While we are busy preparing for Skepticon here's a rerun from the good old days when life was simpler and all we had to worry about was a bit of a pandemic. Here's the Skepticon blurb:

Attention Melbournians - SKEPTICON IS ON THIS WEEKEND!

Yes folks we are finally doing a live podcast. Time to crack out the snake oil dispenser and drink a pint of piss - it's time to make Melbourne healthy again. Will it work? Probably not. But there will be:

Merch giveways

CBCo vouchers

A vaguely funny podcast recording which may or may not actually make the main feed

Visual gags (hopefully) that won't be funny on the audio (if you even get to hear it)

Bent spoons

We will be on at 1.45pm Saturday after the lunch break.

If you are feeling particularly skeptical, get a weekend ticket and come watch some other (inferior) sessions. Come sit next to me! I'll be the bald guy sitting with all my mates (alone).

Otherwise day tickets are on sale and for people who can't make it (or want to save a few bucks) - a Zoom ticket is also available.

There's also a dinner Saturday night - come eat with us!

Skepticon is a not for profit in the genuine sense - it costs nerds money to make it happen at all. So tickets go to a good cause - keeping this thing going.

And hey, you might get some free beer vouchers and exclusive limited edition merch!

Tickets are available here: https://skepticon.org.au/tickets/

Hope to meet some of you fine folks on the day.

And here's the podcast blurb!

Got vaccinated? That's bad. You better get that sorted. How about some IV bleach? 

Feeling a bit too clean and slightly under the weather? Eat some mud. 

Grifters gonna grift and honestly they'll go to wild lengths to get your money. This episode we look at some incredibly awful ways people are attempting to remove the vaccine, to save their souls from the devil jab. It's not good. 

Merry Bleachmas!

• Personal catch-up between the hosts
• Hong Kong Jack celebrates a major birthday in Macau with surprise family visit
• Discussion of Hong Kong-Macau travel via new bridge/tunnel (1 hour 20 minutes door-to-door)

Key Points:

• Polling disaster: Coalition at 27% approval rating, Labor leads 58-42 two-party preferred
• Electoral wipeout: Liberal Party holds minimal metropolitan seats across major cities
• Party structure collapse: Lack of grassroots organization compared to historical ALP branches
• Demographic breakdown: Libs losing women, young people, multicultural communities (except 65+ voters)
• Leadership pressure: Susan Ley facing potential challenge, comparisons to "Brendan Nelson months"
• Policy tensions: Net zero commitments causing internal fractures

Notable Quote: Troy Bramston - "There is no guarantee the Liberal Party will survive"

Key Points:

• National Climate Risk Assessment Report findings:
• 400% increase in heat-related mortality in Sydney
• 2.7 million work days lost by 2061 due to heatwaves
• $600 billion property value losses by 2050
• $40 billion annual natural disaster costs
• Public opinion: 77% of Australians want government climate action
• Political implications: Andrew Hastie threatens to quit front bench over net zero policy
• International context: UK Tories' experience with climate policy costs

Key Points:

• Philip Davis survives challenge from Greg Mirabella for Liberal Party State Director
• Discussion of Labor government vulnerabilities despite Liberal Party dysfunction
• Analysis of "machete bins" controversy and opposition messaging failures

Key Points:

• Tyler Robertson (22) charged with Kirk's murder
• Discussion of political discourse breakdown in America
• Social media radicalization of young men
• Criticism of premature political speculation (Barry Cassidy example)

• ICE raid on 300 South Korean workers in Georgia battery facility
• Only one Korean worker chose to stay after offered return
• Implications for US foreign investment attractiveness

Major Topics:

• Tommy Robinson Rally: 100,000+ protesters in London
• Immigration tensions: 50,000 asylum seekers annually
• Starmer's crisis: Peter Mandelson appointment controversy (Jeffrey Epstein connections)
• Leadership challenges: Calls for Starmer's resignation from both left and right
• Conservative Party collapse: Danny Kruger defects to Reform UK

• Sébastien Le Corneau named new PM after confidence vote
• Budget crisis and spending control issues

• Netanyahu takes responsibility for Al-Yudid airbase incident
• Discussion of Arab neighbors' role in regional solutions
• Qatari investment commitments to US ($3.3 trillion over decade)

• Discussion of Melbourne Cup preparation and "pagan fertility festival" atmosphere

• Raiders vs Broncos "golden point" thriller described as exceptional rugby league
• Melbourne, Sharks, Panthers, and Brisbane assessment for finals

• Preliminary Finals Preview:
• Hawthorn vs Geelong (favor Geelong by 20 points)
• Collingwood vs Brisbane (favor Collingwood)
• Praise for Josh Weddle (Hawthorn) and Jai Newcombe's finals performances

H.L. Mencken Epitaph: "If after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl"

Spike Milligan Epitaph: "See, I told you I wasn't well"

1. "Coalition Collapse: The Liberal Party's Existential Crisis"
2. "From Polls to Protest: Democracy Under Pressure"
3. "The Unraveling: Political Upheaval Across Three Continents"
4. "27% and Falling: When Political Parties Face Extinction"
5. "Net Zero, Net Loss: Climate Politics Reshaping the Right"

• Twitter: @JacktheInsider
• Email: [email protected]

Episode Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes

These AI slop shownotes are very funny. Third and final part of the series. Enjoy!

PS - apologies for the delay on this release. It's still well worth the listen. I wanted to give it a proper edit but life is on ultra hard mode at the moment so it's going up in all its unvarnished glory!

Joel Hill welcomes listeners to the Condition Release Program, substituting for the usual "Jackless" format by interviewing Dave about his weekend attending the controversial "March for Australia" rally in Sydney. The episode explores ground-level observations, organiser controversies, the interplay of far-right and conspiracist groups, and reflections on the fractured dynamics between organisers, attendees, and broader communities. The conversation highlights the worrying normalisation of Nazi participation in Australian street movements and the lack of timely mainstream media coverage or understanding.

Character & Alias Mapping

Alias/Nickname Real Name or Role Brief Description

Joel Hill Joel Hill Host

Dave Dave Guest/interviewee and rally attendee

Beck/Beck Freedom Likely Rebecca (rally organiser) Central organiser, alleged to enable Nazis

Monica Monica Smith Flip-flopping public figure

Jesse Jesse Stewart, son of Tim Delivered rally banner

Cossack Unspecified Figure in rally controversies

NSN National Socialist Network Australian neo-Nazi group

Guru Unspecified (conspiracist influencer) Referenced by attendees

MGG Michael Gray-Grope Noted attendee, post-heart attack

Dr. Nino ("Dr. Dan") Video/clip maker Influencer in the reporting scene

Bozy/Hoodie/Onyx/Mark Mack Various minor far-right figures Referenced as speakers or organisers

Episode 126 delivers comprehensive analysis of Australian and international news, politics, and sport. The hosts tackle everything from sovereign citizen movements and government policy disasters to AFL finals and international political chaos, maintaining their trademark blend of serious analysis and wry humor.

• NRL Trainers on Field: Criticism of excessive trainer presence during games, particularly Alfie Langer's extended field time with Broncos and Queensland Origin teams
• Media Language Issues: Channel 9's problematic "Exonerated Child Murderer Folbigg" banner - classic oxymoron
• International Travel: Amusing encounter with Collingwood supporters in the Sahara Desert, Libya (2010)
• Bike Lane Safety: Melbourne bike lanes creating pedestrian hazards, particularly for country visitors unfamiliar with urban cycling infrastructure
• AFLW vs Netball: Questions about potential impact of women's AFL on traditional netball participation and viewership

• Community Support: Concerns about significant local support for Paul Punker and Desi Freeman in high country communities
• Hidden Numbers: Unexpected prevalence of sovereign citizen ideology among seemingly ordinary citizens

• Geographic Clusters: Identified hotspots including Gladstone/WA Wheatbelt, Albury-Wodonga, Northern Rivers, SW Queensland
• Police Risk: Increased threat assessment protocols required for warrant services
• Historical Context: Long-standing anti-establishment culture in remote eastern Victoria dating to 1970s
• Freeman Manhunt: Police belief in community assistance for Desi Freeman; rugged Buckland Valley terrain complicating search

• Sentence: Life imprisonment with 33-year non-parole period (eligible 2056)
• Judge's Reasoning: Justice Chris Beale noted extensive premeditation required for crime
• Solitary Confinement: 22 hours daily due to case publicity
• Community Impact: Butchers no longer selling mushroom-based products; "Beef Wellington" renamed "Beef en Croute"

• Appeal Failure: Federal Court unimpressed with Lehrmann's challenge
• Fiona Brown: Only figure emerging with reputation intact despite career destruction
• Compensation Disparity: Call for equal treatment compared to Brittany Higgins settlement

• ABC Interview Controversy: Claims about Labor's immigration strategy targeting Indian community votes
• Liberal Response: Julie Bishop apologized on Price's behalf; Price refused personal apology
• Business Backlash: Harris Park businesses refusing Liberal engagement until unconditional Price apology
• Electoral Strategy: Cos Samaras noted elections won/lost in NSW/Victoria, not through minority group alienation

• Market Indicators: Small country town (25,000) now has five tobacconists - unprecedented
• Policy Failure: Excise increases creating massive black market, including Iraqi cigarette factories serving Australian market
• Price Comparison: Legal cigarettes $55-60 per pack vs $120 for carton of 10 packs illegally
• Law Enforcement: Hundreds of millions spent on policing sophisticated black markets
• Historical Parallel: Ignoring 20th century prohibition lessons from alcohol and betting
• Respectability of Law-breaking: Creating acceptance of illegal activity, similar to SP bookmaking era

• Joint Failure: Bipartisan decision ignoring harm reduction evidence
• Unregulated Danger: Current black market vapes potentially more dangerous than regulated alternatives

• Petition Numbers: 117,000+ signatures on Change.org for neo-Nazi leader deportation
• Legal Challenges: New Zealand citizenship complications; military service precedent (Bertie Kidd case)
• Current Charges: Violent disorder, assault by kicking, discharge missile, police intimidation

• Birthday Book Evidence: House Oversight Committee confirms Trump birthday message to Epstein
• White House Response: Claims of forgery; potential legal battle with Wall Street Journal
• Economic Concerns: US jobs market weakened (22,000 jobs vs expected higher), unemployment 4.2% to 4.3%
• Tariff Impact: Goldman Sachs reports 86% absorbed by importers, unsustainable long-term
• John Deere Warning: Agricultural equipment manufacturer's poor results concerning for rural Trump base

• Confidence Vote: PM François Bayrou lost 364-194, far-right and far-left coalition
• Spending Cuts: Proposed welfare caps and public holiday removal triggered downfall
• Fiscal Crisis: 5.8% GDP deficit, 114% debt-to-GDP ratio
• Political Paralysis: No major party willing to make necessary hard economic decisions

• The Boris Files: Leaked data reveals post-PM profiteering from office connections
• Greensill Echoes: Similarities to David Cameron lobbying scandal
• Labour Leadership: Keir Starmer faces deputy leadership election, working-class voters moving to Reform
• Polling: Reform UK leading but insufficient for parliamentary majority
• Immigration Policy: Dublin Agreement unavailable post-Brexit; family reunion advantages drawing Channel crossings

• Cologne Agreement: All parties except AfD pledge only positive migration discourse in local elections
• Strategic Error: Likely to entrench support for far-right AfD by dismissing legitimate concerns

• Bob Carr & Dan Andrews: Attending 80th anniversary of Japanese defeat in China
• Photo Opportunities: Andrews pictured with Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin
• Commercial Motivations: Unnamed political friend claims Andrews "making millions" from China connections
• Influence Trading: Xi Jinping meetings providing significant business leverage

• Marina Hyde Quote: "The path to peace still goes through politicians with power. Many of them are still terrible people. They will still have to have unpleasant and even toxic conversations in which horse trading and moral compromise are inevitable"
• UN Role: Defense of UN as necessary forum for engaging "terrible people" while criticizing corrupt agencies

• Matchups: Raiders v Broncos (Canberra), Storm v Bulldogs (Melbourne), Warriors v Panthers (Auckland), Sharks v Roosters (Shark Park)
• Venue Criticism: Shark Park described as "disaster" with rat problems, unfit for purpose
• Form Analysis: Storm struggling after losses to Roosters and Broncos; Raiders in strong form

• Geelong Dominance: Cats looking "head and shoulders" above competition
• Umpiring Controversy: AFL acknowledged mistake in Geelong v Brisbane Lions match; three-goal turnaround from questionable decisions
• Upcoming Matches: Hawks v Crows, Suns v Lions at Gabba
• Jai Newcombe: Hawks midfielder top-rated in all three finals appearances
• Charlie Curnow: Carlton star's ordinary finals performances raising trade speculation

• Wallabies Form: Positive signs despite slow starts; exciting brand attracting attention
• Lions Tour Revenue: Significant funds from upcoming British & Irish Lions tour
• Scheduling Issues: Argentina match poorly timed at 2pm North Queensland

• Anne Althaus Insight: Children funny because not yet socialized, willing to take risks
• Comparison: Ricky Gervais model of saying "unsayable" things
• New Yorker: Magazine quality decline noted, but cartoons "back in form"

• Stewart Lee: Ricky Gervais' favorite comedian; unconventional style
• Queen/Paddington Joke: Stewart Lee's material about marmalade sandwiches and Prince Andrew

• The Free Press Sale: Bari Weiss publication acquired by Paramount/CBS for $100-200 million
• Editorial Control: Weiss reportedly getting "free reign" over CBS political coverage
• Alternative Media Success: Examples include Claire Lehmann's Quillette, Megyn Kelly's expansion
• Democratization Concerns: Tendency toward sensationalism in independent media

• Jack the Insider: X/Twitter DMs @JacktheInsider
• Hong Kong Jack: hongkongchat.substack.com
• Email: [email protected]

Here is part two of the MFA series.

You can find the works mentioned in this pod at:

https://michaelwest.com.au/author/wendybacon/

But his profile is:

https://michaelwest.com.au/author/yaakov-aharon/

Enjoy!

Some good friends of the podcast went to the so called 'March for Australia' in Sydney and have joined us to share their observations.

First up is Jimmy Garnet who does an excellent impersonation of a boomer normie. Enjoy!

In this the second part of Jack's interview with Ray Mooney, Ray speaks of the hell of Pentridge's H Division where prison officers routinely bashed inmates. Ray speaks of the Jenkinson inquiry parliamentary inquiry which delivered no justice but ended the careers of some especially sadistic prison officers but the hell in H Division continued.

Ray found himself in H Division. He was beaten regularly. He pledged that he would not break rocks - the work detail in H Division. Despite the beatings, he never did. Ray and Jack take the discussion to other prisons around the country, including the notorious HM Grafton.

Why were these places so violent? What did officialdom expect would happen to the prisoners subject to this brutality?

The interview concludes on a wide ranging discussion on prison reform and crime prevention.  

To find Ray's work check him out at https://raymooney.com/ where he has just about written more books than I've read and charges next to nothing for them.

Link to buy the books is here: https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=%22ray+mooney%22&i=digital-text&crid=33E6XF5AE1JHN&sprefix=ray+mooney+%2Cdigital-text%2C234&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

For more from Ray and VERY good friend of the podcast Emily Webb - check out her interview with Ray here - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IvI5l4vfoRstIMBQQGueM

If you want to help support the show and keep this thing sustainable, the patreon is here:

https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

Oh man the AI slop shownotes this week are awful but I have a puppy and law school to do so this is getting low effort. Enjoy!

DETAILED SHOWNOTES

Summary:

The Two Jacks break down the week’s true news rollercoaster: Victoria’s police tragedy, sovereign citizen threats, major legal tussles, global politics, social developments, and the surging finals in AFL, NRL, and rugby. Distilled analysis, with signature banter.

TIMESTAMPED SEGMENTS

00:00:00 Introduction, Weather in Hong Kong

Joel welcomes listeners, heat in HK, setting the stage.

00:00:34 Victoria Police Manhunt, Sovereign Citizens

Dramatic manhunt after two police officers are killed, suspect’s ties to sovereign citizen movement, parallels to Wyambilla tragedy.

00:04:11 Police Tactics & Risks

Comments on why police risk assessments and tactical resources are crucial.

00:08:25 Outlaw Gangs, Extremism

Why definitions are tricky, group amorphousness, risk to police and society, and danger parallels with outlaw motorcycle clubs and extremist factions.

00:18:51 Linda Reynolds v Brittany Higgins: Defamation Case

Reynolds wins $340k; litigation toll on both parties, settlement issues, the public interest defense, and legal costs impact.

00:27:15 Essential Poll Deep Dive

PM Albanese’s approval, data on Lay, Allen, Batten, support for the four-day week, AI copyright law, public mood on recognising Palestine.

00:31:26 Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador

First such move since WWII, IRGC-linked arson plot at Melbourne synagogue, ASIO’s case, diplomatic fallout, social media reactions.

00:33:39 NDIS Reforms, Autism Debate

Butler targets spending cuts, idea of restricting low-level autistic support from the NDIS, personal stories, system sustainability.

00:37:56 Sydney Housing Density, NIMBYism, Planning

Wallara station plan, high-density in well-off suburbs, nimbys, Auckland experiment, regulatory cost pressures, building quality concerns.

00:55:11 Oasis at Wembley, Beer Stats, Generational Fandom

Concert spectacle, 250k pints of beer, generational audience, band’s new healthy habits.

00:59:19 Trump’s Health, Biden, and US Woes

Trump’s visible health issues, flag burning crusade, slump in US tourism, Vegas emptiness, security hassles, global perception trouble.

01:14:29 UK Politics: Farage Rises, Labour Plummets

Farage’s surge, Starmer’s poor ratings, immigration fights, sovereignty of UK Parliament, political fluidity.

01:18:39 AFL & NRL Finals, Wallabies Rugby

AFL top four discussed, surprise departures, Swans season, NRL ladder, Wallabies revival under Joe Schmidt, broader rugby hopes.

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Twitter:

1. Vic police manhunt: 2 officers killed, ties to sovereign citizen movement. | Reynolds wins defamation vs. Higgins. | #auspol #twjpod
2. Essential Poll deep dive: Albanese steady, Lay, Allen, Batten ratings. Public split on Palestine, 50% support 4-day week, strong opposition to AI copyright reform. #auspol #twjpod
3. Iranian ambassador expelled after synagogue arson plot linked to IRGC. | NDIS/Autism reforms stir debate. | Oasis packs Wembley & breaks beer records. #ausnews #music #twjpod

Facebook:

Episode 125 of The Two Jacks – Hosted by Jack the Insider (Joel Hill) and Hong Kong Jack.

– This week: Victoria's police manhunt and the sovereign citizen threat, Linda Reynolds v Brittany Higgins, Essential Poll shakeups (Albanese, statehood for Palestine, the four-day week, copyright & AI), expulsion of Iran's ambassador over a Melbourne arson plot, NDIS reforms, Sydney housing density, Oasis at Wembley, Trump v Biden health, UK and EU politics, and the finals race in AFL & NRL plus Wallabies rugby.

Listen in for analysis, banter, and more! 🎧 #auspol #twjpod

It has been a busy time on the right wing fringe of politics with a lot of dickheads having tantrums for reasons we can't fathom and they can't articulate. It's been a lot!

But first up we have the very much not right wing but still slightly fringe tale of Jeremy Buckingham's search for truth regarding Ivan Milat's actual body count. The problem is, he's gone a bit off track and started making some fairly baseless claims. These can do more harm than good - and it's a classic case of when a politician thinks he's a cop and ends up doing both jobs terribly. We love Jeremy but this one's not going well.

Cookers are upset about the coming 'backdoor' to digital tyranny that will see us having to identify ourselves on the internet to get past age checks for naughty content. And while the proliferation of awful content online is something worth looking at, this response ain't it.

AND we have Gaetzy who has a solution to the war in Ukraine. It's really dumb. No spoilers.

Cooker update has a bit of a lead up to next weeks racist picnic in the park where a lot of people will unite for the cause of - uh - straya? It's vague. We don't really know who is organising it. But they put Bec Freedom out as the media scapegoat and wow she's copped a shellacking. I tell ya what though - if you want to distance this rally from the Nazis who endorsed it, maybe don't put people that endorse nazis in charge? Just a thought, guys.

In SovCits we look at the 4 corners episode that recently had a crack at the Common Law folks who love a good mock trial and dashing custom printed polo shirt. It was a good effort, but worth a chat nonetheless.

I also preview the first few pages of Pete's new book and it sucks so much more than expected. Like, I knew the premise was silly but WOW does this thing suck. And the price is insane.

-----------------------------------------------------------

As usual, if you have any money you must give it to us. Preferably all of it, but if you want to be a jerk you can keep some. Best way to do that is https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

If you have money and you don't want to give us any of it - but you like beer - then go buy a case or three from https://cbco.beer/ - and use the coupon code CRP10 to get 10% off. It's genuinely good beer and their prices are properly decent.

As usual, AI slop shownotes for anyone who wants to read them. Enjoy!

• In this packed episode of The Two Jacks, Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack cut through a huge week in politics, policy, and sport. They kick off with life on the bike lanes and the four‑day work week debate before diving into Australia’s productivity roundtable: where progress might actually come from, why energy costs and regulation matter most, and how timid politics strangles reform. They spar over tax design, housing, stamp duty, and the red tape that inflates costs without improving quality.
• From there, the Jacks range across global flashpoints and US turbulence—Israel–Australia tit-for-tat visas, the Ukraine–Russia talks fallout, the limits of sanctions, and whether the West has the will for long wars. Stateside, they dissect rising US inflation pressures, Congress’s stock-trading problem, and the “picking winners” trap in industrial policy. Locally, they tackle the Greens in Tasmania, crime perception vs data, and Australia’s defense priorities in a drone-dominated future—before a big sports wrap: AFL finals implications from homophobic slur bans, NRL ladder-shaping clashes, cricket’s farewell to Bob Simpson, the Wallabies’ breakthrough at Ellis Park, and Sydney’s Allianz Stadium turf debacle.

Timestamped segments and takeaways 00:00:01 – Cold open, weather and bike lanes

• Banter on soggy Sydney/Melbourne and bike lane hazards.
• Takeaway: Urban transport design vs pedestrian safety—light opener that foreshadows policy tradeoffs.

00:02:23 – Four‑day work week and productivity roundtable

• Jack the Insider outlines ACTU’s four‑day week ask; government quickly cools it.
• Hong Kong Jack: flexible, case-by-case four‑day arrangements can work well; blanket mandates don’t.
• Notable quote (Hong Kong Jack): “It really is a case-by-case basis… it can be done—it just can’t be done across the board.”

00:04:26 – Housing, commuting, and productivity drag

• Long commutes as a hidden productivity killer; WFH rights expanding in Victoria but role-dependent.

00:06:47 – AI regulation “light touch”

• Productivity Commission signals minimal regulation; Jack the Insider flags creator rights concerns.

00:07:51 – Where productivity gains might come from

• Hong Kong Jack: “The two obvious areas to attack are regulation and energy costs.”

00:08:17 – Energy transition, prices, and investment

• Jack the Insider: transition and decades of policy drift drove high prices; grid infrastructure is the bottleneck.
• Coal vs renewables economics; investment won’t return to coal due to horizon risk.

00:12:00 – Cutting “red tape”: harmonization and tax settings

• Federation frictions; harmonise state regs; stamp duty singled out as a worst tax.
• Building codes ballooning costs while quality supervision lags.

00:14:24 – Build quality crises and supervision gaps

• Mascot/Zetland examples; spate of vacated towers; cheap builds, high prices.

00:15:40 – Political capital, timid reform, and election calculus

• Is Albanese Labor’s John Howard—few big-ticket reforms, focus on winning?
• Take reforms to an election (GST precedent), but reformers often punished at the polls.

00:24:45 – Israel–Australia visa spat

• Simcha Rothman’s visa withdrawn; Israel responds by revoking visas for Australians to the Palestinian Authority; both sides flex sovereignty.
• Notable quote (Hong Kong Jack): “This is just how it works.”

00:27:28 – Failed asylum seekers backlog nearing 100k

• Processing delays create perverse incentives; most rejected claimants retain work/study rights—encourages low‑merit claims.
• Enforcement throughput is minimal; backlog self‑feeds.

00:32:07 – Tasmania: Greens hold line on stability

• Greens won’t back Labor no-confidence; Premier continues; different cultures in Tas vs NSW Greens.

00:36:32 – Vale Terence Stamp

• Personal memories; Priscilla role noted; a prickly but great actor.

00:38:00 – Ukraine–Russia: Alaska talks flop, semantics vs substance

• Optics criticised; ceasefire vs peace semantics; limits of sanctions and Western will.
• Debate: Can Ukraine regain Crimea/Donbas? Is a negotiated end inevitable? Historical echoes (appeasement vs long war).

00:49:05 – US inflation watch and tariffs

• Producer prices beat; risks of re‑acceleration; fuel prices helping headline but underlying pressures rising.
• Tariffs’ pass-through to consumers; political messaging vs data; Fed unlikely to cut on these numbers.

00:54:24 – Crime, stats vs street reality

• DC deployments; media narratives vs lived experience; class/education divide shapes perceptions.

00:58:26 – Drones, defense, and future warfare

• US behind China on cheap drone swarms (DJI dominance); implications for Australia: missiles, subs, strike aircraft, drones, and a modern surface fleet.

01:00:42 – Congressional stock trading and transparency

• Bipartisan enrichment via informational access; “broadcast trades in real-time” proposal; ban vs radical transparency.

01:04:27 – Picking winners: Intel, Kodak lessons

• Government stakes risk political logic over market logic; Kodak/Motorola as cautionary tales.

01:08:05 – Crime again: data declines vs spikes that matter

• Australia’s violent crime historically higher in 1920s/1980s; present-day spikes (aggravated burglaries) shape sentiment; good recidivism programs often lack political incentives.

01:13:08 – AFL: homophobic slur sanctions and finals stakes

• Rankine case likely to set a benchmark; prior bans (3–6 weeks) cited; consistency required.
• Notable quote (Jack the Insider): “It’s a bad word… it needs to be removed from the game.”

01:19:01 – AFL form lines and umpiring

• Adelaide/Geelong threats; Collingwood’s midfield clearance issues; four‑umpire system not working.

01:21:33 – NRL, cricket, rugby

• NRL: Storm beat Panthers; big clashes ahead; ladder permutations.
• Cricket: Vale Bob Simpson; fielding revolution; ODI series in Cairns; roster chat (Maxwell retired from ODIs; case for Tim David).
• Wallabies: first Ellis Park win since 1963; O’Connor–Jorgensen try a “thing of beauty.”

01:27:16 – Allianz Stadium turf failure

• Drainage massively under-spec; costly resurfacing; modern stadiums should drain ~600mm/hr; Allianz reported ~40mm/hr.

01:31:07 – Vegas tourism pivot and gouge

• Pricing up, volume down; “milk everything” model—$50/day minibar “storage” anecdote; vibe no longer value-driven.

01:32:53 – Corporate team bonding and Beef Wellington

• Hong Kong’s “Feather and Bone”-style classes; culinary nostalgia to close the show.
• Sign-off: where to contact The Two Jacks (Condition Release Program email, Substack, X DMs open).

Notable quotes to pull

• “The essence of progress to a better life for Australians is improved productivity.”
• “The two obvious areas to attack are regulation and energy costs.”
• “It can be done—it just can’t be done across the board.”
• “Drones and robotics are the future of warfare.”
• “It’s a bad word… it needs to be removed from the game.”