Recent well liked threads
Jan 26th is not only the right day to mark Australia’s foundation, it’s also the most HONEST. It would be dishonest to ignore this date's historical significance. Indigenous people have been here for a long time, but our shared story - good & bad - started on this date in 1788.
The historical significance of Jan 26 allows us to have a balanced & honest perspective of Australian history. Yes, settlement involved dispossession & tragedy. It also paved the way for the free & prosperous nation we have today. We can recognise all of that at the same time.
The focus on Australia Day in recent years provides an opportunity for it be celebrated in a more balanced manner. Australians generally aren't very jingoistic & instead have a deep but laid-back love of this country, even though it's imperfect. Australia Day should reflect that.
Conservatives can shift the culture in a conservative direction by persuading other people to become conservative.
But we can also do that by becoming MORE conservative ourselves. We need to be MORE counter-cultural & do a better job of rejecting progressive norms & values.
But we can also do that by becoming MORE conservative ourselves. We need to be MORE counter-cultural & do a better job of rejecting progressive norms & values.
We live in an aggressively progressive culture where progressive ideas are considered normative. All too often, those of us who feel in our bones that this culture is sick, still have absorbed the values of that culture & struggle to cast them off. But that’s what we need to do.
It’s very easy to go with the flow & live in a way that is consistent with our progressive culture. But if conservatives change the way WE live so that we are more authentically conservative, we will change the culture.
A private school is “publicly funded” in the same way a plumber who unblocks the toilet at Parliament House is “publicly funded”.
Like the plumber, the private school is being paid by taxpayers for providing a service. And taxpayers are getting good value for the money they pay.
Like the plumber, the private school is being paid by taxpayers for providing a service. And taxpayers are getting good value for the money they pay.
In Australia we have decided, as a community, to fund the education of all children. So we provide taxpayer $ to do that.
Some children go to public schools. So we provide taxpayer $ to those schools.
Some children go to private schools. So we provide taxpayer $ to them too.
Some children go to public schools. So we provide taxpayer $ to those schools.
Some children go to private schools. So we provide taxpayer $ to them too.
Perhaps at Parliament House there are public sector employees who do some of the maintenance work. But there may be times when they get in a private contractor, like a plumber, to do some of the maintenance work. It doesn’t matter. The worker still needs to be paid for the work.
Perhaps the most galling feature of "climate action" is the dishonest sales pitch that promises no trade-offs.
"We MUST do net zero to save the planet. But it just so happens that this ALSO delivers the cheapest energy & makes us all better off. Isn't that great?"
So dodgy.
"We MUST do net zero to save the planet. But it just so happens that this ALSO delivers the cheapest energy & makes us all better off. Isn't that great?"
So dodgy.
At least Thunberg, to her credit, is very upfront that reducing emissions reduces the living standards of people in rich countries: it's "too late for us to avoid major lifestyle and systemic changes".
"Saving the Climate Means Changing How We Live"
time.com/6254639/greta-…
"Saving the Climate Means Changing How We Live"
time.com/6254639/greta-…
Politicians, journalists, rent-seekers & most activists are not as honest as Thunberg. They promise us that "climate action" not only involve zero sacrifices on our part but will actually make us all amazingly better off. That was the only way they could sell their agenda.
When we no longer expect newcomers to integrate, our politics gets more sectarian.
We don’t have many Russian or Ukrainian immigrants in Australia, so that conflict doesn’t cause tension here. But when we have large unintegrated communities, the potential for conflict rises.
We don’t have many Russian or Ukrainian immigrants in Australia, so that conflict doesn’t cause tension here. But when we have large unintegrated communities, the potential for conflict rises.
The latest data show that Australia's resident population included 29,070 people born in Russia and 20,070 people born in the Ukraine.
Australia's government need not factor in the "Russia vote" or the "Ukraine vote" when setting its foreign policy.
abs.gov.au/statistics/peo…
Australia's government need not factor in the "Russia vote" or the "Ukraine vote" when setting its foreign policy.
abs.gov.au/statistics/peo…
That same independence of action is unlikely to exist when Australia determines its foreign policy towards China and India.
Last year our resident population included 845,800 people born in India & 778,500 people born in China (incl. SAR). That's a lot of voters to consider.
Last year our resident population included 845,800 people born in India & 778,500 people born in China (incl. SAR). That's a lot of voters to consider.
ABS data out today show our immigration intake is not only large but VERY unbalanced.
Foreign-born residents rose by 1.5 million from 2011 to 2021.
Of that increase, nearly 40% came from just two countries - China (incl. SAR) & India.
abs.gov.au/statistics/peo…
Foreign-born residents rose by 1.5 million from 2011 to 2021.
Of that increase, nearly 40% came from just two countries - China (incl. SAR) & India.
abs.gov.au/statistics/peo…
The detailed data can be downloaded from the main link.
40% is not far off the share those two countries have in total world population, but it still seem odd that our immigration intake is concentrated so heavily in just two countries.
40% is not far off the share those two countries have in total world population, but it still seem odd that our immigration intake is concentrated so heavily in just two countries.
The foreign-born population rose from 27% of the total in 2011 to 29% in 2021.
Of the 1,507,690 increase in the foreign-born population between 2011 & 2021, China (incl. SAR) accounted for 215,840 (14%) & India accounted for 374,920 (25%) of that increase.
Of the 1,507,690 increase in the foreign-born population between 2011 & 2021, China (incl. SAR) accounted for 215,840 (14%) & India accounted for 374,920 (25%) of that increase.
This is the fundamental reason why Western birth rates are so low & why we transform our nations with mass immigration.
The progressive culture produced by liberal ideas is so ugly & unlovable that Western people do not care enough about it to pass it on to the next generation.
The progressive culture produced by liberal ideas is so ugly & unlovable that Western people do not care enough about it to pass it on to the next generation.
Even those who embrace this culture know deep down how sick it is. And so they don’t reproduce themselves to reproduce it.
And many of us who DO reject this culture are so demoralised that we struggle to combat it by making & raising enough babies to restore a healthy culture.
And many of us who DO reject this culture are so demoralised that we struggle to combat it by making & raising enough babies to restore a healthy culture.
That means that our culture’s birth rate continues to fall further below the replacement rate. We can’t be bothered to do the hard work to sustain this ugly progressive culture. And that means we continue to import people from other cultures to keep our economies from collapsing.
Our laws allow termination to occur up to & beyond a point where survivors of a botched abortion are left for hours on a bench, gasping for air, before dying.
Surely even many supporters of abortion recognise it should not be permitted at such a point.
healthservicesdaily.com.au/abortion-bill-…
Surely even many supporters of abortion recognise it should not be permitted at such a point.
healthservicesdaily.com.au/abortion-bill-…
Dr Elisha Broom notes that if "babies born under 22 weeks" (her words) are required to be given more than "comfort care", then hospitals will be reluctant to abort at a stage "where we know babies can be born alive".
She thinks that would be a bad thing.
She thinks that would be a bad thing.
Australian laws generally put no restrictions on abortion up to around 20 weeks, with limits at later stages. That means that many survivors of abortion are close to or beyond the point of viability when they are left to die.
I understand why people support access to early-term abortion.
But our laws allow abortion up to & beyond a stage of development where a human - one of us - can actually survive expulsion & live & breathe for several hours before expiring. That is the act of a brutal culture.
But our laws allow abortion up to & beyond a stage of development where a human - one of us - can actually survive expulsion & live & breathe for several hours before expiring. That is the act of a brutal culture.
Even if the intended victims of abortion do not survive, the mere fact that they are at a stage where they COULD survive outside the womb, even if only for a few hours, is reason enough to conclude that abortion is being done beyond a point that can be considered civilised.
At such a stage, we are no longer talking about a tiny “clump of cells”, the humanity of which many people can easily ignore. We are talking about someone who is recognisably human & capable of gasping for breath.
Everyone wants to live among people who are like them in some way.
Conservatives & provincials want to live among those who share their culture.
Progressives & cosmopolitans want to live among those who share their political beliefs.
Not much political diversity in Manhattan.
Conservatives & provincials want to live among those who share their culture.
Progressives & cosmopolitans want to live among those who share their political beliefs.
Not much political diversity in Manhattan.
Conservatives tend to prefer a relatively high degree of cultural homogeneity.
Progressives tend to prefer a relatively high degree of political homogeneity.
Neither of those preferences are any more legitimate than the other.
Progressives tend to prefer a relatively high degree of political homogeneity.
Neither of those preferences are any more legitimate than the other.
And, no "cultural homogeneity" is not code for "racial homogeneity. Culture is a much more specific thing than race. An Italian & a Norwegian share a race but not a culture. Same with people from Korea & Vietnam, or Nigeria & Kenya. Pan-ethnic culture is not really a thing.
The immigration debate is driven by anxiety about protecting one’s preferred way of life.
People living in rural Nebraska worry that more immigration will transform their way of life.
People living in Brooklyn also worry that less immigration will transform their way of life.
People living in rural Nebraska worry that more immigration will transform their way of life.
People living in Brooklyn also worry that less immigration will transform their way of life.
One solution: let non-citizens live & work in designated big global cities or in certain specified areas, but keep the rest of each nation reserved for citizens.
If people are confident their preferred way of life will be protected, the angst in the immigration debate will fade.
If people are confident their preferred way of life will be protected, the angst in the immigration debate will fade.
Cosmopolitan people like greater cultural diversity. That’s fine.
Provincial people like greater social cohesion. That’s fine too.
So why not make sure that both types of people have places that suit their preferred way of life?
Provincial people like greater social cohesion. That’s fine too.
So why not make sure that both types of people have places that suit their preferred way of life?
Locals getting upset by a large influx of foreigners disrupting life in their community is not “racism”. It’s human nature.
Americans sometimes get upset when a lot of Mexicans move into their area.
Mexicans also sometimes get upset when a lot of Americans move into their area.
Americans sometimes get upset when a lot of Mexicans move into their area.
Mexicans also sometimes get upset when a lot of Americans move into their area.
A recent @nypost headline citing a "bombshell report" claiming that "Rogue states" like Russia and Iran are sowing dissent within MAGA and amplifying anti-war voices.
But a close examination of the report exposes some VERY familiar — and VERY suspicious — players.
🧵1/
But a close examination of the report exposes some VERY familiar — and VERY suspicious — players.
🧵1/
2/ This NCRI study claims foreign actors are posing as MAGA influencers to push conspiracies and turn the right against Trump — but it relies on vague bot criteria, cherry-picked data, and correlation-as-causation leaps to manufacture a narrative it can't conclusively prove.
3/ While the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) claims to be "a neutral and independent third party whose mission it is to track, expose, and combat misinformation, deception, and manipulation" — a closer look at the leader would suggest otherwise. 🧐
The number of voters giving their first preference to One Nation in the lower house has surged since Pauline Hanson rejoined the party in 2013.
But what I find even more interesting is that 250,000 of its voters direct their preferences to the ALP.
What drives those voters?
But what I find even more interesting is that 250,000 of its voters direct their preferences to the ALP.
What drives those voters?
One Nation is not the only small centre-right party that seems to attract disaffected ALP voters. If you add all of these parties up, they got about 1.8 million lower house first preferences in the May election & about 530,000 of those votes (29%) went to the ALP on a 2PP basis.
Some proportion of those 530,000 votes would not have actually been, shall we say, very considered. Some voters after they give their first preference don't give a lot of thought to how they number the rest of the boxes. How many voters do that, I have no idea.
Melbourne’s #1 radio station doesn’t “look like Melbourne”.
As Australia becomes more multicultural, broadcasting to all cultures will be increasingly difficult.
Many organisations will do best by narrowcasting to my culture, even if it moves from majority to plurality status.
As Australia becomes more multicultural, broadcasting to all cultures will be increasingly difficult.
Many organisations will do best by narrowcasting to my culture, even if it moves from majority to plurality status.
A muddled strategy that tries to appeal to 80% of the population will often end up appealing to very few people. In many cases, this will likely lose out to a focused strategy that directly targets 40% or even 30% of the market.
This probably helps explain why broadcasters like radio stations & free-to-air television networks have lost so much market share. They try to appeal to a mass audience. But there is no mass audience - with shared tastes & interests - in a multicultural “society”.
Opposition to mass immigration in Australia, like most political movements, has a Team Purity & a Team Electability.
TP = ethno-nationalists #heritage
TE = civic nationalists #values
TP & TE don't get on & don't really co-operate. But their independent efforts can get results.
TP = ethno-nationalists #heritage
TE = civic nationalists #values
TP & TE don't get on & don't really co-operate. But their independent efforts can get results.
Right now, TP is very focussed on arguments about the demographic mix. That’s perfectly valid but does not resonate with, & even antagonises, a significant number of voters.
TE is more focussed on housing affordability, which has broader appeal but does ignore valid concerns.
TE is more focussed on housing affordability, which has broader appeal but does ignore valid concerns.
This seems to be driving conflict within the movement right now. Many people seem keen to downplay the heritage/demographics issue (at least to some extent) & focus on housing affordability etc. And people elsewhere are not happy about that.
Agent ID is going to be a big part of your life if you are an IAM admin, cybersec, architect, or enterprise ai/agent dev.
There is a lot new to learn and understand. We'll be sharing more in this area over the coming months.
Tip for those attending Experts Live Denmark in Feb next year, sign up for the Identity masterclass.
We will be covering Agent ID
eldk26.expertslive.dk
There is a lot new to learn and understand. We'll be sharing more in this area over the coming months.
Tip for those attending Experts Live Denmark in Feb next year, sign up for the Identity masterclass.
We will be covering Agent ID
eldk26.expertslive.dk
Gawwwwwd Damn! One of the best speeches I’ve ever heard from a Vietnam Veteran! I know my dad agrees! 🎥: @Guru_Merc
In addition to one of the greatest speeches of all time! Veterans know wtf is up!! 🎥: @Guru_Merc
@Guru_Merc Link to the entire rally. It’s definitely worth a watch! #VeteransArePatriots youtube.com/live/KLW7v4vHI…
When an American billionaire offers money to people from relatively poor countries (Serbian average monthly salary $1,329) for riling up and radicalising Americans, it's not surprising that they'll take up the offer
There is a lot of confusion on what constitutes "the Epstein files." So let me explain. (Thread). First, there are the DOJ/FBI federal criminal case files. This is what Congress voted to release this past week. 1.
2. A small subset included with the DOJ files are the federal grand jury files. This is the evidence federal prosecutors present to a grand jury in order to get an indictment. It is a very small percentage of the files. (more)
3. The Oversight Committee Epstein files: these are they files that Congress obtain from Epstein's estate by issuing a subpoena. They include Epstein's calendars, emails and other documents that have been dripping out over they past few months. (more)
BREAKING: After talking to @SecRubio, @SenatorRounds announces that the 28 point plan was a Russian document, not a US document.
Full @SenatorRounds: "@SecRubio did make a phone call to us this afternoon. I think he made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives. It is not our recommendation, it is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received. And as an intermediary, we have made arrangements to share it. And we did not release it. It was leaked. It was not released by our members or our representatives... This is an opportunity to receive it and that it has been utilized and delivered to the Ukrainians, and that they will have an opportunity to respond. And in doing so, you now have one side being presented and the opportunity for the other side to respond."
Full @SenatorRounds: "@SecRubio did make a phone call to us this afternoon. I think he made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives. It is not our recommendation, it is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received. And as an intermediary, we have made arrangements to share it. And we did not release it. It was leaked. It was not released by our members or our representatives... This is an opportunity to receive it and that it has been utilized and delivered to the Ukrainians, and that they will have an opportunity to respond. And in doing so, you now have one side being presented and the opportunity for the other side to respond."
MORE from @SenAngusKing: "The leaked 28-point plan, which, according to @SecRubio, is not of the administration's position--it is essentially the wish list of the Russians."
@SenAngusKing @SecRubio .@SenatorRounds confirms that the 28 point plan was delivered to @SEPeaceMissions: "This was a proposal which was received by someone who has identified and they believed to be representing Russia in this proposal. It was given to @SteveWitkoff."