Jerry_Atrick

Interesting vid on it: Katter should have his name changed to nutter; he is clearly very passionate! However, I do agree with one sound bite he made, and it should go for any immigrant (or natural born person to a country), anywhere.. if one has sentiments against the country you call home, one should p155 off to the country where your sentiments are aligned. By the way, Katter's gesticulations were more intimidation - but probably not to a criminal level. In terms of an assault (in this case, apprehensive of the application of unlawful force), I would contend his actions did not amount to that. His words made it clear he was refraining, and his point to an underarm clenghed fist, even at the time of when his fist became clenched, the fact it was at the same close location with no drawback, and that the converasation was alleging the journo to be racist, but not asking for a retraction, etc. would make it hard to meet the level of crominal responsibility. Having said that, there could be a prim facie case to answer, so as it would be a midemeanour, it probably should go to the magistrates, if nothing more than to say to ollies and officials.. unlike the USA, we will come after you.

Is it being closer to the equator? Is Darwin or Broome particularly red-necked? I agree whole-heartedly with this. Law enforcement generally will throw the book at an assailant against a government or law envorcement official; conversly, they should be held accountable to a correspondingly higher standard when they breach similar laws.

"Two Jags" John Prescott, at the time the Labour deputy PM, threw a punch at a member of the public who threw an egg on him. I can't recall if he connected, but if he did, it was only a glancing blow. He was, as I recall initially arrested later on th suspcicion of assault (so I assume he didn't connect), ut I don't think he was charged or charges were dropped, presumably based on provocation. IMHO, it should have gone to the magistrates court to be tested. When one joins politics, one knows one is luckly if only half the population will automatically hate you. One has to expect to be grilled on things and the hallmark of a politician (or anyone) is to remain calm in tenuous siituations - and to be able to quickly asses and make clear and correct decisions. Emotional knee-jerk reactions aren't the hallmark of diplomacy and puersuasion we want from our pollies. Prescott was defended and protected by the Labour Party henchmen. I think he was re-elected, probably on the basis of his actions, such is his constituency, but it was a terrible look and weakened him politically.

I am going to come across as all wokey pokey, butr clearly, he is deranged, as are probably most soverign citizens. What intrigues me is why they are like that? Our society allows a large degree of individualism and freedom of expression in so many different ways; it allows dissent, but like all social entities and societies, there are a set of laws/rules that society is governed by to balance individual rights and freedoms against others as a whole. When we compare ourselves to other countries such as China, Russia, some Eastern Eurpean countries, many Asian countries, African countries, etc., we have a lot of freedoms - we can openly and savagely criticise the government; we can practice whatever religion or ideology we like, we can participate more or less in captialistic through to communist agendas with impunity. So, why do these sovereign citizens feel their rights and existence is threatened? Why do they (and others, such as MAGA Maniacs) latch onto conspiracy theories without any evidence whatsoever (and, as it turns out, those they support are more likely to establish some of those conspiracy theories, such as the deep state - just look sat Chump's actions). Have they been harassed, bullied at school? Is it hard wired into their brain (and we are learning that nuero-plasticity means nothing is hard wired and anything can be changed about us, if we are willing, assuming no physical brain damage? Are they suffering drug/alcohol abuse or foetal alcohol.drug syndrome? Or, do they see something us lemings don't? Are they society's forgottens that are helpless and alone - those we should take care of as a society but have become too individualistic and too materialistic to care? For example, the government is now winding back NDIS, which may push many people the way of these people, rather than attackt he root causes of the issues - the rorts, potential convenience diagnosis, etc., which means those in genuine need can live a somewhat normal life - which is selfish of me because I don't want to have to people who become desperate beggars or criminals. There was a time where there was nary a beggar or vagrant on the streets of our cities.. now look at them? Why can't we properly tax multinationals rather than give them corporate welfare so their investors can continue to rake in the cash as rent takers - and use that money for the betterment of all society - better transport infrastructure, targeted investment to stimulate innovation and growth, better safety net, better education, health services, and the like. Norway does it, and while Australia has a much larger GDP, Norway's GDP per captia is 30% more.. so taxing your resources properly; taxing multinationals properly seems to be an economic benefit - and those companies do not leave because they are still making money. For example, Starbucks in the UK started in 1998 and never showed a profit until 2015. Of course, that was on paper - there is no way Starbucks would operate at a loss that long - they only took two years to exit Australia the first time where they were really making a loss. Instead, they had to start showing a semblance of profit after it came to light they were abising transfer pricing, and HMRC knew about it. Eventually, in 2016, HMRC (our ATO) agreed to a lower tax rate (how they could do this when the rates without discretion are defined in law - another controversy) after which they miraculously started showing small profits. What has this to do with a few nutters? Well, the more we don't look after our people, that is, spend the resources to assist, manage, etc,. the more that are vulnerable to this sort of behaviour will turn to it. I could count the times I saw vagrants/beggars on the streets of Melbourne witht he fingers on my hand before I left for the UK aged 30.. and I worked and socialised preedominanlty in the city. Last time I was in Melbourne, quite frnly, it was a disgrace how many there were, and how can a society not look after them? Why are we always in debt as a society and not have those that benefit from our society and society's investment in education, infrastrcutire, etc contribute to our society, so we can better our society? The way Australia (and the UK, and France, and to a lesser extent Germany) is headed is very much the American way. It is gradual, so we don't notice it, but the frequency in which the solcial ills that brings is increasing. It's a hell of a problem to sort out, and the longer we leave it, the longer and more expensive it will become.. The US seems to have abated from being on the bring of civil war (or we are so desensitised that the news isn't even registering it), but there is still a volatile underbelly that could go ballistic. That will be a hell of a price to pay.

Sadly, it feels like we are becoming slightly more American every day.

Was on the phone; so didn't look it up - not even his name. knew he was murdered and figured either my recollection was wrong about when he was murdered or that was AI generated. Guess it was the latter.

Hogan's Heros lead actor

It is bloody dry and hot-ish in SW England at the moment. Grass is almost universally brown everywhere, was 31 degrees with not too much humidity, which is unusual for this nick of the woods. They are talking baout drought.. Was like being home.

Well, the daughter's time at EDF is coming to an end in a couple of weeks. She didn't realise it, but she has racked up about 2.5 weeks holiday leave (we get sometehng like 6 weeks standard, here, but there is no long service leave, but they allow sabbaticals after 5 years (November for me), and pay you up to three months of your basica salary - no pension, medical/health, bonus, additional holiday accruals). Anyway, we are on a long weekend this weekend, but daughter and one of her good mates are driving to Cornwall for the week from Monday arvo. Two 19 year old girls - nay - women (using girls here is common parlance), are going to have a week of fun and frolics. My daughter asked me if I was going to be sad or have any reservations about her going. I looked her in the eye and said I am really happy, a father will never stop worrying ever slo slightly about their adult children, but that she is miles more mature at her age than I was at that time (and probably now). Since she could crawl, she was always fiercly independent. I recall her dropping something when she was still crawling, and when I picked it up for her, she slapped my wrist and got a right strop with me. I put it down, and she picked it up, looked at whatever it was in her hand, and lifted her head to look at me, ans then smiled a very wide grin. Admittedly, the grit has waned slightly, but she is a determined daughter of a bastard. In two weeks she starts univesity. Her employer wants her back for the breaks; I am going to miss her at home, but the university is quite close (unlike Aus, kids often go to unoversities the other side of the country form where they live). But, I am so proud of her. I know we are all proud of our kids.. and rightly so. I just wanted to share it.

I have refreained from the conversation as I have to admit, I am struggling to see the correlation between survivasl of the fittest and conscription. And then reeferencing pre tale-off checks to, I presume survival of the fittest is odd, in my mind. You can be disabled and still perform the necessary checks. Have a Cirrus? It will do most for you. Hardly survival of the fittest. Maybe survival if the smartest? Or, have I missed something? There are many people in our society who survive and thrive and they aren't the fittesy - physically nor mentally. There are many people who have some form of autism and aren't exactly going to give Anrie a run for his money on the physical side, yet they are extremely successfully financially because they are extremely intelligment and can identify market signals a mile away and put in strategies that make them a lot of money, for example. Of course, money isn't eveything, but playing in that game, they are hard to beat. However, put them up at Puckapunyal, and they will probably suffer all sorts of problems.. they aren't terribly good at that game - except their extreme analytical brain may well have them next to officers on conbat strategies, or code breaking or some such thing. I get your grievance though, @Grumpy Old Nasho. You had two years of your life robbed, by the luck of the draw. It wasn't universal. Therefore, by the luck of the draw, others led an uninterrupted life. And It would appear your time as a Nasho was traumatic in some way. And, yeah, I agree, based on that, both Nasho and warzone vets should get some extra compenation/benefits over those that were able to continue living their life unchanged. And, by the way - thanks. Until you joined,I had not heard of the term, Nasho. My uncle was conscripted and is a Vietnam vet. I though everyone conscripted was sent there.

Warm muffins Don't ask why that thought came straight to me 🤣

Same.. but I am going to come across as wokey, but when we give people a second chance, is there some assessment as to why they are where they are at life and do we provide support for them to make sure there isn't a third or fourth or beyond chance? If they bust their second chance, is it into the clink - or is there a better way... There are defo low-life crims that come from all sorts of socio-economic backgrounds and nothing we do can change them.. anf from your description your neighbour was one of them - an a very entreprenuerial druggie. But what about the chronic drug affected person who is there because they suffered say sexual abuse as a kid (and I have seen some horrific stuff that has long term effects - a suicide of an Epstien victim that was paid out by the Queen, no less, should shed some light on the torment people go through)? Of course, it has to be balanced with the safety of law abiding people. You have suffered mental side effects, such as the anxiety with cars passing at night - people need to be able to live in a safe environment despite the challenges society throws up. You also could have ended up suffering a lot worse with armed retribution attacks, or if they were using it as a meth den, any risk of explosions, etc. Tough problems to resolve..

Wow. That is some story and a great example of working together to solve a problem. Uf a lot more people took that route, the world would be a better place! Is it public housing you're against, or the way it is administered? Only asking because 95% of tentants nto showing serious problems is not bad, but for those that do, there is little recourse. To me, it smacks of governments deflecting their obligations by giving the right power to the right enforcement (and remediation) organistations to accomodate the need for public housing and keep the public safe when things don't do wrong. For example, if it was a privately owned and tenanted house, would the police have been able to deal with the problem more effectively because of the pwoers they have under normal criminal law (notwithstanding the issues with that, too)? Why should public housing tenants be afforded more rights than a private tenant when it comes to things like conduct? Sounds like you can set yourself up as a docu-drama producer, director, and cameraman. 😉

It cuts both ways to be honest. I joined a major Aussie party whe I was 16 with a glint in my eye and determined to change the world for the better. I rose fairlyy quicly locally to president of the branch (no real big deal), but on the selection committe for the local MP candidate (bigger deal) and state confereence delegate for both young movement and normal movement. Like any organisation, there are going to be differences of opinion, and I quickly learned what I thought was the right thing was not necessarily what others throught was the right thing, even amongst people with very similar ideologies. What i then learned was that many times, those differences of opinions were often helped by serving vested interests arising from the most unlikely places, some not even to do with monetary gain. Still, "untained and pure in thought", I contnued a bit more, arguing (alledgedly on fact) why this should change or that should remain, etc. until one evening meal, which I will never forget, but broke the camel's back and I quit politics forever. It is now coming to 50 years ago (ouch) and I even remember some of the names. But I will never forget the laminated fake wood round tablles atop black metal frames on that red patterend carpet preferred by local Chinese restaurants at the time. I was chomping on a beef and black bean sauce dish, talkng to someone I looked up to and whom I thought we were almost ideologically joined at the hip. He was regaling his victoriy in achieving some outcome by virtually bringing a local organisation to its knees, and in achieving that outcome, straddled that organisation with immense debt and put its future in doubt. When I challenged him on the prucence of such a tactic, given that iof that organistion fails, the very people he fought to ensure a short term outcome for will long term lose, he conceded he was driven by, let's say, a personal relationship with someone, and a personal vedetta of another. I will never forget the perniciously serious but triumphant expression on his face as he told me this. I have written on these forums abut this before, but it was a stark lesson on life.. I should have moved to Burke or somewhere similar.

People seem to lap it up.. George Orwell 1984 style

Chinese scientists make lithium battery breakthrough, doubling energy density | The Independent https://share.google/2PZSRzB1lql4apLHq

The cowardly lion (al la Whizz of Oz)

The ones that will be in real bewilderment are those that have bot of the above.

Game set and match

Pinball machine

It will be because a late harvest grape will have a higher concentration of sugar, which will effectively fortify the wine when left over a period of time.. is sort of what I learned ages ago. The are normally sweeter wines to start with.

There's a line there, but even I'll refrain from using it..

Gripe of the week... I went to Waitrose to get my go to summer red - Yering Station Pinot Noir. It is certanly quaffable - and then some. Problem is, Waitrose no longer stock it.. and have replaced it and a few other decent Aussie wines with crap - Yellow Tail shite, that makes Jacob's Creek look like a very decent wine. Bagoonies, I say... Although, my partner has the taste for Yellow Tail's jammy roo, which is admittedly lower in alcohol these days (12.5%) Shriaz, I think, but it does taste like jam.. and too sweet and sickly for me. There was a Koonunga Hill Shiraz, at about £13-ish; and a couple of other decent Aussie reds but over-priced for the UK market, anyway. So, I thought, I haven't had a Fluerie for many years - a French medium bodied style, so went the the Frog's section of the shelves. There wasn't much French stuff there either, and by De Boef (I guess for the UK market) go to of anything French that isn't in the super expensive class, followed by Lous Jadot had all sold out. But there were a couple of Flueries of unknwon labels - at least to me - that were there. One was a £9 bottle, and the other was £10 - marked fdown from $13. Well, I thought I may was well give that a try, At home now, towards the end of a 30 degree summer day and outside looking at the extended sunset which will take anouther 2 or so hours, and this is a very nice drop. So while the Gripe aboutd the Yering Station, which at normal price is the same as this one at normal price (I only buy it occasionally, and only when on sale, which was usually marked down to around £9), is still there, it has subsided a little. But.. I just looked at the label.. 15% alcohol content by volume!!! WTF, I didn't realise I was buying a port. I know in Aus, it is (or was for a while) harder to get good uality grapes thanks to drought and disease. But, FFS, fixing a wine at 15% is blooody ridiculous. I am already feeling off my mammaries just thinking about it. Still, there are plently more people far worse off than me complaining about the amount of alcohol in a bottle of wine.

Each to their own, OT 😉

So far, the only changes that are coming in are, IMHO, fairly reasonable. Anyone over 70 will require a medical at each license renewal. It will incude cognitive, eyesight, and checks for heart disease, and some others where is you suffer acute episode, it could be curtains for you and anyone on the road around you. I think it is eminently sensible and it forces you to get your health MOT (MOT is the UK equivalent of RWC). which is free for over 40s.. which canhelp diagnose issues anf fix them before it is too late. A licence lasts 10 years here.. and after 70, three years; so every three years after 70 you will have to get a medical - ant it is free at point of service. On another note, the UK CAA is implementing exercise based cardio vascular ECG testing as there has been an uptick of heat problems in air linked to accidents for older people.