old man emu

I share my dwelling with Gehyra dubia. Thanks, willedoo for the info about how they deal with insects. Now I won't be concerned when I hear that noise coming from the walls. With the rain recently, the insect population has exploded and I'm wondering if the gecko population might also. The only thing I have against them is that they shit on the walls sometimes.

Just another example of how the American concentration on dystopia. Dystopias are often characterized by fear or distress, tyrannical governments, environmental disaster, or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society. When was the last time Hollywood produced a movie or TV series that showed any form of happiness? Is it any wonder that our young people are suffering from depression or reacting with others by bullying? Maybe if there is a collapse of the USA, we might eventually move from dystopia to utopia.

Once again the question arises, "Why was there no early complaint subsequent to the alleged offence?" Methinks it takes two to tango, or at least get up onto the dance floor.

The application of BMI to health care is pseudoscience. The data it is based upon was collected in the 19th Century as part of a general census of the physical features of Belgians. It does not take into account things like bone density, or the ratio of skeletal muscle to fat. One could just as reliably base an opinion of a person's health upon the circumference of their skull. The best data to determine obesity is the circumference of the body, measured at the height of the navel. Roughly speaking, each centimetre of that circumference is equal to a kilogram of weight. If the circumference is in the low 90s to the mid-80s and the person is of average height of about 175 cm, then the person doesn't have a weight problem.

I knew you would say that. I'm passed being depressed. I just feel that forewarned is forearmed. I really hope that my prediction is wrong, but when I see that the Common Person has no control over the actions of governments, and even less over those of the anonymous corporate bosses, I don't see a well-lit path to nirvana for my kids and grandkids.

When Barry McGuire sang the following words in 1965, its message was somewhat prophetic. I fear that the prophecy is closer now to becoming a reality. The Eastern world, it is explodin' Violence flarin', bullets loadin' You're old enough to kill but not for votin' You don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin'? And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin' But you tell me Over and over and over again, my friend How you don't believe We're on the eve of destruction More and more, the portent of the collapse of the economy and political stability in the United States is becoming more likely. Continuing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe seem to be ready to worsen, drawing in many nations. In Asia, China and North Korea are making a racket rattling their sabres. Even South Korea is subject to civil unrest. We don't hear much of what goes on in South America or Africa, but there are many hints that the Dove of Peace is heading for the cooking pot. What about Australia? I've said before that I consider Australia to be a Third World Country wearing the emperor's clothing of a First World one. A Third World country is economically poor and non-industrialized. In political discourse, the term Third World was often associated with being underdeveloped. My idea of a Third World country is one that was exploited by a colonial power; was developed in order to provide the colonial power with raw materials, and, once freed from colonial shackles, lacks the secondary (industrial) capacity to utilise the raw materials it was able to produce. Australia appears economically strong, but that strength still derives from using raw materials for trade with countries having the industrial base. If countries stop trading with Australia, even for niche products (Western Australian lobsters) the economy is quickly affected. Australia is enmeshed in the global economy. If any leading economy stumbles Australia is likely to fall on its face. Reports today indicate that our GDP has not grown at the expected rate. The many wars have reduced the amount of shipping available to move our raw materials to old and new markets. Worst of all, we do not have a secure oil-based energy system. 96% of energy imports were refined petroleum products and crude oil. We have three weeks' supply stored somewhere in the USA. How would we fare if the USA goes into financial and industrial meltdown? What do we do if China and the USA get into a gunfight, probably because North Korea does something stupid. At the moment we have a foot in both camps, and my thought is that it is more realistic for Australia to go with the Chinese if we can't stay neutral. I have no faith in the idea that the USA would do anything more under the banner of the old ANZUS treaty than protect its military bases in Australia. Throw post-COVID, environmental changes and the cost-of-living crisis into the mix and I don't know How you don't believe We're on the eve of destruction.

Isn't it amazing that when talk turns to dangerous Australian animals, all voice is given to snakes, Red Back spiders, Blue Ring octopus, crocs, sharks and other marine nasties, but the poor old goanna doesn't get a mention. We tell tourists to beware of Drop Bears while bushwalking, but nary a word about goannas.

What ever happened to the custom of children telling people what they wished for as a gift at Christmas and the thrill of the anticipation to see if that wish is fulfilled as parcels are unwrapped on Christmas Day? I hate what has happened with gift giving now. Kids just say that they would like money from those giving gifts so that the kid can build a bankroll to buy something that they really want, but is too expensive for one gift giver to give. While it is good that the kids have a plan for using money gifted to them, and usually what they want is not frivolous, giving a card with money or gift vouchers in it, robs the giver of the chance to enjoy the suspense associated with the opening of a wrapped parcel. I know that it's better to give than receive, but isn't the suspense of the unknown the essence of Christmas gift-giving?

I suppose that if the ABC doesn't have programs presented by opinion makers, then you could say that it is unbiased. Unfortunately, since it dares to present the story from the other side of the fence, then the commercial media with its agenda will attack anything that the ABC does that is different. Actually, if the ABC stopped all reporting of political matters, but maintained the rest of its activities, then the commercial media would not have anything to harp on about.

So. You'd deforest the whole place?

That would be tipping the baby out with the bath water. What the ABC needs is a major overhaul. You have to remember that the ABC plays many important roles in the community. Also, its radio transmissions are often the only frequencies that can be received in rural areas. I agree that it's news department could go back to reporting, not opinionating. However, the ABC is probably acting to meet the desires of a different population than that which we older people grew up with. That's why its website and TV news formats don't appeal. I don't like how it tends to pander to minorities, a practice which promotes division within the community. As for its drama, the last two TV dramas, Bay of Fires and Return to Paradise were crap.

I wonder what sort of penalty a Court would have imposed on Hunter. As I see it, the firearm possession charge would have been a 'back up' charge, possibly suitably penalised by a fine, if that was an available penalty in the law pertaining to the offence. Don't forget that a certain Florida resident was also in possession of a firearm after conviction, but, correctly, the matter wasn't pursued. If the tax debt was paid in accordance with the taxation laws, then, once again it could be argued that a fine would have sufficed as penalty. How many other people are dealt with in the same way? Biden's error was preempting the Court. As we look at it today, it does sully his reputation, but we must remember that the people gave their Presidents the authority to act in this way. Not many used it (???), but Biden did. That he did it as he was opening the office door preparatory to leave, is what might worsen our opinion of him.

Real men spill quiche on their pink Angora jumpers.

I hate when they airbrush nudie pictures.

Wouldn't you just love to go Ta-Tas in a jaunty jalopy?

Clothing gripe: I need to replace some well-worn T-shirts, so I had a look at what Big W had. Why do 'going-out' T-shirts have to have inane motifs or images of the current crop of American movie mayhem makers? The motifs are most often Wun Hung Lo's interpretation of American college football or basketball names and numbers, or are made to look like merch obtained at some obscure imaginary event. I don't mind wearing a T-shirt with the logo of a team or product I support, if it is worn at the appropriate time, but to wear one that is wholly a fiction irks me greatly. My limit is the small alligator or polo player logo on the clothing of those respective companies. It is hard to find a T-shirt in a plain colour, or even patterned that is free of this motif nonsense. I suppose I should simply join the wearers of Hi-Vis and blend into the crowd.

That concept of a political mandate is an odd thing. If in an election a person tells the voters, "If elected, I'll .....(outlines what will be done)", and 50% + 1 of the voters vote for that person, surely, in a democracy where "majority rules", the person can do what was promised. After all, a mandate is the authority to carry out a policy, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate winning an election. Interestingly, according to a bit of data I found using "2024 us election votes" as the enquiry wording in Google, Trump got 50% of the vote, Harris 48.4% and Others got the remaining 1.6%. If Trump got exactly 50%, does he have a mandate? He won the election due to the gerrymander of the Electoral College, as he did in 2016 when Clinton got 48% of the vote and Trump got 45.9%. NOTE: I could not get a URL for the result of my Google search, but if you use the same words, you should get the same result.

Didn't know you were into S&M. There's an American meme doing the rounds, the text of which says "Watching what is happening is like watching the fall of the Roman Empire, but with wifi." I can only agree with the sentiment.

The examples of the problems might be new, but the problems we are trying to help our kids deal with are just new example of things categorised as "DANGER". Modern parents are as adept with digital technology as their kids are. Those parents, if they are awake to what is going on in their kids' lives have to help them identify approaching danger and show them ways to avoid it, or, if the danger has struck, show them how to get out of its grip. A complete ban on access to social media causes the kids to miss out on the innumerable good things social media provides them and their friends. In our day, our parents happily let us go play in the surf, but they told us of the dangers and that they could be avoided by swimming between the flags. Let young kids today go swim in the social media surf, but show them where the flags are.

By "minute", I mean a number much less than 1% of the total population. In other words, most kids are not seriously affect. They have contact with it, but pass it by. "We collectively have the responsibility of protecting Kids". And the first people who have that responsibility are parents. They are duty bound to gain an understanding of how to deal with the problem and then spend the time talking to their kids to help them develop strategies to meet the problem. The most important thing for parents to instill in their kids is that keeping things bottled up and not talking to parents about them is a sure way to be beaten by the problem. Unfortunately, I don't think that the parents ever got that idea from their own parents.

Piece of cake, mate! Three hours on a Frid'y afternoon.

Even if the Dems took over the Senate and House mid-term, Trump will still have access to a wad of pro-forma Presidential Order forms. Here's some comments on where Trump's physical and mental health might be in a few years' time.

One would think that the President could be replaced if overcome by mental or physical causes. Section 4 of the 25th Amendment says that Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President. If Trump instigates his plans for tariffs and deportations, which would lead to the downfall of the US economy, one might see a repetition of the Ides of March, if Vance could be separated from Trump's coat-tails.

The largest seed in the world is the coco de mer, the seed of a palm tree. It can reach about 30 centimetres (12 inches) long, and weigh up to 18 kilograms (40 pounds).

What is the only real way that you can prove your age? It is a birth certificate. How many of us actually have an original birth certificate? I just realised that my original document is with my son at the moment as he needed it so my grandson could get a passport. How many parents have an original birth certificate for each child? Then, if you do have an original birth certificate, how do you provide it to a social media operator? There's all that information on the document that is required to establish identity. How secure is it? We believe that we live in a democracy where the majority rules. Has anyone ever seen statistics on how many Under-16s have been affected in a seriously adverse what through social media. I agree that those reported suicides and lesser ills should not have occurred, but what percentage of children do they represent? A minute percentage, I suppose.