Thu 18th February 2021 Current Affairs

 Editorial Sun Feb 7^th 2021

 

On Friday, at work in the adjacent suburb of Hallam, a lightning storm resulted in power going down across Hallam. Children at the tutorial centre at 8pm were forced to work from fading daylight across summer of Melbourne. Lights returned fifteen minutes later. Work was done and children got a new appreciation of Zeus. When I got back home, I found the internet was down from wifi, but I had phone data operative. I searched for internet failure and found nothing. I waited until next morning, and found a report of NBN failure the night before. I went to work in the morning. At work I was called by my estate agent who had tried to reset the modem in the share accommodation, without success. I told them of the NBN outage report, with the news that the anticipated recovery was on Monday at 6pm, the fourth day from the failure. 

I went home and checked the internet again. Still down, I checked the outage reports, and there were none. Not even at my address. Clearly, the estate agent had not got the landlord to raise the issue with the ISP. There is no reason to believe the internet will be restored on even the fourth day if no one is looking at the issue. 

What has caused this outage? Internet gets slow whenever there is a thunderstorm. I live in Dandenong, a suburb of Melbourne. There is no excuse for such poor service. 

 

Editorial Thursday 11^th February 2021

Having reported the outage to my landlord’s agent, I queried them as to why no fault was reported on the address a day later, two days later, three days later and four days later. The estate agent raised their voice to me “It is not my job to sit by a phone for a telecommunications company hours on end. I’ve alerted the landlord.” 

 

“Yes, but the telecommunications company needs to know there is a fault or they cannot address it.”

 

“I take your point but I have told you I have alerted the landlord.”

 

“Have you advised them to report the fault?”

 

“They said they will fix it. If they haven’t fixed by the end of working day tomorrow I will see to it. Have a good day, sir”

 

It wasn’t working on day five, but another member of the share household found mail addressed to the landlord from the telecommunications company and opened it. It said that the company was sending a final warning before cancellation. The company was forced to close their cable service and link to NBN instead. The cancellation was to take place on the 15^th February, ten days after they in fact cancelled it. Had the company been called when the ‘fault’ was detected, the problem could have been addressed immediately. The agent has still not apologised to me. Neither is the internet connected after seven days. 

 

My oldest sister sent me a near fifty year old school photo of me. I told her that I had lost all my photos when FB booted me. I have no place for such memories, but I’m thankful she thought of me. I had been booted from FB after Jan 6^th for not being a good citizen, as I endorsed Donald Trump for President. I am not uncivilised  and never condone violence or racism, but FB booted me. My sister, a left wing loony, said I should go somewhere else where I’m accepted. She suggested I use the library to access the internet. She was taunting me. That is how they behave.

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Here is a video I made Yoh's Beach Party

Intimate Rendezvous is the awesome track, made to the music by storkaas guitars by lafayette vocals by grathy and yohmar on icompositions dot com

Mary McGrath7 years ago
What fun....interesting video......
https://rumble.com/ve6prn-yohs-beach-party.html

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=== From 2018 ===

Don't give up on hope. I have been told the Black Panther movie is good, but Dr Carson is a real hero. I get it that somehow one is using Dr Carson's great name, based on his achievements, to undermine a good movie and suggest it isn't, well, real. But the joy that movie gives is real. And the awesome heroism of Dr Carson is real. It is all good. 

Some have said they had not known of Queen Elizabeth's wartime exploits. They doubted she was in danger, just as Prince Harry was protected in Afghanistan while fighting. It is forgotten today that the royal family risked all in WW2 out of patriotism. When the palace was bombed during the London blitz, the then Queen remarked "Now I can see eye to eye with East London." The current Queen, then princess, had helped the war effort as a mechanic on jeeps. Regardless of her age, the Queen has always looked beautiful for it. There is no good comparison between QEII's leadership and Malcolm Turnbull. 

If the FBI wishes to pursue foreigners who tried influence the US election illegally, Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop should be in their sights. And Bill Shorten. 

Jim Jones was a Democrat supporter and communist who got his people to drink KoolAid laced with cyanide at gun point. Why do Democrats insist on arming the mentally ill? 

=== from 2017 ===

I am reading a research article by Matthew C. MacWilliams , University of Massachusetts Amherst, a PhD student. The article was popular among #FakeNewsMedia. Matthew writes "I argue that Trump’s rise is in part the result of authoritarian voters’ response to his unvarnished, us-versus-them rhetoric. Beginning with his June announcement speech, Trump’s message and manner was an unapologetic siren call to American authoritarians. He warned that our “enemies are getting stronger and stronger ... and we, as a country, are getting weaker.” He identified and targeted “others” who threaten and take advantage of us at every turn. And he denigrated his opponents as weaklings, calling for “a truly great leader” with the strength to make America great again. The leader, whose strength and savvy could protect us from them was, of course, Donald Trump." One shouldn't ignore Matthew's rhetoric, because there is little else that Matthew offers. Matthew claims Trump's messages were unvarnished us vs them rhetoric. But in a primary race, the rhetoric is very rarely uniting. Trump, as with everyone else needed to show that he was the solution to problems that USA was experiencing. The gentleman Romney in campaign against Obama pointed out the military was being weakened after Obama's impotence at Benghazi was known. Obama joked that the troops weren't going to have to resort to sabres and horses. But that was an obfuscation. US was weaker militarily under Obama and his foreign policy had made enemies stronger. Obama had initiated a new cold war to solve his foreign policy vacuum. That meant inflating the threat of China and Russia. But the press played a game with GOP candidates claiming the relative weakness of US military was illusory. Trump faced the #fakenews. The US voted for the person who wasn't lying to them. This, according to Matthew, was wrong. 

=== from 2016 ===

Not written as I was working to secure accommodation. 

=== from 2015 ===

Shadow treasurer and former treasurer Chris Bowen was asked several times about the minimum threshold for which a person pays tax. He later said he was aware of the answer. Some are saying it was a slip. Had Mr Abbott or Mr Hockey made such a gaff the press would end their careers. Little will be made of Bowen's inability. He wasn't capable as a treasurer. He isn't capable now. However, Bowen is part of the furniture the ALP needed saved so that they could continue to butcher the economy. There is no policy or plan to address the debt that the ALP have left us. Bowen has said that such plans exist, but he perhaps did not want to let on that they don't. A campaign slogan prior to the '13 election was that it was important that the conservatives did not get the balance of power in the senate. They didn't. It is important not to forget the betrayal of the ALP. Meanwhile, Malcolm Farr tries to blow clouds by writing about others that have slipped as treasurer. But Farr ignores the fact the current ALP have no policy on any issue. 

Why do authorities feel it is ok to give tax advantages to thieves and criminals of the green protest lobby? Let them have their unemployment like their victims who cannot work because the lobbyists have closed down jobs. Meanwhile their friends, anti semitic bigots, don't get full credit for their work. It must be disheartening to kill jews at schools, or shopping, and not get full credit for it. Often the bigots will die to achieve their ends and only their family and friends can set things straight "I don't understand. They were always quiet and never did anything like that before. I raised my son to stand for themselves. If you like your healthcare, you can keep it. They weren't targeting jews." 

On this day in 1299, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor on 6th Crusade got Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem by signing a ten year truce. The Pope hadn't helped. In 1478, George, Duke of Clarence was executed for treason by order of his older brother, Edward IV. In 1861, King of Italy became a unified title under Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont Savoy. In 1885, The adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was published in the US. In 1911, Indians invented airmail in Allahabad. In 1913, Pedro Lascuráin became President of Mexico for 45 minutes. That is 45 minutes longer than Shorten would be PM of Australia. In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh found Pluto in some photographs of the sky. Also in 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow in a fixed wing aircraft, also the first cow milked on said aircraft. In 1954, Scientology began after a bet in a bar. In 1979, Snow fell in the Sahara desert for the only time in recorded history. In 1991, IRA had two bombs explode in London. In 2001, Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent, was arrested for spying for the Soviet Union. 

From 2014

Mr Bolt, I am addressing this to you. I need your help. Firstly, let me apologise for shamelessly using your name to gain followers. I have tried hard to keep the page open, free and virtuous. I aim for the quirky, and sometimes get the weird. I aim for the off beat, but sometimes get the off colour. I guess you can't get critical thinking by demanding it or enforcing it. Some have taken to begging for moderators to ban people for politely saying what others don't like. I have taken to deleting comments without explanation, because the nasty ones know they can complain about the explanations and get FB to ban administration. I had not known there was a lunar right in Australian politics before I began moderating this page. But it exists, in all of its' dumb, shameless glory. I am not in agreement with you on all issues all the time, but respect our differences of opinion.

We have interacted before, years ago, on your site, but I'm not holding you to remember it. What I'm asking for now is related to what I was asking for then. Only, I'm desperate. I have testimony before the Royal Commission into institutional responses to Pedophilia. The Royal Commission has accepted my testimony, but given it a low priority. They will not investigate it further, but will include it in their report, in years to come. However, my reason for making that submission has made powerful enemies within Australian Government and public service. I have been issued a death threat from a mafia type hit man who is serving time. I have had my citizenship denied, and evidence of it illegally destroyed by a Premier of NSW. I have been abused at my workplace for being fat, and been declared partially disabled, accused of being too fat to teach Mathematics. I am fat, so the charge is hard for me to dismiss. When my students became targeted by my abusers, I resigned from teaching to speak out publicly. That was in 2007. I tried to time it so my complaint was heard after the NSW election and before the Australian one, so as to not intrude into the political cycle. But the ALP panicked, and have smeared me badly, so that no one will report my complaints, and no one will say why. There is no legal impediment for me to work, but no one will hire a teacher who has been political and conservative. I recently lost my library I have been building since I learned to read. About $50k worth of books, videos, CDs and DVDs. Soon I will have to sell my home. Unless there is a remedy for my issues. But the Royal Commission don't view it as important to give me a remedy. I must petition for one. I can't petition the Royal Commission, that isn't their job. But there are those whose job it would be to act on my testimony. The NSW Dept of Ed. The Premier of NSW. The NSW Police. The Federal Police. The attorney General's office of either NSW or Australia. Or the Prime Minister. I've not yet set up the petition. But I am asking for help. Would you help me, Mr Bolt? 

Historical perspective on this day

In 1229, the Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor signed a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem with neither military engagements nor support from the papacy. 1268, the Livonian Order was defeated by Dovmont of Pskov in the Battle of Rakvere. 1332, Amda Seyon I, Emperor of Ethiopia began his campaigns in the southern Muslim provinces. 1478, George, Duke of Clarence, convicted of treason against his older brother Edward IV of England, was executed in private at the Tower of London. 1637, Eighty Years' War: Off the coast of Cornwall, England, a Spanish fleet intercepted an important Anglo-Dutch merchant convoy of 44 vessels escorted by 6 warships, destroying or capturing 20 of them.

In 1745, the city of Surakarta, Central Java was founded on the banks of Bengawan Solo River, and became the capital of the Kingdom of Surakarta. 1766, a mutiny by captive Malagasybegan at sea on the slave ship Meermin, leading to the ship's destruction on Cape Agulhas in present-day South Africa and the recapture of the instigators. 1781, Fourth Anglo-Dutch War: Captain Thomas Shirley opened his expedition against Dutch colonial outposts on the Gold Coast of Africa (present-day Ghana). 1797, French Revolutionary Wars: Sir Ralph Abercrombyand a fleet of 18 British warships invaded Trinidad.

In 1814, Napoleonic Wars: The Battle of Montereau. 1861, in Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as the provisional President of the Confederate States of America. Also 1861, with Italian unification almost complete, Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont, Savoy and Sardinia assumed the title of King of Italy. 1865, American Civil War: Union forces under Major General William T. Sherman set the South Carolina State House on fire during the burning of Columbia. 1873, Bulgarian revolutionary leader Vasil Levski was executed by hanging in Sofiaby the Ottoman authorities. 1878, John Tunstall was murdered by outlaw Jesse Evans, sparking the Lincoln County War in Lincoln County, New Mexico. 1885, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was published in the United States.

In 1900, Second Boer War: Imperial forces suffered their worst single-day loss of life on Bloody Sunday, the first day of the Battle of Paardeberg. 1906, Edouard de Laveleye formed the Belgian Olympic Committee in Brussels. 1911, the first official flight with air mail took place from Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (now India), when Henri Pequet, a 23-year-old pilot, delivered 6,500 letters to Naini, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away. 1913, Pedro Lascuráinbecame President of Mexico for 45 minutes; this is the shortest term to date of any person as president of any country. 1930, while studying photographs taken in January, Clyde Tombaughdiscovered Pluto. Also 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to fly in a fixed-wing aircraftand also the first cow to be milked in an aircraft. 1932, the Empire of Japandeclared Manzhouguo (the obsolete Chinese name for Manchuria) independent from the Republic of China. 1938, during the Nanking Massacre the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee was renamed "Nanking International Rescue Committee" and the safety zone in place for refugees fell apart.

In 1942, World War II: The Imperial Japanese Army began the systematic extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore. 1943, the Nazis arrested the members of the White Rose movement. Also 1943, Joseph Goebbels delivered his Sportpalast speech. 1946, sailors of the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in Bombay harbour, from where the action spread throughout the Provinces of British India, involving 78 ships, twenty shore establishments and 20,000 sailors 1947, First Indochina War: The French gained complete control of Hanoi after forcing the Viet Minh to withdraw to mountains. 1954, the first Church of Scientology was established in Los Angeles, California. 1955,  Operation Teapot: Teapot test shot "Wasp" was successfully detonated at the Nevada Test Site with a yield of 1.2 kilotons. Wasp is the first of fourteen shots in the Teapot series. 1957, Kenyan rebel leader Dedan Kimathi was executed by the British colonial government. Also 1957, Walter James Boltonbecame the last person legally executed in New Zealand.

In 1965, The Gambia became independent from the United Kingdom. 1969, Hawthorne Nevada Airlines Flight 708 crashed into Mount Whitney killing all on board. 1970, the Chicago Seven were found not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. 1972, the California Supreme Court in the case of People v. Anderson, (6 Cal.3d 628) invalidated the state's death penalty and commuted the sentences of all death row inmates to life imprisonment. 1977, the Space Shuttle Enterprise test vehicle was carried on its maiden "flight" on top of a Boeing 747. 1978, the first Ironman Triathlon competition took place on the island of Oahu and is won by Gordon Haller. 1979, Snow fell in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the only time in recorded history. 1983, thirteen people died and one was seriously injured in the Wah Mee massacre in Seattle, Washington. It is said to be the largest robbery-motivated mass-murder in U.S. history.

In 1991, the IRA exploded bombs in the early morning at Paddington station and Victoria stationin London. 2001, FBI agent Robert Hanssen was arrested for spying for the Soviet Union. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Also 2001, seven-time NASCARSprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt died in an accident during the Daytona 500. Also 2001, Inter-ethnic violence between Dayaks and Madurese breaks out in Sampit, Indonesia, that would ultimately result in more than 500 deaths and 100,000 Madurese displaced from their homes. 2003, Nearly 200 people died in the Daegu subway fire in South Korea. 2004, up to 295 people, including nearly 200 rescue workers, died near Neyshabur in Iran when a runaway freight train carrying sulfur, petrol and fertilizer caught fire and exploded. 2007, terrorist bombs exploded on the Samjhauta Express in Panipat, Haryana, India, killing 68 people. 2014, at least 76 people were killed and hundreds were injured in clashes between riot police and demonstrators in Kiev, Ukraine.

=== Bible Reading ===

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Today's reading: Leviticus 21-22, Matthew 28 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Today's Old Testament reading: Leviticus 21-22

Rules for Priests

¹ The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: 'A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean for any of his people who die, ² except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother, ³ or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband--for her he may make himself unclean. ⁴ He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself....

...read the rest on Bible Gateway

Today's New Testament reading: Matthew 28

Jesus Has Risen

¹ After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men....

...read the rest on Bible Gateway

=== Morning and Evening ===

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February 17: Morning

"Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi." - Genesis 25:11

Hagar had once found deliverance there and Ishmael had drank from the water so graciously revealed by the God who liveth and seeth the sons of men; but this was a merely casual visit, such as worldlings pay to the Lord in times of need, when it serves their turn. They cry to him in trouble, but forsake him in prosperity. Isaac dwelt there, and made the well of the living and all-seeing God his constant source of supply. The usual tenor of a man's life, the dwelling of his soul, is the true test of his state. Perhaps the providential visitation experienced by Hagar struck Isaac's mind, and led him to revere the place; its mystical name endeared it to him; his frequent musings by its brim at eventide made him familiar with the well; his meeting Rebecca there had made his spirit feel at home near the spot; but best of all, the fact that he there enjoyed fellowship with the living God, had made him select that hallowed ground for his dwelling. Let us learn to live in the presence of the living God; let us pray the Holy Spirit that this day, and every other day, we may feel, "Thou God seest me." May the Lord Jehovah be as a well to us, delightful, comforting, unfailing, springing up unto eternal life. The bottle of the creature cracks and dries up, but the well of the Creator never fails; happy is he who dwells at the well, and so has abundant and constant supplies near at hand. The Lord has been a sure helper to others: his name is Shaddai, God All-sufficient; our hearts have often had most delightful intercourse with him; through him our soul has found her glorious Husband, the Lord Jesus; and in him this day we live, and move, and have our being; let us, then, dwell in closest fellowship with him. Glorious Lord, constrain us that we may never leave thee, but dwell by the well of the living God.

Evening

"Whereas the Lord was there." - Ezekiel 35:10

Edom's princes saw the whole country left desolate, and counted upon its easy conquest; but there was one great difficulty in their way--quite unknown to them--"The Lord was there;" and in his presence lay the special security of the chosen land. Whatever may be the machinations and devices of the enemies of God's people, there is still the same effectual barrier to thwart their design. The saints are God's heritage, and he is in the midst of them, and will protect his own. What comfort this assurance yields us in our troubles and spiritual conflicts! We are constantly opposed, and yet perpetually preserved! How often Satan shoots his arrows against our faith, but our faith defies the power of hell's fiery darts; they are not only turned aside, but they are quenched upon its shield, for "the Lord is there." Our good works are the subjects of Satan's attacks. A saint never yet had a virtue or a grace which was not the target for hellish bullets: whether it was hope bright and sparkling, or love warm and fervent, or patience all-enduring, or zeal flaming like coals of fire, the old enemy of everything that is good has tried to destroy it. The only reason why anything virtuous or lovely survives in us is this, "the Lord is there."

If the Lord be with us through life, we need not fear for our dying confidence; for when we come to die, we shall find that "the Lord is there;" where the billows are most tempestuous, and the water is most chill, we shall feel the bottom, and know that it is good: our feet shall stand upon the Rock of Ages when time is passing away. Beloved, from the first of a Christian's life to the last, the only reason why he does not perish is because "the Lord is there." When the God of everlasting love shall change and leave his elect to perish, then may the Church of God be destroyed; but not till then, because it is written, Jehovah Shammah, "The Lord is there."

=== Bible Quote ===

=== Message ===

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I am a decent man and don't care for the abuse given me. I created a video raising awareness of anti police feeling among western communities. I chose the senseless killing of Nicola Cotton, a Louisiana policewoman who joined post Katrina, to highlight the issue. I did this in order to get an income after having been illegally blacklisted from work in NSW for being a whistleblower. I have not done anything wrong. Local council appointees refused to endorse my work, so I did it for free. Youtube's Adsence refused to allow me to profit from their marketing it. Meanwhile, I am hostage to abysmal political leadership and hopeless journalists. My shopfront has opened on Facebook.

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I am publishing a book called Bread of Life: January.

Bread of Life is a daily bible quote with a layman's understanding of the meaning. I give one quote for each day, and also a series of personal stories illustrating key concepts eg Who is God? What is a miracle? Why is there tragedy?

January is the first of the anticipated year-long work of thirteen books. One for each month and the whole year. It costs to publish. It (Kindle version) should retail at about $2US online, but the paperback version would cost more, according to production cost.If you have a heart for giving, I fundraise at gofund.me/27tkwuc (Gofundme finished the fund raiser, 2017)

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Editorials will appear in the "History in a Year by the Conservative Voice" series, starting with August, September, October, or at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/1482020262/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_dVHPub0MQKDZ4 The kindle version is cheaper, but the soft back version allows a free kindle version.

The Amazon Author Page for David Ball

UK .. http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01683ZOWG

French .. http://www.amazon.fr/-/e/B01683ZOWG

Japan .. http://www.amazon.co.jp/-/e/B01683ZOWG

German .. http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B01683ZOWG

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Other Stuff

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I'm now on MAGAbook to sidestep FB censorship

https://www.magabook.com/register?invite=11673951025fadd3f055eca4.00045664

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I'm looking for former students to endorse me

https://www.superprof.com.au/write-recommendation-13371374-1cc2cf0f56166c9b04ad4097fc7d0b67.html

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