octave

9 minutes ago, old man emu said:

daughters and any cisgender female will be at risk of losing her safe places such as toilets, change rooms, etc.

Why is it that males pose a safety risk to females? Perhaps there is a problem here that males must address.

12 hours ago, red750 said:

Did you get any of that downpour, #octave?

No, not much here. 

We went out to a local brewery for lunch today (retirement is hell) and I noticed they have installed complementary EV charging.   

1 hour ago, willedoo said:

I have a question. As far as I know, all the new phones have non removable batteries. What happens when the battery dies?

You can replace all phone batteries yourself however it is a bit of a pain. You can pay to get a non-replaceable battery replaced.   New legislation in the EU will require all phones to have replaceable batteries by 2027 so things are going in the right direction. 

I have been lucky lately as my still tech-savvy 90-year father inlaw replaces his phone every few years and hands me down his old but still good phone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Hurricane

18 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

Don't watch regular TV.  A Britbox subscription will get you all that British stuff at $10 a month.  

 Same.  We have two subscriptions, one is free because we cheekily piggyback off our friend's account and the other one changes month to month.  We subscribe to Britbox until we have watched everything that appeals to us and then ditch the subscription and move to another platform.  We find that after you ditch a subscription you often get offers of one month for free which we take up and cancel before the end of the period. We probably spend between  $10 and $15 a month.

We don't have much trouble finding 2 hours of quality a night.

As a measure of how cheap solar panels have become, we built our own house in the bush in 1990. There was no power available in the area so solar was the best option.   We designed our own low voltage system around 3 x 60-watt panels. Today this would be considered a comically small power system.  Each of these panels cost $595 which back then was a lot of money. Now for a little over $300 you can get a 475 watt panel.   

8 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

Solar panels,  not for the country .

Rooftop solar is lowering the wholesale price of electricity. 

Record rooftop solar output slashes wholesale electricity prices

12 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

If your power bill is below ( economising ) their $250/$350 level you don't get ' Free  Solar panels ' . & have to pay out of your own pocket .

I am not fully aware of how the solar subsidy schemes vary between NSW and Vic but I don't recall a minimum bill requirement. If this is true you perhaps need a few high usage quarters to qualify.   We certainly did not get "free solar panels" Our $10 system cost us $5.6k  But this has now well and truly paid for itself. 

1 hour ago, pmccarthy said:

It is ironic that those fancy new batteries (and the older ones) are made from materials that have to be mined in vast quantities, often in countries with poor environmental standards. The Greens have flexed their principles to suit.

Drilling for oil is not the environmentally friendliest of industries and of course, once you have burnt it it is gone forever.

The biggest miner of lithium in Australia.   Cobalt is the mineral that gets the most negative attention because a small proportion of it is mined in countries with poor standards.  This is an issue for many products and I believe cobalt is also required in the fuel refining process.  The amount of cobalt in batteries is rapidly decreasing.  Battery chemistries are also are also changing (LFP and sodium).

If we reach a point where the mining industry can no longer supply the required minerals then the products that use these minerals such as EVs phones computers etc. will begin to become expensive and these industries will either adapt or fail.  At least the minerals used in new tech are not destroyed and can be used again.

55 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

as my neighbours electric has the ' horn on the ipad screen , as with the handbrake .

Not a Tesla?   The horn on a Tesla is exactly where it is on any other car.   

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_us/GUID-DEB259CC-ABAC-4BFC-8D10-B7B1BBCFCB1F.html

At faster speeds tyre noise is indeed the major source of noise whatever the source of power.   At lower speeds, EVs are quieter.  In fact many in ,any areas sound generators (acoustic systems) are mandatory under a certain speed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_warning_sounds#:~:text=The vehicle must make a,a maximum of 75 dBA.    There are many complaints that at least at low speeds EVs are in fact too quiet.

Power steering.

https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/service-repair/article/53084009/the-rise-of-electric-power-steering

This is done electrically and indeed is increasingly being utilized in IC vehicles.

With the widespread use of Electric Power Steering (EPS) systems in recent years, the automotive industry has undergone a substantial upheaval. These systems provide better fuel efficiency, improved driving, increased reliability, and have almost completely replaced the conventional hydraulic power steering systems on most vehicles.

Air con in an EV is an electrically operated heat pump. the Tesla aircon uses between 1 and 3 Kw.  Nothing beats being out on a hot day with the car parked in the sum and being able to turn on the cooling 30 minutes before having to get in the car.

3 minutes ago, old man emu said:

Women are being taught to use allegations of sexual assault as a means to an end.

This does not represent the women in my life does it represent the women in your life?  My wife received nothing for complaining about being groped at table tennis and ultimately gave up doing something she loved.   Of course not every allegation has merit but the notion that men are wonderful and it is evil women causing all the trouble doesn't stand up. The woman who went jogging in Ballarat and was killed is not an isolated event.  

As I have said I spent 30 years in tiny teaching rooms with people of all ages but mainly young girls and boys.  I have never even had the hint of an allegation. I also co-managed a music school and other than the teacher caught with child porn (of the most hideous kind) never a problem.  I suspect the overblown fear of being subject to an allegation has more to do with a backlash over changing social ways of interacting.  It was suggested that my lack of problems in this area was due to luck. I would suggest it is due to understanding what is acceptable and what is unacceptable.

I am definitely not saying men bad women good.  I did present many examples of bad behaviour I have witnessed but often these things are justified as a joke or he doesn't mean to be groppy.    The "you can grab them by the pussy and they cant stop you" thing is a belief I have come accross before

I find it quite sad that this forum is only populated by older men but perhaps that is the way people here prefer it.  Personally, I am looking for a forum that is a little more varied.

Nomad, I am not sure where in my original post in response to the video I went into the subject of domestic violence.    I was responding specifically to the video about men not wanting to work with women which I believe is exaggerated.  

8 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

"There is a lot more of this than the public know. If you wish to make a complaint (to the police, initiating possible prosecution), expect the have a difficult time proving anything."

Domestic violence perpetrated on anyone regardless of gender is terrible.  The notion that women have an easy time reporting domestic violence or sexual violence I think is probably exaggerated. Certainly when female-on-male domestic violence occurs men are reluctant to report it.  There are many biases and assumptions.  People will say "If he or she hits you then why don't you leave" without considering the difficulties of that. 

The post I was reacting to was not actually about domestic violence but about men supposedly not wanting to work with women because they may be accused of something, that is what I am reacting to. I also call into question how strong feeling is amongst men.   I have been looking at the research. 

27% of men avoid one-on-one meetings with female co-workers. Yep, that’s right, almost a third of men are terrified to be alone in a room with a woman.

or to put it another way 73% express no such reluctance.

21% of men said they would be reluctant to hire women for a job that would require close interaction (such as business travel).

or 79% of men don't see a problem with this

19% of men would be reluctant to hire an attractive woman.

or we could say that 81% of men would not be reluctant

The 2018 survey results found that more than 10% of men and women said they expected to be less willing than before to hire attractive women.

or put another way around about 90% did not think this.

18 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

Octave, just try making a complaint against a woman (for any reason).

I don't recall having a reason to complain about anyone really, perhaps I just keep better company. Anywhere I have worked I have generally been like and respected.  I can't think of any reason I would have had to complain.

19 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

I share the view that you have been very fortunate to mix/work amongst the nice people.

I don't know if it is luck.  

My first workplace was in the RAAF as a musician. When I joined it was male-only because of stupid crusty old conservatives.   A couple of years later the first two women joined.  For the most part, the smarter men were very accepting.  There was a small group of insecure men who I guess thought their sacred space was being invaded.  The worst occasion was when this group of male man boys organised to keep using the only toilet during break to prevent the women from using them.   These women put up with this and actually went to the neighbouring units toilets.    This eventually came to a head when one of the women dared to complain to the boss.   The boss was furious and rightly had a go at these insecure idiots.   I can remember after one of the ring leaders shouting in the woman's face "This is a mans airforce"  I cleary remember the verbal savagery and the flecks of saliva flying out of this man's mouth.  Of course, this was many years ago and these people are now reasonably friendly and the man I think is embarrassed.

On another occasion, we were doing a parade rehearsal at ADFA in Canberra.   Somebody (one of the officer cadets) dropped a tampon dipped in red paint just behind a female cadet.  This kind of behaviour was rife back then and the victims did not feel they could complain.   I believe later there was a scandal at ADFA where a cadet put a camera in the women's bathroom  https://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/defence-cadet-filmed-female-in-shower/news-story/7aca343b1ff5f785337f7febf81072e8

As a music teacher, I would be alone in a small room with a student.  This was never a problem, I always behaved professionally.   Over 30 years of teaching I am only aware of 2 instances of allegations made against teachers I worked with and they were wholly justified. 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-03/teacher-tells-court-student-was-of-consensual-age/1415866

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-08-21/music-teacher-was-obsessed-with-child-porn-court/484678

I worked with both of these creeps.

If you ask pretty much any woman they are likely to have stories about poor treatment.   Things that they just are expected to put up with.

I have related this story before.   My wife joined a veterans table tennis club.  There was an old guy there who was a good player and was giving advice but gradually started becoming a bit handsy.  My wife started to dress in more baggy clothing so as not to encourage him.  Eventually she brought it to the attention of the president.  The vibe she got was, "don't make a fuss because he is a long-standing member and it will embarrass him".    She left this club and went to another nearby club.  At this club after a session the president asked to speak to the members, the males and females seperately.  It turns out that a complaint had been made (not by the woman involved, she was just going to leave) but by a decent and brave man who had observed this and realised that the woman was embarrassed and upset.   My wife gave up on activities where there were many older men.  My wife spent many years working in an all-male environment and the men there were great. You guys would probably think my wife is an uppity woman.

Standing with a 12-year-old student outside a music studio where she had just completed an exam a car drove past with a group of young men and one of them shouted "f*** her mate, I did." This kind of stuff still happens sometimes.   In my wife case she resented the fact that it seemed to be her who had to carefully monitor her behaviour in order to not send the wrong signal (she was asking for it).  It was also her responsibility to not hurt the man's feelings.   I am sure most women can relate to this. Be pleasant so as not to be a stuck up b1tch but not do anything to suggest that she is interested in anything more.

My objection to the video is because it presents women as the problem and men as the innocent victims.  The truth is that there are some men and women who behave badly.  In the case of my wife and table tennis she had to make the sacrifice and quit.

The notion that I have been merely lucky by not having a girl or woman make a complaint against me doesn't really make sense.  32 years of being alone with a student and no a single complaint, this to me is not luck but professionalism.   Other than the 2 teachers that I linked to I don't believe I know of a colleague that has had an allegation made against them.   Sometimes myths build up that are greatly skewed from reality. 

Things have changed and I would say generally for the better.  When I was in the RAAF if I had had a daughter I think I would have discouraged her from joining.     

1 minute ago, old man emu said:

Oh, Octave. You have led sheltered life. Nowadays if a female alleges that a male has said or done anything that could be taken to have a hint of harm done to a woman, the male is held to be guilty. 

Much exaggerated.   Do you have problems in your relations with women? Perhaps by sheltered life you mean working with intelligent professionals.     You seem to have a low opinion of women.,

What a BS video. On what basis is the claim that "most men steer clear of female co-workers made" Are there statistics?  Most of my working life has been working with younger folks the majority of them female. At no time did anyone ever complain about me.  Perhaps I am just more socially competent.   I also taught a majority of young females, teenage and adult women. Again in 30 years not a complaint.

The video is very much men good women bad.   The assertion that you can criticize men and it will be fine but not for women.  Again not my experience of of my more recent workplaces. 

3 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

The scientists are now saying , that it is the fault of

 The planit mars interacting with Earth. 

What will they think of next .

spacesailor

Can you post a link please?

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2024/03/05/state-data-shows-rapidly-rising-sea-levels-in-near-future

https://sealevel.nasa.gov/faq/9/are-sea-levels-rising-the-same-all-over-the-world-as-if-were-filling-a-giant-bathtub/#:~:text=No.,and Earth's uneven gravity field.

8 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

I thought there was a 'Two Hectare' rule?

Yep, it is 2 hectares or 5 acres

49 minutes ago, willedoo said:

None on your home plus one hectare or less. If the block exceeds one hectare, CGT applies to the balance of land exceeding one hectare.

We faced this when we sold our 44-acre plus house.  We did our own valuation and whittled the  CGT down to I think $1500.  You can select the most valuable hectare to exclude and of course, you can deduct costs. 

Someone had to post it

What an awful story but important to share

Just now, old man emu said:

How do they know I've turned into a grumpy old curmudgeon since moving up here if they don't have any contact? 

To be clear I am generalizing and not specifically referring to you.