Australia has been supplying Ukraine with a 100 low-cost cardboard drones per month since March 2023. The cardboard drones can carry 5kg of weight, have a wingspan of two metres and a range of 120km. (Photo courtesy SYPAQ via Australia's ABC News)
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1. Melbourne, Australia, company SYPAQ has supplied more than 3,000 cheap
A$5,000
cardboard drones to Ukraine since 2022. They are used by
soldiers for spying, supply drops and one way explosive missions. The drones
weigh about 6kg. Their biggest successes have been damaging 5 Russian fighter
aircraft on the ground, damaging Russian anti-aircraft batteries and a radar
station. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-03/ukraine-war-australian-made-cardboard-drones-russia-warfare/102804120
2. I think the mathematics of NET-ZERO are so complex that Aussies
won't make financial sacrifices for what they don't understand. So AI Googling "Net
Zero Australia" yields. in part: ""Australia has a legislated
target to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050, with an interim target of a 43%
reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. A newer target of 62–70% reduction by 2035
has also been set." This is too complex for the majority of Aussies, who
cannot afford solar, to pay higher electricity prices for. Hence Albo has been
paying all households the A$75 electricity rebate per quarter.
3. The AUKUS deal is by no means
guaranteed despite Mr Trump's apparent endorsement. The first Virginia nuclear
sub may arrive here in 2043 not the originally envisaged 2032. The only 2 US
submarine factories are due to complete the higher priority Columbia-class
nuclear missile subs in 2042. Only then can they speed up production of the
Virginias to 4 a year – sufficient to export Virginias to Australia. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-22/concern-remain-over-aukus-following-trump-talk/105918678
4. China is manipulating the price of
unprocessed rare earths to put rivals, like Australian companies, out of business. When
a foreign rival supplier appears China turns to "loss leading". That is flooding
the market with cheap rare earths to drive down prices, putting the rivals out
of business. Also China may be using fake social media accounts and agents on
the ground to alarm processor countries, like Malaysia, about (probably) exaggerated
pollution concerns. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-23/australia-us-join-china-in-race-to-bottom-on-rare-earth-prices/105921278
5. Over a quarter of Gen Zers (13 to 28
year olds) say that sometimes they'd rather stay home and talk
to a chatbot than go out with a friend. And nearly 3 in 10 Gen Zs said that
they can imagine themselves becoming romantically attached to a chatbot. This
may drop birth rates lower than their current, low-low levels. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-22/ai-relationship-study/105917858
6. Barnaby Joyce, who resents
Littleproud’s rule of the Nationals, might not recontest his lower house
seat and may shift to One Nation. Poor Sussan Ley, in trying to build a stable
Coalition, has to put up with Jacinta Price and the lads Hastie and Barnaby.
7. British Prime Minister Starmer has supported British MPs' calls for an investigation into Prince Andrew's and ex-wife Fergie’s rent free living at Royal Lodge. They have not paid rent for 30-room Royal Lodge, on the Windsor Estate, for more than 2 decades. But UK political habits make questions about their betters, the royal family, difficult. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-23/keir-starmer-backs-parliamentary-probe-prince-andrew-royal-lodge/105923348
8. Cute animal corner. Barnacles on a
surfboard. A surfboard that spent 17 months at sea travelling from Tasmania to
NZ, after it was lost off a boat appears set to be reunited with its owner. A
social media post by the Kiwi man who found the board was read by the owner of
the globe-trotting board. The owner is travelling to NZ to hug his
board. Awww! https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-27/surfboard-found-intact-after-drift-from-tasmania-new-zealand/105935392
5 comments:
China is simply doing what it has always done. Subsidize it's companies and industries, stealing overseas tech. An easy example is it's huge EV production. That happened because the Chinese govt simply bought huge numbers of the early generations of EV's. They weren't good, and you can go on youtube to see many videos of large car graveyards of new, unused old Gen EV's. This allows the Chinese factories to stay open and gain experience, until we see fantastic2025 models.
But to be fair, many companies will start loss leading in order to put a new competitor out of business. We've seen this in airline wars, where Qantas and other big airlines crush new budget ones. I remember Amazon sold it's kindle at a loss, and it's now a mainstream electronic product.
Andrew
Another new Chinese USV:
"Hidden beneath tarpaulins, an uncommon sight at Chinese shipyards, a new
trimaran-hulled vessel appears to combine features of both surface ships and
submarines. Satellite imagery suggests it may be uncrewed, designed for high-
speed operations. Though its purpose remains unknown, the project reflects
the accelerating pace and growing sophistication of China’s naval innovation."
Source:
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/10/unusual-black-trimaran-drone-ship-spotted-in-chinese-shipyard/
Hi Andrew at 10/29/2025 1:47 PM
Very true. China is churning out many excellent, innovative, EV brands at low prices. I've read that the Chinese government imposes high quality controls, on aspects like safety, that keeps standards up, on its otherwise capitalist EV companies.
Yes. Qantas, more lately, is believed to have, dropped its prices in many regional and bi-city markets to force Rex out of business. Rex is surviving on government subsidies.
Hi Anonymous at 10/30/2025 4:13 AM
H I Sutton raises so many interesting possible uses for the vessel at https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/10/unusual-black-trimaran-drone-ship-spotted-in-chinese-shipyard/
that it might be an early technology demonstrator which will be altered for many different uses.
This is much in the tradition of the PLA-N's Type 032 test submarine.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Submarine_201
"The Chinese submarine with the hull number 201 is a Chinese diesel–electric auxiliary submarine. It is used to test systems and technologies, including test launching ballistic missiles (SLBM). 201 is the sole member of its class, designated Type 032 (NATO reporting name: Qing)."
South Korean nuke boats to be built in U.S.:
"The United States has authorized South Korea to construct a nuclear-powered
but conventionally armed submarine at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia,
following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean
President Lee Jae Myung."
Source:
https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2025/u-s-approves-south-koreas-plan-to-build-a-nuclear-powered-submarine-in-philadelphia
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