simpsons

“The Simpsons” predicted in 2007 that government would become so inept they’d need to enlist the help of actor Tom Hanks to gain back credibility, and the Biden administration appears to be doing just that.

swat

Federal police have launched an investigation into the price-gouging of rapid antigen tests.

A specialist taskforce has been set up by the AFP, after investigations began in NSW and Queensland following referrals from the consumer watchdog.

Retailers caught price-gouging on the tests have been warned they will face five years in prison.

AFP assistant commissioner of the crime command, Nigel Ryan, said there would be a zero-tolerance approach to retailers.

“The AFP will use its full powers to crack down on RAT price-gouging,” he said.

wilcox

How refreshing to hear Professor Paul Torzillo’s views rather than the usual blabbering from our politicians (“Top medic blasts the politics of pandemic”, January 20). The decision to open up on December 15 was based on information before Omicron was in the community. It has contributed to the staff shortages we see in hospitals and other businesses. It has stopped many small businesses from being able to operate fully and again derailed the economy with staff isolating and those cautious in our community staying home. Have we really learnt nothing since the start of this pandemic? Let’s hear from the health professionals on the frontline who can better determine what we should and shouldn’t be doing. Daniela Catalano, Haberfield

syndrome

The CIA believes it is unlikely Russia or another foreign adversary used microwaves or other forms of directed energy to attack the hundreds of American officials who claim to have been affected by "Havana syndrome".

backpackers

It sounded a touch desperate – Prime Minister Scott Morrison imploring backpackers to “come on down” to Australia, as the Omicron crisis escalated.

“Enjoy a holiday here”, said the one-time managing director of Tourism Australia, and “at the same time join our workforce and help us”.

The backpacker flow is slow, so there’ll be a $3 million advertising campaign (minus Lara Bingle) to lure them, and they’ll get a rebate on their visas if they come soon.

People were quick to see the irony – while Morrison was spruiking working holidays, travel advice in the US was updated to say “avoid travel to Australia”.

“Come on down” wasn’t Morrison’s only trite line.

berserk

RISING TENSIONS (3)

Washington refuses to hear Russia and China

by Thierry Meyssan

During the whole week, Moscow has been waiting for an answer to its proposal for a Treaty guaranteeing peace. Washington has never mentioned it. On the contrary, it has accused Russia of preparing to attack Ukraine and of planning a false flag operation to justify it. Russia can no longer back down, but any action on its part risks opening a third world conflict.

This article is a follow-up to : 

assange

loonies...

Rogue government backbencher George Christensen may be stripped of a lucrative parliamentary role after repeatedly pushing baseless anti-vax claims.

But Prime Minister Scott Morrison has refused to take stronger action on the controversial Queensland MP, pleading with Australians instead to ignore his discredited views.

“As a free country, people are allowed to say what they think but we don’t have to listen to them. They wouldn’t have to amplify their views. And I am certainly not seeking to do that,” Mr Morrison said when quizzed about Mr Christensen’s latest inflammatory statements on Wednesday.

“You can’t go around locking people up for what they say as Australians.

friedman 

In an opinion piece, Thomas L. Friedman, vents his hatred of Russia... and especially Vladimir Putin. He accuses the little guy of the exact sins that the USA have engaged in since the end of WW2. Putin to Thomas L. Friedman is the devil incarnate, a thief, a megalomaniac — and one can see that Friedman is secretly frustrated that his country only manages to elect second rate leaders... The USA have a cabal of about 500 people who want to rule the entire planet... That is a given. These people use instruments such as the CIA, the NSA, News Corp and Pelosi who is a poor Christian soul with a godly vengeance as a motivator for shitting every day... Poor fucking world... Here is Friedman's:

fashion 

About 10,000 muons reach every square meter of the earth's surface a minute; these charged particles form as by-products of cosmic rays colliding with molecules in the upper atmosphere. Traveling at relativistic speeds, muons can penetrate tens of meters into rocks and other matter before attenuating as a result of absorption or deflection by other atoms.[10]

gouging

Retailers charging “beyond outrageous” prices for rapid antigen tests are being referred to the federal police for investigation, as supply issues continue to hamper Australia’s testing regime.

The referrals were disclosed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as union leaders accused the federal government of putting workers “in harm’s way” by failing to provide free and accessible rapid antigen tests.

Union leaders said after an “emergency” meeting on Monday that free rapid antigen tests were needed for the whole community, not just essential workers, and they vowed to write to all employers urging them to protect employees.

friends...

Over several decades the ABC’s international service has built an enviable reputation in Asia and the Pacific as a trusted provider of quality, independent public media. Radio Australia, launched in 1939 as “Australia Calling”, grew into a world-renowned institution, and an international TV service broadcasting to 50 countries was added in 1993, with online services following a few years later. Through its international development arm (ABCID), the ABC has also fostered enduring relationships, especially in the Pacific where it has been highly valued as the main provider of support for local public interest media, including the building of effective media infrastructure and the provision of emergency information services.

melburn...

I have scant sympathy for a high-profile person with such disregard for the health and safety rules of his own country, let alone those of others (“Game, set and vax as court says Djokovic must leave”, January 17). If he didn’t comply with our health rules, he should not have been given a visa in the first place. If nothing else, perhaps the government could publish a full-page ad setting out the rules. But I’d have preferred the government had better protected our nation by keeping Omicron out in the first place but once it was here, it should have continued mandating PPE and the safeguards that stopped Delta, rather than tossing Novak Djokovic out in a rear-guard action. Peter Thornton, Killara

gap

While millions of Australians struggle to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation’s billionaires have pocketed $205 million a day.

Anti-poverty charity Oxfam has run the numbers and found Australia’s 47 billionaires doubled their collective net worth to $255 billion over the first two years of the crisis.

Those men and women, who count business magnates Gina Rinehart, James Packer and Frank Lowy among them, now hold more wealth than the poorest 30 per cent of Australians, which equates to about 7.7 million people.

The findings from the Oxfam report, released on Monday, were mirrored on a global scale, with the world’s ten richest men also more than doubling their fortunes to $1.9 trillion.

scam

NSW residents have been warned to brace themselves for high numbers of COVID-19 deaths in the coming days as the state’s healthcare workers battle exhaustion in the face of rising hospitalisations.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard hit out at people who have chosen not to get vaccinated, saying they needed “to give a damn about someone other than” themselves.

“Give a damn about your community, your family and most particularly, the health staff across NSW who you expect to be looking after you if and when you end up in our hospital system,” he said.

The state recorded 29,504 new COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths in the latest reporting period.