Open Thread – Weekend 10 Feb 2024


Argenteuil, Flowers by the Riverbank, Claude Monet, 1877

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Pogria
Pogria
February 10, 2024 12:10 am

Woo Hoo! Podium!

Bill P
Bill P
February 10, 2024 12:12 am

Ticketty Boo

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 12:14 am

Pogria Feb 10, 2024 12:10 AM
Woo Hoo! Podium!

+1

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 12:14 am

Bill P Feb 10, 2024 12:12 AM
Ticketty Boo

+0.5

Pogria
Pogria
February 10, 2024 12:15 am

Salvo, 😀

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
February 10, 2024 12:20 am

This thread dedicated to snivellers who must now make an actual argument instead of anonymously downticking personalities rather than content.

Weep tears of rage. Go on now. Have some Doritos afterwards.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 12:21 am

Knuckle Dragger Feb 10, 2024 12:20 AM

+0.25

JC
JC
February 10, 2024 12:36 am

Knuckle Dragger Feb 10, 2024 12:20 AM

+ 35.

Katzenjammer
Katzenjammer
February 10, 2024 12:55 am

It used to be a tick infested region. From a couple of previous comments it appears we now must tick ourselves with + or – values to the second decimal point. Golly, what a gerat improvement.

– 17.93

Katzenjammer
Katzenjammer
February 10, 2024 12:56 am

“gerat” = great

-0.67

JC
JC
February 10, 2024 12:57 am

Alito goes for the jugular

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito smacks Joe Biden during Donald Trump’s 14th Amendment Case before SCOTUS.

“Suppose there is a country that proclaims again and again and again that the United States is its biggest enemy, and suppose that the president of the United States for diplomatic reasons think it is in the best interest of the United States to provide funds or release funds so that they can be used by that country, could a state determine that person has given aid and comfort to the enemy and therefore keep that person off of the ballot?”

Speedbox
February 10, 2024 12:58 am

Greetings all.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 1:07 am

Speedbox Feb 10, 2024 12:58 AM
Greetings all.

+1

Mark Bolton
February 10, 2024 1:08 am

Reposted from the last. Apologies If , for you, i repeat mys self ;
Thanks Folks ,

I enjoy scrolling through these convos just to see where you are with these topics of conversation. Sometimes some of you do throw really great links and for that I am most trully greatful .

As Per the recent conversation as to all this unedifying ad hom vitriol. I can see where it came from. It has evolved from what was once a bit of “spicey rough and tumble” into now what has turned into an un edifying infantile sledgefest that serves none of you well.

What is even more corrosive to your presumptive purpose , when you , little ruffians get all excited and pile on, what happens is you derail the blog. All the folks who would be minded to engage in a civilized conversation go off and make a cup of tea and dont come back.

Sure you get to blow off some steam and glory in your’e red hot badinage . But all you have done is killed (or at least stunned for a few hours) a discussion by you being boring.

It isnt my blog, You Guys Live here , I dont . I am just pointing this out in so far as a helpful and well meant suggestion might help improve the atmosphere.

Peace

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 1:15 am

Katzenjammer Feb 10, 2024 12:55 AM
It used to be a tick infested region. From a couple of previous comments it appears we now must tick ourselves with + or – values to the second decimal point.

Haha, was apportioning a depreciation value to comments, with “1” as the first, halving in value for each subsequent.

Btw: +0.99 for you.

rosie
rosie
February 10, 2024 1:18 am

Nothing says saving the planet than Sardinians burning imported Canadian wood pellets for home heating.
Still, overcast day, the particulate pollution is magnificent.

Mark Bolton
February 10, 2024 1:24 am

@ Salvatore, Iron Publican
Feb 10, 2024 1:15 AM

I know you are having an employment drought – So you gonna hire me or what ?

Will this help? 😉

+ 6.02214076 ^E 23

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 1:38 am

I know you are having an employment drought – So you gonna hire me or what ?

Or what.
There’s no employment drought – I’m swamped in applications from hot Euro-honeys.
They’re desperate for a job. There’s hundreds (but not as many as a thousand) job applications I’ve not opened, all received since December.

My strike rate is close 1:1 applications to jobs filled, likewise 1:1 ratio jobs offered to accepted & turn up for work.
Usually it is >30:1 for applications to job filled with an arrival ratio of 5:1

I’ve never had so many willing & capable staff.

I’ve so many that this afternoon I sacked 2 x girls, for dobbing me in to WH&S.
It’s years since I’ve had the luxury of being able to freely sack people who deserve it.

Mark Bolton
February 10, 2024 1:46 am

@Salvatore, Iron Publican
Feb 10, 2024 1:38 AM

I was just making that comment in jest. Bad Joke perhaps so forgive Please. I know some aren’t doing so well in the bush. Nothing on you … But I have seen “young blokes rocking up to work with black eyes … more than one Monday in a row. And they were 30 !!!

Look after your people Mate and it will be fine …

Hope

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 1:51 am

Look after your people Mate and it will be fine …

That street has lanes going both directions.
I expect the other lane to be used, not just me using the Zil lane.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
February 10, 2024 2:19 am
Steve trickler
Steve trickler
February 10, 2024 2:51 am

What happened to the thumbs?

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 3:05 am

Steve trickler Feb 10, 2024 2:51 AM
What happened to the thumbs?

They’ve been retired – due to the site’s most Turnbullian ego chucking a major sad at receiving downticks.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
February 10, 2024 3:14 am

Salvatore, Iron Publican
Feb 10, 2024 3:05 AM
Steve trickler Feb 10, 2024 2:51 AM
What happened to the thumbs?

They’ve been retired – due to the site’s most Turnbullian ego chucking a major sad at receiving downticks.

Grow a skin. Sleep well folks.

JC
JC
February 10, 2024 3:18 am

Tickler, Dover got rid of them because sniveling frauds and other assorted feral swine were gaming the system to screw over commenters they disliked as well as pretending they were more popular than they were.

It’s unfortunate because the plug-in had its use.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 3:18 am

Grow a skin.

+1

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
February 10, 2024 3:20 am

JC
Feb 10, 2024 3:18 AM
Tickler, Dover got rid of them because sniveling frauds and other assorted feral swine were gaming the system to screw over commenters they disliked as well as pretending they were more popular than they were.

It’s unfortunate because the plug-in had its use.

Noted.

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 3:21 am

Salvatore, Iron Publican
Feb 10, 2024 3:05 AM

Steve trickler Feb 10, 2024 2:51 AM
What happened to the thumbs?

They’ve been retired – due to the site’s most Turnbullian ego chucking a major sad at receiving downticks.

I don’t know who was influential enough, if anybody, to persuade Dover to get rid of a very nice, useful feature, but the blog will survive as it had under the previous admin.

Still a shame but.

There were spectacular flounces and teary retirements only to return without the ticks, so nothing will change.

Using the tick feature has no significant, if any influence on the speed, says my daughter who is an IT whizz.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 3:24 am

Using the tick feature has no significant, if any influence on the speed, says my daughter who is an IT whizz.

This matches my lived experience, of three hours sans ticks.

As someone said upthread (or on da previous thread) it is barely fathomable that those ticks are a serious topic of conversation.
Don’t these people have a life?

There may be a significant portion of regulars who have no hobby or pastime.

Katzenjammer
Katzenjammer
February 10, 2024 3:28 am

What happened to the thumbs?

Thumb-one thought them thumb-what demeaning so they’ve been relegated to the pool of cancel culture. Thumbs and Likes are infantile emotional expressions that don’t matter. Without that extraneous coded “if then” hopefully the blog will load faster.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 3:37 am

Katzenjammer Feb 10, 2024 3:28 AM

+1 or thumbthing thumbwhat like that.

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 3:39 am

Katzenjammer
Feb 10, 2024 3:28 AM

Without that extraneous coded “if then” hopefully the blog will load faster.

My memory goes back a bit well before the ticks were introduced.
Remember the days the blog was down for half a day or for many hours at times?

What was the cause then?
Anyways, it is what it is, we can join in or not, not compulsory to participate.

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 3:40 am

Oops, forgot to uptick my post.
+1

JC
JC
February 10, 2024 3:43 am

Salvatore, Iron Publican
Feb 10, 2024 3:18 AM
Grow a skin.

Grow an ethical spine , bush hog.
-1

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 3:48 am

Grow an ethical spine , bush hog.

You seem intelligent & emotionally well adjusted. :-))

JC
JC
February 10, 2024 3:54 am

Yep, and you’re entire life is a lie and blowharding. You haven’t fired anyone, you blowhard, It’s all in your imagination to promote someone you’re not and never will be. An ethical individual, which is totally alien to you and always will be. Everything you utter is a lie.

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 3:59 am

Yep, and you’re entire life is a lie and blowharding. You haven’t fired anyone, you blowhard, It’s all in your imagination to promote someone you’re not and never will be. An ethical individual, which is totally alien to you and always will be. Everything you utter is a lie.

Trigggggggeeerrrrrreddd.
This bile of yours cannot be healthy for you.
It’d be prudent to have your house fitted with handrails & stuff in readiness for your upcoming stroke.

Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:00 am
Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 4:00 am

Johannes Leak.

+100 (chortle)

Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:01 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:02 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:03 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:04 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:06 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:07 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:08 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:09 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:10 am
Tom
Tom
February 10, 2024 4:11 am
Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 4:16 am

Tom; Thanx

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 4:27 am

Well that’s it for the day. Got through the night without anybody being hurt.
* phew *
Crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion – an achievement of its very own to manage that.

feelthebern
feelthebern
February 10, 2024 4:55 am

Have some Doritos afterwards.

Last week I saw peanut butter puffs in the Kosher aisle at Coles Bondi Junction.
My snacks of choice are cashews & pistachios but I am tempted to try this salty treat.

feelthebern
feelthebern
February 10, 2024 4:58 am

Mollie
@MZHemingway

Democrats Spun Biden’s Classified Docs As ‘Six Items,’ But Special Counsel Report Reveals It Was 300-Plus

https://thefederalist.com/2024/02/09/democrats-spun-bidens-classified-docs-as-six-items-but-special-counsel-report-reveals-it-was-300-plus/

I’d forgotten the narrative all the Biden boosters were pushing.
“It was only a handful of documents”.

feelthebern
feelthebern
February 10, 2024 5:04 am

Baris is saying that Biden had a meeting with Dem bigwigs yesterday (unsure if it was before or after the press conference).
I can’t see anything on social media about it.
It degenerated into a session of Biden being “a nasty prick” according to one of the attendees who’s leaked it.
Will keep an eye out for anything further.

feelthebern
feelthebern
February 10, 2024 5:08 am

4 Lies Joe Biden Spouted Off In Angry Special Counsel Press Conference

https://thefederalist.com/2024/02/09/4-lies-joe-biden-spouted-off-in-angry-special-counsel-press-conference/

Hur’s report, however, said investigators found classified documents in the “garage, offices, and basement den” of Biden’s Delaware home.

“And the place where the Afghanistan documents were eventually found in Mr. Biden’s Delaware garage — in a badly damaged box surrounded by household detritus — suggests the documents might have been forgotten,” Hur’s report noted.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
February 10, 2024 5:24 am

Salvatore, Iron Publican
Feb 10, 2024 4:16 AM

Tom; Thanx

+100

KevinM
KevinM
February 10, 2024 5:28 am

Listening to T Carlson ‘interview’ it seems to me like a monologue by Putin and actually he makes a lot of sense as far as I can see.

If you have a different opinion, fine.
Downtick me.

mem
mem
February 10, 2024 5:31 am

The German bureau for statistics (destatis) is separately tracking the production of the energy intensive industry and you can clearly see that this industry sector is nearly collapsing. Their production output declined by app. 25% and is now even lower than during CoVid Lockdown high time. https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Branchen-Unternehmen/Industrie-Verarbeitendes-Gewerbe/_Grafik/_Interaktiv/produktionsentwicklung-energieintensiven-industriezweige.html (red line is energy intensive industry production index, blue line is general industry and mining).

mem
mem
February 10, 2024 5:52 am

My previous post was from a comment to an article “Green Energies Shattering German Economy…Industrial Production Falls 7th Consecutive Month”. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/02/09/green-energies-shattering-german-economyindustrial-production-falls-7th-consecutive-month/

Black Ball
Black Ball
February 10, 2024 5:55 am

Steve Price:

ABC TV’s expensive and one-sided view of the Coalition’s most recent time in power in Canberra – Nemesis – has exposed one powerful truth.

We Australians are governed by a bunch of dangerously self- absorbed out of touch ego maniacs motivated by self-interest. Public service and the ambition to make Australia a better place runs a poor second to personal ambition. Doesn’t matter what side of politics.

The three-part series concentrates on the period of Government under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. It could just as easily have – as it’s done in the past – shone a light on the Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard years. Of that bunch of Prime Minister’s, I believe only Abbott and Gillard can hold their heads high. Julia destroyed her time at the top with her broken carbon tax promise, but post politics has kept her mouth shut.

Tony Abbott was cut down by Turnbull after winning a slab of seats at the 2013 election that Malcolm proceeded to lose. In Nemesis, Turnbull showed his true colours as a rich, entitled, wrecker who had only one interest – himself. To sit on his favourite network the ABC and label current Liberal leader Peter Dutton a thug, as Turnbull did this week – without challenge from the ABC reporter by the way – showed the bitter glass jawed Malcolm hasn’t aged well.

Scott Morrison just came out of Nemesis looking like a conniving, shifty ordinary bloke no-one trusted.

Nemesis – whatever that title means – caused me to reflect on our current State and Federal leadership, or more correctly the LACK of leadership. Australia like the US and UK and much of the Western World is in a rut when it comes to impressive leaders able to inspire their populations. It’s a sad situation when you can’t nominate a world leader that inspires.

To prove the point domestically I went online to check the backgrounds of the four most powerful politicians that will impact your lives in 2024. I chose the two most powerful Federal leaders in Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers and the two most senior Victorians, Premier Jacinta Allan and Treasurer Tim Pallas.

It’s a sobering thing to do and relatively simple. The question I asked myself was how qualified either academically or in life skills like employment background are the BIG FOUR leaders.

Answer – not very.

Given the political issues facing Canberra and Victoria in 2024 that is frightening. A simple list of things that need to be tackled this year, held up as a mirror to whether the big four can solve those issues, provides a simple answer. NO.

Federally I’m talking about climate change, the defence of Australia, tax reform – not broken promises – and national unity post the failed Voice referendum. In Victoria it’s crippling debt, tax grabs, way over Budget infrastructure projects and a housing crisis.

Jacinta Allan and Tim Pallas are in charge here in Victoria and interestingly most Victorians would struggle to name one other Minister post the Daniel Andrews era.

Let’s have a look at the qualifications of those two whose jobs are to dig Victoria out of its rust bucket status, putting us back on top where we used to be.

The Premier turns 51 this year and has spent 25 of those years in state parliament. She is the longest serving female MP in Victoria’s history.

That should give her points for longevity, political smarts and parliamentary experience – until you dig a little deeper. Premier Allan in her time has run transport infrastructure as a Minister making her responsible for things like regional train services. Ask any Victorian how the regional train system is, and you’ll get the same answer – terrible. As for the state of the main train hubs in Melbourne, Flinders St and Southern Cross – compared with Sydney’s brand- new refurbished stations – are grubby, dangerous, dirty and horrible places.

Jacinta was also the Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery for eight months and we now know how that ended. Her qualifications for the top job in Victoria are a Bachelor of Arts degree from Latrobe University and a part time job bagging groceries at a Coles supermarket. She joined the ALP at age 19, worked as a political staffer and at age 25 was elected to parliament. No need to say anymore.

Tim Pallas is 64 years old and has overseen Victoria’s finances for ten years giving us the biggest debt of any State in the Commonwealth – indeed a combined debt equal to that of NSW, Queensland and Tasmania combined. Pallas started working life as a trade union official with the National Union of workers. He traded up to be Assistant Secretary of the ACTU and was Chief of Staff to former Premier Steve Bracks.

Tim had Federal ambitions but lost a preselection battle for the seat of Melbourne Ports. As roads Minister he oversaw improving the Monash Freeway which to this day is a carpark morning and night.

Tim now lives in Williamstown, 20 km away from his seat based in Werribee – a true man of the people. How are your confidence levels going?

Federally the BIG TWO are Chalmers and Albanese.

Jim Chalmers will be 46 this year and did a Bachelor of Arts degree at Griffith University majoring in communications. At ANU he did his PHD on the Paul Keating Government. To prepare for being Treasurer – although we know he really wants to be PM – he was a research officer for former QLD Premier Peter Beattie, spent four years as national research manager for the ALP, two years as a media adviser to Wayne Swan and worked in the office of Kim Beazley and then back to Swan again in the Rudd Government.

His boss Anthony Albanese will be 61 in March. For almost half his life – 28 years – he has been the Labor member for Grayndler in inner west Sydney. Out of high school he did two years in the Commonwealth Bank before going to Sydney University to study economics. He was elected to the Student Council and led a hard left group of Young Labor with links to the Australian Communist Party and People for Nuclear Disarmament. He was then an adviser to veteran Labor figure Tom Uren and former Labor Minister and NSW Premier Bob Carr.

The BIG FOUR – zero business experience big or small and career Labor apparatchiks, with barely a day’s normal work between them.

Fill you with confidence – hardly.

Rinse and repeat for 80% of today’s pollies I would have thought.

Black Ball
Black Ball
February 10, 2024 6:03 am

As homework you could check your Federal member. Ours be ‘Dr’ Anne Webster.

Dr Anne Webster is the Nationals member for the Division of Mallee in Victoria. Dr Webster studied a BA majoring in Sociology and History, concurrently studying a Bachelor of Social Work, with Honours (La Trobe). In 2018, she completed a Ph.D at the Australian National University, with a doctoral thesis on adoption. Before entering politics, Dr Webster was a social worker and non-profit executive, with a special focus on working with vulnerable families.

Okey dokey, work with vulnerable people etc which is good. What was the topic of her doctorate?

In 2018, she completed a Ph. D. at the Australian National University (ANU) with a doctoral thesis on adoption titled “The Legacy, Legality and Legitimacy of Adopting Out – Examining the legitimacy of adoption through birth mother experiences”.

Via Wikipedia. Um, not a doctor then.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
February 10, 2024 6:13 am

Rinse and repeat for 80% of today’s pollies I would have thought.

I saw the Carson Putin interview. I am quite prepared to believe Putin is an evil shit, you don’t get to be in charge of a country like Russia if you’re a nice guy. But he’s an educated, intelligent man who has thought about things. Completely different from our pollies.

mem
mem
February 10, 2024 6:26 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uagp1zrPfmw
For those that missed this report watch until end.

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 6:27 am

Tom; Thanx

👍 👍

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 6:33 am

alwaysright
Feb 10, 2024 6:27 AM

Tom; Thanx

? ?

How do you do that?

feelthebern
feelthebern
February 10, 2024 6:39 am

We’ll find out at some stage who/what the Russians have wanted in exchange for the American journo.
Considering the Americans gave them the guy the movie the Lord of War was based on, how much worse could it be?
Just do the exchange already.

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 6:41 am

Now and then BB I get the feeling the Lib-Nat-ALP in Vicco are all one party. The chick who’s name escapes me who had an ALP lover and ‘worked’ for red Ted and now a state Nat MP. Something like that. ‘Dr’ Webster gives me that feeling too.

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 6:46 am

How do you do that?

Type the following starting with an ampersand (upper case 7 on the keyboard)

#x1F44D; is the up thumb

#x1F44F; is the down thumb

put the whole thing somewhere where it is easy to copy and paste.

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 6:49 am

As in &

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 6:50 am

Test
&#x1F44D

Top Ender
Top Ender
February 10, 2024 6:50 am

In Sydney, doing a talk this morning at the Kokoda Walkway on the midget sub raid of 1942.

We got a train from Central to Rhodes. It was speedy, clean, and it cost $1.73 each. Efficiency – what’s going on!

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 6:51 am

The semi colon is important

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 6:51 am

Nope

Gabor
Gabor
February 10, 2024 6:52 am

Test again
👍

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 6:53 am

Good morning. Looks like the gladiators can gladiate with a thumbless Caesar looking on.

He might have to actually say something disapproving now. What a treat.

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 6:54 am

Our feral member is an apparatchik call Sam Rae who hails from Canbra originally so I just read. Not a good start.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 6:54 am

Lol, Gabor! How do you do that? And how well timed!

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 6:54 am

Test again

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 6:55 am

Some connection with PwC too- all a bit sketchy.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 6:57 am

alwaysright

#x1F44D;

Clever Cat that you are.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 6:59 am

Poop. I’m a dumbo.

*swigs coffee*

Try again.

👍

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 7:00 am

That calli is my favourite image.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 7:01 am

From what Book of Magic do you get these devilish symbols of great power?

And is Hope pressed between the sheets of the final page?

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 7:02 am

Sam Rae loves Hawke’s vibrant community. They all say that.

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 7:03 am

For cassi

𐀗

#x10017;

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 7:05 am

oops

#x2721;

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 7:09 am

From what Book of Magic do you get these devilish symbols of great power?

https://www.w3schools.com/charsets/ref_utf_symbols.asp

Muddy
Muddy
February 10, 2024 7:09 am

If you ‘pay peanuts & get monkeys’ our chocolate-coated macadamias don’t seem to be getting us a decent return on our investment either.

Maybe we (think we) have so many nuts, it doesn’t matter who or what we fling them at? There’ll always been more where they came from?

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 7:14 am

Cat is refusing to post my links to HTML symbols.

👏 👏

KevinM
KevinM
February 10, 2024 7:17 am

Took a while to listen to that Carlson-Putin interview but I stuck to it.
It had to be prearranged as he had no control over it.

It was worth my time Putin is a smart operator, others may disagree.
Saying “worth my time” I usually won’t listen or watch any link longer than a few minutes.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 7:22 am

Thanks alwaysright

😘

feelthebern
feelthebern
February 10, 2024 7:34 am

KevinM, I thought Putin looked uncomfortable.
What did you think?

lotocoti
lotocoti
February 10, 2024 7:57 am

Borka might’ve broken the hyperbowl barrier over Tucker’s interview.
PJW looks at an actual bit of moist gusset fawning.

Vicki
Vicki
February 10, 2024 8:07 am

Hey Topender – would love to have heard your talk on the midget subs today in Sydney. Unfortunately we are not in the city. You should let us know in advance !

Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 8:08 am

“Suppose there is a country that proclaims again and again and again that the United States is its biggest enemy, and suppose that the president of the United States for diplomatic reasons think it is in the best interest of the United States to provide funds or release funds so that they can be used by that country, could a state determine that person has given aid and comfort to the enemy and therefore keep that person off of the ballot?”

Tick x infinity

Vicki
Vicki
February 10, 2024 8:26 am

So – Trump has now won Nevada…….

Real Deal
Real Deal
February 10, 2024 8:26 am

“I don’t want anybody else, when I think about you I uptick myself.”

Boambee John
Boambee John
February 10, 2024 8:32 am

DrBeauGan
Feb 10, 2024 6:13 AM

Rinse and repeat for 80% of today’s pollies I would have thought.

I saw the Carson Putin interview. I am quite prepared to believe Putin is an evil shit, you don’t get to be in charge of a country like Russia if you’re a nice guy. But he’s an educated, intelligent man who has thought about things. Completely different from our pollies.

Indeed.

He also is a patriot, with a deep love of Russia, its history, and its culture. Not many politicians in western nations match that. Trump certainly, Abbott probably, Jacinta Pirce definitely.

Boambee John
Boambee John
February 10, 2024 8:32 am

Price, not Pirce! Proofread.

Cassie of Sydney
February 10, 2024 8:33 am

Well, after yesterday morning’s rumpus I do ask if it is safe for me to pop my head up here? Given the out of control Jew hatred running amok across the West and particularly in this country in 2024, I wonder, am I going to be verballed by a nasty, lonely and very bitter person and told to “harden up”. Am I going to have ‘my culture’ traduced?

The only other Jewish commentator I am aware of here is Katz, and I can guarantee that he is feeling just like me. Since 7 October, Jews across the world are feeling very, very insecure.

Last night I went to Shabbat dinner, and despite being Shabbat when we’re supposed to be happy, we are instead all rather subdued. It’s been like that since 7 October. We’re feeling how our ancestors felt, whilst the Cossacks, the Nazis and all the rest of the unhinged Jew haters aren’t yet knocking down our doors, they’re not far away, we can feel their hatred and we can hear them baying for our blood. In order to counter some of the subdued atmosphere, I tried to instill some Seinfeldian humour by stating…’oh well, we had it really good for decades but now it’s back baby, big time! I did manage to make some people laugh. You see, we Jews will always see and speak humour even in our dark times.

Is the resident of Queanbeyan an anti-Semite? Probably not but her commentary yesterday, particularly about my ‘culture’, was nasty, unpleasant, vicious and damning. I’ll just remind people here about some of her choice commentary she hurled at me……

Stop whining and do something about it!

If the Jewish community really cares and wants to act, what’s stopping them?

Curling up into a ball and demanding sympathy only goes so far. Maybe that’s your culture. It’s not mine, we harden up.

As her unsavoury words above attest, her longstanding and well known dislike of me yesterday plummeted to rather low depths. This person knows nothing about my culture, just because one might have eaten a bagel or two, watched an episode of Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm, visited NYC, or once shared digs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs doesn’t instill in anyone expertise in Judaism, Jewish history or what it is to be a Jew. Here’s the truth, she knows nothing about what it is to be a Jew, she knows nothing about how my community is currently feeling given the unhinged levels of Jew hatred running amok across the west and in this country.

Further to this, I open up today’s Oz and I read this…..shades of 1930s Germany.

Leaders and business savage Australia’s rising anti-Semitism

Widespread anti-Semitic attacks on small, medium and large Jewish-linked firms have been savaged by prominent Australians and the peak business body as authorities assess evidence of offences after the October 7 atrocities.

Government agencies and police face pressure to deal with a wave of attacks against Jewish businesses that also include a heavy focus on vulnerable smaller enterprises.

Businessman Joe Gersh, a former ABC director, said it was “unbelievable” that modern Australia had descended into overt anti-Semitism with potentially major impacts on smaller businesses, which are more vulnerable to campaigns compared with the relative stability of larger enterprises.

He said Hamas supporters had been blamed for much of the campaigning, which often involved harassment techniques including writing bad online reviews, negative social media posts, and direct intimidation by anti-Israel activists.

“Some of the stuff is absurd,” Mr Gersh said.

Anti-Semitism has been left to ‘boil away underneath the surface’

It was “extraordinarily unfair” and misconceived to target small businesses “just because they have a Jewish connection’’.

Anti-Semitism is rife on ­social media, thousands of businesses and people have been slapped with offensive stickers or faced vandalism, large companies such as shipping related to Israel have been targeted, as have suspected defence related firms.

One of the nation’s most ­respected lawyers, Allan Myers KC, said he abhorred the attacks on Jewish businesses and was concerned about what it meant for broader society.

“It’s simple, straightforward, old-fashioned anti-Semitism,” he said. “It’s detestable.’’

“It is detestable to try to hurt them. It’s a symptom of the way our society is developing.’’

Mr Myers said he was concerned Australia may be shifting away from a culture of not punishing people for their heritage or beliefs.

“We were not only free, prosperous but we were also tolerant,’’ he said.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said the anti-Semitism threatened not only Jews but all Australians.

“We cannot afford to sit on our hands, everyone has a role to play, especially governments,’’ he said. “The so-called progressives ­attacking Jews and Jewish-owned businesses are raising the bar for racial hatred in this country. They’re doing loudly and proudly what the neo-Nazis who march down the main streets of Ballarat surely only wish they could do.

“With anti-Semitic propaganda being plastered against Jewish businesses, it’s a hop, skip and a jump before their windows are being smashed in.”

Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said: “There is no place for intolerance in businesses or in our communities. Whether this emerges in the form of anti-Semitism or any other hatred, these ugly ideas are dangerous to our way of life.

“Put simply, it’s not who we are as Australians and it’s not who we should aspire to be.”

Law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler is representing some of the 600 Jewish people on a WhatsApp group that was targeted by anti-Zionist activists.

The activists have published the names and images of hundreds of people in a bid to embarrass them. Some companies have reportedly been targeted on ­social media through phone calls and emails with pressure to sack some people.

“This an appalling, orchestrated campaign to intimidate and harass members of the Australian Jewish community by placing them on a hit list of Jews to be targeted by hateful extremists,” Mr Leibler said.

Rochelle and Adi Daboush run prominent Jewish street food restaurant Tavlin in Melbourne’s southeast that has been harassed from the moment the conflict broke out last year.

The harassment has included abusive phones calls, offensive stickers, a campaign of bad online reviews and a “visit” from men opposed to the Israeli cause.

“It’s been an emotional time, no doubt, especially earlier on,” they said.

Anti-Israel campaigners are using a sophisticated social media strategy to encourage harassment or bans on Jewish companies, ­singling out established Jewish families such as the owners of Sportsgirl and Sussan, the Besen Family Foundation, Chemist Warehouse and Spotlight. Schwartz Media is also a target.

One social media post reads: “Anyone who gives their time, creativity or labour to a recipient of Besen family money should be disgusted, enraged and actively demand divestment from genocide.’’

Another post implores people to sign a pledge: “I will never shop at Spotlight or Anaconda again.’’

Israeli newspaper Haaretz ­reported this week that Victoria Police were pursuing a protection order for a Jewish couple who had received a photograph of their five-year-old son from an anti-Zionist activist with the threat: “I know where you live”.

“All reports of threats and/or violence will be taken seriously, and members of the community are strongly encouraged to report any incidents of concern,’’ it said.

“We will continue to work with our partner agencies across Government and community to monitor the situation.’’

The October atrocities were committed by the terrorist group Hamas, which controls what is left of Gaza, with almost 28,000 Palestinians reported to have died in the aftermath.

The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network did not respond for comment.

As for Mr Gersh’s words ““Some of the stuff is absurd,”. Mr Gersh is right, but you see Jew hatred isn’t just absurd, it’s deadly.

A few months ago, after 7 October, and after the the unspeakable events at the Sydney Opera House two days later a Rabbi I know said from his pulpit that it’s high time that non-Jews spoke up and took to the streets to condemn this ferocious Jew hatred. On Sunday 18 October, here in Sydney, there will be a rally to support Jews and Israel. It is being organised by non-Jews, mainly by Christians, to say to Australia’s Jews that “we have your back”,

The silence yesterday by some, in the face of the Queanbeyan resident’s nasty words spoke volumes to me. However, fortunately some did speak up, and I want to say a big thanks to those who did speak up for me (and Katz) and our culture yesterday, you know your names, but I’ll mention some, Lizzie, Dragnet, Rosie, JC, Tinta and a few others. Some have reached out to me privately. Poor wonderful Lizzie, she puts her neck on the scaffold, and for her bravery she draws mean and uncivil opprobrium from those who are less brave. But I have noted those who remained silent yesterday, who rather than condemning the disgusting commentary hurled at me yesterday morning instead preferred cowardly silence. This I know, you don’t have my back.

PeterM
PeterM
February 10, 2024 8:33 am

Testing

&#x2721

Cassie of Sydney
February 10, 2024 8:35 am

On Sunday 18 October

Apologies everyone, it is…

Sunday 18 February 2024

PeterM
PeterM
February 10, 2024 8:36 am

Testing

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 8:36 am

oh semi colon, where art thou semi colon?

Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 8:37 am

Listening to T Carlson ‘interview’ it seems to me like a monologue by Putin and actually he makes a lot of sense as far as I can see.

I agree in both respects, but it must be hard to conduct an interview in two languages when you can’t communicate directly with the guest. Putin did like to give a full answer and didn’t let himself be distracted, but it didn’t mean he avoided the question. He always went back to it. He was quite diplomatic at times but he couldn’t have made it clearer that –
1. Russia wants to end this was by negotiation and has done for at least a year and a half, and
2. Russia has no desire to invade other countries in the region.

I’m sorry to say it, but the warmongers are in America and Europe. This is based not just on this interview but on long term behaviour, the most obvious and disgusting example being Boris Johnson rushing to Ukraine to scuttle any peace agreement. It couldn’t have been clearer at the time that they wanted to extend the war, never mind the cannon fodder.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
February 10, 2024 8:38 am

So – Trump has now won Nevada…….

And it’s even worse for Haley and the Rinos than it looks on the surface.

Trump wasn’t alone on the caucus ballot:

Donald Trump Wins Nevada GOP Caucuses in Blowout Fashion (8 Feb)

Trump was one of two candidates on the caucus ballot, along with pastor Ryan Binkley, who failed to secure a delegate in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. As of 11:02 p.m. ET, NBC News had called the race when Trump garnered 96.4 percent of the vote to Binkley’s 3.6 percent, with one percent reporting.

Ryan Binkley is a bit of centrist but with very good credentials otherwise. So there’s no reason why the never-Trumpers wouldn’t at very least register an anti-Trump protest vote. Yet Binkley only got 3.6%. By contrast Haley was swamped by over 60% none-of-the-above.

The Republican ordinary voter wants Trump and no one else.

Cassie of Sydney
February 10, 2024 8:42 am

I don’t think Putin is comfortable with any journalist.

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 8:43 am

So – Trump has now won Nevada…….

👍 x 1000

Crossie
Crossie
February 10, 2024 8:43 am

Black Ball
Feb 10, 2024 6:03 AM
As homework you could check your Federal member. Ours be ‘Dr’ Anne Webster.

My MP is Chris Bowen. Nuff said.

Crossie
Crossie
February 10, 2024 8:45 am

Top Ender
Feb 10, 2024 6:50 AM
In Sydney, doing a talk this morning at the Kokoda Walkway on the midget sub raid of 1942.

We got a train from Central to Rhodes. It was speedy, clean, and it cost $1.73 each. Efficiency – what’s going on!

Chris Minns government can make trains run on time.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
February 10, 2024 8:45 am

Actually it turns out Trump got over 99% of the caucus votes in Nevada, that 96.4% must’ve been an early booth. I had to hunt for numbers but both BBC and Al Jaz say over 99%.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 8:48 am

The silence yesterday by some, in the face of the Queanbeyan resident’s nasty words spoke volumes to me.

I see what you’re doing there, Cassie. I presume I am part of the “some”. Apparently by not “speaking out” and instead trying to get a sensible strategy from Joh in the wake of her comment is a form of moral cowardice.

As for not feeling what you are feeling, I see will have to make my private worries public so that there is no misapprehension about where I stand.

You know I have Jewish grandchildren. Everyone on the blog knows. Every school day I wonder, will it be today? I have my strong daughter on the phone to me in tears, bewildered that she is so afraid to drop off and pick up her kids. She has never been afraid in her life. The unspeakable has happened elsewhere, why not in Sydney? My Christian friends are faithfully praying for divine protection for the school and indeed, the entire community. We did so yesterday morning.

And now I have spoken my volume. It’s deeply personal, but I have no other method of conveying to you my thoughts on the matter.

Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 8:48 am
Mother Lode
Mother Lode
February 10, 2024 8:49 am

Does anyone else note the parallel between Nikki Haley defeat in Nevada, and (the cyclops) Polyphemus after Odysseus (who was using the name Outis, or ‘nobody’ in English) blinded him.

Polyphemus’ fellow giants come running in response to all the commotion and ask him “Who has hurt you?”

“Nobody has hurt me! Kill nobody!”

Nikki will be be stomping about the hotel room “I am so angry nobody has beat me!”

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
February 10, 2024 8:50 am

Oh, and another new OT.

The last one being only a single day?

The sneakiness continues unabated.

Baba
Baba
February 10, 2024 8:51 am

Knuckle Dragger
Feb 9, 2024 9:53 PM
One thing’s for sure.

That tart accusing Beale of skullduggery should be on the next season of MAFS.

If the abovementioned matters – NSWPlod failing to interview witnesses and so on – are correct,

From The Age:

Hotel chef Amar Adhikari said he saw a girl’s sandals in a cubicle and heard a sound “like chewing something with an open mouth”.

In his statement, Adhikari said it was the “first time I ever see the girls in men’s bathroom”, and that the sound was “like the girl suck the d— of the boy”.

“I think they had already closed the downstairs band, so it was quiet in there, so I can hear,” he said. “The whole time, I can hear the same sound from the cubicle.”

“You say that went on for a minute or so the whole time you were there?” Cunneen asked.

“Yeah,” Adhikari said.

Nirmal Tamang, who was a kitchenhand in the pub, said he saw a pair of shoes, “maybe sneakers”, facing towards the toilet seat, and a pair of “female heels” facing towards the toilet door.

“I didn’t hear any noises the whole time,” Tamang said. “We were there for probably two minutes only.”

Under cross-examination, the two men said they had not heard anyone in distress, saying “no” or “stop” or any female voice.

The court heard police did not speak to Adhikari and Timang until February 2023, after Beale was arrested.

In response to Cunneen’s suggestion that she “arrested and charged first and investigated later”, the officer-in-charge of the investigation, Senior Constable Christina Tesoriero, said: “That’s incorrect.”

Kurtley Beale was arrested and charged on 20 January 2023.

Johnny Rotten
Johnny Rotten
February 10, 2024 8:52 am

Cassie of Sydney
Feb 10, 2024 8:33 AM

I get it. But then again, try being a ‘Pom’ in Convict’s Paradise.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 8:53 am

Russia has no desire to invade other countries in the region

Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kuril Islands…

Makes as much sense as Fatmuricans spreading democracy at the bombsight of a B1-B Lancer.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 8:54 am

In response to Cunneen’s suggestion that she “arrested and charged first and investigated later”, the officer-in-charge of the investigation, Senior Constable Christina Tesoriero, said: “That’s incorrect.”

Except that it’s not.

We need a Royal Commission into False Accusations.

Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 8:55 am
Hugh
Hugh
February 10, 2024 8:57 am

🐖

Cassie of Sydney
February 10, 2024 8:58 am

Apparently by not “speaking out” and instead trying to get a sensible strategy from Joh in the wake of her comment is a form of moral cowardice.

No, that is not what ensued yesterday. And I recall your flippant words…..

But I flatly refuse to turn this forum into a slanging match for the entertainment of the peanut gallery. Unfortunate for popcorn sales, but there it is.

Having the back of a people with thousands of years of murderous persecution behind them is not “slanging”.

I think Lizzie yesterday described you best.

There are no longer any upticks or downticks so at least cowardice on this forum can no longer be rewarded as it was yesterday.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Peter Greagg
Peter Greagg
February 10, 2024 8:58 am

Been away from the Cat for a couple of days and scrolled back.
Not sure what to say?

Anyway, thanks to Dover for this (usually) magnificent blog.

In entertainment news, I went to an Ian Moss acoustic concert last night (in Canberra).
As usual, Ian was fantastic.

In other news, Netflicks has a great Australian movie on it “The Big Dry”, with Eric Bana.
Excellent drama with many red herrings.
Worth having a look IMO.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
February 10, 2024 9:00 am

Nikki will be be stomping about the hotel room “I am so angry nobody has beat me!”

The caucus result also suggests the 30% she did get in the state-run primary were almost entirely Democrats in drag.

This stuff says a lot about the political dynamics going on in the US right now. Pretty much a grass roots uprising against the privileged class. I wonder what the Dems and deep state will try next?

Boambee John
Boambee John
February 10, 2024 9:00 am

To describe yesterday’s thread as awful is to understate the extent of the inane stoush trolling that occurred.

Cassie, I have expressed my support for you and Israel on other occasions, but I was not willing to enter the sewer yesterday.

Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 9:01 am
Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 9:04 am

The train is still bearing down on us and our politicians can be relied upon to tie us to the track.

As WHO Pandemic Treaty Nears Completion, Critics Raise Red Flags for US Freedoms

Cassie of Sydney
February 10, 2024 9:04 am

Cassie, I have expressed my support for you and Israel on other occasions, but I was not willing to enter the sewer yesterday.

This I know, and it wasn’t directed at you.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 9:05 am

I think Lizzie yesterday described you best.

Thank you Cassie. The scales have fallen from my eyes.

The words weren’t “flippant”. They were directed at those who enjoy this blog and repeat our comments ad nauseum on their hate threads. Yes, I’m looking at you Chilli.

I wish you a long and happy life, Cassie. There’s nothing more I can add.

calli
calli
February 10, 2024 9:08 am
Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:11 am

Putin inspired me to read up on Russian history. Proto Russia probably existed since at least the 830s (so roughly as long as England as a nation, just like England at the time without a formal, unitary nation State) The question is if the Swedish Vikings married into the existing Khaganates, set up their own cities or asserted themselves by force.

What’s more likely is the Swedes and Russians were probably more alike than past historians realised and had been intermarrying otherwise well before the known establishment of Kiev etc.

The Holy Roman and Eastern Emperors correspondence mentioning the early Rus is biased against the Scandinavians (Vikings) and anyone they otherwise may consider in their sphere of influence who would asset full political autonomy.

More historical documents from the time would be delightful.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
February 10, 2024 9:11 am

I’d forgotten the narrative all the Biden boosters were pushing.
“It was only a handful of documents”.

Biden and everyone in his orbit are pretty corrupt, so they have big hands.

Indolent
Indolent
February 10, 2024 9:12 am
Perplexed of Brisbane
Perplexed of Brisbane
February 10, 2024 9:12 am

Dover,

Is it possible to have a reply button (like Michael Smith’s blog) where you can reply directly to a comment in a thread and it and all subsequent replies stay together like a thread within a thread?

It may contain the stoushers to one part of the thread, making it easier for those not involved to by pass it.

It may make it easier for commenters who delve into a discussion on a topic that gets raised to continue their discussion, rather than have to search through for any replies.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:14 am

The blank slate idea of history we’re cursed with seems to be an Anglophone thing. We had a Eurocentric view of the expansion of the Empire and creation of America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

I think it’s been a stumbling block for our historians or at least the teaching of history for at least 100 years.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:18 am

In entertainment news, I went to an Ian Moss acoustic concert last night (in Canberra).
As usual, Ian was fantastic.

I should go, as a young boomer, before he retires.

Matchbook is likely one of the greatest albums of the 20th century and possibly the best Australian album ever.

Out of the Fire is a masterpiece.

Vagabond
Vagabond
February 10, 2024 9:18 am

Cassie of Sydney
Feb 10, 2024 8:33 AM

The only other Jewish commentator I am aware of here is Katz, and I can guarantee that he is feeling just like me. Since 7 October, Jews across the world are feeling very, very insecure.

You are not the only Jewish commenter here, but certainly the most articulate. Here in Melbournistan things are just as horrible as in Sydney. There was a news item recently about Jewish families leaving certain suburbs north of the river because of overt anti-semitism.

Last week I happened to pass the landmark Melbourne Hebrew congregation synagogue on the corner of Toorak and St Kilda Roads and noticed the star of David that was a prominent feature on top of the dome for many years had been removed. Admittedly that congregation has been in decline for the last couple of decades but the removal of its symbol made a powerful impression on me. You can imagine that happening in 1930s Germany.

?

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 9:19 am

our historians

History belongs to those who write it.

e.g. Pascoe

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:22 am

How close is Israel to defeating Hamas?

Genuine question. Gaza isn’t that big after all.

I don’t believe Netanyahu is unpopular. I think he has a crap sandwich as to what to do next.

“I’ve beaten Hamas, now what!?”

Cassie of Sydney
February 10, 2024 9:35 am

Vagabond
Feb 10, 2024 9:18 AM

Thank you.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:36 am

You know

Sometimes think I’m trolling if I say something provocative.

I’m not.

In light of what happened to Hayne and Beale, is it worth considering having your Tinder dates recorded on CCTV?

I’m only half joking. Look, there’s affirmative consent! Well, off camera, he threatened me to enthusiastically consent.

Reminds of the doc who got accused of rape and the missus who made that accusation basically rode him until he was physically broken for the night.

I can’t understand why angry young men who feel like they have been given a Kafkaesque choice in life start becoming Islam curious.

“Well a jury can be trusted” is about the most chilling statement one could make.

What’s the alternative? Give up? Screen all gfs for mental health? Have your mother in law chaperone you after marriage? Constantly give out alibi vibes…”special girl is wearing me out trying for a baby, I can’t keep up…”, post that to group chats as an “insurance” policy?

On the other hand, I did see an online sex worker state the other day that she won’t date men unless they drive a a car “worth” at least 300k USD car and her wedding ring should equal the average US mortgage.

I can’t figure out what has gone wrong with society.

The cream of the crop of men get treated like creeps and they’re not even good enough for online sex workers.

Now gentlemen:

You will own nothing and you must be happy, for your own sanity.

You like potato salad? Show me potato salad!

Megan
Megan
February 10, 2024 9:37 am

We Australians are governed by a bunch of dangerously self- absorbed out of touch ego maniacs motivated by self-interest

BINGO! Except I’d switch out governed for ruled. And ask the question as to why most of the MSM, with very few notable exceptions, this damned long to notice.

Megan
Megan
February 10, 2024 9:38 am

…why it took…so long etc. I need another slig of single malt. Is it too early?

Megan
Megan
February 10, 2024 9:39 am

SLUG! Forget the drink…the missing ticks have obviously infested my typing finger.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:39 am

Turns out the first flounce of the year was from the…upticks.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 9:40 am

Sometimes…people, otherwise known as you lot!, of course….

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
February 10, 2024 9:43 am

Cassie, thank you for recognizing that I did my best yesterday to stand up for Israel, Jews, and the reputation of this blog for decency. I see that for my pains I have as usual simply copped a serve of ‘flounce’ and other ‘usual suspect’ stuff. I didn’t support removal of the upticks, although I did see the downticks as a problem.

I will be down the South Coast for the weekend. We leave shortly, and I will be giving myself a break from this blog then, and perhaps for longer. The sort of hatreds piled upon me do take their emotional and physical toll. I don’t think I contributed to any ‘sewer’ yesterday, but the blame game against me has already started. I will come back in when I am ready to do so, that seems fair.

#x2721

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 10, 2024 9:46 am

Blog running like greased lightning since the ticks have gone.
It was very revealing what came out of the woodwork yesterday when that was announced.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
February 10, 2024 9:47 am

Israeli flag; didn’t work.

Chin up, Cassie. I don’t know if you want to continue on here, yesterday you quite understandably did not want to, and neither did I. Let’s see how it pans out.

KevinM
KevinM
February 10, 2024 9:51 am

feelthebern
Feb 10, 2024 7:34 AM

KevinM, I thought Putin looked uncomfortable.
What did you think?

Have to admit I was listening not watching, the bits I saw I thought he was relaxed and as comfortable as anyone would be during an overlong sitting.

I have the feeling that he speaks English well, but I’m not sure, at times he took too long to respond as if to gather his thoughts, at others he responds immediately.
I don’t know.

If anyone was frustrated it was Carlson, the rules were clearly laid down well in advance and he had no control.

Whatever anyone thinks, he beats Biden in the intelligence race.

Hugh
Hugh
February 10, 2024 9:52 am

Some very beautiful music:

Hanna Marti — Orpheus

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
February 10, 2024 9:55 am

I heard that in the US (and probably here) there are more women in college than men. It does not entirely surprise me as there has been a definite spike in what they call the ‘soft sciences’ but I would call Bull Tish degrees in politics, women’s studies, and so on, as well as the re-design of curricula of traditional humanities courses like literature and history to focus on race, gender, systems of oppression.

Imagine reading something like Great Expectations and only seeing white male privilege and the oppression of wymmin, and the studied absence of transsexuals, class-power structures, and even racism because the wealth Pip makes in Egypt must be somehow stolen from Egypt. Imagine reading such a book and just having your convictions confirmed. To be satisfied at having read such literature and at the end being no wiser, no better, untouched by the vicissitudes and spirit of the characters (who, while they are fictitious the empathy and insights are not), but instead to get to the last page and and Estrella should dye her hair purple and start a Women’s Collective.

So, with all that said – I think there is a ‘feminisation’ of schools where lessons and classes are designed more to accommodate the girls natural tendencies than boys. It’s a theory.

It would be interesting to compare the results of boys from co-ed schools and boys from boys-only schools (but not the elite schools, obviously). At a boys only school there would be more energy burned off in the playground, more forgiving for minor acts of boisterousness in class and mischievous quips, and less of the belittling of maleness that teaches boys they have inherited the guilt for all the worlds ills.

Has such a comparison been done?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 10, 2024 9:59 am

Knuckle Dragger

Feb 10, 2024 12:20 AM

This thread dedicated to snivellers who must now make an actual argument instead of anonymously downticking personalities rather than content.

Weep tears of rage. Go on now. Have some Doritos afterwards.

Quite so x 45.
I think the shrill protestations yesterday about the demise of the ticks were very revealing.

Peter Greagg
Peter Greagg
February 10, 2024 9:59 am

Gerard Henderson in the Oz.

BTW, as I mentioned up-thread, I missed all the ructions on the Cat in the last few days.

It probably doesn’t need to be said as I have strongly spoken out here, and in many other places, since 7 October, but for the record I strongly oppose “Jew Hatred”, fully support Israel’s pursuit of Hamas, and am very sympathetic towards all my Jewish friends and the Cats of that persuasion.

Gerald’s column is on the money as far as I am concerned.

ABC adds another sorry chapterto Lattouf shame file
Readers of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories will recall that his character, Sherlock Holmes, once solved a case by drawing assumptions about a dog that did not bark.

The ABC Media Watch program resumed on Monday with presenter Paul Barry stating the taxpayer-funded public broadcaster “has launched into 2024 with a hot new political drama”. The reference was to the ABC’s decision in late December not to allow Antoinette Lattouf, whom Barry described as a “Lebanese-Australian journalist”, to present the final two days of her five-day contract filling in on ABC Radio Sydney.

According to the ABC, it took action against Lattouf after she defied an order not to post comments on social media. Lattouf had forwarded a post by Human Rights Watch that claimed the Israeli government was using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza. As Barry pointed out, the ABC had run the HRW story the previous day. However, he did not mention that HRW is an avowed critic of Israel.

I argued on these pages on January 27 that it was a mistake for the ABC to employ Lattouf in the first place, and a further mistake not to allow her to conclude the final two days of her contract.

Barry was broadly sympathetic to Lattouf. Yet he did acknowledge “she had been vocal about the Israel-Gaza war for weeks and … made it clear where her sympathies lay”. Barry added that Lattouf was “not a Hamas supporter” but conceded she had been “scathing about Israel’s justification that it acted in self-defence” – following the atrocity of October 7 in which more Jews were murdered in one day than at any time since the end of the Nazi Germany Holocaust.

In short, Lattouf is an activist journalist – who is hostile to Israel. Jon Faine, until recently an important presenter on ABC Radio Melbourne, is a strong supporter of the public broadcaster. Asked to comment on the case by Nine newspapers on January 27, Faine said ABC journalists must “surrender yourself” in order to take a presenter’s position.
He added: “On Friday, Ms Lattouf was an activist, on Monday she was an ABC presenter; well, it doesn’t work.” Quite so. It is true that, as revealed by Nine newspapers, a group called Lawyers for Israel complained to ABC management. It is not at all clear that Lattouf’s removal (on full pay) from two shows resulted from this.

Lattouf was an anti-Israel activist before the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7 and remains one today in an atmosphere of virulent anti-Semitism in many Australian cities, especially Sydney and Melbourne.

The rise of anti-Semitism has been evident in recent years in many European nations. This is well illustrated in Jews Don’t Count, by London-based writer and comedian David Baddiel, published by The Sunday Times in 2021. Baddiel, a proud Jew, writes that we are told “that those who do not experience racism need to listen, to learn … when others speak of their experiences – except, it seems, when Jews do”.

Baddiel gives examples of anti-Semitism in Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam and, yes, Melbourne. It’s much worse now – in London, Melbourne and elsewhere.

October 9 was modern Australia’s day of shame. A group of protesters undertook an illegal march from Sydney Town Hall to the Sydney Opera House. On the way they called for the elimination of Israel – from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. They were accompanied at the rear by NSW Police.

Despite the fact that this was an unauthorised march, the only arrest made by NSW Police was of a man carrying an Israeli flag. He was subsequently released.

Anglican clergyman Mark Leach told the Sky News Sharri program on February 6 that, at the Town Hall, he heard protesters chanting “kill the Jews” and was chased down the street by a man “running behind me threatening to slit my throat”.
NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns has criticised the protest as “violent and racist”. For its part, NSW Police acknowledged that at the Opera House the chants of “f..k the Jews” and “where’s the Jews?” were heard, but not “gas the Jews”. This despite the fact that, to many who have viewed the video, the protesters seemed to be saying “gas” rather than “where’s”.

In one sense it makes little difference. No one is going to get away with gassing anyone in contemporary Australia. But demanding to know where Australian Jews can be found is deeply threatening. Little wonder that many Jews feel unsafe in their own country.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said at a media conference on February 2 he had overwhelming certainty that the protesters made no reference to “gas” – and that this was the finding of an expert report. He did not state whether the finding was made by someone with expertise in Middle Eastern languages/accents. Lanyon recognised that some witnesses reported hearing the word “gas” but had not been able to identify any such individual. And he did concede that the video footage had not been doctored.

Writing in the leftist Crikey on December 13, Lattouf was probably the first journalist to dismiss the gas comment. On February 2, she said NSW Police had confirmed that this was not the case and said she was looking forward to receiving apologies from those who had criticised her article. She did not suggest that apologies were required from those who shouted “f..k the Jews”.

Which brings us back to Media Watch. Barry declared that Lattouf “was right to question” whether “gas the Jews” had been chanted at the Opera House. He seemed to be of the view that the opinion of one person, which has been accepted by NSW Police without further testing, should be accepted without question. Barry went along with Lattouf’s call for an apology.

However, Barry did not allow viewers to make their own judgment by listening to the actual words that were chanted. Instead, he talked over the video while the volume was turned down. In short, Barry didn’t allow viewers to come to their own opinion. Why? – as Sherlock Holmes was wont to ask.

Gerard Henderson is executive director of The Sydney Institute.

GERARD HENDERSON COLUMNIST

Roger
Roger
February 10, 2024 9:59 am

Olympics trougher John Coates, who was instrumental in convincing Palaszczuk to bid for the Olympics nobody in SE QLD wanted, now complaining that “suddenly we’re on the nose in Brisbane”.

You hitched your wagon to a horse with no legs, John.

Johnny Rotten
Johnny Rotten
February 10, 2024 10:00 am

Sancho Panzer
Feb 10, 2024 9:46 AM
Blog running like greased lightning since the ticks have gone.
It was very revealing what came out of the woodwork yesterday when that was announced.

Mrs Stencho Pantyhose, they were thumbs. Get along to Spec Savers and get tested.

And what came out of the woodwork? More worms?

Pogria
Pogria
February 10, 2024 10:00 am

This has been a long time coming.
Don’t believe it will be for long though.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 10:03 am

I think the shrill protestations yesterday about the demise of the ticks were very revealing.

Perish the thought.

They will definitely post something original today, not reposted from elsewhere or otherwise complaining about “blog wreckers!” – surely!?

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 10:04 am

…and. Here. We. GO!!!

John H.
John H.
February 10, 2024 10:05 am

A tickless Catallaxy. Transitioned from new to trans. A pretense of femininity. Ye shall not enter my RAM!

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 10, 2024 10:11 am

Johnny Rotten

Feb 10, 2024 8:52 AM

Cassie of Sydney
Feb 10, 2024 8:33 AM

I get it. But then again, try being a ‘Pom’ in Convict’s Paradise.

So taunts about knotted hankies and an aversion to bathing are the equivalent of Hamarse terrorism, eh, Wodney?
I assume “Convict’s Paradise” is another reference to Marty Armstrong?

John H.
John H.
February 10, 2024 10:12 am

Low-dose lithium attenuates kidney aging in mice

The required dosage is much higher than I am taking; the equivalent of about 600mg for a human. Still well below the toxicity threshold. The interesting aspect is the claim the benefit revolves around an enzyme implicated in sugar regulation. That is intriguing because an epidemiological study of centenarians published just a few days ago found two key variables: good blood sugar regulation and preserved kidney function.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
February 10, 2024 10:14 am

Dot
Feb 10, 2024 9:11 AM

Lot of Byzantine influence as well
The Tsar was a Caesar role
And the Caesar was the Eastern Roman one.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 10:15 am

It would be interesting to compare the results of boys from co-ed schools and boys from boys-only schools (but not the elite schools, obviously). At a boys only school there would be more energy burned off in the playground, more forgiving for minor acts of boisterousness in class and mischievous quips, and less of the belittling of maleness that teaches boys they have inherited the guilt for all the worlds ills.

Two-three-four or five problems:

“Normal” single sex schools are rare these days. Even elite schools are usually coeducational.

Sometimes the single sex non elite boys schools were a dumping ground for unruly/bad kids. So normal kids had to endure a prison like existence because 1% – 10% of their cohorts were anti social, mildly retarded, abused at home or had useless parents.

How do you account for different measures of performance and multifactorial outcomes later on?

Then there’s also the issue of men on average having a slightly higher IQ with a far larger variance and society has falling IQ – which is difficult to disentangle also coincides with the increase in women’s participation in universities and the prevalence of knife and fork “degrees”.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
February 10, 2024 10:19 am

Morn all.

Gawd the average age of Vic Pol is young. Cpuple of interactions this week.

Speaking of cops Katrina “you can’t arrest your way out of a crime wave” Carroll assures us she has the solution to Aboriginal/ethnic crime. Spare me if I don’t care.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
February 10, 2024 10:20 am

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said at a media conference on February 2 he had overwhelming certainty that the protesters made no reference to “gas”

And this is why people have so little respect for police now. Oh, they will call for them in emergencies – it is the only straw allowed to be clutched at. But people now see the police as a politicised, partisan, and timid organisation. People know that if your car is stolen, your house burgled, your property vandalised, or even attacked without being able to see your attacker, all the police will do is file a report. Occasionally they blunder into miscreants and catch them in flagrante delicto and may then solve a crime or two other, but you do better playing the Lotto.

Truthfully, when I see police talking to civilians now I don’t have the feeling any more that someone is getting their comeuppance. I have as strong a suspicion instead that they are just pushing someone around because they can.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
February 10, 2024 10:21 am

The chick who’s name escapes me who had an ALP lover and ‘worked’ for red Ted and now a state Nat MP.

Steph Ryan, retired 2019. Husband/partner City of Yarra ALP member that she is now very shy of admitting, wiki profile cleansed of his political affiliation, google searches same unless you put in his exact name & alp councillor.

Good riddence anyway from what I saw interstate she was even more dripping wet than the Photios faction in NSW.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
February 10, 2024 10:23 am

Lattouf was an anti-Israel activist before the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7 and remains one today in an atmosphere of virulent anti-Semitism in many Australian cities, especially Sydney and Melbourne.

Hes way too kind.

Shes a race pimp.
Devoid of other talent she reverts to just being a basic bitch race pimp.

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/how-to-lose-friends-and-influence-white-people-9781761044007

Roger
Roger
February 10, 2024 10:24 am

Brisbane Sudanese community representative Beny Bol is blaming Australian culture for youth crime (not for the first time).

Yet a recent study of “offences against the person” committed by youths found a “significantly higher” rate of offending among Sudanese born youth compared to indigenous and non-indigenous Australian born youth. As the study also notes, ethnic Sudanese youths and adults feature “prominently” in violent crime statistics.

Denial will get us nowhere, Beny.

cohenite
February 10, 2024 10:26 am

Indolent
Feb 10, 2024 9:10 AM
Trump Demands Jack Smith Drop Classified Docs Case After Biden Gets Off With No Charges

This is extraordinary. Biden is not guilty because he is senile, but wasn’t when he was a senator and VP when he committed the offence. Trump had an absolute right to take home classified material, which he had sole power to classify, but he is charged. Jack Smith is being directed by biden. This is the nadir of double standards.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 10:27 am

It’s fascinating mole. Of course historically the significance of the conversion of an overlord monarch and marrying into the old Imperial family cannot be understated but of course Russia and Ukraine had monks and missionaries from the time of the Roman Principate into the time of the national conversion. So why would a national conversion be possible without a great standing army and strong central authority?

My point is not to undermine Russia but to show it is likely older than Russians can reliably prove.

Roger
Roger
February 10, 2024 10:29 am

The Tsar was a Caesar role

Moscow as Third Rome is still a thing among Slavophiles and Russophiles.

Some attribute eschatological significance to the Romanov regicide.

Some people can’t live outside a rabbit hole.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
February 10, 2024 10:31 am

That was why I was hoping someone had done the study, with all appropriate caveats, coefficients, and considerations. I am not qualified.

I suppose I look back to my upbringing in a Catholic school, boys only catering to years 5 to 10. At recess and lunch we played sport or games (there would be three or four games of touch footy with a tennis ball on the main driveway at a time), running around the yard, and would get back into the classroom ruddy faced and panting. The lessons seemed to be tailored to boy-energy levels, lots of joking – guy behaviour – which the teachers harnessed rather than supressed.

Well, that was my recollection. And we never heard of ADD and all those medications.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
February 10, 2024 10:33 am

the Olympics nobody in SE QLD wanted

I don’t know about that. I think watching muscular men winning all the women’s events would be quite entertaining.

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 10:35 am

From this sniveller:

thumbs down! where art thou thumbs down?

Rabz
February 10, 2024 10:36 am

minns government can make trains run on time

Purely because those stinking union sh*theads were conducting a sabotage campaign against the public and the government, which they were engaged in endlessly until we were gifted with minns’ abortion of a government, when it mysteriously stopped.

The rail network in Sydney is abominable and the behaviour of the idiots catching the trains is just appalling.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
February 10, 2024 10:37 am

Haunted vagina is haunted

Facebook’s endless back-to-school photos spark complex feelings for childfree people like me – but sadness isn’t one of them
Van Badham

Copium incoming..

There are countermeasures available, of course – and one of these, I’d suggest, is embracing active roles for the childless and childfree in the broad community of family and friends that actually helps people with kids raise their children – especially in scenarios where dual careers, other care commitments and ongoing economic demands so fiercely squeeze any parents’ time. Meaningful, personal connection to the diversity of lives lived positively reinforces a better and more compelling argument against gender roles than the manosphere could ever counteract.

Yet there’s another powerful – and more difficult – option, too … and that’s to drop the old gender hangups in ourselves.

JC
JC
February 10, 2024 10:40 am

cohenite
Feb 10, 2024 10:26 AM
Indolent
Feb 10, 2024 9:10 AM
Trump Demands Jack Smith Drop Classified Docs Case After Biden Gets Off With No Charges

This is extraordinary. Biden is not guilty because he is senile, but wasn’t when he was a senator and VP when he committed the offence. Trump had an absolute right to take home classified material, which he had sole power to classify, but he is charged. Jack Smith is being directed by biden. This is the nadir of double standards

That’s true, but I’m thinking Hur’s report was pretty much on target while the problem side is what they’re trying to do to Trump. Hur’s was absolutely devastating.

Roger
Roger
February 10, 2024 10:42 am

Of that bunch of Prime Minister’s, I believe only Abbott and Gillard can hold their heads high. Julia destroyed her time at the top with her broken carbon tax promise, but post politics has kept her mouth shut.

That may be because she’s been occupied at the trough since, Steve Price.

Rabz
February 10, 2024 10:45 am

as authorities assess evidence of offences after the October 7 atrocities

Oh, give it a rest – they’re doing nothing of the sort.

The damage is done and the malodourous moozley morons, whose stock in trade is racist misogynistic abuse and intimidation, have been emboldened. See Dragnet’s recent comment about their behaviour in Schlockdale.

The “authorities” have been asleep at the wheel and are worse than useless.

All of this is that despicable imbecile minns’ fault – and the stupid forking gliberals for being so hopeless they gifted us with his sorry excuse for a government.

Roger
Roger
February 10, 2024 10:55 am

We got a train from Central to Rhodes. It was speedy, clean, and it cost $1.73 each. Efficiency – what’s going on!

Large bribes…er, subsidies to the union courtesy the tax payer.

Dot
Dot
February 10, 2024 10:55 am

The earliest, easy to find reference to missionaries to the Scandinavians is in 710 with one King openly converting in around 830, over 100 years before Harold Bluetooth.

The idea of the Rus’ Varangians (apparently from Sweden) being ignorant of Christianity is another blank slate type error. Keep in mind the Swedes peacefully traded and settled in/moved around Northern European countries such as England for centuries. It was an English Bishop who went as a missionary in 710 after all…

Roger
Roger
February 10, 2024 10:56 am

The labour movement is now basically an extortion racket with a political front.

MatrixTransform
February 10, 2024 10:57 am

“I think the shrill protestations yesterday about the demise of the ticks were very revealing”

…and I thought removing ticks would stop the moaning.

apparently not

Rabz
February 10, 2024 10:58 am

Dot – all the history of the Rus I learned from that noted documentary, “Vikings“.

The Pute can go and pound sand.

Barking Toad
Barking Toad
February 10, 2024 10:59 am

Boy, the 24 hours to midnight last night was one of the biggest scrolling days ever.

And it continued into the early hours of the morning.

Hope there’s not a repeat today.

Meanwhile, Tom is up at 04:00am again to start the day with the cartoons and deserves our mighty thanks. Leak continues his brilliance.

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 11:00 am

Brisbane Sudanese community representative Beny Bol is blaming Australian culture for youth crime (not for the first time).

like spoilt brats- brought to us by canbra

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 11:01 am

I’m wondering in Sam Rae is related to former Senator Robert Rae?

Salvatore, Iron Publican
February 10, 2024 11:01 am

Johnny Rotten Feb 10, 2024 8:52 AM
… try being a ‘Pom’ in Convict’s Paradise.

Try being a small business operator in the Land of the Fair Go.

miltonf
miltonf
February 10, 2024 11:03 am

No barking up the wrong tree- Robert Ray not Rae

alwaysright
alwaysright
February 10, 2024 11:03 am

…and I thought removing ticks would stop the moaning.

I asked my wife to moan whilst we were having sex.

So what happens the next time we have sex?

“You’re always late, never on time, you leave your dirty socks on the floor…

shatterzzz
February 10, 2024 11:04 am

Sad about the ticks ……. duuuuuuh!
Personally, I only ever regarded them as an acknowledgement that some folk whether for or against had , actually, read the post ..
I’ve never down ticked anyone as everyone is entitled to there opinion whether I agree or disagree ….

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