In which the pond switches from Switzer to more Donald ...

The pond had a surreal, almost out-of-body experience at lunch time …

No, not the usual disconnection from the intertubes by Telstra, a regular feature that allows the pond to focus on worldly affairs such as the laundry.

It was listening to Tom Switzer on RN pandering to the Donald and Vlad the impaler in a conversation with well-known Vlad lover, Putin's Pal if you will, Stephen Cohen, who can't get a gig anywhere much outside The Nation …

For a moment the pond thought it had somehow tuned into RT instead of RN, such was the volley of soft lobs over the net delivered by the forelock-tugging Switzer …

But no, it seems patty cakes is what's played at RN these days. Earlier, the pond was astonished to discover that The Spirit of Things now occupies a noon slot. From The World Today in an hour long format to this pitiful spectacle? No wonder the pond no longer listens to their ABC's RN …

But it reminded the pond that the Donald was still everywhere, and that early in the day David Uren had occupied the top opinion slot, and the pond knew it was important because he'd been blessed by a Lobbecke …

The pond had spent a little time at lunch catching up on other Donald news, including the White House's refusal to rule out turning over an actual US Ambassador to Russia … while a Fox News Host thought the Donald was sounding insane …

Then there was the latest news from the nail factory that the Donald's tariffs had helped nail …while cartoonists danced with the excitement of it all …

… or perhaps they bobbled …

… or perhaps they took a knee ...

Nothing to compare to the supine Switzer, who managed to do all three, but enough of the fun, it's time to get down with Lobbecke …

Indeed, indeed, is there a cartoonist in the house?

The pond has always been a fan of those American movies, a genre that's been going on long since Bligh offered a template, whether it's The Caine Mutiny or Crimson Tide.

There's always a "Captain, I cannot concur" moment. Even the Ruskis are a hoot in The Hunt for Red October, if only because Sean Connery offers the worst accent since movies began …

The question is, will there come a time when "Commander in chief, we cannot concur" is finally delivered?

Here's how serious it's become … even Stiglich is making fun of the Donald …

That's a bit like Christ returning to tell the Pope he got it all wrong …

Oh okay, the pond started with gloomy Uren and now should finish with him ...

A reptile quoting Krugman?

Is there any wonder the pond feels out of body experiences every five minutes or so?

Not to worry, here's another cartoon, and the pond can almost hear Switzer fainting into ecstatic orgasm because surely Vlad looks so manly and so in control …swoon, Tom, swoon ...

And here's a few more for the fun of it ...