ED: Friday is the day that brings a smile to my face. I enjoy spreading laughter through a good joke, though the challenge lies in choosing one that’s suitable for sharing. Today, I’ve decided to share two videos out of the eight that were sent to me. I played them for my wife, Julie, and her laughter surpassed even mine. I hope you enjoy these two.
Happy Australia Day!
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The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it is the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of France, and the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.
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ED: The following article was written By Mike O’Connor (one journalist who usually tells it like it is – he writes for Brisbane’s Courier Mail plus News Corp)
Au revoir TO 2023…………THE YEAR OF WOKE IDIOCY (by Mike O’Connor)
One doesn’t like to speak ill of the dead but now that the Year of Our Lord 2023 has been consigned to history’s cemetery, I can safely say that on New Year’s Eve I was glad to celebrate its passing.
It was without doubt one of the more divisive years in recent history thanks to a referendum that we never had to have.
Twelve months ago we were warned a No vote would send a “bad message” to the world. That was the first of the many insults to our intelligence that we had to endure. It was left to Ray Martin to kick the final own goal for the Yes case by suggesting that the reason people couldn’t understand it was because they were either stupid or dickheads.
It was the year when our faith in our once treasured Flying Kangaroo crashed and burnt as CEO Alan Joyce slipped out the back door lugging a massive remuneration package.
Next month it is in federal court facing hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for allegedly indulging in false, misleading or deceptive conduct in selling tickets for “ghost” flights. How was it ever allowed to come to this?
The ABC had a shocker, sacking 40 people from its news division including its effective and non-left leaning Canberra political editor Andrew Probyn and then proudly announcing that it was hiring “cultural guidance advisers.”
What does a cultural guidance adviser do? According to managing director David Anderson they “connect content makers with appropriate resources to make culturally informed decisions.” You couldn’t make it up if you tried.
Meanwhile ABC staff continue to push political agendas with headlines such as ”ABC Sacks Summer Host Over anti-Israel Activism” exposing a serious but all too familiar failure of management to manage.
There were brighter moments such as when Victorians heard from the government that by banning them from cooking with gas, they’d be saving $1700 a year.
The point was then made that as the average gas bill was less than $1700, it was difficult to see how people could save more than they were spending.
Across the Tasman, cracks appeared in the woke wall as Kiwis realised that Saint Jacinda Ardern’s much vaunted legacy, she who performed the miracle of having a child AND a job, was a mirage.
Its new conservative government has told teachers to focus on literacy and numeracy, restore balance to the history curriculum and ban transgender indoctrination from the classroom.
The government will introduce mandatory sentences and boot camps for hardened young offenders, public signage must be primarily in English rather than Maori and plans for a Maori court system, health system, upper house or parliament, the protection of Maori seats in parliament and compulsory Maori history in schools have been ditched.
Albo, take note!
Back home, Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen took off to trumpet Australia’s net zero, fossil fuel free future at the COP28 gabfest in the UAE. We can only hope he was out of the room when COP president Sultan Al Jaber said a phase out of fossil fuels would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back to caves.”
He also said Adnoc, the national oil company, was increasing production to a billion barrels a day and by 2050 would still be pumping 850 million barrels a day. Over to you, Chris.
Back in Oz, visiting American author Sarah Churchwell said Australians needed to “have a conversation with ourselves about our colorism and the internalised white supremacy that Hollywood has indoctrinated us with.” I knew there was something I’d forgotten to do.
There was one event in 2023 that now casts its dark shadow into 2024 and it’s the ongoing and increasing anti-Semitism now on display in our cities. I never thought I’d see such mindless hatred on display in our streets, people chanting “from the river to the sea” and urging the violent destruction of the Jewish state and all who live within it.
A new year of itself prospers hope and as we wish each other health and happiness in 2024 it is worth remembering that to continue to enjoy a life that is the envy of the world, it falls to us all to do what we can to make sure it stays that way, not only for us but for our children and generations to follow.
In a provocative act on the eve of Australia Day, protesters have once again targeted the century-old statue of Captain Cook in St Kilda, Melbourne. The vandals not only severed the statue at the ankles but also left a bold declaration, spray-painting the words, “The colony will fall.” This incident marks the latest in a series of attacks on the historic landmark, raising concerns about the recurring disrespect shown towards the monument.
The attack on Captain Cook’s statue is not an isolated event; rather, it adds to a string of incidents over the past six years. The monument has been a consistent target for vandals who have previously doused it in paint and covered it in graffiti. The recurrence of such acts, particularly around Australia Day, has heightened the need for authorities to address the issue and ensure the preservation of historical monuments.
Law enforcement officials are actively investigating the recent act of vandalism. According to a police spokesperson, the Captain Cook Memorial in Jacka Boulevard was reported as vandalized by members of the public. The statue, a symbol of historical significance, was methodically sawn off at the ankles. Authorities are examining evidence and are particularly interested in individuals seen loitering in the vicinity around the time of the incident.
Community leaders and heritage advocates have strongly condemned the repeated acts of vandalism against the Captain Cook statue. Many have emphasized the need for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions. The sentiment is clear – this is not merely a case of mischief but a deliberate and disrespectful pattern of behaviour that threatens the preservation of cultural and historical symbols.
The targeting of historical monuments poses a threat not only to the tangible symbols of Australia’s past but also to the collective identity of its people. The ongoing attacks on the Captain Cook statue highlight the importance of implementing measures to protect and preserve the nation’s heritage. Stakeholders, including local authorities and heritage organizations, must collaborate to develop strategies that deter such acts of vandalism and ensure the safeguarding of historical landmarks.
The recent vandalising of the Captain Cook statue in St Kilda, Melbourne, is a stark reminder of the challenges faced in preserving Australia’s historical monuments. As authorities continue their investigation, it is essential for the community to reflect on the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage and finding common ground through open dialogue. The ultimate goal should be to create a society that respects its history while embracing diversity and differing perspectives.
Good morning Ray,
I continue to closely follow your informative and very popular FRONTLINE website – but I haven’t offered an article since mid-November last year (ie – the WWII submarine cutting “Japanese” underwater communications cables off Vung Tau in mid-1945).
I’ve attached a possible article for FRONTLINE – albeit somewhat lengthy, that relates NVA/VC views (mostly disparaging) of Australian and US troops; and also cites the NVA/VC confusion about ”Aborigines” among the Australian forces.
Best wishes, Ernie Chamberlain
CLICK LINK to read Ernie’s article.
The Federal Court this week exposed a scandal – how government-funded lawyers appeared to help invent Aboriginal “traditions” to fight a massive gas project.
Justice Natalie Charlesworth’s findings are so damning that I believe the Albanese government must now cancel its funding of the Environmental Defenders Office.
The EDO last year got the court to delay the $5.8bn Santos gas project in the seas north of Darwin by helping three Tiwi Islanders who claimed an underwater pipeline from the project to Darwin would anger the rainbow serpent and a Crocodile Man who were in that part of the sea.
They also claimed the pipeline would disturb graves and sacred sites of Aborigines who lived there more than 20,000 years ago, when the seas were 120m lower and the seabed there was land.
It was mad enough to have this project delayed at a cost of $1m a day because of a non-existent rainbow serpent and a man-turned-crocodile.
Wilder was the claim – presented by the EDO lawyers – that Tiwi Islanders today actually knew the sacred sites of land that was drowned thousands of years ago, through oral traditions passed on over more than 600 generations.
As Justice Charlesworth said on Monday, in lifting the ban on the project: “It is implausible that an ancient oral tradition could yield such detailed information”.
It’s even stranger when the supposed gravesite was drawn on a map of the now-drowned area by a single Tiwi Islander, Marie Munkara, and was not known by the 23 Islanders who gave evidence in court.
That wasn’t the only suspicious thing about this amazing map.
Last June, EDO lawyers held – and filmed – a meeting for eight Aborigines against the project, and introduced them to marine geoscientist Mick O’Leary, an associate professor at the University of Western Australia.
O’Leary had with him a computer-generated map of the area as it supposedly was before the seas covered it and told the Aborigines to use their oral traditions and draw where the sacred sites were 20,000 years ago.
He claimed he’d helped stop a Woodside project this way, using ancient memories preserved in song to identify a sacred site.
Well, said one of the Aborigines, impressed: “We gotta do this.”
In fact, O’Leary later confessed in court he hadn’t used any such map against Woodside. The judge gave him a whack: “Dr O’Leary … did lie to the Tiwi Islanders, and I find that he did so because he wanted his ‘cultural mapping’ exercise to be used in a way that would stop the pipeline.”
She also found his map, with “a stunning waterfall in a luscious green landscape”, could not “on any reasonable measure be said to correctly represent the pre-inundation landscape”.
But Aborigines at the meeting had got the idea. Two women described how the rainbow serpent and Crocodile Man would have swum around the Tiwi Islands, or from a local cape, not realising the islands and their cape didn’t exist then, since they were part of the mainland. Neither O’Leary nor the EDO lawyer corrected them.
Yet no one at that meeting identified any grave sites. They were added to the map later by Marie Munkara, in circumstances not filmed or explained. Munkara didn’t give evidence, and no Aboriginal witness said she had cultural authority.
Again, Charlesworth wasn’t impressed: “The court cannot be satisfied about the integrity of any process by which Marie Munkara came to put her own marks there”.
It got worse. Alina Leikin, an EDO lawyer, then stepped up to the map.
“That’s where the sea starts,” Leikin said, and drew a line to a spot on the map to what the EDO later called “the sacred freshwater source”.
The judge was appalled: “That video … depicts what could only be described as the EDO lawyer drawing on the map in a way that could not on any reasonable view truthfully reflect what the Tiwi informant had said”.
She said drawing up this crucial map of sacred sites and graves involved “confection” or “construction” – in other words, fakery. The map was worthless.
Charlesworth also accused the EDO and an anthropologist hired for the case of “a form of subtle coaching” of some witnesses to get them to tell “their stories in a way that propelled their traditions into the sea and into the vicinity of the pipeline”.
Why is the Albanese government funding an activist group of lawyers who used a dodgy map, coached witnesses and far-fetched traditions to stop massive resources projects this country badly needs?
Audie Leon Murphy, born on June 20, 1925, and passing away on May 28, 1971, was a multifaceted individual renowned as an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. Recognised as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II and often hailed as the most highly decorated soldier in U.S. history, Murphy’s contributions to his nation were unparalleled. His valour was exemplified by receiving every military combat award for valour available from the United States Army, along with commendations from France and Belgium for acts of heroism.
Born into a large family of sharecroppers in Hunt County, Texas, Murphy faced early hardships when his father abandoned the family and his mother passed away during his teenage years. Despite leaving school in fifth grade to work and support his family, Murphy’s exceptional skill with a hunting rifle became a crucial means of providing sustenance.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Murphy, with the help of his older sister, altered documentation to meet the minimum age requirement for military enlistment. Initially rejected by the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps due to being underweight, he eventually joined the Army. His wartime experiences included the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily, participation in the Battle of Anzio, the liberation of Rome, and the invasion of southern France. Notable feats included holding off a company of German soldiers at the Colmar Pocket in France in January 1945 and leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition, earning him the Medal of Honor.
Despite grappling with multiple illnesses and wounds throughout his service, Murphy emerged as one of the most highly praised and decorated soldiers of World War II, credited with the demise of 241 enemy soldiers.
Struggling with what would now be identified as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), referred to as “battle fatigue” during his time, Murphy coped by sleeping with a loaded handgun and resorting to addictive sleeping pills. In his final years, financial difficulties plagued him, but he declined offers to endorse alcohol and cigarette commercials, prioritising a positive example.
Tragically, Audie Murphy lost his life in a plane crash in Virginia in 1971, just before his 46th birthday. He was laid to rest with military honours at Arlington National Cemetery, and his grave remains one of the most visited, commemorating a remarkable life dedicated to service and valour.
ED: I am drawing attention to the escalating issue of youth crime in Queensland, it is imperative that we address this growing concern. The situation has reached a critical point, with adolescents and even children as young as 10 engaging in criminal activities. Law enforcement finds themselves in a challenging position, the judicial system appears to be taking insufficient action, and juveniles released on bail persist in committing crimes.
The scope of the problem is evident in the theft of vehicles from private garages, and the brazen display of criminal activities on social media further compounds the issue. The frustration within the Queensland Police Force is palpable, leading to officers leaving in significant numbers.
Acknowledging that this is a politically charged matter, I am sharing information about the LNP’s proposed plan to address youth crime. As of now, this plan stands as the primary initiative put forth to tackle the issue. It is crucial to recognize that many Queenslanders, if not directly affected, are connected to someone who has experienced the impact of youth crime in their communities.
QUEENSLAND YOUTH CRIME OUT OF CONTROL.
In 2015 the Labor State Government watered down criminal laws in Queensland.
Since then, crime rates have exploded across the state to crisis levels.
Newly released data from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) sadly proves what Queenslanders from across the state are saying – they no longer feel safe in their own homes or walking in their neighbourhood.
For the first time in 17 years, police data shows nearly 50,000 break and enter offences were recorded across Queensland last year. Police data also shows car theft rose by 116% with nearly 11,000 more vehicles stolen during 2023 compared to 2015.
At the same time there are 322 fewer police now than 18 months ago
This is the result of a third term State Labor Government’s watering down of criminal laws and reduction in police numbers – this is the impact of Labor’s untouchable youth criminals.
For Gold Coast residents between 2015 and 2023 increased:
Car theft increased by 71%;
Break and enters increased by 41%;
Theft increased by 31%; and
Assault increased by 210%.
This explosion in crime is also costing You money.
Crime is driving up insurance premiums for everyone including victims who can least afford it.
The LNP has announced practical solutions to tackle Queensland’s Youth Crime Crisis, reduce crime, and help cut insurance premiums.
These include:
Rewriting the Youth Justice Act and embedding consequences for actions – putting victims’ rights ahead of young criminals;
Unshackling the judiciary by removing Labor’s policy of detention as a last resort;
Delivering gold standard early intervention to turn young offenders around;
Prioritising discipline, guidance, and opportunity for children in residential care to prevent them ending up in the youth justice system; and-
Attracting and retaining more police by giving them the laws and resources needed to do their job.
For too long Queenslanders have been forced to endure the chaos and crisis.
A key responsibility of a government is to create a safe environment for people to live their lives; an LNP Government will have no greater priority than providing this to Queenslanders.
Norma Jeane Mortenson, known by her stage name Marilyn Monroe, was born on June 1, 1926, and passed away on August 4, 1962. She was an American actress, model, and singer, gaining fame for her portrayal of comic “blonde bombshell” characters. Monroe emerged as one of the most iconic sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, becoming a symbol of the era’s sexual revolution. As a top-billed actress for a decade, her films grossed an impressive $200 million by the time of her death in 1962 (equivalent to $2 billion in 2024).
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Monroe’s early life was marked by residence in 12 foster homes and an orphanage. At the age of sixteen, she married James Dougherty. During World War II, while working in a factory, Monroe’s life took a turn when she encountered a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit. This meeting kickstarted her successful pin-up modelling career, leading to short-lived film contracts with 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures.
After a series of minor film roles, Monroe signed a new contract with Fox in late 1950. Over the next two years, she gained popularity with roles in comedies like “As Young as You Feel” and “Monkey Business,” as well as in dramas such as “Clash by Night” and “Don’t Bother to Knock.” Despite a scandal involving nude photographs from her past, Monroe’s career remained unscathed and, in fact, garnered increased interest in her films.
Even after her death, Monroe continues to be a prominent pop culture icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute recognized her as the sixth-greatest female screen legend from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
