If I knew what Atlassian did I would be boycotting them.

of fifth

Insomnia for the win!

Who, what, where or why is an Atlassian? And how? So many questions.

Pretty obvious that Atlassian is a money laundering scheme, and Cannon-Brookes is a bit like Hunter at Burisma.

Clare Armstrong reporting on the clown posse:

Bringing every Labor politician to Canberra this week to discuss cost of living relief for struggling Australians will cost taxpayers almost half a million dollars for a single day of talks.

The Coalition has criticised Anthony Albanese’s “out of touch” decision to recall his colleagues to the capital for a full caucus meeting outside scheduled parliament sitting weeks, and questioned why the Prime Minister did not develop more relief measures last year when his colleagues were already in Canberra.

But the federal government has defended the move, citing the clear need to get more help out the door to Australian households as soon as possible.

Analysis by News Corp of average MP, Senator and employee travel expenses has found it would cost about $468,818 for all Labor politicians based outside the ACT to travel with staff and stay overnight in Canberra on Wednesday for the caucus meeting.

The figure was a conservative estimate assuming each MP and Senator would claim a $310 travel allowance for one night, and bring on average one staff member, who would claim a $300 allowance.

Flights alone for Labor’s 73 MPs and 25 Senators from outside the ACT, and not including the PM who lives at the Lodge in Canberra, would cost about $254,393 based on the cheapest return business flight with Qantas from the nearest capital city for each MP and Senator.

Flying one staff member per politician return on a flexible economy airfare would be about $132,384.

The estimate also includes the cost of each politician using a Comcar on average three times to get between the airport, parliament and their accommodation, but does not factor in connecting flights for regional MPs.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley said Mr Albanese appeared to be “out of touch” and “out of ideas”.

“Now he wants Australian taxpayers to help fund a ‘think tank’ to fix a problem he’s helping to create,” she said.

Ms Ley said the caucus meeting was “new ground” from a national leader who was “clueless on how this type of extravagance might look to the average Australian”.

“This cost-of-living crisis has been rampant for well over twelve months,” she said.

“Perhaps if the Prime Minister hadn’t cancelled a number of sitting days last year, Labor might have come up with a few solutions by now.”

Asked about the upcoming meeting, Health Minister Mark Butler said the full caucus would hear from Mr Albanese to discuss household cost relief plans for the new year.

“We did a lot of work last year, including $23 billion in targeted cost of living relief for households,” he said.

“But we also recognise, and the Prime Minister has said, there’s obviously more for us to do through 2024.’

Mr Butler said the meeting had been called before parliament starts in February in recognition many Australians are already “doing it tough”.

“I know that all my caucus colleagues are keen and raring to get going with delivering again for Australians this year.”
Mr Butler also highlighted the success of ongoing relief measures, such as Labor’s cheaper medicines policy which has saved people $240 million on scripts in the past 12 months alone.

Such a good job you are doing Mr Butler. $23 billion spent but what is there to show for it?
Going to need a lot of butcher’s paper for the upcoming week Albo. Must be chewing him up inside that he hasn’t licked an ice cream in anger at the Australian Open tennis.

“We did a lot of work last year, including $23 billion in targeted cost of living relief for households,”

so they’re going to give certain people some of the money that was forcible taken by them from other people. Or maybe even the same people. Talk about having no idea. I know how awful Lay is but she actually sounds good.

I’m driving for a bloke in Wilyabrup on Friday, as a way of test-driving his Kubota 5111.
The hills there are terrifying, I’m used to the river flats…

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the thing I feared the FIFO mining boom was going to wipe from the face of the earth: the mind of a real Sandgroper.

(Back in the day the Roads Board ordered too many Steep Descent signs and anything beyond a gentle decline gets one.)

“Founder of a charity” hmmm, love to see the books.

Desantis desists.

Trump endorsed

Desantis

“I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement, because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear or repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents,” he said.

It’s a sad day for humanity when monty gets sexually aroused by a purported tweet from President Shitshispants. FMD

Does preschool help kids — or harm them?

Is Bib playing a reverse-UNO on Fatah ?

I see them being increasingly shrill, insisting on a two-state solution, and agreeing to borders.

Something they’ve avoided in the last 50 years or so.

They have a suite of software tools that make building software easier, iaccording toi the PR.

they have a suite of software which does what all software development does – expands to fill the available schedule and absorb all the resources.

Lattouf might be a better “fit” at the BBC. “Asian” is a peculiarly British euphemism for Pakistanis, but it may serve for Lebanese at a pinch. Definitely not an Australian term.

The whole “Tiger Mum” trope is based on reality, and I’ve had Chinese friends who happily describe themselves as one. But that was years ago, perhaps things have changed. I do know Asian children are driven to succeed, sometimes at the expense of sports and other low value social pursuits. Not all of them but a fair whack. It seems to be cultural.

In news on the wireless this morning, Islamic Imans accuse the government of bowing to the pro-Israel lobby in framing anti-hate speech. Well, yes, because general anti-hatred legislation will partly restrict the obvious hatred of Jews propagated by Muslims.

PS – I’m against it because I want to know who spreads hatred, and who contests that hatred.

On the bright side, he can finally give all those high-heeled shoes back to Casey.

At least, he can remember where is or what he is saying at any point in time?

Mary Weiss, lead singer of the Shangri La’s has died.
Sob, there goes another chunk of my childhood.

I just got back from Ukraine, where I was visiting some friends.

Everything we have heard about what’s happening in Ukraine is a lie.

The reality is darker, bleaker, and unequivocally hopeless. There is no such thing as Ukraine “winning” this war.

– By their estimates, they have lost over one million of their sons, fathers and husbands; an entire generation is gone.
– Even in the Southwest, where the anti-Russian sentiment is long-standing, citizens are reluctant or straight-up scared to publicly criticize Zelensky; they will go to jail.
– In every village and town, the streets, shops, and restaurants are mostly absent of men.
– The few men who remain are terrified of leaving their homes for fear of being kidnapped into conscription. Some have resorted to begging friends to break their legs to avoid service.
– Army search parties take place early in the morning, when men leave their homes to go to work. They ambush and kidnap them off the streets and within 3-4 hours they get listed in the army and taken away straight to the front lines with minimal or no training at all; it is “a death sentence.”
– It’s getting worse every day. Where I was staying, a dentist had just been taken by security forces on his way to work, leaving behind two small children. Every day, 3-5 dead bodies keep arriving from the front lines.
– Mothers and wives fight tooth and nail with the armed forces, beg and plead not to have their men taken away. They try bribing, which sometimes works, but most of the time they are met with physical violence and death threats.
– The territory celebrated as having been “won back” from Russia has been reduced to rubble and is uninhabitable. Regardless, there is no one left to live there and displaced families will likely never return.
– They see the way the war has been reported, at home and abroad. It’s a “joke” and “propaganda.” They say: “Look around: is this winning?”.
– Worse, some have been hoaxed into believing that once Ukrainians forces are exhausted, American soldiers will come in to replace them and “win the war”.

There is no ambiguity in these people. The war was for nothing – a travesty. The outcome always was, and is, clear. The people are hopeless, utterly destroyed, and living in an unending nightmare.

They are pleading for an end, any end – most likely the same “peace” that could have been achieved two years ago. In their minds, they have already lost, for their sons, fathers and husbands are gone, and their country has been destroyed. There is no “victory” that can change that.

Make no mistake, they are angry with Putin. But they are also angry with Zelensky and the West. They have lost everything, worst of all, hope and faith, and cannot comprehend why Zelenky wishes to continue the current trajectory, the one of human devastation.

I didn’t witness the war; but what I saw was absolutely heart-breaking.

Shame on the people, regardless of their intentions, who have supported this war. And shame on the media for continuing to lie about it.

Ukraine Must Cede Territory to Russia for Peace Deal, Slovakian Prime Minister Fico Declares

Documenting the Enablers of Hamas War Crimes: UN Agencies, Government Aid Programs and NGOs

By Prof. Gerald M. Steinberg – January 21, 2024

“Everyone in Gaza including UN staff knows about the dual use of these facilities.” – Journalist Jan Franke

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: UN agencies, government aid programs and NGOs have consistently and willfully aided and abetted Hamas as it built its vast terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. They diverted aid money to Hamas to fund its terrorist activities, provided propaganda and disinformation support to Hamas in its efforts to tarnish and discredit Israel, and indoctrinated Gazan schoolchildren to hate Jews. Systematic documentation of the roles played by UN and government officials, as well as NGOs operating under the vast framework of international humanitarian aid, in enabling and cooperating with Hamas, both tacitly and actively, is vital to prevent a repetition of this abdication of responsibility and accountability.

A third layer is also required:

the systematic documentation of the complicity of Hamas enablers and allies. This category includes numerous UN agencies and officials operating in Gaza, governmental aid organizations and diplomats, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) claiming to promote human rights and humanitarian aid.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is another important case study pointing to silent cooperation with Hamas. MSF has had a major presence in Gaza for many years. Yet throughout this period, and particularly during the current conflict, MSF officials have remained silent or denied any knowledge of terror activity, while condemning the IDF for military operations near and in hospitals. In a few cases, individual doctors (not affiliated with MSF) broke the code of silence, admitting that access to the lower floors of Shifa Hospital was off-limits. A senior American aid official acknowledged that this information was well known, and a Dutch journalist posted: “I have been to the Al Shifa Hospital several times as a reporter during the Israel-Gaza war in 2014 and also afterward. .. It is a vast complex. I have personally seen Hamas fighters there. Everyone in Gaza including UN staff knows about the dual use of these facilities.” The same journalist posted photographs taken secretly of “uniformed Hamas fighters (in blue) sitting cautiously next to the entrance where ambulances arrive.”

Excellent Article – 7 Page PDF here

Blinken is using blackmail to achieve goal of Palestinian statehood – opinion

Israel has no obligation to restore the lives and homes of those who tried to destroy ours because we don’t owe them that consideration.

In his need to be clever and come up with new creative ways to achieve the goal of Palestinian statehood, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has now resorted to the threat that “Arabs won’t pay to rebuild Gaza without a path to Palestinian statehood” (The Jerusalem Post, January 17, 2024).

In short, Blinken is making it clear that unless we want to absorb the full cost of rebuilding Gaza, we are going to have to offer to make nice with the Palestinians by incentivizing their willingness to take on the massive restoration project. And under what framework would that incentive come? Being agreeable to the acceptance of a Palestinian state alongside the Jewish one.

Of course, cool-hand Blinken tries to explain the rationale by stating that Arab countries would not be amenable to invest in rebuilding, only to end up taking the risk that, at some point, the IDF will return to level it again.

And while that makes sense, he never addresses the real “elephant in the room.”

Palestinian state is dangerous for Israel

I have thought from the beginning that, even with huge armament supplies from the West, Ukraine would not “win” this war.

The Ukraine war is a money laundering exercise. The average Ukrainian knows it too. Joe and Beau are up to their necks in Ukraine corruption which is why the lofty ideals of freedom, Wussia!!, Whatever it takes! have been invoked to provide the cover.

If Biden’s Govt was so concerned about borders and invasion, why be concerned about an invasion a world away while the US southern border is KEPT OPEN for all of South and Central America to walk through? Biden and the left hate the US.

Look at DP World to see the damage new IR laws will do

EBAs are no longer an ordinary negotiation between two parties. They are set up to make intractable disputes inevitable.

Brad Popple and Brendan Milne

The ports dispute can teach us a lot about what is wrong with our industrial relations system.

DP World is locked in bitter negotiations with the Maritime Union of Australia for a new enterprise agreement. Employees are reported as wanting a 27.5 per cent pay boost over two years to catch up to their compatriots at rival operator Patrick. DP World says that is unsustainable, given Patrick’s employees are more productive as it has introduced greater levels of automation.

The second thing is that the termination of enterprise agreements is now effectively impossible, since the government’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay laws took effect a little over a year ago.

Few options exist for employers faced with this industrial action.

Previously, employers could ask the Fair Work Commission to terminate an enterprise agreement – but only if they could convince the independent umpire that this was not contrary to the public interest.

Neither option is available until employees fire the first shot.

Personal criticisms

That’s why criticising an employer like DP World for taking these options doesn’t make any sense.

Of course, he is right.

“Class warfare industrial practices remain institutionalised on the wharves.”

Trump criticised de Santis for asking the welfare state to be cut. The fact is, social security is insolvent and Trump talked a good game about cuts but signed on spending and gave a nod to money printer go brrrr.

de Santis is a lot better than Trump supporters recognise.

He should have stayed in until Haley threw in the towel. The Democrats are openly supporting her.

Haha, always fun to educate Monty just before he posts some inanity.

Cassie of Sydney
Jan 22, 2024 8:11 AM
PS – I’m against it because I want to know who spreads hatred, and who contests that hatred.

Agree with you, Katz

And that is about the only reason not to ban Fat Boy Fascist mUnty from this blog.

de Santis is a lot better than Trump supporters recognise.

No he isn’t. He’s like John Howard, thinking that the normal state of politics can continue. It cannot. The Libs and the GOP have to stop chasing the mythical centre, and go full Milei. And the wets in charge of both parties have to be evicted with prejudice.

An intern in HR in Sydney could ask a PM in Kazakhstan a question and he had to respond, or lose a chunk of his bonus.

They should have complied. Keep the bonus & punish the shareholders!

Malicious compliance and administrative violence are tools the common man should get an 8th-degree black belt in.

A few days ago Senator Rennick posted on his Twitter about recent Federal Health purchase of shingles treatments.

$826 million for treatments for 5m people.

Seems shingles has recently become a major issue. Wonder why ?!

Hi monty!

ARE OUR ELITES CRAZY?
Pollster Scott Rasmussen conducted two separate surveys, each covering 1,000 “Members of the Elites.” The results are remarkable, not to say shocking. But the starting point is, who was defined as “elite” for purposes of these surveys?

The Elites are defined as those having a postgraduate degree, a household income of more than $150,000 annually, and living in a zip code with more than 10,000 people per square mile. Approximately 1% of the total U.S. population meets these criteria.

Ten thousand people per square mile represents a high-density urban environment. But in that context, $150,000 a year is no princely salary. Nationwide, it takes far more–around $650,000 annually–to be in the top 1% in income. A person who lives in a big city and earns $150,000 is not, in any financial sense, elite.

So the key element in Rasmussen’s formula is having a postgraduate degree. Basically, what we are surveying here is people with graduate degrees who live in cities, the large majority of whom don’t make a great deal of money. Many in that group are probably women, although Rasmussen says the survey results were “lightly weighted” by gender, age and race. Rasmussen also defined a subcategory of “Ivy League elites,” consisting of graduates of one of the eight Ivy League schools, plus Northwestern, Duke, Stanford and the University of Chicago.

These “elites,” so defined, are living in another world than the rest of us. They are extraordinarily loyal to the regime; 84% of them approve of Joe Biden’s performance as president. I wouldn’t have thought you could get that high an approval rating if you sampled the Democratic National Committee. And 70% of the “elites” trust the government to do the right thing most of the time; that rises to 89% among those who are “the most politically active members of the elite.”

These elites even trust journalists: 79% have a favorable opinion of them, as do 84% of the “Ivy League elite.”

When it comes to policy, these people are crazy. Forty-seven percent say that America suffers from too much freedom, compared with only 21% who think we have too much government control. Among the Ivy League elite, 55% say America is too free, with only 15% saying we have too much government.

So how do the elites want to limit our excessive freedom? A shocking 77% say they favor the “strict rationing of gas, meat and electricity.” That basically means living in a poor, totalitarian state like the USSR. And by 89% to 10%, the Ivy League elites want to see “strict rationing” of these most basic commodities.

These “elites” are fascists. Large majorities want to ban gas stoves (69%), gasoline powered cars (72%), non-essential air travel (55%), SUVs (58%) and air conditioning (53%). The Ivy League elites are even worse: the corresponding numbers are 80% for gas stoves, 81% for gasoline powered cars, 70% for non-essential air travel, 66% for SUVs, and 68% want to ban air conditioning. There is no polite way to put it: they are fascists.

There is more at the link. The people whom Rasmussen has identified are obviously dangerous to our democracy. If they take over, we are finished. More study needs to be done to figure out who, exactly, they are, so we can root them out and negate their influence. In the meantime, some moderate measures probably need to be taken. Like abolishing the Ivy League.