In which the peasant pond checks out assorted rolled gold reptile crusades and religious revivals ...

The pond is taking a short break and sneaking off for the weekend, but what a delight it was to have the totally unique experience of 'rolled gold' to send the pond rolling on its way …

(Here).

Is it wrong for the pond to suggest to the reptiles that they should keep to the old cry, 'dinkum clean Oz coal, oi, oi, oi', rather than wander off chanting, 'what do we want? Cheap shitty gold veneer coal is what we want …'?

The reptiles also featured what the pond suspects is the early stage of yet another endless crusade.

It's beginning to shape up nicely, with Lloydie paving the way and then this at the top of the digital opinion page …

Now "our feet" might suggest that Lovering is a dinkum down under expert with a love of nukes but she's actually at the American Breakthrough Institute, which can be discovered by Greg Hunters here (watching out for radioactive penguins) …wherein can be found ...

Paul D. Thacker, a journalist and academic who covers environmental politics, gave the Breakthrough Institute as an example of a quasi lobbying organization, which does not adequately disclose its funding, and "suffer[s] from a lack of intellectual rigour " Thacker gave the example of an article published in FiveThirtyEight, "Disasters Cost More Than Ever — But Not Because of Climate Change," which was widely criticized for "cherry picking information." Climate scientist Michael E. Mann questions the motives of the Breakthrough Institute. According to Mann the self-declared mission of the BTI is to look for a breakthrough to solve the climate problem. However Mann states that basically the BTI "appears to be opposed to anything - be it a price on carbon or incentives for renewable energy - that would have a meaningful impact." He notes that the BTI "remains curiously preoccupied with opposing advocates for meaningful climate action and is coincidentally linked to natural gas interests" and criticises the BTI for advocating "continued exploitation of fossil fuels". Mann also questions that the BTI on the one hand seems to be "very pessimistic" about renewable energy, while on the other hand "they are extreme techno-optimists" regarding geoengineering.

The pond has to hand it to the reptiles … when it comes to climate science, their instincts are always pure rolled gold …

It's rolled gold bullshit of course, but oh how the cheap jewellery glitters …

Meanwhile, it seems a pompous Pom with a pineapple stuck up his rather broad arse takes a view on peasants …

Back in the day, the reptiles would have deplored anyone mocking common working folk and humble peasants, but these days it seems the cheap jeers and snide remarks of a ratbag Pom appeals to the snobbish 'leets at work in their remote castle in Surry Hills …

Why, as that font of Western Civilisation - how the reptiles love Western Civilisation - Plato - how the reptiles are in awe of Plato - himself once remarked, "All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one Workman; and however we deceive ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince."

Why even that notorious snob Gertrude Stein managed to scribble "The earth is the earth as a peasant sees it, the world is the world as a duchess sees it, and anyway a duchess would be nothing if the earth was not there as the peasant sees it."

Yes, once there was honour in being a peasant, salt of the earth and bastion of Western Civilisation, with the pond proud to be a lumpenproletariat peasant from Tamworth ... but not it seems amongst up themselves 'leet reptiles, and pompous Pom trolls with a cucumber up their rather broad bum …

But enough of all these frivolities and pleasantries, the pond must get down to serious reading, and given the way that the Donald is performing epic distractions, the reptiles were muted about doings down under. Who could possibly compete with the Donald?

The oscillating fan gave ScoMo a mild going over and seemed to find some hope in the 'kid whisperer', what with the 'au pair whisperer' in a spot of bother …

Oh it's glorious stuff, Mr Potato's "nanny gate", but enough distractions already, come on down oscillating fan …

"Spelling out a belief structure built around mateship and au pairs for everyone …"

That sounds like a winner ...

Actually the pond caught a whiff of that speech, and it was extremely painful to listen to … even news.com.au thought it had the whiff of a 'religious sermon' from an 'evangelical-sounding' ScoMo …

Mr Morrison said he was praying for rain in drought-affected areas, and he urged those who “believe in the power of prayer” to pray too. “I pray for that rain everywhere else around the country. And I do pray for that rain. And I’d encourage others who believe in the power of prayer to pray for that rain and to pray for our farmers. Please do that,” he said. 
“And everyone else who doesn’t like to do that, you just say, ‘Good on you, guys. You go well.’ 
Think good thoughts for them, or whatever you do.” He promised “a fair go for those who have a go”. “I think that’s what fairness means in this country. It’s not about everybody getting the same thing,” he said. “If you put in, you get to take out.”

Listening to Morrison, the pond sometimes feels like it's been checking used tea leaves for substance …

And now, before sneaking off, the pond must catch up with the latest state of play in one of the most enduring of all reptile crusades …

The peasants are revolting, and the reptiles keep getting drawn back to the flame ...

Lordy lordy, this is going to require endless more reptile scrutiny and crusading before Western Civilisation is made safe for Plato celebrating the joys of being a peasant ...

And with that the pond is done. It might not be able to resist being drawn back to check out prattling Polonius on the weekend, but in the meantime, here's a papal pleasure, with more infallible Pope here …