Thursday, 30 April 2026

Around the Traps 1/5/26

 It is time again for Around the Traps.

Aussie,Aussie,Aussie,Oy,Oy,Oy

OZ Climate

Northern America

Europe

Asia

Wonk

General

Climate

Andrew Gelman (mainly stats)

Dianne Coyle ( quirky + book reviews)

Vox Wonk

Wednesday, 29 April 2026

A rate rise is inevitable

 The March CPI was released yesterday.

Here are a few reaction:

I reject Jericho's argument and am fully in agreement with both Huangfu and Mark the Graph.
Why you ask?
I am old enough to remember the oil shocks of the 1970s and 80s. ( so is John Quiggin). I reemember the second and third round effects that embedded inflation that took years ( a decade?) to reduce and then it took a nasty recession.
I favour rates rising to 4.5%.

Tuesday, 28 April 2026

An education lesson for Chris Kenny

 Chris Kenny is allegedly a journalist on sky after dark. He is frequently wrong such as on global warming but sometimes gets it right like on Aboriginal rights.

He believes Jimmy Kimmel was alleging that Trump be asssisnated when he made his comedic statement .

Let us bring into context a few things which somehoow he missed.

  • first of all Kimmel made his joke on late thursday night US ttime. The trumps and then their apolif gists did not react until monsay. huh. Are they that thick it takes that long to digest the joke.
  • second Trump is almost 80 and very fat and eats very badly. She is 56 remembering he has traded in his earlier two models.  Even trying to reduce this by drugs is quite problematic
  • We know courtesy of the Wolf suit she has a different apartment in New york to her husband where she sleeps.
  • The couple are famous for not showing any affection towards each other.
  • lastly Kimmel is well known for making comedic statements on his late night show

How could a 'jopurnalist' not know any of this indeed why did kenny take ssol ong to be affronted by kimmel?

Monday, 27 April 2026

Mark the Graph on fire

 If you are not reading Mark the Graph then you are missing out on something special.

I'h here to help.


I wil warn you they are lenghty articles but are well worth reading.

Sunday, 26 April 2026

The Liberals are mad

 The Liberal party is preferencing one nation in the Farrer by-election. Let that just sink in. They are preferencing a party who is an existential thrreat to them but more importantly to the National party.

IF their prefwrences mean one nation wins then they give one nation another boost, a very big one at that, to their eelectoral stocks. Every national party in parliament will be vulnerable. (I have already given my thoughts on why Littleproud resigned). If one nation contines where they are in the polls then the Nationals wil be decimated and perhaps not even recognised as a party after the next election. The very coaltion is at risk. The Liberal regional seats are of course at high risk as well. At present this is their strength.

Further if one nation wins then they are more likely to keep it than an independent if a swing occurs against the government in the next election as is likely.

Just a minor detail for the Farrer by-election if you support much tighter immigration which the Liberals, Nationals and one nation do then where do all the small buisnesses in the electorate find employees?


another minor detail. I have met David Farley. he is a smart guy. I cannot seeing him deferring to a moroan like Hanson for very long!

Saturday, 25 April 2026

The Models A tribute to James Valentine

 James Valentine died last week.He took his own life voluntary as he had cancer which was inoperable.

He was a brilliant on radio where he could make a very enjoyable radio program out of nothing. My favourite was with HG Nelson where they explored building a canal from the Northern Territory to Sydney as Subs could get here quicker!!  

Here it is

He was a very good saxophone player and had a program on ABC jazz which wasn't bad.


Here is my only favourite Models song which is a pseudo-live version of hold on

 James Reund who is the singer committed suidide a long time ago. his family are stil lwondering why sjowing why and how suicide is a very selfich act!



Thursday, 23 April 2026

Around the Traps 24/4/26

 It is time for Around the Traps again.

Aussie,Aussie,Aussie,Oy,Oy,Oy

OZ Climate

Northern America

Europe

Asia

Wonk

General

Climate

Andrew Gelman ( mostly stats)

Dianne Coyle ( quirky + book reviews)

Vox Wonk