It’s once again an Australia Time Friday! It’s FRIDAY!!!!
The Tucker
Thomas Farms mini-T-bone lamb chops, in a cast iron skillet, with “fries cut” Red Skin / Golden insides potatoes coated with olive oil. Into the oven, 30 minutes at 375 F.
Side of Green Beans, and desert tonight is canned Fruit Cocktail.
The Wine
The wine tonight is “19 Crimes The Uprising” WHITE wine named “CHARD”. 13.5% alcohol. Rather a nice vanilla / golden tint in the glass.
This is a very nice and drinkable wine. Flavor like a slightly stronger older Chardonnay. Without the sharp bite and grassy notes that make most Chardonnay not my favorites. This one is a bit more reminiscent of the finish of a Pinot Grigio. Less brash and more mellow / hardy. I like this one a lot.
The News
No news included today. We had a RODENT visit the house, so I got to move EVERYTHING after blocking off areas to funnel toward the door, and flush it out. It had been hiding near a pile of filled packing boxes under a roll around “Entertainment Cart” meant as a TV Stand.
So after assuring Herr Rattus had departed the premises, then I got to put it all back. I’ve never missed my Dachshund so much. Last time this happened, she pointed on it, and when it ran past me, caught it down the hallway and dispatched it. This time it was all on me.
So in the end, I’m behind on my Australian news and only just had time to follow the Canadians for a little while.
Anyone with Australian updates, feel free to speak up!
Musings from the Chiefio 
Couple of links from New catallaxy that I found topical and so on from Australia, (have put them in plain text)
Dr. John Campbell discusses immunology with Prof. Robert Clancy a leading Australian
Immunologist
Same Site day before a pretty good discussion on Vaccine overview and novavax
I miss the Cairn and the Scottie, E.M. We’re in the sticks enough that we’d get field mice in the house a few times a year.
They’d come in and wind up in the basement. The cat would catch the mouse** and bring it up and drop it for the dogs to chase and kill. Average lifespan of a mouse after the cat brought it up was 90 seconds.
**The cat killed the first couple of mice, then decided there was no play value in dead mice. He soon hit on the more entertaining option, and that went on for years.
That nice friendly country Australia”
Police THREATEN two years jail if I don’t REMOVE this video – YouTube
We finished shearing today and pressing the wool just before dark. Dinner shaping up as soup and toast. Plus home brew.
No rodents here. Cats love to play with them! And we got cats!
Hopefully several of the countries in Europe including England seem to be emerging from the madness. We have never had vaccine passports for everyday use unlike France, Greece, Austria Italy and others. However is Australia heading in the opposite direction?
https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/drones-patrolling-beaches-police-dragging-people-from-their-homes-babies-dying-because-they-could-not-cross-borders-for-treatment-and-puppies-being-shot-welcome-to-australia/
The report is quite concerning. I think the Aussies need their own truckers convoy.
In the meantime the NZ Prime Minister appears to have gone quite mad with a renewed partial lockdown..
Another Ian
I watched the video from the Start. It shows several short episodes of police violence, out of context, so this video seems to be merely highlighting what has been going on. However it doesn’t provide a link to what I suspect is another longer video, where many more of the incidents are shown.
Anyone got a link to that? As a Brit I have been shocked at what has been going on in Oz and seen lots of snippets, but if there is a more comprehensive video from Rebel news documenting the police actions much more fully I would like to see it
Oz is (still) part of the (still existing) Commonwealth, along with NZ and Canada, and a slew of other countries that you may or may not have heard of.
https://thecommonwealth.org/member-countries
The one thing that they have in common is the Queen (still existing, 95 years old) who has been on the throne for coming up to 70 years. Platinum.
Big celebration coming up: https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend
I found this article searching for creepy Andrew, but it’s really more about how selfless the Queen has always been. Her family, not so much.
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/raymond-j-de-souza-what-prince-andrew-should-have-learned
“Raymond J. de Souza: What Prince Andrew should have learned”
It could be argued that the Queen’s singular failure as a sovereign has been her children
A few quotes.
• It is often said of the Queen — one of the few real adults left amongst the current crop of global leaders — that she has never put a foot wrong. True enough.
• The lesson is that the monarchy is essential. The family in which it is embedded is not. The two are not entirely distinct of course, and getting the balance right is difficult, even wrenching.
• The temptation of a royal is to choose the indulgence permitted by great wealth and lofty station rather than the constraints which arise from duty. Much more pleasant to escape to a private tropical island than unveil a plaque in a corn exchange in the Midlands.
• The Queen is obliged to receive people as soporific as Joe Biden and as superficial as Justin Trudeau; the lesser royals must put up with still lesser personages. It is neither a life of suffering nor onerous sacrifice, but it is a life of service. It is not glamourous.
• The Queen’s platinum jubilee is weeks away. The stage is set. Her Majesty quickly pushed Harry and Meghan out the door that they opened in 2020. Now Andrew has been defenestrated. It demonstrates why the Queen has long reigned over us, even if the family itself has been at times neither happy nor glorious.
She has probably never said it, even if it is obvious: Après moi, le déluge”
ymmv
Charles is much more liked than is often portrayed. We came across him by accident when we visited a nearby Devon town recently, on the borders of the Duchy of Cornwall.
There is no doubt that he got a warm welcome from locals as well of course from the dignitaries selected to meet him. Charles does a great deal of Charitable work
As for Andrew, I don’t like him, but he is innocent until proven guilty. Some say the woman involved seems to be by no means an angel and should have been on trial as well. She was also 17 so at the age of consent here in the UK, if not elsewhere.
Andrew in his day was a good looking all action guy and women threw themselves at him,.
“Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot and instructor and as the captain of a warship. During the Falklands War, he flew on multiple missions including anti-surface warfare, casualty evacuation, and Exocet missile decoy. In 1986, he married Sarah Ferguson and was created Duke of York.”
it doesn’t seem likely he needed to force himself on an unwilling partner. We shall see how it pans out at any trial
There are some signs that the Covid scare is reducing, at least where politicians are facing a coming election. The first election will be in South Australia where the Premier has stopped panicking on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and has reduced restrictions esp. on hospitally sites. After 20 months of crippling changes in regulations he has suddenly discovered that they aren’t doing that well financially and has reduced the load. This may (or may not) have something to do with Party polling about re-election. I was at a BBQ recently with 4 others, all as conservative as me, and there was a brief discussion about his chances and everybody admitted that his only chance was to remind voters that electing the Opposition Leader would mean the reappearance of the usual suspects from the previous Labor debacle.
There is a general re-opening of borders – except by WA – and elsewhere I met a friend’s granddaughter who had been able to see her after 2 years of either not being able to enter SA or not getting back into Victoria as rules changed overnight. The Premier there has suddenly realised that with a very popular girl in the Tennis final people might want to see her, and suddenly relaxed the crowd limits so thousands more can go to the outdoor venue.
There is still a push to get people jabbed yet again but this has lost momentum despite the Omnicron variant running wild, and QR codes (at shops and stores) are being dropped. Bars and nightclubs are allowed to have more patrons and talk of a vaccine passport has almost disappeared.
We are going to have a Federal election in the first half of this year, in which Humpty Dumpty will be challenged by someone doing his best to imitate Biden’s intellectual capacity. As an author once wrote “Poor fella, my country”.
@Graeme No.3, As an author once wrote “Poor fella, my country”
Wow! Thanks for bringing that to my attention!
Australian author Xavier Herbert wrote “Poor Fellow My Country”, a 1,463 page long novel about Australia 1936 to 1942. Interesting facts, although not enough to make you want to read the book.
This short talking head video by an academic just might, unlikely as that may seem. (Vimeo)
• “explores the emerging national identity of Australians and challenges our obeisance to the hated British colonials”
• “This is an angry, bitter novel which is unrelenting in its despair for this country”
• “Herbert detested so many things, the ruling classes of the British … bureaucrats … land owners … police officers … judges” (my ellipsis)
• “unforgettable Dickensian portraits”
• “not for the faint hearted”
@climatereason – Re: Andrew
I actually tend to believe Andrew, and not the woman. The reason is simple. She also accused Alan Dershowitz. He is a liberal lawyer, but not a ideologue. And he WANTED her to testify so he could be called in rebuttal. He denies it. Dershowitz is a very smart lawyer (even if I do not agree with his politics) and knows the penalty – both legal and reputationally – about lying on the witness stand. So the scales of justice tip in his favor, and since that would make Andrew’s accuser a liar in that case, I do not believe her as that is already one lie. So why not more?
I may be proven wrong some day. But for now, I think Andrew is only guilty of bad judgement (being associated with Epstein – Who did not kill himself)
I’m with Phil. Andrew was in the wrong place with the wrong people enjoying a dabble on the Wild Side. Per the girl / woman: In photos she is happy and smiling and loving the ambiance of a royal. I think she just had “sellers remorse” or smells a paycheck.
Where I fault Andrew was hiding from it all. Had he, when it first surfaced, called a press conference and said something like:
“In England, the age of consent is 16 (or whatever it is -EMS) and I thought she was of age. We both were interested in each other and the relationship was consensual. To the extent I was not aware of some local law different from our law, I am at fault for that oversight. My solicitor will be available to work out what the appropriate solution shall be. Please forgive my moment of weakness, such is not allowable for a royal.”
I think he’d have had a large percentage of the population behind him. I would have been.
BUT, with his “toss others under the bus, slander, lie, hide, etc. tantrum”… I only want to know how long he will be in the dock.
How long in the dock? Until QE II sails to meet Prince Phillip (always loved his name – wonder why?) or he wins the case. Given the American judicial system, I suspect that will be a very long time.
In the old days here, which were not that long ago, a minor 14 and under was automatic statutory rape. For people within 2 years age differential, a 14 + could consent to sexual intercourse with someone 16 +. After 16 anyone could consent regardless of calendar age difference (and I also know of at least one 80+ married to a late teens, at that time, and there was a baby, though said baby suffered sudden infant death). “Shotgun” marriages were also a thing, where said 14 year old could be emancipated for the purpose of marriage. Not that that happened very often in the last 60 years. Given that some young females look much older than their calendar age (yeah, I know of one who entered puberty at 9 and looked 20 at age 14), all it would take would be for a cunning one to lie and entrap a male for money.
Yep! That is why the last civil war widow died i last year! Seems a very young woman would marry the old farts to get their pensions. And one Helen Viola Jackson just died last year, at 101!
Bet the democrats love her. They are still fighting that war.
@climatereason
Charles is much more liked than is often portrayed.
Could be. But would he be a good king?
Charles does a great deal of Charitable work
I won’t hold it against him. Some rich people give some (of their own) money away.
As for Andrew, I don’t like him, but he is innocent until proven guilty.
Legally speaking. In some countries at least. However, I will leave that process to the legal system. Isn’t the statistic that in the US more than half of the people in jail after having been proved guilty are actually innocent? When prosecutors have a 99% conviction rate, that does not give a good impression of the legal system (It certainly tells me to stay away, far away). Except rapes, then it is reversed. Then they investigate the victim.
Some say the woman involved seems to be by no means an angel
Do all women have to meet the angel standard? She was recruited by Maxwell and trained to some unknown extent.
The photo of them together where she is smiling. Was that a “before” or an “after” picture?
Maybe what she agreed to and what she got did not line up.
I’m not going to judge the legal case, even if I knew anything. But Andrew is still a creep.
I will judge him on a moral basis. His morals are not mine, obviously. You can judge a person by what they say, what they do, who they hang out with. Like Epstein and Maxwell. Judging in this case is just forming an opinion, judging how much to avoid that person, for example.
Andrew and Maxwell … she was a regular at the palace. There are photos of them sitting at the Queen’s Balmoral estate in Scotland. Friends in high places. Probably met because of charitable work.
https://inews.co.uk/news/ghislaine-maxwell-prince-andrew-buckingham-palace-itv-documentary-1406685
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17365663/ghislaine-maxwell-prince-andrew-itv-royal-2/
YMMV:
Thanks but no thanks for Xavier. I read a few pages and gave the book the Dorothy Parker treatment; “This novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force”. As for that academic I would point out that the Australian Identity built up in the nineteenth century to the end of WW1. The courtmartial (and execution) of ‘Breaker Morant’ during the Boer War caused much antiBritish reaction, which continued for many years. (That he was British, serving in a British irregular unit and was certainly guilty hasn’t made much impression on the myth).
EMS:
She has already received a payout from the Epstein funds but obviously is after more, and was hoping to get a payout by the Royals to avoid publicity. She obviously under-rated their aversion to paying out money. Consider the history: George 4 was hated and despised for his profligacy and womanising, William 4 had 8? or 11 illegitimate children. Victoria retreated into semi seclusion, Edward 7 was a notorious womaniser and spendthrift, George 5 was discrete but had prostitutes while recuperating at Bognor Regis, Edward 8 was pushed off the throne supposedly because of Wallace Simpson but more likely because of his (and her) Nazi sympathies, George 6 was an alcoholic (although much admired by the public). Princes Charles and Andrew had messy marriage breakups. Princess Ann at least 2 divorces, although Prince Edward (the youngest) hasn’t put a foot wrong for over 20 years.
Oh and, the Age of Consent in the UK is 16, so no criminal charge.
@Graeme No.3: I read a few pages and gave the book the Dorothy Parker treatment
Thanks for the heads up. It looks like if I want to read this book I will have to go to Australia and dig in a used book store.
EMS: She has already received a payout from the Epstein funds but obviously is after more, and was hoping to get a payout by the Royals to avoid publicity. She obviously under-rated their aversion to paying out money.
Or not. Possibly she doesn’t care about money but wants to embarrass Andrew. What better way to get lots of press than to demand gold from the Royals? She could be a gold digger or she could be mad as Hell even after all this time. Especially after his comments about never meeting her and not being able to sweat. Sounds like a guy who thought his status and connections would protect him from the consequences of his deeds. Maybe he can get OJ’s lawyer.
Regarding the age of consent. Some legal types can declare a number. Whatever number they choose, it is wrong. It takes lots of balls to say no, and women and children are somewhat lacking in that, allowing for exceptions. Even young men on football teams, like Penn State and others.
There is a (lack of) balance of power that a simple age of consent law does not take into consideration.
Just to say that HRH Prince Philip is with one ‘l’, not two. HRH The Princess Royal is Anne, with an ‘e’.
Annie:
Years ago I knew an ex-sailor in the NZ Navy whose ship had been berthed between the Royal boat and the wharf (possibly for security reasons). He (and others) had contact with Princess Anne and Prince Charles (as they crossed daily), and the consensus was that she was the intelligent one of the family and the nicest as well.
West Oz now definitely off the place of retirement list
“Grog only available to the ‘vaccinated’ in WA – because of The Science, right?”
https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2022/01/grog-only-available-to-the-vaccinated-in-wa-because-of-the-science-right.html
Well at last Mail online -the worlds largest online circulation paper- has caught up with the Canadian truckers story.. Lots of pictures
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10456147/Justin-Trudeau-flees-secret-location-50-000-Freedom-Convoy-truckers-hit-Ottawa.html
From the dailymail article:
“the prime minister and his family had been escorted out of their home and taken to a secret location in the capital”
A case of Coward-19 (phrase from SDA)
He’s thinking it’s his Jan 6 “coup”
He could go to Guantanamo and play Mr. Dress Up in an orange jump suit. He likes dress-up.
(according to Wikipedia Mr. Dress Up was a Canadian children’s TV show like es Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood)
“Trudeau (pictured) said Friday that the truckers’ views — which he described as anti-science, anti-government and anti-society — posed a risk not only to themselves but to other Canadians as well”
Well, the anti-government part may be true, for Trudeau’s government.
@YMMV:
Well, I’m very much anti-tyranny and anti-fraud and anti-citizen-abuse; but I’m mildly pro-“government in general as long as it is a good government”… Guess that’s an “unacceptable” set of beliefs, you know, morality and all…
@YMMV;
Trudeau and family and members of parliament have been moved to secret locations. Does that mean that the government have abandoned the Capitol? OR been arrested ?
I just noticed on the BPA site there is a new term being used:
VER = variable energy resources
This is wind and solar, as far as I know. It has been a while since I looked at this.
They could have used UR (Un-Reliable) and saved a letter.
Regardless, the PNW has had little wind for 2 weeks, so The VER line is bouncing off the bottom.
Change is forecast for Midnight, tonight (Sunday, 30th).
https://transmission.bpa.gov/Business/Operations/Wind/baltwg.aspx
@Annie – guilty on HRH Prince Philip. But I cannot help they misspelled his name at birth. :-)
Am I the only one that finds Trudeau’s statement of “unacceptable views” to be the most disturbing part of his speech? Please, all you Commonwealth folks speak up because that scares the bejesus out of me! That is a line straight out of 1984!!!! And NO ONE IS SAYING A THING ABOUT THAT!!!!
If that is Canada’s official line – to accept that the government can dictate what an “acceptable view” is, then the truckers might as well go home. They have already lost.
@Phil:
There’s a LOT of chatter about the “unacceptable views” in various non-Lame Stream Media places…
I’ve called for a meet and greet of the “unacceptable-deplorables”. Frankly, I’d like to see it become a National Event. Have a big BBQ, lots of meat over carbon fuel, beer, big party. Wave that flag Big Loud & Proud. Put it on T shirts.
@P.G.:
It means they KNOW they people are not behind them. They KNOW they are incredibly unpopular. They KNOW they are hated. And they KNOW they must run and hide.
@EMSmith; rumor in Canada is that Trudeau and family took a private Jet to the family’s estate in Cabo.. A fun rumor 8-), members of parliament are also in hiding, Police have orders to work with the truckers to maintain safety and order. False Flag operatives are working with MSM types to create incidences to film and broadcast that the truckers are violent and dangerous.
As the crank turns.
Imagine the false flags if the protest was in the USA. Although most FBI stooges don’t have 18-wheelers.
Another very good report today abut the rally from the UK mail online. Trudeau would rather attend a BLM rally than meet the truckers, the Mail reports.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10460403/Justin-Trudeau-says-hes-isolation-COVID-days-skipping-Ottawa-secret-location.html
It had 357 million visits in December 20212 so is very widely read.
#Rhoda – ROFL! FBI does not own 18 wheelers – but they can probably rent some on the government dime.
You can tell an FBI ‘glowstick’ by the shades and haircut. It’s harder for the guys in Canada, they can be easily spotted by the red jacket, riding boots and pointy hat.