Jerry_Atrick

Here is an interesting, passionate, and detailed reaction to voters saying when they voted for Chump, they didn't vote for Chump:

Without tariffs, pls ;-)

Yeah - I do remember someone saying somthing like "just wait - good things will come from Trump".. or words to that effect. Not meaning to rub your nose in it, but I still struggle to fathom why intelligent people were so sucked in by him. Is it just bias against the others, or is it something more? So, you would rather have the new world order of Trump than a parade celebrating al alternate, but largely harmless segment of the population? Yeah - like every segment of the population, they have their evil bastards.. but are they more likely than others to commit? For the record, I was molested by a "straight" bloke who was an assistant coach of the footy team, and continuously beaten to a pulp by another (not any of my blood relations). It happens with all walks of life, unfortunately. I can't post a direct link to the vid, so here it is: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-01/albanese-reiterates-support-for-ukraine-without-mentioning-trump/104998818 Hardly convincing, and a bit of waffle, to be honest. I did say he was unequivocal, but if I were in trenches and heard that, I may be hoisting the white flag. I didn't say Dutton was any better, but equally unequivocal. I never thought I would quote Sky News, but here ya go: https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/dutton-commends-ukraines-bravery-in-fight-against-murderous-dictator/video/0e5f7754467694c1b5b3d8990572eafa Although small fry compared to Canada and the EU, Australia imports a touch north of twice as much in value than we export to the USA: https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/southeast-asia-pacific/australia Although this would not be huge in terms of the US economy, we can do a Canada and tell the to FO.. Here is a map of the products we import from and export to the US: https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/usa/partner/aus Let's look at some of those items that we import that we can slap tariffs on (https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/usa/partner/aus😞 Gold (5% of the imports from the US). Surely we can make or process our own? Cars (4.5%): According to the RACV, the only segment in which US brands, let alone US made cars was in the top sellers, was in the EV market, where Tesla reigned supreme. However, beofre Musk took a torch to the Tesla brand with his antics, sales were already tanking (pardon the pun) with the Chinese catching up. Chucking retaliatory tariffs on the already taxed to the hilt car consumers isn't going to make that muck of a difference to the average Aussie car buyer. Delivery Trucks - 4.2%.. I imagine these are the bigger trucks like Kenworth, Mac, Ford, Western Star. These could be replaced wit Volvo, Scania, and DAF (although there would be no long nosed trucks in that list). Volvo Trucks is now Chinese owned. Again, there are alternatives, and very good ones at that if YT is to be believed. Planes, Helicopters and Spacecraft: Not sure what spacecraft we import, but from Boeing down to Vans, there are more than capable European substitutes. I am guessing it is the same with many other of the things we import - we can either make them ourselves or we can import from Europe. OK.. the question then becomes, is Europe a strong enough ally to piss the USA off? I don't know, to be honest.. But if they are, or we feel that the USA is no longer a strong enough security ally, then should Chump put tariffs on us, we should retaliate back.. they have more to lose than us, and he has so far shown himself to back down from a fight. Although, in our case, we may not be big enough to worry him, in which case, fine.. let's look elsewhere, and maybe putting tariffs on will spur us to be more self sufficeint econcomically. I would suggest the "political point scoring" by the Chinese navy was much more. They were testing our responses, and well, they were found pretty well wanting. I haven't read or seem too much about it, bui the fact the ADF didn't know they were there is quite alarming. They are not that hard to find and track. I see a real urgency to shake the ADF up quite a bit, from procurement to delivery to operational readiness. It should be a clarion call to bolster our defence efficiently. We should dump AUKUS immediately.. we have shown with Collins class subs we can beat the yanks with their nule submarines at war games (I have posted a RAN released vid on these forums some time ago). We need to invest in modern warefare and surveillance; where were our signals guys? This means aircraft, ships, subs, land vehicles, the weapons (including drones of and unamanned delivery of wapeons of varuous types), advanced use of AI, etc. Dare I say, we need to also have deterrents? We can't rely on the US and we can't rely on Europe. We can only rely on ourselves. We have the resources; we have the know how of all of the above; we need the political will.

As it turns out the Starmer/Trump meeting was playing on the radio as I was driving home. There was only so much of it I could stomach. Starmer was fawming over trump as if starmer was a new recruit to the mafia lslurping every picometre of runny shit that emanates from Trumps arse. And then he handed him a letter from the King, which was a historic, never done before, second invitation of a state visit to the monarch (first time was the Queen). I guess this is what Brexit does - we can't sell as much to the EU anymore, so we are so fearful of tariffs, that we grovel to whom is clear, is a criminal - that was evident in listening to him in the interview. He now has his seat at the oval office so doesn't have to hold back; in fact he knows unless he can pull off a dictatorship, this is his last 4 years at it.. and it was very evident. I haven't read all the news, but what I have read is that he "played a blinder".. yeah.. blindfoldedly sucking the presidential clock. But despite all of that, he, too had to correct the repeated like that was apouted again that the US gave Ukraine all their money, and Europe (and UK) only lent it. I have to give credit to Starmer in that he was able to correct the record without pissing off Trump, but I guess he was still slurping down the ship at the same time. There is going to be four years of turmoil and there are two real options - western democracies will be severly battered and limping along, or it will be much stronger for having weaned itself off the teat of the USA - something it should have done long ago. Albanese is being his usual bumbling self, but unequivocally rebuking Trump's position; even Dutton has, too.

I don't normally watch BTC videos - not because I am opposed to them - in fact I mainly agree with his view points, but because there is something about his style that irritates me. Bu there are a few things to take heart. First, almost unequivocally, Europe is standing hehind Ukraine. No doubt the likes of Orban are quietly smug at the moment. But the other, is that despite the fact the yanks voted in Trump, there is a good number that didn't.. although, as I said before, in the end, the yanks did hand power to him. Anyway, as they (used to) say in cinemas, roll the tape:

I would leaveit in there.. looks better.

I think it is deeper than just Trump. He is, at the end of he day, there because the American people put him there. All over the world, there appears to be this desire to elect in fqavour of rabble rousers and against the elector's intersts. We simply can't rely on any of our allies anymore. GON ios correct in that people are p!55ed off; Everything is being blamed from immigration to vegans to trans to dog knows what else. Regardles, the world is chainging in a bi way and the old way of relying on a few strong allies isn't going to suffice.. Autarky and military self sufficiency may well be where countries have to go.

Very strange circumstances for no foul play

I think they did when they ousted SFM.. the right wing nut job ex pm who accede to the deal. Another great own goal for the right, eh?

Not to waste money? You do live on another planet. Defence procurement is the epitome of wasting money; it is the gravy train that bankrolls many people needlessly.. 340bn for eight subs.. maybe?

Er.. You start a war.. it may come cropper for you.. It's no more theft than, hmm.. aroudn 50,000 square miles of territory - sotolen lives of innocent people.. Even if it were a few hundred billion, more thanthan justified. Theft, indeed.. You're off your rocker...

Got a reference to a news article or something? Because I could only find artivles that said they were still coming over. Yes, they have dropped, but none? And if they don't catch any, how do they know there are none - because if they knew they were there, they would catch them, right? Interesting that he is sending his own people to the poorhouse.. I am not sure they are too worred about illegal immigrants at the moment.

Dang it.. We had an estimate for fitting the windows, but they stressed it can change depending on the condition of the building, etc. that they couldn't see.. It went up almost twice as much! Now, when people ask me how much this has cost, I talk in how much of a good TB20 I could have purchased instead.

I never really liked the current crop oif KTM machines.. Don't know why...

The two walls in the above shot are here: Of course those before shots were after the damaged paster was removed: (the top floor wall):

Let me see.. Negotiations for the ceaefire between Hamas and Israel was started under Biden and concluded as Trump took office - so he is taking credit for his predecessor's work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Gaza_war_ceasefire; Not sure I would give that one to Trump. The "peaceful" solution to the Ukraine war, at the moment, doesn't look like a terribly good deal, and will give Russia what they want and embolden Russia to do more. My son thinks Russia won't go for the Baltic states because they are in Nato, but Trump has publocly affirmed Nato (or at least the US won't necessarily come to a NATO states aid should they be invaded by Russia. It seems to be contributing to geopolitical destabilisation - hardly what I would call a positive development. Also, he is trying to get iss grubby hands on the Ukrainian rare earths... Cutting government spending is so far wehat he is not doing. He is slashing aid and spending where it is needed, including reneging on contracts with local farmers that if they invested in certain practices to reduce environmental impact and at the same time improve productivity, they would receive government help. Now those farmers face ruin.. The areas where he is saving is then being spent on.. wait for it... contracts with Musk et al. Below are a couple of articles. There is no evidence that a more favourable outcome for US manifacturers will ever be realised. Firstly, have you noticed that defence manufacturers' in Europe share prices have increassed significantly, as have their order books? So, what used to be purchased from US manufacturers is now being purchased from European manufacturers. Australia would be nuts not to develop its home grown industry. The tarrifs which were announced and then revoked have already spooked consumers from countries they were to impact and they are now actively looking to buy non-American. Even my partner is actively making choices for non American owned brands (very hard to do). Virtually every economist from the US to Europe and beyond have the models that tell us they it is unlikely to be a boon for US manufacturing even in their own country, as at the end of the day, when you are in a cost of living crisis, and salaries don't keep up, there is simply less discretionary spend. And his decision to stick with fossil fuels for energy will make American industry less comeptitive over the mid term as renewables around the world leas to cheaper eneergy prices everywhere except America. Yes, China is still building coal fired plants, but they are investing much more heavily in renewables because they can see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, here are some more articles for you: On the so called peace deal with Putin, that is destabilising the region and will probably lead to a regional war: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250219-baltic-region-prepares-war-as-russia-us-debate-ukraine-fate DOGE's big claims of savings aren't quite what they seem: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/upshot/doge-contracts-musk-trump.html And yet for 2025, Musk companies already have $332M: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/musk-government-contracts-spacex-tesla-taxes-b2703141.html (and why hasn't he taken an axe to the space programs.. surely they are not as important as feeding America's own people?) Consumers ditching US made/owned stuff: https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/canadian-consumers-seeking-out-domestic-products-over-trump-s-tariff-threats In Europe as elsewhere, you wouldn't want to buy a Tesla at the moment (Europe don't buy muxh US stuff anyway). Reality verus claims... the latter rarely adds up. But hey, you want to believe a 6 time bankrupt, go for it. And, his approval rating is starting to wane: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-approval-rating-slips-americans-worry-about-economy-2025-02-19/

Parties do start through lack of handling perceived issues, because that is what it is mostly - perceived. Other than that, your post agains is fill of crap. Objectively, the Libs have neen moving to the "right" since Howard; even Fraser was a little perplexed at how far they have moved. And it is impossible to say it hadn't louched to the right under Abbott (was Costello his treasurer? That would be funny right there).. and then his successors, culminating on the worst and illegal attack on welfare recipients.. Your views don't align with the facts.. ALP is chasing votes on medicare, but that is because both parties fail the average person - not with both of their views being left, but becase the right consistently fails the average person - by definitioon the always will; and Albo is too pissweak to implement change.. so he has stayed more or less on the ideological righht side of politics - although definitely more central than the Libs. Quite what medicare has to do with crime is beyond me, but even then, there has and always will be crime. What you are attributing to is the left? In what way? Actually, look at the crime and mrder rates in Australia: https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/aus/australia/crime-rate-statistics.. But youth crime has gone up, right? We.. wrong.. it is a fabrication of sensation: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-13/criminologists-debunk-youth-crime-crisis-claims/104445432 Both are well down and continue to drop - so if both parties are left, well, it seems to be working, doesn't it? Or is that just a fabrication. Why do peole crash cars and die in hospitals, and blah blah blah.. Well, hard to pin that on left governments - why don't yopu provide stats of those who die in hospitals form natural causes versus there not being enough funding and substantiate one of your poiints for a change? No.. Of course not.. it's just in your imagination.. So I looked it up quickly, and while I couldn't find specific info on hospitals, I tool the nunmber of young Aussies dying per as a proxy; admittedly, it doesn't split things up.. But, surprise, surprise.. our health system must be getting better because, it has fallen dramatically from 1999 to 2019: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/deaths Lord help us if the majority of the population think like you do... Humaity will well and truly be stuffed well before its time.

Who bloody ray! The last of the major work is completed.. There remains decoration and the big clean up. The last of the major work is the lime plastering: Lime paster is a labourious job, but it looks a lot better than the gyprock stuff. Almost don't want to paint it. Thie above is the ground floor hall wall (the original is up a few posts ago somewhere. The next photo is the upstairs hall wall. Both look great. The original walls were water damaged over the years. They reckon lime plastered walls last 150 years: All the windows are in. Here is the before and after of the bay, and then that crappy platic kitched door is replaced, plus there are a couple of the windows to show. Not sure I want to show all of the windows.. Right.. Have to move a lot of stuff and get started on the decorating. Speak later

All those ins and outs sounds like something other than the cricket I know

Hah.. What happened.. is that billions went to their sponsors is what happened.

My favourite is still the VFR750... Getting back to the AI.. yes while it could have suggested alternatives, it was a decent attempt with what I gave it. I am probably not going to ride a bike - was discussing it with my son and he would prefer a light GA flight. So, it looks like it will be an airliner flight

Granted this is a contract, but if you were getting the top end of the daily rate ($1,100), that is just shy of $250K/year working 45 full weeks of the year: https://www.seek.com.au/job/82259563?type=standard&ref=search-standalone&origin=cardTitle#sol=41f1b59c65038e4c42997abf49eaa4fc125d4dfa Just saw this with the public service. How good is that: https://www.seek.com.au/job/82022583?type=standard&ref=search-standalone&origin=cardTitle#sol=2eb94fc1e65835453a76906e725f6cbcf40957d7 And this is a doosey... unf.. I don't have data centre consolidation experienc: https://www.seek.com.au/job/82258062?type=standard&ref=search-standalone&origin=cardTitle#sol=8dacb5008ea0df356fc46c20b5028de783a7a878 I have been looking at both perm and contract roles in Melbourne, and there are some nice paying ones, I have to say.

On this, GON is either a troll, suffering some form of mental illness, or just like some (or, I would say most, actually) people, and has a point of view on something that fact will never dislodge, because on whatever point it is, it is far more important than even if it hruts themselves to get there. Adam Conover did a great YT video of it some time ago, where beliefs are so ingrained that when you are confronted with opposing facts, it triggers a part of the prain that is triggered with the feeling of pain, and the first reaction is to protect oneself from the truth. Take Brexit, for example. My step-father-in-law was an ardent Brexiter. Yet he could not name one thing where Europe was costing more, or causing him problems. When he propagated myths, he would just give a Gallic shrug (quiite ironic) when facts were presented that repudiated the myths. He is also a Francophile, and whe I told him his insurance will go up, his mobile phone charges will go up, and he will have to have a lot more admin and carry a lot more paperwork on his travels, wine, cheeses, etc, on which he indulges a lot. Not too long ago, I asked how his life has changed not we are well and truly out of the EU? "It hasn't". What about travel, is it more expensive now, and more mainful? "Yes,.. but i it is worth it". At which point, I pointed out that he is paying more and having more inconvenience for no change to daily life from Brexit... And that immigration is much higher than pre-Brexit (again, Labour are getting that under control after the disaster of the Conservatives); Does he still think Brexit was a good idea? "Yep". You can't make it up.

Actually, unlike Hitler, Trump did not only not refeence Project 2025, he actively distanced himself from it.. This is one but a plethora of references: https://www.npr.org/2024/08/22/g-s1-19202/trump-project-2025-border-immigration What does that tell you about Trump, and about those who elected him, when we could see what he was on about?