Old Koreelah

Bruce this thread is about a non-existing entity: the USA doesn’t have a Health System- they have a Profit System run by the massively powerful medical insurance industry which has bought lots of politicians to ensure their gravy train is protected. Many Americans cannot afford to go to hospital, can’t afford simple medications that are massively more expensive in the USA than in civilised countries. Americans die of lots of maladies that are easily controlled in sensible countries like Australia. The reason is apalling profit gouging by drug companies whose political servants regularly vote against any efforts to reduce the massive cost of essential medication.

Better design. Authorities often have to resist calls to build levees to protect low-lying communities. It’s a choice between shallow water right across the natural floodplain or constricted flow that speeds up and builds water up metres deeper than they expect.

Someone recently pointed out that every time the Russians lose a war, with masses of disillusioned and wounded soldiers going home, their government has been overthrown. 1905 after they were trounced by Japan. 1917 after they signed a humiliating peace with Germany and 1991 after they were beated in Afghanistan. Presumably Putin’s regime knows this; the worry is how they intend to stop history from repeating.

I agree, Willie. It’s a national artery of enormous strategic importance (so why don’t we have more than one, just in case?) We hear of convoys of trucks making a diversion equivalent to driving across Russia. Perhaps relocate to a more viable crossing point, if there is one.

I presume the West is going all-out to provide alternative information to the Russia population. If not, it’s a hell of an oversight.

- and the crazy bastards reckon a ten year old is mature enough to become a mother, yet in most states you have to be 21 to drink.

We grew up on pollard and bran- and did run around like spring chickens!

The news out of America has gone beyond apalling; we’re watching a once great nation destroy itself. The Republican party has consistently voted against every effort to improve the country. The central policy of today’s GOP is to cut taxes to the rich, while most of their media straight out lies to the people- most of whom don’t realise how much they’re being conned, because their education system has been so dumbed down. Who started the rot?

It seems Russia’s biggest handicap is cultural; the Motherland produces more than it’s share of great people, but they have to battle prejudice, incompetence and suspicion to acheive anything. No wonder so many give up and drink Vodka. This amazing true story of Soviet POWs who escaped a Nazi concentration camp by commandeering a Heinkel 111 should have inspired action movies; instead, the brave men who made it back to Russia with secrets about the German rocket programme were treated like criminals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Devyataev

That thinking is not confined to the Russians; in Australia during The Great War, civilian men were often accosted by women whose menfolk had gone off to war. White Feathers were often sent.

There has been a focus on going “off-grid” and getting away from dependence on the network. It appleals especially to preppers and doomsday types, but does nothing to foster community cooperation and interdependence. This is Australia, where we should be able to trust our neighbours, even when the poo hits the fan. Community batteries are a viable and economical way to shore up the grid, while maintaining civic cooperation.

Anyone hopeful of this war ending with Putin being overthrown from within might learn a bit from the video below. With Imperial Japan on the ropes, their war cabinet still took eons to finally get the Emperor to record a surrender speech. Despite this, at least three separate groups of diehards tried to overthrow the government and continue the war. Current regimes in Russia and North Korea are in a different situation, but it shows how hard it is for a country to actually stop a war.

Nearly six years later and the Hermit Kingdom hasn’t changed much. This pic of The Dear Leader greeting his devoted citizens shows his depotic rule in a different light. Poor little buggers.

Losing locally-owned companies is very disappointing, but there may be longer-term benefits. Global firms pay good money to employ the best talent- wherever it is- and many Aussies now work overseas. America’s education system is far behind many advanced nations; the US imports most of it best talent. Australia may have lost good people temporarily, but most will return, with greater skills and capital. NZ’s experience with their film industry is instructive. As long as Australia remains a stable, safe place to live, we will attract people with skills and money.

Bruce I trust you did actually tie the roof down. You wouldn’t want it coming off and injuring someone during a big blow.

On the contrary, if a rich bugger brags about avoiding tax, lots of the dumb voters think he’s a great success! Reagan started the decline in America, refusing to accept the link between a wide tax base and a successful economy. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/the-happiest-countries-in-the-world-also-pay-a-lot-in-taxes.html https://www.spcc.pl/en/node/18278

Where have I heard that before? Every plurry episode of Grand Designs!

During the recent Real Estate insanity, all the blocks of a nearby subdivision sold- even the rice padi! A year or two later, after they’ve discovered the cost of connecting mains power, a couple are back on the market.

One of my favourites, mostly because of the soothing swishing sound of a breeze thru their needles. My dad planted Casuarina Cunninghamiana along the eroded creek banks of the farm he bought after the war. I planted that variety along our bottom fence, where they get wet feet. Without cattle to control their lower branches, they can poke out the eye of passing humans. On the rocky hillside I planted a few Cas. Cristata, a more hardy tree. Pollent cores show that Casuarinas once used to be the dominant Aussie tree in some areas until about 125k years ago, when Eucalypts took over. Some see this as evidence of human firestick farming long before the accepted date for humans on this continent.

I grew a few dozen Carobs to maturity. Being a Mediterranean tree, they are drought-hardy but none are tall; they grow to about five metres and a similar width. About half are females and produce bucketloads of large beans which are a chocolate substitute. Known as St. John’s Bread in the Bible. Interestingly, like that other Mediterranean tree the Olive, they usually have a large harvest every second year.

More than 108 minutes. After his triumphant flight, he was sent abroad on PR tours!

Is Putin a follower of Tolkein?

Thanks Red, but could you elaborate? Could you talk me thru the menu items?