Trumble & Friends

What a stellar crowd they were at the Trumbull dinner out there on the ocean blue:

Greg Norman, golfing legend:

"World famous golfers designed the courses (my favorite was Riverside, developed by our own Greg Norman and carved out of natural rain forest)... " (Golf in Jakarta - holidaydestinationsaround the world.com)

Rupert Murdoch, NewsCorpse executive chairman:

"A powerful British parliamentary committee has labelled Rupert Murdoch unfit to run a major company..." (Murdoch 'not fit' to run News Corp, ABC News, 2/5/12)

Gina Rinehart, mining magnate:

"Rinehart was recently quoted by the Australian Resources & Investment magazine as saying, 'if you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain; do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing, and more time working'." (12 reasons why so many people hate Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, Megan Willett, businessinsider.com, 14/9/12)

Frank Lowy, Westfield boss:

Of course, our jolly former Golani brigade Palestinian Arab fighter and showerer of $$$ on assorted Israeli 'charities' and Australian political parties needs no introduction. (Just click on the Frank Lowy label below.)

Andrew Liveris, DOW Chemical CEO:

"Liveris also told top Dow executives that it was 'time for retirement' for one manager who had voiced concerns about the hotel cost overruns, according to emails included in Wood's OSHA complaint. According to the complaint, Dow's chief counsel, Charles Kalil, replied to Liveris the next day: 'Remind me never to piss you off'." (Dow Chemical's Australian CEO Andrew Liveris challenged on spending for years, documents show, Joshua Schneyer, smh.com.au, 7/5/15)

Jennifer Nason, JP Morgan & Chase's global chairman for technology, media and telecommunications investment banking:

"Can you share with us any plans for the future of AAA [American Australian Association]? 2017 is the 100 year Anniversary of Australia joining with the US in every conflict for 100 years. We are the only US ally that can say that." (Faces of AWNY  [Australian Women in New York], australianwomeninnewyork.org, 26/11/16)

Michael Wirth, Chevron chairman:

"Energy giant Chevron donated tens of thousands of dollars to the Labor and Liberal parties before and after an enquiry into mining in the Great Australian Bight, sparking claims it is trying to buy political influence. Chevron hopes to begin drilling up to four wells in the environmentally sensitive Bight next year to search for oil and gas." (Chevron donates thousands to Labor, Liberal as it pushes oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight, Peter Jean, The Advertiser, 5/2/17)

Leigh Clifford, QANTAS chairman:

"On 23 March 2004, Rio Tinto announced it had sold its 11.9 % shareholding in [West Papua's] Freeport [mine]. Rio Tinto made a $518 million profit. Citing no environmental or social reasons, Rio Tinto's then chief executive Leigh Clifford reassured shareholders that 'the sale of [Freeport] does not affect the terms of the joint venture nor the management of the Grasberg mine' and that through 'our significant direct interest in Grasberg, we will continue to benefit from our relationship with Freeport'... In October 2005, the Norwegian government began 5 months of deliberations over [Freeport's] 'extensive, long-term and irreversible' environmental damage at the Grasberg complex... And so, in February 2006, Freeport became the first company that the Norwegians blacklisted for environmental reasons." (The silencing of West Papua, N.A.J. Taylor, crikey.com, 9/1/12)

John Travolta, actor:

"The film asserts that Travolta was a 'troubled young man looking for help' when he stumbled across Hubbard's book 'Dianetics'." (How Scientology controls John Travolta and Tom Cruise, according to 'Going Clear', Emily Yahr, The Washington Post, 30/3/15)

Wesley Bush, Northrop Grumman chief executive:

"US-based global cyber security company, Northrop Grumman, has chosen Australia as a partner in its new Advanced Cyber Technology Centre (ACTC), which is to be a focal point for cyber innovation across the corporation." (Investor Update: Australia a global centre for cyber innovation for Northrop Grumman, austrade.gov.au, 8/1/15)

Anthony Pratt, Visy Industries:

"'Tonight I'd like to pledge another $US2 billion over the next 10 years doubling our rate of investment to create an additional 5000 high paying manufacturing jobs mainly in the midwest,' Mr Pratt, who was seated beside First Lady Melania Trump at the dinner, said. Mr Trump stood up and clapped while the rest of the room mainly sat." (Donald Trump gives standing ovation to Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt, Peter Mitchell, smh.com.au, 5/5/17)

And what did they eat? I hear you cry:

"Guests dined on an entree... of asparagus, quail eggs, frico, mango treviso and basil and truffle vinaigrette. For the main course, it was dry-rubbed New York strip steak with watercress, tokyo turnips, garlic scape barley and pinot noir sauce. Desert, discarded by most guests as they mingled, was an option of Nutella Ring Ding with stracciatella gelato or vanilla roasted strawberries with moscato cream, rubber confit and lemon poppy buscuit and radish blossoms." (Stars & stripes: Celebrities flock to Trump-Turnbull dinner aboard battleship, Sharri Markson, Daily Telegraph, 6/5/17)