement constantly being undermined by Hamas’s nihilistic agenda.
If Israel does prove successful in its quest to eradicate Hamas, then that could pave the way for the start of a fresh push to resolve the Palestinian issue once and for all.
This would be an interesting topic to discuss even if only to outline the detail.
Laurence Fox is ‘a colour-blind liberal and anti-racist’, court told
Dispute over damaged reputations follows social media spat in which the actor called people ‘paedophiles’
By Telegraph Reporters
Laurence Fox “is a colour-blind liberal” who doesn’t like racism, the High Court has been told.
The actor and politician is being sued by former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal over a row on X, formerly known as Twitter, in October 2020.
Mr Fox called Mr Blake and the former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, whose real name is Colin Seymour, “paedophiles” in an exchange about a decision by Sainsbury’s to celebrate Black History Month and provide a safe space for its black employees.
After Mr Fox called for a boycott of the supermarket, the actor was called “a racist” by the pair and actress Nicola Thorp in their own posts on the platform.
The Reclaim Party founder, who denies being a racist, is counter-suing the trio over their tweets, claiming they damaged his reputation.
His barrister, Patrick Green KC, told the court: “The allegation of being ‘a racist’ will have been looked upon very seriously by many of Mr Fox’s actual and potential colleagues … He is not a racist, he is a colour-blind liberal who dislikes racism, ‘progressive’ and identitarian politics.”
Fox has claimed he lost his acting agent in the aftermath and that on two occasions after the claim against him was filed, faeces was posted through his door.
Mr Green said in written submissions that there is “little doubt that Mr Fox’s reputation has actually suffered very considerably” since October 2020, particularly in the mind of his former agent Sue Latimer.
He added that Fox has also seen a decline in invitations to events for making professional appearances, in addition to a fall in acting roles.
The court was told that Fox received several queries about acting roles in 2020 before opportunities dwindled, including for a role in the HBO series Succession, and a project by Disney, thought to be the Obi-Wan series starring Ewan McGregor.
Opportunities for 2023 which did not come to fruition included an offer to appear on the show Banged Up, where high-profile figures, including EastEnders actor Sid Owen and Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, spent several days locked in a decommissioned prison, the court heard.
All four people in the claims appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday for the first day of the trial. Fox is expected to enter the witness box on Friday.
‘Ignoramus or an intelligent racist’
Lorna Skinner KC, representing Mr Blake, Mr Seymour and Ms Thorp, said the trio “honestly believed, and continue honestly to believe, that Mr Fox is a racist”.
In written submissions, the barrister said the 45-year-old “has made a number of highly controversial statements about race”, adding: “If and to the extent that Mr Fox has been harmed in his reputation, it is his own conduct and not the claimants’ comments on it that caused that harm.”
Ms Skinner highlighted several of Fox’s social media posts, including a June 2022 tweet of four pride flags arranged in the shape of a swastika.
“Such a disgusting post could only be made by a complete ignoramus or an intelligent racist with an agenda. Mr Fox is the latter,” she said.
The court was later told the politician tweeted a photo of himself in August 2023 “blacked up” and describing himself as someone who had “racially transitioned”.
Can’t wait. As someone who has recently racially transitioned, I’m glad my culture is going to be celebrated!
It’s been a long journey. First the hair curling, then the course of white blockers. It’s just great to finally be myself.
?? https://t.co/wvCx5I56cn pic.twitter.com/mKyMglPqdJ
— Laurence Fox (@LozzaFox) August 9, 2023
Ms Skinner continued: “This is so offensive on so many levels that it is difficult to know where to start … this is self-evidently a racist tweet.”
The barrister later told the court that Mr Blake and Mr Seymour had both faced serious harm to their reputations due to Fox’s tweets and would defend their posts as expressions of honest opinion.
However, Mr Green said in his written submissions that neither man “has suffered any actual, real-world consequences” due to the actor’s activity on social media.
The barrister said that the posts did not cause people to think worse of Mr Blake and Mr Seymour and that people did not believe they were paedophiles.
Instead, Mr Green said readers would have understood that Fox’s posts were a “retort to an allegation of racism” rather than a factual allegation.
He said it was accepted that abuse had been sent to Mr Blake and Mr Seymour on the platform previously known as Twitter, but that it had been from “trolls, a well-recognised species of Twitter user who have, at best, a ribald sense of humour and, at worst, deep personality disorders”.
The trial before Mrs Justice Collins Rice is due to conclude next week with a decision expected at a later date.
Dom Perrottet did, however, get an invitation.
Seriously.
What next, needing to know there middle names?
Righties are dumb ignorant knuckle draggers news.
Higher cognitive ability linked to higher chance of having voted against Brexit (Phys.org, 22 Nov)
Since what they call misinformation was nothing of a sort, it’s fun they decide that hyperintelligent lefties are so hyperintelligent. I wonder if they’ve ever read the Emperor’s New Clothes? Or Chicken Little?
The tunnels at Dover Beach go back to Napoleonic times. Just a thought.
Australian government throws giant pile of money at renewables — so big, the cost is a secret
By Jo Nova
The Australian Government is building magical weather machines with large amounts of our children’s money, and they won’t even tell us what it will cost.
Dear Sir, we’re here to fix the car you didn’t know was broken, give us your wallet?
We’ll just help ourselves to your cash and won’t tell you what this costs, OK? (It must cost a fortune, because if it were cheap we’d tell you).
The Labor government promised impossible Net Zero things, and 18 months later everyone knows it is impossible.
Renewable investment has ground to a halt, people are not buying EV’s, farmers don’t want the transmission lines, coastal towns don’t want the wind towers, project costs are doubling and tripling, and Florence the borer is still stuck in a very short hole that is meant to be a long one.
Instead of backing away slowly, the Labor Party have gone full Santa-wish-fairy.
Just like that — the plan for 6 gigawatts of unreliable generators will become 7, wait, I mean, 32 gigawatts. Wow.
The Australian grid uses about 30 gigawatts of generation, and already has 65 gigawatts of equipment to generate that.
It took three generations to build and pay off, but we’re adding 32 GW this decade….
Labor Blackout Chris Bowen gambles with taxpayers’ cash to hit renewables target Geoff Chambers, The Australian
Taxpayers will underwrite a five-fold increase in new government-backed renewables capacity across Australia, as Chris Bowen gambles on a dramatic market intervention to secure grid reliability and achieve Labor’s ambitious target of 82 per cent renewables by 2030.
If the market won’t build crazy loss-making unreliable generation machines, the government will.
They force us to pay, but they can’t even tell us what it costs:
The program will be expanded from its initial mandate to underwrite 6 gigawatts of renewable energy projects to 32GW, with the cost to taxpayers being kept secret under commercial-in-confidence provisions.
And before you object to whale-killing, wedgetail-eagle-whacking and mowing down of forests, we’ll just clear out red tape for massive industrial projects:
Mr Bowen will also strike deals with states and territories to fast-track major renewables projects.
I’m disappointed Israel hasn’t dropped a bomb on this woman already:
https://twitter.com/LizaRosen0000/status/1727328947455553733
On US-Canadia non-terrorist explosions:
So, that will be D.J. Trump, then.
said the federal government would spend $12 billion to help pay for the 300,000 fee-free TAFE places
Bonzer, so we can scrap the 400 000 brickie visa brainfart, right?
…right?
If only the Incas has this machine it would’ve made their lives so much easier.
Autonomous excavator constructs a 6-meter-high dry-stone wall (via Phys.org, 22 Nov)
Very cool! Hey, robot! Go build me a stone wall!
November 20 was only 3 days ago.
Recently an Indian national on my payroll renewed their 4-year visa. The applicant has been resident in Australia for the entire term of the previous 4-year visa & remained in Australia during the application process.
Yet “security checks” were required to renew the visa.
Time taken for security checks: Fourteen months.
Recently a Sri Lankan national on my payroll renewed their visa. The visa was 4-years. The applicant remained within Australia for the renewal process.
“Security checks” were required.
Time taken for security checks: Two and a half years.
One more example, (from many I could choose). Over the past 20 years or so I’ve sponsored more than 40 Sri Lankan nationals. Security checks have never been quicker than 9 months. Never. Some have been almost two years to conduct.
During this time the applicant must remain overseas & is not allowed entry to Australia.
Yet only a couple of days to a few weeks to conduct “appropriate security checks” in Gaza, a chaotic war zone chock full of terrorists, sadistic murderers, sadistic torturers, sadistic rapists, & worse?
Smash the machine. Save jobs for humans.
Do Muslims have middle names?
Gotta just say, while regretting the loss of the (presumably third) wife in this case, driving three tonnes of automotive viagra over Niagra at a hundred clicks seems like quite a satisfying way to go out.
Do Muslims have middle names?
Throw “Ibn” in there, just to be sure
Al?
Bin?
Hussein?
Winston Smith
Nov 23, 2023 10:56 AM
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Nov 22, 2023 8:36 PM
What you wrote last night.
I want the hostages returned. But more than that.
Sadly this is the reality so many will not accept.
They are taking Islam as just an other religion, it is not!
It’s a way of life for them, every important action prescribed , moderated by regions to a very small extent but the basic tenet is there and cannot be changed or reformed.
If it could, it would fall in a heap. The saddest thing about it is that the women are more viciously adherent in some aspects.
No that is infidel.
Instead muslims have double names!
The second name is so not a middle name.
https://www.names4muslims.com/boy-double-names
Like kowtowing to our chicom robotic overlords? aarrghh! ma social credit….
Trump was belligerent when it came to documents.
Biden was & continues to be fraudulent.
Paul Sperry
@paulsperry_
BREAKING: Records reveal Biden had his personal lawyer send a FedEx driver to the Penn Biden Center to pick up boxes of WH docs on Nov 2, 2022–the day before (Nov 3) the National Archives arrived @ the Center to retrieve classified WH docs “discovered” there. Docs w/h from NARA?
The qatari building is called the sheik hamad something. Not sure of function or why that is relevant anyhow.
so much lying
I see Gert has doubled his Dutch Parliamentary membership.
Pope Francis Invites 44 Transgenders Who Work as “Prostitutes” to Vatican for Lunch (22 Nov, via Lucianne)
That’s fuked.
extra special surgery building
Well, no, silly.
Mr Brick was referring to the shortage of trades personages, not vocational course students.
And another thing, the additional 300k Handsome Boy Trainees are going to be a bit of a shock to a TAFE system set up for ~500k annual students. Starting in January.
And then another shock when the $12 billion runs out.
No doubt someone has a cunning plan for all that. Probably one based on significant flows of non-inflationary OPM.
Baby Indi’s family ‘dragged through hell’ fighting for the right to life
By Monica Doumit – November 23, 2023
Also explains how HEAT ammo penetrates armour.
Top of my list for “Things I’d like to see”…
Penny Wong leading a Gays for Palestine March through Lakemba.
Interested in place it on the map I’ve found at WaPo. They reference many of the buildings by their specialty.
For Cats so inclined, last night I watched the movie, Rocketry, which you can watch for free on the Tubi Free Movie app.
It follows the story of Nambi Narayaran from India who pioneered India’s (space) rocket program. An amazing true story of how India ended up sending a rocket to Mars for a “paltry” $75M (US).
Note the US sent a rocket for $600M.
More interestingly were the crimes he was accused of; being a spy and sleeping with a Pakistani woman whom he then (allegedly) gave rocket secrets to. He was only fully exonerated in 2019 and while no culprit for the raising of crimes has been found, it is widely believed the CIA fabricated the crimes to stymie India’s rocket development, slap Dr Nambi down for working with Wussia Wussia Wussia, and more importantly to hand a gift to US-based rocket manufacturers.
In part, the music can be a bit “bollywood” (there’s no dancing or anything like that) but, still, a remarkable movie and story.
Gee, Wilders Freedom Party in Netherlands looks like its going to be the lead party if the exit polls are accurate.
This one does.
Linking SNAFU, carry on.
Do Muslims have middle names?
Variations of arsehole.
The long time head of the Indian Space Agency was Prof. Udipi Rao. He was a climate sceptic and galactic cosmic ray astronomer. Like Svensmark he worked out that most of the warming last century was due to variations in the Sun and in GCR seeding of cloud cover, which are interrelated.
Given that the Indian space program is a matter of great pride in India you can see why India doesn’t give much lip service to the climate fraud.
There was a fine mist this morning for about five minutes while I was out in the garden, not even enough to frizz my hair.
What, no dancing Indian girls?
Pshaw!
But seriously…for reasons I won’t presently enter into, my wife is more or less fluent in Hindi and prefers Bollywood to Hollyweird movies. I find their musical scores generally superior to American offerings (unless we’re talking John Williams or similar composers) and they blend Western and traditional instruments to good effect. It may be schmaltz, but at least it’s melodious.
Biking/op shopping this morning and picked up a,pristine condition, copy of ARNHEM by Anthony Beevor .. not my favourite wartime author as I find he putz too much detail/statistics into the main story instead of in the chapter notes or appendices which slows down the narrative but for $2 not worth leaving on the shelf …. LOL!
And in biking tales of woe .. one , bloody, 5 minute downpour just past Miller TAFE and soaked .. around the halfway stage of my ride so no point in turning back .. just pedal on …… soaked …… duuuuuuuuuh!
The first episode of the new series of Fargo has dropped.
Then it’s one a week until it wraps up in early January.
I think I’m going to wait until New Years to binge watch the series.
Otherwise I think I might forget all the twists & turns.
On SBS on demand.
The interesting thing is their actual vote was 9 points higher than the poll taken three days before the election.
Which means there are a lot of very quiet very determined Dutchmen and women out there.
Unfortunately it took over a year to form a government last time and the farmers’ party and Wilders’ party aren’t enough on their own. I suspect a Red-Teal-Green coalition will form to keep the rude righties out.
I see that Bowen’s guarantees to the multinationals are core promises while the $275 off our electricity bills is a non-core promise. I remember when Labor ridiculed John Howard about his core and non-core election promises, I’ not laughing at that joke of a politician. Come to think of it, they are all jokes.
Pope Francis Invites 44 Transgenders Who Work as “Prostitutes” to Vatican for Lunch (22 Nov, via Lucianne)
That’s fuked.
Too old to participate but communists love to watch. Old pedo!
For the men, mostly Mohammed or a variation on that.
Unless it is already their first name.
Not that I need enymore reason to hate the city. I went to get my white card and was greeted by 10 security guards upon existing to lift. You expect things like the in the third world not hear.
Isn’t blockading an act of war? Also, isn’t it time that Turkey was thrown out of NATO?
bespoke
Nov 23, 2023 1:45 PM
No offense bespoke, but I think you are taking the p..ss with your spelling.
What’s the point?
Hooky school kid trot pally rally in Melbourne looks a bit low energy. Maybe there is hope for the future.
1,000 boats said set to leave Turkey for Gaza waters in new ‘Freedom Flotilla’
Target practice.
Not an unreasonable assumption, Gabor. But one neither of us can proove.
Roger
Nov 23, 2023 1:29 PM
In part, the music can be a bit “bollywood” (there’s no dancing or anything like that)
What, no dancing Indian girls?
Pshaw!
But seriously…for reasons I won’t presently enter into, my wife is more or less fluent in Hindi and prefers Bollywood to Hollyweird movies.
I find their musical scores generally superior to American offerings (unless we’re talking John Williams or similar composers) and they blend Western and traditional instruments to good effect. It may be schmaltz, but at least it’s melodious.
Roger,
I agree with your wife – same feeling for Netflix Korean, Japanese Series
Bride and Prejudice (1/10) Movie CLIP – The Indian MC Hammer (2004) HD
SBS has some good Bollywood shows
Do Muslims have middle names?
For the men, mostly Mohammed or a variation on that.
Unless it is already their first name
They don’t (at least the Arabs) have the same structure as Western names. For example MBS name is Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud. Were the term bin means son of. So they often take their pick when talking to Westerners. Also they have plenty of names for different occasions – eg. a nom de guerre.
There are a few reason for Mo being popular. The most interesting is that at the end of time in a place called Dabiq, Syria, when Jesus makes an appearance to tell the Christians they were fooled, the world will be ruled by a Mohammed. So it might be your son!
Now you can easily dismiss all this as fantasy – but I think after Al Qaeda, ISIS and Hamas, the West is realising that, they not only believe this, but are eager to kill to demonstrate their belief.
But… what am I saying, I am sure the NSW Minster for Counter Terrorism and Library renewals , Yasmin Catley, and Catherine Burn, NSW Woman of the Year 2007, Australian and NSW Business Woman of the Year 2011 and now ASIO supremo, I am sure they know all this. Of course.
None of the “renewables” are profitable or make any economic sense. If they did they would have already been mainstreamed without the budget-destroying subsidies. What is important is how long the smart people will continue to lie to their citizens.
Free the hostages or destroy Hamas? Whatever people may think of Netanyahu he is certainly earning his PM pay as some serious decisions being made.
“But the Israeli premier also had to contend with the views of the hostages’ families, who have demanded the Israeli government give priority to securing their release over the military imperative of destroying Hamas
What you can study
You can study an accredited diploma, certificate or short course. Fee-Free TAFE offers a range of courses in industry sectors with skill shortages or growth areas such as:
Been years since I did a TAFE course but if memory serves most trade associated TAFE courses the were part of the overall apprenticeship .. you don’t go to TAFE only and acquire a full trade qualification, shirley ..?
Bon a 100+ mph Bentley can hardly produce an earth shattering kaboom though. Why is Benny Wonk even commenting on it? I am so over minor crap that occurs overseas getting a mention. Half the news these days is made up of “dog bites man” stories and a quarter of some so called medical expert telling us we’re all going to die if we don’t get tested or eat something that will shorten our lives by 10 seconds.
Do Muslims have middle names?
‘course they do all those.. el’s & al’s don’t come cheap .. I tellz ya ..!
Re the car bingle on the US-Canada border.
Wait 48 hours & we’ll see/hear the complete story.
Until then, put your feet up.
Anything with Shah Ruck Khan, the Baadshar of Bollywood, is usually a watchable film, O.O.
If he’s not in it, there’s always the dancing girls.
😀
No, you let them land.
Then hold the boats as security issues. Move them to Tel Aviv and carefully record who owns which of them.
After the ceasefire expires suddenly you have about 20,000 Pali supporting protesters stuck in Gaza in the middle of a hot war. So sad!
JohnJJJ, Catherine Burn failing upward. People like her should only have employment as turd polishers.
Dare we say that we can sniff change on the wind of the astonishing victory of Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party???
I went to hear him speak when he came to Australia quite some years ago. We were able to approach him in the street, although he had the scariest of minders. He has the bluest of eyes that stare straight through you. These guys are the real McCoy – or at least they were years ago. Real right wing heavies.
And to win in that wokist of nations – the Netherlands? Although the climate activists have been scaring the horses (or the cows, rather!) – it would seem that even the Dutch have had enough of the invaders that have been pouring, unhindered, into their country and indeed, all of Europe.
It is probably all too late for places like Sweden, the Netherlands, most of Germany & France. But at least there are now signs of resistance.
Too late to stop the 800 unknown “relatives of existing Palestinians in Australia.”
Al Shifa doctor says hospital frozen in terror as Israel raids
Dr Ahmed El Mokhallalati, a surgeon born in Ireland
Not your average “Paddy” then ….. LOL!
Bon send that excellent suggestion to the Israelis.
It took 48 hours for the entire story of the trans shooter in Nashville to come to light (ex the manifesto).
The first rule with stories like this is to not believe any of the initial reports.
One way to describe it. Remorselessly upbeat assault on the ears would be more accurate IMHO. Unless you’re into show tunes that is.
I dunno, Ranga, a two tonne flaming Bentley, flying through the air at over a 100 mph and impacting onto a customs office, would be rather loud.
Here’s a vid the Bentley is in the backgound, you have to look carefully. It’s going like the clappers.
https://twitter.com/YWNReporter/status/1727452318990242131
Ag and construction aren’t serious trades?
Um, okay…?
‘I am sure you are aware’: Prime Minister becomes visibly exasperated when pressed by reporters on granting of 860 temporary visas to Palestinians since October 7
The Prime Minister appeared agitated as he was peppered by reporters to explain how the government was able to perform the appropriate security checks to grant more than 800 temporary visas to Palestinians within a short timeframe.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared visibly exasperated as he faced a barrage of questions during his latest press conference on the government’s decision to grant more than 800 visas to Palestinians.
The Department of Home Affairs on Wednesday afternoon confirmed a report by the ABC that 860 Palestinians with links to Australia had received a temporary visa since fighting erupted between Hamas and Israel October 7.
The opposition expressed concerns the visa approvals were rushed and sought reassurance the government was applying “rigorous scrutiny” to the process.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong was quick to respond, confirming “appropriate security checks” had been taken in relation to those visas and pointed to the more than 1,800 Israeli visas which had also been approved within the same timeframe.
During his visit to the Meadowbank Education and Employment Precinct in Sydney on Thursday, Mr Albanese was called on to explain how the government was able to vet the Palestinian visa applications in the short time period.
“Look Australia has appropriate security checks for our visas and there have been some 800 granted to Palestinians and something like 1800 granted to Israelis,” he said.
“We have an appropriate visa system in place and security system in place.
“And it’s the same that has been in place for some time.”
The Prime Minister was later asked about which party was responsible for getting Palestinians, who may have been granted a temporary visa, out of Gaza, given the volatile nature of the conflict.
“There’s actually … a conflict has been going on there, there’s been issues with people crossing out of Rafah and I am sure you are aware of these issues,” he responded curtly.
Replying to a follow up query, he then appeared to become slightly rankled by the line of questioning.
“These are not permanent visas, these are temporary visas,” he repeated.
“There are the same security checks that are in place for people, for Australians, that have been in place … for a long period of time.”
Pressed again on the issue on whether agencies have had enough time to perform security checks, Mr Albanese began to shake his head in apparent frustration.
“Standard procedures have been put in place,” he replied shortly.
The Albanese government has assisted 127 Australian citizens and permanent residents out of Gaza via the Rafah crossing since Hamas first attacked Israel on October 7.
Another 69 who remain in the besieged enclave are being assisted by authorities.
West ‘plagued by self-doubt’ as they fail to condemn Hamas ‘death cult’: Tony Abbott
Former prime minister Tony Abbott says the Western world is “plagued by self-doubt” as they fail to condemn the actions of the Hamas “terrorist death cult” after Opposition leader Peter Dutton called for clarity in condemning anti-Semitism.
Mr Dutton and Prime Minster Anthony Albanese attended the re-opening of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum on Wednesday in a display of bipartisan support against anti-Semitic hate speech.
Mr Dutton said there was a need for “moral courage and moral clarity” in unequivocally condemning ugly scenes of anti-Semitism as Mr Albanese moved to reassure the Jewish community that he would protect social cohesion.
“There’s a real crisis of self-confidence in countries such as ours,” Mr Abbott told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
“The Anglosphere, which has done so much to lead the world into a better place, is plagued by this self-doubt, and this is why so many people in countries like Australia seem to prefer Hamas, a terrorist death cult, to a liberal democracy such as Israel.
“We should be doing everything we humanely can to redeem ourselves by making it absolutely crystal clear that in this existential struggle between the Hamas death cult and the only liberal democracy in the Middle East … we are unequivocally on Israel’s side.”
I’m none of the above, and I didn’t laugh. In fact I was there before any of the popes. But pointing out the frightful future didn’t work for me either.
Watching a pretty good Israeli plod corruption 2 seasons series .. MAYENEK ..
End blurbs indicate it’s available on SBS .. If you like good/bad plod stuff well worth a look …….
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12819234/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_3_nm_5_q_mayanek
Previous Loverly Middle Eatern Muslims & Future Visa Palestinian Gazan People
Bill Shorten lashes ‘anonymous hoons’ who vandalised office with pro-Palestine graffiti in retaliation to ‘dial down the agro’ remark
Federal Labor MP Bill Shorten has fired back at pro-Palestine vandals that targeted his office for a second time in retaliation to his call for protesters to “dial down the agro”.
Federal Labor MP Bill Shorten has been the victim of pro-Palestine vandalism for a second time after comments he made criticising a controversial demonstration outside his office.
Mr Shorten last week called for protesters to “dial down the agro” after he and several Victorian Labor MPs woke up to a pile of fake bloodied body bags outside their offices with posters that read “free Palestine”.
The vandals appeared to retaliate after they spray-painted the words “dial down the apartheid Bill” on the door of his office in Melbourne about 4am on Thursday.
Speaking to 3AW Radio, the NDIS Minister confirmed “anonymous hoons” had targeted him a second time and claimed they were “the same people that sewed together those fake body bags”.
“Obviously someone took offence at me saying we should promote social cohesion and dial down the agro and the confrontation,” he told host Neil Mitchell.
“People have got a right to have views. I also said in that interview, which has obviously triggered some hoon, that the scenes in the Middle East, in Palestine, in Gaza and Israel are incredibly distressing.
“But there’s a point, there’s a fine line… where you cross over and you’re just sort of demonising and attacking people.”
Protest group No More Bodies in Gaza claimed responsibility for the fake body bags but have yet to confirm whether they were involved in the latest vandalism.
Mr Shorten said at the end of the day the graffiti would be cleaned off and the office would be open for business as per usual.
“If you want to persuade people your point of view, vandalising the office, I don’t know who you think you’re convincing,” he said.
“If you feel strongly on an issue, graffitiing someone’s office at four o’clock in the morning, really? What does that change?”
Mr Shorten added the community did not want to see arguments over the ongoing war in the Middle East “aggravated” in Australia to the point where there was “unnecessary” aggression.
“They don’t want the see arguments in this country to take a level of noise and nastiness,” he said.
Dozens of protesters gathered in Caufield on November 10 following the alleged arson attack on a burger shop owned by a Palestinian man.
A violent brawl broke out between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israeli supporters outside a synagogue, which was forced to evacuate, as police intervened and were forced to use pepper spray.
Melbourne students were recently encouraged to join a “city-wide school walkout” to protest the war on Thursday – a move that has been condemned by both Labor and the Coalition.
Probably why I am not Israeli Prime Minister… but I’d announce a 5-day ceasefire and in three days surprise bomb the sh!t out of them.
Labor Foreign Minister Penny Wong pushes back on opposition’s concerns Palestine visa move was rushed and assures Australians ‘appropriate security checks’ were taken
The Labor Foreign Minister has rebuffed concerns the granting of visas to more than 800 Palestinians with links to Australia was rushed, stressing all the normal security checks were undertaken.
Labor Foreign Minister Penny Wong has moved to reassure Australians all critical security checks have been taken for more than 800 Palestinians granted temporary visas since the war between Israel and Hamas began almost seven weeks ago.
The Labor Albanese government on Wednesday confirmed an ABC report 860 visas had been issued to Palestinians with links to Australia since fighting broke out on October 7.
Shadow foreign affairs minister James Paterson on Thursday expressed his concern at the speed at which the visas had been approved and sought reassurance from the government “rigorous scrutiny” had applied to the process.
Ms Wong appeared on Sky News Australia shortly after and addressed his request directly.
“I would emphasise, and I’ve seen the Opposition out making certain assertions, I would emphasise very clearly that the usual security checks, the usual identity checks and the usual character checks were undertaken on this cohort as they are in relation to all cohorts,” she told host Peter Stefanovic.
“And, our first priority is to make sure we… keep Australians safe and that includes managing visa arrangements appropriately.
“We take the advice of agencies, and the advice that I have been given is that all appropriate security checks, character checks and identity checks have been undertaken.”
When pressed on whether the government could be certain those Palestinians being granted visas are not sympathetic or have links to Hamas, Ms Wong was firm in her response.
“Because the government and its agencies are undertaking appropriate security checks,” she replied.
“Just as not everybody from Afghanistan is linked with the Taliban, not everyone who is Palestinian is linked with a terrorist organisation.
“And that is something that I think we all understand.”
She reiterated it was an offense to give false information to authorities in a visa application.
Many Palestinians who have been granted a visa have not been able to leave their current location due to the dangerous situation in Gaza, according to the ABC report.
“Because people have visas to come to Australia, does not mean they can leave where they are,” Ms Wong said.
“And we have seen that around the world, and that is certainly the case in Gaza.
“As you know we have been trying to get Australian citizens and permanent residents and their immediate families out of Gaza for weeks since this conflict began.”
Ms Wong stated the government has been able to evacuate 127 Australians from the enclave as of November 23, while some 69 are still being assisted.
From the Comments
– Border security and Labor. Remember what happened last time? And here we are again.
– Another batch of future labor voters.
– When did Labor-Greens get their mandate to put Australians’ lives at risk?
– A decision driven by left agenda, if Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan are not taking Palestinian people it makes me very suspicious, do they know something Australia doesn’t. This taking in Palestinians could be fine, but it is a gamble which Wong and her colleagues are willing to take at the possible expense of the Australian community, hope they get it right as there is no way back if it fails.
– Yes, I mean no, Penny Wong’s attempt to re-assure us that proper security checks have been done does not convince me.
Can Ms Wong please explain at how visa’s were arranged in such record time?
Following the debacle of the failure to ensure ankle bracelets for the released criminals, how are we expected to be confident that this government ,will once again, let it’s people down?
– Penny over & over uses the weasel words “ on advice given to me “ , Labor ministers go further in making badic inquiries of their OWN. Ie take no responsibility !!
– What rubbish. It can take many people up to 3 years to get a visa, so how can 800 be rushed through like this?
This government couldn’t care less about the safety of the nation, doing anything to shore up the votes of their Middle East constituents.
– So let me get this clear Penny Wong has done security checks? As these people are from Gaza the only authority with that information would be the Hamas government. I wonder what they said?
Dover, I’m puzzled as to why you offer this up at this juncture, I really am.
Hamas have already outlined their discussion points, and I find it difficult to credit anyone who enters a discussion with the assumption that roasting babies alive is a positive first step.
Granted a consideration of all the ills bequeathed to the World by the Balfour Declaration and Partition… and the subsequent sordid history… might perhaps gain much insight.
But first, surely, the immediate threat must be neutralized? Plenty of time for other discussion and introspection later on… let’s face it, there have been 70+ years for discussion, so deferring a bit more for a month or two is hardly likely to change anything.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong was quick to respond, confirming “appropriate security checks” had been taken in relation to those visas and pointed to the more than 1,800 Israeli visas which had also been approved within the same timeframe.
This has me slightly confused .. 1800+ Israeli visas? .. since Oct 7 most news outlets have carried stories about the number of Jews/Israelis from around the world “returning” to Israel to volunteer to fight HAMAS and now several weeks later we are being informed by “the chap” that Oz is, actually, being inundated by Israelis trying to flee Israel …?
so if this is fact not Labor fiction what are the mass exodus numbers departing for USA/ Europe/the World in general? .. given Oz is not a heavyweight on the overall planetary travel scale you’d expect this to be “big” propaganda material in the HAMAS luvvin’ media ….. yet “nuttin’ ……..!
Watched Mayenek a while ago, pretty good.
Ray Hadley unleashes foul-mouthed tirade on Labor Energy Minister Blackout Chris Bowen, issues a warning to Aussies about his latest policy change: ‘He is a complete d***head’
. Ray Hadley in epic Labor Blackout Chris Bowen rant
. Says he has ‘f***ed up every portfolio
This is a very good outline of the internal politics and the rationale of the Israeli war Cabinet’s decision to agree to a temporary ceasefire:
Remember the hamas terrorists knew exactly where the were going, into the foyer, turning right then without hesitation the first corridor on the left.
not absolutely certain but it looks like the entrance to the ‘specialised surgery services aka the qatari building is where the terrorists took the hostages as shown in various pieces of CCTV footage
Unlikely, but I would like to have confirmation that these Pali emergency visa holders have all given DNA tests.
So they can be compared to any sex crime DNA recovered.
Opinion The FT View
The Indian dilemma for America and its allies
New Delhi’s alleged role in a murder on Canadian soil requires due legal process – THE EDITORIAL BOARD
No western government wants a clash with India.
The country is seen as the market of the future and an essential counterweight to China.
From Washington to Canberra and from Tokyo to London, Narendra Modi’s India is hailed as an important partner.
But the allegations that India may have sponsored the killing of a Sikh leader on Canadian soil should not be swept under the carpet.
The first thing that needs to be established is what happened. Only then should the appropriate action be considered. Indian allegations that Canada and the UK have been too soft on Sikh separatists also deserve a hearing as part of this process.
The dilemma has come to the fore since last Monday, when Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau said Canadian intelligence had “credible allegations” that Indian agents were involved in assassinating a Sikh separatist in Vancouver in June. India has dismissed the allegations as “absurd”.
It has subsequently emerged that US president Joe Biden and other western leaders privately aired concerns about these claims with Modi, India’s prime minister, at the G20 summit this month. If the allegations are confirmed, they will underline the price if not moral jeopardy of America’s and its allies’ approach of recent years in playing down questions about Modi’s record.
For nearly a decade the Hindu nationalist leader was barred from having a US visa for “severe violations of religious freedom” — a reference to his alleged failure to stop communal violence when he was chief minister of Gujarat. But since he took office nine years ago he has been increasingly warmly embraced; earlier this year he had red-carpet receptions in Paris and Washington. Modi is seen as a vital Asian ally at a time when Washington and Beijing are estranged. In recent years, any western misgivings have been kept under wraps. But, as one wise western policymaker has observed, if you turn a blind eye to something you are setting yourself up for a nasty surprise.
It will be tempting for western diplomats to argue that the best approach will be to limit their response to general statements of disquiet. Their contention will be that a workable relationship with Modi’s government is of paramount importance and that even if Indian complicity in the June killing is confirmed, after a year or so of a slight cooling in official language — ideally without any state visits in either direction — normal service can resume.
Supporters of this stance will cite as an analogy the cycle of the relationship with Saudi Arabia after the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul in 2018. The details of Khashoggi’s murder in the Saudi consulate were so clear and graphic that Washington was impelled to speak out and distance itself from its old ally Riyadh.
This phase did not last long. Saudi Arabia is now being assiduously courted by western governments and investors almost as if nothing had happened.
This is an understandable argument given the geopolitical context. But if it is the case that the Indian government was involved in the killing, then for the west to pretend nothing has happened will only encourage New Delhi to think it can act with impunity.
It will also reinforce the argument of Beijing and Moscow that the west is utterly hypocritical — a belief that has underpinned the indifference of much of the developing world to the west’s pleas for support for Ukraine.
Foreign policy can be a messy affair. But sometimes values have to take precedence. This is such a case. Due legal process must take its course.
Canada should release all the evidence it has to back up its allegations — and resist the arguments of those who may suggest it would best be kept in the shadows.
Then it will be up to western democracies to decide how to proceed.
Beevor’s isn’t the best account I have read of the battle for Arnhem – he repeats the old myth that XXX Corps “stopped to drink tea” on the road to Arnhem.
Some thoughts (guesses) about the hostage deal. Hamas won’t measure up – probably two or three days of trickling a few, then accuse Israel of not upholding its end. Netanyahu has a divided Israel over priorities – nagging that return of hostages should be primary. Once Hamas renegs, Netanyahu can say “we tried that” and get back to demolishing Hamas. In the meantime, with two or three dozen returned hostages, Israel gets direct intelligence about where they were taken and where others might be.
Whilst in Dreamland Australian Labor Blackout Bowen goes all-in with renewables play
Chris Bowen’s market intervention to accelerate the rollout of renewables is a concession that Labor’s pre-election modelling was fanciful.
In the Real World
South Korean EV battery makers lay off workers and scale back investments in US LG Energy Solution and SK On slowing their expansion in response to sluggish demand
LG Energy Solution, one of the world’s top three EV battery producers, has joint ventures with GM, Honda and Hyundai in the US
Leading battery makers are scaling back their North American investments and laying off workers as the US electric vehicle industry wrestles with sluggish demand.
LG Energy Solution, one of the world’s top three EV battery producers that has joint ventures with General Motors, Honda and Hyundai in the US, announced this month it was laying off 170 workers at its plant in Michigan.
Fellow South Korean battery maker SK On, which signed an $11bn deal with Ford in 2021 to help electrify the US carmaker’s fleet, said it was also putting workers on furlough as it reduces output at its plant in Georgia.
SK laid off more than 100 workers at the same plant in September and is delaying the launch of a second plant in Kentucky, a joint venture with Ford, which was scheduled to begin operation in 2026.
“The market seems to be going through a correction,” said Lee Hang-koo, president of Jeonbuk Institute of Automotive Convergence Technology (JIAT). “There is growing concern about overcapacity, as too much investment has been made in the sector in a short period of time.”
Aided by tax credits under President Joe Biden’s flagship climate legislation, the South Korean battery companies have made themselves integral to EV manufacturing in the US, setting up joint ventures with North American carmakers to produce batteries.
But in recent months Ford, GM and Tesla have all paused their plans to expand their EV manufacturing capacity, as consumer demand has proven weaker than expected.
In a statement, LGES said it was laying off almost 10 per cent of the workforce at its wholly owned site in Holland, Michigan. It said this was partly due to “automakers realigning the speed of the EV transition”.
“LG Energy Solution continues to grow and has a bright future in the automotive industry,” the company said, adding that it planned to hire about 1,000 more workers once its plant expansion in Michigan is completed in the third quarter of next year.
Tim Bush, a Seoul-based battery analyst for UBS, said legacy carmakers Ford and GM bear the greatest responsibility for the slump in demand.
UBS analysts last month slashed their projection for growth in the US EV market next year from 45 per cent to 10 per cent.
“They’re not selling affordable EVs,” said Bush, noting that the $7,500 tax incentive contained in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act was designed to help make entry-level EV models more accessible.
“They’re selling SUVs and pick-up trucks and cars that cost around $80,000, but they have very little in the way of an entry-level or mass-market vehicle.”
As a result, Bush said battery makers who aligned with South Korean and Japanese car manufacturers with large stables of hybrid and EV cars and Tesla were better placed to weather the slowdown.
“LG is relatively better positioned because they’re reprioritising investment towards Hyundai and Tesla, which are making vehicles that actually people want to buy and doing so profitably,” said Bush. “SK on the other hand is more exposed to Ford, which doesn’t yet have a competitive offering.”
Japan’s Panasonic has cut back its automotive battery production at home, where it produces batteries for the more expensive Tesla models including the Model S and Model X. But it is continuing to invest in its Nevada plant in the US, where it produces batteries for cheaper Teslas that benefit from the IRA.
The Japanese company is considering the possibility of a third US factory in addition to a second site it is building in Kansas.
“They [Panasonic] don’t have to cut back. They have to scale up. They have to plan for a third factory now,” said Atul Goyal, an analyst at Jefferies.
That’s why I prefer to drive myself everywhere and get a rental car at the destination when flying somewhere.
This Korean thriller rivals Patricia Highsmith – but there’s another mystery here – 4/5
The Consultant, Im Seong-sun’s debut, is a coolly cerebral crime novel about writing crime novels, yet one editorial lapse is blatant
By Jake Kerridge
According to Im Seong-sun’s debut novel, The Consultant, there is little interest in crime fiction in South Korea, with Agatha Christie the only such writer whose works are published there – “And those were shelved with the children’s books.”
And yet Im has managed to secure a formidable reputation in his homeland with this story, first published there in 2010, even though it isn’t just a crime novel, but a crime novel about the art of crime writing.
The unnamed narrator of The Consultant is a young writer of mystery stories.
Aware that they will never be published – “they could not keep people’s interest next to stories of fantasy and martial arts” – he posts them online, on a fan forum.
He’s subsequently approached by a mysterious consultancy outfit known as “the Company”: impressed by his ingenuity, this firm wants him to devise a series of undetectable murder methods to be deployed in a new crime-fiction publishing venture.
It’s the narrator’s dream job, until he notices that the newspapers are reporting sudden deaths frighteningly reminiscent of the scenarios he has invented.
Belatedly, he realises that he’s working for an assassination bureau; but the Company overrides his moral qualms with cash and a new “manager” who has had plastic surgery to make her look like his favourite porn-star (the sort of information the all-powerful Company can access with ease).
This tale of an accidental accomplice to serial murder, translated by An Seon Jae, spellbindingly combines the eerily affectless, morally ambiguous tone of a Patricia Highsmith novel with John Dickson Carr’s fecundity in devising “impossible” crimes.
The narrator’s honesty about the ease with which he adapts to his involvement in homicide is both comic and chilling, not least because of the implication that his moral compromises differ only in degree from those made by many of us in our working lives.
One of Im’s book’s puzzles, however, is purely the result of bad editing.
The narrator makes several portentous remarks about a life-changing trip to Africa that he’ll make later in the story – yet he never does.
Bloomsbury, the book’s British publisher, tells me that “following some feedback and discussions with the author and translator”, a short chapter has been removed.
Yet why not remove the portentous remarks too?
If you want the unabridged version of The Consultant, I hope you can read Korean.
The Consultant (tr An Seon Jae) is published by Bloomsbury at £16.99
Exactly Lysander. Israel need to stop being nice. Nobody likes nice, only strength. They need to take the Suez Canal. Tell Egypt they can have it back if they take every Gazan. Point a few missiles at Amman and tell Jordan to do likewise re the West Bankians.
Kan news reported from the site, noting that a bag from Kibbutz Beeri had been found in the belongings, as well as an IDF rifle and vest.
The Albanese government has assisted 127 Australian citizens and permanent residents out of Gaza via the Rafah crossing since Hamas first attacked Israel on October 7.Another 69 who remain in the besieged enclave are being assisted by authorities.
Don’t these folk check their previous stories ..?
The original Gaza Oz total was16 & then they jumped to 128 & now (DFAT) are claiming 127 helped & 69 waiting …… and we are supposed to believe this mob when it sez, “We’ve dun all the security checks, they is good folk” … FFS!
Happy Thanksgiving 2023. We’re Going to Be OK. – I’m not joking
BY LIEL LEIBOVITZ
We’re going to be just fine.
By “we” I mean America. And by “just fine” I actually mean great. Better than ever, really.
If I were making a case for American decline—and, Lord knows, that’s a cottage industry these days—I would have no shortage of stats to choose from.
Our government is comprehensively corrupted.
Millions of us are numbing ourselves with porn and apps and opioids. Not only have we lost faith in all of the institutions that once stirred our passions and our commitments, but we were right to do so.
It’s easier to imagine a second Civil War than another American renaissance.
Except that would be wrong. When I look at America, and when I visit America, and when I talk to Americans, I see a very difficult short-term future followed by a glorious horizon.
I understand that many readers are too shocked to do anything other than stoke their own outrage or wallow in despair. Others are turned off by anything that’s intangible, think only fools get taken by talk of the eternal and the unseen. I respect you, but need you to realize that you would’ve been wrong about America at every other pivotal moment.
You would have been wrong about it in, say, 1774. Looking at General Washington’s ragtag army, 80,000 strong at its peak, you might’ve opined that these foundlings hadn’t a chance against His Majesty’s men, more numerous and better trained and heavily armed. In 1859, you might’ve observed reality and sighed that our experiment with unity, such as it was, is kaput.
In 1963, you might’ve predicted that a berserk America was off the rails, never again to return to its senses.
If, however, you’re willing to entertain the possibility of optimism, I’m here to explain why it is, in fact, the most rational position to have in this very moment.
Proven! Israel Has Entered Most Secret Tunnel There! Attack That Split Hamas in Two!
Raptor News
Cardinal Robert Sarah, who would make a very good Pope, is making similar observations which makes me think that the non-Catholic cardinals will do everything in their power to prevent that happening. Cardinal Sarah is a black African and would be a historical Pope in more ways than one yet the chances are slim and none.
Bruce, that is true and sadly the divide will have be implemented for peace to happen again. It is still unclear what to do with the leftist disease on our side.
Because It keeps being mentioned. Has been for at least a month.
We’re not on the negotiating team, nor are we arbitrating any deal. Whatever would be discussed would end around the time of the early 2000s anyway because there have been no negotiations since. As for the baby ‘roasted alive’, I tend to agree with the JPost article here [sorry, link now added].
I don’t disagree, but its not as if it hasn’t been discussed on the OTs. And over the last two months, and out of all the threads were it has been raised, I’ve said maybe 2-3 things about it IIRC.
Watch: Changing of the Guard goes K-pop as military band plays Gangnam Style
Maybe this will further illuminate.
Can’t beat RRR Naacho Naacho dance
Yup, Israel aint going to win over those who already hate her. So, who cares! Get on with the “job”
list of hostages to be released, maybe.
OldOzzie
Nov 23, 2023 2:58 PM
Whilst in Dreamland Australian Labor Blackout Bowen goes all-in with renewables play
Chris Bowen’s market intervention to accelerate the rollout of renewables is a concession that Labor’s pre-election modelling was fanciful.
There never was any modelling. It was all BS and smoke and mirrors.
And there is no modelling unless Blackout Bowen is now using plasticine and Lego Bricks along with sticky tape and chewing gum.
No Cost/Benefit analysis. No scientific rigour. NFI – No Farking Idea.
And as for Snowy 2. Poor Florence stuck in that 150 metre tunnel costing, costing, costing.
Poor Australian Taxpayers and the future generation of Taxpayers.
Australia. The Cleva’ Country.
I have issues with him but I still don’t mind Bolt.
The other night he was carping on about the cost of “fuel” for electric cars and how it outstrips petrol.
I don’t think he sees the bigger picture in that fuel will deliberately be made more expensive as well fuel-ran cars. There’s nowhere else for Blackout Bowen to go other than down this route:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bowen-defends-incremental-climate-progress-but-flags-tougher-curbs-20231121-p5elmj.html
Been away for a couple of days, some bad juju about.
calli, others have said it all, but hang in there.
Tom, great that the op went well.
Western medicine – when it’s good, it’s very, very good.
As for the loss of a farmer, father, husband and more without warning – no words. 🙁
There is much more to life than politics.
My favourite
a list of hamas contributions to gazan life
I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.
– Socrates
Good.
Within three days, Hamarse will probably have breached the ceasefire, giving him the excuse to do just that.
idf find missile aiming devices in fridge (not sure where) stop lying! say hamasis as though hamas never launched a rocket in its life
Australia in 2023, when hundreds of schoolchildren strike for Jew hatred.
BJ, prolly.
I’d be leaving nice gifts behind like processed thorium, and the like, in those tunnels. It would help with lighting and other “problems.”
looks like Ms Albanese’s trip to Australia was funded by Palestinian lobby groups.
There are a lot of Pallies/Arabs living in Israel, as Israeli citizens. Most are likely to be Muslims.
What we really have here is some 2600 to 2700 Muslims/Pallies receiving visas to Australia.
Not quite Ogden Nash, but very good indeed!
I still have my ‘RAAF – Rarely available after 5’ patch which I wore on my cams whilst working as a USN embed in Kandahar …. my CO never noticed 😉
Well, as the saying goes – when you see someone talking about their vegetarian dog you know it was not the dogs decision.
Same thing with kids in the charge of teachers.
A highly privileged student who didn’t have to worry about any financial problems accused other students of privilege and racism who had to pay their, and eventually her, way through university. I would say her university attendance has not led to any enlightenment, it is a complete failure while the students at whom she sneers have learned a valuable lesson.
Bruce of Newcastle
Nov 23, 2023 11:15 AM
Will someone chopper drop this idiot into the Gaza Strip to talk to Hamas?
“There ya go sunshine – see if you can out talk the welcoming committee.”
Of course that won’t happen – he wants someone else to start the conversation.
A former boss was an ex-RAAF engineer. One of his engineer colleagues was from a rougher part of Melbourne, and hated Supply Officers (Box packers).
His usual start for a discussion with them was on the lines that “The only thing that ever comes out of yer stores is youse buggers, well dressed, at three o’clock every Friday afternoon.
Winston, I noticed that my comment on generating an economic future for Palestinians, one that might lead to some Koranic re-interpreting, fell through to the floor here. But it unrealistic to think that the problem is unitary and that no changes are possible.
If one takes the total ‘death cult’ line, then the West and its ideas are up against a multi-billion population enemy, all of whom would knife us in bed today and who are just waiting for a chance to do so if not today then holding out till tomorrow. We might as well all turn Muzzie today and save a lot of trouble and bloodshed if this death cult is as ‘total’ as that, but I refuse to believe that it is simply a matter of slaughter or be slaughtered. There is nuance in every Muslim nation and we can build and negotiate on that. We can also, if we are sensible, restrict Muslim immigration to the West, stand up strongly against the downgrading of our own culture, and control the fervor of those Muslim populations already in Western lands.
The Iran Mullah led Yemeni, Pallies of Jordan, Hezbollahs in Lebanon, the Syrians and a large rump of others in the Middle-East are certainly death cult barbarians influenced by seventh century ideologies. No argument there and we should do all we can to support Israel in extinguishing Hamas and those who support it, while defending ourselves from predator immigrants bringing it to our own homelands.
But simply lumping all Muslims as death cultists is to poke this hornets’ nest too hard. Let it slowly disintegrate, which it will do in various ways if its believers have choices in life. Even the Palestinians.
Gang of African migrants goes on a stabbing spree in rural France, and the media accuses the ‘far-right’ of fanning ‘controversy’
rosie
Rosie. I made that point a few days ago. The Mohammedan is quite adept at manufacturing a situation where, as the aggressor, they suddenly become the victim. Even if it means the hideous murder of their own people, they will still do anything to become the victim because victimhood disarms the enemy response. (Most times.)
It is a mystery…
Biden fails to congratulate Argentina’s new president, libertarian Javier Milei
Joe Biden has always been Johnny-on-the-spot whenever a radical leftist has gotten elected in Latin America.
But for Argentina’s new president, elected by a ten-point-plus margin?
Crickets.
He’s said nothing at all to Javier Milei, Argentina’s first libertarian president, on his quite truly historic victory in an undoubtedly free and fair election, with 30 million hand-counted ballots, their validity approved by both parties and delivered on election night, that made Milei president.
He could have congratuated just the election if he couldn’t stand Milei, which we know he can’t as a fair-minded formality, but of course, he didn’t.
The White House web site is bereft of any pretense of congratulations from hoary old Joe.
That stands in striking contrast to his swift congratulatory message to other countries that have elected radical leftist leaders.
Been catching up on the latest attacks on Elon Musk, claiming that he is anti-semitic.
From what I can see, he made a crazy brave move in having a shot at liberal so-called Jews in the US.
The ones who supported Black Lives Matter, and say that Jews are ‘white’ (i.e. racist without further ado) and so on and so forth. Those who support Democrats who support anti-semitism.
Poor old Elon. As a Dutch person, I know how hard it is to take the consequences of saying it as you see it. But, he’s right.
(Ref a study cited way back where the Dutch were the most likely to say what they thought. Elon, of course, is of Dutch heritage.)
American Jews have, perhaps understandably, lost the militancy of their forebears. But like black Americans, they have been voting for the Democrats out of habit. They do this even though it is against their best interests.
Victorian schoolchildren screaming, shouting and screeching “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be Judenfrei”.
Because that is what it is.
I’m pretty sure Hitler is smiling in hell.
The hostage deal is a mistake, undoubtedly, but one the Israeli government has to make.
Think about the psychological distress amongst Israelis while the hostages remain in unthinkable conditions. The safety and protection of its citizens has always been a number 1 priority by Israel’s governments. What happened on 7/10 has torn the hearts of the nation.
Regarding the strategic dangers – they know them and have decided accordingly. But don’t underestimate the resolve of the IDF and its senior commanders.
That Quadrant article was fiction; given as a realistic example of the present nonsense.
One advantage will be intelligence about how hostages are being treated, where they were held, etc. Have they been able to support each other – are families and neighbours separated or kept together.
That’s not what I think.
No talking of any sort is possible until Hamas is destroyed and Iran told to back off. Listen to Caroline Glick’s views on Youtube. I am completely with her on this.
You don’t have to go kumbaya however to speak to Abraham Accord states in the Middle East and find some common purpose with Israel against Iran. I would hate to live in a Muslim state and hope I and my grandchildren never have to.
I watched an hour-long video this morning on the Armenian genocide. Hatreds are nothing new when played out over land and religion. The Turks still don’t admit they were in any way at fault. I’ve lost the link but it’s worth an hour, Cats and Kittehs, to contemplate how the world ‘gets over’ the most appalling things.
Where someone – oh, I don’t know, the name escapes me – claims Aboriginal heritage on the basis of an Aboriginal great – great – grandfather?
Oh yes, how could I have forgotten. Marcus Stewart.
Life in the Gaza prison –
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1724096919943672100
https://twitter.com/imshin/status/1711280596373139778
So, Knuckle Dragger, where were you deployed?
Reading tweets on the Lerhman trial, the orders must have gone out from HQ to highlight him giving some different answers on peripheral matters. The same words from multiple accounts.
They don’t seem to recall Higgins scrubbing her phone, where her knickers were, going to doctor (or not), being at a lunch…etc . Things that are directly about the alleged rape.
Been watching Federal Court proceedings (thx OldOzzie)
Bruce in the witness box copping heaps of questions about plonk yes/no in his office and trying to nail him.
Trying to nail him as an unreliable witness so Thunder Thighs must be correct (because sheila). If he stays strong ,10 & Hankie Head’s missus are fucked. Facts prevail.
ABC caved – coz it’s our money.
Still reckon he had intentions of ploughing the field but when the field got legless, and the girlfriend on the phone he decided to piss off. Slapper woke up with no knickers ‘cos she had none to start with and got sprung – RAPE.
And there was no blood test to see what gear she had pumped.
Yes, normal enough.
The young teens from Hebron on the West Bank that I sat next to on the plane from Rovaneime in the Arctic to Helsinki ten months ago were like any group of excited young holidaying teens anywhere, the girls joshing the boys about one of them wanting a pic with his ‘new friend’ (who was me) and not a hijab in sight. Lovely kids. I hope they are ok still. These kids were grabbing the non-seventh century future with both hands.
Bespoke:
What’s a white card for?
Crossie
Nov 23, 2023 1:47 PM
Yes it is. But remember that Turkey has quite a few US nukes – unless they’ve been removed or reworked to be unworkable by the US inspection teams.
General construction induction, Winston.
Yair Lapid, the former Israeli prime minister and ad pitchman, called on his successor to step down because the Israeli government is “not functioning.”
“We need change—Netanyahu cannot continue to be prime minister. We cannot allow ourselves to conduct a prolonged campaign with a prime minister that the public has no faith in,” he said, according to The Times of Israel.
The current generation of schoolchildren must be the most historically illiterate since public schools started.
Has it never heard of the Holocaust and WWII?
INCOMING!!!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-23/authorities-investigating-boat-arrival-from-indonesia/103143530
Just how far to the left is this USSR glorifier and tankie, “RT Firefly”?
Pity gazans didn’t have the option to change governments like Israel does.
FYI – between Abbott and Scomo, 175 people arrived by boat in Australia (in 9 boats).
Since Elbow, 261 (possibly 276), in 10 boats.
But I guess, it’s also much easier by plane these days thanks to that Wong chap.
I will bet Trumble is gnashing his teeth and kicking the cat – if he was still PM he would be able to snub Javier Milei by not calling to congratulate him.
The best he can do now is try to get someone to pass a message to Milei saying that Mick Trumble is not calling.
Winston
Even if they are still usable, there remains the obstacle of the “Dual Key” system. Designated officers from BOTH nations have to enter arming codes. US personnel take nuclear weapons took security very, very, seriously.
PS, and Israel has rather more nukes, and they own the access codes.
Tony Burka, the member for Muslims will be delighted.
What what a rancid “Up yours”.
Have they found the ankle bracelets for the last lot of new Labor voters yet?
Ahahahaaa.
They can reuse the ones from former members when they are sentenced and taken off bail.
Biden fails to congratulate Argentina’s new president, libertarian Javier Milei
Cowardice? Inability to pivot?
Anyway, a sign of weakness.
There was indeed modelling. Unfortunately, lived experience is telling us it was all BS and smoke and mirrors.
The modeling was done for the ALP by Reputex – purveyor of a carbon market pricing service with its advisory hands all over the trusted and wildly successful Australian Carbin Trading Market.
These are the Top Men who have given us:
– Australia’s 43% Emissions Target;
– Australia’s 82% Renewable Energy Target;
– Huge commercial and household electricity savings by 2025;
– EV’s everywhere;
– A big tick to Rewiring the National Grid across Farmer Gez’s property;
– 300,000 secure, well-paying, clean Green jerbs;
– Cheap and abundant renewable energy – all driven by future technological advances in large scale solar – leading Australia into the sunny uplands as the international renewable hydrogen powerhouse.
All in an easy to read, lo/no testable information, 40-page document (including references).
Sadly, as the Bowen Masterplan turns to shit day-by-day, they will have long since banked the cheque.
If the Hamas members are up for it, maybe they could ask Malcolm Trouserless in Memphis a question for us when they see him.
Credlin destroys the Pali visa scheme.
Lizzie:
Sorry Lizzie, but it’s true. You can be living alongside a family of Muslims for hundreds of years, and all it takes is one firebrand Imam to convert them back into a frenzied killing mob. It happens all over the globe. The partition of India was an eye opener for all those Hindus who had ‘lived in peace’ with their Muslim neighbours for centuries.
The reality is that lands that were Christian 1400 years ago are now Muslim, and there are 1.9 Billion of them, and the instigator of most of the terrorist acts are Iran.
Let me point out that Iran is run by fundamentalists who believe their 12th Imam will arrive in a great battle where all the Jews and Christians etc, are slaughtered.
They believe this absolutely.
Bowen is in for a massive showdown with landholders.
Good luck turtle boy.
Joe is in a bit of a difficult position – usually all he would need to do is get in touch with a leader and offer them $ billions (from which they will send back – via a multitude of channels to myriad entities connected to his family and some other Democrats) $ millions.
Word is that Milei is not likely to play ball.
That is pretty much how they arrived where they are today. Not all Muslims are terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims. Don’t know quite where you go from there.
Home from smallgoodsery.
Just watched the last 45 minutes of Talladega Nights.
My word. One of the most underrated films of this, or any age.
Stinking hot over here.