Christmas long weekend links: 25-28 December 2020

By in Links

| 460 comments

Global Macro / Markets / Investing:

Americas:

Europe:

Asia:

Trans-Tasman:

Unconventional Economist
Latest posts by Unconventional Economist (see all)

Comments

  1. The Traveling Wilbur

    Have a merry, happy and safe Christmas all of you chunz and look after yourselves and have a very happy New Year.

      • Wochenendlesung Bitter

        And a very Merry Christmas to you too Miggie.

        (haven’t been anywhere so to speak, just sorted out a different account as a one off for Christmas in case the MB Grinch came and stole Christmas links… which wasn’t likely and didn’t happen 👍. But as Reusa says, always carry a cub-scout. Sorry. I mean condom. Sorry. I mean be prepared. 😁)

        No doubt I confused the #@#$&%# out of [email protected] in doing so too – or this comment is about too. 😇

          • karlooMEMBER

            Mig, you are a colorful man. Why don’t you multiply yourself? One day you are going to regret it.
            Don’t be coward.

        • [email protected]

          Yup, ya had me bamboozled, started thinking it was possible about 9am today but thought I was being paranoid and pushed it from my mind lol. I went as far as google translating the name and wasn’t sure if it was meant to be Weekend Reading Bitter or Weekend Reading, please (erroneous r on “bitte”).

          Either way fckn fkn ya prick lol

          • The Traveling Wilbur

            You’ve got it. It’s both Please and Bitter! Puntastic right!

            And lolzzzzzzzzzz: “You must be new around here”… ROFLd at that one. 😂😘

          • [email protected]

            I had pause on that one too but decided to roll with it because it still worked for the self deprecating aspect. You’re totally just feeding my paranoia now lol, gtta trust my 1st instincts. Next person that’s unlucky enough to laugh near me on the train will probably cop a serve from me thinking it’s you trolling me in real life.
            Edit: P.S. unacknowledged handle switching is the domain of peasants, a la rich42. Or are you totes as well?!?!

          • The Traveling Wilbur

            Nun of the above. As to who’s who, I’m not even sure if Totes is only 1 person sometimes! 😉

    • drt15MEMBER

      Thanks for sock tip. Can’t go past a good sock recommendation – ordered three pairs 🙂 Happy NY to you!

  2. Wochenendlesung Bitter

    What the yellow fat bald guy said. But remember to drink quality booze too. 🍸🍺🍻🍷🍹🍶👍😁

  4. GunnamattaMEMBER

    Just so everyone gets a sense of just how much Christmas bull the Government is loading onto Stranded Australians

    This is the message they sent out at 1800 on Christmas eve

    and this is my wifes experience

    and a bit later

  5. LeMon3MEMBER

    Appropriate Salutations to you all.
    May all your wishes for mass disease spread amongst parliamentarians come true.

  6. reusachtigeMEMBER

    What a lovely story!
    https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/tragic-twist-for-kazakhstan-bodybuilder-who-married-a-sex-doll/news-story/a820636d8aef00acd1da5f12c7057c14

    These dolls are almost at an advanced enough stage of pleasure deliverance that I might get myself a few and put on some parties.

    I’m totally looking forward to the day we don’t need real chicks around annoying us anymore, other than when we want to breed, if that’s your thing. But maybe by then we’ll be able to use the dolls to form our progeny.

    • skippy

      This is very much in line with why the Japanese kicked out the Jesuits and RCC Priests, back in the day, sorta the vanguard of opening up a nation to merchant classes back home under the guise of progress, liberties and freedoms. Problem with all that is Access[tm] E.g. your personal wealth dictates what level of access you can have.

      Per Russia I think Mark Ames did a good job on the transition albeit in a Thompson-esque style, firstly the neoliberals lied to Russia about going broke in their own currency [silly Marxists] after setting the stage over price manipulation of some commodities and attempted a corporate driven takeover of the nations resources. Putin ended that project and earned himself the ire of those that had expectations of untold wealth.

      The kicker now is these same sorts are driving Russia and China to a more common mutual relationship, see recent bomber flight … so much for the whole new American century pogrom.

  8. skippy

    Wellie … for polysci reasons I’m about to have Xmas lunch at a Oz mates house, that used to run a few English Uni depts in China, now his mothers at home caretaker, still teaches online. Anywho he’s having a few Chinese students over for lunch and said I could pop by, just a dog walk away.

    Better than the old exes family ones … where here Pyrmont sister is cracking the bottle at 7am, youngest brother sleeps off last night on the couch, and sister starts to devolve around 12 noon, which inevitably puts off everyone else with her group therapy theater and everyone pretends it good quality family time – at the end of the day … loooooool ….

    Although had a good time with my boys last night after a BBQ of marinated rib filet in lea&perrins, garlic, salt&pepper, tabasco, and schofferhofer beer, accompanied by sweet corn in the husk with rubbed in butter, salt&pepper and a dash of La Chinata sweet smoked paprika, baked potato in the jacket served with hickory smoked bacon, sour cream, colby, and chives, followed by an American bbq salad drizzled with sweet chipolata dressing …..

    My happy thought for the holidays is all the kids are working in good jobs and the year 11 boy just got an apprenticeship with Volvo CE … everything else after that is just gravy …

  11. migtronixMEMBER

    HRH

    “Most years I would be speaking to you after a cheerful Christmas lunch shared with family, close friends and staff.

    This year, however, I am addressing you after a 3-hour ‘virtual Royal Christmas lunch’ on Zoom. Jesus Fkng Christ. I’ve been through a bit in my time, but trying to fake polite conversation with your idiot family members over a shaky internet connection is a new low. If it weren’t for a f#cktonne of Pimms I don’t think I would’ve made it past the entrees.

    One minute Charles is banging on and on and on about his new vegetable patch. The next Harry is spinning some woke Bullsh!tabout privilege. And then of course Andrew – well, he wanted everyone to know that the 16 year-old Scotch whiskey he was drinking actually seems older in real life. Sure it does.”

    https://twitter.com/TheShovel/status/1342239680994013186?s=19

  12. SweeperMEMBER

    Pope Francis:
    “Last Sunday, I called attention to this problem, underlining that consumerism has hijacked Christmas,” … No! Christmas must not be reduced to just a sentimental or consumerist feast (that is) full of gifts and good wishes but poor in Christian faith and poor in humanity as well.”

    • migtronixMEMBER

      One wishes that the infallible Lord in his Palace and fine robes could be taken seriously in these things..

      • Mining BoganMEMBER

        Yeah, but someone had to say it.

        I know I will this arvo at the xmas lunch but it will just get palmed off as a drunken uncle incident, with everyone faking the yuletide dreams and aspirations refusing to humbug. We need as many people to say it as possible.

        Today I’ll suggest the carrying of crosses and whipping and crown of thorns march would be more suitable.

          • Wing Nut

            “service to the poor” that why Shifty from Marketing is hell bent on making us all poor so he can outsource the services to apparently support us in his good Christian way.

        • footsore

          Socks and jocks should be enough for all. And none of those fancy ones either. Just some solid ones that make it through to next Christmas and then join the mighty rag bag.

          • The Traveling Wilbur

            Fancy some fancy, solid, ones that last? Not ’til next Christmas… but into the 2030’s? These are what I’m wearing right now. Bought them over 10 years ago – about two-dozen pairs. Never bought socks since. Not one. I even run in them.

            Some needing a little darning at one point. More than half haven’t. Amazed they still make ’em.

            https://www.davidjones.com//20577395/Merino-Cushion-Foot-Socks-Regular.html

            Note: these specific socks, not the brand generally, is the key here. These aren’t your usual ‘health’ socks. They’re actual socks that happen to be uber comfy and tick that ‘health’ rubbish box too. And other socks from the same maker with similar features do not have the same feel or comfort btw.

          • footsore

            My inner tight arse balks at $27 socks. It grasps the longevity argument yet can’t get past the sticker shock.

  14. migtronixMEMBER

    Happier days lay in waste
    But lest not in haste thus forsake
    Our shared experience and entangle
    In bitter and raging recriminations our
    Shared hope forestalled
    Its Christmas, after all…

    • [email protected]

      I suspect heaps of lurking but hesitation to comment as shut ins don’t want to admit they’re shut ins that have no life (like myself) or are shut ins that use MB to escape their life (like TTW 😘)

      • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

        I’ve been up since 6.30am preparing for Christmas day lunch.
        Been on the p!ss since 11 am and I’ve snuck away from the in-laws and rest of the family for a quick lay down before pudding.
        Sigh,…the wife’s into me to get up after only 20 mins.
        Only 6 or 7 hours of drinking to go before I get to kick everyone out.

      • The Traveling Wilbur

        Cooked two sets of meals yesterday and managed to multi-task an MB Christmas FIRST in there this early AM too. Along with a couple of bottles of red. Today’s recovery and sock guidance day, thank Christ. 😇

        Hope all the dental drama is sorted by New Years. You can do some extra catch up drinking then.

          • SnappedUpSavvyMEMBER

            Nothing worse then a dry socket be careful, drink on one side of your mouth, with your head sideways

          • [email protected]

            I’m using an old tomato sce squeezie bottle to jet the booze down the good side and straight down the gullet. A little bit unpleasant but the booze sure helps the pain. I miss codeine 😪

          • The Traveling Wilbur

            Fair call. It’s just I would have gone with a Gatorade bottle for the other option and assumed there was a reason that wouldn’t be acceptable. They are literally designed so the content doesn’t have to touch any enamel at all.

            Servo can’t be out of them too? 😉

          • SnappedUpSavvyMEMBER

            I used to hold the plug down with my tongue and pour alcohol down the other side of my throat and that’s after getting the dry socket repacked with some really nasty shyt

            I’m not smart enough for specialised bottles

    • csfnMEMBER

      Yes, although I’m not pleased with the sequencing. Vacation being shown before Christmas Vacation on Christmas Day? I appreciate it’s chronologicaly correct in terms of the movie release dates, but come on, it’s fvckn Christmas Day! Christmas Vacation should come first.

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      You’ve certainly come to the right establishment this evening Sir/Madam/Your choice (of NOTA), please allow me to seat you over here…

      What’s the problem with Government’s immigration policy re snowmen? (snowpeople)

      Not enough carrot, too much stick and zero emphasis on renewables.

      • HixtarMEMBER

        My cracker joke was about snowmen and carrots.

        “Why was the snowman found in the carrot patch in the garden?”

        “He was picking his nose!”

        *Chortle*

  21. ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

    “reusachtigeMEMBER
    December 25, 2020 at 8:50 pm
    I hope you are enjoying a good wine and not that bogon beer stuff blue collar types often can’t advance past!”

    Well Reusa I did have a glass of Red from a 2014 vintage that is supposed to be worth more than a few hundred bucks a bottle today and found it to taste equally as shyte as the cheap stuff Ill occasionally quaff. (usually only when I run out of beer)
    It was so average in fact that I had to wash it down with a delicious cold beer chaser.
    https://twitter.com/ErmoPlumber/status/1342313058379579393?s=19

      • GramusMEMBER

        Brian is doing the needful. Says the government is not listening and the edumigration industry feels that they need a nobel prize winner in the media to get traction.

    • csfnMEMBER

      They don’t stop trying do they?

      Professor Schmidt said highly controlled on-campus quarantining should be given strong consideration by governments as an alternative to hotel quarantine.

      “There’s some innovative ways we can do this within our student residences. It shouldn’t be open slather, but you can create closed communities where students literally are kind of locked up inside the areas, but in those areas are highly open environments.”

      But he acknowledged such proposals may never get off the ground due to the proven fragility of the quarantine system and the low appetite within government and among Australians to take on risk.

      “We need to convince the chief health officers this is a safe way to do it,” he said.

      Notice he doesn’t say that they actually need to make it safe, just that they need to CONVINCE the chief health officers it’s safe. Translation: “I don’t understand why they’re not buying it, we have never had trouble selling our bull$h1t before.”

    • GramusMEMBER

      Edumigration industry trotting out the same tired article again and again… 40 billion export industry… quarantine in student residences…. lose market share to UK an Canada…. blah blah

      I would be surprised if there will any new international students come in for S1 this year.

      Let it burn burn burn.

  24. Arthur Schopenhauer

    Merry Christmas shutins! Hope you and your families had a good one.

    And a special Merry Christmas to the MB boys. A great effort this year!

    • migtronixMEMBER

      Whoa! You found people that are offended by Xmas instead of Christmas? In 2020? Jesus wept…

      • Mining BoganMEMBER

        Well, just the one. Insulting the day was the phrase. Apparently there’s lots of reborn types who don’t like it. Got an uncle who went from alki to standing for parliament with a religious based party. Did worse than SAP. He didn’t mind, but he’s always thought I’m going to hell anyway.

        No more writing of the cards for me. Winning.

        Oh, and you’re going to hell for “Jesus wept”. T’is why I always say Jebus. Loopholes matter.

      • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

        I always like to point out that Christmas is the celebration of Santa’s Birthday.
        It really annoys the practicing Catholic Mother and Father in-law and the Pentecostal Brother and Sister in-law but no more than their talking about Jebus on Christmas annoys me.

        • Mining BoganMEMBER

          Well for Dog’s sake never say greed when the little kids get asked what Xmas day is about.

          You’ll quickly get ushered outside to the drunken uncles and one p!ss funny wine aunty gathering in the backyard that always seems to be so much more fun.

  27. Donald Rumsfeld

    Christmass – massive remotely detonated bomb set off in Nashville knocking out AT&T- warned public for 1 hour to clear the area with audio recording played speakers.

    Oof – so it begins.

  29. BradleyMEMBER

    The backpackers are doing their bit to ensure no one cares if they get underpaid or harassed-https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9087227/Police-called-popular-beach-disperse-Christmas-Day-revellers-Sydney-cluster-grows.html
    Drunken Brits obviously but zero information from all news sources. Cant have the backpackers called out for what and who they are can we.

    • GunnamattaMEMBER

      “But it is not enough for governments to simply intervene as the spender of last resort when markets fail or crises occur. They should actively shape markets so that they deliver the kind of long-term outcomes that benefit everyone”

      This.

      If it is OK for governments to intervene to maintain stability which serves the interests of the 1%, then they can bloody well intervene to provide outcomes for the 99%.

      • migtronixMEMBER

        She’s great

        “For one thing, finance is financing itself, thus eroding the foundation of long-term growth. Most of the financial sector’s profits are reinvested back into finance—banks, insurance companies, and real estate—rather than put toward productive uses such as infrastructure or innovation.”

        • drt15MEMBER

          Well meaning but completely deluded.

          “But if governments instead focus only on ending the immediate pain, without rewriting the rules of the game, then the economic growth that follows the crisis will be neither inclusive nor sustainable.”

          Sustainable! Hahahaha. Of course it’s not sustainable. How can there be never ending growth on a finite planet? MORON.

          “Advanced economies had been suffering from major structural flaws”

          Structural flaws? Yep. The structural flaw is declining available ENERGY at a price the economy can continue to grow. Most resources are at or near peak, and most have been declining for the last 40 years…..disguised only by ever-growing debt.

          “The financial crisis was to a large extent caused by excessive credit flowing into the real estate and financial sectors, inflating asset bubbles and household debt rather than supporting the real economy and generating sustainable growth.”

          ‘Sustainable growth’. Side-splitting stuff.

          “long-term investments in green energy” blah blah blah…..

          “Access to the Internet should be a right, not a privilege.” Double hahahaha.

          Facts:
          There simply is not the time or resources available to turn to so-called green energy – a complete con and a straw in the wind. A ton of feathers and a ton of oil may weigh the same….. ditto so-called renewables. Nothing can substitute for FFs.

          Economic theory is complete crap. What we have and have always had is an energy-based economy from earliest times – apart from sunlight – first manual labour, then animals, slaves, wood, water, and on to coal, oil & gas….

          Now the cost of the once-off energy from the millions-of-years-old stored ancient sunlight of FFs that we’ve pissed up against the wall of consumerist insanity of cruises, plastic kewpie dolls and landfill junk is becoming expensive to find and extract – and is frying the planet.

          “This is how the United States got to the moon and back in 1969.” The US got to the moon and back on a once-off bonanza of unlimited cheap oil. Simple. Does anyone really believe it could be done by renewables?. Hahaha.

          Unfortunately time’s up. End of the road times have arrived. Although it’s the gig workers who’re the first to suffer, this will soon spread to other sectors.

          The article is right about one thing – disaster waits as early as 2030:

          https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-27/covid-dominated-2020-democracy-at-a-crossroads/13010694

          Here’s a common sense explanation of what’s actually happening unclouded by the bullsh!t of economic [email protected]:

          https://surplusenergyeconomics.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/186-the-objective-economy-part-three/

      • triageMEMBER

        I remember The Economist magazine named Deng Xiao Ping and Margaret Thatcher as the two most influential people of the latter part of the 20th century because of their roles in the denationalisation / deregulation of the world’s economy. The argument was that up until the 70’s and 80’s the 20th century had seen an ongoing tightening of control by government over most economies (ex-the yanks, who were an outlier). Thatcher and Deng, by reversing that trend, had been able to release massive returns in productivity.

        But over time those productivity gains progressively being released by more and more “neoliberalism” began to become marginally slim then negative.

        The tide has actually been turning for some years, back away from the-market-knows-best, trickle-down dogma. I have to say the signs locally have been clear for a long time. Like with most things John Howard lacked the nuance to focus on the productivity gains, not on the dogma. He delivered such shockers as the privatisation of such assets as the airports, ie Sydney Airport, and he began the rort of bringing in cheap foreign labour to casualise and and underpay the workers. And hence we arrive today with the current bunch of political leaders, constantly tilting the playing field in favour of their insiders, at a massive cost to our economy.

        I see a lot of comment on MB about how because denationalisation / deregulation is delivering net losses now what Thatcher and Deng (and the kiwis and Keating) did back then is also wrong. But in my view in the circumstances back then Deng and Thatcher had the right approach (Deng delivered brilliantly, Thatcher not so much). Xi is not half the leader Deng was but the Chinese have at least recognised another turning point now. Locally I suspect that the Scomo outfit is akin to Fraser’s mob pre-1983 in their cluelessness and it will take Labor reincarnate to do the job again.

        • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

          “denationalisation / deregulation of the world’s economy” has ment the dedemocratization of the “Western democracies”
          Without the existence of a “Global Democracy” who is overseeing and holding to account the Rulers of this “deregulated global economy”?

          The responsibility of our elected National leaders is not to some bunch of lofty ideals/propaganda around internationalism or Global capitalism, their responsibility and duty is, supposed to be, to represent the interests of the citizens that have the right to Vote.
          The thing that Thatcher and these Chinese dictators have most in common is their contempt for Democracy.

          • triageMEMBER

            You’re coming from a political perspective, I’m attempting to come at it from a political economics perspective. I don’t know much about the pommy situation so I’ll stick to the Chinese one. The first thing Deng did was de-nationalise farming land, he also allowed local state-owned secondary and tertiary enterprises to transform into town and village enterprises. At that time the majority of Chinese lived in towns and villages (about 80%) and the amount of arable land per worker was a couple of acres. Most of them were sitting on their bums with no future, dependent entirely on the state handouts. Particularly from the TVEs came the development of much of China’s industrial sectors. By 2018 only 40% of Chinese lived in towns and villages, with virtually all who had moved to cities being productive workers. My personal opinion is that the Chinese leadership has lost the plot in recent years but that does not take away from what was achieved by Deng et al.

      • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

        If it is OK for governments to intervene to maintain stability which serves the interests of the 1%, then they can bloody well intervene to provide outcomes for the 99%.

        Calls for Socialism would never have been possible if it were not for the tireless work of our financial system.

        • skippy

          Basic concrete social benefits, which IMO lowers the cost of doing business – is – not socialism.

          How many drank the road to serfdom PR/Marketing kool-aid which foamed the runway for decades of neoliberalism, just look and Larry and Co now … shezzzzz~~~~

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            “Without big banks, socialism would be impossible”

            – Lenin

            Lenin said that comment in reference to large banks ability to reach into every facet of the economy, but I meant in reference to the humungous bank welfare deployed to ‘save the system’ when ‘too big to fail’ banks run into the inevitable results of compounding returns in finite systems. The resulting destruction of sound money and the inequality it generates, is a necessary precondition for calls of greater and greater Government intervention into the economic equation of resource allocation.

          • skippy

            Whilst many were filling their heads with drippings from Rand, Hayek, Chicago School boys, et al, remind me again about those that were on board with dereg and corporatist revolving door experts/too include friends in the judiciary [stocked pond], not to mention all the innovation, rational agent, public choice, unemployment was leisure time memes …. but some are going to bang on about socialism – ???? – FMD.

            Furthermore its incumbent on you stew to articulate which variant of socialism your banging on about, its not a monolith, and seems some in your camp have promoted national socialism post GFC. See I don’t have a drama social democracy because its anti corporatist and anti neoliberal. Big difference …. eh …

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            Whilst many were filling their heads with drippings from Rand, Hayek, Chicago School boys, et al, remind me again about those that were on board with dereg and corporatist revolving door experts/too include friends in the judiciary… [Stewie: ugh! Your word salads run forever!

            Culture matters, it was the cultural origins of your Bugbear that have seen reporters, editors and more importantly their propietors decide which Economist or which economic theory of this or that, is adopted and run with by their institutions as ‘the narrative’. That is why were hear so much from Krugman and so little from Michael Hudson in “our” media.

            As the culture and composition of our, or more importantly the US’s elites has changed, so too as the values set in decision making. This newly grafted head has steered and all the Judiciary, fellow boardmembers, and the remainder of your word salad, in the direction we now find ourselves.

            BTW – it is not incumbent upon me to explain which particular form of socialism I am referring to, because all forms of Bolshevism spring from the same fountainhead:

            “We cannot state that all J3ws are Bolsheviks. But: without J3ws there would have been no Bolshevism.”

            – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

            Both Neoliberalism and Bolshevism might seem entirely unalike to you, but the truth is both are social ideas, that influence economic decision making.

            Neoliberalism entices a society into solving the economic problem i.e. “How to best use a societies resources to solve its economic needs.” by divorcing all decision making from any social, cultural and ethnic norms, and use pure utilitarian economic principals. It stops a society from using its economic resources to perpetuate its cultural values. That is the purpose of Neoliberal economics – to divorce economic decision making, from unproductive pursuits that assist in the existing society perpetuate its culture.

            Bolshivikism is simply another social engineering theory, in how a small minority can exert control over the masses, by erasing the majority of their culture and identity. It wasn’t Synagogues and Rabbi’s that were burned down or strung up from light poles in the revolution.

          • skippy

            Stew ….

            Same “Culture” was rampant in the 1800s up to the Great Depression, predates Marx, post WWII till the advent of neoliberalism becoming dominate in the mid 70s is the only period out side this “Culture” you keep referring too.

            Its basically colonialism – corporatism – neoliberalism in the order of events, financialization is a cornerstone to each epoch, hence why the only short period post WWII was an outlier due to distribution factors and the lingering FDR policies on curbing excesses.

            So for you too keep banging on about “Culture” is a bit vacuous at best, ill defined and completely without reference points to evaluate E.g. suggestive narrative crafting without any detailed historical attribution.

            The part that some seem to ignore is the bit about colonialism and corporatism was its excesses were largely exported except for the always – ever present difficulties of slack labour, but even then they could be exported back in the day or inter nation. The rub is today these excesses in some developed countries has become inverted due to the lack of being able to export the excesses and the only game in town is to consume your own citizens E.g. inverted economic totalitarianism … cough … U.S. has something like 600 billionaires and contra to Forbes their are a few Trillionairs out in the wild.

            The best bit is the environment which can’t be controlled, see Covid/AGW et al, will do a full Taleb on this “Culture” you are so emotionally ***devoted*** too …

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            Its basically colonialism – corporatism – neoliberalism in the order of events, financialization is a cornerstone to each epoch, hence why the only short period post WWII was an outlier due to distribution factors and the lingering FDR policies on curbing excesses.

            Durrrrrrrrrr…. who funded that colonial expansion? Who funded the exploration and the colonies? Who encouraged it? So many new markets to open up to, so much opportunity to expand trade AND Debt.

            The Fabian society and Cecil Rhodes were little more than catspaws for the J3wish Rothschild dynasty. All roads lead back to the true source of colonization – financial colonization.

            BTW – 600 Billionaires is completely meaningless if they are little more than cultureless barbarians, enjoying their money and their privilege’s while floating along in the eddies of fellow Billionaires who are prepared to spend their billions influencing culture and bending society to their advantage over the long term – by which I mean generations.

          • skippy

            “The Fabian society and Cecil Rhodes were little more than catspaws for the J3wish Rothschild dynasty.”

            I think you bent something long ago whilst playing with psychotropics Stew … pro tip … there is not any – one – dominate force driving things, elites agree on stuff that is beneficial to all in the group and squabble on the edges about pet peeves. Currently there are only 3 nations that can resist Atlantic Anglophone forces and that is China and Russia [now being driven together – own goal] and Japan – never ending meetings/will get back to you ploy.

            Neoliberalism is not a Rothschild’s program, MPS [dark corner debate club]/Lippmann road show was advanced by elites back in the day due to their fear of having their rents/looting curbed and worse the proceeds of that in the form of property taken away, ultimately the greatest fear [tm] of all was their power/authority over how society should be shaped. This is all just basic polysci stuff and not ideological screeds like The Devil from Jackal Island or The Road to Serfdom level ***self help book section*** stuff.

          • skippy

            Again Stew ….

            The main points of neo-liberalism include:

            THE RULE OF THE MARKET. Liberating “free” enterprise or private enterprise from any bonds imposed by the government (the state) no matter how much social damage this causes. Greater openness to international trade and investment, as in NAFTA. Reduce wages by de-unionizing workers and eliminating workers’ rights that had been won over many years of struggle. No more price controls. All in all, total freedom of movement for capital, goods and services. To convince us this is good for us, they say “an unregulated market is the best way to increase economic growth, which will ultimately benefit everyone.” It’s like Reagan’s “supply-side” and “trickle-down” economics — but somehow the wealth didn’t trickle down very much.

            CUTTING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES like education and health care. REDUCING THE SAFETY-NET FOR THE POOR, and even maintenance of roads, bridges, water supply — again in the name of reducing government’s role. Of course, they don’t oppose government subsidies and tax benefits for business.

            DEREGULATION. Reduce government regulation of everything that could diminish profits, including protecting the environment and safety on the job.

            PRIVATIZATION. Sell state-owned enterprises, goods and services to private investors. This includes banks, key industries, railroads, toll highways, electricity, schools, hospitals and even fresh water. Although usually done in the name of greater efficiency, which is often needed, privatization has mainly had the effect of concentrating wealth even more in a few hands and making the public pay even more for its needs.

            ELIMINATING THE CONCEPT OF “THE PUBLIC GOOD” or “COMMUNITY” and replacing it with “individual responsibility.” Pressuring the poorest people in a society to find solutions to their lack of health care, education and social security all by themselves — then blaming them, if they fail, as “lazy.”

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            Thanks for stating the obvious – once again you mistake the mundane definitional for the profound.

            Now how about considering how these economic precepts might influence a society? Start with a simple model, say a society constructed of two cultural groups, a majority that seeks to maximise its strength through unity and shared values, and a minority that seeks to maintain its distinct identity from the majority at all cost, and indeed it sees any form of assimilation as cultural genocide.

            Then consider the social and economic outcomes of those two groups in terms of Neoliberalism. If you a minority in a majority nation you have one of two choices, either you assimilate or if that is abhorrent for you to consider, then you must seek to control the majority least they turn you into their slaves.

            A society that directs its economic output at perpetuating the culture and values of the majority is abhorent to all minorities. Neoliberal market based solutions are the inevitable solution that minorities will champion, especially when their “Native” community abilities ensure that they will generally outperform the majority in a ‘meritocracy’.

            You are so regularly critical of Christians and Christianity, yet I have never seen you raise a voice of criticism towards other religions or give a skerick of thought to the possibility that other religions and cultures have hold great enmity towards our own.

            Are white people the only group in the world who have suprmacists within their ranks? That would seem a very rac!st to me. The reality is all cultures and people have suprmacists within their ranks – I wonder what the supremacists of a 4,000 year old banking clan would look like, and the sort of policies that they would argue for?

        • drt15MEMBER

          RE banks Stewie:

          “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. The issuing power of currency shall be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.”

          “If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered.”

          Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Quote: https://oll.libertyfund.org/quotes/187

          • Stewie GriffinMEMBER

            Hi Drt15,

            It is a great quote – unfortunately it is thought to be a paraphrase of some letters that he wrote to John Taylor. The letter written below:

            “And I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”

            I think the second quote was entirely made up, but has been popularly accepted. That is not to say that it is not inaccurate in terms of according to Jefferson’s beliefs. He had some strong views on debt and that no debts should ever extend beyond 20yrs, least it become a generational burden. Jefferson was an amazing man in terms of his consideration of aspects of Freedom, Liberty and Rights and Responsibilities. Regardless of those particular quotes authenticity, they are very true in the warnings that they carry, and I’m sure Jefferson would not only have agreed with them, but endorsed them too.

          • skippy

            LMMAO …. Jefferson’s bible and his slave ownership proclivities [root] make a mockery of your projections …. he bragged about his 6% interest ***on humans*** to cover the lavish cost of his estate social party’s which put a floor under his social networking foundations and political aspirations.

    • SweeperMEMBER

      I was listening to one of those Intelligence squared debates earlier today on Capitalism.
      One of the debaters was a standard clueless CEO type who truly believed in the end of history thesis, freedom etc. Capitalism will keep getting better until the sun dies.
      Debate was titled “Capitalism is a blessing”

      But it should be past tense because Capitalism has already failed. Post 2008 has been capitalism in name only:

      1. Capitalists no longer control their businesses. “Management” or professional boards do. They decide the capital structure, cost structure, return of capital etc. Capitalists are now just bagholders for “managers” (bureaucrats) to take advantage of.
      Managers don’t even know who the capitalists are, they’ve never met them. They don’t care.
      2. The market can now not ever create the demand required for full employment. Not just during a downturn, but ever. It depends 100% of the time on state induced demand. If you can’t generate enough sales whats the point.
      3. Capitalists don’t even want to use their capital. buy-backs and dividends probably exceed new issues.
      4. Real long-term interest rates (30-year) are zero or negative. ie. the pure return to capital is zero.

      Profits now represent monopoly power (underwritten by the state), state protected rents, excessive risks by management made possible by state protection in bankruptcy. A system where capital is no longer accumulating is not capitalism.

      • skippy

        Where have you been since the anti tax [theft] tax haven thingy in the 70s got rolling, lest we forget Havana before that.

        This all post dates the currant neoliberal ideology, which pre dates the great depression, you know, the old wine in a new bottle thingy …

        • drt15MEMBER

          Interesting re Jefferson. You’re right – I’ve spent an interesting half hour reading of Monticello and how Jefferson personally oversaw the small boys 10 -16 yrs making nails from dawn to dusk who were whipped to make them comply.

          Seems he abandoned his high principles in a short itme once he worked out slaves were his greatest profit.

  33. ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

    Is Kevin Rudd just being Jealous here?

    “Here’s Abbott,the most destructive politician in generations,offered front page of Murdoch’s rag, pontificating on “lessons learned”! Like single-handedly destroying Aust manufacturing & the car industry? Killin NBN for Murdoch; Killing the carbon price?”

    #MurdochRoyalCommission

    https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1342610578020261888?s=19

    • happy valleyMEMBER

      IMO and MLT, Abbott is one of the three most worst PMs Straya (coincidentally, all LP) has probably had, ranked in descending order – SFM, Abbott, Howard – with it being a tight contest as to who has the longest-lasting worst legacy, but to me the winner is Howard, albeit SFM has plenty of time on his side to take gold?

      • drsmithyMEMBER

        Depends on the type of legacy you’re talking about.

        Howard’s policies are the cause of most of the problems we face today, whereas Abbot and ScoMo have done little in that space (ie: policies that are fundamentally changing how the country is run).

        However, Abbot and particularly ScoMo have completely normalised the idea that all but the most gross corruption and sh!tfuckery from the right doesn’t even need a facade of propriety any more.

        (The media must also take a lot of blame for letting it slide by almost entirely unchallenged, but that’s a different discussion.)

      • LSWCHPMEMBER

        Definitely Howard. He was a catastrophe for this country, and our great great grandchildren will be feeling and dealing with the terrible consequences of his evil stupidity.

    • GavinMEMBER

      No, Kevin gets a lot of hate, but I actually think he’s not that bad. He’s much more level headed than the Tripe we have now.

      I also think Malcolm was good, but just in the wrong party. Abbott is deeply conservative but I respect the fact he volunteered as a fire fighter and didn’t do it for accolades but a sense of civic duty. But he was also not that switched on and unable to read the room.

    • Fishing72

      Krudd entrenched the labour hire , “ skilled “ immigration decline for Australia’s working class. Then he became a registered agent of influence for the CCP.

      Fck Krudd.

    • bzunicaMEMBER

      Gawd what a beat up that was. 300 at a beach in the middle of summer in a non hotspot. If only they had thought to say they were protesting for BLM…then it would’ve been all good.

  37. migtronixMEMBER

    To skip.

    Its all water under the water
    Until you grasp a gasp
    You’ve done better than I
    Could ever bear the torment.
    I don’t trust anybody
    Everyone is a foe

  39. [email protected]

    I volunteered to work over Christmas but they bloody cancelled it at the last minute, pricks. No extra money and now unwanted downtime, Christmas is the sh!ttest time to have time off.

  46. GavinMEMBER

    So a few days ago I got a call from a heavy Indian accent (female). She is basically trying to see if I’m interested in solar power. I hesitate to engage but figure I’ll give her a chance. She goes can I confirm your address is blah blah blah NSW 2046. I’m like.. hang on a minute, how did you get my details?

    Because since moving to Melbourne I filled in a solar quotes form and spoke to a couple of companies so I wasn’t surprised to get a call, but when I heard my old address I realised it wasn’t because of solar quotes. Who sold my data I wondered? So I said, wait a minute, where did you get my details from, sudden pause, she tried to skirt around it. Then I asked again, passive aggressive tone this time (sure it’s a cultural thing) “sir I’m telling you” but not telling me. I keep pressing. Who sold you my details? Sir, why do you want to know?

    Because I want to know who is giving you my details so I can check if I gave them permission or not. There is a lot of dodgy bros solar companies at the moment making big promises you see. Hang on sir I’ll get you my supervisor.

    Supervisor jumps on, also won’t tell me where the leads came from, says the guys who will call me next week can tell me. I’m thinking, yeah right. Suresh just wants to pass on my lead, collect $200 and move onto the next guy. He isn’t there to answer questions..

    Anyway, I’m thinking any company using such tactics to generate leads and find customers is likely not a company I want to engage with. I mean they sound like a sausage factory. Once the cowboy tradies are done with the install and the roof leaks or there is a problem with the solar array they will likely pheonix the whole company and start again. Only to be featured on A Current Affair.

    So am I right? Is this dodgy as? Should call centre jockeys be able to tell you where your data/lead came from? Do companies that use indian call centres for lead gen actually do a good job.

    • Mining BoganMEMBER

      I got that call a few weeks ago and they said they got my name and number from the led light upgrade program the state government did. As soon as I said I’m a renter they asked for the owners name and number. That’s when they got the f#ck off treatment.

      • Arthur Schopenhauer

        That LED Light replacement program installed non-standard LED bulbs & transformers. The transformers had a recall after several houses burnt down after a transformer caught fire. From what I heard, the company administering the program went bankrupt before any remedies could be sought. ‘Straya

        The bulbs are not available anymore, so all the house owners that used the program cannot replace worn out bulbs, and the systems were 2-pin, not the 3-pin that became standard a year or so later.

        So if you happen to buy a house that replaced lights in that program, you have to replace ALL the bulbs and transformers, and rewire the circuits to fix one light and meet code (and insurance requirements).

        Not that I know anything about it. Fkn.

          • Frostilicus

            Oh boy, can I put you onto a team of honest Irishmen to “asphalt your driveway, guv?”?… honest and hardworking, just real unlucky that the materials they are working with are so shyte quality…

    • TailorTrashMEMBER

      Was out in Broken Hill earlier this year .
      Notice a large group of Indians loitering on the pavement
      Thought WTF are they doing here .
      Observed them for half an hour when a people mover pulled up and they all piled in and disappeared

      Recounted my observations to a local and asked what was it all about . He explained they were solar
      sales people blitzing town and all from Melbourne .

      Hope their sales promises were delivered .

      • GavinMEMBER

        I used to work for a company called AC&T (not AT&T). It was a call centre job when I was at Uni. Anyway we used to verify sales for Optus, Telstra, Origin and another couple of companies. Back then (early 2000s) it was all English, Irish and Scottish backpackers doing the rounds trying to switch people over.

        It was my job to make sure the customer knew what was happening and understood the main points of the contract. Often sales guys on commission would try and sell to people who couldn’t speak English.

        Of course we had to knock those back, but lots of people would get sold pork pies. I’ve been wary of any cold callers, door to door sales folks etc..ever since.

        • ErmingtonPlumbingMEMBER

          I just always state that I never respond to any form of telephone marketing or correspondence what so ever.
          If they insist I just repeat that line, again and again if needed, until they hang up.
          You are never going to get “the best deal ” on anything from some cnut giving you a random unsolicited phone call.
          Don’t waste a single minute of your time on them.
          Unless it is to troll THEM.
          Here is one of my favorites,

          This Kitboga guy trolled this indian Scam caller for over 10 hrs!
          The man is a legend.
          https://youtu.be/7mceb_t8EIs

          • GavinMEMBER

            Fair enough, but in this instance I was thrown off because I had filled in interest in solar at Solar Quotes, but when they asked to confirm my address was my old 1 I knew it wasn’t from that. Hence why I probed for more information. But didn’t get it.

        • The Traveling Wilbur

          I was a door to door salesman once upon a time.

          That’s some fkcn heavy sh1t, I tells ya’.

    • Arthur Schopenhauer

      They should, but under Australian Law they don’t have to.

      Data Ownership. We should own our data and let the likes of Favebook purchase it. The only other alternative is a worsening digital panopticon and the end of 500 years of enlightenment. A Digital Dark Age.

      Add that to the BS Party platform Gunna.

      • The Traveling Wilbur

        One of the most enlightened and prescient comments on this site eva.

        It’s really going to screw with your social credit score a few years from now. 😂🐼

      • MathiasMEMBER

        Yep. 1

        I think there is technology which makes living life better and there is technology which is trying to oppress us. I am totally against Facial Recognition Cameras, Databasing peoples information without them having proper ownership of it, things like Facebook/Twitter which people stupidly upload there life for all the world to see. I think there are many honest people in this world but all it takes is the wrong one and before you know it, your being Blackmailed or Extorted.

        ” Let me give you an example. I snapped a photograph of you in the nude and/or have your username and password details to things you’d rather keep private. If you dont want me to distribute this information publicly or post your nude photo in a very public place for all to see, then you better do as I tell you or I’ll go ahead and see this done tommorrow. I’ll make sure your boss and/or wife gets this information. You may lose your job or potentially lose your marriage. It could cause you great social and financial harm. Are you going to do what I want or will I release this? “. Thats an example of blackmail.

        I dont think people realise how easily they can be blackmailed once this information starts to get released.

        The scarier thing which is really worrying me, is now Governments are getting hold of this Technology. Do you like the fact that the Australian Government knows when you go to the toilet? They do. Your mobile phone is effectively a personal tracking device. At anytime, authorities can track the location of your mobile phone using GPS and not only can they pickup your weekly schedule and everywhere you go but they can also pickup your private moments. How do you feel that someone has that kind of power over you? They have so much information on you when they spy on you that as the article claimed, ” They can even pick your health problems “. I thought the article defeats the point. They shouldnt be spying on you in the first place, not sugar coating why its good to spy on you.

        Australias NBN was a great project. However, the first people they called for its construction werent Telecommunications Experts, it was Intelligence Agencys. One of the great advantages of the NBN is they get to spy on your internet activities so they can further see what your searching for everyday. Its how they are picking up terrorists and quietly arresting people within Australia in there very own homes. The NBN was basically a more efficient Internet Spy Service sold under the guise of Faster Speeds.

        I think one of the reasons we dont have Laws on this stuff going ahead in Australia is because the Government is already spying on you. I dont think Australians realise how much information they have on you already.

        • drsmithyMEMBER

          I dont think people realise how easily they can be blackmailed once this information starts to get released.

          I think it’s more that since most people wouldn’t try to blackmail others like this, they assume nobody will do it to them.

          The corollary to ‘treat others how you would like to be treated’ is the assumption that others will treat you well so you treat them well. This is why con artists get away with things and sociopathic people rise to positions of power.

          The scarier thing which is really worrying me, is now Governments are getting hold of this Technology. Do you like the fact that the Australian Government knows when you go to the toilet? They do. Your mobile phone is effectively a personal tracking device. At anytime, authorities can track the location of your mobile phone using GPS and not only can they pickup your weekly schedule and everywhere you go but they can also pickup your private moments.

          Nobody’s figuring out when you’re taking a dump using GPS.

          Australias NBN was a great project. However, the first people they called for its construction werent Telecommunications Experts, it was Intelligence Agencys. One of the great advantages of the NBN is they get to spy on your internet activities so they can further see what your searching for everyday. Its how they are picking up terrorists and quietly arresting people within Australia in there very own homes. The NBN was basically a more efficient Internet Spy Service sold under the guise of Faster Speeds.

          “They” don’t need the NBN to spy on you, nor does the NBN make it any easier.

          I think one of the reasons we dont have Laws on this stuff going ahead in Australia is because the Government is already spying on you.

          We don’t have laws because the people arguing in favour of such laws (like, say, the Greens) are inevitably labelled as supporting terr’ists (or similar) when they do.

      • MathiasMEMBER

        Chinas Social Credit Scoring is scary technology. The Police dont even have to arrest you. If you do something they consider a crime, the Government has the ability to Freeze your Bank Account. You are unable to shop, buy food, get on a bus or even jump on a plane. You are practically locked out of your own money and can no longer do anything. The only way you can get your Bank Account unfrozen is if you hand yourself in to the nearest police station, where they’ll most likely arrest you and your forced to pay for whatever it is you’ve been accused of doing.

        On the other hand, if you go to Australia and steal F-35 jet technology ( like this https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/inventions/cyber-spies-in-china-stole-designs-for-australias-new-f35-lightning-ii-fighter-jet/news-story/091e7df0a9e6eb8592b1604ee61e63e8 ) then you go home to China, get a huge advance in your Social Credit Score and are practically labelled as a hero. Your basically weaponising your own people and encouraging them to attack other countrys in the world.

        Its hard to see how we can continue to be Free in this up and coming world. Technologies fast becoming a weapon against Australians and hindering The Aussie Way of Life. As its becoming more developed, its being used to attack us.

        • GavinMEMBER

          I have similar concerns to you. I work in data engineering and am working more toward data science skillsets. It does worry me, the ease at which you can build profiles and collect meta data on people.

          It makes me very wary about sharing data. To the point recently where at Xmas my family is taking photos of my boy and sharing those photos of Facebook and I am concerned about facial recognition technology being used by Facebook to recognise who he is, even if he doesn’t have an account. In future who knows how Facebook will use the data and who will have access to it?

          • drsmithyMEMBER

            Too late. Do some reading about Clearview (the facial recognition company).

            This is a problem that, like climate change, can’t be addressed at an individual level. It requires legislation.

            Unfortunately the people who need to legislate are in many cases already addicted.

    • innocent bystanderMEMBER

      back in the early days I used to use a slightly different version of my name, and/or address, but mainly name – eg just initials, or forename and 2nd initial etc and I could tell instantly who sold my data on. One of the first culprits was the Australian Computer Society – they denied it; I resigned membership (pretty much a no brainer for other reasons too).
      Of course now data is everywhere so it is harder to have so many combinations but I still do it for big data sites like PayPal etc.
      my dad taught me to use a signature on my cheques different to the printed name on the cheque – came in handy once when a cheque book was stolen out of my letter box – banks could easily see it wasn’t my signature when I demanded to see the cashed cheques and the funds refunded (but I suspected they thought I had done it anyway).

    • MountainGuinMEMBER

      They are a few scammers who ask if you have a PV so they can come out and assess you for a govt grant. I suspect the play is to come over, tell you something is unsafe and use pressure tactics to pay for fixing it.

    • LeMon3MEMBER

      Gav, the only reason you’re not just ignoring this call is the coincidence of your asking for someone to contact you about solar recently. I get calls exactly as you describe at least once a month – and they’ve been happening for the last three to five years. I have never asked anyone to call me about solar – and I’ve been off grid for six years or so. I doubt anyone you gave your details to around solar quotes sold the details on – you’ve just been added at random to one of the lists that get passed around all the dodgy call centres on the subcontinent and you’ll be on that list forever.
      The magic of NBN interoperability is that now these dodgy places can fake local phone numbers on the caller id (I’ve even had calls from dodgy call centres using the NAB’s 1300 number as the caller id).
      Lesson of the day – trust no-one who calls you.
      WRT solar installers and leaky roofs – you have a small acreage these days, don’t you? Stick the panels on the ground on the north side of the house. No leaks possible and much easier to clean when they need it…

      • GavinMEMBER

        Thanks mate, yeah I agree I’m on the shyte list now. That’s why I wanted to know where they got my details and of course they cannot answer…

        My mum keeps getting calls about Solar at her country residence and they keep calling every few months.

        Sadly not on an average. I wanted to be, but am a bit closer to the city and on 900sqm. But have a large nature reserve (23 acres behind me). Unfortunately cannot put them in there.

      • drt15MEMBER

        “Stick the panels on the ground on the north side of the house. No leaks possible and much easier to clean when they need it…”

        Good advice, thanks. Installing off grid sometime this year and wary, as the Rudd-years system I had installed leaked then later, burst…..

        • LeMon3MEMBER

          Do lots of research – it seems most off gridders kill the first set of batteries learning how to live with them, me included. 20 grand later, I have a much better system than the original setup, including those ground mounted panels.

        • LeMon3MEMBER

          NiFe (aka Edison) batteries. I wouldn’t recommend them to any but another certified geek, however, as they are unsupported by any of the major inverter/charge controller manufacturers and are an absolute pain to get working properly. OTOH, they can last 50-80 years, which is why I went that way – I totally don’t want to be needing new batteries this lifetime. The rest of the gear is by Victron, because marine reliability, not because they suit the batteries.

    • drsmithyMEMBER

      When I came close to buying a V8 Sportwagon maybe 2015ish (so I could own a V8 at least once in my life) I was staggered to see that “LASTV8” was still available in Queensland (at least according to the PPQ search).

      I should have bought it then and there, but the cost of even simple personalised plates in this country is beyond outrageous so I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger.

      Interestingly it looks like TUONO (and obvious variants) is gone as well (for the bike) – was still showing up as available only a year or so ago.

      I wonder what the stats look like on personalised plates – is there an increase of speculation on them as well, just like everything else ?

  49. MathiasMEMBER

    Dave Lee watches a Livestream on Youtube of people who are Anti-West donating money to this cause.
    ” There is only one reason you would watch a video like this and its because you hate Australia. Im surprised at how many Australians are watching this video. ”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gN2BKGx24Q

    There are people within Australia, who are connected to China, and they hate Australia / Australians.
    As Australias National Security problems go, this hilights just how bad Australia is becoming.

    Dave Lee has been trying to defend Australia for many years and he barely gets 50 supporters. He gets no funding and no support. He’s pretty much gone it alone to do the best he can.

    The people who hate Australia are getting supporters into the thousands. They are getting money thrown at them and are being well funded. This demonstrates just how much of a problem Australia has with Migration. The problem is already inside the Country.

    • Totes BeWoke

      That’s why we need Independents controlling what LNP do.

      Independents with the ethos to put Australia first will fix every problem we’ve got.

      There is no other way.

    • chronic

      There will be no chance obfuscating, de-railing, blocking, the Poor Laws, when they’re brought before the Parliament (of wh0res), Senate, …

      I merely want another bowl for Christmas.

      In arguing against the exemption, the then assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg claimed it was a “real concern” that wealthy business owners would be targeted for kidnapping if the public became aware how wealthy they were.

      Is Oh-Gosh being funny?

      • happy valleyMEMBER

        I doubt it – isn’t one of Rainbowberg’s bestie mates Ryan Stokes? I sense that everything Rainbowberg does has an ulterior motive?

  51. ITAgMEMBER

    A philosophical question.

    If the Murdoch family in control of News Ltd and News Ltd itself, ceased to existing tomorrow, would the world be worse off?

    • Totes BeWoke

      LNP and Murdoch are products of the left which have lost the plot.

      While ever the ABC and Labor are this disconnected from the mainstream expect both LNP and Murdoch to gain strength.

      You did this.

      • ITAgMEMBER

        Thanks Totes. I had noticed the sun rose in the west this morning through my curtains that have faded because of daylight saving.

        • Totes BeWoke

          I love that Rudd is heading the assault on News Limited.

          The guy who wrecked the Labor party, and ergo Australia, wants to blame everyone else.

          It’s one big lol, and it’ll backfire.

          Australians hate Rudd, and will love whatever he opposes.

          • Totes BeWoke

            When a read that, I have no emotion.

            You are meaningless to me mig. I have zero respect for you or your opinion.

            “assert moral superiority while making outrageous claims”

            You don’t even have the capacity to understand the world you’re creating will destroy you.

          • Totes BeWoke

            Of course you think that. Im a sensible intelligent guy who knows what’s going on.

            You’re a clueless new age wokester, much younger than me with everything to lose, who will of course lose everything.

          • Totes BeWoke

            If you think money will save your cohort in Australia, you’re even more ridiculous than I thought.

          • [email protected]

            Hang on a second totes, if money won’t help, why do you brag so much about being well remunerated? Surely it is pointless if your campaign is so grandiose.

            See those cracks forming in your logic? Lol so smart, tested smart, tested genius, he is jebus

        • Totes BeWoke

          WTF are you talking about?

          Either make a statement or don’t. Sick to death of your cryptic BS.

          I thought I asked you not to write anything under my comments.

          • migtronixMEMBER

            After you told us all you’d leave forever, so pffffft.

            Its not cryptic in the least, it’s an example of what you did – start from a non-seq and proceed to assert moral superiority while making outrageous claims.

            Idiod

          • Totes BeWoke

            “You all done beating women in your car or you still at it?”

            That’s not cryptic? FO.

            Mate. You have mummy issues, and I asked you not to communicate with me for a reason.

            1. I don’t understand you. You are too cryptic for me.
            2. I think you have a sick mind.
            3. I want nothing at all to do with you.

            Get some help.

          • migtronixMEMBER

            Mate you have daddy issues.

            What you ask I won’t comply with, for several reasons but mostly because you asked.

          • Mining BoganMEMBER

            Sad eh? A low paid job can’t give fulfillment?

            If that’s your thinking you’re part of the problem yourself.

          • Totes BeWoke

            Just so happens, low paid jobs are low skilled and make the worker expendable.

            The real fight is immigration, and if i can’t convince low earners of that, I may as well do nothing and stand back, and watch it happen.

          • [email protected]

            Hey Totes, why should anyone listen to you? If you really cared about this country and its people why do you constantly belittle the people you want to listen to you? Why would I, or any person, on $50k or less vote for independents like you say we should when you also say we don’t count because we aren’t as “rich” as you. While we’re at it, you have never specifically said what your qualifications are or what your job is. Stop being a mincer and lay your cards on the table.

            Edit. Lol “I should just stand back and let it happen” classic totes, already laying down your excuse for not following up on your plans. You made one crappy petition and it flopped so now you’re looking for an escape plan from grandiose delusional proposals. Muppet

            You aren’t smart mate. You’re an idiot.

          • Totes BeWoke

            “you constantly belittle the people you want to listen to you”

            I hope you remember that it was both you and mig that started that.

            I don’t have to defend my intellect. It’s been measured so your comment is meaningless. Oh, and I can justify my view and position. Something i consider critical when assessing someone’s IQ. If you can outline why I’m “not smart”, I’ll consider it, but you just saying it without anything backing it deserves my contempt.

            I’ll tell you what I did when I retire. It’s not overly remarkable, but it pays well for the lifestyle it gives me. I’m sure it won’t surprise you when I tell you.

            “Why would I, or any person, on $50k or less vote for independents like you say we should when you also say we don’t count”

            You won’t be earning $50k for long. Your demographic is exactly who i have consistently fought for. Grow up man.

            The dumbest thing I do in life is waste my time trying to educate idiots.

          • [email protected]

            Lol this is some funny stuff totes. Yeah, maybe Mig and I cast the first stones but we aren’t the ones trying to change your opinion. You’re trying to change ours and the fact you try and make it into a he said she said just shows how dumb you are. You’re trying to change the world and you’re driving away the people you should be cultivating. If you can’t cop some sh!t and keep on message without retaliating you are doomed to failure.

    • Mining BoganMEMBER

      Coffee shops will go broke. Boomers love reading the free copy of the Hun or the Tele over their morning $5 coffee.

      Hey, do those papers qualify as WuFlu superspreaders? They’ve got to be some of the most toxic things handed around.

    • innocent bystanderMEMBER

      “… provided the regulator approves the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine within days.”

  54. skippy

    In light of the Brexit dramas …

    The Dirty War on the NHS was first broadcast in Britain on the ITV Network on 17 December, 2019. It was shown following the general election that saw Boris Johnson become prime minister – even though the future of the NHS was a major issue in the campaign.

    The remarkable prescience of the film became clear when the COVID pandemic struck, and the NHS, crippled by bed shortages, the starvation of resources and accelerating privatisation, could not cope. This was the film’s warning – a warning also delivered in 2016 when a full ‘drill’ for a pandemic showed the NHS would barely survive such an emergency. The politicians and managers did nothing; the report of the results of the drill was suppressed.

    The ideological assault on the world’s first public health service continued at the height of the COVID crisis with inept private firms given lucrative contracts for PPE and mass testing. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, an arch privatiser, announced in August 2020 that in future most GP consultations would be be online. Hancock’s association with the tech company, Babylon Health, is dealt with in The Dirty War.

    http://johnpilger.com/articles/how-britain-could-have-defeated-covid-the-dirty-war-on-the-nhs-now-available-to-watch-here-free-of-charge

    Sometimes it seems the whole thing is about the right to sellout your own citizens and call it sovereignty …

      • skippy

        Most of this stuff is centered not on “Health Care delivery” but on Billing aka financialization driving the agenda with expectations of financial flows for executive remuneration and investor sand bagging – see PE firms.

        Always bewared of those that deploy the *** Access *** to Health care PR marketing shtick, rather than say Universal Health care … one denotes market dynamics whilst the other does not.

    • RobotSenseiMEMBER

      Lots of ex-NHS docs work in Australia right now. Anecdata is that absolutely none of them regret the move.

      • skippy

        I know of more than a few Oz Dr’s that are appalled at the U.S. health system and other dramas like the opioid cull for profit.

  56. dodgy as

    Was 2020 the year that Macrobusiness Jumped the Shark?
    So many bad predictions (AUD, Housing, Mining, Iron Ore all in one year), and so little understanding or insight into how the world is evolving.
    Who knows maybe China will stumble and fall into the Middle Income trap (and MB can scream.. I told you so!) but from my observation point its the US that’s stumbling.
    I called a friend in Texas and was horrified to hear that several of my old colleagues had died, probably of Covid19, apparently in Dallas alone over 300 people are dying each week. Neither US health care system nor US tech industries are dealing well with the virus. In this sense the virus is a test of economic resilience.
    Just how fragile is the system that we’ve created.
    As it turns out Australia’s system is highly resilient probably because our overall success just doesn’t rely on average people doing their jobs. In a way Australia’s economic success is something we just import. If you wander too far down this path you start to realize that the Australian Treasury’s 3 key points (Participation, Population and Productivity) are definitely not the driving force behind our GFC soft landing or our Covid19 successes.
    All makes me wonder, Has MB jumped the shark? As in, are they still relevant? are they still setting the daily economic agenda? Is the broader economics industry deferring too them or laughing at them?
    Btw this post and this account will probably be deleted by the end of the day, it’s just what happens.

    • NikoMEMBER

      I use MB for specific data that I can’t find myself or will take too much time for me to uncover.
      I stopped reading anything geopolitics and Macro unless the Macro is copy/paste from another analyst like Credit Suisse, JPM etc..
      I still see value for what I use MB for.
      And to be fair on MB, everyone is allowed to make mistakes. Many other investors, investors who are famous worldwide and more intelligent than MB, have made and will make mistakes so why MB is not allowed to make them?

        • Janet

          “Was 2020 the year that Macrobusiness Jumped the Shark?”
          We’ll never know?
          Covid19, as it evolved into, wasn’t on the radar on 1/1/20. Hints ‘something Swine Flu-like’ maybe, but not what a mess the global economy turned into. Didn’t other ‘expert’ economists tip unemployment into the teens and substantial house price ‘adjustment’ as Covid19 did reveal itself?
          Maybe MB would have otherwise got it all 100% right! As I say, we’ll never know. But one thing we do know for sure is – “It’s all easy, looking back!”

          • dodgy as

            I hope it didn’t read as hindsight is 20 /20
            All that I’m saying is that when you build most of your economic case around the strength and breadth of the US economy you’re likely to be wrong when events develop in such a manner as to prevent the business as usual case. That was 2020 in a nutshell, nature conspiring against our best laid plans.
            Economic Resilience is as much about flexibility as it is about Strength and that’s exactly where we are seeing the US fall down. Their economy / society were not able to adjust quickly to the new reality.
            In many ways this outcome has been predicted since 1992 when Bill Clinton failed to reform US health care during his first term. Basically any economy structured around limiting health care for the poor rather than providing health care to the needy, is bound to be tripped up when we get a Pandemic.
            And this is exactly what we are seeing play out
            The US had a least 40 years to fix an obvious problem and they didn’t
            China 40 years ago was an economic, structural and public health disaster yet today we are seeing China react and morph in such ways as to overcome the worst of the Pandemic, in my book this speaks to an underlying resilience within China that’s simply missing in the US.

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      Yes. But. Once that’s done, then you can always just sit back and throw monkey droppings. Knowing you did all you could and more than you had to.

      There’s a comment further down about when the best two times to plant a tree / house purchase are. I’m sure the commenter was also thinking about house price growth over the same period while writing it – so some of it does sink in – even if it does take 20 years.

      • LeMon3MEMBER

        No, wilbs, I wasn’t in any way commenting on house price growth. I was specifically typing about getting out of the travesty that is currently viewed as “normal” and establishing yourself in a more resilient life.
        To quote another farmer I know, “Folks, this ain’t normal” – this quote can be applied to almost every aspect of modern life, especially house price growth, BTC, population growth, economic growth and many, many more

  59. Hot Dog

    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mitchell-pearce-wedding-cancelled-amid-sexting-allegations-20201227-p56qah.html

    Newcastle Knights star Mitchell Pearce’s wedding has been cancelled after he allegedly sent racy text messages to a young female club employee.

    Pearce was due to be married on Tuesday to partner Kristin Scott in Byron Bay, but a report in the Daily Telegraph, which has been confirmed by the Herald, revealed the wedding has now been called off.

    Pearce blamed COVID-19 for the cancellation, telling The Sunday Telegraph the issue was a private matter.

    “It’s Covid mate,” he was reported as saying in the News Corp paper. “We’re sorting things out. It’s a really stressful time for us. It’s our business, no-one else’s. We haven’t cancelled, we’ve postponed. I’m filthy about people spreading rumours.”

    Oh dear …

    • bolstroodMEMBER

      Couldn’t find a single stat in that article.
      Here are some .
      “David Irvine, the former Asio spy agency chief who now heads the foreign investment review board (Firb), clashed with the outspoken Liberal National party MP George Christensen, who is chairing a trade inquiry and using it to campaign for Australia to reduce its economic dependence on China.
      Irvine used his appearance before a parliamentary committee hearing on Thursday to defend the benefits of foreign investment, but when he noted that some underlying concerns were based on “nationalistic” sentiments he was accused by Christensen of being “dismissive” of community concerns.
      Despite China being Australia’s largest trade partner, the picture is different when looking specifically at foreign investment.
      Treasury officials told the hearing the top source of foreign direct investment into Australia was the United States (20.1%), followed by the United Kingdom (12.5%), Japan (11.4%), the Netherlands (5.4%) and Canada (4.6%). They said China was ranked sixth with 4.5% of the share of foreign direct investment.
      Christensen asked Irvine to describe what the Australian community at large thought about foreign investment, and in particular purchases made by state-owned enterprises.
      The head of Firb replied that “the starting point is probably that there is an underlying concern within the community in respect of foreign investment, that foreigners are buying up the farm, they’re taking over, it’s a nationalistic sense that our industry should be Australian – there are all those concerns and sentiments existing within the community at some point or other”.
      CIrvine said he had been “watching criticism of various Firb decisions over a very long time” and called for facts to be at the centre of discussion.
      “Five years ago when I first entered the Firb the percentage of Australian agricultural land in foreign hands was about 13%, and I think it’s currently about 13.2% or 13.3%,” Irvine told the joint standing committee on trade and investment growth.”

      • tonyddMEMBER

        So Chyna’s ownership of Aussie assets doesn’t matter in your opinion?

        I don’t agree if that is your position.

        • bolstroodMEMBER

          My position is that ALL foreign investment in our land ,water and minerals is detremental to the common wealth of Australians.
          On that basis I am more concerned with the larger US and UK investments.
          Remember Lord Vesty ? Another tax avoiding foreign investor.
          Why does Qatar reap 20 times the benefit of it’s LNG than Australia does for the same quantity ?
          We are being royally ripped off, and our politicians are complicit.

          • tonyddMEMBER

            The issues are both worthy of debate but one is about commerce while the Chyna one is about sovereignty. Chyna uses commerce as a weapon to subvert democracy and will colonize and populate if allowed. But yes agree to the rip off bit

          • Djenka

            Sovereignty thing is the distraction peddle. Very good one, as it obviously works.
            They seek rent (like every single other investor) and are not bothered if we had any type of the gov, be it democratic, poligarchy (like we do have) or outright dictatorship – as long as nationalisation is not an option. Why would they care if whatever our political system is making them money.
            Any country with a bit of sovereignty in itself as well as with some influence available for leverage will use it to protect its interests, like our main investors did over the last century and earlier.

  62. PeterMEMBER

    Australia needs to wake up, and build its own hydrogen bomb and delivery mechanisms. China needs to know they can’t push us around.

    • desmodromicMEMBER

      We’d need skilled physicists and engineers with enough know-how, as well as long-range bombers with stealth technology or inter-continental missiles. Based on the quality of most Australian houses, no chance.

      • dodgy as

        And lots of cheap energy
        Gas Centrifuge arrays consume Lots of power
        there was a time when our Coal generated power was dirt cheap and our Natural Gas was similarly priced but those days are long gone.
        Today PV is the cheapest power available, but I suspect there’s a flaw somewhere in the logic that says we can import cheap PV panels from China and pay for this power by returning a Nuke tipped ICBM. It’s a strategy that might work once, but over the longer term I think there’s a problem with this plan.

    • Frostilicus

      It’s ok, we’ve got the next best thing, we can blow a housing bubble which when it goes off, will lay waste to three continents… don’t need no egg-head physicists, all we need is our ‘crème-de-la-crème’: Joshie Rainbowberg, Scrote from Marketing, RBA, ASIC as the detonating mixture and APRA as the detonator…

    • nyleta

      Tell him he is dreaming……..here are the forces available to the Western Military District in Russia……..China will build up much more on the same principles over the next ten years…….can you honestly see any place for Australian forces on such a battlefield ?

      https://www.cna.org/CNA_files/PDF/IOP-2020-U-028759-Final.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3L95pZeytRHoERU0XTB857ku_A3Hzu_fUeBZrb2tKpAJS44wKUYgz6YYg

      The best we can do is try to gain the maximum amount of autarky as quickly as possible because war seems inevitable now…..the Yanks will not fade quietly into the background.

    • LeMon3MEMBER

      I resent your comment. I’m perfectly capable of building hay sheds – all roof, no walls.
      Building an actual house is way too expensive when you factor in the cost of the divorce…

  63. The Traveling Wilbur

    Australia’s doing well. Would have been even better if it had been a proper full Mitchmas though.

  64. [email protected]

    Feck all covid talk in this here thread. Find it a bit strange seeing how many of us were keen to go toe to toe early in the year….

    Everyone worn out? Virus psychos on holiday? Blissful ignorance/don’t wanna ruin your holiday? Giving koala killer a pass?

    Hate to stir it up but I’m sitting in qld avoiding going out because everyone here is far too casual and it is loose in the wild here and yet all you Sydney mob quiet as. It niggles at me

    • The Traveling Wilbur

      Bonus! You can spend your unplanned downtime knitting up some more facemasks for the bunker stockpile then. 😷

      #stirrer. 😉

    • LeMon3MEMBER

      You need to buy a little farm somewhere. Then, when the world goes completely fkn mad, be it war, famine, pestilence or whatever, you just walk down to the front gate and put a chain and padlock on it and go back to living your life as per every other day.
      Nota Bene: this only works if you are not in easy walk of a major population centre. Also handy is to be in an area with lots of errors in Google/Apple Maps

      • [email protected]

        That’s the plan, have a few locations scouted out, just need to keep saving the money. Really kicking myself for not thinking of it earlier. Housing has always been overpriced where I’ve lived so just didn’t care about getting into the market and just had a good time instead, I’ve easily wasted enough on bourbon to pay for 3 separate small but perfect boltholes.

        • LeMon3MEMBER

          Unsolicited advice: just do it. As per smithy, the more isolated you go, the more affordable. Just now it’s not completely possible to to disengage from RupertWorld(tm), but I suspect it won’t be too long. While I have a couple of decades on you with thinking about this stuff, it’s kinda like planting trees – the best time was twenty years ago, the second best time is today.

          • LeMon3MEMBER

            Not really, isolated is never really isolated. Looking around here, the more isolated people tend to look out for each other more than the townies or closer in people do. That said, there was a home invasion up the road a ways just last week. Reading between the lines, the invadees are/were drug dealers or some such, so not really applicable in the wider community up there.

      • drsmithyMEMBER

        I’d propose if you are within working distance (say, an hour’s drive) of any remotely significant population centre, you are too close if things really fall apart. Or for another rule of thumb, if there’s a bitumen road out the front, then you’re definitely too close.

        The roving brigands might take a bit longer to reach you while they exhaust closer options, but they will find you eventually.

        • LeMon3MEMBER

          needless to say, I live on a dirt road. There is one bridge at either end of it to demolish in order to make us completely inaccessible. Sadly, looking at my neighbours, I’m the only one on the road willing to demolish them.
          At least it’s still a long walk out here…

        • drt15MEMBER

          Nah, bitumen roads and cars are toast as soon as Iran/China/Russia/ME block the Straits of Malacca/Hormuz. Go high up a mountain and nobody will come.

      • GavinMEMBER

        I find myself agreeing with you lot on this 1 which is why I’m worried. Plus I watched quite a few of those films during lockdown where the world goes pear shaped.

        • LeMon3MEMBER

          bah… don’t take any notice of apocalypse pron. While I make no claims to any ability by way of predicting the future, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that any of the futures envisaged in pop culture are hugely unlikely to eventuate. And I refer both to the sci-fi future out along the galactic rim, as well as the zombie apocalypse. It’s all likely to be a lot more prosaic, a stairstep decline over another century or more, where human populations eventually come into line with planetary resources, at something less than 10% of current numbers. Sure, it’ll feel locally apocalyptic in places, especially to the Migs of the world, who persist in believing that the dreams promulgated by the marketeers are something other than chimeras. But humans are at least as adaptable as the avian dinosaurs, so if you want to do well – adapt. Collapse now and avoid the rush, to quote an ex-archdruid.

          • GavinMEMBER

            Thanks, I am sure humans will survive it’s just the transition to lower numbers that worries me.

        • LeMon3MEMBER

          Truly, I don’t believe the transition should be anything to worry about. Yes, it will be painful in parts, but nowhere near apocalyptic. Look at Russia post 1989. Life got harder andhe population dropped dramatically -20 million in a decade or so I saw someplace. Mostly through less reliable childbirth, worse nutrition more old people not getting as old as people used to and less useful medical care.
          Make that experience global and add the fact that everyone alive today is going to be dead anyway in a century or so and you can see that a dramatically reduced population is easy on that sort of timescale without massive wars, famines, plagues or anything else.
          Just don’t expect full employment is all.

          • drt15MEMBER

            Maybe. But humans don’t do hunger well – and a lot of hunger is coming as we travel down depletion, exacerbated by CC. It takes 10 calories of energy (FFs) to make one calorie of food. In the last century alone (when we were awash with FFs) more people died of hunger than from war and it’s now recognised that more often than not it’s hunger that causes war, not the reverse…..

            So I don’t see we’re going to get off so lightly. Comforting rhetoric tho’ 🙂

  65. Hugh PavletichMEMBER

    AUSTRALIA: COVID ACCELERATED DISPERSAL TO REGIONAL CENTRES …

    … When will housing opportunity deprived Kiwis resume migrating in large numbers to Regional Aspirational Australia ? …

    COVID-19 helping drive regional growth as flexible work sees people look beyond the city … Nathan Morris … ABC Southern Queensland

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-27/covid-19-drives-regional-growth/13009510

    The COVID-19 pandemic is helping to drive growth in regional Australia, with flexible work making it possible for people to relocate beyond built-up coastal cities.

    Key points:

    • Regional Australia Institute says evidence points to regional movement, triggered by COVID-19
    • There are a record 54,000 job vacancies across regional Australia
    • Flexible work arrangements are making location less limiting on people’s careers … read more via hyperlink above …
    .
    .
    Australia is witnessing a record regional jobs boom. Here’s where to find them in every state … Andy Park … ABC

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-02/jobs-boom-happening-in-australian-regional-centres/12939916
    .
    .
    Regional Australia Institute

    http://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/home/

    … Is the housing affordability (median multiples … expanded from the Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Surveys http://www.demographia.com ) of the regional centres of Australia adequately publicized and understood.

    • V

      A giant con Hugh. If the job can be done from a ‘regional area’ it can be done from overseas where overall cost of living is a lot lower and logistical links are better.

  68. skippy

    “Speculation is an effort, probably unsuccessful, to turn a little money into a lot. Investment is an effort, which should be successful, to prevent a lot of money from becoming a little.” – Fred Schwed Jr

  69. LeMon3MEMBER

    ‘course you are Peachy (or am I misidentifying you bcnich?) There’s no-one here to object to your tirades until next week at the earliest. What intrigues me is why you still bother…

  70. skippy

    Humorous and entertaining, this book exposes the folly and hypocrisy of Wall Street. The title refers to a story about a visitor to New York who admired the yachts of the bankers and brokers. Naively, he asked where all the customers’ yachts were? Of course, none of the customers could afford yachts, even though they dutifully followed the advice of their bankers and brokers. Full of wise contrarian advice and offering a true look at the world of investing, in which brokers get rich while their customers go broke, this book continues to open the eyes of investors to the reality of Wall Street.

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/288897.Where_Are_the_Customers_Yachts_

    The book was written in the 1940s.

      • skippy

        Chicago boys are just a rewarmed ideology which was around before the Great Depression, that eventually was sorted, but as I’ve pointed out many times …. launched a new and improved version we now call neoliberalism.

        BTW I’ve taken that mob to task since my first day at MB, Born et al, and PKE has absolutely nothing to do with that bunch.

  71. Djenka

    Old but good video box set, still a few things to finish.
    I have seen it several times over and over, kraft and skills are excellent.
    Enjoy it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txtMy7N1Fw0&list=PLGSOZAHg1yQEatqhWza_ae83e313-GLTO

    Sadly, the nearest to this in local version is guys from Mighty Car Mods whom don’t do anything that does not live on a shelf prior to fitting or someone knowledgeable makes it for them. One thing I admire the most in US is probably the strongest and broad enterprise culture.

  73. WiZZ of Ozz

    Lol bit coin will be dead in 6 months like I said social democracy has put a
    stake threw capitalisms heart think qutum

  75. [email protected]

    Fkn Northern beaches people can get stuffed. The Mayor having a whinge they’re “over it” re restrictions, Melbourne people are now better than Sydney people and Melbourne people are the worst lol