Saturday, 5 April 2025

I’m a horrid right wing, extreme radical. Or something

An Occasional Reader (OR) has had a go at me and we’ve had some email to-and-fro. 

I’ve been accused of being more extreme, more radical, more right wing, more conservative, more evangelical even, than before. 

I asked for the receipts. What’s the evidence? Please tell me. I’m all ears. Honestly. We had a good discussion, quite friendly, if heated at times. Below is a kind of a summary, with the areas we discussed being first, then lower down things we didn’t discuss, but which I cover from time to time on this blog, and my position on them. 

I’ve had a look over some recent-ish posts of mine. I find I still agree with them. So there you are. I agree with myself. But also with Alexander Downer. Who’s definitely of the Right, but not a right-wing nutter. At least I don’t think so. And I agree with Christopher Hitchens. And Harris Sultan. And Ayaan Hirsi Ali. And Asra Nomani. And Brigitte Gabriel. And so many others on the "right", or the Common Sense brigade. The reality monsters. The radical reality-based folx. 

Here we go:

Evangelical Right:

First one is that I’m leaning to the Evangelical Right. How so? I ask given that I’m a life-long atheist. Quite radically, extremely so. Well, support for the anti-semitism bill running through congress. Well, say I, I’ve not posted anything about that, but as it happens I don’t support it. Mainly because it bumps another belief -- a radical, extreme one -- for Free Speech. I don’t think we should be mandating by law any restrictions on that. Not for Jews, not for Muslims. Not for Christians. 

Being More Anti-China: I plead guilty to this. But claim mitigation. That being that China has itself become rather more of a bully on the world stage in the last dozen years or so, what with the “Wolf Diplomacy” and the aggression in the South China Sea, so surely a fair person is allowed to be rather more robust in response. 

Being more critical of Islam: I plead no contest on this one. The whole reason for starting this blog was because I’d been reading about Islam and was troubled by its ideology. I still am. It may be that I make my points rather more directly. I hope I make them rather more clearly than I used to, otherwise, have I learned nothing in 15 years? I do think the threat of Islam, which is what I started writing about, is much worse much more quickly than I thought then. And so I quote regularly people  who know Islam from the inside out -- people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She herself has become more strident. Because the threat has chased her out of Somalia, then the Netherlands and then Britain. 

Being Super pro-Israel: To this I plead Guilty. And comfortably so. I’m inclined to say “proudly so”, but that doesn’t seem right. To me the issue of Israel vs Hamas is crystal clear. It’s crystal clear from having read widely on the subject. Not to the level of a professor. But certainly to the level beyond the average, and a country mile past the extraordinary ignorance of the students and street protesters. Hamas is an evil death cult. It has not a single redeeming feature, as a movement or as a people. (If there is One redeeming feature, I’m all ears). They don’t even value their babies. We tend to think all humans love their children. Not Hamas and the brainswashed Gazans who Love Death, Love Allah, more than they love their children who they are more than willing -- they are happy --  to offer to the Glory of Allah and the spread of Islam. 

While Israel is a democratic, free, liberal, inventive society that loves life. 

I have no problem making the distinction. It’s not “complicated” or “nuanced” to me. 

Being Super pro-Nuclear: Guilty as charged. And that makes me on the Right, as far as Australian politics is concerned. It’s a live issue in Australia right now. The split is the Leftish Labor Party is agains, the Centre Right Liberal Party is in favour. And so am I. And so are any folks who follow the science and are not fooled by such nonsense as “We don’t need nuclear in Australia because we have abundant sun and land"

Choice: didn’t discuss at all, but for the record, I’m pro Choice. A liberal view.

Gun control: didn’t discuss at all, but for the record, I’m ok with gun control. Just that by the evidence, it won’t do much good, given the number of guns already in the country. The data by state don’t have a strong correlation between high gun control states and lower gun crimes. 

Australia and China: I admit to being totally pro Australia whenever there’s something in the local press about an Australia China issue. The local SCMP will have a ton of comments whenever there’s an Oz-China issue, all in favour of China. I weigh in, in favour of Australia. Eg, on the issue of Australia demanding a full international investigation into the source of the Covid virus, and then China slapped on import bans on Australian minerals and seafood, I was (and remain) totally on Australia’s side. So, yes, guilty as charged on that one.

Free Speech: a dozen years ago in Oz, I was holding forth on NOT trying to ban “Hate Speech”. For that, by my sister, I was told: “my goodness, you’re becoming so conservative!” For standing for free speech. I’ve had other old, old friends accuse me -- “j’accuse -- of being a ‘free speech absolutist”. Again, guilty as charged. Australia is becoming a very censorious country, much more so than even the censorious Europe. I don’t like that. I’ve got more freedom of speech here in Hong Kong, than the have in Australia now. Colour me extreme and radical and horrid right wing for that one as well. 

Anti-semitism Bill: This I don’t agree with. So, if supporting that it right wing, then I’m Leftie on that

ADDED: About China and about Islam and about Russia or the Soviet Union, my beef is always with the ideology not the people. So I can say: I don't like Marxism-Leninism, or Maoism, but I do like the Chinese people. I don't like the ideology of Islam, but every Muslim I've ever met is a fine person. I don't like Leninism, or Putinism, but the Russians are fun people. Always the ideology. We ought be able to criticise the ideology. Always. Which is why it's wrong to have a "Hate speech" tie to "Islamophobia". No... we must be able to criticise Islam. Just as we do Christianity. Or Communism. Or Nazism.  

Cat showers

 


Friday, 4 April 2025

nature

here

 

Tongue Tied on Trump Tariffs

Ford's F150 twin-cab Truck
I'm going to sit this one out. Sit out, that is, having a view on Trump's so-called "Liberation Day tariffs", a long list of tariffs to be charged on imports from a huge number of countries. Which he announced on 2 April. 

Anti-Tariffs

Ever since my Econ 101 way back in 1968, I've been told "Free Trade Good. Tariffs Bad". And I've believed it.

Though I was a bit wobbly when China joined the WTO in 2001, and middle-class manufacturing jobs in America disappeared in a great whoosh. The "benefits of free trade", it seems, were to buy cheap sneakers and flat-screen TVs from China. 

Still, plenty of people -- every single Democrat, I'd guess, and a good number of Republicans too -- say Trump's plan, his "Liberation Day", is all too crazy. 

"Extremely dangerous" says Larry Summers a voice to listen to, as ex Treasurer for president Clinton and ex president of Harvard:

Link to Summers' X post here

Pro-Tariffs

Then there are those now saying "Tariffs are good". Maybe close to half of Americans.  

The most powerful pro-tariffs argument I've heard is from the head of the United Auto Workers Union. Who pointed out that when tariffs on sedans were brought down to zero tariffs on Trucks, like the F-150, were kept at 25%. 

Result? Today there are virtually no sedans built in America (well, except for Tesla! Irony of ironies), but that nearly all trucks are still made in America. The auto union puts that down to the tariffs. They support the Trump plan. 

Pusillanimous me

So, I'm sitting this one out. 

There's my training that tariffs are bad; and there are very knowledgeable people saying they're bad. 

Then there's the pro mob, with experience in the good side of tariffs making persuasive case for them. 

It's surely a high risk high reward strategy that Trump's playing with here. 

A big question must be: will he have the time to show if they work or not. Given that instant results are demanded of him. On the day after inauguration Dems were demanding to know why he hadn't slashed the price of eggs.... Egg prices are down now, but because it took more than a day, Trump gets no kudos. Tariffs are not eggs (as the saying goes). They're going to need much more time. I fear Trump won't be given the time. 

All I can do is wait to see. Sitting so firmly on the fence that I have dimples in my big fat arse. 

Reciprocity 

I do hope it works, this grand experiment, as the concept of "Reciprocity" seems to me a smart one. To charge you what you charge me. If it's zero then it's zero both ways. If it's ten percent then it's ten percent both ways. That's surely a good principle. 

It's just the trade and economics version of the Biblical version, Matthew 7.12:  

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

When I was first in China, in the Australian embassy in what was then Peking, I served with Australia's first ambassador to China, professor Stephen FitzGerald, who was always going on about Reciprocity. Which usually fell on deaf ears in China, as they were playing their "we're a developing country" card. 

Steve kept on with that Reciprocity principle his whole life. And I agree. I've written on it quite often on these pages. 

So, me, I'm hoping for the best. Though we've already suffered a pretty savage beating in our US stock portfolio. Like everyone else, to be fair. 

"We'll see", as the orange man says. 

Jihadism Is the Problem | John Aziz

Getting back to the original reason for this blog: as a repository for articles about Islam that I found interesting. 

Here's one below, by a British-Palestinian, musician and "peace activist", John Aziz. He writes factually and well. Good luck with the overall message, though. Which is his hope that Jihadism can convert to an Islam that is "love your neighbour". 

EG, snip: 

Pan-Islamic or pan-Arab dominance is not going to work for the Middle East—or anywhere else—in the modern era. Islam is not the only religion in the region, and Arabs are not the only local people who deserve freedom and self-determination. Indeed, there are many differing interpretations of Islam itself, and many Muslims who do not want to live under a theocracy. Respect for the self-governance of minorities is the real pathway to progress. We cannot create unity by forcing our rule upon people who do not want to be subjugated. That has proven again and again to be the road to hell for the entire region, both for Palestinians and others.

That's the opposite of what every single Muslim Arab state around Israel thinks. And in the case of Hamas, Fatah, Palestinian Jihad and the dreary rest of them, their whole idea is: "Kill the Jew". 

Sigh...  Oh, well. I guess we can live in hope. 

Below is John's good piece, with thanks to Unherd:

The eternal battle of dogs and postmen

 

Thursday, 3 April 2025

Faith

 

London, 2025

“Ireland is a social disaster waiting to happen” | Mick O’Keefe

Israel: a State for Jews and Druze | Dan Schueftan (Part 4)

 

Click above for the video
Part 4 of a talk with the Oz mag Quillette. 

Dr Dan Schueftan, Director emeritus of the National Security Studies Center at the University of Haifa. 

I find him bracingly good. Robust. I'm sure there are those who would find him rather too robust, would call him a bigot, or racist, or such. I've watched quite a bit of him now, and I really don't think so. I think he's just deeply knowledgeable about the Middle East, clear-eyed about his neighbours and clear-eyed about how strong Israel needs to be, to keep them at bay. 

And keeping them at bay seems to be the only option at the moment -- not because that's what Israel wants, but because the neighbours hate Israel and the Jews and wish to destroy them. The only way Israel can survive it to be strong and to be feared. As he says, it's a tough neighbourhood. Only strength is respected. 

But some are friends. Like the Druze. Dr Dan: "Israel is a state for Jews and Druze". 

And good thoughts -- radical centrist thoughts, radical common sense thoughts -- about Freedom, Democracy, Transparency, Progressivism. 

00:00 The Druze and Israel: A Complex Relationship 03:07 The Humanitarian Imperative: Protecting Minorities 06:09 Crisis of Democracy: A Global Perspective 08:53 The Dangers of Total Transparency 11:57 Rethinking Leadership in Modern Democracies 14:48 The Path to Sustainable Equality 17:49 Optimism Amidst Irresolvable Problems

The earlier parts are below: 

Desert Island life...

 


Wednesday, 2 April 2025

Israel's Hostage Dilemma: Dan Schueftan (Part 3)

Click above for the video

The barbarians' strongest weapon is to use our values against us”. 

A key message of Dr Dan Schueftan, Director emeritus of the National Security Studies Center at the University of Haifa. 

Which brings me back to the discussion about what to do when the enemy takes hostages. Should you make the return of the hostages your no. 1 war aim, as it's been for Israel? Or should you take the tough but ultimately more effective road of saying -- as we used to in the West -- "We will not negotiate with terrorists."

I completely understand why Israel does what it does. And the anguish of the relatives of hostages. Dr Dan, above, calls these "decisions from Hell". It's the killing of some, to prevent the killing of many, many more. Listen to him discuss the issue of whether the Allies should have bombed the concentration camps in WW2. 

But... I've come over to the views of Yishai Fleisher*. Who argues that the hostages must be treated as casualties of war. By all means try to save them. But don't make that the primary war aim and make sure the enemy knows this. 

After the short-term pain and anguish of this, and the loss of hostages, the benefits will be no more use of taking hostages by the enemy. For anything other than the near term, for anything other than Suicidal Empathy, the tough way of Yishai, and Dr Dan above, is the best for continued survival of Israel, not under constant threat of attacks by the barbarians, come to take booty, loot and hostages. 
=====================


As I rewatch the video above, I think Dr Dan is truly a wise man. Speaks truth bombs, one after another. 
Index:
00:00 Current Situation in Gaza 06:00 Moral Dilemmas in Warfare 11:47 The Hostage Crisis and Historical Context 17:55 Cultural and Political Dynamics in the Region 24:07 Israel's Strategic Position and Future Outlook 30:02 The Role of International Relations 36:11 Understanding the Palestinian Perspective

Lets make primitive music together...

Tuesday, 1 April 2025

The West Is Naive About the Middle East: Dan Schueftan (Part 2)

Click above for the video
Dr Dan Schueftan, Director emeritus of the National Security Studies Center at the University of Haifa.

You can have too much of a good thing.

A thing I've often said. Like immigration. We all, pretty much all, think immigration is good. But too much, especially undocumented, illegal, uncontrolled immigration is bad. Big majorities -- around 75% and up -- of people in all western countries, think so. 

I've likened it to water. You need it to survive. Too much and you drown. Professor Dan Schueftan uses the oxygen analogy. Again, you need it to live; too much will kill you, 

In professor Dan's case he's referring to Progressivism. Which he thinks -- and many of us agree -- has gone too far in many western countries and in Israel. Hence the crazy Left of the Democratic party, which led it off the electoral cliff in the last election. And which threatens the survival of Israel and the west, if we are too naive, because of ultra-progressivism. 

I'd call it Suicidal Empathy

Dr Dan talks of the idea the Progressives have that we're basically all the same. That within a Saddam Hussein is a little Thomas Jefferson waiting to get out. We just have to be nice to the Saddam and the Jefferson will emerge. Not so. As time and again we've found out. But firmly refuse to learn from. 

This is also the point made for the UK by Christopher Caldwell, in his recent talk with Peter Whittle, here. Some people just don't fit in and don't want to fit in. 

Index:

00:00 Misunderstanding Radicalism in America 02:52 The Role of Humanitarian Aid in Conflict 06:06 Political Dynamics in the Middle East 09:06 The Rise of Progressivism and Its Consequences 12:02 Israel's Political Landscape and Resilience 14:54 The Future of Israeli Society and Governance 18:01 International Relations and Bipartisan Support 20:52 The UN and Global Politics, Zelensky, Ukraine

Never park your horse in a bad part of town

 

Like Downtown LA. Or South Chicago...

Monday, 31 March 2025

Trump Leaves Presidency To Become Even More Powerful District Court Judge

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced this week that he was leaving office in order to take an even more powerful position as a U.S. District Court judge.

After ascending to the presidency twice in the last decade, Trump set his sights on the next rung up the political ladder, with a spot in the federal judiciary proving him with far more authority to rule the nation.

"I love being president. I'm great at it. The best our country has ever had, many people say," Trump told the press. "But after seeing how much power those U.S. District Court judges have, I've decided to resign the presidency and join the judiciary. They seem to really be able to do anything they want."

Trump announced the move after a series of sweeping rulings from judges over the last several weeks, which greatly limited the breadth of the executive branch's powers. Trump said he's been eyeing the move for a while and thinks he'd be a great fit as he's already well-versed in the legal system.

"After going through all that stuff with the corrupt courts in New York, I think I have a pretty good handle on how things work," Trump said. "There can't be that much to it. Just bang the wooden hammer thing and create your own rules and laws all the time. Some are saying I'm going to be the best District Court judge that ever lived. I didn't say it, but some have."

At publishing time, Trump decided he might also try his hand at running for Congress for when he needs to have a break and take a much-needed rest from doing any work.

Thanks to Babylon Bee

Israel is winning | Dan Schueftan (Part 1)

 

Click above for the video 

“The barbarians strongest weapon is to use our values against us”. A key message of Dr Dan Schueftan, director emeritus of the National Security Studies Center at the University of Haifa. 

Like as in taking hostages and using civilians as human shields. The barbarians count on our values in treating every civilian life as precious, to hold us back. Which has worked. 

This is a tough issue. But if countries face an enemy that takes hostages, and w Ethan make the return of hostages as the single, the highest, the primary aim, you’re in serious trouble. And will have more hostage taking. 

We used to know this. America had a strong “we do not negotiate with terrorists” policy. No longer. They readily negotiate with terrorists. As does Israel. 

There are a few Israelis, not many but a few, who call for the end of this policy. People like Yishai Fleisher. To return to a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. The response, once hostages are taken, is to consider them casualties of war. Try to liberate them. Try hard. But don’t make it the sole, the primary aim. But that’s a long way from where the government and the people are. Which includes handing back a thousand convicted Palestinian criminals, murderers amongst them, in rerun for one Hamas captured IDF soldier. That’s a kind of suicidal empathy.

As they’re always saying about everything: “wwe must have a conversation about this”. As it stands it’s not even remotely in the agenda.

Save for the Fleishers of the world. And people like professor Schueftan.

Index:

00:00 Israel remains confident despite ongoing challenges and future threats.
01:06 The war centers on whether civilized societies can defend against those who exploit human rights norms.
03:20 Post-Soviet thinking has led progressives to misunderstand the constraints needed to fight extremists.
05:06 Technology now allows smaller groups to challenge powerful nations with advanced weapons.
06:58 Gaza’s defense relies on both physical barriers and international support.
08:20 Nationalism is crucial for democracy and human rights when not taken to extremes.
09:52 Israeli restraint and strong responses contribute to regional stability.
12:25 Arab nations see Israel as a strategic ally against shared threats and flawed U.S. policies.
14:48 Israel’s actions in Lebanon and Iran expose vulnerabilities and weaken adversaries.
16:45 U.S. policies have unintentionally empowered radicals and destabilized regions like the Red Sea

Penguin meets banana peel

 


Sunday, 30 March 2025

"Grok 3 is nuts" | Steven Mark Ryan

 

Click above for the video
Do have a look at the above vid. I found it fascinating.

There's a particularly interesting explanation from Elon, areound 35:10, about how they build the xAI facilities so rapidly.

Elsewhere I've written about how quicky Elon has created wealth. Now with xAI, creator of Grok, mergning with X. 

Steven Mark Ryan has the pofcast Solving the Money Problem. He's a major TSLA Bull, but has a lot of good analysis and predictions that have been prescient. 

Nuclear Tourism in China

Da Ya Bay Nuclear Power Station in China, on the Hong Kong coast
This is new, and as far as I know is the only place in the world where you can book a visit to a nuclear power plant. As opposed to other places that have "nuclear tourism" where it's visiting places like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, or old nuclear test sites, like Maralinga in Australia. IOW, places where things went wrong. 

As far as I can tell China is the only place where you can visit an actual operating nuclear power station. I do hope they're just the first. Given that one of the main reasons people are against nuclear power is fear; fear of the unknown. They ought be given the chance to know more. 

In China. At one of nine plants now open for a visit. And do I recommend it? You bet I do. If you're visiting China or live there, try to make time for a visit. You won't regret. 

I visited the Da Ya Bay Nuclear Power station just north west of us, when I went to China on a rally with the Classic Car Club of Hong Kong, back around 2005. Our Club patron was Sir Michael Kadoorie, a classic car buff, and part owner of the Da Ya Bay plant, via his China Light and Power company here in Hong Kong. 

I rate that visit one of the most fun visits I've ever made. And I been everywhere, man.

I asked Grok about it:

Now you can visit certain nuclear power stations in China, as the country has recently opened some of its facilities to the public as part of a "nuclear tourism" initiative. In August 2024, China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), the nation's largest nuclear power operator, launched an online booking system allowing tourists to plan visits to nine of its nuclear power stations. This move aims to increase public understanding and trust in nuclear energy while promoting its role in achieving China's carbon neutrality goals by 2060.

For example, locations like the Ningde Nuclear Power Plant in Fujian province and the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station in Guangxi have been highlighted as tourist-friendly sites. Visitors can explore the facilities, learn about clean energy, and even enjoy nearby attractions such as tea gardens or scenic islands. CGN has also provided tourist information, including hand-drawn maps, to enhance the experience.

However, access may come with restrictions. While the initiative is open to the public, specific requirements—such as booking in advance through the online system—are necessary. Additionally, some reports from other nuclear-related sites in China (like the Gaoqiao nuclear bunker museum) suggest that non-Chinese nationals might face extra scrutiny, such as higher admission fees or, in rare cases, restricted entry, though this isn’t explicitly confirmed for CGN’s power stations.

To visit, you’d need to check the official CGN booking platform for availability, locations, and any visitor guidelines, such as safety protocols or identification requirements. This reflects China’s broader push to showcase its nuclear technology, which includes 56 operational reactors and 30 more under construction as of early 2025.

Saturday, 29 March 2025

xAI acquires X in stock transaction valuing the companies at over $100 Bn.

This is huge news and positions Musk, one of his companies, maybe xAI, maybe Tesla, to be the leader in AGI. See Stephen Ryan's take on it here

Just a few weeks ago I posted that Musk had created yet another Billion Dollar Company, xAI, this one in record time, that was worth, then -- just a few weeks ago -- $50 billion. It's now valued at $80 Billion. So, a company he started two years ago, is now worth $80 Billion. Amazing. The other companies he's started or got involved in at very early stages and driven the development of include: PayPal, $80 Bn. Tesla, $850 Bn, SpaceX $350 Bn, The Boring Company, $6 Bn and Neuralink $8 Bn. 

Total = $1.4 TRILLION and counting. But who's counting? Certainly not Elon. He's too busy building. While his haters are too busy hating. 

Musk is the most prolific creator of Billion dollar companies the United States, the world, has ever seen. 

"Elon Musk and DOGE team give behind the scenes look at their mission" | Bret Baeir

Click above for the video 

This is a fantastic interview. Finding out what's really gong on at DOGE -- the Department of Government Efficiency -- from the people in it, rather than hearing the hyperventilating Musk-haters telling us their hysterical reactions to it. Which are all over the likes of CNN and MSNBC, not to mention Tik Tok. I've seen them, and they're both ignorant and unhinged. Don’t even know why they hate him.

Bret Baier talks to some senior members of the DOGE team, led by Elon Musk, trying to make the US government more efficient in order to save money. In order to reduce the deficit. In order to reduce the debt burden of the US. 

This is an impressive team and they're just a part of the whole. 

You can either believe what they're saying -- which I do -- or believe the unhinged loonies on the streets, torching Teslas, shooting up showrooms, waving their "Elon is a Nazi" signs, and then when confronted with what is it that Elon has done that they think is so wrong, are unable to answer. I choose to believe Elon and this team, not the loonies. 

What these folks are doing is revolutionary. They're trying to make the government more efficient. There's some hair raising stories about just how inefficient the government is. With some legacy systems more than seventy years old. That's right, 70 years old. Systems set up in the 1950s, when I was born, but which have not been updated since because of the weird ways in which the government works (or doesn't). 

More people outside the Fox bubble should see this. But they won't. Because the other bubbles, the likes of CNN, MSNBC, etc... simply do not want to hear the message. It's much better for them to carry on with the Narrative: Elon and Trump bad. Elon and his oligarch cronies just want to gut Social Security and run home with more money. 

Think about it. Elon would have been much better off doing nothing. He's lost billions in stock value because of his commitment to try to help stem the bleeding of the government deficit, to reduce the debt burden. He could've just been doing more at Tesla, Neuralink, SpaceX, X, Boring Company. Instead, the man tries to help the country and what he gets from the Left is hate. 

"No good deed goes unpunished". 

ADDED

CNN doesn't report what the Doge team say it is doing. Instead they moan that the group above is a bunch of Old Middle Aged. White. Men. Yes, that's the most important thing to CNN. Not that Doge is on track to reduce waste in government spending by $1 TRILLION per year. But the genitalia and age of the team. THAT's the most important thing in all this. Right. 

By the way, earlier, CNN were cranky, really mad, that Doge was "a bunch of teenagers"... Really can't win. (Except they are). 

Bears chocolate assortment