Latest news with #Moronic
The Age
10-08-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Rank estate agents according to sale price accuracy
Moronic outbreak The article 'Neo-Nazis march, then gather' (10/8) rightly reports on the activities of cosplaying white males invoking Nazi-era tropes. That said, it is important to put these actions in perspective. A robust Australian democracy should be able to countenance outbreaks of moronism without, for example, reflexively making parallels to the brawling street fighting of fascist 'Brownshirts' of the 1920s presaging the rise of Adolf Hitler. Flexing muscles on a cold country road in Victoria for a media opportunity is not comparable to the actions of far-right agitators, aligned with parliamentary parties, recently besieging and torching migrant hostels in places like Portsmouth in the UK and North Eastern Germany. Perspective is the key term here. 'Holocaust education', as mandated currently in half of US states, including once recalcitrant Arkansas, can still play a role here in combating prejudice and ignorance. As Anthony Albanese often puts it, Australia must act in its own rational, democratic way. Jon McMillan, Mornington Coalition of bigots It is testimony to the historical power, resilience, toxicity and broad appeal of antisemitism, that it can bring into our streets groups so otherwise diverse as multi-ethnic, anti-Israel supporters of Hamas, and white-supremacist neo-Nazi supporters of Hitler (″ Neo-Nazis march, then gather ″, 10/8). Bill James, Frankston Why not terrorists? I was shocked by the photo on the front page of The Age (10/8) showing a man with an image of Adolf Hitler and the word, 'patriot'. This is not an Australian patriot. Australia fought Hitler and the Nazis in the Second World War. How is it that the National Socialist Network is not a proscribed terrorist organisation? The same image of Hitler was used in a graffiti attack on a temple in Boronia on July 21 with the addition of abusive text. In your article, there is mention of a person being assaulted during the city march of neo-Nazis early Saturday, and journalists being assaulted while sitting in their car outside of the neo-Nazi camp taking place this weekend. All of these are criminal actions, and yet the persons responsible are not held to account. Questions have to be asked as to why this organisation is allowed to flourish. Di Cousens, Upwey With a whimpe r Aptly titled The Hollow Men, TS Eliot's 1925 poem, resonated with me as a schoolgirl living in the backdrop of the Vietnam War. The atrocities caused by napalm, bombs and land mines was unfathomable to me and so I marched with 100,000 people in Melbourne moratoriums. All we wanted was peace and an end to conscription, which called up our young male friends who didn't even have the right to vote. The war ended and had achieved nothing but destruction. Today, we are witnessing several catastrophic events with civilians – especially children – suffering from injuries, starvation, illness and worse. The Age (9/8) recounts the story of Miyako Jodao, survivor of Nagasaki, which was distressing to read; as was the rest of the news coverage. TS Eliot's lines are haunting me: 'This is the way the world ends: not with a bang but a whimper.' Sally Davis, Malvern East Not just the left Peter Hartcher reports (' PM and Chalmers' reform rift ', 9/8) that the prime minister would prefer consideration of reining-in tax-advantaged property investment by wealthier Australians (holdings acquired via negative gearing and capital Gains tax concessions) remains off-limits at this month's Economic Roundtable. Albanese's understandable concern is that the inevitable storm of protest from vested interests could derail a third Labor term in Canberra. Well, perhaps. Many Australians are looking for support for tax concession revision from our 2 million-plus cohort of property investors themselves, and from their traditional champions on the non-Labor side of politics. Queensland Liberal Garth Hamilton has called for his Coalition to consider changes to CGT on housing, and even teal-trumping Melbourne MP Tim Wilson expressed concern about the untoward consequences of the CGT exemption some years back in his book The New Social Contract. So c'mon older and wealthier property investors: let's hear you shout out for guard rails and limits on property portfolios, especially holdings of already existing dwellings amassed via tax concessions. The ACTU's recent proposal seems to be on the right track: one negatively geared and CGT discounted property per investor (and encouragement for new builds) with a five year grandfathering/adjustment period for existing investors. Fraser Faithfull, Caulfield South Surgeon rorts As a retired board member of the TAC, I am appalled to read of the alleged widespread rorting of the TAC by surgeons and others (10/8), which must not only be stopped but must also lead to full reparations and punishment for those found guilty. TAC has always done a wonderful job for Victorians of caring for people who experience road trauma, and has also invested massively in innovative accident prevention initiatives, catalysing a nearly fourfold reduction in our road toll and injuries, over decades. The alleged theft of monies from the TAC can only lead to depletion of resources and hence reduced efforts in its legitimate care and accident prevention budget. Proven offenders deserve no less than loss of their medical license, and all the other legal penalties that their thieving deserves. The investigation should not be done by involved parties such as the college of surgeons or even the TAC, who will, I fear, be far too gentle and 'wrist-slapping' in their inquiries. Call the police, bring in the fraud squad. The alleged thieves are systematically stealing from all Victorians. Prof Danny Samson, department of management and marketing, University of Melbourne Microchip e-bikes Bans on bikes on the London metro apply to all non-folding bikes, not just e-bikes (10/8). Any ban on legal e-bikes on trains here undermines government policies promoting health, reduced use of cars and the viability of small businesses that cater for the needs of cyclists in both Melbourne and the regions. Disturbingly, such a ban would infringe the human rights of many seniors and those of any age with disabilities who depend on legally compliant e-bikes to participate in our society while relying on trains to extend the range of their trips and as a bail-out in emergencies. The enforcement of policies banning the presence of shonky e-bikes and scooters on trains has never been easier. Voluntary registration for e-bikes to be engraved with non-removable micro-chipping would allow adapted readers carried by authorised officers to have instant access to compliance data, service history and ownership details. Fines for non-compliance could be issued and offenders ejected at the next station. Suggestions in The Age that the outcome of the consultation process is predetermined suggest peak cycling groups should seek judicial review on the basis of the apprehended bias of the decision makers. John Carmichael, Hawthorn Cheating risk I agree with your correspondent (Letters, ″AI tells lies″, 9/8). I entered a question about whether 'glutinous' rice contains gluten, then re-entered the question with a small re-word and got an opposite (and correct) answer. The only thing it seems to be good for is writing speeches for the instigator to refine or for a cheating student who will hopefully be found out. Businesses, use at your own risk. Chrissie Schubert, Windsor Prometheus' doom Re Waleed Aly's take on AI, (″ Hard to stay calm in the face of AI storm,″ 8/8). It seems we can forget the optimism of ″Prometheus unbound″. The fitting myth for humanity now is that of the legendary bird doomed to fly ever-faster in ever-diminishing circles until it disappears up its own orifice. Frank Hurley, Alfredton Not only human After reading Ellen Broad's monograph 'Made by Humans – the AI condition' (MUP, 2018) – all those years ago I became, even then, more sceptical about the seemingly unstoppable march of AI. Witnessing its inroads into our lives is a cause for sober reflection. Helena Kilingerova, Vermont Well-read men I enjoyed Jacqueline Maley's piece on current reading habits, ' Death of the white, male author ' (10/8). Maley discusses the drop in the number of men reading novels along with the demise of the authors regarded as 'Straight White Men'. She includes in this category Kingsley and Martin Amis and Americans, Roth, Mailer and Bellow. These authors achieved fame and a reading public in the latter decades of the 20th century. Their preoccupations were about men's dealing with each other, largely in the public sphere, and what impact their presentation would make on the opposite sex and for their career prospects. They no longer resonate today. The book club I go to has been going for 20 years. It is all men and all are straight and white. Over the years, we have enjoyed Tyler, Funder, Williams, Winch, Mantel, Laguna. Our list includes men as well, Flanagan, Winton, McEwen, Towles, Lynch. These books have the following characteristics; empathy, respect, genuineness and optimism. They engage with the world, hold on to hope and value agency. As straight, white (older) males, we are the better for these reading experiences. Simon Gardiner, Camberwell AND ANOTHER THING Trump world Nobel Peace Prize candidate Donald Trump promises there will be territorial swaps of mutual benefit to Russia and Ukraine. Perhaps he could set the ball rolling by giving back Alaska to the Kremlin. Problem solved! David Elias, Sandringham Maybe Donald Trump could reciprocate, and nominate Benjamin Netanyahu for the Nobel Peace Prize. Richard Hughes, Woodend Netanyahu can now join Putin and Trump, if Trump decides to invade and take control of Greenland. Only difference is that Ukraine can at least put up some semblance of defence against Russia. Palestine has no hope. As Trump would say 'so sad'. Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park, SA Middle East Israel, born for the oppressed, now the oppressor. Tom Stafford, Wheelers Hill If only all nations would do as Germany is; not supplying munitions would prevent any more killing or destruction. Doris LeRoy, Altona Furthermore Real men don't need to hide their identity when parading through the city – real men show their faces. Anne Maki, Alphington Roundtables with predetermined opinions produce oblong results. Jim Pilmer, Camberwell
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Sycamore Gap 'drunken stunt' cost to taxypayer revealed as 'moronic' duo jailed
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers chopped down the tree for a mindless 'thrill' and then revelled in media coverage. Both were jailed for four years and three months. The drunken stunt that destroyed the 'irreplaceable' Sycamore Gap tree will cost taxpayers almost £1m, it has been revealed. "Moronic' duo Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers chopped down the tree for a mindless 'thrill' and then revelled in the media coverage, Newcastle crown court heard. They were both locked up for four years and three months. The value of the tree was disputed in court with the prosecution saying it was worth about £458,000 after an initial estimate of £622,000; Graham's team claimed it should only be valued about £150,000. The court heard its value was around £500,000 when the impact on tourism and visitors to the local area were taken into account. The exact value did not unduly influence sentencing. The damage to Hadrian's Wall as the tree fell, a world Unesco heritage site, was valued at more than £7,000. The initial operation to secure the site and deal with the felling of the tree was £30,000. The National Trust calculated that they had spent £55,000, all money taken out of their charitable donations. Another £25,000 was spent last year on the aftermath as they dealt with the huge public reaction. Andrew Poad, National Trust manager for Northumberland where the tree stood, said in an impact statement to the court that the value of three was 'incalculable' because it was 'irreplaceable'. He said: "More than £30,000 of our revenue was taken dealing with the incident. "Another £25,000 was spent in 2025, all from National Trust charitable funds. We worked to mitigate the environmental degradation. It would be almost impossible to quantify the number of hours spent and the staffing costs. The impact has been felt every day, every hour since, staff have been working around the clock." The two week trial and extensive 18-month police investigation is likely to cost the taxpayer in excess of £250,000. Graham, 39, from near Carlisle, and Carruthers, 32, of Wigton, both Cumbria, finally admitted that they were responsible for the crime which shocked the world. Carruthers admitted wielding the chainsaw as Graham filmed him on his own mobile phone in confessions to probation officers before they were sentenced at Newcastle crown court this week. By then, their 10-day trial had racked up court costs of around £3,500 per day. There were three officers working on the inquiry for the 19 month police inquiry prior to the trial. The man in charge of the investigation, DI Calum Meikle, insisted that the use of Northumbria Police time was appropriate. The legal aid bill for Graham and Carruthers is expected to hit £18,674.28, according to a FoI request. The pair are going to serve at least 40 percent of their sentence; the cost of keeping them behind bars for a year is £44,460. They will each spend at least 20 months in prison if they serve the minimum of 40 percent of their sentences, bringing the combined bill for their incarceration to another £150,000. Hairy Biker Si King, 58, a native of Northumberland, told the Mirror that the financial bill was outweighed by the emotional cost. "I just cannot get my head around it, even now the question is why did they do it?," he said. "There is no closure because we still do not have an answer to that. It is simply madness; it was a totem somewhere between the celestial world, and the earth. It was so shocking to have that taken away." Sentencing the two former workmates, Judge Mrs Justice Lambert said: "I am confident that a major factor in your offending was sheer bravado. Felling the tree in the middle of the night and in the middle of a storm gave you some sort of thrill, as did the media coverage of your crimes over the following days. "You revelled in the coverage, taking evident pride in what you had done, knowing that you were responsible for the crime which so many were talking about. Whether bravado and thrill-seeking provide the complete explanation for what you did, I do not know. "However, as I say, I am quite sure that you are both equally culpable for the destruction of the tree and for the damage to the wall." Adam Cormack, the head of campaigning for the Woodland Trust, said the public response to the crime showed that we have to improve legal protections for our 'most special and important trees' A Tree Council and Forest Research review of that protection was published in April. He added: "We urge the Government to take forward the recommendations of this report. "The sentence sends a clear message that gratuitous damage and destruction of trees is unacceptable. The consequences of the felling of this iconic tree are tragic for nature, for our cultural heritage and for these two men and their families." Sycamore Gap cost breakdown £500,000 valuation of tree itself, covering loss in tourism, local visitors, cost to the UK and North east economy £7,000 damage to Hadrian's Wall Unesco World Heritage site £55,000 National Trust bill (all charitable donations) £250,000 police/courts: £200,00 police probe, £35,000 crown court costs, collection of evidence, cell site analysis. Legal aid bill so far: £18,674. £150,000 prison costs for Graham and Carruthers, based on serving 40 percent of sentence. Total: £980,674.
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'Donald Trump's attack dog Marjorie Taylor Greene is furious - with herself'
Moronic Marjorie Taylor Greene is furious - with herself. After voting for her idol Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful' spending bill, she took to X in a blaze of indignation… because, oops, she didn't read it. 'Full transparency, I did not know about this section on pages 278-279,' she wrote, as if a 400-page bill was supposed to come with footnotes, emojis, and a TikTok explainer. According to Greene, the part she missed - you know, the one that blocks states from regulating AI for 10 years - is a total dealbreaker. It's the political version of signing a mortgage without noticing your house is underwater. A wild video out of Vancouver, Washington, showed a drunken DoorDash delivery driver throwing hands with a grandfather - all because he allegedly didn't get a tip. Customer Anthony Volino says the man showed up at his home, banged on the door, and demanded money for a grocery order delivered the night before. To add to the insanity, the now ex-DoorDash employee had a gun. In a groundbreaking and honestly eye-watering procedure, surgeons in Maryland removed a spinal tumour through a 19-year-old's eye socket. Karla Flores thought her double vision was a learner-driver problem. Instead, there was a rare jelly-like bump behind her left eye. The successful surgery, a medical first, opens doors for complex tumour removal. Officials near the Canadian border were left swatting for their lives after honeybees made a break for it when a truck flipped over in Washington state. The cargo? Roughly 70,000 pounds of the insects and their hives. Locals were advised to avoid the area unless they were wearing a beekeeper suit or had a death wish involving pollen. Chaos took flight aboard a Delta flight from Minnesota to Wisconsin after not one, but two pigeons started flying around the cabin like it was their personal loft. Passengers preparing for takeoff suddenly found themselves in a live-action remake of The Birds. One flier, Tom Caw, said the first pigeon made its move before the wheels even left the ground. No word yet on whether the pigeons reached their destination or just wanted the free snacks. Police in Independence, Ohio, say a man accidentally shot himself in the leg while trying to show off a handgun to his brother-in-law, whom he was attempting to sell it to. Both men were legally allowed to own firearms, but apparently not legally required to think things through. The man was taken to the hospital and later cited for illegally discharging a weapon. It's safe to say that the sale did not go through, and his street cred and leg took a direct hit.
Metro
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Former Supreme Court justice who cast key vote upholding abortion rights dies
A retired Republican US Supreme Court justice who became a liberal darling and cast a key vote to uphold abortion rights has died. Justice David Souter died peacefully at his New Hampshire home on Thursday at the age of 85. His cause of death was not revealed by the Supreme Court on Friday. Fellow Republican President George HW Bush appointed Souter to America's highest court in 1990. He was nicknamed the 'stealth candidate' when he was nominated to replace William J Brennan Jr, who was seen as a leader of the dwindling liberal majority. But Souter went on to shock conservatives by aligning with liberal justices in numerous cases. In Planned Parenthood v Casey in 1992, Souter joined the majority on the bench in upholding the federal constitutional right to abortion that was first established by Roe v Wade. That right was undone three decades later with the conservative-majority court's decision in Dobbs vs Jackson Women's Health Organization. Souter wrote that reversing Roe v Wade would mean to 'surrender to political pressure… So to overrule under fire in the absence of the most compelling reason to re-examine a watershed decision would subvert the court's legitimacy beyond any serious question'. He leaned liberal on cases around issues including gay rights, affirmative action, separation of church and state and restricting the death penalty. In 2000, Souter even dissented with liberals in Bush v Gore, which stopped the presidential election vote recount in Florida and allowed Bush's son, George W Bush, to win the race. Souter retired in 2009 at the relatively young age of 69, after serving for more than 19 years. His departure allowed for then-President Barack Obama to appoint a liberal justice, Sonia Sotomayor, to replace him. More Trending After stepping down, Souter continued to serve by regularly sitting for more than a decade on the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday stated that Souter served 'with great distinction'. 'He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service,' said Roberts. 'He will be greatly missed.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Why was the Sycamore Gap tree cut down? MORE: Man who strangled girlfriend on night she planned to leave him jailed for 35 years MORE: 'Moronic' friends guilty of chopping down iconic 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- The Citizen
Two men found guilty of chopping down iconic UK tree
A UK court convicted two men of felling the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in a senseless act that outraged the nation. (COMBO) This combination of undated handout pictures released by Britain's Northumbria Police and created on May 9, 2025 in London on May 9, 2025 shows Daniel Graham (L) and Adam Carruthers. Two men were on Friday found guilty of the 'deliberate and mindless' felling of one of the UK's most iconic trees in a case that sparked national outrage. The jury at Newcastle Crown Court found former friends Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, guilty of criminal damage after the 2023 felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap, which had stood for nearly 200 years next to Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northern England. (Photo by Northumbria Police / AFP) An English court found two men guilty on Friday of the 'deliberate and mindless' felling of one of the UK's most iconic trees, an incident that sparked national outrage. A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found former friends Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, guilty of criminal damage for the 2023 felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap. It had stood for nearly 200 years next to Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northern England. The tree was so striking it featured in the 1991 Hollywood film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'. They were convicted after around five hours of deliberation on two counts of criminal damage: to the sycamore and to the Roman wall, which was damaged when the tree fell on it. Reacting to the verdict, the National Trust conservation body said the 'needless felling' of the tree had 'shocked people around the country and overseas, demonstrating the powerful connection between people and our natural heritage. ALSO READ: Trump announces first post-tariff trade deal with UK 'It was felt particularly deeply here in the north east of England where the tree was an emblem of the region and the backdrop to many personal memories,' said a spokesperson. 'Moronic mission' Prosecutors had told the court that the two men used a chainsaw to cut down the tree. It was, they said, 'an act of deliberate and mindless criminal damage', which they filmed on Graham's phone and shared with others. Speaking after the conviction, Northumbria Police's Kevin Waring said: 'We often hear references made to mindless acts of vandalism, but that term has never been more relevant than today. 'At no point have the two men given an explanation for why they targeted the tree — and there never could be a justifiable one,' he added. Graham has 'been in custody for his own protection after an episode in December', his lawyer Chris Knox told court on Friday. ALSO READ: AfriForum welcomes UK decision to deny Malema a visa The pair drove to the site near Hexham in Graham's Range Rover and felled the tree on the night of September 27, 2023, slicing through the trunk in 'a matter of minutes', said prosecutor Richard Wright. 'Having completed their moronic mission, the pair got back into the Range Rover and travelled back towards Carlisle' where they lived, he added. 'Mindless act of destruction' A video of the act recovered from Graham's phone was shared by the two men with 'the unmistakable sound of a chainsaw, and a tree falling', said Wright. The next day, in a voice message from Graham to Carruthers, Graham said 'it's gone viral. It is worldwide. It will be on ITV news tonight,' he added. 'They are loving it, they're revelling in it. This is the reaction of the people that did it. They still think it's funny, or clever, or big,' said the prosecutor. ALSO READ: Malema denied UK visa Gale Gilchrist, from the Crown Prosecution Service North, said that 'in just under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its (the tree's) historic legacy in a deliberate and mindless act of destruction. 'We hope our community can take some measure of comfort in seeing those responsible convicted today,' she added. The pair were jointly charged with causing £622,191 ($832, 821) of criminal damage to the tree and £1,144 of damage to Hadrian's Wall, an ancient Roman fortification stretching from northwest to northeast England. The two men have been remanded in custody — Carruthers for his own protection. They will be sentenced on July 15. The sycamore was a symbol of northeast England and a key attraction photographed by millions of visitors over the years, winning the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year in 2016. ALSO READ: UK court ruling leaves trans people in fear, campaigner says Efforts are under way to see if it can be regrown from its stump or seeds. The National Trust, which owns the wall and the tree, said it has grown 49 saplings from the sycamore's seeds, which will be planted this winter at sites across the UK. – By: © Agence France-Presse
