I'll kick this off with this festering wound and its lack of attention.

Global firms fueling Myanmar's killer weapons.

Myanmar's military is producing a vast range of weapons to use against its own people thanks to supplies from companies in at least 13 countries, former top UN officials say.

The US, France, India and Japan are among those named, despite Western-led sanctions intended to isolate Myanmar.

The report says the home-produced arms are used to carry out atrocities against those who oppose the military.

Myanmar has been engulfed in violence since a February 2021 military coup.

Opponents of the coup, which ousted the elected government, have joined ethnic rebel groups in resisting military rule.

The Special Advisory Council on Myanmar's report notes that several UN member states continue to sell weapons to the military.

"An equally important factor, however, is the fact that Myanmar's armed forces can produce, in-country, a variety of weapons that are being used to target civilians," it says.

The firms named supply Myanmar's military with raw materials, training and machines, the report says, and the weapons produced as a result are not used to defend its borders.

"Myanmar has never been attacked by a foreign country," explains Yanghee Lee, the UN's former Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, and one of the report's authors.

"And Myanmar does not export any arms. Since 1950, it's made its own arms to use against its own people."...

What is it with bottled water? They did this at the bottom of the escarpment from here and ever since the ground up here now loses it moisture content so much faster (not to mention the damage caused getting it) so what effect will that have on a rainforest? :-O

Hoffman Drilling to extract water near national park after deal with Gold Coast City Council.

A water boring company will be allowed to extract water for bottling from an area near a World Heritage-listed rainforest on the Gold Coast.

The announcement comes as an agreement has been reached between the Gold Coast City Council, the Australian Rainforest Conservation Society (ARCS) and water-boring company Hoffman Drilling.

In 2019 the council rejected an application from Hoffman Drilling to extract 16 million litres of water from a property near Springbrook National Park.

The company filed an appeal with the Queensland Planning and Environment Court in response to the decision.

This led to ARCS joining the case in defence of the council's decision, with concerns the work could jeopardise the values of the neighbouring World Heritage area.

The court case began more than a week ago, but a settlement has since been reached between the parties....

These companies that suck the life out of the ground for profit should be banned from existing.

Cashed up bogans and their ridiculously oversized U.S. fuel guzzlers are creating a huge problem and backlash down under.

Australians are lashing out as a loathed American trend takes over our roads – and parking spaces – in record numbers.

Parallel parked they take up 2 parking bays with doors swinging out halfway across the traffic lane and in carparks they regularly take up 4 parking bays not to mention getting caught behind 1 fueling up at a fuel bouser. These things really need to stay where they belong as they certainly don't belong on the roads down here.

At least this Aussie billionaire got stopped from wrecking an indigenous sacred site with the only purpose of it being to his own benefit and profit.

Andrew and Nicola Forrest lose bid to build irrigation project that traditional owners fear could kill sacred serpent.

1 custom that needs to be quickly abolished and replaced by a decent wage instead.

A waitress has shared the stunning note on a bill from a diner, sparking a frenzied conversation about tipping culture in the US.

Proof that slave labour still exists.

1 custom that needs to be quickly abolished and replaced by a decent wage instead.

Selfish MAGA's are everywhere. St. Peter is always watching.

The U.S. system of "tipping" really needs to stop and it's people need a decent wage instead.

Aussies outraged as American waitress on $3 an hour explains tipping system - and how she pays to work.

It's nothing but basically slave labour. A tip should be a bonus not a path to making a wage (let alone having to share it with others).

They've been ripping farmers and customers off left, right and centre and finally a push is on to bring them to account for themselves.

Former head of competition watchdog Allan Fels says supermarkets are 'overpricing', after calling for ACCC inquiry.

The former head of Australia's competition watchdog has urged the federal government to order an in-depth investigation into supermarket profit margins and supply chains, accusing the major chains of "overpricing".

Former Australian Competition and Consumer commissioner Allan Fels wrote to federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Monday outlining the initial recommendations from the ACTU-led inquiry into supermarkets he chaired.

He highlighted the recommendation for a comprehensive ACCC inquiry into "competition and prices in the retail food and grocery industry".....

And if Allan reckons that they're dodgy then they are.

Well it's on, but farmers want more.

Farmers want ACCC's supermarket inquiry to look further than price discrepancies.

Farmers have welcomed news the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will conduct an inquiry into Australia's supermarket sector, including pricing practices.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Treasurer Jim Chalmers would direct the ACCC to conduct the 12-month review, which will investigate the difference between farmgate prices and check-out prices.

National Farmers' Federation President David Jochinke said a long-term, whole-of-supply-chain solution was needed from the inquiry, not just a "silver bullet" aimed at the major supermarkets.

"When we talk about supermarkets — yes they're important, they are concentrated within Australia and they need to be investigated, but the whole story goes beyond that," he said.....

Yes, these huge lumps of fuel guzzling waste of space metal do need to go, and the sooner the better for us all.

‘This can’t go on’: Calls to crack down on Australians buying huge cars.

Thankfully Euro 6 standards are coming in here and will likely kill those fuel guzzlers off anyway, but we also don't need the electric F-150 either as an EV Ranger sized job will do.

I'm sure you already have road rage. It only gets worse and the penis extenders get bigger.

The ACCC will love this.

Supermarket industry insiders reveal how Coles and Woolworths profit off rising prices.

Leaked emails show Coles has been profiting from higher prices at the check-out, despite repeated assurances from the supermarket giant that it is doing everything in its power to keep grocery bills down.

The emails reveal for the first time the tactics Coles has employed with a supplier seeking a price increase and how it has taken advantage of inflation.

It's not alone. An industry insider has told Four Corners that Woolworths has used similar tactics to increase its profits over the last 18 months.

Australia has a highly concentrated supermarket sector where Coles and Woolworths control 65 per cent of the grocery market.......

.......The emails show Coles received a one-off payment from a multinational supplier for allowing a price increase ($25,000), then passed on this cost to customers.

The price increase of around 5 per cent, which the supplier sought to cover its rising costs, was initially dismissed by the Coles buyer based on "customer needs" and the "competitive environment".....

I wonder when they'll start ripping themselves off as there's no one else left too.

Coles and Woolworths should be worried.

There are multiple inquiries running on the climbing price of groceries. Here's what they are examining.

With reports of the tactics Coles and Woolworths have used to increase profits at the check-out, you might have wondered what the government is doing to examine the industry.

There are half a dozen inquiries running on how the supermarket chains deal with their suppliers and customers.

Here's what they are looking at — and what, if anything, they might accomplish....

The un-Australian CEO of Woolworths steps down as inquiries into price gouging ramps up. I wonder if he'll quickly go running back to his home country like the other crooked CEO's that we've had here have.

Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci announces retirement as company announces $781m loss.

And now it makes us wonder why such a huge $1.5 billion write down occurred across the gutter, but I guess that we'll find out eventually.

Will having an Aussie back in charge change things or is the "corporate greed" infection far too ingrained now?

Woolworths' new CEO Amanda Bardwell facing one key challenge, say experts — winning back the public.

Has Banducci grabbed his $24mil payout and run back home yet? Joyce certainly couldn't get out of here fast enough with his $24mil.

There's got to be a way to stop these overseas blow ins from destroying the reputations of our companies just to fill their own pockets with ill-gotten gains.

Report: Houthis Cut Underwater Cables in Red Sea:

The successful targeting of the four cables, which are believed to belong to the AAE-1, Seacom, EIG, and TGN systems, marks a serious disruption of communications between Europe and Asia.

Most of the immediate harm will be absorbed by the Gulf states and India, Globes said.

The AAE-1 cable connects East Asia to Europe via Egypt, connecting China to the West through countries such as Pakistan and Qatar.

The Europe India Gateway (EIG) cable system connects southern Europe to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, the UAE, and India.

The Seacom cable connects Europe, Africa, and India, and is connected to South Africa.

and... Founder & CEO of OpenCables Sunil Tagare posted on X (aka Twitter):

To repair the cables, need permission from Yemen to enter their waters

Insurance companies have canceled insurance for cable ships to ply in Yemen waters

No maintenance cable ships willing to do repairs

Cable ships cost $60-&100 million each. Who will take the risk?

Bad prospects for subsea cables (and subsea pipelines)...

... They, and Iran, may well have gone too far with that...


Watch that space?...

Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Reports I have read say that the Houthis don't have the technology to cut cables that deep. It is also said that Iran also doesn't, which leads to the speculation it might be the Russians.

Reports I have read say that the Houthis don't have the technology to cut cables that deep. It is also said that Iran also doesn't, which leads to the speculation it might be the Russians.

Woah.. that's far from the nearest military harbor in Syria the Russians may use. In this case the U.S. or British Intelligence services surely know in detail which Russian ships were in the area.

This morning I heard the radio news. They explained many Democrat voters in Michigan teached Biden a lesson by not voting for him but "undecided". These citizens with Muslim-Arab immigrant backgrounds are dissatisfied with Biden's policies regarding Israel. Biden should have ended the war in Gaza long ago.

So, as long as Biden needs every vote from Michigan in the presidential elections... the Houthis... or krakens... or deep sea monsters can continue to cut submarine cables or sink cargo ships in the Red Sea undisturbed, I suspect.

Reports I have read say that the Houthis don't have the technology to cut cables that deep. It is also said that Iran also doesn't, which leads to the speculation it might be the Russians.

I haven't yet seen a report indicating the depth where the cut was made. At the narrow part from what I quickly can find the bottom is only a couple hundred meters. Not too deep for a ship dragging its anchor or a purpose built blade to snag and cut cables.