|
Politics, News
Mining/Energy/Resources/Biz/Markets/Pop
Culture
The
Business Of Everything Edition! Part VI
Sin
City Sydney Australia, Wall Street, New York, and
Beyond The Black Stump
Digital
Bush Telegraph
Spread
The Risk!
Aussie
Iron Lady Climbing Summit!
"Wall
Street Shuffle" (10cc)
"Poker Face" (Lady Gaga)
"Saturday Night's Are For Fighting" (Elton
John)
"Rocket Man" (Elton John)
"Nightflight To Venus" (Boney M.)
"I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats)
"Ironman"(Black Sabbath)
"Hail to the Chief" (All The President's
Men movie)
Road
To WWE Night Of Champions: King And Queen Of The Ring.
He or she who owns the gold makes the rules!
UFC
Freedom 250: Fallout; Big Thumbs Up From Most
Past,
Present And Future
June
2026
June
20
Markets
ASX
futures down 18 points/-0.2% to 8810
AUD flat: US70.12¢
Dow +0.1%
S&P +1.1%
Nasdaq +1.9%
Gold +1.3% to $US4,155.71 an ounce
Brent oil +0.9% at $US80.57 a barrel
Iron ore -0.4% at $US98.85 a ton
Cryptos:
Bitcoin:
$63, 424 +1.15%
Dogecoin:
$0.08309 +0.46%
XRP:
$1.1375 + 0.16%
News
(Australia)
Gina
Rinehart says Queensland should give some of its islands
to Elon Musk
Mining
magnate Gina Rinehart has told the National Bush Summit
in Townsville that Queensland should give some of
its islands to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, with Rinehart
claiming Musk needs "an alternate weather place
in an allied country". Rinehart commented that
"you might remember Elon Musk was given a big
chainsaw to try and cut government tape and bureaucracies
over in America. We need a orange bulldozer".
(Media Man Peg-On): 2 Iron Ladies and A Spaceman.
Mission To The Moon, Mars and Beyond, via Terror Australis
(Northern Queensland), Down Under! Bulldoze The Swamp!
News
Sports
Biz: NRL
Amazon
in race for NRL as V'landys mulls splitting pay TV
games
Sources
have indicated that Amazon's Prime Video streaming
service is interested in acquiring the broadcasting
rights for up to two National Rugby League matches
each week. The Australian Rugby League Commission's
chairman Peter has indicated that he is open to NRL
matches being split between several subscription video
services, provided that the cost remains affordable
for fans. The incumbent NRL broadcasters, Nine Entertainment
and pay-TV group Foxtel, both want to secure the rights
to all matches; Nine would show NRL on both its free-to-air
channels and Stan Sport, while Foxtel would seek a
sub-licencing deal with the Seven or Ten networks
in order to comply with anti-siphoning laws. (RMS).
(Media Man Peg-On): Pros and cons with spitting media
rights between various platforms. Fan friendly elements
vs bean counter money grabs!
Lead
Up
ASX
steady after rate call; BHP hits record
The
Australian sharemarket edged higher on Tuesday, after
the Reserve Bank left official interest rates unchanged;
the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.042 per cent to close at
8,917.7 points, having reached an intra-day low of
8,843. BHP was up 0.015 per cent at a new record high
of $65.19, Woodside Energy rose two per cent to $30.04
and Valiant Gold finished 4.7 per cent higher at $0.225.
However, Karoon Energy shed 11.6 per cent to end the
session at $1.64 and WiseTech Global was down 4.2
per cent at $36.79. (RMS). Media Man Peg-On: BHP ultra
bullish. Let's go Gina and Hancock Prospecting and
associates. Space X and Iron Lady to Moon, Mars and
beyond.
Shares
TKO
Holdings
$198.78
+4.25 +2.718%
Alphabet
Inc Class A
$368.03
+4.24 +1.17%
Netflix
$77.38
+0.42 +0.55%
Paramount
Skydance Corp
$9.94
-0.40 -0.40%
News
Lead Up (Aust)
Cricket
Australia board to be overhauled, BBL sale greenlit
after crunch meeting
The
six state cricket associations held a lengthy meeting
at Cricket Australia's headquarters in Melbourne on
Monday, with a series of agreements being struck.
South Australia proposed the states should be allowed
to make up their own minds about selling off stakes
in their Big Bash League teams, while the meeting
called for an overhaul of the Cricket Australia board.
The mooted new board structure would see one director
appointed by each of the six states, along with four
independent directors, one of which would be the chair.
(RMS)
News
(Aust)
(ICYMI)
Gina
Rinehart bets $1.4 billion on Musk with record SpaceX
stake
Gina
Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting has bought a $US1 billion
($1.4 billion) stake in rocket and satellite company
SpaceX. It represents Hancock Prospecting's biggest
investment outside of iron ore, with Rinehart claiming
that the Elon Musk-owned company is a further example
of "why the world needs more enterprise, more
builders and much less bureaucracy". Hancock
Prospecting's investment in SpaceX adds to a portfolio
that includes stakes in Liontown Resources, Azure
Minerals and Tesla. (RMS). (Media Man Peg-On): Let's
Go Team Gina w Musk. To The Moon, Mars and Beyond!
Fish 'N Chips Rocket Express! : ) Islands In The Stream!
Aussie Barbarella meets Gold movie and Mission To
Mars. The Galaxy in your Oyster. Take off down under
in Australia maties! Time for a new captain in Canberra
right Peter Gravy. Getting inside here ... Operation
Red Fish meets Rocket Man and Mrs Miner. Aussie Iron
Ladies - Gina and Pauline! Winning! Gonzo Truth News!
X X Iron and Space Power!
News
Lead Up
(ICYMI)
SpaceX
IPO Nears, Pushing Elon Musk Toward Trillionaire Status
SpaceX
plans to price shares at $135 each on Thursday, valuing
the company at $1.77 trillion and raising up to $75
billion in the largest IPO ever, with trading possibly
starting Friday on Nasdaq under SPCX. Musk's 42% stake
would be worth $740 billion to $866 billion, combined
with his $300 billion-plus Tesla holdings pushing
his net worth over $1 trillion according to Forbes
and Bloomberg estimates. Prediction markets give 96%
odds he'll be the first trillionaire by year-end,
amid X users celebrating employee windfalls and free
markets while others decry economic inequality, with
jokes about Musk's riches flying alongside analyst
cautions on risks. (Media Man Peg-On): To the Moon,
Mars and Beyond. Real Life Iron Man Musk firing on
all cylinders. Investors getting stars in their eyes?!
Record Breaking Rocket Man!?
News
June
16
Gold
Gold
is finding its footing
Gold
has surged at its fastest pace in two months following
reports that Donald Trump has called off strikes against
Iran. The precious metal extended its rally on news
of a deal between Washington and Tehran. With tensions
easing, the outlook for Gold is improving. After dropping
18% from its highs and hitting its lowest level since
November 2025, investors are once again seeing reasons
for optimism.
Since
the start of the geopolitical conflict, the precious
metal has moved in the opposite direction to oil,
so the fall in Brent has allowed gold to find its
footing. Higher energy prices heighten the risks of
inflation becoming entrenched at elevated levels and
increase the likelihood of the Fed tightening monetary
policy. This creates a headwind for gold, whilst the
end of the conflict in the Middle East becomes a tailwind.
The
precious metal’s rebound is being driven by US
stock indices returning to record highs. The history
of gold’s transformation into a risky asset dates
back to 2025. At that time, gold prices jumped by
65%, whilst the New York Stock Exchange mining index
rose by a record 155%. Gold can also serve as a source
of liquidity, with investors selling it during stock
market downturns to meet margin requirements.
Another
factor set to drive gold's growth is increased demand
for bullion from central banks. According to the WGC,
45% of the 76 central banks that responded to the
survey plan to buy gold over the next 12 months. This
is a record high since such surveys began in 2018.
In emerging markets, this figure stands at 53%.
Taken
together, easing tensions in the Middle East, lower
oil prices, a reduced likelihood of further Fed tightening
in 2026, stronger equity markets and robust central
bank demand are creating a more supportive backdrop
for gold, potentially paving the way for a broader
recovery in prices.
The
technical picture also favours the bulls, showing
a striking surge in buying activity from the 61.8%
Fibonacci support level of the 2022–2025 rally.
Further confirmation of the reversal comes from the
bounce off the 50-week moving average, which turned
sharply upwards after slipping at the start of June.
Summary:
Gold is rebounding as Middle East tensions ease, oil
prices fall, Fed tightening risks fade, equities strengthen,
and central bank demand supports recovery. (FxPro)
News
June
16
Crypto:
growth without the euphoria
Market
Overview
The
crypto market capitalisation rose to $2.3 trillion
by the end of Monday, before falling back to $2.27
trillion at the time of writing. The market recovery
trend continues, but the relatively cautious pace
of growth suggests we are far from euphoria. This
looks more like a phase of asset consolidation by
major players, which means the rally will have to
wait a while. Among the most active coins, the growth
leaders were Stellar (+14.8%), Uniswap (+14.2%) and
Aave (+7%). The underperformers were Toncoin (-5.6%),
Official Trump (-3.3%) and The Graph (-3.2%).
Bitcoin
is trading near $66.3K, up just under 1% over the
past 24 hours, but some distance from Monday’s
intraday highs, which were approximately $1K higher.
The price rise is occurring within a channel that
formed 10 days ago. On Monday, the price confirmed
this channel by touching and pulling back from its
upper boundary, but it remains at the top of the range.
Provided the positive momentum continues, we see the
$68K area (the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level)
as the nearest technical resistance to price growth.
A more distant signal of market strength would be
a firm consolidation above the 50-day moving average,
which currently exceeds $73K.
News
Background
CryptoQuant
notes that inflows of bitcoins to crypto exchanges
from long-term holders have reached their lowest level
since 2015. Selling pressure is easing, and the number
of bitcoins held by long-term holders has reached
a new all-time high of 15.8 million BTC.
Relai
expects Bitcoin’s bearish trend to end once the
phase of major investment in artificial intelligence
concludes. Capital may begin to flow back into the
leading cryptocurrency as early as next year.
Strategy
purchased an additional 1,587 BTC last week for $100
million at an average price of $63K per coin. The
company now holds 846,842 BTC, purchased for $64.1
billion at an average price of $75.6K per Bitcoin.
BitMine
has increased its Ethereum holdings to 5.62 million
ETH, having purchased approximately 0.08 million ETH
over the past week. BitMine’s reserves have reached
4.66%, with plans to acquire 5% of the Ethereum supply.
Summary:
The crypto market is rising cautiously with no signs
of euphoria; Bitcoin is holding within a 10-day channel,
while selling pressure is easing. (FxPro)
News
Gaming/UFC
EA
Sports UFC 6 Revives Open Weight Class Selection for
Ranked Matches
EA
Sports UFC 6 restores open weight class selection
in Prospect ranked ladder placement matches, letting
players choose divisions freely just weeks before
the June 19 launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The
feature, a hit in the first three games, was dropped
in UFC 4 and 5 for rotating classes but returns alongside
revamped fighter ratings and Flow State perks to mix
up matchups. Streamers like Liam Healy hail it as
a game-changer, though some note potential matchmaking
issues in lighter divisions and lament the lack of
PC support at launch. (Media Man Peg-On): The best
of both worlds. Ground and pound and strike action.
Take down your gaming store today, in a fun and friendly
way. Road To The White House and beyond!
News
(ICYMI)
News
Heavy
Industry News
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
News
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Trailer
Gold
(YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News
Flashback
Early
2026
January
and March
Streaming
Wars
The
"Streaming Wars" refers to the intense competition
among digital media platforms to dominate the subscription
video-on-demand (SVOD) market by capturing and retaining
global audiences.
As
of early 2026, the landscape has shifted from a period
of rapid expansion into a phase of major consolidation
and a focus on profitability over subscriber volume.
The
"Winner" and Current State (2026)
Netflix
Dominance: Industry analysts increasingly cite Netflix
as the victor. In January 2026, Netflix reported 18%
year-over-year revenue growth and is currently pursuing
a high-stakes $83 billion all-cash acquisition of
Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming
assets (including HBO/Max).
The
"Big 3": Despite fierce competition, the
market is primarily dominated by Netflix, Amazon Prime
Video, and Disney+.
YouTube's
Rise: Some experts argue YouTube is the true winner
of the broader attention economy, surpassing traditional
streaming services in total viewership by pivoting
back to user-generated content.
Key Strategies in 2026
Consolidation:
Smaller or struggling services are being shuttered
or merged. For example, Disney recently shut down
Hulu as a standalone service.
Monetization
Shifts: Platforms have moved away from "growth
at all costs" to strategies like password-sharing
crackdowns, ad-supported tiers, and price hikes.
Live
Sports & Events: Services are increasingly bidding
on live sports rights (e.g., Netflix hosting WWE's
Raw starting in 2025) to differentiate their offerings.
Bundling:
To combat "subscription fatigue," platforms
are forming strategic partnerships with telecommunications
companies and banks to offer bundled service hubs.
Consumer
Impact
Price
Hikes: Many consumers are canceling services due to
rising costs; over 40% of Americans cited price as
their primary reason for unsubscribing in late 2025.
Resurgence
of Piracy: Fragmented content and high costs have
led to a significant comeback for pirate sites, which
some users now find more comprehensive than paid services.
"South
Park: The Streaming Wars": The term was popularized
in mainstream culture by a 2-part South Park special
released on Paramount+ in 2022, which satirized the
industry's aggressive competition.
News/Profile
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) is a privately owned Australian
mineral exploration and agriculture company headquartered
in Perth, Western Australia. As of 2026, it is recognized
as one of the most successful private companies in
Australian history.
Leadership
and Ownership
Executive
Chairwoman: Gina Rinehart AO, who has led the company
since 1992.
CEO:
Garry Korte.
Ownership:
The company is owned by Gina Rinehart (76.6%) and
the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).
Major
Mining Operations
The
company has transitioned from a prospecting firm into
a major global miner, with primary interests in the
Pilbara region:
Roy
Hill: A flagship mega-project and Australia’s
largest single iron ore mine, producing 60–70
million tonnes annually.
Hope
Downs: A 50/50 joint venture with Rio Tinto, comprising
four open-pit mines with a capacity of approximately
47Mtpa.
Atlas
Iron: Acquired in 2018, it operates the Mount Webber,
Sanjiv Ridge, and Miralga Creek mines.
Hancock
Iron Ore: A new entity formed in July 2025 to consolidate
Roy Hill and Atlas Iron operations.
Diversification
and Strategic Investments
Under
Rinehart’s leadership, the company has expanded
significantly into other sectors:
Agriculture:
Hancock is Australia's second-largest beef producer,
owning over 25 properties including the iconic S.
Kidman & Co. It also owns 50% of Bannister Downs
Dairy.
Critical
Minerals: Major stakes in lithium (Liontown Resources,
Azure Minerals, Vulcan Energy) and rare earths (Arafura
Rare Earths, MP Materials, Lynas Rare Earths).
Energy:
Significant interests in oil and gas through Warrego
Energy and Senex Energy.
International
Ventures: In January 2026, the company signed a gold
exploration license agreement with Saudi Arabia's
state-owned miner, Ma’aden.
Current
Events (January 2026)
Australia
Day Sponsorship: The company is the principal partner
for the 2026 Hancock Prospecting Australia Day celebrations
in Perth.
Helipad
Proposal: In December 2025, the City of Perth refused
the company's proposal to build a helipad at its West
Perth headquarters.
Financial
Performance: For the 2025 fiscal year, the company
reported a profit of AU$3.08 billion.
History
The
company was founded on November 25, 1955, by Lang
Hancock, who is credited with discovering the world's
largest iron ore deposit in 1952. When Gina Rinehart
took over following his death in 1992, the company
was in a precarious financial state with significant
debt.
News
Gold
(1974)
Gold
is a 1974 British action-thriller directed by Peter
R. Hunt, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York. Based
on the 1970 novel Gold Mine by Wilbur Smith, the film
is set in the South African goldfields and follows
a conspiracy by a global syndicate to manipulate the
price of gold by sabotaging a rich mine.
Plot:
Rod Slater (Moore), a newly appointed general manager,
is manipulated by his boss, Manfred Steyner (Bradford
Dillman), into drilling through a protective barrier
into a subterranean lake. This is intended to flood
the mine, causing a global gold shortage and driving
up prices for a greedy cabal.
Production
Controversy: The film was controversially shot on
location in South Africa during the apartheid era.
This led to a "black ban" by British film
unions, though some crew members defied it to work
on the production.
James
Bond Connection: Many crew members were veterans of
the James Bond franchise, including director Peter
Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), editor John
Glen, and title designer Maurice Binder.
Accolades:
The film received an Academy Award nomination for
Best Original Song for "Wherever Love Takes Me,"
composed by Elmer Bernstein and sung by Maureen McGovern.
Cast
& Crew
Rod
Slater: Roger Moore
Terry
Steyner: Susannah York
Hurry
Hirschfeld: Ray Milland
Manfred
Steyner: Bradford Dillman
Farrell:
John Gielgud
Director:
Peter R. Hunt
Music:
Elmer Bernstein
Availability
in 2026
As
of 2026, the film is available through several formats
and platforms:
Streaming:
Accessible on Prime Video, Tubi, and Roku devices.
Physical
Media: High-definition restorations are available
on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber and 88 Films
News
Pop
Culture
"Gold"
(Spandau Ballet)
"Gold"
is a signature 1983 hit by the British New Romantic
band Spandau Ballet, written by Gary Kemp.
Lyrics
Thank
you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are
all worn I left them here, I could have sworn These
are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another
play for today Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud
of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
Thank
you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are
all worn I left them here I could have sworn
These
are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another
play for today Oh but I'm proud of you but I'm proud
of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
Gold
(gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible Always believe in
'Cause
you are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return There's something I could
have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Oh
after the rush has gone I hope you find a little more
time Remember we were partners in crime It's only
two years ago
The
man with the suit and the face You knew that he was
there on the case Now he's in love with you he's in
love with you
My
love is like a high prison wall But you could leave
me standing so tall
Gold
(gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you
are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return There's something I could
have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
My
love is like a high prison wall And you could leave
me standing so tall
Gold
(gold)
Oh
always believe in your soul You've got the power to
know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause
you are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return Something I could have
learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Songwriter:
Gary James Kemp
Spandau
Ballet - Gold (HD Remastered)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ntG50eXbBtc
Official
video of Spandau Ballet performing 'Gold' from their
1983 third album 'True'.
Gary
Kemp wrote both the music and lyrics; the song was
produced by the partnership of Steve Jolley and Tony
Swain. The music video was filmed on location in Carmona,
Spain and directed by Brian Duffy. The video featured
Sadie Frost as a gold-painted nymph, in one of her
earlier roles. Some parts of the music video were
also filmed in Leighton House, which was also used
in the video for "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers.
Spandau
Ballet are one of Britain’s great iconic bands
having sold over 25 million records, scored numerous
multi-platinum albums and amassed 23 hit singles across
the globe since their humble beginnings as a group
of friends with dreams of stardom in the late 1970s.
It wasn’t long before they became fully-fledged
members of the iconic Blitz Club scene and established
themselves as one of the super-groups of the 80s.
The
band's classic line-up features brothers Gary and
Martin Kemp on guitars, vocalist Tony Hadley, saxophonist
Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble.
Spandau
Ballet’s hits include Gold, True, To Cut A Long
Story Short, Through The Barricades and many more.
News
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Month' award
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Business Of The
Month' award
Sky
News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Media Outlet
Of The Month' award
WWE
wins 'Wrestling Promotion Of the Month' award; Runner-up:
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
Pauline
Hanson wins Media Man 'Aussie Of The Month' award
News
Pop
Culture Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking
Media
Man Series
Team
Trump def Team Left
Dana White def Naysayers
Sydney Sweeney def critics
Pauline Hanson def critics
SpaceX def everyone
Mr NXT vs Mr AEW
Conor McGregor vs critics
Sten Lee (Marvel) vs DC Comics (Team Warner)
Mr Netflix vs Mr Paramount
Mr YouTube vs Mr Rumble
Mr Meta vs Mr Bluesky
Mr Crypto vs Mr NWO
Mr Toyota vs Mr Porsche
Tony D'Angelo vs Mr EVIL - NXT (Great American Bash)
- June 28
Seth Rollins vs Bron Breakker - WWE Night of Champions
- June 27
WWE vs everyone - WWE Satuday Night's Main Event -
July 18 - Madison Square Garden, NYC
Best
Quotes
"I've
never met a currency I didn't like" JBL
"What's
your hustle" Paul Heyman
"Just
in any job, if you want to get ahead, take shorter
lunch breaks, be happy to stay later, do the work,
and finish it off well" Gina Rinehart
"Everyone
you meet knows something you don't" Fred Schebesta
Media
Man
‘Deteriorating
environment’: Tech giants warn Australia on news
tax
June
2, 2026
By
Sam Buckingham-Jones
Powerful
lobby groups representing major US multinationals
have decried Australia’s plans to tax Meta, Google
and TikTok at a higher rate if they do not strike
commercial deals funding journalism, warning it is
part of a “deteriorating tax environment”
for investment in Australia.
Draft
legislation unveiled by the government in April could
force those three companies to strike deals worth
about $250 million a year with Australian news outlets.
Under
the News Bargaining Incentive law, those three companies
would pay an extra 2.25 per cent tax on their Australia-based
revenue. That charge could be fully offset if they
negotiated at least four deals with Australian media
companies worth 1.5 per cent of their local revenue.
The
policy, which is a development on the former Coalition
government’s News Media Bargaining Code, was
designed to address the imbalance between major tech
platforms that monetise information online but do
not compensate the original producers of the news
content that improves their products. Meta and Google
negotiated deals in 2021, but Meta refused to renew
deals, threatening to pull news off its Facebook and
Instagram platforms.
The
policy has attracted swift criticism from the White
House, which described it as “foreign extortion”.
The
National Foreign Trade Council, which counts the likes
of Amazon, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Meta, Google and
Shell as members, and the Software and Information
Industry Association, which also represents Google
and Meta (among others), have each doubled down on
their denunciation in submissions to the Albanese
government.
Assistant
Treasurer Dan Mulino has previously said the government
remains committed to the News Bargaining Incentive.
“Placing
the onus for the commercial viability of Australian
journalism on a handful of foreign companies due to
evolving media consumption patterns is a flawed premise,”
the NFTC’s vice president of global trade policy,
Tiffany Smith, wrote in the group’s submission.
The
law risked becoming a “significant and avoidable
irritant in the bilateral trade relationship at a
time when co-operation on digital trade and technology
policy should be deepening”, she added. It was
a “discriminatory digital services tax that is
designed to primarily target US companies”.
“Australia’s
insistence in moving ahead with this proposal is deeply
troubling,” Smith wrote, concluding with a warning.
It was a part of a broader trend of targeting big
companies that sent a “negative signal to global
investors”.
“At
a time when Australia faces productivity challenges
and seeks to attract capital to support digital transformation,
this policy introduces unnecessary risk and sets a
troubling global precedent,” she wrote.
The
SIIA’s vice president of competition and trade
policy, Morten Skroejer, echoed Smith’s points.
“Despite a shift over time in the advertising
market from print to digital, Australia’s major
media companies appear to be quite economically viable.
As a result, it is not clear what market failure the
Incentive is intended to correct,” he wrote.
“The
Incentive would likely run afoul of Australia’s
obligations in the chapters dealing with cross-border
trade in services, electronic commerce, and investment.
“It
stands to reason, therefore, that the Incentive would
qualify as the type of measure that the Trump Administration
has said it might retaliate against.”
So
far, there have been no direct, punitive trade sanctions
imposed on Australia in retaliation to the News Bargaining
Incentive. (AFR)
Media
Man Group
News
Politics,
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US
government hours from shutdown, funding chaos - September
30, 2013
The
US government on Saturday was hours from shutting
down after the far right of the Republican Party scuppered
final attempts at a temporary budget agreement, throwing
into doubt everything from access to national parks
to Washington's massive support for Ukraine.
The
closure of all but critical government services, set
to start after midnight Saturday (0400 GMT Sunday)
if lawmakers fail to reach a deal, would be the first
since 2019 -- immediately delaying salaries for millions
of federal employees and military personnel.
The
two chambers of Congress are deadlocked, with a small
group of Republicans in the House of Representatives
pushing back against stopgap measures that would at
least keep the lights on.
On
Friday, House Republicans defeated a plan proposed
by their own leader, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, to keep
funds flowing, deepening the sense of growing chaos
within the party ahead of 2024 elections where hard-right
former president Donald Trump hopes to return to the
White House.
The
White House Office of Management and Budget's director
Shalanda Young said there was "still a chance"
of avoiding a shutdown if Republicans could end internal
divisions.
And
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made
clear that President Joe Biden, who is seeking a second
term in 2024, did not intend to wade in.
"The
conversation needs to happen between Speaker McCarthy
and his caucus. That's the fix, that's the chaos that
we're seeing," she said.
Speaking
to the news outlet ProPublica on Friday, Biden said
McCarthy has made "a terrible bargain. In order
to keep the speakership, he's willing to do things
that he, I think, he knows are inconsistent with the
constitutional processes."
McCarthy,
however, blamed Democrats, saying they are the ones
blocking a solution.
-
Big question on Ukraine -
All
critical government services will remain functioning.
However, a shutdown would mean the majority of national
parks, for example -- from the iconic Yosemite and
Yellowstone in the west to Florida's Everglades swamp
-- would be closed to public access beginning Sunday.
With
student loan payments resuming in October, officials
also said Friday that key activities at the Federal
Student Aid office would continue for a couple of
weeks.
But
a prolonged shutdown could cause bigger disruptions.
A
shutdown "unnecessarily" places the world's
largest economy at risk, White House National Economic
Council Director Lael Brainard told CNBC.
Risks
that could percolate through the wider economy include
air travel delays, with air traffic controllers asked
to work without pay.
Treasury
Secretary Janet Yellen warned a closure could also
delay infrastructure improvements.
"In
the immediate term, a government shutdown will only
reduce GDP by 0.2 percentage points each week it lasts,"
said a report released Friday by the Center for Strategic
and International Studies, a think tank.
"However,
halting critical trade functions of the United States
will also undermine the United States' overall credibility
as a commercial partner, impede ongoing negotiations
and hinder export control enforcement capabilities,"
the report added.
The
mess casts a growing shadow over Biden's policy of
arming and funding Ukraine in its desperate war against
the Russian invasion. For Republican hardliners behind
the derailment of a new budget, stopping aid to Ukraine
is a key goal.
Most
Republican members of Congress continue to support
US backing for Ukraine, but the shutdown will at minimum
raise questions over the political viability of renewing
the multibillion-dollar flow of assistance.
Laser-eyed
superhero to the rescue: Trump hawks trading cards
as campaign lags - 16th December 2022
New
York: Donald Trump teased a “major announcement”
just weeks after declaring a third presidential run,
leading political-watchers to speculate about big
campaign moves.
Instead,
he hawked digital trading cards with his head atop
cartoon super-hero figures in an NFT market that’s
already sagging.
Trump
said on his Truth Social platform that the “Donald
Trump Digital Trading Card collection” could
be collected like baseball cards and stored digitally
(a NFT, or non-fungible token, is essentially a unique
digital file). The “cards” cost $US99 ($147)
each and people who buy them are also entered into
a sweepstake for prizes including a golf outing with
the former US president.
They
are being offered by NFT INT LLC, which says on its
website that they are not connected to Trump’s
2024 presidential campaign and the company is not
owned, managed or controlled by Trump, his company,
or their affiliates. Trump gets paid under a licence
for use of his name and likeness, according to the
website.
Trump
has over the years licensed the Trump brand to a number
of third-party, and mostly failed, products including
steak, vodka, an airline and a university.
The
market for NFTs has fallen sharply in recent months
along with the rest of the crypto universe, which
has endured a series of spectacular blow-ups including
the November implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried’s
FTX digital-asset empire.
Trump
had teased the announcement with a post on his social
platform on Wednesday depicting himself as a Superman-like
character standing in front of Trump Tower with lasers
shooting from his eyes saying, “America needs
a superhero”. In crypto parlance, laser eyes
are a bullish signal and that picture is now one of
the available digital cards.
There
was speculation that the “major announcement”
would be something dramatic like Trump returning to
Twitter or running to be House speaker.
Trump
announced on November 15 that he would wage a 2024
White House bid.
Trump’s
comeback run has so far been marked by one downturn
after another, including being blamed for a disappointing
Republican midterm showing; the growing popularity
in the party and among voters of Florida Governor
Ron DeSantis; the public dinner he held with two well-known
anti-Semites; deepening legal woes; subpar online
fundraising and polls showing him losing favour among
his base.
President
Joe Biden took a jab at Trump on Twitter, noting that
he, too, had some “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS,”
over the last couple of weeks, including signing the
Respect for Marriage Act and securing the release
of basketball star Brittney Griner from a Russian
prison.
Shortly
after his NFT announcement, Trump posted a video to
his social site to outline what he described as a
platform to “reclaim” the right of free
speech should he retake the White House in 2024.
Media
Man
Politics,
News, Art, Illustrations, Creative, Content and more
showcased via Media Man Facebook and social media;
Art and news do mix
Donald
Trump and Ron
DeSantis
Andrew
Yang (born January 13, 1975) is an American businessman,
attorney, lobbyist, and political candidate. Yang
is best known for being a candidate in the 2020 Democratic
Party presidential primaries and the 2021 New York
City Democratic mayoral primary. He is the co-chair
of the Forward
Party, alongside former New Jersey Governor Christine
Todd Whitman. (Wikipedia)
Jesse
Ventura (born James George Janos; July 15, 1951) is
an American politician, actor, and retired professional
wrestler. After achieving fame in the World Wrestling
Federation (WWF), he served as the 38th governor of
Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He was elected governor
with the Reform Party and is the party's only candidate
to win a major government office.
Ventura
was a member of the U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition
Team during the Vietnam War.[6] After leaving the
military, he embarked on a professional wrestling
career from 1975 to 1986, taking the ring name "Jesse
'The Body' Ventura". He had a lengthy tenure
in the WWF/WWE as a performer and color commentator
and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of
2004 In addition to wrestling, Ventura pursued an
acting career, appearing in films such as Predator
and The Running Man (both released in 1987 and starring
fellow actor-turned-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger).
(Wikipedia)
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and sports, athletics, do not mix" - Mean Gene
Okerlund. New York, Madison Square Garden, during
;Iron Sheik match
Donald
Trump orders Florida crowd to ‘re-elect’
Ron DeSantis (Sky News Australia)
WWE
Crown Jewel 2018; Triple H makes a compelling argument
on why the vent in Saudi Arabia should go ahead as
planned
Take
a leaf out of Bondi’s book and ban smoking on
this ‘filthy’ street, says Maroubra resident
Local
newspaper story back on track for Maroubra Business
Media; Community people power thank you, by Greg Tingle
- September 2017
Arnold
Schwarzenegger: King of bodybuilding, movies, politics
and media, by Greg Tingle - 8th August 2003
Arnold
Schwarzenegger doing motivational speaking tour of
Australia; Flys into Sydney Airport; Starts tour in
Perth today - 12th June 2013
Interviews
PM
Malcolm Turnbull addresses Google presented conference:
Let's Put Our Businesses On The Map with Google. (Question
by Greg Tingle - Media Man Australia and Media Man
Int) video
- 22 April 2016
Phillip
Adams, journalist, author, intellectual and farmer
- 3rd April 2003
Graham
Young, Director & Editor, Online Opinion - 11th
May 2003
Logan
Clements, Candidate for Governor of California: 21st
August 2003
Peter
Ueberroth, Political Candidate for Governor, California
Recall Election: 30th August 2003
Jesse
Ventura (by Chris Jericho) - July 2022
Talk
Is Jericho: Jesse Ventura Talks About Suing Vince
McMahon (YouTube)
Videos
It's
'shaping up to be a very good night' for Republicans
in the midterms - 9th November 2022 (Sky News Australia)
'The
Five': Democrats will get a reality check (FOX News
YouTube)
Election
2022 voting results from top races across the country
| LiveNOW from FOX
Pelosi
attacker, David Depape, to face attempted murder &
other charges | LiveNOW from FOX
Can
we explain Twitter v. Musk in 2 minutes? A POLITICO
reporter tries (and fails)
Succession
Season 4 | Official Teaser | HBO Max
POLITICO
YouTube Channel
One
America News Network YouTube Channel
Politics
(from Greek: politiká, 'affairs of the cities')
is the set of activities that are associated with
making decisions in groups, or other forms of power
relations among individuals, such as the distribution
of resources or status. The branch of social science
that studies politics and government is referred to
as political science.
It
may be used positively in the context of a "political
solution" which is compromising and nonviolent,
or descriptively as "the art or science of government",
but also often carries a negative connotation. The
concept has been defined in various ways, and different
approaches have fundamentally differing views on whether
it should be used extensively or limitedly, empirically
or normatively, and on whether conflict or co-operation
is more essential to it.
A
variety of methods are deployed in politics, which
include promoting one's own political views among
people, negotiation with other political subjects,
making laws, and exercising internal and external
force, including warfare against adversaries. Politics
is exercised on a wide range of social levels, from
clans and tribes of traditional societies, through
modern local governments, companies and institutions
up to sovereign states, to the international level.
In
modern nation states, people often form political
parties to represent their ideas. Members of a party
often agree to take the same position on many issues
and agree to support the same changes to law and the
same leaders. An election is usually a competition
between different parties.
A
political system is a framework which defines acceptable
political methods within a society. The history of
political thought can be traced back to early antiquity,
with seminal works such as Plato's Republic and Aristotle's
Politics in the West, and Confucius's political manuscripts
and Chanakya's Arthashastra in the East. (Wikipedia)
International
Olympic Committee: Credit: Cagle
Cartoons
Rupert
Murdoch illustration by David
Rowe (The
Australian Financial Review)
News
John
Shakespeare wins Media Man 'Illustrator / Artist Of
The Month' award
John
Shakespeare
John
is one of Australia's leading cartoonists / illustrators,
well known for his work appearing in The Sydney Morning
Herald. A most deserving winner.
In
second place we have Megan Hess, and Bondi's Nina
Norden scoops third.
Well
done to all. The competition in the professional arts
and illustrations world is fierce and next month we
will be handing out awards once again so stay tuned.
John
Shakespeare
Media
Man
Features
Megan
Hess
Nina
Norden
Photography
by Greg Tingle
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