bum

Barnaby Joyce has apologised for claiming “people aren’t dying” of Covid in Australia, while also blaming consumers and businesses for hoarding rapid antigen tests.

The deputy prime minister made the comments on Monday, the first day that priority groups were due to gain free access to RATs, although supply shortages will likely result in a delay of a few weeks before they are widely available.

 

Joyce told Radio National the “best test of a competent government is that people don’t die” and that Australia has one of the lowest death rates from Covid-19 in the world.

turmpth

In the West, when we’re in a court of law, we are made to swear to tell the truth, on a bible. The bible is the least truthful of all books ever written, but we “believe” it is nothing but the truth. It feels like a traditional joke, as if we were avoiding hell by swearing truthfulness on a book of lies. 

 

The bible is full of lies — elegant lies. They explain "everything" with "infinite error", to reiterate the words of Bertolt Brecht… 

 

It would be better for an atheist to swear to tell the truth on a work by Albert Camus, by Dostoyevsky or by Joyce James.

 

winston 

One could be tempted to parallel Chamberlain appeasement of Hitler with those, like German Vice-Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach, who are trying to “respect” Putin. This could not be further from reality. Putin is not Hitler. While Hitler wanted war. Putin wants peace. While Chamberlain wanted peace, the West wants war. And this is the status of the world today. 

 

dumbplomacy...

The focus of Australia’s reinvigorated friendship with the UK and US exposes the true purpose of the new partnership: global military expansion and buy-in on Cold War 2.0. It’s nothing to do with making the world a better place.

In past years, treaties were often a force for good. A deal signed by two or more parties cemented a friendship, committed each other to the pursuit of common objectives, and somehow, even in just a small way, made the world a better place.

But things have changed dramatically over the past decade and treaties seem to have become something very different. No longer focused on ambitions such expanding trade or opening borders to everyone’s benefit, the goals seem based more on anxiety and paranoia. The language is more hawkish, the posturing more aggressive.

altlas 

We live in a MODERN world where we could not live without "managing" electrons… nor photons. We know electrons well or do we? We know photons or do we? Do we still need to discover what else these little beasts can do and what other particles do?… Or are we just happy with having a smartphone that talks to us via Siri in a whatever soft reassuring female voice that, coming from a little machine, would frighten a man from the middle ages? Should we go back to swinging from tree to tree? This of course isn’t enough for physicists. THEY HAVE TO KNOW the purpose of particles. Who can blame them? But should we stop them, knowing some geezers can make atomic bombs using the knowledge? TOO BLOODY LATE, SIR...

 

fury...Ex-US soldiers with alleged neo-Nazi links arrive at Ukrainian front line

 

The soldiers of fortune shared pics and footage of them sporting combat gear at Ukrainian army positions 

At least half a dozen former US military servicemen have landed in Ukraine amid rapidly escalating tensions in the east of the country.  

monkey

 Reports suggest that one of the animals was spotted in a tree off Route 54 soon after the crash and was swiftly apprehended. Yet, three more primates remain at large. A helicopter was engaged in the operation to help with the search for the missing creatures.

A vehicle carrying 100 monkeys to a lab collided with a dump truck off Interstate 80 near Danville, Pennsylvania on Friday, American media reported. According to the State police, at least four apes managed to escape the truck and has went missing.

party

The senior Tory said these dark arts tactics had “intimidated” backbenchers and broke the law.

His astonishing tirade - made in Parliament - poured yet more petrol on the raging civil war engulfing the Tory Party.

But Boris came out swinging against the claim, insisting he had “seen no evidence” to support the allegation.

While his Cabinet ally and attack dog Nadine Dorries said Mr Wragg was peddling “nonsense” and just “attention seeking”.

huntEXCLUSIVE: Morrison and Hunt's tricky denial of RAT requisitions

 

As Australians struggle to access RATs tests, Greg Hunt and Scott Morrison have publicly denied allegations of stockpiling. Michelle Pini and David Donovan report.

‘This is a reaction to the COVID s*** storm we’re all experiencing together! Please rest assured that you will receive your goods, as soon as possible.’

demon

As part of its strategy to develop a global coalition against China in and around the Indo-Pacific, the US has been, for past many years, paying very close attention to what can be called ‘territorial flashpoints’ surrounding China – Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang – to demonise and delegitimise China as a global power.

 

simpsons

“The Simpsons” predicted in 2007 that government would become so inept they’d need to enlist the help of actor Tom Hanks to gain back credibility, and the Biden administration appears to be doing just that.

swat

Federal police have launched an investigation into the price-gouging of rapid antigen tests.

A specialist taskforce has been set up by the AFP, after investigations began in NSW and Queensland following referrals from the consumer watchdog.

Retailers caught price-gouging on the tests have been warned they will face five years in prison.

 

AFP assistant commissioner of the crime command, Nigel Ryan, said there would be a zero-tolerance approach to retailers.

“The AFP will use its full powers to crack down on RAT price-gouging,” he said.

wilcox

How refreshing to hear Professor Paul Torzillo’s views rather than the usual blabbering from our politicians (“Top medic blasts the politics of pandemic”, January 20). The decision to open up on December 15 was based on information before Omicron was in the community. It has contributed to the staff shortages we see in hospitals and other businesses. It has stopped many small businesses from being able to operate fully and again derailed the economy with staff isolating and those cautious in our community staying home. Have we really learnt nothing since the start of this pandemic? Let’s hear from the health professionals on the frontline who can better determine what we should and shouldn’t be doing. Daniela Catalano, Haberfield

syndrome

The CIA believes it is unlikely Russia or another foreign adversary used microwaves or other forms of directed energy to attack the hundreds of American officials who claim to have been affected by "Havana syndrome".

backpackers

It sounded a touch desperate – Prime Minister Scott Morrison imploring backpackers to “come on down” to Australia, as the Omicron crisis escalated.

“Enjoy a holiday here”, said the one-time managing director of Tourism Australia, and “at the same time join our workforce and help us”.

The backpacker flow is slow, so there’ll be a $3 million advertising campaign (minus Lara Bingle) to lure them, and they’ll get a rebate on their visas if they come soon.

 

People were quick to see the irony – while Morrison was spruiking working holidays, travel advice in the US was updated to say “avoid travel to Australia”.

“Come on down” wasn’t Morrison’s only trite line.