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Thanks for that one. Nev

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-2 Catalina on Lord Howe Island: 7 killed

Flew over it on the way to Norfolk Island a few times. Never landed there. Was serviced by Seaplanes for a long time. Nev

(cartoon by Drew Sheneman)

I have fond memories of Lord Howe Island. When I was a musician in the RAAF, we made many visits there. The landings and takeoffs in a C-130 were always exciting. These trips were in the 80s, and from memory, we used to perform at "Founders Day" events. Back then it was a big deal, and we seemed to have some celebrity status. We would be put up by the locals and shown a good time with boat trips, etc. On one occasion, I was able to get my wife on the RAAF flight. On another occasion, after takeoff, the crew put a cargo strap across the rear of the aircraft, and they opened the back ramp as we flew past Balls Pyramid.

Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein as a teen, has died by suicide after troubling Instagram posts. Her family confirmed her death in a statement to NBC News, saying: 'It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia. 'She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. Giuffre claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew at the behest of Epstein's associate, jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, when she was just 17. The Duke of York has denied the allegation, as has Maxwell - who is a convicted sex offender - while Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019.

My ungripe of the day..... I am sitting in Sydney domestic terminal awaiting a call to board a short Dash-8 to Lord Howe. A rare place of NO MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE.... AT ALL! I will enjoy a break from all the gloom & doom of constant news.

Great 4 corners report on the lead up to Bathurst and touring car racing

Vance Announces America, India Finalized ‘Terms of Reference’ For Trade Deal https://conservativebrief.com/vp-vance-announces-90978/?utm_source=CB&utm_medium=573

Making America Broke Again. Useless prick.

China has cancelled orders fpr 12,000 metric tonnes of US pork, US soybeans and returned 2 Boeing aircraft. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/u-s-farmers-face-steep-drop-in-china-s-soybean-and-pork-buying/ar-AA1Dz2Zt https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2025/04/21/second-boeing-jet-starts-return-from-china-tracker-shows

There's a revealing article in the link below, showing how much Trump has stuffed the American economy with his moronic and chaotic decision-making. What is interesting is the chaos he's creating in shipping, with the container trade about to revert to COVID-19 chaos, whereby empty shipping containers piled up in the wrong ports, and ships sailed with only part cargoes. Coupled with American businesses inability to do any forward planning, while Trump bounces off the walls, and the end result will be nothing surer than goods shortages on American store shelves (which drives up prices), increased prices as a result of tariff impositions, and American ports withering, as cargoes diminish. The thing is, it's not just imports being affected, the Chinese are effectively embargoing American goods and produce, so the number of containers leaving American ports will reduce substantially. Boeing are getting a pile of new aircraft returned, that the Chinese were going to buy, so another kick in the nuts for Americas largest export earner. It just makes one wonder how much longer Americans will put up with his idiocy, as regards his pathetic economic decision-making, that is going to make life harder for a lot of Americans. https://prospect.org/economy/2025-04-24-permanent-tariff-damage/

Not so. He is not eligible to run again as either the president or the vice president.

Mine! Mine! Mine!

While that part prevents Trump from gaining the presidency, it does not prevent him from gaining the vice-presidency. The Section 1 of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States establishes the following: In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President. That means that the Vice President becomes President without having been elected to that particular office This is followed up by Section 3 which says, Whenever the President transmits ... his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President. That doesn't specify that the President has to give a reason for being unable to do the job. Obviously it was meant to cover situations where the President was temporarily out of commission, usually due to a medical reason, but there are no restrictions on what made the President decide to declare being unable to do the job. Again, if Section 3 is invoked, the Vice-President virtually becomes the President without being elected to that particular office.

WASHINGTON -- The merchandise website of the Trump Organization is now selling hats that say "TRUMP 2028," which appears to be a spin on Donald Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again" hat, after the president teased running for a third term in office earlier this year. The hat, which appeared on the site on Thursday, is being sold for $50, and the website adds that the hats are "Made in America." Trump addressed speculation about running for president again in a March phone call with NBC News and said he was "not joking" about a third term, adding, "It is far too early to think about it." When asked whether he has been presented with plans to allow him to seek a third term, Trump said, "There are methods which you could do it." He included a scenario in which Vice President J.D. Vance would run at the top of the 2028 ticket with Trump as his running mate, only for Trump to assume the Oval Office after the election. When reporters followed up on Trump comments during a gaggle on Air Force One, Trump downplayed what he had said. "I don't even want to talk about it. I'm just telling you I have had more people say, please run again," Trump said. "I said we have a long way to go before we even think about that." However, the Constitution's 22nd Amendment states that no one can serve as president for more than two four-year terms. Legal and election experts previously told ABC News an attempt to win another four years as president would be an unprecedented breach of the 22nd Amendment. "Trump may not want to rule out a third term, but the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution does," said David Schultz, a professor at Hamline University and an expert in constitutional law. The amendment states, in part, that "no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice." Democrats seized on the release, posting on their rapid response X account that the hat seems to confirm "his fourth run for president."

SUSSan Ley. Dutton over ruled the Electorates attempt to replace her. The DEAL with the NP has" LITTLE to be PROUD of" as deputy. Nev

Who is next in line after Dutton . spacesaillor

I'm surprised they would eat them.. They fight over food a lot. Squabbly things. Nev

But will a thieving seagull ever refund a stolen chip?

Botanical gardens in Melbourne are similar. Any open air place. Australia HAS animals and birds in abundance.. Nev

The surveys show a lot ARE "undecided". . When you have sitting Ministers lose a BLUE Ribbon Liberal seat to an Independent, then a fair bit of Rusted on behavior has evaporated. Dutton could lose his seat as well as the Election. Nev

Seems that little credit was ever given to the merchant marines. Yet they were serving in the same wars as 'servicemen'. And doing it on unarmed, slower vessels. My uncle served in merchant marine in both big wars as a radio operator. Never sunk but was attacked. I still have an old hand drawn map of a course in the Med, with notes of sightings of subs that were stalking them but torpedoes missing them.