The Middle East war has triggered another sporting event to be cancelled with the organisers of the Dakar Rally announcing the event will be moved. For 20 years the deserts of Saudi Arabia have been the ultimate challenge for cars, bikes and trucks in a 7,000km, 15 day ordeal that tests endurance, speed and navigation The venue for the race which starts on January 1 is yet to determined @3AW693 @RossAndRussel

NZSX facade headline a few minutes ago: - …. mirroring my story on @3AW693 @2GB873 @NewsTalk4BC @6PR late last week about the ‘masked bear’ …. (S&P500shows climb but take away the AI tech stocks and more than 20% of the list have continued +20% declines) Bit of a red flag warning for Australia with unemployment up, consumer & biz confidence wobbly, govt-led inflation climbing and the @RBAInfo set to take a big punt on Melbourne Cup Day with an expected rate rise. @ClintMaynard2GB

There are some ppl for whom god/Gods/et al., made other forms of transportation other than airlines! Pax dons life jacket and inflates it during a Jetstar safety demo on annADL>SYD domestic flight. The (sic) “YouTube influencer” is now justifiably on a no-fly list. Again proves the theory that there’s no such thing as an ‘influencer’ … they’re just a narcissistic fool with a social media account. Offload, AFP to meet a/c at gate and perhaps use the federal government’s proposed social media laws to deactivate his account Here endeth the sermon

Frightening

Wow … did the Victorian Treasurer ‘cross the floor’ by media release? Significant implications given the land tax wind-back as announced over the weekend is contingent on Labor being re-elected and voters being patient with increments of relief staged over 4 years. In effect, the Treasurer is backing the view that previous Premier’s and Cabinet got it terribly wrong. Irrespective of your political views, points to Treasurer Brooks @ColinBrooksMP for delivering transparency and fact. @3AW693 @theage @9NewsMelb

Worth a watch for the Teahupo'o vista alone

Victoria earthquake: Audio grab of the year from a caller to @3AW693 “I thought my China cabinet was walking around”

Absolutely unacceptable- Chocolyn CFA @CFA_Updates about 110km west Geelong was ram-raided with equipment stolen … equipment that volunteers and the community worked hard to raise the money to buy. Looking forward to naming the offenders in the @3AW693 and Victorian networked news bulletins when they’re charged and convicted - hopefully the presiding Magistrate appreciates just how evil and serious this crime is. In country Victoria, we have a mantra that if you need something or a helping hand, just ask and assistance will always given freely - but steal, abuse and vandalise and you can expect to quickly become an outcast. @theheraldsun @9NewsMelb @theage

Brilliant

Frightening vision as a news heli crashed in LA @3AW693 @2GB873 @9NewsMelb

60 years today - Stark Trek anniversary radio news package. Also being celebrated on the @Space_Station "Live long and prosper" @3AW693 @2GB873 @NewsTalk4BC @6PR

As I mentioned on @3AW693 a few more fascinating visitors tracking to Melbourne’s Point Cook Air Base. MV-22 Osprey - part plane, part heli …… and a whole lot of spectacular!

60 years ago today - the Battle of Long Tan: Remembering Vietnam Veterans, their families and the need to honour and care for those who proudly served. @3AW693 @2GB873 @NewsTalk4BC @6PR (music Redgum)

Volcanic activity on Thursday night closed parts of Vanuatu’s airspace - tremors yesterday, now a M6.1 off the coast of Santo depth 158km. Port Vila (south of Santo) is still struggling to recover from the M7.3 quake in December 2024. @3AW693

Brilliant vision capturing the magic, mystery and extreme danger of the world’s most powerful break. If you’re going to Tahiti, you must visit the village at the end of the road Teahupo’o - (go the marina and pay a LOCAL to take you out to see nature’s picturesque power)

A proof point why offshored AI-reliant airline operations are a very bad idea; @Qantas (Alliance wet lease) fails to land at VLI yesterday citing visibility (4 carriers including Jetstar however landed shortly after in far more degraded conditions) - Qantas (Alliance) a/c diverts to Nadi so our flight to AUS canx. Then the not-so-clever @Qantas offshored AI ops system late last night thought an ALT flying VLI-SON(Espiritu Santo) - BNE would work …. however while the AI dutifully considered the 3 other carriers’ schedules to make the connections …. the AI didn’t check the MET/ATIS where it would have seen the ash cloud that closed airspace around Santo was still present. So….. 3 canx flts in 24 hours and we’ll have another attempt tomorrow @Qantas pls get rid of the second rate wet lease arrangements and DONT go further down the track of offshore AI-driven Ops … Here endeth the sermon (ETJ) @3AW693 @9NewsAus @2GB @theage

A lingering volcanic ash cloud continues down airspace in Vanuatu affecting flights in and out of Espiritu Santo.

On the tiny village beachfront at Havannah Harbour in Vanuatu - clearly best value use of 2 litres of Avgas ever! (3 local boys & 3 local girls performing)

This Saturday (15 August) is the anniversary of Victory in the Pacific - the end of WW2. In 1942 Marc’s tiny village in Vanuatu became a bustling @usairforce seaplane base, where his grandfather collected memorabilia. ( @AusAirForce personnel also served at the base) Today, the tiny makeshift 'military' museum is maintained in honour of his grandfather's collection while in the nearby crystal waters, two crashed aircraft sit on the ocean floor as a reminder of a time when war changed the local paradise. Be good if @ausgov were to bring Marc to Australia to see our War Memorial and for @DefenceAust to say thanks to the local village. @3AW693 @2GB873 @NewsTalk4BC @6PR @RSL_Australia @AusHCVanuatu @AWMemorial @NickMcCallum7 @theage @9NewsAus