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Why Does Indonesia Have a 350 km/h Fast Train While Australia Still Struggles With Average-Speed Rail? By Jamie McIntyre, Political Commentator, Australian National Review One of the biggest surprises of my recent visit to Indonesia wasn’t the new capital city of Nusantara or Jakarta’s relentless pace. It was boarding... the Whoosh high-speed train between Jakarta and Bandung. The experience was extraordinary. In just around 30 minutes, we travelled between two major cities at speeds reaching approximately 350 km/h. The journey was smooth, quiet and every bit as impressive as the high-speed rail systems I’ve experienced elsewhere in Asia. What struck me wasn’t simply Indonesia’s achievement. It was Australia’s failure. Indonesia is still commonly described as a developing nation, yet it has managed to build one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced transport systems while Australia, one of the wealthiest countries in the world on a per capita basis, still cannot deliver even ordinary passenger rail between many of its major population centres. Perhaps before politicians start talking about futuristic high-speed rail, Australia should first learn how to build an average-speed train. Take the Brisbane to Gold Coast corridor. The two cities are only around 70 kilometres apart. An ordinary modern passenger train travelling at about 120 km/h could complete much of that journey in around 30 to 40 minutes, transforming daily commuting for hundreds of thousands of people. Instead, commuters often spend 70 to 90 minutes on today’s rail services, and considerably longer if travelling by car during peak-hour gridlock. That isn’t simply inconvenient. It is an enormous drag on productivity, quality of life and economic growth. Every extra hour spent sitting in traffic is an hour not spent with family, running a business or contributing to the economy. Meanwhile, Indonesia has leapfrogged into the future. The country’s Whoosh high-speed railway demonstrates what can be achieved when governments decide that modern infrastructure is an investment rather than merely another political announcement. Australia has spent decades discussing high-speed rail. We’ve commissioned study after study, produced glossy reports and made election promises. Yet little changes. Australians deserve to ask an uncomfortable question. How can Indonesia build a 350 km/h railway while Australia still struggles to provide reliable, average-speed rail between nearby cities? Infrastructure should not be viewed through a political lens. It should be viewed through an economic one. -Faster transport means higher productivity. -It expands labour markets. -It reduces congestion. -It increases property values around transport hubs. -It attracts investment. -It improves tourism. Most importantly, it gives people back something increasingly valuable: time. Australia has the engineering expertise. It has the financial capacity. What appears to be missing is the political will. Watching Indonesia’s sleek high-speed train glide effortlessly across Java was inspiring. It also served as a reminder that Australia’s infrastructure ambitions have become far too modest. Perhaps it’s time to stop debating whether Australia can build world-class rail and instead start asking why nations with fewer resources are already doing it. Until then, Australians will continue watching other countries race ahead while we remain stuck in traffic.show more

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Many people often question why only Gujarat is getting a bullet train and not the rest of India. Let’s take a moment to understand the broader perspective: • Mumbai–Ahmedabad is the first High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor, but definitely not the only one planned. • It’s one of the busiest rail and air routes in the country, with an average of 80 flights daily in both directions. • The region has a higher per capita income, making it more viable for such large-scale infrastructure. • Despite already having 2 Vande Bharat trains, 1 Shatabdi, 1 Tejas, 1 Double Decker, and several other dedicated trains, demand still exceeds capacity. Importantly, this corridor is just the beginning,the line will be extended to New Delhi, another major air corridor. Future plans also include extending the HSR to Howrah via Varanasi and Patna, connecting several key cities in Bihar. Let’s remember: when the first train ran between Mumbai CSMT and Thane on April 16, 1853, it didn’t mean that was the only railway line India would ever have. Similarly, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train is just the first step. Over time, high-speed rail will expand across the country. #IndianRailways

Many people often question why only Gujarat is getting a bullet train and not the rest of India. Let’s take a moment to understand the broader perspective: • Mumbai–Ahmedabad is the first High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor, but definitely not the only one planned. • It’s one of the busiest rail and air routes in the country, with an average of 80 flights daily in both directions. • The region has a higher per capita income, making it more viable for such large-scale infrastructure. • Despite already having 2 Vande Bharat trains, 1 Shatabdi, 1 Tejas, 1 Double Decker, and several other dedicated trains, demand still exceeds capacity. Importantly, this corridor is just the beginning,the line will be extended to New Delhi, another major air corridor. Future plans also include extending the HSR to Howrah via Varanasi and Patna, connecting several key cities in Bihar. Let’s remember: when the first train ran between Mumbai CSMT and Thane on April 16, 1853, it didn’t mean that was the only railway line India would ever have. Similarly, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train is just the first step. Over time, high-speed rail will expand across the country. #IndianRailways

Trains of India 🇮🇳

77,927 views • 1 year ago

The sad thing about the fanatics is that they do not realise how the world laughs at us when they hear our leaders say these things. It costs US$160 million per kilometre to build a bullet train network. That is why Stephen Sucker called it an Alice in Wonderland “wet” dream. Even South Africa does not have a bullet train, yet it is three times larger than Zimbabwe in terms of land size. To build a bullet train rail from Bulawayo to Harare costs US$74 billion, just to connect Harare and Bulawayo alone. Is that the immediate need for Zimbabwe? Can Zimbabwe afford that now when, out of the total road network of 97,267 kilometres, only 18,000 kilometres are tarred? Hospitals have collapsed, schools have no books, and more. Surely, the fanatics must realise how embarrassing it is for a leader to jump to something that the country cannot afford, even without corruption. It gives the impression of someone with presidential ambitions but without an understanding of the task ahead and what the country truly needs! When we critique, we are doing so to help him realise how misguided his ideas are in relation to the immediate necessities of our time. I say our time because nobody above thirty will see a bullet train in Zimbabwe, not because of the cost, but the hierarchy of needs. You first fix hospitals, schools, ordinary rail, roads, dams, and all the basic necessities of life. As of now, there are only 15 countries with operational bullet train or high-speed rail systems. Not even Britain has a bullet train, we can’t talk of bullet trains when our people are walking on sewage and have no clean drinking water. I understand why, psychologically, our people hold on to useless illusions and get angry when their favorite leaders are critiqued. It is because we grew up in a country with only one television station, where journalists lined up to bootlick politicians, even as they said useless things! So we are a society that doesn’t understand the essence of real journalism, we want our journalists to write for politicians instead of about politicians! It does not make much sense for Zimbabwe to prioritise a bullet train at this moment, given our current economic and infrastructure challenges. While a bullet train, or as it is conventionally known, a high-speed rail system, could be a long-term asset for modernising the country’s transport network, there are more immediate needs that should take precedence, such as fighting corruption and fixing our hospitals.

The sad thing about the fanatics is that they do not realise how the world laughs at us when they hear our leaders say these things. It costs US$160 million per kilometre to build a bullet train network. That is why Stephen Sucker called it an Alice in Wonderland “wet” dream. Even South Africa does not have a bullet train, yet it is three times larger than Zimbabwe in terms of land size. To build a bullet train rail from Bulawayo to Harare costs US$74 billion, just to connect Harare and Bulawayo alone. Is that the immediate need for Zimbabwe? Can Zimbabwe afford that now when, out of the total road network of 97,267 kilometres, only 18,000 kilometres are tarred? Hospitals have collapsed, schools have no books, and more. Surely, the fanatics must realise how embarrassing it is for a leader to jump to something that the country cannot afford, even without corruption. It gives the impression of someone with presidential ambitions but without an understanding of the task ahead and what the country truly needs! When we critique, we are doing so to help him realise how misguided his ideas are in relation to the immediate necessities of our time. I say our time because nobody above thirty will see a bullet train in Zimbabwe, not because of the cost, but the hierarchy of needs. You first fix hospitals, schools, ordinary rail, roads, dams, and all the basic necessities of life. As of now, there are only 15 countries with operational bullet train or high-speed rail systems. Not even Britain has a bullet train, we can’t talk of bullet trains when our people are walking on sewage and have no clean drinking water. I understand why, psychologically, our people hold on to useless illusions and get angry when their favorite leaders are critiqued. It is because we grew up in a country with only one television station, where journalists lined up to bootlick politicians, even as they said useless things! So we are a society that doesn’t understand the essence of real journalism, we want our journalists to write for politicians instead of about politicians! It does not make much sense for Zimbabwe to prioritise a bullet train at this moment, given our current economic and infrastructure challenges. While a bullet train, or as it is conventionally known, a high-speed rail system, could be a long-term asset for modernising the country’s transport network, there are more immediate needs that should take precedence, such as fighting corruption and fixing our hospitals.

Hopewell Chin’ono

128,734 views • 1 year ago

Today I joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to announce an investigation into CA High-Speed Rail, which could claw back $4.3 billion in federal funds. Amusingly, a few protestors showed up in support of the boondoggle. The High-Speed Rail disaster is the worst public infrastructure failure in U.S. history. It is a blight on our landscape and an embarrassment to our state. It is a symbol for the decline of modern California, showcasing political ineptitude on an epic scale. It exemplifies the failures of transparency and accountability, of governance and planning, of vision and leadership, of competence and common sense that have turned the greatest state in the country into the most popular state to leave. It represents the disregard for taxpayer dollars, for property rights, for democratic accountability, for economic reality, that have caused our beautiful state to lead the nation in all the wrong ways. And it highlights the small-mindedness of our politicians, who think of themselves as visionaries for plowing ahead with a 20th century project that won’t be complete until the 22nd century, at best. The failure of High-Speed Rail represents all that has gone wrong in modern California. And that is precisely why this is such a hopeful day; the end of this ill-fated project will serve as a new beginning. We are turning the page in California. A coalition for common sense is ascendant.

Today I joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to announce an investigation into CA High-Speed Rail, which could claw back $4.3 billion in federal funds. Amusingly, a few protestors showed up in support of the boondoggle. The High-Speed Rail disaster is the worst public infrastructure failure in U.S. history. It is a blight on our landscape and an embarrassment to our state. It is a symbol for the decline of modern California, showcasing political ineptitude on an epic scale. It exemplifies the failures of transparency and accountability, of governance and planning, of vision and leadership, of competence and common sense that have turned the greatest state in the country into the most popular state to leave. It represents the disregard for taxpayer dollars, for property rights, for democratic accountability, for economic reality, that have caused our beautiful state to lead the nation in all the wrong ways. And it highlights the small-mindedness of our politicians, who think of themselves as visionaries for plowing ahead with a 20th century project that won’t be complete until the 22nd century, at best. The failure of High-Speed Rail represents all that has gone wrong in modern California. And that is precisely why this is such a hopeful day; the end of this ill-fated project will serve as a new beginning. We are turning the page in California. A coalition for common sense is ascendant.

Kevin Kiley

256,045 views • 1 year ago

Today marks the start of China’s annual Spring Festival travel rush, known as Chunyun. Over the next 40 days, the railway system is projected to handle 539 million trips, making it the largest periodic human migration in history. For at least three millennia, the Spring Festival has been China’s most significant holiday. “Going home for the family reunion” has become a deeply ingrained cultural expectation. About a quarter of China’s population consists of floating residents who live or work outside their registered hometowns, often in other cities or provinces. For them, rail travel is the preferred option, given that nearly every Chinese city with over 200k residents is connected by rail, not to mention the advantages of speed, affordability, and frequent services. The Spring Festival travel rush poses severe challenges to China’s public transportation system, especially its high-speed rail system. In 2008, a rare snowstorm hit the typically mild southern regions during the holiday, stranding 400k people at Guangzhou station for 11 days. This incident underscored the urgency for the government to accelerate high-speed rail development. Since then, China’s high-speed rail network has drawn lessons from daily operations, refining timetables and introducing new trains to prioritize safety, punctuality, and comfort. Today, amid hundreds of millions of passengers, the on-time rate during Chunyun reaches 99%, with no major accidents reported. In reality, China’s high-speed rail program started late and lacked any initial global advantages. During a visit to Japan in 1978, then China’s top leader-to-be Deng Xiaoping boarded Shinkansen and expressed admiration for the bullet train, remarking that it “urges China to run faster.” It took another 30 years for China to launch its first high-speed rail line, connecting the capital Beijing to Tianjin, with a distance comparable to New York to Philadelphia. By the end of 2025, China’s high-speed rail mileage exceeds twice the combined total of all other countries, enough to circle the equator 1.25 times. This expanded network meets the demands of a growing number of passengers, supported by features like mobile apps and real-name ticketing, which have put an end to the need to queue overnight at ticket counters as was routine decades ago. However, during Chunyun’s peak periods—such as the first and last days of the holiday—travelers still need to snap up tickets swiftly. Thus, for longer distances, many choose flights; others prefer the greater flexibility of self-driving, which has become the primary mode of transportation.

Today marks the start of China’s annual Spring Festival travel rush, known as Chunyun. Over the next 40 days, the railway system is projected to handle 539 million trips, making it the largest periodic human migration in history. For at least three millennia, the Spring Festival has been China’s most significant holiday. “Going home for the family reunion” has become a deeply ingrained cultural expectation. About a quarter of China’s population consists of floating residents who live or work outside their registered hometowns, often in other cities or provinces. For them, rail travel is the preferred option, given that nearly every Chinese city with over 200k residents is connected by rail, not to mention the advantages of speed, affordability, and frequent services. The Spring Festival travel rush poses severe challenges to China’s public transportation system, especially its high-speed rail system. In 2008, a rare snowstorm hit the typically mild southern regions during the holiday, stranding 400k people at Guangzhou station for 11 days. This incident underscored the urgency for the government to accelerate high-speed rail development. Since then, China’s high-speed rail network has drawn lessons from daily operations, refining timetables and introducing new trains to prioritize safety, punctuality, and comfort. Today, amid hundreds of millions of passengers, the on-time rate during Chunyun reaches 99%, with no major accidents reported. In reality, China’s high-speed rail program started late and lacked any initial global advantages. During a visit to Japan in 1978, then China’s top leader-to-be Deng Xiaoping boarded Shinkansen and expressed admiration for the bullet train, remarking that it “urges China to run faster.” It took another 30 years for China to launch its first high-speed rail line, connecting the capital Beijing to Tianjin, with a distance comparable to New York to Philadelphia. By the end of 2025, China’s high-speed rail mileage exceeds twice the combined total of all other countries, enough to circle the equator 1.25 times. This expanded network meets the demands of a growing number of passengers, supported by features like mobile apps and real-name ticketing, which have put an end to the need to queue overnight at ticket counters as was routine decades ago. However, during Chunyun’s peak periods—such as the first and last days of the holiday—travelers still need to snap up tickets swiftly. Thus, for longer distances, many choose flights; others prefer the greater flexibility of self-driving, which has become the primary mode of transportation.

Sinical

157,389 views • 5 months ago

Japan’s bullet trains had a problem big enough to threaten the future of high-speed rail. At 200 mph, tunnels turned them into sonic bombs. Noise complaints grew. Communities suffered. Speed restrictions became a real risk. What stands out to me is this: The solution did not come from more force. It came from a bird. Engineer Eiji Nakatsu studied the kingfisher, which moves from air into water with barely a splash, and used that insight to redesign the Shinkansen’s nose. The result was remarkable: ↳ sonic boom dramatically reduced ↳ trains became about 10% faster ↳ electricity use dropped by around 15% But this was never just about noise. This is the deeper impact: ↳ 15% less energy has been framed as 200,000 fewer tons of CO2 annually ↳ 10% faster speeds can mean more people living outside expensive cities while still commuting ↳ quieter tunnels can mean families near the tracks finally sleeping through the night That is what makes this story bigger than engineering. One bird’s beak did not just improve a train. It reshaped how an entire system could perform, with less friction for people and the environment. I see a much bigger lesson here. The best innovation does not always come from adding more power, more cost, or more complexity. Sometimes it comes from observing better. Nature has already solved for speed, efficiency, resilience, and adaptation. The real question is whether we are humble enough to learn from it. Because the future will not belong only to those who build more powerful systems. It will belong to those who build systems that work better with reality. What system in your industry is still being forced forward when it should be fundamentally redesigned? #Innovation #Biomimicry #Engineering #Leadership #Technology #Transportation #Sustainability #AI #FutureOfWork #PascalBornet

Japan’s bullet trains had a problem big enough to threaten the future of high-speed rail. At 200 mph, tunnels turned them into sonic bombs. Noise complaints grew. Communities suffered. Speed restrictions became a real risk. What stands out to me is this: The solution did not come from more force. It came from a bird. Engineer Eiji Nakatsu studied the kingfisher, which moves from air into water with barely a splash, and used that insight to redesign the Shinkansen’s nose. The result was remarkable: ↳ sonic boom dramatically reduced ↳ trains became about 10% faster ↳ electricity use dropped by around 15% But this was never just about noise. This is the deeper impact: ↳ 15% less energy has been framed as 200,000 fewer tons of CO2 annually ↳ 10% faster speeds can mean more people living outside expensive cities while still commuting ↳ quieter tunnels can mean families near the tracks finally sleeping through the night That is what makes this story bigger than engineering. One bird’s beak did not just improve a train. It reshaped how an entire system could perform, with less friction for people and the environment. I see a much bigger lesson here. The best innovation does not always come from adding more power, more cost, or more complexity. Sometimes it comes from observing better. Nature has already solved for speed, efficiency, resilience, and adaptation. The real question is whether we are humble enough to learn from it. Because the future will not belong only to those who build more powerful systems. It will belong to those who build systems that work better with reality. What system in your industry is still being forced forward when it should be fundamentally redesigned? #Innovation #Biomimicry #Engineering #Leadership #Technology #Transportation #Sustainability #AI #FutureOfWork #PascalBornet

Pascal Bornet

54,743 views • 3 months ago

The closure of rail services in regional Queensland is just another sad indictment on the state of our nation. While countries in Asia are building high speed rail and nuclear power plants, our governments can’t even keep existing services going with aging rolling stock. There’s money for the Olympics of course, but nothing for the regions that generate our wealth. The closure of the Westlander is particularly harsh because as the Chareville mayor quite rightly points out, regional towns like Chinchilla, Chareville and Cunnamulla were built on the back of rail. It’s not like the government has put money into roads either, with the Bruce and Warrego highways being virtual death traps. This debacle can be traced back to the privatisation of the Queensland rail coal trains back in the early 2000’s under the Bligh government. (Fun fact - Murray Watt was her chief of staff.) These coal trains generated income that was used to fund passenger services. The solution for this is to start funding the construction of infrastructure such as rail to generate income to pay for essential services. is advocating for an Infrastructure bank to fund this construction through domestic bonds rather than foreign debt. We are also advocating to start a military apprenticeship scheme to ensure that our children have the skills to build infrastructure rather than rely on foreign contractors that is being used for Snowy 2. It’s not rocket science - If we want to get our country back on track we have to get back on the tools and start building. No ifs, no buts.

The closure of rail services in regional Queensland is just another sad indictment on the state of our nation. While countries in Asia are building high speed rail and nuclear power plants, our governments can’t even keep existing services going with aging rolling stock. There’s money for the Olympics of course, but nothing for the regions that generate our wealth. The closure of the Westlander is particularly harsh because as the Chareville mayor quite rightly points out, regional towns like Chinchilla, Chareville and Cunnamulla were built on the back of rail. It’s not like the government has put money into roads either, with the Bruce and Warrego highways being virtual death traps. This debacle can be traced back to the privatisation of the Queensland rail coal trains back in the early 2000’s under the Bligh government. (Fun fact - Murray Watt was her chief of staff.) These coal trains generated income that was used to fund passenger services. The solution for this is to start funding the construction of infrastructure such as rail to generate income to pay for essential services. is advocating for an Infrastructure bank to fund this construction through domestic bonds rather than foreign debt. We are also advocating to start a military apprenticeship scheme to ensure that our children have the skills to build infrastructure rather than rely on foreign contractors that is being used for Snowy 2. It’s not rocket science - If we want to get our country back on track we have to get back on the tools and start building. No ifs, no buts.

Gerard Rennick

14,837 views • 1 month ago

🇨🇳 CHINA'S MAGLEV HITS 700 KM/H IN 2 SECONDS - PLANNING 1,000 KM/H - WHILE AMERICA ARGUES ABOUT FIXING POTHOLES China just tested a maglev platform that accelerates to 700 km/h (435 mph) in 2 seconds. Target speed: 1,000 km/h (621 mph). That's faster than commercial aircraft. On the ground. The acceleration alone is borderline violent - 0 to 435 mph in two seconds is 9.8g. Fighter jet territory. Passengers would need specialized seating just to survive the launch. But let's address reality: This is a test platform. Prototype speeds don't mean operational trains. China announces ambitious projects constantly. Some materialize (their existing 430 km/h maglev in Shanghai works). Others disappear quietly. The pattern though? They're attempting scale nobody else is. High-speed rail connecting every major city. Maglev research pushed to extremes. Infrastructure spending that makes Western investment look microscopic. Meanwhile in America: Amtrak averages 105 km/h between cities. California's high-speed rail project started in 2008, burned $10+ billion, and hasn't moved a passenger. The fastest train in the U.S. hits 240 km/h for exactly one 54-mile stretch. China's going for 1,000 km/h. Even if they only achieve 800 km/h operationally, that's still triple America's maximum. Here's why this matters beyond trains: Infrastructure capacity signals industrial capability. If China can build and operate 1,000 km/h trains, they can manufacture the precision components, power systems, and control mechanisms that transfer to aerospace, military, and manufacturing. The U.S. won the 20th century partly because it built the Interstate Highway System when others couldn't. China's betting the 21st century winner will be whoever builds impossible infrastructure first. They might fail. Engineering challenges at 1,000 km/h are extreme - air resistance, track precision, emergency braking, passenger safety. But they're trying while America argues whether to fix the L train in New York. Even Chinese failure puts them ahead. You learn more from attempting the impossible than from successfully maintaining mediocrity. Source: Xinhua, CGTN

🇨🇳 CHINA'S MAGLEV HITS 700 KM/H IN 2 SECONDS - PLANNING 1,000 KM/H - WHILE AMERICA ARGUES ABOUT FIXING POTHOLES China just tested a maglev platform that accelerates to 700 km/h (435 mph) in 2 seconds. Target speed: 1,000 km/h (621 mph). That's faster than commercial aircraft. On the ground. The acceleration alone is borderline violent - 0 to 435 mph in two seconds is 9.8g. Fighter jet territory. Passengers would need specialized seating just to survive the launch. But let's address reality: This is a test platform. Prototype speeds don't mean operational trains. China announces ambitious projects constantly. Some materialize (their existing 430 km/h maglev in Shanghai works). Others disappear quietly. The pattern though? They're attempting scale nobody else is. High-speed rail connecting every major city. Maglev research pushed to extremes. Infrastructure spending that makes Western investment look microscopic. Meanwhile in America: Amtrak averages 105 km/h between cities. California's high-speed rail project started in 2008, burned $10+ billion, and hasn't moved a passenger. The fastest train in the U.S. hits 240 km/h for exactly one 54-mile stretch. China's going for 1,000 km/h. Even if they only achieve 800 km/h operationally, that's still triple America's maximum. Here's why this matters beyond trains: Infrastructure capacity signals industrial capability. If China can build and operate 1,000 km/h trains, they can manufacture the precision components, power systems, and control mechanisms that transfer to aerospace, military, and manufacturing. The U.S. won the 20th century partly because it built the Interstate Highway System when others couldn't. China's betting the 21st century winner will be whoever builds impossible infrastructure first. They might fail. Engineering challenges at 1,000 km/h are extreme - air resistance, track precision, emergency braking, passenger safety. But they're trying while America argues whether to fix the L train in New York. Even Chinese failure puts them ahead. You learn more from attempting the impossible than from successfully maintaining mediocrity. Source: Xinhua, CGTN

Mario Nawfal

818,048 views • 6 months ago

Yesterday’s increase in Interest rates is not going to do anything to fix the underlying structural imbalances in our economy. It is not going to help build one oil refinery or find a new discovery oil. The reason we have persistent inflation in Australia is because our government is running high immigration, high spending programs alongside chronic underinvestment in infrastructure and manufacturing after decades of privatisation. It is completely absurd that the Australian people are now going to be punished with higher interest rates alongside higher fuel costs. The higher fuel costs is in-itself going to dampen demand by increasing the cost of living so why pour fuel on the fire by increasing the cost of living even more. We are in this mess because of government spending not because Australians are spending too much just to survive. Manipulating interest rates is only dealing with the symptom not the cause. Notwithstanding we can’t solve inflation in the next 30 days, Australia needs to start building more infrastructure and factories and training our children the trades needed to do it. This will increase the supply of essential goods to bring inflation down. People First is the only party with the policies that will do this. We will create an infrastructure bank to fund the infrastructure free from foreign debt and we will bring back the military apprenticeship scheme to train our children how to build and maintain the infrastructure and manufacturing plants. Sign up today at

Yesterday’s increase in Interest rates is not going to do anything to fix the underlying structural imbalances in our economy. It is not going to help build one oil refinery or find a new discovery oil. The reason we have persistent inflation in Australia is because our government is running high immigration, high spending programs alongside chronic underinvestment in infrastructure and manufacturing after decades of privatisation. It is completely absurd that the Australian people are now going to be punished with higher interest rates alongside higher fuel costs. The higher fuel costs is in-itself going to dampen demand by increasing the cost of living so why pour fuel on the fire by increasing the cost of living even more. We are in this mess because of government spending not because Australians are spending too much just to survive. Manipulating interest rates is only dealing with the symptom not the cause. Notwithstanding we can’t solve inflation in the next 30 days, Australia needs to start building more infrastructure and factories and training our children the trades needed to do it. This will increase the supply of essential goods to bring inflation down. People First is the only party with the policies that will do this. We will create an infrastructure bank to fund the infrastructure free from foreign debt and we will bring back the military apprenticeship scheme to train our children how to build and maintain the infrastructure and manufacturing plants. Sign up today at

Gerard Rennick

28,618 views • 3 months ago

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX | How to solve Kerala’s train travel problem once and for all with ₹150 crore? 🧵 In 2012, the Oomen Chandy government came up with a plan to build a high-speed rail corridor from Mangalore to Trivandrum. The estimated cost was around ₹1.18 lakh crore. It was planned to be funded through a Japanese loan from JICA. The project was opposed by the then opposition parties. The project was eventually dropped. In 2020, the present Left government under Pinarayi Vijayan brought back the high-speed rail project, named SilverLine, with a cost estimate of ₹64,000 crore. These numbers were rejected by NITI Aayog, which estimated the cost at around ₹1.2 lakh crore. There were strong public protests against forceful land acquisition, and the project was dropped by the government in 2022. We also strongly opposed it, as our estimate was that the final cost would easily cross ₹1.5 lakh crore, ticket prices would go up to around ₹6,000 to make it viable, and there would not be enough ridership. Now it is BJP’s turn. They opposed both earlier projects and have now come up with a new proposal using DMRC’s former chairman, Padma Vibhushan Dr. E. Sreedharan, who later joined BJP. This high-speed rail proposal, unlike SilverLine, is 90% elevated and ends at Kannur instead of Kasargod or Mangalore. The estimated cost is around ₹200 crore per kilometre, with an overall cost of more than ₹80,000 crore. Fair enough. However, the estimate of ₹200 crore per kilometre looks like an underestimate when we look at the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train. That project started with a cost of ₹216 crore per kilometre and has now reached ₹393 crore per kilometre, even though it is only half completed. By the time it is finished, the cost could touch ₹500 crore per kilometre, if not more. Leaving these big and fancy projects aside, let us come back to the core problem and look at it differently. Take a close look at this video. This shows the weekly train schedule from Kannur towards the south. If you observe carefully, the green-coloured trains are those that run within Kerala, while the red ones are outstation trains that either terminate at stations in Kerala or pass through the state. What does this tell us? (1/8)

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX | How to solve Kerala’s train travel problem once and for all with ₹150 crore? 🧵 In 2012, the Oomen Chandy government came up with a plan to build a high-speed rail corridor from Mangalore to Trivandrum. The estimated cost was around ₹1.18 lakh crore. It was planned to be funded through a Japanese loan from JICA. The project was opposed by the then opposition parties. The project was eventually dropped. In 2020, the present Left government under Pinarayi Vijayan brought back the high-speed rail project, named SilverLine, with a cost estimate of ₹64,000 crore. These numbers were rejected by NITI Aayog, which estimated the cost at around ₹1.2 lakh crore. There were strong public protests against forceful land acquisition, and the project was dropped by the government in 2022. We also strongly opposed it, as our estimate was that the final cost would easily cross ₹1.5 lakh crore, ticket prices would go up to around ₹6,000 to make it viable, and there would not be enough ridership. Now it is BJP’s turn. They opposed both earlier projects and have now come up with a new proposal using DMRC’s former chairman, Padma Vibhushan Dr. E. Sreedharan, who later joined BJP. This high-speed rail proposal, unlike SilverLine, is 90% elevated and ends at Kannur instead of Kasargod or Mangalore. The estimated cost is around ₹200 crore per kilometre, with an overall cost of more than ₹80,000 crore. Fair enough. However, the estimate of ₹200 crore per kilometre looks like an underestimate when we look at the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train. That project started with a cost of ₹216 crore per kilometre and has now reached ₹393 crore per kilometre, even though it is only half completed. By the time it is finished, the cost could touch ₹500 crore per kilometre, if not more. Leaving these big and fancy projects aside, let us come back to the core problem and look at it differently. Take a close look at this video. This shows the weekly train schedule from Kannur towards the south. If you observe carefully, the green-coloured trains are those that run within Kerala, while the red ones are outstation trains that either terminate at stations in Kerala or pass through the state. What does this tell us? (1/8)

Congress Kerala

41,136 views • 5 months ago

This week I addressed the major national news channels with all 4 of my Federal One Nation colleagues for the first time. I am humbled by the increased support for One Nation and I know the work has only just begun to prove we are worthy of your support. At the same time, I am banned from attending Parliament on your behalf on the orders of Liberals, Nationals, Labor and Greens. Australia is in desperate need of political leadership. The country needs politicians who are principled, who believe in putting Australians first, and will stand up for what is right - even when it’s not ‘politically correct’. The people have been crushed by decades of Labor and Coalition governments making life harder at every step. One Nation represents hope for a change away from this track record of managed decline. We believe Australia can be an incredible country and has enormous potential. It just takes the political will to make decisions in Australia’s interests first.

This week I addressed the major national news channels with all 4 of my Federal One Nation colleagues for the first time. I am humbled by the increased support for One Nation and I know the work has only just begun to prove we are worthy of your support. At the same time, I am banned from attending Parliament on your behalf on the orders of Liberals, Nationals, Labor and Greens. Australia is in desperate need of political leadership. The country needs politicians who are principled, who believe in putting Australians first, and will stand up for what is right - even when it’s not ‘politically correct’. The people have been crushed by decades of Labor and Coalition governments making life harder at every step. One Nation represents hope for a change away from this track record of managed decline. We believe Australia can be an incredible country and has enormous potential. It just takes the political will to make decisions in Australia’s interests first.

Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺

71,153 views • 5 months ago

🚨NEW: Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson unironically describe how Democrats' policies waste billions while failing to build basic infrastructure like high-speed rail, charging stations, rural broadband, and affordable homes. "We're in California. We don't have houses. We don't have enough clean energy. We don't have high-speed rail, and there are reasons for that. If you go to the national level, we didn't get that rural broadband we were promised, even though $42 billion was passed in favor of it, or that nationwide network of electric vehicle chargers." "The rules liberals wrote in the 1960s to protect the environment have created structures and rules that keep us from building the things we need in the 2020s, like houses and energy. We made it easier for neighbors to control what could and couldn't be built around them... When you give that power at the local level, it has the ability to stop development entirely. And that's really what we've seen in so many areas that are governed by liberals." "The five states with the highest rates of homelessness are all governed by Democrats. A study in The Atlantic found that in California, every single time a city adds 10% vote share of progressives, the number of housing permits declines by 30%. As an area becomes more liberal, it permits fewer homes." --- Radical solution: Cut the red tape, shrink the bureaucracy, make the government leaner, smarter, faster, and more efficient, and get it out of the way in housing, healthcare, education, and energy. In other words — follow the lead of Donald J. Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk, and support the MAGA movement.

🚨NEW: Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson unironically describe how Democrats' policies waste billions while failing to build basic infrastructure like high-speed rail, charging stations, rural broadband, and affordable homes. "We're in California. We don't have houses. We don't have enough clean energy. We don't have high-speed rail, and there are reasons for that. If you go to the national level, we didn't get that rural broadband we were promised, even though $42 billion was passed in favor of it, or that nationwide network of electric vehicle chargers." "The rules liberals wrote in the 1960s to protect the environment have created structures and rules that keep us from building the things we need in the 2020s, like houses and energy. We made it easier for neighbors to control what could and couldn't be built around them... When you give that power at the local level, it has the ability to stop development entirely. And that's really what we've seen in so many areas that are governed by liberals." "The five states with the highest rates of homelessness are all governed by Democrats. A study in The Atlantic found that in California, every single time a city adds 10% vote share of progressives, the number of housing permits declines by 30%. As an area becomes more liberal, it permits fewer homes." --- Radical solution: Cut the red tape, shrink the bureaucracy, make the government leaner, smarter, faster, and more efficient, and get it out of the way in housing, healthcare, education, and energy. In other words — follow the lead of Donald J. Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk, and support the MAGA movement.

KanekoaTheGreat

61,040 views • 1 year ago

Fuel shortages are now a reality in Australia. We are a resource rich nation. This should not be possible. If we had responsible politicians, it wouldn’t. But Australian elections have become a choice between two bad options for decades, with few exceptions. Worse, no matter which side we have voted for we get just about the same thing. Nobody has changed course. Elections in Australia are a cross between an economics lesson and shared distraction, as both sides of politics hope you don’t see their bribery of voters with taxpayer money for what it is. A giant scam. As the government has grown. As they have taken over more and more of the economy and regulated whatever they don’t totally control into oblivion, our industry has collapsed and that has pulled down our strategic preparedness. Australia is a shadow of the nation that emerged from the 1940’s. Industry has been in decline since the 80’s and we are not even a patch on what we were in the early 2000’s, the last time the West entered conflict in the middle east. The global strategic landscape is also much more perilous, and we are more vulnerable than we have ever been. Our political class has been irresponsible, trading our future for their power, and feeding the pocketbooks of their powerbrokers in the Unions, the lobbyist class and the education sector. We are not in this mess by some unhappy accident. Whilst Kevin Rudd flipped out over so-called manmade climate change, and Turnbull flipped out over not being Prime Minister, and whilst Scott Morrison betrayed the Australian people, winning by holding up a lump of coal and losing for implementing Net Zero, we now have Albanese who spent much of his first term losing “The Voice” referendum. Since then, he has broken promise after promise as he pretends the future can possibly be made in Australia. A complete disaster. Local oil refineries closed because the cost of energy and the impossibility of employing Australians grows and grows. Competing with a bloated public sector, an NDIS and an Industrial Relations system that treat businesses as crèches for the underperforming and unproductive. Those who are crazy enough to try and employ people in this country are seen by the government as an extension of the overgrown welfare system. Successive governments have spent most of their time trying to solve problems that don’t exist, whilst causing new problems and I think that has been their intention. I no longer give these people the benefit of the doubt. I am not sure I ever really did. Because if you look closely at the decisions they have made, and the legislation they have rushed through, if you think about the consequences of their busy work, Australia could only be weakened as a nation by what they have done. Much of the commonly held wisdom among the ABC chattering class, has obviously failed us. From multiculturalism to the energy transition, to the NDIS, the industrial relations system, the family courts, the Aboriginal industry as well as the big borrowing and spending agenda, that and more have all failed us. It was always going to. By now, much of the pain caused by these things is being broadly felt. It is becoming clear to more and more people, that the government and decades of kneeling to globalisation is to blame, but not everyone can yet see the connection between the horrendous outcomes and the latest idea from the Australian Greens. Or the utter corruption of the trade unions. Or the damage caused by the morally bankrupt lobbyists. Or the complete uselessness of the advisors, pollsters and spin-doctors. But I am sure as this economic crisis in Australia deepens, everyone will see the source of the problem. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Just as a ball thrown in the air is pulled back to earth by gravity, so too is government borrowing and spending crashed back on our heads by inflation. What goes up must come down, and the empty economic abys that is Australia is not here by some unlucky happenstance. It has been the achievement of decades of corrupt, inept and lazy politicians, who live deeply in bubble of self-congratulation. A fuel shortage does not only mean the prices of everything goes up more than they have already, it also means Australia runs the very real risk of grinding to a halt. If this crisis deepens, it will mean people will die. COVID will look like the entrée. We have every right to be furious with these people. I certainly am. It is time to put these grifters in the dustbin of history. I just want Australia back.

Fuel shortages are now a reality in Australia. We are a resource rich nation. This should not be possible. If we had responsible politicians, it wouldn’t. But Australian elections have become a choice between two bad options for decades, with few exceptions. Worse, no matter which side we have voted for we get just about the same thing. Nobody has changed course. Elections in Australia are a cross between an economics lesson and shared distraction, as both sides of politics hope you don’t see their bribery of voters with taxpayer money for what it is. A giant scam. As the government has grown. As they have taken over more and more of the economy and regulated whatever they don’t totally control into oblivion, our industry has collapsed and that has pulled down our strategic preparedness. Australia is a shadow of the nation that emerged from the 1940’s. Industry has been in decline since the 80’s and we are not even a patch on what we were in the early 2000’s, the last time the West entered conflict in the middle east. The global strategic landscape is also much more perilous, and we are more vulnerable than we have ever been. Our political class has been irresponsible, trading our future for their power, and feeding the pocketbooks of their powerbrokers in the Unions, the lobbyist class and the education sector. We are not in this mess by some unhappy accident. Whilst Kevin Rudd flipped out over so-called manmade climate change, and Turnbull flipped out over not being Prime Minister, and whilst Scott Morrison betrayed the Australian people, winning by holding up a lump of coal and losing for implementing Net Zero, we now have Albanese who spent much of his first term losing “The Voice” referendum. Since then, he has broken promise after promise as he pretends the future can possibly be made in Australia. A complete disaster. Local oil refineries closed because the cost of energy and the impossibility of employing Australians grows and grows. Competing with a bloated public sector, an NDIS and an Industrial Relations system that treat businesses as crèches for the underperforming and unproductive. Those who are crazy enough to try and employ people in this country are seen by the government as an extension of the overgrown welfare system. Successive governments have spent most of their time trying to solve problems that don’t exist, whilst causing new problems and I think that has been their intention. I no longer give these people the benefit of the doubt. I am not sure I ever really did. Because if you look closely at the decisions they have made, and the legislation they have rushed through, if you think about the consequences of their busy work, Australia could only be weakened as a nation by what they have done. Much of the commonly held wisdom among the ABC chattering class, has obviously failed us. From multiculturalism to the energy transition, to the NDIS, the industrial relations system, the family courts, the Aboriginal industry as well as the big borrowing and spending agenda, that and more have all failed us. It was always going to. By now, much of the pain caused by these things is being broadly felt. It is becoming clear to more and more people, that the government and decades of kneeling to globalisation is to blame, but not everyone can yet see the connection between the horrendous outcomes and the latest idea from the Australian Greens. Or the utter corruption of the trade unions. Or the damage caused by the morally bankrupt lobbyists. Or the complete uselessness of the advisors, pollsters and spin-doctors. But I am sure as this economic crisis in Australia deepens, everyone will see the source of the problem. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Just as a ball thrown in the air is pulled back to earth by gravity, so too is government borrowing and spending crashed back on our heads by inflation. What goes up must come down, and the empty economic abys that is Australia is not here by some unlucky happenstance. It has been the achievement of decades of corrupt, inept and lazy politicians, who live deeply in bubble of self-congratulation. A fuel shortage does not only mean the prices of everything goes up more than they have already, it also means Australia runs the very real risk of grinding to a halt. If this crisis deepens, it will mean people will die. COVID will look like the entrée. We have every right to be furious with these people. I certainly am. It is time to put these grifters in the dustbin of history. I just want Australia back.

Matthew Camenzuli

78,303 views • 4 months ago

Today’s protest in Zimbabwe has exposed how rotten its capital city, Harare, and its infrastructure have become. This used to be Africa’s 4th most advanced city. It is now a total embarrassment, highlighting the decay caused by Mnangagwa’s corrupt government and the incompetence of his clueless ministers who have destroyed not only the capital city, but the whole country. If the capital city is in such a dire state, imagine the condition of towns and other cities across Zimbabwe! It is a mess! Yet the guy wants to violate the constitution so that he dies in power! In 1980, Harare was one of the most advanced cities in Africa, often ranked among the top five. It had modern infrastructure, a well-maintained road network, reliable public services, and a strong economy compared to many other African cities at the time. Some rankings placed it alongside Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Pretoria as one of the continent’s leading urban centres. A city that was once a beacon of development and prosperity in Africa has been reduced to a shadow of its former self, and the same can be said for many other towns and cities across the country. A capital city is a reflection of its economy—that is why public hospitals, schools, water systems, and the economy of Harare are dead through corruption. Sadly, this corruption is an equal opportunity tragedy for all Mnangagwa’s victims, both in ZANUPF and among those who oppose it. This cannot go on!

Today’s protest in Zimbabwe has exposed how rotten its capital city, Harare, and its infrastructure have become. This used to be Africa’s 4th most advanced city. It is now a total embarrassment, highlighting the decay caused by Mnangagwa’s corrupt government and the incompetence of his clueless ministers who have destroyed not only the capital city, but the whole country. If the capital city is in such a dire state, imagine the condition of towns and other cities across Zimbabwe! It is a mess! Yet the guy wants to violate the constitution so that he dies in power! In 1980, Harare was one of the most advanced cities in Africa, often ranked among the top five. It had modern infrastructure, a well-maintained road network, reliable public services, and a strong economy compared to many other African cities at the time. Some rankings placed it alongside Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Pretoria as one of the continent’s leading urban centres. A city that was once a beacon of development and prosperity in Africa has been reduced to a shadow of its former self, and the same can be said for many other towns and cities across the country. A capital city is a reflection of its economy—that is why public hospitals, schools, water systems, and the economy of Harare are dead through corruption. Sadly, this corruption is an equal opportunity tragedy for all Mnangagwa’s victims, both in ZANUPF and among those who oppose it. This cannot go on!

Hopewell Chin’ono

148,837 views • 1 year ago

Jeff Bezos just identified the most expensive bureaucratic failure in the American economy. It fits in one sentence. Bezos: “Why does it take months and months and months to get a building permit? It doesn’t make any sense.” It doesn’t make any sense because a building code is not a judgment call. It is an algorithm. And algorithms should be executed by machines. Bezos: “Miami should have an AI application that reads your building permit for a new house or a new building and it should give you a yes or a no in ten seconds.” Ten seconds. Not three months. Not six weeks. Not whenever the reviewer clears their backlog. Bezos: “If the answer is no, it should tell you the six things you have to change to get a yes.” No ambiguity. No interpretation. No bureaucratic delay dressed up as due diligence. Just a deterministic feedback loop compressing months of institutional friction into a single automated decision. We are competing against sovereign adversaries deploying gigawatt data centers and scaling physical infrastructure at a pace that does not stop to ask permission. And we are losing ground to countries that never needed to. The AI arms race is not only fought in data centers. It is fought in the gap between when someone decides to build something and when the government allows it. Every month this system runs on biological speed is a month that cannot be recovered. The governments that integrate AI into their core civic functions will trigger a wave of physical development the old world could never produce. The ones that refuse will still be reviewing the same forms a decade from now. While the cities that said yes are already living inside the future they built. The bottleneck was never ambition. It was always the man holding the rubber stamp deciding when ambition was allowed to begin. And the stamp is just a rubber version of the algorithm that should have been running this whole time.

Jeff Bezos just identified the most expensive bureaucratic failure in the American economy. It fits in one sentence. Bezos: “Why does it take months and months and months to get a building permit? It doesn’t make any sense.” It doesn’t make any sense because a building code is not a judgment call. It is an algorithm. And algorithms should be executed by machines. Bezos: “Miami should have an AI application that reads your building permit for a new house or a new building and it should give you a yes or a no in ten seconds.” Ten seconds. Not three months. Not six weeks. Not whenever the reviewer clears their backlog. Bezos: “If the answer is no, it should tell you the six things you have to change to get a yes.” No ambiguity. No interpretation. No bureaucratic delay dressed up as due diligence. Just a deterministic feedback loop compressing months of institutional friction into a single automated decision. We are competing against sovereign adversaries deploying gigawatt data centers and scaling physical infrastructure at a pace that does not stop to ask permission. And we are losing ground to countries that never needed to. The AI arms race is not only fought in data centers. It is fought in the gap between when someone decides to build something and when the government allows it. Every month this system runs on biological speed is a month that cannot be recovered. The governments that integrate AI into their core civic functions will trigger a wave of physical development the old world could never produce. The ones that refuse will still be reviewing the same forms a decade from now. While the cities that said yes are already living inside the future they built. The bottleneck was never ambition. It was always the man holding the rubber stamp deciding when ambition was allowed to begin. And the stamp is just a rubber version of the algorithm that should have been running this whole time.

Dustin

293,284 views • 4 months ago

The latest FriendlyJordies video attacking me is utterly insane. He admits that the NDIS is a giant “make work” program, essentially a UBI scheme in all but name. He then claims with zero evidence that NDIS provides an alternative economic model to mass migration (even though we import workers to work in the NDIS). He then concludes by turning to the camera and asking: “If not for the NDIS, how else would you get economic growth? THE DOLE?” Really good insight into how utterly intellectually barren the Labor movement has become. They have literally zero ideas for economic growth other than paying people to engage in completely unproductive pursuits like ditch digging. We should be thinking about how to build an Australian version of TSMC - positioning Australia as an absolute leader in some critical technology of the future. We should be thinking about high tech manufacturing, building nuclear power plants, reaching for the stars. For the cost of ten years of NDIS spending we could build 150 subway stations across the five major Australian cities. Bring the Paris/London/NYC metro to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane. We could build high speed rail down our eastern seaboard. Brisbane to the Gold Coast in 15 minutes. Sydney to Melbourne in 1.5 hours. We could build 50 nuclear power plants like France - decarbonise our entire energy grid while making ourselves self sufficient in energy for the next 100 years. Nah mate. Shovel more cash into the NDIS fraud furnace instead. Such unearned arrogance from a bunch of intellectual pissants with zero vision

The latest FriendlyJordies video attacking me is utterly insane. He admits that the NDIS is a giant “make work” program, essentially a UBI scheme in all but name. He then claims with zero evidence that NDIS provides an alternative economic model to mass migration (even though we import workers to work in the NDIS). He then concludes by turning to the camera and asking: “If not for the NDIS, how else would you get economic growth? THE DOLE?” Really good insight into how utterly intellectually barren the Labor movement has become. They have literally zero ideas for economic growth other than paying people to engage in completely unproductive pursuits like ditch digging. We should be thinking about how to build an Australian version of TSMC - positioning Australia as an absolute leader in some critical technology of the future. We should be thinking about high tech manufacturing, building nuclear power plants, reaching for the stars. For the cost of ten years of NDIS spending we could build 150 subway stations across the five major Australian cities. Bring the Paris/London/NYC metro to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane. We could build high speed rail down our eastern seaboard. Brisbane to the Gold Coast in 15 minutes. Sydney to Melbourne in 1.5 hours. We could build 50 nuclear power plants like France - decarbonise our entire energy grid while making ourselves self sufficient in energy for the next 100 years. Nah mate. Shovel more cash into the NDIS fraud furnace instead. Such unearned arrogance from a bunch of intellectual pissants with zero vision

Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼

14,098 views • 3 months ago

The Circle (2000, Panahi)/ Iran "Political movies have limited time. After that time, it doesn’t say anything anymore. But if the whole thing is said in an artistic way, then it doesn’t have an expiration date." --- Jafar Panahi Full Excerpt: "Interviewer: The subject matter of 'The Circle' (2000) is controversial. You mentioned that the film is still banned in Iran. In fact, when I was watching the film, I realized that through the characters, there’s a lot of fear about the system, the establishment, the police. The women can’t smoke; they have to wear the chador; they seem to want to hide every time. This is all very clear from watching the film. Did you deliberately want to make a statement about the political situation in Iran? Panahi: I have to tell you again that I’m not a political person. I don’t like political movies. But I take every opportunity to comment on the social issues. I talk about the current issues. To me it’s not important what is the reason for what has happened. Whether it’s political reasons or geographical reasons: these are not important—but the condition, the social issues. It is important to me to talk about the plight of humanity at that time. I don’t want to give a political view, or start a political war. I think that the artist should rise above this. Political movies have limited time. After that time, it doesn’t say anything anymore. But if the whole thing is said in an artistic way, then it doesn’t have an expiration date. So it doesn’t really serve a political purpose. Then it can be everlasting, for always, and it could be for anywhere. But I know that politically, with the film authorities, with any kind of film that has some political background in it, they would take issue with it. And for this reason, that is what the problem is. Interviewer: Still, your film makes a very strong statement about the problems that women face in Iran. Panahi: Yes, I agree with that. Interviewer: So that is humanitarian, of course, but it’s also political. Panahi: Yes, I agree with that. It has the elements. It all depends on how you look at it. If a person has only political views, then he will only see the political. But if you are a poet or an artist, then you see other things as well in the movie. If you are a socialist, you see political or economic or whatever different points of view. You mustn’t look at a film with only one point of view. If you want to see 'The Circle' (2000) as political, then it is one of the most political movies in Iran. By political, I mean partisan politics. But even the police, I didn’t want to show them as bad. In the first instance, you are afraid of the police. Because you are looking at them from the point of view of someone who is now in prison. And normally you see him in a long shot, but when they come nearer and you see them in a medium shot, you can see their human faces. Then it comes down to, “Do you need any help?” But he goes back again and becomes frightening. If I were being political, then I would always show the police as dangerous or bad persons." (Jafar Panahi's interview with Stephen Teo, Senses of Cinema, 2001)

The Circle (2000, Panahi)/ Iran "Political movies have limited time. After that time, it doesn’t say anything anymore. But if the whole thing is said in an artistic way, then it doesn’t have an expiration date." --- Jafar Panahi Full Excerpt: "Interviewer: The subject matter of 'The Circle' (2000) is controversial. You mentioned that the film is still banned in Iran. In fact, when I was watching the film, I realized that through the characters, there’s a lot of fear about the system, the establishment, the police. The women can’t smoke; they have to wear the chador; they seem to want to hide every time. This is all very clear from watching the film. Did you deliberately want to make a statement about the political situation in Iran? Panahi: I have to tell you again that I’m not a political person. I don’t like political movies. But I take every opportunity to comment on the social issues. I talk about the current issues. To me it’s not important what is the reason for what has happened. Whether it’s political reasons or geographical reasons: these are not important—but the condition, the social issues. It is important to me to talk about the plight of humanity at that time. I don’t want to give a political view, or start a political war. I think that the artist should rise above this. Political movies have limited time. After that time, it doesn’t say anything anymore. But if the whole thing is said in an artistic way, then it doesn’t have an expiration date. So it doesn’t really serve a political purpose. Then it can be everlasting, for always, and it could be for anywhere. But I know that politically, with the film authorities, with any kind of film that has some political background in it, they would take issue with it. And for this reason, that is what the problem is. Interviewer: Still, your film makes a very strong statement about the problems that women face in Iran. Panahi: Yes, I agree with that. Interviewer: So that is humanitarian, of course, but it’s also political. Panahi: Yes, I agree with that. It has the elements. It all depends on how you look at it. If a person has only political views, then he will only see the political. But if you are a poet or an artist, then you see other things as well in the movie. If you are a socialist, you see political or economic or whatever different points of view. You mustn’t look at a film with only one point of view. If you want to see 'The Circle' (2000) as political, then it is one of the most political movies in Iran. By political, I mean partisan politics. But even the police, I didn’t want to show them as bad. In the first instance, you are afraid of the police. Because you are looking at them from the point of view of someone who is now in prison. And normally you see him in a long shot, but when they come nearer and you see them in a medium shot, you can see their human faces. Then it comes down to, “Do you need any help?” But he goes back again and becomes frightening. If I were being political, then I would always show the police as dangerous or bad persons." (Jafar Panahi's interview with Stephen Teo, Senses of Cinema, 2001)

DepressedBergman

43,871 views • 6 months ago

Elon Musk was asked how fast AI is moving. His answer wasn’t about the technology. It was about the one man who got it all right and was still too conservative. Musk: “I have to give credit to Ray Kurzweil in being actually remarkably accurate in his predictions. If anything, I think he was perhaps a bit conservative in his predictions.” Kurzweil spent 30 years making forecasts that made serious people uncomfortable. He predicted timelines that sounded impossible. He was mocked for it. He was right about nearly all of them. And Musk just called him conservative. Musk: “The dedicated AI compute appears to be growing by a factor of 10 every six months.” 10x every six months. Musk: “Almost a 100x improvement per year, at least for the next few years.” Moore’s Law was a 2x improvement every two years. That single curve drove every technological shift of the last 50 years. The internet. Smartphones. Cloud computing. All of it rode a 2x curve. AI is on a 100x curve. And the current infrastructure isn’t running beside the new one. It’s becoming it. Musk: “Probably a lot of the data centers, maybe most of the data centers that currently do conventional compute, will transition to AI compute.” Everything that runs the world you know is being rewired for the world that comes next. Human beings process the future in straight lines. We take the speed of the last decade and project it forward. Exponential growth doesn’t work that way. It’s invisible until it’s everywhere. The most aggressive forecaster in the history of technology was too conservative. That’s not about Kurzweil being wrong about the direction. That’s about the human brain being wrong about the speed. The limit was never the technology. It was the organ we use to comprehend it. And that organ hasn’t been upgraded in 200,000 years.

Elon Musk was asked how fast AI is moving. His answer wasn’t about the technology. It was about the one man who got it all right and was still too conservative. Musk: “I have to give credit to Ray Kurzweil in being actually remarkably accurate in his predictions. If anything, I think he was perhaps a bit conservative in his predictions.” Kurzweil spent 30 years making forecasts that made serious people uncomfortable. He predicted timelines that sounded impossible. He was mocked for it. He was right about nearly all of them. And Musk just called him conservative. Musk: “The dedicated AI compute appears to be growing by a factor of 10 every six months.” 10x every six months. Musk: “Almost a 100x improvement per year, at least for the next few years.” Moore’s Law was a 2x improvement every two years. That single curve drove every technological shift of the last 50 years. The internet. Smartphones. Cloud computing. All of it rode a 2x curve. AI is on a 100x curve. And the current infrastructure isn’t running beside the new one. It’s becoming it. Musk: “Probably a lot of the data centers, maybe most of the data centers that currently do conventional compute, will transition to AI compute.” Everything that runs the world you know is being rewired for the world that comes next. Human beings process the future in straight lines. We take the speed of the last decade and project it forward. Exponential growth doesn’t work that way. It’s invisible until it’s everywhere. The most aggressive forecaster in the history of technology was too conservative. That’s not about Kurzweil being wrong about the direction. That’s about the human brain being wrong about the speed. The limit was never the technology. It was the organ we use to comprehend it. And that organ hasn’t been upgraded in 200,000 years.

Dustin

213,568 views • 1 month ago

UAE plans world’s first underwater bullet train connecting Dubai to Mumbai | Joseph Shavit, Brighter Side of News UAE unveils plans for a record-breaking underwater train linking Dubai and Mumbai, blending high-speed travel with marine views. A groundbreaking transportation project is in the works—one that could forever change how long-distance travel is imagined. The United Arab Emirates has revealed plans for a massive underwater train that would connect the port city of Fujairah with Mumbai, India’s financial hub. Covering nearly 1,200 miles beneath the Arabian Sea, this engineering marvel aims to combine speed, luxury, and scenic immersion. With a projected travel speed between 600 and 1,000 kilometers per hour, the journey promises to outpace flights, offering a smoother, more visually captivating experience. “This is not just about transport, but an immersive experience,” said Dr. Ahmed Al Hariri, who leads the UAE’s National Advisor Bureau. The train, initially floated as an idea in 2018, is no longer a mere concept. Now actively pursued, it blends utility with spectacle. Panoramic windows lining the tunnel will allow travelers to witness the vibrant underwater world while racing beneath the waves. With both countries looking to expand trade and tourism, the project is more than a marvel—it’s a strategic bridge between two thriving regions. Beyond Transit: Trade, Tourism, and Rivalry This high-speed rail isn’t solely about moving people across borders. It’s designed to serve dual purposes—transporting goods such as freshwater from India to the UAE and oil in the reverse direction. Dubai sees it as a way to deepen trade partnerships with India while also redefining what tourism can be. As the UAE pushes ahead, the project has stirred comparisons with Saudi Arabia’s $1 trillion NEOM city initiative. Both Gulf nations are competing to lead the region’s next wave of futuristic infrastructure. If Dubai completes this undersea route before NEOM opens its doors, it could gain a symbolic edge. Sara Ahmed, a travel blogger based in Dubai, emphasized the project’s allure: “The underwater train isn’t just about getting from point A to B. It’s about relishing the wonders of the marine world.” The rivalry isn’t just about spectacle. Both countries aim to become global symbols of innovation. While Saudi Arabia builds artificial islands and futuristic skylines, the UAE is diving into the ocean to carve out its legacy. The Technical Mountain Ahead Building such a colossal structure beneath the sea comes with significant engineering and financial challenges. The train would need to withstand intense water pressure, ensure passenger safety at high speeds, and deliver reliability over thousands of trips. There are also psychological barriers to overcome—some people may feel claustrophobic or uneasy traveling deep underwater. Rajesh Verma, a businessman in Mumbai, expressed caution: “I’ve always been wary of the ocean’s depths. As much as I love the idea, I’ll likely stick to conventional modes of transport.” For many, it’s not just about the technology, but the comfort of knowing it works without flaws. Still, the financial commitment is not the UAE’s greatest concern. With deep pockets and a track record of delivering iconic projects—from the world’s tallest skyscraper to the man-made Palm Islands—Dubai’s leaders are more focused on technological feasibility than on cost. Experts estimate the project could cost several billion dollars, depending on materials, design, and the tunnel’s complexity. Initial reports suggest the use of transparent materials instead of traditional opaque bricks, creating a unique window into the marine ecosystem. That vision aligns with the broader goal of crafting an unforgettable travel experience rather than just a faster commute. A Journey Like No Other If completed, the Dubai-Mumbai train will dwarf the Channel Tunnel between England and France in both scale and ambition. While the Channel Tunnel spans just 35 miles and runs at modest speeds of 70 miles per hour, this new project plans to stretch over 1,200 miles and operate at speeds ten times faster. Passengers will not just travel—they will encounter an oceanic world through the train’s clear walls. The experience could easily find a place on travelers’ bucket lists. Some have already begun referring to it as the "Deep Blue Express." However, the question remains: can such a massive project be delivered safely and sustainably? Those behind the project believe so. A feasibility report is now being commissioned to explore the materials, construction methods, and environmental impact. That report will shape whether the idea remains a dream or becomes the world's most advanced rail system. The train’s potential extends beyond engineering or aesthetics. It’s a bold statement about how humans can rethink geography. It’s a bridge between cultures, markets, and innovations. Whether it becomes a staple of global travel or serves as inspiration for future projects, the underwater train project already stands as a testament to human vision and determination. What the Future Holds The success of this bold venture will rest on more than just construction. Public confidence, regulatory approvals, and environmental planning must align. Nonetheless, the Dubai-Mumbai train has sparked imaginations across the world and ignited new discussions about what’s possible in global travel. At a time when nations are reimagining how cities and transport networks interact, this project represents the next logical step: one that literally plunges into uncharted waters. As with most pioneering ventures, it may take years, if not decades, to complete. But its very announcement pushes the boundaries of what’s considered possible. Whether you one day ride the Deep Blue Express or watch its progress from afar, its story marks a new era in engineering and global connection. And for the UAE, it’s another chance to show that when it comes to bold ideas, no challenge is too deep. Today’s Longest High-Speed Rail Journeys Beijing to Kunming, China: Covering approximately 2,653 kilometers, this route connects Beijing with Kunming, offering travel times between 10 hours 43 minutes and 14 hours 54 minutes. Beijing to Guangzhou, China: Spanning about 2,298 kilometers, this line links Beijing to Guangzhou, significantly reducing travel time compared to conventional trains. Shanghai to Kunming, China: This route extends over 2,066 kilometers, connecting Shanghai with Kunming, facilitating efficient travel across eastern and southwestern China. Beijing to Shanghai, China: At approximately 1,318 kilometers, this line connects two of China's major cities, Beijing and Shanghai, and is noted as the world's longest high-speed line constructed in a single phase. Hangzhou to Shenzhen, China: This route covers around 1,495 kilometers, linking Hangzhou with Shenzhen, enhancing connectivity along China's southeastern coast. Qingdao to Yinchuan, China: Spanning about 1,762 kilometers, this line connects Qingdao to Yinchuan, facilitating travel between eastern and northwestern China. Beijing to Harbin, China: This route extends over approximately 1,700 kilometers, linking Beijing with Harbin, serving as a vital connection to northeastern China. Guangzhou to Kunming, China: Covering about 1,285 kilometers, this line connects Guangzhou with Kunming, enhancing travel between southern and southwestern China. Tokyo to Hakata, Japan: This route spans approximately 1,174 kilometers, connecting Tokyo with Hakata, and is part of Japan's renowned Shinkansen network. Madrid to Barcelona, Spain: Covering about 621 kilometers, this line links Madrid with Barcelona, significantly reducing travel time between Spain's two largest cities. The Seikan Tunnel in Japan is the world's current longest undersea tunnel used by bullet trains. Spanning 53.85 kilometers (33.46 miles), it includes a 23.3-kilometer (14.5-mile) section beneath the Tsugaru Strait, connecting Honshu and Hokkaido. Shinkansen bullet trains traverse this tunnel, which descends approximately 100 meters (330 feet) below the seabed and 240 meters (790 feet) below sea level. Read more:

UAE plans world’s first underwater bullet train connecting Dubai to Mumbai | Joseph Shavit, Brighter Side of News UAE unveils plans for a record-breaking underwater train linking Dubai and Mumbai, blending high-speed travel with marine views. A groundbreaking transportation project is in the works—one that could forever change how long-distance travel is imagined. The United Arab Emirates has revealed plans for a massive underwater train that would connect the port city of Fujairah with Mumbai, India’s financial hub. Covering nearly 1,200 miles beneath the Arabian Sea, this engineering marvel aims to combine speed, luxury, and scenic immersion. With a projected travel speed between 600 and 1,000 kilometers per hour, the journey promises to outpace flights, offering a smoother, more visually captivating experience. “This is not just about transport, but an immersive experience,” said Dr. Ahmed Al Hariri, who leads the UAE’s National Advisor Bureau. The train, initially floated as an idea in 2018, is no longer a mere concept. Now actively pursued, it blends utility with spectacle. Panoramic windows lining the tunnel will allow travelers to witness the vibrant underwater world while racing beneath the waves. With both countries looking to expand trade and tourism, the project is more than a marvel—it’s a strategic bridge between two thriving regions. Beyond Transit: Trade, Tourism, and Rivalry This high-speed rail isn’t solely about moving people across borders. It’s designed to serve dual purposes—transporting goods such as freshwater from India to the UAE and oil in the reverse direction. Dubai sees it as a way to deepen trade partnerships with India while also redefining what tourism can be. As the UAE pushes ahead, the project has stirred comparisons with Saudi Arabia’s $1 trillion NEOM city initiative. Both Gulf nations are competing to lead the region’s next wave of futuristic infrastructure. If Dubai completes this undersea route before NEOM opens its doors, it could gain a symbolic edge. Sara Ahmed, a travel blogger based in Dubai, emphasized the project’s allure: “The underwater train isn’t just about getting from point A to B. It’s about relishing the wonders of the marine world.” The rivalry isn’t just about spectacle. Both countries aim to become global symbols of innovation. While Saudi Arabia builds artificial islands and futuristic skylines, the UAE is diving into the ocean to carve out its legacy. The Technical Mountain Ahead Building such a colossal structure beneath the sea comes with significant engineering and financial challenges. The train would need to withstand intense water pressure, ensure passenger safety at high speeds, and deliver reliability over thousands of trips. There are also psychological barriers to overcome—some people may feel claustrophobic or uneasy traveling deep underwater. Rajesh Verma, a businessman in Mumbai, expressed caution: “I’ve always been wary of the ocean’s depths. As much as I love the idea, I’ll likely stick to conventional modes of transport.” For many, it’s not just about the technology, but the comfort of knowing it works without flaws. Still, the financial commitment is not the UAE’s greatest concern. With deep pockets and a track record of delivering iconic projects—from the world’s tallest skyscraper to the man-made Palm Islands—Dubai’s leaders are more focused on technological feasibility than on cost. Experts estimate the project could cost several billion dollars, depending on materials, design, and the tunnel’s complexity. Initial reports suggest the use of transparent materials instead of traditional opaque bricks, creating a unique window into the marine ecosystem. That vision aligns with the broader goal of crafting an unforgettable travel experience rather than just a faster commute. A Journey Like No Other If completed, the Dubai-Mumbai train will dwarf the Channel Tunnel between England and France in both scale and ambition. While the Channel Tunnel spans just 35 miles and runs at modest speeds of 70 miles per hour, this new project plans to stretch over 1,200 miles and operate at speeds ten times faster. Passengers will not just travel—they will encounter an oceanic world through the train’s clear walls. The experience could easily find a place on travelers’ bucket lists. Some have already begun referring to it as the "Deep Blue Express." However, the question remains: can such a massive project be delivered safely and sustainably? Those behind the project believe so. A feasibility report is now being commissioned to explore the materials, construction methods, and environmental impact. That report will shape whether the idea remains a dream or becomes the world's most advanced rail system. The train’s potential extends beyond engineering or aesthetics. It’s a bold statement about how humans can rethink geography. It’s a bridge between cultures, markets, and innovations. Whether it becomes a staple of global travel or serves as inspiration for future projects, the underwater train project already stands as a testament to human vision and determination. What the Future Holds The success of this bold venture will rest on more than just construction. Public confidence, regulatory approvals, and environmental planning must align. Nonetheless, the Dubai-Mumbai train has sparked imaginations across the world and ignited new discussions about what’s possible in global travel. At a time when nations are reimagining how cities and transport networks interact, this project represents the next logical step: one that literally plunges into uncharted waters. As with most pioneering ventures, it may take years, if not decades, to complete. But its very announcement pushes the boundaries of what’s considered possible. Whether you one day ride the Deep Blue Express or watch its progress from afar, its story marks a new era in engineering and global connection. And for the UAE, it’s another chance to show that when it comes to bold ideas, no challenge is too deep. Today’s Longest High-Speed Rail Journeys Beijing to Kunming, China: Covering approximately 2,653 kilometers, this route connects Beijing with Kunming, offering travel times between 10 hours 43 minutes and 14 hours 54 minutes. Beijing to Guangzhou, China: Spanning about 2,298 kilometers, this line links Beijing to Guangzhou, significantly reducing travel time compared to conventional trains. Shanghai to Kunming, China: This route extends over 2,066 kilometers, connecting Shanghai with Kunming, facilitating efficient travel across eastern and southwestern China. Beijing to Shanghai, China: At approximately 1,318 kilometers, this line connects two of China's major cities, Beijing and Shanghai, and is noted as the world's longest high-speed line constructed in a single phase. Hangzhou to Shenzhen, China: This route covers around 1,495 kilometers, linking Hangzhou with Shenzhen, enhancing connectivity along China's southeastern coast. Qingdao to Yinchuan, China: Spanning about 1,762 kilometers, this line connects Qingdao to Yinchuan, facilitating travel between eastern and northwestern China. Beijing to Harbin, China: This route extends over approximately 1,700 kilometers, linking Beijing with Harbin, serving as a vital connection to northeastern China. Guangzhou to Kunming, China: Covering about 1,285 kilometers, this line connects Guangzhou with Kunming, enhancing travel between southern and southwestern China. Tokyo to Hakata, Japan: This route spans approximately 1,174 kilometers, connecting Tokyo with Hakata, and is part of Japan's renowned Shinkansen network. Madrid to Barcelona, Spain: Covering about 621 kilometers, this line links Madrid with Barcelona, significantly reducing travel time between Spain's two largest cities. The Seikan Tunnel in Japan is the world's current longest undersea tunnel used by bullet trains. Spanning 53.85 kilometers (33.46 miles), it includes a 23.3-kilometer (14.5-mile) section beneath the Tsugaru Strait, connecting Honshu and Hokkaido. Shinkansen bullet trains traverse this tunnel, which descends approximately 100 meters (330 feet) below the seabed and 240 meters (790 feet) below sea level. Read more:

Owen Gregorian

67,278 views • 1 year ago

Bret Weinstein on the Melania Trump AI teachers: "I get it. And it’s not that it is impossible to imagine robotic teachers doing an excellent job, but it is stunning to watch a sophisticated person fail to recognize what happens when you think that that’s what you’re going to produce, and you set it in motion. Let me point out that Wikipedia has many of the advantages that Melania is describing in this video. It is completely democratizing of knowledge, such that it doesn’t matter where on e arth you are. If you have an internet connection, you’ve got Wikipedia. It’s like an extension of your own mind, and it will make us all brilliant. Now, of course, that didn’t happen, did it? Wikipedia is a hellscape of misinformation, much of it targeted based on a political agenda. We are less certain of what we know, and less capable of reasoning on our own. Now, that doesn’t all come from Wikipedia, but my point is the promise of Wikipedia was not realized. And what we got instead is arguably worse than what we had before it was invented. The same thing is virtually guaranteed here, because you’re talking about not only the capability of educating students using a robot that has vastly more knowledge than a human teacher would, but you’re talking about the irresistible opportunity to capture those minds and steer them in one direction or another, whether that’s political or economic. The idea that these robotic teachers are going to be immune to the kind of flights of fancy that have ruined teaching in the modern era is preposterous. In fact, they will likely be even more easily steered. I would caution everyone to simply realize the distinction between complicated systems and complex systems. AI is a complex system. Human beings are complex systems. And any time you intervene in these systems, thinking you know what’s going to happen, you’re going to be embarrassed by the discovery of the unintended consequences that will come to dominate your project. As much as I like the idea of smarter, wiser, more empathic teachers, and as much as those possibilities do exist in the space of AI, we are still at a very early point in this revolution, and anybody who thinks they can predict it with this kind of precision is actually a hazard."

Bret Weinstein on the Melania Trump AI teachers: "I get it. And it’s not that it is impossible to imagine robotic teachers doing an excellent job, but it is stunning to watch a sophisticated person fail to recognize what happens when you think that that’s what you’re going to produce, and you set it in motion. Let me point out that Wikipedia has many of the advantages that Melania is describing in this video. It is completely democratizing of knowledge, such that it doesn’t matter where on e arth you are. If you have an internet connection, you’ve got Wikipedia. It’s like an extension of your own mind, and it will make us all brilliant. Now, of course, that didn’t happen, did it? Wikipedia is a hellscape of misinformation, much of it targeted based on a political agenda. We are less certain of what we know, and less capable of reasoning on our own. Now, that doesn’t all come from Wikipedia, but my point is the promise of Wikipedia was not realized. And what we got instead is arguably worse than what we had before it was invented. The same thing is virtually guaranteed here, because you’re talking about not only the capability of educating students using a robot that has vastly more knowledge than a human teacher would, but you’re talking about the irresistible opportunity to capture those minds and steer them in one direction or another, whether that’s political or economic. The idea that these robotic teachers are going to be immune to the kind of flights of fancy that have ruined teaching in the modern era is preposterous. In fact, they will likely be even more easily steered. I would caution everyone to simply realize the distinction between complicated systems and complex systems. AI is a complex system. Human beings are complex systems. And any time you intervene in these systems, thinking you know what’s going to happen, you’re going to be embarrassed by the discovery of the unintended consequences that will come to dominate your project. As much as I like the idea of smarter, wiser, more empathic teachers, and as much as those possibilities do exist in the space of AI, we are still at a very early point in this revolution, and anybody who thinks they can predict it with this kind of precision is actually a hazard."

The DarkHorse Podcast

48,380 views • 3 months ago