can't see the wood

Basil Zempilas writes that, covid events in SA remind us that we're not out of the woods yet. (20/11)

The world has more and more covid cases every day. Two possible vaccines are still six to twelve months from general availability.

What world does Basil live in, where he needs reminding?

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

"When someone does something wrong, don't forget all of the things they did right." ... anonymous

   

honest headline

"MPs of one mind on anthem change". That's a headline in today's daily paper.

Never a truer word spoken, I thought.

It's no surprise at all, that multiple MPS can, between them, raise only one mind.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Well, I'm sorry the apocalypse isn't convenient for you." ... Eugene Covender in Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Waltzing Matilda

Waltzing Matilda as the Australian national anthem? An excellent suggestion by Brian Greig (Letters, 12/11).

It's a simple tune with memorable words. Any child can learn the words and enjoy the story. Better yet, it's a typical Aussie joke, to have a popular song as our anthem. No need to be embarrassingly up ourselves, we are Australians.

Best of all, the song and tune are known around the world. And know to be Australian. At least it was. Before we replaced national self satisfaction with cultural cringe.

Adopt Waltzing Matilda. We can then enjoy singing our national anthem. As Australians.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Well, I'm sorry the apocalypse isn't convenient for you." ... Eugene Covender in Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

How dark is the trap?

Tory Shepherd misses an important point in her analysis of the "dark trap" of radicalisation through the web (Net rabbit hole, 24 Sep).

The whole point of web searches and social media is to narrow our thinking. One day we search for tissues, from then on every search will bias tissues in its results. The aim is to narrow our thinking in order to sell us product.

So one day you read an interesting article on terrorism. From then on every search will connect you to terrorism sites. Social media algorithms don't care, they will sell you tissues or terrorism. Because either result earns money for the algorithm owner.

The dark trap of the web aims to narrow our thinking. To narrow our thinking to the point where we buy those tissues. Or buy in to the ideas of terrorism. The only point is to narrow our thinking until we buy.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

Money or Morals

Another excellent article by Ben Harvey (container ship, 19/9).

He points out that Australia is a gnat compared to China. That we make serious money selling to China but that our trade is, to China, insignificant.

Yet, as Harvey points out, if we question China on its lack of democracy, on its brutal treatment of Hong Kong, even on coronavirus history, we are liable to be squashed like a gnat. China, Harvey tells us, is a bully which will not hesitate to employ "coercive diplomacy".

Finally, Harvey speaks to our major business leaders. They have strong opinions: we should kiss the Chinese boots because money is more important than a moral stance.

The message is, plutocrats will accept any immoral act, as long as the money continues to flow into their own already stuffed pockets.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"My science homework ate my dog." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

fighting for weight

Several sports -- fighting sports -- match competitors by weight. A "bantamweight", for example, will only fight another "bantamweight". This leads to competitors  starving themselves in order to compete in a lighter-weight category.

The point is, if you weigh as much as a full-size chicken then you are large enough to thrash the smaller bantams. It's a form of cheating.

The result is, competitors prepare for a competition by starving themselves. And, as a direct result, some would-be competitors starve themselves to death.

The risk of death is treated as less important than the improved chance of winning.

If a sport has weight categories, those categories should be based on actual -- normal -- weight. Weight measured over time, not just the famished weight on the day of a competition. Like drug testing, weight testing should be a permanent feature of being a serious competitor.

For six or more months either side of a competition, competitors are weighed. At random times, with little warning. Whatever weight they are at -- is their competition weight.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

I'm not cynical… just experienced… per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

death and property

It's a good suggestion from the Mayor of Nedlands, to build a children's care residence (a hospice) on the old Sunset Hospital site (Letters, 8/9). There is plenty of room to build, without taking up space which is currently being used for public recreation.

If the government later finds a mega-rich foreigner who wants land to build another personal fortress, that's easy. Deal with the children as a previous government deal with the original tenants of Sunset Hospital.

When the land is worth money, throw the children out. Just as the old men were thrown out. The point is, after all, that the children, like the old men, will soon be dead anyway.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

I'm not cynical… just experienced… per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

marriage breakdown

So Australia and China have a "relationship of mutual respect". It's as though we are a married couple.

We need to file for divorce before the financial and psychological abuse becomes physical.

melangata, evening

I dress for dinner: clean socks, clean underpants, a shirt which has only been worn half a dozen times, and a thermal which... well... is not fresh but is warm. Boots and trousers have not changed since we left home, I don't have others. I dress for dinner because we're eating in company.

We eat dinner, it is good. We join our hosts and the other two guests. Nice people but we prefer to eat by ourselves. Enjoyable but we do not hang round for long after eating.

We are now in our room, reading and writing. It's cold but comfortable.

And that's it, for now. Not much to say... Typing because we have internet.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

bulldust spread thick

On July 30 the local paper has a double-page spread written by Stan "I'm more black than you" Grant. The man whose suntan and stance have become darker since he changed from reporter to indigenous affairs reporter. He provides bulldust responses to various questions:

Q: Why are some BLM protesters vandalising statues?
Response: "The use of the word vandalise has a certain connotation. It suggests a lawlessness... sometimes these acts can be acts against power."

Meaning: You can break any law you like because a law is just an implementation of power. If, for example, I disagree with Grant's use of the power of the press -- the power to print whatever they can get away with -- then I can vandalise any representation of Grant. Can I vandalise his home? Well yes, if you accept that I am acting out of my perceived powerlessness.

Bulldust.

Q: Why are there more Caucasian politicians than Aboriginal politicians in Australia?
Response: "It's about our history, again because Aboriginal people did not have access to power and did not have the opportunities."

Meaning: Forget that there are more Caucasian than Aboriginal people in Australia. The minority needs a majority in government because... well, because they are black, I guess.

Q: How can we move forward...?
Response: "The best way to do that is [by] being involved in these conversations."

At last, some sense. Except that conversation is "interactive communication between two or more people". Grant spouts his nonsense. No-one dares challenge it. That is not a "conversation". It is pure and simple one-sided bulldust.



Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Please do not feed the fears" … graffiti on a toilet wall

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

it was the best of times, it was...

It was an absolutely lousy week. For those who think that I am calm, cool and collected in the face of life's little ups and downs... think again.

No, not sick. Just a lousy week.

Less than a year ago we changed to the nbn, the latest in Internet technology. Except that the nbn uses -- I have been reliably informed -- the same connections as our previous network. And -- like the previous network -- it died.

Still... Telstra -- our network provider -- did send a text. Your network is stuffed, they said, Phone this number. So I phoned that number.

Turns out that the number is the standard Telstra "support" line. I spent ten minutes working my way through voice recognition software. Followed by another fifteen minutes on hold. On the bright side, there was no recorded suggestion that, Your call is important to us.

Finally, a human.

His English was okay, his accent made him incomprehensible. Half of our conversation was me asking him to repeat himself, slowly and clearly.

Remember that we had a text telling us to phone this number? Pointless, really. (a) this English as an optional language operator had no record that we had been sent a text. So he could not give me more details of the why behind the text. And (b) he had no information on the outage to our Internet.

Hint to Telstra: If you send a text to a customer -- give details to your support staff.

Pre-nbn I had phoned Telstra, several times. Once, the operator told me, There are no reports of an outage in your area. I told him, Yes there in at least one report, that's what I'm telling you now. This nbn operator seemed to be working from the same rule-book.

So we spent a long time with the untrained idiot stepping through his list of pointless questions. Are all the wires connected? Is there any damage to cables? Have you restarted the pc? the modem?

His final answer was, Phone back in two hours. He may have said, While we work on your problem... but I doubt it. If I were kind I would give him the benefit of the doubt... by this stage he could have been saying anything, his accent was getting worse and I had given up asking him to repeat.

A couple of hours later, the network came back. Just... came back.

I started to phone the support number. Reached the voice recognition... and couldn't be bothered going through all that again.

Since then, the internet seems to be working okay. Except...

Except that World of Warcraft no longer works. A related problem? Who knows.

All I know is that WoW seems to be "supported" by people who failed the test to work for Telstra.

I think I've written about Telstra lack of support without swearing (I'll check before I post). Later, I may be able to do the same about WoW.

It's been a lousy week.

On the bright side... another step forward coding my app:-)

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===
"Are you one of those people who think wallowing in unhappiness and bad luck is the same as toughing it out?" … Ononoki (an anime character)
  

Subjects of offence

First we have a grovelling apology by the editor. It was someone else's fault, he sobs. This on the same front page which tells us that a school is going to give students p money for better results.

Yes, "p money". A professional Editor would have prevented that typo. Just as a real Editor would have noticed and removed offensive words from Modesty Blaise.

So what were the offensive words? We are never told.

Was it when we read that the thugs are newcomers to Australia? Real Australians, we were told, would not bash a woman. But these men are newcomers. Did this cartoon comment offend all New Australians? Probably not.

A few days later we have the man who would be mayor adding to the chorus of denials. None of my coworkers think like that, he writes, adding a few easily offended voters to his support group. Robert Drewe must not be a coworker.

"Mrs Fawcett even had the classic physical features cruelly known as 'tuckshop arms', thick and pendulous upper arms that wobbled threateningly as she stamped around the tuckshop..." Can you pretend that that is not offensive?

Offensive to  the real Mrs Fawcett -- we are told that this is not her real name -- and to anyone else who volunteers to help in the tuckshop. Thanks for all your unpaid help, you fat and ugly women with tuckshop arms.

Amongst all this pretended contrition is a letter from the Ginger Meggs cartoonist. Well done, he writes, we must be so careful to not offend anyone.

This from the cartoonist who recently introduced the Chinese girl -- intelligent and hardworking, of course. And the Indian or Pakistani boy who is a great cricket player. Are racial stereotypes okay as long as they are from other countries?

Plus the long-running stupid boy, the stupid violent bully and the lovesick girl. Objects of fun for us to laugh at. But that's okay. Is it?

The quality of our daily paper is embarrassing. That's okay, there are plenty of other sources of "news", each with their own standards and bias.

Now we are expected to accept the fake apologies -- and direct passing of blame -- for one offensive word. While the rest of the paper is littered with equally offensive articles. On behalf of all of us ignorant and accepting readers -- I am embarrassed.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===
"Are you one of those people who think wallowing in unhappiness and bad luck is the same as toughing it out?" … Ononoki
  

Honest opinion

Congratulations to The West on two counts for the article, "Budget gender balance fix" (23/6). First, for the pretence that the paper influenced a government decision. Second, for the tacit admission that the regular "opinion" pieces are direct reflections of the opinion of the newspaper, not the writer.

 

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Take a lesson from the weather… it pays no attention to what the critics say." … per Ginger Meggs

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

dinosaur sculpture

Hello Ben,

I like the look of the dinosaur sculpture proposed by Ben Juniper. It looks good and it's exactly the "big thing" which Perth "big people" say that we want:

It's big, it's expensive and it's eye-catching.

Of course the closest it comes to "West Australian" is that  it is steel. Oh, I suppose you could somehow link it to dinosaur footprints in Broome.

Even worse: it was first offered to Tasmania. The artist failed to sell it there so, on the rebound, he's trying to sell it to WA. May as well build a giant steel elephant, for all the relevance to WA. If it is painted white, even better.

Why not be *proud* of WA. Draw tourists to see the amazing state that we already have. Did you see the ad that wants tourists to "climb the four biggest mountains in WA, all in one shire"? Use what we have, what is already unique -- and beautiful.

Or are you too embarrassed to admit that WA is already unique. With no need to compete with big and ugly models in other parts of the world.

... Nick

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." … William Bruce Cameron, 1963
   

flying low

Qantas are no longer flying overseas. Customers who have already paid for overseas flights are offered a credit -- credit for a service which is no longer being offered.

Don't worry. Your money is being used to pay the multi-millionaires who run this non-flying airline. You know, the ones who will never be made redundant.

Qantas, the un-Australian airline.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===
"No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway." … per Ginger Meggs
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Bring it on!

Apparently we have had thirty years of economic growth.

This has lead to interest rates so low that it is not worth leaving money in the bank. Traffic congestion as we all rush to earn another dollar.  A building industry which demands government support when noone really wants to build.

We encourage population growth to support industries which serve no purpose other than making a few rich people even richer. While the population continues to grow we will never be able to solve the problems of a growing population.

If we stop population growth today it will still take generations of effort to solve tbe problems of the people we already have.

Isn't it strange that the working masses are told to retrain to suit requirements of a changing business -- yet those same businesses are unable to change themselves : builders, for example, can only build. When there is less need for new building -- why are building companies unable to change to a more necessary activity?

After thirty years of economic growth we have a concrete jungle swallowing all available green and open space. We have neighbourhoods being destroyed to allow a select few people to get richer by squeezing more concrete into smaller area.

On days when there is no smoke from controlled burns, we can look out over the filth of permanent pollution.

Thanks to thirty years of economic growth the majority of people are priced out of the housing market. A low interest rate is no comfort to a young family who can never afford either deposit or repayments.

After thirty years of economic growth -- I am looking forward to the promised recession. Less economic growth? Less growing pains? Time to take a breath? Bring it on!

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." … William Bruce Cameron, 1963
   

Kings Park chairlift

Driving south from the city at night, I could see the State War Memorial. It is a bright, floodlit beacon. The surrounding darkness of Anzac Bluff provides a somber and somehow moving setting.

I wonder how the Memorial will look with enormous, floodlit pylons of a chairlift scrabbling up the otherwise pristine slope.

===

later: This letter was published -- unchanged -- in the daily paper. Such glory :-)

Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." … William Bruce Cameron, 1963
   

More practical Regions

The problem with the corona-regions is that they are isolated. More specifically, most of our population is in Perth and tourism hotspots are cut off from Perth.

Try this:

Each region is defined by its main access road. For example...

If you live in Perth and want to visit Broome, you *must* follow the yellow highway. And come home the same way. (Bus companies and car rentals could boom.)

The blue "region" to the east is for visits to Goldfields, Esperance and to look at the Eastern States border crossing. And so on.

The beauty of our state road system is that it is not easy to get from one major route to another. Travellers can visit locations to either side of their route, they can be politely asked to not cross to another route.

Perhaps add a checkpoint just north of Exmouth, another to the west of Esperance. The pattern of major roads makes for "automatic" regional boundaries.

The hordes of people in Perth can bring their tourist dollars to each and any region. Region dwellers can get to the State's capital city.

No more regional isolation.

... Nick

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===
"No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway." … per Ginger Meggs
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Can we get warmer?

Late update: This post was published in The West(16/5) with minor changes. Changes for publication can be interesting, so I'll include them below.

===

We can come back better

Gemma Tognini (Opinion, 15/5) makes a very valid point, -- "[It's] it's so cool to be in the sensible middle" (Opinion, 15 May). On the other hand -- we don't want to miss a golden oppportunity. [Oops, neither of us spotted those three p's.]

WA -- all of Australia -- has closed down for the coronavirus. Now it's time to open up again. Will we take the "sensible" option of[,] business as usual?

[From here on was all one para. Which loses some impact but does save a little space in the paper.]

Wouldn't it be nice to recover -- but without "recovering" high levels of pollution? Wouldn't it be nice to recover -- with a far broader basis for a sound economy? Wouldn't it be nice to recover -- and maintain our current compassion for friends, family and neighbours?

No it would not be easy. But it would be nice if we could recover -- to an even better way of life.

Yes, it's so cool to be sensible. We can still be sensible -- while aiming for a place which is even better that the original, rather compromised, "middle".

===

No "real" changes -- which is pleasing. To me that means (a) a well-written letter and (b) I picked the right tone and topic for the paper. Live and learn... that's why I like to check the changes that were made for publication.

Game of thugs

Hayden Ballantyne offers an interesting insight into the tactics of a football thug (How to be a footy pest, 25 April). Most important, he writes, is to not get caught.

His style of play is, he writes, to annoy players on the other team. And when another player annoys him in return, Ballantyne brags that he won the exchange -- by belting the other player.

This thug seems to enjoy physical confrontation. Like every other bully, he is extra tough when he has his bigger bully-boy "friends" to back him up. And like other sociopaths, he believes that he is unfairly targetted by the people who manage the rules of the game.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"We must believe in free will -- we have no other choice." … Isaac Bashevis Singer
===

28apr20: The above rant was published in The West. Then -- there is a letter in reply! I'm both pleased -- and embarrassed. In justification... the original article (by Ballantyne) made me shudder. If that is an acceptable attitude, football is far too nasty. For me, anyway.

   

food for thought

Crikey! What was it our soldiers fought for? Certainly not Anzac cookies. The recipe in today's paper should be for Anzac biscuits. Or simply Anzacs. Strewth, we're not bloody Septics.

covidUnemployed

"Let's use this time to grow." It's the slogan on a large ad, accompanied by a picture of a man working -- at home -- on his laptop. So?

It's an ad for Ashley & Martin. Very clever :-) An entertaining ad in a time when their business may be suffering.

Are you covidUnemployed? What business are you currently in?

Our rubbish is still collected each week. Mail is delivered. Water, power & gas supplies are uninterrupted. All of these are essential services. Things which we "need".

Food shops are open. Cafes and restaurants are closed. We "need" food, we only "want" to have our food served with the added atmosphere of a crowded restaurant or cafe. The hospitality industry is suffering. Fashion is out of fashion. We get by without beauticians and barbers.

Are you unemployed because your company satisfies a "want" rather than a "need"?

If you get the choice, work to satisfy a "need" rather than a "want". The work is just as satisfying. The future will be more certain.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"We must believe in free will -- we have no other choice." … Isaac Bashevis Singer
===
   

it all becomes clear

First up I have to state my position: I like Donald Trump. Doesn't mean that I agree with him. He's the President that America wants and deserves. He's better that the alternatives. He's far better than our own Clive "the Trump-alike" Palmer. Still...

I have a theory:

He is really a Deepfake character. "Deepfakes (a portmanteau of "deep learning" and "fake" ) are synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else's likeness." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepfake, April 2020)

Trump is an anonymous actor with the Trump face superimposed. The face was created by GAN, generative adversarial network (https://thispersondoesnotexist.com/). On a day when random variables were particularly unfortunate.

Trumps speeches are written by a politicised version of https://www.thiswaifudoesnotexist.net/. His tweets are sent directly from a variant of https://theselyricsdonotexist.com/ -- the Rap version. Try, for example, a topic of "coronavirus".

Finally, it all becomes clear.

I almost typed, It all makes sense... but no, it's politics, no sense involved.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===
"No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway." … per Ginger Meggs
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Re: photo sharing

Actually, I think there are captions... the caption for that one is "Of course walking home alone was always uphill", yes?

I think possibly the issue, which did trick me the first time, is that you have to click on the photo so that it brings it up properly.  The first screen is the 'thumbnails', which is a bit misleading because, since there's only one, it's huge.

When you click on the photo itself, it moves it to the centre and then the caption appears in the bottom-left.

On Sat, Apr 11, 2020 at 7:56 PM Nick Lethbridge <nickleth@gmail.com> wrote:

I'm trying to share some photos -- so that Mum can share them with friends -- now that actual meetings are out of fashion. fyi here are the photos on Google Photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QpN6Ti4RkXzkrWv37

Trouble is -- there are no captions. So whoever looks at them has no idea why the photo is (to me!) interesting. I've added "info" for each photo but it's not obvious that the info is there. (If it's even possible to see it.)

==> Do you know any package that allows photo sharing -- with obvious captions?

I tried Instagram, couldn't see any option to actually load a photo. I tried Flickr, no captions but it did come with a virus. I'm reluctant to try Facebook since I could never understand it...

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

hmmm... I may go back to a Powerpoint slide show, stored on Dropbox or Drive...

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===
"Metaphors be with you" … Ginger Meggs
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

--

******
Tim

so *that's* the truth!

I've finally and suddenly realised: 

The person we know as "Donald Trump" is really an actor using Deep Fake. The "Donald Trump" face was created by https://thispersondoesnotexist.com/, possibly after a bad day of random variables. And all of his speeches are written by a variant of https://www.thiswaifudoesnotexist.net/

Suddenly, it all makes sense!

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===
"Metaphors be with you" … Ginger Meggs
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

airlines, no competition

Just before the corona closedown we flew from Perth to New Zealand and back. We flew across Australia with Qantas and back with Air New Zealand.

Qantas crushed us into seats where my knees were pressed into the seat in front. No space to move. No comfort. Sardines longing to escape.

Air New Zealand provided knee room. Footrests. Spacious comfort.

Qantas are worried that Air New Zealand may move into domestic Australian flights.

Bring it on, I say.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"We must believe in free will -- we have no other choice." … Isaac Bashevis Singer
===
   

two people phooey

Restricting "social occasions" to just two people is ridiculous. It's the thinking of people who smash avocados and claim it as a work meeting: just me and my very important client.

Family and real society work differently.

Yes, we -- real people -- often go out for coffee or a meal with a friend. One on one. We also go out as a couple, to meet another couple -- two on two. We discuss the world, other people -- and families. Part of the pleasure is that a couple of people are meeting another couple.

Once one couple has grabbed their take-away coffee and snack -- that's two people. Maximum group size. Not allowed to catch up with that other couple, our good friends since forever.

Two people? No children allowed? One child plus one adult plus... no-one. Phooey.

===

Here's how it should really be:

A maximum group should be two *family groups*. Two couples. A couple and a single. Two couples and a couple of their children.

Enough to allow social contact between *families*. Between *friends*. *Social* contact rather than -- or as well as -- business meetings.

===

Okay, you need to trust your friends. You need to maintain social distancing. Mainly -- you need to be allowed to meet with friends. One couple with another. One family with another.

The government is trying hard. Doing its best. Yet they seem to have forgotten that society involves more than one on one business meetings.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===
Carpe Librum, Seize the Book … Scottish Book Trust on Read a Book Day
===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

corona Financial virus

The first response of the federal government was to throw money -- or promises of money -- to business. Forget the disease, look afternthe people who buy the votes.

Once the government took serious action -- I was impressed. Gone was Scotty from Marketing, here is a PM who is making good decisions. Okay, choosing the only sensible options. Still, PM and government performed well.

Now there is time to look at protecting "the economy". At the level that really matters. That is, people and jobs.

In the UK the government is offering to cover 80% of everyone's pay. So people will continue to be employed. When the crisis is over, people will still be employed. If their employers still exist.

Meanwhile, what are they doing? Sitting at home, presumably, because shops and businesses are all closed.

In Australia the government offers welfare. Employees are being laid off, they join the welfare queue. When the crisis is over they will all be looking for new jobs. Unions would prefer that workers remain as employees, even though there is no work to be done. And, often, no place of employment.

Is there a compromise?

Lay off workers but retain their employment status.

Everyone is sent home. The government picks up the welfare/wages  bill. When the crisis is declared to be over -- everyone is employed again. Automatically. If they are no longer needed -- normal employment law takes over.

This allows businesses to cut the wages bill, perhaps to survive. It provides continuity of employment, before and after coronavirus. It protects both business and employees. It will simplify business restart, post crisis.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"We must believe in free will -- we have no other choice." … Isaac Bashevis Singer
===
   

self isolation

Hey Premier,

At the end of this week my wife and I will return to WA after a short holiday in NZ. We will immediately go into self isolation: do not pass go, do not collect groceries.

So what are we expected to eat for the next two weeks?

All very nice for you to act the big man, thump your chest, tell people that your fines are bigger than their fines. What about the people starving at home?

Do something useful: guarantee that every person in enforced self isolation will get food. Organise deliveries of a basket of essentials a couple of times a week.

It will take the fear out of self isolation. It may even reduce panic buying.

Forget the big threats. Do something positive and practical.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
===
   

who is lying?

The West is our daily "news"paper. Sometimes it seems to believe that it can do and say and print what it likes.

"It was the complete opposite George!" (19Feb). George Costanza has no time for an interview so The West ambushes him at the airport. "If you want an interview," writes Costanza, "try setting it up like the professionals do."

"The truth of the matter is..." writes The West -- and they accuse Costanza of lying.

One, The West did attempt to set up an interview. Two, an interview was refused.

Three, the paper did ambush Costanza at the airport. Foot-in-the-door journalism at its worst. A defensive insult does not improve the situation.

"Like it or not, no one is a performing seal 4you," writes Costanza.

Like it or not, the paper overstepped the mark. The insulting article is a loud announcement of the wrong attitude of the paper.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
===
   

red tape rubbish

Cut red tape, demands Paul Everingham. Paul who? Oh, yes, the boss at chamber of minerals and energy. The group whose aim is to dig the world.

Cut the red tape and we'll bring jobs, he claims. Bring jobs if it will increase our profits, he means. Bring jobs at the expense of the environment, he means.

Red tape is there to protect our state against exploitation. Red tape exists to curb the self interest excesses of companies which exist only to make a profit.

Nothing wrong with making a profit. Nothing wrong with wanting to change regulations for your own benefit. Nothing wrong with having red tape to add checks and balances to the process.

Business exists to make a profit. Red tape exists to protect the rest of us from uncontrolled profit driven exploitation of our state.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
===
   

milking it

Paul Murray is all excited because milk producers are paid so little by milk processors. Supermarkets discount milk prices till dairy farmers go bankrupt. Yes, this is a problem, another local industry being destroyed.

What does he want us to do about it? I'm not sure. Letter writers want us to boycott discount milk, Murray does not seem to have such a clear answer.

In our house we have never bought discount milk, for various reasons. We prefer to support local industry rather than major supermarket chains, we recognise that it's the supplier who ultimately pays the price for discounting.

Then there's quality. The simple way to support a discounted price is with discounted quality. It's cheap because... it's cheap. Extra water in the milk, perhaps.

The same logic applies to all "own brand" products. If it's cheap it's because quality has been sacrificed. Or because the manufacturer is being squeezed out of business. Either way, we prefer a known brand with a known reputation for quality. Whether that reputation is good or bad, it's known. And, generally, consistent.

So we support local dairy farmers. And I'm sure our choices have no effect whatsoever but we are trying.

Does Paul Murray have any better ideas?

===

Speaking of "local" brands...

The three WA milk processors are foreign owned.

We buy cheese from local producers. Family owned dairies, so it says. Yet the cheese itself is not made locally.

The cheese is usually "made in Australia", according to the packaging. From 98% Australian ingredients. Fair enough.

But it not a West Australian cheese. It's not made with West Australian milk. It's just a company with a West Australia name.

And for half the year the packaging says -- in very small print -- that it is really a New Zealand cheese.

We also buy butter which is branded with the name of a WA town. The butter is made in Australia -- but not in WA.

Is there any way that buying local products could actually support a local business? I welcome Paul Murray's suggestions.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
===
   

cupcakes and nuts and society

The media is devoting lots of space to the school cupcake saga: a school has banned cupcakes for various reasons -- including the possibility that they are culturally insensitive. "Saddened by the cupcake killjoys," is one headline on the letters page.

Is this news? That one school has banned cupcakes? Well, yes.

The story does deserve to be printed -- if only because so many people read it. Second most popular story on one "news" site, apparently. Second only to the story of smelly dog poo in a neighbour's bin. (Yes, it's weird what people read. But that's another issue.)

It is also an important story -- as an example, a reflection of our society's current concerns. Should something be banned because it may offend an unidentified minority group? Is it acceptable that the majority are forced to change, in order to not offend a small minority? Does it matter that the minority are (I guess) relative newcomers?

In this small example -- and in other far more serious examples -- what does society want. Or expect?

Are we happy to kowtow to minorities? Or, more importantly, are we happy to kowtow to the demands of a very small but vocal minority who claim to represent the supposedly easily offended minorities.

===

In a similar situation -- but with more serious results: some schools are nut free. Peanuts are banned. Just in case a fellow student is allergic to nuts.

We regularly provide cake for a fund-raising cake stall. Our simple comment is, if you are allergic to anything at all -- nuts, milk, eggs, sugar, etc -- then do not eat this cake. One very sensible response is, we only eat food that we have prepared ourselves.

There is no need for a school to punish everyone for the possible allergies of a few. If you're allergic, only eat your own food. And every school can carry a stock of epipens. Just in case.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
===
   

Bunnings cheapest prices

After 25 years Bunnings is ditching its "lowest prices" slogan. "Customers understand our lowest prices policy," says the MD, "... we thought it was timely to update and refresh our branding."

Yes, everyone does understand their lowest prices policy. It's been explained on TV show The Checkout:

You won't find a cheaper source for our item / brand / model, they say. That's because Bunnings sell only items / brands / models that are unique to Bunnings.

You won't find it cheaper because you won't find it anywhere else.

Yes, it's time to drop the slogan. Because yes, we do understand your "lowest prices" policy.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
===
   

support for China

Andrew Forrest wants us to support China. During the coronavirus epidemic, in particular.

Why does he care? He's a great philanthropist, that's why. Oh, and his immense fortune depends on trade -- and good relations -- with China.

His mining company has donated thousands of face masks "to support health workers". In China? Nice thought but wouldn't it be easier to just send a million dollars to the Chinese factory which produces the masks?

Perhaps he could send those face masks to airports and hospitals in Australia, where staff have a sudden and unexpected need to deal with people who may be infected. The mining company masks are -- presumably -- already in Australia.

Oh, and he is also giving a million dollars to help turn a Wuhan sports stadium into a hospital. Nice thought... but the money is going to one of his own customers.

All this is useful, probably. It is also marketing. And every dollar is tax deductible -- probably twice, for the stadium conversion.

Nice try but tax deductible marketing is not philanthropy.

But you know what really annoys me?

Forrest wants everyone else to support his efforts to support his company profits. What, forget that "their political system is different to ours"? Forget that China locks up millions of its own citizens for their political and religious differences? Forget that China ignores laws regarding copyright? attempts to hack other governments and influence our elections? adds poisons to milk in order to make more profit? sells shoddy ripoffs where it can? buys up Australian businesses?

Yes, we need to remember that Chinese people are people. As people they get our concern and support. That does not mean that we should all send money to China in support of Forrest's mining profits.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
===
   

NZ or WA

We will soon be on holiday in NZ. At the south of the South Island. Notice that: not just NZ, but at the south of the South Island.

Other choices for a holiday in NZ -- major points of entry into the country -- include Queenstown (we will fly to there), or Auckland (we return from there), or Wellington (no tourist ever goes there). Each point of entry brings its own choice of holiday.

What if I were in NZ and planning a holiday in WA? Where would I enter the state? Remember, WA is much much larger than NZ. So where would I enter? Perth.

I believe that Broome is an international airport, fly there, see Broome. A future Busselton? Good entry point for the Southwest. Where else? No idea.

When it comes to big (ie expensive) tourist attractions for WA we think, chairlift in Perth, massive hotels in Perth, Concrete-by-the-River, in Perth.

We need to build international airport and hotels in Albany. Chairlift in Broome across Cable Beach (above the deadly jellyfish). National standard sports stadium in Kununurra... anything... outside the one big city.

Tourists can visit Perth -- and spend all day getting to nowhere else. Or we could offer multiple entry points. Each with its own set of local holiday attractions.

Come to visit WA.. and come again -- to see something completely different.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
===
   

big business maths

You have to admire big business managers. Such a firm grasp of business, such a small grasp of maths.

A major mining company has raised the price on beer at its mine sites. The beer is for sale at the "wet mess", on-site bars for the workers who live on site.

The average price rise, says a manager, is 14%. The idea is, that beer prices should match prices in local pubs... not that there are any local pubs on a mine site. What the company gets, is extra profit from a captive market. Excellent business strategy.

And that 14 per cent... The daily paper checked prices. One beer will now cost 14% more. All the rest have gone up by more -- sometimes much more -- than that quoted increase. The manager seems to be confusing "average" with "minimum".

Maths skills zero. Profit-taking high. That manager will soon be promoted.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
===
   

clever coal mining

The federal government wants to approve a new coal mine in Queensland. Shock! Horror! Instant protest!

But the government is more cunning than that.

The mine will be managed by an Aboriginal corporation. Who would dare protest? Because protest equals racism.

Another cunning strategy by Scotty from Marketing.

===

I have no great objection to burning coal. As a fuel source it's safer than some and the technology is well established. At least the leftover waste is not radioactive. Just needs better means to limit the destructive emissions while burning.

What I do not like, is the environmental destruction caused by digging out the coal.

 

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
===
   

Australian Acceptance Day

Easter commemorates nailing a Jewish bloke to a cross. We accept the holiday, we no longer hate the Romans.

Anzac Day commemorates thousands of deaths: Aussie, Kiwi, even Turks. Thanks in part to the annual commerations we are able to join hands to commemorate all of the losses.

VE Day commemorates invasion, death and war. We are now able to accept that today's Germans are not to blame. We can commemorate VJ Day without maintaining a hatred of Japanese.

The British monarchy was founded on war, invasion and oppression. Yet even republicans accept a holiday to commemorate the Queen's birthday. We embrace Irish, American and Chinese cultures on their respective national days.

All this commemoration and celebration does not mean that we are glad of the brutal histories behind each day. What it means is that we are willing to deal with the world as it is. As it is today.

It also allows us to learn a bit or remember a bit about the history behind each day. And it perhaps allows us to accept what happened. To forget blame. To make sure that we all can accept Australia as it is now.

With understanding and acceptance we can even improve the future.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
===
   

health agency in-action

There's a new virus spreading in China. Thanks to modern transport it is also spreading to the rest of the world. China closes cities in an effort to contain the spread of this new disease.

What does the rest of the world do? Absolutely nothing.

The World Health Organisation is on alert. Holding meetings. That is, doing nothing.

Australia's Health Department has activated its national incident room. Members are probably flying round Australia to have meetings. That is, they are doing nothing.

Is this just a case of bureaucratic inertia? National and international organisations are saying, it's not yet an emergency. So they do nothing.

Meanwhile, people with actual brains are saying, we should be doing something to prevent this from becoming an emergency.

But then, if we actually do something... and the emergency is avoided...  how will the big health organisations justify their huge emergency response budgets?

Remember the Year 2000 computer crisis? It's still a joke because... nothing happened. Why not? Because an enormous effort went into prevention -- before it became a crisis. But there is no glory for prevention.

I would like to see a coronavirus crisis averted. Before it becomes an actual crisis. But there is no glory in prevention. It's in the interest of major health groups to allow a health crisis to happen. Power and glory will follow... as long as the crisis is not averted by acting in a timely fashion.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
===
"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
===