Political discussion

[rtt_rules]

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/23/poli ... n-aircraft

Trump says Ukraine can win back territory from Russia, shifting his tone on the war

Someone has changed their tune. Not surprising Skynews is focused on relationships with the royal family and whether or not the escalator was sabotaged than reporting much on this story.

[rtt_rules]

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/23/amer ... intl-latam

He bullshitts to the bulk of the medical world that paracetamol causes autism despite diagnosis of autism being flat for decades and known well before the invention of paracetamol which BTW most govts around the world, including the unfriendlys to the USA, have since corrected Trump's comments for their respective citizens and now he's telling Cuba that becasuse they cannot afford paracetamol (which they can) there is no autism in Cuba, which there is and the Cuban medical system has specialised care facilities for these people.

Personal observation.
My wife and I worked in UAE for 14 years. The people you mix with here is very different to living in Australia, our friends and parents of our kids friends typically come from very narrow backgrounds career wise. ie most have a strong background in engineering, science and similar fields along with legal and accounting because this is what the UAE needs. Blue collar workers are typically low cost labour from SE Asia and live in different accomdation locations, don't speak english etc.

Of all our friends with kids between 5 and 25, the extremely high number of ADHD (ours), AHD, Autism, asperger, dyslexia etc diagnosed or not is mind blowing. Then there are parents, most of which were never diagnosed but learning about their kids teaches alot about you and certainly is in our case. When explaining ADHD to our boy we wrote down every major engineering, IT, science related self made billionaire, ie Musk, Jobs, Gates, Zukerberg etc etc the list goes on and includes the likes of Tesla, Einstein and Turring. Google their names and they are either confirmed or suspected to be on the sepectrum somewhere. All technically brilliant, narrow focused, hard working and extremely socially ackward.

Do more research on the subject and the evidence becomes more clear. The technology innovators of the world largely on the spectrum somewhere as this gives them what they did to achieve their vision and always has been and part fo human evolution.

Trump isn't part of this pool as his wealth was built on his money received from his father and later inheritance. For the record Trump's inhertiance is listed by Forbes at $7B, which is not alot given he's be building his next egg over 50 years compared to the self made technology billionaires who make more in a month. More than likely without a rich father, Trump is unlikely to have ever become a billionaire.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Thoughts on the UK's on line safety act
https://youtu.be/BXPY4Qi79_Y?si=ycoLR6HHpE0Esm0e

[rtt_rules]

Thoughts on the UK's on line safety act
https://youtu.be/BXPY4Qi79_Y?si=ycoLR6HHpE0Esm0e

I didn't watch the video as I'm not in a location where I can do that, however i read part of the transcript and a quick google search on the proposed act intent.

My thoughts on this in general and applies to Australia are as follows

When the Aust govt first proposed the controls to online access for children, the bulk of the people I heard outcry either had adult children or no children. The bulk of the people who supported it that I heard were those with children. Thats our observation from parents in Dubai and from reading various comments from Aust.

Our son is now in a private high school in Australia and the school has strict polcies with regard to bringing phones to school due to distraction and kids showing inappropriate content to other kids.

In Dubai, some schools have tried to ban phones, however for some cultures here, parents feel the need to be able to content their children when ever and where ever they want claiming, safety, emergency etc etc (bubble wrap) and hence while some schools have limited success, most havn't been able to even touch this.

The internet is both good and evil especially for children and addiction to simply "death scrolling" short videos, Tik Tok etc is a major issue. Certainly I think many adults find themselves wasting hours just flicking through crap.

Now add easy access to content that used to be very heavly controlled through TV, radio and print media via broadcast times, limit of sales to minors, censors etc that anyone over the age of say 30 -35 would have grown up with and its now worse. Just look at the growing number of people moving to further and further far right and far left in politics by simply watching only content that agrees with them regardless of its accuracy to see what its doing to adults to understand how children can be more greatly affected by violent, sexual and other similar content.

By law the USA tranditional mainstream media used to have to present a reasonably balanced political view, however the internet enables this to be bypassed, likewise pornn, violence etc that kids are now increasingly exposed to. The motivation for that shooter of Kirk in the USA is likely to be driven by narrow focused political media.

So what to do, at least for the kids? Basically in western countries any attempt to do something results in outcrys of "loss of free speech", despite minors never having that previously.

In non-western countries like China, Middle East etc, the govt has introduced a fire wall to limit access to what they deem inappropriate content for both children and adults. However down load a VPN and you are back to open access to the internet. In Australia the govt doesn't block but monitors and at times baits those accessing certain content such as child pornograghy, animal pornn as well as terrorist websites etc (I have a friend who basically works with a govt agency that does all this) and then acts when they have suitable evidence to proceed with a conviction.

So whats the answer?
No idea, its complicated, but I think 100% open unrestricted access for children is unlikely the right thing to do and there are certain websites that should be not just monitored, but blocked outright. But its a fine line of social censorship and expanding to political censorship.

I very much doubt the authors of the "freedom of speech" polcies of the 18th and 19th century had any idea about how this works with the internet.

[rtt_rules]

Swift will love this one.

USA used to export around $10B pa of Soy Beans to China.

Additionally USAID used to be a large buyer of USA Soy beans, its funding was cut to zero and majority of its aid spending was into the USA economy.

In 2025 due to USA's big beautiful tariffs and elimination of USAID, USA will have sold ZERO Soy Beans to China and zero USA Soy beans used in global support of people in starvation zones (which includes GAZA) and now require a $10B subsidy despite cancelling health funding because thats socialism.

And further, USA is now supporting Argentinian farmers in a $20B ballout, including Soy beans farmers and beef farmers both of which directly compete with the US farmers.

The shiitshow just becomes more shiit.

[rtt_rules]

The Gun control debate.

Disclaimer : I used to own a gun. I moved top Qld in 1998 on what I thought was a 9mth contract and then return, the job continued, love came, I had no reason to return, I had the house packed remotely, the movers wouldn't ship the gun so it was surrendered on my behalf to the Tas police and destroyed. I'm not anti-gun and would buy one again if the situation suited my lifestyle, ie living on large land holding or easy access to same. I don't see a reason to have one in the suburbs / small acerage living where they cannot be used and don't believe they are an advantage for preventing or defending against home intrusions.


Consider this, the average pro-gun activist makes claims that gun laws don't stop criminals only law abiding citizens. Looking at data from both past Australian mass shootings and USA mass shootings.

The average mass shooter is typically
- White
- Male
- Conservative background / politics
- Typically is or because started very strong politic views on certain topics in months leading up to the event / or mental state detiorated
- No previous criminal background
- Not / rarely on police radar

The average pro-gun activist profile
- White
- Male
- Conservative background / politics
- Often strongly opinuated views on politics
- No previous criminal background
- Not / rarely on police radar

Ironically criminal gun related violence victims typically are known to the shooter, ie domestic, gang related etc and less some poor random.

[Campbelltown busboy]

The Gun control debate.

Disclaimer : I used to own a gun. I moved top Qld in 1998 on what I thought was a 9mth contract and then return, the job continued, love came, I had no reason to return, I had the house packed remotely, the movers wouldn't ship the gun so it was surrendered on my behalf to the Tas police and destroyed. I'm not anti-gun and would buy one again if the situation suited my lifestyle, ie living on large land holding or easy access to same. I don't see a reason to have one in the suburbs / small acerage living where they cannot be used and don't believe they are an advantage for preventing or defending against home intrusions.


Consider this, the average pro-gun activist makes claims that gun laws don't stop criminals only law abiding citizens. Looking at data from both past Australian mass shootings and USA mass shootings.

The average mass shooter is typically
- White
- Male
- Conservative background / politics
- Typically is or because started very strong politic views on certain topics in months leading up to the event / or mental state detiorated
- No previous criminal background
- Not / rarely on police radar

The average pro-gun activist profile
- White
- Male
- Conservative background / politics
- Often strongly opinuated views on politics
- No previous criminal background
- Not / rarely on police radar

Ironically criminal gun related violence victims typically are known to the shooter, ie domestic, gang related etc and less some poor random.

The American 2nd amendment is only a thing because of what was going on between the American colonists or convicts and the British in the late 18th century

[rtt_rules]

Why Trump hit Brazil with a 50% tariff.

There are a few underlying reasons but the key one was the Brazilian app, "PIX".

5 years ago the Brazilian govt introduced the payment mobile phone app "PIX", China has similar with Wechat pay and especially Alipay which I've used extensively in China and really the only way to buy almost anything in China including Maccas.

The way it works is the app is free to download and connects to your bank account and when you scan the QR code to buy, the fee is a flat 0.22%, no further chanrges. ie 22c for each $100.

When you go to buy something, you simply scan the QR code, then it pops up pay merchant X and enter the price. Electronic QR codes may include the price automatically on the screen for which you simply press ok. In China taxi's and small shops have a printed QR code on a sign or similar. In MACCAS for example on the screen it comes up on the screen for you to scan.

You can generate your own QR code to receive payment from a friend or other you can send via whatsapp, messenger, email etc.

Why does Trump not like it?

1. 93% of Brazlians now use PIX daily
2. Its effectively eliminated a large chunk of Visa / Mastercard business and as major reduction transaction payments leaving Brazil to USA companies.
3. While the Brazilian govt never blocked / restricted Visa or Mastercard business and does not impact on the USA by other means, the action effectively undermined their business for the benefit of Brazilian citizens through reduced fees. And think more importantly provdes a busines model for other govts to follow.

Benefits for Brazilians is that PIX has taken over alot of cash transactions meaning locals are caring less cash and less likely to carry credit cards which makes them less attractive to pick pocketing, muggings, hang bag theft etc.

Could Australia follow?
Difficult, PIX is owned by the Brazilian govt where as Alipay and Wechatpay in China is I believe privately owned so you either nationalise existing private sector by default or create domestic monopolies or quazi monopolies. Neither of which is generally not supported in Australia.

However the alt for Australians not wanting to support USA credit card companies is moving to phone payments like Samsung pay which do not involve USA companies like Apple pay, but if it simply pays via your credit card accout, then nothing gained.

As for the "cash" argument, need to read the room on that one and its not free as the govt needs to print it and the banks need to manage it, none of which is free.

[Heihachi_73]

More proof that in 2025 the Australian Labor Party are right-wing at best. Not centre-right, that's Teal territory.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/lab ... /fxtw14lr2

not/shown/in/url: Article mentions that it's intended for people wanted for serious crimes. But it will only apply to the poor like most laws are.

[rtt_rules]

More proof that in 2025 the Australian Labor Party are right-wing at best. Not centre-right, that's Teal territory.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/lab ... /fxtw14lr2

not/shown/in/url: Article mentions that it's intended for people wanted for serious crimes. But it will only apply to the poor like most laws are.

TBH, I don't have an issue with this

The cancellation, on advice from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) or Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), would apply to a person on a "warrant in respect of a serious violent or sexual offence".

The legislation could be used if a person was evading police or was a threat to the safety of a community.
....

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke would have the discretion to make the ultimate call on payment cancellations.

The powers sit with the minister responsible for AFP and ASIO, departments that have been consolidated under Burke, previously sitting under the attorney-general.

In a statement to SBS News, Burke said: "the Government shouldn't be paying people to hide from police".


The govt is stopping taxpayers money being used by a person on the run to support themselves, classic case in point is Desmond Freeman.

Its not automatic, its done on a case by case basis and doesn't automatically mean families will be left high and dry because one of the parents chooses not to live in a civilised manner and respect others welbeing and property.

[Heihachi_73]

Trump getting friendly with his terrorist mates again (Orbán this time).

[Swift]

Heard of keeping your frenemies closer? Very smart legend.

[rtt_rules]

To be fair, Hungary was always a problem for sanctions as it was basically only connected supplied from the east for gas (~80%), oil (~45%) and electricty (significant import), although reducing over the last decade. Even its new nuclear power station is being financed by Russia.

Hungary has drifted from Putin's bro to one trying to find a middle ground, clearly for their own purposes but still.

[Heihachi_73]

The people of Hungary might have had enough of Orbán, but Fidesz are still in power and the opposition are nowhere near defeating them in the polls (not that it matters if the elections are rigged anyway).

Meanwhile in Australia, Victorian cops throw a grenade full of plastic shrapnel at unarmed protestors while protecting neo-Yahtzees which often have concealed weapons.

[Campbelltown busboy]

There are people saying that the Australian government is working on a “UN agenda 2030/WEF great reset” digital ID which all counties are working on

[Heihachi_73]

Best PM we've had since, uh, Scomo.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-17/ ... /106017654

Who needs Russia or Israel to put a hole in the side of a hospital when you have the Australian Labor Party?

[rtt_rules]

There are people saying that the Australian government is working on a “UN agenda 2030/WEF great reset” digital ID which all counties are working on

As technology evolves ID systems need to evolve and change.

I'm for now still a resident of the UAE, planning to move back soon family already has. TBH getting in the system in Australia is a friggin nightmare compared to the UAE and I'm not a citizen of the UAE and never can be.

UAE,
- company applies for your visa, you get sent the letter via email to bring on arrival to country.
- Speical counter at airport to go to, do eye and finger print scan and check passport.
- Then apply for your Emirates ID card which has your sponsor details, passport, photo etc. No physical address or phone number
- The only people/organisations in UAE they care about your physical address is AMAZON, card delivery dude, food delivery etc. Its not even in my company profile

Job Done, use this card to apply for anything, bank (card arrives to your home the next day), phone, rent, utility, buy a car, internet etc etc some cases they also need a passport photo page copy. Most places that need ID card will have a reader so it goes direct into the system. Tonight I'm visiting a friends wife in longterm hospital stay. To register at the hospital, scan ID and provide phone number, they give you a print out that secuirty will only allow access to that section of the hospital. This is for the safety of the patients.

Australia
- Where do you start first?
- Its Medicare, Good luck waiting for online to automatically complete, takes weeks. You need to phsyically go in and get the staff to complete it
- Then bank account, you need medicare to open bank account and as you have nothing else, passport to get the 100 points. Takes 1-2 weeks to get set up.
- Australia its all about your address for everything.
- etc etc

National ID cars just save time and reduce risk of fraud. I'm not sure why anyone doesn't like it, you are providing literially the same information anyway, just more efficently and more sercurely. Hell K-mart probably knows more about you than the govt. There hasn't been any real privacy since the 19th century.

[rtt_rules]

Best PM we've had since, uh, Scomo.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-17/ ... /106017654

Who needs Russia or Israel to put a hole in the side of a hospital when you have the Australian Labor Party?

The entire hospital system should be transferred to the federal govt. Its a national system by default anyway, just operated by the states with Fed money and policy.

[Campbelltown busboy]

There are people saying that the Australian government is working on a “UN agenda 2030/WEF great reset” digital ID which all counties are working on

As technology evolves ID systems need to evolve and change.

I'm for now still a resident of the UAE, planning to move back soon family already has. TBH getting in the system in Australia is a friggin nightmare compared to the UAE and I'm not a citizen of the UAE and never can be.

UAE,
- company applies for your visa, you get sent the letter via email to bring on arrival to country.
- Speical counter at airport to go to, do eye and finger print scan and check passport.
- Then apply for your Emirates ID card which has your sponsor details, passport, photo etc. No physical address or phone number
- The only people/organisations in UAE they care about your physical address is AMAZON, card delivery dude, food delivery etc. Its not even in my company profile

Job Done, use this card to apply for anything, bank (card arrives to your home the next day), phone, rent, utility, buy a car, internet etc etc some cases they also need a passport photo page copy. Most places that need ID card will have a reader so it goes direct into the system. Tonight I'm visiting a friends wife in longterm hospital stay. To register at the hospital, scan ID and provide phone number, they give you a print out that secuirty will only allow access to that section of the hospital. This is for the safety of the patients.

Australia
- Where do you start first?
- Its Medicare, Good luck waiting for online to automatically complete, takes weeks. You need to phsyically go in and get the staff to complete it
- Then bank account, you need medicare to open bank account and as you have nothing else, passport to get the 100 points. Takes 1-2 weeks to get set up.
- Australia its all about your address for everything.
- etc etc

National ID cars just save time and reduce risk of fraud. I'm not sure why anyone doesn't like it, you are providing literially the same information anyway, just more efficently and more sercurely. Hell K-mart probably knows more about you than the govt. There hasn't been any real privacy since the 19th century.

Oh something else about this ID thing is these same people are saying that the next idea in this digital ID thing will be a CCP style social credit score system to control thought speech and behaviour

[rtt_rules]

The old CCP style "social credit" score BS.

Yeah, I go to China rountinely and leaving Sat for three weeks. Locals laugh when I ask about it, yes its real, but not what people think and yes its used to help control peoples anti social behaviour.

Now looking at my Australian community group for last 24h

- Ongoing complaints about a certain intersection being used for burn outs many nights of the week. 10 years ago before Yarrabiliba was built this was non-event, it never happened.

- People casing the acerage community we live in pretending to do council grass edging then quickly leaving when approached.

- People trying to track stolen cars.

- Repeated reports of dangerous and irresponsible driving

etc etc

None of this happens in China, ZERO.

UAE not far behind, in fact hoons caught doing burn outs have to pay to have the tyre marks removed from the road as it encouages others.

...sometimes I do wonder if the CCP are not always wrong.

[Heihachi_73]

'Murica in 'Straya.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-20/ ... /106029782

AuthoritARYANism is rife in this country while the purple uniparty look the other way or even encourage it under the guise of "tough on crime". For those who didn't click, yes, it's a territory, not a state. Surprisingly though, not that territory.

[rtt_rules]

Trump trying to control the Fed again

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/19/poli ... rve-powell

President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested he would fire Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent if the Federal Reserve doesn’t decrease interest rates.

“The only thing Scott is blowing it on is the Fed because the Fed, the rates are too high, Scott. If you don’t get it fixed fast, I’m going to fire your ass,” the president said, smirking, during a speech at a US-Saudi investment forum at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

[rtt_rules]

Trump and Vance only living President and VP not invited to former Rep VP Dick Cheney's funeral at the request of Cheney himself. Cheney orignally supported Trump in 2016, but later saw him a "threat to democracy in the USA" and during the later half of Trump's first term became vocally anti-Trump.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/20/poli ... washington

This shows you how much USA politics has become polarised since the end of Obama's 2nd term as historically USA Pres and VP's and the oppositon candidates for their role were usually friendly outside politics and at times friends.

John McCain during his speaches when he was running for office against Obama, often interrupted people who referred to Obama in a derogatory way. He frequently referred to Obama as "one of the professional and nicest people you will ever meet, I just disagree with his politics". Obama in return spoke highly of McCain at his funeral and referred to McCain standing up for him as an example of the Gentleman he was.

Back home, sometimes we have similar examples.
During the last election, AA had derogatory posters of Dutton or about his family removed.

TA was known to counsel other members of parliament including Shorten when his father died and went up to speak with Rudd at a functon while he was still PM but had become an outsider by his own party and basically standing alone.

I'm sure there is more, the political polarity needs to stop.

[rtt_rules]

Australia failure to attract COP

People say Aus govt should spend money on other things.

COP Dubai attracted 97,000 registered delegates staying on average for two weeks, COP Baku 70,000

I have no idea how much revenue this generated for the city or what it costs to stage but think of it this way.
Average business traveller needs, 3 x meals a day, bed, transport, flights, spends money on sight seeing and tourism, communications etc.

So say $500 per day as a low ball number for 14 days x say 80,000 = Yes, thats around $500 M revenue for the host city.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Do these upcoming e safety commissioners online age verification rules for social media included this board or does the addition happen later down the line as that would be how the government will roll this internet safety age verifying thing out