How’s your $499 Trump “T1” gold mobile phone coming along Eric and Don Jr?

Quote of the week from Troy Setter; “birds were chewing into crops and equipment, and presented mental health and biosecurity risks.” You plant the crops Troy, the birds will come. Newcastle Waters was famously owned by Kerry Packer until sold to British private equity firm Terra Firma in 2009.

So Kara Swisher @karaswisher.bsky.social + her podcast @pivotpod.bsky.social (with @profgalloway.com) may go to ‘a’ Murdoch - just not Rupert. James in advanced talks to acquire New York Magazine + podcast division @vox.com

Quite the take down. Authored by Robin Givhan, former long time, much admired fashion writer at WashPost. In a nutshell: Sanchez Bezos and the end of good taste via @nytimes.com

FIFA pays $100M to country hosting World Cup, presided over by FIFA Peace Prize winner. ⚽️The president of the Norwegian football assn has called for the abolition of the Prize which was never approved by the FIFA Board #worldcup #FIFA

Hello James #Comey… 😉 my Easter Sunday table….seashore is ever and only joyous..

That’s a winning smile Dave. Meet David Brat, Trump’s nomination for next 🇺🇸US Ambassador to 🇦🇺Australia. Ultra-conservative, rigid ideology, anti-immigration views.

Illustration: Ben Wiseman ❤️ From Die Zeit @zeit.de

And the very good news: after Berkshire Hathaway invested US$350M in @nytimes.com in Feb this year, along comes a Soros investment in #independentmedia Medias Touch

King Charles & Queen Camilla’s US visit has the appearance of legitimising a war that European leaders (largely) view as illegal. Plus ca change. As it was with Wallace and Edward VIII. Charles is #notmyking

Australia’s Meg O’Neil takes the helm at BP on Wednesday, taking home a minimum £11.7million for her contribution to climate chaos. The former Woodside boss will steer the company away from it current clean energy focus - back to coal and gas via @financialtimes.com

BBC reports from *London* and *Sydney*….fugitive shot dead in rural Australian town…

Two robots walk into a….

Right up there among the world’s most shameful farming practices. This is the UK. via @thetimes.com #paywall

Deeply troubling story - paywalled but sharing the last par: “The World Cup is expected to bring in $116 billion in revenue to Fifa, while (its President) Infantino is on course to receive $8 million in bonuses. He has not replied. “ @thetimes.com

Not an airport bookshop…possum calls my balcony home. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Fig Tree on Kangaroo Island gets a fine review in the @ftweekend.com So well deserved, for an island devastated by the 2019-20 bushfires which burnt 48% of the landscape. And still recovering.

When mongrels became “designer” dogs. Reminds me of when tomatoes became “heritage”. Tomatoes better option.

Thanks @newseye.bsky.social #auspol

Another historic Melbourne house demolition. Ken-Aitsa, designed in 1933 by Arnaud E Wright at Avalon Road, Armadale. Developer David Joachim of Third Street has its future in hand. 🔽 thirdstreet.com.au/about/about-... #Architecturedestroyed #Heritage @philipthalis.bsky.social

BP pays Meg O’Neill £11.7M this year for her contribution in generating global climate chaos

Give Albo some credit…#auspol

Peter Thiel…I’m seeing your name trending for all the right reasons

Loss of desire - food ✅fags ✅ alcohol ✅ sex 😳…get a grip with the joyful, insightful David Remnick who only seeks tip top truths…@newyorker

Loss of desire - food ✅fags ✅ alcohol ✅ sex 😳…get a grip with the joyful, insightful David Remnick who only seeks tip top truths…@newyorker

Who owns Top End Pastoral? Michael Simmich and Clayton Coleman - well equipped for environmental vandalism - ‘earthmoving and the construction industry’ their expertise #auspol

Trump’s ambassador to France (felon and father-in-law to Ivanka) gets a taste of French froideur. 🇫🇷 Disreputable creep was sentenced (and served) 2 years imprisonment for tax evasion & illegal campaign contributions. Now a disbarred attorney, but pardoned for his crimes by Trump.

Peter Thiel sues Swiss journal Republik for detailing #Palantir’s unsuccessful attempts to win Swiss fed govt contracts. Link to original story. www.republik.ch/2026/02/18/h... Remember when Thiel put Gawker out of business?

Berkshire Hathaway invests $350M in @nytimes.com

Memo Minns govt & NSW Supreme Court…#auspol

…”the stranger in our midst..” the supreme line. #Trump #Springsteen

The governor of California launches an investigation into TikTok following accusations of censoring "content critical of Trump." Hint to TT users…don’t expect you can write ‘Epstein’ and pass the censor

For the record 💥…#ClimateCrisis #AO2026 #Melbourne

Gaël Monfils 🇫🇷 bows out of the #AO2026 with a standing ovation. He first played in the 2004 boy’s title. Thanks for the greatest showmanship in tennis of the last decade. We adored you.

Président Macron declines 🇫🇷 Trump’s Board of Peace…#auspol @albomp.bsky.social

They said it couldn’t be done. Good start Australia. #socialmedia France and Malaysia move to follow the ban, the UK govt under pressure

Superb insights on the mind of the grandiose narcissist via @nytimes.com #paywall from Thomas B Edsall

44 degrees in Melbourne is high anxiety for chikkies - and this anxious ‘minder’. They survived - with lots of chilled melon, extra shallow bowls of water…and all digits crossed 🐓

Tennis inflation… 🎾Total purse for Aus Open increases by 16% in 2026 to Aus$111.5mn. 🎾 Ouch: decent ticket for Women’s Final a lazy $1,999. #ausopen

What gross positioning of stories @ftweekend.com

President Macron’s NYE speech outlines his intent to ban social media for children under 15 - a ban supported by 79% of parents. #auspol via @nytimes.com #paywall

This lovely stand of 250 Monterey pines transports me to the Med. In fact they are in Shoreham, Victoria. Planted in the early 1900s as windbreaks between sea and shoreside properties…unique for their aesthetic and historic importance

Australia’s native Ceratopetalum gummiferum - Christmas Bush to you and I. Happy Christmas 🎄

Gotta love Private Eye. 🎄

Love them #friendlyjordies ‘the facts Jack’… as was once correct reporting…no longer on MSM

Anton Jäger’s 5th column for @NYT knocking Europe. An ‘Opinion’ writer with one opinion - greatly exaggerating the death of Europe #paywall

Bernie Sanders calls out Netanyahu on his criticism of @albomp.bsky.social #auspol #bondi

The NYT opines, inaccurately, from the other side of the world #auspol

“One power broker (FIFA) had two adjoining grace and favour apartments in #Trump Tower in NY - one exclusively for his cats”… Riveting scandal - #podcast #slownews @basialc.bsky.social @rorysmith.bsky.social

“Very proud of Australia that they have taken a stand on social media” - Anna Wintour, global chief content officer of #Vogue, overseeing 28 international editions. #podcast ‘Leading’ with @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social + Rory Stewart