nomadpete

Yes I recall those days, too. And when a car reached ten years old, it was usually so cheap an apprentice could buy it with a week's wage. With a smoky engine and structural rust in the body. In contrast with our present two 15 year old cars. Both rust free, happily running their original engines after 150,000 MILES.

I spent yesterday planespotting. The downwash (air, not so much water) sends down any loose branches. 20240318_161847.mp4

99 cents, more or less

You must havd liked it if you rode down here three times!

Holes are not

Just taking that point. I disagree. All a female has to do is report an allegation to the police and ask for a DVO. No questions are asked. It can be misused (and frequently is). I abhore ALL violence. However I was poweless to intervene or gain support when I was assaulted. That is clearly gender bias.

I know we have drifted away from funny pictures but it is important. "Michael Dix-Williams, project manager, said: "There's very much a belief that domestic abuse only happens to women, and that prevents men coming forward." This alone has caused innumerable suicides of men. I was almost one. I do not trivialise nor justify any violence toward women. I just ask equal voice to the cases of violence BY women.

"Chomatically Challenged" Just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it!

I am sure you do. However, a long time ago I personally experienced an event of violence by my partner. I attempted to deflect all blows without harming her in any way. At the time and the police said "There is a lot more of this than the public know. If you wish to make a complaint (to the police, initiating possible prosecution), expect the have a difficult time proving anything." Is that a bias? My partner was supported by colleagues who stated such as 'Oh she is a nice person, she would never do anything like that '. Is that a bias? I was subjected to over three hours of physical assault at the time, and later spent the night in Royal Brisbane casualty. When she was interviewed at a police station a passer by (happened to be senior police person, and a neighbour) asked 'Why are you here?' To which she replied, in tears 'I don't know why'. She was sent home. No charges were laid. is that a bias? In my workplace, one male said 'Why didn't you just king hit her to stop it?'. Yeah that fits the stereotype. But I would not hit a woman. Is that a bias? Ironically several others quietly came out to say they too had been physically assaulted by wives, but didn't say anything because nobody will believe it. And they would be seen as weak. These men do not show up on anybody's statistics. Is that a bias? I knew at the time that any attempt to defend myself would certainly result in an instant DVO, no questions asked. Is that a bias? Years prior to that psychological disaster, and probably contributing to it, my wife of 20 years had attempted to stab me with a kitchen knife when I presented her with a envelope filled with written love letters from another man. The woman I loved vowed to kill me whilst I slept. But that is another long story. But I later slept in a separate room with a chair wedged under the door handle, until I left. I left with nothing except my sanity (and my life) and built a better life. But that is another story. But these are two stories of cases where women received greatly beneficial treatment due to bias toward women.

That's the aviation industry. And we all know that is a hazardous activity.

Octave, just try making a complaint against a woman (for any reason). I share the view that you have been very fortunate to mix/work amongst the nice people. Bad behaviour is not decided by gender, but bias sometimes is. That broad statement works across the spectrum. This is one case where statistics are often skewed. My personal experience has confirmed this.

Nah, couldn't be! If that was true, Gina would have a mine there and by now got a government subsidy to build a rail track to it.

Similar story in the power industry. In 18 years I recall a couple of fatalities. Working on high voltage doesn't give you a second chance. We used to joke 'one flash and you're ash'. 1. Driver fell asleep at the wheel on the way home from a job. Tree stopped him. 2. Man crushed by a trailer when he unhitched it on a slope. 3. Electrocution! Poor bloke was working on a rural line when lightning hit the line 2k away. Note that both ends of the run were grounded. 4. Snake bite when walking through long grass. 5. There was another WTF fatality but I can't recall details of it. Our regular safety bulletins advised all staff when incidents occurred so no problems were hidden. Although strict risk assessments and processes are annoying and often slow down productivity, they really do save lives.

My theory is that Tassie is a small pond for pollies to play in. Local councils are the same everywhere. The smaller mobs seem to avoid meaningful scrutiny and they get away wit more dodgy stuff. I support independants and Greens for the same reason as Marty. Down here poverty and unemployment/ underemployment is rife. When it comes to job options, there seems to be mostly public servants, fish farmers and loggers. We probably have a big unreported number of people living rough. Not on the streets, but in third world shacks on bush blocks. I am helping the president of our mens shed - he managed to buy a bush block back when they were affordable. Still no electricity so I am setting up a basic solar plant to give him lights.

Marty, jeans and a jacket would get you frozen to death on a cold Scottish winter night.

I didn't know that either. But it makes sense, logically. Not so sure how he'd do all that on a muddy battlefield. I rather like his fireplace though.

Most armchair travellers have already been doing that for decades, Nev.

I do remember the event as it was reported in the day. Today, it chills me to read the full story (even though it is Wiki).

And that was referring to the original Crimean War in 1853. After their wars, the Russians (maybe moreso than others?) seem to leave a blank canvas for the victors to build a new county on. Yes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I like this quote taken from the Guardian article. Perhaps pootin is cut from the same cloth as Nicholas the first : "Only a miracle can extricate him from the difficulties heaped on him and Russia by his pride, shallowness and imbecility" Karl Marx on Nicholas I

Not joking. Given that autonomous vehicles potentially know the thinking/paths of oncoming traffic, we can expect these interesting traffic activities to become the norm after human drivers become obsolete.

I thought there was a 'Two Hectare' rule?

To me this confirms my suspicion that the Kremlins social media influencers intend to 'help' trumpy.

Maybe he suddenly realised.........