The Donald said he was going to do it and now he is.
The Great Wall of the Rio Grande, the Trump Wall will stretch almost 2,000 miles (3,100kms) from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, putting a gleam in the eye of graffiti artists everywhere. Banksy is said to be drooling in anticipation.
The estimated cost of this stunning feat of architecture is anywhere between $10 and $20 billion depending on who you listen to. Construction time is also a bit of a back-of-the-envelope exercise but by the time an exhausted bricklayer slaps the last bit of mortar on it, it is probable Donald Trump will be around 90 years of age.
In centuries to come anthropologists will marvel at it and wonder what far-sighted genius brought it into existence. Maybe even an old shyster like Erich Von Daniken will propose some unlikely theory that the Trump Wall was built by God who arrived by spaceship with the blueprint and a couple of trillion tons of prefabricated concrete.
Full column here.
JtI.
Sorry for the long post before. Steam were issuing from my ears. I will be more restrained in future.
On a brighter note but regreting being off topic again, the first game of the AFL season is on Friday night and my team are in the fray. Are there any followers here?
No, I thought it was a good one. I may disagree with segments of it but like you, I wonder how these violent bastards can be bailed only to create more havoc.
I read in this morning’s paper that a 13yr old has been refused bail. It’s actually an horrific story when one reads what the kid has been up to.
Melbourne’s gang related issues seem to be escalating.
It’s not only Melbourne or gangs. I see society is more violent and less caring. When I came here Australia was a land of peace. I cant decide if that has changed or if violence is more visible now cause of modern communication and was always there. I’m no crusader. It’s no trouble to bilet someone in need of shelter. I just heard the women have been taken to Ipswich.
More on this tomorrow.
Good – will be interesting read for sure!
Are there AFL followers here? Is the Donald’s hair real?
LOL. Does a one-legged duck swim in circles?
JTI this was plmo’s list. Well maybe I was being generous to Dictator trump probably more like 8 or 9 not the 10, I said. It is clear Dictator trump is rapidly undoing the gains made over the last century. Imagine what he can achieve in another week. WWIII if he really tries. WAKE UP sheeple.
1. Rebuild Europe After World War II. trump Attacking EU and NATO.
2. Expand the Right to Vote. trump Making it harder to vote and claiming widespread fraud with NO evidence
3. Promote Equal Access to Public Accommodations. ?
4. Reduce Disease. trump Removed funding in poorer nations will increase death from disease.
5. Reduce Workplace Discrimination. trump Increasing workplace discrimination
6. Ensure Safe Food and Drinking Water.
7. Strengthen the Nation’s Highway System. ?
8. Increase Older Americans’ Access to Health Care. trump Reducing access to health care
9. Reduce the Federal Budget Deficit. trump plans to blow out budget deficit
10. Promote Financial Security in Retirement. trump removing health care reduces financial security.
11. Improve Water Quality trump removing environmental protection requirements
12. Support Veterans’ Readjustment and Training ?
13. Promote Scientific and Technological Research. trump to reverse Paris climate agreement, Does not believe in science unless it profits him
14. Contain Communism. trump is dictatorial. cosying up to Putin
15. Improve Air Quality trump removing environmental protection requirements
16. Enhance Workplace Safety trump removing regulation will reduce safety outcomes
17. Strengthen the National Defense. trump creating more division and inciting war and terrorist acts to justify spending
18. Reduce Hunger and Improve Nutrition. trump removed aid funding and environmental protections will effect food supplies
19. Increase Access to Post-Secondary Education. ?
20. Enhance Consumer Protection. trump removing regulation will reduce protections
21. Expand Foreign Markets for U.S. Goods. Isolationist policies tariffs will effect world trade.
22. Increase the Stability of Financial Institutions and Markets. trump effect creating volatile markets
23. Increase Arms Control and Disarmament trump talks of nuclear proliferation
24. Protect the Wilderness trump removing environmental protection requirements
25. Promote Space Exploration ?
26. Protect Endangered Species trump removing environmental protection requirements and see Bella’s note on species and hunting
27. Reduce Exposure to Hazardous Waste trump removing environmental protection requirements and regulations reduction will see waste mis treated
28. Enhance the Nation’s Health Care Infrastructure. trump removing access to affordable health care
29. Maintain Stability in the Persian Gulf. trump has already derailed ME
30. Expand Home Ownership?
31. Increase International Economic Development. trump isolationist reducing International collaboration
32. Ensure an Adequate Energy Supply trump to dump Paris agreement create another oil price war like we have just seen. or his rhetoric of taking the ME oil will do likewise
33. Strengthen the Nation’s Airways System ?
34. Increase Low-Income Families’ Access to Health Care. trump removing access to affordable health care.
35. Improve Elementary and Secondary Education ? trump will maintain he disability never stopped him being “like a really smart guy” not sure which one though.
36. Reduce Crime. trump has incited bigotry, racism and violence will follow increasing civil unrest and increase crime
37. Advance Human Rights and Provide Humanitarian Relief. trump has already violated human rights and refuge convention
38. Make Government More Transparent to the Public. trump is dictatorial less transparent. less democratic.
39. Stabilize Agricultural Prices. trumps voodoo economics will cause inflation
40. Provide Assistance for the Working Poor. yeah right.
41. Improve Government Performance. trump has already destroyed confidence in government
42. Reform Welfare. trump plans to reduce welfare
43. Expand Job Training and Placement. not happening under trump
44. Increase Market Competition. trump isolationist polices is anti market
45. Increase the Supply of Low-Income Housing. trump will not help the poor
46. Develop and Renew Impoverished Communities as above the poor will become the criminalised
47. Improve Mass Transportation. trum pplans to spend huge amounts of money but no cost benefit analysis.
48. Reform Taxes tax cuts for the wealthy and big business is NOT reform
49. Control Immigration. trump has made unconstitutional decrees and reversed the gains made during the last century .
50. Devolve Responsibility to the States. trump is a dictator and wants to over ride the states.
Dismayed –
plmo’s well-balanced, accurate and unemotionally mature counters to your knee-jerk reactions to the POTUS Trump’s hitting the road running has obviously been bugging you for a few days Dismayed.
And finally from you we see what can only be described as being definitely one of the most weakest, fallacious, partisan critiques one could ever imagine.
It’s a stand-out mate, it’s yours and I’m sure it’s one you’re proud of.
Pffft.
Hey Dismasted,
Your comment below.
There are a lot of ways we do benefit from mining coal and iron ore.
The States get an Ad Valorem royalty of between 5% and 7.5% of the market value of the minerals. This is an above the line cost to the Companies that take the risk to mine it. Can you please tell me what “above the line means”? If you cannot go away. It is a royalty applied to the sales price of the product, and the States do not look at transfer costs as sales costs – they apply a royalty against the international market price of the commodity. This cannot be manipulated – it is a margin on the sales price.
Company’s cost of production are relatively stable – fixed and variable. The margins change. Rudd’s Mining Tax was below the line, and was a profit based tax – this can be manipulated. What is a profit? We have a fair system. So shut the eff up and crawl back into your little socialistic burow.
Gee with the ongoing strength in Iron ore and coal prices just imagine if there was some way for the Nation of Australia to benefit and add much needed revenue to the budget from it. Oh wait that’s right we had one but the coalition decided to forego that much needed revenue. No Surprises.
Royalties are the least efficient way of taxing extracted products. This has been made clear time after time by research. I agree with the last paragraph at the bottom of your comment. So I will NOT “shut the eff up” I do not know what a “little socialistic burrow” is. You are clearly part of the ongoing rent seeking cons. So next time I will respond in kind to your delusional rant. I am sure you will then claim to be victim as all you weak cons do.
this is great..the best…awsum from many viewpoints
boss lady is single……. >snerk<
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-31/wa-election-pilbara-one-nation-david-archibald-single-mothers/8227960
darren 08:07pm.
Not only you side-stepping the real issues of today, but confused yourself like the past comes to figures .I am not surprised you not wanting to mention this like many others do. You obvious don’t take in news , media documentaries describing the tragedies of these people steering well clear onto other ancient jargon.
Bella stop that nonsense blaming people when Labor cruelty locked them up leaving Dutton to clear the last 1830 kids out .1200 drowned under Rudd policies , answers on that please?????? Do some homework next time please on this Bella!!
EE, actually I have a great interest in Africa. I have done work for projects in Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast and the history of the Congo is fascinating – from Leopold’s time (I recommend to you the book, King Leopold’s Ghost) to the Great War of Africa (I recommend to you Dancing in the Glory of Monsters). I also recommend to you the documentary Big Men. I also worked – in the rough diamond sales division – for 7 and a half years for CRA in its argyle diamond joint venture with Ashtons. I have been exposed to people who would be difficult to caricature and I can tell you a lot about how the diamond industry in Africa operated and operates.
But back to the point. The simple fact is that the vast majority of the killing in Africa is the result of ethnic conflicts, exacerbated by conflicts over valuable resources and a lack of institutions – and institutional norms – to limit those conflicts. As I write South Sudan is falling into a civil war between the Nuer and the dinka. Nothing changes: the dutch trekkers who settled the inlands of south africa found the area largely deserted of people. What they didnt know is that the legendary zulu king Shaka had revolutionised war in africa (with the introduction of the assegai and more advanced tactics) and his massacres had set off a wandering of other peoples that caused a raging war and mass casualties. The Voortrekkers wandered straight into the largely empty aftermath of that.
By the way, Joseph Kabila is now a couple of months past the end of his legal term as president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lots of excuses for delaying the elections and, if that doesnt change, war there is likely again. Nothing to do with religion. Its power and money, which is, ultimately, always the cause of wars in Africa, even the “religious” ones.
C’mon Rodent, you’re sounding a lot like my Dad.
Do some homework Bella…….blah blah…
Absolutely sick of the crocodile tears the Coalition pretend to shed over refugees dying at sea. What happened was bloody tragic however you can’t possibly know for a FACT that drownings have not occured since Abbott/Morrison started turning the boats around. Did they stick around to ensure an entire boatloads of people made it safely back to land. No. It’s all a big secret anyway.
When NZ was refused as a destination for those poor detainees, that’s when I knew that this issue had come down to which side of politics was the most cruel.
Surely Australia is better than this.
Bella
Afternoon radio news reports another woman has been murdered by an rrsole on bail and defying an AVO. The Dept of Families (Qld), or whatever the right name for this useless department is, claimed they had nowhere to offer this woman shelter. I am tired of being saddened and sickened by this almost weekly circumstances. I have a empty old house on my property, and stablehands quarters also, so I rang the police in Toowoomba and offered the use of the buildings for emergency shelter if needed. Defeating this menace can’t be left to the government or the police. It needs all the community to put in and shield these families.
Within 1 hour of my call, the police arrived. I now have two women here and their kids too. One woman looks like shes been gang bashed, something I witnessed too much of before I came here. I made the ladies as comfortable as I could, supplied them with food and will go to town tomorrow for more essentials. The Glock I keep for injured horses has been taken from the safe, oiled, loaded and hung on the back of the kitchen door. I only stand 14.2 3/8 hands and weigh 101lbs so physical intervention would be impossible if anything starts. I’m single, so some local ladies are here now assisting with clothes and household goods.
I feel nervous as hell. The cops gave me a grim rundown on their circumstances and checked the license for the gun. I got a stern warning about shooting at unarmed intruders. I replied I’ll shoot them first and then check for weapons, and I’ll lend them one if they don’t have one. The police gave a grim laugh. The women have been warned not to contact anyone, even close friends. Its not likely anyone could find them here. I have four very alert and protective Ridgebacks for an alarm system. I’m at the end of a long road, and my neighbours will warn me if any unknown cars head down my way, but its should not have come to this.
The legal system is failing. Magistrates are turning out scum who should remain behind bars. An AVO has the strength of wet dunny paper. The authorities seem almost powerless. Ive done something, but its a drop in the bucket. There should be somewhere for women in danger to go that is safe and secure. My local Member will get another brutal phone call in the morning. This scourge must end.
Uh oh!
No. All good. Night was quiet and all back to normal now.
Good on you X, keep fighting the good fight. I see Russia is thinking if decriminalizing domestic violence.
Thanks but its not a fight, just a place to hide. Families Dept people were here early this morning but have taken the women somewhere after I went out as there not here now. I went to town and dont have a mobile so I’m in the dark. Hope all turns out OK for them. Its the kids I feel sorry for. The kids are the real victims. I’m just a little bloke and I’ve seen too many bullies up close meself. May good luck follow them wherever they are.
I just heard from Families that the women have been taken to a shelter in Ipswich. The Toowoomba shelter is full. I told them they can use the empty house and hands quarters as they need, and they will send someone out to get the keys. It’s a distance off from my house so it’s no trouble. It has its own gate so I need not get involved. I’m relieved nothing bad happened, and the old house will have some use. I will sleep easier tonight.
Don’t lay it on too thick X.
Well picked JB.!
You are full of shit X. What you have said would not and could not happen and you deserve a friggin punch in the head for taking the piss on this subject.
Not taking any piss anywhere boyo. I offered a resource to a department that is badly underresourced in rural areas. They were grateful to get it, and now have the keys themselves. If it can take the overflow from the Toowoomba shelter well and good. No skin off my nose. All I did was make a phone call to a mate in the police and make the offer. I didnt try to involve meself. I dint expect them to arrive an hour later. This latest murder comes atop several murders of similar type in recent weeks. The most horrific recent case was the murder of a 16 month old baby by his mothers boyfriend. Beaten to death because his mother couldn’t escape. Tell me what your doing to help boyo. I bet it aint much. I never married nor had kids but I feel really sorry for women who choose men unwisely, and really feel for the kids who get no choice at all. You seem to claim some special knowledge boyo but I reckon your like the barbers cat, full of piss and wind.
Was it the loaded glock pistol hanging on the door TG? I don’t mind admitting now that for the police to give a “nervous as hell” unknown just a grim laugh in response to that “shoot first” comment, had me scratching my head.
Seriously X WHY??
Softly softly Guv’nor! I reckon theres no point in getting offside with a mad old bastard living alone out in the bush with four crazy Ridgebacks and a loaded Glock hanging on the door! You know how unmanageable those short skinny guys can be when they go doolally!*
*Doolally. Nod to the latest incarnation which seems to be a theme of Irish origins boyo.
Oh I do a bit here and there when I can X.
Bella
as you asked. Firstly I am not a stranger to police. I have many friends in the force. The local constable, 16km away but looks in if hes out here and I sometimes see him in town or at the pub. I know many in Toowoomba. This were a pre training stable untiI I retired three years ago. Now it is a refuge for horses; abused, abandoned lost or unwanted, they are welcome here. The dogs are rescues also. Sadly some can’t be helped and I have to destroy them. The pistol is the best means of euthanizing horses. It is difficult to hold a horse and fire a rifle. The pistol is registered and I am licensed to have it.
The pistol were in the safe when the police arrived. I were not expecting them. They told me they tried to call me but I was down at the stables so didn’t hear the phone. I dont have a mobile. They came to the house to get the keys to the old place. I had to go down and turn the power on to the house and hands quarters. I did not speak to the women but I saw them and they were in poor shape, one more than the other. There is no food down there, and no Macca up the road, so I got out some food and took it down to them. I took towels and soap also. There is no bedding so I called my neighbours to borrow some. The police were still there. The neighbour who brought the bedding went off and came back with fresh clothes. I took these down to the house too.
As the police were leaving after about an hour they asked where I kept the Glock. They knew I had it and did not need to ask if I had weapons. I went and showed them and they sited my license. This was when we had the conversation about shooting intruders. They told me the Toowoomba shelter was full, and no officer from the Families dept was available. They gave me a direct number to contact them if needed, but it would take close to half an hour to get out here. After they left was when I got nervous and removed the gun from the safe, loaded it and hung it on the door in the holster. I’m 4’10” and 46kg and 68 years old. I can’t defend meself physically. They told me the women had been instructed not to contact anyone. I presumed they had mobile phones. Around here parents keep tabs on their kids by tracking their mobile phones. A violent controlling boyfriend can also do the same thing. For all I knew someone might already know where these women were if the phones were on.
Apart from when I took the food and bedding down there I had no contact with them and did not see them again. The Families people came at 7 next day, before i went to town and they were all gone when I came home. The police may have been operating outside their procedures bringing them to my place. I don’t know. My feeling is they wanted somewhere safe to take them but had no other choice.
Families now have the keys and I have unlocked a gate so they do not have to come to the house, and can use it when I’m not here. I’m often away for days.
I came here from a soceity where violence were a daily thing. I went to too many funerals. I hate violence against all creatures (including whales) and all people. I were livid to hear the unfortunate victim were killed by a man who police wanted kept in jail. They told the magistrate they feared he would harm the woman and himself. So it came to pass. That poor woman had nowhere else to go.
If offering this refuge saves a life or a beating I’m well pleased. It costs me nought. If folks here don’t like it or believe it I care not a whit. I follow the conscience my ma gave me and the charity the Jesuits taught me.
Good onya X, the Pimpama tragedy is becoming par for the course unfortunately. You’re a legend. Ridgebacks, best dogs going in my books, I had one that almost talked he was that smart.
I like them because they are good around the horses and the neddies seem to like them too. As you say a very smart hound. Easy to care for in Australian conditions also.
Um……… This might seem a bit out of left field X. But did you have some rescue whales in your dam at one time?
That’s funny JB
Newsflash: Bill Shorten pledges to stop politicians engaging in short term point scoring during speech aimed at short term point scoring. Then wonders why no-one thinks his plan will work.
Is Bill the drover’s dog or is he just a naughty boy?
What did my country do to deserve the politicians we now have? An LNP bloke here in Qld has just been sprung putting $270 a night rooms on the credit card when he lives less than a $20 cab fare from home…….the cheese and kisses might be interested in that I suppose.
I don’t know what he said, but whatever he said is probably crap.
Dill Shorten is the ineffective invisible opposition leader…go away Bill, give Jason Clare, Jim Chalmers or Andrew Leigh a go…these cats have strong economic credentials and know their stuff. They also have fire in their belly. Especially Clare. Something Dill would not know about. I did not mention Albo as he is from the old school. People wanna forget that like the Looters wanna forget Abbott. Bowen is OK but lacks the “it” thing.
Yes bassy the only reason labor is not in power is because of the dill. The leadership of the turnip has proved disastrous and the polls that indicate that he is the preferred leader is a telling reminder that the Easter Egg left by the kruddy one is preventing any hope of real governance in this country
Bassy,
They give Andrew Leigh ago and the Coalition are goooorrrrn! Very impressive man.
From the little I’ve seen of him, I quite like Andrew Leigh Bassy. I guess it all depends on whether the faceless men like him or not.
I have to differ with you on Bowen, Bassman the lad has a surfeit of “it”; I would go as far as to say he is full of “it”. I don’t mind Mark Butler meself.
Tracy – with a few notable exceptions what a great round of tipping thus far, Not!
Liverpool dodge what should have been a bullet from Costa.
I can’t remember a round like that one Milt, pretty bad.
Think Macca’s racing away with it though, no remarks on nobbling we know what happened last time.
I took on Bowen in a public debate up here and floored him. It was embarrassing. And I am just a nobody with no research staff. Ask Rodent. I sent him the recording.
The room full of Labor supporters was happy, buoyant and backslapping ’til I got up, read him the riot act and told him some home truths. A deathly silence fell over the place when it dawned on the party faithful that what I said was so true-Labor are tactically hopeless and devoid of any sort of leadership.
Labor knows already what Looters are going to hit them with at the next election but have done SFA to mount an argument.
Don’t be a tightass, Daz give us a few more (and an all of the above) in your multiple choice.
here’s ya wall mink head, you can grow one..
http://www.zdnet.com/article/csiro-develops-electronics-grade-graphene-from-soybeans/
This man is set to make a fortune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX9S_m7W4UA
Malcolm says if he has frank advice for Trump he will give it privately.
Agree. What’s wrong with that?
Yvonne,
Please correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t it the Democrats and their Hollywood hangers on that demanded before the election that Trump accept the result.
Another point is people continually whinge about politicians saying one thing before an election then doing nothing after they are elected. No need to hold the Donald to account he’s doing exactly what he said he would do!
Paul Kelly is a must read today. Superb analysis that contains this sentence which should give pause to Trump’s cheerleaders in this country:
“The Trump effect on this nation will be writ large. It will be polarising and hypocritical. But have no doubt who will be the big losers — that will be the conservatives. Trump is going to take Australian conservatism to the killing ground at the same time as our deluded conservatives, intoxicated by Trump euphoria, think they are riding high and their saviour’s impact will sweep across this country.”
The rest can be read here: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/paul-kelly/turnbulls-dilemma-is-a-dream-script-for-shorten/news-story/132f126bc5ada10524f42e382a8112b5
Agree JTI. Read it earlier – it made a lot of sense. As I say in one of my comments this morning, it is going to fracture the right side of politics. One only has to read a few of the comments over on the dark side to realise that!
JTI, I agree with Paul Kelly, that no matter what Turnbull does (or doesn’t do) he will be seen to be aligned with Trump. However I also think he needs to grow some on other matters concerning our own immigration and other issues. I personally think that he is a decent man, but in a political world that is now totally populist, he won’t make a decision on anything. Australia is in trouble with the likes of Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton thinking that they could be the next ones to step into the role of PM. Perish the thought. This is why Bill Shorten is starting to look good.
That’s a good theory of Kelly’s. Trumpism may precipitate the conservative split between the moderates and the nutbags split that I’ve been hoping for for a while. The latter group will have fantasies of world domination and spilt the Right, leaving no one group capable of governing. Every cloud …
IMO though, Kelly’s a little pessimistic about the extent to which Trumpism will take hold here. Hanson and her fellow-travellers have already cornered that market and I expect she’ll get a bounce, maybe even a big one, but not enough outgrow fringe status. Australians on the whole are better educated, more urban and their employment is better protected than in the US, so the market for snake oil is smaller here. But we’ll see!
Given what’s come out today, Kelly might end up eating a good chunk of his words, not his point about the effect of Trumpism on the political landscape, but his pragmatism on Turnbull’s equivocal position.
Your man turnbull is the PM of Australia. The people of Australia deserve and are Entitled to know what representations the PM is making on behalf of the country. How he is representing the country. You rail against the “elites” and support their power trips and secrecy in the next breath.
Turnbull talks the talk but never walks the talk because he’s weak Yvonne..
Cowards just can’t do confrontation.
Abbott was a bully ie shirtfronting whileTurnbull is gutless.
Exhibit A: Japan owes Australia a $1M fine for illegally poaching whales in 2015 and simply refuses to pay it. Mamby Pamby Malcolm’s reaction was a whole lot more bowing & scraping.
Whatever it is we’re giving the US in return for that refugee transfer ‘deal’ (any clues?) you can be one hundred percent certain our present PM’s response to Trumps immigration ban was SFA. Privately of course.
Regards, Bella
Exhibit B: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-31/toyota-set-to-close-in-melbourne-in-october/8227698
Yet another ‘up yours Australia’ from Japan.
Gee, I wonder what Turnbull will have to say…….
I think this was announced yonks ago Bella. It’s not new news if I am right. It’s a sad that a company decides that it cannot do business here. I suspect there may be a few more departures too.
As one commentator has written – Australia may not be able to afford tax cuts, but at the same time it cannot afford not to cut taxes.
Regarding your other post – I would think that many a thing is discussed between world leaders that the public don’t know about. WW3 probably would have erupted long ago if we did!
Wooden Boat Festival here next week. Lotsa people, lotsa beautiful wooden boats!
We are paying his wages. That is what is wrong with that drar. This is the most secretive government in history. If we want to know what our troops are up to at any time we have to read it in USA newspapers or military magazines.