A bit of anti-Christian philosophy from two Muslim brothers who claimed that Australian law did not apply to them:
  https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2019/04/18/the-cross-belongs-in-the-dustbin-of-history-muslim-brothers-claim-islam-exempt-from-law/

“Two Muslim brothers who claimed Australian law did not apply to them or their religion have been fined for contempt of court. Mustapha and Diaa Kara-Ali reportedly laughed and began abusing the judge as the punishment was handed down in Sydney’s Land and Environment Court, after they were found guilty of felling trees without council permission. The brothers had tried to argue the Islamic organisation they ran, Diwan Al Dawla, was exempt from Australian law on religious grounds and they were free to develop their rural retreat – which included clearing native trees – as they saw fit. In sentencing the two men on Thursday, Justice Terence Sheahan said the pair only engaged in the court process “following my reluctant decision to have you arrested … to address the problems you’ve created”, describing their contempt of the court as “flagrant”. In his published reasons, Justice Sheahan said the brothers’ claim they do not have to comply with Australian law is false.

     In the US politics both the Democrats and the neo-conmen Republicans bait Russia, secretly hoping for war. There is a delusional belief that somehow the US could win such a conflict, and indeed, that this conflict is “winnable” and even makes sense. Paul Craig Roberts has his finger on the pulse of this one:
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-22/paul-craig-roberts-warns-orchestration-russophobia-prelude-war

“The Russian Embassy in Washington has prepared an accurate 121-page report in response to Mueller's report: THE RUSSIAGATE HYSTERIA: A CASE OF SEVERE RUSSOPHOBIA. Everyone should read this report. It documents the fake news, lies, violations of diplomatic standards and international law, and gratuitous aggressive actions taken against Russia during the period beginning May 18, 2016 and continuing through the issuance of the Mueller Report.  Without explicitly saying so, the report shows that neither the US government nor the American media has a nanoparticle of integrity.Both are criminal organizations that are willing to risk war with Russia in their pursuit of narrow policitized agendas. This is important information for Americans and the rest of the world to have. Every person, every government and every private organization that supports Washington’s Russophobic policies is contributing to the growing threat of nuclear war.

     I did not know what a “loonie” was until I read this story, but now I know just what a loonie is:
  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/loonie-lgbtq-1.5107077

“The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a commemorative loonie Tuesday to mark what it called a key milestone for lesbian, gay, transgender, queer and two-spirited people, with the government saying the coin symbolized progress while highlighting the work that still needs to be done to advance equality. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau was amongst a number of dignitaries who gathered in Toronto to unveil the new one-dollar coin that pays tribute to Parliament's passing of legislation that "initiated the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada" in 1969. The coin, which is now in circulation, combines the words "Equality-Egalite" with the work of Vancouver-based artist Joe Average. "For too long, people didn't listen. They didn't extend compassion or empathy or understanding," Morneau said. "Because of that, years ago, people made it a crime to love in Canada. We made being yourself a punishable offence."

     We have been publishing material on the threat of China for years, indeed what seems like a lifetime. Here, though, is US Senator Marco Rubio, making the same sorts of warnings:
  https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/04/25/exclusive-sen-marco-rubio-at-their-own-peril-countries-embrace-china/

“China is playing a zero-sum game internationally and willing to win at all costs. That certainly won’t be Chinese President Xi Jinping’s message to world leaders at the second Belt and Road Initiative Forum in Beijing this week, but that is the reality. For the last two decades, China fooled the world into believing it would embrace the rules-based international order and become a responsible stakeholder. Instead, China has used its membership in the World Trade Organization as an instrument for its economic advancement aimed directly at the expense of other more developed member states. Moreover, it has tightened its one-party authoritarian rule, increased repression of domestic dissent, and escalated human rights abuses within its borders. And it is building up its military’s might—including new capabilities to menace Taiwan, Japan, and other neighbors to threaten U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region, and to project power globally.

     It is hard to keep up with all the literature, so I hope readers appreciate the sacrifice my eyes are making to the “cause’! Just joking of course. But to begin … A series of insightful and though-provoking essays have been published at the very interesting American Mind.org site, basically saying the same sort of stuff we say here about the threat of multiculturalism and runaway identity politics. The core paper, with the others being commentaries is by David Azerrad, and it argues that identity politics is in essence the politics of victimology;
  https://americanmind.org/essays/the-promises-and-perils-of-identity-politics/

“Identity politics thus combines a focus on race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and any other number of identitarian categories with a politics of victimization. The key to understanding identity politics is to realize that it is primarily a politics of oppression and victimization rather than identity. This is apparent in the first document to use the term, the 1977 Combahee River Collective Statement. As the black lesbian feminists who drafted it explain: “This focusing upon our own oppression is embodied in the concept of identity politics.” The cornerstone of the identitarian worldview is the claim that America, contrary to its egalitarian professions of faith, is at its core a supremacist regime that oppresses certain groups. The oppressed groups vary according to the different identitarian movements—black people, women, Hispanics, homosexuals, transsexuals, etc.—although most recognize the oppression of other groups and proclaim solidarity with them. This struggle between the oppressors and those whom they oppress on the basis of their identity is the most fundamental dimension of reality. Oppression of women and minorities, in this view, does not mark a departure from American republican ideals. Rather, it reveals the repressive nature of the regime.

     Could this be a real case of the so-called 4-dimensional chess that the Dissent Right once thought Donald Trump played? Le Pen seems to want to take over the EU rather than pull France out of it.
  https://www.franceinter.fr/politique/marine-le-pen-renonce-officiellement-au-frexit-dans-son-projet

“The National Gathering publishes this Monday its project for the European elections, accompanied by a long manifesto. For the first time, black and white, Marine Le Pen does not mention the exit of the European Union and the euro zone. She wants to reassure her electorate, appear more credible and more eco-friendly. A revolution that does not look like it. The National Assembly (former National Front), with this European project, the abandonment of Frexit. During the last European elections, in 2014, this remained the cornerstone of the project: the exit of France from the European Union and the euro zone. It was also discussed in the 2017 presidential program.

     Our noble director sent me the link to the article that I want to tell you about today, but included a note which I found profound, and thought-provoking, so let me quote what Ken said: “Australians are known for their weakness when trade deals are done.  You can imagine China declining to buy, for instance, our beef, because we have done something not within their approval.  It could be un-related like killing kangaroos etc.  BUT we would never use our commodities sold to China as a bargaining point over, say their illegal South-China sea activity. Underneath most problems we find the lack of adequate finance to over-ride most decisions.  We tolerate any negative things like mines threatening underground water, as long as the mine delivers something to export for more dollars!!” And that is so true, indicating that unless a nation strives for financial and economic self-reliance, it is doomed to dependency and being at the mercy of the rest of the world, which is really just another definition of globalism. Here is an extract by Adam Ni, on the challenges of China:
  http://www.visiontimes.com/2019/04/16/its-time-to-rethink-australias-approach-to-china.html

“The truth is, for too long, Australian elites have turned a blind eye to the challenges posed by China’s rise. Many of our political, business, and community leaders have developed cozy and profitable relations with the Chinese party-state. For too long, our elites have benefited from China’s economic rise without properly preparing the Australian public for the long-term challenges posed by an increasingly powerful authoritarian Middle Kingdom. There is no doubt that Australia needs to engage China on trade, investment, connectivity, security, and a raft of regional and international issues. But there is an urgent need to rethink our current modus operandi and recalibrate Australia’s approach to China. Of course, this process has been underway for some time. The bipartisan support for foreign interference laws and the decision to exclude Huawei and ZTE from the building of Australia’s 5G network highlight Australian concerns about China’s influence. However, I would argue that a deeper rethink is needed if we are to prepare Australia for a future in our corner of the world with an increasingly powerful China with vastly different political institutions and values.

To The Australian        How can the Liberal Party regain strength and impetus in our national affairs? Michael Sexton analyses problems ("Liberals face decline amid shifting public priorities", 23/4), but does not provide ideas for reform. The greatest mistake the party can make, as Malcolm Turnbull has helped show, is to turn itself into a second centre-left party. Rather, it must "go right", but this must be done in an intelligent manner. What does that require? Firstly, a new effort must be made to build a narrative of Australia as a great nation with further greatness ahead of it. This means celebration of the British settlement, our roles in two world wars and several minor conflicts, our pioneering history and our construction of a modern free nation based on an outstanding constitution which it is difficult for the left-wing zealots to erode. Secondly the party needs to associate itself strongly with sacred tradition - not just Christian tradition and certainly not "old-fashioned" Christian practice. Leave atheism and rationalism for the ALP and the Greens. Thirdly, and most painfully, the party must detach itself from the "anti-racism" zealotry that has done immense harm to our sense of who we are and where we can go. This, especially, will call for gallantry and honesty; for there are very powerful interests opposed to such necessary reform.     And fourthly the party must not allow its identity to be primarily tied to business and economic issues. These lack glamour and have been over-emphasised in recent decades.
  Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic

*Responsibility for electoral comment authorised by K. W. Grundy 13 Carsten Court, Happy Valley, SA.

To The Australian        The claim by Stuart Andrews ("Court ruling on Ridd raises some questions", 24/4) that there is no "unfettered right to denigrate or offend" in public discourse can be disputed. One person who did so was T. S. Eliot who, in his 1931 essay on Charles Whibley, observed with regret that few people any longer claimed "the free speech to call a knave a knave, or a fool a fool." Eliot noted that "invective is a form of writing which varies at different times and in different countries according to the customs and laws in vogue at the time and in the place." He added that some people deplored the decay of the language of abuse as a literary loss. Perhaps one symptom of a healthy society is its capacity to tolerate language that vilifies and to admire vilification that is also witty. By contrast, a craven kow-towing to limitations imposed on discourse by commissars is then a sign of cultural ill-health.
  Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic

To The Age        I disagree with your editorial claim ("Comedian's Ukraine win a serious matter", 24/4) that "there is not much to inspire young people in Prime Minister Scott Morrison." His Christian profession and impressive work ethic are two factors in his favour. He consistently comes across, rather as Bob Hawke once did, as "a genuine bloke". He also presents as a moderate man, open to discourse from different points of view. Of course, he has a liberal-conservative political creed which will put off left-wing idealists among the young (and old). However the Coalition's traditional emphasis on less rather than more government intervention should appeal to a good number of young people who cherish their independence. Most of all, comparatively speaking, Morrison leads Australia's free speech party, and intellectual freedom is a cause dear to most of the best minds in each new generation.
  Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic

*Responsibility for electoral comment authorised by K. W. Grundy 13 Carsten Court, Happy Valley, SA.

     Here the post-white post-American future, rushing up to hit us squarely in the jaw:
  https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mexican-troops-drew-weapons-on-american-soldiers-on-u-s-side-of-the-border

“Armed Mexican troops disarmed two United States soldiers while they were on the American side of the border, U.S. defense officials have said. U.S. Northern Command said in a statement that "five to six Mexican military personnel questioned two U.S. Army soldiers who were conducting border support operations" this month. The U.S. soldiers were in an unmarked Customs and Border Protection [CBP] vehicle near the southwest border near Clint, Texas. Officials confirmed that the Mexican troops were armed with what seemed to be rifles. They raised their weapons when they saw the two U.S. soldiers, and then took a pistol from one and put it in the CBP vehicle. According to officials talking to CNN, the two Americans obliged "in an attempt to de-escalate a potential volatile situation."

     We have seen opinion polls showing that the young are increasingly approving of socialism, showing how quickly the lessons of history are forgotten, by some, but not all:
  https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-03-30-socialism-is-already-collapsing-in-the-usa-as-residents-flee.html

“What do New York, San Francisco and Chicago all have in common? They’re all willing victims of socialism. The far-left political ideologies that have consumed these cities are now driving them deep into financial ruin — and citizens are fleeing in greater numbers every year. Whether it’s a lack of job opportunity, exorbitantly expensive housing costs, or high taxes, there’s no shortage of bones to pick with socialist policies. While liberals may herald socialism as the progressive dream, its ideologies don’t hold up very well in the real world. There is no stronger evidence of that than the mass migration from the most liberal states and cities in the union. New York, San Francisco and Chicago are among the hardest hit — and it’s easy to see why. Citizens say high taxes, exorbitant costs of living and poor job prospects are driving them to look for new places to live. Socialist cities struck by mass exodus

     Can you imagine my extreme excitement in discovering for the first time in my life, my dream job, not as a toilet cleaner, no I wasted time with that, nor as a poet, but rather as sex research officer! Let the ad speak for itself, being a highly self-assertive ad:
  http://careers.pageuppeople.com/533/caw/en/job/558192/research-officer

“Job No.:558192
Work type:Fixed Term
•    Part-time (60%), fixed term contract for approx 2.5 years
•    Located at the Bundoora Campus
•    $65,996 - $89,021 (FTE) per annum + up to 17% superannuation
The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society (ARCSHS) is one of La Trobe University’s major research centres and a globally recognised multi-disciplinary centre of research excellence for over 25 years. In the most recent Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) assessment, the research outputs of ARCSHS received the highest rating of 5 – ‘Outstanding performance well above world standard’. Staff and students within ARCSHS examine many aspects of sexuality, sexual health and the social dimensions of human relationships, and the Centre’s major areas of research strength and interest include:
•    The health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) populations
•    Blood borne viruses & Sexually transmissible infections
•    Young people’s sexual health and wellbeing
•    Gender, sexuality and social theory
About the position
The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University is looking for a Level A postdoctoral research officer for an ARC Discovery Project ‘The technological transformation of sex: Improving Australia’s response’. This project will focus on individual and cultural implications of the uptake of new digital technologies into adult sexual lives, through such things as the use of sexting or amateur film production, or the use of new mechanical devices or medical products to enhance sexual experience.
The role will involve managing recruitment of interview participants, conducting in-depth interviews, conducting cultural and media analyses, contributing to data analysis and writing academic publications. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work alongside leading researchers in the above fields. The position is offered part time at 0.6 fraction for a fixed term of 2.5 years.
Skills and Experience
To be considered for this position, you will possess:
•    Completion or near completion of a PhD in a relevant discipline and evidence of participation in higher level study relevant to discipline or professional area.
•    Familiarity with the research fields of sexuality and gender studies, technology studies, and/or communication and media studies.
•    Experience in qualitative research methods and applying social theory in analysing research materials.
•    Evidence of experience in research and the ability to work effectively under limited supervision or independently.
•    A record of contribution to publications, conference papers and/or reports, or professional or technical contributions which provide evidence of research.
•    Effective oral and written communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Please refer to the Position Description for other duties, skills and experience required for this position.
About La Trobe
La Trobe University’s success is driven by people who are committed to making a difference. They are creative and highly motivated, pursue new ideas and create knowledge. La Trobe is one of Australia’s research leaders, and the largest provider of higher education to regional Victoria.  Our teaching and research address some of the most significant issues of our time and we’re passionate about driving change through operational excellence to benefit the communities we serve. All La Trobe University employees are bound by the Working with Children Act 2005.  If you are successful, you will be required to hold a valid Victorian Employee Working with Children Check prior to commencement.”

     I am aware that there is a no spoilers code about reviewing this movie, and that the directors, the Russo brothers begged fans not to reveal the plot. That is why I am going to spill my guts here. If you have come to this website via the magic of Google stay tuned because we have everything here. Take me for example, a genuinely mentally disturbed person, who lives in a small tool shed, and writes movie reviews. Others talk about more serious financial stuff, which is beyond me, but check it out. What you may ask gives with these movie reviews, how is that possible? Well, my social worker comes and takes me in handcuffs, sometimes to movies to relax me, as part of my therapy …  but wait you want the spoilers, so here goes, dear new friends …

     Ok, well, the first part of the movie has Iron Man and cyborg Nebula heading back to earth, only problem is Iron Man will die, not from rust but lack of oxygen. Nebula is ok being a robot. Then the uber-feminist super-woman Captain Marvel comes by, rescues everybody, goes to Earth. All very DC.

     It is said that the Notre Dame fire was not arson, and that those who think so are racist! Well, that ends the debate and speculation, like slamming into a brick wall. Still, the mind wanders:
  http://www.fdesouche.com/1192629-notre-dame-les-travaux-navaient-pas-encore-debute-seuls-les-echafaudages-etaient-en-cours-de-montage

Here is my translation, showing off the French I forgot from school:

     It seems it is only a matter of time now before the entire house of cards of the global economy comes crashing down.
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-22/cataclysmic-243-trillion-global-debt-bomb-will-explode-impoverishing-everyone

“Global debt now stands at a terrifying $243 trillion according to a report by the Institute of International Finance this week. That’s quarter of a quadrillion. We’re in the realms of the absurd and the unsustainable. That’s money that will never be repaid. The debt-based system is irrevocably broken and is still propped up by the lies told by central bankers and governments in order to remain in positions of power over others. The record debt figure stands at three-times the world’s total gross domestic product (GDP). In other words, it’s three times larger than the value of all products and services on the planet.  And the United States is contributing massively to this problem, propping up a debt bubble that will crush everyone when it finally bursts. It’s pretty safe to say that if you aren’t concerned, you simply aren’t paying attention and will be hurt when it all collapses. An irresponsible monetary system addicted to printing money and issuing credit is destroying the standard of living almost everywhere on the planet. It’s time to admit that we, as human beings, need a new alternative to the control, wealth redistribution, theft, and slavery that’s overtaken humanity. And one website dares to say that while it’s far from perfect, bitcoin offers a viable solution with its fixed supply. According to CCN, Bitcoin, the decentralized cryptocurrency, is a way out of the poorly designed monetary system forced down all of our throats by power-hungry sociopaths. When economic growth is insufficient, governments and companies borrow more money.  But this is nothing more than a cycle of addiction, writes  John Mauldin inForbes:

     I hate bloody electric cars; isn’t the case that some of them just burst into flames? Anyway, I will not go there because I have dug up something more damaging, namely a study showing that electric cars are more polluting in terms of the dreaded carbon dioxide than even diesel ones!
  http://www.brusselstimes.com/business/technology/15050/electric-vehicles-emit-more-co2-than-diesel-ones,-german-study-shows?

“Electric vehicles in Germany account for more CO2 emissions than diesel ones, according to a study by German scientists. When CO2 emissions linked to the production of batteries and the German energy mix - in which coal still plays an important role - are taken into consideration, electric vehicles emit 11% to 28% more than their diesel counterparts, according to the study, presented on Wednesday at the Ifo Institute in Munich. Mining and processing the lithium, cobalt and manganese used for batteries consume a great deal of energy. A Tesla Model 3 battery, for example, represents between 11 and 15 tonnes of CO2. Given a lifetime of 10 years and an annual travel distance of 15,000 kilometres, this translates into 73 to 98 grams of CO2 per kilometre, scientists Christoph Buchal, Hans-Dieter Karl and Hans-Werner Sinn noted in their study. The CO2 given off to produce the electricity that powers such vehicles also needs to be factored in, they say. When all these factors are considered, each Tesla emits 156 to 180 grams of CO2 per kilometre, which is more than a comparable diesel vehicle produced by the German company Mercedes, for example. The German researchers, therefore, take issue with the fact that European officials view electric vehicles as zero-emission ones. They note further that the EU target of 59 grams of CO2 per km by 2030 corresponds to a “technically unrealistic” consumption of 2.2 litres of diesel or 2.6 litres of gas per 100 kms.”

     I hope you are impressed, for we are dragging out gems of information that the mainstream media here is not reporting on. Take for example Clive Hamilton’s analysis of China’s takeover of Canada. This surprised even me:
  https://nationalpost.com/news/world/academic-who-blew-the-whistle-on-chinas-influence-on-australia-says-canada-is-in-even-worse-trouble

“Some experts suggest the problem of Chinese soft-power interference is much more pronounced in Australia and New Zealand than here. Do you agree? I think it’s more of a problem in Canada. Yes, Australia’s economic dependence is higher — in terms of trade — but when I look, as I have been doing, at the subtle but intense influence of China on Canadian institutions — parliaments, provincial governments, local governments, universities, the intellectual community, the policy community — it makes me deadly worried. Can you give some examples of what disturbs you so much here? When I was last in Canada — in Ottawa, a few months ago — I was pretty dismayed at the extent of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the federal Parliament. I should probably not say any more to stay on the right side of the libel laws.

     Cher championed mass immigration, refugees and all that jazz, but my, when it comes to having the mass migration in her backyard, oh, let’s talk about this:
  https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2019/04/14/cher-los-angeles-cant-take-care-of-its-own-how-can-it-take-care-of-more-immigrants/

“Pop icon Cher said Sunday that Los Angeles, California, “can’t take care of its own” residents, much less newly arrived illegal and legal immigrants. Cher said she failed to understand how the city of Los Angeles in the sanctuary state of California could afford to admit and take care of any more immigrants when city officials have failed to care for homeless, veterans, and poverty-stricken Americans. “I Understand Helping struggling Immigrants, but MY CITY (Los Angeles) ISNT TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN.WHAT ABOUT THE 50,000+Citizens WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS.PPL WHO LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE,& HUNGRY? If My State Can’t Take Care of Its Own(Many Are VETS)How Can it Take Care Of More,” Cher said.”

     WikiLeaks revealed the high level of corruption … everywhere …  and for doing what journalists should have been doing instead of writing pieces to rub the bloated bellies of their masters, Assange now faces being drawn and quartered, literally because the US engages in torture. Already the character assassination is in full scale operation, where any bit of dirt is thrown at poor Assange, to get the public ready for the show trial.
  https://www.rt.com/news/456596-assange-media-character-assassination/
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-15/chris-hedges-martyrdom-julian-assange
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-15/ron-paul-long-assange-prison-we-are-all-prison

“Last week’s arrest of Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange by the British government on a US extradition order is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the US Constitution. It is an attack on the free press. It is an attack on free speech. It is an attack on our right to know what our government is doing with our money in our name. Julian Assange is every bit as much a political prisoner as was Cardinal Mindszenty in Hungary or Nelson Mandela in South Africa. They, and so many more, were imprisoned because they told the truth about their governments. Repressive governments do not want their citizens to know that they are up to so they insist on controlling the media. We are taught, at the same time, that we have a free press whose job it is to uncover the corruption in our system so that we can demand our political leaders make some changes or face unemployment. That, we are told, is what makes us different from the totalitarian.