In which, in the absence of Dame Groan, the pond is forced to visit ancient Troy and Mein Gott...

 

In idle moments, the pond sometimes wonders what it must be like to be a reptile, confronted by the likes of Maria Ressa speaking at the National Press Club.

There's one taste test that's a good guide. Off to the cornfield with her!

See how it's done.

Elsewhere this news was noted ...

Now check out the front page of the lizard Oz, and imagine the hive mind, with hands over ears, busy disappearing that story of genocide to the cornfield, while chanting to drown out the sounds of crickets...

Not a sign, not a hint of genocide, just a vale to Joe, even though in his glory days he fought as a Pom, and was the worst of all types, a migrant invading and polluting these shores (the pond keeds, it's okay, he was a dinkum Brit).

As for what led, in the absence of news of genocide?

Sheesh, not renewables again, and even worse, as an EXCLUSIVE ...

EXCLUSIVE
Bowen defends climate vision, vows to shut out green ‘noise’
Australia’s prosperity hinges on climate action in the next decade, warns Chris Bowen, as he takes aim at opponents of wind and solar while defending his climate vision.
By Greg Brown and Geoff Chambers

Yes, if the reptiles suddenly discover government policy and talks to a government minister, it becomes an EXCLUSIVE.

But the entire point of this EXCLUSIVE seemed to be so that Geoff might just below the lead EXCLUSIVELY chamber another round ...

COMMENTARY by Geoff Chambers
Reality bites ALP over its ambitious target deadlines
Chris Bowen has a mountain to climb to achieve Labor’s ambitious emissions reduction and renewables targets.

Yawn. Been there and done that thanks to a correspondent.

That's an Everest the pond won't be needing to climb this day.

Instead the pond was transported beyond the valley of ennui deep into the mountains of the eternally bored, pausing only to note the incredible banality of the lead illustration, featuring a monstrous windmill, its blades whirling, no doubt responsible for many of the dead whales littering the Hume outside Goulburn.

Fergeddit Jake, it's reptile town, and the pond found no respite over on the extreme far right ...

No Dame Groan?

No ranting about how migrants are ruining everything? 

Perhaps a little too close to the bone, a little raw at the moment, what with the company the old biddy keeps and cultivates?

 

Ouch, touch Nazi stove, it burns ...

Meanwhile, the bromancer was going all ASIO touchy feely...

Iran shock highlights true worth of ASIO
ASIO had a big role in the past – and surely made some mistakes. It has an even bigger role in the future.
By Greg Sheridan
Foreign Editor

Why does the bromancer always duck and weave when it comes to King Donald and his court? 

Has the bromancer paid even the slightest attention to what's currently going down in the land of dictator Xi?

In desperation the pond did what it rarely did, and turned to ancient Troy, routinely wet by reptile standards, and wet again today...

The header: Donald Trump’s assault on democracy will weaken support for ANZUS alliance, The US slide towards autocracy, fuelled by a cult of personality, will make Australians increasingly question the value of ANZUS.

The caption: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Donald Trump and European leaders at The White House in Washington on August 18, 2025. Picture: The White House

The pond is always startled when the hive mind shows signs of catching up with alternative realities, always belated, but remarkable all the same ...

Donald Trump’s almost unbridled exercise of political power is not only convention-busting and norm-shattering, chaotic and incoherent, and roiling historical alliances. In the so-called great republic, we are witnessing the relentless erosion of democratic values and a slide to autocracy fuelled by a cult of personality.

He has led a relentless crusade to centralise executive authority, manipulate and weaken institutions for political gain, ignore the courts and use his power to persecute opponents and pardon extremist criminals, intimidate and shake down companies, undermine the democratic process and delegitimise the media, and profit from his office.

Trump has turned government agencies into instruments of vengeance by launching spurious investigations into opponents, revoking Secret Service protection for one-time adversaries, and raiding the homes of critics such as former national security adviser John Bolton. This weaponisation of law enforcement serves as a chilling warning not to cross the President.

One of his first second-term actions was to pardon or commute the terms of more than 1500 criminals who took part in the insurrection on January 6, 2021, attempting to overturn an election. These people were traitors and seditionists, who took over the Capitol, assaulted law enforcement and destroyed public property.

Trump has undermined the independence of institutions by firing long-time apolitical public servants, intimidating the US Federal Reserve, deploying the National Guard into cities without state co-ordination let alone approval, and supporting states gerrymandering House of Representatives electoral boundaries for political advantage.

Why it's almost like reading The Bulwark on Labor Day, as the reptiles offered a grim snap, A police officer stops traffic as FBI agents depart with bags and boxes of material at the home of John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Trump.

That sighting seems to have sent ancient Troy right off ...

This federal power has been directed externally with threats to withhold funding from universities, and using legal coercion to intimidate companies. Trump has waged cultural and historical battles by defunding public broadcasting and taking court action against media companies to shake them down for money, and has even ordered museum exhibits be changed.

Straight from the autocrat’s playbook, he is sowing doubt in the electoral process, eroding trust in institutions, cracking down on the right to protest, encouraging violence towards those who have opposing views, and attacking the media as “the enemy of the people” to delegitimise criticism, which is often the last line of defence for democratic accountability.

He already tried to overturn the 2020 election, continues to deny that he lost it, and still rails against his vice-president, Mike Pence, for not using his certification authority to keep him in power. Trump then incited and encouraged his supporters to mount a coup, and they ransacked the Capitol. Trump has said he might run for a third term even though the constitution forbids it.

Trump, a fraudulent businessman and convicted felon who was twice impeached as president, is milking the presidency. The Trump Organisation has projects in multiple countries, runs an exclusive club at Mar-a-Lago where paying members and guests can meet the President, and he peddles everything from hats and books to digital trading cards and crypto. He was recently gifted a luxury jet from Qatar. Forbes magazine estimated that Trump’s wealth doubled in the past year. He could be worth $US10bn ($15.3bn). Yet he refuses to release his full tax returns. There is no clear separation of his public duties and private interests. He announces major presidential decisions on his Truth Social platform. His family members profit every day from business ventures he promotes.

It should not surprise anyone that Trump has given the Oval Office a golden makeover – literally. There is now gold leaf trim all over the walls, above the doorways and bookshelves, while the fireplace mantle, which once had green ivy atop, now carries gold statues. It is ghastly. It resembles a Middle Eastern dictator’s mansion. The man has no taste and no class.

The nativist and protectionist America First agenda has left historical allies cold. Trump’s tariff regime has turned the clock back on the free-trade revolution of the 1980s and ’90s that made countries more efficient, productive and competitive. His cosying up to dictators such as Vladimir Putin and demand that Volodymyr Zelensky cede land to end the Russia-Ukraine war is an affront to the liberal world order that the US led the creation of post-1945.

Um, ancient Troy, aren't you kissing cousins with Faux Noise? 

Didn't that corporation do everything it could to facilitate the new reign of King Donald, and remains one of his most abject courtiers, with the likes of low ratings Laura Ingraham and Hannity grovelling all the way, bending the knee and kissing the ring in a supine way?

Never mind, keep on pretending it has nothing to do with you, Former national security adviser John Bolton

Time to wrap things up with a final bleat, an alarum sounding stage right ...

The danger is that Trump’s behaviour is being normalised, both in the US and outside the US. The Grand Old Party of Republicans is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Trump. There is no future for anyone in the party if they are not MAGA devotees. The Democrats, with a few exceptions, are largely ineffective. Some foreign leaders have been quick to suck up to Trump, which has gained them no advantages.

Some of us, indeed many, warned this is precisely what would happen if Trump returned to the presidency. So did Kamala Harris, for all her considerable faults, as did Joe Biden, for all of his. The founders of the great republic warned about a Trump-like figure and it is why they divided power between the legislature, judiciary and executive, so autocratic instincts could be checked.

George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and others, spoke of and wrote about wannabe despots and dictators, autocrats and tyrants, coming to office legitimately and corrupting institutions from within to gain absolute power. They gave Americans a republic, Benjamin Franklin said, but it would be up to future generations to keep it.

Australians are seeing the President of their closest allied country – a relationship forged to protect liberty and democracy – use his power to restrict civic freedoms, persecute opponents, avoid accountability and transparency, and turn away from democratic ideals and principles. Trump has a disdain for democracy and lavishes praise on dictators.

Yet we seem to be operating as if nothing has changed. Our defence relationship continues to expand and deepen at a staggering pace – much of it cloaked in secrecy by the government-military-industrial complex.

Australians support the US alliance but, overwhelmingly, strongly dislike and are alarmed by Trump. The longer he remains in power, support for the alliance will increasingly be at risk.

Talk about ancient Troy offering the pond a novelty item... as life goes on, or doesn't, as the shooter case may be ...

With no groaning, for a bonus, the pond turned back the clock a day to see what Mein Gott was yammering about ...

The header: Major economies turn away from US dollar amid market tensions, Global economic moves and mounting US consumer debt have created perfect conditions for a power transfer away from American dominance, with major implications for Australia.

The caption: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China on August 30. Picture: Hao Yuan/Xinhua via AP

It was only a three minute read, so the reptiles said, and no cause for concern, but the pond became alarmed as Mein Gott also seemed to develop a case of the colly-wobbles ...

Australians need to appreciate the significance of the dramatic events now taking place on the world stage.

While the US stock market is near its highs, the American economy is starting to show signs of cracking. At the same time, US President Donald Trump’s strategy of using tariffs as a weapon is uniting countries that have very different interests as illustrated by the meeting last weekend of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which brought together the leaders India and China plus countries that represent about half world trade.

The US has been wooing India for years. But by using tariffs to punish it for taking Russian crude, Trump has aroused deep Indian anger, so India is now meeting with China.

Oh come on Mein Gott, things can't be that alarming, shouldn't you be joining the bromancer's war on Iran and staying true to the King? US President Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington. Picture: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo

Sadly, Mein Gott insisted on cultivating a case of nervous anxiety, with some shaking in the paws ...

Meanwhile, the decision by South Korea to collaborate with the BRICS consortium of countries and Japan’s links with a number of the BRICS countries is a further warning sign that the US is becoming isolated and losing its international clout.

China will use this new environment to further enhance its growing yuan-based trading system which aims to rival the US dominated SWIFT trading system which is being used to implement some US sanctions instead of sticking to its role as the main global currency trading system.

The SWIFT system lies at the heart of the US dollar being the main global currency. China aims to reduce that role, and the unpopularity of the US and the world trading size of BRICS and the Shanghai group creates long-term danger for the US currency.

At the same time, Americans will need to raise vast sums to cover their looming much bigger deficits, and the US isolation will make this very challenging. Much higher US bond interest rates may need to be offered, and that impacts our interest rates.

On the defence front, Australians will need to look closely at the weapons paraded in China’s parade this week. We need to place particular scrutiny on what will be clear China superiority in aircraft but also on the development of Chinese weapons aimed at detecting and destroying conventional uranium fuelled nuclear submarines – the base of Australia’s proposed long-term defence.

The American consumer is the backbone of the US economy, but cracks are appearing.

For example, American auto loan delinquencies – 90 plus days – have risen to a five-year-high.

This indicates a growing strain on a significant portion of the consumer base.

With the US being so car dependent, this is going to hurt consumers’ ability to work, shop, get medical treatment, etc.

At the same time, delinquency rates on all consumer loans have hit a 10-year high, reflecting a broad based deterioration in credit health.

And in credit cards, the delinquency rate is also at a 10-year-high. And this is occurring while there has been a jump in total credit card accounts and credit card debt is at a record high.

When Trump first began raising tariffs, large American companies were reluctant to increase their prices, partly in fear of retribution.

But that is now changing and a number of leading US companies including Adidas, Walmart and Home Depot are indicating that if the tariff cost rises continue they will need to pass them on and this pressure is being further underlined by the rise of US producer costs and lower dollar.

The combination of difficult consumer financing at a time of high borrowing and an increase in costs is a recipe for a form of stagflation.

The ‘Make America Great Again’ bandwagon gains its support from a belief that what Trump is doing will create great prosperity in the US.

If that turns out not to be the case, many people will leave that bandwagon.

But, but, billy goat butt, isn't that the Faux Noise bandwagon? Must we all abandon the News Corp bandwagon?

The reptiles compounded the sense of self-induced crisis with another snap ... India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping during the welcoming ceremony of the SCO summit. Picture: Indian Press Information Bureau/AFP

Welcome to what the reptiles have helped wrought, only now finding the time for hand-wringing about the wroughting (rorting if you will) ...

Meanwhile, last July, we saw a sharp fall in the US dollar.

A large part of the fall was recovered, but it was a warning sign of what might be ahead. Because the US dollar is the world’s main trading currency, US bonds have been able to support American deficits.

But in recent times the biggest buyer of US bonds, China, has been a seller while Japan, anxious to maintain its currency, has also been selling US bonds.

Without these two big investors, the American bond market will be tested. And of course, any rise in US bond interest rates will affect the entire globe as well as the US.

Like Australia, South Korea relies on the US for its defence. And yet it has agreed to collaborate with a body (BRICS) that has a long-term aim of promoting a currency that will rival the US position.

If it wasn’t for Australia’s complete dependence for defence on the US, we too would be looking at BRICS because we depend on greater sales to both China and India – two key BRICS members.

If you believe the US share market, then there is nothing to worry about. But share markets can change rapidly and in the coming months a far better indicator will be the level of interest rates on US bonds and the strength of the US dollar.

Happy war on China by Xmas reptiles ...

Just to rub it in, the pond couldn't help but notice the lizard Oz editorialist standing in the shadows, rubbing hands with the intensity of a Lady Macbeth ...

China’s new world order show challenges West as US-India ties fray

Beijing and Moscow are openly forging an anti-Western global order through SCO and BRICS, a challenge amplified by India’s participation and the deeply troubled US-India relationship.

Editorial

2 min read

September 2, 2025 - 12:00AM

It sounded like they'd hired Mein Gott for the job ...

China’s ambition to reshape the global order is on full display this week in Beijing, and with it comes a challenge for the United States and its allies, including Australia.

With the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation emerging alongside BRICS as a key component of Xi Jinping’s and Vladimir Putin’s joint strategy to build a global anti-Western alliance, Donald Trump must waste no time in repairing relations with Indian leader Narendra Modi.

Ties between the US President and the normally pro-Western leader of the world’s most populous democracy are so bad that the two have not spoken since June 17. Mr Modi is now reportedly refusing to take calls from Mr Trump.

A combination of Mr Trump’s brutal 50 per cent tariffs and what Mr Modi regards as the US President’s mendacious attempt, in his drive to win the Nobel Peace prize, to claim credit for ending the brief recent border war between India and Pakistan has reportedly enraged the Indian leader.

So grave is the rupture that after telling Mr Modi he would attend the much-anticipated Quad summit, expected to take place in India later this year (which had been projected as a possible occasion for Anthony Albanese to finally get time with Mr Trump), the White House has now indicated the US President won’t be going. And there is no certainty the Quad summit will go ahead anyway, dealing a blow to a strategic alliance that brings together Australia, India, Japan and the US and is vital to confronting China in the Indo-Pacific.

With strained bilateral relations as the backdrop, however, Mr Modi has ominously had no compunction about making his first visit to China in seven years. The Tianjin summit – with even Quad member and Western ally India taking part – amplifies the growing strategic importance of both the SCO and BRICS as vehicles increasingly being used by Beijing and Moscow to bring together even perceived adversaries in a global attempt to “shape a fairer, multipolar, world order” – doubtless a euphemism for an anti-US and anti-Western strategic alliance.

Mr Modi is not among the SCO and BRICS leaders who will go to Beijing to attend a “grand military parade” on Wednesday that will be attended by North Korean despot Kim Jong-un – together with former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr and former Victorian premier Dan Andrews.

Mr Trump cannot, however, take anything but the coldest of comfort from Mr Modi’s unwillingness to attend the Chinese parade. His declining to do so does nothing to change perceptions of a bilateral relationship vital to Western interests and Indo-Pacific security that is in deep trouble because of Mr Trump’s vainglorious mishandling of it.

Relax, reptiles,  this is the world you wanted, this is the world you ushered in... bigotry and racism on the streets at home, and rampant racism and stupidity abroad (The Enemy That Hegseth and Trump Insist on Honoring)...

Your fearless leader has it under control ...

Thanks to you, dear reptiles, there's a new führer to lead the way deeper into the darkness, at least until he carks it and that CFer JD takes over, and proves that King Donald was a mere novice at running a Spanish Inquisition, what with that being a fundamentalist Catholic skill to be treasured ...