In which Donners tells then pond to give up haggis and there's only nattering "Ned" left on the menu ...

The reptiles attempt at a more severe paywall has traumatised the pond, no doubt about it.

Where's the love? Where's all the laughter and tears the pond shared with the reptiles over the years?

And then there's the yearning. Sometimes the pond sees a piece, and it's out of reach … like a recent dashing Donners.

Oh how the pond and Donners had gambolled together and gaily run down the hills celebrating the wonders of Catholic education and a joyous belief in imaginary friends, oh how the pond yearned to re-unite with Donners.

But it turns out there's something even worse than an absent Donners … it's a present Donners, as became clear when Donners suddenly turned up …

That's it? That's all?

Not a word about the wonders of the Catholic system, just the news that we should be careful about letting the Scots in, and at the same time that might save the country from kirks, dirks, kilts, skirts, parritch, bagpipes, whiskey and haggis?

Maybe the good bits were tucked somewhere behind the paywall.

The pond felt faint and had to snort a cartoon just to get the strength to carry on …

Ah that's better, nothing like Xian forgiveness and redemption to give the pond hope, and so it turned to nattering "Ned" in the hope of entertainment …

To be fair, Ned did his best.

A pompous prat of the delusional chicken little kind who can start a piece by accusing others of wearisome moral vanity is a class act ...

Say what? The entire moral edifice of the reptiles and prattling Polonius rabbiting on about inner city 'leets being disconnected to the dinkum world might be a delusion?

What next? What preposterous next?

Nattering "Ned" embracing climate science?

Ah, the good old 1.3% routine … how could the pond be so foolish as to think that nattering "Ned" might actually be drawn to action which reflected the country's per capita addiction to emissions.

(here)

Or how about Australia's emissions are rising. It's time for this government to quit pretending …

Of late whenever the pond reads any of the reptiles and especially nattering "Ned" it gets distracted.

There was for example the story Key Antarctic ice shelf larger than scientists thought …

More of the Totten Glacier is floating on the ocean than previously thought, increasing its potential to contribute to global sea level rise. Glaciologist, Dr Ben Galton-Fenzi, said the Totten Glacier is one of the fastest flowing and largest glaciers in Antarctica and until now scientists thought more of it was grounded on Antarctic bedrock...

...Professor Winberry said if more of the glacier is floating on a warming ocean, it may help explain recent periods of accelerated melting and flow. “It also means the Totten might be more sensitive to climate variations in the future.” Dr Galton-Fenzi said the Totten Glacier, which is more than twice the area of Victoria, contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by about three metres if it all melted. “Since the 1900s the global sea-level has risen by around 20 centimetres and by the end of the century it’s projected to rise by up to one metre or more, but this is subject to high uncertainty which is why studying glaciers such as the Totten is important,” Dr Galton-Fenzi said.

Sadly for the pond there's no relief, no field research, no actual scientists actually observing, it's back to nattering "Ned", still pretending ...

Sadly, the pond can testify to it, reading nattering "Ned" won't make you feel better, and it won't make any material different to your life, your country or your planet, and certainly not to the realities of climate science.

The reptiles and "Ned" are now staunch advocates for good, solid, sensible climate science policy?

Oh please, is there a Rowe cartoon in the house? (with more Rowe here).

Oh please, is there an NRA cartoon in the house?

Hmm, that's more-ish. Is there an Aliens joke in the house?