Open Thread – Weekend 15 Oct 2022


Little Bridge on the Voise, Osny, Camille Pissarro, 1883

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calli
calli
October 18, 2022 10:23 am

On BraGate:

When I was devoted to wearing a bra, it wasn’t unusual for me to be at my desk and be forced to try and reposition a rogue bra strap or readjust my bra so it wasn’t pinching a particular part of my body.

Seriously?

Shell out some money and have your bras properly fitted, tightwad. Or buy sports bras with all that comfy mesh and elastic fabric.

But it isn’t really about comfort, is it? It’s another “look at me, look at me, look at me!” followed by an outraged “HOW DARE YOU LOOK AT ME!” and the inevitable disciplinary action.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
October 18, 2022 10:25 am

New Zealand Arts Funder Rejects Shakespeare as ‘Imperialism’

Progressives have long been engaged in a campaign to ban or obliterate every thing that softens, enriches and refines life. Now stopping to allow a woman to pass through a door is a hostile act of oppression. Wanting to teach your son how to be a man is teaching them to be a monster.

They want to erase anything they did not create. There is the implicit acknowledgement that what they would offer has less power: Modern plays have less appeal than Shakespeare. The undergraduate bromide political polemics in the MSM shed less light and warmth than philosophers. (Modern philosophy is political polemic.)

Art is now meant to ‘confront’ (read that as ‘insult’). It does not seek to give form to ideas that stir our hearts but cannot make sense of – cannot find the words to do the feelings justice. How many of you have not spent an inordinate amount of time trying to find just the right way to say something, not content that you know what you mean. If you know it why do you need to say it? Or to show us something in a new way. Nope. It is meant to denigrate certain beliefs, it is meant to disgust, and because art is now the establishment, it is meant to signal that certain ideas are now no longer acceptable.

Only a few years ago the left used to think they were making a point when they pointed to the expression ‘Illegal immigrant’ and exclaim “No person can be illegal!” Well that was just silly since no one said a person was illegal any more that a person was legal. A person ‘legal’? Who talks like that? No, it was a shorthand for an immigrant whose immigration was illegal, and there is an opposite for that.

But the left actually believes that people who have illegitimate ideas are illegitimate people. If their ideas are to be gotten rid of it is fine for the people to be gotten rid of. Always with the projection, huh?

So with everything higher removed they expect people to be content with the far inferior output of their cultural agents. They might think that if you take away Shakespeare and Chaucer and Yeats then the affection they would have won will simply be transferred to something else that is on offer. As if we had discrete amounts of passion that are divvied up according to what recipients are available. Naturally they are wrong, and the vast measure of a sublime satisfaction by which Virginia Wolf surpasses Clemmie Ford, or Giotto’s Crucifixion surpasses Piss Christ, would be denied to you. In fact, they cannot see that there is a difference since destroying the former is no injury.

So it is an intellectual landscape more or less equivalent to the brutal, crushing, cold, corpse-grey monoliths with windows like empty eye sockets but which seem to be crowding around and listening to your every word – that is what they want us to measure ourselves against. Like a mirror but where all the people are the reflection or a more real world they are creating.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
October 18, 2022 10:27 am

Hmph.

That started out as a three line response.

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 18, 2022 10:30 am

And “Bad Cattitude” revels in the ditching of Capitals.

you see a bit of that around

not good.

calli
calli
October 18, 2022 10:30 am

I suppose she’s be happy with fellas with tight trousers to work pantsless?*

Thought not.

* not you HB Bear. Trendsetter in office wear.

Digger
Digger
October 18, 2022 10:30 am

They can. If they’re still a sovereign nation with a first and foremost duty to their citizens.

I fear that is a big ask under current circumstances. Most governments care little for their citizens nowadays…

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 18, 2022 10:34 am

The Australian cricket team and its members are really easy to dislike.

lotocoti
lotocoti
October 18, 2022 10:36 am

New Scientist does New Science.
Bonus: Lieawatha Warren and Rachel Dolezal are off the hook.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 18, 2022 10:39 am

I usually went tie-less and shoe-less in the office. Never tried pant-less and left a suit jacket in the Sydney QANTAS club and managed pretty well without it. It was generally agreed I shouldn’t do too much client facing stuff which suited everyone.

Dot
Dot
October 18, 2022 10:39 am

BTW The USAAF switched to night incendiary bombing because the B-29’s were ineffective at precision daylight bombing.

You also reckoned their daylight bombing was a war crime.

Think of the civilians at the MAN Diesel factory and Ploetsi oil fields.

It’s a war crime to not let Germany have a well equipped armoured corps!

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 18, 2022 10:40 am

With the first driverless train due to pass under Sydney Harbour next year

Betcha one of the first things the new Labor government of NSW does next year is put drivers into all the driverless trains.

calli
calli
October 18, 2022 10:44 am

But, but…Bear. What about the stylish boater?

bons
bons
October 18, 2022 10:44 am

The Reynolds career is surprising. She is neither a lawyer nor a member of the Sydney University Regiment Officers Mess, and is damned girl begad.
The various Honorary Colonel ‘their honours’ much have taken a turn too many of the port to have allowed this outrage to have occurred in their Army Reserve club.

local oaf
October 18, 2022 10:46 am

At a time when the vacuum tubes in radios and radar were adversely effected
by bumps and thumps, coming up with a mass produceable miniaturised tube
which could handle a 20,000g firing shock and work at 10,000 rpm is perhaps the greatest single innovation of WW2.

Was that a miniaturised metal envelope vacuum tube?
Was it some sort of ancestor of the Nuvistor

Roger
Roger
October 18, 2022 10:47 am

The Australian cricket team and its members are really easy to dislike.

Labuschagne possibly an exception.

Annoying when on field but in a funny way.

A total cricket dork who can laugh at himself, it would seem.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
October 18, 2022 10:50 am

Jesus Dot, some warning before lumping a landwhale at this time in the morning.

Mary has decided she won’t wear bras every day anymore, and doesn’t care what anyone thinks about this.

Mole has decided Mary is exactly the sort of person whom volumous garments and brown paper bags were made for.
He also doesnt care what she thinks.

Marty Feldman approves of her braless look.

Dr Faustus
Dr Faustus
October 18, 2022 10:53 am

Labor’s official policy is to reverse recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong insists there has been “no change” to Australia’s decision to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, despite the policy disappearing from her department’s website.

Mz Wong is a fine Doublespeak Artist. Technically correct:

Labor minister Jason Clare said no decision had been made because cabinet had not considered the issue as yet.

A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said: “Australia remains a longstanding friend and strong supporter of Israel

Again, the spoken words are true. But the ALP position is not quite so clear cut as Australia’s appears to be.

duncanm
duncanm
October 18, 2022 10:59 am

Dotsays:
October 18, 2022 at 9:37 am
A diversity pick has had enough of men’s comfort.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/fashion-trends/sydney-woman-welcomes-new-office-rule-men-say-makes-them-uncomfortable/news-story/dc6ca0caef00ec1c94dd925f7e3e1b6b

sheesh – please provide a warning on these posts. Mary doesn’t need just a Bra, she needs a good paper bag and a heavy coat..

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
October 18, 2022 11:05 am

But it isn’t really about comfort, is it? It’s another “look at me, look at me, look at me!” followed by an outraged “HOW DARE YOU LOOK AT ME!” and the inevitable disciplinary action.

Followed by a compensation claim, against her employer for failure to provide a safe workplace.

cohenite
October 18, 2022 11:05 am

Delta Asays:
October 18, 2022 at 9:52 am
Mark Latham:

Pat Cummins Hypocrisy
The Australian cricket captain has forced Cricket Australia to abandon a $40 million sponsorship from Alinta Energy because Cummins says they pollute too much.
But not long ago Cummins was the lead actor in Alinta’s advertising campaign on a good coin.
Has he given that money back to save the planet?
Has Cummins also abandoned his $15 million Eastern Suburbs mansion home, which burns enough energy to keep an African village alive?
Or has he stopped flying around the world on huge player contracts, burning carbon big-time?
Pat pockets plenty of money for himself while denying resources to help junior players have a game of cricket.
His hypocrisy can be smelt from the boundary fence.

Cummins is a creep. I’ve had to give up watching union because of its wokeness now cricket is almost gone. The thing I hate most is that he can bowl a ball; other than that, he is stupid but his dumb view will give support to alarmism and influence kids. Fuck him.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
October 18, 2022 11:07 am

Officers mess port etiquette.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5xLJlfX-Iis

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
October 18, 2022 11:08 am

Bruce Lehrmann missed six phone calls from his GIRLFRIEND the night he allegedly raped Brittany Higgins – as prosecution and defence cases FINISH with the jury soon to retire to make up its mind

Prosecutors are closing their case against ex-political staffer Bruce Lehrmann
He is accused of raping then-colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House
He has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent
On Monday afternoon, the prosecution called Senator Linda Reynolds to stand
She was accused of interfering in trial by asking for a transcript of evidence
She told the court she did not think texting defence lawyer was ‘inappropriate’
Court heard Ms Higgins told her boss she couldn’t remember what happened

lotocoti
lotocoti
October 18, 2022 11:09 am

Was that a miniaturised metal envelope vacuum tube?

Glass apparently, which would be in Sylvania’s area of manufacturing expertise.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 18, 2022 11:09 am

So what you’re saying is that Mary doesn’t stop at a little lamb.

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 18, 2022 11:14 am

At the risk of setting Groogs off, Mary is more mutton.

Roger
Roger
October 18, 2022 11:17 am

I’ve had to give up watching union because of its wokeness now cricket is almost gone.

The rot of politics in these sports started with the bans on South Africa.

The way to make a point about apartheid was to beat them on the field.

(And, meanwhile, nothing was ever said about vicious discriminatory policies in India or Pakistan.)

Diogenes
Diogenes
October 18, 2022 11:23 am

Officers mess port etiquette.

He let the decanter touch the table. :-0

local oaf
October 18, 2022 11:24 am

Glass apparently, which would be in Sylvania’s area of manufacturing expertise.

Thanks, fascinating stuff. I knew there were metal envelope tubes used in the war for ruggedness. I think many found their way into consumer electronics post war.
Never heard of those little marvels.
I see they were thyratrons, haven’t heard of them since Industrial Electronics 50 years ago!

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
October 18, 2022 11:28 am

Prosecution says case not about #MeToo
Remy Varga
REMY VARGA

Prosecutor Shane Drumgold has begun the crown’s closing submission, telling the jury the case against Bruce Lehrmann is not about the #MeToo movement or parliamentary culture.

Mr Drumgold warned jurors not to get distracted by “red herrings” and said the case was not about political parties or movements, workplaces cultures, the experience of women in politics or the appropriateness of book deals.

“This case is about what happened on a couch in a room,” he said.

Mr Drumgold said Brittany Higgins actions in 2021 – such as giving media interviews or securing a book deal – did not change the consistent accounts she gave in the weeks immediately after the alleged rape in 2019.

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 18, 2022 11:31 am

Glass apparently, which would be in Sylvania’s area of manufacturing expertise.

I learn new word: thyratron.
Thanks, Lotocoti, that was a fine and fascinating link!

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
October 18, 2022 11:37 am

Missed phone calls
Questionable demeanour
Pass violations
Working after hours
Ubering with intent

What more do they need. Convict!

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
October 18, 2022 11:41 am

Farmer Gezsays:
October 18, 2022 at 11:07 am
Officers mess port etiquette.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5xLJlfX-Iis

Gentleman’s Guide to: Port Etiquette with Berry Bros & Rudd

rickw
rickw
October 18, 2022 11:41 am

The destruction of the small business owner and working man, Alaska snow crab season canceled:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WPqTkn21XI

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 18, 2022 11:42 am

Yep. Really need Pell levels of beyond reasonable doubt. Over to the jury.

Big_Nambas
Big_Nambas
October 18, 2022 11:43 am

A Government that robs Peter and Paul is a modern Labor government!

FIFY.

lotocoti
lotocoti
October 18, 2022 11:47 am

Thanks, fascinating stuff.

Exploiting the physical effects of firing to activate a wet plate battery
and arm the self destruct mode is genius.

shatterzzz
October 18, 2022 11:47 am

Bit o’ sanity over at Cricket Oz .. the midget ranga cheat ignored for captaincy of the ODI side .. Cummins gets the job ..
Then onto the netball .. simples! .. dump ’em, Gina! …..

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
October 18, 2022 11:50 am

Ripping Yarns.

Roger of the Raj

Britnah on a Bender.

rickw
rickw
October 18, 2022 11:53 am

The USAAF switched to night incendiary bombing because the B-29’s were ineffective at precision daylight bombing.

What? There is an excellent YouTube video on the data showing the effectiveness of the B-29’s defensive armament. They shot the shit out of the Luftwaffe. On top of that the USA’s bomb sights were very effective.

If you’re talking about B-17’s, that’s a different story.

Tintarella di Luna
Tintarella di Luna
October 18, 2022 11:54 am

They want to erase anything they did not create.

They want to wipe out everything that is grand and inspiring because they know they do not have the talent to create it let alone imagine it — so it must be wiped lest they be reminded of their lack of talent and imagination.

Tintarella di Luna
Tintarella di Luna
October 18, 2022 11:58 am

That started out as a three line response.

Mother Lode glad you didn’t stop at three lines

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 18, 2022 11:58 am

Calli

But it isn’t really about comfort, is it? It’s another “look at me, look at me, look at me!” followed by an outraged “HOW DARE YOU LOOK AT ME!” and the inevitable disciplinary action.

What is on display is intended to be noticed.

PS, what would her reaction be to men who arrived in shorts and no jocks?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
October 18, 2022 11:59 am

I’m amused that the Green penchant for soy lattes is killing da Reef.

Study examines the impact of coral chemical compounds on reef composition and health (Phys.org, 17 Oct)

Here’s the caffeine connection.

For the study, researchers collected exudates from six species of Caribbean benthic organisms in a lab setting, using organisms obtained from within the Virgin Islands National Park, including stony corals, octocorals, and an invasive encrusting alga called Ramicrusta textilis. The researchers surprisingly found that R. textilis released caffeine in high quantities.

Their results further “demonstrate that exudates from benthic organisms contribute to the complex pool of extracellular metabolites in reef seawater and that exudate composition varies significantly by species,” according to the study.

Lots of skirting around the issue in this report…but it is clear from it that caffeine is bad for corals. And we know that a fair bit of caffeine goes straight through the kidneys unchanged. So there you go, Greens are killing the Reef. Maybe they should switch to decaf.

lotocoti
lotocoti
October 18, 2022 12:01 pm

He let the decanter touch the table. :-0

Damn your eyes Sir, the decanter should never leave the table.
And there’ll be none of that King Over the Water nonsense either.

mem
mem
October 18, 2022 12:03 pm

The Australian cricket captain has forced Cricket Australia to abandon a $40 million sponsorship from Alinta Energy because Cummins says they pollute too much.

Gosh, and here I thought Alinta were sustainable. From Alinta’s Website:

To us, sustainability is about delivering lower emissions energy that’s also reliable and affordable. Our balanced approach considers social, environmental and economic factors. We are committed to our FY25 target to support the development of 1,500MW of renewable generation and energy storage capacity. We are well on our way to achieving this goal – fuelled by intelligent, high quality and environmentally friendly projects.

And hello, hello. Guess who pops up on the masthead of the website, none other than Steve Smith in his his cricket gear. Perhaps Mr. Cummins didn’t get the personal sponsorship deal he wanted and is pissed off. Just a thought. Alinta Website https://www.alintaenergy.com.au/vic/residential/electricity-and-gas/products/campaign/offer?gclid=CjwKCAjw-rOaBhA9EiwAUkLV4p0OMJGwUP_43a9_5KGtHrWa9OlBnm9YDWr9jGD6xvfxpvetruJH-BoCpFIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

H B Bear
H B Bear
October 18, 2022 12:06 pm

what would her reaction be to men who arrived in shorts and no jocks?

As a child, an Alby Mangel’s moment couldn’t really compensate for that chick in the suede bikini.

Boambee John
Boambee John
October 18, 2022 12:06 pm

rickw

What? There is an excellent YouTube video on the data showing the effectiveness of the B-29’s defensive armament. They shot the shit out of the Luftwaffe. On top of that the USA’s bomb sights were very effective.

Were B-29s used in large numbers against Germany?

feelthebern
feelthebern
October 18, 2022 12:14 pm

I’m going to stick around over here & turn the place into a man cave.

feelthebern
feelthebern
October 18, 2022 12:17 pm

What this place needs is a velvet bean bag.

rosie
rosie
October 18, 2022 12:18 pm

Thanks MC.
I’m only considering powerpal because someone who’s judgement I trust uses it.
The other, I’ll wait, currently have gas hw.
Maybe things will settle next year.

duncanm
duncanm
October 18, 2022 12:23 pm

What? There is an excellent YouTube video on the data showing the effectiveness of the B-29’s defensive armament. They shot the shit out of the Luftwaffe. On top of that the USA’s bomb sights were very effective.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-29_Superfortress#B-29s_in_Europe_and_Australia

Although considered for other theaters, and briefly evaluated in the UK, the B-29 was exclusively used in World War II in the Pacific Theatre.

Eyrie
Eyrie
October 18, 2022 12:25 pm

What? There is an excellent YouTube video on the data showing the effectiveness of the B-29’s defensive armament. They shot the shit out of the Luftwaffe. On top of that the USA’s bomb sights were very effective.

The B-29 was not used in Europe so it didn’t shoot the shit out of the Luftwaffe. The Japanese army and Navy interceptors, yes.
Look up the history of the use of the B-29. It was designed to fly high and fast enough to be essentially very difficult to target with Flak and fighters. At enormous cost it was put into service (more money spent than on the Manhattan Project) and supported in China at first. That was what the airlift over The Hump was about. Every gallon of avgas was initially flown in. The initial results were disappointing and regarded as unlikely to achieve much. Part of the problem was that they didn’t know about the Jetstream. Go up wind over the target and you become a good target for flak. Go downwind and the groundspeed is so high the bombsight can’t cope. Go crosswind and the drift angle is such the bombsight can’t cope.
LeMay ordered most of the guns removed to save weight, painted the undersurfaces black a little later and loaded up on incendiaries then went in at relatively low altitude (under 10,000 feet mostly) and proceeded to burn Japanese cities to the ground. Accuracy not required. Yes, it deliberately targeted civilians.
This isn’t a bad article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-29_Superfortress
I did read a book about the whole program which went in to far more detail.

feelthebern
feelthebern
October 18, 2022 1:08 pm

Can people please not drink the last beer in the fridge without popping another six pack in there?

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
October 18, 2022 6:32 pm

Prosecutor Shane Drumgold has begun the crown’s closing submission, telling the jury the case against Bruce Lehrmann is not about the #MeToo movement or parliamentary culture.

Mr Drumgold warned jurors not to get distracted by “red herrings” and said the case was not about political parties or movements

Err, wut?
Not about politics?
So why call two ministers who had fuck all to add to the case?

Louis Litt
October 19, 2022 7:34 am

Re Rita news real
Andrews is an socialist – all my life all I have ever heard is police violence and violence is the worst thing – you are tarred with it.
Now this – can some stick up for the police and conservatives .
Seeing some of the shots with tanks and tear gas guns, it’s as though the socialists actually get off on this stuff.
He, lie all so called socialist are gutless wonders. The frightened teenager who has never left home.

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