The fortnightly Essential Research poll, which is still yet to resume results for voting intention, focuses largely on questions around social security. Among its findings are that the Newstart rate is deemed too low by 58%, about right by 30% and too high by 5%. Forty-four per cent expressed strong support for an increase from $280 per week to $355, a further 31% said they somewhat supported it, and only 18% said they were opposed, 7% strongly.
I don’t normally make anything out of breakdowns published in average sample polls, but it’s interesting to note that the “too low” response increases progressively across the three age cohorts to peak at 66% among the 55-and-over. There was also a relationship between age and correct answers to a question in which respondents were asked to identify the weekly Newstart payment, the overall result for which was 40%, up from 27% when it was previously asked last June. Only 29% of Coalition voters expressed strong support for an increase compared with 55% for Labor supporters, but the difference was narrower when combined with the “somewhat” response, at 84% to 68%.
On the Centrelink “robodebt” debt recovery program, 58% supported calls for it to be shut down compared with 32% opposed. Twenty-two per cent said they had heard a lot about the program and 30% a little, while 18% said they had not heard any details and 30% that they were not aware of it at all.
The one question not relating to social security covers social media companies’ collection of personal information, with 80% expressing concern about the matter and the same number wanting tighter regulation. The affirmative response for both questions progressively increased across the three age cohorts.
Also noteworthy from the poll is that Essential Research has taken to publishing “base” figures for each cohort in the breakdown, which evidently reflect their proportion of the total after weightings are applied. This is at least a step in the direction of the transparency that is the norm in British and American polling, in that it tell us how Essential is modelling the overall population, even if it doesn’t divulge how much each cohort’s responses are being weighted to produce those totals.
The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from an online sample of 1102 respondents.
Thanks for the summary William. Further evidence that progressive politics is not dead, as long as it is realistic.
At this point it seems clear that the coal industry, like Big Tobacco, will not go quietly. It will fight for its right to do harm. The only solution left is to make them legally and financially liable for the harm they do. I once tried to tell a tobacco farmer smoking was harmful. Futile.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-07/coal-lobby-hopes-to-make-australians-proud-about-coal/11388830
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
This week’s Guardian-Essential poll looks at attitudes towards Newstart and social media fake news.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/07/vast-majority-want-google-and-facebook-held-accountable-for-fake-news-essential-poll
The Reserve Bank has paved the way for even lower interest rates to drive down unemployment and protect Australia from an escalating US-China trade war that has wiped more than $80 billion from the nation’s share market. Shane Wright and Eryk Bagshaw say that global markets are facing the most dangerous financial moment since 2009.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rba-leaves-rates-on-hold-as-global-markets-roil-on-trade-worries-20190806-p52ebw.html
Kirsty Needham explains how as the tempo of protests increases and the police response strengthens, Australians are planning to return home from Hong Kong. The tipping point may have been reached.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/aussie-expat-in-hong-kong-says-this-is-the-tipping-point-he-s-looking-for-an-exit-20190806-p52ef9.html
Last night Paul Keating said that Labor lost the election because it was proposing higher taxes and not because the public rejected bold policy reform and that Shorten failed to understand the middle class.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bill-shorten-failed-to-understand-the-middle-class-paul-keating-says-20190806-p52ejk.html
Former top regulator Graeme Samuel will raise concerns in a speech today about the quality of bank directors, saying he’s been told that some members of leading bank boards are “dills” yet they are ensconced on those boards.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/dills-graeme-samuel-raises-concerns-on-bank-boards-20190806-p52egp.html
Micheala Whitbourn cites a confidential report saying that that NSW is at risk of replicating the United Kingdom experience where lawyers have gone on strike over low legal aid fees.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/absurd-nsw-government-ignored-report-on-looming-legal-aid-crisis-20190806-p52e7t.html
Kristina Keneally poses the question, “Whose side is Morrison on? Australians or CPAC and its pro-gun, alt-right, hate speech agenda?” She says that we can’t bury our heads when it comes to right-wing extremism.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-can-t-bury-our-heads-when-it-comes-to-right-wing-extremism-20190806-p52ec7.html
More than a year after the former spy Witness K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery were charged over the exposure of an Australian bugging operation on the tiny nation of East Timor, the pair have parted ways, with the spy to plead guilty and the lawyer to fight what he called a “contemptible” charge.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6312557/witness-k-to-plead-guilty-as-collaery-committed-to-stand-trial/?cs=14329
It is becoming clear that the Coalition Government and NBN Co are struggling to save the NBN from a financial disaster, writes Paul Budde.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/telstra-and-the-second-rate-nbn-the-gloves-are-off,12973
Rob Harris reports on Matt Canavan saying regional voices are “failing to be heard” over a “din of loud Australians” while warning of a growing political divide between those living in the inner city and the bush.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/busybody-politics-is-threatening-democracy-resources-minister-warns-20190806-p52edg.html
In an interesting contribution Ross Gittins examines the dynamics and economics if population growth,
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/one-day-the-world-s-population-will-start-falling-20190806-p52eb2.html
The AFR tells us how ASIC will begin disclosing the individual firm results of its audit inspection regime when it next reports at the end of the year, in a move to name and shame the big four consulting firms over their audit quality.
https://outline.com/gZuqdD
Christopher Knaus declares that there are Alcohol industry fingerprints all over Australia’s plan to tackle overdrinking.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/07/alcohol-industry-fingerprints-all-over-australias-plan-to-tackle-overdrinking
Saying that “the best form of welfare is a job” is like saying “the best form of hospitalisation is perfect health”, writes former Newstart recipient, Leisa Woodman.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/when-gaol-is-better-than-newstart,12974
Market sentiment turns more rapidly than political sentiment. The Australian stock market is just another casualty of US-China rivalry. What’s next asks Jennifer Hewett.
https://outline.com/L5zzts
Public service agencies are not responding to Parliament’s reports scrutinising their work on time, leaving some unanswered for more than 100 months, a national audit has found.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6311758/aps-agencies-not-responding-to-audits-on-time-or-possibly-at-all/?cs=14350
And bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment at Australia’s air traffic control agency, Airservices Australia, could be putting travellers’ lives at risk, a damning report has warned.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6312226/safety-risk-in-air-control-culture-report/?cs=14350
Sam Maiden tells us how trolls have been targeting the Q&A speaker who shone light on the misery of Newstart.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/welfare/2019/08/06/ricci-bartels-qa/
NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman and Planning Minister Rob Stokes are positioning themselves as the peacemakers in the heated debate over abortion decriminalisation.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/senior-ministers-emerging-as-peacemakers-in-the-abortion-debate-20190806-p52ei6.html
Australia’s monthly trade surplus has smashed its previous record to hit $8.04 billion, putting a current account surplus within reach for the first time since 1975.
https://outline.com/E2t9N4
Junior doctors at Melbourne’s Sunshine Hospital have launched legal action amid claims they are working beyond exhaustion, being underpaid and not given mandatory clinical training putting patients at risk.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/overworked-underpaid-junior-doctors-at-sunshine-hospital-launch-legal-action-20190731-p52cgr.html
Caroline Fraser has penned a long article in which she says the anti-medical dogma of Christian Science led her father to an agonising death. Now the church itself is in decline – and it can’t happen fast enough.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/06/christian-science-church-medicine-death-horror-of-my-fathers-last-days
The Morrison government should change tack on vehicle emission standards to better address fuel reserve shortage risks, according to a leading advocate for boosting our stockpiles.
https://outline.com/qrKkG2
Australia is lagging behind global leaders when it comes to affordable electricity, and big energy retailers want to keep it that way, a new report has claimed.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/consumer/2019/08/06/demand-response-electricity-australia/
Ten months after the Berejiklian government passed laws it said would “clean up” the residential construction industry and “give confidence to the community and home buyers”, those laws have still not gone into effect reports Jacob Saulwick.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-berejiklian-government-s-crackdown-on-shonks-that-never-happened-20190806-p52ehv.html
A former teacher made homeless while trying to survive on Newstart says she has been buoyed by a flood of kindness in the days since her plight was revealed in The New Daily.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/good-news/2019/08/06/newstart-karryn-smith-support/
EnergyAustralia has slumped into the red in the first half, recording such a big write-down as a result of the federal government’s re-regulation of electricity prices that the whole parent company CLP Group was dragged into losses.
https://outline.com/TubYAz
Despite continuing loud outcries from professional climate deniers such as Andrew Bolt, there is no doubt that global temperatures are rising. Dr Geoff Davies reports.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/why-its-a-climate-emergency,12976
The Grattan Institute’s Tony Wood says that gas prices are set to stay high. The government’s moves, while welcome, won’t achieve much.
https://theconversation.com/gas-prices-are-set-to-stay-high-the-governments-moves-while-welcome-wont-achieve-much-121494
The Washington Post says that Trump is increasingly relying on himself, not his aides, in his trade war with China.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-is-increasingly-relies-on-himself-not-his-aides-in-trade-war-with-china-20190807-p52ekb.html
China manipulates its currency, but not in the way the US says it does writes Stephen Bartholomeusz.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/china-manipulates-its-currency-but-not-in-the-way-the-us-says-it-does-20190806-p52ec1.html
Australia and countries in Asia are much more integrated with China and will suffer more from the escalating trade war, warns former US Treasury emissary to Beijing, David Dollar.
https://outline.com/MvaV3P
More from the Post as it tells us how Teleprompter Trump met Twitter Trump as the President responded to the recent shootings.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/teleprompter-trump-meets-twitter-trump-as-the-president-responds-to-shooting-20190807-p52ek2.html
The London Telegraph’s Celia Walden writes that angry young men shouldn’t be free to buy machine guns.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/angry-young-men-shouldn-t-be-free-to-buy-machine-guns-20190806-p52ebg.html
The China-Trump trade conflict has spread to Australia. We’re now at risk of global currency war writes Hui Feng.
https://theconversation.com/the-china-trump-trade-conflict-has-spread-to-australia-were-now-at-risk-of-global-currency-war-121486
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has condemned Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell after a picture on social media showed seven men in “Team Mitch” shirts appearing to grope and choke a cardboard cutout of the Democratic congresswoman, with the caption: “Break me off a piece of that.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/06/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-mitch-mcconnell-photo-cutout
Ivanka Trump condemns white supremacy – but her actions tell another story writes Arwa Mahdawi.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/06/ivanka-trump-condemns-white-supremacy-but-her-actions-tell-another-story
According to Carol Anderson the Republicans’ white supremacist problem is a threat to America.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/05/republicans-white-supremacist-problem-is-a-threat-to-america
And today’s nomination for “Arsehole of the Week” goes to . . .
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/knox-teacher-on-child-porn-and-drug-charges-police-20190806-p52e8c.html
Cartoon Corner
Great work from Mark David.
Two beauties from David Rowe.
Cathy Wilcox and our ideologues,
Fiona Katauskas goes to a US gun shop.
Alan Moir and Johnson’s Brexit efforts.
Peter Broelman makes us think.
Sean Leahy and the trade war.
From Matt Golding.
Jon Kudelka on yesterday’s RBA decision.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/c108b401193c784a8cbd06284127a4bd?width=1024
From the US. Some powerful ones among these.
‘The fortnightly Essential Research poll, which is still yet to resume results for voting intention’
Why the hell should they? Until they figure out how to poll the low interest, not generally politically-engaged voters, young people who just don’t answer the phone if it’s not one of their contacts, and anyone else that can’t be bothered with polls, then they are just whistling dixie with the numbers they get.
Conservative columnist tells white people to ‘get a grip’
Writing in the Washington Post, the conservative columnist Max Boot instructs white people to stop freaking out about being “replaced,” whether by immigrants, people of color or other ethnicities.
“Get a grip, white people. We’re not the victims,” is the title of his op-ed.
“Whites are still much better off than blacks. The poverty rate among African Americans is 21.8 percent; among whites, 8.8 percent,” he says.
“The median wealth of black households is $17,409; among whites, $171,000. The homeownership rate for blacks is 41.2 percent; among whites, 71.1 percent. There is also manifold evidence of continuing discrimination against African Americans,” he adds.
Nevertheless, many white people have convinced themselves they’re the victims, a philosophy fueled by Donald Trump.
“That is the bigoted mind-set that leads Trump to spray kerosene on brushfires of racial conflict across America.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/08/conservative-columnist-tells-white-people-to-get-a-grip/
The El Paso Terrorist’s Manifesto Is Basically A ‘Cut And Paste’ Of Trump’s Twitter Feed
In a special report on MSNBC on Monday night, Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace and Brian Williams told a truth that very few in the media have been willing to say so plainly: The El Paso terrorist’s manifesto is essentially a xerox copy of Donald Trump’s Twitter feed.
“Cut and paste dialogue,” Williams said, as Wallace explained how similar the disturbing manifesto is to Trump’s language at his rallies and on his Twitter page.
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/08/05/el-paso-trump-terrorist-manifesto.html
Very astute from our Lord and Master.
And there lies much of the problem!
Former Murdoch editor on why he is cancelling his SmearStralian subscription…
“It started as a simple Facebook post by a former editor-in-chief of The Australian about his difficulties trying to cancel his online subscription to his old paper.
It turned into a Pandora’s Box of online opinions about The Oz by a dizzying range of senior media figures, beginning with the moment Guardian Australia’s Amanda Meade asked David Armstrong why was he pulling the plug on his old paper.
“Short answer, Amanda: I thought do I really need so many right-wing columnists in my life? I know I don’t have to read them all but if I subscribe, I have to pay for them.”
The Oz has been savaged by former staff this year for its doctrinaire slant –from Tony Koch, to Rick Morton to Anthony Klan. But this must be the unkindest cut of all because it isn’t about politics: Armstrong cancelled because the paper is dull, full of earnest souls who bore for their country.
“I’m not opposed to conservative columnists – I appointed quite a few myself,” wrote Armstrong. “But these days it is almost unrelenting (not entirely, thank goodness) and so many have been there so long. Their work, with a couple of exceptions, is predictable and boring.
https://www.afr.com/rear-window/boring-for-their-country-why-armstrong-cancelled-on-the-oz-20190806-p52eg6
A Conservative looks at the evolving of justification used for dropping the a bombs. Seems that originally they were not so shy about it being ‘vengeance’ .
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/dont-whitewash-the-hiroshima-bombing/
https://youtu.be/dpWmlRNfLck
The evidence is clear looking at this blog,
Men are from Mars,
Women are from Venus.
“More evidence that voters favour social democratic policy options, right up until polling day.”
Which mean people are two faced liars.
And the economy tanked again thanks to Trump
What women problem, ask Roseville Libs
Myriam RobinColumnist
Aug 7, 2019 — 12.00am
Heard the new leader of the opposition Rex Patrick this morning.
Pretty good.
He should do ok.
Michael Shermer on “Guns don’t kill people, beliefs kill people”
Among our strongest opinions – We are right , those others are wrong (In both senses)
https://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/el-paso-dayton-gilroy-shootings-guns-dont-kill-people-beliefs-do/?fbclid=IwAR0faCggyoEg66WDSn5bDiBUFvc19Phvm0NB_tLBULN_62WMyVQbENAypp0
Zoidlord @ #11 Wednesday, August 7th, 2019 – 7:22 am
It is also about education.
People don’t actually know/don’t remember how much Labor governments have given them by way of schemes, reforms initiatives and the like.
Cash can stand in parliament and say the Liberal party is the party of women and Labor says nothing. Nothing. Labor doesn’t rally around it’s remarkable legacy of policy reforms in this area and claim it as there own.
It says nothing.
Nothing.
Keating last night reminded those listening that Labor created the wherewithal for middle class prosperity.
Labor’s current team must wonder what the hell he means.
Read mundo’s contribution (lacking foresight as usual that Rex Patrick is in a position in the Senate to DO things and effect meaningful change to the government’s agenda). Same old predictable pointless pablum.
I have looked for (relatively) unbiased and informed commentary on Venezuela -and found that this is practically non-existent.
The root cause of the problem appears to be the revolt by middle-class and wealthy Hispanic people against any government measures to improve the life of the native South American and mestizos.
Thus morning the BBC World Service was completely over the top in spruiking the anti-Maduro polemic, with no balance at all!!
“The Canary” is certainly not unbiased – but any alternative view helps.
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/08/06/trump-announces-total-economic-embargo-on-venezuela-collectively-punishing-civilian-population/
And cats are from…
Not just the “young”; I’m sick to death of robo-diallers. Two rings and it’s straight through to the answering machine.
I’d be happy to participate in their polling – at a time and place of my choosing (i.e. online.) Spamming home phones is not going to win you any friends.
Conservative Jennifer Rubin in the WAPO :
It’s increasingly obvious how just getting rid of Trump will help
Even if we get a Democratic president Americans don’t like all that much, or whose limitations are obvious, we’ll be in a better spot than we would be with President Trump. That’s an unsurprising assumption by Democrats. But, increasingly, independents and disaffected Republicans — as seen from their praise of former president Barack Obama’s remarks on the mass murders in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio — know this to be true. “Anyone but Trump” should be the goal for all Americans, even Republicans.
Whatever the problem, things would be better without Trump even with a president whose ideology and/or performance might not thrill most Americans.
I don’t mean to suggest that all our problems will go away if Trump does, nor do I mean to suggest it doesn’t matter who succeeds him. However, we would eliminate a slew of Trump-created problems and inanities and make it possible rationally to address issues
It’s not hyperbole to say Trump is a threat to our democracy, to national security and to progress on virtually any issue. We want the best possible president, but we will settle for anyone who isn’t Trump.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/08/06/increasingly-obvious-just-getting-rid-trump-will-help-lot/
Cheryl Kernot comments that in her article on Keating, Latika Bourke has deliberately conflated Labor and Shorten.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bill-shorten-failed-to-understand-the-middle-class-paul-keating-says-20190806-p52ejk.html?btis
Thanks BK. The Anderson piece was an appropriate excoriation of the MAGAts.
Outside left @ #19 Wednesday, August 7th, 2019 – 7:56 am
Bewdiful Bouddi. 🙂
Trump told to stay away from El Paso and Dayton however he is still insisting on going.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-plans-visits-to-el-paso-and-dayton-where-he-wont-be-universally-welcome/2019/08/06/89bf265c-b831-11e9-bad6-609f75bfd97f_story.html
Although I think I’m from the planet Crazy C@t today, and yesterday. I agreed to purchase an, admittedly lovely, Freedom Furniture cupboard, for $50 from a facebook group ‘Buy, Swap and Sell Central Coast’. Now I am taking stuff out of the 2 cupboards that it will be replacing. Then I have to hire a trailer to go and get it with. Get it into the house and into my bedroom, then figure out where to put all the stuff that used to be in the other 2 cupboards! Spring Cleaning has come early (because Spring is too dang hot these days). 😆
@Shane Wright
How good is NZ? Jobless rate at 3.9% (3.6% for men) with under-utilisation rate of 11%. This side of the Tasman – 5.2% jobless and under-utilisation rate of 13.4%
Adolpho Telles, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, said during a television interview Tuesday that he welcomes Trump’s visit.
“Clearly it is going to help with people healing, and this is a time of healing,” Telles said on CNN.
He accused Democrats of “making this a political event for their benefit.”
Projection. It’s Trump that is politicising the mass murders by forcefully injecting himself into places he isn’t welcome.
Police “protection” in Darwin.
C@t:
The last thing those communities need is the Racist In Chief swanning around fanning divisions and tensions further.
Barney @6:51
“More evidence that voters favour social democratic policy options, right up until polling day.”
Support for “social democratic policy options” is a mile wide and an inch deep. For the majority, such support doesn’t extend to bearing the smallest cost to themselves. They can be bribed or scared into voting against them.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/books/toni-morrison-dead.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
In a 3000 word essay by Margalit Fox conveys the brilliance and humanity of Ms. Morrison. Well worth a read if you have access to the NYT.
Follow up on last night – thanks to caf and poroti for their links, and I’m pleased to see the impact of the John Hersey account getting recognition.
@AngryBlackLady
SHOOTER: I was inspired by trump.
MEDIA: what could have caused this?
SHOOTER: look at this cool photo of the word “trump” spelled out in firearms
MEDIA: he probably played too much fortnite
SHOOTER: it’s like trump said, Hispanics are invading us
MEDIA: we may never know
Is Australia as corrupt as Colombia? Reposted from 2015, but still relevant, when politically influential rich look down on the poor, who ‘didn’t have a go’.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-26/frijters-foster-battlers-and-plutocrats/6725118?pfmredir=sm
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/senate-reform-will-restore-faith-in-democracy-20190806-p52e8q
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-07/regulator-legal-action-against-energy-companies-over-sa-blackout/11390400
I thought men were from somewhere around Uranus.
(Ducks)
Fess
Uruguay is a very stable democracy these days, like Chile.
Very sensible of them to warn their largely Hispanic population to be careful visiting the US.
“The nation’s 76 senators should be made to better represent regional and rural areas by being allocated special divisions within state borders, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said.”
Should that proposal be adopted the Senate really would become unrepresentative swill.
A change along these lines would not require constitutional change. As long as States have equal representation and those eligible are allowed to vote, the Parliament is free to decide how Senators are elected.
Douglas and Milko @ #40 Wednesday, August 7th, 2019 – 9:16 am
Cheeky. 🦆
D&M:
There are many other countries which would be wise to issue similar travel warnings to the US.
Zoidlord,
The United States of Cognitive Dissonance.
Every time there’s a mass shooting, The Onion posts another “news in brief”:
https://www.theonion.com/tag/guns
lizzie,
It is not “platforming” a fringe group – i.e. giving them more publicity than they would otherwise have – to point out that Australian Federal Government members are attending this meeting.
These Federal government MPs will be bringing ideas back from this conference that will inform their input into legislation we will all have to love with.
lizzie @ #38 Wednesday, August 7th, 2019 – 9:06 am
Says Canavan :
I find him one of the least respectful of opinions other than his own. He is trying to increase the weight of voice of rural and conservative voters and keep meddlesome city know-alls off their back. Well, for a group who already seem demonstrably unable to manage their own affairs – dead rivers, dying towns, raped landscapes – I reckon they need all the help they can get, but refuse to take. I’d remind Canavan that the NSW Farmers recently passed a motion that formally denies man made Global Warming exists and that the first part of solving a problem involves recognising it, then acknowledging it. And he wants them to get more respect. Sorry, it’s like kindies wanting parents to keep out of playgrounds.
lizzie,
Great joke from a friend on the weekend:
Australia finally makes contact with intelligent beings from another planet. Any people want to converse with thew aliens, including a prominent evangelist.
The evangelist asks the aliens if they have heard of Jesus. They reply “yes”, in fact he visits our planet twice a year. Really, says the evangelist. We have been waiting 2000 years for his return. What happens during his visits?
Well, say the aliens, it is a joyous occasion. We gather all the best chocolate from all the corners of our world, and present them to him on his arrival. What did you do on your planet last time he visited?
Fess,
Yep, including Australia.
Texas police apologise after officers on horseback led black man by rope
A police department in Galveston, Texas, has apologized after two white officers on horseback led a black man through the city’s streets on a rope.
Photographs shared on social media show Donald Neely, 43, flanked by two mounted police officers. Neely’s hands are bound behind his back, and one of the officers is holding an attached thick blue rope.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/06/texas-police-galveston-white-officers-black-man-horse-rope