Mining/Energy/Resources/Biz/Markets/Pop Culture
The Business Of Everything Edition! Part IV
Sin City Sydney Australia, Wall Street, New York, and Beyond The Black Stump
Digital Bush Telegraph
Spread The Risk!
"Wall Street Shuffle" (10cc)
"Poker Face" (Lady Gaga)
"Thursday's Child" (David Bowie)
"Thursday" (The Pet Shop Boys)
"Hail to the Chief" (All The President's Men movie)
Road To WWE Night Of Champions: King And Queen Of The Ring. He or she who owns the gold makes the rules!
UFC Freedom 250: Fallout; Big Thumbs Up From Most
Past, Present And Future
June 2026
June 18
Markets
ASX 200 futures are down 61 points/0.7%: 8892
AUD flat to 70.13US¢
Bitcoin $63,845.01 -2.92%
Wall Street:
Dow -0.1%
S&P -1.2%
Nasdaq -1.3%
VIX up 2.0 points to 18.44
Gold -1.7% to $US4256.93 an ounce
Brent oil -0.4% to $US78.66 a barrel
Iron ore -1.9% to $US99.30 a ton
10-year yield:
US +4.49%
Australia +4.76%
Cryptos:
Dogecoin: $0.08412 -3.59%
XRP: $1.1628 -4.36%
News (Australia)
Numbers Double Check
Australian Dollar: $0.7020 USD (down $0.0050 USD) Iron Ore: $99.30 USD (down $2.25 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas: $75.65 USD (down $0.97 USD) Gold Price : $4,256.93 USD (down $74.62 USD)
Copper Price: $6.3630 USD (down $0.1180 USD)
Dow Jones: 51,492.55 (down 507.12 points)
News (Australia)
ASX climbs to April high; BHP hits record
The Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Wednesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.5 per cent to close at 8,966.3 points. BHP was up 0.6 per cent at a another record high of $65.59, Web Travel Group rose 11.1 per cent to $3.01 and WiseTech Global finished 4.1 per cent higher at $38.30. However, Karoon Energy shed 13.4 per cent to end the session at $1.42 and Fortescue was down 1.1 per cent at $20.32. (RMS)
Lead Up
ASX steady after rate call; BHP hits record
The Australian sharemarket edged higher on Tuesday, after the Reserve Bank left official interest rates unchanged; the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.042 per cent to close at 8,917.7 points, having reached an intra-day low of 8,843. BHP was up 0.015 per cent at a new record high of $65.19, Woodside Energy rose two per cent to $30.04 and Valiant Gold finished 4.7 per cent higher at $0.225. However, Karoon Energy shed 11.6 per cent to end the session at $1.64 and WiseTech Global was down 4.2 per cent at $36.79. (RMS). Media Man Peg-On: BHP ultra bullish. Let's go Gina and Hancock Prospecting and associates. Space X meeting to Moon, Mars and beyond.
Shares
TKO Holdings
$194.53
-5.50 -2.75%
Alphabet Inc Class A
$363.79
-9.46 -2.53%
Netflix
$76.96
-1.76 -2.24%
Paramount Skydance Corp
$9.98
-0.32 -3.11%
News (Australia)
'Overly optimistic': Experts warn on ASX rally
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index has gained 3.9 per cent in the last four days, in response to a sharp fall in the crude price after the US and Iran agreed to end the war in the Middle East. Investor sentiment was also bolstered by the Reserve Bank's decision to leave interest rates unchanged on Tuesday, although it has not ruled out further rate rises if inflation remains high. UBS equity strategist Richard Schellbach says the firm remains cautious about the outlook for both the oil price and inflation. He adds that apart from resources, every sector of the ASX is in "earnings downgrade mode". (RMS)
News (Aust)
Cricket Australia board to be overhauled, BBL sale greenlit after crunch meeting
The six state cricket associations held a lengthy meeting at Cricket Australia's headquarters in Melbourne on Monday, with a series of agreements being struck. South Australia proposed the states should be allowed to make up their own minds about selling off stakes in their Big Bash League teams, while the meeting called for an overhaul of the Cricket Australia board. The mooted new board structure would see one director appointed by each of the six states, along with four independent directors, one of which would be the chair. (RMS)
News (Aust)
(ICYMI)
Gina Rinehart bets $1.4 billion on Musk with record SpaceX stake
Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting has bought a $US1 billion ($1.4 billion) stake in rocket and satellite company SpaceX. It represents Hancock Prospecting's biggest investment outside of iron ore, with Rinehart claiming that the Elon Musk-owned company is a further example of "why the world needs more enterprise, more builders and much less bureaucracy". Hancock Prospecting's investment in SpaceX adds to a portfolio that includes stakes in Liontown Resources, Azure Minerals and Tesla. (RMS)
News Lead Up
(ICYMI)
SpaceX IPO Nears, Pushing Elon Musk Toward Trillionaire Status
SpaceX plans to price shares at $135 each on Thursday, valuing the company at $1.77 trillion and raising up to $75 billion in the largest IPO ever, with trading possibly starting Friday on Nasdaq under SPCX. Musk's 42% stake would be worth $740 billion to $866 billion, combined with his $300 billion-plus Tesla holdings pushing his net worth over $1 trillion according to Forbes and Bloomberg estimates. Prediction markets give 96% odds he'll be the first trillionaire by year-end, amid X users celebrating employee windfalls and free markets while others decry economic inequality, with jokes about Musk's riches flying alongside analyst cautions on risks. (Media Man Peg-On): To the Moon, Mars and Beyond. Real Life Iron Man Musk firing on all cylinders. Investors getting stars in their eyes?! Record Breaking Rocket Man!?
News
June 16
Gold
Gold is finding its footing
Gold has surged at its fastest pace in two months following reports that Donald Trump has called off strikes against Iran. The precious metal extended its rally on news of a deal between Washington and Tehran. With tensions easing, the outlook for Gold is improving. After dropping 18% from its highs and hitting its lowest level since November 2025, investors are once again seeing reasons for optimism.
Since the start of the geopolitical conflict, the precious metal has moved in the opposite direction to oil, so the fall in Brent has allowed gold to find its footing. Higher energy prices heighten the risks of inflation becoming entrenched at elevated levels and increase the likelihood of the Fed tightening monetary policy. This creates a headwind for gold, whilst the end of the conflict in the Middle East becomes a tailwind.
The precious metal’s rebound is being driven by US stock indices returning to record highs. The history of gold’s transformation into a risky asset dates back to 2025. At that time, gold prices jumped by 65%, whilst the New York Stock Exchange mining index rose by a record 155%. Gold can also serve as a source of liquidity, with investors selling it during stock market downturns to meet margin requirements.
Another factor set to drive gold's growth is increased demand for bullion from central banks. According to the WGC, 45% of the 76 central banks that responded to the survey plan to buy gold over the next 12 months. This is a record high since such surveys began in 2018. In emerging markets, this figure stands at 53%.
Taken together, easing tensions in the Middle East, lower oil prices, a reduced likelihood of further Fed tightening in 2026, stronger equity markets and robust central bank demand are creating a more supportive backdrop for gold, potentially paving the way for a broader recovery in prices.
The technical picture also favours the bulls, showing a striking surge in buying activity from the 61.8% Fibonacci support level of the 2022–2025 rally. Further confirmation of the reversal comes from the bounce off the 50-week moving average, which turned sharply upwards after slipping at the start of June.
Summary: Gold is rebounding as Middle East tensions ease, oil prices fall, Fed tightening risks fade, equities strengthen, and central bank demand supports recovery. (FxPro)
News
June 16
Crypto: growth without the euphoria
Market Overview
The crypto market capitalisation rose to $2.3 trillion by the end of Monday, before falling back to $2.27 trillion at the time of writing. The market recovery trend continues, but the relatively cautious pace of growth suggests we are far from euphoria. This looks more like a phase of asset consolidation by major players, which means the rally will have to wait a while. Among the most active coins, the growth leaders were Stellar (+14.8%), Uniswap (+14.2%) and Aave (+7%). The underperformers were Toncoin (-5.6%), Official Trump (-3.3%) and The Graph (-3.2%).
Bitcoin is trading near $66.3K, up just under 1% over the past 24 hours, but some distance from Monday’s intraday highs, which were approximately $1K higher. The price rise is occurring within a channel that formed 10 days ago. On Monday, the price confirmed this channel by touching and pulling back from its upper boundary, but it remains at the top of the range. Provided the positive momentum continues, we see the $68K area (the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level) as the nearest technical resistance to price growth. A more distant signal of market strength would be a firm consolidation above the 50-day moving average, which currently exceeds $73K.
News Background
CryptoQuant notes that inflows of bitcoins to crypto exchanges from long-term holders have reached their lowest level since 2015. Selling pressure is easing, and the number of bitcoins held by long-term holders has reached a new all-time high of 15.8 million BTC.
Relai expects Bitcoin’s bearish trend to end once the phase of major investment in artificial intelligence concludes. Capital may begin to flow back into the leading cryptocurrency as early as next year.
Strategy purchased an additional 1,587 BTC last week for $100 million at an average price of $63K per coin. The company now holds 846,842 BTC, purchased for $64.1 billion at an average price of $75.6K per Bitcoin.
BitMine has increased its Ethereum holdings to 5.62 million ETH, having purchased approximately 0.08 million ETH over the past week. BitMine’s reserves have reached 4.66%, with plans to acquire 5% of the Ethereum supply.
Summary: The crypto market is rising cautiously with no signs of euphoria; Bitcoin is holding within a 10-day channel, while selling pressure is easing. (FxPro)
News
Danhausen Claims 7x WWE Grand Slam After Pinning Miz Seven Times
During WWE's Summer Tour stops in Strasbourg, Lisbon, Madrid, Bologna, and Rome from June 2-6, Danhausen racked up clean wins over Miz at non-televised events. He based his bold claim on Miz's real Grand Slam status, prompting fans to joke he's actually 14x and cheer him as the GOAT. While some critics want more TV time, supporters point to his merch success, sold-out crowds, and house show dominance. (Media Man Peg-On): News Hausen, Media Hausen. X News Grand Slam. Danhausen def AEW curse?! Danhausen remains in New York Knicks good books!
News
Gaming/UFC
EA Sports UFC 6 Revives Open Weight Class Selection for Ranked Matches
EA Sports UFC 6 restores open weight class selection in Prospect ranked ladder placement matches, letting players choose divisions freely just weeks before the June 19 launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The feature, a hit in the first three games, was dropped in UFC 4 and 5 for rotating classes but returns alongside revamped fighter ratings and Flow State perks to mix up matchups. Streamers like Liam Healy hail it as a game-changer, though some note potential matchmaking issues in lighter divisions and lament the lack of PC support at launch. (Media Man Peg-On): The best of both worlds. Ground and pound and strike action. Take down your gaming store today, in a fun and friendly way. Road To The White House and beyond!
News
(ICYMI)
News
Heavy Industry News
Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month' award
Caterpillar wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The Month' award
Bingo Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The Month' award
Elders wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award (Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
News
Gold Movie
Gold is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance the appeal of the film, character names and story details were changed.
Trailer
Gold (YouTube Movies and TV)
https://t.co/gYnkQYeX6X
Gold is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club, The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film is inspired by a true story.
News Flashback
Early 2026
January and March
Streaming Wars
The "Streaming Wars" refers to the intense competition among digital media platforms to dominate the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market by capturing and retaining global audiences.
As of early 2026, the landscape has shifted from a period of rapid expansion into a phase of major consolidation and a focus on profitability over subscriber volume.
The "Winner" and Current State (2026)
Netflix Dominance: Industry analysts increasingly cite Netflix as the victor. In January 2026, Netflix reported 18% year-over-year revenue growth and is currently pursuing a high-stakes $83 billion all-cash acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets (including HBO/Max).
The "Big 3": Despite fierce competition, the market is primarily dominated by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
YouTube's Rise: Some experts argue YouTube is the true winner of the broader attention economy, surpassing traditional streaming services in total viewership by pivoting back to user-generated content.
Key Strategies in 2026
Consolidation: Smaller or struggling services are being shuttered or merged. For example, Disney recently shut down Hulu as a standalone service.
Monetization Shifts: Platforms have moved away from "growth at all costs" to strategies like password-sharing crackdowns, ad-supported tiers, and price hikes.
Live Sports & Events: Services are increasingly bidding on live sports rights (e.g., Netflix hosting WWE's Raw starting in 2025) to differentiate their offerings.
Bundling: To combat "subscription fatigue," platforms are forming strategic partnerships with telecommunications companies and banks to offer bundled service hubs.
Consumer Impact
Price Hikes: Many consumers are canceling services due to rising costs; over 40% of Americans cited price as their primary reason for unsubscribing in late 2025.
Resurgence of Piracy: Fragmented content and high costs have led to a significant comeback for pirate sites, which some users now find more comprehensive than paid services.
"South Park: The Streaming Wars": The term was popularized in mainstream culture by a 2-part South Park special released on Paramount+ in 2022, which satirized the industry's aggressive competition.
News/Profile
Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd
Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) is a privately owned Australian mineral exploration and agriculture company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. As of 2026, it is recognized as one of the most successful private companies in Australian history.
Leadership and Ownership
Executive Chairwoman: Gina Rinehart AO, who has led the company since 1992.
CEO: Garry Korte.
Ownership: The company is owned by Gina Rinehart (76.6%) and the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).
Major Mining Operations
The company has transitioned from a prospecting firm into a major global miner, with primary interests in the Pilbara region:
Roy Hill: A flagship mega-project and Australia’s largest single iron ore mine, producing 60–70 million tonnes annually.
Hope Downs: A 50/50 joint venture with Rio Tinto, comprising four open-pit mines with a capacity of approximately 47Mtpa.
Atlas Iron: Acquired in 2018, it operates the Mount Webber, Sanjiv Ridge, and Miralga Creek mines.
Hancock Iron Ore: A new entity formed in July 2025 to consolidate Roy Hill and Atlas Iron operations.
Diversification and Strategic Investments
Under Rinehart’s leadership, the company has expanded significantly into other sectors:
Agriculture: Hancock is Australia's second-largest beef producer, owning over 25 properties including the iconic S. Kidman & Co. It also owns 50% of Bannister Downs Dairy.
Critical Minerals: Major stakes in lithium (Liontown Resources, Azure Minerals, Vulcan Energy) and rare earths (Arafura Rare Earths, MP Materials, Lynas Rare Earths).
Energy: Significant interests in oil and gas through Warrego Energy and Senex Energy.
International Ventures: In January 2026, the company signed a gold exploration license agreement with Saudi Arabia's state-owned miner, Ma’aden.
Current Events (January 2026)
Australia Day Sponsorship: The company is the principal partner for the 2026 Hancock Prospecting Australia Day celebrations in Perth.
Helipad Proposal: In December 2025, the City of Perth refused the company's proposal to build a helipad at its West Perth headquarters.
Financial Performance: For the 2025 fiscal year, the company reported a profit of AU$3.08 billion.
History
The company was founded on November 25, 1955, by Lang Hancock, who is credited with discovering the world's largest iron ore deposit in 1952. When Gina Rinehart took over following his death in 1992, the company was in a precarious financial state with significant debt.
News
Gold (1974)
Gold is a 1974 British action-thriller directed by Peter R. Hunt, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York. Based on the 1970 novel Gold Mine by Wilbur Smith, the film is set in the South African goldfields and follows a conspiracy by a global syndicate to manipulate the price of gold by sabotaging a rich mine.
Plot: Rod Slater (Moore), a newly appointed general manager, is manipulated by his boss, Manfred Steyner (Bradford Dillman), into drilling through a protective barrier into a subterranean lake. This is intended to flood the mine, causing a global gold shortage and driving up prices for a greedy cabal.
Production Controversy: The film was controversially shot on location in South Africa during the apartheid era. This led to a "black ban" by British film unions, though some crew members defied it to work on the production.
James Bond Connection: Many crew members were veterans of the James Bond franchise, including director Peter Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), editor John Glen, and title designer Maurice Binder.
Accolades: The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Wherever Love Takes Me," composed by Elmer Bernstein and sung by Maureen McGovern.
Cast & Crew
Rod Slater: Roger Moore
Terry Steyner: Susannah York
Hurry Hirschfeld: Ray Milland
Manfred Steyner: Bradford Dillman
Farrell: John Gielgud
Director: Peter R. Hunt
Music: Elmer Bernstein
Availability in 2026
As of 2026, the film is available through several formats and platforms:
Streaming: Accessible on Prime Video, Tubi, and Roku devices.
Physical Media: High-definition restorations are available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber and 88 Films
News
Pop Culture
"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)
"Gold" is a signature 1983 hit by the British New Romantic band Spandau Ballet, written by Gary Kemp.
Lyrics
Thank you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are all worn I left them here, I could have sworn These are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another play for today Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud of you
Nothing left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing so tall
Thank you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are all worn I left them here I could have sworn
These are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another play for today Oh but I'm proud of you but I'm proud of you
Nothing left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing so tall
Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul You've got the power to know You're indestructible Always believe in
'Cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return There's something I could have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Oh after the rush has gone I hope you find a little more time Remember we were partners in crime It's only two years ago
The man with the suit and the face You knew that he was there on the case Now he's in love with you he's in love with you
My love is like a high prison wall But you could leave me standing so tall
Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul You've got the power to know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return There's something I could have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
My love is like a high prison wall And you could leave me standing so tall
Gold (gold)
Oh always believe in your soul You've got the power to know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return Something I could have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Songwriter: Gary James Kemp
Spandau Ballet - Gold (HD Remastered)
https://t.co/ELsUEwd214
Official video of Spandau Ballet performing 'Gold' from their 1983 third album 'True'.
Gary Kemp wrote both the music and lyrics; the song was produced by the partnership of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain. The music video was filmed on location in Carmona, Spain and directed by Brian Duffy. The video featured Sadie Frost as a gold-painted nymph, in one of her earlier roles. Some parts of the music video were also filmed in Leighton House, which was also used in the video for "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers.
Spandau Ballet are one of Britain’s great iconic bands having sold over 25 million records, scored numerous multi-platinum albums and amassed 23 hit singles across the globe since their humble beginnings as a group of friends with dreams of stardom in the late 1970s. It wasn’t long before they became fully-fledged members of the iconic Blitz Club scene and established themselves as one of the super-groups of the 80s.
The band's classic line-up features brothers Gary and Martin Kemp on guitars, vocalist Tony Hadley, saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble.
Spandau Ballet’s hits include Gold, True, To Cut A Long Story Short, Through The Barricades and many more.
News
The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award
Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Business Of The Month' award
Sky News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Media Outlet Of The Month' award
WWE wins 'Wrestling Promotion Of the Month' award; Runner-up: Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
News
Pop Culture Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking
Media Man Series
Team Trump def Team Left
Dana White def Naysayers
Sydney Sweeney def critics
Pauline Hanson def critics
SpaceX def everyone
Mr NXT vs Mr AEW
Conor McGregor vs critics
Sten Lee (Marvel) vs DC Comics (Team Warner)
Mr Netflix vs Mr Paramount
Mr YouTube vs Mr Rumble
Mr Meta vs Mr Bluesky
Mr Crypto vs Mr NWO
Mr Toyota vs Mr Porsche
Tony D'Angelo vs Mr EVIL - NXT (Great American Bash) - June 28
Seth Rollins vs Bron Breakker - WWE Night of Champions - June 27
WWE vs everyone - WWE Satuday Night's Main Event - July 18 - Madison Square Garden, NYC
Best Quotes
"I've never met a currency I didn't like" JBL
"What's your hustle" Paul Heyman
"Just in any job, if you want to get ahead, take shorter lunch breaks, be happy to stay later, do the work, and finish it off well" Gina Rinehart
"Everyone you meet knows something you don't" Fred Schebesta
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Blogs
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