red750

A French, a German and an Italian spy are captured one day. The captors grab the French spy, take him to the next room and tie his hands behind a chair.They then proceed to torture him for 2 hours before he finally cracks, answers all questions and gives up all of his secrets. The captors then grab the German spy. They tie his hands behind the chair in the next room too and torture him for 4 hours before he finally cracks and tells them what they want to know. They then grabbed the Italian spy. Once again, they tie his hands behind the chair and begin torturing.4 hours go by and the spy isn’t talking. Then 8 hours, then 16 and after 24 hours they give up and throw him back into the cell. The German and French spy are impressed and ask him how he managed to not talk. The Italian spy says, ” I wanted to, but I couldn’t move my hands.”

Superman actress Valerie Perrine dies at 82 after a long battle with Parkinsons Disease.

By that logic, the CEO's of Coles, Woollies, the banks, Qantas, et al, should pay less tax because their staff pay tax? The tax is in what THEY earn, not their staff.

When things are going his way, it's always his idea. When they are going wrong, he'll blame the first person to come along.

U.S President Donald Trump suggested Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was the first to advocate military intervention against Iran, telling a Tennessee roundtable: “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up, and you said, ’Let’s do it because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.’” The Iran war enters its fourth week with conflicting administration accounts about decision-making. Some officials claim Israel was preparing to strike regardless, while others cite Iran’s nuclear threat. Trump said Iran’s retaliatory strikes were unexpected, contradicting reports that internal warnings were issued but ignored. The conflict has killed 13 American service members and caused a regional crisis. Trump extended his Monday deadline for Iran by five days, with uncertainty about how the war began and who ultimately decided to start it. The war began with US strikes in late February and expanded across the region, with over 1,500 killed in Iran, 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel, and 13 US personnel.

Thought I'd check on a memory I had. Web search: When were Australian interest rates 15% " Australian interest rates reached 15% during the 1980s, primarily driven by high inflation and economic instability. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, inflation in Australia surged due to global oil crises and expansionary fiscal policies, pushing interest rates to 10.38% by 1974 and continuing to rise. By the mid-to-late 1980s, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised rates sharply to combat persistent inflation, with rates peaking at 17.5% in January 1990. During this period, rates frequently exceeded 15%, especially in the late 1980s, making it one of the most volatile and expensive borrowing periods in Australian history. These high rates were part of a broader global trend to control inflation, but they also contributed to a recession that lasted into the early 1990s. I was paying 7.5% on my house because bank staff home loans were half public rates. I bought my house in 1979 after being transferred back from Sydney to Melbourne.

Depraved or deprived?

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1209987421310297

Good ole TACO.

Occupy Democrats FB post: Here’s all the INSANE things Trump said today in just ONE press conference today: Said his idea to put ICE in the airports was "like the paper clip? Do you know the story of the paper clip? 182 years ago, a man discovered the paper clip” (it was invented 127 years ago) Said he’s deploying ICE to airports to make Democrats “go crazy” and arrest “illegals” at the airport (he means tourists) Said talks with Iran went “perfectly” (Iran says no talks happened) Said “it's a dangerous business” in response to the plane crash at La Guardia that killed two people Attacked Joe Kent for remarrying too quickly after his wife was murdered by ISIS (this is false) Said the Strait of Hormuz will be controlled by “maybe me” and “maybe the ayatollah” Floated bringing in the National Guard to work TSA Said the military should still get $200 billion if the war ends because it’s “nice to have it” Excused lifting sanctions on Iranian oil by saying “I just want to have as much oil in the system as possible” Said that Iran had agreed to “15” points and then said points 1,2, and 3 were “no nuclear weapons) This is all ONE presser! His brain is complete mush, and we cannot continue allowing a man who is clearly this demented remain in office.

A related story. https://7news.com.au/news/bossley-park-motorbike-crash-two-teenagers-killed-after-mayors-calls-for-bike-safety-at-infamous-intersection-in-sydneys-west--c-22037672

I recall a couple of months ago driving up a main suburban street at around 55kph, and a young bloke on an e-bike was keeping pace with me, riding up the footpath on the back wheel only. Some houses along there had hedges, and if an elderly person came out of a gateway, I hate to imagine the result.

Following a spike in accidents and deaths, Queensland is putting new laws before parliament to crackdown on the use of ebikes. Faster, more powerful e-bikes — anything over 25km/h — will now be treated like motorbikes or mopeds, meaning they can only be ridden on the road and must be registered and insured. On footpaths, riders will have to slow right down to 10km/h, and a new offence will make it illegal to ride near pedestrians without proper care. There’s also a broader push behind the scenes, with plans to tighten rules on retailers, crack down on tampering, improve lithium battery disposal, and roll out education campaigns to try and get on top of the growing issue. Parents could also be held responsible, with fines able to be passed on if their child breaks the rules. Police are being given stronger powers too, including random breath testing, and the ability to seize and impound illegal devices on the spot, with repeat or serious cases potentially seeing bikes destroyed. There’s also a broader push behind the scenes, with plans to tighten rules on retailers, crack down on tampering, improve lithium battery disposal, and roll out education campaigns to try and get on top of the growing issue. E-wheelchair users will be exempted from these rules. Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg branded the suite of changes "nation-leading reforms". "We are banning under-16s from these devices because the safety of kids is paramount," he said. "We've taken the time to get this right, and our reforms strike the right balance between keeping Queenslanders safe from those who do the wrong thing, while backing the Queenslanders who do the right thing."

I think Siso has wet dreams about Gina,

TRUTH SOCIAL

MY FANCY CLOTHES.

Major parties are the major parties because the majority of voters prefer them. If the Greens could get a few million voters to prefer them, they could become a major party. The Liberals are appealing to less and less voters, so they are becoming a minor party. But those extra voters have to be converted into seats. The party with the most seats wins. A party can win with 40% of first preferences. But that means that 60% didn't want them. Preferential voting gives those 60% a second chance to pick an alternative, and possibly replace the highest first preference party.. When you bet on a horserace, you don't win a prize if your horse runs last (or even 4th).

Many many years ago, my dad built a large building by himself. I don't know much about it, because I was about 5 or 6 at the time. Willi's story reminded me of what I had heard about it. We lived on a farm in a valley which was acquired by the Victorian State Rivers and Water Supply Commission in about 1949. They were planning to build a dam in the valley, and pump the water into Melbourne's water supply. Our entire farm ended up under water. The building was to house the pumping station. The support columns were cut from trees surrounding the site. We didn't have a tractor in those days so they were hauled into place with horses.

Are you standing in for Nev? POLITICSUSAv reported on FB. Disregard it. Tried to open the website, but got a Wikipedia report saying PoliticusUSA is an American left-wing website that publishes hyperpartisan clickbait. Its content has been described by academic studies and journalistic reports as "unreliable", "misleading", and "fake". It is among the most popular U.S. political websites.

It's unbelievable how many still think he is doing such a wonderful job recovering America from the deep hole the Democrats got it into. Anything wrong with America is Joe Biden's fault. If any Democrat supporter should post even the slightest derogatory comment against Tump, they are howled down by MAGA maniacs. There was a question, "How do you rate Pete Hegseth from 1 to 10?" There were at least 15 posts rating 10, one said 100, a few said "The greatest secretary of defence ever.", but no detractors.

🚨JUST NOW: Australia REJECTS Trump’s Minerals Demands — Pentagon PANICS as Rare Prices EXPLODE⚡...... Australia has firmly rejected a U.S. request for preferential access to its rare earth minerals, signaling a deeper strategic shift—not just a trade disagreement. These minerals, like neodymium and dysprosium, are critical for advanced military systems such as F-35 jets and missile guidance. Following the decision, rare earth prices surged, exposing a major vulnerability: the U.S. still depends heavily on China for processing these materials. Despite billions invested, domestic production covers only a small fraction of defense needs. Australia’s refusal reflects growing concerns over sovereignty and trust, especially after recent U.S. trade pressure and policy moves. This isn’t just about resources—it’s about whether allies are being treated as partners or dependencies. Globally, China dominates rare earth processing, giving it strategic leverage. Any disruption could impact not just defense, but also everyday technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy. In short, this standoff reveals a fragile supply chain, rising geopolitical tension, and a critical question: can the U.S. secure reliable resources without straining its alliances

Trump hasn't been innocent since he left his mother's womb.