Author Archives: andrew

The Sneering Hubris Awards aka The SMUGGIES

Posted on June 11, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban The Sneering Hubris Awards, nicknamed the SMUGGIES, were announced in the wake of the King’s Birthday Honours where the Companion of the Order of Australia awards list included Daniel Andrews and Mark McGowan, former premiers of Victoria and … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour and Democracy | Leave a comment

His story as history – Oleg Vidov

Posted on June 5, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban Q: What do Succession star Brian Cox and Australia’s filmmaker Nadia Tass, of Malcolm* and Amy* fame, have in common? A: Oleg Vidov. Cox narrates Tass’ 97 minute documentary about the late Oleg Borisovich Vidov (1943-2017), once … Continue reading →

Posted in Regimes | 7 Comments

Academy of Science paper on climate “totally unrelated to science” says scientist

Posted on June 2, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban While the Australian Academy of Science made a positive contribution to the inquiry into Kathleen Folbigg’s wrongful murder convictions, its submission on climate change is “totally unrelated to science,” says Prof. Ian Plimer. The Academy’s latest submission … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy and global warming policies | Leave a comment

Terrorism to heroism – the Hamas trajectory

Posted on May 28, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban How long before a gun toting, slogan chanting Hamas fighter (but not a female) is invited to address the UN General Assembly? The European Parliament? A Nobel Prize of some kind not far behind. A knighthood even? … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy And Terrorism | Leave a comment

Voter fraud in US part of the mindset

Posted on May 15, 2024 by andrew

Nothing illustrates a wart on the body politic like satire and the Babylon Bee is up to the task. This week it led with a headline “Latest Polls Show Biden Will Need Twice As Many Fake Ballots To Win Election … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour and Democracy | Leave a comment

It’s foreign to Australia all right!

Posted on May 12, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban.  Foreign Minister Penny Wong spearheads the Labor government’s antisemitic tilt by ordering Australia to vote against Israel’s interests at the UN, supporting a motion to consider establishing a Palestinian state. That’s an attitude foreign to Australia, all … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy And Terrorism | Leave a comment

It’s the energy, stupid!

Posted on May 6, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban It took political columnist (ex ABC & Nine) Chris Uhlmann to sharpen the point that energy in the economy is the equivalent of oxygen in the air. In his May 4 column in the Weekend Australian (his … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy and global warming policies | 5 Comments

Gaza’s ‘innocents’ back Hamas carnage

Posted on May 4, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban As Israel movies in on the last of the Hamas terrorists embedded among the unarmed permanent and temporary residents in Rafah, the US and its echo in Australia, are demanding that Israel hold off. That Israel not … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy And Terrorism | Leave a comment

The Resolute desk needs a resolute occupant

Posted on May 1, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban Like others perhaps, I used to think that the ‘Resolute desk’ in the Oval Office of the White House was named to inspire the occupant to be ‘resolute’. A pleasing idea. If only … instead, it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Quotidian | Leave a comment

Arrest that man

Posted on April 28, 2024 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban That young woman, a student at some US college, screaming and banging a metal pot on a metal barricade reminded me of me at age three, screaming and banging on the door of the bathroom where my … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy And Terrorism | Leave a comment