For some, at the moment, the Sex Party has more credibility.
=== from 2015 ===
The US celebrates nationhood, independence and many of the things her current President does not seem to support. In 1951, communist Czechoslovakia sentenced journalist William N. Oatis to ten years in prison on charges of espionage. He had only been doing his job. The despicable communist government renewed the charges for political reasons, and later dropped them again. Oatis was tortured during his incarceration. When we fight for freedom of the press we fight against such atrocities. But some in the west fail to fight for press freedoms, but take partisan positions in politics. The enormity of the crime of jailing and torturing a journalist for doing their job should never be rewarded. The US has incarcerated Jonathan Pollard, an Israeli, after failing to supervise him when he was engaged in espionage. It is time to free him. Think of it as a celebration of freedom. Ice may be behind Phil Walsh killing. Matt Noffs, grandson of Ted Noffs, who founded a crisis centre in Kings Cross for addicts, wants to include a specialised Ice room for addicts to charge up. The tragedy of Walsh's killing is amplified by the drug angle. The only way to deal with drugs is zero tolerance. An Ice laboratory isn't good enough, and would only (possibly inadvertently) promote it. Pity Walsh's son if he ever realises what he has done.
A Turkish mother forgot her baby. She had placed it in a floating device. The baby floated out to sea a kilometre before being rescued and returned. It is again with it's mother. But is it safe?
A US Judge recognised her middle school class mate in dock. She did her job, ascertaining his identity, providing testimony too. It is hoped he turns his life around.
In 362 BC, Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. The fight was a standstill, with the Thebans losing their king and his successors, and the Spartans losing prestige from another defeat. It presaged their kingdoms losing to Alexander the Great soon after. 414, Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yielded power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and proclaimed herself empress (Augusta) of the Eastern Roman Empire. Brother and sister got along for half a century. 836, Pactum Sicardi, a peace treaty between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples, was signed. 993, Ulrich of Augsburg was canonised as a saint. 1054, a supernova was seen by Chinese, Arab and possibly Amerindian observers near the star Zeta Tauri. For several months it remained bright enough to be seen during the day. Its remnants formed the Crab Nebula. 1120, Jordan II of Capua was anointed as prince after his infant nephew's death. 1187, The Crusades: Battle of Hattin: Saladin defeated Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem. 1253, Battle of West-Capelle: John I of Avesnes defeated Guy of Dampierre. 1359, Francesco II Ordelaffi of Forlì surrendered to the Papal commander Gil de Albornoz. 1456, Ottoman wars in Europe: The Siege of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) began.
In 1534, Christian III was elected King of Denmark and Norway in the town of Rye. 1610, the Battle of Klushino was fought between forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia during the Polish-Muscovite War. 1634, the city of Trois-Rivières was founded in New France (now Quebec, Canada). 1744, the Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois ceded lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 1754, French and Indian War: George Washington surrendered Fort Necessity to French Capt. Louis Coulon de Villiers. 1774, Orangetown Resolutions were adopted in the Province of New York, one of many protests against the British Parliament's Coercive Acts 1776, American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress. 1778, American Revolutionary War: American forces under George Clark captured Kaskaskia during the Illinois campaign.
In 1802, at West Point, New York, the United States Military Academy opened. 1803,the Louisiana Purchase was announced to the American people. 1817, in Rome, New York, construction on the Erie Canal began. 1826, Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, died the same day as John Adams, second president of the United States, on the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence. 1827, Slavery was abolished in New York State. 1831, Samuel Francis Smith wrote My Country, 'Tis of Thee for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities. 1837, Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway, opened between Birmingham and Liverpool. 1838, the Iowa Territory was organised.
1855, in Brooklyn, New York City, the first edition of Walt Whitman's book of poems, Leaves of Grass, was published. 1862, Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell a story that would grow into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequels. 1863, American Civil War: Siege of Vicksburg: Vicksburg, Mississippi surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant after 47 days of siege. One hundred fifty miles up the Mississippi River, a Confederate Army was repulsed at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas. Also 1863, American Civil War: The Army of Northern Virginia withdrew from the battlefield after losing the Battle of Gettysburg, signalling an end to the Southern invasion of the North. 1865, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was published. 1878, thoroughbred horses Ten Broeck and Mollie McCarty ran a match race, recalled in the song Molly and Tenbrooks. 1879, Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi was captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee. 1881, in Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute opened. 1886, the people of France offer the Statue of Liberty to the people of the United States. Also 1886, the first scheduled Canadian transcontinental train arrived in Port Moody, British Columbia. 1887, the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, joined Sindh-Madrasa-tul-Islam, Karachi. 1892, Western Samoa changed the International Date Line, so that year it had 367 days, with two occurrences of Monday, July 4. 1894, the short-lived Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed by Sanford B. Dole.
In 1903, Philippine–American War officially was concluded. Also 1903, Dorothy Levitt was reported as the first English woman to compete in a 'motor race'. 1910, African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocked out white boxer Jim Jeffries in a heavyweight boxing match, sparking race riots across the United States. 1911, a massive heat wave struck the northeastern United States, killing 380 people in eleven days and breaking temperature records in several cities. 1913, President Woodrow Wilson addressed American Civil War veterans at the Great Reunion of 1913. 1914, the funeral of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie took place in Vienna, six days after their assassinations in Sarajevo. 1918, Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI ascended to the throne. Also 1918, World War I: The Battle of Hamel, a successful attack by the Australian Corps against German positions near the town of Le Hamel on the Western Front. Also 1918, Bolsheviks killed Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family (Julian calendar date). 1926, Knoebels Amusement Resort was opened in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. 1927, the Lockheed Vega first flew. 1934, Leo Szilard patented the chain-reaction design for the atomic bomb. 1939, Lou Gehrig, recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, informed a crowd at Yankee Stadium that he considered himself "The luckiest man on the face of the earth", then announced his retirement from major league baseball. Also 1939, Huỳnh Phú Sổ founded Hòa Hảo Buddhism.
In 1941, Nazi troops massacred Polish scientists and writers in the captured Ukrainian city of Lviv. Also 1941, World War II: The Burning of the Riga synagogues: The Great Choral Synagogue in German occupied Riga was burned with 300 Jews locked in the basement. 1942, World War II: The 250 day Siege of Sevastopol in the Crimea ended when the city fell to Axis forces. 1943, World War II: The Battle of Kursk, the largest full-scale battle in history and the world's largest tank battle, began in Prokhorovka village. Also 1943, World War II: In Gibraltar, a Royal Air Force B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into the sea in an apparent accident moments after takeoff, killing sixteen passengers on board; only the pilot survived. 1946, the Kielce pogrom against Jewish Holocaust survivors in Poland. In some ways the pogrom continues today. 1946, after 381 years of near-continuous colonial rule by various powers, the Philippines attained full independence from the United States. 1947, the "Indian Independence Bill" was presented before the British House of Commons, proposing the independence of the Provinces of British India into two sovereign countries: India and Pakistan.
In 1950, Radio Free Europe first broadcasts. 1951, a court in Czechoslovakia sentenced American journalist William N. Oatis to ten years in prison on charges of espionage. Also 1951, William Shockley announced the invention of the junction transistor. 1960, due to the post-Independence Day admission of Hawaii as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959, the 50-star flag of the United States debuted in Philadelphia, almost ten and a half months later (see Flag Act). 1966, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act into United States law. The act went into effect the next year. 1976, Israeli commandos raided Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by Palestinian terrorists. 1977, the George Jackson Brigade planted a bomb at the main power substation for the Washington state capitol in Olympia, in solidarity with a prison strike at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary Intensive Security Unit. In their defence, they wanted to overthrow Jimmy Carter.
In 1982, four Iranian diplomats were abducted by Lebanese militia in Lebanon. 1987, in France, former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie (a.k.a. the "Butcher of Lyon") was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment. 1994, Rwandan Genocide: Kigali, the Rwandan capital, was captured by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, ending the genocide in the city. 1997, NASA's Pathfinder space probe landed on the surface of Mars. 1998, Japan launched the Nozomi probe to Mars, joining the United States and Russia as a space exploring nation. 2004, the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower was laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. 2005, the Deep Impact collider hit the comet Tempel 1. 2009, the Statue of Liberty's crown reopened to the public after eight years of closure due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks. 2012, the discovery of particles consistent with the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider was announced at CERN. 2013, the Death of Hung Chung-chiu: A Republic of China Army corporal died under suspicious circumstances while serving a detention sentence during his enlisted service.
From 2014
Independence day for the land of my birth. Two ambitious young lawyers had drafted the declaration. Their friendship was stretched as they began the party system and became second and third Presidents of the US but for diametrically opposed parties. After politics, they became friends again. They died on this day in 1826, fifty years after the paper they authored was signed. I despise Thomas Jefferson as being a man of words without substance. But John Adams befriended him, so he couldn't have been too bad.
Some people say things and it is as if they have no idea what they are saying. Such was the case with Jacqui Lambie and Dio Wang as they berated the PM for having daughters who volunteered to campaign with him. Maybe they are trying to distract the left from their support in abolishing a carbon tax? Words have power as simple bigot Karen Bailey discovered. Karen claims her disappointment at spending $100k on a dutch date who wasn't swayed led her to berate children and ethnically diverse people on a train journey after seeing her husband. She gave her name as Sue Wilkins while apologising to a tv camera over the incident.
Sparta lost a battle on this day in 362 BC. Athens had been the ally of Sparta .. in 1054 the world saw a supernova which could be seen in the day sky too, it was that strong. In 1831, in tribute, Samuel Francis Smith wrote "My country 'tis of thee." In 1862, Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell a story he published on this day in 1865, called "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Fittingly, the same day Rolf Harris is sentenced. In 1918, the Tsar and his family were murdered. In 1941, Nazis murdered writers and scientists in the Ukrainian city of Lviv. But the great testament to independence happened on this day in 1976 at Entebbe. Israeli commandos freed hostages held by Palestinian terrorists with the approval of Idi Amin. Yonatan Netanyahu organised the successful raid, and died executing it. And so the tree of freedom is fed with fresh blood of the good and great. Yonatan has the company of Marie Curie who died in 1934.
Some people say things and it is as if they have no idea what they are saying. Such was the case with Jacqui Lambie and Dio Wang as they berated the PM for having daughters who volunteered to campaign with him. Maybe they are trying to distract the left from their support in abolishing a carbon tax? Words have power as simple bigot Karen Bailey discovered. Karen claims her disappointment at spending $100k on a dutch date who wasn't swayed led her to berate children and ethnically diverse people on a train journey after seeing her husband. She gave her name as Sue Wilkins while apologising to a tv camera over the incident.
Sparta lost a battle on this day in 362 BC. Athens had been the ally of Sparta .. in 1054 the world saw a supernova which could be seen in the day sky too, it was that strong. In 1831, in tribute, Samuel Francis Smith wrote "My country 'tis of thee." In 1862, Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell a story he published on this day in 1865, called "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Fittingly, the same day Rolf Harris is sentenced. In 1918, the Tsar and his family were murdered. In 1941, Nazis murdered writers and scientists in the Ukrainian city of Lviv. But the great testament to independence happened on this day in 1976 at Entebbe. Israeli commandos freed hostages held by Palestinian terrorists with the approval of Idi Amin. Yonatan Netanyahu organised the successful raid, and died executing it. And so the tree of freedom is fed with fresh blood of the good and great. Yonatan has the company of Marie Curie who died in 1934.
Historical perspective on this day
In 362 BC, Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. 414, Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yielded power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and proclaimed herself empress (Augusta) of the Eastern Roman Empire. 836, Pactum Sicardi, a peace treaty between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples, was signed. 993, Ulrich of Augsburg was canonised as a saint. 1054, a supernova was seen by Chinese, Arab and possibly Amerindian observers near the star Zeta Tauri. For several months it remained bright enough to be seen during the day. Its remnants formed the Crab Nebula. 1120, Jordan II of Capua was anointed as prince after his infant nephew's death. 1187, The Crusades: Battle of Hattin: Saladin defeated Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem. 1253, Battle of West-Capelle: John I of Avesnes defeated Guy of Dampierre. 1359, Francesco II Ordelaffi of Forlì surrendered to the Papal commander Gil de Albornoz. 1456, Ottoman wars in Europe: The Siege of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) began.
In 1534, Christian III was elected King of Denmark and Norway in the town of Rye. 1610, the Battle of Klushino was fought between forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia during the Polish-Muscovite War. 1634, the city of Trois-Rivières was founded in New France (now Quebec, Canada). 1744, the Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois ceded lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 1754, French and Indian War: George Washingtonsurrendered Fort Necessity to French Capt. Louis Coulon de Villiers. 1774, Orangetown Resolutions were adopted in the Province of New York, one of many protests against the British Parliament's Coercive Acts 1776, American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress. 1778, American Revolutionary War: American forces under George Clark captured Kaskaskia during the Illinois campaign.
In 1802, at West Point, New York, the United States Military Academy opened. 1803,the Louisiana Purchase was announced to the American people. 1817, in Rome, New York, construction on the Erie Canal began. 1826, Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, died the same day as John Adams, second president of the United States, on the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence. 1827, Slavery was abolished in New York State. 1831, Samuel Francis Smith wrote My Country, 'Tis of Thee for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities. 1837, Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway, opened between Birmingham and Liverpool. 1838, the Iowa Territory was organised.
1855, in Brooklyn, New York City, the first edition of Walt Whitman's book of poems, Leaves of Grass, was published. 1862, Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell a story that would grow into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequels. 1863, American Civil War: Siege of Vicksburg: Vicksburg, Mississippi surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant after 47 days of siege. One hundred fifty miles up the Mississippi River, a Confederate Army was repulsed at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas. Also 1863, American Civil War: The Army of Northern Virginia withdrew from the battlefield after losing the Battle of Gettysburg, signalling an end to the Southerninvasion of the North. 1865, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was published. 1878, thoroughbred horses Ten Broeck and Mollie McCarty ran a match race, recalled in the song Molly and Tenbrooks. 1879, Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi was captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee. 1881, in Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute opened. 1886, the people of France offer the Statue of Liberty to the people of the United States. Also 1886, the first scheduled Canadian transcontinental train arrived in Port Moody, British Columbia. 1887, the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, joined Sindh-Madrasa-tul-Islam, Karachi. 1892, Western Samoa changed the International Date Line, so that year it had 367 days, with two occurrences of Monday, July 4. 1894, the short-lived Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed by Sanford B. Dole.
In 1903, Philippine–American War officially was concluded. Also 1903, Dorothy Levitt was reported as the first English woman to compete in a 'motor race'. 1910, African-Americanboxer Jack Johnson knocked out white boxer Jim Jeffries in a heavyweight boxing match, sparking race riots across the United States. 1911, a massive heat wave struck the northeastern United States, killing 380 people in eleven days and breaking temperature records in several cities. 1913, President Woodrow Wilson addressed American Civil Warveterans at the Great Reunion of 1913. 1914, the funeral of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie took place in Vienna, six days after their assassinations in Sarajevo. 1918, Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI ascended to the throne. Also 1918, World War I: The Battle of Hamel, a successful attack by the Australian Corps against German positions near the town of Le Hamel on the Western Front. Also 1918, Bolsheviks killed Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family (Julian calendar date). 1926, Knoebels Amusement Resort was opened in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. 1927, the Lockheed Vega first flew. 1934, Leo Szilard patented the chain-reaction design for the atomic bomb. 1939, Lou Gehrig, recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, informed a crowd at Yankee Stadium that he considered himself "The luckiest man on the face of the earth", then announced his retirement from major league baseball. Also 1939, Huỳnh Phú Sổ founded Hòa Hảo Buddhism.
In 1941, Nazi troops massacred Polish scientists and writers in the captured Ukrainian city of Lviv. Also 1941, World War II: The Burning of the Riga synagogues: The Great Choral Synagogue in German occupied Riga was burned with 300 Jews locked in the basement. 1942, World War II: The 250 day Siege of Sevastopol in the Crimea ended when the city fell to Axis forces. 1943, World War II: The Battle of Kursk, the largest full-scale battle in history and the world's largest tank battle, began in Prokhorovka village. Also 1943, World War II: In Gibraltar, a Royal Air Force B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into the sea in an apparent accident moments after takeoff, killing sixteen passengers on board; only the pilot survived. 1946, the Kielce pogrom against Jewish Holocaust survivors in Poland. 1946, after 381 years of near-continuous colonial rule by various powers, the Philippines attained full independence from the United States. 1947, the "Indian Independence Bill" was presented before the British House of Commons, proposing the independence of the Provinces of British India into two sovereign countries: India and Pakistan.
In 1950, Radio Free Europe first broadcasts. 1951, a court in Czechoslovakia sentenced American journalist William N. Oatis to ten years in prison on charges of espionage. Also 1951, William Shockley announced the invention of the junction transistor. 1960, due to the post-Independence Day admission of Hawaii as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959, the 50-star flag of the United States debuted in Philadelphia, almost ten and a half months later (see Flag Act). 1966, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act into United States law. The act went into effect the next year. 1976, Israeli commandosraided Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by Palestinian terrorists. 1977, the George Jackson Brigade planted a bomb at the main power substation for the Washington state capitol in Olympia, in solidarity with a prison strike at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary Intensive Security Unit
In 1982, four Iranian diplomats were abducted by Lebanese militia in Lebanon. 1987, in France, former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie (a.k.a. the "Butcher of Lyon") was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment. 1994, Rwandan Genocide: Kigali, the Rwandan capital, was captured by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, ending the genocide in the city. 1997, NASA's Pathfinder space probe landed on the surface of Mars. 1998, Japan launched the Nozomi probe to Mars, joining the United States and Russia as a space exploring nation. 2004, the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower was laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. 2005, the Deep Impact collider hit the comet Tempel 1. 2009, the Statue of Liberty's crown reopened to the public after eight years of closure due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks. 2012, the discovery of particles consistent with the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider was announced at CERN. 2013, the Death of Hung Chung-chiu: A Republic of China Army corporal died under suspicious circumstances while serving a detention sentence during his enlisted service.
=== Publishing News ===
This column welcomes feedback and criticism. The column is not made up but based on the days events and articles which are then placed in the feed. So they may not have an apparent cohesion they would have had were they made up.
===
Thanks to Warren for this advice on watching Bolt
Warren Catton Get this for your PC or MAC https://www.foxtel.com.au/foxtelplay/how-it-works/pc-mac.html Once you have installed it start it up and press Live TV you don't need a login to watch Sky News!
===
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
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
===
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.
List of available items at Create Space
The Amazon Author Page for David Ball
UK .. http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01683ZOWGFrench .. http://www.amazon.fr/-/e/B01683ZOWG
Japan .. http://www.amazon.co.jp/-/e/B01683ZOWG
German .. http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B01683ZOWG
| Happy birthday USA
Happy birthday and many happy returns Kevin Misan. Born on US independence day. On your day in 414, Aelia Pulcheria proclaimed herself regent over her brother Theodosius II and made herself Augusta and Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 1054, Chinese astronomers recorded the sudden appearance of a "guest star", which was in actuality the supernova that created the Crab Nebula. In 1610, Polish–Muscovite War: The outnumbered forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth defeated the Russians at the Battle of Klushino. In 1945, The Brazilian cruiser Bahia was accidentally sunk by one of its own crewmen, killing more than 300 and stranding the survivors in shark-infested waters. In 1951, William Shockley announced the invention of the junction transistor, for which he, John Bardeen, and Walter Houser Brattain won the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics. You have travelled far in search of a warmer climate. Proclaiming much, following stars. Outnumbered, you succeed, but even so, the water has sharks. And now those transistors sing! Cheers.
Deaths
July 4: Feast day of Ulrich of Augsburg (Roman Catholicism); Republic Day in the Philippines (1946); Independence Day in the United States (1776)
Crab nebula was born on this day. He told us a story. Don't trust Brazilian cruisers. No need to remind us. It left a deep impact. Let's party.
|
ONE THING IS CLEAR
Tim Blair – Monday, July 04, 2016 (6:45pm)
Former Howard government minister turned Fairfax columnist Amanda Vanstone:
Although the final outcome of the election is uncertain, one thing is clear ... it’s very close.
Thanks for the searing insight, Mandy. The ex-immigration minister then cautions the Coalition against moving to the right – and cites a puzzling source of inspiration:
One of the key indicators of where the government needs to go is the Xenophon vote. He says he wants to drag the major parties towards the centre. It’s not rocket science; the bell curve of votes tells us all that’s where the majority of Australia sits. It’s always been that way.
According to Chris Pyne, Xenophon has voted with the Greens two-thirds of the time since he was elected in 2007. Yet Vanstone is leading his dopey cheer squad:
Xenophon may not have directed preferences, leaving the voter to decide. But once Xenophon candidates are elected he will be the key influence on where their votes go. Someone who wants to take politics more to the centre now plays a pivotal role in Australia’s future. Nobody will get anything done without Xenophon. This is no time for bruised egos to try to drag the Liberal Party to the right.
Speaking of egos, that’s essentially all Xenophon has to offer. Vanstone also presents this aside, which may explain why she secured her Fairfax gig:
Abbott’s first priority has always been Abbott.
Er, no. For a superior election call, turn to Mark Steyn.
PALLY PALS
Tim Blair – Monday, July 04, 2016 (3:47pm)
Just look at these Hezbollah fans marching through central London. One sign of note: “Israel is the cancer. We are the cure.”
TURNBULL MANIA TERMINATED
Tim Blair – Monday, July 04, 2016 (6:54am)
During Australia’s brief and inexplicable era of Malcolm Turnbull mania, which lasted for several demented weeks in late 2015, Fairfax columnist Elizabeth Farrelly made this stunning prediction:
“Malcolm – who like Beyonce is known universally by his first name – will be the longest-serving prime minister since Menzies. Possibly ever.
“Malcolm has occupied the middle ground so thoroughly that Bill Shorten – who against Abbott looked almost plausible – is suddenly Mr 15 Per Cent, and shrinking.”
Just seven months after Farrelly’s prediction Turnbull will be lucky to survive the week, much less challenge Menzies as our longest-serving PM. Turnbull himself seemed to realise this during his furious, flailing post-midnight speech following election day, when he appeared to be a man distressed by changed circumstances he could neither understand or explain.
Turnbull had turned down the rage by the time he appeared before the press yesterday, but the content of Sunday’s speech was arguably even more delusional. “Above all, Australians seek greater certainty, greater clarity, stability in their government,” he said. Looking at the result, Australians evidently don’t.
“It is absolutely critical that we complete the count, we identify who has been elected to the Parliament and then we will know,” Turnbull continued. “But right now, we need to recognise that the process is underway.” Earth to Malcolm: the Australian Electoral Commission counts votes after every election. This is not something that needs to be recognised. It just happens.
“It is absolutely critical that we complete the count, we identify who has been elected to the Parliament and then we will know,” Turnbull continued. “But right now, we need to recognise that the process is underway.” Earth to Malcolm: the Australian Electoral Commission counts votes after every election. This is not something that needs to be recognised. It just happens.
“The reason the result was not clear last night was that around a third of Australians voted in pre-polling or via a postal vote,” Turnbull added. Another, more significant, reason might be that so many people voted against Turnbull’s government.
Let’s look further at those results, which add up to an almost perfect outcome for conservatives. For a start there was the obliteration of Turnbull himself, and of the notion that his treacherous undermining of Tony Abbott would pay off electorally. “The sum of a more centrist approach outweighs any alleged marginal loss of so-called base voters,” Liberal strategist Mark Textor claimed last September.
He won’t be using that line again anytime soon.
Then there was the smiting of those who had schemed with Turnbull to remove the elected Prime Minister. Coup plotter Peter Hendy was an early victim. “I am very proud of the campaign my team and I waged,” the now ex-member for Eden Monaro said. “We focused on policy and presented a positive plan, but above all, we retained our honesty and integrity.”
Sure you did, Pete. Right up until the moment the knife went in.
(Continue reading Turnbull Mania.)
ANGRY JEREMY
Tim Blair – Monday, July 04, 2016 (6:39am)
British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lashes out during a “Say No to Hate Crime” rally in London:
Mr Corbyn had to be held back by aides after he lost his temper with a television reporter when asked if he was “running away” from answering questions about his beleaguered leadership.A video published on the internet shows the reporter asking: “Mr Corbyn when are you going to stand down? How much longer can you stay?” Another asks: “Are you running away from the media?” as he walks away.A visibly angry Mr Corbyn then appeared to lunge in the journalist’s direction in front of camera crews and photographers, saying: “If you want to arrange an interview speak to my press office. Thank you.”An aide then restrains the Labour leader, saying to him: “Jeremy, please don’t, please don’t.”
Click for video of Corbyn going Islington mad on the inquisitive journalist.
(Via Brat.)
SUDDEN EVERYONE DEATH SYNDROME
Tim Blair – Monday, July 04, 2016 (6:25am)
People keep dying in violent and terrible ways, and nobody seems to know why. Following the recent slaughter of 44 people at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, US secretary of state John Kerry told a press conference: “We’re still trying to ascertain what happened and who did it.”
One day, many years from now, with the assistance of global police networks, we might have an answer. At US news outlet MSNBC, this post-Istanbul question was asked: “Is there a pattern to recent terror attacks?”
Again, nobody has a clue. It’s a complete mystery. What on earth might be the common factor linking mass killings in Paris, Brussels, Orlando, London, Madrid, Bali, Israel, Libya Somalia, Cameroon, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, the Philippines, Russia, Burkina Faso, Kenya and now Istanbul? What pattern might there be?
Over in Germany, which coincidentally has lately taken in some million or so claimed refugees, one police spokesman suggested overcrowding may be the big issue.
Announcing that Munich would spend nearly $4.5 million more on security during this year’s Oktoberfest, spokesman Marcus da Gloria Martins said that the huge cost increase was to do with something other than terrorism and its completely unknown cause.
Announcing that Munich would spend nearly $4.5 million more on security during this year’s Oktoberfest, spokesman Marcus da Gloria Martins said that the huge cost increase was to do with something other than terrorism and its completely unknown cause.
“For me the general problem of crowding at Oktoberfest is more worrisome than a terrorist attack,” he said, which is presumably why it makes sense to hire an additional 100 security personnel, install an emergency multi-language loudspeaker system and conduct bag checks at every single entrance.
All of these measures are obviously about overcrowding and not any other thing that might happen at random, somehow causing people to spontaneously die. Obviously.
(Continue reading Sudden Everyone Death Syndrome.)
On TV and radio tonight: the return of Tony Abbott
Andrew Bolt July 04 2016 (5:13pm)
On The Bolt Report on Sky News Live at 7pm tonight:
===Editorial: Three things you need to know about this election result. And why they add up to Abbott.On 2GB, 3AW and 4BC with Steve Price from 8pm.
My guests:
Preference whisperer Glenn Druery one the greatest danger to Malcolm Turnbull - a completely unworkable Senate.Podcasts of the show here. Facebook page here.
Peta Credlin, today Abbott’s former chief of staff, on Turnbull’s future, Abbott’s chances and the need for a new election.
On the panel, former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman and former NSW Labor Treasurer Michael Costa.
On Tony Abbott for PM.
Listen live here. Talkback: 131 873. Listen to all past shows here.
Andrew Wilkie may have to be Speaker to save Turnbull
Andrew Bolt July 04 2016 (11:05am)
The best guess is that the Turnbull Government will lose 15 seats, leaving it with 75 in a Parliament of 150.
It will then need to find one more MP to become speaker, so it has a majority on the floor.
Who?
Forget the Greens’ Adam Bandt. Bob Katter is too erratic. I doubt Cathy McGowan could do it, and Rebekha Sharkie is a complete newbie in Parliament.
That leaves only Andrew Wilkie.
But what would Wilkie demand as a price for his cooperation, even were he willing to go along with this? (And he’s said he won’t.)
He is against off-shore detention of boat people - a price the Liberals could not afford to pay.
This election count has a long way to go, with every way spelling danger for Malcolm Turnbull.
A question: how critical has Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews been in robbing Labor of victory? His brutal and scandalous attempt to give the militant firefighters union control over Country Fire Authority volunteers - and during this election campaign - has proved critical. Federal Labor seemed about to win in Dunkley and perhaps Corangamite, but the Liberals have since held both, and could even take Chisholm from Labor. Had just two of those seats gone Labor’s way, Bill Shorten would be Prime Minister.
All credit, then, to Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who alerted Malcolm Turnbull to this issue and encouraged him to come take stand by the CFA firefighters.
If only Turnbull had followed another critical tip from the shrewd Hunt, to hit Labor with an attack on his planned electricity tax - a new carbon tax. As Labor’s Mediscare has proved, the electorate is highly sensitive to threats to the household budget after several years now of living standards not rising. An attack on Labor’s electricity tax could have been decisive, but that was one more piece of good advice Turnbull ignored.
===It will then need to find one more MP to become speaker, so it has a majority on the floor.
Who?
Forget the Greens’ Adam Bandt. Bob Katter is too erratic. I doubt Cathy McGowan could do it, and Rebekha Sharkie is a complete newbie in Parliament.
That leaves only Andrew Wilkie.
But what would Wilkie demand as a price for his cooperation, even were he willing to go along with this? (And he’s said he won’t.)
He is against off-shore detention of boat people - a price the Liberals could not afford to pay.
This election count has a long way to go, with every way spelling danger for Malcolm Turnbull.
A question: how critical has Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews been in robbing Labor of victory? His brutal and scandalous attempt to give the militant firefighters union control over Country Fire Authority volunteers - and during this election campaign - has proved critical. Federal Labor seemed about to win in Dunkley and perhaps Corangamite, but the Liberals have since held both, and could even take Chisholm from Labor. Had just two of those seats gone Labor’s way, Bill Shorten would be Prime Minister.
All credit, then, to Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who alerted Malcolm Turnbull to this issue and encouraged him to come take stand by the CFA firefighters.
If only Turnbull had followed another critical tip from the shrewd Hunt, to hit Labor with an attack on his planned electricity tax - a new carbon tax. As Labor’s Mediscare has proved, the electorate is highly sensitive to threats to the household budget after several years now of living standards not rising. An attack on Labor’s electricity tax could have been decisive, but that was one more piece of good advice Turnbull ignored.
Dear Mr Turnbull, please resign
Andrew Bolt July 04 2016 (10:40am)
You destroyed a Prime Minister - a good man - who’d won in a landslide.
You then turned the Liberals into Labor-lite.
You promised more taxes and debt.
You asked for no mandate for reform.
You changed the Senate voting rules to hand the Left control for generations.
You spurned the Liberal base.
You smashed super savings with a giant new tax.
You called colonial settlement an “invasion” and held an Iftar dinner with known hate-preachers.
You preached global warming and same-sex marriage.
You split the party.
You led the Liberals to humiliation at the polls.
You have since blamed everyone but yourself.
You cannot heal the party.
Please resign.
This appeal is signed by the people below:
===You then turned the Liberals into Labor-lite.
You promised more taxes and debt.
You asked for no mandate for reform.
You changed the Senate voting rules to hand the Left control for generations.
You spurned the Liberal base.
You smashed super savings with a giant new tax.
You called colonial settlement an “invasion” and held an Iftar dinner with known hate-preachers.
You preached global warming and same-sex marriage.
You split the party.
You led the Liberals to humiliation at the polls.
You have since blamed everyone but yourself.
You cannot heal the party.
Please resign.
This appeal is signed by the people below:
No one to blame but Turnbull himself
Andrew Bolt July 04 2016 (9:36am)
Malcolm Turnbull is complaining that Labor’s Mediscare lies cost him the victory he wanted. An ”extraordinary act of dishonesty,” he raged.
True, those lies were outrageous and possibly even criminal. But Turnbull essentially lost this election (to the extent he has lost it) before the election campaign even started.
Remember: the Coalition actually went into this election from behind, and that is entirely due to Turnbull’s seven wasted months of waffling and dithering and musing about great big new taxes. Stabbing Abbott didn’t help, either.
Those seven months is where the real solutions to this catastrophe lie, and whingeing about Mediscare is just the sound of people refusing to face reality - that Malcolm Turnbull is a disastrous leader.
This humiliation is not the result of a scare in the last fortnight of the campaign. The seeds for this Liberal disaster were sown last year, and the die was cast with the Budget.
Now the Liberals - and everyone else - must deal with the consesquences.
Terry McCrann is the only commentator I know who months ago predicted what may yet come to pass - that Malcolm Turnbull will lose this election.
McCrann today:
Result: the disaster you see. All Turnbull’s own work.
To emphasise that: the Nationals’ vote went up, the Liberals’ down. The Liberals vote was hit hardest in the struggle streets of marginal seats Tasmania and Western Sydney that Abbott appealed to, but which Turnbull could not reach with his empty slogans on agility and excitement and innovation.
(Thanks very much to reader Peter of Bellevue Hill.)
===True, those lies were outrageous and possibly even criminal. But Turnbull essentially lost this election (to the extent he has lost it) before the election campaign even started.
Remember: the Coalition actually went into this election from behind, and that is entirely due to Turnbull’s seven wasted months of waffling and dithering and musing about great big new taxes. Stabbing Abbott didn’t help, either.
Those seven months is where the real solutions to this catastrophe lie, and whingeing about Mediscare is just the sound of people refusing to face reality - that Malcolm Turnbull is a disastrous leader.
This humiliation is not the result of a scare in the last fortnight of the campaign. The seeds for this Liberal disaster were sown last year, and the die was cast with the Budget.
Now the Liberals - and everyone else - must deal with the consesquences.
Terry McCrann is the only commentator I know who months ago predicted what may yet come to pass - that Malcolm Turnbull will lose this election.
McCrann today:
MALCOLM Turnbull has to go. Immediately…Rowan Dean:
Turnbull’s departure — not just from the Lodge but from parliament — is in the interests of the Coalition and of the country. We simply cannot afford, we simply cannot risk, a government that continues to be led by someone as monumentally inept, in political and policy terms, as Turnbull…
He’s lost either all or most of Tony Abbott’s substantial majority. The far more devastating legacy is to make it impossible for any future Coalition government to get reform through the Senate, precisely when the need has never been more desperate.
Congratulations, Malcolm. Congratulations for reminding average Australians that they value loyalty and mateship above all else and will never reward someone for treachery and betrayal towards a colleague (or a leader, for that matter).Dennis Shanahan is correct:
Australia is set to be virtually ungovernable for the next three years and an election within 12 months can’t be ruled out.Shanahan on Turnbull’s blunders:
There was too much complacency during the election campaign and an outright refusal to take on the Opposition Leader and Labor over core Coalition successes and issues: border protection, national security and union lawlessness…Matthew Knott:
But the more damaging complacency, which allowed Labor to develop political momentum and economic credibility, set in when Abbott was removed as Liberal leader. At this time the “Mal contents”, those content that a change in leader was all that was necessary, allowed Turnbull to “put everything on the table” and lose economic and tax clarity, including a 15 per cent rise in the GST, changes to negative gearing, adverse changes to superannuation, a state income tax and bringing forward an untested budget to election eve…
In particular, the changes to superannuation hit safe Liberal seats hard and the arrogance of telling people they were wrong about the proposed changes only frustrated and angered Liberal supporters in safe seats and did nothing to placate the aspiring voters in the suburbs of Sydney and Brisbane who felt threatened by the superannuation changes....
Regional and outer-suburban Australia, especially in Sydney’s west, rejected the “exciting times” and innovation narrative along with a priority for a same-sex plebiscite before Christmas.
The final days of an election campaign, you might assume, would be filled with frenetic activity. Especially with all the major polls predicting a tight result. I certainly did when I took a deep breath and hopped aboard the Turnbull bus to cover the final two weeks of the campaign.Michael Gordon:
They turned out to be anything but. Rather than a man locked in the fight of his life, Turnbull looked like a footballer running down the clock. The pace of the campaign - already at a low tempo - grew positively languid.
“We will win on July 2,” Turnbull had declared weeks earlier and he was acting like it as he strolled towards the finish line. A busy day contained two events, some just one… On Friday we toured a krill oil factory before a street walk ... It felt like a victory lap… By 2.30pm the final day of campaigning wrapped up.
One Coalition insider rates [Turnbull’s] chances of surviving at one in 10… His agenda is in tatters, his authority diminished and his judgment is being questioned on multiple levels… If his innovation mantra appealed to young entrepreneurs in the cities, it was a foreign language to many in the regions who were simply worried about the provision of basic services and jobs.Via Michael Smith, former Labor speechwriter Troy Bramston says strategists on both sides agree Tony Abbott would have done better than Turnbull at this election:
John Roskam:
It’s now more obvious than ever that changes have to be made [to the Liberals’ promised hit on superannuation]… It was simply diabolical for the Liberal Party to be proposing higher taxes on people who save and work hard… Who knows how and why people voted, but it is certainly a view among many people that it had a major impact and that is attested to by the exit polling.UPDATE Turnbull had the support of most press gallery journalists and the support of the overwhelming majority of the newspaper editorialists. Business groups urged him on and Tony Abbott and his supporters did not white-ant him. He ran exactly the campaign his advisers recommended. He rejected suggestions to campaign harder on boats, Labor’s planned electricity tax and Labor’s union links. He was also given plenty of time to make his case: nine months.
Result: the disaster you see. All Turnbull’s own work.
To emphasise that: the Nationals’ vote went up, the Liberals’ down. The Liberals vote was hit hardest in the struggle streets of marginal seats Tasmania and Western Sydney that Abbott appealed to, but which Turnbull could not reach with his empty slogans on agility and excitement and innovation.
(Thanks very much to reader Peter of Bellevue Hill.)
Bring back Abbott
Andrew Bolt July 04 2016 (9:02am)
TONY Abbott must return as leader of the shattered Liberals after Saturday’s election disaster.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull out, Abbott in — even if journalists still sneer.
True, Abbott ideally needs months more to repair the image that a smart-arse media tore to shreds, feeding off his sometimes dumb mistakes. But who else but Abbott could hope to fix what Turnbull has just smashed?
This election result has been a near-total catastrophe for the Liberals, who have been left without a mandate, platform, unity, honour or real power after letting Turnbull hijack their party last year.
Turnbull, a man of the ABC Left, then ditched the Liberals’ base, Liberal principles and even the Liberals’ party colours to campaign on virtually nothing but a fantasy tax cut for business.
Now look at the smoking ruin.
(Read the full article here.)
===Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull out, Abbott in — even if journalists still sneer.
True, Abbott ideally needs months more to repair the image that a smart-arse media tore to shreds, feeding off his sometimes dumb mistakes. But who else but Abbott could hope to fix what Turnbull has just smashed?
This election result has been a near-total catastrophe for the Liberals, who have been left without a mandate, platform, unity, honour or real power after letting Turnbull hijack their party last year.
Turnbull, a man of the ABC Left, then ditched the Liberals’ base, Liberal principles and even the Liberals’ party colours to campaign on virtually nothing but a fantasy tax cut for business.
Now look at the smoking ruin.
(Read the full article here.)
The Nationals win, Liberals lose. And that means the Coalition goes right
Andrew Bolt July 04 2016 (8:56am)
The Coalition will
swing away from the Turnbull Left for one reason above all. The
Nationals have actually increased their vote, while the Turnbull
Liberals were savaged:
It also means that the Nationals, with one more seat in its own right, are now much stronger relatively in the Coalition than the Liberals, who have lost anything up to 15 seats.
Under the Coalition agreement, this entitles the more conservative Nationals to more Ministerial positions. And they most certainly will not want to be tethered to Turnbull’s toxic brand of Liberalism, either.
===This does not merely mean the voters were specifically rejecting Turnbull rather than the Coalition.
It also means that the Nationals, with one more seat in its own right, are now much stronger relatively in the Coalition than the Liberals, who have lost anything up to 15 seats.
Under the Coalition agreement, this entitles the more conservative Nationals to more Ministerial positions. And they most certainly will not want to be tethered to Turnbull’s toxic brand of Liberalism, either.
So who would prop up the Turnbull Government? Would they go with Labor instead?
Andrew Bolt July 03 2016 (6:32pm)
Malcolm Turnbull looks like falling a couple of seats short of majority government and is even in danger of losing office.
Alan RM Jones crunches the numbers:
But if Turnbull does win only 73 seats, he is still three MPs short. So which three independents could he get to prop him up?
The choices are grim:
Turnbull really needs to win at least 74 seats to be reasonably safe, relying on the support of just two crossbench MPs - probably Katter and one other, probably either Sharkie or McGowan.
===Alan RM Jones crunches the numbers:
Looking at the 13 in-doubt seats this hour, the Libs lead in 8, Labor leads in 5. Labor are likely to hold their leads in Capricornia (991), Cowan (959), and Herbert (1084). The Coalition are likely to hold their leads in Dickson (1158), Grey (1109), La Trobe (1306), Petrie (1305) and Robertson (1183). They could claw back Labor’s lead in Forde (150) and Hindmarsh (432, up from 380 a couple of hours ago). But likewise, the Libs are still vulnerable in Chisholm (66), Dunkley (438) and Gilmore (405).
If those seats don’t shift in the postal counting, Labor will have 72 seats and the Coalition will take 73 out of 76 seats needed to govern in their own right. The Coalition could get to 75, but likely not more than 74 seats.
So it’s minority government and a Star Wars bar scene in the Senate.
But if Turnbull does win only 73 seats, he is still three MPs short. So which three independents could he get to prop him up?
The choices are grim:
Adam Bandt, the Greens - extreme Left, anti off-shore detention and the return of the Australian Building and Construction Commission.In fact, many on this list could find it much easier to support Labor instead. So if Turnbull wins only 73 seats, he could well lose government and be out of Parliament by Christmas.
Andrew Wilkie, independent - Left, anti off-shore detention of boat people.
Cathy McGowan, independent - Left.
Rebekha Sharkie, Nick Xenophon party - centre Left, more industry handouts.
Bob Katter, independent - erratic agrarian socialist. More money for plenty of stuff.
Turnbull really needs to win at least 74 seats to be reasonably safe, relying on the support of just two crossbench MPs - probably Katter and one other, probably either Sharkie or McGowan.
The speech that proves Turnbull cannot cope
Andrew Bolt July 03 2016 (4:38pm)
Malcolm Turnbull’s extraordinary speech last night showed a man who was
not just broken politically but psychologically. Angry, not humble. In
total denial. Still claiming a victory that will not come.
His friends must persuade him to quit for his own good, as well as that of his party.
===His friends must persuade him to quit for his own good, as well as that of his party.
The war on drugs is real. And this is not the time to surrender
Miranda Devine – Wednesday, July 01, 2015 (11:46am)
Matt Noffs means well. But he has fallen for a crackpot idea in his quest to help the addicts at the Ted Noffs Foundation crisis centre founded by his grandfather.
Continue reading 'The war on drugs is real. And this is not the time to surrender'Losing a war that will cost us to win
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (9:57am)
In the more than eight months Australian forces have been in Iraq they have dropped just 400 bombs on the Islamic State - or fewer than two a day.
So no wonder the Abbott Government is impatient:
===So no wonder the Abbott Government is impatient:
An expansion of Australia’s military role in Iraq’s strife-torn Anbar province is under negotiation with the US, as worldwide pressure builds to destroy Islamic State terror fighters on the ground in the Middle East.But here is the danger. Helping to destroy the Islamic State could just help Iran to expand its control over Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias increasingly rule. Read this troubling insight.
The ABC can’t find a single journalist who is against Q&A inviting Mallah?
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (9:37am)
The reaction of ABC staff to the Zaky Mallah scandal demonstrates exactly the groupthink that caused the problem, and that remains the ABC’s greatest failing.
Gerard Henderson:
When ABC presenters past and present make mistakes in analysing this case, for some reason it’s always a mistake that tends to excuse Mallah or damn the government. Is that a coincidence?
For instance:
UPDATE
Exactly what kind of creep will the ABC’s Q&A knowingly promote?
Fromhttps://www.communications.gov.au/sites/g/files/net301/f/QA%20NC%20final%20draft%20Summary%201%20July%20%282%29.pdf” title=” the Department of Communications’ review on the appearance of Zaky Mallah"> the Department of Communications’ review on the appearance of Zaky Mallah on Q&A, where he was invited to ask a question that Q&Aproducers helped him to write:
So the Q&A reviewed Mallah’s social posts of August 2014, such as this, from August 5:
(Thanks to readers Peter of Bellevue Hill and Peter H.)
===Gerard Henderson:
Before the board’s statement, a bevy of present and past ABC “stars” lent their support to McEvoy and the Q&A team or criticised the Abbott government’s reaction. The list included Richard Ackland, Emma Alberici, Paul Barry, Mike Carlton, Annabel Crabb, Rafael Epstein, Jonathan Green, Jonathan Holmes, Fran Kelly, Peter Manning, Matt Peacock and David Salter. Moreover, not one ABC employee was prepared to criticise publicly Q&A’s handling of the Mallah affair.UPDATE
And herein lies the crux of the problem, which the ABC’s decision to engage former SBS supremo Shaun Brown and left-wing journalist Ray Martin to review Q&A will not resolve.
Despite Scott’s promise of almost a half-decade ago to provide greater diversity within the public broadcaster, the ABC does not have a conservative presenter, producer or editor for any of its prominent television, radio or online outlets. Not one. This leads to a leftist or left-of-centre mindset where alternative, challenging views are not heard.
When ABC presenters past and present make mistakes in analysing this case, for some reason it’s always a mistake that tends to excuse Mallah or damn the government. Is that a coincidence?
For instance:
On ... 25 June ... [ABC presenter] Jonathan [Green] appeared on the ABC 1 News Breakfast program… He falsely stated that Mallah’s terrorism charges were “dropped”. Not so, he was acquitted by a jury – the Crown believed it had a strong case....More examples:
[Former ABC presenter] Jonathan Holmes ... told Lateline viewers that Mallah’s conviction for threatening to murder an ASIO officer “was basically an entrapment” – by a witness called “Greg” who gave evidence against Mallah.
What a load of tosh. Mallah pleaded guilty to recklessly making to another person a threat to cause harm to a third person – being a Commonwealth (i.e. ASIO) official – by reason of that person’s status as an ASIO employee… In sentencing Mallah on 21 April 2005, Justice Wood found that the person to whom Mallah made the threat (Greg) acted appropriately and was not the catalyst for the threat. Justice Wood also found that Mallah “had, to a considerable extent, already disclosed his plan in the videotape and other documents, which he had prepared well before meeting Greg”.
On Thursday, June 25, During an interview with Gerard Henderson and Jonathon Holmes, presenter Emma Alberici stated that Tony Abbott referred to Zaky Mallah as a “convicted terrorist”. Mr Abbott’s exact words were that Mallah was a “convicted criminal and terrorist sympathiser”. The presenter later quoted Zaky Mallah saying on Q&A that Steve Ciobo’s comments would “encourage [Australian Muslims] to join Islamic State”. Mr Mallah said that Mr Ciobo had “justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join ISIL”.Henderson will be on The Bolt Report on Channel 10 tomorrow (10am and 3pm).
UPDATE
Exactly what kind of creep will the ABC’s Q&A knowingly promote?
Fromhttps://www.communications.gov.au/sites/g/files/net301/f/QA%20NC%20final%20draft%20Summary%201%20July%20%282%29.pdf” title=” the Department of Communications’ review on the appearance of Zaky Mallah"> the Department of Communications’ review on the appearance of Zaky Mallah on Q&A, where he was invited to ask a question that Q&Aproducers helped him to write:
After attempts to contact two people familiar with Mr Mallah were unsuccessful, the Q&A team relied on its previous experience with Mr Mallah, the advice of another ABC journalist, a review of a recent television appearance and a review of his social media posts undertaken in August 2014, which did not include Mr Mallah’s offensive tweets posted in early 2015 or his recent YouTube videos, in determining that he was not dangerous, would not be disruptive and would be a suitable audience member to ask a question.(My bold.)
So the Q&A reviewed Mallah’s social posts of August 2014, such as this, from August 5:
Which links to this video in which Mallah says:
As for Miranda Devine, how was last night at the hotel me and you…. I’m sure me being the first Australian terrorist, you know, I gave you a bit of nice fireworks last night in bed didn’t I, eh Miranda Devine. You enjoyed every single ‘poof’ ‘toof’ ‘toof’ I gave to ya. It was a good experience. At least now you know what it feels like to sleep with a terrorist. WHORE!And Q&A reviewed these, too, before deciding Mallah was just the person it wanted:
Can Q&A confirm that it indeed thought the author these sentiments was just the person it wanted to promote on prime-time TV?
(Thanks to readers Peter of Bellevue Hill and Peter H.)
Maybe Tomic could just earn his own way, like the rest of us
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (8:28am)
Bernard Tomic wants more handouts? Demands more “respect”? I suspect this petulant man’s first demand will make his second a lost cause:
Admitting he had received a substantial funding from Tennis Australia (TA), Tomic claims he has since been neglected by Rafter, TA chief executive Craig Tiley and president Steve Healy…Is there a reason they should respect Tomic?
“(I’m) very disappointed in Craig Tiley. He’s the reason the last few years, it’s been up and down for me ... there has been no respect I think towards me.
“All of a sudden, things started changing after I had that (groin) surgery. I didn’t get one phone call from Tennis Australia,
“From what Pat said, a lot of money was invested in me, for sure. But whatever they invested in me, they got in return 10, 20 times more.
“That’s 100 per cent certain. Now all of a sudden, they are neglecting me, for some reason.
”They are not supporting me, not respecting me.”
Greeks robbing Greece blind
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (8:07am)
Leftist politics produces a welfarist state produces rorting. Take Greece:
Henry Ergas on how the Left ruined Greece:
===Greece in teetering on the brink of ruin - and it is hard not to feel sympathy for the pensioners crying in the street and the mothers facing empty supermarket shelves.UPDATE
Yet those reading a new book may find themselves feeling a little less compassionate towards the Greeks… James Angelos’ The Full Catastrophe: Travels among the New Greek Ruins lays bare the corruption which filtered through all levels of society - from the islanders who pretended to be blind, to the families who forgot to register their parents’ death and the doctors who ‘earn’ just €12,000 a year - yet live in Athens’ most exclusive neighbourhood…
Angelos, a journalist, ... had heard that on Zakynthos, something like two per cent of the population were registered blind.
All was not quite how it seemed, however, and it transpired that 61 of the 680 ‘blind’ residents were quite happily driving around the island. In fact, an astonishing 498 of those 680 were not blind at all - or even partially sighted.
But being ‘blind’ had its advantages - in particular, the €724 paid in benefits once every two months, and a reduction in utility bills. It was a scam which could be traced back to one ophthalmologist and one official, which was estimated to have cost the country €9 million.
Henry Ergas on how the Left ruined Greece:
Greece had a small public sector, with welfare benefits that were meagre by European standards. Papandreou, the first Greek politician of the television age, transformed it, bestowing benefits on new constituencies, while also encouraging those constituencies to organise themselves into lobby groups he could affiliate with his Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).(Thanks to reader Richard.)
One of Papandreou’s earliest and proudest achievements, for example, was Law 1285 of 1982, which not only extended full pension entitlements to 400,000 people who had (or claimed to have) fought with the communist-aligned EAM/ELAS in the resistance and civil war, but accorded privileges to their descendants.
Decisions such as these helped double the ratio of public spending to GDP while pushing public debt from 28 per cent of GDP in 1979 to 120 per cent in 1990.
But Papandreou’s legacy was far worse than that. Although Greece had never had an efficient public administration, much less one free of corruption, the small size of the state limited the harm that caused. But Papandreou used the greatly expanded public sector as a source of patronage, eliminating the however thin layer of reasonably neutral, technical experts Greece once had. Instead, already by 1984, it was estimated that close to 90 per cent of PASOK’s card-carrying members had some form of paying connection to the public sector, while corruption had reached epidemic proportions.
Gay marriage is the new global warming
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (7:28am)
Jason Morrison says same-sex marriage is the new climate change:
Barrie Cassidy assumes “everyone” backs same-sex marriage and it’s a political winner:
Becky Bowers, PolitiFact, 11 May 2012:
===Here we are again, back in the zone where having an alternative view makes you the enemy.UPDATE
Speak against the fashion and be prepared to be smeared, ridiculed and bullied.
These are the climate change tactics back again… Those who resisted were “deniers”, “out of touch”, “fossils and dinosaurs”, “selfish” and “in the pocket of the oil companies”.
Same game, different story.
The left is again framing its debate so that anyone who disagrees is bashed into a lonely corner… And, if that doesn’t work, pull out the “international embarrassment” card.. Sound familiar? Just like climate change, and the push towards a republic in the late ‘90s, gay marriage has become the latest and greatest moral challenge of our times. The trouble is, it’s not.
Barrie Cassidy assumes “everyone” backs same-sex marriage and it’s a political winner:
Barack Obama beat John McCain [in 2008] for a range of reasons. It happens though that Obama was demonstrably to the left of McCain on issues like gay marriageEr, not true.
Becky Bowers, PolitiFact, 11 May 2012:
In 2008, [Obama] said: “I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage."…(Thanks to reader Peter of Bellevue Hill.)
He had written on [a] 1996 questionnaire, “I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.”
Just two years later, on another ... questionnaire, Obama wasn’t so sure. Did he favor legalizing same-sex marriage? “Undecided.” Would he support a bill to repeal Illinois legislation prohibiting same-sex marriage? “Undecided.” Would he co-sponsor it? “Undecided.”
Later years offered greater clarity — and a shift from 1996. Civil unions? Yes. Gay marriage? No.
2004 ... “I am a fierce supporter of domestic-partnership and civil-union laws. I am not a supporter of gay marriage as it has been thrown about, primarily just as a strategic issue. I think that marriage, in the minds of a lot of voters, has a religious connotation. ..."…
Still, in a 2007 Democratic primary debate sponsored by a gay rights group and a gay-oriented cable TV channel, he spoke instead about his support for civil unions with “all the benefits that are available for a legally sanctioned marriage” — but not for legal recognition of “marriage” between same-sex couples. It should be up to religious denominations to determine whether they wanted to recognize that as marriage or not, he said.... In November 2008 ... “I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage.”
Think Greece is a worry?
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (7:18am)
Terry McCrann warns that Greece could be a problem, but China could be a disaster:
===We’ve been in the process of discovering just how much China matters for us as its growth rate has stepped down from 10 per cent plus to the 7 per cent, which is something of a line in the sand for everyone — there, here and everywhere.Meanwhile, the fall in the price of the Australian dollar means the great fire-sale of Australian properties to China continues:
In essence, a 7 per cent growth rate brings — brought? — to an end the “boom” part of “resources boom”. With a sustained 7 per cent China growth rate, we would keep the resources development that’s occurred, but we’d get no more…
But we might be on the threshold of discovering what a China with a sustainable growth rate of less than 7 per cent, perhaps even significantly less, is like for us (and the world). We sincerely do not want to find out.
With Greece, Friday morning coming down seemed awfully like a replay of deja vu all over again… It now seems entirely possible that both “no” and “yes” [on Sunday’s Greek referendum on the bailout] will mean “yes” — that either way there will be a continued European-led bailout. But even then where that “certainty” might lead, across a number of fronts, is anybody’s guess.
A Melbourne or Sydney property that’s risen from $2.2 million a year ago to $3m today almost hasn’t risen in cost at all for such overseas buyers — while its appeal is significantly greater now than then. Indeed the very slowing of China’s growth rate will spur greater outflows from the Middle Kingdom.
On The Bolt Report tomorrow, July 5
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (7:10am)
On Channel 10 tomorrow at 10am and 3pm.
My guest: Social Services Minister Scott Morrison: the warning from Greece..
The panel: former NSW Labor Treasurer Michael Costa and Georgina Downer, former diplomat and member of the Victorian Liberals’ admin committee.
NewsWatch: Gerard Henderson, Australian columnist and head of the Sydney Institute. On the media pushing same-sex marriage, Hockey’s defamation case and the ABC’s rigged inquiry into Q&A’s bias.
So much to talk about, including Tony Abbott’s battle with same-sex marriage, Bill Shorten’s moment of truth and one of the Islamic State’s scariest attacks yet;
The videos of the shows appear here.
===My guest: Social Services Minister Scott Morrison: the warning from Greece..
The panel: former NSW Labor Treasurer Michael Costa and Georgina Downer, former diplomat and member of the Victorian Liberals’ admin committee.
NewsWatch: Gerard Henderson, Australian columnist and head of the Sydney Institute. On the media pushing same-sex marriage, Hockey’s defamation case and the ABC’s rigged inquiry into Q&A’s bias.
So much to talk about, including Tony Abbott’s battle with same-sex marriage, Bill Shorten’s moment of truth and one of the Islamic State’s scariest attacks yet;
The videos of the shows appear here.
Lambie likens Greens to Islamic State
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (7:09am)
Sure, the Greens are throwbacks, dreaming of an idyllic past that never was, but to liken them to the Islamic State seems a bit harsh:
===Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has likened the Greens to a terrorist group in a speech at a mining conference in Queenstown in Tasmania’s northwest. Senator Lambie said she believed the Tasmanian Greens damaged the mining industry while they were in government with Labor, and has likened the party to Islamic State. “Both those groups would like us to go back and live in the dark ages,” she said. “That’s the problem I have with (them). They’d like us to go live back in caves with candles and eat tofu.”
The mask is off: the Recognise movement actually wants a revolution
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (6:44am)
We were told we needed to change the Constitution simply to recognise Aborigines as the first Australians. That’s why the taxpayer-funded body pushing for this is called ”Recognise”.
But it was always a Trojan Horse for activists wanting more power, particularly for activist judges, to impose a kind of well-meaning apartheid.
We haven’t even got a date for the referendum and already this con is exposed - mere recognition is not enough. So the Prime Minister is kidding himself to think this will do:
So here is official recognition being offered, but already we’re told it’s simply not good enough. No, mere symbolism is not what’s wanted, after all:
And of course it does. As I have argued before:
===But it was always a Trojan Horse for activists wanting more power, particularly for activist judges, to impose a kind of well-meaning apartheid.
We haven’t even got a date for the referendum and already this con is exposed - mere recognition is not enough. So the Prime Minister is kidding himself to think this will do:
On the eve of a critical meeting of indigenous leaders, The Weekend Australian can reveal that Coalition MPs are considering a form of words for constitutional recognition ... [that] would outline Australia’s “indigenous heritage, British foundation and multicultural character”, and would be included at the beginning of the country’s founding document.Those words are the preference of the Prime Minister, who has been trying them out in several speeches, hoping to include all Australians in that formula. He hopes it is innocuous enough that conservative critics like me will just let it ride, although I expect the dangerous word “multicultural” in our constitution will - and should - cause fresh debate.
So here is official recognition being offered, but already we’re told it’s simply not good enough. No, mere symbolism is not what’s wanted, after all:
[Aboriginal leader Noel] Pearson ... warns that a minimalist model of recognition would amount to “cosmetic surgery, a symbolic shot of Botox, ignoring the broken foot”.Warning: the Recognise movement does not want mere recognition at all. It wants not symbolism but revolution. It wants to change how we govern ourselves - the “operational status quo”.
“How many symbolic moments, devoid of practical effect, does a nation need?” he writes…
[A]mong the Aboriginal leaders to be represented at Monday’s meeting, few favour the minimalist position likely to be pursued by Mr Abbott…
Mr Pearson says a minimalist approach would do nothing but apply a Band-Aid to “white guilt”. “Such an outcome would be feel-good symbolism and maintenance of the operational status quo,” he writes.
And of course it does. As I have argued before:
Once the principle of racial division is conceded, there will be no stopping the advocates of this newly tribalised Australia. How can we agree that Aborigines have a “unique” role as “original custodians” - a role [under Pearson’s proposal] entitling them to their own representatives and special constitutional powers - and then insist that nothing much flows from that? How can we then arbitrarily insist that they have no consequent right to their own nations, their own laws, their own compensation? This is profoundly wrong. And it is playing with fire.Say no to racism. Say no to dividing us by race.
A brave man, Richo
Andrew Bolt July 04 2015 (6:35am)
Graham Richardson is a courageous man. Cancer is a bastard.
It’s incredible, though. I’ve been debating him almost every week on Ben Fordham’s 2GB show while Richo has been going through this. Yet he’s stayed sharp, informed and passionate. The body is frail, but the mind it carries is strong.
===It’s incredible, though. I’ve been debating him almost every week on Ben Fordham’s 2GB show while Richo has been going through this. Yet he’s stayed sharp, informed and passionate. The body is frail, but the mind it carries is strong.
Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?
Posted by Austin Petersen on Friday, 3 July 2015
And there she goes...
Posted by JukinVideo on Thursday, 12 February 2015
===
Posted by Quantum Activist on Thursday, 26 March 2015
THE GREEK TRAGEDY: MASSIVE SOCIALIST FAILURE Make no mistake, the classic failure of Socialism is playing out in...
Posted by Craig Kelly on Thursday, 2 July 2015
These are baby seals just north of Kaikoura on the South Island of New Zealand at the Ohau Point Seal Colony. Every...
Posted by news.com.au on Thursday, 2 July 2015
===
Welfare should not be a deadly weight
Piers Akerman – Thursday, July 03, 2014 (11:30pm)
THE Coalition should not need reminding that consistency of policy and certainty of outcome are essential to good government. The damaging record of the incompetent Gillard Labor-Green-independent government and the dysfunctional ego-driven Rudd government are still fresh in the memory of most adult Australians.
Continue reading 'Welfare should not be a deadly weight'ROLF WOULD HAVE LIKED THEM
Tim Blair – Friday, July 04, 2014 (1:41pm)
Fairfax’s Michael Leunig seems a little upset today at the fate of serial groper and convicted perv Rolf Harris.
Perhaps this is a generational issue. Back in 1980, Leunig illustrated a book by Sam Orr, the alter ego of late Nation Review assistant editor Richard Beckett. You could probably place Nation Review somewhere on the fringes of mainstream; certainly it featured many future mainstream writers.
Orr was the weekly paper’s food columnist, although his columns were more to do with drunken excess and his shambles of a personal life – Beckett’s own brief life apparently providing the template. The columns, collected in that 1980 book, have not aged well. Nor have Leunig’s illustrations, reproduced here for the purposes of historic review:
Leunig, by the way, was in his mid-30s at the time. Angus & Robertson, the book’s publisher, was so amused by these images that this line leads the back cover copy: “Sam Orr, a gourmet of 12-year-old girls and much more …”
Leunig, by the way, was in his mid-30s at the time. Angus & Robertson, the book’s publisher, was so amused by these images that this line leads the back cover copy: “Sam Orr, a gourmet of 12-year-old girls and much more …”
Benny Hill is often cited – unfairly, I think – as an example of old-timey creepiness, but Hill’s gags rarely went to this level. It could be that progressive counter-cultural 70s types were far worse.
THEY WARNED US THIS WOULD HAPPEN
Tim Blair – Friday, July 04, 2014 (10:20am)
A vicious cut to children’s programming at the ABC:
The ABC has confirmed its high-rating Gruen franchise will not air this year – despite the broadcaster previously announcing it would be part of the 2014 line-up – and it may not return next year, either.
JUNIOR JIHADI GIRL
Tim Blair – Friday, July 04, 2014 (10:13am)
Despite several months of gentle counselling from the FBI, a Colorado teen and Islamic convert still attempted to join her ISIS heroes in the Middle East:
One FBI agent met with her seven times, trying to dissuade her from supporting jihad and suggesting that she instead commit herself to humanitarian work, court papers say.Shannon Maureen Conley, 19, was taken into custody at the Denver International Airport by the FBI as she attempted to board a plane on her way to Turkey …During [the previous eight months] she repeatedly told federal agents — who identified themselves andmet with her on a near-weekly basis from November to April — that she was committed to waging jihad in the Middle East ...When Conley told her parents on April 1 that she was leaving for Syria to marry a “soldier,” her parentsexpressed their disapproval.
This entire process seems to have been a little soft, wouldn’t you say?
MULLAH FAMILY
Tim Blair – Friday, July 04, 2014 (9:25am)
Iran is producing its own version of the hit US comedy Modern Family … minus the modernity:
The sets, props and storylines are almost identical to the US version, but Cameron and Mitchell, the gay couple, are conveniently missing.
I wonder what happened to them.
Brown searching for ABC directors who like balance. UPDATE: Turnbull upset
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (11:14am)
Perfectly reasonable views - unless, of course, you’re a Leftist and not into sharing:
UPDATE
Malcolm Turnbull makes clear his displeasure at the appointments. He seems in a Brown study.
These weren’t his appointments, Turnbull stresses:
HE is just one member of an influential four-person panel responsible for appointing future ABC board directors.Now why should the Left object to sharing what we’ve all paid for?
But, if it were up to him, former Liberal Party deputy leader Neil Brown QC would sell off what he describes as the overly commercial and unnecessarily expansive ABC and start the process of publicly funding a news organisation from scratch…
Mr Brown, a Liberal heavyweight who was deputy leader under John Howard from 1985 to 1987, said that, in his new role on the nominations panel, he would recruit directors keen to restore balance to the ABC...
Mr Brown said the ABC in particular had grown to have “more of a disposition to the Left rather than a balanced approach”.
“I certainly think there should be more balance,” he said… “It gets a herd mentality about it and takes an official view about what you, the citizen, should believe in. I’m not saying it should be conservative or right-wing: I think it should give balance. “There has been a tendency to pick up the accepted zeitgeist on issues of climate change without giving the other side the opportunity to present its views. That’s my concern.”
UPDATE
Malcolm Turnbull makes clear his displeasure at the appointments. He seems in a Brown study.
These weren’t his appointments, Turnbull stresses:
CHRIS UHLMANN: Malcolm Turnbull, do you have any say over these board appointments?Blame Abbott instead, Turnbull hints:
MALCOLM TURNBULL: No, I do not… The nomination panel of which Ms Albrechtsen and Mr Brown have recently been appointed is appointed by the secretary of the Prime Minister and Cabinet department, Dr Ian Watt. It’s not an appointment by me
MALCOLM TURNBULL: .... and the legislation that Mr Rudd introduced was designed to make it a non-political appointment. So you have to assume that Dr Watt made these, chose Neil Brown and Janet Albrechtsen in his own discretion.Brown is ill-informed, Turnbull adds, and shouldn’t think his job is addressing bias:
CHRIS UHLMANN: Do you assume that?
MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well, that’s what the legislation was intended to do, but if you want to check that you should speak to Dr Watt. But I was not consulted nor was it the intention of the legislation that the minister for communications should be consulted on the membership of the panel.
CHRIS UHLMANN: But you would assume the Prime Minister was consulted? MALCOLM TURNBULL: I don’t assume anything. I assume these appointments were chosen by Dr Watt. You can always speak to him. I’m sure he’ll be happy to take your call… I have no doubt that that decision was taken by him in his own discretion. Who he spoke to, I don’t know. He didn’t speak to me.
But can I just say this, Chris: ... contrary to what Neil Brown says the ABC’s commercial revenues are negligible, though that was the inference from the article in The Australian, that he thought it was becoming commercialised. Its commercial revenues in fact have diminished considerably from the decline of its shops.The other two Labor appointees, including the man who chaired the company owned by Kevin Rudd’s wife and designed Julia Gillard’s big-spending education policy are far more distinguished, and, besides, Albrechtsen and Brown have to get their candidates past Turnbull:
But if I could just go on, the critical thing is that the people who go on these boards have corporate and business and management experience. If you want the board to be effective then you have to have people that are capable of performing the role of a director. And simply appointing people who have one political view or another, one social attitude or another, is not enough....
CHRIS UHLMANN: Do you have confidence in this four person panel to make that kind of decision?Sure, Abbott might be trying to restore balance to the ABC but Turnbull couldn’t possbly comment - let alone endorse:
MALCOLM TURNBULL:… The committee consists of Ric Smith, a very distinguished former public servant, David Gonski, one of Australia’s leading company directors and chairmen, and of course latterly Neil Brown and Janet Albrechtsen. I’m quite sure that that panel will present a good short, short list of three names for the three positions that I’ve got to consider....
CHRIS UHLMANN: Couldn’t a reasonable person come to the conclusion that the Government once again is trying to influence the make-up of the board of the ABC because the Government believes that the ABC is biased?Maybe it’s time Turnbull was moved on to an area where his interests aren’t so much in conflict with the government’s.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well, again, that’s not for me. I don’t think that’s correct.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Could a reasonable person think that?
MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well, you can ask, you can form that view. I’m not going to…
CHRIS UHLMANN: What do you think it looks like, Malcolm Turnbull? MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well, Chris I think it looks like Dr Watt thought that the two best people he could think of and that were prepared to do it were Janet Albrechtsen and Neil Brown. But really, you’ve got to direct enquiries to Dr Watt. It is his decision.
Scarcely worth the faux outrage
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (9:13am)
Here comes the gleeful beat-up:
===What was actually said:
When explaining why foreign investment was so important for a country like Australia, Mr Abbott said the country would be unimaginable without it.Cue the outrage industry. The ABC’s Jon Faine is already on the case.
“As a general principle we support foreign investment. Always have and always will,” he said.
“Our country is unimaginable without foreign investment.” ”I guess our country owes its existence to a form of foreign investment by the British government in the then unsettled or, um, scarcely settled, Great South Land,” he said.
In defence of Ricky Muir
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (8:23am)
John Roskam makes the big call:
===A cabinet full of Ricky Muirs couldn’t be any worse than a cabinet full of Gillard government ministers.Harder to argue against than I would wish.
Why is Labor so close to this union?
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (7:45am)
Victorian Labor really is too close to this union:
===A VICTORIAN Labor Party official demanded a $50,000 payment from the builders of the Pentridge Prison redevelopment in exchange for industrial peace, the royal commission into union corruption will hear next week.And this union is too close to bikies:
The Herald Sun can reveal claims the official was working hand in glove with the John Setka-led Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union as it tried to take control of the multimillion-dollar construction site.
A SENIOR union official has been unmasked as a patched member of the Rebels motorcycle gang.Yes, far too close:
A series of pictures obtained by the Herald Sun show Stu-e Corkran in full bikie colours.
And one of the images shows Mr Corkran has shaved a 1 per cent symbol into the back of his hair, which bikies use to indicate club membership. Mr Corkran has been a significant figure in the CFMEU for more than a decade.
LABOR insiders say the partner of CFMEU boss John Setka is still on track for a seat in State Parliament.Yes, far, far too close:
Late last year Emma Walters, a lawyer and former CFMEU organiser, backed away from a Socialist-Left faction plan that she contest the Lower House seat of Werribee.
Her decision came after the Herald Sun revealed the move would be fought by Labor’s Right faction.Ms Walters later decided not to run for a seat in the Upper House at November’s state election… But Labor sources say the Socialist-Left faction, which includes the CFMEU, is eager to find Ms Walters a seat.
Fresh evidence has emerged of threats of violence made to the family of the developer of Melbourne’s old Pentridge Prison, allegedly by disgruntled sub-contractors.
In the last two months, the family of builder and developer Peter Chiavaroli, 70, has received death threats in the mail, including photos of Mr Chiavaroli’s adult children in graves, accompanied by the words: “We are coming for you and yours."…
Fairfax Media has also obtained a taped message left on the phone of a member of the Chiavaroli family in which a male identifies himself as a member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang and instructs the developer to pay a disputed debt…
The threats sent in the mail to the Chiavaroli family and the attempted extortions linked to the Comancheros are believed to have been arranged by disgruntled sub-contractors. There is no suggestion of the involvement of union officials.
But earlier on Thursday, Fairfax Media reported allegations implicating the construction union in coercion and links to underworld associates turned “union fixers” at the Pentridge site.
Mr Chiavaroli has alleged that the union forced him to employ a relative and friend of CFMEU boss John Setka, and intimidated some of his workers into joining the union.
CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan this morning mounted a strong defence of the union’s actions on the site, saying the CFMEU had acted in response to the death of a worker on site in October 2009 and in connection to a raft of serious safety breaches…
The royal commission into union corruption is expected to examine allegations of union involvement on the Pentridge site, including claims from Mr Chiavaroli that the union demanded he employ Mr Setka’s brother-in-law and a friend in return for industrial peace. When the demand was allegedly made by the then assistant CFMEU secretary, Mr Setka was accompanied by Mario Amenta, a concrete company owner who is a close associate of gangland boss Mick Gatto.
How many more years of no warming before warmists say sorry?
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (6:57am)
Christopher Monckton:
Taking the least-squares linear-regression trend on Remote Sensing Systems’ satellite-based monthly global mean lower-troposphere temperature dataset, there has been no global warming – none at all – for 17 years 10 months.(Thanks to readers rocky and handjive.)
This is the longest continuous period without any warming in the global instrumental temperature record since the satellites first watched in 1979. It has endured for more than half the entire satellite temperature record. Yet the lengthening Pause coincides with a continuing, rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration.
Czech president Milos Zeman: Islamic terrorism “the very essence of the ideology”
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (6:05am)
Milos Zeman, president of the Czech Republic, demands frank speech about Islam:
===There is a term, political correctness. This term I consider to be a euphemism for political cowardice. Therefore, let me not be cowardly.Zeman refuses to apologise for quoting Islam’s sacred texts:
It is necessary to clearly name the enemy of human civilization. It is international terrorism linked to religious fundamentalism and religious hatred. As we may have noticed after 11th of September, this fanaticism has not been focused on one state exclusively. Muslim fanatics recently kidnapped 200 young Christian girls in Nigeria. There was a hideous assassination in the flower of Europe in the heart of European Union in a Jewish museum in Brussels. I will not let myself being calmed down by the declaration that there are only tiny fringe groups behind it. On the contrary, I am convinced that this xenophobia, and let’s call it racism or anti-Semitism, emerges from the very essence of the ideology these groups subscribe to.
So let me quote one of their sacred texts to support this statement: “A tree says, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. A stone says, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.” I would criticize those calling for the killing of Arabs, but I do not know of any movement calling for mass murdering of Arabs. However, I know of one anti-civilization movement calling for the mass murder of Jews. After all, one of the paragraphs of the statutes of Hamas says: “Kill every Jew you see.” Do we really want to pretend that this is an extreme viewpoint? Do we really want to be politically correct and say that everyone is nice and only a small group of extremists and fundamentalists is committing such crimes?
Czech president Miloš Zeman, via his spokesman, stood by a speech made at the Israeli Embassy in Prague, where he quoted the Koran calling for Muslims to kill Jews, refusing to retract what he said or apologize for quoting from the holy book…From the Sahih Muslim (the second most authentic sayings of the Prophet), Book 41:
“President Zeman definitely does not intend to apologize,” the spokesman said. “For the president would consider it blasphemy to apologize for the quotation of a sacred Islamic text.” Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, issued a statement condemning Zeman’s speech, saying, “It is only appropriate that President Mil?s Zeman apologizes to the millions of Muslims worldwide for his deeply offensive and hateful anti Islam statements.”
Book 041, Number 6984:Zeman does not quote correctly the Hamas charter, but he is correct about its message:
Abdullah b. ‘Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: The Jews will fight against you and you will gain victory over them until the stone would say: Muslim, here is a Jew behind me; kill him.Book 041, Number 6985:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.
For our struggle against the Jews is extremely wide-ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all the loyal efforts we can wield, to be followed by further steps and reinforced by successive battalions from the multifarious Arab and Islamic world, until the enemies are defeated and Allah’s victory prevails…(Thanks to reader Mike.)
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:
“The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: 0 Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him! This will not apply to the Gharqad, which is a Jewish tree.” (cited by al-Bukhari and Muslim)…When Islam will retake possession of [the means to] guide the life [of the Muslims], it will wipe out those organizations which are the enemy of humanity and Islam…
With their money, they took control of the world media, news agencies, the press, publishing houses, broadcasting stations, and others… They were behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests…
As regards local and world wars, it has come to pass and no one objects, they were behind World War I, when they were able to destroy the Islamic Caliphate, making financial gains and controlling resources. They obtained the Balfour Declaration, formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the world. They were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments, and paved the way for the establishment of their state. It was they who instigated the replacement of the League of Nations with the United Nations and the Security Council to enable them to rule the world through them. There is no war going on anywhere, without having their finger in it… The Zionist invasion is a vicious invasion… It is behind the drug trade and alcoholism in all its kinds so as to facilitate its control and expansion… Leaving the circle of conflict with the Zionists is a major act of treason and it will bring curse on its perpetrators… There is no way out except pooling together all the forces and energies to face this despicable Nazi-Tatar invasion.
Palmer plays the conspiracy victim
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (5:35am)
Idiot:
===CLIVE Palmer has installed his own computers in his Parliament House office to guard against the prying eyes of ASIO spies, declaring “all the phones and all the computers are tapped”. But the super secret spy agency has hit back, saying it neither has “the resources, the need, or the inclination” to launch a mass operation into Mr Palmer and his MP colleagues.In fact:
Using his own phones and computers would allow Mr Palmer to conduct any business in his office without breaching entitlement rules.
The Bolt Report on Sunday
Andrew Bolt July 04 2014 (12:33am)
On Sunday on Channel 10 at 10am and 4pm…
Editorial: Have the Greens learned nothing from 1200 dead? Has Labor?
My guest: warnings from Australia’s greatest immigration expert.
The panel: Michael Kroger and Bruce Hawker.
NewsWatch: Ben Hills, whose new book - Stop The Presses: How Greed Incompetence (and the Internet) Wrecked Fairfax reads as easily as the title.
Plus spin of the week and more, including a hypocrisy alert on Jacqui Lambie.
The videos of the shows appear here.
===Editorial: Have the Greens learned nothing from 1200 dead? Has Labor?
My guest: warnings from Australia’s greatest immigration expert.
The panel: Michael Kroger and Bruce Hawker.
NewsWatch: Ben Hills, whose new book - Stop The Presses: How Greed Incompetence (and the Internet) Wrecked Fairfax reads as easily as the title.
Plus spin of the week and more, including a hypocrisy alert on Jacqui Lambie.
The videos of the shows appear here.
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
===
James Calore You can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish. .. wisdom that cannot be argued with or denied .. *nods*===
Allyson Christy
"President Barack Obama said the United States is "deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsy and suspend the Egyptian constitution."
Arrest warrants were issued for 300 members of the Muslim Brotherhood after Morsy’s ouster, according to the state-run Ahram newspaper website, which cited an unnamed security source.
Egyptian security forces arrested the Muslim Brotherhood's political party leader and a deputy, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported, citing an unnamed military source.
Security forces also raided the offices of Al Jazeera's Egypt service during a live broadcast and arrested "the presenter, guests and producers," the network said on its English-language website." -CNN Breaking News
===
Holly Sarah Nguyen
People might give up on you, but God never will! Once again don't give up on God because he will NEVER give up on you
===Holly Sarah Nguyen
God does not judge you, people who think they are God do.
===
July 4: Aphelion (00:13 UTC, 2014); Republic Day in the Philippines (1946); Independence Day in the United States (1776)
- 414 – Aelia Pulcheria proclaimed herself regent over her brother Theodosius II and made herself Augusta and Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire.
- 1610 – Polish–Muscovite War: The outnumbered forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth defeated theRussians at the Battle of Klushino.
- 1862 – In a rowing boat on the River Thames from Oxford to Godstow, author Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell (pictured) and her sisters a story that would eventually form the basis for his book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
- 1943 – The aircraft carrying Władysław Sikorski, Prime Minister of thePolish government-in-exile, crashed, killing him and fifteen others, leading to several conspiracy theories.
- 2012 – CERN announced the discovery of the Higgs bosonelementary particle after a 40-year search for its existence.
- 362 BC – Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans.
- 414 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yields power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and proclaimed herself empress (Augusta) of the Eastern Roman Empire.
- 836 – Pactum Sicardi, a peace treaty between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples, is signed.
- 993 – Ulrich of Augsburg is canonized as a saint.
- 1054 – A supernova, called SN 1054, is seen by the Chinese Song dynasty, Arab and possibly Amerindianobservers near the star Zeta Tauri. For several months it remains bright enough to be seen during the day. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula.
- 1120 – Jordan II of Capua is anointed as prince after his infant nephew's death.
- 1187 – The Crusades: Battle of Hattin: Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem.
- 1253 – Battle of West-Capelle: John I of Avesnes defeats Guy of Dampierre.
- 1359 – Francesco II Ordelaffi of Forlì surrenders to the Papal commander Gil de Albornoz.
- 1456 – Ottoman wars in Europe: The Siege of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) begins.
- 1534 – Christian III is elected King of Denmark and Norway in the town of Rye.
- 1584 – Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe arrive at Roanoke Island
- 1610 – The Battle of Klushino is fought between forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia during the Polish–Muscovite War.
- 1634 – The city of Trois-Rivières is founded in New France (now Quebec, Canada).
- 1744 – The Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois cedes lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
- 1754 – French and Indian War: George Washington surrenders Fort Necessity to French Capt. Louis Coulon de Villiers.
- 1774 – Orangetown Resolutions are adopted in the Province of New York, one of many protests against the British Parliament'sCoercive Acts
- 1776 – American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress.
- 1778 – American Revolutionary War: American forces under George Clark capture Kaskaskia during the Illinois campaign.
- 1802 – At West Point, New York, the United States Military Academy opens.
- 1803 – The Louisiana Purchase is announced to the American people.
- 1817 – In Rome, New York, construction on the Erie Canal begins.
- 1826 – Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, dies the same day as John Adams, second president of the United States, on the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence.
- 1827 – Slavery is abolished in New York State.
- 1831 – Samuel Francis Smith writes "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities.
- 1837 – Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway, opens between Birmingham and Liverpool.
- 1838 – The Iowa Territory is organized.
- 1855 – In Brooklyn, New York City, the first edition of Walt Whitman's book of poems, Leaves of Grass, is published.
- 1862 – Lewis Carroll tells Alice Liddell a story that would grow into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequels.
- 1863 – American Civil War: Siege of Vicksburg: Vicksburg, Mississippi surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant after 47 days of siege. One hundred fifty miles up the Mississippi River, a Confederate Army is repulsed at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas.
- 1863 – American Civil War: The Army of Northern Virginia withdraws from the battlefield after losing the Battle of Gettysburg, signalling an end to the Southern invasion of the North.
- 1878 – Thoroughbred horses Ten Broeck and Mollie McCarty run a match race, recalled in the song Molly and Tenbrooks.
- 1879 – Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee.
- 1881 – In Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute opens.
- 1886 – The people of France offer the Statue of Liberty to the people of the United States.
- 1886 – The first scheduled Canadian transcontinental train arrives in Port Moody, British Columbia.
- 1887 – The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, joins Sindh-Madrasa-tul-Islam, Karachi.
- 1892 – Western Samoa changes the International Date Line. Monday, July 4 occurs twice, resulting in a year with 367 days.
- 1894 – The short-lived Republic of Hawaii is proclaimed by Sanford B. Dole.
- 1903 – Philippine–American War officially is concluded.
- 1903 – Dorothy Levitt is reported as the first English woman to compete in a 'motor race'.
- 1910 – African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocks out white boxer Jim Jeffries in a heavyweight boxing match, sparking race riotsacross the United States.
- 1911 – A massive heat wave strikes the northeastern United States, killing 380 people in eleven days and breaking temperature records in several cities.
- 1913 – President Woodrow Wilson addresses American Civil War veterans at the Great Reunion of 1913.
- 1914 – The funeral of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie takes place in Vienna, six days after their assassinations in Sarajevo.
- 1918 – Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI ascends to the throne.
- 1918 – World War I: The Battle of Hamel, a successful attack by the Australian Corps against German positions near the town of Le Hamel on the Western Front.
- 1918 – Bolsheviks kill Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family (Julian calendar date).
- 1926 – Knoebels Amusement Resort is opened in Elysburg, Pennsylvania.
- 1927 – First flight of the Lockheed Vega.
- 1934 – Leo Szilard patents the chain-reaction design for the atomic bomb.
- 1939 – Lou Gehrig, recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, informs a crowd at Yankee Stadium that he considers himself "The luckiest man on the face of the earth", then announces his retirement from major league baseball.
- 1939 – Huỳnh Phú Sổ founds Hòa Hảo Buddhism.
- 1941 – Nazi troops massacre Polish scientists and writers in the captured Ukrainian city of Lviv.
- 1941 – World War II: The Burning of the Riga synagogues: The Great Choral Synagogue in German occupied Riga is burned with 300 Jews locked in the basement.
- 1942 – World War II: The 250 day Siege of Sevastopol in the Crimea ends when the city falls to Axis forces.
- 1943 – World War II: The Battle of Kursk, the largest full-scale battle in history and the world's largest tank battle, begins in Prokhorovka village.
- 1943 – World War II: In Gibraltar, a Royal Air Force B-24 Liberator bomber crashes into the sea in an apparent accident moments after takeoff, killing sixteen passengers on board; only the pilot survives.
- 1946 – The Kielce pogrom against Jewish Holocaust survivors in Poland.
- 1946 – After 381 years of near-continuous colonial rule by various powers, the Philippines attains full independence from the United States.
- 1947 – The "Indian Independence Bill" is presented before the British House of Commons, proposing the independence of the Provinces of British India into two sovereign countries: India and Pakistan.
- 1950 – Radio Free Europe first broadcasts.
- 1951 – A court in Czechoslovakia sentences American journalist William N. Oatis to ten years in prison on charges of espionage.
- 1951 – William Shockley announces the invention of the junction transistor.
- 1960 – Due to the post-Independence Day admission of Hawaii as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959, the 50-star flag of the United States debuts in Philadelphia, almost ten and a half months later (see Flag Act).
- 1961 – On its maiden voyage, the Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-19 suffers a complete loss of coolant to its reactor. The crew are able to effect repairs, but 22 of them die of radiation poisoning over the following two years.
- 1966 – U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act into United States law. The act went into effect the next year.
- 1976 – Israeli commandos raid Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by Palestinian terrorists.
- 1977 – The George Jackson Brigade plants a bomb at the main power substation for the Washington state capitol in Olympia, in solidarity with a prison strike at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary Intensive Security Unit
- 1982 – Four Iranian diplomats are abducted by Lebanese militia in Lebanon.
- 1984 -- Richard Petty wins his 200th and final NASCAR Winston cup race.
- 1987 – In France, former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie (a.k.a. the "Butcher of Lyon") is convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment.
- 1994 – Rwandan Genocide: Kigali, the Rwandan capital, is captured by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, ending the genocide in the city.
- 1997 – NASA's Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars.
- 1998 – Japan launches the Nozomi probe to Mars, joining the United States and Russia as a space exploring nation.
- 2004 – The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the World Trade Center site in New York City.
- 2005 – The Deep Impact collider hits the comet Tempel 1.
- 2009 – The Statue of Liberty's crown reopens to the public after eight years of closure due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks.
- 2009 – The first of four days of bombings begins on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao.
- 2012 – The discovery of particles consistent with the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider is announced at CERN.
- 2015 – Tupou VI is officially crowned as the King of Tonga.
- 68 – Salonina Matidia, Roman daughter of Ulpia Marciana (d. 119)
- 1330 – Ashikaga Yoshiakira, Japanese shogun (d. 1367)
- 1477 – Johannes Aventinus, Bavarian Renaissance humanist historian and philologist (d. 1534)
- 1546 – Murad III, Ottoman sultan (d. 1595)
- 1694 – Louis-Claude Daquin, French organist and composer (d. 1772)
- 1715 – Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, German poet and academic (d. 1769)
- 1719 – Michel-Jean Sedaine, French playwright (d. 1797)
- 1790 – George Everest, Welsh geographer and surveyor (d. 1866)
- 1799 – Oscar I of Sweden (d. 1859)
- 1804 – Nathaniel Hawthorne, American author and diplomat (d. 1864)
- 1807 – Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian general and politician (d. 1882)
- 1816 – Hiram Walker, American businessman, founded Canadian club whiskey (d. 1899)
- 1826 – Stephen Foster, American songwriter and composer (d. 1864)
- 1845 – Thomas John Barnardo, Irish philanthropist and humanitarian (d. 1905)
- 1847 – James Anthony Bailey, American circus ringmaster, co-founded Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (d. 1906)
- 1854 – Victor Babeș, Romanian physician and biologist (d. 1926)
- 1854 – Bill Tilghman, American police officer (d. 1924)
- 1867 – Stephen Mather, American businessman (d. 1930)
- 1868 – Henrietta Swan Leavitt, American astronomer and academic (d. 1921)
- 1872 – Calvin Coolidge, American lawyer and politician, 30th President of the United States (d. 1933)
- 1874 – John McPhee, Australian journalist and politician, 27th Premier of Tasmania (d. 1952)
- 1881 – Ulysses S. Grant III, American general (d. 1968)
- 1882 – Louis B. Mayer, Belarusian-American film producer, founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (d. 1957)
- 1883 – Rube Goldberg, American sculptor, cartoonist, and engineer (d. 1970)
- 1887 – Pio Pion, Italian engineer and businessman (d. 1965)
- 1888 – Henry Armetta, Italian-American actor and singer (d. 1945)
- 1895 – Irving Caesar, American songwriter and composer (d. 1996)
- 1896 – Mao Dun, Chinese journalist, author, and critic (d. 1981)
- 1897 – Alluri Sitarama Raju, Indian activist (d. 1924)
- 1898 – Pilar Barbosa, Puerto Rican-American historian and activist (d. 1997)
- 1898 – Gertrude Lawrence, British actress, singer, and dancer (d. 1952)
- 1898 – Gertrude Weaver, American super-centenarian (d. 2015)
- 1902 – Meyer Lansky, Belarusian-American gangster (d. 1983)
- 1902 – George Murphy, American actor and politician (d. 1992)
- 1903 – Flor Peeters, Belgian organist, composer, and educator (d. 1986)
- 1904 – Angela Baddeley, English actress (d. 1976)
- 1905 – Irving Johnson, American sailor and author (d. 1991)
- 1905 – Lionel Trilling, American author, critic, and educator (d. 1975)
- 1907 – John Anderson, American discus thrower (d. 1948)
- 1907 – Howard Taubman, American author and critic (d. 1996)
- 1909 – Alec Templeton, Welsh composer, pianist and satirist (d. 1963)
- 1910 – Robert K. Merton, American sociologist and scholar (d. 2003)
- 1910 – Gloria Stuart, American actress and singer (d. 2010)
- 1911 – Bruce Hamilton, Australian public servant (d. 1989)
- 1911 – Mitch Miller, American singer and producer (d. 2010)
- 1912 – Viviane Romance, French actress and producer (d. 1991)
- 1914 – Nuccio Bertone, Italian automobile designer (d. 1997)
- 1916 – Iva Toguri D'Aquino, American typist and broadcaster (d. 2006)
- 1917 – Manolete, Spanish bullfighter (d. 1947)
- 1918 – Eppie Lederer, American journalist and radio host (d. 2002)
- 1918 – Johnnie Parsons, American race car driver (d. 1984)
- 1918 – Pauline Phillips, American journalist and radio host, created Dear Abby (d. 2013)
- 1918 – Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV of Tonga (d. 2006)
- 1920 – Norm Drucker, American basketball player and referee (d. 2015)
- 1920 – Leona Helmsley, American businesswoman (d. 2007)
- 1920 – Fritz Wilde, German footballer and manager (d. 1977)
- 1921 – Gérard Debreu, French economist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004)
- 1921 – Metropolitan Mikhail of Asyut (d. 2014)
- 1921 – Philip Rose, American actor, playwright, and producer (d. 2011)
- 1921 – Tibor Varga, Hungarian violinist and conductor (d. 2003)
- 1923 – Rudolf Friedrich, Swiss lawyer and politician (d. 2013)
- 1924 – Eva Marie Saint, American actress
- 1926 – Alfredo Di Stéfano, Argentinian-Spanish footballer and coach (d. 2014)
- 1926 – Lake Underwood, American race car driver and businessman (d. 2008)
- 1927 – Gina Lollobrigida, Italian actress, singer, and photographer
- 1927 – Neil Simon, American playwright and screenwriter
- 1928 – Giampiero Boniperti, Italian footballer and politician
- 1928 – Shan Ratnam, Sri Lankan physician and academic (d. 2001)
- 1928 – Chuck Tanner, American baseball player and manager (d. 2011)
- 1929 – Al Davis, American football player, coach, and manager (d. 2011)
- 1929 – Bill Tuttle, American baseball player (d. 1998)
- 1930 – Ron Casey, Australian journalist and sportscaster
- 1930 – Frunzik Mkrtchyan, Armenian actor (d. 1993)
- 1930 – George Steinbrenner, American businessman (d. 2010)
- 1931 – Stephen Boyd, Northern Irish-born American actor (d. 1977)
- 1931 – Rick Casares, American football player and soldier (d. 2013)
- 1931 – Sébastien Japrisot, French author, director, and screenwriter (d. 2003)
- 1932 – Aurèle Vandendriessche, Belgian runner
- 1934 – Yvonne B. Miller, American academic and politician (d. 2012)
- 1934 – Colin Welland, English actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
- 1935 – Paul Scoon, Grenadian politician, 2nd Governor-General of Grenada (d. 2013)
- 1936 – Zdzisława Donat, Polish soprano and actress
- 1937 – Thomas Nagel, American philosopher and academic
- 1937 – Queen Sonja of Norway
- 1937 – Richard Rhodes, American journalist and historian
- 1937 – Eric Walters, Australian journalist (d. 2010)
- 1938 – Steven Rose, English biologist and academic
- 1938 – Bill Withers, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1940 – Karolyn Grimes, American actress
- 1940 – Dave Rowberry, English pianist and songwriter (The Animals) (d. 2003)
- 1940 – Pat Stapleton, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1941 – Sam Farr, American politician
- 1941 – Sergio Oliva, Cuban-American bodybuilder and actor (d. 2012)
- 1941 – Tomaž Šalamun, Croatian-Slovenian poet and academic (d. 2014)
- 1941 – Pavel Sedláček, Czech singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1941 – Brian Willson, American soldier, lawyer, and activist
- 1942 – Hal Lanier, American baseball player, coach, and manager
- 1942 – Floyd Little, American football player and coach
- 1942 – Stefan Meller, French-Polish academic and politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2008)
- 1942 – Prince Michael of Kent
- 1942 – Peter Rowan, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Earth Opera and Old and in the Way)
- 1943 – Conny Bauer, German trombonist
- 1943 – Emerson Boozer, American football player and sportscaster
- 1943 – Adam Hart-Davis, English historian, author, and photographer
- 1943 – Geraldo Rivera, American lawyer, journalist, and author
- 1943 – Alan Wilson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Canned Heat) (d. 1970)
- 1944 – Jaimy Gordon, American author and academic
- 1945 – Andre Spitzer, Romanian-Israeli fencer and coach (d. 1972)
- 1946 – Ron Kovic, American author and activist
- 1946 – Michael Milken, American businessman and philanthropist
- 1947 – Lembit Ulfsak, Estonian actor and director
- 1948 – René Arnoux, French race car driver
- 1948 – Tommy Körberg, Swedish singer and actor
- 1948 – Jeremy Spencer, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Fleetwood Mac)
- 1950 – Philip Craven, English basketball player and swimmer
- 1950 – David Jensen, Canadian-English radio and television host
- 1950 – Tonio K, American singer-songwriter
- 1951 – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, American lawyer and politician, 6th Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
- 1951 – Vladimir Tismăneanu, Romanian-American political scientist, sociologist, and academic
- 1952 – Paul Rogat Loeb, American author and activist
- 1952 – Álvaro Uribe, Colombian lawyer and politician, 39th President of Colombia
- 1952 – John Waite, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Babys and Bad English)
- 1953 – Francis Maude, English lawyer and politician, Minister for the Cabinet Office
- 1954 – Morganna, American model, actress, and dancer
- 1954 – Jim Beattie, American baseball player, coach, and manager
- 1956 – Robert Sinclair MacKay, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick
- 1957 – Rein Lang, Estonian politician and diplomat, 25th Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1957 – Jenny Seagrove, Malaysian-English actress, singer, and activist
- 1957 – Chulabhorn Walailak Thai princess
- 1958 – Steve Hartman, American sportscaster
- 1958 – Kirk Pengilly, Australian singer and guitarist (INXS)
- 1958 – Carl Valentine, English-Canadian footballer, coach, and manager
- 1959 – Victoria Abril, Spanish actress and singer
- 1960 – Sid Eudy, American wrestler and actor
- 1960 – Roland Ratzenberger, Austrian race car driver (d. 1994)
- 1960 – Mark Steel, English comedian, actor, and author
- 1960 – Barry Windham, American wrestler
- 1961 – Richard Garriott, English-American video game designer, created the Ultima series
- 1962 – Neil Morrissey, English actor and singer
- 1962 – Pam Shriver, American tennis player and sportscaster
- 1963 – Henri Leconte, French tennis player and sportscaster
- 1963 – Ute Lemper, German singer and actress
- 1963 – Laureano Márquez, Spanish-Venezuelan political scientist and journalist
- 1963 – José Oquendo, Puerto Rican-American baseball player and coach
- 1963 – William Ramallo, Bolivian footballer and coach
- 1963 – Michael Sweet, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Stryper and Boston)
- 1964 – Cle Kooiman, American soccer player and manager
- 1964 – Elie Saab, Lebanese fashion designer
- 1964 – Mark Slaughter, American singer-songwriter and producer (Slaughter and Vinnie Vincent Invasion)
- 1964 – Mark Whiting, American actor, director, and screenwriter
- 1965 – Harvey Grant, American basketball player and coach
- 1965 – Horace Grant, American basketball player and coach
- 1966 – Minas Hantzidis, German-Greek footballer
- 1966 – Lee Reherman, American actor (d. 2016)
- 1967 – Vinny Castilla, Mexican baseball player and manager
- 1967 – Andy Walker, English-Canadian journalist
- 1968 – Ronni Ancona, Scottish actress and screenwriter
- 1968 – Jack Frost, American guitarist and songwriter (Seven Witches and The Bronx Casket Co.)
- 1969 – Al Golden, American football player and coach
- 1969 – Todd Marinovich, American football player and coach
- 1969 – Wilfred Mugeyi, Zimbabwean footballer and coach
- 1970 – Christian Giesler, American bass player (Kreator)
- 1970 – Tony Vidmar, Australian footballer and manager
- 1971 – Koko, American gorilla
- 1971 – Andy Creeggan, Canadian guitarist and pianist (Barenaked Ladies and The Brothers Creeggan)
- 1971 – Brendan Donnelly, American baseball player
- 1971 – Ned Zelić, Australian footballer and sportscaster
- 1972 – Nina Badrić, Croatian singer-songwriter and actress
- 1972 – Stephen Giles, Canadian canoe racer and engineer
- 1972 – William Goldsmith, American drummer (Sunny Day Real Estate, Foo Fighters, and The Fire Theft)
- 1972 – Mike Knuble, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach
- 1973 – Gackt, Japanese singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (Malice Mizer and Skin)
- 1973 – Keiko Ihara, Japanese race car driver
- 1973 – Michael Johnson, English-Jamaican footballer and manager
- 1973 – Anjelika Krylova, Russian ice dancer and coach
- 1973 – Jan Magnussen, Danish race car driver
- 1973 – Tony Popovic, Australian footballer and manager
- 1974 – Jill Craybas, American tennis player
- 1974 – La'Roi Glover, American football player and sportscaster
- 1974 – Adrian Griffin, American basketball player and coach
- 1974 – Vince Spadea, American tennis player
- 1976 – Daijiro Kato, Japanese motorcycle racer (d. 2003)
- 1976 – Yevgeniya Medvedeva, Russian skier
- 1977 – Orri Páll Dýrason, Icelandic drummer (Sigur Rós)
- 1977 – Jonas Kjellgren, Swedish singer, guitarist, and producer (Scar Symmetry, Centinex, Raubtier, and Carnal Forge)
- 1977 – Zoe Naylor, Australian actress, journalist, and producer
- 1978 – Marcos Daniel, Brazilian tennis player
- 1978 – Andrea Gabriel, American actress, producer, and screenwriter
- 1978 – Vicky Kaya, Greek model and actress
- 1978 – Stephen McNally, English singer-songwriter (BBMak)
- 1978 – Émile Mpenza, Belgian footballer
- 1978 – Katia Zygouli, Greek model and actress
- 1979 – Dumas, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1979 – Siim Kabrits, Estonian politician
- 1979 – Josh McCown, American football player
- 1979 – Mark Twitchell, Canadian murderer
- 1979 – Renny Vega, Venezuelan footballer
- 1980 – Noah Kalina, American photography
- 1980 – Carrie Keagan, American television host and actress
- 1980 – Kwame Steede, Bermudan footballer
- 1981 – Dedé, Angolan footballer
- 1981 – Brock Berlin, American football player
- 1981 – Francisco Cruceta, Dominican baseball player
- 1981 – Tahar Rahim, French actor
- 1981 – Will Smith, American football player (d. 2016)
- 1982 – Hannah Harper, English porn actress and director
- 1982 – Michael Sorrentino, American model, actor, and author
- 1983 – Melanie Fiona, Canadian singer-songwriter (X-Quisite)
- 1983 – Isabeli Fontana, Brazilian model and actress
- 1983 – Ben Jorgensen, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Armor for Sleep)
- 1983 – Amantle Montsho, Botswana sprinter
- 1983 – Andrew Mrotek, American drummer (The Academy Is...)
- 1983 – Miguel Ángel Muñoz, Spanish actor and singer
- 1983 – Miguel Pinto, Chilean footballer
- 1983 – Amol Rajan, Indian-English journalist
- 1983 – Mattia Serafini, Italian footballer
- 1984 – Jin Akanishi, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor (KAT-TUN and Lands)
- 1984 – Gina Glocksen, American singer
- 1984 – Miguel Santos Soares, Timorese footballer
- 1985 – Rinalds Sirsniņš, Latvian basketball player
- 1985 – Kane Tenace, Australian footballer
- 1986 – Ömer Aşık, Turkish basketball player
- 1986 – Takahisa Masuda, Japanese singer and actor (NEWS and Tegomass)
- 1986 – Nguyen Ngoc Duy, Vietnamese footballer
- 1986 – Mía Taveras, Dominican model and actress, Miss Dominican Republic 2006
- 1986 – Fanny Valette, French actress
- 1987 – Wude Ayalew, Ethiopian runner
- 1987 – Guram Kashia, Georgian footballer
- 1988 – Angelique Boyer, French-Mexican actress and singer
- 1989 – Alyssa Miller, American model
- 1989 – Benjamin Büchel, English footballer
- 1989 – Yoon Doo-joon, South Korean singer, dancer, and actor (Beast)
- 1989 – Rodgers Kola, Zambian footballer
- 1990 – Backer Aloenouvo, Togolese footballer
- 1990 – Kelsi Crain, American model, Miss Louisiana 2010
- 1990 – Rishadi Fauzi, Indonesian footballer
- 1990 – Jake Gardiner, American ice hockey player
- 1990 – Richard Mpong, Ghanaian footballer
- 1990 – Naoki Yamada, Japanese footballer
- 1990 – Ihar Yasinski, Belarusian footballer
- 1990 – Chloe Jasmine, Singer, Reality TV Star
- 1991 – Ak Hafiy Tajuddin Rositi, Bruneian runner
- 1992 – Basim, Danish singer-songwriter
- 1992 – Nick Hissom, English model and singer
- 1993 – Tom Barkhuizen, English footballer
- 1997 – Jason Spevack, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter
- 1999 – Moa Kikuchi, Japanese singer and model (Babymetal and Sakura Gakuin)
Births[edit]
- 673 – Ecgberht of Kent
- 907 – Luitpold, Margrave of Bavaria
- 943 – Taejo of Goryeo (b. 877)
- 965 – Pope Benedict V
- 973 – Ulrich of Augsburg, German bishop and saint (b. 890)
- 1187 – Raynald of Châtillon, French knight (b. 1125)
- 1533 – John Frith, English priest, writer, and martyr (b. 1503)
- 1541 – Pedro de Alvarado, Spanish general and explorer (b. 1495)
- 1546 – Hayreddin Barbarossa, Greek-Turkish admiral (b. 1478)
- 1551 – Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell, English politician (b. 1514)
- 1603 – Philippe de Monte, Flemish composer and educator (b. 1521)
- 1623 – William Byrd, English composer (b. c. 1540)
- 1641 – Pedro Teixeira, Portuguese explorer
- 1648 – Antoine Daniel, French missionary and saint (b. 1601)
- 1742 – Luigi Guido Grandi, Italian monk, mathematician, and engineer (b. 1671)
- 1754 – Philippe Néricault Destouches, French playwright and author (b. 1680)
- 1761 – Samuel Richardson, English author and painter (b. 1689)
- 1780 – Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine (b. 1712)
- 1821 – Richard Cosway, English painter and academic (b. 1742)
- 1826 – John Adams, American lawyer and politician, 2nd President of the United States (b. 1735)
- 1826 – Thomas Jefferson, American architect, lawyer, and politician, 3rd President of the United States (b. 1743)
- 1831 – James Monroe, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 5th President of the United States (b. 1758)
- 1848 – François-René de Chateaubriand, French historian and politician (b. 1768)
- 1850 – William Kirby, English entomologist and author (b. 1759)
- 1854 – Karl Friedrich Eichhorn, German academic and jurist (b. 1781)
- 1857 – William L. Marcy, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 21st United States Secretary of State (b. 1786)
- 1881 – Johan Vilhelm Snellman, Finnish philosopher and politician (b. 1806)
- 1882 – Joseph Brackett, American composer and author (b. 1797)
- 1886 – Poundmaker, Canadian tribal chief (b. 1797)
- 1891 – Hannibal Hamlin, American lawyer and politician, 15th Vice President of the United States (b. 1809)
- 1898 – Yusuf İsmail, Turkish-Canadian wrestler (b. 1857)
- 1901 – Johannes Schmidt, German linguist and academic (b. 1843)
- 1902 – Vivekananda, Indian monk and saint (b. 1863)
- 1905 – Élisée Reclus, French geographer and author (b. 1830)
- 1910 – Melville Fuller, American lawyer and jurist, 8th Chief Justice of the United States (b. 1833)
- 1910 – Giovanni Schiaparelli, Italian astronomer and historian (b. 1835)
- 1916 – Alan Seeger, American soldier and poet (b. 1888)
- 1922 – Lothar von Richthofen, German lieutenant and pilot (b. 1894)
- 1926 – Pier Giorgio Frassati, Italian activist and saint (b. 1901)
- 1931 – Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta (b. 1869)
- 1931 – Buddie Petit, American cornet player (b. 1895)
- 1934 – Marie Curie, French-Polish physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1867)
- 1938 – Otto Bauer, Austrian philosopher and politician, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1881)
- 1938 – Suzanne Lenglen, French tennis player (b. 1899)
- 1941 – Antoni Łomnicki, Polish mathematician and academic (b. 1881)
- 1943 – Władysław Sikorski, Polish general and politician, 9th Prime Minister of the Second Republic of Poland (b. 1881)
- 1946 – Taffy O'Callaghan, Welsh footballer and coach (b. 1906)
- 1946 – Gerda Steinhoff, German concentration camp overseer (b. 1922)
- 1948 – Monteiro Lobato, Brazilian journalist and author (b. 1882)
- 1949 – François Brandt, Dutch rower and engineer (b. 1874)
- 1963 – Bernard Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg, New Zealand general and politician, 7th Governor-General of New Zealand (b. 1889)
- 1963 – Clyde Kennard, American activist and martyr (b. 1927)
- 1963 – Pingali Venkayya, Indian activist, designed the Flag of India (b. 1876)
- 1964 – Gaby Morlay, French actress and singer (b. 1893)
- 1964 – Henry (Hank) Sylvern, American organist and composer (b. 1908)
- 1969 – Henri Decoin, French director and screenwriter (b. 1890)
- 1970 – Barnett Newman, American painter and illustrator (b. 1905)
- 1970 – Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, American sailor and businessman (b. 1884)
- 1971 – August Derleth, American anthologist and author (b. 1909)
- 1971 – Thomas C. Hart, American admiral and politician (b. 1877)
- 1974 – Haj Amin al-Husseini, Palestinian cleric (b. 1897)
- 1974 – Georgette Heyer, English author (b. 1902)
- 1976 – Yonatan Netanyahu, Israeli colonel (b. 1946)
- 1976 – Antoni Słonimski, Polish poet and playwright (b. 1895)
- 1977 – Gersh Budker, Ukrainian physicist and academic (b. 1918)
- 1979 – Lee Wai Tong, Chinese footballer and manager (b. 1905)
- 1980 – Maurice Grevisse, Belgian linguist and author (b. 1895)
- 1984 – Jimmie Spheeris, American singer-songwriter (b. 1949)
- 1986 – Flor Peeters, Belgian organist and composer (b. 1903)
- 1986 – Oscar Zariski, Belarusian-American mathematician and academic (b. 1899)
- 1988 – Adrian Adonis, American wrestler (b. 1954)
- 1990 – Olive Ann Burns, American journalist and author (b. 1924)
- 1991 – Victor Chang, Chinese-Australian surgeon and physician (b. 1936)
- 1991 – Art Sansom, American cartoonist (b. 1920)
- 1992 – Astor Piazzolla, Argentinian bandoneon player and composer (b. 1921)
- 1993 – Bona Arsenault, Canadian historian, genealogist, and politician (b. 1903)
- 1994 – Joey Marella, American wrestling referee (b. 1964)
- 1995 – Eva Gabor, Hungarian-American actress and singer (b. 1919)
- 1995 – Bob Ross, American painter and television host (b. 1942)
- 1997 – Charles Kuralt, American journalist (b. 1934)
- 1997 – John Zachary Young, English zoologist and neurophysiologist (b. 1907)
- 1999 – Leo Garel, American illustrator and educator (b. 1917)
- 2000 – Gustaw Herling-Grudziński, Polish journalist and author (b. 1919)
- 2001 – V. Appapillai, Sri Lankan physicist and academic (b. 1913)
- 2001 – Keenan Milton, American skateboarder (b. 1974)
- 2002 – Gerald Bales, Canadian organist and composer (b. 1919)
- 2002 – Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., American general (b. 1912)
- 2002 – Mansoor Hekmat, Iranian theorist (b. 1951)
- 2002 – Winnifred Quick, English-American RMS Titanic survivor (b. 1904)
- 2003 – Larry Burkett, American author and radio host (b. 1939)
- 2003 – André Claveau, French singer (b. 1915)
- 2003 – Barry White, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (b. 1944)
- 2004 – Jean-Marie Auberson, Swiss violinist and conductor (b. 1920)
- 2005 – Bryan Coleman, English actor (b. 1911)
- 2005 – Cliff Goupille, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1915)
- 2005 – Hank Stram, American football player and coach (b. 1923)
- 2007 – Barış Akarsu, Turkish singer, guitarist, and actor (b. 1979)
- 2007 – Bill Pinkney, American singer (The Drifters) (b. 1925)
- 2008 – Thomas M. Disch, American author and poet (b. 1940)
- 2008 – Jesse Helms, American politician (b. 1921)
- 2008 – Evelyn Keyes, American actress (b. 1916)
- 2008 – Terrence Kiel, American football player (b. 1980)
- 2008 – Charles Wheeler, German-English soldier and journalist (b. 1923)
- 2009 – Brenda Joyce, American actress (b. 1917)
- 2009 – Allen Klein, American businessman and talent agent, founded ABKCO Records (b. 1931)
- 2009 – Drake Levin, American guitarist (Paul Revere & the Raiders) (b. 1946)
- 2009 – Steve McNair, American football player (b. 1973)
- 2009 – Lasse Strömstedt, Swedish author and actor (b. 1935)
- 2009 – Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard, Congolese poet and politician (b. 1938)
- 2010 – Robert Neil Butler, American physician and author (b. 1927)
- 2010 – Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, Iraqi-Lebanese cleric (b. 1935)
- 2011 – Otto von Habsburg, Austrian-Hungarian son of Charles I of Austria (b. 1912)
- 2012 – Hiren Bhattacharyya, Indian poet and author (b. 1932)
- 2012 – Jimmy Bivins, American boxer (b. 1919)
- 2012 – Jeong Min-hyeong, South Korean footballer (b. 1987)
- 2012 – Eric Sykes, English actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1923)
- 2013 – Onllwyn Brace, Welsh rugby player and sportscaster (b. 1932)
- 2013 – Jack Crompton, English footballer and manager (b. 1921)
- 2013 – James Fulton, American dermatologist and academic (b. 1940)
- 2013 – Charles A. Hines, American general (b. 1935)
- 2013 – Bernie Nolan, Irish singer and actress (The Nolans) (b. 1960)
- 2014 – Giorgio Faletti, Italian author, screenwriter, and actor (b. 1950)
- 2014 – C. J. Henderson, American author and critic (b. 1951)
- 2014 – Earl Robinson, American baseball player (b. 1936)
- 2014 – Richard Mellon Scaife, American businessman (b. 1932)
- 2015 – Nedelcho Beronov, Bulgarian judge and politician (b. 1928)
- 2015 – William Conrad Gibbons, American historian, author, and academic (b. 1926)
Deaths[edit]
- Christian feast day:
- Independence Day, celebrates the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain in 1776. (United States and its dependencies)
- Liberation Day (Northern Mariana Islands)
- Liberation Day (Rwanda)
- Republic Day (Philippines)
- The first evening of Dree Festival, celebrated until July 7 (Apatani people, Arunachal Pradesh, India)
Holidays and observances[edit]
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” Proverbs 14:34 NIV
===
Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Morning
"The ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavoured and fat kine."
Genesis 41:4
Genesis 41:4
Pharaoh's dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my soul. When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the palmerworms of self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean-fleshed days, no ill-favoured hours! If every day I journeyed towards the goal of my desires I should soon reach it, but backsliding leaves me still far off from the prize of my high calling, and robs me of the advances which I had so laboriously made. The only way in which all my days can be as the "fat kine," is to feed them in the right meadow, to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than the past, in love, and usefulness, and joy?--I am nearer the celestial hills, I have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, "My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me!" but may I be well-fed and nourished in thy house, that I may praise thy name.
Evening
We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not "suffering with Christ," and have no hope of reigning with him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all a Christian's sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he be called by God to suffer. If we are rash and imprudent, and run into positions for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of Scriptural authority, we shall fight the Lord's battles with the devil's weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we must not be surprised. Again, in troubles which come upon us as the result of sin, we must not dream that we are suffering with Christ. When Miriam spoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted her, she was not suffering for God. Moreover, suffering which God accepts must have God's glory as its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name, or win applause, I shall get no other reward than that of the Pharisee. It is requisite also that love to Jesus, and love to his elect, be ever the mainspring of all our patience. We must manifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness, and forgiveness. Let us search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus. And if we do thus suffer, what is our "light affliction" compared with reigning with him? Oh it is so blessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honour to stand in the pillory with him, that if there were no future reward, we might count ourselves happy in present honour; but when the recompense is so eternal, so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up the cross with alacrity, and go on our way rejoicing?
===Today's reading: Job 25-27, Acts 12 (NIV)
View today's reading on Bible GatewayToday's Old Testament reading: Job 25-27
Bildad
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2 "Dominion and awe belong to God;
he establishes order in the heights of heaven.
3 Can his forces be numbered?
On whom does his light not rise?
4 How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
How can one born of woman be pure?
5 If even the moon is not bright
and the stars are not pure in his eyes,
6 how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot--
a human being, who is only a worm!"
he establishes order in the heights of heaven.
3 Can his forces be numbered?
On whom does his light not rise?
4 How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
How can one born of woman be pure?
5 If even the moon is not bright
and the stars are not pure in his eyes,
6 how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot--
a human being, who is only a worm!"
Today's New Testament reading: Acts 12
Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him....
No comments:
Post a Comment