An open thread, where at your weekend leisure, you can discuss anything you like.
It’s a long weekend in Queensland. We celebrate Labour day with a public holiday on Monday.
43 Responses to “Saturday Salon (Labour day edition)”
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Frist!
This may be of interest to some here — there’s an Australian version of the UK (and/or NZ) TheyWorkForYou under development, called Open Australia, and they’re looking for testers: [link]
Everyone;
“The Peoples’ Flag is deepest red, ….”
Well, May Day is still May Day.
Hey, hang on. This is the Labor Day weekend, isn’t it?
Celebrating Labour Day (the first on which the ALP is in power in all Oz Governments, territorial, state & federal)
& 24/11/08
“Arose ye workers from your slumbers”
BTW: I’d forgotten this charmer (from Alan Ramsey)about about the true “character” behind the spin-shield of the unlamented JWH:
[link]
Another public holiday? That means the trains are going to be all messed up. Bugger.
Shame about Red Ken.
Nick recommends IRON MAN, the most enjoyable — and surprisingly uncompromising — superhero movie in a long time. Stay till after the credits for a nice easter egg.
Talk is cheap!!
I was in my nearby McDonalds the other day and I found myself fascinated by the the amount of conversation that transpired to make a sale. My very crude observation determined that it took about 10 words for every dollar passed over the counter. And that is not counting the amount of conversation that transpires in the kitchen production area, or the conversations in the entire pre-production supply chain. And all of this gets summarised with an “mmmmmm!!” or a “Yukkk!!”. It goes further. For every dollar of investor return at a ratio of 100:1 that means around 1000 words will be spoken. Considering the immmense complexity of bio engineering that makes it possible for us to be able to speak at all and operate in such complex and diverse ways you have to marvel at natures spectacular achievement, while being astonished at how we take this for granted.
So for all of you retirees out there enjoying the peace and solitude of your gardens, while living off your investments, spare a thought for the incredible din that you are creating elsewhere. And that din is 10 million words for every 10 thousand dollars that flows into your bank account. Thank your lucky stars that you don’t have to listen to it.
Well here in the West Troy Buswell hogs the limelight,but I have never heard such a load of mawkish crap in my life as is being peddled by 6PR and its Talk back lot,you would think they had recrucifyed JC.
Then we come to the great Sunday Times farce,all up in arms how terrible ect ect from Beamont through Mamuil to Sattler who was threating to expose a Labour minister about something of a sexual nature,but that seems to have died fast,but I remember Howard, Downer doing the same thing destroying people Reputations because they spoke up or went to the papers.
Don,t recall the same lot in Perth being up in arms about that,could there be a double standard,Frank may know more
John Howard’s petty-mindedness to Dawkins -the latter being the man who stopped universities from being free, in case anyone doesn’t know or forgets - it wasn’t all Howard’s dirty work -probaly explains why he never made Time Magazine’s most influential people list. I bet there were tea-cups thrown around the kitchen when the Hermit realised Rudd had got on and he didn’t.
Lots of obscure people on it, though.
Since Ken Livingstone lost the London mayoral elections I’ve been thinking that maybe we should get him to come over and become NSW Premier. I’m pretty sure Bob Carr did say the job was like being Mayor of Sydney anyway and he could probably do a much better job.
Heehee. Our Liberal Party is confusing the Americans again. Wonkette thinks Buswell is the leader of the national Liberal party, and some Freeper/LGF type* thinks that because he’s “a Liberal” that means he’s a bleeding heart namby pamby liberal. (h/t to Lauredhel for the links)
Also, fun for pedants: Are You Smarter Than A Spellchecker? - can you spot all 10 common homophone errors? (I got em all, even #8 which apparently is the most commonly missed)
* Freepers are the troglodytic denizens of Free Republic. LGF is Little Green Footballs, which is less troglodytic only because their insatiable appetite for tinfoil requires frequent excursions to the shops. Full HazMat gear required before venturing onto their turf.
TT — yep, got ‘em all, though not immediately — I might have missed several if I hadn’t been looking for them. I would have thought #6 was even more common than #8!
Got no 6 wrong. Also posted a comment wising the Yanks up to the fact that the chair sniffer is a Bush supporter.
Tomorrow is International Star Wars Day - May the 4th be with you!
And of course today is World Press Freedom Day
I had to re-read number six a few times.
My SO once typed an entire environmental report on a keyboard with a dicky ‘O’. Many of his points were rendered as pints. I’ll drink to that.
Forgive my ignorance, but I was wondering what is so special about this retiring family court judge, Paul Guest, that The Oz decided to write 3 substantial articles about him (1, 2, 3) in the weekend paper.
Canada ups the age for sexual consent from 14 to 16, but goes a bit too far in my opinion:
They want to stop teens kissing?
I’m all for protecting minors against sexual predators, but I’m surprised they haven’t gone the whole hog and banned them from dancing as well.
That is golden, Silkworm. I met a guy with the surname Theaker. And for no reason at all the thought popped into my head “perthonally theaking Thuthan”, a play on the movie title. Now I won’t ever be able to view Thtar Warthz the same again.
What about teens that want to have sex - the whole Romeo and Juliet problem?
Marta, the linked news story has the details. They do have a Romeo and Juliet exception, a rather generous one of five years age difference (as long as the older person is not in a position of authority of any kind over the younger person).
I still object to the framing of kissing as somehow a step too far with regard to sexual relations.
“What about teens that want to have sex - the whole Romeo and Juliet problem?”
From my reading of the new Canadian law, if they know how to count up to five, it should be fumbly rooting as usual.
Re:11 and the fun for pedants - yay! Got ‘em all.
Tigtog, do you know what the punishment will be if they’re caught snogging? Jeez.
Here’s a quiz that’s harder. I got 18/34 with a lot of guessing. (via Making Light)
We all need bidets!
H/T to Laura of 11D.
The funniest read to come out of the West in a long time. Looks like the Libs are in big trouble over there after tonight’s dramatic events.
[link]
Zarquon, that’s one serious test. I got 18/34 too.
From yesterdays Crikey comments section:
John Mair writes: Re. “That Troy Buswell is an awful snedger” (yesterday, item 10). Richard Farmer wrote: “Apparently in County Cork the practice of sniffing bicycle seats after women riders alighted was prevalent enough for the word snedger to be coined…” I think you’ll find the most common term for this uncommon perversion is pooning. Either way, it seems it gets Brendon Nelson’s support.
Snap. Same score for me, too.
*Casts suspicious eyes at alleged Hall of Fame scores*
OK, where’s Ampersand Duck when you need her?
20/34 … which is 3 below the average. Oh well.
“I was in my nearby McDonalds the other day”
My sincerest sympathies
Perth International Airport is currently in lockdown mode due to a suspicious package.
[link]
Listening in on the scanner to the airport comms, it could be described as chaotic
John R,
Except for Steve Gordon, 6PR is a nursing home for crackpot Libs - Maumill is dirty on the ALP because they’ve disowned Burkie. And the Sunday Crimes whinging about being raided - He who casts the first stone
Thanks Anthony, It doesn’t happen often.
I don’t think kissing should necessarily be defined as sexual activity in advance. I guess it depends upon the detail of the legislation, but it could involve some quite dubious applications if too broad.
I wonder if this change is emerging in the wake of teacher sex scandals? Apparently that has been a big deal in Canada lately, although my sources aren’t authoritative. There have been retrospective prosecutions, including one case where a woman who no longer identified as same-sex attracted pressed charges against a female teacher with whom she had had a relationship in the ’70s. An ethically and legally complex situation, I would imagine.
just flipped through the sun-herald and thought of you, lp. apparently missy higgins is playing on an all-lesbian cruise in the US.
Got 13 in that font test.
GOt 7 out of 10 for the homophone test. Nobody will be surprised.
For anyone holding out hope of an affordable 4Kw solar powered air conditioner:
[link]
View the excellent animation.
“I don’t think kissing should necessarily be defined as sexual activity in advance.”
So true Klaus K.
Though many Canadian teenagers may well be spared from those sloppy, wet and unwelcome smooches of aged aunts and uncles that make those tortured teenage years so totally unbearable.
Look, as long as the Folk in Charge Know What They’re Doing, eh?
A little glimpse into the mindset of Whitehall mandarins (or junior boffins) faced with nuclear attack in the 1950s
[link]
Good to know they were on the ball, eh?
What about coffee? Now that would have been serious.
Thanks for that link, Ambigulous. It’s easy to snicker, but tea would have been only one item among many under consideration — the journo has evidently extracted that little bit for maximum humour value. And when you’re considering the morale of the (remaining) population, limitations on the number of cuppas each person is allowed each week was actually no small thing. Just by way of comparison, I think the WWII tea ration was 3oz per person per week, and here they’re talking about less than 1oz. Though, having said that, I don’t drink tea so I’ve no idea how far that would go …
Timor newslflash, if anyone’s interested: there are reports ASDT has just left the Xanana-led coalition, which puts them in minority situation. The government will now likely collapse. We’re looking at fresh elections.
ASDT are said to be joining up with Fretilin, citing ‘high levels of corruption and nepotism’.
bear in mind early ET reports can be suspect, but I believe Ramos-Horta has been unhappy with XGs polarising impact, and will seek fresh elections now.
FWIW, Fretilin plus ASDT-PSD would equal 32 seats, one short of a majority. My guess is though that PSD hasnt left, so the number will be more like 27. Fresh elections ahoy!