NOMINATIONS FOR TRIVIA and WORD PRIZE for 2016

... nominations should consider consistency and difficulty

I will try to get the prize (T shirt, bumper stickers and mug) out before Christmas but America, where we have a large following, may be a trifle difficult.

A PREMATURE CHRISTMAS PRESENT THAT CAN'T BE CHANGED

It’s so dark in here, but it’s so warm and secure and comfy. I am going to give you, my mum, the best Christmas present ever. I wonder what it’s like out there, I wonder what you will look like mum. Oh, I don’t really care what you look like, I know you will love me because you have cared for me all this time.

TRUMP PUTS A SIDEWINDER UP THE F-35's EXHAUST

I guess PP readers are heartily sick of my rabbiting on over Australia’s purchase of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter but now that Donald Trump has joined the criticism of cost overruns and practicability, maybe some sanity might finally leak into our defence force? Ha, you’re kidding aren’t you!

"DON'T GIVE UP YA DAY JOB, YA WANKER"

... Trump squares off with a traitorous Romney

Romney has been heading bookie favouritism for the position of Secretary of State but, as reported here last week: “The truth is that Hillary Clinton has a better chance of being reappointed as Secretary of State than Romney has of replacing her. Despite media claiming it’s done and dusted for Romney, it’s a position that Trump would never allow him to have... he is simply giving him an embarrassing and humiliating work-over as payback...

THE SWAMP IS NOW BEING DRAINED... SO WHAT ABOUT OUR BILLABONG?

A change in US Administrations involves getting rid of the dead wood the electorate has said it no longer trusts. A change in an Australian Administration involves maintaining the very same heads of the very same agencies that got a former Government into a heap of trouble in the first place! Is Turnbull right about his Republic notion?

Why Big Mining loves Big Green

The Labor/Green coalition in Australia has declared war on coal, oil and gas. So why is Big Mining not fighting back?

ALP/LIB DEBT DEAL FAILS WITH TANKING GDP

Noticeably earlier this year the rowdy debate over debt and deficit suddenly fell silent. Shorten and Turnbull had made deal to avoid pointlessly tearing each other to pieces. Turnbull wanted the freedom to keep spending and Shorten did not want the blame for the existing, and now ballooning, debt. That deal is now in tatters as one more quarter of negative growth puts us officially in recession and almost certainly blasted below our AAA rating. Two more quarters of the same and it’s a depression with no way to finance health, education, the NBN, NDIS or welfare.

ANY DOUBTS OVER MALCOLM’S AND JULIE’S CARBON TAX ARE NOW DISPELLED

...we've been conned

The fear that Tony Abbott would not sign up to the fatuous, and now fatal, Paris climate agreement led to his downfall. And what a quick and slick killing it turned out to be when his own deputy was designated to do the dirty deed.

DINNER AT THE TRUMPS MAKES FOR A TORTUOUS DECISION OVER SECRETARY OF STATE

It’s the most important post of all (Foreign Ministry in our terms) and it is critical to Trump’s businesses that have taken years to build. It’s not likely that he will divest himself of those businesses at fire sale prices. Trump intends to let his family run the show with himself at arm’s length. But there is not a subject that involves his business that is not compromised by a political conflict of interest. His Secretary of State must be carefully sounded out to ensure he understands this... and without saying so.

PAULINE HANSON PLEASE EXPLAIN

First up, a couple of quick questions. Does anyone else remember the promises made by Pauline Hanson prior to the July 2 (2016) election? What were the one or two issues that re-branded and re-launched Hanson’s political career? I’d have to nominate ‘Ban Halal’ and ’Stop Muslim immigration’.

PULLING THE PLUG ON CLEAN COAL

... chucking clean black gold makes no sense, except to Green people

I was almost six when I sat at the bed of my Grandfather in Footscray, Melbourne, as I often did. The acrid smoke from steam engines was thick in the air and my Grandad was dying. He was part of a long line of coal miners in my family and had made the tortuous six-month trip from Cornwall UK, to Wonthaggi Vic., in a sailing ship.

IS OBAMA BEING TRUMPED BY A SMARTER CHESS PLAYER?

Despite assuring his followers that he will, Donald Trump announced that he will not pursue Hillary Clinton’s Foundation and her illegal email server. But he had to say that didn’t he, and for good reason, because Obama still has plenty of time to pardon her... absolve her of all blame. If he chooses to do that, the case is permanently closed. So is Trump luring Obama into a false sense of security where Obama himself would avoid being part of any criminal proceedings?

GOVT SITS ON ITS HANDS WHILE CONSUMERS PAY MORE FOR HALAL CERTIFICATION

This week marks one year since the Economics Reference Committee handed in its recommendations on the Third Party Certification of Food Inquiry. The photo is of Senator Cory Bernardi and me earlier this year at Parliament House. I submitted two petitions that day. One to the Senate and one to the House of Representatives that George Christensen MP received.