The Morning After: This is probably the best day for sane, honest, skeptical citizens in the last 30 years. In the long climate debate, this is the most significant political event — with more potential to restore science and free speech back to their rightful place. Ain’t democracy a great thing? Those who don’t like Trump say it was “populist” and a repeat of his campaign speech. Other people say “it’s about time”.
Trump is putting together a package for his customers, and telling the competition the US won’t be giving anything away.
UPDATE: and climate change disappears from the whitehouse website. Already Trump is in control of the Whitehouse.gov site and according to Jason Koebler “climate change has been deleted“. He writes: “It’s customary for www.whitehouse.gov to flip over to the new administration exactly at noon, but the only mention of climate on President Trump’s new website is under his “America First Energy Plan” page, in which he vows to destroy President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. A search of the website found no mention of “global warming,“…
“Today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington D.C. and giving it back to you, the people,” he said.
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.
“That all changes…
…
Today I take an oath of allegiance to all Americans. For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry, subsidised the armies of other countries, while allowing the sad depletion of our own military.
We’ve defended other nations’ borders while refusing to defend our own.
And spent trillion and trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay
…
“At the centre of this movement is a crucial conviction that a nation exists to serve its citizens,” he said.
“For too many of our citizens, a different reality exists. Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories, scattered like too many stones across the landscape, tombstones of our nation; an education system flushed with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge; and the crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealised potential.
This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.”
….
Just a little different to Obama’s inauguration:
And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more. — Obama
h/t Robert W.
Yes!
531
For over forty years in Australia, we have been governed by egos who imagined that they were governing the world, with Australia trailing along. Trump seems to be bringing a long overdue revision of the Current Conventional Wisdom that should flow on to us.
441
I take exception to your blanket trash talking. John Howard was a very good Prime Minister. Fitting in between the awful Hawke/Keating rule and the worst Prime Ministers Australia has ever had, KRudd/Gillard/Krudd. Howard stands out as having done an enormous amount to benefit Australia.
10
Oh please – you’re falling into L/R partisan silliness. That’s like trying to exculpate Rolf Harris because Jimmy Saville had bad taste in tracksuits.
Howard got us into Iraq and Afghanistan so that he could pretend that he was on the same dinner table as the Big Boys; for the same reason, he signed Australia up for the non-airworthy F35 without consultation with the Defence Department or the cabinet.
His (and Costello’s) budget legerdemain was achieved by selling the national silverware at rock-bottom prices (something started by Hawke and Keating).
Howard is Billy Hughes Redux – a cultural-cringeing forelock-tugger who has spent a lifetime wanting to be viewed as a ‘statesman’. At least Hughes was openly racist: Howard couches his racism in phrases like ‘turn back the boats’ [leaving aside that the boats come from places that he helped destroy: echoes of Vietnamese ‘boat people’ in the 1970s].
inb4 “The New Tax System”. Like all indirect taxes, it was designed designed explicitly to favour capital over labour, and the overall contribution to economic activity was 2/5ths of 3/8ths of X, where X rhymes with ‘truck-ball'[see Disclosure I].
In other words, it was a typical crony-enriching political act.
Don’t misread me: I detest the ALP as much as I do the Coalition. In fact I cannot get all of the human tapeworm who gorge at the tax trough in rank-order of how much I despise all of them… except that Howard definitely comes in at #1.
In fact since 2005 I have made clear my intention to deface his grave after he’s put in the ground (it will require some washing-up gloves, my own excrement, and the words “For Iraq”).
Disclosure I: the economic modelling place where I did my grad study, did all the economic modelling for Fightback! and also for ANTS (‘the GST’). I spent two years in the leadup to the enabling legislation for the GST, consulting to half of the ASX100 (and the Defence Department, the Justice Department (Vic) and a few others) on the implications of the GST for their cost structures. Almost all the economic benefit came from ERIT (export rebate/import tax) and its effects on import-competing industries: that policy could have been implemented without introducing a regressive indirect tax on consumption.
Disclosure II: my younger sister was a Senior Advisor to Gillard (on defence procurement, mostly) when Gillard was PM. My sister does not have the same political views as me (she couldn’t have, or she would spent every workday projectile-vomiting).
PS…
Howard was a second-rate lawyer, too (he was at the same firm as The Lovely). So he shares ‘second-rate journeyman lawyer’ status with Brandis, Gillard and Roxon, inter alia. At least Howard didn’t get his mate to anoint him Silk six years after he left the Bar, like Brandis did.
Unless you’re cognitively challenged, it’s quite hard to be second-rate at law – it’s a government-mandated license to print money.
10
I voted for Trump and I have been pleased with his performance so far.
May Trump have the courage to end seventy-two years of deception in exchange for government research grants, Nobel and Crafoord Prizes for scientists that betray public trust.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10640850/TRIBUTE_TO_KURODA.pdf
90
May Trump direct the NAS to tell the public the truth:
1. Humanity is richly blessed to live on a water-covered planet that is exactly one astronomical unit (1 AU) from an abundant source of energy in the pulsar that made our elements, birthed the solar system 5 Ga ago, and holds every atom, life and planet in continuous vibration [Proceedings of the IEEE, 95 (5), 1085-1132].
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMJJYUL05F_index_0.html
2. Super-solar flares that spontaneously erupt every ~1000 years are the greatest threat to the survival of civilization.
3. CO2 is not a pollutant, but the symbotic link that allows plant and animal life to live in harmony and thrive on beautiful, benevolent, planet Earth!
30
I am pleased to report that one of my geoethicist friends may present evidence of high-level corruption of nuclear physics and earth/planetary sciences at the Paris Conference on GeoEthics next month: https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/a-key-clue-to-trumps-presidency-american-empire/
00
Under court subpoena for Dr. Tim Ball’s trial in Vancouver, I might still be forced to release a copy of my 26 April 1976 three-page letter to the AGU President and MIT Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences Frank Press [later President of the US NAS (National Academy of Sciences)] with cc to AGU Executive Director, Dr. A. F. Spilhaus, Jr., documenting a strange sequence of irregularities in handling the abstract of a paper Dr. D.D. Sabu and I sent to AGU in early January 1976, including an abrupt, last-minute change in the published schedule for presentation at 10:30 am on 14 April 1976 to insert a Harvard astrophysicist into the program to speak without abstract after we had already invited the editors of major research journals to hear our paper.
Here is a photograph of me later in 1976 at the Gregynog Workshop on Nucleogenetic Isotopic Anomalies, sitting directly behind the physicist who would later receive the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physics for endorsing the standard model of the origin of the elements.
http://www.omatumr.com/Photographs/Photo1976GregynogWorkshop.pdf
00
It would be mind boggling if we could have a public ego/private ego partnership….wouldn’t that be good?
I continue to remain skeptical about the environment of ‘resolve’ amongst private/public ego’s.
10
For the first time in history a white man has evicted a (1/2) black man and his family from public housing!
Heh.
And that’s not all, as Jo noted. There’s a whole lot more.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/11-drastic-changes-white-house-9662690#rlabs=1%20rt$sitewide%20p$14
Plus there is a report out there that he signed an EO today defunding those baby butchers at Planned Parenthood.
*And* he put Churchill’s bust back in the oval office and the MLK bust is nowhere to be found.
And the Democrats continue to freak out! Heads exploding everywhere!
There is a New Sheriff in town that doesn’t suffer fools one bit! And to all you Trump detractors that maligned him in the past:
Sod Off. (does that pass 18-C muster?!?)
151
… (does that pass 18-C muster?!?) I don’t know. It may be offensive to sheep.
20
“It may be offensive to sheep.”
A Kiwi saying that, could have deeper meaning ! 😉
31
I do like the smell of “Lefty”heads exploding in the morning.These Trumpaphobics are a laugh a minute.
30
I believe the MLK bust is still there and was erroneously reported as removed. DJT is neither stupid nor a racist, and to move MLK out would have be an act requiring him to fit both terms.
30
Double yes!
391
“Protestors” in DC, other cities, showing why we voted Trump. As Martin Luther King once famously said, “Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.”
691
Was watching some biker “Wall of meat” videos and saw a comment.
“Democrats haven’t been this mad since we freed their slaves.”
770
I appreciate your comment.
I was a student at Auburn when Lurleen Wallace was governor of Alabama. I have witnessed many positive changes since then. Jim Crow was a Democrat invention.
The founder of the KKK was a Democrat (Nathan Bedford Forrest).
For the ultimate in racism try Woodrow Wilson.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/remembering-president-wilsons-purge-of-black-federal-workers
I think Wilson was a proponent of eugenics also. That was the scourge of the 20th century. Add Margaret Sanger to that list too.
90
I saw that too, and have been waiting for an opportunity to use it, but the Progressives around here have been strangely subdued.
I did have to talk some PhD biochemist down from a panic attack — she was acting as if she thought jackbooted thugs were going to kick in the lab door any moment. When she got a little more rational, she allowed that she was afraid that all the NSF funding was going to dry up. I told her that she shouldn’t worry too much unless she was planning on submitting a proposal that referenced climate change.
00
Re the ‘protesters’, isn’t it a good demonstration of the saying ’empty vessels make the most noise’?
340
The only real “crazies” I saw were in the CNN and ABC (Aus) studios.
302
They’ve a way to go yet.
It was interesting watching Waleed Aly in the US when the votes were being counted. He was clearly shocked, and he looked fearful that Trump’s victory would bring instant deportation for him.
He should understand that we are not that kind of people, and he should work to make sure that we don’t get to be that kind of people.
132
We could make an exemption in Wally’s case. 🙂
330
“would bring instant deportation for him”
Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t have any say on Australian immigration policy.
60
“He was clearly shocked, and he looked fearful that Trump’s victory would bring instant deportation for him.” His problem, and the problem most of the Left have is that they think the Right will react as they do.
30
The National Park Service, which oversees much of the inaugural festivities, estimated that as many as a record 350,000 demonstrators attended.
That is roughly 800 bus loads of protestors. Eight hundred buses, travelling from wherever they started, to get to Washington.
Now I don’t know what the daily hire for a bus is in the US, but somebody has had to part with a fair amount of cash, just to get the shouting heads there, let alone look after them, once they were positioned.
That somebody is sure a sore loser.
370
Though since Washington is 99% Democrat maybe a lot could just walk right in…
250
You’d have that many roll in for a Hanson protest in Canberra… and that’s just from the ABC lunch room.
190
At the election, 98.3% of the locals voted for Hilary. They are trying to identify the 1.7%.
100
That’s over 400 people a bus!
40
Hmm, Good spot. Lets try around 40 people per bus, and eight thousand buses. 😉
But as Jo points out, most of the protesters would have been lurking in Washington anyway, so my point is moot.
60
That would be just the lobbyists. Wait til the civil serpents show up.
20
Oddly enough, I would bet that when it comes to the civil service, those that would protest – thus won’t – are all in the upper levels of management, and those that are cheering are all in the “blue collar” ranks. There was a mad dash to fill hundreds of high dollar positions just before the changeover, so it is almost assured that most of the departments will be lead by left leaning people throughout DJT’s administration. Sad that the “lefties” – not to be confused with “correct handed” people – are such poor losers that they always put themselves ahead of everyone else, and they will fight for “their” values instead of trying to improve the nation and the welfare of the citizens.
00
Huge numbers had pre booked airfares and accommodation in DC for Hillary’s inauguration. This would have affected numbers of Trump supporters. Instead of being ecstatic they trashed the joint as they do.
00
Sure sounds like significant economic stimulus for the transportation, fast food, poster board, crayon/magic marker and bottled water industries to me!!
00
I loved this:
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/01/20/exclusive-pics-anti-trump-protesters-at-u-s-embassy-in-london/
I suggest that anyone in the UK that doesn’t have a place/decent place to live, should just move into Weyman Bennet’s and all SWP member’s residences, as he effectively said that they have no right to stop anyone doing so.
392
The bounder thinks he is an Englishman !!
40
G’day Bemused – good question. Wouldn’t be easier to emigrate to countries where democracy and working freedoms have been established, instead of sorting out your country. Especially if there is an existing infrastructure and social welfare system to fall back onto.
My suggestion is twofold:
1. If people want to live in a democracy, then they work to establish it.
2. If people already live in a democracy, then they work to maintain it.
Simples
Speedy
100
“Everyone has the same rights and the same right to live where they want”
Not on my property and not at my expense! Ditto for every other actual citizen in the land.
Remove ALL welfare payments for any reason and require absolute respect for the rights of others. Only then I will be for open borders. Until that is in place and enforced, only those who show positive proof they are willing, able, and have up to now support themselves or have a citizen give proof he is willing and able to support him should be allowed in. As soon as such individual no longer is able to support himself and has no one willing to support him, he should be deported. What happens to him afterward is his total responsibility.
The above is based upon the principle that an individual’s life belongs to him and he alone is responsible for expending the effort to maintain that life. Added to that, all interactions and relationships between individuals must be totally voluntary – meaning free from coercion from any person, group of persons, or institution public or private.
The ONLY obligation that one individual has for another is to respect the individual rights of that other. There exists no right to violate rights!
50
As St Paul said: “If a man will not work, neither shall he eat”.
I’ve always made the assumption that that applies to those who are physically and mentally able to work. There are always others who do need support as they are genuinely unable.
We had to prove that we were fit, financially sound, had work to go to and sponsored by the ‘boss’ before we were allowed to immigrate here in Australia.
70
“There are always others who do need support as they are genuinely unable.”
The people you are referring to here are generally called “socialists”.
10
You were allowed to immigrate to Australia?
What! You didn’t have to steal a loaf of bread, or anything? No wonder the place is going soft.
‘Jus kidding.
31
Rereke
A few years ago my son came over to the West Island to visit me.
At Australian Customs in Sydney with his NZ passport they asked him if he had a criminal record.
He replied “I didn’t think that was still a mandatory characteristic for entry to this island”.
They took him off to an interview room, I think just to put the fear into him.
60
A kingdom is according to the currency and who has the right to print it. Sovereign land is best described by its currency, where it comes from, and how the debtor is approved/favoured for a loan etc..If the kingdom relies on external means for its currency by forfeiting it sovereign right to print its own sovereign currency, then it is no longer in possession of itself… …and so on…. How much of Greece is owned by Greeks or any other land?…. The process of ‘possession’ is firstly incremental, and then quite sudden.
Instead of a government giving its people a bailout via its own printed currency, the banks bail themselves out via their own private money printing.
Hmmmm……. I remain skeptical that countries own their environment since the acceptance of private money printing.
10
What about feeding the multitudes by privately printing loaves (Bread/dough, lots of dough) out of thin air as is fashionable right now??
10
“Ellen Brown: The EU’s Goal Is Debt Slavery ”
Published on Jan 2, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuzvJggCW0g
20
For those who cannot wait to get to the interesting bit………i include the link to where Ellen talks about public/private partnerships..
https://youtu.be/YuzvJggCW0g?t=1098
10
WOW Trump nailed it , the nerve and the courage of the man , to go to Washington the very heart of the Globalist NWO , look them in the eye’s and give them what for on behalf of the people , the look on the faces of the political elite that were forced to sit around him and take it , the looks on the faces of the Bushes , Obama and most of all the Clintons was priceless , like school children scolded by the teacher , pure magic
842
The phrase is: nailing it up to the barn door. He pulled no punches.
Now, of course, he must govern. But hes o to a running start.
410
And seemingly I’m off to another day of typos. Nuts.
180
That’s okay. Soon, I’m off to a nice, cold bevie.
80
He Phil, are you a Glaswegian – that’s the only place I know (having been born there) that talks about “bevies”.
50
Actually no, Virginia by birth, Irish by background. Don’t know where it came from, but we always called cold beer, bevies. Then again, there’s a strong Scotts-Irish population in the Appalachians, if I’m not mistaken.
30
Roy the only constant in nature is chnage…… 🙂
150
Gosh??? I always thought such natural things as e and pi were constant since they aren’t human creations but natural things that like the laws of motion, we had to discover. So do they change now? I get it that Donald Trump has a lot of political power right now. But so much that e and pi are no longer constant… ???
😉
80
I don’t know Roy, I always thought the law of conservation of energy was a principle too, but Obalmy and the climateers tore up that law pretty quick.
140
If you like your Physics you can keep your physics, otherwise pick your new physics from the alternate universes laid out on your state physics exchange…
152
Bob,
That theory is apparently broken. I didn’t like my president for 8 whole years, yet I got to keep him anyway. 😉
90
Pi has the same value(4 x arctan(1)), as prior, but what does it mean? 🙂
31
Yes, pi is 180 degrees…(I know, I know, don’t bother to explain–I’m a physicist)
30
I thought it was ‘py’. Pythagoras. The theorem is 90 degrees…1 2 3. It’s how I set out for square. I know, I know, I’m just a tradesman.
30
There is a nice little bakery that makes the most delicious steak and mushroom pi.
The other day, they didn’t have one.. and pi had to change.
Still very nice.. but not the right pi. !!
22
“The theorem is 90 degrees…1 2 3”
No…. 3,4,5…… ask the ancient Egyptians.
52
Pi is 3549960689545 divided by 1129987583046 (near enough).
20
This is true, Roy, but the state of Indiana did, at one stage, attempt to legislate that the value of pi would henceforth be 3.000000 recurring.
Needless to say, it didn’t end well and perhaps illustrates what happens when politicians get ahead of themselves in things such as mathematics and climate control.
Cheers,
Speedy
30
Sorry, people, but the actual CONSENSUS in 1897 was that Pi should be 3.200. This nearly came to be law!
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/11/time-pi-almost-changed-3-2-4/
Cheers,
Speedy
20
All of the foregoing is good “empirical” evidence that we need to narrow the mandate of our governments considerably — like put them in a vice and crank it shut until what we don’t want dribbles out onto the floor.
Oh if it was only that easy… 🙁
20
A tomato is botanically a fruit. Only the U.S. government could legally define a fruit a vegetable because is is used in a vegetable-like way (think salads) so that they could tax tomatoes.
20
Hnnnn?
“In this case,
“slices” of π can leak into the higher dimension, resulting
in a value of π that decreases with time.”
https://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0903/0903.5321v1.pdf
40
I have known, personally, many values of π that have shrunk with time!
60
I’ve known some intellects, most notably in government that have shrunk over time.
60
I think I would have an apple π!
40
It’s raspberry pi. 🙂
40
Roy That was fun to post but is nuts. Better to ask where perfect circles occur in nature.
20
Liquids in a vaccum
40
Just thought I’d hand you back some of the same. 😉
As for perfect circles, not likely except maybe for a rainbow seen from the vantage point of an airplane at altitude. I don’t know how you would prove the point, however.
But pi is useful, even necessary in many engineering and math applications that have nothing to do with being circular. I needed it for a windowing function used with the FFT for spectral analysis.
30
Then Roy you may be just the man to figure this out.
You get what looks like an upward e decay to infinity here when you put in 850 wavelength and click plot. What you see before that is the 11 year cycle over 2003 to current. If this is e I will concede and so will everyone else. If not what is the other signal? My guess is 11 years = rectified 22 years and the other signal is a spectoral shift (frequency domain) at another rate.
http://lasp.colorado.edu/lisird/sorce/sorce_ssi/ts.html
20
The instructions on my Vacuum say not to do that. So it is uninfluenced by “cc” as is yours. However the other is a wet Vak so “k” can be used “cc” in the theory. Will test for tidal wobbles and convection altering the shape next time there is a wet mess to clean up.
20
Siliggy,
I finally was able to play around with that FFT and it looks similar to something I found in a 16-bit FFT we originally got from Texas Instruments back in the days of dial up bulletin boards. It worked perfectly to identify what was there but its noise floor sloped down from the 10 Hz end until it flattened off some 10 dB lower than it was at 10 Hz — yes, I had it calibrated to read out level in dBuV. I attributed that to the loss of precision that went on when the transform was done in 16 bits. But I never tried to dig into it any further than that guess. The double precision FFT we used later didn’t have any such artifact. I never wanted to ty to code my own when we could buy it already made by experts. But I quickly learned that the FFT is very dumb and doesn’t know anything about the data you feed it or your assumptions about what it means. It’s all up to whoever did that one to get it right and I’m not going to assume it’s without any problem unless I can see exactly what’s inside of it. And mind you, I’m not saying I think something’s wrong, just need to be sure of what I’m relying on.
As for your interpretation, I yield to your no doubt greater experience and say that it certainly looks that way.
10
So maybe the value of pi that I so carefully put into the software that runs my last employer’s products will someday not be accurate anymore???
Admittedly I didn’t spend a lot of time examining your linked paper but unless I missed something, doesn’t it start from the assumption that pi can change rather than looking into whether it actually does change or not?
A second point. A table of “measured” values of pi over the years means nothing. Measurements are subject to those pesky things called lack of precision of measuring instruments and the skill of the person doing the measuring.
Calculus provides a way of actually calculating the value of pi and every time you go through that infinite series, taking it out to the same number of digits each time, you get the same result. To me that settles it’s definition as a constant, casts it in concrete in fact.
I have no way to be sure, but some things I see being tossed around in theoretical physics seeme more like science fiction or philosophy than science. And admittedly I don’t exactly follow the field of theoretical physics. But I’m not exactly ignorant either.
Siliggy, I would like to hear your counter argument if you want to hand me one.
And in the end, maybe you’re pulling my leg here? 🙂
30
And is the universe actually expanding or is it simply infinite in extent? A simple analysis suggests that if it’s infinite that gravity would cause a red shift in proportion to the distance the source is from the observer, exactly what we see now.
And now the subject has probably been worked to the breaking point. Frankly I have trouble getting my mind around the vastness of just one galaxy. Anything larger is even harder to envision.
60
Roy,
There are alternatives to the current consensus on redshift.
Seek out the ‘electric universe’ or ‘Dr. Halton Arp’ for one of the more popular (non-consensus) ideas.
20
Tom,
I’ve become steadfastly welded to being retired. I’m at the point in my life where getting very deeply into things that don’t have regular impact on my life is something I avoid.
There is one exception. I finally got started writing the novel that has been running around in my head for a long time. And while that’s sometimes intense it’s also fun. And I can start and then stop for a while then continue again as I choose, a luxury a working man doesn’t have. And if no one ever reads it but me, that’s OK too.
But the idea I threw out about the universe being infinite occurred to me already a long time ago. And the only certain thing at this point is that no one knows for sure. We’ve never been out there to take a look.
90
The universe exists as a function of time. Without time, the universe could not exist or evolve. That is philosophy, that is.
20
Ah Ha! But the great philosophical question of a decade ago ?
“Is the arrow of time reversible?”
30
I am of the school that says not.
It would create too many paradoxes. Like, for example, going back in time and killing your own father, before he met your mother.
20
But if your mother had round heels?
20
If you define Pi as (4 x arctan(1))
The compiler\interpreter is forced to use the highest available floating point precision, (at that time). 🙂
21
About time — if space is nothing as we appear to be relatively certain, then it has no properties, at least not unless you can show me how nothing can have properties. So space has no dimensionality, not position, not direction, not distance, not time and certainly not speed. Those things can only be discussed for some object by comparison with some other material object and it’s the same with all of the EM spectrum I think. There is only one kind of motion that we could detect and assign parameters to it that can describe it in absolute terms and that’s rotation — if I was inside a rotating object in space I could detect that rotation. But if I’m moving or not depends on some other object by reference to which I can measure that movement. Does that make any sense so far?
Good, so now comes Einstein with his theories we call relativity, showing that distance, speed, time and so on are not just a function of what I would call the human perception of things originally based on our only having the surface of our planet as a reference point for so long but are something much more complicated — time contraction, mass increase with speed, the paradox of the twins… We cannot tell much about what the mechanism is that defines objects and em fields, gravity or electric fields. But complex behavior certainly implies complex structure, more complex that what we understand. So who is to say that the whole universe is not a digital simulation in some giant computer? Could we tell the difference? I think not.
Numbers would represent the the “things” we think we see and detect by whatever means and algorithms would define the interactions those things can have with each other. Now what if we could get inside that simulation and simply modify some of the algorithms to cause different behavior? Could I not do that and bring two spots in space, maybe two planets on different sides of the galaxy close enough to walk from one to another? What would the simulation care or even know about it? Could I not in similar fashion bring two remotely separated points in what we call time so close together that we could walk from one to the other.
I have no idea if any of that is the way things really are. But isn’t the idea intriguing? It certainly has been for me for a long time as I wrote code to make things happen on the monitor screen that have no understandable relationship to the algorithms that did the work — unless, that is, you knew the secret of the mechanism that gives “life” to what was going on that you could see, the model in the computer of what you were seeing.
It’s a wide open universe we live in notwithstanding how much we’ve learned up to the year 2017. So I wouldn’t say time travel is impossible. I would just say that we don’t know how to do it yet.
And now I’ve given away a hint about something in the story I’ve started writing.
30
Roy,
Einstein had the answer. the universe is infinite but curved. I have a hard time getting that around my head, too.
20
Phil,
Curved isn’t quite what I remember from physics class. Didn’t Einstein say that space-time is nonlinear with different relationships between time distance mass and energy, depending on the observer or something like that rather than space is curved?
10
Or as put by Prof Scott (University of Natal Veldt Management)
“There is no such thing as the status quo. The only status is the status fluctatis”
30
I had that for a while yesterday!
30
too much information, bobl. !!!
21
I hope it isn’t contagious. Otherwise you may have given a horrible sounding malady to every computer that calls up this page.
We all better do a full malady scan immediately.
10
Yep. 3 4 5. Silly me. It’s all Greek to me.
30
Don’t sweat the small stuff, Roy . . happens to all of us.
Have you noticed on the keyboard how close the “G” key and the “T” key are?
Suffice to say I don’t sign off e-mails with “Regards” any more . .
70
Thank you for that, I now have the perfect excuse when signing a letter to several politicians.
Retards
40
Raven,
My fingers are like lightening on the keyboard. They never strike twice in the same place.
The army taught me typing, on a manual typewriter mind you and I became quite good at it. I got up to where I could copy Morse code at 32 words/minute directly onto the typewriter, which is the upper limit for most people. But then I started copying the code, still directly onto the typewriter but had to use one hand to keep a receiver tuned and the noise filtered out. And that lead to the one finger hunt and peck technique with the other hand and it was all downhill from there.
If not for word processors and spell checkers I would be unable to put two words together and make them make sense.
And that’s my flimsy excuse.
10
Not bad for a man “who has no experience”.
He annihilated the Democrats, more than half the Republican establishment & wiped the floor with the already filthy media.
We need more men in this world with “no experience ” to get things back on track!
301
“And we are ready to lead once more. — Obama”
Arrogance personified from Obama.
“a nation exists to serve its citizens,” he said”
Humility from Trump ? !!!
Although Trump emphasises ‘America First’ he did also state that he expected other nations to place their own interests first in dealing with America. So, instead of America via Obama thinking it can tell the rest of the world how it should live, Trump is the one who recognises the self interest of other nations and expects it to be a factor in more even handed negotiations than Obama was ever prepared to entertain.
It will need strong nerves from other nations though. China in particular shows ‘snowflake’ tendencies whenever it doesn’t get its own way.
711
“It will need strong nerves from other nations though.”
A strong nerve that has been sadly lacking from many developed countries around the world.
194
The nerve to stand up and say.. “THIS IS OUR COUNTRY”
314
The alternative that never rates a mention in western circles is INDIA!
A population that will pass China’s by about 2020.
A Democracy still very messy and corrupt but improving and a Democracy where the change over in governing parties according to the popular vote is relatively peaceful
Unlike China, a universal suffrage re voting which is relatively honest although there is till a high element of corruption in the vote
English as its main language and a way of uniting Indians as a nation which like most such developing nations has a multitude of languages and dialects that are incomprehensible to other dialect speaking Indians.
A legal system that mirrors the English legal system.
Imperfect it is true but getting more honest and less corrupt as India develops and not as subject to political whims and instructions from the top as is China’s opaque legal system .
India has now set out on a massive infrastructure building program and a rapid and comprehensive industrialisation with cheap and reliable energy as its foundation.
India is not expansionary and can live peacefully with its neighbours unlike China which is now entering a phase of xenophobic expansionism.
Even India’s long ongoing confrontation with the failed state of Pakistan has been mutually downgraded to a live and let live situation over recent years.
The Indian diaspora is far more widespread and far more integrated into western societies than the Chinese so the prospects of mutual trading benefits down to a much lower level in western business communities is much better than that of China’s in western societies over the longer term.
The Chinese seen in most of the larger population centres here in Australia are either descendants of the Chinese gold rush influx or are Singaporean and SE Asian in origin.
Indians are arguably far less xenophobic about other races and other peoples than the Chinese and seem to be far more accepting of western nations than the “keep them at arms length”, Chinese.
In short there has been much hand wringing over international relationships with China but there is a new boy on the block, India which is just starting to hit its straps as a full member of the international trading and industrial powers bloc.
And it is India to which much of the western world can and possibly will turn to if China in the future gets too difficult to deal with on the trading and political front.
And of course China and India have had a couple of nasty little wars over the last three quarters of a century over territory in the Himalayans so there is no real love lost there either.
India is a very promising alternative to the Chinese dragon as a trading partner in the not very distant future.
And it would be in Australia’s real interests to develop much closer ties to India even at the expense of China as we are likely to develop a far more relaxed relationship with cosmopolitan India than we ever will with an xenophobic China.
300
Communism and abortion have so corrupted the Chinese people that they have been set back morally a hundred years. The Chicoms steal everything they can get their hands on.The hyper growing Christian church and the naked and obvious failures of their thug leaders are the main things going for them.
75
ROM,
In 1990s I went to China privately a number of times to look at their natural resourcesbinbthe West. Was given open access to companies and visually met with CEO or higher, plus Ministers in Provincvil govts. No interaction with the Party.
Overall impression was that expansionism was not on the menu (then). Several were proud that in the last few hundred years any warfare was defensive of Chinese territory.
But things can change fast. I hope that we never see hostility there.
30
Times and people and nations change, Geoff.
China now has Xi Jingping as President.
And he is definitely of the Chinese Emperor mold where China will be the next great world power and all must therefore begin to defer to Chinese power.
And this from your post ;
.
Ummm!
Defending Chinese territory as the Chinese define Chinese territory ;
1 / Tibet, an independent nation which declared its independence in 1913, and was then annexed and then invaded by China in 1959 when the Tibetens revolted over Chinese rule and is now under China’s very firm and oft times brutal thumb.
2 / The South China Seas including the Spratly islands that Vietnam has first claims to.
And the Paracel Islands a couple of thousands of kilometres south of China’s Hainan island and just off the coast of Borneo and the Philippines, all of those islands are claimed by one or more of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia.
3 / Taiwan which the newest Taiwanese generation is increasingly hostile to any attempts by China to extend its power over Taiwan which has been independent of China down through history and is only claimed as Chinese territory because the Kuomingtang retreated to Taiwan after their defeat by the Chinese communists on the mainland in 1948.
4 / The Diaoyu Islands, which the Japanese claims as their own and calls Senkaku.
5 / A large piece of the very remote NW corner of India, Akasi chin, way up in the western Himalayas.
The first the Indians knew of the Chinese take over of this part of India’s remote NW territories were satellite photos showing a road that the Chinese had build right across this piece of previously undisputed Indian territory.
6 / A large area of NE India’s far north east and to the east of Bhutan called Arunachal Pradesh which is about as Indian as one could recognise but which the Chinese are claiming as South Tibet.
7 / Bhutan has four disputed enclaves which China has decided it wants.
8 / Pakistan has ceded an area on its NE frontier to China, an area that is claimed by India.
9 / China is claiming some river islands currently occupied by the North Koreans.
There are other border and much further afield territorial claims by China as it tries to extend its power and influence.
So, yes, the Chinese are proud that they have only fought wars in defense of Chinese Territory so long as you let the Chinese define what that territory is.
110
There was also the very short but substantial war with Vietnam in 1979.
Maybe the Vietnamese needed a wake-up call, I’m not up on the detail, but if Tibet is the template for Chinese occupation then neighbouring countries have good reasons to be concerned.
I wonder if there is more to come over the Spratleys and Paracels.
One for the future.
KK
00
For the first time in a very long time we are seeing a leader who understands the term “self interest”.
Self interest runs from short term small field self interest to long term large field self interest and the whole field between. For too long too many commentators have not comprehended this.
60
Yep . . all that bluff and bluster by China with their dogged ‘One China’ rhetoric.
It’ll be interesting to see how Trump handles that.
If it were me, I’d be inclined to just tell China that their unity / disunity is their own internal problem.
Now, let’s talk about trade.
50
Today dawned to an overcast sky and steady rain falling as I looked out my office window. It went on to the inauguration of our 45th president, Donald John Trump.
As he was making his inaugural address several things crossed my mind…
Two droughts ended today, California’s water shortage is over for at leas the near future; the drought of leadership in Washington DC is also over for at least four years if not eight.
It will be up to us, the voters, the taxpayers and the producers of our wealth to see to it that the trend continues on into the future.
I was witnessing the only president since Ronald Reagan did it, looking America squarely in the eye and saying, I have faith, I have confidence in you, the people to know what’s best for you and to steer your government accordingly.
It’s a redletter day in America for a change.
521
My hope is that the prosperity isn’t a trojan horse for delivering something else….don’t get me wrong, I just hope underneath it all he’s not a globalist, he did mention being friends with Kissinger who is a NWO heavy weight….we shall watch with interest.
90
If only he had done as he spoke…
140
I think Obama believed “we the people” as meaning the privileged few that got to govern the people instead of representing them, swapping righteous for privileged, his legacy will be the burden of regulations on ‘the people’ that would make a Brussels diversity officer weep with pride.
261
I think Obama was just one of the biggest puppets we have seen in office. ( When he was first elected I thought he could be a breath of fresh air –how wrong I was).
What he has done and how he has acted since Trump’s victory has been appalling.
361
The NWO crowd often direct history through making one ruler so bad the people will desperately grab for anyone who comes along next…. And they still win. Time will tell.
31
I think that Obummer has put”Race Relations”back,probably for-ever.The”Blacks”are going to be the “Losers”thanks to the “WORST”president ever.
10
Instead he killed, and killed, and killed, and killed non-stop for his full 8 years.
30
US media talking heads are all clutching their pearls. He said at the inauguration that he will do what he said he would due during the election. The Horror!!! Had to turn off the MSM commentary, it was that bad.
For anyone down under that wants to understand what this US election was about, go to youtube and watch the Les Deplorables entry to Trump’s Miami rally the day after Hillary Clinton told a progressive gathering in New York that Trump supporters were a basket of deplorables. Styled on Les Miserables. Not just the song, the artwork.
210
No one takes the joke which is the MSM seriously any more. Once they nailed their colours to the UN / Socialist / green / communist mast, they were a spent force, a ship of fools….a joke….we laugh at them now…to quote Shakespeare ” full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…”
300
Original Steve, keep going for a few more paragraphs, it is like music to my ears after four years of Obama.
70
oops, 8 years of that Obama. How foolish of me to say 4 years, it wasn’t a typo just my mistake. Eight years of Obama that felt like forever…
80
Go to YouTube and watch the new media. Examples include right side broadcasting network, other interesting commentators include Millie Weaver, and Joseph Watson. This is how I kept myself informed during the campaign. I was not surprised about the Trump win!
70
I watched the speech on a CBS feed. After, I listened to 2 comments and turned it off as they went to the 3rd person.
Trump did not say what they wanted him to say, they were flustered and talked nonsense.
The following is from a few months ago:
… the press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally.”
SALENA ZITO SEP 23, 2016 Published in “The Atlantic”
Salena
100
Thanks Roy , the mention of water in your comment reminded me of Obama’s inauguration speech , when he so arrogantly claimed , in a reverse ” King Canute moment “, that from that day on sea levels would cease to rise .
250
And what a right royal Canute he turned out to be…….. 🙁
270
Trump – a man for all seasons
I remember thinking on 9/11 as the attack unfolded in New York, that the world was about to change and change forever, and that we would be heading down a very dark path.
But today… after listening to Trump’s inauguration speech I get the feeling, that we are now headed in a totally new and more positive direction. 😀
411
More thinky, doey than hopey, changey?
I’ll drink to that!
121
“…know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity.”
Under the eight years that Obama was president, the US was in war with someone every single day, and he got the Nobel Peace Price.
300
Yes, hopefully we just hit the reset button.
80
GOOD LUCK PRESIDENT TRUMP!!!!!!
370
The vicious bile expressed in the comments to this article is incredible:
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/politics/the-campaign-to-impeach-president-trump-has-begun/ar-AAm4mOk?li=BBoPOOl&ocid=OIE9HP
Trump can’t be the only President who had business interests that could benefit as a result of his position.
200
The Clinton had business interests that greatly benefited everyone, just ask the Haitians!
Just in case a massive /sarc.
231
Whoops, this is the link I meant to provide:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-administration-will-regulate-trumps-businesses-raising-prospect-of-conflicts/2017/01/15/a2f7e53c-d913-11e6-9a36-1d296534b31e_story.html?utm_term=.7fd785ff6ef6
and put the comments in ‘most liked’ sequence.
30
At first the idea was that a person made his or her own well being and then went on to serve the country.
At some point this changed and many politicians see election to office as a gateway to a fortune. And those that have done something are supposed to give it up, paying dearly in taxes and lost opportunity for the family. Crazy.
100
Stephen,
The constitution specifically exempts the president and vice president from conflict of interests scrutiny because otherwise too many of the best people are excluded from office. Imagine if this were not in place and every successful person was excluded from president, pretty much handing over control to the left in perpetuity. Whether intentional or not the authors of the US constitution did the USA a great service by making sure that successful people with business interests can serve as President.
100
What’s good for General Bullmoose is good for the USA!
With proper governance, indeed it is.
30
I think President Trump’s speech can go a long way to allaying fears many hard line tea party Republicans had about his agenda or credibility, echoing the sentiments of the founding fathers is surely a good start?
And to add to the exhibition of gratuitous Americanism, Poem about American Freedom and Independence from Patriot author Thelen Paulk, A visitor from the past
50
Ummm ….. Infrastructure infrastructure infrastructure is Keynesian.
Trump intends building a continental bullet train network (using their own resources) to boost the economy.
By comparison Turnbull intends doing the same, but will lean on Japan, South Korea and China to assist.
50
Turbull and his government have had nothing to do with the project. CLARA is driving the project and no government money is required.
Only approvals are needed. Watch for the usual suspects to attempt to block the project.
90
‘Only approvals are needed. ‘
Not a problem, the CLARA concept is a winner, especially if Mike Baird goes on the board with the other ex-Premiers.
China, South Korea and Japan are our biggest trading partners and cannot be left out of the tender process, so they may decide to adopt the CLARA ideal.
Trump would be mad not to go with the hyperloop..
30
Easier to do in the USA. They already have the established rail corridors.
A heads up…if One Nation obtains the balance of power at the next Qld elections, they will push for the water project from the Burdekin to the Barcoo and Lockyer Rivers with side storage and canals to drought proof Western Qld.
100
Building the corridors will be the infrastructure and the means of motion could be decided at a later date,.
Even if One Nation fails to win the balance of power in Qld the idea is timely and I can’t imagine Barnaby sitting on his hands. In this respect the Coalition has to adapt to the new political landscape.
40
The argument about “The North” has been on all my life. The North has been there. The land is there in Western Queensland, the water in eastern and northern Queensland, but getting the water to the land has never been economic. Even the heavily subsidized Ord River scheme has been very slow to produce much.
As for the future. What will Trump do for the price of oil and bio fuels? If the price of oil makes biofuels seriously uncompetitive, then the grains market will be heavily oversupplied. This will greatly reduce the market for whatever The North is planning to produce.
41
Ted, so we should just do nothing?
30
Ted we have to envisage Australia with a population of 50 million and when Lake Argyle is full it holds 70 Sydney Harbours. With enclosed canals we could funnel water to Lake Mungo and the MDB. In the bush we think of it as water security, whereas desalination plants are only hubris.
They say the water buyback costs $8 billion, whereas this canal idea in Queensland is cheap at $9 billion, the Coalition must be spitting chips.
50
Barnaby and the Nationals are Turnbull’s handmaidens. One Nation will decimate them at the Qld elections.
If Barnaby doesn’t wake up the Nationals will eventually go the way of the Democrats.
90
If the polls show the Nats are going to lose their seats, because of this new populist uprising, then they have the option of joining One Nation
50
AThe argument about “The North” has been on all my life. The North has been there. The land is there in Western Queensland, the water in eastern and northern Queensland, but getting the water to the land has never been economic. Even the heavily subsidized Ord River scheme has been very slow to produce much.
As for the future. What will Trump do for the price of oil and bio fuels? If the price of oil makes biofuels seriously uncompetitive, then the grains market will be heavily oversupplied. This will greatly reduce the market for whatever The North is planning to produce.
11
Raise Julius Dam about 50 metres, pump the water to the (nearby) Barkley Tablelands.
Cheap, effective! (Therefore won’t happen, not enough political capital.)
40
Someone once suggested a future inland city, the south east region of the Barkly Tableland in Qld. Was laughed at by a bunch of vision-less cretins! Was called, “Crapperville” by them.
The Barkly is mostly black soil, about the size of England. Just needs more water.
50
Ah yes I remember ‘Crapperville’ from our days at Trash, where your ideas influenced my thinking. So a h/t back to you.
20
What has struck me about the telecast of the inauguration has been how cold and miserable the weather was a rather ominous omen for the AGW alarmists.
170
David S. Did you read about the meter of snow in the Sahara Desert?
90
Yesterday was a dark day for Australia, a day that personally effected me also, after Trumps speech I’m not ashamed to admit sand in the eyes for the second time in as many days.
60
One is almost tempted to begin using new terms for a new era, as in “BCE” or “CE” for BC and AD.
For instance, 2017 could be marked as “2016 BT” and 2017 “01 AT”. (For before and after Trump).
Go ahead and accuse me of being overly optimistic.
51
Well, Obama offered hope. That he didn’t live up to it is now plain as day. So I suppose we’re entitled to hope as his successor takes office. And then the same criteria for judgment apply. If he lives up to that hope he’ll be thought of in one way and if not he’ll be thought of in quite another.
The talking heads say that the first 100 days will make or break him. And since I endured 8 whole long miserable years of Obama I can surely wait 100 days more to find out what happens to Trump.
In the meantime, it’s celebration day at the Hogue household. 🙂
170
Pour one for me Roy, then drink it!
50
I did exactly that last evening. As I said, January 20, 2017 was celebration day at the Hogue household. And the drink was a Mai Tai, good even if not in Hawaii where it’s become an institution all of its own.
20
Trump has to fix the Democrat’s and Obama’s legacy —
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
70
This was the moment when the rise of oceans of Leftist manure began to slow and our planet began to heal.
200
It was my privilege to be a young and excited voter when Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980 and redeemed America from malaise Carter imposed on America.
It is now my privilege, albeit with a lot of gray hair, to be as excited today as I was then.
The unaffected transparent, serious pragmatism of President Trump is so refreshing.
To see that we have someone who not only gets it rhetorically, but gets it by having staff ready to deliver on something as minor but visible as a website is awe inspiring, frankly. Careful with pennies means careful with dollars.
181
What should we call the folk who turned up in Washington to demonstrate against Trump? Democrats against democracy?
180
Dumbocrats maybe?
130
Actually I think the best way to deal with them is to ignore them completely. That way they would either be forced to shut up and accept reality or they would die on the vine.
Unfortunately they will not only not be ignored they’ll be shoved right in our faces by ratings hungry media. The press, supposedly our greatest ally in keeping control of government, can be a big problem even when they’re otherwise getting their job right.
90
Ignore the cancer that is the absurdly leftist MSM….
70
If millions of people hadn’t been ignoring the MSM OriginalSteve then Trump would have never won the election. And still here we are. The MSM can’t accept the fact that they are no longer calling the tune. That they are no longer the “gate keepers” of information and the ones that determine what becomes news. That most of the people are on to the fact that they are part of the establishment which promotes corruption instead of the check on government that they claim to be. Thank God for the internet and the alternative media it allows to be broadcast because without them Hillary almost certainly would have been taking the Oath yesterday.
70
Yep! He did it the old fashioned way, hard work.
10
Well… …there was a little help from Twitter.
10
Conway is no small genius. I’m glad she stays on to work for Trump.
10
Concerning the MSM. Some call them “lap dogs” but what I call them are “attack dogs”. When the democrats are in the WH the pack is coordinated from there. When the democrats are not in the WH and as now there is no clear party leader then it falls to others. I believe that is one reason why Obama is going to stick around DC to serve the function of leading the pack. Anyway, anyone that hasn’t figured out by now that the MSM attacks and “talking points” are coordinated is a very dim bulb indeed.
10
The best way to deal with them is to force them to justify their funding. It seems that Trump is already doing that.
20
We need to do to the MSM,the same as with the NFL,Target and Kellogs.Stop buying from them or attending their games,and”Boycott”their products.Sales and advertising have affected the”Bottom Line”of all these companies and it shows.
10
Nihilistic Empty Heads more like.
50
Vandals.
50
My scorn is for the Dems that would not show up.
The scum doing the street protests just enjoy farce and are otherwise meaningless.
92
A large number of Democrats protested at Abe Lincoln’s inauguration – they did not want slavery abolished.
In all that time the Democrats have not changed their spots.
141
Wretches.
30
Deluded.
60
Dumbasses
30
Basically Trump stood up there and told everyone the truth. That the establishment has been screwing the people out of their American dream as they enrich themselves and that we’re going to fix that starting right now. It was a verbal slap in the face to the establishment including most of those up on the stand around him and their press. Then at 12 noon this happened:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/01/20/friday-funny-gone-in-an-instant-climate-edition/
Now comes the really hard part because there are a whole lot of people that are going to do whatever they can to stop what is coming on every front.
310
Just thinking!
You don’t have to be the smartest person around to be a top engineer or a linguist who speaks five languages fluently or a medical practioner who has the gift of healing or a farmer who it seems doesn’t matter what decisions he makes it will turn out to be the right ones for the season and crops and livestock.
We all have gifts in certain fields that cannot be explained by intelligence only
And you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to be a Leader.
But the mark of a real Leader is the calibre of people he / she surrounds themselves with.
Obama surrounded himself with some rabid and rigidly ideological but second rate individuals to serve in the most important roles of his administration,
People like the exceedingly careless with American diplomatic material, Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State in Obama’s first administration.
And then the apparently barely competent perhaps even incompetent John Kerry as his Secretary of State in his second administration.
A rabidly and ideologically fixated Holdren as his science adviser.
And many others of this ilk in Obama’s administrations .
Behind it was a possible deep personality fault in Obama as a Leader.
He simply did not want anybody else around him that could be seen to be of a higher calibre of intelligence and who could be seen as somewhat smarter and more intelligent than Obama himself.
Trump on the other hand has made it clear he is Boss.
The Leader who has now demonstrated he has what it takes in a Leader to make the very public climb to the very top of mankind’s leadership pyramid.
But despite his now elevated position in mankind’s hierarchy he appears to have selected and surrounded himself with some very, very smart and highly intelligent and competent people to staff his first administration.
People who are probably somewhat more intelligent and smarter than Trump himself.
It will be their job to come up with the goods for the Trump administration with Trump as Leader giving the go ahead if it fits with Trump’s overall ideals and assessments of the politics and public acceptance of the proposed actions and policies of his administration officials.
And then it will be up to Trump to sell those policies and actions to the public as any good leader should be able to do.
But again the real gift that Trump has is the one of leadership.
His intelligence levels although no doubt very high are secondary to that leadership gift.
And I make the point again that he as Leader does not appear to have any personal hangups, unlike Obama , with surrounding himself with people who are more intelligent and smarter and much better in their fields of skills and expertise than Trump himself is ever likely to enjoy himself.
It was not Trump and his personal leadership attributes who won the American Presidency although those leadership attributes were exceedingly important in his eventual success.
In another day and another age, Trump would not have made it to the first level of presidential party primaries.
But the Presidential Trump of today is a creation and an outcome of the times and of the changing public attitudes, changing public attitudes that have been building a head of pressure for a decade or more and which have finally exploded across the western world as the increasing power, arrogance and steadily increasing insular psychology of the western elites eroded and corrupted the trust of the public in their ability to provide a fair and honest outcomes for the masses of the middle and lower classes.
252
Amen!
70
Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition.
10
It is called blessings, nothing to do with intelligence.
40
ROM
As summarised by Baxter Black*
“First rate management hires first rate help.
Second rate management hires third rate help”
* US veterinarian, cowboy poet and after dinner speaker if you haven’t encountered him
90
Never heard that before but how true it is!
Thanks AI.
30
I seem to recall that, many years ago when universities were a little more than just sheltered workshops, there was a Professor of Theoretical Physics at (I think) U of Sydney who stated that he would not hire staff for the Department unless they were smarter than he was.
I suspect that this was what you were getting at?
11
About three hours ago LBGT and climate change pages were removed from the White House Web site.
170
https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/20/trumps-white-house-website-deletes-climate-change-lgbt-pages/
60
That link is left wing, I just loving reading about their hurt.
71
I do like the smell of “Lefty”heads exploding in the morning.
11
I saw President Trump salute a military officer. Granted that he is Commander in Chief, is it correct protocol for him to salute? The officer saluted him first and then he returned the salute and then they shook hands.
I’m not saying it was wrong, I’m just curious.
30
They have different customs in the US, in Australia politicians don’t salute.
30
Nor the Wallopers in WA.
30
In Australia if you were wearing civilian clothes you did not salute. However, in PNG the custom was to salute in civilian clothes as well.
30
You salute only while wearing a hat. The subordinate officer always salutes first and always salute the highest ranking officer (if in a group), and they will return your salute only if they are also wearing a hat. POTUS is commander in chief and is always the highest ranking officer, but as a civilian wears no uniform, the president can return the salute.
50
If a person is the receipient of the Victoria Cross, then a superior officer will salute first.
30
Same here for the MOH. Always remember the salute is for the position/rank and not the person. And when saluting a person wearing the VC or MOH the salute is for the medal/ribbon and not the person wearing it. And thus a MOH recipient not in uniform wearing those medal will receive salutes from military personnel. I suspect it would be the same for the VC.
20
That’s is the way:
https://www.thebalance.com/u-s-military-salute-3331994
60
It’s a sign of professional military respect, and is indeed correct for the President to do. It is in fact to be devoutly wished.
30
Global Warming and Climate Change is a wealth redistribution fantasy of the United Nations known as the IPCC. They invented Global Warming, promoted it, gave it life, made out it was science and milked it for trillions world wide, draining all rich Western Democracies now covered in worthless windmills. After 30 years of this (1988) it is time to day goodbye to the IPCC.
The United Nations was a dream of Roosevelt and the anti Imperialist United States who detested the French and British and German empire and then proceeded to build their economic own with armies in many countries defending other people’s borders as Trump said. As for preventing war, the UN like the League of Nations it is a useful forum but that is all it should be, not a political body controlling countries and the IPCC is a political body often contradicting the findings IPCC consultant scientists. Really why does the United Nations need to worry about the weather?
At the very least, the US needs to specifically defund specific political growths inside the UN, the absurd Human Rights Commission and IPCC and more. WHO and UNESCO and the Security Council seem to function. The men in blue do a good and dangerous job. In the lower house, I still cannot believe the Marshall Islands is a country with 52,000 people. A forum yes. A place to air complaints yes. In charge of the world’s weather? No.
212
The UN should leave the USA. Go to Brussels or somewhere in Africa, a remote spot, where they can’t really do any damage.
The real estate they currently occupy could be put to real productive use.
110
Turn it into a new Trump hotel.
60
I am informed (though not reliably, and I can’t be bothered to follow it up) that the land was donated by the Rockefellers on condition that it return to them if the UN ever gives it up.
Perhaps they could hit the Rockefellers for the back rates if the problem ever arose.
30
Here is a link for you gnome.
30
Thanx. I went there but I didn’t find the bit about reversion. I told you I’m too lazy to follow that up. Is it there?
20
With full employment Trump can dream up ways to expand the economy through innovation.
http://fortune.com/2017/01/18/janet-yellen-federal-reserve-full-us-employment/
31
McGeough, one of our media’s finest? a truly vile piece:
20 Jan: SMH: Paul McGeough: Twilight of the Trumps? What America can expect for the next four years
In a ***government town, locals self-medicate as best they can, for what the acid-tongued Maureen Dowd diagnoses as a population in the grip of “pre-traumatic” stress disorder…
And it’s a safe bet that as Obama escorts Trump to his swearing-in at the Capitol, Trump will be going bonkers in the knowledge that eight years ago, the black man walking beside him enjoyed an approval rating that was ***double what Trump has today…
Despite forecasts of rain, turnout for Trump’s inauguration will be respectable. Based on travel and hotel bookings, Washington officials are predicting a turnout of maybe 800,000 or 900,000 – about half of the reported 1.8 million that showed up to see Obama sworn in in 2009…
http://www.smh.com.au/world/twilight-of-the-trumps-what-america-can-expect-for-the-next-four-years-20170119-gtuxkz.html
McGeough, DC is not a “government town”, it’s a Democrat town. Trump got a mere 4.1 percent of the DC vote, Clinton ended up with 90.9 percent, with the remainder shared by Independent/Libertarian/Green Party. the DC locals are always unlikely to walk out their doors to celebrate a Republican president.
the polls showing Trump with historically low approval figures are all FakeNewsMSM polls and all have been exposed for oversampling Dems & alleged independents, as they did with the polls leading up to the election, e.g:
CNN/ORC (43% favourable), ABC News/Washington Post (40% favourable) and Monmouth University (34% favourable – Monmouth offered respondents a “no opinion” option, leading to lower percentages for both favorable and unfavorable than other pollsters)
Fox (42% favourable) Fox also has Obama’s highest approval was 65 percent the week after his 2009 inauguration.
***yet the Fox poll also has: “Still, two-thirds feel optimistic about the economy (66 percent). In a rare instance of unity, majorities of independents (61 percent), Democrats (64 percent), and Republicans (72 percent) share this sunny outlook.”
***indeed, other polls have been showing Americans are optimistic since Trump won the Presidency.
17 Jan: ZeroHedge: New ABC / WaPo Poll Shows Drop In Trump Favorability Courtesy Of Aggressive ‘Oversamples’
18 Jan: ZeroHedge: Tyler Durden: New ABC / WaPo Poll Uses “Oversamples” To Goal Seek Strong Obama Approval Rating
Just one day after the bitter mainstreamers at ABC/WaPo and CNN used their “oversamples” of Democrats to rig polls showing an unprecedented unfavorable rating of the incoming President-elect … those same outlets have used those same methodologies to engineer stellar approval ratings for Obama…shocking…
as for Monmouth, they were even more wrong than the FakeNewsMSM polls on the election:
7 Nov: Reuters: Monmouth Poll: 6-point Clinton lead over Trump day before U.S. election
Several other national opinion polls released earlier on Monday showed Clinton with a 3-point or 4-point advantage…
closer to the truth, and remarkable given the nearly 100% continuing negative Trump coverage on the FakeNewsMSM:
20 Jan: Rasmussen Reports: Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that ***56% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President-elect Trump’s job performance…
When Barack Obama was sworn in as president on January 20, 2009, 67% of likely voters approved of his job performance…
Voter attitudes about Trump have changed little since Thanksgiving, with just over half of voters continuing to give him favorable marks…
Rasmussen had Clinton just +2 just prior to the presidential election. certainly better than the FakeNewsMSM polls:
Rasmussen Reports Calls It Right
2) The media created a false narrative about the 2016 presidential campaign, and most polling reinforced it. Our polling showed that issues, not the media-fed controversies, would ultimately decide the election…SEE LIST OF POLLS
http://m.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2016/rasmussen_reports_calls_it_right
McGeough – 56% Trump vs 65 or 67% Obama – does not give Obama double Trump’s approval rating on Inauguration day.
btw “Democrats lost a total of 1,042 seats at the state and federal level, including congressional and state legislative seats, governorships, and the presidency, Fox News reported.” – Breitbart, 27 Dec, “Report: Democrats Lost More than 1,000 Seats Under Obama”.
time to resign, McGeough. people are sick of FakeNews.
50
The Lukewarm Administration
“I believe the climate is changing,” he told lawmakers. “I believe some of it is naturally occurring, but some of it is caused by man-made activity. The question is how we address it in a thoughtful way that doesn’t compromise economic growth.”
Rick Perry
30
One of the best things about todays celebrations of democracy , has been watching the antics of the leftist anti fascist , anti everything , single issue groups heads exploding , I guess its the fault of identity politics , there are so many of them that they struggle to get their own particular grievance with society heard above the general noise without behaving in ever more ridiculous and outrages ways , but they’ve kept me entertained throughout the election campaign , so here is a tribute to them all from Life of Brian : https://youtu.be/hUBAx8jbYNs
80
Life of Brian
Still the sharpest satire I’ve ever seen – and still exact.
Together with Orwell’s 1984 now being used as an MSM training manual, LoB was absolutely prescient.
40
I need an anarchist flag. Do I have to sign up to the articles of anarchy to get one?. Can I fly it on state occasions like Australia Day or do I need a permit?
If I fly my anarchist flag do I get a discount from like-minded businesses? What protection do I have from people who don’t share my anarchist principles using the anarchist flag?
There oughta be a law!
20
Here is the flag that flies under the Stars and Stripes on my pole:
http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/gadsden-flag.html
20
RAH , I am late reading your post , everyone will have moved on to newer articles now but I wanted to thank you for that fascinating history of the Gadsden flag , I have a T shirt with the ” don’t tread on me ” motive that I purchased from INFOWARS , they sell it in their online store , but I’m now wondering as a proud Englishman if I have the rite to wear it 😉
00
Feel like getting on a boat to America and seeking asylum from the nuthouse we call Australia!
If Britain did it with Brexit and America did it with Trump why can’t we Aussies have our own voter revolt ?
191
Be patient…it is coming.
100
Come on over, mate. We can always use another hand on the wisconsin dairy farm. Now, do understand the wintertemperature is seldom above 0 C in winter. Why we put electric heaters on the tracotor oil pan. Nothing better than haviingbyiunrather than me get up at dawn to plow out.
70
Been there done that (milking cows that is ) hard work for sure especially when cold , keep the offer open till next Aussie election .
60
Just watching the face-covered, black-clad protesters doing their best impersonations of ISIS fighters on DC streets.
Further evidence & conformation for Trump voters that they got it right.
120
And just think.They are”Destroying”DemocRAT property!Isn’t that a”Giggle?”
00
The barrage of climate-change fears,
We endured from the White House for years,
Will be binned to the dump,
Now, by President Trump,
Which is music to skeptical ears.
301
+10 .. as usual ! 🙂
124
the day that truth started to rise, and bull$hit began to recede
102
What will be very interesting is reducing the corporate tax rate to 15%. Trillions will flow back to America but at the same time leave countries dependent on the free money, taxing the wealth of America. The dependencies will unravel. The US army and Navy too spent trillions in overseas countries and that may come home. As Trump says, they have been exporting their wealth.
A new sense of reality may develop. The most important other aspect is the massive sense of entitlement of bureaucrats like those in Washington and Brussels, who believe the people exist to make them wealthy. No risk takers they are a burden on the working man, like Union Leaders Michael Williamson, Bill Shorten, Julia Gillard. Capitalists at least made things and the wealth went to the people. Who cares if someone lives in a massive house. It is just a house. What matters is that other people have houses too.
Bureaucrats are the new class of do nothing administrators. No care and no responsibility and million dollar wages. In Australia they are shutting down manufacturing, shutting down farming and selling the farm.
A new optimism may sweep the world with the freedom from domination of Washington, Brussels and Canberra. Malcolm Turnbull may even bring his tax dodge money home from the Caribbean and invest in Australia. More likely he will invest in Trump’s America and dump Australia. Again. Oh for a real man of the people. We used to have one until Turnbull let him do the heavy lifting and then stole his job.
130
Somebody should explain the tax cut to Shorten and Union Labor Greens who refuse to pass government legislation for a company tax cut here. They must prefer 30% of less and think it adds up to more.
50
Good point Dennis , would imagine the cost of owning a business in oz at the moment would be scary .
Workcover
Business tax
Compliance costs
Rising energy prices
Protection money to unions
Etc
Etc
30
Plus the big hidden tax, the RET buried in your electricity bills. If you pay for coal power, you hand as much cash to wind companies without your knowledge. That way it does not cost the government a cent, crippled gas and coal and funds windmills with the consumber being none the wiser. It is why Hazelwood has to close. It is why we have paid billions to private owners to keep Port Pirie, Whyalla, Hazelwood and Alcoa going and that is on top of double cost of electricity. The RET needs to stop. Now.
40
Plus 10 per cent GST added
20
The only way that will happen is if we get rid of these”Lying,do nothing,career politicians”and that means getting rid of the”Liberals,Liebor,the Greens and a few of the”Not so Independents”
10
I never understood taxing corporations. We already have income tax which means all the employees of the corporation pay tax, the investors in a corporation pay tax on their earnings, so why tax the corporation too?
20
‘What a difference a day makes,
twenty-four little hours,
brought the sun and the flowers,
where there used to be rain.’
100
I think these guys helped keep protestors in order.
Bikers for Trump.
Bikers keeping order.
70
The most successful psychological liar didn’t win.
But the U.S.A. did
60
Just a little different to Obama’s inauguration:
And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more. — Obama
Obama:-
“…know that America is a friend of each nation…” except Israel when
50
CORRECTION:
Obama:-
“…know that America is a friend of each nation…” except Israel.
50
“Obama:-
“…know that America is a friend of each nation…” except Israel.”
And, in Obama’s case.. America.
73
Ex El Presidente O’Bummer was a corrupt dud and should have been impeached and marched off in hand cuffs.
not given a hero’s send off….what a joke!
Thankfully the Donald is already busy undoing the damage that imbecile, the ex liar in chief, has done.
10
What Jewish state gassed to death 6 million people of any nation or ever wanted to.
70
So butt hurt. So very butt hurt.
20
On the subject of Obama speaking to the folx in the smallest village etc, I see from Steyn Online today that Obama’s Indonesian stepgrandfather (or something) hanged himself accidentally hanging drapes.
Who would have thought drapes were so popular in Indonesia, or that accidentally hanging oneself occurs in the third world too. I thought it was a first world phenomenon.
Michael Hutchens would be proud, having gone the same way as Obama’s stepgrandfather (or something).
31
Posst
The Morning After: This is probably the best day for sane, honest, skeptical citizens in the last 30 years. In the long climate debate, this is the most significant political event — with more potential to restore science and free speech back to their rightful place. Ain’t democracy a great thing?
Those who don’t like Trump say it was “populist” and a repeat of his campaign speech. Other people say “it’s about time”.
233
“populist”
The new-enough leftoid sneer word …
I use “corrupt” or “hypocritical” to describe them – it certainly stops their rudeness in its’ tracks although it makes no indent on their vanity.
Now with some luck we’ll see a true Bonfire of the Vanities 🙂
90
Thursday night as I watched the end of the welcome concert as Pershing’s Own Army band and the US Army Chorus performed The ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ at the Lincoln Memorial I got a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. It was like something out of a dream. I never thought I would ever see anything like that again. For those that didn’t see that concert here is the end where that happened:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Army+chorus+at+welcome+concert&view=detail&mid=4908C241F27444486F024908C241F27444486F02&FORM=VIRE
Trump was sworn in with his hand on his won childhood bible and Lincoln’s bible.
80
I like Trump and his connection to the people is admirable, but the left fear the man is a Plutocrat.
They say Abraham Lincoln was a Populist and Democrat, not that I’m drawing a definitive answer on this enigma sitting in the White House.
30
I don’t mind what the left fears because they no longer matter. They are now fleas nipping at Trumps ankles because the party was taken over by it’s leftist elements. Trumps election is not some anomaly. The conditions for something like this to happen have been gradually growing for a very long time. For decades the democrats, with their willing press, have conducted a psyop with the objective of making it seem that their own twisted values, or lack of them, are the same as those held by the majority of Americans. All the while as they held sway in Washington they were losing their political base in all but the most solid democrat leftist enclaves. Trumps election exposed that long crafted lie upon which their only real political and social power depended. The house of cards they built on sand is collapsing and they are a party whose political power has declined to depths that no one alive has ever seen. This is the best piece I have seen that describes where the political landscape of United States stands now:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/democrats-trump-administration-wilderness-comeback-revival-214650
This great change was necessary but has it’s dangers. I honestly hope to see a reemergence of a healthy democrat party in the future because in the long run the welfare of our nation depends on it. Single party dominance is not the optimum by any means. But until the democrats out the hard left from their leadership there is no way the party can be reborn into something that truly represents a significant sector of the voting populace. The democrats must either change or see their party wither until it can no longer be considered a national party.
40
In Australia the situation was similar, after the fall of the Berlin Wall the free radicals infiltrated Labor and the Greens, one became PM.
Di Natale, the leader of the Greens, is now trying to eradicate this Marxist element from the Party.
The pseudo Marxist are still in control of the MSM in Australia, but in the US we could see radical change in news presentation, which will probably be replicated elsewhere.
All we want (and I’m confident Donald is with me on this) is an unbiased media.
40
I’ve just been doing a bit of light reading on Narcissistic Personality Disorder, in the book “Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited”, by Dr Sam Vaknin, after a mate asked me to read it as he thought it gave some insight into how he has treated some people. Thankfully, except at the superficial level which applies to all humans (everyone being a bit on the selfish side of balanced), I disagree with his assessment of himself. But of interest pertaining to both poor quality science work from the AGW crowd, and in lousy behaviour by a leftist MSM, is the following comment in this book:
“16. The Vocations of Narcissists
I think we are likely (or liable…) to find a concentration of narcissists in the media, in show business, in politics, and in academe. Did you notice how these people – literally and physically – wither away when out of touch with their Sources of Narcissistic Supply, with their audience?
“Narcissistic Supply” – adulation, admiration, approval, applause, attention, fame, celebrity, notoriety … in short: feedback – positive OR negative – from people. The narcissist thus sees his “False Self” – the image that he projects to others – reflected. This way he feels assured of his very own existence.
17. Lazy Narcissists
Narcissists are lazy because they feel entitled without having commensurate achievements. To be considerate is to invest effort, time, attention, and other resources. Why do that if, anyhow, one is entitled – and expects to cash in on this entitlement? People are Sources of Narcissistic Supply. Narcissists feel so worthy that they pose a “take me as I am or leave me altogether” choice to the world.
Extra effort is considered by the narcissist to be superfluous. I agree that the best way to treat a narcissist is to out-narcissise him/her. Treat it like it treats you and it will vanish in a puff of smoke quicker than a witch. Narcissists are not interested – nor are they sufficiently resilient – to face opposition, disagreement, friction, conflict, in short: negative narcissistic supplies.”
The author’s comments do seem to hit home at the kind behaviour we have seen at several levels in Science and media fields throughout the AGW saga.
00
The respectable press is now picking on Trump’s ten year old kid. Boy is he lucky he doesn’t have a five year old daughter!
Hercules cleaned out those stables by diverting the river. Who cleaned up the river?
50
The MSM have the media outlets for Trump all tied up so they can go into one of Trump’s press conferences and know that the only real competition they might have for reporting the utterings of Trump are Trump’s own tweets.
Of course Trump could throw any of the press representatives out who continue to misreport and distort and create fake news items about Trump and his policies and his administration staff; ie revoke their White House press credentials and that would bring down howls of outrage from the left and some on the right as well as claims of “destroying the freedom of the speech” meaning the press might lose its sole rights to report how it likes on Trumps press conferences where a couple of hundred press representatives can squeeze literally into the White House press room.
But we have some very bright guys and gals in Trump’s inner circles who don’t think along conventional lines so they have come up with a solution to gross misreporting and fake news creation by the press / MSM to the MSM’s complete horror.
The proposal is to shift the press conferences from the current press conference room to a very much larger room and then invite a whole range of other news media such as bloggers, god forbid says the press with horror written all over its gob smacked countenance, to attend Trump’s press conferences alongside of the MSM and press reporters.
In one stroke the whole of the exclusivity of the MSM and press to distort and create fake news about Trump’s comments at his press conferences will be negated and destroyed by their loss of exclusivity to Trump’s press conferences.
And has given a whole new non media, non press grouping, news dissecting bloggers the ability to both ask questions and to report as they see it as differentiated from the media, to the nation which will no longer have to rely exclusively on the fake news creating, pathologically leftist media hating of Trump and his administration.
70
It reminds me when one of PM John Howard’s sons attended a Christmas party at which, in a bedroom away from the partying people, a girl died, apparently from vomiting and choking after drinking too much alcohol. Howard’s son was not involved, was nowhere near the bedroom. But the MSM kept mentioning his name over and over again beginning with the first news of the death and every time thereafter that her death was mentioned as in the inquiry at the Coroners Court etc.
30
hopefully, taxpayers in the US will stop funding research such as this:
20 Jan: UK Independent: Ian Johnston: Global warming could cause sea levels to rise higher than the height of a three-storey building, study suggests
Researchers discover that ocean temperatures 125,000 years ago, when sea levels were six to nine metres higher, were the same as they are today, suggesting the world will see significant increases over the next centuries as the water slowly expands and ice sheets melt.
But the bad news does not end there.
For the computer models used by scientists to predict what the climate will be like in the future had failed to pick up on the rise in temperatures 125,000 years ago…
Another recent study suggested the sensitivity of the climate to greenhouse gases could be much greater than previously thought, potentially putting the world on course for more than 7C of warming by 2100 — a prospect described as “game over” for life as we know it…
Dr Jeremy Hoffman, of Oregon State University, lead author of a paper in the ***prestigious journal Science (LINK) about the new research, told The Independent that sea levels some 125,000 years ago might give a rough indication of what could be expected over the next few centuries as the warmer temperatures slowly take effect.
But he stressed the reasons for the global warming then and now were very different – the former was natural, the latter caused by humans – so the world’s last major warm period could not be viewed as a simple way to predict the future…
And Professor Michael Mann, a ***renowned climate scientist from Pennsylvania State University, described the studies findings as “sobering”…READ ON
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/sea-level-rise-global-warming-climate-change-9-metres-study-science-a7536136.html
50
20 Jan: Reuters: Susanna Twidale: UK spent $207 mln on failed carbon capture initiatives – watchdog
Britain spent 168 million pounds ($207 million) on two failed initiatives to help to fund carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, a parliamentary watchdog said on Friday…
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO), focusing on the second competition, said that the 100 million pounds spent had not provided value for money.
“Taxpayers will be alarmed that disagreement between departments means the taxpayers have little to show for the 100 million pounds the government spent,” Meg Hillier, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, said in statement with the report.
The first competition, which cost 68 million pounds, collapsed in 2011 when a consortium including National Grid and Iberdrola’s Scottish Power pulled out.
The second competition’s demise came when the government unexpectedly cancelled its funding in 2015…
http://www.reuters.com/article/britain-carboncapture-idUSL5N1F95ES
40
Just saw this comment on WUWT..
(slight change to make it one comment
83
I sense a disturbance in the Force… An excessive giddiness, as if a billion Leftists cried out, and were suddenly stilled…That isn’t a moon, it’s a spaceship!
80
“I sense a disturbance in the Force”
Hi Harry, if you are talking leftism and the AGW scam the word is FARCE.. not Force.. 🙂
May Venus be with you.. 😉
54
Thank you.
No, I wasn’t (consciously, anyway) referring to AGW; rather (if this helps) to the largely unstated emotions of the masses–as represented by the denizens here, who I noticed were suddenly not fretfully arguing climate on this thread, or expressing frustration with alarmist tyrants, but rather felt free to let their shirttails out, just relax that is.
Yes, Venus has a fine, upstanding atmosphere (and deserving of a much wider admiration) in my view, as you can imagine.
31
One article in the Telegraph called it a Fascist speech. So making America great is fascist? I thought the Fascists were on the other side in WW2, the enemies of the British? After two world wars, British gratitude knows no bounds.
Still our pacifist Malcom Turnbull’s great uncle as head of the British Labor party thought Hitler was a nice guy lacking ambition. Young Malcolm grew up with Labor people like Neville Wran as regular visitors. It shows how anti Trump we can expect Malcolm to be. He hates conservatives, but that is what happens when you steal someone else’s job and find you cannot change the policies and the Greens will not play ball.
60
Jo’s science blog gets to talk about science — after the shock of seeing an elected official say that he meant what he said when he campaigned, and thus would govern accordingly.
We can talk about real research:
About Climate change, of course.
About GMO’s, and pasteurized milk.
About vaccines, and their safety and efficacy.
About salt and heart failure.
About sugar and soda, and fast food and fat food.
About the causes and cures of poverty.
About how well Johhny can read, and how to measure the difference (or not) that teachers make.
We can go back to teaching fundamentals, perhaps even including the wisdom of a few old white guys.
We can reason again according to the rules of Aristotle, rather than Alinsky.
WE can admit that that guy Shakespeare wrote a few pretty god plays, that are worth watching without an overlay of contemporary gimmicks or 21st century liberal ‘sensabilities’
We can decide, in the US, the the government doesn’t need its own media outlet — bye bye Big Bird. Good luck with that in Oz.
It may become permissible to use the phrase “balanced budget” and suggest that, not only should otlays roughly match incomes, but that it is possible to achieve this by reducing outlays.
I have confidence that the audience here could extend this list extensively.
Things won’t be perfect, but the change in direction is a good thing.
90
That’s in the USA.
Here, we will still be blocked by the leftist media (We don’t have a PM with guts that defies the progressive mantra and tweets to be heard), the HRC, the money carpetbaggers and the bankers they have induced to lend huge sums for useless windmills and destruction of cheap fossil fuelled generators, the favoured minorities that don’t have to worry about arrests and gaol for rioting. We have gutless politicians running with the minorities and pseudoscience witches, willing to smash our national economy and have people that live in extremes of climate that will die from unaffordable energy, just for a vote. We don’t have the billionaire crusader who can thumb his nose at the enforcing legislation, lawyers, judges and msm and use the new media to communicate around these same zealots that have no belief in Democracy and currently run nearly all our public institutions and education systems. We appear to have no moral compass guiding us as a nation but instead traipse along the Soros inspired internationalisation of governance and globalisation of trade routes even though we know we have the same problems in our middle class areas as the USA. We still borrow funds and have politicians chuck those funds to outside influences all to gain a point of kudos – for those politicians (or should I say that politician, Ms Bishop, who seems to have an inordinate attraction to giving away national borrowings to UN players?).
We still have to make this fight. Anyone got a champion to fight that fight for our pitiful, once great nation???
90
The Trump inauguration speech was 16 minutes long (2 minute read, full text).
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/20/full-text-president-donald-trumps-inauguration-speech.html
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.
Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth.
Politicians prospered – but the jobs left, and the factories closed.
The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.
Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation’s Capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.”….
“We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.”
Immediately following Trump’s inauguration, the Obama White House ‘Climate Action Plan’ website was removed and replaced with the following.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/america-first-energy
“An America First Energy Plan
Energy is an essential part of American life and a staple of the world economy. The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans and maximize the use of American resources, freeing us from dependence on foreign oil.
For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.
Sound energy policy begins with the recognition that we have vast untapped domestic energy reserves right here in America. The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans. We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own. We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure. Less expensive energy will be a big boost to American agriculture, as well. ….
…President Trump is committed to achieving energy independence from the OPEC cartel and any nations hostile to our interests. At the same time, we will work with our Gulf allies to develop a positive energy relationship as part of our anti-terrorism strategy.
Lastly, our need for energy must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment. Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority. President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water.”
100
Australian politicians regardless of political side ….. please note carefully!
70
Go Cori Bernardi!! 🙂
41
The day of the Donald begins….and none to soon!
Finally we have a winner as world leader, Go the Donald
Why do I get the distinct impression that the Donald does not know the meaning of the words:
muck around and indecision, unlike so many before him and most around the world.
Finally a non politician in charge, a doer,an achiever,instead of incompetent and corrupt imbeciles.
When will it be our turn in Australia to do the same and have ‘Our Donald’, a real leader .
Already Trump is at work to dismantle the O’Bummer legacy of fiascoes !
The leftoids are in turmoil and it is a thing of beauty!!!
41
On pi
A circle has no beginning and no end. To obtain an actual start point requires division down to an absolute numerical zero. Pi’s relationship to the circle size is therefore one which is defined by an infinitely decimal placed number. All research into pi’s exact figure has been a complete waste of time. Pi is therefore to me the most significant constant in all of the mathematical set. It is the basis for all dimensions including time. This means that we will never arrive at a scientific understanding of the reason for existance. For me the one but only one answer to the riddle of the universe is the concept of God.
31
Razor, When the manhattan project to develop an atomic bomb was happening, experimental results were different to the equations. Much thinking happened as the equations were right, the Manhattan metric was born number 4 this replaced Pi and everything was honky dory and the bomb worked. The true number for Pi when motion in a circle is involved is 4 that makes the understanding of the universe a tad easier.
20
http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/21/media/sean-spicer-press-secretary-statement/index.html?sr=twcnni012117ean-spicer-press-secretary-statement/index.html1126PMStoryLink&linkId=33646407
Be interesting to see how long Trumps fact free preciousness lasts? He’s going to have to toughen up or own his thin skin eventually, but for the moment seems to be in a “say it often and vehemently enough and people believe anything” mode. Fun times indeed for those interested in the psychology of politics and policy. The Trump White House will be quite a petri dish.
24
The press learns what the term “Bully Pulpit” really means:
http://www.breitbart.com/live/womens-march-washington-live-updates/wh-press-secretary-sean-spicer-blasts-medias-deliberately-false-reporting/
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The MSM wont give up the fight to keep their climate lie going, they will just rubbish Trump on climate and say hes pro-big business and anti environment.
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http://americablog.com/2017/01/trump-furious-sparse-inaugural-crowds-beats-media.html
Yah gotta get a chuckle out of that. 🙂
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I see a mere link to an article rates moderation these days? The local groupthink must be protected i suppose.
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I’m getting concerned about the attitude of Trump and his representative over the crowd size issue. It makes no sense to challenge that aspect of his inauguration.
Much better if he had simply pointed out that in view of the international TV coverage he probably had a bigger overall audience than every other previous President.
It will be a disaster if he proves the liberal left to have been right about his unsuitability for office.
He really does need to very rapidly acquire a more statesmanlike demeanour.
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Stephen it has been argued about by the people many times in the past. Not just for inaugurations but also for political marches and demonstrations. The crowd was comparable to Obama’s last inauguration. There were three fake news items from the MSM on the very day of the inauguration.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/22/fake-news-three-big-media-lies-trumps-first-day-office/
This is war. The MSM will not stop in their attacks. It is not about coverage, it is not about news, it is about destroying the Trump administration. And that is the way it’s going to be. Reagan was able to combat them with humor. That is not Trumps style. This is going to be straight up in your face stuff.
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RAH, it seems you are right.
The reports that concerned me showed Spicer saying:
“This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period.”
Which is apparently untrue based on those present in Washington but he went on to say:
“both in person and around the globe”
Which may be true given the international coverage which has not previously been live in the UK on multiple channels as far as I know.
One reporter who did acknowledge the extra words then referred to the US TV viewing figures only and did not address the global numbers.
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CNN gigapixel that debunks their own claims about attendance.
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/01/politics/trump-inauguration-gigapixel/
Reports are that protestors used the tactic of blocking the magnetometers (never used before at an inauguration for the crowds in general attendance). Trumps claim for actual attendance may be true. I don’t know. But some of the media’s claims most certainly aren’t true. Anyway one cuts it, based on the fact that the vast majority of those in attendance came from out of town on their own dime, and dealt with protestors blocking many avenues of approach and the tightest security at any inauguration ever, the crowd was pretty impressive. Maryland, and N. Virginia are both heavy democrat country as is SE PA. A former teammate of mine from my SF days attended. He lives in Florida.
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The issue is not the size of the crowd, which as you point out was highly unlikely to match that of any Democrat president-elect. The question is why the administration chose to prove, on their first weekend in office, that they intended to lie to the people in such a blatant way.
(While you ignore the Media’s multiple lies) CTS
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And a massive TV and internet audience. by all accounts
Could it be the fact that Trump voters are not that much in Washington DC, but more in the rest of the country (sans California), and are probably actually trying to make a living !!
No-one to sponsor their bus trips either, unlike the great unwashed Soros crowds.
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I suspect that this will be a common theme for the Trump administration. True for a certain value of spin. 🙂
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The presidency of Trump does indeed look like ending the myth of carbon pollution,and will hopefully focus on alleviating the terrible suffering of poor people in the world.Human population is liable to increase geometrically,whereas the supply of food and resources can only increase arithmetically.Unless the world faces up to the problem of the poor in the world with sympathy and generosity it seems to me the world is not worth saving.But I think the good in people will win in the end.I wish I could be here to see it.
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When the epa.gov website is clear of climate change I will rejoice.
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