Thursday Open Thread

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119 comments to Thursday Open Thread

  • #
    RicDre

    Academic Freedom? The Peter Ridd Case is Part of a Much Larger Problem with Australian Universities

    What academic freedom is left in Australia, if Professor Patrick Parkinson, Dean of Law at the University of Queensland had a paper rejected, because students and peer reviewers were concerned, not about whether the paper was well structured and presented, but about whether the paper might offend people?

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/10/27/academic-freedom-the-peter-ridd-case-is-part-of-a-much-larger-problem-with-australian-universities/

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    • #
      RicDre

      I just received this update from Peter Ridd:

      Dear All,
      We got some good news today. The High Court has reviewed our documentation and set the date for the hearing to decide if it will hear our full appeal. It will be February next year. The great majority of applications are rejected on the documentation, so we have passed the first hurdle. If we succeed in February, the actual hearing could be many months after that.

      We got some other very good news on Wednesday with the Commonwealth education Minister Dan Tehan, announcing the introduction of a University Free-Speech bill in parliament. Minister Tehan said “the legal advice that I have is that they [JCU] wouldn’t have been able to prosecute Peter Ridd if these laws had of been in, place.”

      Thankyou Minister! I have been told on the grapevine that there has been a lot of lobbying to get this Bill into parliament and I thank the likes Senator Hansen, George Christensen and doubtless many others for their efforts. More information at
      https://www.facebook.com/Inst.ofPublicAffairs/posts/10160441718078858

      Irrespective of whether JCU win in the High Court, they now have a piece of legislation introduced to stop their disgraceful behaviour happening again. Unfortunately, we have to fight on what the law was in 2018. But JCU is now in no doubt about where the Government stands on this issue.

      Finally, my book on the Great Barrier Reef, and why it is not as badly damaged as is often claimed, is coming off the printing press (in Victoria). Despite the virus it is available for order through Connor Court Publishing

      https://www.connorcourtpublishing.com.au/REEF-HERESY-Science-Research-and-the-Great-Barrier-Reef–Peter-Ridd-_p_404.html

      The book is written for the layman and looks at all the major threats to the reef and the flaws in science quality assurance. The book also has a short section on the legal saga written by Morgan Begg from the IPA. We decided that I was the last person who could write in a detached manner about that.
      So it has been a good week. We now wait until February.

      Thanks again for supporting the cause. I am getting the feeling it has all been worth it.

      Kind regards
      Peter

      https://www.gofundme.com/f/peter-ridd-legal-action-fund-2019?viewupdates=1&rcid=r01-160395450214-bef082afbb6242d2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_email%2B1137-update-supporters-v5b

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  • #
    RicDre

    Aussie PM Defies Pressure to Set a Net Zero 2050 Climate Target

    Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has upset greens by refusing to set a net zero target. ScoMo is not concerned the net zero targets of trading partners will affect Aussie fossil fuel exports.

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/10/28/aussie-pm-defies-pressure-to-set-a-net-zero-2050-climate-target/

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  • #
    RicDre

    CNN Proposes Climate Friendly Battery Powered Military Vehicles

    According to CNN, the Pentagon is in a position to kickstart the USA’s green transport revolution through its enormous procurement needs.

    Obviously if the US army is going to start running around remote battlefields in tanks which only have a few miles range, someone is going to have to install a lot of EV stations in some pretty inhospitable locations. It might also impact battlefield readiness if US tanks have half the range of opponents, take at least half an hour to recharge, and have to sacrifice armour to be lightweight and energy efficient.

    I guess US soldiers could ask enemy combatants to refrain from attacking for half an hour per day, while the tanks are on fast charge, and for the sake of the planet to please refrain from firing RPGs at the fragile base solar panel array and wind turbine systems.

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/10/27/cnn-proposes-climate-friendly-battery-powered-military-vehicles/

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    • #
      DOC

      Very topical. Last week a US police chase had to be abandoned because – their EV ran out of ‘gas’.

      Really, the total absence of practicality by greens leaves one’s mind in a mess. Surely, no human being could be this stupid; it’s totally non-survivable with no genetic saving grace at all. But then again, that’s assuming honesty of intent. The original planning, open for all to download and read 30years ago, in the UN records, showed saving the planet had nothing to do with the attack on the democracies, using CO2 and what was labelled Anthropogenic Global Warming as the means.

      The bigger question is, why do middle – right of middle – western governments continue this destruction of their economies, accepting the distorted outcomes based on antitraditional ‘scientific’/antiscientific methodologies? How have populations been induced to believe in overpriced renewable energy systems that result in restrictions, ill health and death, when the traditional expectation from governments has been to expect continuous improvement of standards of living?

      It’s the old technique of fear by indoctrination; contra arguments are totally and politically forbidden. Our politicians fear they can’t challenge these outcomes without damning themselves; no politician will do that. Morrison comes close, recognising the probable truth and resists the call to be the one to finally damn Australia into poverty while our enemies flourish on fossil fuels, mouthing the lie of abandoning fossil fuels ‘later’.

      Human beings! The smarter, better educated they are, the more naive they come. They trust too much those that control their education and their employment choices. They learn predetermined ‘facts’ but political techniques are off the learning agenda. How often do we hear the young ones disagree with the official answer to questions but serve it up to pass an exam (in propaganda?)

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      • #
        Graeme#4

        Local news says that the WA state govt is shelling out $2m for a trackless tram study. The proposal is for EV trams to be charged along the route. My guess is this concept will quietly vanish over time.

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        • #
          Gary Simpson

          Melbourne’s trams are already powered by electricity (economically fuelled via coal-fired power station).

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          • #
            Graeme#4

            This latest proposal is for no catenary, instead apparently acquiring power from somehow under the road.

            00

  • #
    TdeF

    The Climatebaggers are moving on.

    No one is pushing ‘the science’ of Man made Global Warming aka Climate Change aka Climate Extinction because it is now being treated as science fact. Despite not a single prediction over 32 years being true. Coal was the first target, then gas, then oil. Power stations are being removed, dams are not being built and electricity prices are rocketing all under the pretence that replaceables are somehow cheaper and more reliable, which again is proven wrong.

    Consider that one of Austrlia’s biggest banks, the ANZ bank is making Climate Change emission targets a condition of lending. This will hurt farming and industry and potentially even car loans.

    So what to do? Being right is not enough when socialist journalists hide the truth because it is part of their mission, to promote a dream socialist world, like Venezuela, Cuba, China. And if people think individuals like Soros are behind it, you have to look harder at the second biggest economy and biggest population in the world, China. Capitalist communism or socialism as in the US is simply Fascism.

    And the false flag groups like AntiFA and BLM are just fronts for totalitarians. The 1,000 person riot mobs today in Democrat controlled Philadelphia are nothing to do with the police who have been stood down. It is burn, loot and murder approved by the Democrat party in over 50 US cities. Maybe they think chaos will help with the election and be blamed on Trump?

    However the major concern is the fr*ud which is man made CO2 driven Global Warming. There is almost no man made CO2. CO2 levels are perfectly natural.
    That is easy to prove.

    My only thought is to create a public display/web site showing the amount of actual man released CO2 in the air, under 5%. And explaining how a scientist determines this with radio carbon dating, which can date even the CO2 in the air. And the implied question is that if our CO2 output is not cumulative , how can we be changing climates?

    The people who could do this are CO2 scientists on Mauna Loa and in NZ. There is little cost involved, but it would be the end of the argument. No man made CO2 means no man made problem. Whether increasing CO2 is a problem or a benefit becomes irrelevant. Only the benefits have been proven and admitted even by the Greens. And there is no such thing as harmless, viable, free Green energy. Nothing works, at horrendous direct cost and to the environment.

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    • #
      Dennis

      Repeat: Go Woke, Go Broke.

      Another example is the NSW Minister for the Environment, young Matt Keane of the Sydney northern suburbs, an accountant. He has been exposed promoting anti-gas extraction propaganda to school children and environment groups disregarding that the NSW Cabinet has approved new gas exploration and extraction for exclusive use of east coast consumers, plus one new gas fired power station supported by the Federal Government and a second planned subject to AGL taking the project on, if not the Federal Government intends to fund it with NSW Government cooperation and essential planning approval.

      Matt is also on recent record claiming that the smoke haze from the 2019/20 bushfires is irrefutable evidence of climate change.

      No doubt there are many Matt like characters, university graduates of his generation, who are also indoctrinated and believe in what is claimed to be “the science” of climate hoax.

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    • #
      Ted O'Brien.

      It must have been five years ago, maybe more, the headline on this blog told us that the science had won the argument.

      I remember that I posted the comment, “never drop your guard”.

      I think it was early 2019 The Pointman declared that the battle had been won.

      Looking from here I couldn’t see it. Maybe in America there were signs we couldn’t see. I wondered if the failure of the Mueller investigation might have been his turning point.

      Today our banks are starting to entrench this scam into our economic management. The scammers have won in the end.

      Unless Trump can win next week.

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      • #
        Dennis

        “Temperatures dropped steadily from the late 1940s to the late 1970s. The popular press was even talking about a coming ice age. Ice ages have regularly occurred roughly every 10,000 years, with a new one actually due around now.” Ferrara said. Ferrara adds that “In the late 1970s, the natural cycles turned warm and temperatures rose until the late 1990s, a trend that political and economic interests have tried to milk mercilessly to their advantage.” Actually, the incorruptible satellite measured global atmospheric temperatures show less warming during this period than the heavily manipulated land surface temperatures. But that is not all. Earth is also currently experiencing a surprisingly long period with very low sunspot activity. That is associated with the earth’s history with even lower, colder temperatures. The pattern was seen during a period known as the Dalton Minimum from 1790 to 1830, which saw temperature readings decline by two degrees in a 20-year period, and the noted Year Without A Summer in 1816. Even worse was the period known as the Maunder Minimum from 1645 to 1715, which saw only about 50 sunspots during one 30-year period within the cycle, compared to a typical 40,000 to 50,000 sunspots during such periods in modern times. The Maunder Minimum coincided with the coldest part of the Little Ice Age, which the earth suffered from about 1350 to 1850. The Maunder Minimum saw sharply reduced agricultural output, and widespread human suffering, disease and premature death. The outstanding question now is just how cold this present cold cycle will get. Will it be modest like the cooling from the late 1940s to late 1970s? Or will the lack of sunspots drive us all the way down to the Dalton Minimum, or even the Maunder Minimum?

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        • #
          Ted O’Brien.

          Sorry sbout the red thumb. Need a bigger iPad.

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        • #
          Graeme#4

          Unless it’s a greater drop than two degrees, I believe that it won’t be noticed, due to UHI, moving measurement sites to warmer locations and homogenisation.

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        • #
          el gordo

          ‘Will it be modest like the cooling from the late 1940s to late 1970s?’

          That is the most likely outcome and its enough to prove natural cycles rule and not a benign trace gas. The next decade should be cooler than the last as the AMO and PDO become a negative duo.

          Its clear to me that the hiatus or plateau in world temperature earlier this century was caused by a negative PDO, it slipped back to neutral in 2014 and temperatures increased.

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        Unless people just dump the woke banks, and go with people who actually arent spineless fashion followers….

        The strength of the housing market signifies faith in the fundamentals of the economy.

        If Woke Bank wants to sit there and power it branches on intermittent power, well it can, but people who actually want to deal with grown ups will likely go elsewhere.

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        • #
          TdeF

          The ANZ is already denying it is attacking farmers and families on the land and utterly Un Australian.

          Clearly the overpaid woke ratbags at the top are starting to realize that being the bank everyone hates is not going to help their business.

          The arrogance of executives never ceases to amaze. These are people who have climbed the slippery pole to the top without realising that they are not Gods and a bank needs borrowers and not a panic flight from a bank which vilifies and penalizes their own customers. Welcome to the real world.

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          • #
            Another Ian

            I don’t think the ANZ was thinking of “getting a boost” here

            “ANZ Bank Demands Carbon Divestment as a Condition of Business Loans”

            https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/10/29/australian-anz-bank-demands-zero-carbon-as-a-condition-of-business-loans/

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          • #
            Ted O’Brien.

            The Overpaid woke ratbags will follow the dollar.

            All the way to the crash!

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          • #
            MP

            The top four share holders of all our banks are the same, Blackrock and Vanguard are in there as well.

            Top 4 ANZ Shareholders
            Name of Shareholder Number of Shares %
            1 HSBC CUSTODY NOMINEES (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED 446,984,331 17.46
            2 J P MORGAN NOMINEES AUSTRALIA LIMITED 371,451,021 14.51
            3 NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED 343,611,753 13.42
            4 CITICORP NOMINEES PTY LIMITED 98,249,488 3.84
            Top 4 CBA Shareholders
            Name of Shareholder Number of Shares %
            1 HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 210,455,886 13.59
            2 J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 154,853,734 10.00
            3 National Nominees Limited 136,450,456 8.81
            4 Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 66,664,831 4.30
            Top 4 NAB Shareholders
            Name of Shareholder Number of shares %
            1 HSBC Custody Nominees 359,630,439 16.86
            2 J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 260,185,567 12.20
            3 National Nominees Limited 244,446,877 11.46
            4 Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 97,543,050 4.57
            Top 4 WBC Shareholders
            Name of Shareholder Number of Fully Paid Ordinary Shares % Held
            1 HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 444,695,642 14.88
            2 JP Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 379,805,564 12.71
            3 National Nominees Limited 312,929,618 10.47
            4 Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 143,271,824 4.79

            Bendigo and the BOQ also share the same top 4 share holders.

            HSBC major share holders.

            China’s largest insurer Ping An has surpassed BlackRock as the biggest shareholder of HSBC -with 1.42 billion or 7.01 percent of shares – after buying 5.37 million shares on November 1, according to shareholding disclosures from Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.

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        • #
          yarpos

          Just like the ACT the woke banks will talk the talk and then take their power from the primarily coal and gas fueled grid. The hypocrisy doesnt end there though the ANZ outsourced a lot of its IT data centre and call centre business to India. I visited their centre in Bangalore many years ago. Sitting in a dirty, unreliable grid and running its own generators quite frequently by our standards.

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      • #
        JoKaH

        Matt is also on recent record claiming that the smoke haze from the 2019/20 bushfires is irrefutable evidence of climate change.

        Maybe poor Matt’s indoctrination left out the fact that the “Blue Mountains” got their name from the blue haze from volatiles coming from the eucalyptus forests in the mountains in summertime!

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    • #
      Ross

      I think the best way is a document that explains the scientific facts that CO2 has no effect on global warming and also dispels the myths of alarmism such as consensus and settled science. This document could be presented at local body/council level and also act as a legal defense against forms of carbon taxes. The onus should then be on the recipient of such document to disprove it. At the present solid facts are just ignored and a situation needs to be presented that forces acceptance or fact based rebuttal. Maybe someone with a legal background could comment.

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    • #
      Another Ian

      “Sometimes, there is nothing to add”

      https://catallaxyfiles.com/2020/10/29/sometimes-there-is-nothing-to-add/

      And comments

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    • #
      Deano

      If they were any other type of business, I would expect ANZ’s competitor banks to simply sit and wait for the ex ANZ customers to drift through their front doors. But banks seem to operate as cartels nowadays. You can be sure, no matter how unpopular ANZ’s decision is the others will follow.

      Climate corruption money interests run very deep.

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  • #
    graham dunton

    I would urge people, to start associating the involvement of the UN in past, and current hyperbole.
    Do not forget, their desire UN – is for a world government. Controlled by…., you guessed it.
    Bringing that situation under control, is not for the timidity of our government. There are too many of their hangers on, still aspiring to represent that defunct body.
    The Axe requires to be dropped now, no more involvement with the UN.
    Wasn’t the Prime minister, opinion we are big enough as a country, to stand on our own and not succumb to external forces. well why are we then, our national treasure, the Great Barrier Reef, we Australia no longer require your, UN idea of world heritage, we have our own management in place.

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    • #
      DOC

      #5 That’s the poison of the External Affairs Powers. We can already be governed by our Parliaments acceding to international agreements over which the voters have no control in a 3year election rotation.

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  • #

    ” The people who could do this are CO2 scientists on Mauna Loa and in NZ”
    I seem to recall that the descendants of Keeling are still doing the ML stuff. I doubt very much that they will change sides. and NZ is not looking likely either. Shutting down the world to combat the ChiCom virus has not resulted in any CO2 reduction. OCO2 showed absolutely nothing so is no longer reported. The recent paper by Wijngaarden and W. Happer goes a long way to demonstrate the reality of atmospheric CO2.
    Will the current cooling reduce the oceam outgassing? My rather sporadic CO2 measurements from airflow off the eastern Coral Sea have not confirmed the increase over the last few years that has been claimed. Recently the datalogger seems to have failed, and I don’t intend to replace it.

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  • #

    Tucker Carlson Says He Had ‘Authentic, Damning’ New Hunter Biden Documents—But It Got Lost in the Mail

    https://i.imgflip.com/1s7ds2.jpg

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    • #
      R.B.

      It was taken from its envelop when sent through a courier company. It’s documented that an employee found the envelope opened at 3.44 am.

      Maybe a Russian did it.

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      • #
        Gee aye

        Hold on. You believe these documents exist?

        Ah well, they will have copies.

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        • #
          OriginalSteve

          Doesnt really matter…..Bidens goose is cooked. The plan was to use the 25th to remove him any way so Harris could take over.

          Given how excited the americans are about Trump, the Dems mights as well go take a holiday as campaigning wont make much difference.

          Its also been intersting watching how people have reacted to the overert censorship of the Biden info by social media.All its done is fan the flames of the fire driving Trump.

          I hope they declare Antifa a terrorist organization after the election, then they can send the special forces after them , and also hunt down the financiers. There will be a few billionaires who will be nervous….

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        • #
          R.B.

          When the FBI spend 2 years and $30M looking for them and can’t find any evidence, I might reconsider.

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        • #
          Another Ian

          Photographic it seems

          In comments at CTH relaying a Twitter

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    • #
      Another Ian

      “Tucker Carlson: Bobulinski Documents Intercepted and Removed From Overnight Package….”

      And likely how

      https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/10/28/tucker-carlson-bobulinski-documents-intercepted-and-removed-from-overnight-package/

      Gee! Eh!

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    • #
      DOC

      It was stolen in the mail system. The packet was open and the contents gone. So far, no villain yet found. I presume camera surveillance was also wiped. It’s called professionalism. The company involved says it has searched extensively for when it happened.

      IMO it shows just how totally rotten the US systems are and how it is even more imperative for Trump to ‘drain the swamp’. The US would be no worse off if a new Trump government decided to get really tough and make that its greatest task over the next 4 years, beginning on day 1. The US prison system needs to be made replete with these people who are actually traitors and the last people that should be allowed near a government agency.

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      • #
        Richard Ilfeld

        Fortunately, the news organization was also professional, thus did not commit the only copy of the information to UPS.
        Sometimes, it’s good to be paranoid…..wait, its not being paranoid when they are really out to get you.
        The strange thing is, most folks weren’t that bothered when ole Joe grabbed a few million bucks by being the senator from MBNA.
        And if there is anyone in this world that doesn’t think the idiot kids of the boss get taken care of at every level of politics and business and
        government they are living under a rock or a candidate for sainthood or a leftist liar.
        Selling out to foreign governments is a whole other kettle of fish.
        But not only is this not new — why do we forget it was originally leaked by the Clintons early in the 2016 primary season?

        Dirt on the top dog is why Chuck Schumer says the [out-of-control] intelligence agencies have six ways from Sunday to get you; and how the deep
        state runs things as a rule. Match up the lifestyles of the political and politically connected with the salaries they admit to earning, folks.

        Tis a dirty business indeed.

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      • #

        you really believe this don’t you? Maybe you need to invoke the real skeptic in yourself.

        Fox News won a court case by ‘persuasively’ arguing that no ‘reasonable viewer’ takes Tucker Carlson seriously

        https://www.businessinsider.com.au/fox-news-karen-mcdougal-case-tucker-carlson-2020-9?r=US&IR=T

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      • #
        DOC

        My apologies if that’s what’s needed. Obviously a lot of questions to boot – how, when, why? No doubt more will be revealed in the passage of time. Actually, Tucker received accolades this week on being the most popular / trusted commentator on cable, or something like that.The charges of ignoring the national interest against the bulk of the msm in refusing to mention the Biden laptop affair pre-election still stands. US Society is split in two along similar characteristic lines as Brexit induced in the UK, but with an associated extreme socialist stance added.

        Those that are so busy putting all their money and energy into getting rid of Trump are ignoring the fact that they are the ones Biden’s Democrats have lined up to pay that $4T tax extra over ten years. Many are also the ones that will have to again go offshore to manufacture when the Dems destroy the US ff energy supplies. Can’t see plain sailing anywhere, even if the Dems win.

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    • #
      R.B.

      And UPS found them. Any apologies from the only reasonable voice on this blog? (Surely a /sarc is not necessary)

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      • #

        it just gets sillier. Maybe when he gets them back he can scan and send instead like a normal person would.

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      • #
        R.B.

        They exist. It happened as claimed. You pretended that there was something wrong with me for not being woke enough to see that it was a lie.

        Surely you’re b if enough to apologise?

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    • #
      R.B.

      And UPS found them. Any apologies from the only reasonable voice on this blog? (Surely a /sarc is not necessary)

      00

  • #
    RickWill

    Many retailers in the USA are spending a small fortune to board up and/or insure their premises. They fear the backlash should Trump get re-elected and the resulting affirmative activists shopping regime.
    https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/us-businesses-splurge-on-insurance-to-protect-against-post-election-chaos-13394730

    A news report in Australia had a store owner pleading to her community to stop looting their local retailers. There were driving away the business they relied on for their daily needs.

    It will be a much watched election.

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  • #
    R.B.

    Politifact did a fact check on a single Facebook ebook post

    Says “Hunter Biden had 25,000 pics of him torturing and raping children under age 10 in China on his laptop.”

    Strangely enough, it was found to be false. It’s far from what Giuliana claimed was on it.

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    • #
      Ted O’Brien.

      25,000 “pics”?

      That might make 1,000 seconds of video. 16 or so minutes. Or maybe half that.

      Now, what was the subject matter? Oh, somebody said…..

      25,000 “pics” might be a lot less than first appears.

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    • #
      tom0mason

      R.B.
      “Politifact did a fact check …”

      Say no more, Politifact doesn’t ever get anything wrong — do they?

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  • #
    Chad

    I am repeatedly surprised that each time i look up progress of the AREH, ( Asian Renewable Energy Hub ) project in the Kimberlys … that is proposed size and cost increases beyond anybelievable expectation.
    Currently, the projet is quoted as being $50 Billion for 26 GW of Solar and Wind foe use inClean Hydrogen production and power export to Singapore via HVDC undersea cables.
    This proposal has been bobbing along for the past 5 years , initially starting as a 9 GW proposal
    But every few months the scale and cost is revised up.

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  • #
    Chad

    I am repeatedly surprised that each time i look up progress of the AREH, ( Asian Renewable Energy Hub ) project in the Kimberlys … that is proposed size and cost increases beyond anybelievable expectation.
    Currently, the projet is quoted as being $50 Billion for 26 GW of Solar and Wind foe use inClean Hydrogen production and power export to Singapore via HVDC undersea cables.
    This proposal has been bobbing along for the past 5 years , initially starting as a 9 GW proposal
    But every few months the scale and cost is revised up.
    https://asianrehub.com/

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    • #
      Serp

      The AREH is looking like simply an instrument, or model if you will, for inspiring credulity in other, possibly cheaper, hare brained schemes elsewhere in the land and is never intended for actual construction being more myth than substance; you don’t to have to be a halfwit to find the project unfathomable.

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    • #
      Dennis

      Marketing wording does not specify the basis for the output claim … is it nameplate/ installed or capacity factor?

      The link states “up to”?

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      • #
        Chad

        Seriously ?…
        The largest solar installation to date is about 1.5 GW nameplate.
        Can you imagine how big a 20,GW or even 10GW OUTPUT installation
        The correct terminology would be to say 26GWp…..the “p” denoting a peak capacity under perfect conditions
        …OR it should be quoted as “X”TWh annual output .
        So, for this project that should be approx 70TWh pa..

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    • #
      yarpos

      I thought the Hydrogen fantasy has replaced the HVDC cable fantasy as a way of getting energy to Singapore or somewhere.

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    • #
      el gordo

      They are doing it piecemeal, to see how it pans out. Infrastructure and employment are needed now to get the economy moving.

      https://www.energy-storage.news/news/australian-govt-to-fast-track-26gw-hydrogen-ammonia-asian-renewable-energy

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      • #
        Graeme No.3

        el gordo:
        this is lunacy. They suggest using electrolysis to generate hydrogen by using electricity from “green sources”. That is 62% efficiency AT BEST!
        Then they suggest converting that hydrogen into either ammonia or ‘synthetic’ natural gas!!!??? for transport. Efficiency? Then that ‘fuel” is converted back into hydrogen to produce electricity.
        Let’s see; 62% by ? (say 90% conversion) by 95% (transport loss) by 90%(reconversion) by 60% (last for the hydrogen fuel cell) = 31%.

        I must be missing something, why wouldn’t Singapore use natural gas directly? Much more efficient hence cheaper and less CO2 emissions.
        Natural gas at over 3 times the price?

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        • #
          el gordo

          Yeah, its a facade, so lets look at the partners and consider their motivation.

          ‘The hub is being developed by a consortium of partners including InterContinental Energy, CWP Energy Asia, Vestas and Pathway Investments.’

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        • #
          el gordo

          One of the partners see the opportunity to make money.

          ‘The project, on the drawing board since 2014, has switched from a plan to produce wind and solar power and transmit it to Asia, to a plan to use clean power to split water and produce hydrogen and then ammonia for export.

          ‘AREH aims to make a final investment decision in 2025.’

          Reuter

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        • #
          yarpos

          funny how often that 30% number comes up in green energy fantasy projects

          still if it saves one kiddie or even a planet it will have all been worth it, the virtue is just a bonus

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    • #
      Graeme#4

      Chad, presume this is a different proposal to AAPL in the NT? If yes, why would two different projects both planning to pipe power to Singapore?

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      • #
        Chad

        G4….
        ? Maybe .. Because the want to save the planet ?
        Or …..maybe they see away of making money from Federal and State grants , development funds, carbon offsets, etc etc. ?

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  • #
    OriginalSteve

    A very good news service that also does panel discussion ( and is un-apolgetically Christian ) is

    https://www.trunews.com

    These guys will drill into things and take no prisoners and are not afraid to turn over rocks to look underneath.

    They are absolutely hated by the Left. Usually they have a daily podcast ( or video ) thats an hour long. A lot of the news is US based, but Australia ( and Victoria recently ) has made it into their bulletins. They are also on appletv.

    They are also un-reliant on ony social media ( they have thier own streaming servers ) so can say what they want and have been kicked off yootube, farcebook and probably twit as well.

    They also have been drilling into the CCP-Biden story, and its enlightening reading….

    It may not be everyones style, but the content cant be faulted. As the media gets more and more messed up, news services like this will become essential as you wont get the truth from many other places.

    2 of the panelists are ex-military as well, so its very no nonsense. They arent afraid to poke the bear as well…..

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    el gordo

    Tantalising click bait.

    ‘ANZ chief says ‘real pain’ to come mid-2021 as big four bank exits coal

    ‘Chief executive Shayne Elliott predicts the full economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic will be felt next year after government wage support packages come to an end.’ SMH

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    Try this quick exercise

    Find out the average temperature of the city that you live in

    Now add 2.0 to that average temperature, to find out what your cities global warming average temperature will be

    Now look to see how many cities around the world already have a temperature that is that high, or higher

    I am willing to bet that you will find dozens, if not hundreds, of cities around the world which already have a temperature that is greater that your city’s global warming temperature

    The important question to ask is, are the people who live in these hundreds of cities already dead or dying?

    I think that you know what the answer is

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    • #

       
      You’ve got to accentuate the positive
      Eliminate the negative
      And latch on to the affirmative
      Don’t mess with mister in-between

      You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
      Bring gloom down to the minimum
      Have faith or pandemonium’s
      Liable to walk upon the scene

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    Dennis

    Preparing for Christmas in the NSW Southern Highlands.

    What clothing to pack? Summer or Winter, dry or wet?

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    TdeF

    Very smart move by President Trump.. for the millenial vote

    President Donald Trump’s deputies have launched a fundamental reform of the H-1B visa system to protect American graduates from outsourcing — despite furious opposition from donors and leaders from Silicon Valley, Fortune 500 companies, and coastal investors.

    Which goes to show that if you throw everything against a sitting President, he will fight back.

    Plus he wins the graduates and near graduates who realise there are no jobs if Biden wins.

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      TdeF

      Sanders ‘Free’ university is no help if there are no jobs anyway and overseas graduates will work for a fraction of the pay.

      “The reform will end the annual award of 85,000 H-1B visas by lottery, which has been gamed by companies to import foreign workers at wages far below the salaries needed by American professionals. Instead, the visas will be offered to the companies that compete to offer the highest salaries, preventing employers from undercutting American graduates.”

      And just before the election.

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      Peter C

      Do the young graduates and graduates to be know about that?

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      el gordo

      I love the irony, good work by the POTUS.

      E.O. 13788 specifically directed DHS and other agencies to “suggest reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries.” 

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    David Maddison

    Here is an article of how ANZ, mentioned above, wants you to be “net zero emissions compliant” if you are a farmer or construction firm and want a loan.

    I’m glad I don’t owe shares in them or an account. One friend is already closing his account because of this wokeness.

    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anz-sets-climate-test-for-loans/news-story/6bb207a2a7ce8cd314a7660962610906

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      yarpos

      I tried to get Australian Super to clarify is any of its investment options were fully non woke and non green and just focussed on returns. Think I could get a straight answer? At first they responded as if I had asked the opposite , they are so indoctrinated. I had to double check I was dealing with a human and I am still not convinced that I was.

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    tom0mason

    Happy News

    WHO now showing that Flu has been eradicated!
    See https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ElKS3OhXgAE94_P?format=jpg&name=4096×4096

    🙂

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    tom0mason

    Corona, False Alarm?: Facts and Figures is currently the #1 best seller on Amazon’s Biostatistics section and already has 144 five star ratings and offers astonishing facts and figures behind the fake pandemic that everyone needs to see.

    The Amazon review says …

    “Cut to the facts about coronavirus in Corona, False Alarm?, the runaway German bestseller. In June 2020, Corona, False Alarm? exploded into the German market, selling 200,000 copies and 75,000 e-books in six weeks. No other topic dominates our attention as much as coronavirus and COVID-19, the infectious disease it triggers. There’s been a global deluge of contradictory opinions, fake news, and politically controlled information. Differing views on the dangers posed by the pandemic have led to deep division and confusion, within governments, society, and even among friends and family.
    In Corona, False Alarm?, award-winning researchers Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi and Dr. Karina Reiss give clarity to these confusing and stressful times. They offer analysis of whether radical protective measures-including lockdown, social distancing, and mandatory masking-have been justified, and what the ramifications have been for society, the economy, and public health. Dr. Bhakdi and Dr. Reiss provide dates, facts, and background information, including: How Covid-19 compares with previous coronaviruses and the flu virus What infection numbers and the death rate really tell us The challenges around lockdown: Were the protective measures justified? Mandatory mask-wearing: Does the science support it? Does the race for vaccine development make sense? What are the chances of success? Will the vaccine be safe? Will people accept it? Corona, False Alarm? provides you with sound information and substantiated facts-and encourages you to form your own opinion on the corona crisis.”

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      tom0mason

      Also there is an interesting site, which some people believe in part of an ‘industry of deʼníal about COVID’ — which is utter nonsense as no such outfit exists But conspiracy idea is entirely another issue.

      With reference to the UK government’s mishandling of the COVID drama …

      Professor Mark Woolhouse epidemiologist and specialist in infectious diseases, Edinburgh University Member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviours, that advises the Government stated that –

      ‘…Lockdown was a monumental disaster on a global scale. The cure was worse than the disease.’

      ‘I never want to see national lockdown again. It was always a temporary measure that simply delayed the stage of the epidemic we see now. It was never going to change anything fundamentally, however low we drove down the number of cases,’
      ‘We absolutely should never return to a position where children cannot play or go to school.’

      I believe the harm lockdown is doing to our education, health care access, and broader aspects of our economy and society will turn out to be at least as great as the harm done by Covid-19.’(1)

      The World Doctors Alliance agree fully with Prof Woolhouse’s assertions, he is right! We must never lockdown again!
      NB the term ‘covid’ has been used to represent Sars-CoV-2 and Covid-19

      From https://worlddoctorsalliance.com/?fbclid=IwAR3chbAHLOjhmhzkM4TJOMlMDO5bFZZzYLuJHemBkXSaFgIkPcC7dOjpZTI

      These people along with the Oxford based The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-florence-nightingales-daigrams-for-deaths/) have the knack of showing what is really going on and not bather on about the latest modeled outcomes.

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      yarpos

      Another view not distorted by Covid hypebole is available at euromomo.eu. This site tracks overall deaths trends (all causes) and highlights when excess deaths above trend have occurred. For all the hysteria surrounding Covid in Europe there are eleven countries that have never experienced excess deaths (first or second waves) . They are Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia.

      Many locations are tracking low vs trend these include the UK excluding England, Sweden, Finland and Austria. Presumably this is due to improved short term public hygiene and contact limitations. Longer term we may see a spike due to people not seeking timely health advice and diagnostics not being available due to health system panic.

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    tom0mason

    I have tried to get a postal COVID test from the government site and have been emailed that my given particulars do not verify. No details, no other reasons given. They inform me that I have to go to the nearest test center (which according to their information) is some miles away.
    No chance. I shall just wait for my next hospital appointment (a blood test) next month and ask for one then.

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  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    CSIRO – Senate Estimates, Oct 28, 2020.

    PHON Malcolm Roberts embarrasses the CSIRO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joIV-WaKxps

    Glad I voted PHON in QLD election.

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  • #
    Peter C

    Fairfax American Correspondent Matthew Knott seems to be preparing his readers for a Trump victory.

    Yesterday he revealed the disparity between the crowds attending the Biden Rallies and the crowds attending the Trump Rallies. Trumpers at the Biden Rallies stand outside the fence but still outnumber the Biden supporters.

    Today he does a ‘thought experiment’ and counts the votes. According to his analysis Trump wins Florida and it comes down to Pennsylvania!

    20

    • #
      yarpos

      must have been had for him, he seems to be a dedicated Kool Aid drinker looking at the anti Trump stuff he usually churns out

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    David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

    Thanks Travis,
    No wonder Finkel didn’t appear.
    Cheers
    Dave B

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    Matt

    Palusczuchuk and her closed borders reminds one of the ‘Yes Minister’ skit on the hospital with no patients, ‘ but sir , patients will just ruin the perfect efficiency record of this new hospital ‘

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    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Curiously there was a hospital with no patients in Australia. The West Footscray Hospital in 1989.
      I saw the outside only but my “chauffeur” went in as he had visiting medical status. From memory 120 beds, 72 staff (including a Matron and one nurse as the medical team). Built in response to an election promise but not opened to ‘save money’.

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    Peter C

    Pushed far enough, decisions are reached.

    The political pendulum has never, in the history of humanity, stayed on one side of a swing. The backlash from leftist over-reach has always been proportionate to how far off center it went before coming back; and right now there’s a whole hell of a lot of the country (about 80-90% of the land mass, as well as over half the population) that is FED UP.

    They tried to take him down with false accusations of collusion; he stood tall.

    The tried to take him down with a fabricated special counsel investigation; he stood tall.

    They tried to take him down with a fake impeachment effort; he stood tall.

    Our chosen President has been constantly attacked by those holding a corrupt, conniving and Godless leftist ideology. It is our job now to stand with him, firm on his behalf.

    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/10/30/ground-reports-3-polling-narratives-collapse-democrat-covid-strategy-backfires-maga-resolve-stronger-than-ever/#more-202867

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  • #
    tom0mason

    From https://principia-scientific.com/staggering-giant-coral-reef-discovered-in-australia/
    where they say …

    Scientists have discovered a massive detached coral reef in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – the first to be discovered in over 120 years. The new reef is taller than some of the world’s highest skyscrapers, reaching a staggering 500 meters off the seabed!

    It was found in waters off North Queensland by Australian scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor. The team are currently on a 12-month exploration of the ocean surrounding Australia.

    Funny what you can find when you look for it.

    10

  • #
    CHRIS

    Coral reefs largely depend (long-term) on the PH of the water surrounding it. Since there’s been practically no change in the PH of the Earth’s oceans during the Holocene, I fully support Peter Ridd and his war against the paganistic culture of ALL Australian Universities

    20

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    David Wojick

    We need to stop referring to the “MSM” as it supports the myth that they are MS. There is no MSM because people get their news and views from thousands of different sources. That most newspapers and TV networks are heavy duty climate alarmists, while a great many people are skeptics proves the point. There is no MSM.

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    • #
      yarpos

      I wish that was true and I want to beleive it myself

      However, i recently had a conversation with a an ex work collegaue on climate. It became clear his position was firmly based on MSM headlines and memes, and he had never scratched even one layer below that. This is a relatively intelligent, wealthy, person who had a successful career. He just sucks in whatever the MSM spews out.

      I think people tend to sources that tell them what they want to hear. Once you take a position its dead easy to find an echo chamber if thats how you brain works.

      20

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    OriginalSteve

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/these-6-states-never-went-into-lockdown-heres-how-theyre-doing/ss-BB15jodG#image=2

    “The state has already lifted all limitations on large gatherings, and only recommends wearing a face mask rather than requiring it. According to the South Dakota Department of Health, the state has had just over 5,600 total coronavirus cases, which have resulted in nearly 70 deaths

    Hmmm…70 deaths in 5600 is 1.25% death rate.

    Now assuming the 94% of covid deaths arent actually from covid as per the CDCs findings,
    the the covid death rate is actually (70/100)*6=4.2 or 0.075%

    Fauci looks like a bit of a dill now…

    10

  • #
    el gordo

    Natural Cycles Rule

    ‘A La Nina event tends to increase the chance of the UK getting some decent cold snaps before Christmas, as we saw in both 2016 and 2017, when we last had a La Nina pattern.’

    Express

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    el gordo

    ‘Research that tracks how the novel coronavirus mutates shows the rapid spread of a variant in Europe since the summer accounts for the majority of new cases in the United Kingdom and several other countries.

    ‘In a paper published on Thursday, scientists describe a variant that originated in Spanish farm workers, called 20A.EU1. They say it suggests that people returning from holiday in Spain played a role in transmitting the virus across Europe, according to a Financial Times report.’

    China Daily

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      Kalm Keith

      Almost the last thing in the list of “essential to do’s” was the need for easier authorisation for pre-emptive burns: actual hazzard reduction.

      Water bombers were high on the list.

      The “carbon cost” of running these is enormous and highly hypocritical.

      10

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    Orson

    Annual Victims of Communism Poll, 2020 YouGov Survey of 2,100 finds Ignorance and Anti-capitalism More Popular Than Ever in USA.

    49% of Gen-Z favor Communism, and 64% DO NOT believe communism killed more than the German Nazis did.

    These findings are deeply worrying, but I have no idea how much or how little they may apply Down Under.

    Excerpt from the cover post, with LINK at the bottom:

    …35% of Millennials and 31% of Gen Z support the gradual elimination of the capitalist system in favor of a more socialist system.

    It also showed growing concern for Donald Trump as president, especially among younger generations of Americans, with 34% of Gen Z and 35% of Millennials seeing him as the greatest threat to world peace, up 8% and 7% from 2019, respectively. This sentiment held true regarding his handling of the pandemic as well, with 39% of Gen Z and 32% of Millennials believing Trump is more responsible for COVID-19 becoming a pandemic than Xi Jinping of China. Opinions of America’s inequality grew markedly from 2019 with 68% of Americans thinking that America’s highest earners don’t pay their fair share. Among these Americans, 57% of Gen Z and 60% of Millennials favor a complete change of our economic system away from capitalism — a 14% and 8% increase from 2019, respectively.

    “It shock 35% of Millennials and 31% of Gen Z support the gradual elimination of the capitalist system in favor of a more socialist system.

    It also showed growing concern for Donald Trump as president, especially among younger generations of Americans, with 34% of Gen Z and 35% of Millennials seeing him as the greatest threat to world peace, up 8% and 7% from 2019, respectively. This sentiment held true regarding his handling of the pandemic as well, with 39% of Gen Z and 32% of Millennials believing Trump is more responsible for COVID-19 becoming a pandemic than Xi Jinping of China. Opinions of America’s inequality grew markedly from 2019 with 68% of Americans thinking that America’s highest earners don’t pay their fair share. Among these Americans, 57% of Gen Z and 60% of Millennials favor a complete change of our economic system away from capitalism — a 14% and 8% increase from 2019, respectively.

    “It shocks the conscience that more Americans today believe the U.S. President is a bigger threat to world peace than the most brutal dictators in the world, and that four-in-ten Americans believe that their country is a ‘racist’ nation,” says Marion Smith, Executive Director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. “This represents a total failure of our education system, not just in schools but also a basic dishonesty in our media and popular culture. When one-in-four Americans want to eliminate capitalism and embrace socialism, we know that we have failed to educate about the historical and moral failings of these ideologies.” in the world, and that four-in-ten Americans believe that their country is a ‘racist’ nation,” says Marion Smith, Executive Director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. “This represents a total failure of our education system, not just in schools but also a basic dishonesty in our media and popular culture. When one-in-four Americans want to eliminate capitalism and embrace socialism, we know that we have failed to educate about the historical and moral failings of these ideologies.”

    LINK https://victimsofcommunism.org/annual-poll/2020-annual-poll/

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    ren

    In November, the Nino 3.4 index will drop to -2 C.
    https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/ocean/nino34.png

    00