Sunday Supplement: 8 November 2020

By in Links, Miscellaneous

| 495 comments

‘A Billabong in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria, Australia’ 1878, H.J. Johnstone, Art Gallery of South Australia

 

Macro & Markets

Americas

Asia

Europe

Terra Specufestorus

…and furthermore…

 

 

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Comments

  1. reusachtigeMEMBER

    I’m looking forward to four years of “Trump is my President” insurrections in the USA!!

  2. migtronixMEMBER

    Gouldburn Valley still looks like that in large parts today. Reminds me of WW’s tale of settler era river navigation from last week. CW on the wool trail or something?

  7. Dominic

    “U.S. job growth slows; millions experiencing long bouts of unemployment” – Reuters

    Ruh-roh … printers will have to go brrrrrr, I guess. Anyone wanting a peak into the future …. that’s it.

    Just how close to hyper-inflation will they allow things to go before they pull the pin?

  8. Dominic

    “Trump’s America: poor targeted, red carpet for wealthiest tax avoiders” – Michael West

    I’m sure the poor can look forward to nirvana under Biden … they’ll be dancing in the streets as we speak.

  9. Dominic

    “5 ways the Reserve Bank is going to bat for Australia like never before” – The Conversation

    The Conversation driving home its economic illiteracy …. as if it weren’t screamingly obvious already.

  10. Dominic

    “Wine, lobster, copper … what’s at stake in our trade tensions with China?” – Ninefax

    Lol, fck ’em. Lean back in the comfy leather executive chair and sell ch!t to Chyna. Easy as, bro.

    Not so fast, chunce …

    • NikoMEMBER

      will be funny if Biden normalises China relations and we are left high and dry. And to some point both countries will find some middle ground – they have to. But one thing for sure is China will hit us hard.
      We could have become less dependant on China gradually while now we are forced to do it overnight. Lot of pain ahead for us.
      Scumo does not care how many people will suffer because of his actions. He’s got his massive pension for life secured now.

      • Popcod

        I have a feeling that regardless of the tack the new US administration takes with China, Straya is in for it from China. They tried to get us on their side ‘nicely’ (by Chinese standards, inc all the subversion tactics) and now they are trying to do it another way and that is by flexing their muscles. If we come begging to them on our knees it will such a sweet sweet sweet victory for them and they will then do their utmost to force us to split from our long standing defence relationships (they haven’t tried that yet). So I think it doesn’t really matter what anyone, inc our gov does for the next while, we will feel the might of CCP displeasure and coercion for quite some time to come.

          • Popcod

            I wouldn’t call me an insider, and I didn’t rub shoulders with the rich and powerful but 17 years there gives you an insight into the place, the culture, the worldview and the way of thinking. It helps you interpret things, and means you can make more of an educated guess.

      • GramusMEMBER

        Yeah, I think the game is to isolate Australia given the prospect of US China detente and send a message to UK Canada NZ etc…

    • Djenka

      As long as they buy IO, all else will be collateral damage.
      To Aussie economy it is like decades of BigH use: the withdrawal will be long, painful and relapse will come at the first opportunity. But as a first predicament it requires removal from peddlers (no one wanting to buy our sh¡t). So nope, productive economy will not return soon.

    • GrubbyMEMBER

      No sympathy from this wannabe WA lobster consumer. McGarigan tried to reserve 20% of the catch for local markets and got done over by the cartel of licensees and Pauline. Looks like they’ll have to sell their Mindarie McMansions.

      • The Claw

        It comes down to the basic question – how should a resource be shared.
        Should you and I get a share of lobster to eat, or should Chinese pay money to Aussie elites for it all?
        How would you and I vote on that question, and how did the people we did vote for represent us on that question?

  11. Dominic

    “CRT is yet another distraction from the certainty that the uber rich harvest the rest, and that the only real war is the class war…”

    Agreed. Wake up, citizens. You are being diddled …. defrauded.

  12. Dan Murphys Run

    When Trump realises it’s over he will also realise he has 2 months as most powerful man on the planet.

    Think about that, people.

      • Dan Murphys Run

        He had never in his life been told ‘no’ or ‘you’re fired!’ before now

        Think about that

        • Wiley Wolf

          A coupla years ago as part of this surfing project,
          I built an electronic shark repeller,to define for me, whether they really work or not.
          I did the home work on existing circuit design and made the mother of all shark repellers, and for the tests it was powered by the 12v system on the boat, no shortage of woof there.
          I put into the water the absolute maximum power physically possible.
          I loaned it to the local shark fisherman to trial.
          He told me, it scared the little ones say up to 2 m, and all sharks knew something was going on, but the ones over 2m, odd, had never learned to be scared of anything, and effectively took no notice of it and took the bait.
          So, end of shark scaring project.

          • Wiley Wolf

            The fisherman adapted the device to be installed in the seat covers on the passenders side of his ute
            part of the shark repeller design was the duration of the high voltage pulse,it has to be very short to transmit into sea water,
            thus although it is high voltage for a short time, on land, for a human,it stings more that shocks.
            So after much fun stinging the dog and hooking it up to his ute to sting his mates, he was going to make an adaption to be installed in seat covers, for say uber drivers to manage agresive passengers.
            the intitial trials on his mates were hillarious, they jumped out faster than lightning.
            I hear he was working on a cattle prod variant, for that extra boot.
            Good idea in concept, but I dont know how it will go, legally.

          • jimboMEMBER

            I’m sure there’s a few school bus drivers who’d love it. One per seat, individually selectable from the driver’s console.

          • Wiley Wolf

            I was really surprised when they came up with that seat adaption. Very clever
            that bus update, would make a good South Park segment.

          • I'll Stir Fry You in My WokeMEMBER

            You’re saying I should sell my brand new in box never used Sharkbanz?

    • happy valleyMEMBER

      Chin-ah had better watch out plus how many Presidential pardons and to whom (including to himself, setting another new precedent) will be given?

  13. robert2013MEMBER

    I’m seriously considering shorting the Turkish Lira. It looks like it’s about to go nuclear.

  16. ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

    I didn’t even read the post I’m commenting about from above,
    The “Are all white people racist? Why Critical Race Theory has us rattled” from the age link is just so predictable.

    I agree with you Gunna when you say this piece is “yet another distraction from the certainty that the Uber rich harvest the rest, and that the only real war is class war’

    This being the case.
    What path would you suggest be taken to dislodge the poisonous and decisive tool of “Critical Race theory” from our supposed “Left” leaning parties?

    These careerist academics making livings out of peddling this shyte are the useful idiots of Plutocracy whilst at the same time becoming the ideological leaders of this new #FakeLeft!
    Now Establishment toadies embrace this racist and cultish shyte because of the tactical and strategic support it is given by their pluticratic benefactors and our corporate and political masters.
    If this infection is not cut out then our democracy may as well be over.
    In the States it appears it already is. Even with the Biden win, what is he going to achieve with a Republican senate?
    Same old 50/50 divide and conquer once again with “Critical Race theory” and identity politics one of the major bludgeons used to prevent any kind of real Working class solidarity because the very small minority of individuals who rule us know that solidarity of the majority is the only thing that can defeat them

    • Olaf

      They have given us a mandate for action on COVID and the economy and climate change and systemic racism,” he said.
      No prizes for guessing who he is.
      Good luck but CRT is coming to a place near you very soon.

    • tashi mo

      Democracy is a spectator sport, not a participant. It’s how the elites want, and like it, always have. As for the majority, well, it’s not just the elites who find them a bit smelly, they find each other smelly too.

      The snob may be justified.

    • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

      Get ready to publicly announce your privilege as a Wh!te Man at the commencement of every function or introduction:

      “Hi I’m Ermington Plumbing, and I acknowledge my wh!te privilege and would like to recognise traditional owners of this land the Goonbag people of GummyGummy. I’m here to fix your dunny.”

      • tashi mo

        “Hi I’m Ermington Plumbing, and we’re all the same inside, brown, I know, I’m a plumber”.

        His vindicated!

          • The Traveling Wilbur

            “Hi. I’m Ermington Plumbing. Thank you for the honour of being able to speak to you today. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge my patatoness and ask St Vincent Ferrer for the strength to accept the fact that I cannot change this despite years of self-reflection and the forgiveness of you all for its unearned benefits.”

            (Brown on the outside, wh1te on the inside.)

    • Wiley Wolf

      That CRT and job polarisation are very interesting topics
      I say, from local observations, that for most the wealth divide is going to be the big hurdle.
      Most punters here, are not able to independently generate wealth, they are reliant on say 4 or 5 degrees of separation from the source.
      With all this money being thrown into the economy, those closest to the source will gain the most.
      Interesting times, and the punters now know it. Very very quiet.

      • Absolute BeachMEMBER

        Well said Mr Wolf. The great majority depend on a system that is so fragile. But quite often they FEEL so secure. Seems especially so in .gov employees. Given a covid wakeup will they look around and realize the locus of control is gone? I doubt it- cos they have equity and super. Try eating or trading either!

        • The Traveling Wilbur

          I feel sad for you. Living in a state that doesn’t have a Labor government must be awful. *hug*.

    • drsmithyMEMBER

      First sentence of the article:

      There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Critical Race Theory.

      Yep. Because it’s irrelevant to pretty much everyone except the conservative machine trying to whip up more hysterical controversy and division to distract from their rape and pillage of society. Which is apparently from the laughable hyperbole of the second sentence:

      But if its opponents are to be believed, this niche academic discipline poses the biggest threat to Western civilisation since the Dark Ages.

      • Chicaron

        It’s not irrelevant to the academics who definitely aren’t conservative that are teaching it, nor to the volume that they have, nor to the young people who are having their world view and political outlook poisoned by it. And CRT originated in academia before it poisoned corps. But of course to admit that you would have to drop your counter evidence denying prejudice, perhaps rationalising wiki or thought police/fact checker has some rationalisation medicine for you. You would have to admit that the long march through the institutions did happen, which wasn’t conservative. But that would perturb your beliefs and prejudice and you couldn’t lie to yourself and claim you are being ‘rational and objective’ by trying to ‘lol’ off anything that nudges up against your nebula size dissonance.

      • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

        It is not the “biggest threat to Western civilisation since the Dark Ages”
        It is just a convenient tool, among many, that is used by that threat,…our Pluticratic overloards, and their toadies, to divide and conquer us plebs.

  17. migtronixMEMBER

    CNN calls it. You’re fired fat arse!
    “BIDEN ELECTED 46TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES – CNN”

      • Djenka

        When a political party peddling narrative is based on how it is different from the narcissistic outsider of the deep state, once the orange man goes, the frame goes down too… and what is left is, well, vacuum.

        One thing made me cheer for not-the-Trump president is that US hegemony will leap few steps forward much faster and further, towards the end of the rope.

        • Dominic

          Trump has been a gift to the swamp. The people grew tired of the swamp and wanted change – desperately. So Trump got handed a chance. And now the people have voted the swamp back in and said: We’d rather have you back.

          Vote Biden, vote Swamp. The US deterioration is going to accelerate at an alarming pace as endless stimulus and bailout programs are rolled out in the coming years. Half the States’ finances are a shocking mess — and that’s before the lockdowns begin. Public sector pension liabilities are off the dial.

          • Djenka

            That gift comes with a price that will make it a Pyrrhic Victory for the swamp.
            T may have done less than expected in draining the swamp but perhaps we all thought it would be much easier than what realistically is.
            Open and brazen actions of the swamp have exposed it naked and this will cost them too much to bring the things to the same old.
            I reckon T have achieved (inadvertently) the critical mass in “conspiracy thinkers” (people whom question peddled narrative) and with every new fairy tale from the swamp the numbers will grow. He simply popped the mental virginity of chump electorate.
            I agree on the future of the us economy…

  20. migtronixMEMBER

    Hahaha the whole world is congratulating Biden and Trump still hasn’t conceded! Good luck with that fatty.

    Fiji called it first, I’ll note.

  21. Arthur Schopenhauer

    We apologize for the interruption and now return you to the scheduled centennial pandemic.

  23. Hugh PavletichMEMBER

    NEW ZEALAND: WORKING FROM HOME … MAJOR TRANDS AND CHANGES …

    Covid-19: How coronavirus made us splurge on caravans and boardgames, and save for house deposits … Dileepa Fonseka, Jane Matthews, Amy Ridout … Stuff NZ
    … h/t AP …

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300151332/covid19-how-coronavirus-made-us-splurge-on-caravans-and-boardgames-and-save-for-house-deposits

    … extract …

    … The vast majority of us were able to hold onto our jobs over lockdown, and discovered a lot of our day to day expenses came from commuting.

    After lockdown lifted Sense Partners economist Shamubeel Eaqub says people continued to work from home two days a week on average so those savings have accumulated.

    The trend has seen people spend more in suburban centres and less in the once-thriving central business districts of major metropolitan centres like Auckland and Wellington. …

    … ”And that makes a huge difference in terms of the weekly budget.” … read more via hyperlink above …
    .
    .
    There’s plenty of green beyond Wellington’s green belt … Rob Mitchell … Stuff NZ

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/300152161/theres-plenty-of-green-beyond-wellingtons-green-belt
    .

    • RobotSenseiMEMBER

      Even she realises she has better things to do with her time than peddle the “widespread voter fraud” nonsense.

  27. Totes BeWokeMEMBER

    Heard from a number of people they are in “back to work” negotiations.

    All those numpties that pumped housing up 20% out of Sydney and Melbourne in the middle of a pandemic with entirely unpredictable outcomes, with half the population on emergency welfare, eviction moratoriums, can now get on the very long trip back to work.

    What were they thinking?

      • Totes BeWokeMEMBER

        Yeah you’re right.

        I’ll let you get back to your MB group thinking. So ridiculous.

    • Arthur Schopenhauer

      We’re busy building remote work systems for a bunch of companies. There’s some counter anec-data Totes.

      There is so much money on the table, without commercial rents. 80% of workers in one large company want to continue working remotely.

      It looks like office time will be restricted to 2 to 3 days per week.

      It’s generally the most disfunctional companies that are pushing for a return to office work.

      • chuckmuscleMEMBER

        Similar to my experience. Not even the boss wants to go back to the office, and circa 85% of the staff don’t either, so the remote working build-out is proceeding apace. We’re allowed to go in on certain days, but whenever someone brings up they are heading in the next word spoken is “WHY?” Usually it is either (a) to get away from kids and husband; or (b) get out of 1 bedroom skykennel. Which I think points to the social aspects that we humans get from working – perhaps it is time we got to know our families, neighbors or local communities a bit better? Who knows, we might have more in common with those people.

        If the team you work in is high functioning and the manager isn’t a sociopath (I concede this is a weakness in my argument) then I have personally found (and also observed) remote working to be seamless. My hypothesis is the same goes for new recruits – if they are conscientious/self driven and the manager isn’t one for controlling or dominating, then both recruitment and being the new hire should be relatively straight-forward and I have seen examples of this. In addition, having been in corporate life long enough to know that if the manager is a psycho and you don’t get hired then that is a VERY good thing, even though it doesn’t feel like it at the time, as I have seen the destructive effects of a poor manager on mental health and confidence.

        The flow on from this longer term is certainly going to be something to watch because the traits mentioned I have found to be pretty scarce in real life. Optimistically, those with those traits will be more competitive and offer higher productivity, so maybe our society will evolve in that direction.

        End rant (don’t want to proceed down the other rabbit hole)

        • GavinMEMBER

          I was hired remotely, have not yet met anyone in person. I can concur in my previous job having sociopaths for managers who had a big impact on mental health and well being. It’s 99% of the reason I quit my old job.

          • JohnRMEMBER

            One theory for unremote working is that it helps young people to climb the ladder via mentors and opportunities and such – what do you blokes think of that?

          • chuckmuscleMEMBER

            Mentoring is largely unchanged at our company. Mentors and mentees sign up, phone calls and zoom meetings follow. My impression is the only thing that has changed is no more 1hr cafe discussions at shareholders expense.

            As for moving up the corporate ladder, I hear you. Not sure how that’s going to happen, or what kind of leading experience people will get. But think the point still stands, if not a controlling psycho, then it’s about building a slightly different skill set. On the bright side, perhaps less physical brown nosing opportunities means a better kind of person will get promoted, including females with children who will now be on a level playing field in terms of presence at the office?

            Thoughts?

    • skippy

      Yeah those pidgins in a scotts box should all burn for their troubles … its the only way the virtuous cycle can be ushered in …

    • jimboMEMBER

      99.9% of workers want to WFH. Problem is the other 0.1% own the commercial property and the politicians.

      For those successful at achieving it, it’ll be short lived as it’ll take just one business in each sector to use Manila or Delhi as the WFH cost base. Once that race to the bottom starts, you either join in or go bust.

      • Wiley Wolf

        you are on to it
        WFH is the first step on the plank over the side of the ship
        when the employer pulls the plug, you wont even hear the scream.

        • Djenka

          Similar to those cheering the self-chekout at supermarket blaming the constant long waits… forgetting that woollies now have only one cashier after 18h, by a design.
          Bleak future for the developed countries workers that can take the work home

      • macrofishMEMBER

        Anyone who can outsource to another country would have done it years ago.

        Most companies are in-sourcing and the pandemic has shown outsourcing doesnt work.

        I am speaking as someone who has offshored 1000+ jobs over the last 10 years.

        • Wiley Wolf

          Most companies are only viable cos of the huge amounts of money thrown at the economy
          soon whole companies will go under, in house and whf employees as well.

          • boomengineeringMEMBER

            The reason some companies are unoutsourcing (returning outsourced work back to Aust) is that the Indian etc companies wanted the workers to work from home but most had no home computers to do so..
            When Covid restrictions are lifted in these counties, watch out.

        • jimboMEMBER

          I hope you’re right but if we’re buying the meme that Covid is a game changer in terms of how we work then anything’s possible.

      • PlugMEMBER

        The other 0.1% are also my nano manager boss man. Insisted we all return to the office as prefers to keep paying high rent so that he has people on tap as required. Small tech company and all (except boss man) agree WFH was great for productivity.

      • GramusMEMBER

        The banks and super funds do NOT want work from home. Their assets will be worth a fraction of their current book value.

        The other thing is the reduction in the need for corporate flying. Why fly around the country for meeting with people now? That is a big hit to business travel and airline profits.

    • NikoMEMBER

      was discussing this very point last night with a mate. will be intersting to see how this plays out.

  28. Bob Grude

    Boo Hiss, looks like Trumpy didn’t manage to get over the line in the end like I thought he would. The blue wave never happened though and I think the silent, moderate trump voters were real (given how wrong the polls (poles) had it), just not as many as I suspected and not enough. I guess this is now going to the courts and recounts everywhere. It would be great if real evidence of Democrat election fraud is uncovered but it would do so much damage to democracy I hate to think. Obviously it’s all going to be woke peace, gender neutral love and mung beans matter under our new global overlord Kamala Harris. Good luck everyone, who knows we’re to from here?

    My next guess is that as soon as the Democrats actually take power the politicisation of COVID in the US media is going to take a very different turn. Joe Biden saves the world!

    • Arthur Schopenhauer

      You gotta get out of your social media bubble and suck a bit of reality soda Bob. 😀😂🤣😍

      • Bob Grude

        The glitches and mid vote counting software updates seem to be an issue with the Dominion systems in this election no?

          • Bob Grude

            I don’t know what you mean or what you’ve read into my reply to Skippy. I was making a direct statement about the electronic voting systems under question in this election being made by Dominion and not Diebold (this election). You’re seeing bogey men that aren’t there in my comment.

          • Bob Grude

            I thought this was the 2020 election we were talking about. I’m familiar with Diebold in 2000, it was bad for democracy for sure but that is history now. It’s the outcome of this presidential race that matters. Diebold has nothing to do with THIS election. I don’t know why this straw man is thrown up in response to my post, I’m being congenial in defeat. Although I admit, had the Donald got up I would have rubbed it in too, so I can’t really blame you.

    • Dominic

      The good news is that the Dems will attempt to spend big — continue the MMT experiment unleashed a bit earlier this year. The bad news is the Republicans still control the senate. Hopefully a multi-trillion dollar spending package gets passed and the Dollar’s journey to hell gets a bit of a nudge 😉

      • SweeperMEMBER

        There are ways around the Senate. Biden can ask Treasury to mint a $1T coin and deposit in the Fed.

        • pfh007.comMEMBER

          The treasury can be useful in other ways as well.

          Digital Greenbacks: A Sequenced ‘TreasuryDirect’ and ‘FedWallet’ Plan for the Democratic Digital Dollar

          Robert Hackett

          https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3599419

          Abstract

          I propose means of immediately converting the Department of Treasury’s existing ‘TreasuryDirect’ system of freely available transaction accounts into a publicly administered digital savings and payments platform. A platform of this type is an essential public utility in any commercial society such as our own. It is additionally growth-promoting inasmuch as growth-tracking GDP is a measure of transaction volume, while transaction volume is a function of more efficient and inclusive transacting. As Congress seeks means of streamlining the payments infrastructure in a time of pandemic-induced crisis, the Treasury route recommends itself as the fastest way to digitize payments for 95% of our citizens and business enterprises. I also map means of migrating the Treasury architecture to the Fed over time once the crisis is past – as the ‘Greenback’ paper dollar itself did in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – and include my draft Treasury Dollar Act as an Appendix.

      • skippy

        Again MMT has been around for some time, administration of it is another question. Would have thought the old Greenspan congressional hearing where he informs Rand would have sorted that for you E.g. the only question is distribution and beneficiaries of it.

        Then again yourself and many others here completely avoided the ergodicity link, I submitted, so, I understand the – matter of faith crisis – and the psychological ***need*** for a calamity.

      • herpderp .

        I’m not sure who said it here, but it went along the lines of:
        US state dept use Trump to experiment with China tariffs/trade, if doesn’t work – make him crazy/ appear crazy – usher in new guy with new angle. Not sure who that was, but: spot on.

    • SweeperMEMBER

      “woke peace, gender neutral love and mung beans”

      What % of the vote do you think actually voted on these “woke” issues the internet right is obsessed with v the economy, inequality and covid?
      My guess is that in electoral terms it was basically nobody.

      Who gets on run down public transport every day, tries to avoid covid, struggles through their minimum wage job, hopes to keep their pay-check before the eviction moratorium and healthcare is lifted, tries to feed their family…. and then late at night thinks … ‘gee my life would be so much easier if only their was less wokeism’.

    • UpperWestsideMEMBER

      AOC
      The death of the blue wave is down to AOC and the gang.
      Running around calling everyone comrade and supporting violent redistribution of what little wealth older white ex ( coz … China) blue collar workers have left , scared the shizm out of them.

      • migtronixMEMBER

        Yup, but also the reason lots kids are out in the streets. Demographics, Trump was last dice of the ones you mentioned…

  29. Woke Nation

    OK you hungover MB cunce, buckle up and get ready for Wokesiders on the ABC in 5 minutes!!

    It’s going to be a big one!

    • RobotSenseiMEMBER

      My sincere hope is that everyone just carries on with the transition and on Jan 19 he’s dragged out by the landlord and turfed onto the street.
      What a glassjaw.

    • happy valleyMEMBER

      Popcorn time too. You can’t help but love The Donald – the ultimate and consummate entertainer.

      • Mining BoganMEMBER

        We still have buffoons though. Boris and Scummo in particular. Boris is kinda entertaining, not like El Trumpo was though

        Scummo is just weird.

        The Chinaman Pooh bloke. He’s kinda buffoonish in a scary clown type way.

        As long as there’s politicians there will be buffoons. Bet your house on it.

        • herpderp .

          Boris will be tossed out after the Tory’s backpedal on Brexit.
          Scummo will come out in a dissolution.
          Dengist side will assassinate Pooh Bear.

        • call me ArtieMEMBER

          You know MiningB…that may be the best description of Scott Morrison I have ever read. Buffoon, in a scary clown kind of way

          Spot on

      • Locus of ControlMEMBER

        I neither like nor loathe Trump. I just find him incredibly (often unintentionally) funny. Long may he amuse.

  31. Kolchak

    Decisive and legitimate victory.

    Trump needs to put on his big boy pants now and move on, as do so many of the babypants on here.

    Biden and Harris. 2020 victors. He tried to build a wall, now he needs to build a bridge (and get over it!)

    • Dan Murphys Run

      @Kolchak – you are so right!! Get some woke on!!

      And while you people are at it, learn to love mass migration and all the death stares that it brings!!!!

    • Wiley Wolf

      Ha ha, I dont think morrison will see out the balance of his term
      be is a failure by every measure

      • migtronixMEMBER

        Whats wrong with a depth charge? You might fall off the boat but there won’t be any bloody sharks in the water.

        • Wiley Wolf

          When Kennedy was POTUS, and the Yanks were returning astronauts into ocean landings for live TV coverage
          Kennedy suggested that, as well as the shark repellent & dyes etc, cos they didnt want astronauts pulled from the capsule to be bitten by sharks live on TV.
          However everyone knew that chemical shark repellents, dyes etc dont work.
          They resorted to rifle men on the ships and the traditional diver and a power head spear gun, off camera,if there was a shark issue.
          Note: 7.62mm ammo has no effect at 1m depth underwater.

          I have a design carried in an arm band, but it is classified as a weapon.
          Still working on that re-classificaton

          • Wiley Wolf

            Sharks are curious
            Valerie Taylor, tells us they are as intelligent and as curious as dogs.
            So here you are swinnimg along and something lands in your playground???
            Most punters on surfboards are not bitten outright, rather a nibble to see what it is
            When bitten outright the limb or body is severed. They dont muck around.

          • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

            My guess is that Wiley’s wrist or ankle worn invention is just knock of copy of this other inventors invention,
            Move 7.50 mins into this clip to see the proof of concept demonstration,
            https://youtu.be/vWGquxvqI_Y

            Though I admire you commitment to surfer safety Wiley I think your invention is just to dangerous to be practical.
            😜

          • ColinMEMBER

            Note: 7.62mm ammo has no effect at 1m depth underwater. – Not even if detonated directly on the skin?

            The lads carrying .303 heads in the 80’s were carrying around a false sense of security?

    • dennis

      Talk about vomit inducing. Couldn’t he just have congratulated them, did he need to go on about our bs alliance. Everyone else is talking about CC / CC and from our religiously deluded moron, we get “the alliance”.

    • happy valleyMEMBER

      Not the least being me, says happy clappy Scotty The Impaler? Get smokin Joe Hockeyian on the case to build bridges? she’ll be right, mate?

  35. Mining BoganMEMBER

    These insiders people. Why do they attack poor El Trumpo while making excuses for Scummo at the same time?

    THEY’RE THE SAME CHARACTER!!

  36. SweeperMEMBER

    I don’t think Biden’s unification rhetoric is well thought out.
    There can be no re-unification until the collaborators (especially in journalism) who gave us the last 4 years are held responsible. They should take no prisoners.

          • skippy

            AOC never said anything about punishing political opponents in their private lives. This connection between AOC and the Trump Accountability Project comes from the Daily Caller.

            AOC made comments about people wiping or white washing history unlike Bannon’s comments about heads and pikes.

          • SweeperMEMBER

            They have to be able to expose the players and their lies who made Trump possible, so that the 70m who voted Trump cotton on that they were used as political fodder. The only punishment should be loss of power.
            If you just pretend, ‘ok that period is over now lets work with our enemies’ the 70m will still think they are part of a movement which had their back.

          • skippy

            Oh I have no qualms about copious amounts of sunlight … being administered … its just dodging the pit memes …

    • Maun Rhys

      Establishment Dems will want to forgive and forget, thinking there is some way back to BAU via a centre left/right peace deal.

      Deficit fears will be back to the front page and the squeeze of the working class will continue…setting us up for another lurch to extremes in 2024

    • Maun Rhys

      Wonder if there is a betting market for Biden catching Covid in 2021 and leaving the presidency in under a year.

  39. Stewie GriffinMEMBER

    I said enough yesterday, but another story that cements the narrative:

    Trump, for his part, has signaled he may not go quietly, calling into question the legitimacy of the late-counted votes that arrived by mail in the states that clinched it for Biden.

    The comment, while true, only delivers half the story – it excludes they ‘Why’ Trump thinks that. Any story that runs in a newspaper without answering the What, Where, Who, How and Why? Is either incomplete or propaganda, which is why it is being repeated so uniformly across the msm.

    https://www.vox.com/21545969/joe-biden-2020-election-winner-trump-vote

    No mention in how Biden has done it in terms of any attention of mail in votes, or the controversy of vote harvesting, given that in terms of actual numbers the importance that this marginal voter source played in his victory…. but then it is Vox.

    Vote harvesting was an issue that was raised well before the US election, that many other ethical politcians e.g. Tulsi Gabbard also had concerns about:

    https://www.newsweek.com/tulsi-gabbard-ballot-harvesting-project-veritas-1534816

    But it was ignored by the MSM – they were too busy crafting a narrative that Trump was going to steal the election. Pretty handy to have a preformed narrative when you know the object of your ire is likely to challenge over what many people thought was a valid issue and wanted addressed before the election, which was one that that you deliberately and conveniently ignored both then and now.

    Weirdly for such a central issue in terms of the US election and the accusations of ‘fraud’ when you google “Vote Harvesting” and then the news tab, the only reports of it are in a couple local newspapers…. telling in a Hound of the Baskervilles sort of way.

    Edit: Speaking of Google – did anyone check the difference in search results between DuckDuckGo and Google on:

    Biden “we’ve got this” “october” slip of the tongue

    R2M is quite right, it probably is a beat up and it was just a mere slip of the tongue in the innocent fashion as opposed to an insider confidence type.

    But the difference is one search engine will let you know of the ‘slip of a tongue’ and let you decide if it is nonsense. The other will do all it can to keep it from you.

    • SweeperMEMBER

      burden of proof is with Trump.
      “Bad thing happen in Philadelphia.. bad things” isn’t a strong case.

      • Know IdeaMEMBER

        Certainly not in absolute terms, no. But relative to his earlier efforts it is reasonably watertight.

        • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

          Indeed – the gap could all go away and the whole thing to be gained from yesterday’s otherwise pointless conversation would have been to see your ethical flip-flopping and moral equivalency shinning through.

    • migtronixMEMBER

      Keep shilling. If the idiot president can’t even stop a party that is out of power from stealing his re-election, he deserves the boot!!

      Weakest strongman ever, and like you, pathetic.

    • Ronin8317MEMBER

      Vote harvesting is legal in some states.

      Whether the late vote is counted friends on the state. PA “s three day expansion past election date is subjected to a Supreme Court challenge, but they were not included in the tally. Trump actually need them to be counted for a chance to win!!

      • Djenka

        There is a distinction between ‘legal’ and ‘not declared illegal’. Former is infallible in court.
        Anyhow, if Trump has any spine it will be popcorn time.

    • dennis

      Oh for goodness sakes Stewie, give it up. Trump lost and it wasn’t because he was cheated.

      The one thing about this mail-in voter fraud that never gets mentioned is that if it is possible, then where were the Trump supporters? You mean they were law abiding and so didn’t partake of the fraud opportunity? Yeah, right!

      I only hope it isn’t gunna be business as usual; they need to do something to improve the lot of those on the bottom rungs.

      • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

        Dennis,

        I’m only mentioning vote harvesting because that is the substance of the claims behind Trump’s miss-calling it voter Fraud. The media certainly aren’t explaining the issue – that is the main bug bear that has gotten under my skin, it is part of the Information War that we are subjected to every day.

        As with my convo with you the other day on the Wolverine militia, it isn’t the notional story that I’m overly concerned with – it is the way the media portray and explain it, or in the case of Vote Harvesting, choose to ignore it. I am interested in the way they distort and spin their own narratives, and even more concerned over how singular and homogenous the narrative it is they spin,, despite all their calls and claims of diversity, and by this I mean all msm from public broadcasting to Fox.

        I’m honestly not overly concerned at Trump losing, imho we are swapping one corrupt president for another – true I think Biden’s is on another scale of treachery, but at the end of the day there is only so much change that a handicapped President can achieve. Trump had it with Congress, Biden will have it with the Senate.

        The only thing that will be tedious in the years to come will be the change in social tone, and the ridiculous ideological CRT sort of BS that will be given even more airtime and pushed even further onto us – Woke Capital is gunna get a turbo charge. I was only half joking when I replied to Ermo above about having to get ready to “publicly announce your privilege as a Wh!te Man at the commencement of every function or introduction.”

        • dennis

          Stewie,

          Not sure if I’ll harping on about this as I’m not sure I understand your grievance.

          “The media certainly aren’t explaining the issue – that is the main bug bear that has gotten under my skin, …..”
          They have from what I’ve read; they’ve rejected his position on it.

          Back to your “kidnap” position; I reject they’re LW, nothing but good ol’ boys with guns. But we’ll beat each other to death over this without either of us changing our opinion.

          Imo, all this woke problem we allegedly have is way overblown.

          Have a good Sunday.

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            👍
            Yeah all good, happy to agree to disagree – I got plenty of chores to do too today. Enjoy what remains of the weekend.

    • JC

      The burden of proof will fall on Trump to prove that their is widespread fraud. There are clear indicators, like not allowing election monitors, dead people voting, more people voting in States than there are registered voters and the disconnect in the swing states on the downstream vote. His chances are slim. With these types of things, unless you can unearth a clear smoking gun, you just look like a sore loser. Hopefully this will lead to a purge of the electoral rolls to get rid of dead people and those who have moved state.

      The good news for Republicans? They increased votes amongst blacks and latinos. Trump did still bring a red wave of votes. They did far better than expected. The Dems do not have a mandate and they could get torched in 2022. Throw in the prospect of a thoroughly unlikable Kamala having an even chance of becoming POTUS, they are a good chance of being a 4 year admin just like Trump.

      The closeness of this vote in defiance of expectation is a repudiation of the radical wing of the Dem party that believes in Critical Race Theory, drugs for young girls under 18 to turn them into boys, a rejection of the notion of the nation state. They won in spite of this, not because of it.

      • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

        Absolutely agree 100% – onus is on Trump to prove it. The gap that I pointed out yesterday in the votes may disappear, and even if he does challenge on the Harvested Votes, I don’t like his chances. Even if the Supreme court has stated it remains open to revisit earlier decisions, which I believe it has been found legal in other courts, a Conservative court is not generally an adventurist court and so I don’t like his chances of it being over turned if lower court decisions are found to be sound.

        • JC

          In any case, the Trump agenda lives on. Republicans in name only will have to concede to this movement in the party. A less abrasive “Trump lite” with similar policies will romp it home. The reality is even if he loses he has still in some ways won. The Supreme Court and lower court nominations, re-energised the Republican party, securing record votes amongst black and latinos. The Dems won’t be able to push a silly agenda in the next four years and will be forced back the the middle. There are a great many things I dislike about certain Republican policies, but when compared to the direction of the Democrats there is no other choice.

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            I would laugh if he started a Govt in exile.

            I think he’ll probably be removed kicking and screaming from the White House and fighting it legally every inch of the way. Then I would seriously not be surprised if he announced he was going to run again in 2024 and became a permanent distraction to the Biden presidency.

            Trump knows a lot of stuff, I personally think he will be at serious risk of having trumpet up corruption charges to permanently remove him as a political force by the Politico-Media-Military blob that was taken by surprise at the last election.

  41. migtronixMEMBER

    “can you imagine if I lose that guy? I can’t lose to that guy”

    “if I lose I’ll never come back to Iowa”

    “I’m not going to talk to my children if I lose”

    Guess what Donny? It’s fun to stay at the YMCA

    • GavinMEMBER

      CRT is a reason I would vote for Trump over Liberals that push that dribble. If being against BLM or CRT makes me racist so be it.

      I read the first few most respected comments and didn’t disagree.

  43. Woke around the Clock

    Ok people, get the pronouns of your new overlords correct!!

    From twitter:

    Kamala Harris
    @KamalaHarris
    Vice President-Elect of the United States. Senator, Wife, Momala, Auntie. Fighting for the people. She/her.

  44. ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

    From Wiley’s post above above,

    “However everyone knew that chemical shark repellents, dyes etc dont work.
    They resorted to rifle men on the ships and the traditional diver and a power head spear gun, off camera,if there was a shark issue.
    Note: 7.62mm ammo has no effect at 1m depth underwater.

    I have a design carried in an arm band, but it is classified as a weapon.
    Still working on that re-classificaton”

    Sorry to call you out Wiley,…but,
    My guess is that your wrist or ankle worn invention is just knock of copy of this other inventors invention,
    Move 7.50 mins into this clip to see the proof of concept demonstration,
    https://youtu.be/vWGquxvqI_Y

    Though I admire you commitment to surfer safety Wiley I think your invention is just to dangerous to be practical.

    I would be interest in hearing what the rest of the MB comentariat think of Wileys knock off.
    Esp you Boom.

    • Woke around the Clock

      WW has long provided top quality insight on the GC scene, especially business and other dealings.

      I would trust his invention.

    • Wiley Wolf

      EP, well someone is thinking but sea water is wet and 800 times as dense as air
      but,using that design if he put some pitch on those blades he could propel toward the shore
      that would be the most effective use for it.

      I’m in a different category altogethter, my invention not only takes out the shark, and summons assistance, but the issue I have is it is technically a weapon in some nations, here, and could be concealed.
      However after the patents are lodged and the company kicks off i will expand on the core technology.
      has a huge market, every diver and solo surfer will need one.
      for other surfers, as Paul Hogan used to say, surf between 2 fat ones.

      PS Ermo, you are most likely using in your day to day work, one of my national award winning inventions, you just dont know it.

      • Wiley Wolf

        More info required,,9mm .45 cal..38cal etc.
        Looks to me to be too low, he wears it around his waist.???
        wouldnt even protect your d1ck

    • boomengineeringMEMBER

      Ermo the requested response.
      Maybe if you could bottle my BO, as a lifetime of shark encounters I’ve never had a problem. 15′ White at Margrets. Son and I swam out 1klm off the Long Reef point to the Wall and the only boat there said they leaving because of a 12′ Tiger then promptly left. We didn’t stay long but didn’t see a thing. Night spearfishing (no torch) by myself in the same spot had my fish stolen by a big mouth.
      Too many others to list.
      I think they can sense fear as well but if you splash they come in for the perceived struggling fish/seal. If you are motionless then a investigative bite is warranted as it could be blubber. Best option is to swim in a calm manner as they know you are alive but not sure what you are and could be a threat to them.
      Edit =one case= just remembered was attacked by a really big Wobbygong off DY as in those days we tied our fish around our waist and I kept kicking it away but it wouldn’t take no for and answer so we came to a compromise it got the squid and I kept some fish.
      Sorry not more detailed but the other stories are just too long.

  45. happy valleyMEMBER

    Is AJ having a good old rant today on his blog about El Trumpo being dudded? Will have to fall in to line with whatever boss Rupert wants?

    • SweeperMEMBER

      Murdoch has already transferred his chips to Biden, and so will begin the process of airbrushing history like he did with Howard in 2007.
      But it is all on file. The Murdoch Political Party is losing cash and votes.

    • ITAgMEMBER

      Murdism (or Merd) will not go away. BoJo and Scumo are still in full implementation mode.

      Rup, as usual, will be talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time so he can pretend he was why Biden won 🙂

      Until Rup and the Boy have to stop pouring $mills into their paid RWNJ trolls (Fox News, WSJ, UK Times, News Australia, $20-30 mill per year min.)) Murdism will continue to spread its revolting smell.

      • happy valleyMEMBER

        And when Rup finally gets to heaven, he will start all over again? What goes around, come around?

        • ITAgMEMBER

          I suspect the angels already have instructions to send him down the Reject chute (to Hell). He and Donny should get on well there.

  46. Totes BeWokeMEMBER

    Pretty tired of the abusive behaviour by migtronix, and some non-members.

    It’s making it a toxic read.

    Ban @migtronix again, and all non members I reckon.

    Still waiting for @winning’s apparent justification for not paying.

    • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

      Hey!,…fken back of Totesy!
      My mate Mig is fken top bloke.
      Bit of a mad cnt,…but that what we love about him.
      That and his incredible singing abilities.
      Voice of an angel I tells ya.
      No more of this crappy banning people talk buddy.

      • Totes BeWokeMEMBER

        There’s just a few of us who aren’t from the far left here. Every time we try and make a point we get niggled at with slander and obfuscation, as opposed to counter argument. It’s become an echo chamber because of it.

        Not good. Migtronix should be banned for his abusive behaviour.

        • migtronixMEMBER

          You tard!!! I’m the original one who got slandered and abused for not confirming! And I never cried that anyone should be banned, I just argued back.

          Sometimes for days!! Ask skip…

          • Totes BeWokeMEMBER

            I haven’t seen levels of abuse I’m seeing now from yourself, @Maun Rhys and @winning.

            Go and have a look. It’s toxic. It’s not even in context. It’s just dismissal of an opinion or comment with no counter argument.

        • L

          I suppose if you ban non-subs, then you get the echo chamber you’re seeking.

          OTOH, while MB does have sub only content I don’t see a lot of comment activity on those pages.

          I don’t agree with posters getting personally attacked, but in a lot of online forums if you post the same thing ad nauseum you would probably get a ban. Remember seeing this on Whirlpool where property troll Shadow got banned for doing that, and people have commented that the same thing happens on their political forums.

          • Djenka

            All that us easy to spot, problem comes when abusive lingo and ad nauseum supports the eko chumber ‘eko’ amplifcation and it is used against the discourse.

          • Djenka

            Wow, I did not say it was -=you=- against discourse.
            Where did you get that from???

            I said abuse, profanity and ad nauseum is overlooked and used against discourse when comes from approved angle, a useful tool theory.
            Posters with counter-ekochumber views with sigmifically lesser profanity, abuse and ad nauseum disappear instantly for several months.

            Being offended is a required risk of a discourse, vulgarity is not the part of that risk. Vulgar lingo and profanities are limitations of one’s dense mind.

            I will likely earn a bun for this comment…

          • drsmithyMEMBER

            Remember seeing this on Whirlpool where property troll Shadow got banned for doing that, and people have commented that the same thing happens on their political forums.

            If banning criteria were repetitive material, the proprietors might find themselves hoisted on their own petards !

      • SpunkyMEMBER

        Don’t you know that you’re toxic?

        Britney, Britney hit me

        Carol Brown just took the bus out of town
        But I’m hoping that you’ll stick around
        Stick around
        Stick around
        Stick around
        Stick around

        • haroldusMEMBER

          I’m going through and making myself listen to all my old CDs and I listened to “I Told You I was Freaky” yesterday.

          The other great song on that album is “Hurt Feelings”

        • haroldusMEMBER

          I’ve noticed that unless I’ve paid for an album, I don’t listen as heavily as I did with CD’s.

          I can remember listening to Doolittle on repeat for what must have been a month, same as I bought the new Darkness album. That one really rewards quite a few listens. Musicianship, songs and production all great. Darkness are quite hit or miss with albums.

          I’m actually looking for another album to get into now, bit hard to find with my humorous melodic hard rock tastes.

          I also listened to A Man’s Not A Camel as well over the weekend.

          I only wish I’d put the CDs back in the right cases in 2008.

          • SpunkyMEMBER

            I think my CDs (what’s left of them) are back at my family home where my parents live. Have to dig them out while I’m back for Chrissy. My most flogged CD would be Down On The Upside I reckon. That and STP’s. No.4. Not my favourite of all time – they just got played a lot. Also, a Trentemoller CD happened to be the last one I bought that stayed in the car stereo when phone connectivity came in.

            Oh and Down’s Nola was another one.

    • [email protected]

      I figured out why you’re bailing out, you can see the writing on the wall, ALP win, you wanna get out now on some fake being abused premise so you don’t have to face the ridicule when ALP win next election.

      I’m laughing hard now, because you say you’re done responding but I don’t know if you can stop yourself from responding to this lol.

      Anyway, if you’re a “tested genius” me calling you a fool should just wash past you, you know you’re smarter than me so why be bothered by my inferior intelligence lashing out with “mean words”? Lol

      Take full advantage of your time away from here. Work on your video, start a political movement and make change happen. I’m 100% serious, do something constructive.

    • JC

      @totes, why are you in your feelings about Mig? Leave the histrionics to Mig. He is clearly an angry “person”. Probably a kid raised without a father, so he takes on the emotional persona of his mother. Like most uber liberals, is likely someone who does not understand the concept of personal responsibility and hard work, and like many is jealous of successful people.

    • JasonMEMBER

      The Arizona election site is interesting – for a normally Conservative state, it looks like they have voted to legalise and tax marijuana AND to add a 3.5% income tax surcharge to people earning over $250k (or households earning over $500k).

      https://results.arizona.vote/#/featured/18/0

      Proposition 207
      View More

      THE LAW WOULD ALLOW LIMITED MARIJUANA POSSESSION, USE, AND CULTIVATION BY ADULTS 21 OR OLDER; AMEND CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION; BAN SMOKING MARIJUANA IN PUBLIC; IMPOSE A 16% EXCISE TAX ON MARIJUANA SALES TO FUND PUBLIC PROGRAMS; AUTHORIZE STATE/LOCAL REGULATION OF MARIJUANA LICENSEES; AND ALLOW EXPUNGEMENT OF MARIJUANA OFFENSES.
      Yes

      No

      59.98% 40.02%
      1,903,779 Votes 1,270,003 Votes
      Proposition 208
      View More

      THE LAW WOULD IMPOSE A 3.5% TAX SURCHARGE ON TAXABLE ANNUAL INCOME OVER $250,000 FOR SINGLE PERSONS OR MARRIED PERSONS FILING SEPARATELY, OR $500,000 FOR MARRIED PERSONS FILING JOINTLY OR HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS, TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
      Yes

      No

  48. ITAgMEMBER

    Murdism (or Merd, aka Trumpism) will not go away. BoJo and Scumo are still in full implementation mode.

    Rup, as usual, will be talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time so he can pretend he was why Biden won 🙂

    Until Rup and the Boy have to stop pouring $mills into their paid RWNJ trolls (Fox News, WSJ, UK Times, News Australia, $20-30 mill per year min.)) Murdism will continue to spread its revolting smell.

    • GramusMEMBER

      Merdism is more that just Rupe. Throw Kerry stokes in there too as well as a lot of commercial radio and the ABC now it is run by Ita and staffed by ex Murdoch people.

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      She’ll be getting lots of hook screws and invisi-nylon line for Christmas for sure.

      Those White House stair-treads might be getting a vigorous polishing too.

  50. GrubbyMEMBER

    I love the painting! Only visual record that provides a glimpse of what the prime agricultural lands looked like before they were cleared. Majestic river gum woodlands on the floodplain with their open grassy under-storey structured with towering old-growth eucalypts. What a truly amazing place it was.

      • SpunkyMEMBER

        Yes, it’s magnificent. I can see aspects of some of the watering holes I grew up around. The thing about the painting is that they are all in the one place.

        Love to get a print of it.

    • Mining BoganMEMBER

      They’re still around but you can’t even hike into those sort of places anymore and spend a couple of quiet contemplative nights. Now you’re in fear of being trampled by a herd of 4WDs carting gen sets and TVs.

    • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

      I love the painting! Only visual record that provides a glimpse of what the prime agricultural lands looked like before they were cleared.

      Yup – cleared and drained 🙁

      Beautifully captures the crepuscular light – can’t work out if it is morning or evening, but it is a lovely work.

  51. Mining BoganMEMBER

    Been out and about for an hour. The streets and shopping strips are quieter than they were during phase 4 lockdown. Are they all in the big shopping centres?

    Might be the jk/is cuts. Heard one young bloke coming out of a bottlo saying to his missus yeah nah, nothing on special. It’s always on special.

    Also why is it when there’s only two customers allowed into a bakery there’s always fat couples who insist on going in together thereby stopping anyone else from entering and ordering? May have just answered my own question…

  52. migtronixMEMBER

    When I first started commenting on the links page nobody was commenting on that page.

    When I first started commenting on the Afternoon page – when Chris was writing it – no-one was commenting on that page.

    When I first started commenting on the Weekend Links page I was always the first.

    But sure Rich42 – whatever you say, God’s gift to women you 😂

  53. Matchbox

    So what do we think; Trump going to cause a chaotic transition and plough the economy as hard as he can into the ground out of spite before formal swearing in?

    • Arthur Schopenhauer

      Leaders like that are surrounded by more opportunists than other politicians. When it becomes evident the tide is running against them, opportunists jump ship and deny they were ever on it.

      As much as he would like to lash out, those that could help him create chaos are leaving the building. Look at those legal challenges being thrown out.

      Strong-men finish with a whimper, not a bang.

      (Of course idiots like Hockey will stay on board.😂)

    • Janet

      On the other hand, I’ll bet he has quite a nice manila folder with some interesting facts he can quote from it!
      He’s had 4 years in close contact with privileged information. What better time than now to put it to use….

      • Maun Rhys

        i’m not sure he plays the long game. if he had anything interesting he would have shot his mouth off a long time ago

        • Janet

          A lot of things that were never going to happen, have.
          Trump was never going to happen. And when it looked like he might, he’d never make it past the nomination stage; or the debates forum or the election night. Yet here he is.
          I agree it will never be allowed to happen again; Assange being a classic warning to all and sundry, and in that lies the tragedy of Trump’s demise. Not because of who Trump is, what he is; the threat he represents that can not be tolerated.
          Besides, if the Democrats are to be believed Edward Snowden already has a place lined up for him in St Petersburg!

          • migtronixMEMBER

            You misunderstood. Trump doesn’t care about any of that and he’s too incompetent to come close.

            Negative Rates for how many years and no inflation happened too J.

  54. The Claw

    My suggestions to solve the vote fraud problem:

    * voting made compulsory for all adults
    * “none of the above” “I don’t know” “abstain” are valid options to choose
    * All votes are made public. Each adult should be able to answer for his/her conduct in imposing a regime upon others.
    * If a voter is not prepared to answer for their vote, they can vote “abstain”.

  55. footsore

    My woefully underinformed guess is that not much will happen. Trump is a grifter and manipulator that relies on the threat of consequences. He’s lost that threat. And he is a big load of sound and fury that relies on others to do the actual hard work. He’ll try, but won’t be that effective as he is now able to be ignored.

    • Maun Rhys

      This’d be my guess too. I think if he had of been closer to a win he’d have been able to leverage more ‘institutional’ support. but i think the stench of death is on him and hangers on wont gamble future employment on anything too cray

  56. tashi mo

    A very statesman’s like speech from U.S. President Elect, J. Biden, well done too. Imagine if it were the other way round.

    This is beautiful, very beautiful, a beautiful thing just happened. I knew I would win, I told you I would win, and I won. I’ve done it, I am the President of the United States, despite the Democrats cheating, they tried to cheat, they did cheat, they did a very bad thing, but I won. I won victoriously, decisively, America the greatest, America the number one country ever, and I am once again the president.

    After a whole lot of that, the last sentence,

    …and by the way, I’m writing a book.

    Thankfully that didn’t happen. And no, I don’t think anything will be that much different, the difference I could see between Trump and Biden, is Trump is insane.

    Wealth will still be bulldozed upward.

  57. Trout à la Crème

    Judging by all the super spreader events being attended by people who let the media and thought police tell them what to think covid is no longer an issue.

  58. Rorke's DriftMEMBER

    I woke up this morning to hear that Trump was on the golf course. What a man, cool, relaxed and in control. I got straight on to Betfair to see if they’d let me increase my bet on him and they would!!!. I couldn’t believe the opportunity, I can still get 25/1 on Trump!.

    Im in so deep I may as well keep digging. I’ve placed another $10,000 on Trump to win, although still in the market waiting to get matched at my price.

    Im convinced he’s got this. Hasn’t conceded, clear election fraud by that pretender Biden, he’ll expose them in court and take down the whole corrupt system. Trump has been too quiet, I think he’s letting them exhaust their ammunition and draw out all their false ballots before he hits them with the lawsuits and evidence. Maybe thats why the counting is still taking so long as the denocrats trying to keep open some states to add more votes if needed.

    It’ll be all Trumps way from monday. Democrats have nothing on him, so he just legally has to chip away at their illegal votes through the courts now with the clean judges he appointed and get them cancelled and he’ll take the crown.

    GO TRUMP!!!!!!!!

      • Rorke's DriftMEMBER

        Not a parody account Winning. It’s real money and I’m serious in my post.

        Wilbur, I know you say that in jest, but there is still a pathway for Pence to win. You can get 1000/1 on him which pretty good odds. I actually have that as a small side bet from a few weeks back when I thought the presidency could be line ball and before it became clear of the Trump landslide (in genuine votes). If votes aren’t certified by 6th January in the President and House races due to court cases and electors suspended, I think, or other issue such that the house can’t vote to resolve, it goes to the Senate who can only pick from the two VP candidates as to who acts as President from 20 Jan. Betfair would pay this out. I’m not putting more on it but would be wealthy if it occurred.

        I heard on the radio earlier that CNN called it for Biden, so other media followed and that Biden claimed victory and decided to make his speech on the basis of CNN!

        Well CNN doesn’t get to pick the winner. And just because some pretender claims the throne doesn’t make it so.

        I heard Kamalas speech thanking all the poll workers and election officials “who made this possible”. That’s the point. They were part of the fraud.

        Trump has not only not conceded, he has said a short time ago he is the legitimate winner and can only be held out by illegitimate votes. Right there is your true answer. The Court will decide what votes are counted in the next few weeks before electors get certified in early December, the 14th I recall. There are enough states with small margins where he could realistically have votes knocked out and take the state.

        I think he will do it and win. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity in the betting markets and I can’t get enough on Trump.

        Just don’t put too much on yourselves and shorten the odds for me.

          • Rorke's DriftMEMBER

            Thanks Winning, I appreciate your comments, you’re one of the people here that has responded consistently to my posts. But I don’t think I need help. I’m an experienced investor and trader, not a gambler and have a rationale for my bets on the election.

            One of the reasons I am posting on this issue is that it always helps to put your big plays out in public at risk of ridicule, as a way of disciplining and testing your thinking.

            I haven’t read any arguments here why my logic is wrong, why the pathway I see to Trumps victory is flawed.

            I’d really like to engage with people on this, particularly who are knowledgeable on the US and electoral process and law, to help refine my position.

          • Maun Rhys

            offer still stands – take a photo of your betfair/whatever app on your phone to prove youre all in and ill send you a bottle of something to wash down the antidepressents

          • Rorke's DriftMEMBER

            Yes, all the media have. But that’s irrelevant. Trump hasn’t conceded and has committed to fight in the courts. If his party abandon him that will make it hard though, so Im watching for indications of that. But media no, I don’t care.

        • SpunkyMEMBER

          Well I heard it on the radio
          And I saw it on the television
          Back in 1988
          All those talking politicians
          Words are easy, words are cheap
          Much cheaper than our priceless land
          But promises can disappear
          Just like writing in the sand

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      LOL. Equally relieved.

      Odds on Pence getting to be Pres must narrower than Trump’s by now? 😉

    • Maun Rhys

      haha. fair play. pro trump derangement syndrome is so strong in MB that there was a little part of me that thought you could be dinky die.

    • March 2020

      Wouldn’t want to be underexposed to the 1 in 1000 chance that Trump manages to turn this around…

    • Popcod

      Well good luck dealing with everything involved with the bet. I sincerely hope you’re only speculating with money you can afford to lose. You’ve got balls putting it out there but i respect the process you’ve detailed behind going public. Fwiw i don’t know that much about the us electoral college system but macrovoices in their post game segment had an educating segment on all the possible outcomes in their latest outcome. I’d never heard of faithless electors before and I think Eric, the American podcast host got a bit off an education from his research. I’m inclined to believe that pellet may be jumping the fun in thinking everything is a done deal right now. Modem humans have no patience. And that includes Trump. Anyway I’m not emotionally invested, just a very disinterested observer who doesn’t want her investments adversely affected

    • GavinMEMBER

      Either you’re insane or a genius? But I don’t think any fraud took place. But if it did, it would poison the democrats for the next 10 elections. So was it worth it? I just think people have had enough of Trump. The noise and circus of it, they are over it.

      • Rorke's DriftMEMBER

        I guess a lot of people are over it Gavin. But 71m voted for him, a record, so a lot are invested in him and the hope he brings for their futures.

    • March 2020

      I’m tipping a pro-immigration article before we get the pro-China article. Pro-immigration next year and pro-China by 2022.

      I already know who’ll do a 180 on their position to back MB.

  60. Wiley Wolf

    You will notice that the election in the USA has been called by the media.
    Some say the National Guard has been called out to Alabama, Arizona,Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin Virginia, Delaware, Illinois and Kentucky to oversee the counting of the official ballots.
    The official ballots have a watermark.
    They are also registered on a QFS blockchain.
    Interesting
    No Prisoners!

    • Wiley Wolf

      only 1 ruff
      he was probably sleeping ruff down there,
      and had a bit of his bark stolen
      or plenty in this case.
      Logan is on the wrong side of the tracks

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      Guaranteed by the time he was back at the station he was straight into the dog house.

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      Apparently they let him off-leash in Logan to sniff out an organised crime currency counterfeiting ring.

      In Logan. Someone was clearly barking up the wrong tree.

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      They stopped the van to let him out and relieve himself on a tree actually but then took a call and forgot to let him back in before they took off.

      It’s happened to more than one police officer I know.

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      When the police dog was found, he was red-eyed, snarling and drooling copiously at the mouth.

      The police dog was in a much better state though.

    • Wiley Wolf

      Mr Trump, give us the nod and millions of Patriots will descend on DC like nothing the world has ever seen
      No prisoners

      • FUDINTHENUDMEMBER

        Lol saw that comment.. no no they won’t. The facade has finally cracked. He ain’t no God he’s a Great American Zero just like so many others before him. His die-hard supporters (qanon and white suprem types) might follow him into a descent into violence, but your everyman (most of his voters are not complete nutters, as many might believe) would take that call as a couple of bridges too far.

      • Wiley Wolf

        Wont be a riot
        check the electoral map, both the east coast and west coast are blue
        the whole centre of America is red
        It will be a full realignment of the blue values.

      • Wiley Wolf

        ABC: Australia will pay tremendously for its misjudgement’, Chinese state media warns
        In the wake of a multi-billion-dollar trade blow, the Chinese Communist Party newspaper warns Australia’s “economy will only suffer further pain”.
        If the US election is found to be rigged, Scotty will cop it from the USA as well.
        The TAB is not working, so tomorrow am, I will be waiting at the door to lay some money on mrT

        • JasonMEMBER

          Betfair is working. Trump is 20s.

          Interestingly, Kamala’s Harris’ odds have come in (from 1000 to 500) presumably on the chance that 78 year old Biden has a heart attack in the next two months in all the excitement.

          • Wiley Wolf

            I dont have accounts, I am cash only.
            Probably only put 500 on this. Cleaned up on the QLD election, I think u did too.

          • JasonMEMBER

            Yeah I did OK in Qld. I’m going to be down overall with this election but can recover a bit if Trump stays below 239 EC votes.

          • JasonMEMBER

            Actually, hate to go all Rorke’s Drift on you guys but reading the fine print, the bet at a high level pays out on the “Next President of the USA” but actually says it will be “settled according to the candidate that has the most projected EC votes won at the 2020 presidential election. Any subsequent events such as “faithless elector” will have no effect on the settlement of this market”.

            So it’s probably the case that Sleepy Joe not waking up one day before inauguration is a “subsequent event”.

            That said, the price for Harris is now down to $470 so someone still thinks she can pay out.

  63. JasonMEMBER

    Meanwhile, Will Pucovski has now scored over 400 runs in the Sheffield Shield this season without being dismissed. And Joe Burns failed again.

    We could be looking at a new Australian opener soon.

    • bzunicaMEMBER

      He’s been picked more than once and then backed out because of a mental health episode. Yes pick him again and hope that it doesn’t happen again

      • JasonMEMBER

        It’s a risk for sure. Obviously you shouldn’t pick him if you weren’t sure those problems wouldn’t arise again.

    • haroldusMEMBER

      I don’t know how long Warner has either.

      I’m really looking forward to Green at about 5 or 6.

      What about the below.

      Warner
      Will
      Smith
      Lasagne
      Head?
      Green
      Tim
      Patty
      Neser or Josh or the other Patty
      GOAT
      Starc

  64. footsore

    Now that it looks like the Democrats are back in how long untill deficits start to matter again?

  65. JasonMEMBER

    Twitter points out that Trump really has had the full 2020 experience – he caught Covid, he lost his job and he’s about to get evicted.

      • Woke around the Clock

        And he got the full pile on from the woke media for the hate crime of being wh_te whilst male.

        • The Traveling Wilbur

          And a gigantic canute who should be in pr-ison. Too.

          Reckon he’s spent so much effort on this election because he realises how badly his skin will clash with the orange jumpsuits.

          Just a matter of time. Tic-toc tic-toc.

          • Curious

            While citizen DJT would appear to have issues with various legal exposure, especially as statue of limitations re 2016 issues apparently does not expire until 2021? but I am wary about the idea of him spending time in jail, however much schauenfraude the idea produces . For starters I am sure he will manage his legal exposure while he is still President. Issues around ignoring Congressional subpoenas and obstruction of justice re Muller enquiry would allow him to claim political martyrdom with his base, and open the door for a comeback, even though it’s all true. If he’s a proven tax cheat though … then he would be a common criminal.

    • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

      I’m really looking forward to seeing him shoot his mouth off at all those former presidents shindigs you always see on TV.

      Will all the other former Presidents shun him or egg him on to says some stupid shyte just for laughs?
      I reckon George junior could wind him up big time, get him to go after and call out Clinton on some made up ridiculous rumour.
      He’s going to be the most hilarious former president EVER!
      🤣

      • JasonMEMBER

        The former Presidents generally only get together for funerals don’t they? Given that Trump is the oldest former President (just over Clinton) chances are the next time they are all together it will be at his funeral.

    • happy valleyMEMBER

      Well, his next meal could depend on the Dems getting their support package for unemployed through the Congress/Senate? Prophetic. LOL.

  67. SnappedUpSavvyMEMBER

    Well as a supposed ‘RWNJ’ I’m happy Biden got in as he’s pretty much the same

    • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

      So you don’t subscribe to the “Biden is a Socialist” schtick?
      Good for you. That means, at least, your not a “fking stupid” RWNJ

    • The BurbWatcherMEMBER

      Yeah, the Dems are centre-right/right wing, and full of flaws…they just weren’t threatening the US’ fundamental democracy as badly this time (pretty hard to top Trump on that one).

    • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

      With China effectively placing trade sanctions on Australia and basically ignoring our “Free trade” agreement with them should someone (like a Journalist) be putting it to Dan that maybe Victoria should be cancelling the purchase of Chinese built rolling stock and sourcing/ organising for Australian built trains instead.

      • Curious

        Definitely. Jobs for Australians first. Period. Even if the trains cost double. We have already given away too much manufacture as we discovered with the pandemic; focusing on merely the price paid for the import forgets the intrinsic value from being able to make in Australia.

  70. Woke around the Clock

    Can someone closer to the age range answer me this question, which has been bugging me?

    I am seeing a lot of young males (early 20s) who are clearly of middle eastern background driving round in VERY expensive looking very late model Mercs (relevant only to say that they are unlikely to come from old family money, not saying they should not have these cars, just that seems unlikely that parents gift for 18th like happens in wh_te rich families)

    Are they just getting easy credit and maxing themselves out because ‘must have street cred’ or are they all on very high incomes doing legit work and just spending well within their means? Or drug money? These things look like they would carry a huge insurance price tag.

    I am on > $200,000 and would never dream of getting a car like these.

    • Curious

      I am not in the right age range to answer, but I don’t think the nationality matters. Very very expensive flashy cars are perhaps not always associated with the kinds of people one would bring home to dinner. I would give them a lot of room on the road and stay out of their way.

    • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

      I know of a particular family in Ermo that matches that demographic and the patriarch is the neighbour of one of my Aussie mates.
      His asset base includes numerous business premises across Ermo, Rydalmere and Silverwater and land around badgerys creek purchased in the late 90s.
      He’d have to be worth at least 20 or 30mill and yet, rather than move to the eastern suburbs or lower north shore like most Sydney Aussies of that wealth would, he chooses to live in a nice but humble house in Ermo.
      He is constantly doing knock down rebuilds with duplexes always having 2 or 3 on the go and he seems to employ, set up or assist a lot of his large immediate and extended family in his enterprises in the area.
      I’m told a lot of his kids, niece’s and Nephews live in the area.
      There is always a variety of expensive cars in his driveway.
      Other than the cars though, no real ostentatious displays of wealth.
      I respect people who use their success to bring along their friends and family with them.
      The few working class Anglos I know who have really “Made it” live in completely different worlds from their old friends and extended families.
      Just a reality of our self obsessed, individualistic, consume culture I suppose.

    • L

      Recall a story of a respiratory professor who cycled to work almost getting run over by a supercar – driven by a first year middle kid, parents were plastic surgeons working in a low tax middle-eastern country. Basically they have unlimited credit to buy what they want.