Open Forum: November 16, 2019

Posted on November 16, 2019 by Sinclair Davidson
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4,084 Responses to Open Forum: November 16, 2019

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  1. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    Good news! I am now not too old to flirt with Lizzie, given the opportunity.

    Go right ahead: Sing, Herodotus, of men and their deeds….

    … And now for something completely different.
    See you at Cat drinks sometime? You have my email, flirting is practiced regularly there.

  2. Bruce of Newcastle says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    The interesting thing is that in interviews, Catherine MacGregor has half admitted this

    A few years after transitioning MacGregor at age 60 was pushing to be selected in the Australian Womens T20 cricket league. Which shows a very large ego and quite a lacking in empathy.

  3. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    The husky voice and general matiness in demeanour is still with ‘her’. I’m happy to use the pronouns of ‘she’ and ‘her’ with regard to the role playing if that is what Cate wants.

    Too late for the hormone approach. I respect McGregor’s approach and intellect.

    More broadly I think that in many cases there is a biological component because to permanently sustain a different gender identity would be incredibly taxing and difficult. Nonetheless the current social trend is probably pushing far too many into the gender dysphoria mindset when otherwise they just might be a little bit gender mixed. Two days ago I almost picked up the famous\infamous book by a neuroscientist arguing there is no such thing as male-female brains but the premise is obviously absurd and the book has been relentless attacked by many professionals. At some point there is going to be much more research into the SRY gene and what role epigenetics plays in its expression. At present most people seem to only think about chromosomes which is misguided. Even the SRY issue will probably turn out to be simplistic because the greater majority of traits are contingent on many genes.

  4. Whalehunt Fun says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    but the scene where the solicitor is murdered

    We are talking about a lawyer, yes?
    Only profession more hated than bankers, yes?

    Might watch it to see if it is as funny as I imagine it will be.

  5. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:54 pm

    but the scene where the solicitor is murdered

    Can you actually murder a lawyer?
    I thought it came under garbage disposal.

  7. OldOzzie says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    If Beijing puts troops in Hong Kong, Washington should suspend the city’s trade status, US commission says

    US-China Economic and Security Review Commission also says export control measures on mainland companies should be applied to their Hong Kong units

    Recommendations come after China calls for tougher crackdown on anti-government protests

  8. mh says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Mon Laferte staged a topless protest against the violence in Chile

    https://www.papermag.com/latin-grammys-protests-1-2641356138.html

  9. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    A few years after transitioning MacGregor at age 60 was pushing to be selected in the Australian Womens T20 cricket league. Which shows a very large ego and quite a lacking in empathy.

    Ah damn now I have to completely change my opinion of MacGregor.

  10. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    but the scene where the solicitor is murdered

    Can you actually murder a lawyer?
    I thought it came under garbage disposal.

    A corrupt one at that, whimpering and crying to try and save his life.

  11. 8th Dan says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    some here regard five figure sums, even if just short of a buck of 100K as pocket money

    Just so you know …

    Regarding is one thing, having is another. Very few here, possibly none, are among the latter.

    Keep that in mind.

  12. OldOzzie says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault
    #3213522, posted on November 16, 2019 at 5:54 pm
    but the scene where the solicitor is murdered

    Can you actually murder a lawyer?
    I thought it came under garbage disposal.

    I’ve watched Philadelphia (1993, *ing Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Antonio Bandares), my all-time favourite movie, a couple of times and have read its script too. But there’s this riddle in the movie I didn’t quite catch.

    : : : : : : At the climax, Andrew Becket (Tom Hanks) poses this riddle to Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), his lawyer who’s paying a visit to the hospital to congratulate Andy for his legal victory. Andy asks, “So, what do you call a thousand lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean?” When Joe gives up, Andy divulges, “A good start!”

    or as Shakespeare said

    “Let’s kill all the lawyers” is a line from William Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 2. The full quote is “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers”</strong>.[1] It is among Shakespeare’s most famous lines,[2] as well as one of his most controversial,[3] and has been used as the title of movies[4] and books.[5]

  13. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    A corrupt one at that, whimpering and crying to try and save his life.

    Are you sure it was a lawyer and not one of our politicians?

  14. 8th Dan says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    That was far too generous of me, so I’ll amend it to:

    None here are among the latter.

  15. OldOzzie says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:19 pm

    Another pervert turns up in Adam Schiff’s orbit

    We all know about Rep. Adam Schiff’s gamy ties to pervert and Democratic donor Ed Buck, who’s since been busted for his penchant for drugging and sometimes killing not-always-willing young black gay men. Schiff took at least $2,700 from Buck and posed for a picture with him, too. Buck was a big in the West Hollywood radical gay community, and Schiff, while not gay, clearly feels at home with those far-leftists.

    Now there’s another one turning up in Schiff’s orbit. According to KABC News of Los Angeles:

    PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Dr. Bruce M. Hensel, a former longtime medical correspondent for KNBC in Los Angeles, was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of asking a 9-year-old girl to send him sexually suggestive pictures, authorities said.

    Hensel, 71, was taken into custody about 10:15 a.m. by investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division, a spokesperson for the agency said. He was released later in the day after posting $5,000 bail.

    Eeew. And there are unconfirmed reports that Schiff was friends with the man.

  16. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:19 pm

    None here are among the latter.

    No, she’s not.
    She’s on permanent moderation until she learns to behave herself.

  17. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    Watch it while you can because Youtube is now even banning\shadow banning MGTOW channels.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpNzLZzOh0s

  18. Frank Walker from National Tiles says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    Holy shit.

    On reading Johanna’s posts, I’ve worked out that Lizzie is married to Neil Armfield!

  19. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    You lied for years about your age, your children, your bigshot husband (I’ve looked him up, and nobody has ever heard of him.)

    Just noticed the full extent of her rant. What is wrong with her? She’s obsessional.
    You’re yabbing bullshit, Johanna. I was deliberately discreet about my actual age. Never ‘came out’ till one day I did. My children – there are four of them. They were children, we loved them and enjoyed parenting them, gathering all the little tales about them, as you do, and then they grew up. So?

    Re your insane digging into our private lives? Which husband are you chasing, first or second?
    If my own dear Hairy, then you can’t have looked very far, dreary.
    You must have typed in, as LL suggested, ‘Hairy’ and didn’t get much to go on? lol
    We were at a huge function just last month where a lot of people had definitely heard of him.
    Remembered him well, and his achievements. He was an honoured invitee.
    And that was only in one of his three major workplaces.
    Not even the most significant one, which he was in when you were playing Poirot previously.

    And as for Hairy having it off with his various PA’s as you claim. Didn’t happen.
    You never saw them. The efficient Chinese lady he employed when in his most important position rivaled Jiang Qing in ferocity. His most trusted PA for many years was a man, who organized two others and fended off one of them, another Chinese lady who tended to think she knew best in small matters. The two in his last job, which he was head-hunted for, were more keen on rivaling each other than playing flirties with him. He always had very protective photographs of me on his various desks there anyway. Scared them off.

    Have you any more jealous nonsense to go on about here while violating blog rules?

  20. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    Blue Murder. One of the great shows ever. Not whatever the newer one is, because that’s shit, but the original. Roxburgh as Rogerson is bang on.

    And the lawyer scene’s glorious.

    ‘W-what the fuck’s that?’
    ‘That’s an early cooker, mate.’

    Splash.

  21. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Behold the untold riches of 8th Danielle.

    Reminds me of Daffy Duck in the cave of riches.

    Hassan chop!

  23. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    Very few here, possibly none, are among the latter.

    Nonsense. When we are buying real estate at auction Hairy regards various five figure sums of money as what he calls ‘noise’. I think we could readily lay our hands on $99K casho tomorrow, indeed much more if an emergency arose, as well as having full equity and no mortgage on our home, and I don’t doubt quite a few here could do the same. That’s not ‘boastful’, that’s just reality in today’s Australia for many people.

    This is not a poor country and many educated people or those who have given things a go are well off.
    Like many, we have engaged in a little property ‘flipping’ which has assisted wealth creation, especially after my input in sourcing properties to which we can add value, and in supervising renos on them.

  24. Dr Fred Lenin says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:39 pm

    All you people gloating. Over the death of a Lawyer , where would we be without them ? Where woukd we get our corrupt career polliemuppets the u ions cant supply them all ,there are thousands of them .

  25. P says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:40 pm

    Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare #3213517, posted on November 16, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    … And now for something completely different.

    Memories of Sydney for those old enough to remember:
    The bleachers at Sydney Stadium Rushcutters Bay
    The Phillip Street Revues
    Genesian Theatre
    Andre’s Nite Club, Castlereagh St, Sydney
    The Taboo at Kings Cross
    Mother’s Restaurant and Pancake Cellar, Elizabeth Bay
    Hotel Australia, Castlereagh St, Rowe St and Martin Place
    Rowe Street Coffee Shops
    Lorenzini’s Coffee Shop/Wine Bar
    Pharlet’s Hotel, Margaret St, Sydney
    Leo Buring’s Ye Old Crusty Taverne, George St
    The Savoy theatre

  26. Bruce of Newcastle says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:41 pm

    Roxburgh as Rogerson is bang on.

    Guy who deserves much more work in top movies, although I see he’s in Danger Close.

    Richard Roxburgh’s Voyage to the Planets series is one of the most marvelous trips I’ve ever taken without moving out of an armchair.

  27. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:41 pm

    KD, is it on TV?

  28. Frank Walker from National Tiles says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:41 pm

    I’m only obsessed with how much explosive ordnance would generate a sound that could travel 100 km through montane wet rainforest terrain.

    So far we’ve established that 2,200 tonnes of ammonium nitrate can be heard 240 km away, and that the range of an explosion being in 3D is subject to a cube root law. Furthermore, ammonium nitrate has an RE factor of around 0.42 (low). So given that the explosive used in Vietnam was composition B (or H6) and only weighed 200 lbs in each, with a RE of 1.34. So we can say the ratio is roughly 1.05*1.34 times as much NH4NO3 as GP bombs (1.407). Following the cube root law, (240^3/100^3)*1.407 times less than the Texas explosion to be heard at 100 km – but all must be set off at the EXACT same time in very close proximity. In other words, 113 metric tonnes of ordnance at the same time. THE EXACT SAME TIME.

    This is the problem. It all has to go off like one bomb at the one place. It would be nearly physical impossible for four B-52s, nearly fully laden (full Mk 82 bomb load is 31.5 metric tonnes) to drop all of their ordnance to explode at the exact same location and at the exact same time.

    Over relatively flat, dry & clear terrain as well.

  29. Frank Walker from National Tiles says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:42 pm

    Murdered with a piece of machinery by made manufacturers of the world’s most ridiculous cars.

    They may as well clubbed him to death with a Trabant.

  30. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    Lizzie,
    I loves ya baby, but you are so far divorced from mainstream reality it’s painful.
    Around 60% of the adult population are two missed paychecks away from bankruptcy.

  32. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:47 pm

    Ye Olde Pouvery, Oxford St
    Bligh and Sons’ Apothecary
    Lavender and Mahogany Tea Rooms, Glebe
    Doc Evatt Transmissions, Ultimo

  33. Des Deskperson says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:48 pm

    ‘All you people gloating. Over the death of a Lawyer’

    But he wasn’t a lawyer; IIRC he was a corrupt solicitor’s clerk. Dunno if that makes it better or worse.

    My favourite scene was the cops kidnapping – and killing off-screen – a psychotic Dale Flannery.

  34. Muddy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:48 pm

    Lizzie,
    I suspect your response above was exactly what was sought.

  35. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    Don’t think so Nick. Mitch’s link was to SBS On Demand.

    It was so true to life it was banned in NSW for years until all the court matters associated with the real life events had finished.

  36. OldOzzie says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:51 pm

    DemoCraps Impeachment (aka Schiiff Clown Show)

    Are you now or have you ever been Donals Trump?

  37. lotocoti says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:55 pm

    Forty years ago, the custard tarts from Dobinson’s bakery, Rose Bay.

  38. Bruce of Newcastle says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:56 pm

    Nice wry little story over at J Post.

    Russian forces in Syria seize US special forces gym equipment, old chicken

    The Russians got there after the Americans had gone. But they did find evidence of Americana. Mountain House chicken teriyaki was on an old table. “Who doesn’t like it,” the Mountain House website says. It’s a favorite takeout item of the Tangent, Oregon based company. Little did it know its food would be captured by Moscow and could be reverse engineered.

    Russia also captured some US gym equipment. A machine designed for leg workouts, rarely used because so many servicemen skip “leg day” workouts, and a fridge were found. A broken sheesha pipe was discovered, according to a video posted by the Russians. A baseball bat lay next to the sheesha. Water bottles of a GSA long-term contract holder was also abandoned, left inside their giant box.

    An astounding victory greater even than Borodino!

  39. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:56 pm

    Cool. Thanks KD. I have that

  40. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    Des.

    For some reason the scene early on, where Neddy Smith’s just been phone-booked all over the shop by Rogerson resonates. The one where the other cop (the actor’s name was John Howard, I believe) comes in, sits right across from a woozy Smith.

    ‘Look. It’s been a long day.
    Everyone’s very impressed. I’m tired. I’m hungry.
    What I want to know is – are we able to do some business or not?’

  41. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    https://youtu.be/o5bNhQrKay0

    Dorothea McKeller wrote MyCountry when she was 19.

    It is what is lost because everyone is on line or going to Maccas.

  42. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    KD

    Late to the discussion and would like to advise that of the two Rogerson was the most dangerous, based on what I know.

  43. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    ..about both of them.. I should have said.

  44. lotocoti says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    Bewdy.
    Battle of Britain/Cross of Iron double feature.

  45. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:04 pm

    OK

    Looked back a bit. Discussion is about a tv show.

  46. RobK says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    MV,
    ordnance would generate a sound that could travel 100 km through montane wet rainforest terrain
    Atmospheric conditions, in particular inversions and air density, have a large bearing on the propagation of such sound.

  47. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    RobK
    #3213569, posted on November 16, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    I think you’re looking for Dot, RobK.
    I have not been involved in that conversation.

  48. mh says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    Pocahontas now out to $3.00 in Dem nominee markets.

    Was odds on a few weeks ago.

  49. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    Oh, without doubt OB.

    ‘Hello, Warren.’

  50. Muddy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    Overburdened
    #3213563, posted on November 16, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    https://youtu.be/o5bNhQrKay0

    Dorothea McKeller wrote MyCountry when she was 19.

    I used to be able to quote at least the first verse of that in primary school. I believe it’s categorised as hate speech now.

  51. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    Lizzie,
    I suspect your response above was exactly what was sought.

    You may be right, Mitch. She wants more information to go on.
    The fact is that it matters so much less these days what she does or doesn’t know.
    It was far more important in the days when Hairy had big deals going that could be wrecked.

    It’s got to the stage with Johanna the Mad and Dirty Nick here now that I can’t even engage in a simple response to you about going sailing without calling down the furies. Regardless of side, KD says, a parody is funny. I agree. But Nick’s parody is rather like the terrific ‘chose your own PhD gender topic’ that was put up here yesterday and which I thought so funny I printed it off. Change a few words of Nick’s little tale set in a restaurant but don’t lose Jesus; presto, a parody template anyone can use to try and bring anyone down. Needs work though before commercialization and that advice will be $200 tomorrow, free today.

  52. Des Deskperson says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    ‘Late to the discussion and would like to advise that of the two Rogerson was the most dangerous, based on what I know.’

    In the TV show, Rogerson guns down LanFranchi, while wearing an elaborate and expensive-looking knitted cardigan.

  53. Muddy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:22 pm

    Lizzie,
    I suspect your response above was exactly what was sought.

    You may be right, Mitch.

    Nope, not Mitch: just a simple redneck.
    I meant that I suspect it was what 8th-something was seeking – a prolongation of this NiJoLi tiff.

  54. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    Prince Andrew “I have no recollection”. Yeah. Lol

  55. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:27 pm

    Kenny Morgan Update:

    Kenny is the dude to won $800K on the Cup, and found out about ten seconds after he was kicked to the kerb by a Gold Coast skank, and who heroically gave her free sherbets for couple of hours before throwing her on the train.

    The gold diggers are in full swing:

    ‘Kenny Morgan, a 44-year-old carpenter, who told the Sunday Herald Sun last week how his life forever changed when a $10 bet on the Melbourne Cup turned into a $793,814 win – just moments after his date for the day dumped him, said he’s had several women send him love requests.

    ‘“I’ve received almost 40 friend requests and at least 12 messages from women who have said things such as ‘I wouldn’t have said what she said – call me’ and sent me their number,” Mr Morgan told the Sunday Herald Sun.’

    With a bit of luck, he’ll ask them to send him some nekkid pics, and then work on the Daryl Kerrigan model – ie, tells ’em to get stuffed.

    Go you good thing.

  56. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    Prince Andrew “I have no recollection”. Yeah. Lol

    To be fair, Nick, he might be telling the truth.
    We have no idea what drugs were available.

  57. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:30 pm

    *dude who won*

    And here’s me, studying for a Misters.

  58. 8th Dan says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    I suspect it was what 8th-something was seeking

    No, I was seeking no such thing. My comments were solely intended to put some reality into the earlier comment by Mark A. To clarify:

    None here have five figure sums, even if just short of a buck of 100K as pocket money

  59. Ellie says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    Lizzie – serious question – how much gin have you had today? I would join you, but I don’t drink gin. I’d share a splif with Tailgunner though. 😎

  60. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:32 pm

    Lizzie,
    I loves ya baby, but you are so far divorced from mainstream reality it’s painful.
    Around 60% of the adult population are two missed paychecks away from bankruptcy.

    Peter, I do know that. We are currently supporting four other households of rellies, all in poverty to some extent, with electricity costs being the main bummer, but also food is going up and up, and I pass on lots of clothing too, as well as buying regular ‘presents’ of big items as needed (two new washing machines, one dryer, a portable baby cot, money to fix and register a car, rental arrears, a regular top up ColesWorth shop, school fees, you name it, we’ve paid it).

    In the case of two of my grandchildren, we pick up a lot of the slack as I can’t see them go without while their cousins don’t have to. I am very conscious that when I spend profligately, because I can, and indulgently, because Hairy lets me and loves to see me looking nice, that the money I spend on any one thing would be so very welcome in any of these households, and others. But it is impossible to live thinking like that, or everyone should be giving all their money to Fred Hollows and no child anywhere should be blind.

    I do try to keep some perspective on things though, Peter. But it is irritating when trolls come in and refuse to acknowledge the variety of people who contribute to this blog. Even worse when non-trolls start to get clever and antsy with class envy. Brrrr.

  61. JC says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:39 pm

    They’ve banned plastic bags in Melbourne. Wifey is away, so I went out to get some prepared food at this new David Jones food hall they’ve set up. I was charged a buck for the bag. A buck! We let them do this.

  62. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    Lizzie – serious question – how much gin have you had today? I would join you, but I don’t drink gin. I’d share a splif with Tailgunner though. 😎

    None at all, darling. Sitting at home procrastinating about doing anything else. Just had a cup of tea and a biscuit. Does that count? 🙂

    It’s been years since I did any dope, never liked it much anyway, and for years I have been full of rectitude flushing it down the toilet when teenagers have brought it home. Had some speed recently but don’t like it; reminds of university exam time. I’m really an alcohol-only girl these days and that taken sparingly. Taki in the Speccie said this about himself and doing lines of cocoa, this week I think it was, but he didn’t say girl, of course, he just said that you reach a certain age …. so true.

    Hairy just asking if there is a chance we can spend some time together, so ascerbic, or do I want to spend all day on ‘that blog’? Ooops. Gotta go. We need to get together for a drink sometimes, Ellie.
    Johanna and Nick, please regard all of your stupid remarks, now and in the future, fully responded to already.
    It will save me so much time.

  63. JC says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    They’ve banned plastic bags in Melbourne while I was away. Wifey is away, so I went out to get some prepared food at this new David Jones food hall they’ve set up. I was charged a buck for the bag. A buck! We let them do this.

  64. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    The only way I can appreciate basket ball.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUjf1lVOGOo

  65. RobK says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    MV,
    Another feature about blast noise is that under certain conditions, there can be a skip effect. It is well documented, where an area at a certain distance doesn’t hear the blast, yet beyond a further radius does.
    I have been a licensed Shotfirer since the age of twenty and did in earlier times have to consider such things . Im not trying to prove anything in particular but would only add that it would be difficult to determine the location of a blast at 100km just by hearing it, except perhaps if it was the only such noise within that sort of range.

  66. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    Lizzie,
    I was not trying to buy into your stupid, never-ending now year long, childish, spac-attack session with Johanna, who also should know better and grow up.

    I was replying to your post which started off:
    Nonsense. When we are buying real estate at auction Hairy regards various five figure sums of money as what he calls ‘noise’. I think we could readily lay our hands on $99K casho tomorrow, indeed much more if an emergency arose,

    Most people are NOT in that position. Nowhere near it.
    It might be a well kept secret here at the Cat, but most people are doing it tough.
    Stop judging them by your good fortune.

  67. Bruce of Newcastle says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:45 pm

    Pocahontas now out to $3.00 in Dem nominee markets.

    This is awesome to watch. Liawatha is unelectable and has been floundering on her Medicare-to-Infinity-and-Beyond brainfart. That’s even before we get to Pow Wow Chow and her DNA test results. Biden is toast so toasted even a Ukrainian wouldn’t eat it. Sanders just had two stents put in mid-campaign. And Buttigeig is so up himself it’s a wonder he bothers having a husband.

    I almost wish Gabbard could do a Steven Bradbury in this insane race, but the base would never go with her with what she’s been doing lately.

  68. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:45 pm

    Peter, I do know that. We are currently supporting four other households of rellies, all in poverty to some extent, with electricity costs being the main bummer, but also food is going up and up, and I pass on lots of clothing too, as well as buying regular ‘presents’ of big items as needed (two new washing machines, one dryer, a portable baby cot, money to fix and register a car, rental arrears, a regular top up ColesWorth shop, school fees, you name it, we’ve paid it).

    That can be a very difficult balancing act because they can become too expectant of your generosity. Can’t offer any advice Lizzie except to be cautious, occasionally refusing help just to let them know they can’t always rely on you.

  69. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:46 pm

    To be fair, Nick, he might be telling the truth.
    We have no idea what drugs were available.

    True. I met, in Ireland, his ex bodyguard. Among other things. He said that Andy and Ferby had, had, an open marriage before they were married. Lol

  71. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    MV,
    Another feature about blast noise is that under certain conditions,

    I repeat, RobK, you’ve got the wrong person.
    Direct your comments to Dot.

  72. JC says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:50 pm

    Mitch

    The director asks them what sports school they go. One of them answers that he’s does sports at Julliard. Julliard is a music school. Not sure if you knew.

  73. Ellie says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:51 pm

    Had some speed recently but don’t like it

    Lizzie, what the fuck are you doing speed at age 77?

    You know what? You go girl! Fuck it!

  74. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:52 pm

    Donald Trump defies Pentagon to pardon Green Beret who ‘murdered’ Taliban bombmaker and Army officer who ordered killing of Afghan civilians as he reinstates rank of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher who posed with a corpse

    US President Donald Trump cleared three armed services members who were accused or convicted of war crimes on Friday
    The president cancelled murder charges against Army Green Beret Major Mathew L. Golsteyn, who was awaiting trial next month
    Trump also ordered the release of Clint Lorance, a former army lieutenant who was convicted of murder after he had soldiers open fire on Afgans, killing two
    And the demotion of Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL who was acquitted of murder, but convicted on a lesser charge, was reversed
    Trump personally called the three men after granting the pardons, which defied rulings made by military leaders seeking to punish the service members
    All three also had been favorites among conservatives who see them as heroes who should not have been prosecuted

    Daily Mail.

  75. DrBeauGan says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    $100,000 isn’t pocket change. It’s much too fat a wodge to fit in a pocket or even a wallet. It’s a real job to get $10,000 in, I can tell you.😀

  76. RobK says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    I think you’re looking for Dot, RobK.
    My apologies.

  77. Steve trickler says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:55 pm

    This aircraft copped a thrashing.

    Speaking for myself, i’d be soup just after takeoff. Like most of us.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPn4iBCI9Mo

    Good fun.

  78. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:55 pm

    Muddy

    I hope that everyone that watches that YouTube clip feels the same stirring and emotion of hearing someone that loves her Country.

  79. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 7:57 pm

    No probs.

  80. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    https://youtu.be/xn8lVCw5lag
    https://youtu.be/guZgdy8zfjQ

    Saturday nights alright for fighting so 2 vids.

    First two can turn on a blue.

    They are too small.

    Refer second vid.

    The rikishi are at day 6 of the Basho.

  81. Fisky says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:03 pm

    Very good article on the serious dangers presented by legalised cannabis.

    https://unherd.com/2019/11/ive-seen-what-cannabis-can-do-we-musnt-legalise-it/?=frpo

  82. Steve trickler says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:04 pm

    For those that missed it it.

    Crafty editing.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH_m_07_CuQ

  83. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    Ellie

    It must be said that I was exposed to novel substances recently at a celebration.

    Being a journeyman I had no probs with giving them a crack.

    Bloody hopeless.

    Not impressive at all.

  84. Rockdoctor says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    They’ve banned plastic bags in Melbourne while I was away. Wifey is away, so I went out to get some prepared food at this new David Jones food hall they’ve set up. I was charged a buck for the bag. A buck! We let them do this.

    Was down that way last weekend & noticed the same. When I first cam across this BS the bags were 10c in the Territory. Soon as the campaign got under way in Queensland Coles started selling them as a voluntary measure at 15c. Last weekend I saw them being sold in Box Hill for 20c & at half the size of the normal bags…

  85. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:10 pm

    Mitch

    The director asks them what sports school they go. One of them answers that he’s does sports at Julliard. Julliard is a music school. Not sure if you knew.

    Part of the joke JC.

  86. RobK says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:10 pm

    I repeat, RobK, you’ve got the wrong person.
    Direct your comments to Dot.
    Sorry MV, i read your first after id launched my second 👍

  87. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:14 pm

    Again, no probs.
    Time for a movie.

  88. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:16 pm

    https://youtu.be/EoLZgaWVxBk

    These blokes are no slouches and would smash your average couch potato and a lot of blokes that think they can have a poke, regardless of weight differential.

    Sumos would cream these blokes.

  89. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    Just got an email from Miss America with a vague invitation to visit.

    I wonder if she surfs in winter?

    She lives in NJ so the beach is there.

  90. Roger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:24 pm

    In the TV show, Rogerson guns down LanFranchi, while wearing an elaborate and expensive-looking knitted cardigan.

    As was his wont.

  91. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:24 pm

    Very good article on the serious dangers presented by legalised cannabis.

    https://unherd.com/2019/11/ive-seen-what-cannabis-can-do-we-musnt-legalise-it/?=frpo

    Have a look at the linked Lancet study. I also looked at another study which found that the association is stronger in the UK and Holland where much higher THC strains are common. THC, possibly by elevating what is known as “striatal dopamine”(ie. midbrain production of dopamine which has clear implications for frontal lobe function), does represent a problem because modern strains are much lower in cannabidiol, which is known to be antipsychotic, possibly via elevating GABA(inhibitory neurotransmitter) in the midbrain thereby counteracting the dopamine increase. So in effect modern strains are a double whammy on risk. I’ve long been doubtful about the risk but new studies and new strains are inducing a change of attitude.

    I occasionally smoke the most potent pot you can get in this country and know its effects are vastly different from what we used to call bush bud. With bush bud I could study, memorise, think without effort but these modern strains leave me so cognitively incapacitated all I am good for is playing computer games. The other problem is that bush bud is no longer tolerable, it just seems too weak. A nuisance really because getting stoned was something I did when performing all the mundane tasks of the week like dealing with correspondence, archiving, and catching up on reading.

  92. Fisky says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:26 pm

    滕彪
    @tengbiao
    ·
    10h
    [Thread] A Chinese student group, likely CSSA, threatened Columbia University to cancel a panel discussion on #humanrights in #hongkong #tibet #EastTurkestan #Uyghurs and #China. And they successfully blocked the discussion. An extreme insult to free speech in this country.

    Free trade and free speech. Pick one.

  93. Fisky says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:29 pm

    I occasionally smoke the most potent pot you can get in this country and know its effects are vastly different from what we used to call bush bud. With bush bud I could study, memorise, think without effort but these modern strains leave me so cognitively incapacitated all I am good for is playing computer games. The other problem is that bush bud is no longer tolerable, it just seems too weak. A nuisance really because getting stoned was something I did when performing all the mundane tasks of the week like dealing with correspondence, archiving, and catching up on reading.

    I used to like the occasional puff of bush bud too. About 10 years ago, it was clear the game had changed when I had a few friends over for cards and literally passed out after taking in some of the enhanced stuff that one of them brought around (not even that much either). Not a pleasant experience at all. Basically the days of care-free casual toking are over.

  94. Roger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:29 pm

    ABC’s Washington correspondent James Glenday’s reports ought to be prefaced with a political disclaimer.

    Your tax dollars at work, comrades.

  95. areff says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:39 pm

    Very good article on the serious dangers presented by legalised cannabis.

    Agreed. Legalising is a terrible idea: Taxes will push up price, quality will go down as THC limits are imposed, and they’ll make it doubly illegal and up the fines for growing a little patch for personal use beside the apricot tree in a discrete corner of the backyard.

    Can you imagine the bureaucracy legal pot will spawn? Sinecures and no-work jobs for mates all over the place.

    Meanwhile, as per the experience of a mate who enjoys a number and did just that one Sunday night with his little woman. Next day, he’s pulled over in his truck, drug tested … and the next he knows he’s banned for six months. His business loses a fortune, as he’s an owner operator, and he had not a joint on the day the cops pulled him over.

    The only argument for legalisation would be to establish levels of impairment. And, oh, won’t that be fun to watch the “experts” find some notional level that would allegedly have the same effect on both the one-joint giggler and ounce-a-day Bob Marley.

    By the way, why is pot still sold by the ounce? Legalise it and it will come in woggery grams by edict — and another fine tradition will die.

  96. bespoke says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    My biological mother blames pot for the death of my oldest brother (Aids). Complete BS! he was a creepy degenerate and only smoked casually. Still I don’t see the attraction.

  97. notafan says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:46 pm

    Interesting factoid ; the number of fires in the Los Angeles area dropped from 67 a year to 1 a year after the arrest of a serial firebug, who happened to be an arson investigator.
    climate changy arsonist

  98. Done Deal says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:47 pm

    China rises while Trump twitters..

  100. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:49 pm

    With someone with skin in the game since my 12th birthday, I would refer to the adage, they don’t call it dope for nothing.

  101. Bruce of Newcastle says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:52 pm

    Interesting the deaths from vaping hemp oil with vitamin E acetate in the US is now up to 42.

    The combination of vaping, presumably to hide pot use, with vit E acetate for what reason I have no idea, has managed to produce a really lethal cocktail.

    The long term morbidity to the kiddies who have been doing this goop without actually expiring must represent quite a lot of medical suffering and cost for the rest of their lives.

  102. Leigh Lowe says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    Looks like Hanoi Bob is writing copy for ABC News.
    They were reporting on a spat between Quaintarse hosties and some musician called Will I Am?

    The problem was exasperated by Mr I Am wearing noise cancelling headphones.

  103. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:54 pm

    Maybe I shouldn’t have been so indiscrete in terms of my suitability for paid work that requires operating at a high level.

    Thank the stars for an anonymous forum, as far as that goes.

  104. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:55 pm

    Mr I am. Lol

  105. Leigh Lowe says:
    November 16, 2019 at 8:59 pm

    For some reason the scene early on, where Neddy Smith’s just been phone-booked all over the shop by Rogerson resonates. 

    A chap I know who was in the job was lamenting that his clean up rate had plummeted after taking a country posting.
    Shakes head and holds thumb and forefinger about 1/4 inch apart. “Fucking country phone book. Lacks the persuasive characteristics of the Melbourne A-K White Pages”.

  106. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:00 pm

    Interesting the deaths from vaping hemp oil with vitamin E acetate

    Bruce,
    I’m glad you raised that because I have a question regard the E acetate. They argue it sticks to the lungs. Vit E is fat soluble so I’m wondering if the acetate component is preventing absorption into the cell and is reacting with something to create high levels of toxicity. Can you help?

  107. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:01 pm

    BoN

    By coincidence, a bloke with emphysema offered for me to give an opinion on some cannabis based drops he is taking for his emphysema.

    From memory the concentration of THC in the mix he was taking was 0.0027%

    Anyone smoking and sort of decent dope would be consuming more dope in a reefer that he would if he drank litres of the stuff, which he found comforting as we discussed it because he needs to be able to drive.

  108. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:01 pm

    …any…

  109. mh says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:06 pm

    Had some speed recently but don’t like it

    That’s 77 year old Lizzie.

    And her 70 year old neighbour “puts out” for the local tradies.

    I can’t even think of a punchline…🤔

  110. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:08 pm

    LL,

    Sounds like a practical sort of bloke.

  111. Leigh Lowe says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:10 pm

    Overburdened

    #3213637, posted on November 16, 2019 at 8:49 pm

    With someone with skin in the game since my 12th birthday, I would refer to the adage, they don’t call it dope for nothing.

    From my limited amateur observations of dope…
    1. It has markedly different impacts on individuals (as does alcohol).
    2. Occasional weekend use doesn’t seem to cause damage to most people. If, on the other hand you are having your second bong alone on the couch before lunch on Wednesday …

  112. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:12 pm

    Dope is legal in various and not unsubstantial states in America and it can be reported that one of the offspring has a friend who works in forestry who has a side business of being a trimmer.

    I have no formed opinion about this, and all my leanings are that it should not be normalised into day to day behaviour.

  113. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:12 pm

    mh,

    Vaucluse appears to be a thin veneer.

    Next they’ll be reclining on daybeds and chewing on live sparrows in the nikky noo, a la Roman times.

  114. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:14 pm

    LL

    I humbly refer to Aristotle’s golden thread.

  115. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:16 pm

    From my limited amateur observations of dope…
    1. It has markedly different impacts on individuals (as does alcohol).
    2. Occasional weekend use doesn’t seem to cause damage to most people. If, on the other hand you are having your second bong alone on the couch before lunch on Wednesday …

    Agree. It can affect some more than others, paranoia in particular. Those who are only concerned about where their next toke cones from. are the most affected.

  116. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:17 pm

    The problem was exasperated by Mr I Am wearing noise cancelling headphones.

    Seems the race card is being played early, and often.

  117. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:18 pm

    My understanding is that if you follow one path in your life, it will sustain you.

  118. Geriatric Mayfly says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    More talk of sexual confusion above. The bones are assembled on the forensic pathologist’s table, dug up from some bush grave. First job: identify the sex of the deceased. If not sufficiently woke he has only two choices on the evidence. Once identified and details made public, will there be outrage because he has misgendered a tranny? Off to sensitivity training.

  119. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:25 pm

    Seems the race card is being played early, and often.

    Maybe the headphones were black

  120. Mitch M. says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:25 pm

    More talk of sexual confusion above. The bones are assembled on the forensic pathologist’s table, dug up from some bush grave. First job: identify the sex of the deceased. If not sufficiently woke he has only two choices on the evidence. Once identified and details made public, will there be outrage because he has misgendered a tranny? Off to sensitivity training.

    Classic! How did you dream up that scenario? Smoking something? 🥴

  121. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:28 pm

    Obviously dope is not a way in itself to achieve much.

    ETOH is another substance that gives people a sense of capacity, and is normalised in the population.

    In spite of its regular and excessive use by a lot of people, very few great ideas come from a screaming night on the piss.

    Given my observations over time, I reckon the majority of people are sane and integrated into their communities, and their life has purpose.

    This should be considered when making judgements.

    As a layman, I would say they are all fucking soft and should own their shit, and it is piss poor if they are going to blame dope, ETOH or any other thing out there for their failure to control their own life.

  122. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:29 pm

    ZK2A

    He is a fuckwit.

  123. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:33 pm

    ‘As a layman, I would say they are all fucking soft and should own their shit, and it is piss poor if they are going to blame dope, ETOH or any other thing out there for their failure to control their own life.’

    *thunderous, non-jazz hands applause*

    Words to live by, people. Own your own shit.

  124. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:35 pm

    ‘Mr I Am wearing noise cancelling headphones’

    The problem here is obvious.

    The noise cancelling headphones were cancelling noise coming into his head, not out of it.

  125. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    He is a fuckwit.

    Fair comment.

    Hip hop icon will.i.am accuses Qantas hostess of racism

    The in-flight blow-up which led to singer will.i.am accusing a Qantas flight attendant of being racist was sparked by an altercation between involving 50 Cent guitarist, Travis Ferguson, witnesses have claimed, with one saying the crew “didn’t say any racist words but they only treated the black people that way”.

  126. Siltstone says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:50 pm

    Overburdened
    #3213612, posted on November 16, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Thanks for the sumo vid! Was on hols in Japan with 2 young children once and it came to pass we had an hour or two down-time late each afternoon and we watched a televised sumo tournament (they go for 2 weeks). At the start none of of us could be understand, at the end, none of us could understand, but we were hooked – barracking for our favourites. The big final was the night we had to get on the plane home. Our favourite “The Mongolian” did win. I don’t believe in bucket lists, but it is such a fascinating sport one is tempted to create one. Two weeks watching a live tournament would be magic.

  127. Nick says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:50 pm

    One wonders if the blackies were being naughty during the safety briefing.
    I should have told the Chinese FA who asked me to not use my mobile in any way as being racist. Simples.

  128. Bar Beach Swimmer says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:53 pm

    Confuses Old Misfit
    #3212932, posted on November 16, 2019 at 12:59 am
    Make it good people. This is my birthday open thread. Be brilliant!

    C.O.M.,
    Hope you’re well and have had a lovely day!

  129. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:54 pm

    https://youtu.be/8SLkwnpA5Iw

    I like Larry Elder and his take here is very effective.

    I wonder how long he will keep work in the MSM.

  130. Leigh Lowe says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:55 pm

    The in-flight blow-up which led to singer will.i.am accusing a Qantas flight attendant of being racist was sparked by an altercation between involving 50 Cent guitarist, Travis Ferguson, witnesses have claimed, with one saying the crew “didn’t say any racist words but they only treated the black people that way”.

    One possibility is that it was only these particular passengers who were monkeying around.

  131. Steve trickler says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:57 pm

    Voice command? Widely available today. 😉

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaVgRj2e5_s

  132. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    Siltstone

    My favourite for a bit has been Enho.

    He comes in at a petite 98kg and has a strategy which didn’t work in this bout.

    To see a man of his size being dwarfed by his opponents and still not give it up until he’s down in full splits is pretty impressive.

  133. Leigh Lowe says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:01 pm

    In spite of its regular and excessive use by a lot of people, very few great ideas come from a screaming night on the piss.

    Look, I used to have some top ideas when I was 7/8 in the bag.
    Trouble was remembering them the next day.
    I then came up with the brainwave of writing them down at the time.
    Of course, you can’t always find the toilet wall you wrote them on the next day either.

  134. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:02 pm

    who were monkeying around.’

    Harbajahn Singh confirmed!

  135. cohenite says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    Even when they build dams they can’t do it properly:

    Paradise Dam $700m disaster
    Michael McKenna The Australian November 16, 2019
    Queensland’s Paradise Dam has a repair bill of up to $700m after major problems were found in its design and construction by a company then headed by the Palaszczuk government appointee who is now building the $5.4bn Cross River Rail in Brisbane. Documents obtained by The Weekend Australian show the dam near Bundaberg, built by the Beattie Labor government for $200m through public-private joint venture vehicle Burnett Water and opened in 2005, is riddled with structural faults.
    Graeme Newton, Cross River Rail Delivery Authority chief executive, was general manager and company secretary of Burnett Water during construction.
    The 300,000 megalitre dam has underpinned an agricultural investment boom in the Bundaberg region — now the state’s largest farm employer. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into macadamia, avocado and citrus plantations.
    The Palaszczuk government and SunWater, the state-owned operator of the dam, began releasing 105,000ML of water in September because of safety concerns about the capacity of the 52m-tall dam wall to cope with a repeat of the 2013 floods.
    The move almost halved the dam’s water levels to 42 per cent in the drought-declared region. It enabled repair work that will take until at least 2025 to complete.
    Senior government sources said the debt-laden Palaszczuk government was considering permanently cutting the dam’s water storage level capacity to reduce the repair bill in a move that would undermine the future of the agriculture sector in the region.
    Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham is understood to have been given two options: the estimated $700m cost of returning the facility to full capacity or cutting its capacity to 55 per cent at a cost of $180m.
    Since the 10-week program to drop the dam’s water levels began on September 24 the government has refused to release any of the safety and engineering reports that led to the decision…..

  136. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    That YouTube channel will give you access to Basho and other info.

    I saw a bit of it at the Budokan.

    First they train you, then they shape you.

  137. Rockdoctor says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:12 pm

    Cohenite, expect Lynham to bungle it. The bloke is a dribbling fool, worse than Hinchcliffe and Beattie…

  139. mh says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:18 pm

    mh,

    Vaucluse appears to be a thin veneer.

    Next they’ll be reclining on daybeds and chewing on live sparrows in the nikky noo, a la Roman times.

    Yes, a bit like that movie Caligula. But with wrinkles.

  140. calli says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:23 pm

    Greetings from Buenos Aires. About to go out and have a look about the place. Only eight in the tour group – I like the smaller ones, less messing about waiting.

    Someone up thread mentioned the lizard wars. Good times. I was dubbed calli Attenborough. Funniest name I’ve ever been called. As for all the cat fighting, there’s a reason I don’t want to meet anyone here IRL.

    I prefer my mental pictures of everyone. They’re flattering ones, so none of that triggerin’ stuff. 😄

  141. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:24 pm

    Just yappin I have an educated viewpoint about martial sports.

    I remember well when the Gracies helped make MMA what it is today.

    Most people don’t understand the specific rules of the different types of MMA, and generally think there are no rules.

    The rules of UFC for example don’t allow for Otoshi to any part of the back, enabling the ‘shooting’ as it was called or taking down to grapple.

    If you can get your head around the rules, you can then look at the endeavour of the blokes having a crack.

    It must be said from a traditional viewpoint, none of it is jissen.

  142. Dr Fred Lenin says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:32 pm

    Modern times ,
    The health minister assured local residents that the new drug shooting gallery would be unobtrusive and have no effect on their quality of life ,before returning to his own home. In a top residential area miles away
    The authorities are determined to find and prosecute the person who stubbed out a cigarette on the used sharps box in the all gender toilet .
    Incongruity the mark of the left coupled with hypocricy .

  143. Top Ender says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:35 pm

    12 Strong on Foxtel is worth a look.

    About the first US Army team inserted into Afghanistan after 9/11.

    Fond themselves using horses to ride into battle against the Taliban, while calling in airstrike support from B-52s.

  144. classical_hero says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:36 pm

    johanna, you proved the reason why Lizzie kept things private and lied about her life at the time. Way to go to prove her point.

    BTW Lizzie, can you regale us of stories about diamonds? It’s interesting.

  145. classical_hero says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:38 pm

    Peter, None wasn’t removed for bad behaviour but for saying a bad thing about Tim Wilson, which many posters here agree with.

  146. P says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:38 pm

    Confused Old Misfit
    #3212932, posted on November 16, 2019 at 12:59 am

    Make it good people. This is my birthday open thread. Be brilliant!

    Many more happy returns of the day.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nk3ZD5NCGM

  147. Muddy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:39 pm

    Steve trickler
    #3213614, posted on November 16, 2019 at 8:04 pm

    For those that missed it it.

    Crafty editing.

    Cool footage thanks Steve.
    Two observations: He must have been almost stalling (is that possible?) to keep pace with the two WW2-era prop-driven birds (someone else may be able to identify them), and his squadron patch features similar emblems as our SASR does (dagger and wings).

  148. RobK says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:39 pm

    Of course, you can’t always find the toilet wall you wrote them on the next day either.
    Nor crack the shorthand code used.

  149. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:40 pm

    Fond themselves using horses to ride into battle against the Taliban, while calling in airstrike support from B-52s.

    Were they using “danger, close ” procedure?

  150. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:42 pm

    The authorities are determined to find and prosecute the person who stubbed out a cigarette on the used sharps box in the all gender toilet .

    True story. When the first safe injecting room opened in Sydney, one of the first users injected himself, then lit a cigarette.

    “I’m sorry ” sad the attendant. “This is a non smoking area.”

  151. Muddy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:42 pm

    A belated Happy Birthday to you, Confused Old Misfit.

    On a completely unrelated note, I’m disappointed not to have possession of a small calibre mortar to lob over several fences into the yard of a neighbour who has been revving his engine for the last 15 minutes.

  152. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    calli,

    Don’t go on the scenic chopper rides.

  154. MatrixTransform says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:46 pm

    none of it is jissen

    OB, jissen looks to have a broad no-bullshit element to its syllabus.

    for me, been 40 years now on and off and I very much enjoy the practical
    never did much proper budo grapples and stuff though
    learned some very sneaky stuff at Capoeria but the magic for me is in Escrima/Kali which is a lovely mix of hand-tools, throws, traps and ye old trad kickin and punchin.

  155. Bruce in WA says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:48 pm

    I always liked Richard Roxburgh as an actor. Then I found out who he’s married to and my admiration increased tenfold.

    She can cook, too!

  156. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:48 pm

    KD

    I wrote a suggestion that Calli should be in BA and not on the thread.

    I deleted it because I didn’t want to be bossy, and your comment puts it in context.

  157. Zatara says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:51 pm

    Hensel, 71, was taken into custody about 10:15 a.m. by investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division, a spokesperson for the agency said. He was released later in the day after posting $5,000 bail.

    Eeew. And there are unconfirmed reports that Schiff was friends with the man.

    Confirmed

    I don’t know which one is sleazier.

  158. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:52 pm

    Davey Boy;

    A little slice of yesteryear. Outstanding.

  159. egg_ says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:54 pm

    The problem was exasperated by Mr I Am wearing noise cancelling headphones.

    Mr I am Yu or Mr I am Mee?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU4lYcN6zEY

  160. classical_hero says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/2019/11/after-videos-sworn-as-true-biased-judge-directs-pro-planned-parenthood-verdict/

    “Justice was not done today in San Francisco. While top Planned Parenthood witnesses spent six weeks testifying under oath that the undercover videos are true and Planned Parenthood sold fetal organs on a quid pro quo basis, a biased judge with close Planned Parenthood ties spent six weeks influencing the jury with pre-determined rulings and suppressing the video evidence, all in order to rubber-stamp Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit attack on the First Amendment. This is a dangerous precedent for citizen journalism and First Amendment civil rights across the country, sending a message that speaking truth and facts to criticize the powerful is no longer protected by our institutions,” notes CMP project lead David Daleiden, one of the individual defendants in the case.

    Not surprising that this happened in Corrupt California and with a judge who has close ties to PP. As a result a funding drive has begun for the appeal. As one Twitter commentator said, this is war.

  161. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    Matrix

    I can only claim proficiency in one school of one style and have had the joy of training wth other styles.

    What I will say is that traditional systems are slow. It took me over 30 years to not be a student, and you have barely put your toe in the ocean.

    The advantage of traditional training is that you learn well.

    Naturally, this does not make you unbeatable, but it does help.

    Particularly in regards to jissen.

  162. Snoopy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    Calli, spare a thought for BA electrical linesmen.

  163. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 10:57 pm

    In case you were only fishing, jissen is real fighting.

  165. MatrixTransform says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:05 pm

    jissen is real

    ah, I’m getting it. close relative of kyokushin

  166. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:11 pm

    Still yappin in response to Matrix, it is a question of paradigm.

    Magellan met his end as you would know from your study of the Filipino arts at the hands of LapuLapu.

    If Magellan had thought at any time that he would be killed by a mob of semi naked blokes running onto the beach with sticks and yo-yos, he would have blasted them as soon as they got within cannon range.

  167. MatrixTransform says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:18 pm

    stick beats gun every time … matter of scale

  168. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:18 pm

    Mas Oyama trained under Gogen Yamaguchi and left before Kurobi to ponder and he came up with the way of the ultimate truth, or Kyokushinkai.

    They train hard.

    As most schools now train for Kyokushin tournament, they do not punch to the head and have tactical ideas like throwing set up or dummy shots.

  169. Snoopy says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:21 pm

    TheirABC

    Perth has broken two weather records after four days of searing temperatures across Western Australia.

    The temperature hit 40.4 degrees today — the hottest November day since records began in 1897.

    Perth must have been a backward shithole in its early days. Founded in 1829 it was 68 years before those deadbeat sandgropers could scratch up a thermometer.

    Apparently.

  170. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:22 pm

    Just watched “Polar” on Netflix.
    Imagine John Wick but older, and not nearly so easygoing and friendly.
    Top action movie.

  171. Overburdened says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:22 pm

    Stick beats gun every time…matter of scale

    Pfft.

    It seems you have no practical experience of the benefits of projectile firing weapons.

    Apologies for clogging up the thread.

  172. MatrixTransform says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:23 pm

    at some point, one needs to come inside my space.
    Then I have you.

    Numpty, 8th Toss, Extinction Rebellion, assorted Feministra etc.
    Obliteration from a distance by great force is the only way they can prevail.

    Its already a war and they don’t even know they lost yet

  173. Steve trickler says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:27 pm

    He smacked the shit out of the joint. RIP.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSKF0IlprXY

  174. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:30 pm

    Perth must have been a backward shithole in its early days. Founded in 1829 it was 68 years before those deadbeat sandgropers could scratch up a thermometer.

    They had better things to do – like finding gold.

  175. Steve trickler says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:38 pm

    From Raida to Karolina. 👍

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1XO19erOl4

  177. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:50 pm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cTGUsW3r8Q

    All seemed very gay to me..

  178. Bruce in WA says:
    November 16, 2019 at 11:54 pm

    They had better things to do – like finding gold sending off shiploads of money to keep the bludging east coast afloat — as we’ve been doing ever since.

    You’re welcome.

  179. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:01 am

    Very gay, Zulu.

  180. Peter, formerly known as Memoryvault says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:02 am

    Very, very gay.

  181. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:02 am

    They had better things to do – like finding gold sending off shiploads of money to keep the bludging east coast afloat — as we’ve been doing ever since.

    Well said, Bruce and thank you. The late, great Lang Hancock had the right idea about Western Australia and secession. Half a dozen F – 111 aircraft, with atomic weapons…

  183. mh says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:05 am

    All seemed very gay to me..

    I was looking at the Shabba Ranks video of Trailer Load of Girls today.

    Couldn’t believe the video was so crap.

  184. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:06 am

    Some years ago there was talk of someone that invented an internal combustion engine that ran on water. Whether that punter was Arkancided or not is a question for the ages, but these two blokes appear to be next in line. (Paywalled):

    ‘A Melbourne legal and accounting team has hit out at the exorbitant costs of divorce, saying the personal trauma of exhaustive legal proceedings was adding to the anguish of separating couples. The prohibitive price of lawyer fees prompted the idea for new business Split Easy, which was designed as a one-stop shop for streamlined and affordable settlements.

    ‘A Sunday Herald Sun investigation into the Family Court found legal fees often exceed the value of the assets being fought over. In some cases lawyers are charging a “disappointment fee” of up to $14,000 a day for court bookings that are cancelled. Split Easy co-founder Nicholas Zoch, of Melbourne’s Progression Accountants, said costs for a standard lawyer-driven divorce ranged from $15,000 to $30,000 per spouse.
    If it goes to trial it can end up costing between $80,000 and $200,000 plus.

    ‘Mr Nolch said Split Easy, which launches this week, was able to provide a much cheaper alternative by cutting out costly lawyer fees and allowing people to enter their own details in an online application.
    Split Easy will charge between $1,499 and $2,499 and can finalise a divorce within two months, Mr Nolch said.

    ‘He and business partner, Henderson and Ball law firm partner Justin Lawrence, have spent two years working on the venture, which relied on a mathematical algorithm that considers the Family Law Court criteria and applies it to people’s unique situations.

    ‘The Split Easy model was unlike any service that already exists, Mr Nolch said. “It’s designed in such a way that it is simple, so the average punter can use it. It’s got drop-down lists and buttons you drag along, who contributed what and so on.” Once both parties agree on the final form it gets viewed by a lawyer before being sent back to the applicant to lodge with the court.

    ‘Mr Nolch said it would help people save money and avoid a messy, drawn-out process. “I think high wealth individuals will still err on the side of a lawyer, this is designed for your average mum and dad case that unfortunately find themselves spending tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees during a stressful process.

    ‘“Having been through it (divorce) myself, this is all about reducing stress and saving money for families.”’

  185. Winston Smith says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:08 am

    Zatara:

    JC:
    I wouldn’t be surprised if Pelosi quietly tells them to shut it down and bury it soon. It’s a total no-win for the Dems.

    They cannot.
    The Democrats are riding the tiger. They cannot get off.

  186. Steve trickler says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:14 am

    Fine work. He is not reading the notes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ_x5C9tPLw

  187. Siltstone says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:15 am

    Their ABC
    Perth has broken two weather records after four days of searing temperatures across Western Australia.

    The temperature hit 40.4 degrees today — the hottest November day since records began in 1897.

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    No. The temperature may (or may not) be the hottest November day in Perth since automatic temperature sensors, which read temperature every second, were introduced in the 1990’s. Before that mercury thermometers were used which had an effective averaging time of about 5 minutes. The BOM has refused to release the data showing the correlation between the new instruments and mercury thermometers but its likely the systematic bias in new sensors over thee mercury thermometers is +0.4C.
    The BOM has no credibility any more.

  188. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:16 am

    Calli, you are very welcome to come to a civilised afternoon tea at our place, or to Cat drinks. An interstate visiting kitteh did just that at ours recently and I am happy to say she she survived the ordeal to blog here another day. She even kindly invited the assembled company to keep in touch when looking for a friendly time in Melbourne. All IRL meet ups Hairy and I have made have been excellent company.

    You are both so … normal, said one kind Cat-sourced lunch companion on our travels in the UK.

    That is so. Neither of us has two heads. 🙂

  189. Lazlo says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:16 am

    Get in a cab Calli (they are quite easy) and go to La Boca. Best fun. If there is a game on for Boca Junior, get tickets. I meant to go to a game there but chickened out. I said to the guy in reception that it would be very late to get down there for a game, since it started at 10pm. He shrugged and said, that’s not late!

    One of my regrets for missing out. Can never go back.

    PS watched it on TV in a magnificent Steak House. When I claimed the winning goal for Junior was off side, I nearly got lynched. There is a classic photo of Eva Peron kicking off a game between La Plata and Racing Club in her high heels.

  190. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:16 am

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0JMCaKwOUY

    The IMMORTAL Eric Burdon…

  191. Winston Smith says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:20 am

    Ellie:

    Incoherent Rambler. Noice secretary.
    I prefer this

    Two bottles of rather nice red later, I started watching your link.
    I stopped at the 60 second mark. (roughly)
    Perhaps there was an extenuating circumstance later on.
    Have none of you ever been in a situation where you were powerless to defend yourselves?

  192. Lazlo says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:23 am

    Visit the Eva Peron house, Calli.

  193. Winston Smith says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:25 am

    I did ask about this before, but does a $2.36 universal remote turn these bloody things off?

  194. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:30 am

    I did return the compliment. You are very normal too, I said. Lol, it’s a bit like internet dating, meeting up.

    Peter (MV), re property auctions, never forget that a lot of Aussies are into property. It’s probably why the Libs won the last election, people scared of losing their property nest eggs. It’s not just a ‘lucky few’ but a National sport. Oh, and I don’t initiate things with Johanna the Mad or Dirty Nick, I only ever respond to their slurs. They stop, I stop. Easy!

  196. Winston Smith says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:35 am

    Doc Fred:

    I am surprised the owners of the US decromats allowing this damaging fiasco to continue , its devaluing the party they spent so much money buying , they are handing over control of their asset ( the decromat party) to the fools of career polticians they own . Bit of a slip up there schwartzie (soros) ,you are losing it ,penalty for living so long .

    The people who run the Democrat Franchise know exactly what they are doing.
    Either Hillary is going to leap into her Superpower Depends Underwear and save the Democrats from electoral oblivion, or Michelle will do the same to rescue her non racist Light Bringer husbands legacy to its (Winston holds his head in both hands and tries to think through two bottles of red drinkies)
    fuck.
    help me out guys.
    ……

  197. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:38 am

    I can understand Calli’s view that bloggs and IRL should remain separate so that mysterious and imaginative anonymity prevails. That’s fine too. 🙂

  198. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:41 am

    How botched penis enlargement got asylum seeker into Australia

    A violent asylum seeker, who was arrested for throwing boiling water on a security guard while in detention, has been able to gain entry to Australia through controversial medevac laws after he attempted a DIY penis enlargement.
    Renee Viellaris, federal political editor, The Sunday Mail (Qld)
    Subscriber only
    |
    November 17, 2019 1:00am.

    AN ASYLUM seeker who botched his DIY penis enlargement by injecting himself with palm oil has been transferred to Australia under Labor’s controversial medevac laws so he can have a genital reconstruction.

    In a sensational example of how broadly Labor’s Medevac laws are being applied by doctors, it can be revealed the Iranian man will get the specialised, expensive surgery at a private hospital in southeast Queensland, with Australian taxpayers picking up the tab.

    A female doctor in Australia ordered the Iranian national, who was in Port Moresby, receive the surgery after he experienced swelling, discomfort and limited function.

    The proponents of the Medevac laws, pushed through the past Parliament by Labor and a number of independent crossbenchers, including Kerryn Phelps, who lost her seat of Wentworth in the May election, argued the legislation was needed for “seriously ill people”. Labor home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said the Medevac laws are working and do not need to change. However, the Morrison Government is determined to repeal the laws and will urge the Senate to do so in the last two sitting weeks of the year.

    The man, in his mid-30s, racked up almost 50 incidents while in PNG, and was arrested for throwing boiling water on a security guard.

    I’d offer my services to carry out a genital reconstruction..

  199. Lazlo says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:44 am

    Seriously though, did the penis enlargement work? Just wondering..

  200. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:45 am

    You need one of those select-a-conclusion prompts, Winston. You know, like you get in ready-made letters.

    Dear x
    Today was xx
    We went to xxx
    You are a xxxx
    I hope that soon you xxxxx
    Which will bring you xxxxxx

    From y

  201. Winston Smith says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:47 am

    mh:

    Professor George E Holmes DL, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Bolton, said: “Supporting the welfare of our students is our number one priority and we have moved swiftly to assist in any way we can.

    Hows about we start turfing the pricks who make statements like this, off the top floors of the napalm clad buildings they signed off of?

  202. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:49 am

    Men are talking men’s secret business.
    I’m outta here. See y’all.

  203. Mark A says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:51 am

    IRL, so that what it stands for.
    One learns something new every day.

  204. Lazlo says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:52 am

    University of Bolton

    Now surely that is a joke, like the University of Neasden?

  205. Fisky says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:52 am

    Kinling Lo 盧建靈
    @kinlinglo
    Breaking: Hong Kong government claimed that they have NOT asked for PLA’s Garrison to help clear the streets today
    “The HK Garisson’s assistance… is purely a voluntary community activity initiated by themselves. The HKSAR Government has not requested the Garrison’s assistance.”

    Oh dear. Awks!

  206. Fisky says:
    November 17, 2019 at 12:55 am

    AN ASYLUM seeker who botched his DIY penis enlargement by injecting himself with palm oil has been transferred to Australia under Labor’s controversial medevac laws so he can have a genital reconstruction.

    In a sensational example of how broadly Labor’s Medevac laws are being applied by doctors, it can be revealed the Iranian man will get the specialised, expensive surgery at a private hospital in southeast Queensland, with Australian taxpayers picking up the tab.

    “Libertarians” supported the Medevac laws. That’s all you need to know.

  207. Winston Smith says:
    November 17, 2019 at 1:04 am

    Please can I go to bed, now?
    ta muchly…

  208. Infidel Tiger says:
    November 17, 2019 at 1:05 am

    Libertarianism in a nutshell: botched penis enlargement using palm oil.

  209. Mark A says:
    November 17, 2019 at 1:12 am

    Infidel Tiger
    #3213763, posted on November 17, 2019 at 1:05 am

    Libertarianism in a nutshell: botched penis enlargement using palm oil.

    WD 40 is the latest go, I hear.
    Nothing it can’t do.

  210. Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
    November 17, 2019 at 1:12 am

    Libertarianism in a nutshell: botched penis enlargement using palm oil.

    If you insist on having such surgery, without private health cover, what alternatives are there?

  211. Knuckle Dragger says:
    November 17, 2019 at 1:44 am

    I’ve taken one for the team here by doing some elementary research.

    Evidently palm and/or coconut oil injected into your cock slightly improves its girth and general size.

    Until it solidifies. Then you get to be the proud owner of a non-working penis which slowly rots from the inside.

    The surgery involves cutting the cock down to the bone, as it were, and then scraping out the solidified oil which crunches as it comes out. Comparisons were made to scraping the coconut off a lamington, including inadvertent scraping out bits of cock with the oil residue.

    Bottom line, you end up with a tinier dick than when you started. Excellent news for whatsisname.

  212. Steve trickler says:
    November 17, 2019 at 2:11 am

    All the best to the bloke . That is a big CAT.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYcfgdhAgqI

  213. David from Canberra says:
    November 17, 2019 at 3:44 am

    Excellent speech on governance in general and the USA in particular, reaching back to the Glorious Revolution and up to the current Trump Presidency.

    AG Bill Barr Speaks About The Damage to Our Nation From The “Resistance.”

    I don’t usually read long speeches but this is superb. The damage done by the left in the USA is unparalleled, widespread and dangerous. An excert:

    …the Senate had been forced to invoke cloture on 236 Trump nominees… How many times was cloture invoked on nominees during President Obama’s first term? 17 times. The Second President Bush’s first term? Four times. It is reasonable to wonder whether a future President will actually be able to form a functioning administration if his or her party does not hold the Senate.

    The speech gives a clear explanation of the US division of powers and puts it into historical context. RTWT

  214. Cold-Hands says:
    November 17, 2019 at 3:58 am

    Totally mystified by this item from the new Week in Pictures.
    It’s captioned “This is a test of deep esoterica for veterans of the Strauss Wars only. (“American Raised” is the first clue.)”

    Any ideas?

  217. calli says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:09 am

    Buenos Aires is a fascinating place. Had to blink a couple of times – it looks like Paris. Mansard roofs, funny little towers on the corners, wide avenues and a gazillion statues all depicting heroic notables either pn horseback or looking impossibly martial and god-like.

    Visited La Boca and the heavens opened. Nothing like being cling-wrapped in a poncho in humid weather. Reminded me a bit of Bourbon St but probably there a bit too early as not much was happening. Apart from some guys getting ready for lunch barbecue with half a ton of meat and sausages. Vegetables seem to be optional plate accessories here.

    Saw Eva Peron’s tomb. The cemetary is all family mausoleums of various architectural styles all cheek by jowl, like a jumble sale.

    I’m off to learn to tango tonight. Watched a few couples dancing at La Boca – it looks rather exotic and challenging! Why do I have the feeling that my toes are going to be crushed by size 11s? I hope they offer me a rosebud to clench between my teeth. It might help me deal with the pain. 😀

  219. bespoke says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:19 am

    Thanks Tom

  221. 1735099 says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:40 am

    For the first few years after the Australian withdrawal from Vietnam, very little appeared on the local literary scene which referenced the war, and what did emerge was bitter in tone. The fall of Saigon, five days after ANZAC Day in 1975 seemed to reinforce the message that the war was a debacle, best forgotten. For many Vietnam veterans this event compounded the moral injury they had suffered on returning to Australia to be met with indifference by most, and hostility by some.
    This very negative view of the aftermath is probably best captured by Stuart Rintoul’s Ashes of Vietnam which was published in 1987. This is a compendium of anecdotes by Vietnam veterans collected by Rintoul as interviews, which were initially broadcast by the ABC before being compiled in his book. The stories are almost exclusively stark, and very few of them are positive. Apart from conveying the reality of the conflict from the point of view of those who fought it, they reflect the attitude of many Australians towards the soldiers who felt rejected on return. How much of this was in the eye of the beholder (in this case Rintoul) and how much was reality is open to debate.
    Normie Rowe, the entertainer, was interviewed by Rintoul –

    When I came back, I did one concert, realised that it was all wrong — I looked around, felt uncomfortable, like I was on a different planet. I didn’t know what to do on stage. For a long time, I didn’t want to think about Vietnam, because the rest of the population of Australia didn’t want to think about it. I said, ‘That was two years out of my life, I don’t want to know about it anymore.

    After an interval, however, a literary genre began to emerge which was largely a product of the experience of the soldiers, both national servicemen and regulars. It most often took the form of memoir, although several veteran-authored newspaper articles began to appear, usually around significant events, such as ANZAC Day, or the Long Tan battle anniversary.
    One such newspaper piece was written by Graeme Cornes, a conscript who served in 7th battalion RAR in 1970. Cornes, a successful AFL footballer, was something of a celebrity when called up. He went on post-Vietnam to coach the Adelaide Crows and forged a successful media career.
    He writes in the context of returning to Vietnam for the first time since his service –

    When I was a soldier in Vietnam, and in the 39 years since, I never once doubted that we were doing the right thing by coming here. Perhaps that is the effect of the brainwashing that is military training, but we thought we were the best soldiers in the world, protecting an oppressed, terrorised country from Communist insurgency. We were wrong on both counts……
    Sure, there is some anger that our casualties were for nothing, but I don’t know who to blame for that. However, I simply did not expect to be overwhelmed with guilt, or to have such vivid memories of the violence, only the milder forms of which have been recorded here.
    In their developing, recovering country, the Vietnamese are a united, industrious, optimistic people. More importantly, they have one other great quality: they are forgiving. They shame me.

    The themes of shame, regret, and futility are characteristic of memoirs written by other national servicemen. Brian Hennessey, who was originally a teacher and worked as a special school principal until he went to the USA and studied the effects of PTSD, writes in his 1997 memoir The Sharp End –

    I should let matters rest now, but I can’t. I keep trying to end this war, but it still rages. And sometimes when I’m off the air, I reconstruct traumatic events that occurred all those years ago in an effort to come to terms with their reality, searching for some special insight that might reveal itself if I go over them one more time. It’s a futile exercise, because these events stand as they are in frozen fruitless indifference.

    Hennessey eventually set up a successful consultancy business in China.
    Guilt also emerges as a theme in a memoir by Barry Heard, Well Done Those Men –

    Today I feel no bitterness, only sadness, as I move amongst my veteran friends and see their depression, poor health, isolation, and struggles. They now have opportunities to improve their lot and are well catered for by governments. But, for many, the guilt remains. They are not like the Second World War veterans I saw as a youngster on those wonderful ANZAC days. I believe, for many Vietnam Veterans, nothing will make them feel deserving enough.

    Even a professional soldier who served with distinction expresses regret. Peter Cosgrove, who served as the 26th Governor-General of Australia, from 2014 to 2019, writes in his memoir My Story –

    My concern is simple. Regardless of the political and ethical considerations of whether a war should have been fought by foreign troops on the soil of Vietnam (that will always be a matter of endless debate), I remember with sadness that over 500 Australians were killed in that war and many more wounded and maimed; over 50,000 Americans lost their lives.
    And we left. And we lost. We mustn’t do that with our men and women. Sending troops to war is without doubt the most difficult and agonising decision for any leader.
    My advice to leaders is never to take the decision lightly and, having done so, never to stop until the outcome is worth the cost.

    It is abundantly clear that the tone of the memoirs written by the national servicemen does not mesh well with the stereotype of the Australian digger as represented in the ANZAC myth.
    The laconic confident self-assured image had given way to something very different. The national psyche had shifted a great deal between 1964 and 1972.

  222. Eyrie says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:45 am

    “The BOM has refused to release the data showing the correlation between the new instruments and mercury thermometers but its likely the systematic bias in new sensors over thee mercury thermometers is +0.4C.”

    I’d be surprised if it is that low. Maybe on average over all conditions but I bet it is more than that on really hot days with lots of solar insolation, in the WA summer.
    On such days there is a superadiabatic layer near the ground which can go up hundreds of feet where the temperature lapse rate is many times that of the Dry Adiabatic Lapse rate. The layer is very unstable and air in actual contact with the ground can nearly immediately be brought into the Stevenson Screen where a fast reacting thermometer will record a temperature spike. Remember the “Surface Air Temperature” is at 1 to 2 meters above the ground.
    Used to be BoM forecaster a long time ago. Part of the “climate record” was collected and recorded by me.

  223. 1735099 says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:49 am

    kiss the feet of the mighty tyrant!

    Zippy’s link takes you to the “Subscribe to the Oz”, page – not the actual article.

    Hastie, James Paterson must ‘repent and redress’, China demands

    9:10PM NOVEMBER 16, 2019

    China has declared it won’t “yield to colonisation of ideas and values” and says Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Senator James Paterson will need to “repent and redress their mistakes” if they want to visit the country.

    The federal MPs were due to travel to Beijing in December with Labor MP Matt Keogh as part of a study tour organised by think tank China Matters. On Friday they were told their visas had been denied.

    Both Mr Hastie and Senator Paterson have been increasingly critical about the Chinese government, speaking out about attempts to exert influence in Australia and human rights abuses against Uighurs in Xinjiang province. A Chinese Embassy spokesperson on Saturday issued a statement saying the country was open to “constructive dialogue and exchanges with people all around the world”.

    But it would “not welcome those who make unwarranted attacks, wantonly exert pressure on China, challenge China’s sovereignty, disrespect China’s dignity and undermine mutual trust between China and Australia”.

    “The colonial days of Western powers are long gone. China will never yield to colonisation of ideas and values,” the embassy spokesperson said The statement indicated the MPs would be able to travel to China if they apologised for their remarks.

    “As long as the people concerned genuinely repent and redress their mistakes, view China with objectivity and reason, respect China’s system and mode of development chosen by the Chinese people, the door of dialogue and exchanges will always remain open,” the spokesperson said.

    The duo, however, have indicated they will continue to speak out about the authoritarian regime.

    “What I’ve been saying and what Andrew has been saying is consistent for years,” Senator Paterson told the ABC.

    “We are concerned about what’s going on in Hong Kong, we are concerned about the up to a million Uighurs in China, we’re concerned about the treatment of Tibet.” Federal minister Darren Chester said it is not clear why his colleagues have been barred from entering China but says people should be able to state their views “I think it’s important that members of parliament can express their views on a whole range of issues and put their point of view across,” he told ABC TV on Saturday.

    “Let’s just see exactly what has gone on and what the reasons are. I think it’s important we don’t over-read these situations.”

    “If that’s the price for speaking out about our relationship with China, then that’s the price that I’m sure Andrew Hastie is willing to pay & I’m willing to pay,” @SenPaterson tells @PatsKarvelas after the Chinese govt banned them from travelling on a study trip to Beijing

    Mr Chester stressed there is a very strong relationship between the two countries through trade, culture and economic links.

    Labor frontbencher Linda Burney said it is the responsibility as parliamentarians to be honest and speak about human rights.

    “I think that the important thing to understand is that Australia and China have much in common, but there is divergence as well,” she said.

    “We have a different value system, different political systems, but the importance of China, as a trading partner, in terms of jobs, is incredibly important.”

    AAP

    Happy to help…..

  224. JC says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:50 am

    Dickhead and sneerer in chief, implodes, has asserted countless times now that impeachment doesn’t require a crime – only that the Congress can choose to rid itself of a prez it doesn’t like.

    This has come from leftwing propaganda sites and is simply untrue.

    See here.

    https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2019-11-13-impeachment-what-is-the-crime

  225. Shy Ted says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:53 am

    Well, look at that. First Flog has drawn a cartoon especially for Nambers.So get colouring. Get out your coloured crayons, don’t chew on them and try to stay within the lines. There’s a good little inventeran.

  226. JC says:
    November 17, 2019 at 7:56 am

    Eyrie

    Write a post what you believe these arseholes are up to send it to Sinc to make a thread.

    I find it laughable these arseholes won’t allow their adjustments to be scrutinized. It’s actually egregious.

    All the government needs to do is send in the auditors.

  227. incoherent rambler says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:00 am

    Once gain, we are being grazed by his prescience.
    What have we done to deserve this?

  228. incoherent rambler says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:02 am

    WD 40 is the latest go, I hear.

    Use it before you tighten your nuts.

  229. notafan says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:02 am

    It’s our scrofularity.

  230. Shy Ted says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:06 am

    1735099 #3213797, posted on November 17, 2019 at 7:40 am
    Four stories, no doubt true. Four young men who went on to lead successful lives. And then there’s you.

  231. John Constantine says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:08 am

    https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/11/escalating-violence-hong-kong-protests/601804/

    Aren’t you afraid? I asked, gingerly. “We are afraid,” they quickly admitted. They even giggled, but it got serious quickly. This is our last chance, they said very matter-of-factly. If we stand down, nothing will stand between us and mainland China, they said. They talked about Xinjiang, and what China had done to the Uighur minority. I’ve heard about the fate of the Uighurs from so many protesters over the months. China may have wanted to make an example out of the region, but the lesson Hong Kongers took was in the other direction—resist with all your might, because if you lose once, there will be a catastrophe for your people, and the world will ignore it.

    The two women weren’t sure whether they would win. That’s also something I’ve heard often—these protesters aren’t the most optimistic group. No rose-colored glasses here. “But we cannot give up,” one insisted, “because if we do, there will be no future for us anyway. We might as well go down fighting.”

    Australia’s kowtowing elites are unswervingly committed to signing up to OBOR to fund the spending that our de-industrialised, de-electrified economy cannot afford.

    Disarming the public, inculcating Flee, Cower, Beg in the proles, making vikpol the enforcement arm of a political movement, banning meat eating in favour of diabetes requiring daily medication.

    Australia has already gone down cowering.

    In viktoria, One Belt, One Road, One Dan will ban anti-Tyrant hate speech by stealth.

    Comrade Maaaaates.

  232. Shy Ted says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:13 am

    1735099 #3213800, posted on November 17, 2019 at 7:49 am
    kiss the feet of the mighty tyrant!
    Zippy’s link takes you to the “Subscribe to the Oz”, page – not the actual article.
    Principle, principle, principle. Did you learn nothing at the special school? Apostrophes have a set of rules. Remove it and you wrote “Zippy is link”. “Zippy’ link” means “the link to Zippy”. 0/10. Write out 100 times “Zippy’ link”.
    And this will be in the post.
    As will this.

  233. Cold-Hands says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:18 am

    Remove it and you wrote “Zippy is link”.

    The apostrophe was used to indicate Possession.

  234. Eyrie says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:22 am

    JC “Eyrie

    Write a post what you believe these arseholes are up to send it to Sinc to make a thread.

    I find it laughable these arseholes won’t allow their adjustments to be scrutinized. It’s actually egregious.

    All the government needs to do is send in the auditors.”

    I think that has been suggested by others like Jo Nova and Jennifer Marohasy et al and rejected. Certainly any data and methodology paid for by the taxpayer should be freely available. It is hardly “commercial in confidence”.
    Running an actual experiment with a Stevenson Screen and a fast reacting electronic thermometer is easy enough to do. Collect the data at one second intervals a few afternoons on a hot day, put in spreadsheet and then low pass filter at 5 minutes or so to simulate the mercury thermometer. Plot on chart. Look at peak temperatures.
    Hey, the BoM can simply do this with the data they collect.
    The larger problem is that many commonwealth departments/statutory authorities (see CASA) are indistinguishable from criminal organisations. In the CASA case they get to make rules, freely decide themselves how much they will charge you to get the permissions they decide are necessary and use the money to pay themselves inflated salaries and benefits. Tell me this isn’t a protection racket. The corruption is built in.

  235. struth says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:25 am

    Good Moaning

    Mr Chester stressed there is a very strong relationship between the two countries through trade, culture and economic links.

    Whoa there, Ching Bitch.
    Where’s the cultural links?
    What economic links do we have other than trade?

    China is a country we trade with.
    Full stop.
    There should be no other “strong relationship”, and trading with communists isn’t a bright move, and is fraught with the problems we know are seeing anyway.
    Where Ching Bitches have to say crap like this, and where we aren’t allowed to compete, and in the long run have our country taken from beneath our feet.
    Good work Chingsluts.

  236. incoherent rambler says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:26 am

    there is no doubt there is one on this blog who is possessed

    (photo of six digits)

  237. bespoke says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:26 am

    classical_hero
    #3213694, posted on November 16, 2019 at 10:38 pm
    Peter, None wasn’t removed for bad behaviour but for saying a bad thing about Tim Wilson, which many posters here agree with.

    No that was’t the only reason.

  238. struth says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:31 am

    Tell me this isn’t a protection racket. The corruption is built in.

    Australia, it does corruption better than most countries.
    It legalises it.

    Oh well if we’re dumb enough to let them tell us that local councils are a form of government and can make law, we deserve all we get.

  239. MatrixTransform says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:33 am

    photo of six digits

    Numpty’s eternal search for relevance
    this is the only semi-public place that wont remove his confected rants except his own vapid blog.

  240. struth says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:35 am

    Who do you write that shit for Numbers?
    Hardly anyone reads it, and the couple that do pull it all apart in a breezy fashion you’d have to admire.

  241. bespoke says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:37 am

    Zippy’s link takes you to the “Subscribe to the Oz”, page – not the actual article.

    A sane person would know you have to login to read but this is 1735099.

  242. John Constantine says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:44 am

    One Belt, One Road, One Dan.

    The political thought that enlightens us that our elites can profit in this world by borrowing multi-billions from the Chairman of the communist party of China to fund the building by communist party of China billionaire property developers of the barracks and infrastructure required to create a city to house a multi-million strong diaspora of communist party of China approved colonists nestled in the viktorian capital.

    The existing proles cowering under the yoke of vikpol and hate speech gags will get their reward for compliance in the next world, after they die out.

    Comrade Maaaates.

  243. Tel says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:45 am

    Australia, it does corruption better than most countries.
    It legalises it.

    That’s the general libertarian approach … give it some articles of incorporation and call it a legitimate business.

    There’s some attraction in the simplicity and honesty of doing it that way … fewer laws to make sense of and don’t attempt to reverse out human nature because that never works.

    I would say in Australia we have a deep duplicity in terms of written laws that are broad sweeping, numerous, complex and enforced selectively … as compared to how things really operate which is typically rule by the bureaucrats and unnamed unelected officials.

  244. Mater says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:48 am

    It is abundantly clear that the tone of the memoirs written by the national servicemen does not mesh well with the stereotype of the Australian digger as represented in the ANZAC myth.

    I’m yet to see a team walk away from a Grand Final loss with the same attitude they had when they’d won it the year before. That there was a difference, seems unsurprising. Historically, we have nothing to compare it against.

    As for General Cosgrove, you quote that a lot. Read in isolation, he seems to be saying (paraphrased):

    Think carefully before sending people into harms way, because it exacts a high price, but when you do, make sure you win.

    I would agree with him on this and am not sure it supports your particular agenda.

  245. RobK says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:49 am

    Eyrie,
    As a kid I used to get old copies of Scientific American from a close family friend by the name of Jan CC Vis, a Delft trained physicist who was a forecaster at BoM, Perth. I owe the late Jan a gratitude for cultivating my interest in science.
    Did you know him?

  246. John Constantine says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:51 am

    https://7bitcoins.com/iranian-protesters-set-fire-to-the-central-bank-of-iran-after-fuel-price-rise/

    Massive violent protests have erupted in Iran on Sunday after the rise of fuel prices by authorities. The government raised the fuel prices without warning this day by 50%, also placed a limit of 60 liters of fuel per vehicle monthly. Long lines of vehicles gathered to gas stations waiting for hours and police was deployed there to keep order.

    Read more at 7bitcoins.com: https://7bitcoins.com/iranian-protesters-set-fire-to-the-central-bank-of-iran-after-fuel-price-rise/

    In australia, we will die in the queue, complying with orders to cower and wait.

  247. 1735099 says:
    November 17, 2019 at 8:56 am

    Historically, we have nothing to compare it against.

    Absolutely.
    Vietnam was the only conflict in our history when Australians were conscripted to fight on foreign soil in peacetime.

  249. feelthebern says:
    November 17, 2019 at 9:02 am

    As part of the Gallen/Hall payout, Ladbrokes gave me some bonus bets.
    I put $50 on a 13 leg college football wager.
    Currently 10 from 13.
    Oh my !!

  250. custard says:
    November 17, 2019 at 9:03 am

    Frank Elly continues the false narrative by describing last weeks fires as unprecedented.

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