Open Thread – Mon 31 Jan 2022


Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1558

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rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 6:55 pm

Thus entire discussion around IRA is based on a claim that someone’s friend’s brother went to Irish themed pubs in Perth to provoke fights with ‘IRA supporters’.
A claim that seems a trifle unlikely.
The only remotely ‘IRA supporter’ I’ve ever met was a recently arrived Irishman way back in the 1970s.
And I might add, again, that the IRA is a Marxist organisation, not a Catholic* one. Membership of the IRA is self excommunication from the Church..
*Catholicism is a religion, not a race

Runnybum
Runnybum
February 4, 2022 6:55 pm

Dot, don’t forget every fucker hates lawyers.
Sorry….not really.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 6:57 pm
Franx
Franx
February 4, 2022 7:00 pm

VicPol – has there ever been a Catholic chief commissioner?
Patton, Ashton, Overland, Nixon? Hardly sympathetic to much in the Catholic Church.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:01 pm

Sounds like Clunes.

I think it was probably more the rule rather than the exception in country towns in those days, dot.

We can decry sectarianism, but it was a modus vivendi at a time when religious adherence took on a tribal – for want of a better word – character that has long since disappeared among Australians of Anglo and Irish stock.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 7:02 pm

“Although these tests provide quick results, they aren’t as accurate as laboratory tests because they require more of the virus in your sample to report a positive result. Rapid tests come with a high risk of giving a false negative result.”

how accurate are Rapid covid tests

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:03 pm

Rex

Ted was in the trash bin.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 7:03 pm

areffsays:
February 4, 2022 at 6:43 pm

Thanks areff. Wonder if there are any holdouts where it still occurs? Probably not – difficult to fill a proper “intersectionality” set of diversity quotas if you’re shutting out a very large potential source of disabled, non-white or LGBTQI candidates.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 7:03 pm

Ted was in the trash bin.

Heheheh.

Good inversion. 🙂

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 7:08 pm

johannasays:
February 4, 2022 at 6:10 pm
These people are either totally indifferent to the harm they’re causing people, or they are actually meaning to cause harm. I want them to tell us straight out which it is.

No sensible medical professional would or should ever insist a person repeat a treatment that has already caused them that degree of reaction

There was an article at TheirABC this morning about the ‘vaccine hesitant’ where some dickhead medico was explaining that there are virtually no valid medical reasons to exempt anyone from getting jabbed. The fact that people had previous severe reactions to e.g. flu jabs is irrelevant, so safe and benign are all varieties of COVID jabs, claimed this moron. Being aged and very frail, almost dead of cancer, high risk pregnant – you name it – is no excuse.

It was absolutely fanatical, as if granting a few thousand medical exemptions would result in the fall of civilisation. This is the mindset of a significant section of the medico/bureaucratic establishment, the ones who reckon we should all wear masks all the time forever and so on.

The sheer lack of compassion and human sympathy in these robots posing as being concerned about our welfare is terrifying. They are the modern equivalent of those who wanted to destroy a village to save it.

The fact that no prominent public figures have the guts to call these psychopaths out is very disturbing.

Johanna a shortcoming of medico training is that the profession is very pecking order oriented and hence conformist to the core. Doctors are among the last people to question the dominating theories that guide their practice(at least publicly. It took over a decade for them to finally admit that for type 2 diabetics going keto might be a good idea(it can work wonders for many people). It took them over 40 years to recognise the medicinal potential of cannabinoids and that only happened because of a mountain of research. For over 50 years they promoted carbs as a primary energy source, demonised fat, and promoted breakfast as the most important meal of the day. They say supplements are useless yet surveys reveal health professionals use supplements at surprisingly high rates.

The lesson is don’t expect doctors to stand up to authority figures. To be fair, it needs to be noted that in some instances doing so can come at huge professional cost to doctors.

I never understood the general awe in which the medical profession is held. When my sister moved into a new region it took her months to find a GP she was felt up to speed. If a doctor prescribes a treatment for me I will be looking it up ASAP. My sister and myself must be a different breed because the vast majority simply accept the doctor’s verdict and of course everyone thinks their doctor is very good because apparently there are no average let alone bad doctors anywhere.

The sad truth is that the bug has reinforced peoples’ unquestioning faith in doctors.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 7:09 pm

Runny you might like the Exchange. If Hunky Dory is still there get some fish and chips and walk to the pier for lunch. Make a day of it.

Indolent
Indolent
February 4, 2022 7:10 pm

What concerns me about this post is that it has lashings of Mayo applied to it. The trial participants were not trial participants at all. The 40000 cases were adverse events reported between December 2020 and February 2021. These are not trial participants. They come from tens of millions of vaccinated cases.

While these numbers are high when compared to adverse events for other vaccines they come nowhere near 31% of recipients in a trial.

You misunderstood what he said. First of all, he showed that the total number of doses delivered was redacted from the copy of the report released via freedom of information.

Then he went on to the adverse events reported to Pfizer during that 3 month period. The 31% was not based on the total number of doses, obviously, it was the combination of three of the events reported, namely those who had not recovered from their adverse effect, those who had recovered with sequela (some permanent effect) and those who died. Thus, 31% of the events reported had resulted in some ongoing (if not permanent) effect or death. Listen to it again. It couldn’t be clearer.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:12 pm

In every other pandemic, these would not have been recorded as a case. We can safely conclude that the case rate is grossly inflated.

Really? If four out of 20 people were symptomatic then the real infection rate could potentially be huge, no?

Omni is so infectious that masks are useless now compared to the other two variants.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:14 pm

Hunky Dory

Bear, if you’re sending Ted to the shittiest Fish&Chip shop then that’s fine with me. We need to be very cruel to Ted.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 7:15 pm

I agree Roger, it’s a bit harder to cling to sectarianism when you’ve abandoned religious adherence.

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 7:17 pm

In NSW, Police Commissioners used to be alternated Prod and Catholic, to keep the peace. In the Commonwealth, the Department of Supply was Catholic, the Department of Health (also in NSW) was Prod. I lived through the tail end of this phenomenon in the 1960s and 70s.

For a long time, the major political parties mirrored this, as in the ALP was strongly Catholic and the Libs/Country Party were Prod. This was not 100% the case, but being a Catholic in good standing certainly didn’t hurt in the ALP. It pervaded the unions as well. The senior union delegate in the printing union (the PKIU) was called the FOC – Father of the Chapel. And, it didn’t refer to Chapel in the English dissenters sense, but to the notion of a group of Catholics at prayer.

When Nick Greiner became Premier of NSW in 1988, it was still remarked on that he was the first Liberal Catholic Premier.

It is notable that all this segregation has washed out of the public sphere so quickly, although Catholic politicians are still under attack from the leftist media for their allegedly regressive views to this day. Most recently Dom Perrottet was constantly profiled as a devout Catholic with a lot of children, as though this was a bad thing. Active Protestants are linked with happy clappers whenever possible, so at least the anti-Christian bias is consistent across the board.

It’s a fascinating angle on C20th Australian history. If only PhD students would stop making stuff up about massacres and oppression and do some proper research, there is a goldmine of useful and interesting material out there.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 7:17 pm

The lesson is don’t expect doctors to stand up to authority figures.

They’re not too happy if you question them either. Surgeons especially. Such as when you are provided with your own PEG because it is compatible with the equipment used at the facility where you are resident.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:21 pm

I agree Roger, it’s a bit harder to cling to sectarianism when you’ve abandoned religious adherence.

Otoh, fervent religious adherence doesn’t need to be sectarian.

At the end of the day, I’ve much more in common with a daily Mass attending RC than a hedonistic morally autonomous liberal.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 7:21 pm

Where would you recommend JC? I used to just walk down to Bay St because parking was usually such a pain in the arse. They were closest which was enough for me.

Bruce in WA
February 4, 2022 7:23 pm

When you see someone holding a camera near one of those codes, there is a fair chance they are just engaging in a bit of street theatre to prevent some Karen harassing an already overworked business owner.
How do I know this?

I know this because my phone has no internet connection or data allowance, I have been using it to check in since the app was introduced in WA.

I’ve been pulled up twice in the past couple of days and asked to show the “page with the tick” when entering a shop. My local coffee shop, by way of contrast, said of my vax certificate, “Saw it the first time. Why would I want to see it again?”

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 7:26 pm

magnificent call to 3AW just now from a conservative who ‘won’t be voting for Morrison’. PM’s praise for McGowan being the straw that broke the liberal voter’s back.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 7:27 pm

I dunno bear, I might well be in Perth.
Someone here is bound to have an authoritive point of view.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 7:28 pm

Most people’s camels died months ago. And are starting to stink.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:29 pm

Where would you recommend JC?

Bear, Beluga in Toorak Road Sth Yarra. Incomparable Fish&Cips.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 7:30 pm

I agree Roger, it’s a bit harder to cling to sectarianism when you’ve abandoned religious adherence.

Not in my experience. The most anti-Catholic people I’ve met have generally been atheists from former Protestant backgrounds rather than devout Protestants .
Devout Protestants generally know more about Catholic doctrine than atheists (though no doubt still precious little) and can have a strong aversion to some aspects of Catholic teaching – and does anyone blame scepticism about Papal infallibility while Pope Trotsky is at the helm of Peter’s Ark? – but in my experience they’re much less derogatory towards Catholic believers as people than you’ll get from some atheists.

Armadillo
Armadillo
February 4, 2022 7:30 pm

I’ve never seen a double decker school bus in a country town. Ever.

Just saying.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 7:32 pm

No it doesn’t and yes, I’d hope so.
And vikpol brown paper bags aside I was always under the impression that public servants back in the 60s and before were in fact public servants.
And not at all numerous.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

PM’s praise for McGowan being the straw that broke the liberal voter’s back.

This worked so well for Zak Kirkup.
Naturally Morrison adopts it.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:34 pm

The only remotely ‘IRA supporter’ I’ve ever met was a recently arrived Irishman way back in the 1970s.

I think it was Runnybum above who said the IRA had strong support in Australia.

I doubt it.

My strong memory from those times is that neither Protestant nor Catholic Australians wanted “the troubles” brought here.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 7:36 pm

OK. Might be a while before I’m back that way. Used to drive a few suburbs over to Brighton Rd Fish and Chips in Perth which gets mentioned a bit in dispatches.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:39 pm

I’ve never seen a double decker school bus in a country town. Ever.

They weren’t uncommon.

The town was Casino, NSW, c. 1967.

Sydney & Melbourne also had them in those days, but not Brisbane, so it was a novelty to me.

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 7:42 pm

Melbourne shunted double-deckers way before that. Troubles with tram lines, possibly, but they were gone by late Fifties. Sydney had them in 1976, and the best seat was upstairs at the very front.

https://www.hawthorntramdepot.org.au/papers/doubledeck.htm

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 7:43 pm

You know Tim, I was going to say much the same thing.
I’m sure someone posted a very good article here that the treatment of Cardinal Pell (and others) was a reflection of that anti Catholic bigotry was the only thing many have inherited from protestant families that stopped practising back in the 60s and 70s.
Those atheist anti Catholic attitudes didn’t emerge in a vacuum.
On the other hand I’ve never known Catholics to spend time on criticising protestant teaching. It’s not really a thing for us.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 7:43 pm

No point Scottty fighting a meaningless battle with Snickers that he can’t win anyway.
Whitlam found out the hard way that while many Queenslanders didn’t care for Bjelke-Joh, picking stupid fights with him was electoral suicide in Qld.
Lost a swag of seats in 1974 and all but 1 the next year.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:45 pm

Lordie, fish&chips have become expensive

My regular would be. from Beluga

Medium chips $9
Rockling in batter $12
at least 8 scallops $3.50 each $28

total 49 bucks

Boambee John
Boambee John
February 4, 2022 7:46 pm

rosie

I was always under the impression that public servants back in the 60s and before were in fact public servants.
And not at all numerous.

The Commonwealth Public Service started its big Canberra expansion in the late 1960s, hence the conversion of old WW II barracks buildings to hostels and the construction of new hostels to house the new arrivals.

I suspect that this was, intentionally or not, fueled by the expansion of the universities a few years earlier.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 7:47 pm

I’m sure someone posted a very good article here that the treatment of Cardinal Pell (and others) was a reflection of that anti Catholic bigotry was the only thing many have inherited from protestant families that stopped practising back in the 60s and 70s.

Get a grip.
The Get Pell crusaders were Catholics to the last man and woman, from the accusers, Cops, prosecutors, Louise Milligan, the lot.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:47 pm

Melbourne shunted double-deckers way before that.

I doubt they could compete with trams but I didn’t know they’d gone so early.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:48 pm

Areff

Other than having them on say a few lines for tourist value (if that), in the day of electric buses (which green loons), there’s no case for trams. They congest roads and actually are a danger to users.

calli
calli
February 4, 2022 7:50 pm

Sydney had them in 1976

They were the blue and white Atlanteans, replacing the old yellow and green Titans. They had a central staircase which I, in true calli form, fell down as it rounded the bend from Willoughby Road towards my stop. Just as well it had automatic doors, the old ones were open at the back and I would have rolled onto the street.

The clippie used to hang on the pole at the back (On the Buses style). They had a pouch for money and a funny dispenser with buttons for the tickets. The driver sat grandly in a separate compartment at the front. Smoking downstairs, non smoking upstairs.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 7:51 pm

electric buses

Trolley buses, you nit. The only electric bus you will ever need.

Speak not of Mama Gaia’s unholy pesudo-Viking suicide-pyres on this august blog.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
February 4, 2022 7:52 pm

Get home from the stand. Have ‘discussion’ with heir as to why washing not done.

Put washing in machine. Washing machine fills with water. Washing machine stops.

Fuck. Gradually lessen load. Start. Stops. Beeping now. Fuck.

Ring bloke. Describe symptoms. Bloke says will come and fix it for free due to a favour he owes me. Tomorrow. Fuck.

Lose coin toss with heir to see who goes to laundromat. About to go to laundromat on Friday night.

Fuck.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 7:52 pm

On the other hand I’ve never known Catholics to spend time on criticising protestant teaching. It’s not really a thing for us.

Low hanging fruit, rosie.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 7:52 pm

The only scallop a man of the people would get with his fish and chips is a potato scallop. If you want something exotic – a Chiko roll.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 7:53 pm

Lose coin toss with heir to see who goes to laundromat. About to go to laundromat on Friday night.

Good luck with the laydees.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:53 pm

. Sydney had them in 1976, and the best seat was upstairs at the very front.

I managed to get that seat on a school excursion to Sydney c. 1978.

It was as though you were floating along the streets rather than being driven.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 7:53 pm

The Get Pell crusaders were Catholics to the last man and woman, from the accusers, Cops, prosecutors, Louise Milligan, the lot.

Snerk…

#Don’tTardOnMe!

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:54 pm

On the other hand I’ve never known Catholics to spend time on criticising protestant teaching. It’s not really a thing for us.

Look up the Council of Trent.

😀

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 7:55 pm

The only scallop a man of the people would get with his fish and chips is a potato scallop.

Bear, a (sea) scallop coated in batter is one of the finest food tastes in the world bar nothing else. Just stop.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
February 4, 2022 7:56 pm

My local establishment, which I will visit later has a big sign out the front declaring that proof of vaccination must be shown to bar staff upon entry. Wasn’t there when I left two months ago.

Asked the bar chicky about it during the week. ‘Nah’, she goes, ‘not for the locals.’

Turns out it’s a ploy to keep the *ahem* undesirables, of whom some may be local but all itinerant, out of the joint.

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 7:56 pm

there’s no case for trams

There’s no case for public transport — or anything else that has ‘public’ in its name.

calli
calli
February 4, 2022 7:57 pm

The driver had a little mirror and a viewing hole to watch what was happening upstairs (the Atlanteans had finally made the clippie obsolete).

It has been known for naughty children to obstruct the glass portal with blazers or hats.

I had left school by then, so no opportunities to test it out.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
February 4, 2022 7:57 pm

Good luck with the laydees.

Friday night laundromat ladeees are the ‘I regret nothing’ ladeeeees.

Procrastinating now. Going.

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 7:59 pm

There’s no case for public transport — or anything else that has ‘public’ in its name.

I’ll take it that you’re a monarchist then.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:01 pm

Snickers

Who the fuck is Snickers, Grigory?

A new sock account?

calli
calli
February 4, 2022 8:03 pm

I’m watching a train show right now, Rex. SevenTwo. Aussie trains.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 8:05 pm

Hi Franger
Snickers are a brown chocolate covered confectionery bar containing peanuts, around 3 inches long, about an inch in diameter.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 8:06 pm

Get a grip.
The Get Pell crusaders were Catholics to the last man and woman, from the accusers, Cops, prosecutors, Louise Milligan, the lot.

I don’t think any of them were Catholics. A lot of ABC types are utter pseuds who’ll play up their supposed Irish Catholic roots for all it’s worth when it suits them, but are themselves fashionista atheists.
It is strange that lapsed Catholics often knife the Catholic Church so viciously whereas “lapsed Protestants” generally aren’t as hostile to the institution they’ve abandoned.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:08 pm

Snickers are a brown chocolate covered confectionery bar containing peanuts, around 3 inches long, about an inch in diameter.

So, a new sock account then?

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 8:09 pm

PM’s praise for McGowan being the straw that broke the liberal voter’s back.

Listen carefully to what he said:

“I’m backing it because the Premier believes that if he were to take that step at this point, the Omicron variant would be at great risk of overwhelming their health system,” he said.

“That is their view about what that risk is.”

In other words, Sneakers has utterly failed to prepare the health system, with two years’ warning.

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:10 pm

I’m watching a train show right now, Rex. SevenTwo. Aussie trains.

Railroad Australia?

A guilty pleasure. Woefully overegged editing (seems to be a Discovery Channel requirement), but certainly a good watch. 🙂

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 8:10 pm

Dotsays:
February 4, 2022 at 7:52 pm
On the other hand I’ve never known Catholics to spend time on criticising protestant teaching. It’s not really a thing for us.

Low hanging fruit, rosie.

Any particular Protestant doctrine you have in mind Dot?

Or would you rather discuss the exercise of Papal infallibility by Pius XII in 1950?

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 8:10 pm

Other than having them on say a few lines for tourist value

Melbourne is brain dead and dying, so Spring Street felt obliged to stuff that too.

There used to be a fleet of converted W-class trams that served as mobile restaurants and did a roaring tourist trade. God knows why, as the food was veterinary clinic slop and the joke was that winners of Herald Sun competitions won a trip and meal for two, whereas the runners-up won two trips.

Anyway, despite that, it was thriving business … until Victoria’s political stewards and their public servants decided that trams which had operated for 60 years were no longer ‘safe’ (as reckoned by bureaucratic edict).

Result: no more restaurant trams, no more viable business, no more jobs.

Victoria just loves to ruin viable businesses. Another example: the blimps that a few years ago used to circle the MCG on game days. MCG advertisers and TV objected, so Spring Street obligingly banned them from any interesting airspace. Toyota was a prime mover, having paid for centre square adds, it demanded ‘pirate’ blimps advertising other car brands had to go. And, like Toyota itself, go they did.

No more blimps over Melbourne these days. No future here either.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:11 pm

In other words, Sneakers has utterly failed to prepare the health system, with two years’ warning.

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Which anybody who does not read the West Australian would have cheerfully told anyone willing to listen before 2019…

Roger
Roger
February 4, 2022 8:12 pm

Any particular Protestant doctrine you have in mind Dot?

Can we have a separate thread for this, dover?

Back tomorrow, D.v.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 8:14 pm

Any particular Protestant doctrine you have in mind Dot?

All of them.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:15 pm

Anyway, despite that, it was thriving business … until Victoria’s political stewards and their public servants decided that trams which had operated for 60 years were no longer ‘safe’ (as reckoned by bureaucratic edict).

W class trams will outlast Melbourne.

There are at least 5 in the trammies’ collection at Whiteman Park in Perth. Ditto one Adelaide tram, one Fremantle tram and a single amalgam of the last two of Perth’s metropolitan trams.

And the Ws are a degree of magnitude ahead of them all in robustness and size. The last car to hit one was reputedly written off, and barely dented the tram’s frame.

Contrast that with the longitudinal stress fractures Newcastle has been experiencing with its ‘modern’ Urbos 100s…

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 8:18 pm

Dutton handled the interview with Laura Shingles really well. He was quite impressive actually.

https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/peter-dutton-stands-by-the-decision-to-cancel/13740380

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 8:22 pm

Dutton could save the Coalition, were there to be a spill. And if he didn’t, you’d at least have a post-election party with a leader who, you know, actually believes in and advances his principles.

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 8:27 pm

I’ve done something stupid with my FB account. Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends, people OS I use FB to keep in touch with. In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. These new requests are often friends with each other. It is some kind of network. From all over the world too. Very weird because I hardly post anything on FB.

H B Bear
H B Bear
February 4, 2022 8:30 pm

At best you can expect a replay of Howard v Peacock for one or more likely two terms. Hopefully there will be something left to assume control of and we won’t be speaking Chinese.

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 8:31 pm

areffsays:
February 4, 2022 at 8:22 pm
Dutton could save the Coalition, were there to be a spill. And if he didn’t, you’d at least have a post-election party with a leader who, you know, actually believes in and advances his principles.

He lacks warmth, he would make a good opposition leader but I don’t think he would be perceived as a a potential PM. Given he used to be a copper and the way our history is sometimes presented overseas the whole country might be accused of Stockholm Syndrome.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 8:31 pm

Areff

The problem is that he looks a little robotic. As unfair as it sounds appearances do matter to people.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:31 pm

Dutton handled the interview with Laura Shingles really well. He was quite impressive actually.

And the free kicks he landed against Their ABC, Malcom, Teh Gradinau and Laura Tingle herself were well-timed.

They need more of it. 🙂

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 8:32 pm

They need more of it.

Naaa, ya think. 🙂

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:32 pm

Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends, people OS I use FB to keep in touch with. In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. These new requests are often friends with each other.

They may well be spam accounts.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 8:32 pm

Dutton is responsible at least in part for these stupid digital identity laws.

He can go to hell in a McLaren F1.

Rex Anger
Rex Anger
February 4, 2022 8:33 pm

Naaa, ya think. 🙂

Much more, even…

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 8:35 pm

dover0beach says:
February 4, 2022 at 8:07 pm

Really? If four out of 20 people were symptomatic then the real infection rate could potentially be huge, no?

If you’re not symptomatic, why would you be considered a case? But, yes, it would indicate that previous pandemics potentially involved far more infections.

You mean that only the symptomatic need to isolate? At the very least you should be considered “a case” because we’d statistically like to know how prevalent it is.

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 8:37 pm

Beyond Dutton, name an alternate leader.

Miltonf
Miltonf
February 4, 2022 8:38 pm

They rebuilt entirely two W trams as restaurant trams at Preston back in around 2011 iirc. Bolshie workforce but highly skilled artisans.

Plasmamortar
Plasmamortar
February 4, 2022 8:38 pm

He can go to hell in a McLaren F1.

He doesn’t deserve that kind of luxury send off

something like This would be more appropriate 🙂

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

John H. says: February 4, 2022 at 8:27 pm

… my FB account. Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends…..In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. …. Very weird because I hardly post anything on FB.

Heh. FB is trying to slow the exodus of users. (Last couple of days drop in share value of ….oh… about Two Hundred Billion Dollars)

I can’t wait for Trump to get back in & smash them to the level of a suburban primary school’s parent/teacher newsletter, + yahoo, google, twitter, etc.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 8:42 pm

If FaceBook, CNN, BuzzFilth and most Conde Naste publications are extincted, I will be gleeful for months.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 8:43 pm

Beyond Dutton, name an alternate leader.

Craig Kelly
Mark Latham
David Limbrick

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
February 4, 2022 8:44 pm

Not all Cafe clientelle are welcome. Rat, say hello to possum before you get deported.

Elderly lady brushtail is so used to me and my odd behaviour she was completely unfazed by having a nearby large shiny metal object with a mammal in it with a flashy thing going flash. She’s amazing.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 8:47 pm

Beyond Dutton, name an alternate leader:

Keane
Falinski
Stoker
Payne
Pyne
Galdyschlocklian, B.
Newperson*
Hawke (no, not the dead labore one)
Marshmallow
Yak Cockup
The Vik Lib whose car piloted him into someone’s house

Other than them, I’ve got nobody (thank bloody goodness) … 😕

*Renamed to be gender non specific, much like the imbecile itself

Bushkid
Bushkid
February 4, 2022 8:48 pm

Thefrollickingmole says:
February 4, 2022 at 6:10 pm
Bush kid.

If I wasn’t listening to the calls I’d have trouble crediting the single mindedness of them.

A life threatening reaction?
No biggie, come to have your next shot at a hospital.

Single-mindedness – that’s a very good description.

And it is indeed very disturbing, as in a mentally disturbed fixated, obsessive kind of disturbing. The kind that knows no reason and cannot be deflected or restrained by any sensible means.

We killed the patient but the operation was a success.

Boambee John
Boambee John
February 4, 2022 8:48 pm

Rogersays:
February 4, 2022 at 7:54 pm
On the other hand I’ve never known Catholics to spend time on criticising protestant teaching. It’s not really a thing for us.

Look up the Council of Trent.

I’m not sure that anyone posting here was around at the time of the Council of Trent.

Bushkid
Bushkid
February 4, 2022 8:49 pm

Ooops, formatting error there. The last line belongs to the frolicking one, not to me.

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 8:56 pm

W class trams will outlast Melbourne.

There are at least 5 in the trammies’ collection at Whiteman Park in Perth. Ditto one Adelaide tram, one Fremantle tram and a single amalgam of the last two of Perth’s metropolitan trams.

And the Ws are a degree of magnitude ahead of them all in robustness and size. The last car to hit one was reputedly written off, and barely dented the tram’s frame.

Contrast that with the longitudinal stress fractures Newcastle has been experiencing with its ‘modern’ Urbos 100s…

Not to mention the jerry-built heaps of shit (as we used to call rubbish cars) that Gladys bought for Sydney’s inner west line.

It never ceases to amaze me how government procurement processes get things so wrong. We are not talking about state of the art, cutting edge technology here. As Rex points out, how to build a decent tram has been known for a very long time. How the hell can screwing it up be justified?

That brings me to another of my bugbears about public expenditure – hospitals.

There are tens of thousands of hospitals in the developed world, at least. It is surely not beyond the wit of those who commission and build new hospitals to distill the wisdom from past mistakes. Yet, in Australia, each hospital project is treated as though it is the wild frontier, and every single one ends up over budget and full of stuff-ups.

It is as though Defence Materiel is in charge of all large items of public expenditure. Or, perhaps the reverse is true.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 8:58 pm

I don’t think there is any practical significance regarding asymptomatic cases?

I think it is important to at least know if we’re reaching some sort of tipping point in terms to eradicating the disease through immunity.

Really? Unsystematics can’t pass it on. I didn’t know that.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 8:59 pm

He lacks warmth, he would make a good opposition leader but I don’t think he would be perceived as a a potential PM.

He’s naturally reserved and very shrewd.
Laura Tingle put the issues to him and he had all the right the answers.
As he said, without JobKeeper families woulda been destitute and Supply Chains woulda collapsed.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 8:59 pm

People – don’t forget, tomorrow night, the second of the Radio Shows, 7:00pm AEDT.

This month’s theme: Ozzie Classics.

Such as this one … 🙂

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 8:59 pm

Rex Angersays:
February 4, 2022 at 8:32 pm
Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends, people OS I use FB to keep in touch with. In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. These new requests are often friends with each other.

They may well be spam accounts.

I checked them Rex. A few looked like spam but most have hundreds of friends, multiple photos, and many posts. Spam accounts aren’t like that but perhaps it has evolved to the point where spam accounts have bots that create FBF networks, photos and posts.

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 9:00 pm

Dover

The first point on the last comment relates more to random antibody testing.

The Beer whisperer
The Beer whisperer
February 4, 2022 9:01 pm

Cool weather doesn’t indicate a lack of global warming, but a WARMING certainly does, when it is the cause of it.

La Nina is characterised by warming of waters in the western pacific, which results in wet weather on our eastern seaboard.

Which results in COOLING.

Atmospheric warming creates more precipitation, creating a negative feedback.

So they can subtract their positive forcing twice. Half a degree. How the duck shall we cope??

The Beer whisperer
The Beer whisperer
February 4, 2022 9:02 pm

Thanks, new phone. Duck still works.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 9:02 pm

Mt Hawthorn St Bernadette’s Church: Catholic Archbishop of Perth breaks silence after police interrupt service
Charlotte EltonThe West Australian
Fri, 4 February 2022 4:31PM
Comments

The Catholic Archbishop of Perth has slammed the “regrettable” interruption of a WA church service by mask-checking police – but urged parishioners to mask up.

A police officer stopped a Catholic mass at St Bernadette’s Catholic Church in Mount Hawthorn to check that everyone was wearing masks.

Catholic Archbishop of Perth Rev. Timothy Costelloe said he wished the matter had been dealt with differently.

“It is highly regrettable that the police felt themselves obliged to intervene during a religious service in one of Perth’s Catholic parishes in order to enforce the mask-wearing mandate,” he said.

“The celebration of the Eucharist is the central act of Catholic worship and is sacred to all Catholics.

“It is my hope that other ways can be found to deal with this delicate issue in future and my office stands ready to cooperate with the police in this matter.”

However, Archbishop Costelloe called on Catholics to obey public health restrictions.

“It is a matter of regret to me that the police were placed in a position which led them to take the action they did,” he said.

“They should not have been placed in this position. The Office of the Archbishop will continue to provide all Catholic parishes and other agencies with very clear advice as to their obligations to act in compliance with the Government’s directives.”

Fat Tony
Fat Tony
February 4, 2022 9:03 pm

Rex Anger says:
February 4, 2022 at 8:15 pm
Contrast that with the longitudinal stress fractures Newcastle has been experiencing with its ‘modern’ Urbos 100s…

I’ve noticed these days the habit of calling drafties “designers “. And the total reliance of many engineers on the sole use of FEA. (Finite Element Analysis – those pretty coloured pictures with a fine network drawn on them).

When FEA came out, we used it only when we already knew the answer – had done a proper design analysis and the FEA was merely for confirming the design was in the ballpark.

These days, we have “designers ” using FEA, all checked by someone who has done fuckall real engineering design. We’re probably lucky we don’t have heaps of trams falling out of the sky every day…

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 9:05 pm

Craig Kelly eating a cream bun
Mark Latham breaking a tiny taxi drivers arm
David Limbrick changing his last name to something less humorous

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

That’s a pretty bluddee pussified cuck response from the Archbishop of Perth.

Fat Tony
Fat Tony
February 4, 2022 9:06 pm

John H.says:
February 4, 2022 at 8:27 pm
I’ve done something stupid with my FB account. Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends, people OS I use FB to keep in touch with. In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. These new requests are often friends with each other. It is some kind of network. From all over the world too. Very weird because I hardly post anything on FB.

Feds / Spooks / CIA (h/t Ed Case)

JC
JC
February 4, 2022 9:06 pm

Fuckerberg is a despicable human being. I hope Facebook crashes. The piece of human debris spent $US400 million not on improving US elections. He spent the money to help the demons cheat.

Dorsey at Twitter was a complete c..t, but the new CEO there appears to be even worse. A sub-continental who appears to hate white people. There’s a element in the sub-c group who really hate white people and has something to do with their own ethnic hierarchies and the fact that whites do give a shit about their social standing. They resent it.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
February 4, 2022 9:07 pm

Wow W class trams, when dad was posted to Victoria in the 1980’s I saw these everywhere when in Melbourne. Along with the newer (now old) Z class (?) trams. Nothing like dad dodging them along Sydney rd till he worked out Pascoe Vale rd was a better alternative route into the CBD of Melbourne.

As a kid at the time I didn’t care having lived mostly in Sydney & Brisbane trams were a novelty. Fun times.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 9:07 pm

That’s a pretty bluddee pussified cuck response from the Archbishop of Perth.

Anybody know what the etiquette is on carrying weapons in church?

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 9:09 pm

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupiditysays:
February 4, 2022 at 8:38 pm
John H. says: February 4, 2022 at 8:27 pm

… my FB account. Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends…..In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. …. Very weird because I hardly post anything on FB.

Heh. FB is trying to slow the exodus of users. (Last couple of days drop in share value of ….oh… about Two Hundred Billion Dollars)

I can’t wait for Trump to get back in & smash them to the level of a suburban primary school’s parent/teacher newsletter, + yahoo, google, twitter, etc.

It is the youngins that are leaving. In defense of FB at least compared to other social media platforms FB did allow for some more substantive discussions. Being an old codger though my preference has always been the good ol’ usenet days which was all discussion. Social media has evolved from the word to the image to the gimmick.

Miltonf
Miltonf
February 4, 2022 9:10 pm

A and B class Rockdoctor. Built at Dandenong

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
February 4, 2022 9:11 pm

Cheers Miltonf, relying on adolescent child’s memory and wiki.

Delta A
Delta A
February 4, 2022 9:11 pm

Melbourne shunted double-deckers way before that.

Still double-deckers running the hills’ routes in SA.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 9:12 pm

Runnybumsays:

February 4, 2022 at 6:42 pm

Biggles, you are full of shit, you know I am in Queensland.

Oh, OK, Ted.
So now you are saying that demands for face-to-face meetings aren’t an absolute decree, to be complied with without question?
You seem to be saying that other considerations might be:-
.1 The distance the invitee has to travel, including cost of travel and accomodation;
.2 The time commitment and general inconvenience to attend the meeting;
.3 The fact that the invitee would not normally cross the road to piss on the person calling the meeting.
You know, I am starting to think you might have a point.

Fat Tony
Fat Tony
February 4, 2022 9:16 pm

dover0beach says:
February 4, 2022 at 8:51 pm
You mean that only the symptomatic need to isolate? At the very least you should be considered “a case” because we’d statistically like to know how prevalent it is.

IFR and CFR distinguish between infections and cases . Cases are people that have symptoms that may require medical attention. Someone that has no symptoms can’t spread it because they’re not shedding the virus (remember hearing about a paper confirming this) so beyond any academic interest, I don’t think there is any practical significance regarding asymptomatic infections.

This discussion, about someone who is not sick is actually sick because of a test, reminds me of what a doctor said many years ago about being overweight:

Take off all your clothes and stand in front of a mirror.
If you look fat, you are fat.

This was in refernce to the B/S BMI thing which takes no account of actual build eg tall skinny Suds, short & solid etc

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 9:20 pm

JCsays:

February 4, 2022 at 7:14 pm

Hunky Dory

Bear, if you’re sending Ted to the shittiest Fish&Chip shop then that’s fine with me. We need to be very cruel to Ted.

This is so true.
We went down to Kerferd Rd pier over summer and there used to be a really good fish and chip shop in Bay St.
Belvga.
It now looks like a Chinese owned establishment.
Worst grilled fish ever.

Cassie of Sydney
February 4, 2022 9:22 pm

“However, Archbishop Costelloe called on Catholics to obey public health restrictions.

“It is a matter of regret to me that the police were placed in a position which led them to take the action they did,” he said.”

So, Costelloe is another appeaser. There was zero excuse for the police to do what they did. They should be slammed without any added bullshit such as “It is a matter of regret to me that the police were placed in a position“.

I’ve seen the footage, everyone was sitting apart. It was a power trip. The whole thing is a disgrace.

As I said earlier, I dare the same policeman to walk into a mosque and do the same thing. I can guarantee you that every day, in every mosque across this country, “public health restrictions” are being ignored….but you know what….perhaps Muslims, by refusing to kowtow to this bullshit, have got it right.

Cassie of Sydney
February 4, 2022 9:23 pm

I’m not on any social media but it is my opinion that, whilst all are diabolical, Twitter is by far the worst.

Fat Tony
Fat Tony
February 4, 2022 9:23 pm

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha says:
February 4, 2022 at 9:07 pm
That’s a pretty bluddee pussified cuck response from the Archbishop of Perth.

Anybody know what the etiquette is on carrying weapons in church?

I’ve seen the blessing of the guns ceremonies (USA) by Priests / Bishops (?)
Get ém blessed and God is on your side…

jupes
jupes
February 4, 2022 9:26 pm

PM’s praise for McGowan being the straw that broke the liberal voter’s back.

Listen carefully to what he said:

“I’m backing it because the Premier believes that if he were to take that step at this point, the Omicron variant would be at great risk of overwhelming their health system,” he said.

“That is their view about what that risk is.”

In other words, Sneakers has utterly failed to prepare the health system, with two years’ warning.

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Yeah nah. For those of us living in WA, this was a kick in the guts. After two years of supporting the imbecile, The West Australian newspaper finally turned against McClown when he refused to open the borders. Pressure on the fuckwit was growing by the day. SloMo’s endorsement has given McClown his confidence back.

If SloMo really wanted to attack McClown, he could have ranted about the lack of preparedness of the health system – a free kick – but instead the braindead moron framed it as an endorsement of border closures. Stupid beyond belief.

Fat Tony
Fat Tony
February 4, 2022 9:27 pm

John H.

Thanks for the correct etiquette on the flounce.
I’m afraid I completely fluffed it.

I’ll flounce properly next time when I imagine someone has slighted me in some mysterious and obvious to nobody else way.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 9:29 pm

Areff at 8:10.
Don’t worry about the tram restaurants.
They’ll be back.
Instead of three, there will be ten.
And they will be owned by a Belt and Road partner.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

As I said earlier, I dare the same policeman to walk into a mosque and do the same thing. I can guarantee you that every day, in every mosque across this country, “public health restrictions” are being ignored….but you know what….perhaps Muslims, by refusing to kowtow to this bullshit, have got it right.

RC Church, midweek: Well mannered elderly people of impeccable social mores, with above-average respect for law & order, unlikely to be inclined, or able, to kick off a blue.

Mosque: Ample number of able-bodied fighting age males, with chip on the shouler, persecution complex, limited respect for law & order, & little inhibition about taking a swing at a cop they consider has disrespected Allah.

Show us what you’re made of, West Oz Police Force…… over to you.

jupes
jupes
February 4, 2022 9:30 pm

As I said earlier, I dare the same policeman to walk into a mosque and do the same thing.

This.

A perfect example of the decline of this once great country.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 9:30 pm

Hey – clueless clennell, you stupid yapping poodle – I’d love to be able to tell you what a litre of fuel costs, if I could actually buy any.

This regrettable situation is entirely courtesy of staggeringly stupid socialist shitheads (BIRM) such as yourself, you preposterous posturing ponce. 😡

Cassie of Sydney
February 4, 2022 9:32 pm

“jupessays:
February 4, 2022 at 9:26 pm”

I spoke to my father in Perth this afternoon. He agrees with you.

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 9:32 pm

Rabz says:
February 4, 2022 at 8:59 pm

People – don’t forget, tomorrow night, the second of the Radio Shows, 7:00pm AEDT.

This month’s theme: Ozzie Classics.

Such as this one …

Hey Rabz, that had me bopping along with arm and leg movements in my chair – too lazy and old to get up.

What a great band The Church were. I used to see them in the Mandrax Room in the Cross at every opportunity.

They were very influenced by Pink Floyd, which you can hear in the first half of the song. No shame in that.

If you’re doing Oz music, don’t forget Normie Rowe.

And don’t forget Rob E G.

Cheers

Jo

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 9:34 pm

If SloMo really wanted to attack McClown, he could have ranted about the lack of preparedness of the health system

Morrison is incapable of thinking along those lines.

In his head, a little voice ‘Listen, pal, McGowan is incredibly popula, witness the last election, so be nice to him and they might vote for you.’

Same with all the money being handed out of late to green scammers (‘low-carbon wood’. Good God!). He genuinely believes people who hate his guts will be persuaded he’s not so bad after all.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 9:36 pm

Re: the cost of petrol – It would be double what I paid for it a year ago, thanks to the controllers of that foul syphilitic geriatric currently propped up in the shite house.

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 9:37 pm

John H. says:
February 4, 2022 at 8:59 pm

Rex Angersays:
February 4, 2022 at 8:32 pm
Last week I had a grand total of 8 friends, people OS I use FB to keep in touch with. In the last 3 days I have been flooded with friend requests, now up to 20. These new requests are often friends with each other.

They may well be spam accounts.

I checked them Rex. A few looked like spam but most have hundreds of friends, multiple photos, and many posts. Spam accounts aren’t like that but perhaps it has evolved to the point where spam accounts have bots that create FBF networks, photos and posts.

The fact that Spacechook has lost accounts for the first time ever last quarter and the stock price plunged more than 20% might have something to do with it.

Frank
Frank
February 4, 2022 9:43 pm

Anybody know what the etiquette is on carrying weapons in church?

Most mosques seem to double as an armoury these days.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
February 4, 2022 9:44 pm

As I said earlier, I dare the same policeman to walk into a mosque and do the same thing.

I recall there was much wringing of hands in NSW because a particular demographic didn’t (and doesn’t) subscribe to masking up and wailing on Twitter. Nothing was done. Zero, aside from some PR fluff.

Evidently the superior beings there thought a week in the press about how they’re not playing the game would shame them somehow, or than there would be a wave of Karen flashmobs rolling through Lakemba and Bankstown and Guildford in their Volvos that would put things right.

In any event, this is abject cowardice by the WA jacks. You either apply the same standard to all, or you apply it to none – and if you don’t do that, you are:

1. Not being honest with yourself; and
2. No longer police officers, but selective government policy enforcers.

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 9:47 pm

When kids reach for the computer it often isn’t to learn it is to play. The following idea needs to be resurrected. It reminds me of studies demonstrating huge differences in language exposure across various households and the possible implications that has for cognitive enhancement.

Growing Up Surrounded by Books Could Have Powerful, Lasting Effect on the Mind

mizaris
mizaris
February 4, 2022 9:49 pm

I am now officially a leper. Aged in laws and others of the same family have demanded I have a RAT test before socialising with them. Because I am an obvious un vaxxed danger to them. Because only the un vaxxed can catch the bug and only the un vaxxed can pass it on.

Told them that there’s fvck all chance of a RAT test unless all of them have one as well.

Apparently I believe all that shit on the internet about the vax not working etc…

Whatever

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 9:49 pm

Warming to UAP.

Cloive on You Tube ads now protesting facial recognition, basically railing against TIA without using that name.

Good.

I can accept Kelly as PM, Latho as opposition leader and Limbrick in the Senate heading up the bloc holding the balance of power?

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 9:49 pm

Most mosques seem to double as an armoury these days.

Commenter on Michael Smith News was a former copper in Sydney – they had to visit a mosque, for whatever reason, and there was a class going on, whiteboard and all, on how to sign up your wives to gain the maximum in welfare benefits…..

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 9:51 pm

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity says:
February 4, 2022 at 9:29 pm

As I said earlier, I dare the same policeman to walk into a mosque and do the same thing. I can guarantee you that every day, in every mosque across this country, “public health restrictions” are being ignored….but you know what….perhaps Muslims, by refusing to kowtow to this bullshit, have got it right.

RC Church, midweek: Well mannered elderly people of impeccable social mores, with above-average respect for law & order, unlikely to be inclined, or able, to kick off a blue.

Mosque: Ample number of able-bodied fighting age males, with chip on the shouler, persecution complex, limited respect for law & order, & little inhibition about taking a swing at a cop they consider has disrespected Allah.

Show us what you’re made of, West Oz Police Force…… over to you.

Yep, like when I, a small, elderly white woman got pinged more than once for the explosives test at domestic airports while groups of young men of Middle Eastern appearance were waved through.

BTW – is there a single recorded case of a mosque being checked out for COVID breaches? Even one?

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 9:52 pm

I am now officially a leper. Aged in laws and others of the same family have demanded I have a RAT test before socialising with them. Because I am an obvious un vaxxed danger to them. Because only the un vaxxed can catch the bug and only the un vaxxed can pass it on.

Um

It is hard to be polite about these people.

Dot
Dot
February 4, 2022 9:53 pm

BTW – is there a single recorded case of a mosque being checked out for COVID breaches? Even one?

L/NP meetings?

ALP meetings?

GRN meetings?

Hmmmmmm……….

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 9:58 pm

Top Endersays:

February 4, 2022 at 6:14 pm

Going camping in the Territory – police assaulted with a ” folded gazebo”…

Choose your weapon.
Pistols?
Swords?
Folded gazebos?

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
February 4, 2022 9:58 pm

It reminds me of studies demonstrating huge differences in language exposure across various households and the possible implications that has for cognitive enhancement.

There’s a simpler explanation. Viz.: if your parents have lots of books they are probably smarter than average. Since IQ is heritable, the children of parents having lots of books will probably be smarter than average. So they’ll score higher in cognitive tests.

The fact that nobody seems to consider this explanation tells us a lot.

areff
areff
February 4, 2022 10:01 pm

News.com.au:

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce described Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a “hypocrite and a liar” who could “rearrange the truth to a lie” in leaked text messages sent during the furore over Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation.

The Nationals leader “unreservedly apologised” to the Prime Minister last night just hours before the story broke.

News.com.au has obtained a copy of the full text exchange and confirmed the blunt character assessment was sent to a third party to “pass on” to Brittany Higgins in March, 2021.

The messages were sent when Mr Joyce was still a backbencher and before he returned to the leadership.

“He is a hypocrite and a liar from my observations and that is over a long time. I have never trusted him and I dislike how he earnestly rearranges the truth to a lie,” Mr Joyce wrote.

“I and Scott, he is Scott until I recognise his office, don’t get along.”

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/barnaby-joyce-called-scott-morrison-a-hypocrite-and-a-liar-in-leaked-text-message/news-story/08dfb5c6d3b03d99f114485dc9b5c20a

Cassie of Sydney
February 4, 2022 10:05 pm

““He is a hypocrite and a liar from my observations and that is over a long time. I have never trusted him and I dislike how he earnestly rearranges the truth to a lie,” Mr Joyce wrote.”

This government is a train wreck.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 10:06 pm

And if he didn’t, you’d at least have a post-election party with a leader who, you know, actually believes in and advances his principles.

That’s crazy talk!!!

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 10:07 pm

DrBeauGansays:
February 4, 2022 at 9:58 pm
It reminds me of studies demonstrating huge differences in language exposure across various households and the possible implications that has for cognitive enhancement.

There’s a simpler explanation. Viz.: if your parents have lots of books they are probably smarter than average. Since IQ is heritable, the children of parents having lots of books will probably be smarter than average. So they’ll score higher in cognitive tests.

The fact that nobody seems to consider this explanation tells us a lot.

It is not a fact that nobody considers that explanation. It’s brute obvious to myself and most people I know. Ironically you’ve made an assertion that indicates you haven’t done the requisite reading. There is clearly a strong genetic component to IQ but that is not the whole story. What is also brute obvious is that to realise the genetic potential of an individual the developmental environment is an important variable. As someone who done some reading on the matter I recall the geneticist Lewontin arguing that there are environmental cues which play an important role in triggering genes(probably homeobox genes) that trigger frontal lobe maturation. That’s very significant not because the frontal lobes are involved in IQ(creativity, problem solving yes, IQ seems to be a parietal lobe function cf Einstein’s brain on that issue) but because the frontal lobes are the last to mature in the human brain.

local oaf
February 4, 2022 10:07 pm

Growing Up Surrounded by Books Could Have Powerful, Lasting Effect on the Mind

Sounds right to me.

Grew up in a non TV owning family and, even though TV began in my state when I was 6, I’d already become set into the way of reading all the time.
Lots of comics of course, but plenty of books too and listening to the radio. Everyone in the family was the same.
Not having a TV was embarrassing to admit at school, but at home it was normal and I still loved the radio and the books and comics I grew up with.

Been reading non stop for the last 60+ years, made me the intellectual powerhouse I am today! 😉

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 10:08 pm

Dotsays:
February 4, 2022 at 8:14 pm
Any particular Protestant doctrine you have in mind Dot?

All of them.

You don’t actually know any “Protestant doctrines”, do you.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 10:11 pm

This government is a train wreck.

Up there with Gough Whitlam!

Rabz
February 4, 2022 10:11 pm

Intimations of Mortality – two of my contemporaries, now dead way before their time.

The First: A fit man who had a brain tumour excised about 12 years ago. In remission. Clot shots twice, recently, cancer revisits him and it’s over.

The second: My ophthalmologist – a genial professional and medical master. Qualified physician who then became an eye specialist because he couldn’t bear to see* people lose their sight. Last saw him in 2019 when he pronounced an annoying problem with my right eye as undiagnosable. He appeared to be in good health and good spirits, although sporting a leg injury, allegedly obtained while skiing.

They are now dead, as far as I’m concerned, courtesy of the clot shots. If that makes me a conspiracy hypothesist nutter, then so be it. 😕

*Not a pun

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
February 4, 2022 10:11 pm

Yep, like when I, a small, elderly white woman got pinged more than once for the explosives test at domestic airports while groups of young men of Middle Eastern appearance were waved through.

LOL my PB is 3 in one day. Townsville on the QF969 run to start the day. Had to do a quick run into Brisbane for a meeting, explosive residue checked again on the way back through the airport in Brisbane. Down to Sydney, had to sort something there of a personal nature then checked again when I went back through for my flight down to Melbourne final destination. By this time I had the sihts at again being trace tested and protested, had some young bint on a power trip who tried to lecture me the importance. She didn’t like me pointing out that maybe they were targeting white males to fluff their numbers and that the chances of “randomly” being tested 3 times in a day was pushing boundaries.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 10:13 pm

Dotsays:
February 4, 2022 at 8:14 pm
Any particular Protestant doctrine you have in mind Dot?

All of them.

I notice you weren’t at all anxious to discuss the exercise of Papal infallibility by Pius XII in 1950.

Presumably you’d defend that to the death as absolute truth?

Top Ender
Top Ender
February 4, 2022 10:14 pm

Move down to Canberra in the Wet season, they said.

Great weather down there, said all.

It’s 11 degrees here tonight!

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 10:15 pm

Areff would remember one of the great myths of Melbourne public transport.
The benevolent tram conductor (or “connie” as they were known by their fans).
When they were ditched in favour of automated ticketing in one form or another, their supporters ran months and months of heartwarming tales of the social worth of connies far beyond the mere sale of tickets.
They helped young mothers board with prams.
They held up the tram whilst they walked frail Anzac veterans to the kerb.
They reconciled fractious couples.
They gently encouraged shy teenagers to pluck up the courage to ask the girl from Stop 51 out to the pictures.
With a wink and a nod they gave impoverished urchins a free ride to the footy.
They sang.
They joked.
They were the poets and philosophers of the rails.
Except they weren’t.
No-one except a few Age journalists, union officials and ALP politicians ever witnessed these events.
Almost without exception, Melbourne tram connies were among the most surly, indolent and objectionable arseholes to walk upon the face of the earth.

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 10:16 pm

What we have to come to grips with is that ‘reading’ is not what it was.

Like it or not, most young people read online.

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Barnaby Joyce is correct.
Of this I am certain.
Change my mind!

Rabz
February 4, 2022 10:22 pm

It’s 11 degrees here tonight!

TE – I lived in Canberra from January 2011 until April 2017.

The weather/climate there is unlike any other Australian city. I remember entire 12 month periods where there was no summer.

A typical “summer” in the ACT consists of non stop forty degree days* from mid December until mid February (i.e. eight weeks). Then it’s back to the cool.

*Thankfully with zero humidity

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
February 4, 2022 10:22 pm

H B Bear says:
February 4, 2022 at 6:14 pm
The Media Watchdog returns for 2022

Due to enormous popular demand, Jackie emerged from her kennel early. Issue 572,
24 January 2022

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 10:23 pm

Growing Up Surrounded by Books Could Have Powerful, Lasting Effect on the Mind

This is a great truth.
Although surrounding oneself with books in and of itself is not enough.
It doesn’t work by osmosis.
Apparently you have to actually read some of them.
This is where upper secondary and tertiary education becomes a problem. It can turn someone who reads long tomes for pleasure into someone who “snack reads” morsels of research to jump through academic hoops.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
February 4, 2022 10:26 pm

Almost without exception, Melbourne tram connies were among the most surly, indolent and objectionable arseholes to walk upon the face of the earth.

Especially the one who was condemned to death for pushing a non-fare paying passenger into the path of following traffic.
The electric chair didn’t work on him. He was a bad conductor.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 10:29 pm

The electric chair didn’t work on him. He was a bad conductor.

How do you spell “excruciating?”

johanna
johanna
February 4, 2022 10:29 pm

Rabz, you have passed 50, people you thought would live forever have started dropping off the twig. Welcome to what are politely called the ‘autumn years.’

Tell me about it. A friend I had known for 30 years got Motor Neurone Disease and died. A guy I’ve been friends with since university dropped dead from a heart attack. And so on.

My old man had his 95th birthday the other day. None of his friends are alive to celebrate it. Not one.

The benefits of longevity may be overestimated.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
February 4, 2022 10:30 pm

It is not a fact that nobody considers that explanation. It’s brute obvious to myself

I’m glad to hear you can see the bleeding obvious. Sometimes, anyway. Your quotation didn’t mention it.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 10:30 pm

““He is a hypocrite and a liar from my observations and that is over a long time. I have never trusted him and I dislike how he earnestly rearranges the truth to a lie,” Mr Joyce wrote.”

Unreal.
How dumb is this cockhead?
The other day he was saying that the Minister who described Scotty as a Psycho should out herself and resign.

dopey
dopey
February 4, 2022 10:32 pm

Double Dekkabus. Didn’t he play for Pakistan?

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 10:33 pm

That’s right Roger, council of Trent, done and dusted.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 10:33 pm

The benefits of longevity may be overestimated

Agreed, but is there a perfect age at which to bow out?

75?
80?
xx?

jupes
jupes
February 4, 2022 10:34 pm

I can accept Kelly as PM, Latho as opposition leader and Limbrick in the Senate heading up the bloc holding the balance of power?

We can only hope.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 10:35 pm

And harking back to discussion of moules frites as of yesterday I can attest it is possible to have not very nice ones.
Today is moules gratinees. Much better.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 10:36 pm

The benefits of longevity may be overestimated.

Great grandmother passed away at the age of 103 – she always said that the first hundred years had been fun, but the second hundred wasn’t as much fun.

Born in the year of Custer’s Last Stand, came to Australia by sailing ship, and watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon..

John H.
John H.
February 4, 2022 10:40 pm

DrBeauGansays:
February 4, 2022 at 10:30 pm
It is not a fact that nobody considers that explanation. It’s brute obvious to myself

I’m glad to hear you can see the bleeding obvious. Sometimes, anyway. Your quotation didn’t mention it.

Doc that happened because it was written by a journalist. (:

Rabz
February 4, 2022 10:43 pm

Three score and ten being the definitive standard. If I make to that, all bets are off.

And no Cats, that’s not any time soon.

Many, many hookers, container loads of drugs, multiple brand new European sports cars, tri state chases and going out in spectacular (e.g. off a massive cliff into an equally cavernous canyon) style.

It will happen. If it’s the last activity that I ever engage in on this planet. 🙂

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 10:44 pm

… but is there a perfect age at which to bow out?

A fair bit past 95, i’d say.
People get ground down by the rat race, think they’ve gotta take the same drugs everybody else does, such as the Piss, Vaccines, Uppers, Downers, pills for a headache, sleeplessness, being a fat slob, then before they know it they’re worn out at 60.
Gotta say i’m surprised that an Ophthalmologist would take any vaxxine, let alone the Covid Vaccine, why would anyone with a brain do that?

Indolent
Indolent
February 4, 2022 10:45 pm
Indolent
Indolent
February 4, 2022 10:46 pm

A Pastor in Canada

Coutts Alberta Feb 3 2022. 5:30

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
February 4, 2022 10:47 pm

PTSD from being attacked by a gazebo would be a first.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 10:48 pm

To be fair Tim are there any universally agreed ‘protestant doctrines’?

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 10:49 pm

Almost without exception, Melbourne tram connies were among the most surly, indolent and objectionable arseholes to walk upon the face of the earth.

I’d say the ratios were a bit different, but yes, there were enough of the objectionable ones that the “connies” campaign failed to gain traction with the public.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 10:50 pm

He who dies with the most toys wins.

The Catholics appear to have bought that doctrine too, just quietly.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 10:51 pm

Born in the year of Custer’s Last Stand

Wow!
Born during the seige of the Alamo by the Navajo and lived to see Noel Armfield go to the moon.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 10:54 pm

I’d say the ratios were a bit different, but yes, there were enough of the objectionable ones that the “connies” campaign failed to gain traction with the public.

Yes.
The soppy sentimentalism churned out by the likes of the Brothers Flanagan in the Age didn’t quite match the “lived experience” of the travelling public.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
February 4, 2022 10:55 pm

Wow!
Born during the seige of the Alamo by the Navajo and lived to see Noel Armfield go to the moon.

That’s a large single malt and a new keyboard you owe me.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 10:56 pm

To be fair Tim are there any universally agreed ‘protestant doctrines’?

Dot is at liberty to tell me what he thinks are Protestant doctrines that he describes as “low hanging fruit”. He’s the one that made the big statement so it’s up to him to justify it. I’ll then have the discussion with him.
I didn’t want to be dragged into a critique of Catholicism. The Catholic Church is a gift from God to humanity. However it is threatened on the one side by ridiculous superstitious nonsense like Pius XII’s papal infallibility exercise in 1950 and on the other by blasphemous secular humanist treachery like almost everything Pope Trotsky says and does. No doubt God will answer the prayers of the faithful and rescue it. However that won’t be easy. In the meantime I don’t see why Protestants like me can’t question the drive by sneers of ignorant mental dwarves like Dot.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 10:57 pm

I looked up my building’s architect Eugene Violette de Duc last night, apparently he developed a plan to revonate Narbonne Cathedral but it was rejected because it was too expensive.
I knew there was a choir and after walking around, an ambulatory, but the information board suggested the first section of the nave had been built, which was a puzzle until I walked outside to the other end. There is the unroofed walls of a nave and that’s it.
Imagine if they had finished it.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 10:58 pm

Ed Casesays:

February 4, 2022 at 10:44 pm

… but is there a perfect age at which to bow out?

A fair bit past 95

Mummy’s not 95, Ed.
Mummy’s dead, Ed.
Mummy’s dead.

Frank
Frank
February 4, 2022 10:59 pm

Agreed, but is there a perfect age at which to bow out?

As long as the machine is still working ans hasn’t conspired to torment you. That old.

The net is a godsend with regards to ageing IMHO. At least you can find some like minded company of sorts rather than rotting away in isolation.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 11:00 pm

Born during the siege of the Alamo by the Navajo and lived to see Noel Armfield go to the moon

The siege of the Alamo was a toddlers’ tea party compared to the Vogon’s unrelenting 70 year siege of Machu Picchu in the 15th Century.

You can criticise poor ol’ Faulty all you like, but his recounting of various historical events is about as reliable as that of a dead roadside wombat reminiscing about his role in Glen Wheatley’s income maximisation schemes … 😕

Rabz
February 4, 2022 11:00 pm

FFS – the Vogons’ – now they’ll be after me!

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
February 4, 2022 11:03 pm

Born in the year of Custer’s Last Stand, came to Australia by sailing ship, and watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon..

I’ve always marvelled at that kind of consequence of longevity.
A friend of mine’s great grandfather was the older brother of Steve Hart of the Kelly Gang, so his grandfather and his grandfather’s siblings were nephews and nieces of Steve Hart. He had a great aunt who was born in about 1870 and lived to be 100. When she was very little the family lived in a farm near Benalla on the edge of what was then a large wilderness. When the great aunt was very young her parents gave her a bag of food, pointed her up a bush track and said “walk up this track till you see Uncle Steve, give him this food and then come straight back. And if you see anyone else, don’t tell them anything about wat you’re doing.” It was only later that she realised that that was at a time when the Kelly Gang were in hiding from the law. So, in 1970, there was still someone alive who had helped the Kelly Gang evade the police.

rosie
rosie
February 4, 2022 11:05 pm

That’s okay Tim but my long personal experience is that Catholics spend virtually zero time on what protestants believe, whereas protestants seem to spend an inordinate amount of time critiquing Catholicism.
It’s almost as if they constantly need to feel justified.
I additionally object to the constant claims that Catholicism isn’t a Christian religion and attempts to draw people away from the church, often with outright lies.
In addition seems to me some denominations need to concentrate on getting the logs out of their own eyes.
Anglicans for example openly ordain ‘married’ homosexuals.

Ed Case
Ed Case
February 4, 2022 11:11 pm

Anglicans for example openly ordain ‘married’ homosexuals.

I’m shocked!
If they openly ordained ‘closeted’ homosexuals, would you be okay with that?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
February 4, 2022 11:13 pm

And, in “Hoist by your own petard” news …

Privately O’Keefe blames his arrests and subsequent charges on his victims, the police and the very system that protects women and victims of violence that he helped build and reform.

He has told friends the system had previously been biased against women but there had been an “over-correction” that loaded the system against men.

Poor Andrew.
Smugly brow-beating people from his morning telly throne, only to find the very AVO system he advocated has snookered him behind the baulk line.
I am trying to empathise.
Really I am.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 11:17 pm

He has told (now erstwhile) friends “the system” had previously been biased against women but there had been an “over-correction” that loaded “the system” against men

Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

Rabz
February 4, 2022 11:19 pm

O’Keefe is a cuck.

The Fender is not.

Compare and contrast.

Thefrollickingmole
Thefrollickingmole
February 4, 2022 11:21 pm

Timothy.
That’s seriously cool.
A link like that to a near mythical mob.

  1. I think the punters are stirring, getting ansty. Normally letting politics of either persuasion slide by as we just get…

  2. Great stuff from the past. Visuals and audio are great. —— F r. David – Words Don’t Come Easy

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