1. In
last week’s US Presidential debate Biden distinguished himself as a pollycodger already too old to lead the US, let alone lead it until 2029. It could be Biden sees himself as America's best hope to stop unhinged Trump again becoming POTUS, but whether Biden is realistic is doubtful. Since the 2020
Presidential debates Biden has aged rapidly. From a 50% Sportsbet chance
of winning 6 months ago current odds are Biden only has a 20% chance. Meanwhile congenitally lying Trump has a 62% chance in the 6th (Aussie time) November Presidential
Election. If Biden chooses to stand down beforehand likely Democrat replacements
are Gavin Newsom (56yo Governor of California), Michelle Obama (60yo, ex-First
Lady and senior executive), Gretchen Witmer (52yo Governor of
Michigan), Kamala Harris (VP), screeching Hillary (nooo!!!) and Taylor Swift
(at 500 to 1). Go Swifty!!
2. French politics are quite broad - having a large far right and
a small Communist Party. The first round of the French parliamentary
election (which is not a Presidential election) was held on 1 July 2024 our
time, The second round will be held on 8 July our time. Long time far right leader
Marine Le Pen says voters want to “turn the page” as early estimates suggest her
party is making big gains. Fears are growing that Le Pen’s anti-immigration and frequently anti-Semitic National Front might win, controlling the French Parliament. All more exciting than Aussieland's boring moderation!?
3. Another boring glasses wearing middle aged white guy git (like me) named
Keir Starmer, who leads Britain’s Labour Party, is likely to win Saturday 6th July (Aus times) UK
Elections in a landslide. This is after 14 years of Conservative Party Brexiteer misrule. French and UK elections relevant to Oz?
4. A
rocky island on the Scottish coast is covered with garden gnomes but nobody
knows exactly how they got there. The gnomes first appeared there in 2010, with
some people speculating they were left by a local fisherman or the Loch Ness
Monster’s younger sister Nellie. All true except for Lochie’s sister’s name. Should
garden gnomes run for Parliament?
5. Coral and Christine’s Factcheck: Kangaroos are usually left handed. Proof? Kangaroos rarely play tennis with their right hands.
6. [If there’s time] In a May 2024 Senate
speech Fatima Payman broke ranks with the ALP by accusing Israel of genocide in
Gaza, criticising her own Labor Party for failing to condemn Israel's
war crimes in Gaza, and called for sanctions against Israel. This was before
she crossed the floor, in late June, supporting a Green’s resolution that Australia
recognise a Palestinian state and she said she’d do it again. She has been
suspended from the Labor caucus but can come back if she says sorry. Is she
right?
7. Taboo
idea. If Australia had peace loving nuclear weapons they would benefit all.
This is noting France and the UK each use only one submarine (with 8 to 16 nuke missiles) at any one time, to deter Russia’s maximum of around 10,000 warheads. Four Baby Boomers
for Australia in the future?
8. Assange’s return has been a boring fizzer - with Jules very quiet, so far.
8 comments:
No, French Nouveau Front Populaire is not the French communist party. It's a tiny part of this alliance
Its leader has not been elected
Regards
PS: I'm not supporting it !
Thanks (most probably French) Anonymous
I have altered the wording of paragraph 2 to indicate the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Communist_Party is small.
According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_French_legislative_election the Communist Party is competing as part of the left wing coalition indeed termed the "Nouveau Front Populaire" (in English "the New Popular Front (NFP)"). But English language descriptions of French politics often miss the subtleties.
Cordialement Pete
I think Assange is too busy getting a tan from swimming to worry about whatever’s leaking at the mo, which is highly likely from a Chinese or Russian deepfake.
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2024/04/04/china-ai-influence-elections-mtac-cybersecurity/
And.. Assange could always do a Harold Holt and get eaten by a shark..
Oh, I reckon a Harris/Obama ticket, with Taylor Swift as Secretary of State, would beat that lying orange guy
Hi Shawn at 7/01/2024 10:25 PM
Yes I suspect the terms of the Australian and US Governments' freedom deal with Assange would be he desist from leaking Western secrets. However his Wikileaks retinue are probably itching to leak. If Assange is to remain their overlord he must resume leaking. The main issues are from where he could safely organise the leaking and when? Perhaps in a year AUKUS secrets will get more of a public airing than their author's ever dreamt of.
Interesting the link https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2024/04/04/china-ai-influence-elections-mtac-cybersecurity/ you've provided. Beginning with:
"China is using fake social media accounts to poll voters on what divides them most to sow division and possibly influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in its favor."
The "the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in [China's] favor" may be the return of Biden, but this time in the knowledge that he will continue to age ineffectually. Also China would be concerned that Trump as President would resume his trade war leanings against China - complete with higher US tariffs against Chinese goods.
Russian would more certainly favor Trump in its cyber influence efforts. Particularly with Trump's pro-Putin, surrender Ukraine and US should isolate from NATO leanings.
I support the Democrat ticket with a twist - that Michelle (two (Michelle and Barack) for the price of one) should be Prez, Harris to remain Vice Prez and Swift as Sec of State and 'Pink' as Director CIA (singing a secret duet :)
Cheers Pete
Mate,
This is good news for Australia
https://www.twz.com/air/aim-174-super-hornet-launched-variant-of-sm-6-missile-breaks-cover-in-hawaii
Naval News states the air launched version of the SM-6 is now operational, so Australia could add air-launched and ground-launched variants to its existing SM-6 buy for the RAN, so not only could the RAAF’s Rhinos and Growlers equip an extra long range AAM with BMD and ASuW capabilities, but the Australian Army/RAAF could get actually get a useful long range SAM system.
South Korean ballistic missiles for Ukraine?
"On June 19, Russian president Vladimir Putin flew to Pyongyang
for the first time in 24 years and inked an agreement with North
Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
The details of the pact are unclear, but Kim announced the two
countries had a “fiery friendship.” It’s widely assumed the
agreement will result in closer industrial and military ties
between the authoritarian states—ties that could feed and prolong
Russia’s costly wider war on Ukraine.
The South Korean government responded swiftly. If Pyongyang
supplies Moscow with more arms, then Seoul may supply Kyiv, South
Korean National Security Advisor Chang Ho-jin told reporters on
June 20.
South Korea hasn’t yet announced closer ties with Ukraine—but if
and when it does, it’s possible Ukrainian officials will ask
South Korean officials for the same kinds of munitions Russia is
already getting from North Korea.
Specifically, short-range ballistic missiles, or SRBMs. Sometime
late last year, Russian acquired from North Korea a batch of
powerful KN-23 SRBMs—and used them to devastating effect."
Source:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/07/06/with-south-korea-rockets-ukraine-could-wipe-out-russian-warplanes-at-their-bases/
More submarines for Taiwan:
"According to information published by Liberty Times Net on
July 7, 2024, Taiwan has announced plans to produce seven
additional domestically-built submarines, each equipped with
submarine-launched Harpoon missiles. The total budget for
this project is set at NT$284 billion, to be executed over
a 15-year period."
Source:
https://armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2024/taiwan-to-build-7-new-submarines-with-harpoon-missiles-in-284-billion-project
New submarines for Canada:
"According to information published by the Canadian
Department of National Defence on July 10, 2024,
Canada, boasting the world's longest coastline, is
initiating the acquisition of up to 12
conventionally-powered submarines, crucial for
enhancing its underwater surveillance and national
security."
Source:
https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2024/canada-to-acquire-up-to-12-new-submarines-for-enhanced-arctic-security
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