Reading

Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 04:56
The early Quakers knew that a deep understanding of the Bible was critical to recognising when they were being fed bullshit cloaked in religious language. By knowing Scripture well, they resisted manipulation and propaganda, ensuring faith remained a force for justice rather than a tool of power. The story of the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41–44) Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 04:55
The re-election of the Albanese Government cannot be taken for granted. That is inspite of several credible achievements by Treasurer Chalmers. Recent opinion polls suggest support for the ALP Government is insufficient for even a minority government win. Given the stunning election win by Trump, a similar disaster could happen in Australia. The approach by Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 04:55
The foundation of Australia’s alliance with the US is that there is a shared commitment to the rule of law and constitutional democratic government. We are faced with the choice of waiting until there cannot be a shred of doubt that the US is committed to a dictatorship or beginning the process of cutting our Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 04:00
This is because journalists have discovered the names of the young boys who are now running roughshod over the US government at Elon Musk’s behest. Wired revealed the name of one last night who appears to have been given way beyond “read only” ability and he’s changing code. Josh Marshall has more on that today: I’m told that Elez and possibly other DOGE operatives received full admin-level access on Friday, January 31st. The claim of “read only” access was either false from the start or later fell through. The DOGE team, which appears to be mainly or only Elez for the purposes of this project, has already made extensive changes to the code base for the payment system. They have not locked out the existing programmer/engineering staff but have rather leaned on them for assistance, which the staff appear to have painedly provided hoping to prevent as much damage as possible — “damage” in the sense not of preventing the intended changes but avoiding crashes or a system-wide breakdown caused by rapidly pushing new code into production with a limited knowledge of the system and its dependencies across the federal government.
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 03:57
Mainstream economists often hold the view that Keynes’ criticism of econometrics resulted from a sadly misinformed and misguided person who disliked and did not understand much of it. This is, however, nothing but a gross misapprehension. To be careful and cautious is not the same as to dislike. Keynes did not misunderstand the crucial issues […]
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 02:30
Survival tips for Trump 2.0 “Hard not to feel like we’re all losing our minds when it’s just plain as day that what Musk is doing is obviously, flagrantly illegal,” writes Chris Hayes on Threads. So, self care is going to be important especially for the near future. There’s a lot to take in. Others have already tuned out. But I have enough Irish on both sides that my attitude comes from the old joke, “Is this a private fight, or can anyone join?” Tuning out is not an option. That way lies helplessness, and I loathe feeling helpless. Action is the antidote. Europeans accustomed to taking advice from the U.S. have some for their American friends facing an authoritarian regime. Watch for all those little changes that amount to big changes: “I never liked the metaphor of the frog in a slowly boiling water, but it applies very well to our situation,” Srđan Cvijić at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy said. “One decision at a time, our regime has stripped Serbia of its democratic system. It didn’t come overnight.
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 01:42

It didn’t take long for the border and immigration enforcement industry to react to Donald Trump’s reelection. On November 6th, as Bloomberg News reported, stock prices shot up for two private prison companies, GEO Group and CoreCivic. “We expect the incoming Trump administration to take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement,” explained the GEO Group’s executive chair, George Zoley, “and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” In other words, the “largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history” was going to be a moneymaker. As it happens, that Bloomberg piece was a rarity, offering a glimpse of immigration enforcement that doesn’t normally get the attention it deserves by focusing on... Read more

Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 01:00
He’s a wholly owned subsidiary of Musk Industries “Calling Musk the ‘shadow president’ may be underselling the severity of the situation,” writes Amanda Marcotte this morning at Salon.  Indeed. Elon Musk and his youthfoul band of arsonists are gleefully burning every agency in Washington they can force their way into. It’s a hostile takeover of the United States happening in full view of the world. It’s also happening in full view of Democrats down the street just now waking up and smelling the accelerants. Donald is in the Oval Office sharpie-signing whatever executive orders underlings drafted for him to sign and show off for the cameras like a child’s finger-painting. Donald loves signing things. (Except checks to porn stars.) Does he know what’s in them or is he too far into deepening dementia to care? But while Donald is busily sharpie-signing, Elon Musk, another overaged adolescent, is running about unsupervised. It seems the White House doesn’t really know what he’s doing with the government Trump was elected to run into the ground.
Created
Wed, 05/02/2025 - 00:00

“Good morning, boss.”

“Mornin’, Sneaky Matt. They tell me you’re the one’s been tailing our mark for the last month, is that right?”

“That’s right, sir.”

“Studyin’ his moves and whatnot, stickin’ to him like white on rice and so forth, is that right, Sneaky Matt?”

“It’s Sneaky Matthew, but yes, sir.”

“That’s real good, Sneaky Matthew. I hear this guy’s a machine of efficiency and routine. I want to know everything; when he sleeps, when he eats, when he yawns—the guy so much as closes his eyes when he farts we need to know about it.

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s these rare moments of carelessness that we need. If we’re lucky, our window will be open just long enough to make our move and pull off the heist of the century! But only when he’s indisposed.”

“I understand the plan, sir.”

“It’s when he’s otherwise occupied by his daily routine that we strike.”

“Sir.”

“All right, Sneaky Matthew. Tell me about this guy, this machine. When does this high-level operator take a break, give me every detail.”

“At exactly 5:59 a.m. his alarm goes off, every day.”

Created
Tue, 04/02/2025 - 17:00
One good side-effect of contemporary politics is that a more sober look at the merits and demerits of the US Founders’ legacy is possible again. (Of course, here at CrookedTimber we pride ourselves on our sobriety in such matters; it helps many of us reside in distant shores.) The current US President has contempt for […]