Friday

9.9 out of 10 based on 14 ratings

141 comments to Friday

  • #
    MeAgain

    Dancing nurses – psychosis or propaganda – or a bit of both? https://sanityunleashed.substack.com/p/the-dancing-nurses-videos-just-spontaneously

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    • #
      Skepticynic

      Whether you want to call it psychosis or propaganda, (I have my doubts about both of those), I remember the dancing nurses as a viral (excuse the pun) boredom reliever. Apparently hospitals had been ordered to stop accepting scheduled and regular patients to clear the decks for the expected onslaught of Covid cases but no such onslaught happened until much later after the experimental ‘vaccine’ program was started, so some of the the wards and halls of the hospitals were virtually empty and the medical staff were entertaining themselves. Like Tik Tok, once the first group posted their dance, others rushed to imitate and outdo. After the introduction of the mandated so-called vaccines when the medical staff became busy with admissions and new procedures the dances died off.

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      RayS

      I can’t really speak to this directly, but in NSW at least, hospitals were largely empty of all but critical care cases. Nurses were stood down, or some were deployed to fast tracked ICU training, mainly for something to do. A few were offered the job of doing temp checks at entrances, they were later replaced by private security contractors. As the jabs came along many nurses turned on those that refused them, refusing to work alongside them. Several thousand nurses were sacked for non compliance, many more than officially acknowledged. Hospitals were never overwhelmed.

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      • #
        MeAgain

        And then there is this: “She simply doesn’t care. She won’t even stay in her room (or better yet, stay in the downstairs guest room so the upstairs will at least be safer for me) because her own comfort is the only thing that matters.” https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroCovidCommunity/comments/1ff0u9g/62yo_mother_just_got_covid_refusing_to_isolate/
        (I have developed an obsession of late reading the zerocovid community reddit – they are really never going to ‘recover’)

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        • #
          KP

          Lol! Comments are fascinating! So many true believers!

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        • #
          Steve of Cornubia

          I dunno really, but something tells me the house this lunatic ‘shares’ with her mother is actually the mother’s house. Just guessing.

          Then there is the early declaration that this terrified little mousewoman gets PTSD if she has a nasal swab …

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      • #
        OldOzzie

        RayS,

        but in NSW at least, hospitals were largely empty of all but critical care cases.

        Would disagree here, I was at RNSH over 90 times during 2 years of Covid, 3 Minor & 1 Major Op, ENT, Plastics & Eye Outpatients Clinics

        and 34 Rounds of Cancer Immunotherapy every 3 weeks, with Bloods the day before, and other than masks , life in RNSH Hospital went on as normal.

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      • #
        Leo G

        I can’t really speak to this directly, but in NSW at least, hospitals were largely empty of all but critical care cases.

        In mid-August 2021 Sydney’s Westmead Hospital was given an emergency directive to halt normal operation and convert to an emergency treatment centre for SARS-CoV2.

        The Emergency Department was emptied with emergency patients shifted to other hospitals. Most general wards were to be progressively evacuated.

        All to manage the expected SARS tsunami which never arrived, at least not as a tsunami.

        The “dancing” could only have been the choreography of hospital bed movements, as patients were progressed concentrated to allow entire wards to be closed.

        Reminiscent of an episode of the BBC Yes Minister sitcom “The Compassionate Society” wherein the Minister found a solution to a new hospital with 500 admin staff which had been open for 15 months yet unable to admit a patient.

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    • #
      Ronin

      No wonder they are dancing, a hospital full of nothing, most efficient kind too.

      10

  • #
    MeAgain

    German border controls – only for six months…. after which time it will be found that it is so inconvenient, so we need tech, biometric scanning, geofencing, AI …. and on and on it goes

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-put-temporary-controls-all-land-borders-source-says-2024-09-09/

    How will Austria respond I wonder …. is the start of all the Europe cards falling?

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    • #
      RayS

      I can’t really speak to this directly, but in NSW at least, hospitals were largely empty of all but critical care cases. Nurses were stood down, or some were deployed to fast tracked ICU training, mainly for something to do. A few were offered the job of doing temp checks at entrances, they were later replaced by private security contractors. As the jabs came along many nurses turned on those that refused them, refusing to work alongside them. Several thousand nurses were sacked for non compliance, many more than officially acknowledged. Hospitals were never overwhelmed.

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    • #
      Yarpos

      I thought moving away from the Shengen freedoms was rather a big deal. The fact that it’s the Germans doing it makes it more so. They suddenly seem more interested in whi enters their country. Other EU countries will probably follow.

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  • #
    MichaelinBrisbane

    I wonder how much snow has fallen from that storm now passing over Eastern Europe as suggested in WUWT?

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  • #
    Honk R Smith

    Being old.
    I remember when you would be Blacklisted in Hollywood for expressing sympathy for Communism.
    Now you get Blacklisted if you don’t.
    I guess now it’s called ‘Canceling’.

    But at least the Russians are still bad.
    So I have a little bit of the past to hold on to.

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      Greg in NZ

      That ‘B’ word has now been blacklisted – whoopsie! – I mean kkkancelled, here in Climate Sector No.9 due to One Thought Order (OTO). Please make your way down to the re-re-education room (RRR) where an AI chat-bot will ‘cleanse’ your mind of such discoloured thinkings. Bad bad Honk. Russia bad. Out.

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        David of Cooyal in Oz

        Ahhh….RRR used to have a real meaning – Railway Refreshment Room. I remember sausages and mash for breakfast at Parkes off the Forbes Mail before the rail motor for the next leg, but no education.

        But perhaps it was a history lesson…

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  • #
    tonyb

    From November 10th the EU are starting greater checks for all non EU citizens who want to visit the 27 member countries of the Brussels Gang. To enter the Schengen zone you will need to be fingerprinted and a photo taken to enable future entry for 3 years using digital identification at the initial point of entry. From next year each non Eu person will need to also obtain a “visa” in advance costing £7 where you need to state your plans.

    Obviously illegal migrants won’t need to do all this but bona fide travelers from the UK and Oz will need to jump through these hoops. The Schengen is a daft idea allowing criminals, illegals and others to pass freely through 27 countries once into the zone.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/europe-visa-waiver-uk-etias-eu-travel-rules-b2599964.html

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    • #
      James Murphy

      Australians and others need to pay US$21 for a visa waiver to visit the USA, where they take fingerprints on entry. It’s valid for 2 years. It’s all online and basically instant unless you’ve done something funny like visited Cuba or Sudan, or other embargoed places.

      I think it’s somewhat ridiculous given the volume of illegals in both cases but the EU system is not without precedent, and is clearly more about the cash than the logic.

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    • #

      It is unclear how the German Border Controls – see #2 above – will fit in.
      Interesting times?

      Auto

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      • #
        Tonyb

        No, I am a bit confused by that as well. At one time pre EU, you stopped at the border post , had your passport stsmped, changed currency, bought some food at the cafe and some gifts then explored the next exciting country.

        In the new German arrangements will everyone get checked and ID examined? If someone doesn’t have a passport will they be stopped and sent back, although Austrua has said they won’t accept this?

        Germany has borders with some nine EU countries so this is a potentially fundamental shift and could delay the journeys of millions of people if they are all stopped at the border.

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  • #

    UK -save water – ‘our’ Met Office has predicted a wet autumn – flooding etc.: –

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/12/uk-faces-another-autumn-and-winter-of-flooding-met-office-warns

    Also
    https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4359035/floods-resilience-taskforce-body-address-flood-preparedness-defence-delivery
    “Environment Secretary Steve Reed hosts local government, communities, and emergency services at first meeting to improve UK resilience in face of extreme weather. The government’s new Floods Resilience Taskforce met for the first time today, as part of efforts to ramp up the development of flood defences and bolster the UK’s resilience in the face of increasingly extreme weather.”

    Another renaming of folk already doing a job [I hope] – but it is seen as action – like the Border Czar or whatever 2T Kier is using to ‘smash the gangs’.

    Further down in that link [press release? Surely not!] [My bold]-

    “Representatives from Defra, MHCLG, the Home Office, Cabinet Office, Environment Agency, Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders and the National Farmers Union were all in attendance at today’s meeting, alongside Reed and the Floods Minister and Taskforce chair Emma Hardy.
    The climate crisis is the greatest global challenge we currently face, and as an eyewitness to extreme flooding myself, I know the devastating impact these events can have on our livelihoods,” said Hardy. “As chair of the Floods Resilience Taskforce, I will work closely with our partners to ensure projects remain on track and not only protect homes but create more green jobs and drive investment in our towns.””

    Greater than resurgent I$lamism, or a potty Poisoner in Russia, greater than overfishing of the Oceans?

    Emma Hardy – per the Wiki Thingy that almost anyone can edit –
    “She attended Wyke Sixth Form College to study her A-Levels before studying for an undergraduate degree in Politics at the University of Liverpool, graduating in 2001. She then completed a PGCE at the University of Leeds in 2004, and taught for over ten years at Willerby Carr Lane Primary School.[7] Hardy became politically active in 2011, after joining a campaign protesting against school cuts and meeting Alan Johnson, the then-MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle. She left teaching in 2015 to become a full-time organiser for the National Union of Teachers,[7] and served as Deputy General Secretary of the Socialist Educational Association”

    Steve Reed – per the same Wiki thingy
    “Reed was born [IN 1963, per the Wiki] and raised in St Albans, Hertfordshire and attended Verulam School.[3] His family worked at Odhams printing factory in Watford until it closed down in 1983.[4][5] Around this time, he joined the Labour Party. He went on to study English at Sheffield University.[5] He started work in the educational publishing industry in 1990, and worked for Routledge, Thomson International, the Law Society and Sweet & Maxwell.”
    Looks like he, at least, has worked for the Private Sector.
    Not many of the present Government have done that it appears.

    Neither appears to be a climatologist.
    [MHCLG – Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government – which used to include Levelling up in its title … once upon a time].
    And Local resilience Forums are based on Police Force Boundaries … there are 38 in England.
    Dunno if they’re needed in Wales …

    Auto

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  • #
    David Maddison

    In the previous thread on Saharan fish Jo makes a comment about using miles rather than kilometres for the US audience.

    In fact, the US is officially metric since the Metric Conversion Act of 1975.

    However adoption is not mandatory although since 1994 packaged consumer goods have to be labelled with both metric and traditional units.

    Some industries have fully adopted medication, e.g. military, automobile, electronics.

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    • #
      Tonyb

      Miles are still the only official measurement for distances and speed in the UK. Cricket pitches would still be 22 yards and I have yet to hear young people mention their baby’s weight in anything other than pounds.

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      • #
        TdeF

        That’s just tradition which can live forever. The French still use livres for butter. Pounds. Jewellers use carats. Furlongs for horses. Men are still six footers. And Americans use my pet hate, fractional inches. But each has its use. Old units were very practical for people without calculators or tape measures or scales and specific narrow professions.

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      • #
        Earl

        And the remnants of the Rule of Thumb measure are still a problem.

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    • #
      John Connor II

      In actual fact, it’s the US government and all its instruments that use metric, the general population still uses imperial.
      Decades overdue to go to the simpler metric system.
      The Macca “quarter pounder” will now be called the 113 grammer.😎

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      • #
        Annie

        113 gms being so much easier to remember than a quarter pound!

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      • #
        RickWill

        The Macca “quarter pounder” will now be called the 113 grammer.😎

        I see an opening here for some clever marketing. Anything in units of hundreds is referred to as “ton”. In old days doing a ton in a car meant 100mph. A ton in kph is not particularly impressive so the “double ton” or 200kph became the impressive new benchmark. As in, I hit the double ton on the way to Ceduna.

        A “one tonne” burger would be 100g. Sounds a lot bigger than a “quarter pounder” but actually a bit smallere.

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        • #
          Annie

          A ‘Ton’ is 2240lbs in Imperial measure, a ‘short ton’ is American and 2,000 Imperial lbs. Existed before slang for road speeds!

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  • #

    YES – Haitian Migrants Are Eating Pets

    “Donald Trump claimed during the tilted debate that Haitian migrants are resorting to eating human pets. The moderators and Kamala Harris had a chuckle, and NBC, ABC, and the other parrots in the media taunted Trump with headlines that stated the former president was lying once again.

    There are countless reports from residents in Springfield, Ohio, and elsewhere that state their pets have gone missing. “These Haitians are running into trash cans. They’re running into buildings. They’re flipping cars in the middle of the street, and I don’t know how like, y’all can be comfortable with this,” a resident named Anthony Harris complained to city officials last month. “They’re in the park, grabbing up ducks by the neck and cutting their heads off and eating them.” There are 911 phone calls from concerned residents stating that Haitian migrants are taking ducks and geese from ponds and eating them.

    Springfield was once a small American town with a population of 58,000 as of 2020. Then, over 20,000 migrants arrived, failed to assimilate into American culture, and are completely reliant on US taxpayers. “How many people can they be expected to take? What are the limits to the federal government’s power? Could the federal government simply funnel into Ohio all the millions of migrants flooding in under the current administration’s watch?” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost finally questioned.

    Yost accurately noted that the sheer number of migrants arriving in such a short amount of time is utterly unsustainable. Their behavior only worsens matters as his office stated that migrants are “causing car crashes, stealing property – including livestock, squatting in homes and killing wildlife for food.”

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1833147988765478944

    https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/politics/yes-haitian-migrants-are-eating-pets/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=RSS

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    • #
      TdeF

      The press suppressed this news. And sneering at trump by the moderators and pundits is standard, but the biggest search on Google for a few hours was ‘haitians eating pets’. Which is why the pundits scored the debate one way but the 60 million American viewers learned a lot about what is going on in their country which has remained hidden. And Kamala refused to discuss inflation or the economy. Even Afghanistan was Trump’s fault, not Obama/Biden/Harris. It’s a wonder Trump was not blamed for 9/11.

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      • #
        OldOzzie

        Debate Moderators Bringing Up J6 But Not Trump Assassination Attempt Tells You Everything About Media Corruption

        No, Muir and Davis instead asked questions about a three-and-a-half-year-old (mostly peaceful) demonstration because that’s what Kamala Harris would rather talk about.

        Why would moderators generate discussion about Democrats inciting a would-be assassin when they can just keep recycling the fiction that Trump incited a violent mob in 2021?

        Here’s how Muir framed the ridiculous question:

        I want to talk about the peaceful transfer of power, which of course we all know is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the role of a president in a moment of crisis. Mr. President, on Jan. 6, you told your supporters to march to the Capitol. You said you would be right there with them. The country and the world saw what played out at the Capitol that day, the officers coming under attack. Aides in the West Wing say you watched it unfold on television off the Oval Office. You did send out tweets, but it was more than two hours before you sent out that video message telling your supporters to go home. Is there anything you regret about what you did on that day? … Yes or no?

        Imagine refusing to ask the current vice president whether she regrets any of her hateful anti-Trump rhetoric and the Biden administration’s weaponization of the federal government against Trump that may have inspired an armed nutbag to fire at his head, but asking the former president whether he regrets “anything about what [he] did on” Jan. 6, 2021, even after he explicitly told his supporters to protest “peacefully and patriotically.” (Which David Muir lied about, by the way.)

        You don’t hate the media enough.

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      • #
        OldOzzie

        Immigration, economy and likability: The three thorns in Queen Kamala’s side set to bring her much hyped honeymoon to an end

        The Democrats’ ‘joy to the world’ effort to make Kamala Harris marketable is about to crumble as her grating personality and abject policy failures become increasingly apparent, writes Esther Krakue Sky News.

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        • #
          el+gordo

          ‘ … he still maintains strong polling on the economy, immigration, and crime.’

          Both candidates are still sitting on their hands when it comes to the war. Leader of the free world caught napping.

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      • #

        and yet, like the election nonsense, it is not true. The MSM is actually on the ground reporting what happened.

        You don’t have to defend every single piece of Trump nonsense.

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      • #
        OldOzzie

        John Kirby tells the truth on Afghanistan failure: For Biden-Harris, dead soldiers mean nothing

        By Post Editorial Board

        National Security Council spokesman John Kirby accidentally told the truth about the Biden-Harris view of the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal: When members of the arms forces criticize you, arrogantly double down.

        “Obviously no use in responding. A ‘handful’ of vets indeed and all of one stripe,” smirked Kirby in a note he accidentally cc’d a reporter on, referring to criticism from four veterans slamming the flack and his bosses.

        This is the attitude taken by a White House that utterly botched our withdrawal from a key geostrategic hotspot.

        By a cadre of political careerists who let Afghanistan fall to a bloodthirsty terrorist enemy and saw 13 service members killed in a terrorist attack on Kabul airport.

        No use in responding. Pathetic.

        And it’s only appropriate that Kirby would blow himself up like this via a mistaken “Reply all” — the story of administration incompetence in a nutshell.

        Kirby’s boss, Joe Biden, has displayed an identical callousness.

        Checking his watch during the ceremony for the soldiers his failed policies got killed.

        Keeping the families of those honored dead at a distance.

        Insanely blaming his predecessor Donald Trump for the carnage he himself caused.

        Kirby’s plainly rattled by the House Foreign Services Committee’s release of a damning, 350-page report on the catastrophe, the result of a multi-year probe, that places blame squarely on the shoulders of the president he serves.

        But the correct response would be chastened humility — not cold, partisan indifference to the human costs of Biden’s failure.

        Yes, partisan: Kirby’s line plainly implies that the vets would be worth responding to, if they had different politics.

        That’s the moral core of Biden-Harris: Politics above all.

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      • #
        OldOzzie

        America 2100@America_2100

        It isn’t just Springfield. It’s happening everywhere.

        In Charleroi, Pennsylvania—a low-income town of just 4,000—the immigrant population has increased by 2,000% over the past two years. And it’s almost all Haitians.

        Here’s what one Charleroi councilman told us today:

        Migrant Population In Charleroi, Pennsylvania Explodes 2,000% As Crisis Unfolds

        Americans are quickly realizing that the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous open southern border policies that flooded the nation with millions of unvetted illegal aliens from third-world countries are quickly overwhelming towns and local municipalities nationwide.

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    • #
      Earl

      Springfield’s resident duck rescuer has also spoken out though became a bit wishy washy on whether predators were really to blame:

      ” ‘Predation is also a real thing but not at the rate birds have disappeared,’ she said.

      ‘Predation tends to happen more in the winter months. When the ponds freeze and the birds don’t have protection.'”

      Another interesting slant to the situation is a comment regarding the claim that the newly arrived are taking jobs that the locals don’t want:

      “About the phrase that the Haitians are here to do jobs and locals do not want. These industries are being given incentives by the federal government to hire the Haitians. These jobs are not open to local people.”

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    • #
      RickWill

      The Haitians in Springfield could become an important issue for the election. It highlights the issue of open borders.

      This is a video of the Ohio Governor on the Haitian issue.

      It is a serious problem and Trump has exposed it. Whether they are eating family pets is a side issue that has elevated the topic to the national stage.

      I am betting that New Yorkers will be empathetic with the Springfield cause. Here is New Your mayor on the topic:
      https://nypost.com/2023/09/07/nyc-mayor-adams-says-migrant-crisis-will-destroy-the-city-during-town-hall/

      Mayor Eric Adams warned that the raging migrant crisis will “destroy” New York City and tore into President Biden for ignoring his pleas for help, saying the White House has given “no support” for the thousands of asylum seekers arriving each month.

      It would be something to see New York turn red again. The migrant issue might just tip the scale tio Trump in New York.

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  • #

    1982- Asian Immigrants Eating Squirrels, Ducks, and Dogs – NY Times

    “This whole thing about eating cats and dogs has stirred up a hornet’s nest. People are writing in that their pets have vanished recently, while others are saying this was the outcome following the Vietnam War, where people were missing pets, and they were eating squirrels, ducks, and dogs in San Francisco. That was even reported in the New York Times. These people also led to demands to shut the border. History repeats, for human nature never changes. But this time, Biden opened the border to flood in millions of aliens to alter the vote in 2024.”

    “Every so often a news report rereminds us that sizable communities Vietnam War refugees now in America brought with them customs that war with American law.

    In 1980 Southeast Asian refugees were reported poaching and eating squirrels, ducks and dogs in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

    With their old world hunting and trapping skills, they were attempting to carry on the way of life they had known, in a place they did not know.”

    https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/press/1982-asian-immigrants-eating-squirrels-ducks-and-dogs-ny-times/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=RSS

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  • #
    TdeF

    As Kamala refuses to answer direct questions, Breitbart has put together her definitive statements on everything in her own words. How this ignorant Marxist could be even considered as President of the United States is beyond explanation. But that was also true for ‘sharp as a tack’ Biden until just a few weeks ago.

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    • #

      LOL. That’s Gobbledygook on steroids.

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    • #
      el+gordo

      Both candidates are myopic.

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    • #
      OldOzzie

      TONY™@TONYxTWO

      WOW‼️Compare Biden and Kamala’s entrance into Shanksville Firehall VS Trump’s entrance into the Firehall!!!!

      Biden/Harris: Crickets

      Trump: LOUD CHEERS!!

      Must Watch🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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    • #
      OldOzzie

      A Tale of Two Receptions

      Only this is a tale of two campaigns and the commemoration ceremonies of the ghastly events of September 11th, 2001.

      At Ground Zero yesterday, everyone showed up – both POTATUS, Kamala, Trump, J.D. and all the assorted luminaries associated with that day and with New York itself.

      There was a very nice moment between the Trumpster and Harris.

      Trump even patted her hand before he let go. It was a kind of cute and totally appropriate, gentlemanly gesture.

      Now, being Kamala was saddled with the geriatric dementia patient who was lucky to be upright for any length of time at all, it wasn’t surprising to see the duo slide out long before the ceremonies were close to being concluded.

      Anyhow, they skipped early, alright, and probably just as well, because a 9-11 firefighter’s widow reading names at the time was fixin’ to embarrass POTATUS and the Veep. Or would have, had they hung around.

      Lucky thing the two aren’t big on schmaltzy sentiments like honoring dead heroes.

      Widow of 9/11 Fire Chief killed in terrorist attack CALLS OUT Joe Biden during her speech:

      “The elected officials here today show their respect and reverence to the families on September 11th—or, in our president’s words, ‘Do 9/11.’ Quite a flippant remark.”

      Wow.

      But video emerged today that provides a stark illustration that maybe it doesn’t matter what Joe did. Proof is in the pudding that people cannot abide either one of them and are more than willing to be obvious about it.

      I guess both campaigns had made plans to stop at the same little Shanksville fire department’s gathering – I’m assuming those guys had been some of, if not the first, into the field after the airliner crashed – to visit with the firefighters and families.

      Judging by the reception, that was a mistake.

      HO BOY

      You have to watch – it’s cringe city as Joe and Kamala were the first to walk into the station…

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      Annie

      I read various sections, not all, too much needs doing outside. I found myself muttering ‘absolute gobbledegook’, ‘rubbish’, ‘are you quite nuts?’ and ‘Biden Mk11’. Nothing made sense.

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    David Maddison

    With the extreme violence of the “anti war” communists in Melbourne protesting against the military expo, which made international headlines, no one will want to repeat such a military equipment exhibition in Australia again.

    With the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, it’s unlikely people will consider Australia as a viable venue in future.

    Already no energy intensive industries come to Australia due to high “green” energy costs. They don’t come in any case because of high land costs and rent, excessive regulations, feral unions etc..

    The Liberal faction of the Uniparty won’t change things much and is only slightly less bad than the Green Labor faction.

    We have little hope.

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      KP

      Well, the Govt want an army to stop China apparently, spend years and millions of dollars training the soldiers to kill people, but then prosecute them when they do!

      Maybe its only in a war that they are allowed to shoot people. Of course we don’t go to war, we shoot people “on warlike actions”, which is real politician speak from a Defence Minister who has dithered for a year with the report recommending stripping soldiers of their medals.

      Obviously he holds his soldiers to higher standards than himself and fellow politicians-

      “He choked with emotion in his response, saying “our soldiers must tell the truth, and those in leadership must seek it out. ”

      Its a typical woke mess where no-one came out of it looking good-

      “‘National shame’: Richard Marles strips medals from Afghanistan war commanders”

      https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/national-shame-richard-marles-strips-medals-from-afghanistan-war-commanders-20240911-p5k9te.html

      (The red thumb button is the one on the right for those who think the Australian Army is somehow special…)

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      John Connor II

      You have seen the latest on the Ukraine war haven’t you?
      WW3 by xmas if Ukraine makes long range strikes into Russia, and Putin will target US cities.

      Protests galore then, and empty shelves.
      Stocking up time…

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        el+gordo

        That is nonsense, my understanding is that the US will remain reluctant to go that far in an election year, but the UK will give the nod.

        Also, Putin will lose all his allies if he behaves shabbily.

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      • #
        OldOzzie

        Zelensky’s Last Hail Mary Gets Off to Rocky Start

        Simplicius Sep 13, 2024

        It seems every news cycle there is now some major new development surrounding Ukraine, which threatens to plunge the war into some elevated state of risk and threat. This is by design because Zelensky and his curators need to constantly drum up a sense of advancement in the narrative, otherwise the increasingly dire situation on the front threatens to swallow the entire war effort whole.

        Today that “shiny new object” meant to give UA supporters some small glint of hope is the information package surrounding permission for deep strikes into Russia.

        First let’s clear up the nuances to this report. Some believe the decision has already been made and the media is merely trotting out its regular theater to warm up the public. But the other missed detail is two-fold:

        First the US apparently wants Ukraine to demonstrate a tangible plan for how it would utilize these ‘deep strikes’ to actually achieve victory, rather than merely some vague psychological effect.

        And for this precise reason, Zelensky is traveling to the US to present his plan, which some sources have claimed has three points, which I outlined last time, but as reminder:

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  • #
    another ian

    FWIW

    “That’s all very well, but…”

    “… it offers no economy of scale whatsoever.

    The world’s largest sailing cargo ship is making its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. It left a port in France in early August, and it is on track to deliver 1000 tonnes of cognac and champagne to New York City by 3 September. Its shipments have a carbon footprint one tenth that of a standard container ship.”

    But

    “Sounds terrific, and terribly green, and all that sort of thing, until one considers:

    A thousand-ton cargo is about one one-hundredth (often less) of what a modern container ship delivers on a single voyage, faster, and over longer distances;”

    And a few other things as listed

    https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/09/thats-all-very-well-but.html

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      1,000 tonnes of cargo. I have sailed on oil tankers where one large centre tank [of fifteen in all] could hold 40,000 tonnes of crude oil. This ship [and others like her] will, as noted, very possibly find a niche where wealthy folk will pay extra for her cargo [Cognac, not mere brandy] for the internal glow of being virtuous.
      They might, of course, advertise just how virtuous they are …
      And it would be interesting to know how much of her construction, fitting out, instruments and controls were contributed to by fossil fuels. But post-apocalyptic – sure … if anyone then would [be able to] buy her cargoes!

      Auto

      10

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    OldOzzie

    As a Netflix Korean Series Fan,

    I am now starting to watch more Korean shows on https://www.viki.com/categories/country/korea/genre/all – on the website on my iMac, and on chromecast on my LG Oled W7 65in TV ( trying to work out how I can buy myself 80th Birthday present of LG OLED G4 83in and move W7 downstairs to the Kids & Grandkids without Wife hitting me)

    If you look at Categories it covers a number of Countries & Genres – https://www.viki.com

    20

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      John Connor II

      US car sales in general are off a cliff.
      The w@nkmobiles as I call them – the pretentious giant fuel guzzling SUV’s – are sitting on dealer lots and nobody wants them. Jeep and Stellantis are a disaster zone.
      Sales staff, techs & managers are quitting in droves as their salaries are at poverty level.
      EV’s? Ha!

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      • #
        Hanrahan

        US car sales in general are off a cliff.

        Was always going to happen. A carefully chosen car today lasts “forever”, Stellantis excepted. Buying a new car every three years now is stoopid!

        I believe the auto industry never resisted the EV push because they saw them as a way to make the existing fleet obsolete. What a gravy train, replacing all ICEs with expensive rubbish the owners of which will never be able cut the umbilical to the dealer.

        00

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      RickWill

      I wonder how much of China’s current pain is caused by their mammoth push into BEVs.

      No one can improve productivity by doing a whole heap of unproductive activities. If you undertake wasteful activity then you are producing waste. The majority of wind turbines and solar panels are junk; unable to produce more energy than it took to make them.

      I drove into a neartby portion of the Victorian State forest and it is apparent that the September gales this year were not kind to the trees. There would have been a mammoth effort to remove fallen trees from roads a few weeks back. Now it is fire wood looking for a home.

      I picked up a little over 1MWh of fuel; cut it ready for splitting then loaded into the car all in about 20 minutes. At current retail electricity prices, that would be around $400 in energy. It shows how high electricity prices have reached and highlights the heat value in fallen trees that will eventually fuel a raging fire.

      30

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    YYY Guy

    Thought for the day. It’s patently obvious an awful lot of kids are “addicted” to their phones and social media. Witness the lengths they go to to secrete their use and the tantrums they throw when mum and dad lay down a few rules. Now imagine that on a national scale when the new diktat appears. Ceasing or withdrawing from any addiction is incredibly hard and often invokes extreme behaviour. That’s why they’re doing it.

    60

    • #
      ozfred

      Will the possession of a smart phone by someone under the age of 14 be subject to immediate confiscation?
      who will market the “old fashioned” flip phone that will do only calls and SMS?

      00

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    OldOzzie

    Our dollars at work, with pride

    Ambassador Kevin Rudd with Kitty Glitter at his Pride Party in June

    Washington-based ambassador and former PM Kevin Rudd takes pride in his job and isn’t shy to show it, even if it means invoicing for a $100,000 rainbow knees-up at the swanky new embassy.

    Yoni Bashan and Nick Evans

    22

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    OldOzzie

    Just frightening. This cannot pass.

    Thursday, 12 September 2024

    The government’s misinformation bill defines harm to mean damage to the government.

    The misinformation bill is about protecting them, not you. pic.twitter.com/5viyffDgrt
    — Senator Matt Canavan (@mattjcan) September 12, 2024

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      OldOzzie

      ‘Attack on our freedoms’: Government’s revised online misinformation bill slammed as ‘chilling assault’ on free speech

      Labor’s new online misinformation bill has been slammed as a “chilling assault” on freedom of speech, with critics claiming the government’s definition of “serious harm” could capture “any difference of opinion”.

      Patrick Hannaford Sky News Digital Reporter

      New proposed laws targeting online misinformation have been slammed as a “chilling assault” on the freedom of speech of Australians, with critics claiming the laws could capture “any difference of opinion”.

      Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced the legislation to Parliament on Thursday, claiming misinformation and disinformation pose a “serious threat” to Australian’s “safety and wellbeing” as well as “our democracy, society and economy”.

      The Albanese government was forced to abandon a previous draft version of the laws after they were widely condemned by everyone from media organisations and tech companies to civil liberties groups and even the Australian Human Rights Commission.

      Minister Rowland said the government had listened to the feedback and the new legislation had been revised to “carefully balance the public interest in combatting seriously harmful misinformation and disinformation with the freedom of expression that is so fundamental to our democracy”.

      But critics are already lining up to attack the bill, with the Institute of Public Affairs describing the legislation as “the single biggest attack on freedom of speech in Australia’s peacetime history”.

      “Misinformation legislation introduced into federal parliament today represents a chilling assault on every Australian’s right to free speech. The new Bill broadens provisions to censor speech, which even the government’s fatally flawed first draft did not include,” said John Storey, the Director of Law and Policy at the IPA.

      Free Speech Union of Australia also slammed the legislation, telling SkyNews.com.au the legislation was an “attack on our freedoms”.

      “Despite the outpouring of public concern last time around, the Government has still failed to address the key issues with it,” Free Speech Union of Australia Co-Director Dr Reuben Kirkham said.

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      OldOzzie

      Government censorship is a greater threat than ‘disinformation’

      By Douglas Murray

      “Disinformation” is once again in the news.

      On one side are people who say that if something sounds like a fake news story and smells like a fake news story then it is indeed a fake news story.

      On the other side are people who say that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it’s probably already been eaten by a Haitian immigrant.

      Who to believe?

      In any normal period it would be fairly easy to work out what is going on.

      In a story like the one from Springfield, Ohio, people make claims, the media investigates them and then everyone decides who they believe.

      But who can you believe today?

      Over recent days a lot of effort has once again gone in to highlighting the problem of online “misinformation.”

      This week the Australian government threatened to fine social media companies that “enable misinformation.”

      Under proposed new laws the Australian government could fine internet platforms up to 5% of their global revenues if the companies fail to stop the spread of such material.

      They would particularly chase after platforms that failed to crack down on stories that hurt election integrity or public health.

      The decisions over who is guilty of this would be made by an Australian regulator which would set up its own standards and fine companies for non-cooperation.

      Personally, I’m not certain that the Australian government has thought this through. And not just because it’s unclear how they expect to collect the loot from social media companies over whom they have stood as judge, jury and executioner.

      Will they ask them to send a wire transfer? Or would they like the money to be handed over by check?

      Perhaps they didn´t notice the mess caused when other governments tried to tread into this area.

      In 2022 the Biden administration set up its “Disinformation Governance Board.” It was launched by Secretary Mayorkas’ Department of Homeland Security and was led by one Nina Jankowicz.

      Remember her? She was famous for about 15 minutes after being appointed, when embarrassing videos of her singing surfaced online.

      Surprisingly, for several months Mary Poppins was technically the person tasked with deciding what was true or untrue in the whole of the United States and cyberspace.

      Unsurprisingly, she couldn’t perform the job and the “Disinformation Governance Board” was disbanded after a few months.

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        KP

        “stories that hurt election integrity or public health.”

        Lol! Funny how they pick those two! As obvious as a pack of children..

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    John Connor II

    hmmm…is it actually Friday or a deception?

    Jo might be trying to trick us again, so I have this small test for her.

    https://imgbox.com/8dJ52zWq

    20

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    John Connor II

    Hardware corner: clever latching mechanisms

    https://va.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_sjhloefRrw1u1i1ue.mp4

    Some clever designs there!

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    Would it really take decades for Australia to have nuclear?

    “In recent weeks there have been many politicians claim that it would take at least two decades for Australia to have a civil nuclear power capability.

    So how long would it actually take for Australia to have a nuclear reactor providing power?

    The reality is it depends on a few factors and whether Australia would follow global best practice to ensure efficient establishment.

    According to Helen Cook, one of the world’s most respected nuclear law experts, we could have a reactor up and running in 10-12 years. This includes setting up regulatory frameworks, community engagement and construction of the reactor.

    One example similar to Australia is the UAE. They announced their intention have nuclear in 2008 and 13 years later their first reactor went into commercial operation. Keep in mind, they did this with no prior nuclear experience, no prior nuclear regulator and during covid.

    We on the other hand has operated research reactors for decades, already has a world-class regulator and have experience managing radioactive waste. In terms of build time, it only took 5 years for our latest reactor, OPAL, to be built.

    If we had the ambition and followed best global standards we could have nuclear power in this country in a favorable timeline.”

    https://www.nuclearforaustralia.com/petition?utm_campaign=13_09_24_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nfa&splash=1

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      el+gordo

      Do you think Dutton should have nuclear power on his platform?

      A decade sounds about right, but modulars might see a quicker build.

      34

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      OldOzzie

      Nuclear experts visit Parliament

      On Wednesday, our group of experts were in Canberra to deliver a parliamentary briefing on nuclear energy.

      The event was for the Parliamentary Friends of Nuclear Industries. Dr Adi Paterson, Tony Irwin and Kirsty Braybon gave presentations and then answered questions from the politicians and staffers in the room.

      Whilst we were thrilled by the high attendance and representation of independents and Labor (despite their public positions), we were highly disappointed that the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, was not in attendance to hear from Australia’s most respected nuclear experts.

      How can you thoughtfully engage in the nuclear debate without hearing from the people who know it most?

      We’re proud to have assembled a team of Australia’s top nuclear experts to share the facts with those who are engaging.

      We think these conversations with our politicians are important and have a significant role in shifting the dial in the nuclear debate.

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        RickWill

        we were highly disappointed that the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, was not in attendance

        Chris Bowen is irrelevent to the discussion on nuclear energy. It is now clear that the only future for the grid powered by rooftops is in storage. Investment in grid scale wind and solar is on its deathbed. Dutton has contributed mightily to that predicament. The only “renewable” areas getting serious money are rooftop solar, grid batteries and household batteries. Plus the money pit that Snowy 2 has become.

        While the past year’s figures indicate some encouraging progress for Australia’s clean energy transition, a significant downturn in investment, particularly in large-scale generation projects, remains an issue for the sector.

        https://cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news-resources/clean-energy-australia-2024-report

        Rooftops have won the race to destroy the grid. Household batteries can now make the grid irrelevant for anyone owning a roof.

        My bet is that there will be nuclear before Snowy 2 is finished in 2060 at a cost of AUD40bn.

        10

        • #
          Beta Blocker

          If the Albanese government wants to increase investment in wind and solar, why doesn’t that government simply nationalize the Australian power grid and then spend whatever money it takes to transform the AU grid into a mostly wind & solar powered system?

          00

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    John Connor II

    Avoidance of sun exposure as a risk factor for major causes of death: a competing risk analysis of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden cohort

    Women with active sun exposure habits were mainly at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and noncancer/non-CVD death as compared to those who avoided sun exposure. As a result of their increased survival, the relative contribution of cancer death increased in these women. Nonsmokers who avoided sun exposure had a life expectancy similar to smokers in the highest sun exposure group, indicating that avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor for death of a similar magnitude as smoking. Compared to the highest sun exposure group, life expectancy of avoiders of sun exposure was reduced by 0.6-2.1 years.

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26992108/

    Sunlight’s Hidden Benefits: Sunlight is crucial for our health, dramatically cutting the risk of dying or getting cancer, yet we’re always told to avoid it.

    Beyond Vitamin D: While we recognize the importance of vitamin D, many other critical functions of light in plants, animals, and humans remain largely unknown and will be explored in this article.

    Modern Light Exposure: Our constant exposure to artificial light is mistakenly seen as harmless, but forgotten research shows it’s a root cause of many modern physical and behavioral issues.

    Light and Blood: Blood plays a key role in conducting light throughout our bodies. Disruptions in this process (e.g., from wearing glasses that block certain parts of the light spectrum) can lead to serious health problems.

    https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/the-unappreciated-benefits-of-natural

    All the government “health experts” say stay indoors.
    GET OUTSIDE!!

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      OldOzzie

      Pauline Hanson nails it again

      Good morning Sergeant Penny

      Good morning Captain albow

      Good morning Penny’s privates

      sir Captain albow sir

      all righty troops we’ve got a few battles on our hands today first up the fight against climate change status report

      we’re spending everything we’ve got sir but we’re still not hitting any of our targets

      we spend harder Soldier double the budget triple the subsidies

      yes sir

      full frontal assault on the fiscal front

      sir

      and how are the bomb shells that keep dropping on the mining sector

      devastating sir it was a gold mine 800 jobs lost

      excellent, wait, what’s that smell a Penny, your private stinks

      sorry sir they’ve seen a lot of action sir

      Well give your private a wash they’re distracting me, I’ve got a lot of spending to do all these wars aren’t cheap you know know

      oh goly gosh Captain elbow we’re in a real pickle out there we’re losing the war

      Which war Jim, the war against Free Speech, the war against social media, the war against affordable housing

      No sir it’s the war against inflation

      Oh, there’s no need to worry about that war, Jim we’re winning the war against inflation don’t you worry about that

      well I don’t know Captain I went out on the front Lords myself and golly it’s a real mess out there the inflationary pressure is Relentless

      Sham that’s not our fault Jim that’s the governor’s fault go blame Michelle Bullock in her interest rate

      Well I did try that Captain, but G whiz everyone keeps saying we need to focus on less spending less

      Spending oh yeah sure and lose the fight against climate change and we’ll just give up the battle against recession shall we, oh jeez will S I was thinking, we’d already waved the white flag on the recession War nonsense, the economy’s in real shape Jim, look at all that growth we have put in place

      not if you count all that off budget spending

      Yeah Penny control your privates – Stand Down privates

      Well golly Captain I love a spending I love it more than anything but shoot what happens when we run out of money

      Golly my, Jim what do you think you are some sort of Economist

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  • #
    Vladimir

    About Friday topic –
    You may think I am a dreamer but I hope I am a believer.
    I believe in a Nurnberg 2045 , may be.2545.You see ? I am a realist – unlikely it will be earlier. How many dark centuries lay between Fall of Rome and Gutenberg ? Between builders of Petra and of Saint Mark in Venice?
    At some stage the remnants of Humanity will ask ( themselves? ). How did we manage to replace imperfect but working civilisation with the absolute Satan kingdom?

    20

    • #
      Vladimir

      BTW, I do not propose to hang those found guilty, only to name the names and their crimes.
      BTW again, being a useful idiot is not a crime in the Western Jurisprudence unless one is in a position of responsibility.

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    el+gordo

    Donald has just lost two of his Appeals in NY, he is expected to be sentenced in November.

    What happens if he is sent down before the election? What would the Republicans do without an heir apparent?

    05

    • #
      el+gordo

      ‘A judge on Friday delayed Donald Trump’s hush money sentencing until after the November election, which means voters will cast ballots without knowing whether the Republican nominee could face jail time for his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.’ (Washington Post)

      04

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      el+gordo

      ‘The Constitution doesn’t stop candidates from running for president while serving jail time.

      ‘Two previous candidates, Eugene V. Debs in 1920, and Lyndon LaRouche in 1992, both ran from prison.

      ‘If Trump is sentenced to prison, it’s still possible he could run for president from behind bars.’ (Business Insider)

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  • #
    OldOzzie

    Trump pledges to eliminate taxes on overtime pay: ‘Finally catch a break’

    Former President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will eliminate all taxes on overtime pay if elected to the White House.

    “As part of our additional tax cuts, we will end all taxes on overtime,” Trump pledged at a rally in Tucson, Ariz., a key swing state in the 2024 election.

    The former president argued that his plan “gives people more of an incentive to work” and will make it easier for companies to attract workers.

    “You’ll get a whole new workforce by doing the no taxes on overtime,” Trump said.

    The 78-year-old Republican nominee argued that the “people who work overtime are among the hardest working citizens in our country” and deserve more support from politicians in the nation’s capital.

    “And for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them,” Trump said.

    The 45th president indicated that the policy would help people like police officers, nurses, factory workers, construction workers, truck drivers and machine operators “finally catch a break.”

    20

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      OldOzzie

      Trump promises to end taxation of overtime pay: ‘Your overtime hours will be tax-free’

      Trump has also promised to end the taxation of Social Security benefits and tips for service workers

      Louis Casiano Fox News

      From the Comments

      – No kidding! I’m a nurse and back in my ER days I would’ve loaded up on this! Quite frankly the taxes on overtime were a big deterrent to working extra shifts.

      This could actually go a long way towards helping with staffing shortages in healthcare and other industries with skilled workers on an hourly wage!

      – Trump is a genius. Kamallah will say this was her idea by the weekend.

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      KP

      …and everyone subtly slows their everyday 9 to 5 work so there is a great need for overtime to get those goods out on time!

      10

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    OldOzzie

    Greens have ‘embraced thuggery’: Senator blasted over protest support

    David Shoebridge has been condemned by Victoria police and deputy PM Richard Marles over his plans to address a ‘final showdown’ of anti-war protests in Melbourne.

    INQUIRER 51 minutes ago

    This is the angry face of tribalism — and the PM has enabled it

    There appears to be no motive for the sickening violence of the so-called ‘peace’ protesters other than an ignorant hatred of our Western society.

    30

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      KP

      “There appears to be no motive for the sickening violence of the so-called ‘peace’ protesters other than an ignorant hatred of our Western society”

      Easy for a hack to write and think he’s cool, but what exactly do they hate about Western society? Our health system? Our fake democracies? The education? The free-enterprise business model that gives everyone the breakfast they want?? The war-mongering and fascination with making weapons to kill people? Our long-lost ideal that all are equal before the law and politicians are not corrupt? The fact we allow women and men to get educated and work for a living? The fact that we don’t allow children to work for a living??

      A ‘society’ is a lot of different factors, and I don’t think they hate the Western society at all. But Richard Marles has a hand in the pie, so it will be full of ignorance and hatred.

      20

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    OldOzzie

    Real Clear Wire – Using Law as a Political Weapon Undermines Public Trust in Elections

    This summer saw a slew of court cases over the issue of ballot access. Now the litigation is threatening to undermine voters’ confidence in this fall’s election.

    The ability to reflect on and elect our own leaders is the core of our democracy.

    The Democratic Party has filed multiple lawsuits in key swing states to restrict third parties’ ballot access.

    This lawfare will undermine voter confidence in the 2024 election by limiting voters’ ability to exercise choice.

    This use of lawfare to limit voters’ choice is a far cry from the democracy messaging Democrats have been utilizing. On the contrary – it is the exact opposite of what democracy looks like. A robust democracy is one where multiple parties compete for votes in free and fair elections. Democrats are attempting to limit free elections by using lawfare to bar from the ballot candidates who inconvenience their grasp on power. In effect, this use of lawfare subverts our democracy. Consequently, this tactic will undermine voters’ faith in our election system and republic.

    Voters are already wary of the U.S. electoral system.

    A recent poll found that 40% of Republicans and 26% of independents are not confident that their votes will be accurately counted.

    Moreover, a separate poll found over 50% of voters are concerned that ballots are not counted accurately and that mail-in ballots or drop boxes are illegally used or misused.

    Democrats must cease the lawfare and enable all candidates who meet the thresholds for ballot access to appear on the ballot. The continued use of lawfare to restrict voter choice will exasperate voters’ wavering faith in the electoral process.

    10

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    John Connor II

    The Grand Tour last episode EVER has just released.
    The end of a motoring era…
    RIP.

    10

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    OldOzzie

    Abu Dhabi Imposes Mandatory ‘Gene Testing’ Before Marriage

    The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced on Wednesday that couples will be required to undergo genetic testing before they can be married

    “The premarital screening program plays a vital role in protecting the health of couples planning to marry by detecting infectious diseases and inherited blood disorders, while offering appropriate genetic counseling,” explained acting Abu Dhabi Public Health Center director Dr. Ahmed al-Khazraji.

    According to Dr. Fahed al-Marzooqi of Abu Dhabi healthcare technology company M42, the new testing requirement is necessary “due to the high prevalence of genetic disorders within the Emirati population, partly attributed to the region’s history of consanguineous marriages.”

    “Understanding genetic risks allows healthcare providers to take proactive measures, improving patient outcomes and reducing the long-term burden of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” he said.

    The UAE has a remarkably high rate of marriages between first cousins. A study in 2020 found that up to 39 percent of marriages were consanguineous, meaning any relationship closer than second cousins. This is a persistent problem in Middle Eastern societies – Pakistan, Kuwait, and Qatar have even higher rates of consanguinity than the UAE.

    Studies have found the rates of marriage between blood relatives are very high in these cultures because such weddings are thought to help with “preserving family structure and assets, facilitating marriage arrangements, fostering harmonious relations with in-laws, and economic benefits related to dowries.” Arab cultures often believe marriages between close relatives are more stable, and the husband’s family is more likely to assist with supporting a closely-related wife and her children.

    30

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    OldOzzie

    Warning on the growing solar panel scrap heap

    The industry is nearing a tipping point as the nation grapples with unprecedented levels of waste.

    Every week, thousands of solar panels that have reached the end of their life are removed from Australian rooftops and replaced. But they can’t be dumped at the local tip. Even recycling centres don’t want them.

    It’s a major headache for solar panel companies like Omzen, which installs about 200 solar panels on homes across Melbourne a week. “Finding someone to take end-of-life panels away is a major challenge. Recycling facilities won’t let us bring solar panels in,” company owner Justin Stiles says.

    40

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      OldOzzie

      Australia’s Solar Panel Waste Looms

      The Australian solar industry is facing a significant challenge as it grapples with unprecedented levels of waste. Every week, thousands of solar panels reaching the end of their 10-25 year lifespan are removed from Australian rooftops and replaced. However, they cannot be dumped at local tips due to environmental concerns.

      Experts warn that the industry is nearing a tipping point, with solar panel waste expected to reach crisis levels in the next two to three years. A 12-year industry roadmap has been proposed to address this issue, including developing technologies to extract valuable metals, establishing recycling centers, and implementing a product stewardship scheme for photovoltaics.

      Currently, most broken or expired solar panels are sent to landfills, with estimates suggesting over 100,000 tonnes will end up there by 2035. Recycling solar panels in Australia is still in its infancy, requiring continuous investment from both industry and government to support this developing market and its technologies.

      Without a comprehensive solution, the growing solar panel scrap heap poses environmental and economic risks. The industry must prioritize sustainable waste management practices to minimize its ecological footprint and ensure a responsible transition to renewable energy.

      Follow up

      . What are the current recycling rates for solar panels in Australia, and how do they compare to global averages?
      . How do government incentives and regulations currently support or hinder the development of solar panel recycling infrastructure in Australia?
      .What economic benefits could be realized by establishing a domestic solar panel recycling industry in Australia, and what would be the estimated job creation?

      20

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    OldOzzie

    REVIEW: ‘Am I Racist?’

    By Andrea Widburg

    Last week, I gave high praise to Reagan, the new movie looking at the life of America’s greatest Cold Warrior. It was a heartfelt, meticulous look at Reagan’s fundamental decency and love for America. Today, I’m giving high praise to Matt Walsh’s Am I Racist?, a new movie looking at the race hustling industry. It is a hysterically funny, pointed, and appropriately vicious look at people, both black and white, who deliberately promote racial discord for power and huge profits.

    The movie’s premise is a simple one: Matt Walsh embarks upon a journey to discover whether he is a racist and, if he is, how to defeat that inherent racism and then pass on the knowledge he acquires.

    The trailer, which has been playing for weeks, gives you a good idea about the movie’s basic premise:

    I must admit that having watched the trailer, I was a little concerned that the movie would offer no real surprises. After all, we’ve all seen trailers that gather the best bits of a mediocre movie so that you walk out of the theater regretting the money you spent. I shouldn’t have worried.

    The movie runs for an hour and forty minutes, and every one of those minutes is a delightful surprise. I don’t recall any comedy I’ve seen recently—heck, any comedy I’ve seen in years—that made me laugh so hard.

    What Walsh does to these people is the intellectual equivalent of a disemboweling, one so skilled that they don’t even realize that they’ve gone under the knife.

    30

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    OldOzzie

    UK crime minister’s bag stolen at police conference

    Diana Johnson was discussing the crime “epidemic” at a senior officers’ event

    The UK minister for policing and crime prevention, Diana Johnson, had her purse stolen while speaking about rising lawlessness at a conference for top police officials on Tuesday.

    The incident happened during the annual Police Superintendents’ Association (PSA) conference in Kenilworth, as confirmed by the ministry to the Financial Times. Warwickshire Police reported that they are investigating a theft at the hotel hosting the event. A 56-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and has since been released on bail, according to the police.

    In her speech at the PSA conference, Johnson, who holds the Home Office position under the new Labour government, vowed to “restore respect for the rule of law on British streets, including restoring respect for the police, which has sadly eroded over many years.”

    Town centers across the country have been “gripped by an epidemic of antisocial behavior, theft, and shoplifting,” she stated.

    Despite the efforts of “thousands of incredible police officers” and other staff doing an “admirable” job, Johnson said, “we must face the reality that there are still too many victims of antisocial behavior who feel that when they call the police, no one listens, no one comes, and nothing is done.”

    This month, the UK decided to release thousands of prisoners early amid a jail overcrowding crisis, coinciding with hundreds of arrests during riots across the country. PSA President Nick Smart told the conference that the move left the police at the center of a storm not of their making.

    10

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    another ian

    FWIW

    “Democrat Sen. Blumenthal Warns ‘American People Will Be Shocked, Astonished and Appalled’ by Report on Secret Service Failures in Trump Assassination Attempt”

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/09/democrat-sen-blumenthal-warns-american-people-will-be/

    This comment via Instapundit – “And this from the replies: “If this is coming from Blumenthal, I can’t imagine how bad it actually is.” ”

    Must have been a real fuster?

    10

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    another ian

    FWIW

    ” Why the B-52 is outliving newer bombers”

    https://youtu.be/Zm6_kRHhtn8

    Via Instapundit

    10

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      Hanrahan

      Tex Johnston, the test pilot mentioned in that clip, did a barrel roll in a B 707 over Seattle. Done properly it is a zero G manoeuvre really.

      10

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    another ian

    FWIW

    “Zelensky’s Last Hail Mary Gets Off to Rocky Start”

    https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/zelenskys-last-hail-mary-gets-off

    10

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      Kim

      A very good article \ thread. I disagree when he says that Trump lost the debate. It wasn’t much of a debate and the result may be the opposite – a much more nuanced situation.

      00

  • #
    another ian

    FWIW

    I haven’t seen this anywhere on “green steel”

    “I attended an iron ore conference in Perth in 2023 and green steel was almost exclusively the topic of the presentations.

    A couple of little understood impacts will be the creation of gigantic tailings ponds of iron ore fines created by the ultrafine grinding needed to remove impurities at the mine which help the hydrogen based reduction process. Instead of Direct Shipped Ore (lumps and fines) all iron ore is required to be ground to ultrafine particle size, processed then pelletised. This requires a large increase in energy to create iron ore suitable to make steel.

    One point I took away from the conference was how black boxy blast furnaces really are, the overall process is understood incredibly well, but the fine details needed for modelling in detail were not well understood.”

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/09/12/stealing-the-future-with-green-steel/#comment-3968627

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