Our mainstream media puts wind in the sails of hate
In this article from 2021, Tom Tanuki outlined how the mainstream media gave racial extremists such as Tom Sewell a platform to spread his message of hatred to potential recruits.
Source: Uncovering the plans of Australian White supremacists: FLASHBACK 2021
Morrison denies that rapid transition is possible the world says otherwise
In fact, 50 countries now get at least 10 percent of their electricity from wind and solar alone. Wind and solar need to grow 20% a year for us to remain on track to meet the Paris climate goals, Ember points out. The report observes that in recent years, that is exactly how fast wind and solar have grown. This finding is a rare note of optimism in the sustainable energy field, and we should celebrate this impressive and skyrocketing growth.
Source: Combined, Green Sources generated 38% of global Electricity in 2021, for 1st Time Exceeding Coal
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 was a year of accelerated boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigning, successful grassroots actions and significant legal victories for Palestinian rights.
Source: What were the top BDS victories of 2021? | The Electronic Intifada
Instead, after a strong start with the American Rescue Plan, passed in March, the Democrats have puttered forward, slowly losing momentum and now appearing at a standstill. Here are all the things they could have done this year, in theory, but did not.
It is time to look back at 2021 and consider the most consequential developments, as covered here at Informed Comment.
While Tucker Carlson has been flirting with white nationalism for years, 2021 was the year he went full-tilt and repeatedly said the quiet part aloud, explicitly referencing the white supremacist “great replacement” conspiracy theory – and earning praise from infamous former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. And Carlson’s status as the most-watched Fox prime-time star seemingly encouraged his fellow hosts to follow suit; Laura Ingraham warned her viewers that Democrats “will import new voters to offset and eventually replace all you old people.” Carlson has long pushed white supremacist talking points with full corporate support from Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch. In the process, he has gained praise from white nationalists, while the Anti-Defamation League has repeatedly called for his firing. White nationalism is now a pillar of Fox’s prime-time platform, and the Murdochs are willing to fund and defend their hosts’ hatred.
The Abbott/ Morrison Government had made a pact with the IPA and NewsCorp to rid Australia of ABC News. Abbott backed into a corner knowing the ABC was Australia’s most trusted media source found that direct task too difficult so he banned the government MPs from going on the ABC. Morrison did almost the same. The government has become a regular fixture on Sky News and 2GB their “cash for comment” propaganda arms . Even granting Murdoch a free unexplained $30M. Australia has never seen a concerted effort like we have in the past 8 years to turn Australian media into American with Australia’s Sky News a model of Fox News, without MSM diversity. Consolidation of our MSM into 3 privatized corporate arms run by Peter Costello, Kerry Stokes, and with Murdoch controlling the largest has seen our media metamorph into the Conservative Cyclops donor at the behest of the LNP, and the want of the IPA posing as a”think tank” but acting as the LNP’s mega- donor/lobbyist and even grooming politicians of the future.
Their aim to rid Australia of any organization designed to keep the bastards honest and Democracy the political system of choice for this country which demands the existence of at least two major parties both of which are prepared to lose an election but rule for all Australians. Unfortunately only one party today is prepared for that role and it isn’t the current government.
The year ended with the resignation of ABC news boss Gaven Morris and a public sledge by ABC chair Ita Buttrose, who accused the (LNP) government of political interference.
With a federal election around the corner, it is going to be a very busy and a very interesting 2022 for the public broadcaster.
The ABC’s year from hell
Source: From taming ‘Big Tech’ to News Corp’s climate shift: The media moves that mattered this year
When Morrison was appointed Minister for Immigration, the ad man he is, he designed the warning signs and ads telling the world Australia had changed and for Asylum Seekers to queue or “Keep Out”. If they came by boat they were “illegals” a term not used anywhere else in the world.
Then he told us, Australians, he was unable to “Talk about Asylum Seeker Detention” as it was an “On the Water Matter” and he didn’t hold the hose he just designed it. Yes, Morrison became the most gagged Minister who in fact had designed his own gag.
Even those fleeing the Taliban, asylum seekers who helped our war effort in Afghanistan, face indefinite detention for another year. Lawyer and human rights advocate Alison Battisson reports on the victims of Australia’s detention regime and their fight for freedom.
In under nine minutes, MSNBC host Chris Hayes on Tuesday night summarized the American right wing’s transformation in recent years into a political movement that openly celebrates violence, zeroing in on America Fest 2021—a conservative gathering taking place in Phoenix this week where Kyle Rittenhouse was celebrated by influential Fox News hosts and received a standing ovation.
Source: Turning Point ‘AmFest’ Was ‘Right Wing Celebration Of Violence’ | Crooks and Liars
At this time of year we traditionally reflect upon our blessings and forgive those who have trespassed against us. But we’ve been trying that for millennia, and the results have been unsatisfactory. So let’s discard the accumulated wisdom of all humanity’s spiritual traditions and focus our mental energy instead on how much we dislike various awful people around us. Merry Christmas.
Source: The 10 Worst Americans of 2021
The polls are showing a move away from the Tories. The panic from moderate (sic) Liberals facing challenges from viable independents in their tree-lined, Toorak-tractored enclaves and the fear from the journeymen party spivs horrified at the possibility of being held to account has brought some tidings of comfort and joy for many of us watching from the side-lines. It has also boosted traffic on LinkedIn and Trip Advisor as this effluvium considers their post-election prospects or checks the star ratings for top bunk vs bottom bunk at various of Her Majesty’s homes for the habitually shady.
Source: 2021 – Good bits and bad bits – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Where are we as 2021 comes to a close? These 10 charts highlight major inequality developments of the year, covering some steps back and some important steps forward. The rich have gotten richer by squeezing workers and consumers The combined wealth of the 745 U.S. billionaires surpassed $5 trillion in 2021, up 70 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness analysis of Forbes data.
Source: The Year in Inequality in 10 Charts: Our Economic and Racial Divides grew Wider in 2021
My thought for the day Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.{ John Lord }
Source: 2021 forever remembered – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The Scam and fix is in. The budget tanked like a bungee during the pandemic now it’s about to rebound as rapidly as one, but just like a bungee that recovery won’t be the same as it was pre-pandemic, and it wasn’t crash hot back then either as they’d destroyed our relationship with China and the EU.
Nevertheless, you won’t hear that from Morrison or Frydenberg who will tell you our recovery will have been the best in all possible worlds. As a consequence, we will be able to afford the best of all possible bribes, tax cuts. Never mind that the top 10% of the nation has already received their bonus expanding the wealth gap like never before seen (over 25%). Never mind, that in the past 30 years the LNP has been the highest taxing of all governments. Never mind, that the LNP has been the harshest on Social Welfare, Universal Health, Education, wage growth, and the casualization of the workforce. During their tenure have Dropped us down the ladder from best to worst in the OECD and increased the level of corruption. Never mind this government has been the most secretive and least supportive of communications making us 60th globally in broadband speed and the accelerated destruction of the ABC and restriction of Independent Media. Never mind that we have fallen on every comparable social metric and our global reputation has been shredded under this the worst PM and government this country has ever seen. We are nevertheless about to be given tax cuts of 1-2 %. WTF!!
The word out of the federal government is a desperate Scott Morrison will use improved numbers in the budget to attempt a huge tax cut to buy his way back into government.
Source: Paul Bongiorno: PM’s only hope is budget numbers saving him
My thought for the day I found it impossible to imagine that the 2016Australian people could be so gullible as to elect for a third term a government that has performed so miserably in the first two. And it has has amongst its members some of the most devious, suspicious and chillingly corrupt men and women but they did. (John Lord )
Trump just works to delay. Delay is the only tactic he knows and Democracy gives him the space that he doesn’t give to those who work for him. They are simply get declared persona non grata by Trump who acts as police judge and jury whenever their useby date is up. Has anybody really ever profited from working for Trump? Many have despite o him if they weren’t essential or didn’t hang around too long but more often than not none did.
On Thursday, a federal appeals court ruled against former President Donald Trump, demanding he turn over White House records to the congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot.
Source: Appeals Court Rules Trump Must Turn Over Documents to Jan. 6 Committee – Mother Jones
Trump repeats what he said about Charlottesville “good and bad on both sides” and Americans have a right to protest.
“It was a massive rally, with hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people,” Trump claimed in response to Farage’s question. “I think it was the largest crowd I’ve ever spoken before. And the real—I reverse it—the insurrection took place on November 3rd, that was Election Day, and before and after. That was to me, the insurrection. And January 6th was a protest.” Trump then reiterated his claims about crowd size along with another familiar tactic meant to deceive the public about the horrific events at the Capitol: “And then, unfortunately, some bad things happened,” he told Farage, “but also, the other side had some very bad things happen.”
Source: Trump Continues to Glorify the January 6 Insurrection – Mother Jones
DWAC and SPAC are the sounds you’d expect to see in a cartoon voice bubble. DJ Trump is currently the total commercialized product of a comic character like the Joker, an entertainer, a fraudster, a wannabe politician and the living head character in a updated version of Springtime for Hitler on Wall st. He’s the total package and he’s being marketed by people far smarter than him. Money Guns and Lawyers are all involved and are there to protect their asset.
DWAC is what’s known as a “SPAC,” or special purpose acquisition company. The strategy, which has become popular in recent years as a way to sidestep the typically onerous regulatory process of taking a company public, typically occurs when a non-public company merges with a shell company that is already public. In this case, DWAC is set to merge with “Trump Media & Technology Group.”
Source: Inside the “weird” world of DWAC, Trump’s already soaring social media SPAC | Salon.com
Over the past few weeks, former President Donald Trump has appeared on a number of fringe right-wing media outlets to push election conspiracy theories and other misinformation, using news events to advance his election lies while attacking President Joe Biden and laying the groundwork for another presidential campaign.
“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” General and President Eisenhower
Abbott told us FIBRE wasn’t NEEDED in his NOPE NOPE NOPE campaign and handed TURNBULL the poison chalice to put it in place so he wouldn’t be blamed neat politics, hey! However, a fucked up government service to Australia
Australia has a fibre penetration of just 21.7% out of a total of 9.1 million broadband subscriptions at 25th position, below the OECD average of 30.56% fibre penetration. If NBN Co’s 900K FTTC lines were defined as fibre, that percentage would rise to nearly 32% and 18th position. New Zealand fared much better, posting a 60.1% fibre penetration rate and 8th position. Austria, Belgium, Chile, Ireland, Israel and the United Kingdom all increased their fibre connections by more than 50% in 2020. In more and more OECD countries, most broadband connections are now fibre, with the share of fibre in total broadband above 50% in Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway and Portugal, exceeding 70% in Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain and Sweden.
Source: Government still holding Australia back in global broadband ranking
Australian workers have received all-time low annual wages rise over the financial year just ended, reports Alan Austin. AUSTRALIA HAD ALWAYS rewarded workers with steady wage increases year on year as industrial cooperation and improving productivity have generated ever-rising company profits. That is, until 2013, when the current Coalition Government came to power. In the eight years since then, wage rises have fallen to a fresh all-time low six times, the latest at an appalling 1.71%, according to last week’s data.
Source: Morrison delivers for foreign corporations: Lowest wage rise on record
Rhetoric accompanied with qualifiers= PM Scott Morrisson Sales exec. You want it done show him the votes and the money
The words “at this stage” fall well short of Australia’s moral and legal obligations to Afghan refugees and provide little comfort to temporary visa holders. With a range of options to expand protection for people at risk both within and outside Afghanistan, the Australian Government must stop attaching qualifiers to its response and start acting decisively and with humanity.
Source: Australia must offer permanent protection to Afghan refugees now
Earth has warmed 1.09℃ since pre-industrial times and many changes such as sea-level rise and glacier melt are now virtually irreversible, according to the most sobering report yet by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
and
“It’s no longer a kind of vague concern about things happening in the future, it’s the realization that the world is unraveling around us right now. And the loss is piling up every day.”
Source: Here’s What Climate Scientists Are Really Saying About This Catastrophic Summer – Mother Jones
Still, it’s deeply concerning that the rhetoric of justified violence is increasing, and not just in fringe social media circles, but on cable news networks being projected into millions of American homes. It’s also timed alongside this Arizona “audit” and its accompanying conspiracy theories, and placed in the summer months, when people are far more likely to be out and ready to gather in person than in the dead of winter, when the Capitol riot happened. The fire may not spark, but there can be no mistaking the immense amount of fuel that right-wing media is gleefully pouring over the kindling.
Source: Filling the Trump Void: Right-wing Media’s Calls for Violence Grow Louder | The Smirking Chimp
For at least the past five years, some of America’s and the world’s foremost mental health experts have attempted to warn the public that Donald Trump was (and is) a dire threat to public safety. Based on Trump’s public behavior and other available information, these experts warned that he appears to be a malignant narcissist, a pathological liar who is obsessed with violence, easily manipulated by praise and other ego-stroking behavior, indifferent to the suffering of other human beings, anti-social and anti-human in his values and behavior, irresponsible and impulsive and in total quite likely a sociopath or perhaps a psychopath. Collectively, these mental health experts predicted that Trump’s many apparent pathologies would lead to destruction and suffering for the American people and the world.
Source: Former Harvard psychiatrist Lance Dodes: Trump’s psychosis is still an “enormous danger” | Salon.com
What are U.S. extremist groups doing since the Jan. 6 riot? Local chapters of the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Groypers and others are breaking away from their groups’ national figureheads. For instance, some local Proud Boys chapters have been explicitly cutting ties with national leader Enrique Tarrio, the group’s chairman.
After the insurrection, America’s far-right groups get more extreme
Were I Trump’s Lawyer For The Day, I’d advise him to purchase a first-class ticket to Botswana or Brunei, neither of which has an extradition treaty with the United States. Because things are getting pretty ugly for him in New York.
The Prosecutors Cometh | The Smirking Chimp
The US is wealthy per capita, so it should have a high chance of continuing to transit to more democracy, not less. So why is the place falling apart? Well, I called the system capitalist democracy, and that is increasingly a contradiction. American capitalism is unhealthily dominated by monopolies and is marching toward a world of billionaires on the one hand and of workers barely making it on the other. Economic insecurity has increased, which is associated with heightened racism as ethnic groups feel they are competing for a shrinking pie. Remember I said that in 2014 the losers in Libya’s election refused to go home or to acknowledge the rules of the game? And I said that then Libya fell into civil war? And now I am saying that in 2021 a substantial section of the Republican Party doesn’t want to go home after losing and also does not agree on the rules of the game? You do the math.
America’s Transition Away from Democracy and the World’s Wave of De-Democratization
As the climate crisis worsens, the coronavirus pandemic rages, and Joe Biden prepares to take office, a look at big environmental stories that could define the next year.
5 Environmental Stories That Could Dominate In 2021 | HuffPost Australia
Great power competition in the Asia-Pacific region has been building for years. But COVID-19 has turbo-charged the shifts taking place and China is finishing 2020 in a significantly stronger position compared with the US than when the year started.
China enters 2021 a stronger, more influential power — and Australia may feel the squeeze even more
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