Remember the live cattle trade ban?

With all the hoohah over the past few days over PM Gillard’s carbon (dioxide!) tax, it’s perhaps easy to forget some of the other current stuff-ups Labor is actively involved with.

Ten weeks on and there’s still no deal with Malaysia over a refugee swap.

There’s the mining super profits tax – not just the carbon tax – that our biggest industry with have to put up with.

There’s the $36 billion NBN that still somehow has to be paid for. Meanwhile, a bloke who just bought a new house can’t get a copper phone line connected – Telstra have stopped doing that – and has to wait three-odd years for his fibre cable.

And there’s the ongoing damage from the government’s naive decision to stop the live cattle trade (since resumed but so much damage is yet to be undone).

The suspension, prompted by cruelty concerns, was lifted last week and Indonesia plans to issue fresh import permits to get things moving over the next three months.

But Gulf Savannah Development says trade is still dependent on permits flowing through quickly.

The group’s chairman, Carpentaria Shire mayor Fred Pascoe, said it could take years to recover the costs from missing an important trading period with Indonesia.

“To be honest, I think we’d rather front a category 5 cyclone than the high pressure storm created by the government,” he said.

Mr Pascoe said it could take months to re-establish supply chain protocols.

Meanwhile, the Queensland manager of Australia’s largest livestock transport company doubts business will ever be the same.

Road trip!

Let’s do it!

How about the cattle farmers stick it back to that Gillard?

Click for full size.

Yes. We’re talking loading 100-odd trucks – or more – with now unsaleable cattle and sending them down to the lawns of Parliament House. There’s lush green grass there for them to feed on and even a water fountain for them to drink from (not to mention the sprinklers could be utilised).

Bugger all else they can do with that season’s worth of cattle now, is there?

It would send a clear message.

Spot has even included a handy directions guide (where the map comes from).

Tweet of the Day

O, Canada!

US Citizen? Sign the petition against cap n’ trade

If you’re a man-made global warming sceptic, or if you think the science perhaps isn’t settled, or if you are worried about a potential communist world government, or if you are worried about giant non-sovereign world taxes being imposed on all of us, or if you think the governments of this world already have too much power, or even if you’re not convinced yet either way, and don’t want a road paved that there’s no turning back on in just two short weeks, then sign this petition.

SIGN HERE

People literally right now are speaking at Copenhagen presenting the other side to this man-made CO2-driven man-made climate change/global warming argument. They will also be speaking tomorrow. Time is of the essence.

UPDATE

This post differs from the original. It came from watching the latest Monckton videos (the end of Part 4 of which part 1 was posted by 1.6 below), about a GLOBAL problem – but unfortunately only US citizens can sign that petition. Hence, first update removed, replaced with this.

O-bow-ma

Oh for fuck’s sake.

Of course, the Chinese are calling him, Oba Mao.

It’s not the first time he’s done this, either.

Jesus Christ. I’m glad General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur isn’t around to see this.

Mac’s Thought Bubble: “Fuck me, a leftard shit-head president.”

The Incredible Lightness of Being Obama [updated]

Our president is a flyweight boxing with heavyweights. He’s totally outgunned and outclassed.

Not to mention, Obama is a fucking moron with a sub-basement level IQ.

“The Obama administration will scrap the controversial missile defense shield program in Eastern Europe, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN Thursday.

The comment followed similar statements from officials in Poland and the Czech Republic — where key elements of the system were to be located — but was the first confirmation from an American official.

Vice President Joe Biden earlier refused to confirm to CNN that the George W. Bush-era plan was being shelved.

But he did explain the logic of doing so, saying Iran — a key concern for the United States — was not a threat.”

And as for Biden, my turds have more brains than that pathetic imbecile does.

I’m sorry Poland, I’m sorry Czech Republic, I apologize to all of eastern Europe: I didn’t vote for the guys.

Here’s Obama’s new plan to defend eastern Europe from Russia and Iran.

Awesome display of presidential “gravitas” no? Contrast and compare.

Obama-Biden haven’t got a chance against this guy because they haven’t got a pair of balls between them. Having the greatest military in the history of human civilization means nothing with garbage like these guys in power.

Well, the leftards have a few million south-east asians’ blood on their hands after Vietnam and the ensuing Pol Pot, so what are a couple of million more eastern Europeans?

On, and don’t get me started about how far out in the cold Israel is now.

I would be a better president than Obama, and trust me, that is one shit-suckingly sad state of affairs.

I could fucking vomit.

UPDATE – bing

For in depth analysis of the Obama photo, look no further.

Hilarious Hillary

She’s declaring the US is back in Asia. Er, Hills, the US never left Asia. The six-party talks come to mind.

But speaking of such, the great DemFem announces that she’ll be discussing North Korea… whilst at a Phuket resort.

Yep. Lot’s will come from that I’m sure. Thailand is certainly the goto place when one wants to solve the North Korean problem.

Here’s some news for you Hillary. North Korea won’t ever be ‘solved’ until its regime collapses or is destroyed.

The South Koreans are hard enough to deal with, let alone those extortionist bastards up North.

Fascinating View Inside of North Korea from a Defector

In what has to be one of the most illuminating looks inside of North Korea ever, a high profile defector speaks to FOX News.

“Now a visiting fellow with the Washington, D.C.-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, Kim is described by veteran analysts as the first English-proficient defector ever to escape the Hermit Kingdom.

Trim and sharply dressed, his bushy head of hair dyed jet black, the 42-year-old Kim, once an English professor at a computer college in Pyongyang, speaks polite and fluent English, albeit in a halting style and with a heavy accent.

An interview with FOX News in late June marked Kim’s first with an American TV news channel. Kim recounted his extraordinary experiences working for the Northeast Asia Bank and Korea National Insurance Corporation, where he handled accounts worth hundreds of million of dollars.”

So, this guy had an insider’s view, and here’s what he saw.

“He described two economies in North Korea: one administered by the North Korean Cabinet and nominally oriented toward serving the needs of the people; and a “Royal Court economy,” financed by illicit enterprises worldwide and providing the stream of hard currency that keeps Kim Jong Il, and his cronies, ensconsed in power and luxury.

“Kim [Jong Il] himself enjoys a lavish lifestyle,” said Kim Kwang Jin. “He is giving gifts to his associates: the Mercedes-Benz[es] and whiskeys, first-class room and [air]fare from Japan. Everything’s provided to his aides….Kim Jong Il himself is now ruling the country with [the] dollar, hard currency….Without hard currency they cannot rule the country.”

Kim Kwang Jin described a society in which bankers demand bribes from clients, doctors from patients, professors and teachers from students.

“Everybody tries to make use of their position, their authority…to survive,” Kim said.

The former banker said the regime’s largest source of hard currency comes from the clandestine manufacture and sale of weapons of mass destruction. After that comes the regime’s multibillion-dollar insurance fraud business, in which the authorities stage arson and bogus accidents to collect multimillion-dollar payouts from international banks and insurers.

“The state — Kim Jong Il himself — controls all these funds,” said Kim Kwang Jin. “It is funneled to him. And then he’s using all these revenues according to his regime’s priorities, which are now the missile program and nuclear weapons development.”

Kim Kwang Jin believes the North Korean government has never negotiated in good faith with the United States and its allies at the Six-Party nuclear disarmament talks.”

Is anyone surprised by this? Except the left, I mean. You really need to read the whole enchilada.

Epic Fail: Lost in Translation

I’m wondering if BingBing had anything to do with this.

BingBing, Please Answer the White Courtesy Phone: NorK Attack “Imminent”

Things may have reached a tipping point with North Korea.

“U.N. Security Council resolutions are almost always a waste of time, but not always, and yesterday’s resolution presents North Korea with a major problem, and represents an escalation point in the continuing crisis. Just a few days ago, when the resolution was presented before the Council in draft form, North Korea issued a new threat, using the words “offensive” and “nuclear” in the same sentence maybe for the first time:

“Our nuclear deterrent will be a strong defensive means . . . as well as a merciless offensive means to deal a just retaliatory strike to those who touch the country’s dignity and sovereignty even a bit,” the state-run Minju Joson newspaper said in commentary carried by the official Korean Central News Agency…

* For these reasons, it is possible that North Korea’s economic situation is now so desperate, that North Korea is willing to go further than ever before in forcing the U.S., China, and others to pay up. Another nuclear test — or perhaps a military strike or other kind of attack against some nation — could be imminent.”

You really need to read the whole enchilada.

It is high time this dastardly regime was toppled, IMO. What’s the mood in the south, Bing?

CNN’s NK wrap

It’s actually pretty decent. With more resources and collective time than this blogger has, it’s worth a look.

Still, grain of salt. Air raid sirens still go off here every month or two (usually on the 15th or so) to remind people. Yawn. And we all know how the 24/7 media cycle works. They’ll flog it til something else comes up.

This shit always comes up. Real question is; how will Obama deal with it? This has all been to get Obama’s attention.

Obama’s actually done well getting SK to sign on to the Proliferation Security Initiative… and this has pissed the shit outta NK, hence the latest missile tests and a declaration of war. But as much as I disagree on Obama on most things, he cannot be blamed for this.

Anyway, how serious is this? Some schools and academies have been closed for swine flu (ha!) but all this is not enough to get me outta going to work tomorrow but, d’oh.

Remember, Kim Jong-il is about to cark it and NK still needs to be noticed by Obama and CNN.

Good night, folks.

Russia Backs Return to Gold Standard

It’s sort of a modified, limited hang-out, but Russia is promoting at least a partial return to the gold standard for international currencies.

“Arkady Dvorkevich, the Kremlin’s chief economic adviser, said Russia would favour the inclusion of gold bullion in the basket-weighting of a new world currency based on Special Drawing Rights issued by the International Monetary Fund.

Chinese and Russian leaders both plan to open debate on an SDR-based reserve currency as an alternative to the US dollar at the G20 summit in London this week, although the world may not yet be ready for such a radical proposal.”

Too funny: Having money backed by real value is “radical.” No, it isn’t, it’s moral… but you can be sure the Russians and Chinese are not proposing this for positive moral ends, rather they have designs on taking advantage of the US mountain of debt that Obi-One has buried us under to weaken us economically. Still, I’m glad they brought this up, because it will strike fear into a lot of arrogant hearts, or it ought to.

If some countries return to the gold standard, international financiers and financial institutions will flock to those currencies and the US dollar and other unbacked fiat currencies will plummet into worthlessness. If that doesn’t worry you, it should. The US, GB, Australia and other western nations are in no position to return to the gold standard: Too much money in circulation and nowhere near enough gold to hitch to it.

Still, at some point this is going to happen, even if it takes a total global financial meltdown to achieve it… and it just might.

The choices will come down to this…

…or this.

McCain’s Perfect Choice for a Running Mate: Governor Sarah Palin

While most of the pedantic, two-dimensional, inside-the-box-thinking, conservative political hacks are touting Tom Ridge for the slot (Not a bad guy, but…), David Freddoso notes a far superior choice has been proposed: The Republican Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin.

I believe this is a truly inspired idea. Gov. Palin ran as an anti-corruption outsider, and handily defeated a corrupt and entrenched Republican political machine. Plus, at 44, she would almost totally wipe the “age issue” McCain has off the slate, and since Obama is only two years her senior, there is no way they could attack her for her youth and inexperience: She has much more executive experience than Senator Obama has.

Not to mention the fact that, she’s a gorgeous woman who exudes mass quantities of charisma…

and has a super-solid family life.

Dibs on the eldest daughter! LOL!

This inspired choice would allow McCain to actually capitalize on his “maverick” persona, as Gov. Palin shook Alaska politics to the core: She’s a charming, charismatic woman, but she can also play with the big boys and kick ass.

What say ye?

UPDATE: Things are looking optimistic!

UPDATE II: Welcome to all 4500 8000 40,000 in the past few hours (so far!) people visiting us from Google. We’re a fairly opinionated right-wing blog, and you might like to take a look at our “About” page. You might also be interested in our other coverage of Sarah Palin and whether she becomes a prospective Vice President of the United States. You can find this coverage here and here. Personally, I hope she does, but you can feel free to debate the idea in comments below. All first comments are moderated, but unless you either insult or use severe profanity (and I mean severe by my standards, which generally only means the C U Next Tuesday word or the implication that someone has had a rather enjoyable erotic experience with someone who has borne a child), however if you come up with a new one, I may simply delete your comment. I, and all other contributors to this blog are more than fair in what we permit.

UPDATE III: Nayr Drahcir, don’t bother even trying. You will not be published.

UPDATE IV: A lot of people must like Palin.

UPDATE V: More coverage of Governor Sarah Palin and a theme song here.

UPDATE VI: Funniest observation on the announcement yet: “Put Obama and Palin on a basketball court one on one. Winner takes all!”

UPDATE VII: [spot_the_dog] No, we do not have any pictures of “Sarah Palin + Naked,” nor do we have any of “Sarah Palin + Swimsuit.” In the past 24 hours, there have been 157 separate searches on this site for “Sarah Palin Swimsuit,” and 161 separate searches for “Sarah Palin Naked.” I repeat, we have no bathing suit, swim suit, bikini, or naked pictures of Sarah Palin. What kind of people do you think we are, anyway? 😉

UPDATE VIIa: [spot_the_dog] Ace has noticed a similar search phenomenon on his blog and has a theory…

UPDATE VIII: A well-rounded view of the selection of Sarah Palin for the Vice President Nomination can be found here.

UPDATE IX:  We got it!  YES!  Nude photo of Sarah Palin right here!  (C’mon.  You know you want to click.)

UPDATE X: Feel free to visit our main page and read the latest posts we’ve written.

Illegal immigration resurfaces

Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd can deny it all he likes, but since abolishing the Pacific Solution, and thus being far more lenient to asylum seekers coming to Australia, the number of boat people trying to reach Australian shores has seen a sharp rise in recent months. Yes, that’s another 35 caught of the West Australian coast just today.

At least Sharman Stone, Opposition Immigration and Citizenship spokeswoman is trying to hold Rudd to account yet Turnbull’s silence has been deafening.

And this situation doesn’t look like it’s going to improve any time soon, either. Take this. It has been suggested some people currently in detention centres should be released, even though they haven’t been properly identified. And to think, some in the so-called Opposition are going for this one, too. All this in the same breath as we watched in horror this week the Mumbai attacks.

Add to that, just how are Australia’s waters meant to be patrolled properly when the navy has been ordered to shut down for two months over Christmas, just as numbers of illegal immigrants are rising again?

And to top it all off, corrupt Indonesian officials, where many of the people smugglers operate out of, have been selling fake visas!

Yes, this debate should ignite again.

Pull your head out of the sand, Rudd. And start living up to your namesake, Turnbull (hint: Opposition).

Let’s hope this situation changes

Perhaps some of you have heard that North Korea recently (re)iterated that it will (re)turn the South into debris.

Why?

They’re pissed off about political activists in the South distributing ‘propaganda’ leaflets, via balloons, into the North. El Baradi hopes they’ll return to the six-party talks. OooooK. The South Korean government says it won’t stop people from expressing their freedom of speech.

Meanwhile, after 10 years of the Left-wing Sunshine Policy (under which the North developed a nuke), initiated by Leftist president, Kim Dae-jung, and ramped up by fellow Leftist president, Roh Myoo-hyun, this disastrous scheme (of propping up the North Korean regime under the guise of ‘aid’) has come to an end with Conservative President, Lee Myung-bak finally putting the squeeze on the so-called Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

And about time, too. Take this account, from a defector, for example. Here’s a few excerpts.

“People eat rats and snakes. They were the best food to recover our health,”

One inmate, Choe Kwang Ho, sneaked away from his work for 15 minutes to pick fruit. He was executed, his mouth stuffed with gravel to prevent him from protesting…

If a female inmate got pregnant, he said, she and her lover would be shot to death publicly. Then, An said, prison guards would cut open her womb, remove the fetus and bury it or feed it to guard dogs.
_________________________________

(And from the same link)

Meanwhile, President Bush has made the push to crack down on rights abuses in North Korea one of his last missions before leaving office in January. He signed a law promoting the U.S. special envoy on North Korean human rights to ambassador and making it easier for refugees from the North to settle in the U.S.

Lee Myung-bak and George W Bush are right. More pressure must be applied.

Bing thinks this regime must be crushed. And what better timing whilst Kim Jong-il is ill.

Please read this (large PDF) comprehensive report from David Hawk of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights (or severe lack thereof) in North Korea.

And a bit of extra background…

Link to above video.

BUSH GOTS SEOUL!!… Pro-American Protesters Give Bush a HUGE Korea Welcome!!

Pictures won’t load for me…Soooo, here it is. Gateway Pundit, via Instapundit

As was said at both blogs…Didn’t make any headlines here. Why?

UPDATE:

The way the AP played The Bush visit

Let’s see…Which candidate will the AP order its people to vote for?

Korean pizza

Those whacky Koreans. They’re welcome to it. I’ll stick with pepperoni.

PS Pizza Hut over here has pan crust, thin and crispy, cheese crust (yep, all your regulars), plus the cheesy bites (mixed with sweet potato) as you see in the pic above pluuuuus, sweet potato crust. EEK!

N. Korea Implodes Reactor. This is NOT due to efforts of Bush. The NorKor’s know Obama is The Messiah, Tiz a gift to lay at his feet.

BREAKING NEWS: Cooling tower at North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex goes up in smoke a day after the country handed over its long-awaited nuclear declaration.

Fox News

 

Mag 7.8 Quake in China, Estimate Over 8,500 Casualties

Evidently, God isn’t too keen on having the Olympics in Peking this summer either.

A 7.8 temblor is a really big one – anything over 7.5 is – and so I’d expect the number of casualties to go much higher. China is not known for robust building codes, if you catch my drift.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, damage there has been to the Olympic Village.

UPDATE: The above article has been updated, and the quake estimate has gone up to a magnitude 7.9 – truly epic – and it was 600 km from the Olympic Village, so no reported damage there… yet. A 7.5 EQ in China once killed and/or injured over a quarter million, so this could get really hideous. Fortunately, China’s government is marginally better at handling this sort of thing than, let’s say, Burma’s.

UPDATE II: Hugh Hewett is on the case, complete with links for disaster relief donations. Here’s the incident map:

As you can see, this happened in a remote central region, and nowhere near Peking.

Dith Pran, Subject of “The Killing Fields” Has Died

Dith Pran, who was captured by the Camer Rouge but escaped, has died of pancreatic cancer. He was only sixty-five years old. A serenely centered Buddhist to the end, here’s Mr. Pran’s money quote:

“I want to save lives, including my own, but Cambodians believe we just rent this body,” he said. “It is just a house for the spirit, and if the house is full of termites, it is time to leave.”

What an awesome attitude, and what a brave man.

Anyone who has ever watched The Killing Fields will never forget it. A deeply disturbing film about a seldom-remembered holocaust in Cambodia, it is an object lesson in the the abject evils of a totalitarian communist ideologue, Pol Pot. Lefties especially, who are unclear about what a holocaust is and/or isn’t, should watch this film, and then the mini-series The Holocaust to clear things up in their minds.