Albo breaches social contract with Palestinian recognition

Albanese’s recognition of Palestine smacks of Burkean folly.

Australia’s longstanding alliance with Israel, rooted in shared democratic values and strategic interests, has been a pillar of our foreign policy. Recognising Palestine prematurely, amid ongoing conflicts and without ironclad commitments to peace, will strain ties with key partners like the United States, which has historically opposed such moves without bilateral agreements.

The US is the only other ally in history who spilt blood defending us against an eternal aggressor. Anyone who doesn’t understand this is an ungrateful recipient of history.

Writing in the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:

Michael de Percy adds that Albanese has breached his social contract with the Australian people be doing so, saying that the move by the Prime Minister ‘reeks of ideological posturing over prudent statecraft to ensure our national security’. He also adds that it ‘smacks of Burkean folly’.

My latest in The Spectator AustraliaAlbo breaches social contract with Palestinian recognition.

Royal Enfield Intercontinental GT 650 bar end update

The new bar ends work a treat. Much nicer than the chunky grey originals.

I purchased the bar end caps from Cafe Racer Club and tried to fit them to my Royal Enfield Intercontinental GT 650 yesterday.

The original bar end caps.

As others had found, the bar end weights, designed to minimise vibration in the handlebars, do not allow bar end insert mirros to be fitted, or after market end caps.

Left: Original end cap and bar end weight. Right: Cafe Racer Club bar end cap and insert.  

Others have found that removing the bar end weights is relatively easy. Not for me. In the end, we used a slide hammer to get them out.

The new bar ends are much narrower.

Once removed, the Cafe Racer Club end bar caps were fitted, and it works a treat.

The Cafe Racer Club bar ends are the tapered version. They are much narrower than the originals.

With the bar end mirrors and the end caps, I have noticed no noticeable difference to handling or vibration in the bars.

The original bar ends are quite chunky.

I think it looks great and it has shaved a bit off the width of the bars which has proven handy for getting through my gate.

EV hype hits the wall

EVs have become such a virtue-signal that the thought of driving one makes me want to puke.

The latest real-world testing from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) delivers a sobering jolt. Many popular EVs are falling short of their advertised ranges by up to 23 per cent, leaving potential buyers grappling with the perennial problem that refuses to die – range anxiety. This isn’t just a minor glitch, it’s a fundamental flaw in the EV ‘narrative’ (there’s that leftie term again) that policymakers seem determined to ignore.

Let’s start with the facts, courtesy of the AAA’s groundbreaking independent testing program, launched to cut through the manufacturer spin and provide Australians with honest data. In their initial round of real-world assessments, models like the BYD Atto 3 SUV clocked in a staggering 111 kilometres short of its promised range – a 23 per cent deficit that translates to real frustration on the open road.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, EV hype hits the wall.

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