Ben Eltham

Sure, although I’m not sure that referring to some undisclosed piece of paper really gets us out of some very tricky questions here

Westralia: an inevitable independence for WA or an ‘idiotic’ idea in a time of war? Authors of a new book argue secession could be a blueprint for eastern states but the government says it would leave WA with a weaker economy and no defence force

The latest harebrained WA secession strategy is being pushed by … Gigi Foster? www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

I say this every year, but:

The uni students I'm teaching are thoughtful, intelligent, will make everything they encounter better.

With a new addition for 2026:

They deeply hate AI.

Dramatic rise in water-related violence recorded since 2022 Experts say climate crisis, corruption and lack or misuse of infrastructure among factors driving water conflicts

As we witness the horror of attacks on desalination plants, we need to be aware, on a warming planet, conflict over water, using water as a weapon of war, & targeting people seeking water is on the rise

- in the past 4 years, it's nearly doubled:

share.google/p0PrSGiLMdz0...

I don’t quite understand your point here. The Australian sailors have been confirmed to be have been on the US sub. They were participants in naval combat

Saudi Aramco reducing output at two oilfields, two sources say Saudi oil giant Aramco has begun cutting ​output at two of ‌its oilfields, two sources said on Monday, after ​the vital Strait of ​Hormuz was choked by ⁠the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran ​and subsequent attacks on ​the waterway.

Saudi Aramco reducing output at two oilfields, two sources say reut.rs/4bx8GZF

I’d imagine they poll at least 3-4%. They polled 5% last time

Rabobank on the unfolding worst case scenario:

Labor not running definitely helps Milthorpe

We could be seeing the emergence of an “Anyone but One Nation” vote here

Good times for Woodside too

BREAKING A strike targeting Bahrain's sprawling Al Ma'ameer oil facility has caused a fire at the complex along with material damage, state media reports.

Bahrain's state-owned energy company Bapco declares force majeure after waves of Iranian strikes targeted the country's energy installations

Palantir embedding staff in Defence and mining Australian data under contract with Trump-aligned company A Department of Defence contract for 'Industrial Intelligence Capability' obtained by Crikey is the first time that the nature and conditions of the controversial company's work with Australia has bee...

"The decision to rely on a US provider for sovereign defence work is something that unsettles many analysts" | Palantir embedding staff in Defence and mining Australian data under contract with Trump-aligned company www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/09/p... @openpolicy.bsky.social

Oil Jumps Most Since 2020 While Stocks Tumble as War Rages On

Always interesting to see the way the financial media reports these things … Bloomberg is headlining with “Oil up, stocks tumble, war rages on” www.bloomberg.com/news/live-bl...

This is your reminder that petrol does in fact have a use by date

Iranian journalist reports in front of the flames of a burning Oil depot.

Looking forward to Albanese explaining his support for the war when petrol hits $3/l

I get yelled at for saying this but for many hundreds of years people went to university not to get diplomas or be employable but because immersion in the humanities was considered foundational to a good life, and school must return to its original purpose: the joy of learning.

Welcome to the Garyneum, the 13 day period between the birthdays of Gary Numan and Gary Oldman.

"we will meet again in another life when we are both cats" back uppercase text above graffitti artwork of a black cat silhouette on a pearl-white painted brick wall - artist unknown

this lives forever rent-free in my head

2 orders

The billionaires' eugenics project: how Epstein infiltrated Harvard, muzzled the humanities and preached master-race science Edge - Jeffrey Epstein's favourite intellectual salon - was sold to me as a gathering of the world's finest minds, writes Virginia Heffernan. The files reveal it was something far darker: a decades-lo...

🚨 'Edge was sold to me as a gathering of the world's finest minds, writes @virginiaheffernan.bsky.social. The files reveal it was something far darker: a decades-long project that cloaked eugenics, race science and sexual misconduct in Ivy League respectability' ⬇️
www.thenerve.news/p/epstein-bi...

👀

Significant milestone birthday. Spent it playing music with some old, old friends

Seem to be a few corroborating reports of the big THAAD radar being taken out. And yeah those radars are not cheap or easy to replace

More than 180 authors quit writers' week. Many returned for a DIY replacement Constellations emerged from the ashes of Adelaide Writers' Week, which was cancelled after authors withdrew over censorship. Organisers share how it came together and lessons for the future.

We stood together against anti-Palestinian racism and they cancelled our festival. So we organised our own.

Very tired now, but very proud of Constellations!

Great in depth coverage from Hannah Story here

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...

“MAGA’s fundamental shared quality is a total lack of theory of mind for other people” is a theory that keeps getting validated by reality - look at almost every decision they’ve made in the war with Iran, and how they seem constantly surprised by the unanticipated actions of other parties.

A brown penguin chick of some kind. It looks very much like a man in a suit. It is bedraggled and miserable

Made it to Friday but at what cost

Many heat-stressed tropical insects are reaching their limits Vast study in Peru and Kenya confirms limited defenses against rising temperatures, redoubling climate concerns

Another great article featuring our research published in @nature.com

Many heat-stressed tropical insects are reaching their limits | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
@science.org