Random News Stories

[David]

Poulos has been dumped now. I doubt it would have happened for any other reason (say, if he'd merely circulated nasty rumours about an opponent's personal life), but hopefully this will make political operatives think twice about doing this kind of thing in future:

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/liberal-upper-house-mp-suspended-disendorsed-over-explicit-photo-scandal-20230218-p5cllb.html

[David]

In a completely unrelated news story, another expensive artwork has been accidentally broken in a gallery. Mercifully, nothing of value has been lost:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/feb/19/art-fair-visitor-breaks-42000-dollar-jeff-koons-balloon-dog-sculpture

If you ever wanted confirmation of the ridiculousness of the contemporary art world and how much these objects are actually worth, this quote sums it up:

[stui magpie]

[think positive]

Whilst it’d crass is that a crime ?

[stui magpie]

^

As far as I know, No. Simply drawing attention to the fact that someone posed nude for a magazine isn't a crime. But doing it to try to drag their character down in order to beat them in a popularity contest is poor darts and doesn't reflect well on his character IMHO.

[What'sinaname]

[David]

I expect he has zero chance of success, but he kind of has a point. Life expectancy often either explicitly or implicitly plays a role in determining retirement age:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167668721000810
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-05-20/rudd-on-pension-age-get-used-to-it/1688570

In 2009, we just meekly accepted the retirement age being raised to 67, and the last government considered raising it to 70 (which will no doubt happen anyway sooner or later). Meanwhile, while I was in France earlier this month, I witnessed massive protests and strikes over a proposal to raise the retirement age … from 62 to 64.

https://redflag.org.au/article/french-workers-raise-their-heads-again

If only we had some of that spirit here.

[Skids]

I can't imagine how I'm going to be doing what I do at age 67. The wear & tear on a tradies body after just 40 years is bad enough.
No mini excavators until I was in my mid 20's from memory. If you couldn't get access for a backhoe, it was hand dig.
I reckon I've moved enough dirt with a shovel to half fill Sydney harbour.

[What'sinaname]

Redcycle collapses are harding plastics from Woolies and Coles

https://www.9news.com.au/national/soft-plastics-recycling-council-facilities-inundated-after-redcycle-collapse/2c650cde-a442-463b-9a53-f321ef17d3b1

The "green" fraud thrust upon us just lines the pockets of friends of friends of politicians and criminals (which are really one and the same).

[David]

The hope that Lidia Thorpe leaving the party might give the Greens some clear air may have been a little premature. She's now claiming that she never dated Dustin Martin's dad and that the Greens forced her to say she did:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/07/lidia-thorpe-denies-dating-former-bikie-boss-and-is-cleared-of-wrong-doing-by-senators

Pretty embarrassing for all concerned, really.

[roar]

It certainly is, but at least the greens know that the damage she can do to them is now somewhat limited.

[stui magpie]

The Bikie wasn't Dustin Martin's Dad, it may have been an uncle, but not his Dad.

Regardless, now she gets to run around shooting her mouth off, generally accountable to no one for the next 5 years while getting paid as a Senator.

[pietillidie]

Newly discovered enzyme that turns air into electricity, providing a new clean source of energy

[stui magpie]

^

I read that yesterday, also saw it on the news. Very interesting breakthrough. Early stages they'd be looking at small devices like a phone, smartwatch or hearing aids. Don't think it's going to be powering our homes any time soon though.

[What'sinaname]

And again, a female teacher having sex with a male student get off imprisonment.

It's not as if the industry can't find female teachers. They are everywhere, so why are these predatory females protected?