It’s always difficult during a crisis for the government to address problems effectively while guarding against potential collateral damage to the freedoms Americans take for granted.

Scott Morrison’s opening statement to Parliament’s coronavirus crisis sitting was as dramatic as it was heartfelt.

nixon

The war on terror has gone cold…

 

 

The only place terrorism is still significant is in Central Africa (Mali et al)… where the Wahhabi Jihadists are still active. 

 

 

Russia and China have managed to escape the clutches of the Empire — and not only this, China is also influencing many third world countries to be more independent economically.

 

 

So this is how Liberty dies…with thunderous applause.

A few days ago James Corbett posted a video titled “Is this THE big event?” the answer to that increasingly looks to be “yes”.

Not the virus itself, you understand, which official statistics still show to be minor compared to annual flu outbreaks. But rather, what it’s being used for. The West’s vestigial democratic forms, and slowly atrophying civil liberties are facing a final assault from draconian authoritarians sensing (or creating) their big moment.

Spain is enjoying “martial law in all but name”, while Italy is likewise bringing in the army.

Australia will gamble on an unprecedented $189 billion stimulus package to protect the nation from a looming recession.

Coronavirus: Social distancing enforced globally...

As the UK shuts pubs and millions of Americans told to stay home, the virus death toll passes 11,000.

 

Read more:

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-51984399

 

Going to the footy is off the agenda, pub crawls are on hold and your social calendar is swirling through the U-bend. But there are plenty of ways to kick loneliness to the curb during these wild times of social distancing.

Sydney Town Hall — picture by Gus Leonisky

From Casey Chalk:

Airplanes are grounded. Roads, deserted. The skies are clear and fish swim once again in Venice’s canals. Covid-19 has achieved in three short months what Greta Thunberg and her ilk could only dream of.

   The name Pluto, the god of the underworld, was proposed for a new planet, by Venetia Burney,