Anyway, long life and good health to all on the Cat. Payday for self funded retirees, and we are opening…
Open Thread Weekend 1 March 2025
- Open Thread – Thurs 27 March 2025
- Open Thread – Mon 24 March 2025
- In Tandem with the Antichrist
- Open Thread – Weekend 22 March 2025
- Open Thread – Thurs 20 March 2025
Florian Witulski@vaitorEarthquake sum up 3pm (Mynamar/Thailand)- 7.7 quake hit near Mandalay/Myanmar- Hundreds of homes collapsed (various Myanmar cities)- Strong shocks…
just remove all references to race
bet it’s a five year contract with extraordinary termination arrangements
sounds close, but for the slam dunk there would have to be dangly earrings.
I accept the dare!
Good morning Cats and Kittehs!
Oh…and happy St David’s Day.
What Dare?
Be first sometime and find out.
Patron Saint of Wales.
I am so excited, I gotta take a leek.
( A leek. Geddit?)
Morning Florence!
😀
(8) RACE of my LIFE! vs PRO DUCATI RACER ? – YouTube
Where’s my daffodil? Or a leek? My 14% Welsh DNA is demanding answers.
Will settle for making Welsh cakes in the morning in honour of the ancestors.
Yep, Pam Bomdi is a joke. She looks like she has aged 5 years in the last two weeks.
All you can do is shake your head at these shenanigans.
The blonde haired dipsh*t has been exposed and busted. As for the dipsh*ts with the binders doing a pose for the camera ( not the AI clip ) …. f*ck off you IDIOTS!
—
Mark Dice.
The “Declassified” Document Debacle is Part of Bigger Cover-Up Conservative Influencers Won’t Touch
He is the spark which has emboldened people to speak out on issues which they had previously been beaten into submission on.
The most profound example is blokes playing ladies sports.
If you criticised that in September 2024 you were transphobic.
Suddenly banning perverts in girls change rooms has 80% support.
Yes, all of those points are valid.
The one you appear to have missed is the period 2020-2023, ….., remember that?
“You gotta get the shot!” Donald J Trump 2021.
Without his assistance, the Covid farce would have died a quick death, as no one in their right mind would have obeyed Biden, for example, had he issued the same instructions.
Without Trump’s willing assistance, (for which big Pharma certainly reimbursed him, very very well), tens of millions of sheeple would still be alive today.
Ahh – end of the week – survived another one
Well well
Rabbits!
OR
A pinch and a punch
A true BANGER. This track is bonkers!
Quench Dreams
Johannes Leak.
Min’s cos lettuce is back.
Hi Mem it is the running joke among my friends . Were you at the IPA meeting when it all started?
Yes Min. How’s your accommodation issues going? Are you all sorted?
Thanks for asking nearly floor is in , now painting to be done so maybe another week.
I finished my second novel last night ready for editing a modern story taking place in Florence and Artemisia Gentileschi ia famous painter lost for centuries.
Warren Brown.
Brett Lethbridge.
Michael Ramirez.
Matt Margolis.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?
Gary Varvel.
Gary Varvel #2.
Al Goodwyn.
Tom Stiglich.
Lisa Benson.
Someone said diplomacy shouldnt be conducted in front of tv cameras. That Trump and Zelensky peace deal was as Trump said good tv but it is a bad look for Trump in my opinion as it took the shine off his deal making skillz , transperancy is going to do him in they will find making excuses for future closed door dealings now hard to do with out making the public think they are acting suspicious
I agree with this assessment re. the Ukraine presser. It was hard to watch.
I can’t believe a letter from Charles was sufficient to get him to agree to Chagos deal.
They had meetings with Zelensky behind closed doors and he yelled at Americans as if they were his subordinates. He needed to be taken down several pegs to make him realise his precarious position.
Correct. Zelensky is/was an arrogant little prick.
I’ve never seen a press conference like that .
Some good news to start the day.
Prior to Thursday’s cuts, NOAA had about 12,000 staffers across the world, including 6,773 who are scientists and engineers, according to the agency’s website.
As Breitbart News reported, for decades, like NASA, NOAA has been a leading player in promoting climate alarmism.
As recently as 2018 it was caught red-handed trying adjust the Big Freeze of the winter of 2017/2018 in the U.S. out of existence.
More here https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2025/02/28/stormy-weather-for-noaa-as-efficiency-cuts-claim-hundreds-of-jobs/
https://x.com/CrazyVibes_1/status/1891905588491125131/video/1
Meanwhile some US Cities are decaying along with some Infrastructure.
Charity begins at home.
India has a long tradition of transgenderism – they live separately and dance at weddings. Not all who join are actual transvestites – they just go along for the kudos and the money. I have a book about them, called “The Invisibles – the Eunuchs of India” by Zia Jaffrey, Phoenix, 1996. They are called Hijras and ‘exist in in their thousands in every major Indian city and are thought to bring good luck to newlyweds and newborns’ in an intersection of caste, poverty, sexual ambiguity and tradition.
They don’t need any USAID to take care of their own. That would likely be a cultural imposition of Western ideas into an older tradition.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/28/american-publics-trust-in-mainstream-media-hits-50-year-low-poll/
Thank you Roger for letting me know about the be-barnacled torpedo – and Winston, you rascal you, a radiation trefoil would have been most entertaining
You wanted transparency? You got it.
Already we see not just the media preparing their take on the dust up in the White House, but even here we have some intemperate rants.
There are more important issues, such as the judicial insurrectionist in the federal courts issuing “temporary restraining orders” that have nationwide impact. There were more of these unconstitutional orders issued during Trump’s first term than during the entire 44 presidencies prior. The Supreme Court and or Congress has to call a halt to this.
The objective of activist judges is to hogtie the administration, and as usual leftists will say “whatever it takes”.
Trumps dialed the transperancy knob too far to see-through.
intemperate? Nah all part of the ebb and flow of a healthy discussion forum as far as I can tell. And ranters are mostly called out at the time or ignored totally.
The criticism of Pam Bondi was entirely intemperate, rude language.
Hungary getting serious about the birthrate.
Hungary’s Orbán Announces Fresh Pro-Family Financial Incentives and Tax Breaks for Parents (28 Feb)
Big tax deductions and $50,000 Aussie if they have three kids. That’s more like it!
Dunno, there’s a lot of worrying ways to frame this.
“Hungarian multiple mothers incentivised to work out of the home”
“Want a tax refund? Have a third kid- Orban”
“Separations, divorces spike after third birth: inside Hungary’s Transactional Marriage Boom”
“Budapest, Thursday- Childcare Workers Union will go on strike indefinitely over wages and staffing ratios, and will demand an indexed pension rise in line with increases to the Hungarian Parents’ Dividend rate.”
Remember the spike in Aboriginal births after the bounty was paid out?
The local hoteliers sold beer on pallets like it was going out of fashion.
People respond to financial incentives – and financial disincentives.
Terrible idea.
Civilisation had a perfectly decent system for hundreds of years before feminists destroyed it.
Ban sex outside marriage and allow monogamous marriages only.
In addition we need to make it difficult for women to get high paid jobs – which is actually quite easy as most high paid jobs for women only exist due to massive govt subsidies.
Going to hear Jacinta Nampijinpa Price talk at Bendigo today. It’s a Nats thing though I’m not a member.
Bridget McKenzie is on the card too. I’ve met her and not totally sure her listening skills are well developed.
I’ll see if I can work China/ALP/renewables into a question to stick it to Madame Allan and the sniping Fed member for Bendigo.
Thanks Gez. A report would be great. Dutton is missing a great opportunity by not pushing Jacinta to the forefront.
You’ve got to remember this is Jacinta’s first term. I think pushing her would be the wrong thing to do until she establishes herself. She is competent about the things she talks about. It takes time to learn about thecrest. She seems to me someone who gets to the nitty gritty. Nobody can touch her about the problems facing Aboriginals and what to do about them. I look forward to her being the Minister. I only hope she is given the support as she can’t do it alone.
Watching McKenzie in senate estimates is not a good thing. There is a boundary between vigorous inquiry and just yelling. Susan MacDonald does the same job without the yelling. Probably more effective in the end.
Bewdy Gez.
Looking forward to reading your after action report.
It appears that cyclone Albo could morph into an upper level trough.
Bugger!
More likely an ongoing Depression until the ‘Genewal Ewection’ is called.
President Donald Trump is slated to sign an executive order that will make English the official language of the United States. For its nearly 250-year history, the United States has not had an official language, although English has been the language spoken most often by US citizens.
RTWT
Video of the week.
Ooh, that must hurt.
I love the final frames of the two land whales (DJT and Bibi Netanyahu) sipping drinks on Gaza beach — directed and produced by Trump via his social media guru Dan Scavino.
You didn’t like the women with beards?
After watching the White House press conference with Zelensky I am at a loss as to what he expected to gain by his antagonistic behaviour. He is no diplomat and is acting like a dictator, like nobody around him has ever said now.
I think all those pop stars and Hollywood actors* who went to Ukraine early in the war to pay their respects have given him an unrealistic impression of his importance.
*I read somewhere that all those pop stars and Hollywood hucksters were paid fantastic amounts of money by USAID to make those trips. No wonder it went to Zelensky’s head.
Zelensky seems to have an idea that the West can utterly humiliate Russia, force them out of Ukraine territory, admittance to NATO, and probably something about reparations at Russia’s expense, and that with Western European backing he can get that done leaving America begging to be included in the great victory.
‘The art of the possible’ will be lost on someone who sniffs his own farts like Zelensky.
Zelensky is an actor – his only craft.
The only question – who is his intended audience?
And who was backing him, putting him up to this disruption?
Or was it all his own work?
He seems to still be betting on his deep state / intelligence community benefactors prevailing over Trump MAGA – not sure I’d be so sure, but perhaps he has no choice but to double down.
@catturd2
A picture is worth 1000 words.
Trump’s Statement
@EricLDaugh
#BREAKING: It’s official – Trump kicked Zelensky out of the White House, official says.
“Ukrainians were begging to reset” but Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz told them Zelensky must leave the WH, return when “ready” for peace, FOX reports.
Trump reportedly disrespected by Zelensky’s demeanor of “shrugging and rolling his eyes.”
Zelensky’s behaviour is what you expect off a 12 year old who is getting too big to be put over your knee and given a good walloping.
two year old
@GuntherEagleman
President Trump will investigate fraud and waste in Ukraine after todays meeting with Zelenskyy.
– Reuters.
Time to expose all the corruption!
Honestly, let the Europeans support them since they’re so keen to keep the war going.
@unusual_whales
BREAKING: US State Department terminates U.S. support of Ukraine energy grid restoration after White House kicks out Zelensky
The Bee
Zelensky Tries Bold New Strategy Of Insulting The People He’s Begging For Money From
This is uncannily like the negotiations between Hitler and the Czech. governments when Hitler chucked a wobbly and paced up and down while screaming abuse at the old feller who had a heart attack.
@joma_gc
JD Vance is an absolute pitbull. The way he stood up to that smug, poorly dressed POS crossing his arms and talking back in the Oval Office is exactly why he was the best pick for the job.
Weakling Mike Pence always sat back and let Trump handle confrontations.
HUGE upgrade.
I hear Trump signed an executive order designating English the official language of the US.
He will now always be able to threaten the Brits that, if they act like tits, he will rename the language Americanese.
I mean, be honest, how many people in Asia or even Europe study English so they can immerse themselves on British business or culture, compared to American?
Meanwhile in the Socialist State:
High-risk teen criminals wearing ankle bracelets are set to be placed in state school classrooms from next month, the Herald Sun can reveal.
Secret documents detail a two-year state government plan to allow up to 50 young criminals aged 14 to 18 to go to mainstream schools while receiving support to ensure they do not face stigmatisation from other students.
Those involved in the trial will have a high risk of bail noncompliance or reoffending.
Some will be permitted to attend school without ankle bracelets if ordered by a magistrate.
These measures come as youth crime has skyrocketed to its highest level in 15 years, with some of the state’s worst repeat youth offenders having been bailed up to 67 times.
Herald-Sun
FMD. The lunatics running Victoria keep ramming their radicalism down people’s throats. Bring on the 2026 state election!
But any students who identify as Christian or Jewish will be dealt with severely ….
And then they kicked him out.
@TrumpsHurricane
President Trump and JD Vance just Shut Zelenskyy Down in the Oval Office.
Wow!
Trump tells Zelensky he’s ‘gambling with WWIII’ in heated, high-stakes Oval Office meeting
We all knew this would happen. And this will not be the end of it.
Construction of a 900-kilometre transmission line to connect the energy grids of NSW, Victoria and South Australia is predicted to cost $3.6 billion, which is an increase of almost 75 per cent from the $2.1 billion quoted in 2023. And this is just the transmission line. Let alone batteries and wind and solar farm subsidies and more. And not forgetting the black hole that is Snowy 2.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-01/energy-transmission-project-billion-blowout/104983108
All to be added onto ‘Electrickery’ Bills. Happy Daze people.
As posted the other week our electricity provider told us that to make just the grid fit for purpose for renewables would cost 800 billion. That does not count the cost of the renewables themselves.
Luckily, as Minister Bowen has repeatedly stated, “renewables” are cheap!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Oh Lordy Lordy Lordy, what a clown.
Yep, wind and solar are ‘free’ but so is gold – the cost is in ‘extracting’ it for use.
A great line flying duck. Thanks.
Agreed .
I use the seafood analogy – they just stand around underwater waiting to walk into a basket under their own power, so why aren’t crays about $1 a kilo at the fish shop?
Throwing money into a fire just to destroy it.
This is economic sabotage on a huge scale and this government needs to be sacked by the GG.
We need Kerr back on the job.
Albanese the Wrecker.
This is regulated assets. The owners will get a rate of return based on a set RAB. This will include operating costs etc. The reality is every electricity bill will RISE and stay that way for 40 years.
Good thing it’s only Government money being spent; not ours.
Lol
Also good to know that said money is staying in Australia, none of it goes overseas.
Guaranteed regulated WACC on the $3.6bn week in week out. Nice work if you can get it.
Some random thought on the Trump/Zelensky exchange, an exchange I found quite refreshing.
It’s extraordinary that a man who depends on US aid (billions) meets the sitting POTUS and starts shouting. Clearly Zelensky has been used to being petted and fawned upon by the old Sniffer and his corrupt and very motley crew.
Some further thoughts on the Ukraine war, something I haven’t discussed in a long time.
Firstly, I have never viewed Zelensky as some Churchillian or De Gaullian figure, rather I’ve viewed him as a prop, and a corrupt one at that.
Secondly, was Putin right in invading Ukraine? NO, however he sniffed the wind with the old farting and feeble Sniffer in the WH, and he took advantage of that sleaze, particularly after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Had Trump been POTUS I doubt very much if Putin would have invaded however hindsight is always a wonderful thing.
Thirdly, I believe the Trump/Vance administration is trying to realign or readjust the world order, given the ever increasing threats of Iran and China, particularly the latter. I think the current US administration is trying to bring Russia into the fold. They firstly want to end the war in Ukraine, a war that has been a disaster for Putin and Russia and an even bigger disaster for Ukraine and Ukrainians. They need to provide a ‘end’ that results in Putin saving face. I don’t see that as unreasonable.
Finally, for those who say Putin should be gonski, I caution against such flippancy. I know my history and history tells me that when strong men are booted, what comes afterwards is not some ”progressive democratic nirvana’ but usually something infinitely worse. Assad is now gone from Syria with the result that Syria now has an Islamist government that is terrorising religious minorities, particularly Christians, Alawites and Druze.
To cite the marvellous and wonderful much missed C.L (where is he?), bringing Russia into the West’s fold is something that should have happened thirty years ago but instead a self obsessed morally moribund West, resting on its laurels after the collapse of the wall, preferred instead to build up China economically, with the result that China is now a rogue economic and military bully, yet that same West allowed Russia to stagnate.
Further to China, it wasn’t Russian ships off our coast firing live ammunition a few days ago, it was Chinese ships. Think about that.
Agree with all of that Cassie. Zelensky is a puppet.
Smart lady, our Cassie. Always thought Zelensky was a puppet.
Well said. However, at the time Putin was invading, even the Romanians were protesting at the treatment of ethnic Romanians in the Ukraine, victims of post WW1 & 2 border changes
Nobody seems to be aware of that, or even take it into account.
If it were Australian citizens living in Port Moresby and the PNG Army were shooting at them, wouldn’t we get pissed off about it?
Would Kiev have started bombing Donbas if Trump was in his second term?
Don’t forget, that was the Franz Ferdinand of the whole sh*tshow- the defied 2014 referendum, the Colour Revolution which put puppets in power, the bombing campaign on ethnic Russians, and the Azov Battalion running amok on the untermenschen.
Yet 95% of our well informed citizens have no idea of this.
100% agree Cassie.
Really appreciate your post Cassie. And admire your writing skills.
Putin is probably thinking that now President Trump has kicked Z out of the White House, he’s gotten a green light for a push to the Dnieper, and to take everything to the East of it.
Given how demonized Russia has been over the last few years, let alone since the collapse of the soviet union, why on earth would they want to be included in “the west” now?
Just look at the statements that have been published. Many significant figures in Russian government are openly stating they’re done trying to deal with a dishonest western world that will not honor agreements.
Russians are very pragmatic, at least my Russian freinds are. I’m sure Putin is watching Trump carefully. I think he’ll deal with Trump. This is like no US government we’ve seen. Putin commented after Trump was shot and stood in defiance was impressive. That was a defining moment in world history.
‘elensky is a strong man Cassie? Really?
You may wish to ask Naftali Bennett, about St Volodymyr the Pure’s actions at the start of the SMO when he was shitting himself in his cellar.
St Volodymyr asked Bennett to find out if Putin was going to have him killed.
Only once Bennett returned and told him Putin had no such plans, did ‘elensky begin bad mouthing Putin and generally acting the “tough” guy.
It is not the Russians he need worry about, it is Ukrainians who will give him his just desert.
Rufus, I never wrote ‘Zelensky is a strong man’.
Democrats, Never Trumpers Inflated Zelensky’s Arrogance Before Oval Office Disaster
@CilComLFC
BREAKING: Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Dubinsky just called for an Emergency Session of Ukraine’s Parliament to initiate IMPEACHMENT Proceedings against President Zelensky after the Oval Office shouting match.
This is HUGE. Zelensky’s Regime is collapsing in real time.
Good.
This is hilarious. James Bond goes after a shitposter.
https://x.com/TheLouPerez/status/1852126581872881711?t=zsECv7I_DdZ0lgqkexb4TQ&s=19
“He’s just uploaded a vid of a black man robbing a shop and called it Martin Looter King!!!”
Hahahaha…well worth a watch…right to the end of the vid.
Bloody hilarious Beer.
Ta for posting Matey. 🙂
@TheChiefNerd
ELON: “The government funded NGO’s are a way to do things that would be illegal if they were the government, but are somehow made legal if it’s sent to a so-called nonprofit … It’s a gigantic scam. Maybe the biggest scam ever.”
NGO actually stands for a ‘Nice Grifting Opportunity’.
How many employees of the NGO’s are real, or just one line entries on the pay sheets?
Meme
In Champion of the Working Man news:
Albanese’s pitch on beer – temporary freeze on excise indexation
Well, that’s huge!
And Election Winning popular!
Oh.
Pub where I was a local at around the GST election was selling pots for around $2. Publican was adamant if they removed all taxes and added a straight GST he could afford to sell a pot for around 40c, however he also said it will never happen.
Handsome Boy’s arts graduates are throwing up some doozies in a panic.
Running the PR on this ” “Claytons” discount on beer” probably cost us nearly as much as the discount! And the beer tax has still gone up originally.
Roll out the Barrel, let’s have a barrel of……………………….not very much at all.
Our pub haven’t passed on the extra indexation the last 2 times they were due. Rather, boss said he would raise the price of the soft drink.
Was at a NSW Central Coast Golf Club near the beach last Saturday for drinks. A pint of Guinness was $10, on special that is.
Here at a Pub in Sin City near the Harbour, a pint is $15.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
1 cent, wow, that’ll ease the pressure on the mortgage payments. Luigi Albanese thinks this is a winning strategy. I can see grinning idiot Charmers nodding in agreement.
In other words, “This is my last Indexation Claim in Australia”.
It sounds horrendously familiar.
So ‘the conversation’ is really an agitprop rag for labor-greens but we already knew this. Just rather blatant. Written by Gratttan- yuk.
“One cent a pint” off the current bar prices of beer in Oz is minuscule.
If you buy a can of beer, the aluminium can is infinitely more valuable than the pre-excise and tax cost of the amber fluid contained therein.
Excise? A Feral Government ransom for the privilege of producing ethanol; calculated at the point of the actual production in the fermentatio0n vats.. Because of that, if a million litres of beer or wine goes “off” for some reason; TOUGH, it it a TAX on production, nothing more or less.
Wait until some scumbag proposes a 100 percent tax on home-brew equipment and materials.
Coming soon to a Penal Colony near you.
A “beer led recovery”.
@Glinner
I can tell the US aaaaalll about freedom of speech in the UK if anyone is interested: I lost a West End musical I’d worked on for years because my bosses didn’t like me speaking about trans ideology; the police have looked me up four times now while working as a goon squad for some of the most abusive trans activists out there including a convicted sex offender ‘Stephanie’ Hayden; a doctor who was struck off for his misogynistic online behaviour, Adrian Harrop, and a psychotic teenager who has released his perceived enemies’ medical records online.
Victor Davis Hanson: Volodymyr Zelenskyy is No Winston Churchill
In three hours of watching Fox News, several shows, several hosts, numerous guests (including Mike Pompeo and General Keane) the only person to defend Zelensky has been The Five’s Jessica Tarlov – no surprises there.
Zelensky just got kicked out the WHITE HOUSE. Here’s the HOPKINS HOT TAKE
I love Katie.
Vicki February 21, 2025 2:26 pm
I do the same, selectively. It’s especially good for starting off on steep inclines, a snappy getaway at the traffic light grand prix, or timing that gap in the oncoming traffic at a right turn.
Best to practice in a quiet area initially, if your left foot has been trained in stomping clutches. Not with the family on-board during a gentle drive home.
Have you ever watched the ‘foot cam’ of a top rally driver or circuit racer? their feet dance all over the pedals, sometimes using the left foot to brake, sometimes the right. When I was rallying, I used ‘heel n toe’ with the right foot but never got the hang of swapping left and right for braking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKeK_IpQP2s
Do rally drivers make good drummers? Or vice versa.
Timo Makinen doing it in 1967
https://youtu.be/yCMnJauAJ5Q?si=Y5KWPPtZrDb7I8jZ
note the key fob showing lateral G 😉
I let the car brake for me, with regen. The brake pedal hardly gets used, virtually no brake dust on the wheels, nice.
In fact I haven’t reversed park in a couple of months now, the car does a better job. wife reckons I am going to forget how, I am ok with that.
I do mainly country running. My 2 cars have 150 & 160,000 on them and still on original pads
Using the brakes hard is an admission of inattention. As a German rally driver once said – brakes are the enemy of speed.
Is Apple investing in USA production facility before China takes over its Taiwanese sub-contractor?
Big Z
A Cassandra moment:
Yes, yes it is.
And the unavoidable fact is, when these are the fundamental resources you’re working with, in a huge and naturally difficult country, you are faced with certain Iron Laws:
As Harvey notes, irrespective of the electoral fortunes of our sorry leaders, Australia is going to have to discover these realities the hard way. Because nobody involved in government sees the need.
The only real question is whether this discovery will be by creative destruction or degeneration?
Looking at the state of the social compact, I’m worried…
We can blame little Johnny for kicking off the renewable energy scam.
As if to say Rudd and Labor wouldn’t have done it?
Actually, to be fair to Howard, at the beginning of the Glowball Warming scare he did say, if there was an urgent reality to it, that nuclear power would be the answer everywhere.
He seems to have lost that view early on though.
Surprised Harvey hasn’t noticed that Australian living standards have been in decline for c. five years, a unique situation among OECD countries.
Some of our ideal living standard is due to our ideal climate. People can live on easy street down at the beach and we have space to spare.
We have it made in Australia as it’s never seriously cold.
That saves a lot of personal expenditure.
At least Harvey has come out and said it.
“How do we do so well, doing so many things so badly?
Natural resources and agricultural exports are keeping us afloat and Labor, Greens and the indigenous lobby want to stop those.
Spread by the Sword – Death by the Internet
The video “Spread by the Sword – Death by the Internet” from the channel Artefactum discusses the historical expansion of Islam, emphasizing its spread through military conquest, forced submission, and control over narrative and historical revisionism. The video argues that Islam’s expansion was not primarily due to peaceful preaching but was enforced through conquest, taxation (such as the jizya on non-Muslims), and suppression of dissent. It claims that Islam maintained its dominance through censorship and punishment for apostasy and blasphemy. The video suggests that the internet has disrupted Islam’s control over information, enabling access to historical texts, analysis of the Quran, and exposure of contradictions and moral issues within Islamic teachings. It highlights controversial aspects of Muhammad’s life, such as his marriage to Aisha and the treatment of female captives, presenting these as areas where Islam’s claims are challenged by its own sources. The narrative also points to inconsistencies within the Quran, such as contradictions regarding who was the first Muslim and the criteria for entering paradise. It questions the claims of scientific miracles in the Quran and asserts that logical errors undermine its divinity. The video claims that the advent of the internet has led to increasing apostasy rates, particularly in Muslim-majority countries, arguing that Islam’s foundations are crumbling under the weight of newfound access to information and critical analysis. It concludes by stating that Islam, originally spread by the sword, is now being undermined by the internet, leading to a potential decline as more people question and leave the faith.
We can but hope for acceleration.
That’s a very optimistic take, Zipster.
Against that, I point out one lunatic Imam, a sermon, and an enraged mob that has been told the Friday people are in danger from the Saturday and Sunday people.
The Moderate Muslim does not exist.
or is temporary at best
Somebody finally noticed?
Gee, that visit went well.
Zelensky was under the impression he is important.
I liked the way Trump and Vance worked together. Very smooth.
Has the puppet of the deep state and the WEF just been exposed to all the world…?
and here’s me thinking your are too much of a gentleman, dover, to indulge in sarcasm.
zewensky blunders into the Oval Office and delivers some stunning and bwave diplomacy skillz.
Just about time for that “mysterious fatal accident”, you’d think.
Not unless Zelenskyy moves to Moscow.
At the rate he’s going, any “mysterious fatal accident” will be administered by his remaining compatriots, not the wussians or the Americans.
helicopter or open window?
“DefenestratorsRUs”
If the money stops, his Generals will give him flying lessons. They will have nothing more to lose – apart from their lives.
The PLAN ship exercise may be a warning to mind our own business in the event it is on in Taiwan.
The PLAN could launch missiles against Willytown, Amberley and Tindal and essentially neuter our ability to project military power.
Add in Edinburg and you take out the P-8’s.
I’m not sure that if the CCP invasion fleet sails the Taiwanese won’t just say “geez guys, if we knew you were that serious we’d have organised something else a while back.” Doubtful they want to be Ukrained.
Don’t think we’ll have a choice, our Army is hopelessly undermanned/equipped, navy can’t even put what subs we have to sea and we the air force might have some good hardware but its all pretty well based down south.
Whatever happens though, by sheer numbers the Chinese could pull this off against all odds. Thing is any way despite all the bluster and hype most ex-defence boys I know and grounded analysis say that we’ll see it coming 6-12 months away. They can’t hide the mobilisation needed.
And then the backlash when tens of thousands of Little Emperors die in the Taiwan Strait.
The PLAN ship exercise may be a warning to mind our own business in the event it is on in Taiwan.
Yes, it is exactly that.
The PLAN could launch missiles against Willytown, Amberley and Tindal and essentially neuter our ability to project military power.
China already has massive interests in our ports and our power infrastructure – I would be very surprised if they haven’t already installed ‘dead mans switches’ in all of them.
?
Agreed duk. What are any furriners having interest in strategic facilities?
I wouldn’t underestimate the Taiwanese.
And they have geography on their side.
They probably don’t want their island and cities destroyed.
They already have a well-planned defence and public sentiment against the CCP is high.
Factor in Trump’s pivot to Asia and China’s window of opportunity is closing, if it was ever open save in their dreams.
Yes I have seen the cliffs descending into Taipei along the coast. That’s why IMO any invasion force will be gargantuan.
The cost in manpower would dwarf the political cost for China.
Except that they wouldn’t use manpower.
As the war in Ukraine has shown, it is missiles and arty that are the difference.
I don’t know how many missiles Al Capone has given Taiwan, but the Chinese would have 20 times that number AND can easily outproduce the US in replacing them.
Given that Taiwan has closely observed how things have turned out for Ukraine, I seriously doubt they would want Al to “help” them, especially when statements from the Pentagon have specifically said:
“We will destroy the computer chip industry in Taiwan if a war breaks out, so that it doesn’t fall into Chinese hands.”
Nice.
I don’t think the Chinese have any intentions of invading Taiwan, because the longer they wait, the better the chances are, of the Taiwanese themselves re-incorporating themselves back into the fold*.
Taiwan’s main trading partner is, ……., China. It has more than double the trade with China than the next best, which is the US.
I’m not sure that if the CCP invasion fleet sails the Taiwanese won’t just say “geez guys, if we knew you were that serious we’d have organised something else a while back.” Doubtful they want to be Ukrained.
Taking Taiwan would entail a massive opposed landing over unfriendly seas (not just the channel as in DDay), then a very costly fight in cities and good defensive terrain. All supplied by a vulnerable sea logistics chain. I suspect its presently beyond China’s capacity. A blockade, however, could certainly be achieved, and attempting to break it (mainly via US assets) would also be very costly – China would have a definite home ground advantage over a US naval task force. I doubt the US would risk their carriers so close to China, and if they did, I think they will start losing them.
I heard Prinz (Ex Blackwater) talking on triggernometry in the car yesterday, he said the strongest deterrent would be citizen militia, trained and with small/med arms caches all over the country, every police station cache, etc. Makes sense.
Agreed.
We urgently need a large large citizen militia ( 1/2 million?) lightly equipped but well trained.
Old military equipment, up to tanks and artillery, should always be carefully mothballed.
Anyone who was part of the destruction, rather than storage, of firearms after Port Arthur to lose all Govt benefits/ super.
Standard specification utes and trucks should be tax free if maintained to a high standard and available for instant requisition when the CCP moves.
Militia could provide their own rifles – semi auto in .223, using the Steyr magazine.
Huge stockpiles of small arms ammunition, rpgs, anti tank missiles etc.
Given the certainty of CCP managed sabotage and fifth column activities among the Chinese diaspora, detailed planning for deporting/interning of all Chinese with, or entitled to, Chinese citizenship as soon as there is an act of war.
I am sure Anal and Golfbag Marles are working tirelessly on such preparations – who am I kidding?
Anal has spent more time this year working on his 1c beer discount than on national defence – as his totally wrong footed untrue statements about the CCP Tasman Sea taskforce prove.
my time in Iraq and Afghanistan certainly illustrated the value of a ‘well regulated militia’
I am firm believer with reunification of china & taiwan, with taiwan in charge of china.
Keep your Covid boosters up to date Zip, you cannot be too careful.
The Taiwanese know what awaits them under Communist Party rule. The Labour Camps if they’re lucky, or the Organ Banks and the mass graves if they’re not
A while back, now, a small group of “pariah” nations; Israel, Seth Efrika and Taiwan got together, quietly, mainly on Defence and technology matters. By simply trading and transferring among themselves, some interesting things came to pass, particularly in matters Nuclear-related.
Does anyone else remember the mysterious “big flash”, way out at sea, to the south of Seth Efrika?
If Nazi Germany ( specifically the SS and the Post Office),could run an atomic energy and bomb development programme before and during WW2; (comprehensively “liberated” by the assorted “Allies” thereafter, along with the entire German aerospace industry), then what was possible a few decades later?
No idea what became of the South African goodies and “technical staff”, but I would expect that Israel and Taiwan took the hint, “picked up the slack” and doubled down. Taiwan is surrounded by a sea of water and perfidy; Israel by sand and perfidy. Our Kosher cousins have made it known that if it all gets really ugly, the entire region will be remodeled as a glass car-park. Known in the trade as “deterrence”.
South Africa had six weapons, and was working on a seventh, when the prospect of black majority rule caused the whole program to be dismantled.
@Lauren3veMemes
The virtue signaling runs out as fast as the money. Zelenskyy failed to hold elections and clung to power. Every single one of these people is supporting a dictatorship.
Source: Trump, Vance ‘Caught Off Guard by Zelensky’s Offensive Antics’
No they weren’t.
I agree, I think they were looking for an exit and jumped at the chance.
100% Trump was looking to come away with a deal. It was dumb doing this infront of TV cameras, it was a two on one beat up, and ive never thought much of Zelensky he was always a grifter but what would you expect him to do.
Transparency was doing fine with DOGE, you dont want to turn transparency into a showboat…the punters will get sick of it ,they want to see accountability. Lets see jail time now.
I think they overestimated Z’s intelligence. Smart people often do that.
Little Johnny is the father of contemporary Australia.
Such as it is, it grieves me to say.
I think the renewables scam was much bigger than Howard. He put his toe in the water and the sharks grabbed the rest.
It was a hell of a start: joined Paris, banned nuclear, started the path to net zero, established ruinables. Little johnnie did more than start it.
Granted.
But he stuck our toe in nonetheless in regard to RET.
For the rest see cohenite.
It was a knee jerk as KRuddy started eating his lunch. To show he “got it” and wasn’t an old power walking fuddy duddy.
Why does it grieve you?
Because it’s my country & Howard and Co. wrecked it!
I’m probably of the last generation that has any real memories of that Australia. I miss it, and know it’s never coming back.
My generation lived through the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and some of us lost our way in the 70’s and 80’s and found it again in the 90’s. It’s been a wild ride in the new millennium as the internet hit home and the world turned on it. The slow old ways no longer happened. Work, travel, tourism, family life, schooling, banking, shopping, entertainment and immigration all became different.
I too miss that old Australia of the twentieth century. Gone now.
Will we get to see Albanese put on the spot in the Oval Office?
Probs not, alas!
Left-Wing CIA Spy Exposes USAID’s Black Budget Scandals | John Kiriakou
If you think Zelensky screwed up in the Oval Office, just wait until you see the clip show he’s providing his detractors during the Bret Baier interview on Fox.
FMD.
The Fox interview was a train wreck. Whatever else he is, Zelensky is a crap politician.
Alas, the Ukrainians are going to have to elect someone else as president to negotiate peace for their country.
They can’t hold elections until parliament lifts martial law, which would seem to necessitate a peace deal first.
Zelensky should probably follow through on his offer to stand down.
already moves at home to impeach apparently
Link, please.
Zelensky bought his own bullshit. He’s thick.
During the Bret Baier interview Zelensky says the Ukrainian people voted for him so that’s why he’s staying put.
Hmmmm…
FMD Zelensky bungs it on pretending he doesn’t understand a simple question in English and defers to an interpreter.
He well understands words like ‘Corruption’, ‘Graft’ and phrases like ‘Bolt Holes in Florida’………………..
I wonder what makes him think he’d be welcome in the US?
Trump/zelensky. Even Ukraine war hawk Lindsay Graham is on Trump’s side:
Pro-Ukraine Sen. Lindsey Graham: Zelensky needs to ‘resign’ or ‘change’ after Oval Office clash with Trump
Zelensky is profiting personally for this war and wants glory for Ukraine. He wants the war to continue. Trump hates wars. He wants it to end. The usual fukwits are already dribbling he is in puttie’s pocket. Fuking incredible after what Trump did to puttie in his first term: blew up Shayrat military base. Trump knows what puttie is: a bad dude but he has to deal with him. Zelensky has disrespected the US. Zelensky was used to biden and his handlers and getting his own way; they spoilt the little bastard and now, unless the back-stabbing euro trash step up to fund him which is unlikely, he has to swallow his pride and go back cap in hand to Trump and especially JD.
Great painting. I love nude women with wings.
snap
Congress have been unusually helpful lately.
Congress Overturns Biden’s Natural Gas Tax: A Victory for Energy Independence (28 Feb)
Excellent. The more you guys can support Trump’s EOs swiftly the harder it is for donkeys in black robes to impede him.
The Hot Take this morning has to be CNN.
*sad face*
They are exponentially more dense than neutron stars.
FMD:
Ned Ryun just posted this. If true: it’s a major scandal!
“If it’s true that Blinken, Rice, Nuland, and Vindman conference called with Zelensky on the flight to DC advising him to “stand strong” and “be tough” and “don’t let Trump bully you” it seems to have backfired. Perhaps FBI Director Patel should meet with those clowns for a debriefing after talking with a foreign head of state. Just a thought.”
The demorats are treasonous scum. Time the bastards were arrested. Come on Pam, put them in handcuffs.
The NSA should have a record of the conference call.
Isn’t there some US law about private citizens conducting diplomatic negotiations?
Yes – the Logan Act.
I have no trouble believing it. They’re his handlers, after all.
Zelensky needs to read some history.
Look at Poland during and after WWII.
Hard to see a European country more fvcked over.
Participated in the Battle of Britain.
Participated in D-day.
Even still Poles got scooped up in Operation Keelhaul.
Lost 100% of their country.
Trump isn’t FDR at Yalta giving Poland to Stalin.
He’s working to let Ukraine keep two thirds of their country.
It’s a shitty outcome and it could be a whole shittier.
Sure, but any surrender of land has to go before the UKR people in a referendum.
Which means it first has to get parliamentary approval.
A lot of pressure on Zelensky atm.
The Ukrainians, like the Poles, accepted promises that couldn’t be fulfilled, and under this misapprehension, thought they could be less forthcoming in negotiations both in peace and war.
Meet The University Nurse Who Refuses to Treat Jews, Calls Them “Vermin,” “Dogs”
POS, they’re everywhere.
Interesting, isn’t it, that Israelis provided medical care to Gazans and other ‘Palestinians’ even though they must have hated what their ‘guests’ stood for. The difference between civilised and barbaric.
@nicksortor
LMAO! White House staffers are LITERALLY eating Zelensky’s lunch after President Trump kicked him out of the White House.
“The lunch he was supposed to have was sitting right out in the hallway… and staffers will now be eating that lunch,” per Fox
@catturd2
The only thing standing in the way to a cease fire and peace in Ukraine is this sawed-off runt.
@RealAlexJones
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: FBI Whistleblower Garret O’Boyle Breaks Down The Latest On The FBI Raid Against The FBI In New York On The Illegal Coup Plot That’s Now Been Exposed Around The Epstein Files
Zelensky: The deal? Schmeal – It’s security guarantees or nothing.
Hmmm.
Even before I read this I thought he was sounding like someone who had been coached.
What a maroon!
Said in the style of Bugs Bunny.
If all you watched was CNN, you’d think something quite different happened in the WH today.
The wymmyn there are absolutely rabid. Some chick called “Erin” is running her mouth so fast she’s almost unintelligible. Apparently Z was bullied about what he wore, about not saying thank you to the US. Z looking sad eyed and innocent.
The problem is that the entire meeting is out there for everyone to see and make up their own minds. No need for the Erins of the media to process a ready made opinion.
Oh, and now the chyron is “Trump and Vance GANG UP on Zelensky, blow up meeting on live TV”.
And now they’re blaming Vance.
Apparently cutting through b/s is menacing now.
When b/s is all you’ve got, having someone cut through it is menacing.
It says a lot about CNN’s TDS that it takes the side of an arrogant, pompous foreign leader insulting and attacking a U.S. president in the White House, as well as the U.S. itself by implication.
There was no shouting. Unless strongly expressed opinions and arguments are now “shouting”.
Only a noodle armed wimp who has never had to defend themselves, but has hidden behind more able people, would call that “shouting”.
There was robust to and fro and Z lost. The points both the Pres and VP made were perfectly valid. Trump’s comments about WWIII were to the point and from the heart.
Problem for Z is that he has zero leverage over the current administration. No dirty money requiring some Ukrainian OMO, no funny payments to family members for no work. He has to perform and that performance does not include “sad clown”. He waltzed in thinking he could dictate terms rather than nutting out a deal. Stupid.
…you might be in hell.
For birdy lovers. I had a long billed Corella sitting in a tree clse by for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Never seen one so close. Out in the kayak this morning for a bit of exercise, passed by a sea eagle waiting for the tide to change so the fish would’nt be so active. What a magnificent specimen. I passed within six metres. He was’nt the slightest bit concerned.
What’d he taste like, GR?
Chicken?
My fave photo is one I took of a sea eagle battling a strong headwind on the Sunshine Coast.
Magnificent indeed.
I don’t watch much Fox these days, unless there is something seismic on.
Today would be one of those days.
Keep in mind Fox’s rating are now greater than all other cable networks combined.
And every show is dumping on Zelensky.
The American taxpayer wants this to end.
Fox gets it.
Far too early to tell but maybe well into the future, today’s Oval Office stink will be viewed the same way as Cronkite was after he called time on the Vietnam War.
Ie, the quiet part said out loud.
Except for the leftwing networks which are siding with Zelensky against the White House’s “bullying”.
And they wonder why no-one in America is watching them.
PS: if you take the side of those who pissed billions of American taxpayer dollars against the wall in Ukraine, you shouldn’t have to be told your ratings will be in the toilet.
The people who run the US TV networks (Fox excepted) aren’t very bright.
The people who run daytime TV aren’t selected on the basis of their IQ or talent.
Just their devotion to The Cause.
…and it shows.
I’ve been back and forwards thru Moree for years, decades in fact.
Used to use one of the dodgier pubs as an overnighter as it is at the end of the Carnarvon hwy before continuing down the Newell hwy.
My last couple of trips recently we pushed on to Narrabri, Moree is lost. The place has always had a rougher ATSI element but until recently I had never felt unsafe there.
Anyway from News.com, cops, MP’s and even Premier thumbing their nose at residents concerns:
https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/residents-urge-government-to-act-on-youth-crime-in-moree-nsw/news-story/a14f0a3bc634cf663466c0496b773761
That is really sad as Moree has been a hot spa destination for decades for many European migrants which was also a nice contribution to the economy of the town.
Jeebers, Cronkite said that in 1968.
Farrrk, I hope Ukraine wraps up quicker than Vietnam took.
@marcthiessen
This @ZelenskyyUa interview with @bretbaier is like watching a drowning man who refuses to grab the life preserver he keeps getting thrown
https://x.com/marcthiessen/status/1895617097633534064
I could just see KRuddy doing that.
Zelinsky even more abrasive, obnoxious and entitled than I thought he was.
Z man may have jumped the shark.
yeah
I can see how the deadshits in DC would want this war to go on and on but the Eurotrash? I doubt if they could fight their way out of a wet paper bag.
TC Alfred has lost it’s eye on this morning sat run. Off new Caledonia the remnants of Cyclone Seru are still visible though it still packs a punch.
Wish that upper level high sitting over the continent directing all the dry air over NQ would rack off. Grass needs a water and the evap rate at this time of year is huge. LOL gone from too much rain to none…
Watch the BOM not re-name a cyclone when it has the same name as a non lefty politician.
And the mental gymnastics to go along with it to explain “hOw tH1s iS difFer3ent”.
Didn’t mention at the time but was thinking exactly the same when they did it.
Maybe they should have a look at what is happening to NOAA today.
Nothing until the last half of March. This has sucked all the moisture out.
however, SEQ might get its remnants giving a good dump of rain towards the end of the week.
Been watching that on the last couple model runs. Am waiting for the hyperventilating to begin…
MJO is expected to be back end of March too. As for late cyclones they can still pack a punch, Larry was mid March.
Look, Zelensky is obviously an idiot used to getting special treatment, yet Trump and Vance should recognise they are the powerful, and Zelensky is the weak, and that it is never a good look to pick on the dumb weak kid..
It’s a little like Mike Tyson beating up on a girl, or an Einstein arguing with Biden.
The problem is that the dumb, weak kid thinks he’s tough and smart and tried to beat up Mike Tyson.
The problem for Ukraine is they have little genuine leverage. You’re always going to get treated like dirt by an ally if you have none, especially if things go south.
Which is why Zelensky should have come cap in hand hoping to sway the powerful to take up his cause. On the contrary, he came primed for offending the very people from whom he wants a favour. I didn’t think there were world leaders as stupid as Zelensky.
No, he and those before him should have never trod this path in the first place.
We do have Albo. Glass houses, stones etc.
So they do what?
Sit there and take it from this mouthy little prick?
And now Jesse Watters tees off.
As Watters says, this is the best deal Ukraine is going to get.
A shitty deal.
But what’s left?
A dream about joining NATO?
With the current administration, it’s not gunna happen.
Primrose path. Warning issued by Mearsheimer in 2015.
Mark Dice. Probably the best media commentator in the WORLD ….opinions will vary and that is fine.
There is no meat tray prize.
TRUMP SHOCKS THE WORLD WITH HIS POWER PLAY AGAINST ZELENSKY IN OVAL OFFICE
Russia’s basic terms are looking better than ever now. If Trump actually stops the support south and everything east of Dneiper in trouble.
Just at the tail end of the clip of the Oval Office exchange JD tells (states) Zelensky came over and campaigned for the Dems in Pennsylvania before the election.
Zeds reply: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Hahaha
Fries with that?
Fired federal workers in Washington struggling to get unemployment, Sen. Murray says (28 Feb)
My impression of the US jobs market is that there are lots of jobs…just not in comfy Washington DC. Perhaps drill baby drill might open up opportunities in red states? But be ready to get dirty DC peoples. Overalls and safety helmets may feel like a letdown from your previous employment, but the pay is usually rather good.
“Learn To Drill, Wahingtonites.”
Trust me on this, nobody in their right mind would allow a retrenched public servant anywhere near a drill floor.
Fruit picking might just be a goer.
Cleaning toilets, picking up drug needles, mattress testing etc.
The Oz seems to have acquired TDS syndrome in spades.Aside from PaulKelly,one Joe Kelly is also exhibiting symptoms Also most of the commentators seem to be on the bullying, Putins puppet,stupid Trump train.
Quite depressing really.
Exactly my thoughts
I’ve been without a subscription to Oz for years, same with Telegraph. If they publish lefty twaddle they should allow comments, otherwise no cash from me.
Great performance. Tip of the hat to the band.
Joe Walsh – Life’s Been Good
An interesting link and read for those interested in the United States space program:
Günter Wendt
‘We stand with Ukraine’: PM speaks after Oval Office clash
What are going to do?
Australian troops storm the beaches in the Crimea?
Well, he stands with Palestine too.
Great move Elbow. Sure to win you some votes.
To Albo’s credit, he’s stopped directly shit canning Trump.
He’s at least learned that is not good for Australia.
Too dumb to learn. He’s a Trot.
EDITORIAL: Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s pre-election citizenship drive stinksThe Nightly
Fri, 28 February 2025 3:19PM
Comments
EDITORIAL: Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s pre-election citizenship drive stinksThe Nightly
Fri, 28 February 2025 3:19PM
Comments
?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s national citizenship roadshow ahead of the Federal election looks like a blatant attempt to stack key seats with friendly voters. Credit: The Nightly
On the face of it, there’s nothing wrong with Tony Burke’s national citizenship roadshow.
As he has pointed out, as Home Affairs Minister, citizenship falls directly into his portfolio.
And he has what sounds like a perfectly sound rationale for the blitz: to clear a backlog of prospective Aussies who have passed all the hurdles to citizenship and are waiting only on a ceremony to make it official.
Therefore, he’s taken it upon himself to take the administrative burden off local councils — which ordinarily take responsibility for citizenship conferrals — and has organised industrial-scale ceremonies across the country at which about 12,800 new Aussies will take the pledge.
Mr Burke’s claim of a massive citizenship backlog doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Nationally, the average wait time to receive citizenship after clearing all requirements is just 105 days.
Across the six local government areas involved at Friday’s mass ceremony in Perth, less than 3 per cent of aspiring Aussies were waiting longer than six months for their conferral as of the end of January.
There’s no argument that these would-be Aussies should be granted citizenship in a timely fashion.
But why now? A close look at the local government areas invited to participate is revealing.
The 1050 new Australians who took the pledge in Perth on Friday are now eligible to vote in the yet-to-be-called Federal election, in the seats of Pearce, Curtin, Brand, Tangney, Moore and Fremantle.
Pearce and Tangney both changed hands to Labor at the 2022 election and are considered in danger of returning to the Liberals. Moore is held by a razor thin margin for the Liberals by Ian Goodenough, who will recontest the seat — but this time, as an independent, given he lost Liberal pre-selection. Mr Goodenough was front and centre at Friday’s ceremony.
Curtin is currently held by teal independent Kate Chaney, who unseated Liberal Celia Hammond at the last election. It is considered the Liberals’ best chance of reclaiming a seat from the teals.
Brand, while considered safe, is held by Labor’s only West Australian member of Cabinet, Resources Minister Madeleine King.
These electorates now have an influx of grateful new citizens, who may recall chatting with that nice local member when they achieved their long-held goal of Australian citizenship.
This may go some way to providing an explanation for Mr Burke’s sudden urgency to clear this so-called citizenship backlog.
It stinks. It looks like a blatant attempt to stack key seats with friendly voters.
Last week in Sydney, Mr Burke held a similar ceremony in the marginal electorate of Fowler. Absent from the guest list was the seat’s independent MP Dai Le.
Mr Burke has reacted with predictable outrage to the suggestion that he had any ulterior motive for the rushed citizenship drive.
There may be a reasonable explanation for his urgency. But we are yet to hear it.
On the face of it, there’s nothing wrong with Tony Burke’s national citizenship roadshow.
As he has pointed out, as Home Affairs Minister, citizenship falls directly into his portfolio.
And he has what sounds like a perfectly sound rationale for the blitz: to clear a backlog of prospective Aussies who have passed all the hurdles to citizenship and are waiting only on a ceremony to make it official.
Therefore, he’s taken it upon himself to take the administrative burden off local councils — which ordinarily take responsibility for citizenship conferrals — and has organised industrial-scale ceremonies across the country at which about 12,800 new Aussies will take the pledge.
Mr Burke’s claim of a massive citizenship backlog doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Nationally, the average wait time to receive citizenship after clearing all requirements is just 105 days.
Across the six local government areas involved at Friday’s mass ceremony in Perth, less than 3 per cent of aspiring Aussies were waiting longer than six months for their conferral as of the end of January.
There’s no argument that these would-be Aussies should be granted citizenship in a timely fashion.
But why now? A close look at the local government areas invited to participate is revealing.
The 1050 new Australians who took the pledge in Perth on Friday are now eligible to vote in the yet-to-be-called Federal election, in the seats of Pearce, Curtin, Brand, Tangney, Moore and Fremantle.
Pearce and Tangney both changed hands to Labor at the 2022 election and are considered in danger of returning to the Liberals. Moore is held by a razor thin margin for the Liberals by Ian Goodenough, who will recontest the seat — but this time, as an independent, given he lost Liberal pre-selection. Mr Goodenough was front and centre at Friday’s ceremony.
Curtin is currently held by teal independent Kate Chaney, who unseated Liberal Celia Hammond at the last election. It is considered the Liberals’ best chance of reclaiming a seat from the teals.
Brand, while considered safe, is held by Labor’s only West Australian member of Cabinet, Resources Minister Madeleine King.
These electorates now have an influx of grateful new citizens, who may recall chatting with that nice local member when they achieved their long-held goal of Australian citizenship.
This may go some way to providing an explanation for Mr Burke’s sudden urgency to clear this so-called citizenship backlog.
It stinks. It looks like a blatant attempt to stack key seats with friendly voters.
Last week in Sydney, Mr Burke held a similar ceremony in the marginal electorate of Fowler. Absent from the guest list was the seat’s independent MP Dai Le.
Mr Burke has reacted with predictable outrage to the suggestion that he had any ulterior motive for the rushed citizenship drive.
There may be a reasonable explanation for his urgency. But we are yet to hear it.
From reports today, it sounds as though Zelensky was coached by phone in the air en route to Washington DC by the old neocon crew from the Biden State Department — who are no longer in office.
Fertile grounds for a prosecution by the new Justice Department, I would have thought
Woops, wrong thread.
It just occurred to me why Zelensky had a disastrous meeting with Trump today in front of the whole world. It is obvious he is not a politician and even less a diplomat. He is an actor and came across as someone who was given a horrible script to act out. The thing is who coached him and gave him the script?
He really thought arguing with Trump and Vance, interrupting and talking over them, was a good idea. He’s clueless about his status and his capacities.
Who gave him the script?
The Nefarious Four – Rice, Nuland, Blinkin and Vindman, who have broken the Law by violating the Logan Act.
While that hasn’t been confirmed as far as I know it would be plausible. They would’ve had a lot of contact with Z right through the Biden regime.
From reports today, it sounds as though Zelensky was coached by phone in the air en route to Washington DC by the old neocon crew from the Biden State Department — who are no longer in office.
Fertile grounds for a prosecution by the new Justice Department, I would have thought
Now Hannity tees off.
I have not watched Hannity for years.
Popping it on mute until Gutfeld.
Depending on the guests I shall give it a watch too.
Sorry if already posted, but JoNova has a great new post.
Roonable failure. joannenova.com.au
The Trump Administration has caused a world wide breakout of sense among the Cultist Propagandists. It’s like waking up from a nightmare and realising there isn’t a monster in the cupboard.
If there’s someone who is going to collect all the generators on sticks that will become surplus, and put them to work in hydroelectric plants, I’ll buy shares in them.
RD, earlier:
Cyclone Monica came across the Gulf and Top End east to west, and as a (probably real) Cat 5 was tracking to go right over D-Town until it turned left at the last minute and went inland – losing most of its punch but denuding everything in sight on the coast and smacking up Jabiru and Adelaide River.
That was on Anzac Day 2006.
We have yet to see any sort of realistic monsoon activity this season, so it may still turn up late and hard.
No rain on the BoM radar, but the sprinklers are on at the Longreach Airport, so there is that.
Developing view.
The minerals deal wasn’t to Zelensky’s backers liking.
Keep in mind that 30% of all gas transit fees earned in Ukraine goes to two billionaires who haven’t lived in Ukraine for years.
It would be good to know who currently holds the title over the rare earths deposits that are included in the proposed deal.
Ie are they still owned by the state or are they like everything else of value in Ukraine, owned by a few oligarchs who paid pennies to corrupt politicians over the past 20 odd years to own.
The REE thing is just a squirrel. They are not rare. Indeed Olympic Dam has about 90 million tonnes of REE contained in that deposit, but they aren’t recovered since it would just collapse the price.
Besides which the biggest uses are for green rubbish like windmills and EVs. Which are stupid.
The problem with REE is there are seventeen of them with very similar chemical properties. It takes 120 different solvent extraction steps to separate them from each other. That needs a lot of chemical engineers to babysit the SX steps. And guess who has lots and lots of cheap chemical engineers?
Zelensky was silly in trying to have the discussions/negotiations in a foreign (to him) language. His English is not very good. You will never see someone like Putin of Russia publicly speak in English, even though he is quite proficient.
He is very selective with his comprehension.
He just had to sit there and say thank you twenty times.
He was the one who got his back up over JD Vance and it went from there.
His English was good enough to get his back up over JD Vance saying “diplomacy”.
The use of interpreters is mostly so one Leader can use the excuse of poor interpretation later on.
“OH! You actually said ‘Don’t invade Poland’ My interpreter said that you said Poland needs to be subsumed into the Third Reich!”
Plus it gives them time to think of a reply.
Zelensky has now surpassed Kevin Rudd in stupidity stakes. It is obvious that neither is a leader but an egotist who is unable to put himself in the other person’s place if only to work out how not to piss them off.
How Trump behaved is not the point as he was not the supplicant, he could have been more gracious but why would he when the other person was so quick to insult him. Everyone in the world knows Trump loves flattery and is capricious when slighted. You want something from him you know what to do. It looked to me as if Zelensky’s honour was more important to him than his country.
As I mentioned upthread, Albo doesn’t comment directly on Trump anymore.
This is a good thing for Australia.
The Putin monkey memes I’m seeing at the moment on Twitter are very funny.
I find it odd how all our media commentators are incensed with Trump’s treatment of Zelensky yet are perfectly fine with Albo going to President Xi cap in hand and gets called handsome boy for his submission. Understanding power only seems to work in one direction.
The meja are presstitutes to the international left which is now aligned with the Washington war machine.
Shiri Bibas had strong ties to South America, particularly to Argentina and Peru where she still has extended family. Javier Milei declared two days of national mourning to honour Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. There have been huge rallies in Argentina to honour the Bibas family. Meanwhile, here in Australia our Jew hating excrement that is both our federal and state Labor governments have said nothing about the murders of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir.
I’ve just returned from Shul. Everyone is wearing orange to honour the family. The guests of honour at the service were the Peruvian and Argentinian consul generals. At the end of the Shabbat service the memorial prayer was sung by the cantor for Shiri, Ariel and Kfir, and then each consul general spoke beautiful words however the Peruvian broke down and sobbed. I shed tears.
Don’t cry for Argentina, cry for Australia.
My heart cries everyday for the despicable and vile behaviour we are seeing in my much loved country.
There is another difference between Argentina and Australia, hardly any Muslims in Argentina. How did they escape that fate?
By being exceedingly broke for the last 40 years.
Not having sugar on the table.
The zelinsky really is a nasty PoS.
Crossie @ 01:31pm….
Zelensky has now surpassed Kevin Rudd in stupidity stakes.
Sorry Crossie, that’s just not possible.
Krudd is in a class of his own!
Krudd has severely degraded our relationship with our most important(only?) ally,
And yes Mr. Xi, Elbow stands with the Ukes. By implication not the USA. It’s a good time to take what you want
Sending Kevin to be Ambassador to Ukraine rather appeals to me.
Elbow stands with the Ukes. By implication not the USA.
That orange man bad has been doing terrible things, banning DEI, banning trannies in schools, exposing corruption. So albo is on the opposite side to him.
Gutfeld has three smoke shows on.
Hard to look away.
WTF is a ‘Smoke Show”?
Hot chick as in “smoking hot”.
Quick! A link!
Rat King also called Vance an ‘effing bitch’ under his breath…in Russian. Ukraine is so fake.
What he said (which does directly translate as f**king bitch) is more an expression of frustration than a direct insult. But, yeah, Zelensky’s use of the phrase indicates he lost control of himself somewhat.
I refuse to put the stupid and unnecessary “yy” at the end of Zelensky’s name. It has never been used before in the transliteration of either Russian or Ukrainian surnames and it is not needed now.
Zelinsky is really another Greta.
They should breed. Real life, Miniature Goblins for the Billionare who has everything.
Use the shrunken heads as bookends.
Unique, never to be repeated offer!
Meja anti heros.
I see Alternet is accusing Trump and Vance of “berating Zelensky.”
Interesting how both Slug and Pong demand the right for Ukraine to defend itself after being invaded yet at the same time both deny Israel’s right to defend itself after being invaded.
I don’t recall Pong ever calling for Ukraine to show ‘restraint’ nor do I recall Pong ever calling for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
I’m betting the people that were saying Trump would put his fist down and force Putin to make peace are wondering how this proceeds right now.
That was before Trump’s clear intent to dislodge Russia from China’s orbit came fully into view.
Timmy turd teacha trash waltz is still gov of Minnesota. How fuked can you get?
People are wondering why our Marxist/Communist Leader Anal (PBUH), is unconcerned why a naval flotilla of the Marxist/Communist Peoples Liberation Army Navy is conducting live fire exercises off our coast.
Beats me, too.
“The live-fire exercises were a display to show that China’s military forces could cut off the air and sea links between Australia and New Zealand at any time, with no warning… and meant to normalize the PLA presence in SW Pacific”
https://x.com/Anne_MarieBrady/status/1894853687757189184
Anal and pong take their orders from the international left.
I wish he’d take an order from me – pizza with double cheese and the works.
Double pineapple.
Europeans going to have to choose between net zero, all the other progressive idiocy and security.
Facing a Russia that has incorporated Ukraine is a very different beast to facing off against Russia alone.
Taiwan too will have some serious thinking to do.
Moves towards being subsumed by China, as truly horrifying as that is, are better than being offered this wishy washy weak support or withdrawal of support at the point of decision.
Australia too will face a hostile China emboldened by the events today.
Australia’s ability to influence events in the region are now seriously diminished.
We will face a ring of Chinese naval bases alone.
We need nuclear capability
We need a nuclear capacity 20 years ago.
The mentality of “global village”, “post history” has truly been blasted to smithereens.
We need a rifle behind every gum tree.
Th only way world can deal with a hostile China is to stop trading with them. That means we must have cheap energy and must manufacturing everything ourselves or import from non-Chinese sources. Manufacturing things for ourselves is safer so we could be immune to closed sea lanes.
So why isnt our government on the phone to Trump to sell them rare minerals or cant we get them out of the ground?
Meh.
It’s just Americans being American.
They do this on the verge of every great conflict.
Rising global tensions always drives the American mind inwards.
The EIS for any new mines would take 2 or 3 decades. Why bother?
Doesn’t even need that. The sandminers throw away the monazite fraction – which contains REE. But also thorium. It isn’t worth their bother to sell it, so they return it to the pit after recovering the rutile and ilmenite.
Doesn’t wagyl object to all farming and mining?
Kathleen Kennedy FIRED By Disney After DESTROYING Star Wars & Indiana Jones With Wokeness!
TheQuartering
The video by TheQuartering discusses the news about Kathleen Kennedy reportedly stepping down as the president of Lucasfilm. The host criticizes her tenure, claiming she “destroyed” the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises through her management decisions, perceived as being influenced by identity politics and “wokeness.” The video criticizes Kathleen Kennedy for allowing inconsistent storytelling, particularly in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and for decisions that reportedly alienated core fans. The host also mentions various failures under Kennedy’s leadership, including the Star Wars spin-offs and Indiana Jones, which he describes as financial and critical disasters. The video underscores skepticism about Star Wars’ future, emphasizing that improvement hinges on who replaces Kennedy and whether Disney shifts its current approach. Ultimately, the host views Kennedy’s departure as a potential turning point but remains doubtful about immediate improvements due to Disney’s continued ownership.
Yes she ruined SW and IJ.
She has NOT been fired.
https://youtu.be/Er12CSYdXYM?feature=shared
Is the Orange man badder or better than the Xi man?
Asking for a friend.
Orange Man can at least be funny and generous at times while Xi Man is not.
Chinese Modern Women Panic! Gold Diggers Furious as New Marriage Law Strikes
The video discusses recent changes in China’s marriage law, referred to as “Marriage 2,” highlighting its impact on social norms, gender roles, and marital practices. The revised law emphasizes the protection of personal property, challenging traditional safety nets that supported non-working spouses, typically women. It mandates compensation for domestic contributions, valuing housework economically, which could result in substantial compensation in divorce cases. These changes aim to push women into the labor market, alleviate China’s demographic crisis, and promote a dual-income family model to meet economic and social stability goals. The law has sparked debate, with critiques noting potential biases and unintended consequences, such as increasing divorce costs for wealthy individuals. The shift away from property-based marriage incentives suggests a negotiation of new social dynamics where emotional and social attributes gain prominence. However, this utilitarian view of marriage raises questions about redefining personal happiness and challenges traditional marriage perceptions. The video underscores these legal changes as part of broader governmental strategies amidst China’s population, economic, and geopolitical challenges.
dual income families, what could possibly go wrong!!!
Nothing there about raising children but that’s fine, a smaller population makes for a less belligerent government.
One of the irrits I have with Sky News is that their weather people are complete climate idiots.
Australia’s 2024-25 summer likely ‘the third or fourth hottest on record’, with Sydney, Perth and Brisbane much warmer than the long-term average (1 Mar)
Who do I believe, them or my lying eyes? At the Cafe we’ve had two days over the 100 F mark during Summer and the rest of the time has been comfortably in the high twenties. That to me is a cool summer, no way can it be a boiling blasted landscape populated only by heat resistant cockroaches.
Do please get weather people with working brains Sky News peoples. You’re just turning away prospective customers.
The vegetation at my place thinks it has been a cold summer. Not enough sun for tomatoes in Melbourne.
Was in Victoria for some of summer, certainly wasn’t a hot year. Don’t think we experienced one 40 deg day even in the Goulburn Valley.
Family tells me nearly daily frosts from May to nearly October too.
Third or fourth hottest on record?
So what?
We are having an extended February (hot and humid) this year, temps in the 30s every day and muggy nights in the mid teens.
One of these days, it will snap over to glorious mid-low 20s days and 10 degree nights. Autumn, the best season around here.
I see that TheirABC has been running stories about the WA ‘cyclone’ that didn’t deliver, along the lines that there was some local flooding here and there. They don’t seem to realise that their credibility, like that of the MSM, has plummeted.
FFS, they can’t even put up a pressure map that is less than 12 hours old.
Are they still jetting off to international wankfests about ‘climate change’ at the expense of taxpayers?
Whoops – a double up post.
[Fixed]
Thanks dover0beach.
Magic mushrooms will save the planet.
Take a trip to fight climate change? Group meets in Miami to tout psychedelic solutions (Phys.org, 28 Feb)
Ok yes you won’t save the planet, which doesn’t need to be saved, but I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun whilst trying to.
Magic mushrooms are, unless you count near starvation, the cheapest and quickest way to get one of those profound spiritual experiences that Arky was rabbiting on about the other day. A sudden urge to save the planet is the least you can expect to get.
It’s the 70s all over again!
We know how that went, but it must be said that a lot of it was great fun. Some of it was enlightening.
There you have it:
Zelensky called VP Vance a “Bitch” in White House Meeting – Geller Report
I really don’t care Volodimir.
Pathetic !!
OK lets take this next story from the DM at face value on the jismists words.
Mother with baby reports homeless dude to cops for allegedly flashing at her baby. Cops on street check it out and decide not much in it.
Mother unimpressed gives them a mouthful, signing of with taunts like useless and a worthless POS. OK completely out of line and unhelpful to her complaint. She leaves and that should have been the end of it as she was the only one losing face here not controlling her emotions.
As she leaves the two cops follow, impede and try to chastise her. Way to go lets just escalate the situation to overdrive which she duly does and learns a lesson of FAFO by being tackled to the ground. The optics however for the already reputationally damaged British Constabulary are horrid on this one, would have been better to let it go.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14447655/mother-body-slammed-floor-police-screaming-baby.html
I think it also shows the level of distrust/disgust in the Police over there after the rape gangs, arresting people for hurty words and failure to solve crime.
Ice Hockey is an interesting game. bwahahahaha
I read the Oz headline re Zelensky in the Oval Office ‘risking world war III’ before I raced off to a dance class this morning. What’s that about? I asked Hairy when I returned and he’d just got up and said he didn’t know but don’t believe an media interpretation of whatever Trump does; so we looked at the full video of the presser. Hairy says he would have ended it earlier denying Zelensky the floor for point scoring, and especially after Vance stepped in, which was when Zelensky got completely antsy. But it did show that there was no walkout, and they all went off to do further discussing in private.
Bloody hell, on the way to the dance class something heavy hit my windscreen at speed from a tree above the road and made a hole which produced an enlarging crack. Hairy checking up on insurance now.
I see now that Trump showed him the White House door.
With instructions not to let it bang him on the bum on the way out?
Door is openable though via a crawling apology.
The Parliament in Kiev are considering their options.
It got the top of the passenger windscreen. All I heard was an almighty retort, a sort of crrraccck sound. I glanced up in that direction to see a break line doing a slow walk down from the upper corner of the screen. It’s still advancing.
Car in front was a two-car distance from me, in an 80km zone, but big trees in urban bushland were overhanging the road. I wondered for a moment if someone was taking pot shots with some sort of airgun.
Who screwed up more the Zed or Fang Fang’s ex (“I’m bored of my wife”.. “I’d rather F 10s”)?
I love Fang Fang. If you cast a character like her in a James Bond movie, with that name, people would walk out in incredulity.
Pussy Galore is a hard one to beat.
Check the Finally in this Sunday’s Week in Pictures!
Fang Fang died in a plane crash in 2022. link
Amazing how such coincidences happen.
Cyclone Albo is proving to be weak and boring, just like the man.
Gusts and rainsplatters fading, fading.
A chap at breakfast reminded me of handsome boy’s pompous ealiest days. Adopting the Andrews arrogance pose in front of the cameras and pronouncing: “Voice first then Republic”.
The libs should play that every day.
A garbage truck?
Enlarged crack? How Sydney.
Well it is Mardi Gras day down there.
Got to be ready for the after party.
Goodness, so you say.
Mardi Gras tonight. Somehow the razzamatazz seems rather muted so far.
Do you wear a tutu at the dance class? Enquiring minds and all that.
Leotards, darling, leotards.
No, that was the last time I returned with the car in trouble. I backed out of my son’s driveway in a narrow street and a speeding garbage truck backing out of the street clipped my rear tail light. I saw the truck just in time to avoid complete destruction.
The fact that Trump zeroed in on that as almost a “not negotiable” tells me that he knows where the minerals money is going and he wants to upend it.
And a s___ load of Irukandji Drones.
I like the way you think.
Last week of the current Cook government. No real interest in the election what would be a pass mark for the Lieborals? The same people who brought you Kirkup still pulling the strings. Will Cook and Mettam be there for the next one?
I looked up Mettam when that fiasco over one of their candidates blew up. She doesn’t even rate a mention on the east coast and I had no idea of her.
Her bio didn’t impress me, she spent her early years moving in exactly the echo-chambers that have got us into the mess we are in now. Supported the voice too so is obviously of the Left Faction.
I think the Libs will win back a swag of seats but she doesn’t seem to have the gravitas to pull off a historic win. Seems like a mini Kirkup too me.
As for your questions, I think she will be there at the next election unless the libs walk away with a small amount. Pass mark, I reckon they would have to win 20 odd seats to even be in the running next time round.
ALP has gerrymandered the senate like Victoria so they will be a rubber stamp for everything and it will be a bumpy ride for 4 years. The bulls&%$ indig laws aren’t going anywhere anyway…
@VigilantFox
NEW: Elon Musk just revealed that the government handed the Navy $12 billion to build new submarines—and not a single submarine was built.
When investigators asked where the money went, Navy officials shrugged and said they had no idea.
“There’s a case where I think Senator Collins was telling me about how she gave the Navy $12 billion for more submarines, got no extra submarines, and then held a hearing to say where the $12 billion go.
“And they were like, we don’t know. That was it. I mean, basically, stuff is so crazy. Only the federal government could get away with this level of waste,” Musk said.
Of course they know. There is always a money trail.
I wonder how much of our AUKUS money has disappeared into the same black hole.
Trump BREAKS SILENCE after Zelenskyy row as Starmer WADES IN – Zelenskyy ‘overplayed his hand’
He lied through his teeth.
JD Vance is RIGHT About Free Speech in Britain. He Cares More Than Starmer | ADF’s Paul Coleman
One comment –
Well, RFKJ did say ‘they don’t censor you for telling a lie, they censor you for telling the truth’
Zelenskyy was insulting to the US, White House official Stephen Miller says
The best take of today I’ve seen is that both sides tried to play each other and that once Zelensky knew the security guarantee was a bridge too far couldn’t help being goaded by Vance. Will post the tweet latter tonight.
So, I guess that means the Donald has to go.
The only two people that could repair the damage are Sean Penn and Bono.
snork!
Zelensky is an arrogant little prick.
I live in the electorate of Wannon and the “independent “ Alex Dyson is campaigning by distributing orange kelpies and lotsa people are putting them on their front fences and gates . I live in the grey haired and entitled end of the electorate ( goes all the way to the SA border )
I was just asked by a neighbour up the street where my orange kelpie was?
Well perhaps if I could paint it black to match my own Kelpie/Lab cross.
Silence was the stern reply
I’m so old I remember when it was considered bad form to even ask who you voted for.
LOL ABC upset by Advance’s flyer which is still legal till the election is called… Must be over target, flack is thick.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/advance-target-alex-dyson-with-flyer-suggesting-greens-link/104895668
Funny they are not so hot and bothered with the other “independents” skating in grey zones of the electoral act with Climate200.
Must suffer from orange-green colour blindness.
No one who has worked for the ABC is an “independent” from a “non-aligned political background”.
(DDG linky as his website is giving an error.)
Anyway thought orange was PHON’s colour. That’s even more deceptive.
Pauline should lodge a complaint…
JJJ – Marxist kindergarten
Have to be dumb as dog shit to vote for that JJJ ABC prick
I know I’ve said this before, but apparently it wasn’t acceptable on this site. At least 30%of Australians are immigrants. So why the ABC focus on Narm and Gadigal country when the population (those few who are listening) have no idea what they”re talking about, and those who do, don’t care.
Leftard arrogance.
Er…not sure I follow.
Not much love for the ABC’s indigenous fetish here.
Epstein’s clients imagined themselves too important, too powerful and too well connected to ever be brought to account for f*cking the children of the ordinary people for whom they have nothing but mockery and contempt.
It appears they were right.
Bondi does seem to be pussyfooting around this. I wonder how many Republicans are on the list and have interesting videos on file?
Arky, peeling back the corruption that has overtaken the American government is being pursued by the Trump administration largely through the courts.
And the experience so far is that the higher you go — i.e., to the Supreme Court — the less corruption there is among judges appointed by the opponents of liberty.
Winning the war of ideas against fascism, like democracy, is being fought in slow motion.
I have just watched the Trump Zelenksyy press conference.
Calli says:
And yet I still came away with a different opinion than the rest of you. I thought the discussion was well moderated until JD arced up.
It was about 40 minutes into the meeting.
Look start watching here: https://youtu.be/IxkBYZHIamM?t=2705
JD dumps on Biden and then says Trump’s diplomacy is the way forward.
Z then calmly recounts a brief history of how the war started and that Putin has previously broken ceasefire agreements that were diplomatically negotiated, so what kind of diplomacy will Trump use that will succeed? (A fair question.)
JD doesn’t actually answer the question and instead accuses Z of being disrespectful and litigating in front of the media and being ungrateful. A short while later JD also claims Z has attacked the Trump administration.
I find it hard to reconcile JD’s description with Z’s behaviour up until that point in the meeting.
After JD going on the attack this then seems to trigger/unleash Trump who gets shouty about Z suggesting the USA will “feel influence” from Russia in future – i.e. as Z said earlier they may have to face Russia in battle eventually when Russia tries to retake the Baltics. Perhaps that was a misunderstanding by Trump about what Z was trying to say and predict.
In fairness to Trump, it’s a hypothetical and a distraction from the actual current problem they’re supposedly trying to solve. I still don’t see why Trump had to get so upset about it.
Trump says he wants to be remembered as the peacemaker president. Well to do that he has to actually make a peace deal. He’s not going to get that by being cranky and throwing out a key stakeholder.
As for Zelenskyy, it sounds like he stuffed it up in three ways. 1) he thinks he’s in a better bargaining position than he is, 2) he was insufficiently grateful for any help the USA provides when its under no obligation, 3) Z couldn’t leave well enough alone with the minerals-for-arms deal and tried to push for security guarantees too.
I also had the impression that Vance was a bit big for his boots here. Trump may have to clip his wings.
I wondered about that too. JD is establishing himself as the Dauphin, but that does not mean attack dog.
(no-one loves JD more than I do, btw)
He’s good value; that doesn’t mean he’s always right.
I saw it as a good cop/ bad cop strategy and Z bit.
He certainly did!
Although I don’t think it was scripted that way.
I disagree, Roger.
Vance is Trump’s attack dog who’s able to construct complex, historically literate arguments for the Trump administration’s policy framework — unlike Trump, who’s a relatively inarticulate stream-of-consciousness guy. Vance is the perfect foil for Trump.
Sure, he complements Trump.
But Trump is POTUS, and their agendas don’t/won’t always align.
Ditto Musk.
That’s why they will work well together. In all my woking career I’ve only met two people that looked at problems the same as myself. We all agreed we’d never be able to work together as we all wanted differing opinions on how to solve problems.
Not if they’re ultimately at cross-purposes, which I believe they may be, part. in regard to China.
I see Trump/Vance as a team with the same goals, tactics and motivation.
Vance is more radical. He would pull back from securing the Asia/Pacific; Trump remains committed to the region.
Correct.
JD pushed exactly the buttons to get that outcome.
So did the Whitehouse staffer who asked Z “Why aren’t you wearing a suit”?
I think Putin hasn’t been amenable to a settlement.
Thus, the agreement is blown up.
From the MAGA point of view, it’s more pressure on Europe to defend itself.
I disagree, but God’s plan will be done.
We have been locked into this path towards global war for at least twenty years. De-industrialisation of the West lead us here. It was inevitable.
There is much worse to come before it gets better, But with Trump in the Whitehouse, and realisation dawning slowly in others, we have a path through it.
Attempts to draw back from the brink are just not feasible, only the timetable is slightly changed.
Wasn’t a Whitehouse staffer. Was an independent journalist.
I still don’t see why Trump had to get so upset about it.
Because he’d listened to Zelensky and realised that Z was determined to get a guarantee that there would be American boots in Ukraine before he’d sign up, and that then Z would try to force a continuation of the war. In short, Z was trying to play him.
Trump is much better at reading people than you are.
So is Vance.
Z(with two Y’s) uses the same sorts of shaming evocative gibber that feminists do
he needed a slap
Good rundown, Burka.
Cheers
JD needed to be more patient.
In WW3 Supporters Club news:
Churchill ‘would be turning in his grave’ as Trump faces British backlash over Zelensky spray
The furious backlash end of the Trump Presidency approaches.
No, really.
When you’ve lost Starmer and Badenoch…
Keep trying to lose them but they keep coming back.
Badenoch isn’t cutting the mustard, unfortunately.
Ah well. That’s good for Farage at least.
Bye Tories.
The poms, the pommy establishment I mean, seems to be even more odious and condescending than in years gone by. Maybe it’s just me. It seems that although Britain has no clout or credibility anymore, these soft handed, effete twots carry on as if it did.
British Backlash- what will they do? Cut off the Earl Grey Tea? Oh that’s right, last time I checked it was packed in Poland.
Madurah Earl Grey is aussie grown and blended.
Heaps better than Twinings or any of the others.
will give it a go!
Milton, you won’t be disappointed. It is also a good strong black tea. Most Earl Grey’s are relatively weak.
When you’ve lost Starmer and Badenoch…
You’re doing a good job.
We just watched Cunard’s Queen Anne sail across our view in very stately fashion with its black prow pushing the behometh into the brine. It is huge.
We did try ten days ago to pick up a fare on it from here to Darwin as a small treat prior to my op on the 17th, but no go, completely booked out with an extensive wait list already thus no no possibility on any part on that voyage. Should have thought of it earlier.
Cruising to Darwin. Beats a stolen Landcruiser I guess.
Prime minister Keir Starmer declared his “unwavering support” for Ukraine
Der Sturmer has never offered such furious ‘unwavering support‘ for Israel.
What a Jew hating creep.
Good LORD!, this bloke is a A-grade moron along will all the commentators on his channel
D*ckhead after d*ckhead after d*ckhead making themselves look like fools. What the bloody hell did they watch?
This bloke needs a steal cap boot to his arse.
BREAKING: World leaders combine to issue SHOCKING rebuke of Trump
BREAKING: World leaders combine to issue SHOCKING rebuke of Trump
That useless bunch of twats (pronounced twots) are busy offering moral support, but will be found wanting in the crunch. Or, more likely, they will not be found at all.
Thank you for your service.
https://x.com/DerrickEvans4WV/status/1895161143334969804?t=Bk5Ivg0blfspZckg4LWv7Q&s=19
Get rid of all soldiers with a mental illness. Likewise all politicians.
Just in: Pete Hegseth disqualifies ALL transgender troops.
On Gay Mardis Gras day too!!
The shame; the ignomy.
including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch
The Tories are finished, kaputski. Fourteen years of do nothing Labour lite Cameron, May, Blob and Sunak destroyed them. For fourteen years they did nothing, absolutely nothing. The only Tory PM who tried to do something was Liz Truss and for her sins she was brutally executed less than two months in her role as PM. Ironically Truss was PM when Queen Elizabeth II died. I think that was telling. Sadly the UK died when Lilibet died. I can’t imagine Queen Elizabeth ever agreeing to pack a box of Ramadan dates.
The once United Kingdom is now the Islamist Kingdom……and civil war looms.
The only way for Britain to regain itself is a bloody round of ethnic cleansing.
It was obvious a decade ago, and is even more obvious now.
Tragic, because a civil war is the most uncivil kind of war a nation can have.
There are no safe spaces from the monsters who will arise in the chaos.
And we’ve seen the kinds of horrors that Islam brings to the fight.
Imagine 7th October from Lands End to John O’Groats.
And remember who brought the situation about.
As Maester Qyburn said “before we can usher in the new, the old must be put to rest”.
So why the ABC focus on Narm and Gadigal country
The someone tells you it is that, the correct response is “where the f..k is that?”
No.
But she was open to Britain’s Muslim communities, which included hosting inter-religious dialogues.
I’m not sure a British monarch in these times has much choice, really.
I have a confession to make………….
I’ve bought an air fryer.
For this I blame Lizzie and Hairy and my two nephews and their wives It’s their fault!
I think I am going to be next, Cassie!
Careful. Tracey bought one and we never heard from her again! 🙂
LOL.
I have resisted pressure to acquire an air fryer even though one of my brothers is evangelical about them.
My strategy is to keep it simple: if you can’t do it in an oven or a frying pan, it’s too complicated.
No. An oven or a frying pan is too complicated for air-fryer enthusiasts.
Air fryers are much easier than ovens or pans. In goes the stuff, set the minute timer and the temp (just stab a guess at both) and you have your dinner ready in eight, ten or twelve minutes. Just enough time to down the first G & T.
We have two sorts – one has knobs and the other has a LED panel.
We’ve used our knob one so much with the easy knobs that the knob has now fallen off. I keep a handy set of pliers on the benchtop to substitute on the spindle of it.
I have found that the best use for an air fryer is, reheating lamb chops or cutlets. If you time it just right, the fat is as crispy as it was when they were first fried.
Also, they stay juicy if you don’t over do the timing.
I had one before they were called ‘air fryers’ useless thing it was big, round glass bowl with an infrared heating element and fan in the lid.
Cassie! Well done you.
Tonight we are having Chicken Kiev (oops!) and home-made chips; both done in the air fryers (we now proudly possess two on the kitchen benchtop). Watching Sharri the other nite, Global Shop Direct featured a double-decker air fryer. What a saving of benchtop real estate.
We must seek one out.
My older sister has one and swears by it.
I hate the damn things – they strip all the oils and fats and flavour out of the food, and you are eternally hungry because of it.
Lol!
Agreed Winston; in my experience it dries everything out.
I guess that’s the point for those who swear by them in order to lose weight.
As Winton says, strip out the oils and fats and you are eternally hungry. Dumb way to lose weight. Go low carb.
I did low carb using the air fryer. Just add oil.
Low carb allows you to have yummy cream on everything too.
Cauliflower and broccoli cooked then blended in blender with cream and pepper makes an excellent side dish for low carb.
Can’t have chips. Not on low carb right now so I can.
I slather everything in olive oil (chicken) or coconut oil (chips) before I air fry it.
Sometimes turn up the temp for the last minute or two to ensure outcome is deliciously oily and crispy.
Word of caution: don’t do steak in the air fryer. Destroys it.
Use the BBQ.
But lamp cutlets (oiled) do very well.
Fish (oiled) does well too.
Aaaah Cassie,
I succumbed about a year ago. Funny thing is, I pulled it out tonight. I haven’t used it for six months or so.
But, I found a Chiko Roll supplier!
So, I will see what they are like Air-fried. Otherwise, into the deep-fryer they go. 😀
Air Fried Chiko Rolls are an abomination.
Dry, tasteless, food the Devil gives out to the ninth circle of Hell
Put oil over them before air frying. They will come up well.
Wot’s next, a thermomix
eeeew
Cook says prison system needs to expand, but denies locking in new $1 billion Casuarina Prison plans
John Flint & Ben HarveyThe West Australian
Sat, 1 March 2025 3:40PM
Premier Roger Cook said the first he learnt of plans for a new 2000-bed prison, costing $1 billion, was when he read it in The West Australian today.
But he admitted the State would need more prison capacity.
“We do need to expand,” he said.
“It will be part of what the government does over the next 12-24 months.”
As revealed by The West, staff at Casuarina Prison have been briefed on plans by the Department of Justice to ease pressure on the system by constructing a new jail for remand prisoners at a nearby site.
Mr Cook told reporters on Saturday that any such proposal had yet to be put to the Government.
“Obviously, (the department) has to undertake planning and develop ideas about how we will continue to expand our prison estate but at no time point in time has that been put to us,” he said.
“Departments always work on different options because that’s what we want as a Government, we want different options about what we should be backing through our budgetary process, but there has been no plan put to us at this stage.”
He said it was a less a question of overcrowding and more making sure the government accommodates the growing population.
“We do need to make sure we have enough prisons to accommodate those who have been prosecuted for crimes,” he said.
“From time-to-time there will be some prisons that are over muster and there will be others that for other reasons don’t have a full capacity . . . (but) we do need to expand.”
Too many prisoners?
Bring back the Organ Banks and Random Executions.
Charge for gladiatorial contests.
Hire the hard to teach arseholes out for Firing Ranges, Doctor anatomy lessons.
So many ways to save a Billion Dollars.
…and why is it costing a billion dollars?
Surely the prisoners themselves can string up barbed wire, electrical cable, huts in the Great Sandy Desert?
Only one uptick after all this time?
Softcocks.
Get used to it, Winston.
I hop in and out of here in different places at different times on the reply function. I don’t comment so much on the scroll up panel at the top. So I miss out on upticks, referants are lost, observations are made incomprehensible, and 0 is the only reply. A forelorn hope may be that some upticks and hatreds are simply balanced by this peculiar toggle system that operates now.
I don’t know, Margaret, and I don’t care. I once did, to a great waste of my time and energy.
Some of my most spectacularly pertinent comments, and yours too, dear Winston and others, are like Old Khayyam’s sweet multitude of desert flowers ‘born to blush unseen’.
In the 50’s, entranced with all things American, we used to say it was just the way the cookie crumbles. And so it is.
Carnak Island is empty.
no rush, whenever your ready… dont want to interrupt all the waste, fraud and corruption
Cassie of Sydney
March 1, 2025 7:02 pm
I have a confession to make………….
I’ve bought an air fryer.
For this I blame Lizzie and Hairy and my two nephews and their wives It’s their fault!
—-
They are sh*t for chips. Nothing beats a deep fryer. Keep that in mind.
Although I love dripping for frying chips, some years back, I rendered a heap of Lamb fat. The BEST fat for chip frying.
We were given a vertical grill for our wedding, and for years it provided heaps of clear fat from lamb chops to use for roasting and frying. I miss it still, but continue to save the fat from roasts for use in cooking vegies.
I have a bridge to sell you.
Ukraines $500 billion rare Earths scam: they dont exist and we should know better 13mins long
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tILXLxMTmgA#
The minerals deal is the vector to deliver US contractors to the country.
Which is then the implied security guarantee.
Which if Putin breaks any deal, it’s a nuke dropped on his head.
That’s what we’re talking here.
A very uneasy peace.
Today I went to the maternity hospital and I held my little great-niece.
What can I say, she’s exquisite, born with dark jet black hair! Afterwards I shed tears, I wish my mother was here to see her great-grandchild.
I’m reminded of that line from Ecclesiastes…
A time to be born and a time to die.
sob, I feel for you.
I also feel your joy. Indescribable.
“Afterwards I shed tears”
Sorry, but why, if you believe Ecclesiastes?
Have you never shed tears of joy?
No, but I listen to Wagner.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SGUKLp3_5zc?feature=share
Why do I get the feeling this whole DOGE thing is going to end up with genetyping ID?
In the name of combatting fraud, of course.
We have been locked into this path towards global war for at least twenty years. De-industrialisation of the West lead us here. It was inevitable.
There is much worse to come before it gets better, But with Trump in the Whitehouse, and realisation dawning slowly in others, we have a path through it.
Arky, I have always liked your theory on the West’s de-industrialisation. Especially re the need for Oz to re-industrialise. I dont think many people have thought about this. Do you think it is possible for Oz to re-industrialize?
Re the Trump/Zelensky/JD encounter – I liked seeing that pumped up little s–t given the treatment by the Donald and JD. No doubt I have differing views on the Ukraine situation. I have always maintained that the matter should have been put to the test by strictly supervised elections by a third party – such as Australia did in Cambodia all those years ago. I feel sure it wasnt because everyone knew what the answer would be.
I’m off to NZ next week for discussions on production of my project. 20% cheaper. Less red and green tape, no unions poking their grubby faces into my business. Too many people here think they should be driving a Merc. Appears to be much cheaper to pick up a small engineering shop. We will see. Its too soon yet but needs must. Some things are moving too fast, others going backwards. I’m my own worst enemy
BTW I would like to read Topender’s perspective on the Chinese live war games.
It was interesting to discover that the ships were being tailed by the NZ frigate – and, according to reports, a US Coast Guard! The latter seems unbelievable.
Things are in a sorry state when we have to rely on NZ for our defence presence and a commercial pilot for our obs.
Chips are on now. 8 mins, shake them around, another 8 mins.
No risk of doing blog-burning with the air fryer. Ping!
Thar she blows.
“The” NZ frigate.
That’s all they have?
And some of us have said that perhaps it’s also a good idea to wait until there’s an agreed-upon deal—or not—before declaring victory for the Russian klepto. Even though there was a fiery but peaceful meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelensky, the outcome may still surprise us. The Ukrainian dwarf may not be around for long and the next leader could be someone far more agreeable to the Administration.
Yep.
The CCP’s signal message to the eleventy gazillion personages they’re currently enslaving:
“We ruv you rong time!” 😕
The Australian Women’s Weekly even has an ‘Air fryer cookbook’!
The AWW’s cooking section is the only good thing about it these days.
They drank the Kool Aid with Gillard. shame.
If it didn’t exist in a French kitchen 100 years ago, you don’t need it. Stop deluding yourself and return it.
Jimmy Brown
Made of Stone …
Brunettes, being the best, again. 🙂
I’ve become quite keen on grey haired older ladies. Even if she does drive me nuts.
Dark, OK. Jet black, OK. Dark, jet black, redundant, OK?
Proving that NYC is an efficiently run city: there was a gas leak in the building, and the city turned off the gas for about 15 months. I’m not exaggerating—15 months! We have a gas oven and stove there, so our daughter bought an air fryer. It’s basically a portable electric oven, from what I could tell.
Nice to see you’re keeping up with the latest technological developments, Squire.
The People Climate Activists Leave Behind | Robert Bryce
Seven years ago, when finding yourself blundering around the Cross at 3:00am was not necessarily a bad thing … 😕
A couple of things about Mr Z Goes to the White House…
Respect your host. Dress appropriately. Cosplay in the WH died with the Biden administration. This is a serious place now.
Don’t try to “school” an obviously superior intellect with your version of history, however true it might be. He already knows.
Despite being feted by just about every media outlet and government on the planet, don’t assume the new guys will slobber all over you. They owe you nothing.
Don’t call your host an effing b*tch under your breath. It’s not good diplomacy.
Try not to roll your eyes when the questions and points raised get a bit difficult. You are not 12 any more. Also, don’t cross your arms. You are the supplicant in this scenario.
Additional tips…don’t think they are unaware of your business dealings with the previous administration. These guys want value for money – it belongs to the American taxpayer after all.
And finally, even though you think it’s perfectly moral to send wave after wave of young men to their deaths in a war you can’t win…understand that the new President and his Vice President value human life far more than you do.
Perfectly said calli.
I’m not sure he did. But if so, the Russian word can also mean thick or dense.
“Bitch” doesn’t really make sense in the context.
This gets to the root of the problem.
Zelensky will never feel the impact of his decisions.
He’s wealthy.
Whatever this shit show ends up looking like, he will not experience it in any way.
He was always going to DC to eat a shit sandwich.
If he didn’t want to eat it, he should not have gone.
If there is going to be an uneasy peace in any way, Ukraine is going to eat it.
At least the Trump way there’s some BBQ sauce on it.
well put. i dont like putin . he is an a*hole. but what other way??
The way I see it the Trump admin doesn’t owe Zelensky and Ukraine anything.
Especially after the previous government handed over billions of U.S. taxpayers’ dollars.
Just watching ‘Back to the Future 3’ (again) and this music comes to mind –
Doubleback by ZZ Top
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9zw_79tlgM
burqa would later claim that she was “invited” but declined to attend.
But yeah, another three years of loathsome labore corruptocrats leavened with greenfilth goat rodeo characteristics is just what this continent needs. 😡
The Andrew Tate Litmus Test
The video discusses whether opinions on Andrew Tate should serve as a litmus test for conservatives, because of his controversial persona and legal issues. The conversation differentiates between legal and moral considerations, emphasizing that moral concerns are paramount. The video debates Andrew Tate’s influence, arguing that his popularity among young men stems from a lack of positive masculine role models, in a culture perceived as hyper-feminized and overly sexualized. The hosts suggest that while some conservatives mistakenly embrace Tate, portraying him as an anti-globalist figure similar to Trump, a more critical view should be taken. They claim that Tate’s rise highlights failures of conservative culture to effectively address masculinity. The discussion underlines the importance of moral integrity and suggests that a focus on condemning Tate distracts from broader cultural issues.
A time to be born, a time to die … 🙂
WTF?
Sounds like Arks expounding his views about the insanity of allowing womanages the franchise.
Fnar 🙂
Trump could not have said it any clearer.
Take the US deal (shitty as it is) or there’s no more money.
I wanted to say something related to Neville Bartos but’s it’s actually the reverse.
LOL. A few weeks ago he was talking about liberalization, now he’s making them wear dog collars and ankle braces.
The authorities are concerned that Chinese AI experts traveling abroad could divulge confidential information about the nation’s progress.
Instructing
I would possibly have considered an airfryer, but as a slavish follower of Cat dictates I find that there is no available space on my bench because of all the Thermomixes.
Cook says prison system needs to expand, but denies locking in new $1 billion Casuarina Prison plans
FFS how can it be so expensive to fence off a few square kilometers of desert with triple razor wire and trebuchet in some tents? Food and water delivered same way.
The Trebuchet are supposed to be outside the fence, Eyrie.
You’re new to this desert encampment prison game, aren’t you?
Am I the last person in the house to get it?
Tintarella di luna
Thanks Lawgi Dawes-Hall — Ah the incomparable Mina!!! Way ahead of her time
Some timely excerpts from the contretemps imbroglio this morning in DC – Prez Fatty Trump:
Cue much braindead collectivist squawking across the globe, audible in space as it was. 😕
This is diplomacy, Cats, as she is spoke, to a hopefully receptive global audience.
As soon as Zelensky pulled out the prisoner photos Trump knew he was there to play to the media and wasn’t serious.
Carnac Island. Wow. 3 tiger snakes every 25 square meters! (Wikipedia)
I think they were wrong, but frankly Trump and JD could have taken turns buggering Zelensky live on camera, and it wouldn’t cancel out the good they have done elsewhere.
Drill baby drill.
”Green new scam”.
Equalisation of tariffs.
Eliminating DEI.
Giving Trudeau a good shove.
Pointing out the awful things going on in the UK.
Gutting the administrative state.
Putting the fear of God up the Europeans.
On balance, Z needs to bandage his arse, suck it up and realise he is a small part in a much larger game that will play out over the rest of this decade, as are we.
When China embargoes Taiwan, it will only do so once it is sure it can chase the US fleet out of the Pacific.
At which point the future of Australia will have to be decided.
I don’t think they’d be quite so crass. Possibly a rabid squirrel up the designer cammo trousers would suffice.
The signals from this little contretemps are unmistakable.
The media will not save you, regardless of how slobbering and sycophantic they have been in the past. They have lost their leverage and influence.
The WH is open for business, proper business. Not for fun and profit but for the American people.
This will not be lost out there in the world of get rich quick politics.
I’ll report on the Nats Bendigo do in the morning.
I’m less than impressed.
Not surprised, family in the seat of Euroa reckon Cleeland another Nat is useless. Lazy, unresponsive and concerned by issues unrelated to rural voters.
I’ve been making comments on X (about Islam) I’m 100% sure I would be imprisoned for in the UK.
Way Australia is going I think I’m going to dial it down.
Too late, Rosie. Any contributor to the Newcat is going to be chucked in a camp for re education and tissue typing.
things like islam is a totalitarian death cult masquerading as a religion, hell bent on world domination? that kind of thing?
Cats and Dover, (being the guardian of this esteemed blogue), I’m composing a guest post on the concept of the ‘kraine, such as it is (or isn’t) …
Once this monstrous inexcusable and entirely unnecessary contretemps imbroglio ends, engineered (for the benefit o’ business) as it was by both sanctimonious utterly corrupt western collectivists and good ol’ wussian chauvinists, some cold hard reality will have to be experienced.
The key theme being, “Is the ‘kraine a real country with any semblance of a future?”