JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
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Some people want King Charles to be replaced by a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing on Britains £5 note. Churchill to be replaced by a Badger.
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King Chas should be replaced with the Great Tit or perhaps the Crested Tit.
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Sky Lark?
10
But under the current bureaucracy (& politicians) would you need £5 note just to “spend a penny”?
More like a £50 note would be appropriate.
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The farce of Australia’s new Green electricity has been exposed with the war with Iran. Pixies and fairy dust. Zero reserves of diesel! And in a country which for most of its history had been self sufficient in petrol, agriculture has now stopped. Avocadoes are rotting in the field. And while Energy Minister Chris Bowen said it was a nasty lie by the opposition, the truth is there for everyone to see. Utterly unprepared, supply for transport and agriculture stopped overnight. Total dereliction of duty. Tesla’s will not harvest or ship avocadoes.
China too is dependent on Iranian oil since super cheap crude from Venezuela has been cut off. Iran stopping all but Chinese oil shipments through the staits of Hormuz and attacking Gulf neighbours and the oil supply. 90% of Iran’s oil is also shipped from tiny Kharg island 2kmx7km, fed by undersea pipelines. So Iran’s whole economy is as utterly vulnerable as their neighbours. Kharg island is only 200km from Kuwait at the very top of the Persian gulf. So it’s a standoff threatening the supply of oil from all Gulf countries and the ponteital total economic destruction of Iran. You cannot wage war if you are broke.
A lot of countries are reassessing their critical dependence on imported Gulf energy, whatever the Grenn fantasies. And another proxy UK/France/German war against oil and gas rich Russia is unsustainable. Expect the world Don Quixote windmill industry to take a huge hit. And Norway, UK and Australia forced to restart oil exploration banned by extreme left Labor/Green governments and Germany doing a deal with Russia. Ukraine having to settle with Russia over the breakaway provinces who do not want rule by Kiev.
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Amazingly the Chris Bowen spin is that we should double down on Chinese electric cars and windmills and solar panels. But how will we pay for them and ship them? More coal to China? We cannot afford our own gas now and have made competing energy sources coal and gas and nuclear and even exploration illegal. Idiocy is not enlightenment.
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Still cannot understand why it is OK for China to burn our coal but we cannot!
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They pay for it and we buy their manufactured stuff so we don’t need dirty factories. What’s there not to like?
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Germany currently has a battery capacity of approximately 26 gigawatt-hours (GWh), the majority of which (approx. 20 GWh) consists of private home storage systems.
Only large-scale storage systems (approx. 4.3 GWh) are considered truly “grid-serving.” Currently, these could cover only about 5% of summer electricity demand for 1.5 hours.
To achieve just 10 hours of buffer, a capacity of 600 GWh would be required – 24 times the current inventory and representing a material weight of approx. 3 million tonnes.
To bridge a ten-day “Dunkelflaute” (dark doldrums) in winter with a 50 GW load, 12,000 GWh would be needed. This is 470 times the current total capacity and 2,800 times the current large-scale storage. Such a battery would weigh 60 million tons. A modern factory (like CATL in Thuringia) would theoretically need 857 years to produce this amount.
A simulation for the Traunstein district showed that self-sufficient supply via wind, solar, and batteries would increase wholesale electricity costs from 6 cents to 217 cents per kwh.
Moreover, a 240-hour battery (12,000 GWh) would require an area of approx. 600 square kilometers (roughly two-thirds the size of Berlin).
The EIKE author concludes that batteries alone cannot guarantee a secure power supply.
https://notrickszone.com/2026/03/14/storing-green-energy-to-last-germany-10-days-would-require-a-60-million-tonne-battery/
Furthermore, lack of grid stability (missing rotating mass) is cited as a significant technical hurdle.
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If there was 12,000GWh of battery with a inverter designed for just 0.1C discharge rate (1200GW) there would not be any need for rotating inertia.
Most rotating inertia will deliver about 6X its rating for a few milliseconds under fault conditions. So 50GW of spinning plant would be good for say 300GW under fault. A 12,000GWh battery with a design output of 0.1C (most grid scale are designed for 0.25C) then the fault level is 1200GW or 4 times what is possible with rotating plant. And it could deliver at that fault level for 10 hours not just milliseconds.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352152X24046371
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Hi RickWill, Graeme4,
RickWill,
I think you will find that no one has done grid-firming (or grid-forming as the uninformed pundits call it), at scale. It’s at the theoretical stage.
For a useful discussion on this and related grid-stability matters, you might care to read the transcript of a recent presentation by the UK’s Kathryn Porter:
https://www.netzerowatch.com/all-news/scotland-energy-crisis?ss_source=sscampaigns&ss_campaign_id=69b41e513b7fcb49646ab357&ss_campaign_name=NZW+Samizdat%3A+Reality+Bites&ss_campaign_sent_date=2026-03-13T15%3A54%3A49Z
Graeme4,
I have done ballpark calculations using the AEMO 5-minute data for the Eastern Australian grid across the two-year period 2023-2024.
In brief, to even begin to achieve 100-percent “renewables” plus sufficient storage to cover the intermittency across those 2 years requires some 3 times the present fleet of utility-scale solar and wind plus the equivalent of some 45,000, yes, 45,000 grid-scale batteries each the size of the Geelong Big Battery. That was the largest installed at the time I did the calculations.
Rather than speak of the required battery storage in just a bare GWh number, as the AEMO misleadingly does in its various ISP reports, I thought to couch it in numbers of big batteries, a term that we ordinary folk might understand.
These numbers are for a minimum requirement.
As you indicate Graeme4, the materials requirement and the land use requirements are immense.
And this calculation of mine does not even begin to address the, additional, requirement to replace synchronous inertia.
I respectfully suggest that anyone who thinks that these requirements can be easily achieved is delusional.
Paul Miskelly
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Thanks Paul, but I should point out that I am only 75% of Graeme 4.
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Thanks to both Paul and Rick for their comments. It’s a pity that this knowledge isn’t shared and discussed more widely in the MSM.
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wait for more inflation you’ll be No.4 in no time.
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My off-grid system works without rotating inertia.. The inverter has a peak rating about 10X the average rating of the largest motor. I actually tried a smaller inverter but it died if two motors started at the same time.
If I can do it at home then the grid can dot it just as easily.
There are sizeable stand alone power supplies at various mines in Australia using batteries for the main supply without spinning reserve:
https://www.australianmining.com.au/moving-away-from-diesel-generators-with-hitachi-energys-battery-energy-storage/
There is not enough controllable battery on the grid yet to avoid the need for rotating inertia. The minimum would be around 100GW to give good ride through capability but that is coming.
Australia has two paths. One is to forget industry and just focus on rooftops. Just enough grid battery to avoid need for spinning inertia. The other is just get back to coal and let rooftops. hang off the grid but not permitted to interfere with lowest cost operation of coal. My neighbour already has an export limit of 3kW applied most days. That might change if other neighbours just install batteries to soak up his excess. All new inverters have remote grid control.
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A heavy, steam driven armature can filter a massive demand spike, will do so for a while, until something overheats, overspeeds or something else. I’m sure engineers have graphs on that. I’m not an engineer. I do know that a high current flash destroys a solid state junction instantaneously, long before heat can be generated. Zap – You’re dead.
Apples and oranges.
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Would be interesting to see the same calculations for Australia.
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Wind usually takes two weeks annual leave in June – it is Australia. So current 20GW for the east coast for two weeks means close enough to 7000GWh.
That is why distributed solar is so much cheaper than grid wind.
With rooftop solar you can get away with 5% CF on panels and only 50 hours storage. So for 20GW continuous just 400GW of solar and 1000GWh battery.
When I did my original sums in 2016, the demand was higher than now. More industry has shut down and there are more household batteries and solar panels.
The grid is a dead asset. Extending it is rank stupidity.
I expect Australian household and remaining businesses will need about 10X increase in rooftop solar to eliminate grid sources of generation. By then the actual wholesale demand is zero. All heavy industry long gone. No substantive AI industry unless they are permitted to build their own coal fired generator.
It will take three terms of One Nation to undo the mess achieved in the last 25 years since the RET took effect.
Australia may actually beneft from the three stooges Sleezy, Blackout and Wrong. The trajectory in electricity prices can be reversed in a matter of months but restoring manufacturing and building new coal fired power stations will take a decade. So the more the economic disaster unfolds, the better chance of sanity prevailing through the tough times ahead. No one can fix 25 years of corrosion in a 4 year term.
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Ok, thanks for the figures. I have noticed more folks now fitting batteries. Interestingly, many are going for interest-free loans that require them to allow grid authorities to use their batteries.
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Unless Australians are prepared to wake up and elect our only significant conservative party, One Nation, then they will just have to accept our rapidly diminishing standard of living and individual rights and freedoms.
To be frank, I don’t think a lot of younger people even understand or care.
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And it may not even be possible to elect a conservative government given the huge number of people now dependent on the largesse of the Government (taxpayer), the public serpents, the unions, the Left, the welfare parasites (not genuine recipients), the Civilisation destroyers, the subsidy harvesters etc..
How many genuinely productive people are actually left?
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I read that both the Libs and Nats are preferencing Labor and even the Greens above ON. If true, that’s disgusting – but not entirely unexpected.
Once again, politicians are putting themselves above what’s best for the nation.
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The thing is, you don’t have to follow those how to vote cards. The preferences are your choice, not that of the party you’re voting for. Unfortunately the level of intellect for a large percentage of voters is low, they just do as they are told as they have never been able to think for themselves. Ban those how to vote cards and I think the level of invalid votes would escalate.
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I have [sort of] challenged the many lib hating conservatives here [they hiss me off too BTW] to say they pref lib/nat over labor. None have done so. I ALWAYS have labor well down the ticket.
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You have previously made the claim that Lib hating conservatives commenting here preference Labor over Lib/Nat. I don’t pretend to have seen all the comments you have responded to in this way, but the small sample I have suggests you’re talking out of your rectum.
What evidence do you have that they/we are preferencing Labor ahead of Libs?
People probably haven’t responded to your “challenge” because it’s a ludicrous assertion and largely not to be taken seriously, from where I sit.
Given it seems really important to you, I can confirm that in almost 40 years of voting I have never had Labor above Libs regardless of how disappointed I have been at times with what the Libs have offered.
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Read my comment. I said lib haters have never said where they preference libs. I could not possibly comment on how they actually vote.
The first such declaration I’ve read.
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I did read your comment. I completely understood you were saying that when you have have asked no one has responded to say they preference Lib above Labor. If that’s your only basis, as I expected, then it seems like a rather wild fantasy you have.
The other week someone said they vote One Nation or other conservative candidates hoping it sends a message to the Libs to return to their conservative base. That doesn’t sound like a Labor preferencer to me. But you replied suggesting they do preference Labor over Lib/Nats and even said you know they do and they shouldn’t pretend you don’t know. That’s pretty strong guessing for someone who now says they “could not possibly comment on how they actually vote”.
If your only evidence is no replies, then you have no basis. I hadn’t replied previously but you’re wrong about me. Obviously I can’t categorically say that none of them have not preferenced Lab over Lib. But you seem over confident in your strong assertions.
Now you’re complaining about red thumbs and group think here. Have you considered that it could just be an indication that you’re wrong. Rather than conformity or people not thinking for themselves.
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Put away your pom poms David.
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I thought this was the last refuge of the sceptics, those willing to swim against the tide. No, as much group think here as elsewhere.
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Red thumbs. I rest my case.
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Interesting that you attracted the red thumbers for that one H.
What’s the old saying? It’s every man’s duty to think for themselves. Too much agreement tends to indicate somebody isn’t doing their job.
And I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen anything other than flock and herd behavior in nature either. And cyclists use the group effect in the peleton.
As long as we all get our turn leading the way every now and again I’m happy.
Viva la difference!
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You think that finding One Nation appealing is group think? That it isn’t swimming against the tide?
Maybe the current polling means (Resolve) having ON at 24% support and Libs/Nat 22% it perhaps is no longer against the tide. But I’m someone who has voted ON previously before their polling rise, expecting my Lib preference to ultimately come into play.
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There is a lot of group think but those inside looking out don’t see it.
Apart from the almost 100% condemnation of liberals I get swamped with red thumbs whenever I say Ridd never saw the GBR before the COT destroyed it so is unqualified to say it is X% recovered. It is far from it’s previous glory.
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I’m sure Peter Ridd is talking about coral cover recovery since 1986, when the data starts. He may well agree with you about earlier eras, that he doesn’t know. He’s very dispassionate about that sort of thing. But he may also have other reasons regarding crown of thorn cycles.
WE don’t really know what causes the outbreaks or why they start near lizard Island often and spread south.
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“President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that “many countries” will be dispatching warships to patrol the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, suggesting that it is “still easy” for its military to inflict damage on vessels there “no matter how badly defeated they are.”
It’s about time other countries defended their own oil supplies, including Australia, not leave the heavy lifting and risk taking to America. To say nothing of permitting mad mullahs with a vision of an imminent human apocolypse to have long range nuclear missiles as clearly approved by Obama and his puppet Biden. Have people forgotten that a single nuclear missile means millions dead, not slightly inconvenienced.
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Any support for the Iran war by the Albanese regime is with great reluctance because the Iranian regime represents the demographic and ideology of Australia’s preferred imports and Labor voters for life. At least until said demographic removes the Albanese regime and establishes their own, which they have done in every single country they have either been invited into or invaded in the last 1400 years.
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If they are so worried about climate change, they should absolutely afraid of a nuclear winter. It wouldn’t be flimsy hypothetical changes occurring decades into the future, it would be happening pretty much in real-time after nuclear strikes.
An Ayatollah has to be an Islamic cleric. This would be like an US president or Aus PM required to be a priest. The prospect of a religious zealot possessing nuclear capabilities is a frightening scenario. I don’t think most Trump critics understand this.
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‘ … including Australia …’
So the yanks are rounding up a posse, all the way with DJT.
This is a religious war that is getting out of hand, there is no legal framework for Oz to join the fray.
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This is a leftist trope. Nonsense.
So who do you think writes these ‘international’ laws. China? What happened to sovereignty? Is the UN a government now?
Yes, it is a religious war. By Iran on every one else, including the Sunni Arabs, Christians, Jews and even different Muslim sects. These mad Mullahs are religious zealots who believe in a great battle to end the world and cannot wait.
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And who will protect our essential oil supply if we don’t? America? Israel?
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American Adventurism is alive and well. He told the MAGA faithful that he wouldn’t go to war, very disappointing, and China is not to blame for International Law.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law
Australia’s involvement would only make things worse, its out of our hands. The Ukraine war is different, there is a moral imperative and Oz is a member of the Coalition.
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No war has ever been legal. That’s childish nonsense. And no war has been declared at present. Except between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the moment, but who cares? No Jews.
Nor India/Pakistan, Vietnam/Laos, Rwanda/Congo,Azerbijian/Armenia. Wars all solved by Donald Trump. And Iran declared war on America 50 years ago.
As for Ukraine, there is no ;’moral imperative’. It is a civil war between Russian speaking people over quite modern boundaries. The Crimea was unexpectedly given to Ukraine by Kruschev for no known reason in 1956, making Russians into Ukranians without their consent. They are now home. I was there on Russia day a decade ago. The Donbas too has been traditional Russia for which millions of Russians died just 80 years ago especially in Kharkov and Kursk. Where is this moral imperative? Who are the good guys? The Germans? The Romanians? The Italians?
And if you think Kiev is a popularly elected democracy under attack, it has been nothing like democracy. More like a Fascist state for decades. Zelensky is Russian and does not even speak Ukranian well. And running the country as a military dictatorship with no elections for the last 7 years.
Spare the world this ‘moral dimension’ as justifying war. 75% of the UN countries are military dictatorships. And our Judeo-Christian morality means nothing to Iran or its proxies. The taking of hostages is a declared War Crime, but no one mentions that this makes Hamas war criminals if that was not obvious enough. Mass murder for morality? What sort of weird logic is that?
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And if are happy that Mad Iran mullahs have boasted of having uranium enriched to weapons grade and having ICBMs, no one has any choice. The real problem is that the UK, France, Germany just leave it all to the Americans while they import millions of socially incompatible migrants who hate them and their Christian culture and morality.
It’s bad enough that Kim Jong Il has nuclear weapons and ICBMs, but inconceivable that Iran would be allowed to threaten the whole world. Which is what they have done since they seized power. They are currently bombing all their neighbours, even Qatar which is Shiite. And Azerbijain also Shiite. And secular Turkey.
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‘And running the country as a military dictatorship with no elections for the last 7 years’
Their Constitution forbids elections during times of war.
If you think Zelensky is a Fascist then Putin must be something else. A mad emperor, perhaps. The Kremlin wanted all of Ukraine but was stopped in its tracks by a capable force.
Its a bad business getting involved in religious wars, seriously deranged people, fanatics of the first order who look forward to the afterlife.
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What are you? An international multi lingual lawyer who has read the Ukraniana constitution? What rubbish. Their constitution forbids? Get a life. Laws are an artefact, not reality. Not physics.
And how do you know that? I can guess. Zelensky said so. Of course. Gullible.
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Absolute rubbish.
I don’t know where you get these absurd notions. Putin has been expilici and consistent from the start up until now.
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During times of martial law elections cannot be held and the Ukrainian people support this.
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/ukraines-presidential-elections-amid-war-political-legal-and-security-challenges
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‘Putin has been explicit and consistent from the start up until now.’
‘Putin espoused irredentist and imperialist views challenging Ukraine’s legitimacy as a state. He claimed without evidence that the Ukrainian government were neo-Nazis committing genocide against the Russian minority in the Donbas, and said that Russia’s goal was to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine.’ (wiki)
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I question who started this war full well knowing this was going to happen. I don’t defend the regime in Iran – far from it, but war has its consequences. No way would I counsel sending a warship.
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No worries.
‘The Royal Australian Navy is not well resourced enough to be able to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz even if the US were to ask for Australian assistance to stabilise the critical shipping channel, defence experts have warned.’ (Oz)
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So does pacifism. I don’t want the three wise monkeys running my country.
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Perhaps a continuation of the battle of Tours in 732 Charles Martel or the Battle of Vienna in 1683
Sharia may have difference reactions from various cultures
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Saying “No to war” has consequences too.
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Unfortunately, the national interest and international obligations are confused. Bottom line is you just don’t bomb another country without declaring war. The US and Israel have been doing its share of covert and aggressive war for a long time.
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AI says that OZ has experienced abnormal demand for fuel, but deliveries continue as normal.
As a consequence there are regional shortfalls, where demand has exceeded supply.
Presumably farmers have sought to build reserves.
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farmerbraun:
Australian farmers have a realistic view of “their government” and know that they will be last to get any fuels, if available.
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So AI is wrong?
No idea.
Looks like you will be fine if you pay in yuan.
That FTA has to be good for something.
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/iran-mulls-allowing-tankers-through-strait-hormuz-if-trade-conducted-yuan
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I heard that explained as farmers having their diesel tanks topped up on a routine. They then ask for a special delivery and can’t be accommodated. I never knew toilet paper and oil had anything in common but they do.
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When daily/weekly price increases are expected, a rational person would attempt to maximize their purchases as early as possible (physically and financially).
So yes I will now top up at 3/4 tank instead of 1/4….
And I can defer some travel. The farmers have a more difficult time deferring planting and other activities.
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Even though this is not new news, as far as I know, it’s not being addressed or significantly discussed among the Establishment.
Even Their ABC admits to the problem.
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The jAb coming home to roost, as predicted.
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Sounds like it to me.
This is from David M’s link:
Dave B
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I asked Yandex AI to explain this recent phenomenon.
>Some possible explanations for the increase in cancer cases in people under 50 in Australia:
Lifestyle factors. Being overweight or obese, having low vitamin D levels, excessive alcohol consumption, and having type 2 diabetes increase the risk of cancer. A high intake of red meat and processed meats, which contain nitrates, can damage intestinal walls.
Environmental exposures. Scientists believe that toxins or toxic influences in the environment interact with genes to cause malignant changes.
Infections. Some studies suggest that infection with certain strains of E. coli may lead to early DNA changes and subsequent increased cancer risk.
Altered gut microbiome. Changes in the gut bacteria, possibly due to antibiotic use and eating ultra-processed foods, may make the gut more vulnerable to dangerous bacteria.<
A lot of historical factors and behaviours associated with cancer are listed but no consideration is given to the fact that a novel gene based therapy was forced upon young people 5 years ago.
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You would think that the vax would deserve at least a paragraph wouldn’t you.
Nope, nothing to see here folks. “Safe and effective” etc.
Maybe one of our Chief Medical Officers is masquerading as an AI?
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Ai is:
A/ Incestuous
B/ Cannibalistic
C/ Both of the above
D/ None of the above.
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I’m sure they will find a link to climate change somewhere, somehow. They manage that for most other things in “science”
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1963: Dr. Judith Baker states the CIA used a SV40 monkey virus in vaccines producing lethal cancers in 30 days
2021: Dr. Fauci and Bill Gates states everyone must be vaccinated for ‘Covid’
2022: Covid Vaccines test positive for SV40
2022-2026: Cancer rates EXPLODE
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Sky News Australia looks at one of Australia’s biggest scams, the National Disability Insurance Scam.
https://youtu.be/faGQM5O4pCA
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Not so much as I told you so, but we all knew deep down that this would end up the way it is. Socialism combined with a legacy to provide an exercise in cynical altruism. ADHD assessment positive for 100kg 15year old boy addicted to his iPhone. We’re locked into this big time .
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I was thinking of driving from Melbourne to Sydney and return this week, petrol car. I expectto drive about 1800kms total.
Given the looming fuel crisis, would you risk it?
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Sure!
Just pack your “runners” just in case!
Chuckle chuckle
30
Difficult decision.
I think the Australian government is happy to see petrol prices escalate at present because people are choosing to reduce their driving. Gov’t does not have to introduce fuel rationing, which they probably should have done already.
SA election starts tomorrow. Labor wants to minimise the blame that is due to them because of their incompetence.
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ALL of the fuel that is being sold was bought at the OLD prices.
The prices now are just gouging.
OUR Grubbnmnt loves it because they ALSO rake in more of OUR money in
“excise” and GST.
Don’t you just luv ’em?
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No problem, Pauline will fix it soon.
21
All of the fuel being sold today must be replaced at todays wholesale prices, using todays sales income. It’s called Current Cost Accounting, and if you don’t understand it in inflationary times, you will swiftly trade your way into bankruptcy.
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There is always the option of increasing the overdraft. 🙂
00
That is very Victorian. Victorians now have to find $1m/hr to cover interest repayment on State debt.
20
Mistakenly, I thought a smily better than a /s.
10
..But…..oil prices are running at <50%
….whilst Fuel prices have increased 100% ( ignoring the fuel excise @ 0.52c/ltr )
???
Sounds like someone is exploiting the current demand spike ?
00
Peter C:
The SA election has been running for some time. I noticed that the Labor Govt. was doing “popular things” back about 6 months ago – including starting to fix some of our roads which had been ignored for 3.5 years (and by the Liberal Govt. for 4 years before).
In my electorate there are 11 candidates for the seat (the current Independent wants out) and there is no enthusiasm for Labor and very little for The Liberal candidate (and ex Mayor) so his successor may also be an independent.
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What increase in GST is the government reaping , from this fuel price rise? and thats on top of the fuel levy.
30
Probably 10 cents per litre.
That’s 10% of a dollar increase per litre which I have seen at some servos.
Remember, they get GST on the “Excise” as well.
And they do this without their “robber masks” on.
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GST is a state tax, not federal.
00
My understanding is that GST is set and collected by the federal government.
30
yep, “Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Australia is a federal value-added tax of 10% applied to most goods, services, and other items sold or consumed in the country.”
and then distributed by the federal government across the states and territories
10
That doesn’t contradict what I said.
10
Look at the trip like you are driving an electric vehicle, you have a theoretical range, resupply points are randomly dispersed, if you use more or less fuel you may find that the next supply point is either just behind you or possibly within reach in front if you drive carefully, then if you reach your next resupply point and there is no fuel you can sit around for hours waiting for delivery. You can use the experience to run an experiment on the pros and cons without actually buying an EV. Record anxiety levels and “new” trip time versus just jump in and drive.
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Chuck some Jerry cans in the boot. Full, of course.
60
Jerry cans all gone now.
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Actually it was DM who posted a video on the marvels of the Jerry can design a few weeks back. So I suppose that he has a few on the garage, alreafy
20
Italian by design then copied by the Germans then the Americans. Great for carrying abreast by chains of men. Still have old WW2 Yank ones that came with Jeeps after the war. Army surplus sales that my old man bought. One bloke in the valley managed a .30cal machine gun as well. No ammo.
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Video in The Australian this morning of somebody filling up two 1000 litre containers at the bowser. Cost exceeded $2500.
20
My suggestion: If it’s not essential, stay at home. If it is essential, follow Rossini’s advice above, AND fill up at any open servo beyond halfway. You should be able get fuel in Sydney , but finding it might be a problem.
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No problem at all DM. There will be plenty of fuel for cities, that’s where the Govt voter base is, and you’ll be on main roads that are always supplied before the country. Individual stations may run out but not overall. There’s just not enough tankers for a surge in buying, where one tanker can do two or three petrol stations normally, now its one station then back to base to refill.
The wife is heading off to Warwick tomorrow to get a pair of kittens, and that’s further up the inland roads than your trip. It all pivots on-
“SA election starts tomorrow. Labor wants to minimise the blame that is due to them because of their incompetence.”
…so all the harsh measures will start after the voting finishes!
40
Instead of running an EV with a fuelled trailer behind, perhaps a better range vehicle with a tailer behind with fuel?
30
I’ve booked a flight to Bris later this week through a travel agent to avoid the mess on the net. He sold me travel insurance. I’m glad he did.
40
How would travel insurance mitigate the current problems?
00
Fares paid get refunded, I assume.
00
Not if the interruption was caused by war.
30
True that insurance doesn’t usually cover acts of government, terrorism, or war.
Given our government has been claiming we have fuel reserves and fuel supplies have been arriving as usual, the insurance company will have to show that government was lying to invalidate a claim. (I’m assuming concern is flight cancellations due to possible fuel supply shortages.)
20
Et tu Brutus?
Beware the Ides of March, 15/3/2019,
7 years since Cinders’ Christchurch Crock (CCC).
Meanwhile in Polynesia, Maunakea’s summit
-14 C min temp
-32 C windchill
114 mph max
closed to the public due to frigid, whiteout, snow blizzard conditions, expected to continue ‘due to climate change’. Anthropogenic Altitude Aloha?
100
I know someone with a relative who died in CC. What are you trying to say?
14
I’m not ‘trying’, I did.
41
Explain “crock”
02
“Cave Idus Martiae”
Orban would be well advised not to be seen “ in a toga”.
20
FWIW
For your morning “belief test”
“University of East Anglia: Climate Science is like the Invention of Steam Power, Electricity and Vaccines”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/03/11/university-of-east-anglia-climate-science-is-like-the-invention-of-steam-power-electricity-and-vaccines/
14
How many here know there was a war between Iraq and Iran during 1980 to 1988? … started by Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
More than a million killed, including both sides, according to Paul Johnson.
A war spurred on by the U.S. … which enabled Saddam to get and use Chemical Weapons.
They’re nasty Weapons and usually kill civilians. Maybe Trump’s administration should reflect on that when they harp on about an embassy bombing and IEDs.
And let’s not forget the Shah installed by the U.S. in 1953… he tortured and killed thousands.
Who’s got the bigger case for grievance?
47
The sequel to “Shock and Awe #1” in the Middle East doesn’t seem to be going so well, mainly because the wrong mob are now being shocked, and the awe factor is now irrelevant in the new era of drone warfare.
Who in their right mind would send ships to the Strait of Hormuz?
With a direct supply route between the Russians and Iranians through the Caspian Sea, this gambit will not end well.
41
US has taken out military defence sites on Kharg Island. I would not be surprised if that is ahead of an on-ground military offensive to take control of Kharg Island. They may even supply oil free to anyone showing up so the money stops flowing into Iran.
Shutting down the Strait of Hormuz stops Iran getting oil income so an own goal. There is not much shipping going on in Iran’s northern ports at the present time.
The road from Russia to Iran is a parking lot. And Azerbaijan has threatened to close Iran’s Caspian Sea ports if they keep sending drones into Azerbaijan.
IRGC is without friends. The friendship depended on oil. No oil no friends.
170
‘ … on-ground military offensive to take control of Kharg Island.’
Yeah but it makes no sense to risk American lives in such a venture.
My thinking is that the amphibious force about to head out is going to Cuba, POTUS needs a strong victory before the Midterm election.
15
Low hanging fruit.
There is a week and a half left until “reporting time” on 31 March and there are two-three ways to skin a cat…
10
Cubans are burning the communist headquarters. Overtures being made to Marko. Will Trump let him become the new President?
00
Its looking good, should be able to take Cuba without a shot being fired. Still requires boots on the ground, the amphibious force has about 5000 sailors and soldiers to maintain law and order.
Rubio would be perfect as a stand in president until elections are called.
I think the squadron is coming from Japan, so a few weeks from now.
01
Trump currently has high regard for Rubio. Trump often praises his efforts. Vance should be the next contender for POTUS but Rubio could well be the popular choice. So if Rubio was President of Cuba, would he be considered for the POTUS.
20
In a free and fair election Rubio could become president of Cuba and not run for POTUS at a later date.
01
I heard said that China gets 80% of it’s Iranian oil via the Red Sea not Kharg Is.
10
And how much from Russia?
10
I deliberately said “Iranian oil”.
20
Who in their right mind would let Iran develop a nuclear weapon? Fact is, this war has been inevitable for a long time. The USA’s deep bombs didn’t give as much breathing space as hoped. There was then no alternative to war. Even if the deep bombs had succeeded, they would still only have bought some time. Without regime change in Iran, war was inevitable.
30
So you agree: America is the Great Satan. The rest of the world is pure as the driven snow. Except England, of course, who must make slavery reparations, pronto.
14
America is currently run by a transactional government. Why else would they send a real estate magnate and a son-in-law to negotiate “peace” with two of the western world haters if not to make a buck or billion?
It’s entirely plausible that America could walk away from the “troubles” they have caused happy to know that Iran cannot develop nukes themselves – but wait – Iran’s best friend has plenty to go around!
Anyhow, America is just fine with plentiful Venezuelan oil that can be sold at a handsome profit – as for the rest of the world, they appear not to give two hoots.
04
You’re nuts. The US didn’t colonise Venezuela, they have not set up a puppet government. Any oil they sell is now on their own account and more profitable for the country than giving cheap oil to Cuba. Western expertise can now increase oil production. How is Venezuela losing?
20
There has never been a more duplicitous nation than the US – so who can say. We have to keep them close just to be sure that they’re on side. If you know what I mean.
02
So, a looming fuel supply crisis appears to be viewed very differently by the public, than a pandemic situation. There does not appear to be any “panic” buying of any goods other than liquid fuels. Supermarket shelves have not been stripped of toilet paper or milk and yet all the commodities in these shops are fuel dependant, no fuel, no deliveries, no stocks of anything.
So during a pandemic when essentially all supply chains were guaranteed , panic buying. In an oil supply crisis, where supply lines are at best intermittent, no panic.
Top marks to the general public, or maybe they are just unaware and still firmly believe that all food just comes from the supermarket.
90
I think the latter.
110
FWIW – mod check suggested
“A ‘Michigan Man,’ a ‘Virginia Man,’ and a ‘New York Man’ All Walk Into a Bar…”
“Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A doddering old sock puppet from Delaware takes the podium and, with a straight face, alleges that the greatest threat to America comes from white supremacy. And, get this… half the country believes him!
Hilarious, right?
Let’s review the threat from “white supremacy” from the last two weeks alone.”
More at
https://pjmedia.com/aj-christopher/2026/03/14/a-michigan-man-a-virginia-man-and-a-new-york-man-all-walk-into-a-bar-n4950632
41
FWIW
“Rats Are Jumping Ship: Is the Iranian Regime Relocating to Canada?”
https://pjmedia.com/tim-o-brien/2026/03/14/is-the-iranian-regime-relocating-to-canada-n4950644
52
“BREAKING: The Shia cleric who was filmed at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, arriving from Iran together with his family, has been identified as Hojjatoleslam Morteza Tayyebi. He has recently obtained Canadian citizenship. Unfortunately, the government of Canada is sheltering these notorious Shia clerics of the Islamic regime, including those who have been directly involved in the killing of Iranian people”
Just asking, how does “one” obtain Canadian citizenship. Are there no requirements like residing there for several years? Is there no swearing allegiance to your new country.
Do you just open your wallet and “obtain” citizenship?
50
I have a friend who has four under-16 children. The kids treat me like an uncle.
Under Australia’s censorship laws, passed in co-operation with the fake conservative Liberals, they are not allowed to have social media accounts including adult YouTube. And even though the censorship laws allows kids to watch YouTube Kids, Aussie kids are not even allowed to upload to that.
These are wonderfully creative children and love making videos.
Now they operate under their mother’s account.
Just think how much ahead of their peers these kids will be having all that free creative expression experience when their peers will have had none and can’t start until 16, except woke school dramas about approved topics like climate catastrophism, the importance of covid “vaccination” or the marvels of supposed gender “reassignment” as if it really were possible to change gender.
These kids will be way ahead of others and far less indoctrinated with the Official Narrative.
This inability for kids to be creators isn’t an “unintended consequence” but about making sure kids are indoctrinated with the Official Narrative. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
112
Any kid with half a brain has already circumvented the regulations and is back on social media, if they were even ever off it.
Plus a couple of the most absolutely toxic services, like BlueSky, that weren’t on the list.
30
Australian National Debt update.
http://australiandebtclock.com.au/
Now over $2.25 trillion federal, state and local government debt.
ENJOY!
Almost no one seems to care.
It has been suggested that Australians are now so innumerate (by design and present company excepted) that they are unable to understand the meaning of that number.
Consider this.
Pile notes to the value of $2.25 trillion on top of each other. (We will ignore compressive and other effects.)
How thick would the pile be?
Thickness of Australian $100 note is 0.14mm.
22,500,000,000 notes are required to make $2.25 trillion.
I will leave calculations as an exercise for the reader.
Total thickness 3,150km.
Note that there are only $104 billion of all Australian banknotes in circulation, all denominations.
How will it be repaid? Apparently “Treasurer” socialist/communist Chalmers think it doesn’t have to be because there will be a “reset” of the economy.
140
David:
I think there will be a “reset of the economy”. Whether it is a switch to a dictatorship or one hitting Canberra much as Versailles in 1789 (when they ran out of money).
Who was it who said “you cannot spend you way to prosperity”?
60
Trump is getting what he asked for from the Iranian people. The ordinary citizens are gradually taking over control from the clerics and IRGC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzpVa38_dwM
You must really fear your government so face them when they are shooting deadly bullets at you. These are not rubber bullerts that were used for crowd control on Victorian streets be deadly bullets. Watching the guards shooting the people reminds me of Bondi massacre. But the people keep coming.
Trump may be copping flak around the world for high fuel prices but I think he has won many hearts and minds in Iran. He is reading the people.
141
Never forgive the Left for their silence or even support for the Iranian regime
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-lefts-deafening-silence-on-iran
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/the-left-is-wrong-iran-is-not-that-complicated-david-penberthy/news-story/70851ecd655af92ccd13cfbabdbf4089
https://www.afr.com/world/middle-east/progressive-left-must-stop-making-excuses-for-iran-s-tyrants-20260108-p5nshh
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/how-the-activist-left-ended-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-history-over-iran/news-story/defc3074fe3e2b7242a58cda3fb9f625
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/01/the-iranians-who-feel-betrayed-by-the-left/685644/
https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/national/leftists-expect-the-world-to-sit-politely-as-iran-funds-terror/video/0f81d44a5d7ef5a48176b4342216d615
Never forget whose side the Left are on.
132
Rick
From the link at # 12 above
“Reports were emerging in January that even while Iranian citizens fed an uprising that led to the murder of roughly 40,000 of them at the hands of the Iranian regime, members of the regime have been quietly relocating to Canada. “
61
It is wrong to expect the Iranians to be more humane and conscientious than Europeans.
Citizens, both civil and conscripted, suffer for no benefit to them or to State.
Compare the 1st XXth century war in Europe wth the current Russia-Ukraine one.
Much is the same – no sense (really), no winners(really) – both sides loose in the end, importantly – the current stalemate.
What is different – the number of dead bodies, 10 times.
Maybe it will require 40 years – not 4, for the war end and the Russian Empire collapsing again..
22
Sorry, finger slippage.
I meant to say “Russian and Iranian Empires”
10
Iran is going crazy. There are so many people in the streets showing no regard for deadly weapons. That are putting freedom from oppression above their own life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIWxMyHrpuU&t=51s
Should Trump be blamed for this suicide or is liberation from the clerical regime so important to the majority of Iranians that they are prepared to die for it.
22
RickWill, have I got this wrong, that youtube link in #15 was to a video of 2 months ago? Comments start two months ago, but it’s “live stream” (Whatever that means).
20
Solution to Australia’s petrol crisis, or is it?
https://youtube.com/shorts/0QHVcnLyiGs
Seriously however, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if (after the SA election) we will have covid style lockups to keep people imprisoned in their own homes, petrol and food rationing etc..
Even electricity rationing, given a lot of our electricity comes from diesel generators when the wind isn’t blowing and sun ain’t shining.
60
News must be interpreted but I’ve read that Iran has opened the Strait to all but US and Israeli shipping, which is moot because neither depend on oil via the strait.
30
Fortunately I made a disclaimer. It was the Iraqi Foreign minister who said that so it should not be taken seriously.
The opening passage of this shows it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxohxGf2mZk
00
Why did I say Iraqi? These corrections are getting tiresome.
01
FWIW – on one hand or the other –
“Pravda and the Democrats Are Lying: Operation Epic Fury Strategy Is Brilliant; UPDATE: Iran Opens Strait”
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2026/03/14/pravda-and-the-democrats-are-lying-operation-epic-fury-strategy-is-brilliant-n3812868
41
Seems that something like 2.5% of US oil imports go via Hormuz so nothing drastic in restricting that flow. And it seems that the Saudis had a spare pipeline that takes oil to a Red Sea terminal. Left over from the last dust-up
41
The US is the world’s largest oil producer, they are self sufficient, thanks to Trump. Any imports are discretionary, like the right pocket importing oil and the left exporting.
11
My understanding is that alternatives like the Saudis’ spare pipeline can all together only shift about a third of the previous Straits of Hormuz oil traffic.
10
Pipelines maybe not even that. But the Strait of Hormuz oil traffic is only 20% of the worlds oil consumption. With the pipelines it is down to 14%. Significant but could be made up by increased production from other countries in the medium term.
10
“In March 2026, the U.S. military faces a “double-ended” crisis: they are physically struggling with logistics while politically terrified of body bags. You can’t deploy 2,500 Marines if you can’t even keep your tankers in the air or your carriers’ laundry rooms from catching fire. The loss of the KC-135 Stratotanker in Iraq on 12 March is a significant setback. Without these “flying gas stations,” the U.S. cannot sustain the continuous air cover required to protect a ground landing.
Using 60-year-old planes to engage in a modern conflict is proving to be catastrophic. If Trump were to send those Marines to Kharg Island and half of them failed to return, the “tough guy” image he has cultivated on Truth Social would evaporate instantly. He would be perceived as the leader who led a “suicide mission.” With the Haifa refinery ablaze and no tankers arriving, Israel’s capacity to provide support for a U.S. ground operation is nearly non-existent.
The Israeli hope for a “U.S.-led final solution” to the Iranian issue is colliding with the wall of U.S. indecision. The U.S. is “begging” Russia for oil and contacting Putin because they understand they cannot afford a ground war. NATO remains silent, and no one is “brave enough” to invoke Article 5 for a conflict that appears to be a self-inflicted disaster.”
Plenty of alternative opinions around…
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2026/03/war-on-iran-no-planning-no-hiding-officials-suicide-mission-in-hormuz.html/comment-page-2#comments
12
You have such a deeply ingrained anti-American, anti-West hatred I must ask “Why are you here”? I hope you don’t live in my neighbourhood.
Do you seriously think the US expects to wage war without sheet happening? You are the most naive person I’m pleased never to have met.
22
Iran remotely wipes 200,000 medical devices around the world
Iran-linked hackers just wiped over 200,000 devices at Stryker Corporation, a $25 billion medical technology giant, across 79 countries. They didn’t use malware. They didn’t exploit a zero-day. They logged into Stryker’s own Microsoft Intune admin console with stolen credentials and pressed the remote wipe button. Surgical supply orders stopped. Paramedics in Maryland lost the ability to transmit EKGs to hospitals. 5,000 workers in Ireland were sent home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHwILMPyq60
So easy…
21
Unbelievable- or not.
00
Sunday funny
Japan solves the Hormuz problem:
https://imgbox.com/Z5wJ97O4
Lefty solves it:
https://imgbox.com/CV01n6s3
The hardest part of a quick 2 week war is the first 5 years.
60
A serious question, please :
I have stuck in argument about native tribes on 4 continents (hopefully they will not discover didgeridoo in Antarctica for many years to come)
So – did pre-Cook Aborigines wear loincloth?
I saw them on many dozens of old photos and only few photos – without them.
Maybe it is my Europe-centrism but, considering their (nearly) uselessness in practice, that must be a sort of, religion-based habit. That is – you wear them constantly, not when you meet your houseguests…
Could it be that mid 19 century photographers put them on their “models” ?
Google talks about traditional / ceremonial costume, etc,.. totally different subject…
10
My understanding is that the answer is “No”. And they had no cloth to make one.
20
Typically no, as was common for many primitive cultures and even more recent ones, woth even the Roman empire people loving the freedom of nudity, from farming to gladiators.
The lack of any real need for clothing in countries where climate allowed it and the difficulty of making it made it uncommon. Clothing and adornments were worn more for ritualistic purposes though.
Shame, or modesty, is a western world construct.
Even now there are quite a few countries with banknotes featuring full nudity demonstrating cultural norms.
20
When the First Fleet turned up the locals were stark naked, but probably by the early 19th century a dress code was put in place.
11
All the finely worked leather skins are simply an invention of recent times. The beautiful cloaks , the fine sewn possum skins, all recent. The “traditional” possum skin stuff comes from New Zealand and tanned in China, all trading partners from before colonialism / sarc.
40
FWIW
“The ‘Science’ of Global Warming Theory Just Suffered Another Big Hit”
“Do you fear the theory of “global warming”? If so, how deep is your fear? As in would you be willing to bet a substantial amount of your net worth that the theory is not just real, but earth existential? Tick tock, tick tock…
The questions asked rate extra asking in consideration of a recent report from the journal Nature. According to a New York Times accounting of the article, “New research has found that scientists studying sea-level rise have been using methods that underestimate how high the water already is.” The Times ads that based on the discovery, it turns out “that the vast majority of scientific studies have made this mistake,” which is said to mean that “Coastal sea levels are, on average, eight inches to a foot higher than many maps and models of the world’s coastlines indicate.” ”
More at
https://hotair.com/headlines/2026/03/14/the-science-of-global-warming-theory-just-suffered-another-big-hit-n3812856
20
another Ian:
currently I have been rereading Dr. Bruce C. Bunker’s book The Mythology of Global Warming (sub titled Climate Change Fiction vs. Scientific Facts).
If you can find a copy you might read it, although you may well think he is “Preaching for the Converted” but it was published in 2018 ISBN: 978-1-945181-47-4.
I notice in Chapter 6 that someone called jonova is quoted about global-ocean-temperature
10
90% of the continent NZ is part of, Zealandia, is under water: even when we’re standing on a beach we’re standing on a mountain-top ridge.
Can’t wait for sea levels to drop 130m / 400’ as they were pre-Holocene and then the adventurous exploring begins…
20
Copied from Farcebook – Australia’s most dangerous escalators.
==
50
Aerotoxic Syndrome
In the vast majority of jet aircraft, the outside air is actually routed through the engines, pressurized and then enters the cabin of the aircraft WITHOUT being filtered.
Commercial jet aircraft use air from the engines not only for propulsion purposes, but also to refresh the aircraft’s cabin air. This air is unfiltered when vented into the cabin. A small amount of oil generally leaks past the oil seals of the aircraft’s turbine engines. Tricresyl phosphate (TCP), an organophosphate compound, is released from that oil and ends up, along with metal shavings from the turbine blades, via the high pressure compressor, in the air destined for the cabin’s air conditioning. The flight crew and passengers inhale those burnt oil fumes as well as the toxic substances they contain.
https://jamesroguski.substack.com/p/aerotoxic-syndrome
Aaahhh..we all know that classic aircraft cabin smell don’t we..
10
HMMH!: would that explain certain symptoms seen in our politicians (esp. Ministers) after trips overseas?
00
B.O., feet, halitosis, last week’s curry…
I miss the aroma of cigarette smoke and a fresh gin 🍸
10
I years ago flew on business from Philippines Manila to Jakarta Indonesia on an old Boeing 737 jet aircraft flown by Garuda Airlines Indonesia.
To begin with taking my allocated seat the windows were badly scratched and difficult to see through and there was no seatbelt buckle, a stewardess assured me I would be ok. As the aircraft reached cruising altitude we passengers noticed “smoke” coming from an air outlet near the flight deck and again when we complained we were told everything is normal please don’t be concerned.
Later a colleague at my place of employment who was a former Qantas maintenance engineer explained to me that the smoke would be condensation indicating very dirty filters.
There was one landing on the way to Jakarta Indonesia and I forget the name of the very small single runway airport, but the 737 crew flew it lower and lower heading along above beaches below and just over the ocean, without warning the aircraft banked like a jet fighter and dipped the wing far more than I as a regular flyer passenger had ever experienced before. Then steep dive and very hard landing and bounce. Overhead lockers burst open and luggage fell to the seated passengers and floor. Nobody was hurt as far as I am aware. A brief stopover sitting in a very hot and humid aircraft cabin and then a normal takeoff.
Landing at Jakarta International Airport was much more comfortable, maybe because there the aircraft was being observed?
The general condition was however worrying.
A couple of years earlier I flew return from Denpasar Airport Bali to the Yogyakarta old Java Airport and while in the waiting room to board the return flight by Fokker jet a number of Indonesia Air Force fighters landed, some turbo prop and some jet engines. They were like an early Hollywood comedy to watch
as they approached and landed, wings dipping side to side, bouncing and two at a time but not in line side by side.
30
Oh dear. Computer says no again.
I’ll never get my mind right.
30
Stupid leftists.
‘Australia’s aggressive tobacco tax regime, celebrated by Labor as a global public health success, has instead “backfired spectacularly”, Mr Wheaton said.
‘Federal tobacco excise revenue has collapsed from about $17bn a year to roughly $6.5bn and could soon fall to about $5.5bn. “That’s at least a $10bn excise hole,” he said. “I think that’s a scandal because it could be avoided.” (Oz)
11
Predictably, news media is full of Trump’s “mistakes” in the Iran conflict, citing his changes of direction, “inconsistencies” and alleged failure to follow a plan.
In 1871, Helmuth von Moltke wrote, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Other military experts and strategists, going back to Sun Tzu and the Roman emperors, have said similar things – essentially that plans must change over time due to various uncertainties, not least of which is the enemy’s reactions, or the war dragging on into a fierce winter. Churchill knew this too, as did Eisenhower. A big part of the general’s job is to adapt and counter the other side’s moves. This was understood by all in the past, including the press and even most ordinary people. But that was then. This time, it’s Trump at the helm, so the usual ebbs and flows, moves and counter moves, plans, new plans, advances and retreats that are a normal part of military action are not permitted. For the first time ever, a general is expected to make a plan cast in concrete and execute it without any adjustments, no matter what the enemy does.
By this logic, a chess player should write down his planned list of moves and then execute them precisely, in the planned order, irrespective of what his opponent does.
So why have the old rules been forgotten this time? Simply because Orange Man Bad.
81
Two things have surprised me.
First was the attacks by Iranian forces on neighbouring states. At first I thought they had been hijacked by US and Israel. But it appears that it is a sort of mutually assured destruction gambit.
Second is the ability of Iranian forces to keep pinging missiles at things. I would have thought the US and Israel would have no difficulty identifying and blowing up the sources. Maybe the Iranian forces are sufficiently diverse and sparse to have the US and Israel playing an ongoing game of whack a mole.
One thing which has not surprised me is the media coverage. They really do seem to think that at long last they’ve actually got Trump this time. It’s like the roadrunner and coyote cartoons. My guess is that the coyote is fighting a losing battle and pretty soon Trump will go meep meep and zoom away.
50
“First was the attacks by Iranian forces on neighbouring states. ”
They were blowing up American military stuff in the pro-American States, the radar and similar. They have missiles and drones getting through the Yanks/Israeli defences still, the West is not as invincible as advertised.
If it drags on the Democrats will definitely have Trump in a vice, and I don’t think he has a viable exit strategy, when things don’t work he doubles down. He should have stuck to solving the problems at home, but I think Netanyahu pushed him into it.
23
The Democrats will pretend to be the anti-war party same as Obama pretended to be anti-war, and Trump pretended to be anti-war. I think the Democrats will do very well in the mid-terms.
It’s gonna be ugly, but predictable, when the Democrats betray their base … like every party always betrays their base.
20
I hear China, Australia’s biggest supplier of jet fuel, has cut our supply off. Nothing to do with us sending the Air Force to fight against Iran, I am sure…
20
I understand that it isn’t about Australia at all. China is keeping the stuff for itself, and all recipients of those exports have been cut off, not just Oz.
20
Do we do contracts with China or do we simply buy fuel out of the Singapore hub that arrives from China? There is significant difference, fuel is fungible.
10