Laurie O’Brien

What separates the ultrarich from the just-plain-rich? The gigayacht. A new collection of essays by New Yorker writer Evan Osnos, The Haves and Have-Yachts, provides rich research and material for the conversation about extreme wealth in America today.

A new collection of essays by New Yorker writer Evan Osnos, The Haves and Have-Yachts, provides rich research and material for the conversation about extreme wealth in America today.

From Haaretz:
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

"...Israeli writer David Grossman said coming to the realization that Israel is committing genocide was extremely painful, but he now has a moral obligation to speak up: 'I feel an inner urgency to do the right thing, and now is the time to do it'."

Firing the BLS Commissioner — the wonk in charge of the statisticians who track economic reality — is an authoritarian four alarm fire.

It will also backfire: You can't bend economic reality, but you can break the trust of markets. And biased data yields worse policy.

How about a follow up piece with all the politicians who promoted and defended Adani incl the water deal signed off by Melissa Price and royalties deal from Palaszczuk, not to mention Canavan, Palmer et al. Never forget #Clermont @lenoret.bsky.social

Amjad Iraqi | Walking Corpses Israel’s allies are still buying time for Israel to change course or come to a deal with Hamas over how many trucks to...

‘Policies built on myths are hard to revise. The repeated accusation that Hamas had systematically diverted aid is unfounded, according to many agencies with experience in Gaza.’

Amjad Iraqi on starvation in Gaza, from the blog: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/ju...

Cartoon. Scene is Albanese standing next to classic Fire Level Warning sign that instead reads "Gaza Warning Levels" The coloured wedges on the sign are: * (green) Pretend it's not happening * (yellow) Concerned expression * (orange) strongly-worded statement * (Dark orange) VERY strongly worded statement * (red) End military cooperation and take concrete action The marker on the sign is pointed to the dark orange " VERY strongly worded statement" Albanese is gesturing to the sign saying "Well, we wouldn't want to go to extremes"

ICYMI- yesterday's #auspol #Gaza cartoon for @australia.theguardian.com

Albo's paradox A simple question for the Australian Government

It's incredible the extent to which the tide has turned on the reporting of Israel and Gaza. Often it is too little too late, but the shift is clear. It is leaving those like the Australian Govt behind
open.substack.com/pub/tdunlop/...
(Not paywalled, fyi)

On Jillian Segal’s report into combating antisemitism Several excellent critiques of Jillian Segal’s “Special Envoy’s Plan to Combat Antisemitism” have appeared, by Louise Adler (The Guardian), Henry Reynolds (Pearls and Irritations), Nick Feik (Substack...

Hannah Arendt once confessed that the crimes and mistakes of her own people, the Jews, were more painful to her than the crimes and mistakes of others. That is how I feel, writes Robert Manne. #auspol #antimetism #JillianSegal

‘We faced hunger before, but never like this’: skeletal children fill hospital wards as starvation grips Gaza For months Israel kept food shipments to Gaza far below starvation rations. Now the death toll is rising rapidly

Starving people to death is the most obviously inhumane act a state could perpetrate. Yet our government does nothing. Israel’s supporters say nothing.
Do they think people will not notice, or ignore it?

Oh well at least we have the NACC to expose any corruption 🤗

Consider the empathetic perspective of Ed Husic on the Gazan tragedy.

His views, possibly leading to his demotion, may have made factional heads uncomfortable.

Looks like at least some of the British media has realized that you can't both-sides a genocide.

But meanwhile, almost all Australian legacy media continues to routinely sanitize Israeli war crimes. #StopIsrael #GazaGenocide

As usual, the ABC uses the passive voice, to whitewash Israel’s war crimes. #GazaGenocide #ThiIsNotJournalism

The wrong way to respond to antisemitism • Robert Manne Jillian Segal’s proposals won’t only erode free speech but could also worsen the problem she was asked to tackle

inside.org.au/the-wrong-wa...
Truth that cuts between the marrow and the bone

No doubt AFL money will affect this decision.
How many Air BNB’s in Hobart are owned by wealthy VIC’s?

Hobart might be exciting after a big game, but that means bugger all for the residents of Wynyard.

Ridiculous and unnecessary was Morrison’s appointment of tv handyman Scott Cam as National Careers Ambassador (?).

Segal’s appointment was a shallow and convenient, though now well recognised, serious error in judgment.

As long as humans continue their futile battle against the physics of the ecosystem, they will ultimately always be a casualty of that ecosystem.
open.substack.com/pub/georgets...

As Trump turns his back on renewables, China is building the future It's entirely appropriate that Albanese is meeting Xi again before he meets Trump for the first time. Xi is more important than Trump now.

As Trump turns his back on renewables, China is building the future
By Alan Kohler
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Please make this nordacious artwork go viral.

Segal has to go.

First Nations should have a voice to parliament.

👇👇👇

Yes, he was a voice.

And that may have made Marles uncomfortable.

“He refused & was adamant I was wrong in wanting to use this language.”

“The Zionist narrative prevails – Israel is the victim. No, it is not.”

What a spineless weasel you are @albomp.bsky.social
Do we even live in a democratic country anymore?

#Genocide #Genocide #Genocide #Genocide
#Auspol

Gaza aid workers overwhelmed by ‘mass casualty incidents’ at food distribution sites Doctors say hundreds have been wounded by Israeli gunfire while trying to reach convoys

"mass casualty incidents"??

No @australia.theguardian.com - this is not an earthquake or a plane crash or a factory exploding.

This is the deliberate massacre of starving Gazan civilians, on a daily basis, by the Israeli regime.

This. Is. Genocide.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Profit comes before safety inside Australia's childcare centres For those like me who have been investigating childcare for almost a year now, the news was horrifying but not a surprise.

Governments are scrambling to fix the crisis in #childcare safety & quality.

But as Adele Ferguson notes, they are avoiding the biggest issue:
"the dominance of private operators and the inherent conflict of interest between profit and child welfare" #auspol
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Global firms ‘profiting from genocide’ in Gaza, says UN rapporteur Report by Francesca Albanese singles out companies such as Palantir and calls for prosecutions

As one of eight states ensuring the IDF can continue to fly its F-35s, being used for the first time ever, according to the truthful Albanese, in its so called ‘beast mode’, the other Albanese can longer deny Australia is an active partner in genocide.

French nuclear reactors have been shut down as a heatwave settles across Europe.

To think the Coalition swore, with a straight face, that nuclear was the only reliable way to generate power here in the driest inhabited continent.

Seems lots of folk are appreciating Zack Polanski's clear-headed takes and are joining the UK Greens to vote for him as leader.

The UK desperately needs a major party of the left, now that Labour has vacated the field.

I've decided to more consciously add a third: beauty. There is plenty in nature. Humans, too, have made so many beautiful things, not just 'on purpose' (as in art or in music), but also in the way we build our communities. So let's share them, to lift up our spirits. My aim is to post #apictureaday

I also process a disproportionate amount of bad news on a daily basis. So far, I have found two strategies to try to counter the psychological burdens of all the mess in the world (and also close to home): spending time in nature, and spending time with caring human beings.

It's difficult to stay positive in these times. That holds for all of us, but of course most of all for those in the frontline of war, destruction, and injustices. But also for those who think about these bad things either as part of their job, or because one is just caring very much.