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Chris Mitchell claims to be a journalist. I have my doubts

Chris Mitchell, the former editor of The Australian, has accused the world’s media at large of wanting Iran to win the current war with the US and Israel.

Mitchell, who somehow reminds me of a bulldog, was out there this week, castigating journalists for believing any statement made Iranian officials. US President Donald Trump has claimed that Washington is negotiating with Iran, but a majority of the media has tended to believe what Iran has had to say.

Mitchell doesn’t like this. Essentially, a man who loves to claim he is a journalist is asking newspapers to take sides and barrack for one side, rather than report fairly on the ongoing stoush. Continue reading “Chris Mitchell claims to be a journalist. I have my doubts”

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How the New York Times runs interference for Israel

When things go badly for Israel, there are always obliging stenographers in the American media to spin things and put the most positive spin on the screw-ups of the Jewish state.

When these include Mark Mazzetti, an employee of the New York Times, who was so close to the CIA that he would submit his articles to the agency for clearance before publication, this is a bit laughable.

It gets even more so when among the four authors of the latest cover-up for Israel is Ronen Bergman, another NYT employee, a Jew, who is extremely close to the Mossad. Some of the stuff in the latest cover-up is risible in the extreme.

The NYT effort — which also has two other authors, Julian E. Barnes and Edward Wong — was republished by the Australian newspaper, The Age. Essentially, it is a cover-up for the failure of the Israeli plan to ignite an internet uprising in Iran by launching the war that is now in train. Continue reading “How the New York Times runs interference for Israel”

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Singh’s Aircon: tell me, why are they in business?

A link to the review below, which I posted on Google, keeps appearing and disappearing. Given that, I am posting it here as well so anyone who wants to read it is not prevented from doing so.

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I am writing this review to give a correct picture of this company. I had written a short review about them [Singh’s Aircon] last year, on their urging, portraying them as efficient. That is incorrect.

I contacted Singh’s in September 2025 because the person from whom I bought a house in Tarneit had used their services to install an air-con system. There was an error showing up, with the green light on the display going red periodically.

Two men showed up, had a look and said some sensors needed to be replaced. They said they would order the parts and then come and fit them. I was charged a callout fee of $209. Continue reading “Singh’s Aircon: tell me, why are they in business?”

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P&I editor’s husband accused of lack of disclosure in article

Barrister Andrew Fraser, husband of the editor of Pearls & Irritations, Catriona Jackson, has been accused of not declaring his interest in the ACT justice system in an article he wrote for the site claiming that there was a threat to “the efficient operation of its criminal-justice system before the financial year is out”.

Sydney resident Greg Bray said in a letter to P&I: “How unfortunate that the only view of the ACT justice system is given to us by one of the people to profit from its existence.

“Andrew Fraser (barrister) should declare his interest, and P&I would do well to balance Mr Fraser’s views with those of an independent and trained investigative journalist.”

[Full disclosure: I worked for P&I for some months between August 2024 and November 2025.] Continue reading “P&I editor’s husband accused of lack of disclosure in article”

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Easter is a pagan festival. Why do Christians in Australia make such a big deal of it?

Australia is inclined to often paint itself as a progressive country, one that has left the conservative era, by and large, behind, and one that no longer accepts the common myths that religious leaders and politicians used in the past to keep the people under their sway.

But that impression is largely a myth. And there is no better time when the extent to which Australia is a land that is deeply conservative is evident than Easter.

Continue reading “Easter is a pagan festival. Why do Christians in Australia make such a big deal of it?”

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ABC seeking cash when it is all talk and has nothing to show for it

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is always crying poor and asking the government for more money for what it claims is a shortfall in funds that has grown over the years due to cuts by Coalition governments.

One doubts that the Australian public would begrudge the organisation the necessary cash were it to provide quality programming. But when its claims are bolstered by promos that show David Speers, Jane Norman and Patricia Karvelas, claiming that they are among the best political analysts in the country, then it is doubtful that the public will back the government coughing up. Continue reading “ABC seeking cash when it is all talk and has nothing to show for it”

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Why choose Brisbane for the third Test and not the first?

It’s difficult to understand why the Australian cricket authorities decided to stage the third Test of the current series against India in Brisbane, a city known for its rain and storms in December and early January.

For some strange reason, the powers-that-be gave the first Test to Perth, a venue that normally stages a match later in the series, especially when there are five Tests against the one country. Continue reading “Why choose Brisbane for the third Test and not the first?”

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After 1968, Australia has not won a five-game series at home after losing the first Test

If Australia wins the current Test series against India, it would be the first time since 1968-69 that it has won a five-game series at home after losing the first Test. That season, Australia played the West Indies and lost the first Test at Brisbane.

But the locals then bounced back with wins in Melbourne and Sydney, before a thriller in Adelaide ended in a draw. The fifth and final game saw the West Indies thrashed by 382 runs in Sydney, giving the home team a 3-1 series win.

Australia’s win against India in the second Test of the current series has levelled things at 1-1, with three games left. Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney will host those three Tests. Given the way the series has see-sawed thus far, it is difficult to predict with any degree of certainty the outcome of these three games. Continue reading “After 1968, Australia has not won a five-game series at home after losing the first Test”

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Chasing big totals to win: Why are batsmen in such a hurry these days?

When a cricket team is set anything more than 400 to win a Test, the target is generally considered out of reach.

The thinking behind this stems from the fact that only on four occasions has a team scored more than this figure in the final innings to win a Test, beginning in 1948 when Australia scored 3 for 404 to defeat England in the fourth Test at Headingley.

Two Australian legends, Arthur Morris and Donald Bradman, made big centuries in the win, and this only made the target seem more difficult: the logic became that unless you had some top-notch batsmen in your side, you had no chance of achieving a target that big
Continue reading “Chasing big totals to win: Why are batsmen in such a hurry these days?”

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The ABC needs a journalist to head the organisation

The departure of David Armstrong as the managing director of the ABC is not surprising given that he was another management type trying to manage a news organisation and realising at last that weasel words and public relations do not really work when it comes to journalism.

In the past, the ABC has been at the forefront of producing simple, but effective journalism, be it for the small screen or radio. That has meant displeasing a lot of people, especially those on the right side of politics, who tend to apparently believe the fact that when government money supports an organisation, its services can be used for self-aggrandisement.

It is telling that none of the top three managers in the ABC has ever worked as a journalist. Justin Stevens has been a producer, Anderson is a management man, and Kim Williams has no experience in the trade either. Continue reading “The ABC needs a journalist to head the organisation”