The Random thought thread

[Jerry_Atrick]

I see that the oath or affirmation is a requirement under the Australian constitution, and it is prescribed in the Schedule to the constitution. Of course, making a statement publicly for whatever political or publicity gain she is hoping for does not constitute a legal admission, and she would have to make the statement under, ironically, an oath or affirmation. If she does admit it legally, then the opposition’s call for her disqualification would be valid.

 

There is nothing in the constitution that requires the oath or affirmation to be held throughout the course of their tenure, at least per parliament between elections. I would imagine that the allegiance would have to be honestly held at the time of making the oath. But, remember, allegiance means loyalty or commitment. That does not mean support. 

 

For example, it could be argued that her expression of "you are not my king" is a representation to the King that, in her view, Australia is over the monarchy, and in her loyalty of serving the king, she is letting him know the truth... Of course, if she was just expressing her opinion then it could also reasonably be inferred as disloyalty or non-commitment, however, what if she reasonably and honestly believed this was also the opinion of the majority if Australians? She is, admittedly in a dramatic and disrespectful manner, simply stating to the King that the subjects are restless and want change. That does not mean one is disloyal nor non-committed.

 

And if you think I am stretching it, then what about Malcolm Turnbull (not that he is an MP anymore) or any pro-republican MP? They clearly do not want the monarchy but it is not disloyal or non-committed to the monarch or their heirs. They are simply saying they think public opinion and the, in their eyes, anachronistic head of state of an independent country has reached its expiry date, and in good faith and wishing them a pleasant future, it is time to move on. If the plan is to keep a republic in the Commonwealth as active members, then is that not showing loyalty and commitment to the monarch?

 

Otherwise, with the exception that Thorpe is a gregarious, attention seeking loud mouth, any prop-republic MP is also disavowing their allegiance, and should they also not be forced to exit stage left (or right, as applicable)?

Edited October 23 by Jerry_Atrick

[old man emu]

I see no lack of allegiance if politicians promote the independence of Australia from the current monarchical system of government we have now. Australia is one of only a few former components of the British Empire that remains under the monarchy. India, South Africa and many former colonies in Africa and Asia have been granted independence from the rule of the monarch. It is quite within the power of the monarch to grant that independence. One would think that in the current economic circumstances, ditching those countries still tied to the Crown might be an idea.

 

The biggest problem that I see for Australia in becoming independent of the monarchy is the method by which a Head of State is created, and the powers granted to that position. History has given us very many examples of poor selection methods. The prime one at the moment is that employed in the USA. Look at France. The prime minister is the holder of the second-highest office in France, after the president of France. The president, who appoints but cannot dismiss the prime minister, can request resignation. The president is the person who receives more than 50% of the votes cast by the people. One idea proposed for Australia was that the Head of State was elected by the members of both houses of parliament.

 

Both those methods lay themselves open to political influence. Who gets nominated to contest the election? Would political groups willingly put forward candidates who are clearly apolitical? For all the claimed faults of our current system, at least the Head of State is apolitical. The only time that situation has not existed is when John Kerr acted to dismiss the Whitlam government. Even then, although having been informed of what was going on, the Queen did not intervene. And at least with an hereditary monarchy, we know that the successors are well educated in the application of the powers and duties of the monarchy.

[onetrack]

One of the best things we can do is ignore Lydia Thorpe and her need to be continually angry and bitter, discontented, and abusive. You give her more exposure, it's the oxygen she thrives on.

Nothing would make this woman happy, apart from turning back the clock to 1788 - which, as we all know, is impossible.

 

As with many Aboriginals, she thrives on abusing whites, while she takes advantage of every generous offering given to her by Anglo-Saxon culture and development.

 

She wouldn't be alive today if her tribes were left in the state they lived in in 1788, she would've died an early death from starvation or simple diseases, for which her tribal society would've had no cure.

As a woman in her tribe, she would've been voiceless, and regularly sexually abused, with no-one to turn to for retribution. Her tribes laws would've been patriarchal and cruel.

 

It's only because of the vastly improved cultural, legal, medical, engineering, scientific and technological life that she now lives, that she can now get up in an orderly House of Govt and protest about colonisation events that no-one can change - and for which events, the Indigenes have been adequately compensated for, on many fronts - with the financial and land rights compensation given to them, being more than any other country in the world.

 

She has no grounds that gives her the right to abuse the current people in control of our style of Govt. In former times she would be accused of sedition and overthrow of the Govt of the day.

[facthunter]

She wants to be part of the government and has the benefit of all that is modern comfortable and good in our society but show no respect for those who provide it. There can't be one race which has privileges others don't..That seems basic. Places where it happens. you wouldn't want to go there. Women are often without basic rights. It's not that long ago that was the case here.. She is NOT advancing her cause by such behaviour.   Nev

[old man emu]

Amid growing anger over the Victorian independent’s protest against King Charles in parliament this week, Labor and the Coalition will discuss a plan to formally sanction her in the chamber next month. 

 

Constitutional lawyer Anne Twomey told ABC TV she believed the oath had been made correctly in writing.  Twomey said, “And even to the extent that she might have mispronounced the word ‘heirs’, by pronouncing the ‘h’, and mispronunciation itself is not legally invalidating, she also referred to the Queen’s successors. So she has made an oath to the Queen and to the Queen’s successors. King Charles is the Queen’s successor; therefore she has made an oath to him, both orally and in writing.”

 

So if the oath was made, she has repudiated it. Therefore one of the criteria for taking a seat in the Senate is missing. She no longer has the right to sit. 

 

 

[willedoo]

18 minutes ago, old man emu said:

She no longer has the right to sit.

It's a funny use of language. You stand for election then once elected you sit.

[facthunter]

 At the end of the day it's what you STAND FOR that matters.. Grand standing is not always principled or effective..Is she setting an example for others? If so. then the future is dismal for Australia. You have to win hearts and minds to progress. Nev

[gareth lacey]

She is a sxxt stirrer nothing less,as for championing the aboriginal cause she is divisive,she has very little heritage as an aboriginal,another snout in the trough,there are other aboriginal spokespeople that are far more articulate than her,she is a typical bogan loudmouth,her own father had given up on her,she shoots herself in the foot everytime she opens her mouth

Edited October 24 by gareth lacey

[willedoo]

Czech Airlines has shut down after 101 years in operation.

[facthunter]

Did a couple of their planes Bounce?  Nev

[Marty_d]

Hope they did their pre takeoff Czechs.

[willedoo]

It's difficult to think of two planes as an airline, particularly when only one of them works.

[onetrack]

So, this is their last Czech-out??

[pmccarthy]

They won’t be banking anymore?

[facthunter]

No turn around likely then.  Nev

[willedoo]

The Army made some nice storage boxes in their day. I saw this Engineer's box on FB Marketplace today. It looks like hoop pine and would have that nice old hoop pine smell no doubt. I have a couple of Army old rifle crates made from hoop pine with the rope handles. Also a few boxes that held some type of actuator. They are mostly plywood, but the timber pieces inside to hold the item in place are hoop pine and some even have red cedar pieces inside them. They used to refit and re-purpose a lot of boxes; you often see the old markings showing under the paint indicating a former use.

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

12 hours ago, willedoo said:

Czech Airlines has shut down after 101 years in operation.

I flew them once from London to Prague...

 

Never again would I after that flight.

[onetrack]

Interesting little box you found there, Willie. I was surprised to learn from the box, that the Engineers ran A.A. Companies in WW2. What I find even more interesting is that the box has a serving soldiers name on it, indicating it was deemed property under his personal care - and I'm puzzled as to what that item may have been. Obviously, it was valuable and of great importance.

 

The name R. Reed and the 56 A.A. Coy RAE, leads me to dig up the blokes history. It appears he was Q50102 Sgt Major R.E. Reed (Warrant Officer Class 2 or simply WO2 or WOII) in 56 A.A. Coy, which was based in Brisbane.

I found him listed in the Coy's War Diaries for 1942, which are the only ones I've examined so far. On that date, he marched out of HQ's at Lytton, to go to Amberley.

According to the Roll of Honour, WO2 R.E. Reed transferred across to the Artillery later on in the War, and was still serving in the R.A.A. when he was demobbed - but he'd gained a commission to Lieutenant by that time.

 

See the company War Diary record for 26-5-1942 in the link, where he's listed at the top of the page -

 

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/AWM2019.366.2651/bundled/AWM2019.366.2651.pdf

 

Robert Reed's service history - https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=43992&c=WW2#R

 

 

[old man emu]

7 hours ago, onetrack said:

leads me to dig up the blokes history.

Well done, that man!

 

It is fantastic that all these records are now available online. My B-i-L is involved with the RSL and spends a lot of time searching the records to recover the military history of people so that later generations of the family have that bit of history. I researched my Dad's military service file and from it was able to produce a framed display which includes a photo of him in uniform; his original medals; reproduction unit patches and an abridged service history. It hangs on the wall in my Mum's room at the aged care centre.

[old man emu]

Question for those with knowledge of New Zealand.

 

I was looking at the disposal instructions for the wrapper of a packet of Arnott's biscuits. For Australia, it said bin it, but for NZ it said return to store. 

 

How does that work in NZ?

[facthunter]

Just gets shaken up a bit more. Nev

[spenaroo]

On 21/10/2024 at 7:06 PM, old man emu said:

An engine will "breathe" with changes in air pressure brought about both by the movement of weather systems and the heating of air from cool in the morning through wam at midday to cool in the evening. This introduces moisture to the cylinder with the adverse effects that moisture causes over time. If you have a single cylinder engine, then pulling it onto the compression stroke will close both valves and prevent the that daily movement of air. However, you can't use the same technique for a multi-cylinder engine because there will always be cylinders with one valve open. Putting a plug in the exhaust pipe might reduce the daily air movement a little, but unless you can plug both the intake and exhaust manifolds, you are going to get that air movement. The best you can do is remove the spark plugs and squirt some oil into each pot and put the spark plugs back. I wonder if there is enough oily residue left in teh cylinders of diesel engines to protect them.

We call it "fogging" for winterisation of jetskis and motorcycles.

use a light oil, there is specialist oil for it - but WD40 works.

spray it down the intake till the engine starts running rough. then hit the kill switch.

[facthunter]

That's one way You can wait about 5 minutes and do the same, but just pull the starter through and have the Ignition off.  Follow with a squirt into the muffler and it will last forever also. Nev

[spacesailor]

Yes But. In the last spenaroo sentence. The engine is hot & with a few extra revs will pull more oil through the system. 

 spacesailor

 

[willedoo]

You learn a lot on this forum. I've always pulled the Honda engine onto compression when not using it, but this afternoon I gave the muffler a squirt as noted.