Open Thread – Thurs 25 July 2024


Market Day at Trouville, Normandy, Eugene Boudin, 1878

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KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 12:24 am

Good moaning.
Mother and child?

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KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 12:33 am

Strangely my post is not about them (the Huntleys), though they were interesting people.
Visit the link if want more info who they were.

My question is how did those millions of T model Fords got about on mostly unmade roads on those skinny tires?

Screenshot-2024-07-24-050501
KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 12:36 am

I like this because it’s true, even if I dislike tattoos.

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Top Ender
Top Ender
July 25, 2024 1:48 am

Too interesting to leave on the old Fred:

Crime Index update:

The Alice comes in at number 18 world-wide:

https://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings.jsp

Winning!

Top Ender
Top Ender
July 25, 2024 2:13 am

Back in the Balkans again
 
We were here last year, but now returning for more. We boarded a UniWorld river cruiser, journeying up the Danube from Bucharest to Budapest.
 
In Bulgaria the population is going backwards. They used to have about 9 million people in 1980, now they have 6.6 million. It seems rampant government incompetence, a law-and-order crisis, and better opportunities elsewhere are driving people away. 
 
Serbia is another country down on its luck. Average wages swamped by prices including petrol at E2 a litre – about $3.30 Australian. Belgrade still has evidence of bomb damage. And an ageing population and young people trying to leave.

The cruise itself was however excellent. River boats are long and thin – just one cabin on either side of a passageway – so they can fit through the locks. One restaurant; one main living area, but the deck on top under awnings provides another, although Europe has been very hot lately. Food was very good, and everything included, such as excursions, wifi and drinks. No plastic bottled water onboard or handed out – great. Limited onboard entertainment – one speaker on Serbia, local traditional dancing, singer one night…

Croatia was much happier than either country above, we visited only the NE corner based around Osijek– on one bank of the Danube with Serbia on the other, and somewhat unbelievably a time change of an hour in the middle.

The highlight of one of our daily excursions included lunch in a traditional suburban house – this one had a large backyard where they grew all their own vegies and had 25 chooks; two hunting dogs, and a raven. Great food, fresh from garden. We started off with tasting rakia – made by her, then apricot brandy, walnut, pear etc.  Husband was a hunter, so we had antlers decorating the wall etc – interestingly though, he worked at the local zoo.  
Then onto Budapest, the capital city of sensible Hungary. We enjoyed some traditional dancing onboard and a classical concert at their museum.   The ship needed to be moved upstream, so we had a wonderful night cruise admiring the lights of the city.

Did a city walk around focussed on the communist years. No graffiti; happy guide; no weirdo’s on the streets either. In Victory Square they have two life-size statues: George Bush and Ronald Reagan, both placed there by a citizenry grateful for US efforts in getting them out from under the Communist boot. 

Our Airbnb accommodation ashore was a traditional block of 1800s flats, four storey with the inside atrium. All central heating, long curtains, double glazing etc, but temperatures stayed in low 30’s.  Luckily there was a pedestal fan.  We went up to Buda Castle for wonderful views of the city – been rebuilt many times – the latest demolition job was by Allied bombers in WWII. As one of our guides said the other day: “we were on the losing side both times.”

Now at Budapest airport with another delayed flight – don’t book in the afternoon – going to Zurich to begin our Switzerland train trip.

KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 2:14 am

Top Ender
July 25, 2024 1:48 am

Too interesting to leave on the old Fred:

Crime Index update:

There is an AS FB site with daily updates of happenings crime wise in Alice Springs.
Can’t find it just now.

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 25, 2024 3:24 am

Top Ender, your trip has been incredible so far. You should have signed up to be a Lonely Planet author.
My son is currently on a ten week trip to Europe with many interesting stops. However his photos few and far between and seem to consist of selfies with his girlfriend that rarely give any idea of which country he is in. He definitely has no chance being a lonely planet author !

KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 3:46 am

A lovely song.
Even for this agnostic.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 3:57 am

The little flower that poisons,
The little fly that stings,
He made the AIDS virus,
And even nastier things.

All things big and horrible,
All creatures short and squat,
All things huge and hideous,
The lord God made the lot.

Last edited 1 month ago by DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 4:00 am

I couldn’t recall the Monty python properly so I had to make bits up. But I think I caught the sentiment.

Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:00 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:01 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:01 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:02 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:03 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:04 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:05 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:06 am
KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 4:06 am

DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 3:57 am

I agree and stopped searching for the truth, there is no truth.

What they can’t explain, they put like “God moves in a mysterious ways’ or God’s plans span eons.

We live here and now.

Still a lovely song.

Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:06 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:07 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:08 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:09 am
Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 4:09 am
DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 4:13 am

Thanks Tom.

KevinM
KevinM
July 25, 2024 4:18 am

Sorry about the interruption Tom, didn’t realise the time.
Not a lot of us with sleeping problems, thanks the almighty for that.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 4:18 am

We live here and now.

Some people prefer living in a collective fantasy to reality. It comforts them. For some reason, it doesn’t work for me; possibly because I usually know when I’m trying to fool myself. That spoils it.

Miltonf
Miltonf
July 25, 2024 4:28 am

Geez that Cheadle thing is ugly with the usual BA of course. Would fit in well in Canbra.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 4:40 am

Geez that Cheadle thing is ugly with the usual BA of course.

Ugly in mind and body. All things short and squat. It’s a terrible thing to say of anyone, but she’s one of nature’s bureaucrats.

Beertruk
July 25, 2024 5:34 am

I know that Bolta is not everyone’s cup of tea, however I thought this was worthwhile.
Disclaimer: I am having a cup of Bushells extra strong loose leaf tea, made in a proper teapot, no sugar but with full cream pasteurised unhomogenised milk 🙂

Today’s Tele:

BEHIND THE LAUGHTER, KAMALA IS A REAL THREAT
 
ANDREW BOLT
25 Jul 2024
 
What’s with Donald Trump and his Republicans? Are they trying to help Kamala Harris win the November election?

They seem too arrogant to see that Joe Biden’s vice president is a shapeshifter, and a much bigger danger to them than Biden ever was.

Harris has already ruthlessly sewn up the numbers to replace President Biden as the Democrat nominee now that he’s been forced to quit the race.

It’s all gone brilliantly for her. In her first 24 hours as the (unofficial) candidate she’s raised a record $350m in donations, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows her leading Trump by two points.

With the massive advertising she can buy, Harris can now turn herself into a candidate who can really hurt Trump, who’s got so many Americans locked into hating him that he’s never scored above 48 per cent approval, even when running against a half-dead Biden.

Yet Trump, running mate JD Vance and Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House, have so far spent more of their time attacking Biden instead. Worse, they’re insisting he now quit as president, too.

I get their argument.

If Biden is too incompetent to run for president, isn’t he too incompetent to remain president?

It’s a great point, by why is Trump making it?

Does he seriously want Biden to resign and let Harris become the first female president, so she goes into the election with all the advantages of office?

Luckily for the Republicans, Biden is still too selfish for that, ringing his campaign headquarters staff as Harris was there and declaring: “I’m not going anywhere.”

But the Republicans should stop underestimating Harris, who Trump airily dismissed last weekend as “crazy”.

Sure, she’s got plenty against her – her manic cackle, her woke word salads, her lack of obvious empathy, and her total failure in the one clear job Biden gave her, to stop the illegal immigrants flooding into America. Up to 10 million have invaded under her watch.

But Harris is 19 years younger than 78-year-old Trump and isn’t stupid, despite appearances.

On her first full day as candidate she also showed she can rip into Trump like Biden couldn’t, reminding cheering supporters she used to be a district attorney, adding: “In those roles I took on perpetrators of all kinds – predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain.

“So hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.”

More importantly, Harris is both a blank sheet to most Americans and a shapeshifter.

It’s no coincidence that her mantra, repeated to the point of parody, is “to see what can be, unburdened by what has been”.

Harris has never let her new self be burdened by her past one.

For instance, despite seeming a woke nitwit now, Harris was tough on crime in California, campaigning for election as attorney general by targeting gang crime under the slogan: “A new voice for justice”.

And tough she was, even on marijuana users.

Only when she went to Washington did she shapeshift to a Leftist soft on crime. When Black Lives Matter protesters torched American cities, Harris appealed for donations to a legal fund promising to help those arrested.

Another example. Harris used to promote her Indian roots, using her full name: Kamala Devi Harris.

She was raised by her Indian mother – alone – after her father left the family when Kamala was just seven.

Now, when the black vote is so important, she is sold more as an African American, even though her father was actually from Jamaica.

More shape-shifting: on the campaign trail, Harris woos the rural vote by publicly cooking and eating steaks at state fairs, but as Biden’s vice president she’s backed government programs to stop global warming by persuading Americans to eat less red meat.

Which shape won’t Harris shift to, unburdened by her past?

Good question, given a very personal example.

Harris is married to a Jewish lawyer who says his faith has been deepened by all this anti-Semitism now. But Harris has meanwhile appealed to her party’s hard Left by damning Israel so much that she was told by administration officials to tone it down.

She even demanded a six-week immediate ceasefire that would have handed Hamas victory.

All this suggests Harris has no real moral centre or deep political principles.

But that frees her to make any change she needs to beat Trump, with all the money in the world to help her.

Let Trump beware.

Last edited 1 month ago by Beertruk
Bungonia Bee
Bungonia Bee
July 25, 2024 5:46 am

When Bibi Netanyahu spoke to a joint sitting of Congress for a record fourth time he got a standing ovation and numerous long rounds of applause, but not from the usual suspects in the media.

The BBC included the applause but made sure they came back later with lots of negativity. The ABC even cut out the applause in their 5am News Radio coverage.

Neither the ABC nor BBC seem to have a bad word to say about Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iran. But Netanyahu and Israel are targeted daily.

 And how about those red-shirted protesters who invaded the Capitol? I don’t think they’ll be treated in any way similarly to those Trump supporters who merely paraded at the Capitol after the election steal in 2021. Many of the latter have been prosecuted, and some languish in jail to this day.

I hope the Democrats lose all their rusted on Jewish voters, who should be smart enough to see reality, but keep voting left.

Gabor
Gabor
July 25, 2024 6:15 am

Beertruk
July 25, 2024 5:34 am

I know that Bolta is not everyone’s cup of tea, however I thought this was worthwhile.

I haven’t listened or watched him for a long time, but he is right.
K H didn’t get to where she is by being only on her knees.

Beware! She is dangerous.

Beertruk
July 25, 2024 6:34 am

In the Paywallion, an activist beak twat cops a wigging for his little stunt :

Keffiyeh a case of disorderly conduct; Nine journos do their block over Cam’s Paris jaunt
Yoni Bashan
9 hours ago.
Updated 8 hours ago

The keffiyeh has staged a remarkable comeback as a political prop since war broke out in the Middle East, appearing in potent cameo roles on theatre stages and the floor of federal parliament.

But one realm where the keffiyeh is still a most unwelcome sight is the NSW Supreme Court. Its mere appearance in recent days unleashed fury and led to a grovelling apology from the president of the Law Society to Chief Justice ­Andrew Bell.

Last Friday, the ceremonial Banco Court inducted a squabble of wide-eyed lawyers and heard from speakers welcoming them to the profession. Under much horsehair and cloaked in silk were not only Bell but Justice Richard White, Justice Natalie Adams and Justice Peter Hamill, and it is no small honour to address these eminences.

Among those tapped to give a brief address was NSW Young Lawyers secretary Seth Harlen, a junior solicitor and social justice activist appearing on behalf of the Law Society. You can bet they’re regretting that decision.

In what can only be described as a misbegotten display of high vanity first and common activism second, Harlen stunned the room by turning up to the proceedings in a keffiyeh and donning it at the lectern. Needless to say, when a now-deleted clip of this stunt was posted online, the outcry from the legal community was swift.

Harlen’s defence went like this: “I am proud to wear the keffiyeh, proud to show what being by a lawyer (sic) means to me personally. I hope with small acts of solidarity like these, we can move towards a more peaceful, fulfilling world.”

Bless his heart. So mortified were the judges that Bell wasted no time putting quill tip to parchment.

He wrote to NSW Law Society president Brett McGrath demanding to know why the court had been hijacked for political purposes.

Judicial mail obviously still travels by horseback, because the letter hadn’t even arrived by Monday morning when McGrath, himself horrified, sought a private meeting with Bell to smooth over the incident.

Asked what happened, McGrath confirmed he’d met with the Chief Justice to apologise.

“The court is a place of political neutrality,” McGrath told Margin Call. “Solicitors appearing in court are not there to express their personal point of view. The Law Society of NSW has apologised to the Chief Justice and reminds its members to respect the courtesies owed to any court in which they appear.”

As for Harlen, he was hauled in for a dressing down on Monday evening and, at this point, it’s doubtful whether he’ll deliver another admissions ceremony. The Supreme Court, too, didn’t need much encouragement to provide remarks. Theirs was a warning shot to anyone else considering similar theatrics.

“The Supreme Court of NSW is and must remain politically neutral on issues of controversy, be they domestic or international, and while individuals, including legal practitioners, are entitled to their own views on such matters, the court is not the venue to showcase those views,” a spokesman said.

“In the circumstances of an obviously highly charged political issue, the wearing of the keffiyeh in court during an important public ceremony by a practitioner who was invited by the court to speak on behalf of the Law Society was highly inappropriate.”

Beertruk
July 25, 2024 6:37 am

Continued` from the Paywallion:

On the Block

?Given the looming bloodbath at Nine Entertainment (impending job cuts in the order of 200 positions), journalists have rightfully taken to examining every nickel, every dime, being spent on the ballooning costs of broadcasting from the Paris Olympics.

This includes a decision to dispatch Scott Cam, host of reality-TV series The Block, to the French capital and putting him up at the same five-star hotel where executives and sponsors are laying their heads.

No need to divulge the exact location – security is a problem in Paris at the moment – but the venue isn’t far from where Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest was photographed passionately embracing a certain politician last month.

Some are wondering what Cam and his home-reno show have in common with the 33rd Olympiad. The answer is literally nothing, of course.

Nine told Margin Call it had flown Cam out to promote the 20th anniversary series of The Block, which will screen once the Games are through.

So you can see why guillotine-facing journalists back home are ready to wear the boss’s skin.

Nine’s reminder

Meanwhile, Nine spinner Vic Buchan, currently in Paris, hauled in the broadcast team for tea and bikkies on Wednesday to issue a friendly reminder not to muck around with any social media that could bring the company disrepute. Ironic, of course, given CEO Mike Sneesby’s total failure to hearken similarly basic advice and persist with a dubious decision to play torchbearer during the Olympic relay – just as his workforce votes to go on strike. Buchan told Margin Call she spoke to staff about a range of topics. “I did say be careful on your posts, personal safety is paramount for our people.”

Last edited 1 month ago by Beertruk
Gabor
Gabor
July 25, 2024 6:41 am

Seen this too may times, I am not worthy of correcting anyone, but this grates. Where and how did this expression come about?

Should it not be ‘sitting’

Sat here as dull as. Waiting on a bath being delivered. Been trying to stay off the bevvy this week but I’ve given in, been sat here 7 hours

Diogenes
Diogenes
July 25, 2024 6:53 am

e, being spent on the ballooning costs of broadcasting from the Paris Olympics.

Last night the Brisbane news and ACA were unwatchable as apparently the only thing that happened on Brisbane/Queensland/Australia/the world is the f&$##$# Olympics, although to be fair there were a few blink and you’ll miss other stories. Even the election story was about the estimates for the the 2032 games.

I am getting very annoyed at the extravagance my tax dollars is paying for, given the millions the Federal govt has given the AOC.

#overtheolympicslready

Wally Dalí
Wally Dalí
July 25, 2024 7:09 am

I think it has currency in Northern England English- “been sat here ages”- and as p.t. of “sit” it kinda even makes tense sense.
I wholly approve, for reasons of brevity.

Zippster
Zippster
July 25, 2024 7:22 am

Harlen’s defence went like this: “I am proud to wear the keffiyeh, proud to show what being by a lawyer (sic) means to me personally. I hope with small acts of solidarity like these, we can move towards a more peaceful, fulfilling world.”

yes because promoting the cause of terrorists will create more peace.

these people have zero critical reasoning skills

calli
calli
July 25, 2024 7:26 am

From the Guardian…and Foeign Affairs office.

Foreign minister said Magnitsky-like financial sanctions and travel bans would apply to seven Israeli individuals and one entity.

Our local terrorisers of synagogues and schools should take heart from this. In the way of these things, the sanctions will expand from here depending on polls.

mem
mem
July 25, 2024 7:30 am

From Bush on previous open thread, Can I just say that, right now, I believe Kamal Toe will be declared the winner of the election

Sadly, JC, I think you’re right.

The Dems will play on a) black, and b) first female POTUS.

Who’d have thought this would happen?
Well, I did predict this saying that Kamala had been playing possum and all of a sudden her word salads would disappear and she would remarkably present considered and presidential. But it isn’t over until the fat lady sings.

Zippster
Zippster
July 25, 2024 7:41 am

twitter(X) seems to think they will cheat again, why not? there are no consequences

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
July 25, 2024 7:42 am

The Dems will play on a) black, and b) first female POTUS

I think Trump’s team should really push the point that she lied to Americans for years about Biden, and also that the MSM did the same and continued to do so until they were caught out by the debate. They could even play some old clips of shambling old sod being led around in a fog, or glitching Matrix-like in interviews, and remind people the MSM still covered for him to cover for the Dims.

Also, Kamala’s track record with Black men in the justice system should be emphasised on high rotation.

Right now Kamala is having a honeymoon – the attack ads have just started. I have heard she does not handle pressure well because she is uniformly ineffective no matter how hard she applies herself. Then there will be the word salads at the debate. Some of the sheen should come off then.

calli
calli
July 25, 2024 7:46 am

Thanks for posting that Beertruk.

That was the gist of Tuesday night’s interview with guest Sean Spicer which I recommended people here watch.

It gives another side to Harris, the one we don’t want to see. Simply pillorying your political opponent won’t work. It’s lazy, and will backfire. The leader needs to campaign on policy and record. Let the minions froth and fume.

One thing Bolt didn’t touch on, because he’s blind to it – vote tampering. Industrial scale. This is where Republicans need to be vigilant – the opinion war is a narrow front. They need to make sure they aren’t outflanked and that means actual work, not pressing keys on their phones.

calli
calli
July 25, 2024 7:48 am

Gosh! I have a fan club of two now!

Must be doing something right.

132andBush
132andBush
July 25, 2024 7:48 am

By whom? The post-WW2 consensus, including the left and the right. Look, when monty calls you or I a fascist its no different than being called a poo-poo head. In the latter, do you think asking, define poo-poo head?, makes a difference?

Of course not, if you think “poo poo head” is equivalent to “fascist”.

One is a slur used to gain a moral advantage in an argument, the other is a throw away line. And just in case there is any confusion the former is referring to “fascist”.

I see your point but I think it’s one based in surrender rather than standing your ground.

132andBush
132andBush
July 25, 2024 7:54 am

Well, I did predict this saying that Kamala had been playing possum and all of a sudden her word salads would disappear and she would remarkably present considered and presidential. But it isn’t over until the fat lady sings.

Morning mem,
Yes, I was being sarcastic. Myself and a few others have been saying for a long time now that something like this would happen.

Agree re the fat lady.
Lets give it a couple of weeks to settle down.

Last edited 1 month ago by 132andBush
Cassie of Sydney
July 25, 2024 7:57 am

On most things, Andrew Bolt is a fair-weather person. He blows with the wind. However, he stood by Pell even in the dark times and for that he has my utmost respect. He’s also, from very early on, called out the climate scam.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 25, 2024 8:01 am

Fatima Payman asks Anthony Albanese for more staff as she begins ‘listening tour’ of regional WADan Jervis-Bardy and Matthew PaddickThe West Australian
Wed, 24 July 2024 6:33PM

Comments

Ex-Labor senator Fatima Payman has formally asked former boss Anthony Albanese for extra staff just weeks after quitting the party to become an independent.
The West Australian can reveal Senator Payman has submitted the request to the prime minister as she embarks on a 12-day “listening tour” of regional WA towns.
The 12-town blitz got off to a slow start on Wednesday with just one local turning up to a community event at a park in Geraldton.
Senator Payman is still adjusting to life as an independent after spectacularly quitting Labor over frustrations with the Government’s approach to Palestinian statehood and the Gaza conflict.
Among other logistical challenges, the first-term senator needs to find new staff after parting ways with her Labor-aligned employees amid the split with the party.
Most independents and minor party MPs are given extra “personal staff” – on top of the standard allocation of five electorate officers – in recognition of the extra workload of dealing with every piece of legislation.
But the decision on the exact number rests with Mr Albanese.
The West Australian understands the prime minister’s office has only just received Senator Payman’s request and will consider it through the normal process.
Senator Payman should be in line for two extra personal staff – the same number allocated to other upper house independents.
Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie was allowed to hire a third personal staffer during the defence and veterans’ suicide royal commission.

Perfidious Albino
Perfidious Albino
July 25, 2024 8:08 am

Have we applied ‘Magnitsky style’ sanctions on anyone from Hamas yet? The Iranian’s, Hezbollah, Houthi’s?

What ability does Australia have to independently identify/verify what these settlers are alleged to have done, or are we just coat-tailing on some other juvenile marxist flogs?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 8:12 am

One thing Bolt didn’t touch on, because he’s blind to it – vote tampering. Industrial scale. 

I suspect Bolt is terrified of being fired like Tucker Carlson was.

Newscorpse management don’t want their employees to talk about the steal because that would make Trump absolutely correct, which of course he is.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 8:16 am

Mid-Week in Pictures: Bye-Bye Biden Special Edition | Power Line (24 Jul)

Another extraordinary week calls for a special mid-week TWiP, or else this Saturday’s regular edition will be longer than Encyclopedia Brittanica.

😀

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 8:22 am

Minor parties can save the West

Senator Malcolm Roberts The Spectator Australia 25 July 2024

‘Blame Farage for the Tory wipe-out!’ Or so went the rather limp voices in the UK, grasping for excuses following the massacre of globalist politics led by Rishi Sunak. The desire for sensible conservative and libertarian-minded policy is on the rise, as is the renewal of cultural affection and nostalgia for decades past which appear to us now as the last flush of sunset chased over the edge of Parliament by the long night of left-wing rule.

So, why didn’t the conservatives win? Why isn’t the UK preparing for an age of economic liberalism and spiritual restoration? Why is Keir Starmer – the most radical socialist in a hundred years – strutting around Westminster preening his flock of Marxists?

Don’t blame Nigel Farage.

Blame the soggy wet Tories who valued their power above the needs of the people.

Blame the seat-warmers at the top in ‘safe seats’ who preyed on the long and grand history of the party as security against their reckless and activist politicking.

Blame a sad chain of leaders who refused to carry out Brexit because they, and their ministers, were miffed about spending five minutes standing in line to have their passports stamped instead of fighting to protect British waters from EU trawlers.

Blame the voters who stayed home, happy to watch democracy crumble while billions around the world pray that one day they may have the opportunity to vote.

And blame the voters who did show up, but lacked the courage to vote for principle and instead chose the faux safety of establishment.

Victory requires a dash of daring and a helping of faith.

If conservatives are to take one lesson from the activist Left, it’s this … we have to fight, as they do. Passionately. Relentlessly. Without fear.

Social media is full of people – nameless people – insisting that democracy is an illusion. Their message? That your vote means nothing. So don’t bother. Stay home. Keep quiet. Separate into whispering groups at the corners of the soon-to-be censored digital realm. There is no future in this approach. Certainly not with both parties cracking down on social media.

Disparaging the vote is usually an expression of despair.

Allow me to assure you of this… Your vote does count. Your vote has power. Provided it is used.

Just as a thousand people in the street can frighten a Parliament, 20 million people at the ballet box can flip a government.

Had UK conservatives voted for Reform, Nigel Farage would have the Opposition. He may even have the government. But they did not. They stayed home. The vote was split not by minor parties, but by a lack of courage.

The disparity between voting share, as raised by Reform to the fury of the Left, is valid. There is something wrong with a political system where the Liberal Democrats can win 3.5 million votes and take home 72 seats, while Reform UK wins 4 million votes but only holds 5 seats. No question, Farage has a point.

There is a similar problem where the disparity of population is such that the towering cities of our nation, where half the residents are new to this country and still finding their feet, hold policy power over the regional areas – the generational farms, growers of our food, and custodians of the natural landscape. Those who have never sown a field should not dictate the tax on a bag of wheat.

Democracy has always been a balancing act to make sure the brutal force of the majority does not overwhelm the rights of the individual and that the cities do not cannibalise the regions with their misguided virtue.

Keeping these scales balanced means the system must be reviewed. It is a review conducted when the public suspects something has gone wrong.

That said, it is interesting that the British press is full of conservatives lusting after Australia’s preferential voting. They assume, wrongly, that preferences would have saved the Tories – or boosted Reform. Neither is true – doubly so in an optional voting system where the most politically radical and enthusiastic show up to vote, which is disproportionately populated by the Left and sectarian groups who deem it a spiritual requirement rather than a democratic calling. It is a behaviour that has entrenched identity politics to the detriment of the wider community.

Australia knows from experience that preferential voting was implemented by the major parties – the uniparty – for its protection. It is a system that seeks to guarantee the supremacy of the establishment, no matter how poorly they perform or viciously they ignore their principles. Unless voters show courage…

While Nigel Farage may not have won as many seats as he would have liked, he did win seats. First-past-the-post makes it easier for minor parties to tip the balance of power and scare the heck out of conservative movements that abuse their legacy.

With another election cycle, Reform may very well prove itself sufficiently to convince hesitant conservatives to ‘jump’ – a leap of faith to save the nation.

As for Australia, the corruption and decay of establishment power has its roots deep beneath Canberra.

We have to fight at the ballot box to shuffle the deck of power and restore balance. The major parties require sensible boundaries, a moral core, and the voice of the people. This is provided by minor parties. While it is difficult for minor parties to win seats, they can populate the Senate and hold the political class to account or put a handbrake on their worst ideas. Independent and minor party senators are the reason this country has not fallen entirely off the rails. With more support, with your support, they can begin the process of restoration.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party is not a protest vote, it is a safety net – a force that stands against those who would dismantle Australia for a cushy job at the UN.

Caveat: I think the editor’s headline is a bit over the top. Political parties – minor or otherwise – can’t “save” the West; only a revival of Christianity can do that. But minor parties can have a vital role to play in holding major parties to account. That explains why major parties are so scared of them!

Last edited 1 month ago by Roger
Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 8:39 am

The West Australian can reveal Senator Payman has submitted the request to the prime minister as she embarks on a 12-day “listening tour” of regional WA towns.

I note Senator Payman has taken to wearing a Western Australian flag badge on one of her lapels, which is new. The other lapel sports the indigenous and Palestinian flags, which she always wears in parliament.

What is the significance of that?

Does she support indigenous sovereignty in this land?

Perhaps someone in WA could challenge her about that on her “listening” tour.

Last edited 1 month ago by Roger
Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 8:44 am

What an amazing painting!

Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 8:52 am

Axios is now tagging X comments to the effect that Harris was never Biden’s “border Czar”.

Here’s how Axios described Harris in 2021.

flyingduk
flyingduk
July 25, 2024 8:55 am

Medals galore in Paris! AOC legend’s bold Australia prediction

Like predicting a record heatwave for tomorrow.. Im calling it early, Paris will be a disappointment?

Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 8:55 am

I’m quite prepared to believe this. They pushed him out.
Biden’s decision to drop out ‘has nothing to do with his health,’ White House says

Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 8:55 am
Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 8:57 am
thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
July 25, 2024 8:57 am

Please, lord, if you cant make them get it right, remove the bit of my brain that stings every time I see something like this.

Their ABCcess, a billion dollars a year, and no thesaurus.

large-sums-of-money
Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 8:57 am
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 25, 2024 9:00 am

Lehrmann returns to court to appeal Federal Court rapist findingSteve ZemekNewsWire
Thu, 25 July 2024 4:30AM

Bruce Lehrmann’s legal battle with Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson will return to the Federal Court on Thursday morning as the former political staffer appeals his bruising defamation suit loss.
Lehrmann has launched an appeal to the Full Court of the Federal Court after losing his high-stakes lawsuit over Ms Wilkinson’s 2019 The Project interview with Brittany Higgins.
Justice Michael Lee found, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann sexually assaulted Ms Higgins inside the office of Senator Linda Reynolds in Parliament House on the morning of March 23, 2019 following a night out drinking in Canberra.
The appeal is scheduled for a case management hearing before Justice Wendy Abraham at Sydney’s Federal Court at 9.30am on Thursday.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
July 25, 2024 9:05 am

Apparently penis tucking will be an event at the Paris Olimpdicks.

https://x.com/i/status/1816225157847064751

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 9:11 am

Ex president survives assassination attempt by deep state…

Report: Assassination attempted on fmr. Iranian President Ahmadinejad (24 Jul)

The report claims that after being handed over to the presidential institution, Ahmadinejad’s Toyota Land Cruiser was seized by “special security agents” and taken to an undisclosed location instead of the usual repair shop where the vehicle was sabotaged before being returned to Ahmadinejad’s security team. …

In recent years former President Ahmadinejad has become critical of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenai’s policies. Earlier this year he registered to run for president but was barred from doing so. 

Fortunately for him he switched cars at the last minute – the sabotaged Land Cruiser in the motorcard crashed pretty spectacularly. The “special security agents” are thought to be IRGC.

Black Ball
Black Ball
July 25, 2024 9:12 am

But of course:

A Michigan man suspected of running down an 80-year-old with an ATV in a politically motivated attack has been found dead by apparent suicide, according to reports.

The 22-year-old suspect was found in his home with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Monday, after having called police looking to confess, according to WLUC.

“Send someone to pick me up,” the unidentified suspect told cops, who responded to his Quincy home and found him dead.

The suspect had accosted the elderly man as he placed pro-Donald Trump signs in his yard, initially ripping them up while speeding by on the ATV. When the victim tried to put the signs back, the suspect ran him down with the ATV and fled.

Prior to the vicious attack, the suspect was seen smashing car windows and slashing tires.

Your lot monty. Just like Crooks
Do you denounce this attack?

Top Ender
Top Ender
July 25, 2024 9:13 am

A ridiculous article in the NT News…no comments allowed because NT drivers would not be fooled for an instant:

New electric vehicle fast chargers in the Red Centre may have been the tipping point to Australia cracking a fast charger milestone – according to one peak body for the vehicles – who says they’ll make driving safer for EV owners.

At the end of June, the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said that Australia had cracked the milestone of 1000 EV fast chargers nationwide.

President of AEVA Chris Jones said more EV charging bays nationwide improves the user experience by reducing queues.

“Australia has a pretty good coverage of fast chargers now, from Broadmeadows to Broome and almost everywhere in between,” he said.

The “everywhere in between” now includes locations along the Stuart Highway in the Red Centre, with Threeways, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek now all home to fast chargers, according to AEVA-NT vice-president Hunter Murray.

“(The) ultimate game is to have one every 100 kilometres,” he said.

“Say you’re doing, you know, 700 km a day, you’re going to have to stop at least once or twice for fuel, in this case, electricity.

“You want to make those stops the minimum. So if you’ve got a fast charger there, you can keep that stop down to maybe 20-30 minutes – enough to go for a toilet break, go and get some food, give the legs a stretch.”

But the prevalence of fast chargers in the Territory also has another purpose to Mr Murray: keeping drivers safe from fatigue.

“Keeping that legality of a two hour break in mind – just getting that break every couple of hours from driving, which is sensible,” he said.

Mr Murray helped test the new charging stations in the Red Centre, and when asked if the new Red Centre chargers helped push the milestone, he said he couldn’t “confirm or deny”.

“I’m not that higher up in the wages,” he said with laugh.

“I’m not too sure whether the actual, the one in particular was these guys (the new Red Centre fast chargers), but they’ll certainly around the same time.”

Of course, no mention of what to do if a) they’re broken, b) there is a queue already, or c) the locals have stolen them.

Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 9:14 am
flyingduk
flyingduk
July 25, 2024 9:18 am

“Say you’re doing, you know, 700 km a day, you’re going to have to stop at least once or twice for fuel, in this case, electricity.
“You want to make those stops the minimum. So if you’ve got a fast charger there, you can keep that stop down to maybe 20-30 minutes – enough to go for a toilet break, go and get some food, give the legs a stretch.”

FFS!! I do regular 500-700km drives in my ICE car with ONE fuel stop, which takes under 10m including the latte, and I can do it without a stop if needed.

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 9:21 am

Speaking of EVs…

Porsche has quietly scrapped its 80% by 2030 EV production target amid a slump in sales.

Ceres
Ceres
July 25, 2024 9:34 am

In her first 24 hours as the (unofficial) candidate she’s raised a record $350m in donations,

Those Democrat donors adore self interest – the country not so much.

This complaint probably won’t be heard until after the election.
The Trump campaign on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission arguing money raised for President Biden’s reelection bid ($91.5 m) cannot be transferred to Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 25, 2024 9:38 am

‘Juices would be fine’: Member of cult-like group suggested home remedy of juices, ‘grated apple’ as diabetic daughter lay dying, court toldBlake AntrobusNewsWire
Thu, 25 July 2024 5:23AM

A woman on trial for the manslaughter of a young diabetic girl urged her mother to give the child “juice” and “olive oil or salve” on her lips as the girl became closer to death.
More than a dozen members of a cult-like religious group known as The Saints are on trial over the death of Elizabeth Struhs, 8, in Toowoomba in early 2022.
The Crown contends the child’s parents – Jason Richard Struhs and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs – and members of the faith-healing circle withheld the Elizabeth’s insulin medication for several days until she died between January 6-7, 2022.
Mr and Ms Struhs are charged with murder and manslaughter respectively.
Another 11 – Elizabeth’s older brother Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26, and Keita Courtney Martin, 22 – are also charged with manslaughter.

Imprisoned “Never to be released.”

Cassie of Sydney
July 25, 2024 9:40 am

I suspect Bolt is terrified of being fired like Tucker Carlson was.

Newscorpse management don’t want their employees to talk about the steal because that would make Trump absolutely correct, which of course he is.

Firstly, referring to it as ‘Newscorpse” is leftist, Mike Carlton talk. The left would love to shut down all of Rupert’s newspapers, and particularly Sky. News, or as they sneeringly call it….’Sky after Dark’. News Corp might not be perfect but it’s a helluva lot better than Nine Newspapers, The Malchurian Guardian and their ABC. It’s why I subscribe to both News Corp newspapers and to Sky. News Corp offers centre-right commentary, something you won’t find at Nine and at The Guardian. Yeah, The Oz’s moderators are bad, I barely comment any more but I still enjoy reading the publication.

Just some further points re. ‘News Corporation’. The Murdoch family have, since 7 October 2023, donated a large chunk of money to fighting Jew hatred. The superb Josh Frydenberg documentary on Jew hatred is one part of this financial largesse. Since 7 October 2023, News Corporation papers and Sky are the only Australian media outlets to regularly expose the rampant Muslim and leftist Jew hatred in this country. News Corp and Sky give platforms to right-wing Jewish organisations such as the AJA.

Secondly, News Corp management stood by Bolt during the Pell lynching. I have long known this but just on two months ago I had a conversation with a senior executive of News Corp. In 2019, Bolt was subjected to an attempted cancelling. Leftist progressive activists targeted Sky advertisers, many who fled the station. A few advertisers refused to kowtow to the leftist pressure, such as Harvey Norman, but Sky suffered an exodus of advertisers and cash in 2019 and early 2020. Bolt went to air for many months without any advertising however management stood by him. On the night of the Pell sentencing, Bolt led his programme questioning the verdict. Bolt was the ONLY mainstream media person to do so.

I have issues with Bolt, I find him rather ingratiating at times, he still wants to be liked by people who hate him but I decided long ago to take the good with the bad.

Others who’ve been targeted at Sky for silencing and cancellation are Rita Panahi, Rowan Dean, Paul Murray. Sky has stood by them. Okay, Ross Cameron was flicked for some stupid words but this was when advertisers were fleeing the outlet thanks to leftist pressure. It was a fraught time. Then there was the Alan Jones exit in 2021, when Sky, thanks to another leftist hate campaign of lies led by Kevin Rudd and Malturd Turdbull, were able to flick Sky from Youtube for a week.

However, staring down leftist cancellation has paid off, it’s interesting to see that many mainstream advertisers have returned to Sky.

Last edited 1 month ago by Cassie of Sydney
Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 9:48 am

Porsche has quietly scrapped its 80% by 2030 EV production target amid a slump in sales.

More signs the EV craze is crashing and burning:

High Voltage: Delays and shutdowns could be on the cards off the back of low lithium prices (25 Jul)

With lithium prices languishing near three-year lows and showing few signs of a hasty recovery, attention is now turning to whether miners will be forced to rein in supply of the battery metal, Bloomberg says.

The price of the battery metal has plunged around 80% since late 2022, with spot prices of lithium carbonate in China hovering near their lowest since March, 2021.

Benchmark Minerals Intelligence forecasts a glut out to 2027, due to slowing growth in electric-vehicle adoption and increased supply.

You can’t defy economic gravity forever, and the Gaia-chariot industry is a classic example of a fake market. As soon as the government subsidies propping it up are withdrawn it collapses like a deflating balloon.

shatterzzz
July 25, 2024 10:06 am

Seems the Gaza Ministry of Health has been reading its ratings in the media .. getting verrry classy, none of this several thousands guesswork anymore but down to exact digits .. Considering the media tellz us Gaza is flattened and normal activity almost impossible ya gotta hand it to the “boyz & goils” at the Ministry out and about ensuring they getz the “accurate casualty counting right … !

T?he Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry stated on Wednesday that the death toll in Gaza has reached 39,145 since the war started on October 7 of last year. A further 90,257 have thus far been wounded in the conflict, the Gazan ministry added.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 10:07 am

Righties are increasingly switching to Newsmax. That’s because Fox especially is drifting left. So are the Tele, the Oz and daytime Sky.

Newsmax Draws 10 Million Viewers at RNC, Biggest Week in History (24 Jul)

I hope Sky survives, I really do. But righties have to be attracted to watch. Like herding cats. If they don’t like what’s on offer they wander off elsewhere. And they virulently detest social engineering.

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
July 25, 2024 10:09 am

Interesting article over at Daily Mail US.
Navy SEALs fired for refusing COVID vaccine for religious reasons score major win against Biden administration.
Disgraceful how they were treated.

My understanding is that SAS members were not keen on the vaccine either but don’t know if given exemptions.

Jock
Jock
July 25, 2024 10:21 am

Just seeing an article pop up on our ABC. An attack on the Jobs ready undergrad cost scheme. The university ponzi scheme says it isn’t working. They interview a student “Che Gorr Burchmore ” . Truly I jest not. No prizes for guessing his parents political views.he is going to do commerce / law but not for the money! He wants to enjoy his education, learn new things and meet new people. I laughed out loud.
The piece then craps on at the iniquity of charging higher fees for useless degrees like journalism, or those that can earn you well in the future like law or accounting. All a beat up by the grifting universities. Close half of them down and build more tafes.

Cassie of Sydney
July 25, 2024 10:25 am

I am not aware of Sky News Australia engaging in ‘social engineering’.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
July 25, 2024 10:29 am

In Dim Bulb news:

Crossbench senator David Pocock, whose vote was critical in helping Labor abolish the construction industry watchdog early last year, now wants the government to increase scrutiny and policing of the sector in the wake of the CFMEU scandal.

A Pale Green ornament on the process of Australian government.

Territory Senators have 3-year terms – but, no doubt, Pocock accurately represents the Real Mongs of Canbra.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 10:29 am

They interview a student “Che Gorr Burchmore ” . Truly I jest not. No prizes for guessing his parents political views.he is going to do commerce / law but not for the money! He wants to enjoy his education, learn new things and meet new people. 

He/it only needs to learn three words: “fries with that?”

The White-Collar Job Squeeze (24 Jul)

A story in the Wall Street Journal has gripped me. It’s about a kid who attended a very fancy school, Loyola University in Chicago. A degree there costs about $280,000 plus four years of lost job experience. You pay it because the credential is great and opens up a world of opportunities. The young person the story chronicled obtained a degree in English literature and imagined a future of working for a major publisher, perhaps advising the next F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Upon graduation, he started sending out resumes. Ten. Then a hundred. Then several hundred. Then a thousand. Months went by. He heard nothing from any of the companies. Despairing, he started writing to local newspapers. Nothing. Then he tried writing and marketing his material. Nothing. After nearly a year and facing utter bankruptcy, he finally landed a job: a part-time cook but mostly dishwasher at a local diner. For that he is grateful.

Indeed. Please understand: this person came from a wealthy family and went to the highest-end school. He got excellent grades throughout school. He graduated with honors. He had a network. But when actually going out there and trying to find gainful employment, he had come up with absolutely nothing. It took him a long time but he finally realized that there is nothing wrong with dishwashing. …

The flight to value will continue. The new fashion will be for real jobs, real balance sheets, real assets, and real lives. It’s about time. Nothing in the political theater of our times will change this.

Yep. AI will increasingly undercut these sorts of people. It won’t undercut people who work in the real world though, like tradies.

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 10:32 am

…or those that can earn you well in the future like law or accounting. 

I wouldn’t assume that AI will not have a significant impact on those professions in the not too distant future.

The universities must know this, being smart people.

Last edited 1 month ago by Roger
Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 10:34 am

Snap!

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 10:48 am

The new fashion will be for real jobs, real balance sheets, real assets, and real lives. It’s about time.
Close friends have a son of 22. He could have done engineering at uni but got an Ergon apprenticeship, did well, was offered a full time job and is now doing maintenance on the grid on the Darling Downs. He’s money savvy and doing very well. Going to be hard for AI or outsourcing to China to take his job away.

Indolent
Indolent
July 25, 2024 10:51 am

@catturd2

“Masks work.”

“The vaccine is safe and effective.”

“Men can have babies.”

“Joe Biden is healthy.”

“Kamala Harris is suddenly a likable rock star.”

Same people.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 11:01 am

It’s the falling on swords time of the election cycle.

Anthony Albanese announces retirement of Linda Burney, Brendan O’Connor (25 Jul)

The Prime Minister has announced two senior ministers will retire, which will lead to a shake-up of his front bench as the government prepares for an election.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, 67, and Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor, 62, will leave parliament at the election, due by May next year. …

Mr Albanese has called for caucus nominations for the front bench.

He will announce the new ministerial line-up on a Sunday in Canberra and the new ministers will be sworn in on Monday morning.

Will the next two numpties please put their hands up.

Bungonia Bee
Bungonia Bee
July 25, 2024 11:06 am

Labor Pollies retiring.
“There’ll none of them be missed,
There’ll none of them be missed.”

Bungonia Bee
Bungonia Bee
July 25, 2024 11:20 am

Next up on the menu is almost certainly a new pandemic. Pick your poison- a resurgence of Covid, Bird Flu, or some as-yet- unnamed, undecided new health panic. This is how Democrats and Deep State traitors open the door to massive cheating with fake mail-in ballots, no Voter ID and no signature match.”
Wayne Root on what might come next. There’s more to it.
WAYNE ROOT: The Choice of Kamala Makes No Sense. It’s a Terrible Mistake. But Democrats Have Something Up Their Sleeve. Something Very Evil and Shocking is Coming. | The Gateway Pundit | by Assistant Editor

Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 11:21 am

Anthony Albanese has announced Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor are retiring.

A new ministerial line up with be announced on Sunday.

No mention of the incompetent immigration minister, asylum seeker rights lawyer Andrew Giles — a socialist left factional ally of the prime minister — who will retain his position in cabinet but will be moved to another portfolio where he can do less damage.
 
If Albo wanted to hang Giles out to dry, he would give him Chris Bowen’s energy portfolio, so he and not Bowen could be blamed for next year’s election loss.
 
But Giles will probably be made minister for administering something that will be hard to stuff up like he has stuffed up immigration.
 
 

Rabz
July 25, 2024 11:21 am

FFS, Paul “is wrong, again” Kelly is a monumental f*ckwit:

Fatty Trump, like every populist leader, exploits the two greatest forces in Western democracy – the public’s alarm at the demise of the existing way of life and the failures of Western governments, left or right, to deliver progress in incomes, services and equity while sponsoring elites that seek to impose progressive or “woke” values on the nation.

How dare those smelly little peons object to being impoverished and tyrannised by the most preposterous incompetent arrogant hypocritical and staggeringly stupid ruling caste to have existed in human history!

Mudrock – put the silly ol’ waffling windbag out to pasture, now. Enough.

Bungonia Bee
Bungonia Bee
July 25, 2024 11:25 am

We knew that Joe was not the full two bob from the outset, and we knew that 2020 was gamed from the outset. The proof has emerged over time, starting with the night time ballot count shenanigans and the next days, but more critically with the soon-after symposium that Mike Lindell organised. Revelations about various methods have been coming along for the three years since, and apart from lawsuits and cancel culture it would all emerge quickly.
The MSM have shown no interest in the truth about either Joe or 2020 (or the true story about Jan6), and they say “no proof of voter fraud” to this day.

Rufus T Firefly
Rufus T Firefly
July 25, 2024 11:25 am

There does seem to be a lot activity regarding the generation of “sideshows” at the minute, ……, distractions, if you will.

-The incredibly incompetent, (or is it just evil), head of the US Secret Service resigning, to take up a position at a Bank. Who’d have thought?
Was there more than one shooter?
Will the Secret Service now get training on sloping roofs?
-The coup to get Kamala, (at least for the time being), to the forefront of nominees. (I can hear Hillary’s teeth grinding as I type).
-Bibi Pfizer gets to speak to Congress. “Look at all those protestors”.
Does the Zimbabwean or Romanian leader get to speak to Congress? Why not I wonder?
‘St Volodymyr the Pure’ did!
Oh, but he is the Lord and saviour of mankind, ….., sorry I forgot.

The last time there was this much “ado” was after 9/11.
We were at that time, expected to believe that steel reinforced buildings, could collapse, (almost into their own footprint), because of fire damage.
Still, I guess it must be true, because the US Govt said so.

How many steel supported skyscrapers have “collapsed” in the last 120 years?
Three and amazingly, all three were on 9/11 in Manhattan.
The two WTC Towers plus the Salomon Bros Building, (Bldg 7), that wasn’t even hit by an aircraft! Wow!

Perhaps someone could explain to me, how a fire on the 75th floor of such a structure, can weaken the supports below it, sufficiently to bring the building down. Especially, as an office fire does not get anywhere near hot enough, to melt steel.
A fire crew reached the fire in first building struck and radioed that:
“We can put this fire out if you can get us two lines.”
It wasn’t even a particularly severe fire.

The charges were then set off and the building collapsed, ….., I mean, the fire took over and the building collapsed!

What eventuated out of 9/11 was:

Homeland Security,
The “Patriot” Act and most significantly,
Model State Health Emergency Powers Act, which was used to such great effect in 2020, to combat “Covid” of course.

Something big is brewing and as General Zaluhzny said in London two days ago:
“You will just have to get used to losing your civil liberties to save democracy.”

Hmmmm, there is a saying about “cats and bags”, but I just can’t think of it.

BobtheBoozer
BobtheBoozer
July 25, 2024 11:38 am

 Back in the 2020 presidential race, Kamala couldn’t attract one delegate and was forced to drop out. She couldn’t even attract black support as the only black candidate in a Democrat primary dominated by black voters.

I’m going to say this bit out loud – KAMALA ISN”T BLACK – SHE”S WHITE.
What kind of black persecution would she have gotten in the past? NONE!

Black Ball
Black Ball
July 25, 2024 11:42 am

Terry McCrann:

Can Australia survive the Albanese Labor Government’s minister for destroying our electricity system Chris Bowen?

This is not just a legitimate question. It is both an urgent question and a truly existential question.

They are questions posed directly by the latest data from AEMO – the operator of our national electricity market, which includes all the states except Western Australia.

They are questions posed by the data, but not – to its disgrace, and its continuing betrayal of those 26m Australians – by AEMO itself.

Like most regulators these days, AEMO’s an institutional coward. It’s not going to call out its political masters, and the one in particular, for prancing, like the proverbial emperor, clothes-less.

In its cowardice, it’s also signed up to the “mad, bad and – seriously – dangerous” rush to wind and solar, enough batteries hopefully included, so peerlessly executed by Bowen.

The latest AEMO numbers suggest the $75 per household quarterly rebate over the 2024-25 financial year is going to prove an even sicker joke than it already looked on budget night.

Then it was supposed to deliver some reduction from the punitive 30 per cent-plus higher levels of power prices that Australians had already suffered since the election of the Albanese government.

Now it looks more likely to merely take away some of the pain from yet further increases, to even higher levels, in 2024-25.

It all comes back to one reality.

The more supposedly – in the brainless eyes of Bowen – “free” wind and solar forced into our national grid; the more and more expensive electricity becomes.

Back in 2012, when we still had plenty of brown and black coal generation, the wholesale price of electricity – according to the AEMO data – averaged around $30 per MWh over the entire year and in every state in the NEM.

Very importantly, in those days AEMO and the national grid worked to force the cheap prices from coal-fired plants across all the eastern states.

Fast forward to 2024 and after the billions of dollars spent on forcing all that “free” electricity into the system, AEMO tells us that prices in the June quarter ranged from $101 per MWh in Queensland to $173 in NSW.

Across the NEM the average was $133 per MWh in the quarter.

That’s some 340 per cent higher than the electricity price across Australia over the entire 2011-12 year.

That’s also, me telling you that, not the thoroughly compromised AEMO.

So far in July the price has run from $105 per MWh in Queensland up to $180 in Tasmania.

In South Australia which has the most ‘free’ electricity in the nation, the wholesale price has averaged $167 per MWh.

The most damning – of both Bowen and AEMO itself – was the proud boast that in July 2023, for 30 minutes one day, the entire grid got 65 per cent of its electricity from renewables.

Yet in the same month, on another day, it got just 19 per cent. Bowen is of course utterly incapable of understanding how disastrous that is, and will get catastrophic.

AEMO should understand. But it’s a disgrace.

As Rodney Rude once sang in a bawdy limerick, to paraphrase:
“Your bills go higher and higher with your arsehole on fire you’d wish that you’d never jumped on board.”
You only see such climate zealotry on university campus, not on the plush green cushions of Parliament House. Yet here we are.

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 11:58 am

If Albo wanted to hang Giles out to dry, he would give him Chris Bowen’s energy portfolio, so he and not Bowen could be blamed for next year’s election loss.

I have a feeling Bowen is not going to let Energy go because he thinks it will get him written up in the history books.

Which it will, but not for the reasons he imagines.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 12:08 pm

Newscorpse is dying.

Rupert Murdoch Ignites Succession Fight to Keep Lachlan in Charge of News Empire | Report (24 Jul)

Rupert Murdoch is living a real life episode of “Succession” as three of his four children fight his attempts to adjust the family trust to leave eldest son Lachlan in charge following his death. According to a New York Times report, the 93-year-old media mogul is in conflict with children Prudence, Elisabeth, and James as he tries to adjust the trust.

If Paul Ryan’s mate Lachlan is the best of the bunch, and the other three are out to get him, I fear for the company. It will die.

m0nty
m0nty
July 25, 2024 12:09 pm

Second ultrasound done. Results are not clear, as Gez predicted. Scans sent off to radiologist for further analysis, but Gez’s call of an MRI being necessary looks on the money.

Feeling better today apart from wanting to piddle every half hour. Hopefully no more pain episodes before I get a proper diagnosis.

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 12:15 pm

Biden to US electors:

‘Best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation’

A week really is a long time in politics.

Entropy
Entropy
July 25, 2024 12:20 pm

Apparently Sydney Sweeney is doing a remake of Barbarella.

mixed feelings. That movie is the product of a more psychedelic time. And another remake. Hollywood is almost as stuffed as the Oz fillum industry.

on the other hand, the opening scene should kill off gender confusion in pubescent boys.

Bungonia Bee
Bungonia Bee
July 25, 2024 12:21 pm

Quote from The Five:
“Calling Kamala’s speeches word salad implies that they have some nutritional value.”

m0nty
m0nty
July 25, 2024 12:22 pm

As for the previous thread where my name was invoked regarding a working definition of fascism for use in online conversation beyond a simple insult… here is mine.

Fascism is the implementation and operation of a political system which oppresses the majority of a nation’s citizens for the benefit of a minority, the latter of which the fascist leader defines as the true citizens of the nation. Laws under fascism are meant to protect but not bind the in group, and bind but not protect the out group.

Christian dominionism very much fits this definition, and those of you here who push it are yearning for fascism.

I do not use the word here as a throwaway insult like Rick from The Young Ones. The word has a definite meaning, drawing from solid academic theory and hearkening back to real historical examples.

cohenite
July 25, 2024 12:25 pm

Fascism is the implementation and operation of a political system which oppresses the majority of a nation’s citizens for the benefit of a minority, the latter of which the fascist leader defines as the true citizens of the nation. Laws under fascism are meant to protect but not bind the in group, and bind but not protect the out group.

Dickless defines demorats and the swamp. Well done dickless.

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 12:31 pm

Communism – government owns all means of production. No private holdings.
Fascism – private holdings of means of production but government directs their use in detail.
Both require the formation of an authoritarian thuggocracy as neither system accords with human nature.
The commies think human nature can be changed but this requires the use of force in the meantime. The Fascists don’t really care and simply use force.

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 12:33 pm

As far as the end users (the citizens of the country) the systems are just about indistinguishable from each other.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 25, 2024 12:36 pm

Ms Burney said she would spend more time with loved ones and had a valuable contribution to make outside of parliament
* “I was the first Indigenous person elected to the New South Wales parliament, the first Indigenous woman in the House of Representatives, the first Indigenous woman appointed by this wonderful man (Mr Albanese) to cabinet. But I won’t be the last. To me that is progress and it’s time to hand the baton on. It’s been one heck of a journey, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
– Linda Burney

Ek roll ap die vloor….Linda Burney’s first speech in New South Wales Parliament made reference to the long discredited, old malarkey about “not being counted in the census, being considered “Flora and Fauna”, ” for which untruth she was NEVER called to account.

Cassie of Sydney
July 25, 2024 12:45 pm

I do not use the word here as a throwaway insult like Rick from The Young Ones.

Except he has, he’s a slimy hypocrite. For years now, here on these pages, he’s called his ideological opponents ‘Nazis’.

Last year, after which he lost all credibility, he described the women at a Let Women Speak rally in Melbourne as “Nazis”, and then a week later got an erection when a woman was nearly lynched in an Auckland Park and several other women were punched in that same Auckland Park.

He thought those women deserved it, because they were ‘Nazis’. He laughed about it on these pages.

Remember these words from Alinsky….

“Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.”

Yes, because the only near Nazi or real Nazi here is the commentator called Monty. I recall how he disappeared after 7 October, not commenting for months. Because not only is he a Nazi, he’s also a gutless, cowardly weasel.

Last edited 1 month ago by Cassie of Sydney
Salvatore - Iron Publican
July 25, 2024 12:46 pm

Here’s a perfect summation of left-wing western ‘progressive’ politics:

Fascism is the implementation and operation of a political system which oppresses the majority of a nation’s citizens for the benefit of a minority, the latter of which the fascist leader defines as the true citizens of the nation. Laws under fascism are meant to protect but not bind the in group, and bind but not protect the out group.

MatrixTransform
July 25, 2024 12:50 pm

Fascist is …

an idiotic pejorative sputtered pointlessly by Bolshie retards for over a century.

it is essentially self referential in that to them, “Fascism” is basically any system that is anti-Marxist

not communist enough? … you must be a fascist

MatrixTransform
July 25, 2024 12:54 pm

an MRI being necessary

right now
all over the country
teams of technicians are checking dimensions

Kneel
Kneel
July 25, 2024 1:05 pm

“Christian dominionism very much fits this definition, and those of you here who push it are yearning for fascism.”

No, no, no – that’s pure theism, nothing more, nothing less.
Most of what you define as “fascism” is in realty racism or theism of one sort or another.
Fascism is the lucrative merging of state and industry, nothing more.
An overly regulated industrial system is fascism, one that merely requires demonstrations of fealty to the specified deity is not, and neither is one that gives you more or less rights based on your race – these are theism and racism, respectively. Either can exist without fascism or beside it – Nazi Germany was both fascist and racist.

But by all means use your definitions M0nty – that is the cornerstone of all leftist thought, and the idea behind “my truth” instead of “the truth”.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 25, 2024 1:07 pm

World Economy Explained With Two CowsThis was recently passed along by some colleagues and we loved how simple and explanatory it was!
Enjoy!
 
comment image 
 
SOCIALISM
You have 2 cows.
You give one to your neighbor.

COMMUNISM
You have 2 cows
The State takes both and gives you some milk.

FASCISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and sells you some milk.

BUREAUCRAT-ISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both, shoots one, milks the other and then throws the milk away.

TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows.
You sell them and retire on the income.

VENTURE CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows.
The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company.
The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more.

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the cow has died.

A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike, organize a riot, and block the roads, because you want three cows.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows, but you don’t know where they are.
You decide to have lunch.

A SWISS CORPORATION
You have 5,000 cows. None of them belong to you.
You charge the owners for storing them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You have 300 people milking them.
You claim that you have full employment and high bovine productivity.
You arrest the newsman who reported the real situation.

AN INDIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You worship them.

A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.

AN IRAQI CORPORATION
Everyone thinks you have lots of cows.
You tell them that you have none.
Nobody believes you, so they bomb the crap out of you and invade your country.
You still have no cows but at least you are now a Democracy.
AN AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Business seems pretty good.
You close the office and go for a few beers to celebrate.
A NEW ZEALAND CORPORATION
You have two cows.
The one on the left looks very attractive.

A GREEK CORPORATION
You have two cows borrowed from French and German banks.
You eat both of them.
The banks call to collect their milk, but you cannot deliver so you call the IMF.
The IMF loans you two cows.
You eat both of them.
The banks and the IMF call to collect their cows/milk.
You are out getting a haircut.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 1:08 pm

CSIRO doing essential science.

Lab and field tests suggest snails like red and dislike garlic (Phys.org, 24 Jul)

Pest snail species prefer the color red but dislike garlic, according to new research from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.

Researchers conducted laboratory and field tests on four invasive snail species as part of a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) national research program. …

“Red doesn’t play an obvious role in snail life, so this color preference was a surprise,” Dr. Caron said. “Garlic was most effective at preventing snails from reaching food sources under laboratory conditions. Coffee barriers offered only limited protection, especially after 24 hours, with some snails even eating the coffee grounds.

Our taxes at work: snails are coffee consuming communists who don’t like Italian food.

JC
JC
July 25, 2024 1:10 pm

Fascist Italy ran for too short a period. There are better, more long lasting examples of fascism.

In no order

Peronist Argentina

Franco’s Spain

Portugal under Salazar.

The current more obvious ones would be

Russia and China.

shatterzzz
July 25, 2024 1:22 pm

Got a campaign blurb fro Fairfield Mayor, Frank Carbone yesterday ..

What is a “licensed” MRI ..? tho, read the “small print” and it’s 12 months away, anyway … I had an MRI in Campbelltown Hospital last month and it was free .. ALL scans in public hospitals are covered .. so why would Fairfield be different ..? .. Maybe I’m just misreading the thing ….. duuuh!

“Mayor Frank Carbone & Fairfield Council have successfully advocated for our City’s MRIs to be fully licensed ..
previously, residents had to pay more “out-of-pocket” expenses for essential scans not covered by Medicare rebate or travel farther afield to get a rebate.
The Federal Government has announced that from July, next year, all Fairfield MRIs will be upgraded to full licenses ..
Fully licensed machimes have full medicare eligibility so residents will soon be able to get MRI scans locally with full medicare rebates ….

eric hinton
eric hinton
July 25, 2024 1:32 pm

fascist (adj.)1921, from Italian partito nazionale fascista, the anti-communist political movement organized 1919 under Benito Mussolini (1883-1945); from Italian fascio “group, association,” literally “bundle,” from Latin fasces (see fasces).

fasces (n.) 1590s, from Latin fasces “bundle of rods containing an axe with the blade projecting” ..[snip]… Carried before a lictor, a superior Roman magistrate, as a symbol of power over life and limb: the sticks symbolized punishment by whipping, the axe-head execution by beheading. Hence in Latin it also meant, figuratively, “high office, supreme power.” published in installments,” 1640s (also fascicule, from French).
fascicle (n) a small or slender bundle (as of pine needles or nerve fibers)

Lysander
Lysander
July 25, 2024 1:33 pm

I’m going to say this bit out loud – KAMALA ISN”T BLACK – SHE”S WHITE.

If you don’t vote for Kamala, you aint white!

MatrixTransform
July 25, 2024 1:36 pm

the hallmark of all dialectic gibber is essentially arguing over semantics

it IS essentially all that mUnty does here

he’s got a lot in common with Humpty Dumpty

“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”

Arky
July 25, 2024 1:58 pm

The left parties need to do what Trump has done with the Republicans and what Farage is attempting to do in the UK.
Which is: wrest their parties back from the globalists.
Up until 2008 the left was anti globalist.
And their parties paid lip service to maintaining borders and supporting local industries, defence and patriotism.

The problem for Labour, Labor and the Democrats is that their traditional base of the working class has dissolved along with the globalisation of labour markets.
As this has occurred, and the reason for their existence has been cut off from the actual people occupying their party structures, they have embraced the crazy.
Which is what occurs when you become cut adrift from any requirement to follow practical concerns. Without reference to reality, ideological flights of fancy take over.

They have gotten away with this only because of the pitiful performance of conservative parties in turning up their noses at the concerns of an ever increasing group of disenfranchised people desperate for representation, and at this point more than willing to cross over.

Last edited 1 month ago by Arky
Morsie
Morsie
July 25, 2024 2:00 pm

PET scanners and MRIs are licenced by the Feds.
At times they won’t grant another licence so users have to pay I believe.
I know at one stage my wife was in Epworth they didn’t have a PET scanner because couldn’t get a licence.It seems to be a dark art.

Lysander
Lysander
July 25, 2024 2:10 pm

How would it look if Elbow replaced the retiring Burney with a white guy?

No campaigner Michael Mansell calls for designated Indigenous seats after Voice to Parliament fails – ABC News

billie
billie
July 25, 2024 2:19 pm

Fatima Payman asks Anthony Albanese for more staff as she begins ‘listening tour’ of regional WA

Family members perhaps, after all, who would you trust eh?

Can we assume when she was part of Labor, no listening was necessary since it was done by someone else and she was told what had been heard?

Seriously, she must think we’re all stupid.

What a waste of space she has been for WA, and to that end, all senators and MPs of Labor.

We can safely assumethey all have as little idea of what is going on, as she has.

MatrixTransform
July 25, 2024 2:20 pm

fascist (adj.)1921, from Italian partito nazionale fascista, the anti-communist political movement organized 1919 under Benito Mussolini (1883-1945)

correct!

every time people who are not commie scumbags use the word Fascist
as if it is a bad thing
you have simply fallen into the commie’s dialectical trap

if a commie calls you a fascist
take it with pride

because if they’re mouthing off
then they haven’t murdered you and stolen your stuff … yet

Last edited 1 month ago by MatrixTransform
MatrixTransform
July 25, 2024 2:25 pm

also, watching mUnty’s pity-party play out here

look at the filthy commie try to weaponise sympathy

while normally the clown is all p1ss and bile

was it kidney stones or gall stones in the end?

Arky
July 25, 2024 2:38 pm

Globalism is the decades long fire smouldering away in the basement.
Traditional media clambering for clicks in a new media environment is the accelerant.
Political tribalism is the gale blowing the conflagration through the house.

Rosie
Rosie
July 25, 2024 3:10 pm

Postcard.
Did two cultural activities yesterday, both outdoors despite the fine sleeting rain than stopped for a couple of smokos but continued the entire day.
First the tour of the Selskar Abbey, what’s left of it, just a couple of walls of the Abbey church, a couple of towers, the city wall and a unroofed 19th century Protestant church which was built over a section of the Abbey and contributed to it’s further destruction. Any cloisters etc they may have had are long gone.
The other was the Irish Heritage park which has reproductions of prehistoric, early Christian and Viking /Norman invasion era buildings, you can join guided tours or wander on your own. I joined bits of the tours, the lads did a good job.
One mentioned Ireland’s one hundred years of rain. That I could definitely believe.

Rosie
Rosie
July 25, 2024 3:14 pm
Figures
Figures
July 25, 2024 3:22 pm

M0nty is only telling us about his medical ordeals so he can get someone to say something uncaring and he will go on and on for the rest of time about how all right wingers are heartless.

There is zero value in leftists.

Carmichael
Carmichael
July 25, 2024 3:23 pm

Apologies to those of you who’ve just had lunch, but Clare O’Neil has just tweeted her tribute to “Aunty” Linda Burney: https://x.com/ClareONeilMP/status/1816285610891428342

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
July 25, 2024 3:24 pm

It was all over when his head hit the windscreen. I doubt he felt what followed after that.

Game over.

—-

Steve Inman:

Thief faces Instant Justice after robbing a woman

billie
billie
July 25, 2024 3:24 pm

Trump and Harris, two people looking to lead two different versions of USA

Trump the 1st world capitalist part of the USA, with rewards for effort and the American dream.

Harris the 3rd world socialist/fascist part of the USA, maintaining that anything but their way, is not democracy.

Let’s see how long it lasts before the swamp realise it won’t work and have another crack at Trump.

Or, do they have a crack at Harris?

ah, yes, 4 dimensional chess being played perhaps

Rosie
Rosie
July 25, 2024 3:27 pm

The bodies of five more Israelis slaughtered on 7 October have been recovered from Gaza.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bodies-of-slain-hostages-recovered-by-military-returned-to-israel/

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
July 25, 2024 3:28 pm

Steve Inman:

Thief faces Instant Justice after robbing a woman

https://rumble.com/v53xv1l-thief-faces-instant-justice-after-robbing-a-woman.html

eric hinton
eric hinton
July 25, 2024 3:41 pm

re assorted comments upstream:

Were Nazi’s fascists, fascists, fascists before Barbarossa? Or was a bit of product differentiation necessary because commies couldn’t have any taint of fascism thereafter?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 25, 2024 3:42 pm

Bwah ha ha ha.
I see Mid-Week in Pictures has also run with the “DEI Secret Service” for Orange Man that we kicked around here last week.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
July 25, 2024 3:50 pm

I just learned Candace Owens had converted to Catholicism in April this year.

There seems to be a bit of that going around. Vance is a convert. Russell Brand did so recently. I am sure I remember more besides but cannot recall them right now.

Cassie of Sydney
July 25, 2024 4:03 pm

Fascism, communism, Nazism, Maoism, Stalinism, Wokeism, progressivism and all the rest of the putrid ideologies that stemmed from Marxism are all characterised by political violence and wholesale murder.

Over the last decade, particularly since that monumental year of 2016, when we had the Brexit vote and then Trump winning, the violence we now see routinely played out on the streets of the West has always emanated from the left, not mostly, not occasionally but ALWAYS. We saw visceral examples of this in 2020 when BLM and Antifa hit the streets of the USA and other countries, intimidating, looting, setting fire to buildings and engaging in outright murder. And since 7 October 2023, when a pogrom was committed against Jews on a scale not seen since World War II, we’ve seen the same ideologies take to the streets, threatening Jews and non-Jews alike, intimidating, smearing, and engaging in violence. The fact that there has not been a major attack on a Jewish institution in the West is down to luck and solid intelligence but one day that luck will run out and the intelligence will fail. I hold my breath. Every Jewish organisation/synagogue across the West has security like Fort Knox. It is easier to get through security at an airport. This is in stark contrast to when I was growing up, synagogues had virtually no security, anyone could walk in. So, what’s caused this change? Ahhh, but you see…..the wonders, the joys, and the marvels of multiculturalism.

All of the above repugnant ideologies have long had intricate relationships and kinships with Islamism, from the early days of the Muslim Brotherhood to Hamas and Hezbollah today. It is no accident that Nazism allied itself with pan Arabism and gave succour to the likes of Amin alHusseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem. The Mufti was hosted and feted by Hitler, the Mufti was privy to knowledge about the systematic slaughter of European Jewry. He hoped that the Nazis, once they conquered North Africa and the Middle East, would also annihilate Middle Eastern Jewry.

After the war, many top level Nazis fled to Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq. They were given shelter and more than a few converted to Islam.

Eighty years ago murderous Islamism was tied at the hip to Nazism, today murderous Islamism is tied at the hip to far-left progressivism and wokeism.

The Mufti sits in hell, next to Hitler, Stalin and Goebbels and like them, he is smiling.

By the way, as I write the Israeli team in Paris requires a mini army to protect it. You might ask what these Jews need protection from, could it be from Le Pen followers or Tommy Robinson followers or Geert Wilders’ followers?

I think you all know the answer to that question.

calli
calli
July 25, 2024 4:06 pm

Trump hires high calibre Fembots.

As recommended here last week. H/t Powerline

Mid-Week-in-Pictures-Bye-Bye-Biden-Special-Edition-Power-Line
m0nty
m0nty
July 25, 2024 4:09 pm

I see The Blob endorsed Harris today, with one of those joint letters. They turned on Biden after Afghanistan, I guess they hope Kamala is really a cop so they can get back to being the world’s policemen.

calli
calli
July 25, 2024 4:10 pm

Oh, and Sancho. Pressed Post too soon.

In Sydney for Grandparents’ Day tomorrow. And very chipper – dodged a medical bullet this morning.

No slopey roof, fortunately! 😀

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 4:19 pm

“I was the first Indigenous person elected to the New South Wales parliament, the first Indigenous woman in the House of Representatives, the first Indigenous woman appointed by this wonderful man (Mr Albanese) to cabinet. But I won’t be the last. To me that is progress…”:

I’m so old I remember when progress meant we were going to judge people by their character, not their ethnic origins.

Last edited 1 month ago by Roger
Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
July 25, 2024 4:39 pm

Wow, via Blazing Catfur. Apparently UK cops because the wouldn’t let their mother be searched:

https://x.com/Salwan_Momika1/status/1816165723691180213

Beertruk
July 25, 2024 4:44 pm

Paywallion:

CFMEU’s ‘zero tolerance’ for criminality as genuine as my aversion to medium-rare steak
 
The Mocker
4 hours ago.
Updated 4 hours ago
 
CFMEU national construction secretary Zach Smith is not a happy camper. Normally cocksure, the 36-year-old turned antsy last week at the suggestion uninvited outsiders could soon barge into his workplace and shut down the organisation if he does not comply with their demands. I sympathise, Zach, I really do.

Despite his insistence otherwise, no-one outside the CFMEU (and probably no-one in it) believes Smith can ensure a proper internal inquiry into criminal allegations against senior union officials of the Victorian branch, following an investigation by Nine newspapers and 60 Minutes.

These officials – and this is not an exhaustive summary – have allegedly taken cash bribes, received kickbacks from developers in the form of free building work, threatened factional opponents, and boasted of controlling Victoria’s Big Build program by blocking disfavoured companies from government sites. Oh and around 20 CFMEU delegates in the state are either former outlaw motorcycle gang members or have links to these groups.

In other words, systemic corruption and mass infiltration by organised crime of an industry that turns over $206 billion annually. No big deal, really. Smith claimed on RN Breakfast it would be “unnecessary” for the federal government to appoint an independent administrator to the union. The organisation had “zero tolerance for criminality,” he insisted.

Yes, I know exactly the sort of zero tolerance you mean, Zach. It is just like my abhorrence of a medium-rare eye fillet and a good red, or my aversion to complimentary tickets to an MCG corporate box on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test. I get it.

Smith’s ‘she’ll be right’ assurances were not shared by Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong, who is looking to put up to five of the union’s construction divisions into administration.

As for Smith’s protests, one need only consider, in addition to the current allegations, that the union has amassed $19 million in fines during the last eight years and was in 2022 described by a federal judge as the “greatest recidivist offenders in Australian corporate history”.

When Smith assumed his current position last year, he said he was “proud” of the union’s militancy, declaring “sometimes bad laws need to be broken”. It beats me why they are sidelining you, Zach. I have no idea why commentators say your mob needs a good dose of the salts. If you are to be believed, the CFMEU is the paradigm of good governance.

What is alleged, if true, has taken place on the watch of Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke. He is as good at ensuring construction sites are free of unlawful behaviour as he is at calling out antisemitic extremists in his Western Sydney electorate. Speaking last week, he professed surprise at the allegations.

The issue of organised crime infiltrating the union was “something I had not been previously briefed on,” he claimed.

That says it all, Tony Burke. You abolished the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) without so much as a proper briefing on the extent of criminal activity in the industry?

As former ABCC head Nigel Hadgkiss told Sky News this week, he had seen “the infiltration of organised crime, particularly outlaw motorcycle gangs” in the building industry since 2004. It was “outlandish” for senior government members to express surprise, he said.

Likewise in 2014 Victoria Police assistant commissioner Stephen Fontana told the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption that “criminal activity is under-taken by trade union officials directly or by organised crime groups on behalf of trade union officials”. Then CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan dismissed that claim, saying the organisation had “zero tolerance for corruption or criminal activity”. Sound familiar?

But not only did Burke claim he had not been briefed regarding these activities. He also insisted they were “something that, as I say, (have) never heard of”.

Really? A quick check of Hansard reveals that between 2016-20, then Home Affairs/Immigration Minister Peter Dutton mentioned on five occasions the CFMEU was using outlaw motorcycle gang members as muscle.

Burke was not only present: he interjected on every occasion on a point of order. Yet now he claims the organised crime aspect was a “significant change that I’ve seen over recent days”. Granted, misleading the public is characteristic of the Albanese government, but that is a blue ribbon porkie.

Speaking of what defines this government, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s reaction was to distract through false equivalence.

“Now, to have a corrupt union official, you need a corrupt boss as well,” he said. “You need someone paying the money and so we want that to stop and to be weeded out, whether it be in unions or business.” Remind me, why is his nickname ‘Each-way Albo’?

If Albanese wants to play that game, bring it on. Take for example his statement: “It is an indictment of the leadership of the CFMEU that they haven’t been held to account.”

It is. But to have systemic corruption flourish in the building sector, you need a federal government that is oblivious to it or outright condones it. At the very least, the Albanese government is derelict. The Prime Minister was sent detailed evidence in 2022 of CFMEU officials threatening “extreme” violence and black-banning companies. Crickets.

That same year Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox warned that abolishing the ABCC was a “backward step for the fight against bullying and intimidation”. Two months before that, an Ernst & Young report commissioned by Master Builders Australia concluded its axing would result in a $50 billion loss to the economy as well as drive inflation. Instead an arrogant Burke declared the ABCC was “a totally unnecessary body”.

Albanese has been insipid in responding to these allegations. He has not announced a royal commission into the CFMEU. He has rejected deregistering the organisation. He has refused to re-establish the ABCC or legislate for a replacement agency. Yet he claims his government had “put in place the strongest possible measures”, as he told ABC radio last week.

“We’ve done it very swiftly, and we’re confident that it will stamp out corruption and stamp out inappropriate activities,” he said. Translation: “We’ve done the absolute minimum, and we hope and pray this doesn’t blow up before the election”. Good luck with that.

Since Albanese became leader in 2019, the federal division of the Labor Party has received a total of $6.2 million from the CFMEU. Of equal concern is the relationship of those two entities and industry super funds, where former Labor politicians retire to sit on the boards.

As this masthead reported last year, these funds have provided trade unions with $114.5 million since mid-2006. The CFMEU was the biggest beneficiary, having received a whopping $33.65 million over this period.

If you think that is brazen, just consider what Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones did upon assuming his portfolio. He attempted (unsuccessfully) to abolish a regulation instituted by the Morrison government which required that funds itemise for their members payments to unions and industrial bodies, claiming it was an “unnecessary administrative burden”.

But nonetheless the status quo is still a win-win situation – well at least it is for the unions and Labor. They profit from this grubby and parasitic reciprocity. On the downside, it has long meant a 30 per cent increase in construction costs, but it is only us mugs who cop that without a sweetener.

It makes for depressing reading, so I will finish on a positive note. You might remember last year the ACT Government’s disgraceful decision to compulsorily acquire without consultation Calvary Hospital, then operated by the Catholic Church.

Cheering on this Kulturkampf was then CFMEU ACT secretary Zach Smith, who urged the ACT government to “bring in construction crews” and “move as swiftly as possible” on the project.

“I know there will be those who whine about the compulsory acquisition princess, but a good territory government needs to think about the community first and stakeholder sensibilities second,” he said.

Best of luck accounting to the administrator at your end, Zach. I know you whine about this compulsory process, but we need to think about the community first and CFMEU sensibilities second.

The Mocker

A conversation with a mate (via Discord) about a week ago, a retired ex public servant who worked in/for the ABCC, who was involved in a few inquiries and Royal Commissions into the union corruption. Also according to me mate, words to the effect ‘ they are not very nice people’ :
 
Me: Papers reporting :
The CFMEU has placed its key Victorian branch into administration following allegations of corruption, with the national executive to take over.*  The same national executive that allowed the corruption in VIC to fester.
Over to you, Tony Burke.
 
Mate: Yeah… simply putting the federal criminals in charge of the state based ones! So the takeover is all smoke and mirrors. It will change nothing substantive. If you ask my opinion what this is all about is a hit job on Johnny Setka and his mates as a payback for what they did to the former CFMEU National Secretary Michael O’Connor. Who is he you ask? He is the brother of Brendan O’Connor – Cabinet Minister in the current Albanese government. In other words this is all about ALP faction fighting. Setka was a dead man walking as soon as Daniel Andrews resigned. Johnny was a very very strong supporter of Chairman Dan back in the day and neither were faction mates with Albo. What I will be interested in is whether a deal has been done for the AWU to take the construction division over completely. This would mirror what Bob Hawke did to the BLF many years ago. Now that would be very interesting indeed and you can bet there are lots of ALP guys trying to get this result – not least Bill Shorten. When he was Secretary of the AWU he spent millions in legal cases fighting the CFMEU for their harassment of AWU building
industry members. Whether Burke and Albo are of this view we shall see. I will be fascinated by how this all works out.
 
Me: Yes it will be interesting. Hopefully they will eat each other.
 
Mate: Indeed… just a pack of wolves fighting over a dying carcass

Last edited 1 month ago by Beertruk
Beertruk
July 25, 2024 4:48 pm

Dover:

CFMEU’s ‘zero tolerance’ for criminality as genuine as my aversion to medium-rare steak
 
The Mocker

in moderation.

Cheers
Regards

Beertruk

cohenite
July 25, 2024 5:00 pm

Piers Morgan, who I take with a grain of salt at the best of times, was quite witty on The Five today. Responding to the msm’s description of the old pervert as a lame duck, Morgan instead compared him to a dead parrot as in the Monty Python dead parrot skit with Cleese/the public trying to return the dead parrot and the demorats insisting he’s still as good as gold, merely resting and pining for the Fiords.

Monty Python – Dead Parrot (youtube.com)

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 5:05 pm

There are better, more long lasting examples of fascism.
In no order
Peronist Argentina
Franco’s Spain
Portugal under Salazar.
The current more obvious ones would be
Russia and China.

Try starting a business in Australia and you’ll need endless permissions/licences/inspections etc, etc ,etc. About to get worse where the government enables their SA (union thugs) to extort and otherwise monster business.
Australia has been fascist for at least 50 years, possibly longer.
Gangster government.

johanna
johanna
July 25, 2024 5:06 pm

Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 12:08 pm

Newscorpse is dying.
Rupert Murdoch Ignites Succession Fight to Keep Lachlan in Charge of News Empire | Report (24 Jul)

Rupert Murdoch is living a real life episode of “Succession” as three of his four children fight his attempts to adjust the family trust to leave eldest son Lachlan in charge following his death. According to a New York Times report, the 93-year-old media mogul is in conflict with children Prudence, Elisabeth, and James as he tries to adjust the trust.

If Paul Ryan’s mate Lachlan is the best of the bunch, and the other three are out to get him, I fear for the company. It will die.
—————————————————-
Lachlan is indeed the brighter of the two, although not a patch on the old man’

Some readers may recall when I recounted at Sinc’s an example of James’ Third Generation syndrome.

In charge of some British newspapers, he signed a cheque for 750,000 pounds for a libel suit without even reading the attached paperwork. 750,000 pounds.

Rupert would not only have read every word of the paperwork, he would have summoned the lawyers and demanded what in the world they were thinking to make that kind of offer.

There is a great clip on youtube where dopey James is quizzed by Phillip Davies MP about this payment. Can’t find it just now.

My dad is about as old as Rupert, and thankfully still has his marbles. But, the idea that he could run a global media conglomerate is ridiculous.

It’s reverse Joe Biden. The MSM lied about him by claiming that he was competent.

With Rupert, they lie by claiming that he is some kind of James Bond movie villain trying to control the world.

Maybe they read too many comics or watched too many movies.

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 5:10 pm

How much of this is the ALP, and how much is Boeing dropping the ball again?
Boeing got down selected and isn’t in the competition for the US version of this type of aircraft. We now have a orphan. But there will be jerbs at Wellcamp for several years at vast expense for a next to useless capability.
Maintaining the fine tradition of the ARH Tiger, MRH90 Taipan, Seasprite etc etc. Lots of money for little or no capability.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 25, 2024 5:10 pm

m0nty
 July 25, 2024 12:09 pm

Second ultrasound done. Results are not clear, as Gez predicted. Scans sent off to radiologist for further analysis, but Gez’s call of an MRI being necessary looks on the money.

Uh-oh.
I’ve heard that story before.
Good luck.
You’re gonna need it.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
July 25, 2024 5:17 pm

Honestly, m0nster, hard masses like kidney stones stick out like dog’s balls on all diagnostic tools.
If they are kicking the can down the road to an MRI or PET scan they can see something suss, but don’t want to say anything until they know for sure.
Good luck, but don’t waste any time.

johanna
johanna
July 25, 2024 5:21 pm

Lefties caught in the cleft stick about DEI.

‘Kamala is not a DEI choice, that’s racist’ they howl.

So, she was chosen on merit, unlike other DEI choices?

Let’s hope that this is just the beginning.

Zatara
Zatara
July 25, 2024 5:26 pm
Last edited 1 month ago by Zatara
calli
calli
July 25, 2024 5:32 pm

On the choosing of Jumpin’ Joe’s successor by a select committee of knifers…

Am I the first to call her CABALA?

😀

Lysander
Lysander
July 25, 2024 5:35 pm

Doctoral Cats.. I got the Q Fever vax this AM and now I can hardly move my arm… is this normal???

Zatara
Zatara
July 25, 2024 5:46 pm
Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
July 25, 2024 5:48 pm

Earlier, about lunchtime and from Ronnie RAAF:

Perhaps someone could explain to me, how a fire on the 75th floor of such a structure, can weaken the supports below it, sufficiently to bring the building down. Especially, as an office fire does not get anywhere near hot enough, to melt steel.

Oh my wordy lordy. I said darl, I said love, I said pet.

I knew it.

An A Grade, industrial-strength, bluewater ocean-going troofer.

‘an office fire’

Just gold. Has to be satire.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
July 25, 2024 5:54 pm

Am I the first to call her CABALA?

Karma Kamala…

Massive Attack – Kamalacoma (1995)

Oops, might’ve made a mistake spelling the name of this track.

johanna
johanna
July 25, 2024 6:04 pm

These officials – and this is not an exhaustive summary – have allegedly taken cash bribes, received kickbacks from developers in the form of free building work, threatened factional opponents, and boasted of controlling Victoria’s Big Build program by blocking disfavoured companies from government sites.

As was found by the Royal Commission. Luckily for the building thuug

Zatara
Zatara
July 25, 2024 6:07 pm

Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson DESTROY Kamala Harris

Lots of bubbles burst in this one.

Kamala is riding the media sugar high at the moment. Reality is about to strike.

Last edited 1 month ago by Zatara
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
July 25, 2024 6:12 pm

AFP crackdown on activists wearing terrorist symbols at pro-Palestine ralliesMohammad Alfares
2 hours ago.
Updated 2 hours ago

3 comments

Disturbing footage has emerged of a toddler chanting anti-Israel slogans at a pro-Palestinian rally in Melbourne.
Disturbing images of activists and children wearing clothing items emblazoned with terrorist insignia at pro-Palestine rallies across the country have been referred by Victoria Police to the Australian Federal Police.
The Australian has obtained evidence of children wearing Hamas-style logos at a Melbourne protest led by prominent activist and restaurateur Hash Tayeh, who is being investigated for inciting hatred after declaring all Zionists were terrorists.
Victoria Police said it had referred the images of terrorist symbols being worn in public rallies to the AFP. “Appropriate referrals have been made to AFP. We are unable to provide specific comments on every clothing item,” a police spokesperson said.
The Australian has approached the AFP for comment.
During a rally in Melbourne on Sunday, one child could be seen wearing a Hamas-style headband with “I love chocolate” written across it.
Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe previously sparked outrage after donning the insignia in a now deleted social media post.

Gilas
Gilas
July 25, 2024 6:14 pm

Lysander
July 25, 2024 5:35 pm

Doctoral Cats.. I got the Q Fever vax this AM and now I can hardly move my arm… is this normal???

No, not at all.
Many reasons why it might happen. The nurse/doctor stuffed up the injection site, maybe they introduced an infection or affected a major nerve.
An allergic reaction to the vax is possible, but it would normally be systemic ie. beyond the arm.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
July 25, 2024 6:14 pm

I love both in this clip. The Lady groomer and Lady Shepherd.

It’s a great channel away from news and politics.

—–

Girl With The Dogs 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzNua65PJPw

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
July 25, 2024 6:17 pm

Good luck with the MRI Monty, always best to get in early.

Gilas
Gilas
July 25, 2024 6:27 pm

Sancho Panzer
July 25, 2024 5:17 pm

Honestly, m0nster, hard masses like kidney stones stick out like dog’s balls …
Good luck, but don’t waste any time.

I know it sound harsh, but why would anyone give a flying f@ck about Montz’s self-inflicted misfortunes?
Why does he feel the need to advertise his medical issues, after openly insulting many of those who bother to respond to his lies?

He’s simply a troll that would put most of us against a wall if his tribe achieved total power, and who receives far more attention on this blog than he deserves.

F@cks given = 0

Arky
July 25, 2024 6:27 pm

Monty. If they remove your gall bladder will you let it continue to comment here?

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 6:36 pm

The Mussies want an Islamic Party. How do you think we’d go registering an “Australian Christian Crusaders Party”?

Beertruk
July 25, 2024 6:41 pm

Bruce of Newcastle
 July 25, 2024 5:54 pm

Am I the first to call her CABALA?

I saw ‘Scamala’ somewhere this arvo.

Youtube I think.

Last edited 1 month ago by Beertruk
MatrixTransform
July 25, 2024 6:43 pm

mUnty needs a friend?

the same fool who would at the drop of hat, designate any of you as nazi, or fascist
and then dream up a punishment to mete out

not just more taunts and ‘you-lots’
nah … remember he’s going to get all punchy too

is there any sort of medical widget that could possibly locate the black spot on mUnty’s soul?

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 6:46 pm

Oh my wordy lordy. I said darl, I said love, I said pet.

I thought we already covered this.
Take1/2″ diameter steel rod. Place in vice. Try to bend.
Now heat to red heat and bend relatively easily. Note it is nowhere near melting.
Next: The bits in the middle of the buildings had an impact from a 150,000 kg aircraft moving at at least 350 knots. Not long after takeoff so lots of jet fuel got misted and ignited. Building now has structural damage as well as heat sufficient to soften steel and likely unbalanced.
Supports in damaged section buckle, leading to upper stories falling down on to lower stories. Extra loads caused by this cause collapse of lower.
Whole damn thing falls down.
Severe earth shocks caused to nearby ground.
Building 7 suffers severe internal damage from earthshocks and collapses.

Change my mind.

Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 6:47 pm

Australians – especially those who vote in elections — need to understand that:

a)   Voting for Labor ALWAYS increases the physical risk of going to the local shops because the ALP believes ideologically that criminals, including illegal immigrants, are society’s victims who should be released from prison into the community.

b)   Labor governments are pre-occupied with the electoral risk from the Greens in the inner-cities which means they ALWAYS allow highways and country roads to fall apart because they don’t give a stuff about anyone who lives more than 50 kilometres from the GPO.

c)   Labor in the 21st century is the party of big government and multiculturalism that believes in importing millions of muslim terrorists to change the electorate beyond recognition forever for electoral advantage and is therefore beholden to terrorists who make Australian streets and neighborhoods more dangerous.

d)   Labor governments are socialists who hate the free market and ALWAYS increase consumer prices because they ALWAYS introduce price controls that end up increasing prices.
?
e)   Labor is no longer the party of the working class, but the party of the wealthy upper middle class. Labor unions now get most of their cash flow from superannuation management fees.
 

Rosie
Rosie
July 25, 2024 6:52 pm

Good to see the Republicans ready to roll a Kamala campaign.
Elon is actively campaigning for them too.
He got community noted for that ‘I’m wearing a blue suit’ video. Apparently some of the people she was speaking to were visually impaired.
He’s a free speech guy.

Rosie
Rosie
July 25, 2024 6:55 pm

I’m a little tempted to catch the ferry from down the road to Bilbao where it is 23c.
I’ll probably soldier on west though. .
Areff should side trip to Ireland. The cafe I’m in has black pudding (sausage) rolls. I didn’t get one, though I really wanted to.

Tom
Tom
July 25, 2024 6:58 pm

Australians – especially those who vote in elections — need to understand that:

a)   Voting for Labor ALWAYS increases the physical risk of going to the local shops because the ALP believes ideologically that criminals, including illegal immigrants, are society’s victims who should be released from prison into the community.

b)   Labor governments are pre-occupied with the electoral risk from the Greens in the inner cities which means they ALWAYS allow highways and country roads to fall apart because they don’t give a stuff about anyone who lives more than 50 kilometres from the GPO.

c)   Labor in the 21st century is the party of big government and multiculturalism that believes in importing millions of muslim terrorists to change the electorate beyond recognition forever for electoral advantage and is therefore beholden to terrorists who make Australian streets and neighborhoods more dangerous.

d)   Labor governments are socialists who hate the free market and ALWAYS increase consumer prices because they ALWAYS introduce price controls that end up increasing prices.
?
e)   Labor is no longer the party of the working class, but the party of the wealthy upper middle class. Labor unions now get most of their cash flow from superannuation management fees.
 

Rosie
Rosie
July 25, 2024 7:03 pm

Russell Brand got baptised in the river Thames in a ceremony assisted by Bear Grylls.
My best guess is he’s become an Anglican.

JC
JC
July 25, 2024 7:09 pm

The Aussie dollar has been given a whipping, mainly because Satan’s rep on earth, Mr Xi’s economic strategy that came out of the 5 year plenum, has been given a thumbs down.

Iron ore is back down below US$100 a ton.

China Can’t Evade the Iron Laws of Economics

Xi shifts to ‘high quality’ from ‘high speed’ growth. He will preside over a new phase of failure.

Roger
Roger
July 25, 2024 7:10 pm

Disturbing footage has emerged of a toddler chanting anti-Israel slogans at a pro-Palestinian rally in Melbourne.

The fabric of multiculturalism, the warp and weft of which was always dodgy, is fraying rather badly.

Last edited 1 month ago by Roger
Miltonf
Miltonf
July 25, 2024 7:10 pm

Spot on Tom. Santamaria called it ‘this party of schoolteachers and left-wing lawyers’.

mem
mem
July 25, 2024 7:13 pm

Roger the sage said earlier today, “I’m so old I remember when progress meant we were going to judge people by their character, not their ethnic origins.” Can we bottle that? Quote of the day for me.Thank you

Eyrie
Eyrie
July 25, 2024 7:18 pm

 the ALP believes ideologically that criminals, including illegal immigrants, are society’s victims who should be released from prison into the community.

They do know their own kind, don’t they?

Cassie of Sydney
July 25, 2024 7:29 pm

Gilas
 July 25, 2024 6:27

I think you’ve said it best.

Boambee John
Boambee John
July 25, 2024 7:33 pm

So, after thinking deeply on the matter, mUntyfa came up with a definition of “fascism” that purely coincidentally can be summarised as “everything mUntyfa hates politically”. His definition includes all non-leftards and Christianity.

In doing this he managed to ignore both the historical experience of genuine fascism and the philosophical writings of Hitler and Mussolini. This is a magnificent example of wackademic wishful thinking.

Last edited 1 month ago by Boambee John
Miltonf
Miltonf
July 25, 2024 7:33 pm

Agree Cassie- the wild swings from trawling for sympathy to dishing out insults are weird.

Last edited 1 month ago by Miltonf
JC
JC
July 25, 2024 7:46 pm

My very smart pal, living in Europe.
A friend sent me his summary of what he thinks about the world in general. He’s a really smart dude who, from nothing, made himself US$300 million plus. He sent it as a voice message to his friends.

I’m not sure if I agree with all of it, but it’s really worth considering.

In the West, we really fckd the young and aspirational with inflated asset prices, giving them little access to assets. The argument he puts up is that there isn’t so much tension over income issues; it’s tension over access to assets. He argues, this is the fault of monetary policy. Thinking about housing, etc.

We’ve now fcked the young by raising debt levels and continuing to reach levels that make it impossible for them to break free.

Inner city people, or in US terms, coastal elites, haven’t just screwed the lower classes; they look down on them and treat them like shit. If the revolt against the elites doesn’t arrive with this coming election in the US, it will be inevitable at some stage.

Trump has to win because China has to be dealt with at some stage. He referred to the Chinese as arrogant, xenophobic arseholes that have to be brought to size, and Trump will try through the trade front. Unlike Reagan, who persuaded Japan because of WW2 history, China is not going to come along for the ride that easily, so it means we could be seeing serious headwinds over the next few years.

He sees two issues with which only the Trump administration will be able to deal effectively. Dealing with China and ensuring the US will have strong to dominant AI capability over the long term. His AI fear is regulation, which would hobble longer-term development. Trump understands the importance of AI in the long term.

In my view, what does this mean for Australia? We’re fcked, as we have limited flexibility in the labor markets and the economy (no productivity) to deal with this. A 35-cent Aussie could be possible.
 
 

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
July 25, 2024 7:49 pm

Agree Cassie- the wild swings from trawling for sympathy to dishing out insults are weird.

Reality has struck.

Muddy
Muddy
July 25, 2024 7:59 pm

Military history and engineering.
Inside the B-17 Ball Turret is a very informative and visually impressive 18-minute computer animation about the same.

vr
vr
July 25, 2024 8:07 pm

A question for the very smart readers of the blog. What is the (average) cost of building a nuclear power plant?

cohenite
July 25, 2024 8:11 pm

England is now well into the 3rd stage of islam:

How Islam progressively takes over countries | God Reports

Australia well into the second.

How ironic that if Trump is cheated again the only thing standing between islam and the West will be the chunks and russkies.

cohenite
July 25, 2024 8:17 pm

vr
 July 25, 2024 8:07 pm

A question for the very smart readers of the blog. What is the (average) cost of building a nuclear power plant?

Depends on the size and how much green lawfare adds to the time of construction.

In other news little jimmy murdoch quit because Murdoch press did not conform to the abc line on woke and alarmist issues. Good riddance you pansy leftie brat.

Last edited 1 month ago by cohenite
JC
JC
July 25, 2024 8:20 pm

vr

July 25, 2024 8:07 pm

A question for the very smart readers of the blog. What is the (average) cost of building a nuclear power plant?

I guess that counts me out. The one thing I’ve seen is the average cost is 48 cents a kwh, which does make it the most expensive by over double.

The issue is that the big units are all bespoke and it takes years of consultants fees before you can even break ground and even then, there will be changes to the build.

What will reduce the cost greatly are the pre-approved factory made reactors that will allow scaling. We’re just there now.

Last edited 1 month ago by JC
1 2 3
  1. Reality bites. Hun: Extending a deal that keeps Victoria’s dirtiest power station running to 2028 is likely to be considered…

  2. Muslim group targeting Labor seats launches campaign in BroadmeadowsThe Muslim Votes Matter group is aiming to win over Victorian Labor…

  3. Fair whack of publicity in the media over Brucie (of Knickerless fame) claiming “dole” whilst Channel 7 paid big bucks…

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