Open Thread – Mon 20 Jan 2025


An Interior in Venice, John Singer Sargent, 1899

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

1.5K Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Steve trickler
Steve trickler
January 20, 2025 12:11 am

Wow, that speech was full on. He did not hold back.

Top bloke.

—–

Via Rabbi Pinchas Taylor:

Yosef Hadad singlehandedly educates an entire Audience of pro Palestinians at Oxford Union.

WATCH Israeli-Arab DESTROYS Entire Crowd of Jew Haters at Oxford Union

Last edited 25 days ago by Steve Trickler
cohenite
January 20, 2025 3:42 pm
Reply to  Steve trickler

It’s great but speeches are going to do nothing. Islam is an existential threat not just to the West but to humanity.

Louis Litt
Louis Litt
January 20, 2025 10:42 pm
Reply to  Steve trickler

I drove around the block in my V8 Charger doing burnouts after that

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 12:19 am

Indolent
January 19, 2025 9:04 am

@WallStreetApes

The Supreme Court upholds the TikTok Ban

Many members of Congress bought META stock as they were voting to ban TikTok, they’re getting rich while eliminating their donors competition.

How on earth can the American people tolerate this?

Are they stupid or don’t care?
This is criminal.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 2:52 pm
Reply to  KevinM

American politicians seem to regard insider trading as icing on the cake. Obscene.

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 3:02 pm
Reply to  KevinM

But it’s also legal – Congress gave themselves the right to insider trade.
And they will not give it up.

Kneel
Kneel
January 20, 2025 4:21 pm
Reply to  KevinM

If you had followed the Pelosi stock tracker, you could have done 200% better than the average stock trader in the USA.
IIRC, statistically, this is like a 5 sigma outlier.

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 12:21 am

Brazilian mounted police.
Not a joke.

473727181_584201327719171_5505280944786611883_n
Boambee John
Boambee John
January 20, 2025 7:09 am
Reply to  KevinM

Advance on a crowd of rioters on those, and watch them scatter

Rafiki
Rafiki
January 20, 2025 8:39 am
Reply to  Boambee John

Snap Boambee John. A slow moving force that couldn’t be stopped. Throwing marbles under their feet, or spreading lion shit, would have no effect.

mizaris
mizaris
January 20, 2025 12:21 am

Good morning all.

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 12:27 am

Why the six shooters were only loaded with five rounds.

——————–
An accident was waiting to happen. This is why up to this day it is recommended to load 5 rounds only and to leave one chamber empty. Then the empty chamber can be turned to be right in front of the hammer. In this way the revolver will never shoot by accident.

six
Arky
January 20, 2025 1:01 am
Reply to  KevinM

In this way the revolver will never shoot by accident.

Revolvers don’t shoot by accident.
They’re shot by accident.
Or more precisely, shot by negligence.
But let those who haven’t negligently shot someone cast the first stone, say I.

Salvatore - Iron Publican
January 20, 2025 3:31 am
Reply to  KevinM

I wore a revolver for some years. Never did I consider an accidental discharge was a possibility.
In fact, I don’t see how an accidental discharge is possible. There’d have to be nothing between the hammer & the firing pin (there is)

I never used a single-action revolver, for reasons.

Anon
Anon
January 20, 2025 4:23 pm

I owned a Ruger single-six 22LR/22WMR when I lived in the USA decades ago. Transfer bar safety. Always carried it with full cylinder.

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 1:05 am

Bush poems.
Not particularly fond of poems, specially those that rhyme.
But here it goes.

Will Ogilvie was a Scot who spent only twelve years in Australia, yet he wrote some of our most inspiring bush poems. One favourite, for generations of ringers, cattle duffers and drovers is, “The Man Who Steadies the Lead.”

——————–

He was born in the light of red oaths and nursed by the drought and the flood,
And swaddled in sweat lined saddle-cloths and christened in spur drawn blood;
He never was burdened with learning, and many would think him a fool,
But he’s mastered a method of turning that never was taught in a school.

His manners are rugged and vulgar, but he’s nuggets of gold in our need,
And a lightning flash in the mulga is the Man who Steadies the Lead!
When the stockwhips are ringing behind him and brumbies are racing abreast,

It’s fifty-to-one you will find him a furlong or two from the rest
With the coils of his whip hanging idle, his eyes on the mob at his side,
And the daintiest touch on the bridle- for this is the man that can ride!
And the stallions that break for the mallee will find he has courage and speed,

For he rides the best horse in the valley- this stockman who steadies the lead.
When they’re fetching in stores to the station through tangles of broken belar,

And the road is a rough calculation that’s based on the blaze of a star;
When they’re quickening through sand-ridge and hollow and rowels are spattered with red,

And sometimes you’ve only to follow the sound of the hoof-beat ahead;
Then we know that he’s holding them nor’ward- we trust in the man and his steed,
As we hear the old brown crashing forward and his rider’s Wo-up to the lead.

And again in a journey that’s longer, in a different phase of the game,
Dropping down the long trail to Wodonga with a thousand or so of the same;
When the blue grass is over the rollers, and each one contentedly rides,
And even the worst of the crawlers are stuffing green grass in their hides;

He is ready to spread them or ring them or steady them back on the feed,
And he knows when to stop them or string them, t
his stockman who rides in the lead.
But when from the bend of the river the cattle break camp in the night-
O, then is the season, if ever, we value his service aright!
For we know that if some should be tardy, and some should be left in the race,

Yet the spurs will be red on Coolgardie as someone swings out of his place.
The mulga-boughs-hark to them breaking in front of the maddened stampede!

A horse and rider are taking their time-honoured place in the lead.
As an honest and impartial recorder I’d fain have you all recollect
There are other brave men on the Border entitled to every respect;
There’s the man who thinks bucking a tame thing and rides them with lighted cigars;

And the man who will drive any blame thing that ever was hooked to the bars……….
Their pluck and their prowess are granted, but, all said and done, we’re agreed

That the king of ‘em all when he’s wanted is the Man who Steadies the Lead!

(Photo of Will Ogilvie taken in 1937, courtesy National Library.)

473822546_1044916877679957_5279380227126195159_n
Salvatore - Iron Publican
January 20, 2025 3:21 am
Reply to  KevinM

Put to music by arguably our best balladeer. This ballad was the title of the album, released in 1980.

Arky
January 20, 2025 1:38 am

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

I’m with Jesus.
Last time I was in Taiwan I had a salad with raw figs.
Found out instantaneously that I’m allergic to raw figs, throat swole up and trip to hospital ensued.
Lord, wither all of the fig trees, say I.

Last edited 25 days ago by Arky
Nelson_Kidd-Players
January 20, 2025 6:18 am
Reply to  Arky

Can’t eat raw figs. Have always loved fig jam. Yum!

Roger
Roger
January 20, 2025 8:45 am
Reply to  Arky

It isn’t about figs.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 2:44 pm
Reply to  Arky

Arky doesn’t give a fig. Leaves more for me.

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 1:40 am

The opposite of Bobby Fisher.
————-

In 1920, 8 year old Samuel Herman Reshevsky played against chess masters, he lost every game.
Grown up to be a good chess player but never a champion.

sam
MatrixTransform
January 20, 2025 8:26 am
Reply to  KevinM

black to play
and white is completely lost

…why?

board
Last edited 24 days ago by MatrixTransform
GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 2:43 pm

Bp takes Wp

Seza
Seza
January 20, 2025 4:21 pm
Reply to  GreyRanga

RxR ch. Q – A4, RxQ mate

MatrixTransform
January 20, 2025 4:51 pm
Reply to  Seza

nope

rook takes rook

white king forced to g2 (nestled among the pawns)
push the pawn on f4 up to f3 … check

white king is forced again, this time to h3

now only the white queen protects the king

black’s next move will force the white queen’s demise

what is that move?

Last edited 24 days ago by MatrixTransform
Seza
Seza
January 21, 2025 6:06 pm

You cannot check a king with a pawn, you peasant – know your place!

MatrixTransform
January 21, 2025 7:41 pm
Reply to  Seza

I just did

protected by the other rook

the pawn has zero fecks!!

my place dude, is in yr face

Last edited 23 days ago by MatrixTransform
MatrixTransform
January 21, 2025 8:43 pm
Reply to  Seza

it’s even worserer that that,

my king will be taking your queen

MatrixTransform
January 20, 2025 4:25 pm

take the rook which forces the king to g2
then don’t take the pawn, move it up to threaten the king

where does the king go next?

and how can you then capture the white queen after sacrificing a piece ?

Last edited 24 days ago by MatrixTransform
MatrixTransform
January 20, 2025 5:15 pm
Reply to  KevinM

PS Kev …

as a kid, Reshevsky won all those games

later he was a grand master

also had an intense rivalry with Bobby Fisher for most of his life

MatrixTransform
January 22, 2025 9:21 am
Reply to  KevinM

I’ll do an easier puzzle for youse next time

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 1:49 am

My admiration for women.
How did they endure this type clothing?

Nix that, dressing like a letterbox is all in vogue.

sa
Nelson_Kidd-Players
January 20, 2025 6:21 am
Reply to  KevinM

So much effort when clothing wasn’t cheap. In an age of mechanisation and cheap (slave?) overseas labour, a walk in the park now likely has selected leggings and a tee!

Maman
Maman
January 20, 2025 6:30 am
Reply to  KevinM

Ah, 🙂 but all is not what it seems!

“How the Victorians Faked Tiny Waists – One does not simply have a 16″ waist”. (Bernadette Banner, YouTube)

A combination of padding busts and hips to create the illusion of a tiny waist and also, can you believe it 🙂 19th century “photoshop”!

And, off on a tangent, there is an Australian/Victorian (Latrobe Uni ??) PhD researcher who has studied facial expressions in old photos and explains why, in most early staged photos people appear so dour – the length of time the process took, social convention not to smile, teeth were in such bad condition.

Think twice about every photo presented to you.

Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:00 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:01 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:02 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:03 am
Nelson_Kidd-Players
January 20, 2025 6:25 am
Reply to  Tom

Four more years of TDS from today, or shall Ramirez come around?

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 6:31 am

I was going to say “is the Pope Catholic”. That is no longer a certainty.

Tintarella di Luna
Tintarella di Luna
January 20, 2025 7:19 am
Reply to  GreyRanga

Bignose Bergoglio is a Communist NOT a Catholic

Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:04 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:05 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:06 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:07 am
Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 4:08 am
calli
calli
January 20, 2025 6:26 am

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari have been returned to their families.

Beertruk
January 20, 2025 6:39 am
Reply to  calli

Sadly Calli I think we will be revisiting this again in another 10-15 years.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 6:41 am
Reply to  calli

Why do I have a tear in my eye? This is only the beginning for them. The fact they survived is a credit to them that I don’t know if any of us could have endured. Israel is going to have to cut off any interaction with Gaza. No border, water or electricity. You’re on your own. Any rockets, we move the border 100 metres for each one. In a week no more Gaza. The scum muzzies just can’t help themselves.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 6:45 am
Reply to  calli

Here’s the Sky News report:

Three female hostages released in first phase of Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal after brief delay from ‘technical field reasons’ (20 Jan)

Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were handed over to Israeli troops on Monday before 3am after being kidnapped by terrorists 471 days ago.

Israel will then free around 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal in coming hours.

There was initially a delay to the ceasefire after Hamas failed to hand over the names of the first hostages it would release, blaming it on “technical field reasons”.

The names were handed over a few hours later.

Sinwar does the same as his brother and only communicates by written messages.

Beertruk
January 20, 2025 6:32 am

Bolta in today’s Tele:

GREAT DAY FOR THE FREE, BAD DAY FOR ALBANESE

ANDREW BOLT
20 Jan 2025

Donald Trump will be sworn in as US president this Monday, US time — and Anthony Albanese’s world will be smashed.

Just see how key members of Trump’s team wiped the floor with Democrat senators in their confirmation hearings last week, showing its going to be a new no-nonsense world and Australia must change or decline even faster.

For instance, Trump’s pick as Treasury secretary, hedge fund mogul Scott Bessant, blew up a pet fairytale of the Albanese government after one Democrat insisted the US was in a “clean energy arms race with China”.

Albanese, our prime minister, has made the same claim, last year declaring “right around the world … we are in a race” for “clean, reliable electricity”.

Bessant responded by telling a truth Albanese won’t: “China will build 100 new coal plants this year. There is not a clean energy race. There is an energy race.”

He’s right. Many countries now desperately want any energy that is cheap and reliable. The winners will have stronger economies. Losers like us will just get weaker.

Bessant also smashed another Albanese climate fantasy – that we should ban nuclear power and instead make solar panels to compete with China and become a “renewable energy superpower”.

Bessant cut the cant: “China will build 10 nuclear plants this year. That is not solar.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s pick as energy secretary, gas tycoon Chris Wright, said he’d back Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda and scrap the “green new scam” inhibiting America from producing oil, gas and coal.

“Energy is critical to human lives,” he said. “President Trump shares my passion for energy. And if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.”

Is Albanese listening? Are the Liberal MPs who still cling to our net-zero suicide strategy?

Here’s what will happen. Trump will unleash a cheap energy revolution which will cut power costs for American business.

In contrast, we’re even running short of gas and electricity thanks to our global warming lunacy.

So where do you think industries will invest? Here or there? Our soaring electricity cost has already wiped out our nickel industry.

But that wasn’t the only warning last week from Trump and his team.

Trump plainly means to create a revolution from day one. In fact, he’s already scared Israel and Hamas into a peace deal last week with his threat that “all hell will break loose” if they didn’t sign.

That was a brutal reminder of a truth smaller powers like us dismiss as crude: the strong make the rules.

Trump will have no patience with countries which pretend kumbaya will defang China or Iran, and leave America to do the fighting for them.

Like us.

Trump’s nominees are just as ultra-pragmatic.

Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick as Secretary of State, told his own confirmation hearing China was the “most potent and dangerous” nation the US had ever faced.

Confrontation with China is coming. That will put huge pressure on Albanese’s “get along to get along” approach to the most powerful dictatorship the world has ever seen.

And here’s a final example of a Trump nominee giving Australia the big wakey-wakey – not just about how the world works, but how woke is now a national security risk.

Pete Hegseth has been mocked by journalists as a bed-hopping, big-drinking Fox News host who never rose above the rank of major in the National Guard, yet will now be Trump’s Defense Secretary.

Yet Hegseth humiliated the Democrats who literally screeched at him in last week’s hearing, keeping his cool.

Here’s one exchange, albeit with Republican Senator and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, which symbolises the massive cultural shift that Trump’s team represents even for Australia.

SHEEHY: How many genders are there? Tough one.

HEGSETH: Two …

SHEEHY: What is the diameter of the rifle round fired out of an M4A1 rifle?

HEGSETH: 5.56 …

SHEEHY: How many rounds of 5.56 can you fit into the magazine of an M4 rifle?

HEGSETH: Standard issue is 30.

SHEEHY: What size round is the M9 Beretta standard issue sidearm for the military fire?

HEGSETH: A 9mm …

SHEEHY: You understand what the warfighter deals with every single day on the battlefield … you have my support. I know, running the US military takes much more sophisticated knowledge than that, but the basics are also essential. So is not being blinded by bull.

This Monday our world changes.

A few good highlighted points.

Last edited 25 days ago by Beertruk
Bungonia Bee
Bungonia Bee
January 20, 2025 6:38 am

The BBC has its own prism for all world events.

  1. The Deal was held up “because Bibi wanted to keep his coalition intact” – ffs, not because it’s such a dud deal?
  2. Trump will be inaugurated and “radically change the USA” – what? The last four years of the Biden Puppetocracy did the radical change. Trump will attempt to do Repairs!!
GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 6:49 am
Reply to  Bungonia Bee

Listening and watching the news and commentary on the hostage deal was all framed around it being Israel’s fault. Obviously the wonderful muzzies couldn’t do anything wrong. The smug mouthpiece on the GAYALPBC I could’ve slapped into next week.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 7:02 am
Reply to  Bungonia Bee

The BBC, our ABC, and many…many others have chosen their “side”. They have decided to be vassals and mouthpieces of the Enemy. They are on the side of the screaming mob, the faithless politician, the lazy, grasping and power hungry,

This will not change, regardless of a new President in the White House, or a new PM in the Lodge.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 6:45 am

In fact, he’s already scared Israel and Hamas into a peace deal last week with his threat that “all hell will break loose” if they didn’t sign.

Please tell the truth and don’t embellish what Trump actually said.

If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity.

I doubt very much that Israel was “scared” into a peace deal.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 6:55 am

Watching those three girls in the vehicles running the gauntlet with the Gazan crowds tells me all I need to know.

Masked, sinister, armed to the teeth and all men. Twenty deep along the route. All shrieking, screaming hate and brandishing their guns.

Compare and contrast with the police escorted bus ride the released terrorists received.

This is where civilisation and savagery meet.

Beertruk
January 20, 2025 6:57 am

The Paywallion:

Journos fail to grasp basic terror truths

Chris Mitchell
9 hours ago. Updated 7 hours ago

The inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump on Monday and Israel’s military success against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran indicate parts of the Western world are waking up to the realities of power.

In much of the West the celebration of feelings over facts in everything from gender and the media to international diplomacy has been driven by a 21st century take on Marxist thought.

Rather than focus on material improvement for the working class, this politics is the province of upper middle class professionals who prioritise the imagined right of individuals never to feel offended. Hence men can be women and Islamist terrorists can be progressives even if they subjugate women and murder homosexuals.

The election of Trump has sent the world a message. Voters prize common sense. They are OK with polite tolerance but not when it damages their own societies.

They want Trump to “Make America Great Again’’ because they saw Joe Biden and Barack Obama draw lines in the sand with authoritarian dictators who ignored the most powerful nation in history because they did not fear its leaders.

This is not just about wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Think the red-line ultimatum Obama issued against former president Bashar al-Assad in Syria in August 2012 if he used chemical weapons against his own people. He did so a year later.

In the years after the 2001 al-Qa’ida attacks in New York and Washington and the 2002 Bali bombings, much discussion in newspapers such as this one centred on the nature of tolerance. Should a tolerant society such as Australia’s allow the extreme intolerance of Islamist radicals?

In the self-consciously progressive left media – the old Fairfax papers – the discussion was less clear-eyed.

Was the West betraying its own democratic ideals by, for example, imprisoning Islamists at Guantanamo Bay while they were being questioned without having received a fair trial?

Was the West to blame for Islamist attacks on Western targets because it was more concerned with Middle Eastern oil than Middle Eastern social conditions?

This column called this “the root causes” view in a piece published on October 14, 2023, about the October 7 pogrom in southern Israel. In this view, Western victims of Islamic terror, whether in Israel, the US, Bali or Paris, bring terror on themselves because they do not recognise the problems of the Islamic world.

Never mind much of the Islamic world, particularly the Arab world, is ruled by some of the richest, most repressive leaders on Earth who privately support Islamist terror with oil money. And don’t forget the open anti-Semitism of many of the Arab world’s leaders, journalists and intellectuals who quote the Koran to justify murdering Jews.

Today in parts of Australia’s political left, the “root causes” view has morphed into outright sympathy for Islamism. Uni students praise Osama bin Laden’s manifesto, many support the October 7 slaughter of 1200 innocent Israeli civilians and decry Israel, one of the rare countries in the Middle East where women and gays are safe.

The UN, with 56 Muslim majority country members – and affiliated NGOs such as the World Health Organisation – openly run interference for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. The Western left follows.

Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah has this month repeated several false claims that Israel attacked civilians at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza and wrongfully imprisoned its director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya. Some posts about Safiya imply he is a saintly figure, yet he is a Hamas colonel.

Melanie Phillips on Substack on January 1 referred to a then 12-month-old report in The Times of Israel quoting the hospital’s former director, Ahmad Kahlot, admitting Hamas had offices in the hospital. Kahlot said he had been a lieutenant colonel with Hamas since 2010. He said 16 staff members were part of the organisation’s Al-Qassam terror organisation. Phillips quoted a Palestinian news site referring to Dr Safiya as a colonel.

Links between Hamas and UN-supported education, aid and medical facilities in Gaza have been known for years. The UN investigated links between Hamas and UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency) as far back as 2014.

Politicians should not be surprised at the rise in anti-Semitism in the West: the media casually reports Israeli military actions against embedded Hamas forces in hospitals and schools as if Israel is deliberately targeting children and the sick.

Just as bad has been reporting alleging Israel is deliberately starving Gazans. Never mind that in no other conflict would the party first attacked be held responsible for feeding the civilian population of its attacker. This column reported on April 7 last year that Israel’s aid convoys into Gaza had reached pre-war levels, even though much of the media was lazily repeating Hamas and UN propaganda about famine. Hamas creates the aid problem. It and other terror groups are stealing aid and selling it to Gazans at inflated prices.

US National Public Radio on November 20 showed the anti-Semitic mentality of Israel’s critics. It reported only 11 of 109 UN aid trucks had succeeded in deliveries the previous weekend. The rest had been stolen by armed militias.

Rather than call on Hamas to secure aid deliveries, NPR quoted a UN spokesperson demanding Israel do more to prevent attacks on aid convoys.

Just as dehumanising of Israelis have been silly reports criticising conservative Israeli government member Itamar Ben-Gvir for admitting he had last year blocked a hostage deal with Hamas.

Abdel-Fattah and journalist Antoinette Lattouf who have reposted on X criticism of Ben-Gvir must know even the Jerusalem Post has acknowledged the hostage deal agreed last Wednesday presents real dangers to Israel: the release of perhaps a thousand Palestinian convicted terrorists in return for the 94 remaining Israeli civilian hostages, many of whom may already be dead.

It was the 2011 release of 1026 Palestinian prisoners in return for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit that allowed Yahya Sinwar back to Gaza. Now dead, Sinwar had been sentenced to four life terms for the abduction and murder of two Israeli soldiers and the killing of four Palestinians in 1989. Sinwar led the October 7 pogrom.

The Jerusalem Post has conceded Israel risks a repeat with the latest ceasefire, which unarguably rewards hostage taking. Ben-Gvir threatened to quit the government on Thursday because he thinks the latest ceasefire presents grave dangers to Israel.
Journalists often misunderstand the point of terrorism. Islamist attacks in Western countries are designed to show young Muslims the West cares more for white victims than it does for Muslim victims in Islamic countries.

Similarly, October 7 and the sacrificing of innocent Palestinian lives in Gaza are designed to make young Muslims believe the West values Jewish lives more than Palestinian lives.

Back to strength of leadership. No one knows if Trump’s second presidency will be a success.

Yet The Times Of Israel last Thursday reported two Arab sources involved in the Gaza ceasefire talks believe Trump’s negotiator, Steve Witkoff, achieved more in one tense weekend of talks with Netanyahu than Biden did the entire previous year.

lotocoti
lotocoti
January 20, 2025 6:57 am

Typically, they found their uniforms when there was no risk.

Cassie of Sydney
January 20, 2025 7:02 am

This is where civilisation and savagery meet.

Yep. Once we lived in a West that knew the difference. However we now live in a West that lauds ‘savagery as ‘liberation’ and freedom fighting’ and smears civilisation as colonialist and racist.

Gabor
Gabor
January 20, 2025 7:04 am

calli
January 20, 2025 6:55 am

This is where civilisation and savagery meet.

That’s where I got thinking about greyranga’s comment.
Why does Israel provide water, electricity and other commodities to Gaza?
Can’t be all just commercial interest.
Israel is a civilised nation.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 7:26 am
Reply to  Gabor

Why would you provide succour to your enemies?

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 7:05 am

Good morning, downticking @rsehole.

How does it feel to be a loser? I bet seeing those three girls released annoyed you immensely.

Good.

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 7:12 am
Reply to  calli

Yes Calli,
no “relief”, for the downer this morning.

Cassie of Sydney
January 20, 2025 7:38 am
Reply to  calli

Just ignore it, calli.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 7:42 am

Please don’t think it worries me. It’s a bit like turning over a rock and revealing what’s underneath.

You sometimes find the most bizarre creatures.

Rosie
Rosie
January 20, 2025 7:07 am

Hamas were on the roof of the red Cross vehicle swatting at those who would have torn the three hostages to shreds.
Islam is evil. Why have we invited it in?
I’m delighted that Romi, Dotson and Emily are home safe.
Now the rest.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 2:52 pm
Reply to  Rosie

Swatting at … typical Gazans who love Hamas and Hate Israelis.

Cassie of Sydney
January 20, 2025 7:08 am

Geez Louise, those Hamas Nazis escorting Romi, Emily and Doron look half starved, don’t they?

Tintarella di Luna
Tintarella di Luna
January 20, 2025 7:11 am

Are the buttons under strain?

Tintarella di Luna
Tintarella di Luna
January 20, 2025 7:09 am

in 21 hours the Making America Great Again begins. I note some bastard leaked to the press the initial foray by Tom Homan to rid the US of violent criminals so there’s a change of plan and the bastard that did that had better be in Lebanon because Tom Homan will not rest until the leaker is found.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 7:26 am

those Hamas Nazis escorting Romi, Emily and Doron look half starved, don’t they?

They may’ve made a mistake coming out like this. It’s being remarked upon:

Faceless in Gaza | Power Line (19 Jan)

It’s truly astonishing to see how Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza with a military wing that avoided wearing uniforms for 15 months to blend into the population and use Gazans as human shields to maximize casualties and make the West blame Israel, has suddenly and spontaneously shed their “Press” vests, doctor coats, and ambulance driver uniforms. Miraculously, they’ve found their Hamas uniforms and are openly calling for the murder of all Jews worldwide. Suddenly, Gazans are no longer freezing or starving as they told you. In all the celebration videos, they’re wearing t-shirts or light sweatshirts, jumping in the air, and looking quite energetic. It’s insane how, within 24 hours, they go from freezing to comfortably wearing t-shirts.

Funny how that happens.

Beertruk
January 20, 2025 7:32 am

Well Girls and Lads…thats it for me for a bit. Off to have day surgery for a cataract and a lens put in my right eye.

Not really looking forward to it.

Rinse and repeat for the left eye today fortnight.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 7:38 am
Reply to  Beertruk

All the best, Beery. The Beloved had it done a couple of years ago (during a lull in the scamdemic). Hasn’t needed glasses since. Unpleasant, but a marvel of our civilisational advancement.

Lovers of savagery and its accompanying misery take note.

Bespoke
Bespoke
January 20, 2025 7:49 am
Reply to  Beertruk

Good luck.

mem
mem
January 20, 2025 8:01 am
Reply to  Beertruk

You’ll get a shock when you look in the mirror. Oh and instead of three moons you will see only one, once your second eye gets done.

Gabor
Gabor
January 20, 2025 8:08 am
Reply to  Beertruk

Had it done on the right eye, don’t want to frighten you but it had hurt like hell for me, only drops to ease the pain, no local. Good as gold now but the left is not bad enough to risk an other op. Took me 2 days to get any sight back, others say for them it was almost instantaneous. Good luck with, it I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Eyrie
Eyrie
January 20, 2025 8:10 am
Reply to  Beertruk

Good luck. Mine were done 19 years ago. Went well.
Tip: they’ll try to sell you on getting one eye for close up and one for distance. Don’t do it! Get both optimised for distance. Just use cheap reading glasses for reading. You may want bifocals for driving set at instrument panel distance. Get the executive cut where the closer up part is right across the width and is about the lower half.

Jock
Jock
January 20, 2025 8:16 am
Reply to  Beertruk

My mil had it done and she is 83. It worked a treat. Good luck.

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 8:52 am
Reply to  Beertruk

All the best Beertruk.
I looked after my mum when she had her eyes done thirty years ago.
The op and aftercare have improved much since then. Cheers.

Eyrie
Eyrie
January 20, 2025 7:37 am

Bolta got over his TDS, has he?

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 7:46 am
Reply to  Eyrie

Give him time. I see Sky is using the new Presidential portrait – a recreation of his mugshot.

He’s not letting anyone forget what the Dems did to him.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 7:53 am

On another subject – the surf is running high again today. I can hear the roar of it from my back porch.

All the beaches are closed until further notice, a combination of extremely dangerous conditions and pollution. During the emergency, our treatment plants shut down. I suspect numbers here will be down for the Australia Day weekend as a consequence.

Indolent
Indolent
January 20, 2025 8:02 am
Rafiki
Rafiki
January 20, 2025 9:05 am
Reply to  Indolent

Some ( and I stress ‘some’) Germans are keen to find parallels between Nazi regime phenomena and USA practice. The ambassador probably had in mind the way in which Hitler et al governed by executive decree according to a provision of the Weimar Cinstitution. But a long bow to draw, noting that Trump’s SCOTUS appointees are traditional constitutionality.

Indolent
Indolent
January 20, 2025 8:05 am
Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 8:58 am
Reply to  Indolent

Very glad it wasn’t the gum chewing fat chick who couldn’t holster her gun.

Eyrie
Eyrie
January 20, 2025 8:14 am
Indolent
Indolent
January 20, 2025 8:15 am
calli
calli
January 20, 2025 8:38 am
Reply to  Indolent

Read the comments and weep. There are some very strange people reading these sites.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 2:40 pm
Reply to  calli

Present company excepted!

lotocoti
lotocoti
January 20, 2025 8:18 am

A bit of Hot Fuzz trolly action would’ve sorted this out.

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 9:03 am
Reply to  lotocoti

I like the older Lady’s style. She was having none of it and started slamming the scrotes.
It pays to carry a racing whip. You can get a hell of a lot of stingers to their heads before the scrotes even know what has happened.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 9:21 am
Reply to  lotocoti

Frozen chicken would have solved the problem.

Frank
Frank
January 20, 2025 5:00 pm
Reply to  GreyRanga

A slap to the head with a bleeding piece of steak, they like that. Kibosh with a Cabanosi perhaps.

Bespoke
Bespoke
January 20, 2025 8:39 am

One of the reasons I homeschooled my son was I didn’t want him labelled as ADHD. His gifted father was labelled “hyper active” and put on ritalin. He was of course bored in school because the work was always behind his brain.

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 9:04 am
Reply to  Bespoke

Brendan O’Neill has an excellent column on ADHD at Spiked.

Bespoke
Bespoke
January 20, 2025 9:20 am
Reply to  Pogria

Pogria

I thought the Spiked to polarizing but it did lead to a useful discussion so linked to it.

John H.
John H.
January 20, 2025 3:11 pm
Reply to  Bespoke

Your story is a mirror image of the story a woman told me. She was always truant so they thought she might have a learning disability. The exact opposite, extremely bright so she didn’t want to be there. Why teachers are even involved is beyond me because of the obvious conflict of interest.

In recent decades rates of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and ASD have soared. The definitions are so vague clinicians can fall prey to confirmation bias and the recency illusion. There are no good models of human behavior and perhaps the model must always be culturally bound.

Damon
Damon
January 20, 2025 3:57 pm
Reply to  John H.

I was extremely bright, as evinced by my later career, but school bored me. As did university, until I realised I had to get a qualification

KevinM
KevinM
January 20, 2025 8:40 am

Tic-toc is ticking again.

Indolent
Indolent
January 20, 2025 8:50 am

This is actually an interesting general interview.

The Dark Reason Islam Is UNIQUELY Dangerous – Richard Dawkins

Indolent
Indolent
January 20, 2025 8:53 am
Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 9:06 am
Reply to  Indolent

Good start.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
January 20, 2025 8:59 am

As the first hostages are released, their ABC celebrates the indomitable spirit of resilience:

Hala Shehada, 32, was among those heading north to the Gaza City locale of Sheikh Radwan — somewhere that’s been off-limits for civilians since Israel’s ground invasion began.

“The world may have failed us, but Gaza has triumphed,” she told the ABC.

“We endured. We remained patient. To survive in the face of starvation is a victory in itself.”

And another chubby victim of starvation, apparently celebrating Israel’s attempt to displace him from Palestine:

Zouhair Salah, who was also returning to Gaza City, said he hoped his community could rebuild and that he wanted to live in peace.

“We are happy that the ceasefire took place,” he said. “Despite the incredible destruction, the loss of our homes, our brothers, our beloved ones, our neighbours, the wounded in serious conditions, destruction of all kinds, despite all that, we remain in the north. 

“We will remain in our land, Palestine.”

And the real heroes, the popular Hamas ‘militants’, now free from the threat of Israeli violence and able to stop hiding behind civilians:

Hamas down, but not defeated

As the ceasefire held, armed Hamas militants paraded through the streets of Deir Al-Balah, southern Gaza, cheered on by large crowds.

No longer fearing Israeli soldiers would fire, members of the group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the Australian government, were easy to spot for a change, daring to don their distinctive green bandanas in public once more.

It’s sometimes hard to understand why antisemitism has taken root in Australia.

Roger
Roger
January 20, 2025 9:17 am

Journalists often misunderstand the point of terrorism. Islamist attacks in Western countries are designed to show young Muslims the West cares more for white victims than it does for Muslim victims in Islamic countries.

I think this assessment is superficial.

It fails to take seriously the self-proclaimed Islamic motivations of the terrorists based on interpretations of Islamic doctrine that are not aberrations but recurring features in the history of Muslim faith and practice.

Until we do take those motivations seriously we can’t fully grasp the nature of the problem the presence of Islam in western countries presents.

Last edited 24 days ago by Roger
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
January 20, 2025 9:25 am

Sydney pro-Palestine protests to plough ahead until ‘demands’ are metMohammad Alfares and Robert White
13 hours ago.
Updated 11 hours ago

142 Comments
Sydney’s pro-Palestine protesters have vowed to march indefinitely until their “eight demands” are met, as anti-Israel activists in Melbourne split over the future of their rallies in the wake of the ceasefire.
In the Victorian capital, organisers of the weekly pro-Palestine protests have split, with Burger­tory boss Hash Tayeh and others pulling out after this week.
The Australian revealed on Sunday that organisers had a private meeting on Saturday to discuss the continuation of weekly protests following a blowback from Victoria’s peak business lobby, which says families have been discouraged from venturing into the CBD in recent times.
It is understood a number of high-profile activists will cease to attend weekly protests from next week, a move that came as a ­surprise for supporters of the movement.
Among them is Mr Tayeh of the Liberation Crew, who will stop attending protests from next week as he shifts his focus to “advocacy, rebuilding, and accountability” efforts both locally and internationally.
Hardline activist Ihab Alazhari of the “Sit-Intifada” will also cease to attend the weekly protests from next week.
Mr Alzhari and his son, Ibrahim, have been embroiled in controversy after this masthead revealed the family steel manufacturing business was engaged in large government and private-sector projects that operate in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.
In Sydney, pro-Palestine marches have been held for 67 consecutive weeks, organised by the Palestine Action Group.
Despite calls by Jewish and political leaders for activists to abandon their protests given the ceasefire, and Anthony Albanese calling on them to help “lower the temperature”, protesters said they would continue until their “demands” were met.
“A ceasefire deal was finally reached and there was relief for the people of Gaza but our fight is not over,” Palestine Action Group Sydney organiser Amal Naser said, telling protesters on Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and outgoing US President Joe Biden should be “sent to The Hague”.
“The Zionist entity continues to have a grasp on our lands and I fear the bloodshed and the oppression is nowhere near its end,” she said.

Don’t Sydney coppers have tear gas and truncheons any more?

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
January 20, 2025 2:33 pm

What?

What?

WHAT?

Are we on air?

Tom
Tom
January 20, 2025 2:45 pm

Are we on air?

It’s a cat, KD. Cats are prone to take the occasional nap, which ours did late this morning — evidently after ODing on catnip.

I trust our Doverlord has enough smelling salts on hand to keep kitty compus.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
January 20, 2025 2:34 pm

The Times was running a heartrending piece about a poor Palestinian woman, forced to give birth by Cesarean section, with no anesthetic…the word “Pallywood” sprang to mind…

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 20, 2025 2:45 pm

Just like Caesar’s mother? Traditional technique?

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 3:00 pm

Israel could’ve shot her and saved her the trouble.

My capacity for “compassion” is very low when it comes to these cockroaches.

Kel
Kel
January 20, 2025 2:51 pm

Sharren is the DEPUTY Minister of Foreign Affairs. Cop that Dreyfus you sanctimonious superior prick.

I met in Jerusalem last week with the Australian Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus MP.

I expressed to him my disappointment with the shift in then Australian government’s attitude towards Israel.

I emphasised our deep concern regarding the shocking rise in antisemitism in Australia and the clearly ineffectual response from the Australian government and state governments. There is no doubt this has been caused in part by the Australian government’s ongoing campaign against Israel. 

I expressed my expectation and hope that Australia’s policy towards Israel will return to reflecting our long-standing relations based on shared values and interests.

https://x.com/SharrenHaskel/status/1880846431180951631

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
January 20, 2025 3:21 pm
Reply to  Kel

Amazingly, Team Dreyfus has a spin on all that [Unlinkable OZ]:

When contacted for comment, a spokesman for Mr Dreyfus disputed Ms Haskel’s characterisation of the meeting.

“Australia’s friendship with Israel is strong and enduring,” the spokesman said.

“The Attorney-General does not agree with Ms Haskell’s sentiments, and they are not reflective of the remainder of his meetings in Israel with senior ministers including the President of Israel.”

Apparently she got it wrong.
So, there

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 2:54 pm

Roger broke the Cat.

See where logic and facts take you?

I expect learnings. Many…many learnings.

Roger
Roger
January 20, 2025 5:01 pm
Reply to  calli

Alas, ma’am…I fear I am incorrigible.

I was returning to add a list of Quran passages and historical instances to my post when the thing went kaboom!

Last edited 24 days ago by Roger
Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 2:55 pm

Re: The Meuleman Family Vs The Victorian Swamp.

Big News Coming Soon: Ryan’s Fight for Truth Takes a Major Turn!

The Meuleman Family has put the Bike Boy fundraiser on hold ahead of a big announcement.

THE FUNDRAISER SO FAR

Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters, Ryan is already suing his former lawyers, Slater and Gordon, for mishandling his case following the 2013 car crash that nearly claimed his life at just 15 years old. The case will be heard in court in the early part of 2025.

A DECADE OF HIDDEN EVIDENCE UNEARTHED

However, while preparing the Slaters case and after nearly 11 years, previously hidden evidence including official documents, crash photographs, as well as police and witness statements have emerged, revealing a potential political cover-up involving a former Premier, his wife, and a number of Victoria Police officers.

A lifetime of lying is catching up with this power couple.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 3:14 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

Please make it so.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 3:57 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

If ever there is a change of government would make an interesting Royal Commission.

Last edited 24 days ago by H B Bear
Old Lefty
Old Lefty
January 20, 2025 6:40 pm
Reply to  H B Bear

But they:d have bring in commissioners and staff from interstate. The Victorian system is now packed from top to bottom with Socialist Left faction operatives.

Aaron
Aaron
January 20, 2025 8:12 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

Please, please let it be so.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 2:58 pm

A few, random, random thoughts on Israel Vs “Palestine:”

1) Some Israeli outlets are reporting Hamas doesn’t (currently) have time to regroup but it can over a longer period of time;
2) Surely Mossad and other intelligence sources were very closely watching the videos of Hamas celebrating in the streets. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve captured satellite and/or aerial imagery and have tracked some of these arseholes;
3) The good (and bad) thing about Hamas loosing its leaders and middle management is that there must now be factions jostling to take up those positions; there’s a vacuum and it needs to be filled. Sadly, the greater the monster the more likely they will prevail.

Finally, surely there is some “behind the scenes” plan to wipe them all out following the return of all living and deceased hostages? Israel has conceded too much too many times; and I can’t conceive they’re just going to “roll over” again.

If I were Israel, I’d set up face verification on the South Gaza beach. Those who are not connected to Hamas get to move back into “Palestine” once all “face vetting” is complete. Those that are connected to Hamas get imprisoned for trial (or shot on sight). Everyone must stay on the beach, and anyone found in broader Gaza will also be goaled or shot if they do not comply. Following that, everyone can move back into Gaza.

Perhaps I’m being harsh.

Doubt it.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 3:04 pm
Reply to  Lysander

Or perhaps, for longer term impacts, the buses taking the “Palestinians” back can be strapped underneath with a bit of Polonium 210?

The arseholes would die but they wouldn’t find out for a year or two…

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 3:44 pm
Reply to  Lysander

Spray a six pack of deodorant into each bus, then when they get to the destination, tell them it’s a slow acting poison that will send them mad.
It will do no such thing, but they’ll spend the next 6 months trying to work out if they’re going mad or not.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 3:13 pm
Reply to  Lysander

Shoot the lot of of them.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 3:27 pm
Reply to  Lysander

They are all connected to Hamas.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 3:33 pm
Reply to  Bungonia bee

I agree; but I mean “actively connected”

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 3:36 pm
Reply to  Lysander

I think the “most interesting” thing will be when the final hostages are released back to Israel. The final busload of “Palestinian” prisoners might be splodey… or they could drop a nice big bomb on those celebrating their return in the streets.

Surely, this has crossed Hammas’ mind? Will they keep one single (alive) remaining hostage for years? Aka Gilad Shalit.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 3:12 pm

It’s interesting that Labor keeps throwing money at stuff, and the result is exactly opposite of what they want.

Australian builders turn against Labor’s fee-free TAFE, claiming policy fails to address skills shortage (Sky News, 20 Jan)

The policy has sought to make the government’s fee-free TAFE program permanent by guaranteeing 100,000 free education places at a cost of up to $500 million per year.

While the Albanese government has applauded the program as an “overwhelming success”, Australian builders have turned against the policy.

“Despite Anthony Albanese spending over $1.5 billion on Free TAFE … We have seen apprentice and trainee numbers drop by 80,000 and skills shortages have worsened.”

They can’t help themselves: they want to draw this stuff into government run TAFEs using taxpayers’ money and are surprised when the result is worse than if they’d done nothing.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
January 20, 2025 3:16 pm

Anybody seen an article on the proposal to relocate Palestinians to Indonesia, while the Gaza Strip is re – built?

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 20, 2025 3:22 pm

How about Antarctica?

And why aren’t their fellow Middle Eastern Muslims offering temporary refuge? Don’t bother answering.

And if they do end up in Indonesia, watch for the “refugee” boats to flood over.

Last edited 24 days ago by Boambee John
Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 3:48 pm

Send them to Indonesia – a country within a couple of days sailing of Australia and a population of 400 million muslim fanatics?
Our navy will stop them – pigs arse.

PoliticoNT
PoliticoNT
January 20, 2025 6:07 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

We have a Navy?

Frank
Frank
January 20, 2025 5:10 pm

The Congo has a nice ring to it. They can each take a squeezy bottle of barbecue sauce to ingratiate themselves with the locals.

A girl can dream.

Makka
Makka
January 20, 2025 6:13 pm

Arab Nations: “Anywhere but here!”

Eyrie
Eyrie
January 20, 2025 3:18 pm

Lysander, will not work. Polonium 210 is an alpha emitter which needs to no ingested or inhaled to be a problem.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 3:42 pm
Reply to  Eyrie

Darn.

Maybe send them off with a lovely meal?

Last edited 24 days ago by Lysander
Bill P
Bill P
January 21, 2025 10:43 am
Reply to  Lysander

A succulent Polonium meal.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 3:20 pm

And another incredibly dumb Labor policy.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces $2 billion investment to push aluminium manufacturers towards renewable energy (Sky News, 20 Dec)

The funding, part of the government’s broader green energy strategy, has been designed to encourage aluminium smelters to switch to cleaner energy sources by 2036.

The $2 billion investment will form part of the Green Aluminium Production Credit, a new scheme designed to support local aluminium smelters using renewable energy.

Eligible facilities will receive financial support for each tonne of clean aluminium they produce over the next decade.

You can’t afford to make aluminium when the wholesale price is hundreds of bucks per MWh. Which it is except during daylight hours – and relying on solar is stupid since operating for 6 hours a day on that amount of sunk capital is incredibly stupid. And likewise you can’t make aluminium when the electricity supply is bouncing around like a blowfly on LSD. It doesn’t work. So that’s another $2 billion of our taxes down the toilet.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:01 pm

Aluminium is basically solidified electricity – which is why the smelters are here in the first place. Albo is in his Gillard death spiral phase,

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 5:18 pm

They’re just incapable of listening – or it’s a deliberate sabotaging of the economy.
Looking at the NDIS and its instigator, my money is on the latter.

mareeS
mareeS
January 20, 2025 6:02 pm

They are expecting to rely on the proposed floating windmills off Port Stephens, which will never eventuate if my friends up there have anything to do with it. Dutton has already promised to scrap this Bowen delusion.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 3:43 pm
Reply to  dover0beach

Once is accident, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action.
We’re up to three.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 5:25 pm
Reply to  dover0beach

“Intelligence” agencies…

Denmark, Finland and Taiwan all know what is going on. And all three “accidents” have been widely reported. As have been the Chinese and Russian links.

As for the US intel community they seem more interested in cutting their bits off and wearing dresses.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 4:06 pm
Reply to  dover0beach

BS.

John H.
John H.
January 20, 2025 5:17 pm
Reply to  dover0beach

Why trust US and European security services?

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 3:30 pm

Albo to throw taxpayers’ billions at Green Aluminium!
Pull the other anode or cathode Albo, and get a song, maybe “now and then, there’s a fool such as I”.

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 4:17 pm
Reply to  Bungonia bee

Albo is the only man on the planet who has bought the Sydney Harbour Bridge three times.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 3:37 pm

Like most of the media, Daytime Sky has just/and will probably continue to devote more time to the TikTok ban than to the many substantial issues threatening to impoverish us all. It got even more than Green Aluminium, but that’s ok, except that any reportage on that topic should also address how we are to keep the lights on and industry running unless we have a solid foundation of 24/7 power such as coal, gas, or nuclear.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 3:44 pm

Sky UK’s troll under the bridge James Matthews, who would be quite at home with the BBC, went for the Trump family today as shown on our own mini-me Daytime Sky. No mention of the role Jared played in getting the Abraham accords up – people like him would probably prefer that those accords never happened, something that Hamas would agree with.
It’s one thing to have dropkicks like him in the UK, which is nowadays the natural home of suchlike, but repeating this crap on our own branch of Sky is not just unbecoming, it is a stark reveal of the poor quality of reporters like James.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 3:58 pm

Of course Daytime Sky had to run (after those earlier travesties) the current meme: Global Warming, er, Climate Change, is causing Extreme Weather. They are an embarrassment, but not the only one.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 4:01 pm

It really shits me that Perth is 16 hours in front of Washington. It makes watching US politics almost impossible (unless you, unlike me, have time for the tellie in the AM)

That, and I have to be up at sparrow for a work trip to Bunbury tomorrow.

Ugh…

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:04 pm

He he. Got a comment through at Teh Paywallian describing journalists as j’ismists. Can it survive?

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 4:04 pm

Farken hell….

Gas crisis: LNG imports are coming to Australia in 2026

After years of warnings, importing gas looks to be the only way left to head off an energy shortfall in Victoria, a move likened to “importing sand to the Sahara”.

You know you’ve got issues when the AFR are criticising Liebor.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:09 pm
Reply to  Lysander

Albo and his clown Cabinet could cause a sand shortage in the Sahara. The gas is a State issue, primarily fracking and onshore exploration as I understand it. Queensland LNG export facilities changed everything.

Lee
Lee
January 20, 2025 4:27 pm
Reply to  Lysander

We have got a shit for brains government under Jacinta Allan here in Victoria.

No way imported gas is going to be cheaper than local gas.

Foxbody
Foxbody
January 20, 2025 6:55 pm
Reply to  Lee

… and some it coming in will be the very same gas.
Load tanker in QLD.
Sail to Vic.
Unload at triple the price.
Thanks, Julia, thanks Jacinta.

Not Uh oh
Not Uh oh
January 20, 2025 9:03 pm
Reply to  Lysander

And we laughed when Cuba had to import sugar.

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 4:07 pm

Woman Who Confronted Newsom About Dry Fire Hydrants Reveals Who the Governor Was Actually Talking To as He Insisted it Was Biden on the Line

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/01/woman-who-confronted-newsom-about-dry-fire-hydrants/

The California mom Rachel Darvish told Piers Morgan that Newsom was NOT on the phone with Joe Biden – he was talking to his wife!

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 4:12 pm

The Retro World of AIhttps://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/01/the-retro-world-of-ai.php

I can’t get my head around all the permutations of the AI world coming to us at a rapid pace, though it looks as revolutionary at Gutenberg’s movable type in the 15th century. Who knew that the mass production of books would have such far reaching effects.

One use of AI that I am enjoying, however, is its retro possibilities. Two from “Abandoned Films” on YouTube update contemporary Sci-Fi icons with a 1940s or 50s vibe in delightful fashion:

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 4:15 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

https://youtu.be/wXut6j_hycE
Star Trek – Film Noir – trailer.

calli
calli
January 20, 2025 4:57 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

That’s amazing! Did I see a rendering of Troy O’Donoghue? Loved the rendering of the Ewoks and C3PO.

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 5:20 pm
Reply to  Winston Smith

That was great! James Dean as Han Solo. Inspired!

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 4:14 pm

Vivek already done and dusted????

Rossini
Rossini
January 20, 2025 5:16 pm
Reply to  Lysander

???

custard
custard
January 20, 2025 4:20 pm

With 12 hours till the inauguration EO13961 is partially revoked. The devolution phase of Trumps second administration is finished. The reconstitution begins

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:22 pm

Bit of global warming in Perf today. Currently 42.3oC. Rest of the week not looking good either.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:25 pm
Reply to  H B Bear

Luckily Albo’s free electricity should deal with it.

PoliticoNT
PoliticoNT
January 20, 2025 6:14 pm
Reply to  H B Bear

Humphrey – sometimes it gets hot in Perth in Summer. Go figure. (I started uni there in mid-’99. The ’99-’00 Christmas break was extraordinary. We often used to go for swims at the local beach at 2 in the morning to cool down. For a little while I had a part time job in Northbridge doing media analysis. Occasionally started at 4.30am. I was living in Fremantle and for some unknown reason decided to ride my bike in. (It’ll be fun….) Wasn’t a bad ride but it was 36C when I arrived. (Mind you the aircon inside the building was so cold staff wore blankets and beanies. Of course we were a first world country in those days and working aircon was the norm.)

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 6:52 pm
Reply to  PoliticoNT

Yep. Hovering around 40 for a week is a bit rude (similar episode in Melbournibad around 1990 ended in Black Saturday). BOM are forecasting a 29o minimum, which would give all time record a nudge.

Zafiro
Zafiro
January 20, 2025 9:41 pm
Reply to  H B Bear

Black Saturday was in February 2009. I remember three consecutive days over 40 around a week prior, then Black Saturday topped out at 46c.

This was nearing the end of the Millenium drought. Lake Bolac was bone dry, as was Lake Wendouree in Ballarat.

2010 was the first wet year since 1995.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
January 20, 2025 4:27 pm

Tiger Shooting

Upon being enthroned as Emperor of India in New Delhi in 2011, King George V moved on to Nepal at the invitation of its ruler to personally shoot 39 tigers and 18 rhinos. This king had already proved himself a crack shot at tigers in India during his earlier Indian sojourns in the late nineteenth century, for the Victorian period was one of enhanced Shikar, or tiger shooting. By 1972 when all shooting was stopped it is estimated that Bengal Tiger numbers had dropped from 100,000 in 1900 to only 4000 in 1964. Conservation movements started in earnest after 1964 with the formation of national reserves for tigers and other threatened species and the Shikar shoot was slowly culturally replaced with the photo shoot.

And there we were, our Aussie tour group, in Ranthambore National Park with our phone cameras at the ready, poorly equipped when compared with some of the viewing jeeps where true afficionados had specialised cameras and lenses the like of which I hadn’t seen since our expedition to see the Orcas on Argentina’s Valdez Peninsula. This was some serious shooting going on here, and sadly as with the Orcas not all got the tiger pics which they came for. Tigers in the wild can stay up in the hills on their ranges though at other times they frequent the lakeside areas. Due to the press of numbers, constantly rising as the new Indian middle classes descend on it, the game park is divided into sectors to control entry. We were lucky to get sectors including lakeside, and both our ‘spotter’ and driver were highly skilled. Possibly our tour company had paid up extra for the sector and these noted experts, for we had a morning and an afternoon safari and saw tigers close up on both trips, which is apparently quite rare. 

Our personal spotter was a small Sikh man with buck teeth, twinkling eyes and infectious enthusiasm. He’s worked in the park for forty years and took a sheer delight in finding tigers. He directed our driver to likely places and there they were. Our morning drive was early and so the viewing traffic was light, though more crowded in the afternoon as the trains rolled in from Agra.
Bengal Tigers are truly magnificent beasts, and these ones were living rich on the hog – literally, as native boar feature in their diet, as does deer and any other of the many animals sequestered in this very famous park, including bears, leopards, crocodiles, deer of various sorts, monkeys, and hyenas. The tigers’ health and overstocking of the range is monitored. We were there in the winter after considerable rain and everything was very lush and green. We were also very rugged up as the early mornings were about 5 degrees. The massive Banyan trees under which the road passed were impressively jungle-ish, other vegetation was also sub-tropical and the bald rock escarpments and acacia hillsides were surprisingly reminiscent of some Australian scenery.

I will never forget passing by an old Moghul fort and other scattered ruins at dawn and then down by the lakeside seeing the early morning mist shimmer and lift to reveal the Maharajah’s derelict hunting lodge with its temple format beckoning across the waters; tigers live there now enjoying its summer cool. The birdlife was equal to anything Kakadu has shown me, and more exotic too. Then a stir in the jeeps, for we spotted our first tiger, a young male ambling down on our right, giving some great shots. He then sauntered around the back of the jeep I was in, and was literally only a few metres away from me. A tiger’s leap away. What a buzz I felt as I kept dead still and watched his muscles ripple and his flat padded feet leave its prints in the damp dust. 

He disappeared into bushes on the left and our driver took us crawling parallel to him on the roadway. I didn’t see him again, but as I looked into another clearing close by two almost full-grown adolescent females were having a playful sparring match. Thumping great animals having at each other up on their haunches. I didn’t know then but found out later in a BBC doco (‘Tiger Queen’ – purchase so can’t link) that matriarchs rule here and females learn to become dominant in adolescence in order to oust their sisters and mother from the best territories.
 
The afternoon drive was less intense, with more time to see other animals and birds in situ, but while doing this near the lake we came upon three tigers intent on a kill. A baby deer had wandered too close for them to ignore. The stalk was on. We watched breathlessly, with their late lunch and our concern for little Bambi competing for sympathies. These three were the same ones we saw earlier, still under their mother’s tutelage. Our spotter said she was slowing down, dying, and these ‘cubs’ were starting to shape up. But they lost this one, for the lead tiger wasn’t backed up by the others with a head-off of Bambi, who escaped with a bound as the lead tiger mucked up his jump. We watched as the three of them disappeared into some reeds lakeside, where a kill was being made of some birds there. Duck. Second best to venison, but ok for a snack, said our spotter.

The BBC doco is fabulous, try to see it, they had it at our hotel. Meanwhile, here’s some more on the Ranthambore experience, and a link to some history of the Shikar hunts of the past.

MaK Siccar
MaK Siccar
January 20, 2025 4:45 pm

in 2011

????????

Lee
Lee
January 20, 2025 4:49 pm
Reply to  MaK Siccar

1911.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
January 20, 2025 5:20 pm
Reply to  Lee

Thanks, Lee. Serious typo there needing your correction.

1911 of course.

May I plead wooly headedness still due to near-death experience with severe bronchitis in Delhi smog; we arrived back Friday morning and I have barely raised head from pillow until briefly yesterday. Was going to unpack today, but not ready for that yet. Thought a light blog might be ok though as a means of rejoining the lands of the living. 🙂

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
January 20, 2025 5:42 pm

That’s a hell of a strike rate for a tiger safari.
One for the record books.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
January 20, 2025 4:35 pm

H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:22 pm

Bit of global warming in Perf today. Currently 42.3oC. Rest of the week not looking good either.

——

The cyclone up north might change that?

We shall see …. or feel.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 4:38 pm
Reply to  Steve trickler

I’m certainly hoping its swings around the NW and heads down our way; models don’t say it will but we’ll see…

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 4:47 pm
Reply to  Lysander

Bit of summer rain would be nice. Last summer didn’t help.

Kel
Kel
January 20, 2025 6:11 pm
Reply to  H B Bear

We got a huge downpour on Saturday night and I haven’t seen the Blue-faced Honey Eaters or Noisy Miners since. The Bottlebrushes and Honey Myrtle are OK but Kangaroo Paws are browning off in places. I’ll still rip out the 6 Indian Mays and replace with Lilli Pillis when the weather gets cooler. Then an almost totally native front yard.

Hope you get the wet stuff you want.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 6:52 pm
Reply to  Kel

I get the reverse. When it’s dry the blue faces and the noisies go and feed on flowers. But when it’s wet they turn up at the Cafe demanding bread. Loudly!

I had nine blue faces in the camellia today. Cacophony! Fortunately I worked out if I closed the door, not just the screen door, they’d shut up and go away. Which they did. 😀

Seza
Seza
January 21, 2025 8:59 am
Reply to  Kel

Our mature lilli pilli hedge has been decimated by the beetle coming down from NSW. The only cure is spraying regularly with special oil, but our hedge is 6 metres high by 25 metres long (10 trees) so too hard to cover it all. We are going to trim it severely so as to be able to treat it. We are in Gippsland.

mareeS
mareeS
January 20, 2025 6:19 pm
Reply to  Steve trickler

Son has had good surf at Lancelin today.

cohenite
January 20, 2025 4:45 pm

Another posh painting!

Look at these scenes of the 3 women hostages being loaded in Gaza: the hamas scum making great show of keeping back a huge crowd of well fed, inbred pallies calling for the blood of the 3 women and the destruction of Israel:

An obscene spectacle – Melanie Phillips

Islam has to be destroyed and a good start would be the pallies.

Lysander
Lysander
January 20, 2025 4:49 pm
Reply to  cohenite

Good read.

The only unfortunate thing is that I can still see fully intact buildings standing in the background….

Helen
Helen
January 20, 2025 6:18 pm
Reply to  cohenite

Yes they make big war against women, the cowards.

custard
custard
January 20, 2025 4:48 pm

I trust people on these pages are aware of Trumps famous immigration chart (that he turned to look at in Butler) which clearly states that the Trump administration finished on April 1st 2020. This along with EO13961 is all you need to understand that Trump didn’t give them the keys when he left the WH after the stolen election. Search google under Trump immigration chart and see for yourselves.

Wally Dali
Wally Dali
January 20, 2025 5:03 pm

It would make my millennium to have 75mm of rain in the next fortnight or so. C’mon BoM-wagyl-weather gods,
I’m lining up a (bush) chook to sacrifice as we speak.
200 straggly lambs on the road now, last 1000 phats go Thursday- that’s me with a lot less mouths to feef.

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 5:13 pm
Reply to  Wally Dali

Strange things can happen with cyclones moving around. Years ago we got this funny NW swell with places breaking I had never seen breaking in 10+ years of surfing. Taj and the Billabong guys got it all on video. So who knows?

H B Bear
H B Bear
January 20, 2025 5:17 pm
Reply to  H B Bear
Wally Dali
Wally Dali
January 20, 2025 6:00 pm
Reply to  H B Bear

might be inside Wyadup…

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 20, 2025 6:19 pm
Reply to  dover0beach

They are conflicted.

Wussia is Eeeeevilll because Ukraine.

Iran is gooood because Muslim and anti-Israel.

But Iran is Eeeeevilll because it supplies weapons to Wussia.

Roger
Roger
January 20, 2025 5:07 pm

Roger broke the Cat.

See where logic and facts take you?

I expect learnings. Many…many learnings.

Alas, ma’am…I fear I am incorrigible.
I’d returned to add a list of Quran passages and historical instances of their application to my post, pressed SAVE and the whole thing went KABOOM!

Last edited 24 days ago by Roger
Vicki
Vicki
January 20, 2025 5:33 pm
Reply to  Roger

Roger!!!!

Vicki
Vicki
January 20, 2025 5:35 pm
Reply to  Roger

Actually, being digitally challenged, I rang Lizzie to find out what was happening on the Cat. A great opportunity to chat with that dear lady about her travails with health issues after a glorious trip.

Get better soon, Lizzie!

Roger
Roger
January 20, 2025 6:26 pm
Reply to  Vicki

Yes, get well soon, Lizzie.

helen
helen
January 20, 2025 6:16 pm
Reply to  Roger

That’s the religion of pieces.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
January 20, 2025 6:27 pm
Reply to  Roger

An Earth shattering kaboom!

Roger
Roger
January 20, 2025 6:44 pm
Reply to  GreyRanga

I now look like a Hottentot.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
January 20, 2025 5:14 pm

That CAT knew what he was doing.

COP THAT!

——

Steve Inman:

No Shame

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 5:31 pm
Reply to  Steve trickler

That happens regularly at Mogo Zoo. 😀

Vicki
Vicki
January 20, 2025 5:37 pm
Reply to  Pogria

Love Mogo Zoo, Pogria. When we had a place on the South Coast (at Manyana) we took our then little grandchildren to Mogo. Amazingly, they had the opportunity to watch the slow progress of a giraffe being born. Grandson was a bit horrified, while granddaughter took it in her stride.

Pogria
Pogria
January 20, 2025 5:39 pm
Reply to  Vicki

Great place. Your grandees were very fortunate to see the birth.
There’s a long drop for the wee giraffe!

Zafiro
Zafiro
January 20, 2025 9:46 pm
Reply to  Pogria

Cool Zoo. Went there when on holidays on the south coast.

Halls Gap Zoo in the Grampians is OK too. I would recommend that.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 5:39 pm
Reply to  dover0beach

Going to be worse under Trump I suspect. I doubt he and Putin can agree to a deal. Especially if Trump releases all the US LNG export controls the Biden-fossil imposed.

Recently a Russian LNG tanker had to sail all the way from Murmansk to Sakhalin because no one dared buy the LNG. They offloaded it into a storage vessel.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 5:57 pm
Reply to  dover0beach
Rossini
Rossini
January 20, 2025 7:18 pm

Did they not try Victoria??

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 7:37 pm
Reply to  Rossini

Well that’d be hard since Labor stopped the building of the Phillip Island LNG terminal because of lesser spotted newts. Or something. You can’t just unload the stuff with a forklift.

custard
custard
January 20, 2025 5:33 pm

Secretary Yellen to employ “extraordinary measures” day after inauguration to avoid debt ceiling. I wonder what measures???

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
January 20, 2025 5:41 pm
Reply to  custard

Not paying the millions of deep state drones would be a good start.

Boambee John
Boambee John
January 20, 2025 6:21 pm
Reply to  custard

Isn’t she unemployed from the time of Inauguration?

Wally Dali
Wally Dali
January 20, 2025 5:40 pm

Mass selloff of bullion for a brief dollar slump, just so the Lizard People can say “see? see? The Economy hates Trump!”

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 6:00 pm
Reply to  Wally Dali

Interestingly enough, I’ve been waiting for a correction down to about $3,500 Australian since about November. But the drop in the A$ against the $US seems to be hiding it.

Bungonia bee
Bungonia bee
January 20, 2025 5:47 pm

How many dead hostages will Israel get, in total. If it’s 30 live prisoners for every live Israeli, how about 30 dead terrorist murderers for every dead Israeli, including those killed on October 7 2023.

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 6:00 pm
Reply to  Bungonia bee

Sounds like a good deal to me.

MatrixTransform
January 20, 2025 6:07 pm
Reply to  Bungonia bee

well, it’s the subtext really

and Ham-arse ride on false equivalence

this damages their brand

MatrixTransform
January 20, 2025 5:50 pm
Winston Smith
Winston Smith
January 20, 2025 6:07 pm

There will be tears aplenty in the beds of the gender confused tonight.

GhtIulWbYAEzlsZ
Megan