Topics:

Episode 500: 11 Years of Iron Fist and Velvet Glove Reflections

Trevor (“Iron Fist”), Scott (“Velvet Glove”), and Joe (“the tech guy”) mark episode 500 after 11 years, reflect on how their views have changed, and thank Patreon supporters who have covered production costs. They discuss growing skepticism about governments and media, arguing mainstream outlets filter narratives and that Gaza especially has exposed media failures, pushing them toward Twitter and independent blogs. They describe increased polarization, tribal thinking, and how COVID accelerated denial of expertise and conspiracy thinking in Australia. They revisit recurring themes from past episodes—religion in politics, Liberal Party branch-stacking by religious fundamentalists, free trade agreements, submarines/AUKUS, and stalled economic reforms like negative gearing and capital gains—contrasting these with “soft issue” wins such as marriage equality, voluntary assisted dying, and abortion law reform. Trevor plans a break for months, possibly shifting to writing and using Discord/community forums.

00:00 Episode 500 Kickoff

00:58 Hosts Introductions

01:52 Patreon Thanks Rollcall

06:23 Break Plans Ahead

07:06 Iran US Reality Flip

12:16 Views Changed Over Years

14:42 Changing Minds And Tribes

16:45 Media Trust And Propaganda

20:12 Religion Politics Flashbacks

25:11 Trade Deals And Submarines

29:18 Tax Reform Stuck Again

31:04 COVID And Conspiracy Spiral

33:46 COVID and Expert Trust

35:20 Radicalization and Simple Answers

36:01 Learning to Debate Ideas

37:32 Gaza as Societal Proof

40:36 War Crimes and Tribal Loyalty

43:00 Assange and Media Failures

44:54 Wins and Soft Issues

47:13 Lobbying Captures Politics

51:17 Old Topics and Culture Wars

01:00:13 Captured Media and Finding Sources

01:03:50 Taking a Break and Next Steps

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Here is what AI thinks this episode is about:

This podcast episode meticulously examines the ongoing discourse surrounding pivotal global events, with a particular focus on the recent arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith, a highly decorated Australian serviceman accused of heinous acts during military operations. We delve into the intricacies of public perception regarding military conduct, interrogating the moral obligations of civilians to critique actions undertaken in the theatre of war. Furthermore, we analyse the tumultuous geopolitical landscape, spotlighting the escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the immediate repercussions of Israel's military actions in Lebanon. This episode aspires to provide a candid, intelligent analysis of these pressing issues, while also reflecting on the broader implications they hold for international relations and domestic narratives. As we approach our milestone episode 500, we invite listeners to engage with these complex themes as we endeavour to uncover the realities of our world.

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

• a per-episode donation via Patreon or
• one-off donation via credit card; or
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We Livestream every Monday night at 7:30 pm Brisbane time. Follow us on Facebook or YouTube. Watch us live and join the discussion in the chat room.

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Topics:

Iron Fist, Velvet Glove Episode 498: One Nation Surge, Resource Taxes, and Trading on Trump’s War Talk

Trevor and Scott mark episode 498 and discuss the South Australia election where One Nation won 22.5% of the vote but about 8.5% of seats, prompting debate over electoral systems and proportional representation, while noting Liberals fell to about 19% and Labor won 72% of seats from 37% of votes; they cite backing and amplification for One Nation from Gina Rinehart, News Corp/Sky, Barnaby Joyce networks, and coordinated social media. They critique a Reserve Bank rate rise amid fuel-driven inflation and argue for higher resource taxes, referencing a proposed 25% gas export levy and Norway’s 78% tax. On Iran/Israel, they debate Australia’s involvement (UAE defensive assets and Pine Gap), play clips alleging a US Tomahawk strike hit an Iranian school killing 165 girls, criticize Israeli actions in Gaza/Lebanon/West Bank, and question media coverage. They then discuss claims Trump’s announcements move markets, citing a large pre-announcement futures trade and suspicions of profiting. They close noting episode 500 may bring a break and mention Japan’s PM laying flowers for the Nagasaki bomber pilot.

00:00 Show Intro

01:29 Trump And Project 2025

02:27 Would You Visit America

04:21 South Australia Election Shock

06:17 Vote Share Vs Seats

07:16 Proportional Representation Debate

14:14 One Nation Backers And Media

21:23 Global Populism And Protests

22:11 Rate Rise And Fuel Inflation

25:43 Taxing Gas And Mining Giants

28:34 Climate Costs And Sea Levels

29:32 Pivot To Iran And Israel

31:32 Australia in the War

32:17 Pine Gap Target Debate

33:51 Troops on Ground Red Line

35:16 School Bombing Breakdown

39:39 Intentional or Mistake

43:10 Media Silence in Australia

45:54 Israel Society and Lebanon

51:41 Gaza Doctor Testimony

55:56 Trump Peace Talk Claims

59:00 Trading on Announcements

01:03:07 Missile False Flag Story

01:05:44 Wrap Up and Next Topics

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Topics:

A discussion about the war against Iran and Australia's involvement.

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Topics:

Our Society Is Captured: Australia Backs US–Israel Attacks on Iran

In a solo “Iron Fist” rant, the host reviews what he calls an unprovoked US–Israel bombing campaign on Iran (“Operation Epic Fury”), describing hundreds of Tomahawk missiles, US aircraft and drones, and about 200 Israeli jets striking 500 sites, killing Iranian leaders including the Supreme Leader and at least 165 schoolgirls; Iran retaliates by striking Tel Aviv and targeting US bases in Gulf states. He argues Western leaders, especially Five Eyes governments and Australia’s Anthony Albanese, condemn Iran’s response while supporting the attacks, despite Iran being in negotiations at the time. He critiques media and political statements (Laura Tingle, Penny Wong, EU leaders), highlights an MSNBC exchange with Iran’s foreign minister, and mocks a UN Security Council session chaired by Melania Trump. He frames the war as driven by the military-industrial complex, Zionists, capitalists, and propaganda, and portrays Albanese as captured by lobbying and abandoning his 2003 anti-Iraq-war stance, including repeating unproven claims about Iran-linked attacks in Australia.

00:00 Solo Rant Setup

01:13 Why People Accept It

02:50 What Happened In Iran

05:15 Negotiations And Pretexts

07:42 Five Eyes Backing War

14:06 Regime Change Playbook

17:42 What Iranians Actually Want

21:29 Media Clips And Hypocrisy

28:58 Orwellian Interviews

30:31 UN Security Council Farce

30:44 Melania Chairs UN

32:40 Melania Doc Roast

34:02 Greenland And Denmark

34:44 Why Attack Iran Now

35:12 Four Forces Behind War

38:07 Albanese In Focus

38:53 World Reactions Clip

41:08 Albanese Then Vs Now

44:11 Claims Of Iran Attacks

47:36 Greens And Critics

50:34 Lobby Power And Capture

54:47 Leadership And Wrap Up

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Topics:

1. Isis Brides
2. Trump
3. Iran

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

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Topics:

In this episode of 'The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove,' the hosts delve into recent political, economic, and social topics. They kick off with Australian politics, discussing the potential changes to the capital gains tax and inflation rates, followed by debates on the Reserve Bank's role in interest rates. The discussion shifts to political polls, coalition dynamics, and key figures in the Liberal Party. The hosts then critique Queensland's proposed hate speech laws and their potential implications. The episode proceeds with an analysis of the controversial visit of Israeli President Herzog to Australia, touching on the influence of the Zionist lobby. The conversation also covers the Epstein saga, media ownership by billionaires, and the implications of Trump's proposed election reforms. Lastly, the hosts examine the accuracy of reported figures on Iranian protests and discuss the complexities of verifying information in such contexts.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:22 Australian Politics: Capital Gains Tax and Inflation

07:29 The Reserve Bank and Interest Rates Debate

16:03 Political Polls and Coalition Dynamics

27:26 Queensland Hate Speech Laws

34:14 Israeli President Herzog's Visit

35:42 Israeli President Herzog's Controversial Visit

37:33 The Influence of the Zionist Lobby

41:19 Epstein Saga and Conspiracy Theories

42:13 Epstein Saga and Media Ownership

46:18 Trump's America and Election Controversies

48:20 Trump's America and Election Integrity

54:06 Iranian Protests and Media Credibility

01:03:24 Iranian Protests and Media Credibility

01:20:52 Concluding Thoughts and Sign-Off

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

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You can email us. The address is [email protected]

Topics:

1. Australia Day
2. Hate Speech Bill
3. Crikey – Michael Bradley
4. Bradley Again
5. AG Rowland
6. Effectively, it means …
7. Note by commentator
8. AU Politics
9. Coalition Implodes
10. From Inside Story – Peter Brent
11. Keane in Crikey
12. Trump’s America
13. Canadian Prime Minister Admits Rules Based Order is Over
14. Too Stupid Even for Trump?
15. Don’t Cry for Denmark – They Didn’t Cry for Gaza or Iran or Venezuela
16. NATO useless against other NATO member
17. A Solution the Greenland Problem
18. Trump Regime Mercenaries Execute Another American
19. Hastie Affronted
20. Trump’s Board of Peace
21. Economics
22. Nobel Prize in Economics
23. Dignity of the Nobel Prize

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

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Topics:

1. Renee Goode
2. Iran
3. Venezuela Update
4. More Trump America
5. Bondi Continued
6. Royal Commission
7. Adelaide Writers Festival
8. Barnaby Update
9. Social Media Ban

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

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Topics:

This episode addresses the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by American forces and the implications of this bold move. The discussion covers the historical context of American interventions, the motivations behind the abduction, and the reactions from international communities, including China, Russia, and various nations from Latin America and Europe. The podcast also highlights the double standards in American foreign policy and draws parallels with similar historical instances of U.S. interventions. The episode critically examines Western media narratives and the legal and moral dilemmas surrounding this event.

00:00 Introduction: Setting the Stage

00:32 Pet Topics: Submarines and Venezuela

01:35 Maduro's Capture: Initial Reactions

02:42 US Hypocrisy and International Relations

05:41 Venezuela's Oil and US Interests

21:30 Historical Context: Iran and Venezuela

25:01 Trump's Stance and Global Reactions

28:12 Drug Trafficking Accusations

34:13 Chavez's Legacy and US Sanctions

40:44 Kissinger's Controversial Legacy

41:05 Trump's Threats to Venezuela

41:30 Speculations and Conspiracies

41:55 ChatGPT's Ethical Boundaries

43:20 Legal and Ethical Questions

45:02 Sanctions and Economic Impact

47:27 Trump's Legal Maneuvering

49:12 Charges Against Maduro

01:01:02 International Reactions

01:11:54 Final Thoughts and Reflections

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

• a per-episode donation via Patreon or
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We Livestream every Monday night at 7:30 pm Brisbane time. Follow us on Facebook or YouTube. Watch us live and join the discussion in the chat room.

We have a website. www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au

You can email us. The address is [email protected]