Leaderboard

Yeah - I have to restart drinking... 😉

Is that ON, Libs, or both? Although, arguably Libs have imploded. Libs are the official oppo by one seat; there are seats held by the other opposition than the opposition.. Farq.. I think Malinauskas is doing a pretty good jobm as does many SA people, I guess. But there is a real danger that hubris through a perceived untouchability may seep in. Australia as a whole needs a decent opposition.

What a sad result. Hopefully they implode sooner rather than later.

Jeezus Jerry, I'm almost afraid to say anything now in case it brings forth another 50,000 words of reply! 😄 Look. If you want to ignore the almost daily reports of civilian killings, starvation, refusing to allow food and medical delivery by truck or ship, lack of any legal consequence for extrajudicial killings, targeting of noncombatants, etc - that's up to you. And no one is trying to hold Israel to any higher standard than anyone else. Is Hamas a terrorist organisation that should be disarmed? Of course it is. Do you keep killing a country's civilians until that terrorist organisation is disarmed? No you bloody don't. And as for throwing around the anti-semitic label at anyone who dares to speak out against Israel's invasions - Lebanon too now, as well as Iran - that's just lazy. I'm totally against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Trump's invasions of Venezuela and Iran, Hamas's October 7th invasion of Israel, and anyone else who takes uninvited military action in a country that isn't theirs. But because I'm also against Netanyahu's invasions of Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, I'm somehow anti semitic?

Now you fellas have got me on a rant 🙂 Not because I am some blind supporter of Israel - I hope the post above where I agree, there probably has been part motiviation to punish and agree that israel should be accountable to that extent. But. let's go. OK.. what war has not seen civilian casualties - especially where military assets being targeted are purposely hidden behind civilians? I'll get to proprotionality later. I absolutely agree that any government should be criticsied and held accountable for war crimes. What I am not seeing is anywhere near the eleve of criticism heing directed to other regimes for the same thing and worse. Stats given in other threads. Nor the level of criticism for Hamas inviting and wanting this conflict to kill their own civilians. Yet, everyone seems willing for the free pass to Hamas, or the Iranian government, or teh then Syrian giovernment, Saudi, Afghans, Oman, Libya, etc. Only appears to be the Israeli government that gets the criticism for far less. It doesn't excuse the justified criticism, but isf Israel does something, it is as if almost whetever that was done to provoke them into it is not even taken into account. DO you havbe inside information of why a normal enemy's intelligence was a) provided; b) the accuracy of that intelligence, and c) why Israel decided to ignore it. Are you insinuiating it was willing to let 1500 people die so it could invade Gaza and colonise it. I see no evidence there is a plan to colonise it even now (Chump;s plan doesn't give Israel control of Gaza). Before October 7, there were no attacks or plans for attack; Israel privided Gazans work in Israel, medical services to Gazans not available in Gaza, etc. All while Hamas was attacking it.. That doesn't sopund like a regime that wants to take it over by force. The question of proportionality is an interesting one. If you are saying is the cost of 70,000 lives a propritionate response to the loss of 1,500 lives? Clearly not. But is that the measure for proprotionality? Or is the pursuit of destruction of military capability poropritionalte to the ongoing attacks that well preceded October 7 and those that would continue after this war? Well, that is a different question? Of course, the cost of civilians lives has to be taken into account relative to the objective and imprtantly the ongoing threat to life. But why should Israel live under constant threat by those not willing to negotiate nor seek peace and have to constantly disproprtionately invest in defences to protect their people ? And should Hamas not be held at least equally, if not more responsible for the deaths of their civilians in a war they perpetrated and which they use their civilians as defences? Do I think the nuetralisaton of Hamas military capability is proprotionate? Yes, I do. Do I think it should be pursued at all costs? As a non-Israeli and not under the threats they live in, no I don't, but in the absence of anything coming to the peace table, I understand why those who live under threat may have a different opinion. I don't think it was all about that. Israel is more of a democracy than most; not the highest in the world, but top quartile or third by this index: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/democracy-index-eiu And, so I would expect that while that is certainly part of his motivation, if that was all of it, but didn't accord with the rest of his government, it wouldn't be happening. I'm really sorry; these two situations are so far apart, it isn't comparing apples with oranges, but IMHO, apples with the moon. You are comparing a lone murderer who commits an act of terrorism on his own behalf or the behalf of some obtuse and random right wing nut job group, whee there is no state sponsored terrorism and there is no historical or continuous threat that Australia itself is not actively working to thwart to the response of an attack from a coordinated government and military of a region, that is part of a wider regional state backed military with the sole intention of not only eradicating your country (NZ in this case) but the total genocide of your people (that Hamas, Hezboll, Houtis and Iranian regine have openly stated many times and is part of their documented charter - as close to a constitution as they can be), where they, and their predecessors, often with other states involvement have consistently attacked, killed, and threatened you and will continue to do so unabated given the first opportunity. Well, if Australia, or an Australian backed milita did that to NZ and of course, that milita or Australias defence assets were hidden under Australian hospitals, schools, and other civilian areas, would I be surprised if NZ attacked after this milita broke though NZ's defences and many Aussies civilians were killed as a result? Probably not; and I would siggest there would be few who would be surprised nor think it was unfair. Another Pauline moment - can you please explain to me a) the similarity of your analogy to Hamas and b) how you're not holding Israel to a totally different standard to others?

One Nation won the recount today on the last undecided lower house seat. The narrow win by less than sixty votes over the Liberal candidate brings their election seat tally to seven; four lower house seats and three upper house seats.

I recently had to bite the bullet and take blood pressure medication, mine was around 190/160 after work and 160/140 in the mornings at rest, heart rate was around 44in mornings and 60 ish in arvo. little tablet seems to be lowering it to around 140/ 90 at last check. i recon it is lack of flying causing stress. 3 years since last flew.

Well it was on the tele at the Shed, but I couldn't hear it. Others talking over the top of him, making jokes, and someone in the workshop using the belt sander. But I knew he was lying, his lips were moving.

That's right. The nation originated from the migration of Indo-Iranian tribes (Medes, Persians, Parthians) from Central Asia to the Iranian Plateau around the 2nd millennium BC. They established some of the first civilisations in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Their religion was Zoroastrianism. It is one of the world's oldest monotheistic faiths, founded in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) by Prophet Zoroaster. Its influence was reduced by Islamisation during the 7th Century CE. A lot escaped to India where they mainly live in Mumbai. Persian (Fārsi) is the official language of Iran, spoken natively by roughly 50-70% of the population and understood by most others. As an Indo-European language, it is unrelated to Arabic, though it uses a modified Arabic script.

I have no idea what's good or bad with blood pressure, but they check mine every time I give blood. The nurse says "it's blah blah over blah blah - that's good!" Like a dog listening to its owner, I just heard the "good" keyword and the rest is noise. If I go in and it's "hmmmm" instead of "good", I'll start paying attention.

Yes. I think he just read out the last four weeks of his midnight Truth Social rants.

I'm just upset that the conflict between Isreal and the Arab world has caused to deterioration of how ethnic relations in Australia have been hurt.

Netanyahu's strident Interference HERE affected my views. All People who kill other People have something to answer for and there's a Question of Proportionality and care not to Kill Women and children Medical people and Journalists. Nev

There have been as many white people in Aus, and nore in the US committing terrorism as Muslim. Sadly, any anti-solcial behaviour is not the preserve of one or a subset of nationalities or religions.