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Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 04:56
Improving housing affordability is the key to resolving the cost-of-living crisis, but the policy options are limited and will inevitably take time to have their desired effect. Yesterday’s article showed that the cost-of-living crisis mainly reflects a decline in housing affordability. Accordingly, any government response to the cost-of-living crisis needs to focus on what can Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 04:55
The announcement last week of an impending Royal Tour provokes many considerations. Both international and domestic developments need to be taken into account. The global reconsideration of the legacy of centuries of European imperialism, of slavery, indigenous dispossession and economic exploitation represents the latest manifestation of the long process of de-colonisation. As a consequence Britain, Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 04:54
Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull famously described Coalition leader Peter Dutton as a “thug”. That description appears particularly apt in Dutton’s nuclear power plans. The Coalition’s nuclear project is opposed by state Labor governments in each of the five states being targeted. Victoria, NSW and Queensland have laws banning nuclear power. The Labor governments Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 04:53
In 1969, then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam stated, “We are all diminished when any of us are denied proper education. The nation is the poorer—a poorer economy, a poorer civilisation, because of this human and national waste.” Although Whitlam was talking about tertiary education—this was part of his policy speech when his government abolished university fees, Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 04:52
It is hard to know whether the bleatings of the major media outlets about losing the Meta $70 million payments under the media bargaining code are pathetic or laughable. Indeed, perhaps both. Now whatever you think of the mainstream media in Australia, and the deleterious impact of Meta and other social media outlets on our Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 04:50
From the first handshake between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Australian PM Anthony Albanese at G20 in Bali in November 2022, to Australian trade minister the Hon Don Farrell’s visit to China in May 2023, the meeting with Xi in Beijing during Albanese’s China trip in November 2023, Chinese Foreign Minister H.E Mr Wang Yi’s Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 03:00

No, no, great job, you disintegrated our Death Star, the first-ever pedestrian-only planet. You drove a million miles just to ruin a perfectly lovely living space.

Just admit you were jealous of our commute and hated the idea of us enjoying a holistic work-life-play housing concept optimized to balance labor and leisure.

You couldn’t bear to watch us walk with our friends to work or see us enjoy the bonding comforts of a carefully designed, open-plan, living-first colony. It’s honestly sad.

Coming in your massive, individual vehicles—not a single one of you carpooled. It’s classic rebel exceptionalism.

What were you so mad about, anyway? We were exclusively blowing up planets without protected bike lanes or recessed pedestrian crossings. Those people were already 75 percent more likely to die in pedestrian-related accidents.

“That’s no moon.” Yeah, no shit. We had a fully internalized pneumatic trash system, which we know you guys broke, by the way. Floor-to-ceiling windows, smart doors, vaulted ceilings, and housing for two million people.

Created
Wed, 26/06/2024 - 02:00
Since the wingnuts actually have the nerve to promote the psychopath Trump as an anti-war hero , John Fugelsang helpfully supplies a corrective: Since the right wing MAGA guys are pulling the “There Were No Wars Under Trump” lie, let’s quickly cover this propaganda you’ll be hearing that Trump was the “Peace President.” Because the same angry white guys who berated us for opposing the Iraq War, now berate us for not appreciating Donald Trump’s incredible commitment to world peace. And being blindly obedient, true MAGA males view critical thinking skills as “woke.” 1. Once in office, Trump massively increased the U.S. defense budget. He quickly escalated our existing wars in multiple theaters, which led to skyrocketing casualties. 2. Trump sent MORE troops to Afghanistan, ordered missile strikes on Syria in 2017 and 2018 & abandoned our Kurdish allies to slaughter. 3. In Afghanistan, the star of “Celebrity Apprentice” substantially increased the airstrikes, leading to a 330 % increase in civilian deaths.
Created
Tue, 25/06/2024 - 23:30

Venture capital and military startup firms in Silicon Valley have begun aggressively selling a version of automated warfare that will deeply incorporate artificial intelligence (AI). Those companies and their CEOs are now pressing full speed ahead with that emerging technology, largely dismissing the risk of malfunctions that could lead to the future slaughter of civilians, not to speak of the possibility of dangerous scenarios of escalation between major military powers. The reasons for this headlong rush include a misplaced faith in “miracle weapons,” but above all else, this surge of support for emerging military technologies is driven by the ultimate rationale of the military-industrial complex: vast sums of money to be made. The New Techno-Enthusiasts While some in the military... Read more

Created
Tue, 25/06/2024 - 23:00
If only Everybody’s got advice for Joe Biden on how to slay Donald Trump at this week’s debate. Obviously, don’t play Trump’s game and be sure to throw him off his. Monica Alba and Carol E. Lee of NBC News suggest Biden should be prepared for whichever version of Trump takes the stage: WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is preparing to face a few different Donald Trumps on Thursday’s debate stage: the more bombastic and “unhinged” one known for his grievance-filled, stem-winding rallies, and a fairly disciplined version who largely refrains from tirades and sticks to policy. If it’s more sedate than incensed, the goal for Biden will be to elicit what his aides see as “the true Trump,” according to three people familiar with Biden’s debate prep.  […] “If I were advising Biden, I’d try to make fun of Trump,” former Republican vice president Dan Quayle told NBC News in an interview. “Try to ridicule him. That will get him mad.” Obviously.