Clakka.bsky.social
@clakka.bsky.social
Codger, Chris Davis, legend in own west Vic Oz shopfront, seeking to untie the historic and linguistic entanglements before there's only cockroaches.
If all Data Centres went ahead, in 10 years, their demand for electricity equivalent to av elec load >10 million households peaking, 4 times elec of the city. Generating heat, needs much water. Those in Western Sydney would use water equiv to 330,000 homes www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environ...
Is Sam Altman the world’s most dangerous man?
OpenAI founder Sam Altman is building a trillion-dollar enterprise that feeds on vast resources of water, energy and intellectual property – and may never turn a profit.
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
February 3, 2026 at 2:26 AM
If all Data Centres went ahead, in 10 years, their demand for electricity equivalent to av elec load >10 million households peaking, 4 times elec of the city. Generating heat, needs much water. Those in Western Sydney would use water equiv to 330,000 homes www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environ...
'Misfeasance in Public Office' There's a beaut suit. Seems it's rising up as a way to obtain one's rights, remedies & compensation for bad & pernicious acts of executive govt. Think 'Robodebt'. There's just too much govt & PS bludgeoning these days. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/health/...
Exclusive: Misfeasance case paves way for robodebt action
A damning judgement of ‘highhandedness or cynical disregard’ by the Medicare watchdog has established a new front for civil litigation of public servants named in the robodebt royal commission.
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
February 3, 2026 at 1:19 AM
'Misfeasance in Public Office' There's a beaut suit. Seems it's rising up as a way to obtain one's rights, remedies & compensation for bad & pernicious acts of executive govt. Think 'Robodebt'. There's just too much govt & PS bludgeoning these days. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/health/...
What if someone opposes 'liberalism' & / or neo-liberalism & neo-conservatism, all have done so much damage to society? They are today 'norms' of democracy of the 'West', & countries that employ them are now crumbling economically & socially with poverty rampant theconversation.com/what-is-extr...
What is extremism, and how do we decide?
It’s rare for a news day to go by without some mention of extremism. But it’s also rare for the meaning of this word to be explained – so what does it mean?
theconversation.com
February 1, 2026 at 11:41 PM
What if someone opposes 'liberalism' & / or neo-liberalism & neo-conservatism, all have done so much damage to society? They are today 'norms' of democracy of the 'West', & countries that employ them are now crumbling economically & socially with poverty rampant theconversation.com/what-is-extr...
Everyone (who thinks they're someone) wants to get into the act. But very few have a proper grasp of the overall effect of their desires. And the global msm & US politics has a penchant for sensation & polarization, which is hugely destructive - so Oz suffers theconversation.com/friday-essay...
Friday essay: how hard is it to govern?
Labor’s big 2025 victory sparked high hopes for significant reform. But real change is not so easy – especially in our time of high grievance and permanent campaigning.
theconversation.com
February 1, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Everyone (who thinks they're someone) wants to get into the act. But very few have a proper grasp of the overall effect of their desires. And the global msm & US politics has a penchant for sensation & polarization, which is hugely destructive - so Oz suffers theconversation.com/friday-essay...
Trump warned by many gulf states (incl allies of US) not to go to war with Iran. Iran has backing of China, Russia & North Korea, so any US assault could quickly escalate to a broader war. Regime change can only come from within & is complex & requires diplomacy theconversation.com/with-iran-we...
With Iran weakened, Trump’s end goal may now be regime change. It’s an incredibly risky gamble
Iran’s theocratic leaders are prepared to fight to the end, making regime change a very costly and destabilising exercise for the US.
theconversation.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Trump warned by many gulf states (incl allies of US) not to go to war with Iran. Iran has backing of China, Russia & North Korea, so any US assault could quickly escalate to a broader war. Regime change can only come from within & is complex & requires diplomacy theconversation.com/with-iran-we...
Anthropomorphic climate change is devastating. But whilst reduction of sulphur in shipping fuels is good for human health, it is a problem for the Great Barrier Reef corals. Maybe spraying sea salt into atmosphere above the reef will mitigate bleaching? pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/Cle...
Cleaner air is (inadvertently) harming the Great Barrier Reef
A policy to reduce air pollution from shipping fuel has actually worsened coral bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is leading the way with a solution, finds new study led by the University...
pursuit.unimelb.edu.au
January 31, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Anthropomorphic climate change is devastating. But whilst reduction of sulphur in shipping fuels is good for human health, it is a problem for the Great Barrier Reef corals. Maybe spraying sea salt into atmosphere above the reef will mitigate bleaching? pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/Cle...
US at it again (as usual), its assault against the 'Pink Tide' (look it up on wiki) has never really stopped. Many Latin American's have died & been forced to poverty because of it. This time it is more brazen & vicious under Trump. pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/The...
The clash between Latin American nationalism and Trump's America
The US has long sought control over Latin American resources, but a University of Melbourne expert says Trump’s latest attacks in Venezuela go a step further in his attempts to deny their economic sov...
pursuit.unimelb.edu.au
January 31, 2026 at 11:05 PM
US at it again (as usual), its assault against the 'Pink Tide' (look it up on wiki) has never really stopped. Many Latin American's have died & been forced to poverty because of it. This time it is more brazen & vicious under Trump. pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/The...
Accurately summed. It's up to SCOTUS. Will they decide properly that prima facie Trump's tariffs are not legal, or will they design linguistic strangulations to back Trump in, & thereby contribute to America's downfall & roll-on dire effects to global liquidity? johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
The Supreme Court should ignore Trump – tariffs haven’t rescued the US economy
Donald Trump’s claim that tariffs have “rescued” the US economy relies on selective data, economic misunderstanding, and a dangerous conflation of trade policy with national security.
johnmenadue.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:51 AM
Accurately summed. It's up to SCOTUS. Will they decide properly that prima facie Trump's tariffs are not legal, or will they design linguistic strangulations to back Trump in, & thereby contribute to America's downfall & roll-on dire effects to global liquidity? johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Given the hullabaloo about having more securely tenured senior public servants esp Dept Secretaries so as to get rid of Consultants & the revolving door, what the heck is going on now? Obscurantism seems to be the game of the day. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Blaming the Privacy Act for government secrecy
Claims of “privacy” are increasingly being used to obscure the reasons and costs behind the premature departure of senior public servants – eroding transparency and accountability.
johnmenadue.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:33 AM
Given the hullabaloo about having more securely tenured senior public servants esp Dept Secretaries so as to get rid of Consultants & the revolving door, what the heck is going on now? Obscurantism seems to be the game of the day. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Proper academic outburst fitting modern reality with domestic political cognitive bias. Implying govt does not understand, & has no plan appears arrogant. It is infinitely easier said than done. Oz is very vulnerable & govt must keep its cards close to its chest johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
The end of the lucky country’s security fantasy
As the post-war global order unravels, Australia’s long-standing reliance on great and powerful friends is proving dangerously hollow – and the country is unprepared for what comes next.
johnmenadue.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:21 AM
Proper academic outburst fitting modern reality with domestic political cognitive bias. Implying govt does not understand, & has no plan appears arrogant. It is infinitely easier said than done. Oz is very vulnerable & govt must keep its cards close to its chest johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Trump's factory is coming apart at the seams, no question. The implications for world's liquidity is dire. Carney has called it out, also Macron, & Starmer has whimpered. Germany is doubling its war machine. Vulnerable Oz has a plan but is wearing moccasins michaelwest.com.au/davos-donald...
America’s mighty economic power has feet of clay - Michael West
Donald Trump’s disrupting, coercing, stealing and killing comes from America’s economic and military might but US bond market can cruel him
michaelwest.com.au
January 29, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Trump's factory is coming apart at the seams, no question. The implications for world's liquidity is dire. Carney has called it out, also Macron, & Starmer has whimpered. Germany is doubling its war machine. Vulnerable Oz has a plan but is wearing moccasins michaelwest.com.au/davos-donald...
Oz no like Indonesia, except when it can rampage & pissup in Bali. Any notion of reciprocal trade is nonsense, as Oz has nothing to beef about whilst it sends shiploads of live cattle to elites in Java. Oz worries about FMD while its foot is wedged in its mouth michaelwest.com.au/carney-vs-al...
Carney vs Albanese. Redefining Australia's place in the world. And Indonesia? - Michael West
Canada's redefinition of relations with Trump's America serves as a stark reminder of Australia's place in the world and our need to realign.
michaelwest.com.au
January 29, 2026 at 4:14 AM
Oz no like Indonesia, except when it can rampage & pissup in Bali. Any notion of reciprocal trade is nonsense, as Oz has nothing to beef about whilst it sends shiploads of live cattle to elites in Java. Oz worries about FMD while its foot is wedged in its mouth michaelwest.com.au/carney-vs-al...
'Hate'? Symbols - multi-national multi-war medal wearers on ANZAC day? A 'reasonable person' may feel intimidated, is authenticity or conflict of interest tested? Who tests & determines 'public interest'? A law ratcheting up carceral oppression & social chaos michaelwest.com.au/bad-laws-wil...
Bad laws will not stop hate speech, but invoke tyranny - Michael West
The Bill to Combat Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism risks undermining rights, due process and democratic accountability.
michaelwest.com.au
January 28, 2026 at 10:59 PM
'Hate'? Symbols - multi-national multi-war medal wearers on ANZAC day? A 'reasonable person' may feel intimidated, is authenticity or conflict of interest tested? Who tests & determines 'public interest'? A law ratcheting up carceral oppression & social chaos michaelwest.com.au/bad-laws-wil...
A disgusting multi-tiered rort on ordinary citizens. Layer upon layer of secrecy & lies by govt, the opposition & the alleged gate-keepers of integrity. They all stink, but Morrison, still freed, stinks as much as a rotting fish pulled from the Darling by Albo. michaelwest.com.au/the-robodebt...
The Robodebt six. Is the NACC protecting Scott Morrison? - Michael West
The NACC is considering investigating those deemed most responsible for Robodebt, and whether to make the hearing - any hearing - public.
michaelwest.com.au
January 28, 2026 at 10:28 PM
A disgusting multi-tiered rort on ordinary citizens. Layer upon layer of secrecy & lies by govt, the opposition & the alleged gate-keepers of integrity. They all stink, but Morrison, still freed, stinks as much as a rotting fish pulled from the Darling by Albo. michaelwest.com.au/the-robodebt...
Where's the money coming from? We know where it's going & how it's getting there. Doesn't seem to pass the tax-free charity pub test, why? Reg authorities & ATO need to crack down, & if declaratory laws are obscured or insufficient parliament must change them. michaelwest.com.au/united-israe...
United Israel Appeal. Charity channels tax free donations direct to IDF soldiers - Michael West
Since 2013, more than $400 million in tax-deductible donations have flowed through an Australian charity, including direct to IDF soldiers.
michaelwest.com.au
January 28, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Where's the money coming from? We know where it's going & how it's getting there. Doesn't seem to pass the tax-free charity pub test, why? Reg authorities & ATO need to crack down, & if declaratory laws are obscured or insufficient parliament must change them. michaelwest.com.au/united-israe...
Think West Papua. Think East Timor. “Without critical reflection and concrete action, the presidency [of the UNHRC] risks becoming an empty symbol that offers no meaningful contribution to democratic life at home.” johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Irony abounds: Indonesia gets human rights protection job
Indonesia has assumed the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council, raising questions about credibility, consistency and the future of scrutiny in places like West Papua and Iran.
johnmenadue.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:31 AM
Think West Papua. Think East Timor. “Without critical reflection and concrete action, the presidency [of the UNHRC] risks becoming an empty symbol that offers no meaningful contribution to democratic life at home.” johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Appropriate prose. IMO 'plan b' and maybe 'plan c' are well underway. Essentially, it's very important to venture them stealthily, as the last thing we need is transactional retribution. To me Oz is wearing moccasins & dragging a branch while acquiring the tech. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Beyond the ruptured alliance: an outline for Plan B
Australia’s alliance with the United States is no longer reliable, and clinging to it now risks Australia’s interests and values. The case for a deliberate, staged Plan B begins with strategic autonom...
johnmenadue.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Appropriate prose. IMO 'plan b' and maybe 'plan c' are well underway. Essentially, it's very important to venture them stealthily, as the last thing we need is transactional retribution. To me Oz is wearing moccasins & dragging a branch while acquiring the tech. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Important 'reflection', & 'haunting lament'. A brutality arisen from a complex history over millennia that most do not understand, that the 'West' has taken cruel advantage of, & insodoing enabled a global monied supremacy that coerces & brutally holds all to ransom johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Reflections of an Arab Australian on the new 'hate speech' laws
Australia’s new hate speech laws are landing in a climate of deep mistrust and unequal public empathy. When grief, protest and solidarity are treated as threats, social cohesion becomes a hollow promi...
johnmenadue.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Important 'reflection', & 'haunting lament'. A brutality arisen from a complex history over millennia that most do not understand, that the 'West' has taken cruel advantage of, & insodoing enabled a global monied supremacy that coerces & brutally holds all to ransom johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
For clarity, this is not same as 'assessment of climate risks external to Oz' done by the Office of National Intelligence in 2022 still not released by the govt. It’s likely the govt doesn’t want the public to know the govt itself doesn’t know how to handle the truth. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Environment: It’s official - Australia’s extreme weather events will get more severe
Australia’s first Climate Risk Assessment confirms we’re in for more frequent and more extreme climate hazards. Ten years on from the Paris Agreement, Australia and governments around the world are st...
johnmenadue.com
January 27, 2026 at 5:03 AM
For clarity, this is not same as 'assessment of climate risks external to Oz' done by the Office of National Intelligence in 2022 still not released by the govt. It’s likely the govt doesn’t want the public to know the govt itself doesn’t know how to handle the truth. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Abdel-Fattah effective Israel critic. Influential leaders of Zionist orgs silenced her & must be pleased. Social cohesion bettered if Zionist orgs could trace true source of discomforting community criticism back to Israel rather than the broader Australian community johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Cultural “cohesion” becomes censorship, and a festival falls apart
Adelaide Writer’s Week was derailed after the withdrawal of an invited speaker, triggering mass author withdrawals and a board resignation. The episode raises hard questions about free speech, institu...
johnmenadue.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:57 AM
Abdel-Fattah effective Israel critic. Influential leaders of Zionist orgs silenced her & must be pleased. Social cohesion bettered if Zionist orgs could trace true source of discomforting community criticism back to Israel rather than the broader Australian community johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Brilliant appraisal. "500 years of Western conduct from Christopher Columbus to Donald Trump" wrecked themselves then come to wreck all places they venture. That's their wretched brutal cycle of greed, lies & extraction. It's not a premise for universal betterment. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
Carney’s moment: a Western leader finally says the quiet part out loud
Mark Carney’s Davos speech is a blunt diagnosis of a world in rupture, where power now trumps rules and coercion is openly deployed. The answer, it argues, is collective action by middle powers – a mo...
johnmenadue.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Brilliant appraisal. "500 years of Western conduct from Christopher Columbus to Donald Trump" wrecked themselves then come to wreck all places they venture. That's their wretched brutal cycle of greed, lies & extraction. It's not a premise for universal betterment. johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01...
80-90s Oz didn't want a Multifunctional Polis due to fears of 'Jap enclave'. Built in Mawson SA with name change is branded a success - 'white western' (US) defense dominated science park & housing (dorms). What would a Minister for Social Cohesion do? www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topi...
A minister for social cohesion
A most important national challenge to all involved in our political process – especially government, opposition and media – is to restore social cohesion. Surely one of our great national successes w...
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 11:27 PM
80-90s Oz didn't want a Multifunctional Polis due to fears of 'Jap enclave'. Built in Mawson SA with name change is branded a success - 'white western' (US) defense dominated science park & housing (dorms). What would a Minister for Social Cohesion do? www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topi...
A farce, a three ring circus. Public wants honesty & accountability. Whistleblowers need protection, also freedom to make a case & present it to tribunals, courts & parliament without being prevented by legal strangulations. Reform urgently needed. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/2026/01...
ABC whistleblower reaches the Federal Court
A long-running case connected to the ABC axing The Checkout has resulted in a new finding on whistleblower liability.
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 10:20 PM
A farce, a three ring circus. Public wants honesty & accountability. Whistleblowers need protection, also freedom to make a case & present it to tribunals, courts & parliament without being prevented by legal strangulations. Reform urgently needed. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/2026/01...
"If Trump contemplates war with his NATO allies to acquire Greenland, what store could we place on the implicit promise of assistance in the ANZUS Treaty? We are effectively already alone. Now we need to start acting like it." It's happening stealthily. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/interna...
Trump, Greenland and the end of NATO
ANALYSIS: The US president’s erratic campaign to acquire Greenland forces Europe to strategise for NATO’s demise, and Asia to think about the limits of American power.
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 9:56 PM
"If Trump contemplates war with his NATO allies to acquire Greenland, what store could we place on the implicit promise of assistance in the ANZUS Treaty? We are effectively already alone. Now we need to start acting like it." It's happening stealthily. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/interna...
We now see the 'reformed' EPBC Act at work. We see how the 7 different Acts comprising 607 pages works despite regulations not yet being in place. The extinctions are all in Murray Watt's hands. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environ...
Murray Watt’s licence to kill endangered species in Tasmania
Murray Watt’s latest approval for Korea Zinc includes a table that explicitly permits the company to kill thousands of native animals a year, including critically endangered species such as the swift ...
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 8:29 PM
We now see the 'reformed' EPBC Act at work. We see how the 7 different Acts comprising 607 pages works despite regulations not yet being in place. The extinctions are all in Murray Watt's hands. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environ...