onetrack

I'd have to say Yes. Kenya was a British colony until Dec 12 1963, when it gained independence. Google tells me this much (but it's still subject to variables) .... Birthright Status (1949–1963): Anyone born in the colony between Jan 1, 1949, and Dec 11, 1963, was generally a Citizen of the UK & Colonies (CUKC). Independence Act 1963: On Dec 12, 1963, most people acquired Kenyan citizenship, and automatically lost their CUKC status. The Exceptions: People were allowed to retain British status (becoming British Overseas Citizens or, in some cases, full British Citizens) if they, their father, or their paternal grandfather was born in the United Kingdom or a place that remained a colony. Disparity in Citizenship: This, in practice, favoured white settlers with direct, recent connections to Britain, while many Asian and Black Kenyan residents found themselves in a precarious position regarding their right to reside in Britain or Kenya. SWMBO initially married a bloke in the late 1960's, who was Kenyan born - of mixed descent. His father was British and Anglo-Saxon. But his mother was born in Nairobi, of Dutch-Lebanese/African parentage, and her parents came from the Seychelles. But SWMBO's daughter (my stepdaughter) found she was entitled to a British passport, because her dad, and both his parents, came to Australia in the early 1950's, on British passports.

Has anyone checked what is happening to Tuvalu as regards whether it is sinking into the Earth? Parts of California and many other areas of the world have sunken dramatically over the last century or more. Jakarta is sinking so rapidly under the weight of urbanisation and the drawing down of the aquifer under the city, the Indonesian Govt is abandoning the place and building a new capital on Borneo. Mt Everest keeps on reaching for the sky, increasing height every year as it gets squeezed between tectonic plates. None of the above continental movements are caused by climate change.

The Gardners are the Rolls Royce of truck engines. Built by craftsmen who initialled the components they made. No-one scraps a Gardner if they have any nous. Rolls Royce made diesel engines for trucks and industrial use, too, but the Gardners were a better engine.

I use a nut splitter, they're a really handy device. The angled ones are the best.

Yes, the poor old dog gets blamed for everything. But when a dog farts, it leaves any human farts for dead.

Willie, if the fuse blew, the circuit has been overloaded. You don't mention the style of fuse (there are several). I'm speaking about the old glass fuses, now. If the fuse fell apart, or the ends fell off, I would put that down to age. However, the ends don't normally fall off, because they're held by the clips, they usually fall off when you pull them out. You can get intermittent electrical faults that are a PIA. A little patch of bare wire touching metal occasionally. A wire being occasionally crushed between other parts that move. It can be a real pain to track down a lot of the time. Look for areas where movement takes place, where things can be hit (taillights are often hit by road debris), or where moisture has crept in.

I'm confused on the "dual citizenship" angle. I was born here, so I'm an Australian citizen. But I got a British passport some years ago (about 15) because both my parents were British and I was entitled to a British passport. I got it when travelling on the basis it would make travelling around the EU on the Schengen Agreement easier. I never used it, my Australian passport got me everywhere with no problems. However, SWMBO and I got caught out with a US$80 entry fee to Turkey upon arrival, no-one mentioned it prior. We had to scrape around our belongings to find the necessary US dollars, and it was dead lucky we had it on hand. At this point, my British passport is long expired and I see little benefit in renewing it - but perhaps it might save me some money if I ever venture back to the U.K.?

The Liberals have virtually ceased to exist as a party in W.A. They could hold a cabinet meeting in a disabled toilet.

I always keep control of any fart. To do otherwise is dangerous, and can be embarrassing.

Citric acid is my regular go-to product for rust removal. I make up baths of 3%-5% citric acid and dump the rusty item in it and leave it for a few days, then pull it out and pressure-wash it. If it's needed, I put the item back in again for a few more days, then pressure-wash it again. Then I spray with a 10% solution of Ranex (phosphoric acid) in a spray bottle to prevent flash rusting. Citric acid is safe, doesn't affect base metal or copper, zinc or aluminium, and it cleans iron/steel items up beautifully. But the bath must be covered and kept cool, sunlight rapidly degrades the acid.

I don't have a problem with people at the pointy end of the actual hard yakka, getting good money for what they do. But the current figures show, that executive renumeration levels - and in particular, CEO renumeration levels, have been rocketing ahead in leaps and bounds, well above the gradual gains the workers negotiate. https://www.governanceinstitute.com.au/news_media/large-pay-rises-for-c-suite-executives-reveal-impacts-of-inflation-and-labour-market-pressures/

I use a 50-50 mix of diesel and ATF for breaking up corrosion in rusted cylinder bores - it seems to work pretty well, especially if left for a few days. ATF contains strong detergents that dissolve varnish and gummy deposits that will glaze up automatic transmission clutch plates, and gum up valves and spools in transmissions, causing erratic operation - and diesel is well known as an excellent penetrant and lubricant.

The developer who is charging ahead with the Trump Tower has been bankrupt previously - twice. So I guess he's in good company with a U.S. President who has sent six of his business ventures bankrupt. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-24/trump-tower-developer-went-bankrupt-twice/106379446

Have they developed a version of WD-40 for electric mowers yet? 😄

Strong winds, accompanied by rapid barometric pressure changes, also blow water from one side of lakes, reservoirs, bays and harbours, to the other side. They're called "seiches". The water can really pile up. There are sieches on the Great Lakes, and on all salt lakes here.

That "private beach club" bit is going to go down well with the Gold Coast beaches users. Trump obviously thinks he can fence off an Australian beach to stop "outside" beach walkers from walking past his Tower, as they can in the U.S. I've got news for him, unless the authorities change Australian land title laws in a big way, it's not going to happen. Plus, I can just see that setup of a Trump Tower right on a GC beach looking pretty sad after one of those massive GC storms that sweeps in from the SE. His Tower will end up in the ocean.

It'll be a BIG BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN-CLAD TRUMP TOWER! - you just wait and see! It'll be clad in all that stuff that gave the GOLD COAST its name!! 😄

She's in the pay of the climate change cultists! Note - "This channel accepted money or free things to make this video" .... !! 🙂 If the ocean is turning to acid, how come it's still extremely alkaline? The climate change proponents keep producing evidence that is contradictory! An ocean becoming fresher "at an alarming rate" (reportedly caused by climate change), can't be getting more acid! It's simply becoming slightly less alkaline! Fresh water is neutral on the pH scale, so if the ocean is becoming "more acid", the pH should be dropping well below normal water pH level! (which is 7 on the pH scale, of course). But then - articles such as the one below start carrying on about how ocean "acidity" will dissolve sea creatures shells, and create a dreadful acid environment - when the ocean is STILL highly alkaline, even though the pH may drop slightly under their "worst climate change scenario"! This is idiocy, and does nothing to reinforce their arguments for climate change. https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/freshwater-surge-threatens-southern-indian-ocean-conveyor-belt/

Relax - It appears all the electoral opposition to Kim mysteriously vanished, so there was only one choice left for the Congress to make, when it came to re-electing a replacement secretary-general.

I think you serfs need some re-training to understand just how much we owe our superb living conditions in Australia, to the Hancock Robber Baron Dynasty. Gina tells me this every day, on every inscribed message, on every monument built to the Hancock Empire. You're such an unappreciative lot of slackers. 😄

Octave, I don't see how this statement can be scientifically correct, simply because of the major difference in the accuracy of temperature-measuring instruments, and measuring methods, between 1880 and 2026. Now, even NASA admit the old instruments and methods were inaccurate - but they only go into how good their current measuring systems are! They totally fail to address the possible discrepancies by utilising the old records! https://science.nasa.gov/earth/climate-change/the-raw-truth-on-global-temperature-records/ QUESTION: What were the temperature measuring accuracy differences between 1880 and 2026? Major differences in temperature-measuring instruments between 1880 and 2026 center on the shift from manual, liquid-in-glass (LiG) technology to automated, electronic sensors, and a massive increase in spatial coverage and calibration precision. While 19th-century mercury thermometers were inherently accurate to within roughly 0.1°C–0.2°C, modern systems (2026) offer higher resolution, near-instantaneous logging, and lower uncertainty through digital, satellite, and AI-integrated networks. Key Differences in Accuracy and Technology (1880 vs. 2026) Instrument Type (Manual vs. Digital): In 1880, measurements were primarily taken with mercury-in-glass thermometers housed in early Stevenson screens. In 2026, the standard is electronic, using thermistors, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), or infrared sensors. Measurement Frequency and Consistency: 1880s thermometers required manual reading and resetting of maximum/minimum markers, which could introduce human error and bias. By 2026, AI-integrated digital systems provide continuous, automatic, and remote logging, eliminating manual reading errors. Calibration and Stability: Well-maintained 1880s mercury thermometers were highly accurate, sometimes reported as being accurate to 0.1°C. However, modern Platinum Resistance Thermometers (PRTs) and digital sensors (2026) allow for higher stability and more frequent, standardized calibration, reducing drift. Data Coverage and Spatial Uncertainty: While individual instruments in 1880 were accurate, the density of weather stations was low, leading to high spatial sampling error. By 2026, thousands of stations, along with satellite data and AI, significantly reduce this uncertainty. Key Factors Influencing Historical vs. Modern Data Environmental Bias (Urban Heat Island): A significant difference is not the thermometer itself, but its surroundings. 1880s stations were often rural. By 2026, many stations are located in developed urban areas, requiring complex adjustments for the "urban heat island" effect. Methodology Changes: The shift from measuring sea surface temperatures via wooden buckets to engine intake sensors on ships (post-1950s) required significant, complex data adjustments. "Accuracy Paradox": Some analyses suggest that properly maintained 19th-century thermometers were more accurate in absolute terms than some modern, cheaply made electronic sensors that may have higher, wider margins of error (e.g., ±2°F). However, the modern ability to network and calibrate thousands of sensors yields better global accuracy. In summary, 1880s instruments were reliable but sparse and manually operated, while 2026 instruments are automated, dense, and digitally integrated, providing far greater, though constantly adjusted, accuracy for global averages

Living alone makes you a lot more self-absorbed. I lived alone for too long, I much prefer having someone to share things with as I get older - from chores, right through to exciting "wins" and other joyful experiences. You must experience joyful events together. Despite the occasional arguments and head-butting, we don't indulge in abuse of each other, which many couples seem to degenerate into.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens when the 99 year leases on the British naval and air bases end in 2039. That could mean a major shift in American domination of foreign regions, if Britain insists on getting them back. Of course, the U.S. will demand payment for the infrastructure and development of those bases, and Britain may not be able to pay for that. I may or may not not be around to see it, I'll be 90 then, if I can make it that far.

Take the measurements over a much longer period than our puny lifespans, Nev, and you'll see the variations you claim don't exist. I respect your strong opinions, but point out where my opinions are "rubbish". I too, have studied weather all my life. My former businesses depended greatly on good weather, just as aviation does. I know I've endured some "climate extremes" by way of high temperatures and severe floods. The "wet years" of the early 1960's in W.A. set a lot of records. In the last 30 years, we have endured a substantial downturn in rainfall levels locally. But my experiences and lifetime are but a blip on the radar of "climate". I simply believe the IPCC is a very good breeder of bureaucrats and proponents of schemes, all designed to ensure those utterances and statements and charts keep their cushy 300,000 Euro annual salaries coming. I mean to say, how did the world survive prior to the existence of the IPCC?

My take on it, is this. The variability of climate is substantial. Study old newspapers for stories on massive weather events, and you'll find plenty. You'll also find lengthy serious periods of temperature variations. Bitter Winters where sizeable numbers of people, stock and plants died. Heatwaves that did the same. Droughts and dust storms of previously unknown intensity (the U.S. "dust bowl" of the 1930's. The Federation Drought in Australia). Much weather recording equipment of the earlier eras was inaccurate or poorly recorded (lots of gaps due to the individual recording the event dying, becoming ill, or other types of interference with recording). The researchers are still going back and trying to correct those records to meet current standards, especially where they know the inaccuracy level of particular instruments. There's no argument that the last 30 years in particular, we have seen an increase in average temperatures, and in many cases, reduced rainfall over certain previously wetter regions. There can be dozens of different reasons for those changes. Deforestation is one factor. Carry out excessive clearing, build lots of dark-coloured housing, and the area become hotter due to lack of shade cover, and dark colours drawing heat. The major increase in the burning of fossil fuels in the last 60-80 years has no doubt had a major impact on the climate. The very worst "climate deniers" say the fossil-fuel emissions have little effect on the climate. This cannot be correct. By the same token, one volcanic event pumps vast amounts of products into the atmosphere that all affect the atmosphere detrimentally. Sulphur and other dangerous gases, minute particles of dust, and water vapour get propelled into the atmosphere to great heights by volcanic eruptions. Old records describe volcanic events that affected the climate, the level of light, the growing of crops, and temperature variations that were measurable by anyones standards. The 2022 Hunga Tongan eruption effectively shook the world. The eruption propelled vast amounts of water, dust and chemicals into the atmosphere. The scientists have calculated there was an increase in the amount of water in the atmosphere by at least 10%, some say 15%. The dust and chemical levels have never been accurately recorded. But there's little doubt the eruption affected Earths climate adversely. The Hunga Tonga eruption materials were propelled into the mesosphere, stunning research scientists. There are plenty of records of civilisations disappearing without trace, after becoming sizeable. Researchers seem to agree that extended droughts and a resultant lack of water meant those civilisations couldn't continue, so they moved elsewhere or simply died out. Climate researchers and scientists today continually find new things that affect our climate. They recently discovered that average wave heights have been increasing, and the wave heights affect Earths climate. They have recently found convection effects in deep ice fields - which seems to defy physics. They have found thermal convection waves upwelling through deep ice, making the ice soft and increasing the deep movement of ice. We live in a world full of strange things happening. But the bottom line to me, is that todays scientists are closely examining "climate" in the scenario of just the fossil fuel age - around 120 years - and in some cases, only the last 50 years. However, climate has been in existence for millions of years, so looking at the last 50 or even 120 years of climate is like looking at the cells in a single hair of a fossilised animal and projecting its exact build and structure, from those few cells. Even today, scientists still argue over what dinosaurs were actually covered in - hair, scales or feathers? - because so much information is missing to them. The climate figures, calculations and examinations are in a similar vein. We're looking through a crack in a fence with a poor quality lens, to see the whole distant picture beyond - and we're not getting the full, accurate picture. I personally believe, "net zero" is an unachievable, stupid target, a "potential sales market" figure drawn up by bureaucrats, that has somehow become a golden calf to worship. I believe we should continue to exert ourselves to lower emissions, and to work towards less polluting methods of transport, energy production, manufacturing, etc - but to try and achieve impossible targets produced by well-paid bureaucrats, who have little experience of the real world, is simply not something we should ascribe to.