Monday, September 05, 2022

In which the Major continues MIA, but there are rich consolations, thanks to a course in the y'artz, and a chance to nuke the country ...

 



The pond has been patiently waiting for a fortnight now for the Major to explain how a media mogul attacking a media minnow represented the finest traditions of freedom of speech, but it looks like the pond will have to keep on waiting, because once again Major Mitchell is MIA.

Instead there was a real treat on offer, the return of one of the pond's favourite loons ... for reasons which will become immediately apparent, what with the pond being a devotee of the y'artz and always in search of a lecture in aesthetics...  and with the reptiles not even bothering to identify or label the opening example of the y'artz in action, though the pond is here to help ...







Thirty six bucks! Talk about splashing big on y'artz! 

Let's hope the reptiles did the right thing by iStock, so that we all might enjoy a rich sampling of y'artz before beginning the real treat!







"There has been ecological damage."

That's as quaint a way of putting the fucking of the  planet as the pond could imagine, discreet, and with proper Victorian restraint, and so the pond continued on, in the hope that triumphalism might be revived and its faith in the y'artz might be restored ...







Indeed, indeed, it is entirely possible that western civilisation has achieved perfection in the likes of the mango Mussolini, but let us continue to dwell in the Victorian era, or perhaps the ancient Romans, when empire was a bloody good thing, and others knew their place ...






And so scribbled a self-satisfied loon, entirely pleased by the mere power imbalance, and entirely mistaken about y'artz, but at least worthy of a cartoon ... which is the sort of y'artz the pond runs to these days ...







The pond would have liked to have spent more time with an emeritus sociology prof being entirely simplistic about the y'artz, but there is much more important business to hand, with the nuking of the country and the planet a pressing concern for the Caterist ...









Ah, of course, a smiling mutton Dutton doing his best impression of a shark as the snap at the top of the piece, and it would be entirely wrong for the pond to note the gloom that gripped the reptiles, and simplistic Simon in particular, this morning ...











Never mind, simplistic Simon, empires rise and fall, but you'll always have the y'artz, or a chance to nuke the country, and who wouldn't trust a man expert in the movement of flood waters in quarries to help with the nuking ...









Good old Compass, still polling away on behalf of the taxpayer-funded MRC, and getting the answers the Caterist needs, and how wondrous that everyone should support a species of power in the early stages of development and entirely uncertain as to cost.

It's the sort of forward thinking that gave the world the stump-jump plough, but at this point, the pond must pause, because the reptiles inserted an image so shocking that the pond could barely believe it ... and so made an appropriate adjustment ...








There, that's better, wouldn't want to startle any reptile horses, and now back to nuking the country in an uncertain way at uncertain cost, relaxed and comfortable and secure in the knowledge that a Compass Poll has all the answers ... yes, it's you, you bloody environmental activists and you bloody bunch of ignorant illiterates ... by which the pond means the entire country save for the blessed Caterist ...





Was it so long ago that a devotion to coal and gas was the last remaining hope of the reptiles for the restoration of sanity in the energy market, upon which our prosperity depends? 

Now it seems the only way to tackle those despicable renewables is to nuke the country ... but aren't we still doing the right thing?







And so to an apology. This day the Oreo has berated China and dictator Xi for its treatment of the Uighurs, in a cunning ploy to get the pond to agree with the Oreo ...

The pond was content to run just the last few pars, because it thought it might be able to help with the situation ...







Surely what's needed is a course in English poetry from Chaucer to Tennyson and Eliot, or perhaps the study of Homer, Plato, and Thucydides, or at the very least, an introduction to Raphael, Shaxberd, Bach, Mozart and the novels of Tolstoy and Henry James ... and then soon enough they'll be selling opium to Xi and his cohorts, and find themselves in possession of a very long lease on Hong Kong, because if you love the y'artz, anything is possible ...

And so to the very finest in western civilisation, the lizard Oz editorialist, with the unindicted co-conspirator still with a yearning for a fascist leader all their own ...






Indeed, indeed, much as you'd expect from a dissembling fascist organisation still continuing to support an authoritarian with autocratic tendencies, and the Donald himself showed exceptional tact and a fine grasp of the elegant retort, and the benefits of exposure to the best in western civilisation in his response ...






It's always the way. Liberals are supposed to be polite, and put dressings on table legs to avoid unseemly arousal, before settling down to a reading of Tennyson, anything but call out a fascist corporation for supporting a wannabe fascist ...

Luckily none of this had anything to do with the Donald's current situation, also in the headlines of late ...







But all that does nicely set up the immortal Rowe for a closing cartoon ...







Aw shit indeed, and so much of the shit can be found at the lizard Oz ...




21 comments:

  1. "The pond would have liked to have spent more time with an emeritus sociology prof being entirely simplistic about the y'artz..." The usual wiffle piffle from someone incapable of doing any of it himself, and, as usual, not even a passing reference to mathematics. Mathematics is not y'artz nor science nor philosophy, it is all of those in one magnificent eternal package: creative imagination partnered by both empirical and pure logic. For just one instance, can anyone even begin to guess just how much the modern world owes to Newton/Leibnitz calculus ?

    Ningnongs like Carroll just have absolutely no conception of how causally important mathematics has been in almost all of modern science. But then, he really doesn't have much grasp of how important science itself is and has been either.

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  2. Simple Simon: "Popular support for the Coalition has slumped to its equal lowest on record as Anthony Albanese extends his lead over Peter Dutton as preferred prime minister." And just think, how long ago was it that:
    Morrison increases lead as preferred prime minister
    https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/morrison-increases-lead-as-preferred-prime-minister/ar-AAWAr3G

    Why it was only the 26th of April this very year that: "Results of the latest Newspoll show Prime Minister Scott Morrison has extended his lead over Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese as the preferred prime minister, despite a dip in approval ratings."

    Sic transit gloria mundi ? But will Mutt the Dutt ever get to extend his lead as "preferred prime minister" over anybody, ever ?

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    Replies
    1. Ah, but as Simple Simon helpfully points out GB, “Labor’s dominance is less about satisfaction with Albanese than it is about the sinking Coalition”. So the polls are nothing to do with Labor’s performance - Spud just needs to pull his socks up a little….

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    2. Naah, it means that Albo has to drop his socks a lot. fter all, Anony, as we all know "oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them." So Albo is PM because we all got heartily s&t of $loMo.

      Delete
  3. “Support for SMRs is particularly strong in the ACT” - in a Territory that just dumped its sole Liberal Federal representative in favour of an environmentalist Independent? Pull the other one, Nick. Where was the poll sample drawn from - the Menzies House staff?

    Nice mixed metaphor though - “..on fertile ground in arguing nuclear power should be back on the table” Don’t worry - a nice meltdown will take care of both fertility and any nearby furniture.

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    1. Errr yeah, Anony, 'Compass Polling' is indeed the Menzies Research Centre house pollster - just ask Chad. So yes, even though the SMR is in "its early stage of development" with "uncertainty over cost." Well, we won't let that put us off, will we; lies and bullshit spring eternal, don't they, especially from NickC.

      Rolls Royce - basing their SMR "design" on their nuclear engines for ships and submarines - started work on the 'UK SMR' back in 2015 and reckon they're hopeful of getting one up and running some time in the 2030s. Yep, SMRs are the solution ... to the problem of how to stop renewables without having to actually deliver anything instead.

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    2. Hi Anony and GB. Being bed-ridden with a nasty non-covid flu I’ve had time to de-compose some unsuspecting songwriter’s lyrics and vent my aghastness at the smarmy corporate horror that is the Cater. Sing along to Diana Ross’s Chain Reaction if you must as it needs a pedestrian beat.

      Brain Contraction

      We need more energy and I’m right on it
      If it’s renewable the folks don’t want it
      Here’s a solution that I’ll be promoting
      That’s what I’m paid to do

      I’m just a shill for the nuclear industry
      Now coal is finished we are taking over
      Although we’re stuck on dealing with atomic waste
      We’ll keep lying just to push it through

      What this country needs are small reactors
      Don’t even ask about the safety factors
      Just let us get them so we can let them
      Make electricity

      We need these power plants to run our nation
      Nuking the country will be our salvation
      And if we ignore the gamma radiation
      They are emission free

      So SMRs are now the main distraction
      The new agenda of the hard hat faction
      They can’t wait to get Australia ready
      For a new sensation - mass irradiation!

      Don’t talk about coal, coal, coal…

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    3. The only problem I can see is that Mutt the Dutt can't walk into parliament with an SMR in his hand. Nor even a kilo or two of U235 either ... oh well, I guess he could really, and I really hope he does.

      Otherwise, sorry about your flu, Kez, but if it means more like the above, then bring it on ! And in the meantime, you can contemplate the paired events that really destroyed the Roman Empire: a series of really serious Icelandic eruptions and the Justinian Plague (bubonic pandemic, really).
      Volcanism and the Justinian Plague
      https://earthlogs.org/2018/12/05/volcanism-and-the-justinian-plague/

      So don't ever believe the likes of Holely Henry when he tries to convince us that it was the totally discourteous questioning of past emperors that done it. And don't believe Gibbon or Mommsen either.

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    4. Kez - likewise with GB - while we would never, ever, consciously wish any kind of lurgi on you, but - if the little viruses give you extra pathways in the creative part of your brain - we will thank them for the results. In this particular case, the Cater is quite unworthy of your inspiration, but you have nailed him.

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    5. Cheers GB and Chadders!

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  4. Anonymous - I suspect it would take longer to survey the staff of Menzies House, and probably cost more, than to go to good ole, reliable Compass Polling. It could well be the case that Menzies House denizens are less predictable in their attitudes than those who Compass might sift out of its usual sampling base - at PureProfile. That base is made up of people who clearly have time to spare, and who offer themselves to PP, initially to test consumer products. To do that, they have to provide great detail about themselves - and, the more they provide, the more likely they are to receive samples to test and review. The more regular participants can qualify for cash rewards or discounts on other goods. It is all readily accessible at

    https://www.pureprofile.com/home/

    Compass can claim quick and cheap polling because, far from calling a sample of the general population 'cold', it can send out bulk e-mails. Of course, that does not imply random selection - there is all that personal information in the PP database to ensure that, well - questions are directed to respondents whose personal information makes it more likely that they will respond in a predictable way. And, of course, that response is even more assured by the way the question is framed.

    It would be amusing for the reptiles to run a 'NewsPoll' like this most recent one simultaneously with one by Compass, but the brief for Compass could solicit a majority for Mr Potato as preferred PM. While the Compass effort might struggle to get Mr Potato ahead of the incumbent, it should be able to close that embarrassing gap evident in 'NewsPoll' - and, so importantly, for a lot less money - well, unless they had to offer free samples of toothpaste, or perhaps some geriatric pharmacy items, as incentives.

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    Replies
    1. Mmm - thinking about it a little longer - if PP were to send out e-mails inviting responses on 'Preferred PM', it could offer as incentive 'Lunch with Mr Potato' - which could save a lot of time trying to define the demographic, within the PP sample base, that could be relied upon to tick Mr Potato as preferred PM.

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  5. Mr Ed: "the US President is doing neither himself nor his party any good by indulging in the polarising politics of division and hate usually seen as Mr Trump's stock in trade." Yeah "usually seen" indeed. Because they are Trump's stock in trade, not just "usually seen" as such. But then how do you know a reptile is lying ? Because that is all they ever do.

    Consider: "at a Democratic rally in Maryland on August 22, Mr Biden [that's Mr President Biden to you] used 'semi-fascism' to describe Trump followers... His ill-judged charge of 'semi-fascism' unfairly maligns 74 million Americans who voted for Mr Trump in 2020." Except, of course, that Biden wasn't referring to the entire 74 million who "voted for Trump".

    As he explained: "Not every Republican, not even the majority of Republicans, are MAGA Republicans," he clarified. "Not every Republican embraces their extreme ideology." But you could never get any reptile to admit that. Not when they can just keep on lying.

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    1. Indeed GB, the Mr Ed has not for the first time tripped over their cack-handed positioning.

      How very dare someone else dip into the grab-bag of "division and hate" that the Mango Mussolini hold copyright in? Let's hear from the Trump family member who runs those copyrights: https://twitter.com/MysterySolvent/status/1566295523346333696

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    2. Like father, vc ? Only actually worse, it seems.

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  6. The Caterist notes that a Compass survey for Menzies Research Centre has revealed that 6 out of 10 Australians aren't buying something something energy.

    I note that News Poll for The Australian has noted that 6.9 out of 10 Australians aren't buying a spud-powered Liberal Party.

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  7. So Nyuk-lar is the answer Nicky? Please discuss

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-27/edf-nuclear-failures-undermine-europe-s-push-to-exit-russian-gas

    Seems like nuclear is more intermittent than wind and solar.

    Of course, it’s all just engineering issues, but then again, most of the problems they talk about with renewables are just engineering (or imagination). The question is which technology will be cheapest to sort out? Hint - not nuclear.

    Even putting aside the reliability of Compass’ polling, there are some interesting propositions here. The better your education the worse your understanding of technology? The older you are the better your technical understanding? Popular opinion is the best way to design systems? And lastly, I assume since he is decrying energy illiteracy, that Nicky believes he understands the subject - this is not supported by the content of his offering.

    Strange that a European crisis precipitated by dependance on fossil fuel imports and unreliable nuclear supply is used as an excuse for more of both. I would imagine the euros are madly building as much RE as possible.

    Just as an aside, where did the coal intended for Ukraine end up? I know the money ended up with Whitehaven but I’m not sure how much has got there. A rather misleading headline from Sky News in August suggested the first shipment had arrived, but reading the text it amounted to 39 rail wagons. It’s probably like the strategic oil reserve, an announcement that doesn’t result in any benefit to those who need it.

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    1. Rinse and repeat BF for this day's groaning, and thanks for the comic relief ... the pond can never get enough beefy goodness, consider the pond's fancy tickled ...

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  8. I’ll just put this in for comic relief

    https://twitter.com/strangerous10/status/1566644034441195520?s=20&t=Ev3vBsLucMrHtDz9lC9YnA

    The awkward silence and the little eye link - priceless. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, try this

    https://twitter.com/JasonClareMP/status/1565456329598066693?s=20&t=pr89DjFiMWLk67njy12IMw

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    1. Befuddled - the Jason Clare exchange is a gem - further proof that ya just cannot make this stuff up!

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    2. Angus is a true 'gem' isn't he (of the 'Etsy' kind). And Sussan should perhaps go back to being just Susan because she isn't getting much help from her double-S.

      Otherwise, I truly enjoyed Alan Kohler's closing comment on the Jobs Summit:
      "This was an event to publicly welcome women and unions into national governance. It was also a welcome statement that we are entering a new era of non-ideological government."
      Alan Kohler: Among its outcomes, the jobs summit underlined irrelevance of Opposition
      https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2022/09/05/summits-exercise-in-humility/

      Delete

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