ANZAC DAY – Celebrating and excusing War. We ambitiously spend on and sell war
The United States, China, and Russia together accounted for 56% of the world’s total military expenditures in 2022. Brett Wilkins Apr 24, 2023
Source: Global Military Spending Hits All-Time High of $2.24 Trillion: Analysis
When Jews become what they accuse others of being one wonders if it’s just politics being played out in Israel
The Jewish far right has been calling Palestinians ‘Nazis’ for almost 80 years, casting them as an irredeemable enemy in an eternal war.
Source: The Israeli right’s most dangerous anti-Palestinian smear
Murdoch’s Fox has paid before and will keep paying to keep damning evidence under wraps and to keep its profits soaring. Expect the record payout in the Dominion case to be broken in the Smartmatic case. But of course those living in such a divided society pay the heaviest price for Fox’s business practices.
The mighty Murdoch media empire is now facing the consequences of spreading false narratives and costly political lies, writes Dr Victoria Fielding.
If you believe in accountability, if you believe in personal responsibility, if you believe that misdeeds merit punishment and those who knowingly lie should pay for their dishonor and deceit, then Monday was a good day.
Tucker Carlson — the race-baiting, immigrant-hating, election-denying, Putin-promoting, two-faced ringmaster of right-wing sophistry — was unceremoniously dumped by his corporate sponsor, Fox News.
Let the joyous news be spread!
“Fox News without Tucker is basically a wet paper towel: fragile and functionally useless,” said one media expert. “They will try and get their footing back fast, but don’t let them.”
Fox News’ abrupt firing today of Tucker Carlson from his position as a prime-time host set off a frenzy among the network’s right-wing media competitors. Carlson’s sudden departure was so unexpected that he signed off his program Friday night by telling the audience, “We’ll be back on Monday,” and Fox was still previewing a scheduled interview between Carlson and fringe presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on its programming this morning before announcing his departure.
Source: Right-wing media break out in chaos after Fox News fires Tucker Carlson | Media Matters for America
The most obvious question in American politics today should be: Why is the guy who committed treason just over two years ago being allowed to run for president?
Answer: He shouldn’t be.
Dutton’s History of Child Protection speaks for itself
Dutton does not have a good record on First Nation’s children either.
In 2008, he boycotted the apology to the harmed children of the Stolen Generation and their descendants. He has now apologised for this.
Dutton was part of the Abbott Cabinet that “cut more than $500 million in funding to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services, and another nearly $80 million to Aboriginal and Child Family Centres that supported our vulnerable children and families.”
Source: Dutton: pedophile hysteria and child protection – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The ALP seems intent on abandoning progressive policies and turning itself into a competent version of the Coalition. This is not good for them, our collective future, or democracy.
Source: What’s the point of the Australian Labor Party? – Pearls and Irritations
All he will say is that she is an “Aunty” whom he met “recently at a function”.
Source:
The fast-tracking into shadow cabinet of first-term Country Liberal Party senator from the Northern Territory Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who is a member of the Nationals’ party room in Canberra, is the latest development in the gradual deconstruction of the Liberal-dominated Coalition.
No wonder Nationals leader David Littleproud could hardly contain his glee when he responded to Price’s promotion. He painted it as evidence the Nationals are better at identifying the sort of people who have the life experience to bring something special to Canberra.
Source: Dutton hands Coalition to Nationals
Scott Morrison approved tens of billions in foreign takeover deals after secretly being appointed Treasurer last year, compromising Australia’s national interest. Sydney Airport, electricity giants AusNet and Spark Infrastructure. All gone. Michael West reports.
Source: A Royal Commission into Scott Morrison? He sold off the farm, in secret – Michael West
A new report confirms that insecure and precarious work is widespread across the economy. To respond meaningfully to the needs of workers, the labor movement must grapple with the harmful impacts of precarity.
Source: It’s Not Just the Gig Economy — Precarious Work Is Everywhere
According to China Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have no sovereign legitimacy
“These ex-USSR countries don’t have actual status in international law because there is no international agreement to materialise their sovereign status,” Shaye said.
News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch’s battle against small news outlet Crikey is set to continue in a brewing dispute over an almost $600,000 pool of supporter funds after the media scion dropped his defamation litigation.
Source: Lachlan Murdoch’s defamation stoush with news outlet Crikey is not over yet
The Murdochs long ago discovered that vast profits could be made from a media outlet that functioned as a political party, selling grievance, victimhood and conspiracy theories of demonic “liberal elites” to older white Americans. Trump is the avatar of the Murdoch business model, whatever personal feelings Rupert may have about him.
Source: National Times – Bernard Keane on Lachlan Murdoch dropping his…
After paying a massive legal settlement for lies over the 2020 Presidential Election, Fox News isn’t likely to stop spreading climate misinformation, writes Steve Bishop.
Source: Murdoch unlikely to stop climate fibs despite $1.2 billion cost of lies
in late January 1960, when the 28-year-old fronted a courtroom in Adelaide, South Australia. Upon arrival, Murdoch gave his occupation as “journalist” to the court stenographer, but when the Crown lawyer asked if had also been performing the role of News Limited’s managing director in August and September the previous year, Murdoch declined to answer — “on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me”.
Source: Pre-Dominion, a young Rupert Murdoch faced the ‘poison pen’ trial
If Menzies had the forgotten people, Dutton has to find the Missing People. They comprise most of the electorate. If the Liberals can’t comprehend that women are not a special interest group but the mainstream, they are choosing slow-motion suicide.
Source: National Times –
Lachlan Murdoch’s reputation in Australia is that of a “loser” who throws Xmas parties for other losers he employs. Onetel,& Ch 10, saw him lose millions and had him run to daddy in the US. Appointed CEO of Fox Corp he has cost billion plus but nevertheless bought a $100mill house to throw parties in LA no doubt. Now, this Goliath of a wannabe alpha-male has backed down from his threat to Crikey the David in a legal battle and will not only be liable for the majority of the costs but for further actions against the company. Lawyers love the schmuck does anyone else?
Matthew Collins KC, a barrister specialising in media law and a former Australian Bar Association president, said Murdoch was liable for most of the costs. “While every case is different, the costs that are recoverable by a party following a discontinuance of proceedings are typically in the range of two-thirds to three-quarters of the actual costs of the party,” he said.
Source: National Times – The mouse that roared: how a little Australian… | Facebook
His death could have been a Public Health Warning
Let’s be clearer. Barry Humphries died because he ” fell over” and even hip surgery couldn’t save him. When the elderly fall over and are hospitalised 30% they rarely recover. Lack of balance comes with age and is more often the cause of death. Barry even said ” it was his fault a stupid accident” He tripped and fell over.
If you’re over 65 close your eyes with your hands by your side and try standing on one leg for 12 seconds to test your balance.
Celebrated Australian entertainer Barry Humphries is being celebrated globally after dying aged 89 from complications after hip surgery.
Source: Barry Humphries, ‘greatest ever Australian’, bows out – Michael West
WTF,
Alphabet Inc chief executive Sundar Pichai earned about $US226 million ($A338 million) in total compensation last year – more than 800 times the median employee’s pay, a company securities filing shows.
Source: Alphabet CEO earns more than $220m despite cost-cutting – Michael West
The Worst Health, Immigration and Home Affairs Minister on record. Facts vs Political point scoring.
it seems sufficient time has passed since the biggest labour trafficking scam in Australia’s history, a scam that started when Peter Dutton was Immigration Minister, for the Murdoch press to start agitating about asylum seekers who have arrived by plane.
Source: Coalition and Murdoch media distort truth about asylum seekers
Spectator Australia has repeatedly published far-right white supremacists who are using the popular conservative publication to mainstream and normalise their extreme beliefs.
Source: The far right is using Spectator Australia to spread extreme views
The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, has proclaimed the AUKUS submarine program is a national building endeavour when, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Rex Patrick pulls apart the Admiral’s claim.
Source: AUKUS submarines “nation building” says Admiral. No they’re not, says Rex Patrick – Michael West
In 2015, Wales became the first country in the world to legislate for the wellbeing of future generations. The Well-Being of Future Generations Act followed an inclusive national discussion about the kind of country people want for generations to come.
As the UN announces its own future generations work, I am proud to see that our pathologically modest nation of 3 million people might help these much-needed shifts in policy on a global scale.
Source: How a ‘pathologically modest’ nation broke new ground on wellbeing – Pearls and Irritations
To counter American Jews turning their backs on Israel Netanyahu sends them a messenger.
“From her affection for violent anti-Arab radicals to her hatred of feminists to her racist and Islamophobic treatment of African asylum-seekers, Golan’s politics could not be further from that of most Jewish New Yorkers,” said one U.S. rabbi.
Source: Netanyahu Picks Self-Described ‘Racist’ May Golan as Top Israeli Diplomat in NY
The simple reality is that it’s nearly impossible to argue “facts” with people who’ve been brainwashed by Fox and other hate- and fear-based media. But when they realize they’ve been lied to — and lied to for profit — it’s often a splash-of-cold-water wake-up call.
Source: The Heroin-Like Power of Fox “News” Nearly Killed Ralph Yarl | The Smirking Chimp
Searching for the Facts not the Spin. However , Murdoch’s media business model will reverse that.
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s behavior toward women, long a source of flashpoints in his political career, now faces a new level of scrutiny: a trial in a lawsuit accusing him of rape.
Source: Rape Lawsuit Trial Puts Trump’s History With Women Under Microscope | HuffPost Latest News
Since 1998, when I was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Agency and Houston Police, and later convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison for conspiracy to sell and distribute cannabis, I’ve tried to comprehend the gravity of my punishment for a nonviolent cannabis crime (essentially when no guns, money, or drugs were found on me), without finding a legitimate answer.
Source: While You Were Lighting Up on 4/20, I’m Serving Decades in Prison for Selling Weed – scheerpost.com
The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are losing more than three times as much ice a year as they were 30 years ago, according to a new, comprehensive international study.
Source: Greenland’s melt goes into hyper-drive with unprecedented ice loss in modern times – ABC News
There is no greater scam than Murdoch’s sideshow hiding in plain sight as News to influence and control us for corporate and monied interests
Year upon year, we’re witnessing a rise in monetary losses to fraud. Behind these figures sit millions of Australians who experience a range of financial and non-financial harms.
Here’s what we’ve learned from the latest report – and some advice on what to look out for in the year ahead.
Source: Australians lost more than $3bn to scammers in 2022. Here are 5 emerging scams to look out for
One of Murdoch’s puppet with hat in hand
Low rating Sky News Australia host Andrew Bolt has demanded that the Australian Constitution be rewritten in white ink.
Source: Bolt Demands The Constitution Be Rewritten In White Ink – The (un)Australian
Lachlan Murdoch has graduated from the butt of Australian business world’s jokes to not just America’s but global.
In an official statement, Fox News said, “This settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards.” CNN’s Jake Tapper found the “highest journalistic standards” part so hilarious that he struggled to maintain his composure while reading the statement on the air.
In a parody column published on April 20, Washington Post opinion writer Alexandra Petri portrays a Fox News exec who is sending a post-settlement internal memo out to company employees. And her column is as humorous as it is scathing.
“Fox and the Big Lie has been edited to be a standalone program and updated to include the latest developments,” a spokesperson said. “It abides by the highest editorial standards.”
Fox and the Big Lie goes to air on Monday 24th April at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
Fox News avoids reporting Real & Current News. They phish their own fabricated news that one might find down the rabbit hole. News that Real Media isn’t discussing. Yes, it’s back to their normal “look over here folks” attention-grabbing sideshow made to influence the feeble-minded for the monied interests. As long as their ratings show it’s what the minority of America wants to hear the cash flows. Forget facts and become addicted to Fox’s World.
following the Dominion settlement, Fox News has remained largely silent on its own legal struggles. It reported the end of the lawsuit on its 6pm show on Tuesday, but the channel’s media correspondent, Howard Kurtz, had been rather coy about the details.
“The amount of the settlement has not been disclosed,” Kurtz told viewers – a strange thing to say, given the $787.5m settlement had been reported by almost every news outlet in the US.
“For Dominion, if it lost the case, it ends up with zero, and because of the first amendment concerns […] that would’ve been a roll of the dice for the company that argued that they had been defamed by Fox,” Kurtz added.
It raised the question as to why Fox News paid Dominion the better part of a billion dollars. The question was not answered.
Shanlon Wu, a former federal prosecutor and legal analyst, said he thinks the settlement “sets Fox up to pay their way out”.
“As it seems unlikely they will want to take other cases to trial,” he said, flagging that Fox has to be “concerned” with discovery issues and what the company tried to withhold.
Source: Fox News settlement might be ‘bargaining chip’ for other litigants
Let’s hope they don’t cave like Dominion Systems
Lawyer for the other voting-tech company suing Fox tells Jake Tapper they want network to eat crow in public
Source: Smartmatic wants “an apology” and “full retraction” from Fox News — and more than $787M | Salon.com
“When we talk about the voice, we’re not talking about a voice to be heard. We’re talking about our voice to be listened to,” he said.
The Liberal Party is now the Fascist Party modelling itself on the American Republican Party
Three former Liberal Indigenous affairs ministers unite in support of the Voice (Giovanni Torre for National Indigenous Times)
Source: National Times – Three former Liberal Indigenous affairs ministers… | Facebook
Former competition watchdog chief Rod Sims is heading up a new think tank to put energy transition at the heart of economic thinking and industry.
Mr Sims says electrification is not only important in itself, it’s also the lowest-cost path to decarbonising many activities that have not traditionally used electricity.
For example, green hydrogen made using renewable energy is at present the lowest cost replacement for coal for reducing iron ore to iron metal, he added.
Source: Think tank unfurls Aussie emission-busting superpowers – Michael West
The Government selects on the basis of education then goes no further. It prides itself but does nothing for the nation.
According to 2021 census data, 51,491 people in Australia were born in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi Muslim women here have significantly higher educational attainment than the wider Australian female population. The data shows 19.71% of Bangladeshi Muslim women in Australia have a postgraduate degree, compared with 5.41% of women in general. Overall, 22.75% of Bangladeshi Muslim women have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 15.87% of women across the board.
these days parody is just as plausible as reality.
For example, take Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s praise for Lachlan Murdoch:
“Of course Lachlan Murdoch, whose family have provided a beacon of light in a sea of woke darkness, via the necessary media platforms that deliver genuine, common sense and fact-driven News reporting for our benefit.”
Source: The Weak In Politics! – » The Australian Independent Media Network
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