Jerry_Atrick

And probably higher acuity of those senses

No, but it has to be said... Here is a claimed real consequence of his actions: https://time.com/7265679/satellites-front-failing-hundreds-dead-fallout-trump-ukraine-aid-pause/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb

O I had no idea

I have an ideological aversion to Chromium based browsers..

If you're a Firefox user, like me, you may want to take a look at this: Yep, I will be coming off Firefox. The spell checker has never worked for me, anyway - at least on Windows. Start form the 2:20 point of the vid.. this first bit is intro and sponsor ad. I wil be trying the floorp.

I had it as well.. only the once.. maybe they have some dodgy advertisers..

Do I detect an opportunity for Aussie wine and other drinks:

First, did Musk insinuate that Carlos Slim had links to a crominal gang. Secondly, billionaires wil not upend their supply contacts on emotion - that is why they are billionaires - unless it was grossly offensive. Billionaires are also people of vast resources, and may use them to get personally even, in that situation. He would unlikely use Chinese providers, as they are distrusted with the whole comms thing. Secondly, if he can't get a better deal and save money, which his team will always be looking at anyway, he won't move. Why would he want to pay more, or have the upheaval, or lesser service for the same? I have met one billionaire not too long ago.. they are a very different breed to you and me.

I normally follow federal and state elections, but this one for some reason went to the keeper. I didn't even see it on teh ABC News website.. so maybe it does need to rethink its revamp. That is quite a rejection for the LNP. At time of writing, Labour have 42 seats, with 55.5% of the votes counted. Libs 5 and NP, 4. No others: https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa/2025/results?filter=all&sort=all&party=all The vote count will change obviously. Very different to the QLD election, that was a convincing win to the LNP, but still Labor had a good look in. I wonder if Chump had an bearing on the election. With the climate crap hitting Australia, and the abeyance of good government that comes with Chumopism, and further right parties these days, maybe it is sending a clear signal to the Libs and Nats - bit more towards the centre please, and policies for the good of all Aussies, not a select group?

Bingo.. That is why you weren't a loser nor a sucker - how could anyone young and naive in the conext be either? You were explouted - that is something very different.

You were neither.. It was a legal requirement or your would go to prison and be pilloried by society.. The Vietnam conscripts couldn't win either way. Though, admittedly, the pilloryong did in the end help shift the public perception of the war and notably how our boys were being treated. But an swful lot to ask a young man to take such responsibility to rearguard the action, given life in prison wasn't the best for anyone who objected.

Oh yeah, and dog forbid it be found your granddaughters speak up against Chump. Headlines in reputable papers are reporting that critics are self-muzzling..

I would be wary of the above 2.. musks father is known to have had a mine, and invested in his companies. The other about Carlos Slim has legs but a story like that would make it into the FT, and I haven't seen it yet

Surely you're not serious? Just look at the latest headlines; threat of nuclear war with Iran; still wanting to take Greenland which way he can; harassing allies and cosying to the enemy that, wait, bombed the shit out of Ukraine when just given the opportunity and had for the first time since the war started, caused a coordinated Eurpean counties planes to scrambl, and a China becoming even more emboldened and their navy lapping Australia.. Need I mention him firing experience military leaders and replacing them with conspiracy theorists? I recall you saying the safety and security of your grandchildren is of paramount importance. A month in, how is their future safety and security looking? I have made it clear that Albo is no leader, but he is also no destroyer, and given his ability and runs on the board for a more balanced role wresting back China's growing reach in our region making it safer for your grandchildren, while steering the economy well through choppy waters, I'd take him over Chump any day... for the sake of the safety and security of your grandchildren

Very clever... from a Musk perspective, of course.. Do you work for DOGE? 😉

Yes.. (sort of more like 33%, but that's splitting hairs).. but that alone can't be used to say the election results would have been changed had those who hadn't vote were required to vote (or at least get their name marked off a voters' roll). It would be interesting to see the stats of which party they have (if any) registered with to get a guage... Of course, just being registered with a party (or whatever the process is in the US) does not mean one will vote for them, either. What are the reasons why people don't vote in an optional system? According to this, https://post.parliament.uk/election-turnout-why-do-some-people-not-vote/, here are the main reasons: Demographic factors: Younger people, lower socio-economic class (but I would lump this in piolitical disengagement - they are the ones least looked after by pollies, so why bother?), health, ethnicity Logistics - accessibility, voter id (newly introduced by the conservatives to dissuade younger voters - getting a licence or passport isn't important for these folks) With the probably exception of younger people, it would be hard to generalise which way they would vote. Ihave rarely voted in UK elections since the conservatives got in because all sides were populated with chaff, not wheat; and I didn't want my vote to endorse anyone. It was probably under the political disengagement heading, which is not accurate - it was an intentional decision not to endorse anyone. I long for the day when the whole electorate reject the lot of the pollies to send a signla they need to do better on all sides. Given the reasons though, let's assume many are disengaged; i.e. they don't care enought to cast their vote (without numbers, it is only a hypothesis). But lets face it, if people were engaged, they would do their best to overcome the other barriers. Then let's assume, in order to improve voter turnout in the US, they introduced compulsory voting.. How would those that didn't vote, vote? Well, it's hard to say of course, but intuitively, the evidence would suggest it would probably make no difference to their normal voting behaviour. For example, evidence suggests that when an election is contentious in optional voting jurisdictions, voter turnout is higher because there is effectively a call to arms. For example, the Brexit referendum turnout was 72.2%, the last election turnout was 69.7%, but the average since 2001 is about 65%, Given Trump has already had a term and the damage done in that term was known, one would expect if the non-voters were enegrised enough not to have a repeat, they would have come out in force. However, the turnout appears to be 63.9%, which is below the 2020 turnout of 66.6%, Therefore,despite Harris, not as many could be bothered to vote as last time. I would contend if forced to vote, they would vote along their normal lines, or with their hip pocket, which probbaly means the voter results would probably more or less align with the vote of the 63.9% who voted in the absence of specific demographics. Note, that younger people today are veering right, and ethnic groups who are humaitarian or economic refugees are unlikely to vote for a "socialst" government, because they often flee countries purporting to be socialist countries, but are nothing more than autocratic communist countries (remind me what the USSR stands for?). All that to say, it was still the brainless voters we have to thank for instilling the brainless republicans.

I have been meaning to write.. suely there is some waste in the $22bn annual contracts to SpaceX?

And thanks to the hordes of brainless US voters that voted and continue to support them

I was a bit young to know what was going on, but when I later heard, I could not understand why people threw paint (and other abuse) at vets not not the pollies who sent them there. To me, it is the real issue with humanity. A purported gravy train rolls past and people just jump on it and join in without thinkking about it. It is the same thing with Chump... the right wing media are whipping things up, and people just jump in. Some people are now learning about the negative consequences to them, but they still support Chump. I read in an article on the FT that in the burbs, people still supported him as what he has sone hasn't impacted them (yet).. they even conceded it was selfish; but it was an "I'm alright, jack" mentality without caring for their fellow human beings (https://www.ft.com/content/cea4cb0c-95b0-48b7-bcc3-e219f3714196); quoting from it: However, this is not unexpected in the US. The culture is "me.. me.. me.." and of course, it has to be im-me-diate gratification; Chump is actively reducing oil prices and reached a deal with OPEC to flood the markets; I am guessing there was a threat of flooding the market with US Oil, or, in his trade war with Canada, he has to seek supplies from elsewhere that he won't tarrif (oh how ironic would that be if it were from Saudi or another Arab state, yet he wants to slap immigration bans on there). Noticed that Russia and Ukraine meet US envoys in Saudi? Neither country are a threat to Chump. Bugger the fact that a few cents a gallon will cost them huge in the future when their country goes up in smoke or floods or dries out. They obviously don't love their children enough.

Ther eis NOTHING WRONG with Wolfie. He is the sale of the earth blue collar of the wine industry - basic, but reliable and dependable. Well, there have been the occasiona, I will admit. I am not sure about Spacey's tipple.. It is definitely not wine.. I was initially thinking a cocktail of meths and kero, but worked out.. is it Brandivino 😉 (Don't laugh.. My stepfather was hooked on that stuff). Nah.. it is a fine wine for Spacey.. His mate has a fancy name.. Grange H.

I am aghast at this: (From the Financial Times). Trump was quoted by the CIA honcho as saying Kyiv is not committed to the peace process and they are pausing. FFS., If this is not a clarion call to walk away from very long term strategic military partnerships with the US, then I don't know what is!

What's your definition of political mileage? If they (regardless of who was in) competently assessed the needs of the victims and delivered the necessary aid , then, as a voter and taxpayer I wouldwant to know as much as if the stuffed it up because it helps me assess ithe competency of the government in dealing with things. The oppo can also criticise and if they had a credible plan that was say 1/2 the price and delivered twice as fast, or pointed out any pork barelling then I would be also gauging that as a voter, too. Everything the government do is an opportunity for "political mileage", as does the opposition and other MPs. I wish they all realised it and did the best

So, are you saying the government shouldn't help any victims of the cyclone?

Your arguments or position doesn't make sense.. Wars of the Putin type are, let's face it, forced immigration. Yet you are dead against immigration (way back you mentione about needing a far right minister to quash immigration). So, on the one hand you don't want legal immigration, or as is often incorrectly assertted illegal immigration of refugees, but on the other hand you will roll over for forced immigration. Work that out, because I can't And then, the liogic would be if those Chinese ships that ammassed in the Tasman sea decided to invade, you would just hand your land over without a fight.. And then you say OME's assertion that you are OK to do away with democracy [and the rule of law] meaning you are happy for people to take whatthey want from you is wrong? I am totally confused.. what do you actually stand for?

When are you moving to the US now your orange saviour will be delivering milk and honey to the land of what apparently was the dark ages?