Jazzy Jan

Thank you Acko That is so caring and generous. Thank you .

Wombats are the heroes of the Australian fires, sheltering animals in their burrows AMID ALL THE devastation caused by Australia’s bushfires, an unlikely hero has emerged: the wombat. Quite generously, wombats have reportedly been allowing other animals to take refuge in their homes, as they hide from the blazes that threaten their own habitats. Complex underground tunnels, created by wombats, have served as safehouses for other species like wallabies and echidnas, allowing them to survive an otherwise fatal situation. Peter Hylands, a documentary filmmaker, visited the burnt landscape of the Cobargo Wildlife Sanctuary, and told Yahoo, “You’ve got animals that are completely unscathed and those must be the animals that have been under the ground, it’s the only explanation when the fire zones are so extensive.” This sentiment is echoed by Wombat Rescue manager Yolandi Vermaak, who said, “At most, there would be animals fleeing into burrows. I’ve seen echidnas going into burrows — lizards, and skinks, rabbits — those sort of things. I have even seen a small wallaby.” Vermaak also said that she hasn’t seen a single burnt wombat during her rescue missions, and instead has discovered a series of survivors — wombats and several other species — hiding in the tunnels. When the fires are eventually extinguished, hopefully wombats get the praise they deserve — both from the people of Australia and their fellow members of the animal kingdom.

What a disgusting woman. Evil and crazy. Hope her poor child is taken away from her for good. Florida again !

Leaked email from an employee at Murdoch's publication company News Corp that has been circulating everywhere online and in other publications not owned by Murdoch. .

Prepare to feel sick. Rupert and Jerry Hall "frolicking " in Barbados this week.

There is not one hint of intelligence, diplomacy, restraint or rational reasoning in any speech Trump gives. It is staggering how his party continues to defend and support him. A skilled, diplomatic and intelligent leader could at least speak without coming across as a dangerous, lying, gloating moron when talking of possible war. It is very frightening that so many of today's "leaders" are so offensive, stupid, openly untruthful and reckless. There are enough dangerous dictators in the world without democratic countries having them as their leaders as well. Truly terrifying and what makes it worse is it is becoming the new "normal" No one is even shocked anymore by Trump, Boris etc. If Watergate happened today, people would be yelling "fake news" and defending Trump and calling it a witch hunt. Nixon resigned in disgrace and his own party recognised the corruption when it was exposed. Just imagine it that happened today. He would be pitied, defended and the press would be blamed for telling the truth. It is a dreadful slippery slope the world is in when someone can be continually caught out lying, being corrupt etc and people just shrug it off.

How Rupert Murdoch Is Influencing Australia’s Bushfire Debate Critics see a concerted effort to shift blame, protect conservative leaders and divert attention from climate change. WOMBEYAN CAVES, Australia — Deep in the burning forests south of Sydney this week, volunteer firefighters were clearing a track through the woods, hoping to hold back a nearby blaze, when one of them shouted over the crunching of bulldozers. “Don’t take photos of any trees coming down,” he said. “The greenies will get a hold of it, and it’ll all be over.” The idea that “greenies” or environmentalists would oppose measures to prevent fires from ravaging homes and lives is simply false. But the comment reflects a narrative that’s been promoted for months by conservative Australian media outlets, especially the influential newspapers and television stations owned by Rupert Murdoch. And it’s far from the only Murdoch-fueled claim making the rounds. His standard-bearing national newspaper, The Australian, has also repeatedly argued that this year’s fires are no worse than those of the past — not true, scientists say, noting that 12 million acres have burned so far, with 2019 alone scorching more of New South Wales than the previous 15 years combined. And on Wednesday, Mr. Murdoch’s News Corp, the largest media company in Australia, was found to be part of another wave of misinformation. An independent study found online bots and trolls exaggerating the role of arson in the fires, at the same time that an article in The Australian making similar assertions became the most popular offering on the newspaper’s website. It’s all part of what critics see as a relentless effort led by the powerful media outlet to do what it has also done in the United States and Britain — shift blame to the left, protect conservative leaders and divert attention from climate change. “It’s really reckless and extremely harmful,” said Joëlle Gergis, an award-winning climate scientist at the Australian National University. “It’s insidious because it grows. Once you plant those seeds of doubt, it stops an important conversation from taking place.” News Corp denied playing such a role. “Our coverage has recognized Australia is having a conversation about climate change and how to respond to it,” the company said in an email. “The role of arsonists and policies that may have contributed to the spread of fire are, however, legitimate stories to report in the public interest.” Yet, for many critics, the Murdoch approach suddenly looks dangerous. They are increasingly connecting News Corp to the spread of misinformation and the government’s lackluster response to the fires. They argue that the company and the coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison are responsible — together, as a team — for the failure to protect a country that scientists say is more vulnerable to climate change than any other developed nation. Editors and columnists for News Corp were among the loudest defenders of Mr. Morrison after he faced blowback for vacationing in Hawaii as the worst of the fire season kicked off in December. In late December, the Oz, as the News Corp-owned paper is known here, heavily promoted an interview with the government’s energy minister, Angus Taylor, warning that “top-down” pressure from the United Nations to address climate change would fail — followed by an opinion piece from Mr. Taylor on New Year’s Eve. Other News Corp outlets followed a similar playbook. Melbourne’s Herald Sun, for example, pushed news of the bushfires to Page 4 on New Year’s Eve, even as they threatened to devastate towns nearby and push thick smoke into the city. Days later, residents in a town nearly flattened by the fires heckled and snubbed Mr. Morrison during a visit to assess the damage. A new hire for Mr. Murdoch’s Sky News channel, Chris Smith, branded them “ferals” — slang for unkempt country hobos. But a search for “climate change” in the main Murdoch outlets mostly yields stories condemning protesters who demand more aggressive action from the government; editorials arguing against “radical climate change policy”; and opinion columns emphasizing the need for more backburning to control fires — if only the left-wing greenies would allow it to happen. The Australian Greens party has made clear that it supports such hazard-reduction burns, issuing a statement online saying so. Climate scientists do acknowledge that there is room for improvement when it comes to burning the branches and dead trees on the ground that can fuel fires. But they also say that no amount of preventive burning will offset the impact of rising temperatures that accelerate evaporation, dry out land and make already-arid Australia a tinderbox. Even fire officials report that most of the off-season burns they want to do are hindered not by land-use laws but by weather — including the lengthier fire season and more extreme precipitation in winter that scientists attribute to climate change. Still, the Murdoch outlets continue to resist. “On a dry continent prone to deadly bushfires for centuries, fuel reduction through controlled burning is vital,” said an editorial published Thursday in The Australian. It went on to add: “Changes to climate change policy, however, would have no immediate impact on bushfires” — a stance that fits hand in glove with government officials’ frequent dismissals of the “bogey man of climate change.”

San, first time ever, I have agreed with that horrible Piers but he was spot on in this instance and have to give credit where it is due. Thought for once he was impressive. As you said, hell has frozen over ! Why on earth Craig Kelly keeps appearing on tv is beyond me. Just embarrassing that he is also sprouting his rubbish on international tv for all to hear. This government is appalling and I am shocked by just how many are still climate change deniers. It reminds me of how people for years listened to the tobacco companies who influenced so many to claim that anyone saying that cigarettes were addictive and dangerous were lying. Seen some great documentaries on it and it is staggering and infuriating. Same happening now. Really strange too how anyone I know that is staunchly right wing are massive climate change deniers. I was speaking to a woman the other day, who blamed the fires all on the greens and was sprouting the same rubbish that the Murdoch papers and idiots like Alan Jones, Kerri-Anne and Andrew Bolt were claiming. Plus with these people again trying to blame the greens, it has been proven that the Greens supported back burning practices so it is all a dreadful lie anyway that they blocked that happening. Vexed interested against climate change are trying to plant that false information in people's minds. . O'h and Gina and all of her coal and mining magnates are always trying to disprove science of climate change. All for profit. They should be so ashamed of themselves. With Murdoch being an avid climate change denier, his papers and Sky News are always blaming the Greens and so called "climate alarmists" and even with fireman, the CFA and multiple climate scientists talking about the changing conditions, they just dismiss them completely and listen to right wing money people. I do think that most of the public now are waking up completely though. , I hope and pray that Morrison and this government are flung out completely next election and think it will happen.

What Melbourne looked like yesterday

? No, not upset about that.

The fires are so devastating. Every state in Australia - every single state - has a bushfire. Estimates that over half a billion animals have perished and our vulnerable koalas population is at an all time low. Australia's beautiful unique animals - how they are suffering so dreadfully. It makes me cry with despair. . Towns being lost, people losing their homes It is just horrific. I went for a walk this morning at 6 am and could smell the smoke everywhere and I live in the city. People have been evacuating and leaving early as they know there is no hope for them to defend their homes. Such a shocking, horrific and heart breaking start to 2020 for Australia.

This shows the heart break and despair so beautifully and simply