fact or fancy

Paul Murray tests the new Meta AI and finds it sadly lacking.

Unfortunately he also, with no testing, labels Wikipedia as an AI.

Wikipedia is a collection of facts: written, challenged, referenced, tested and ultimately agreed, or at least accepted, by a worldwide gathering of experts.

AI, in contrast, is the ignorant student in an exam: They cannot answer the question, so write down everything that they have ever heard, true or false, and hope that some part of their verbiage will include the answer.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

===

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

facebook fooey

FB would send me "suggestions" about people and groups I had never heard of. Friends of friends of friends...?

When a suggestion was for someone I had actually heard of and I clicked the link -- it would never go to the suggested post.

So I decided to close my FB account -- and failed.

It proved impossible for me to close my FaceBook account.

I did have some fun trying... along the way I set my language to Chinese.

Now I can't find the option to set my language back to English... all my prompts are in Chinese.

At least my FB emails, which I assume are more pointless "suggestions" -- all look interesting. With no relevance but lots of Chinese characters.

So, now -- I have set gMail to send any FB mail directly to spam.

===

Today... it's worse.

News is, that FB has introduced an AI. The AI tells you that it can't be turned off.

So, for example, to pick an *actual* example -- you may be discussing your children in a mothers' discussion group -- and one of the "mothers" -- is the FB AI.

Good grief :-(

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Bandaid solutions hurt when they are removed.

...Dying for you to Read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com

noPe

and in Galatians 23:7 it saith, verily shall the noble P be lost from thine advertisement for www.prohecies aboutjesus.com

trust not to the spellchecker when the web name be not a simple word

don't ask me why but that typo just leapt out at me 

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

gender fluid

With apologies to Jimmy Carr:

My friends are expecting a baby. They were planning a gender-reveal party.

I advised them to wait at least eighteen years. Give the kid a chance to trial some genders and decide which ones it prefers.

btw: I don't mind what gender you choose. As long as you don't mind which pronoun I use.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

fake 7 news

I do hope that the Channel 7 News will provide full names and addresses of the Girrahween (alleged) home invasion thugs.

Just as they provided full identifying details of the Bondi stabber.

Sure, they were completely wrong... but I'm sure that a "scoop" is sufficient reward for setting the lynch mob onto an innocent person.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Bandaid solutions hurt when they are removed.

...Dying for you to Read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com

group-think

Walter Horeb (Letters 18 Apr) has not previously seen the animosity and polarisation that he saw in the 2023 Voice referendum.

He must have slept through the 2017 Same-sex debate.

It's the way our "democracy" operates: No-one wants to know what we think, everyone wants to force us to think alike.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

19apr24: printed in The West as All must agree

They made some minor changes.

Their title is boring -- and misleading.

My group-think title was far better :-)

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

baggy to prison green

a man follows a woman to her home. it seems that the woman and the man know each other, media reports give no details. They do not live together.

the man hammers on a window. shouts abuse. threatens to kill the woman. He breaks the window. enters the house and physically attacks the woman. Including grabbing her by the throat.

At what point did these actions change from breaking and entering and aggravated assault to, "alleged domestic violence"?

Was it when the man was identified as an ex-famous cricketer?

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

bikies can count

it's a tough life being a bikie.

according to an ex-bikie, it takes two bikies to count the day's takings. You know, the perfectly legitimate cash income from a day of selling small beer at school fetes and charity functions.

two bikies. not because not one of them can count to twenty thousand without cutting off someone else's fingers. it takes two because they can't trust counting done by just one.

then they seal the cash away so that it won't be pinched by another gang member.

i mean, it's so sad. if you can't trust the brothers in your own outlaw motorcycle gang, then who can you trust.

nowadays, crypto currency makes money laundering so much easier. though there are other problems.

when next you see the body of a bikie killed by another bikie, look for the patch of missing skin.

that's where the tattoo of the gang's crypto password has been cut from the body.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

terrorism

a teenage boy takes a knife, leaves home, travels to a church -- with the clear intention of stabbing a self-declared "bishop". the boy's actions appear to have religious motivation.

all of this fits the NSW definition of "terrorism"

members of the congregation restrain the boy until police arrive. 

this is the end of sanity.

a mob of violent thugs leave home, take up weapons, travel to the church --destroying anything and anyone that is not a part of their mob.

their claim is that they want to  to "defend their religion"

Their actual demand is that the boy, already restrained, be sent out to face mob vengence.

by the legal definition -- the mob action is terrorism. 

once we name it, we can deal with it.

why are we afraid to name it?

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
 

prophet for profit

a man in Sydney creates his own church, presumably to avoid paying tax. he did have work experience as a bank manager.

his own church allows him to be a priest. no surprise.

within two years he has called himself a bishop.

he spends the next few years raising millions of tax free dollars by preaching hatred of queers and hatred of members of any church other than his own.

his followers see this man as a "father".

sounds like a dangerous cult to me.

so what next?

Perhaps his next online sermons will demand tax-free donations so that he can buy himself a stab-proof Rolls and a fortress-style mansion.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

coward

julian assange releases confidential information that could put lives at risk. why?

Then he spends years hiding from the consequences of his actions.

It seems that he is happy to let other people be exposed, captured or killed. yet his own skin is too previous to risk.

what a coward.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

rant is wrong

Ben Harvey had an entertaining rant in Sunday's paper. Unfortunately he missed an important point.

Harvey documents one of the fees that a Council must charge builders. Yes, we've all seen the damage caused to street trees and verges by careless tradies. The Council is proactive in charging a bond to restore this damage. Every competent builder will know about these fees.

The Harvey rant tells of a builder who presents an invoice for these standard fees -- only after the client is locked in by contact and half-done work.

Harvey is happy to name the Council.

He also needs to name the builder. Because other home-owners will want to avoid that incompetent, or dishonest, builder.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

===

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

anger management

write down what makes you angry, then dispose of it. this may be a way to help our violent criminals.

first, of course, we will need to teach them to write.

Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

the rest is silence

it's easy to see how Teslas can kill people.

i was walking across the grass at my local park.

a Tesla drove off the road, over the kerb, across the grass.

all in deathly silence.

i guess the driver could not be bothered driving the extra 100m to the hard surface carpark

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

no-one listens

The millions spent on referendums makes it very clear: They have nothing to do with measuring public opinion. They are all about changing how we think.

The next referendum may well be about changing our choice of breakfast cereals.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Bandaid solutions hurt when they are removed.

...Dying for you to Read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com

ender's fix

illegal immigrants arriving by sea? easy fix: 

lots of armed drones patrolling the coast. spot illegal activity: blow it up.

Who could do such terrible things? Children with a video game of course.

Read Ender's Game.

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Game?wprov=sfla1)

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

pull the other one

the headline reads, Rich urged to give up handouts

In words from an old tv show: I didn't get where i am today by not taking money that i don't need

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

pointless point-scoring

the nullabor freight line is closed due to floods

the government promised that there would be little impact on stock delivered to supermarkets. what did they think they could do? mop up the floodwaters?

what did they do? probably nothing.

now the opposition attacks the government for failing to deliver. what do they suggest could have been done? they have no suggestions.

Both promise and attack are pure political posturing.

makes you wonder why we pay these idiots

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

rubbish report

a new report claims that 57 companies are responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. and that emissions are still increasing. These companies are oil, gas and coal producers.

well durrr.

do the report writers think that emissions are produced just by digging out the coal?

perhaps we should also blame forests for the pollution due to wood smoke?

the blame for greenhouse emissions is directly due to the industries which burn the various fuels.

to truly reduce emissions we need to reduce industry. this will reduce emissions as well as demand for fuel. this provides an extra benefit -- reduction in the environmental destruction caused by fuel production (and by industry).

of course it will also reduce the earnings of megarich industries and individuals. so it will never happen.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

trial and error

The current Higgins trial sagas teach us something: the more lawyers that you employ to "restore" your reputation -- the more your reputation will suffer.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Bandaid solutions hurt when they are removed.

...Dying for you to Read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com

it's still a crime

Kate Emery writes, 3 Apr that it is important to protect people's rights not to be abused, attacked or killed because of who they are.

She is half right.

If Emery were to raise her skirt and display male genitalia then -- in Scotland -- my use ofshe and her could make me a transphobe criminal.

There would be less argument if Emery and others wrote only, that it is important to protect people's rights not to be abused, attacked or killed.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

stay silent

The amazing VoiceEngine AI needs just fifteen seconds of voice to allow it to clone that voice.

So you will hang up after saying, No I am not interested in your obvious scam. That response will be illegally recorded.

A minute later, your voice will be phoning ten thousand people round the world, to convince them to send their life savings to an anonymous bank account.

Oh the joys of technology.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

save power

Various articles have pointed out the enormous amounts of power required to generate bitcoins.

AI is a similar energy guzzling technology.

If we immediately ban all AI and bitcoin processing -- we will already be half-way to net zero.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

bye local

K Crooks (Letters 1 Apr) wants big firms to buy local.

For a few years there seemed to be a small coffee bean roasting industry in Balcatta. That stopped and all Coles coffee was roasted in Victoria. Last week they stocked beans roasted in Fremantle, WA. That is one benefit of the closure of the Nullabor train line.

Though Coles could still get only Victorian yoghurt, not Brownes.

Buy local is strangely selective.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

name and fame

AFL players taking illicit drugs is nothing new. Now a Letter of 1 Apr) wants the latest druggies to be named and shamed.

In the past, druggie players have been named -- but never shamed -- because they  are star players.

Then there are huge efforts to rehabilitate them. Despite episodes of violence.

Later, these "star" acts are allegedly clean -- and paid big money to become sports commentators.

There is no shame for a "good" footballer. Only forgiveness , money and more fame.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

profit before people?

Gary Martin usually writes sensible articles. On Sunday he writes that employers ... should promote a culture that prioritises wellbeing... and recognise the importance of mental health days.

Martin has clearly spent too much recent time out of employment and living in a magical land where dreams can come true.

Real employers prefer the easier options of micromanagement and squeezing employees till the pips squeak.

Our is it me that has been out of work too long:-?

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

mass saving of lives

The West has HORROR on speed dial for its headlines. Today it is on page one.

Fears of mass casualties...

Read the article and the death toll could be "upwards of seven people" Yes, that's awful -- but it is not "mass casualties".. A lone gunman in a shopping mall would be embarrassed to kill so few.

The true story is more positive. A timely Mayday call from the ship. A rapid and effective response by Baltimore Police -- and a far worse tragedy was averted.

But there's no Horror headline in mass casualties averted.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

score double nothing

Kate Emery hears the Chair of the Professional Darts Corp say that darts is a gender neutral sport.

Emery interprets this as an attack on Emery's "weak, feminine brain" 27mar, The West.

This confected outrage, in an otherwise illogical op ed does demonstrate one thing: Emery has days when her brain is particularly weak.  Feminine or not.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

all day sucker

Ron Elliot, Letters 27mar is such a sweet innocent man. He writes that politicians are elected "to ensure the voices of the people are heard"

If he really believes that... I have a Sydney Harbour Bridge that I am ready to sell to him.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

self-serve fix

the property Council of Australia tells us, 27mar,  how we can "fix home crisis". No surprise, each "fix" also involves direct benefit to Property Council stakeholders.

None of the "fixes" tackle the root cause of the crisis, which is detailed in the much smaller article on the same page. "Perth grows the most"

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

profit from fool emissions

no wonder car importers are excited by new emission regulations.

low emitters are allowed to sell their emission credits to less efficient polluters.

so australia ends up with absolutely no reduction in destructive emissions. but importers get a chance to redistribute profits.

meanwhile, massive fuel guzzling 4WDs retain their protected status as "utes". with tax exemptions for city shoppers who probably do not even know how to open the tailgate.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

sit-down for me-first

the ABC had a news story about a "disability advocate" being upset over how he was treated on a flight within Australia.

First, this advocate was traveling with his support dog. a40kg monster which was uncontrollable except by its owner. even then the owner had to be sitting in his own wheelchair.

there was some fuss over the wheelchair. "only" 9kg says the man who obviously is not the person carrying an awkward 9kg up the steep steps into the plane.

okay. once they managed to get this mongrel onto the plane, the dog had its own booked and, probably paid-for window seat.

most likely this window seat is the emergency exit. in an emergency an active dog can move itself.

except that the immobile owner demands to sit in that seat.

imagine an actual emergency. two hundred passengers burning to death at the back of the plane. they are blocked from the exit by the man who cannot move.

what an idiot.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

unsocial media

Sarah Vine gives a bland half-apology for the recent frenzy surrounding, and attacking, Princess Kate.

Vine blames it all on the "toxic influence of social media".

She ignores the toxic influence of more traditional media. Which will happily spread any nonsense, in its efforts to remain relevant.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

dictator tactics

hmmm. terrorist attack in Moscow... just after a few Russians dared to question putin's election. all the excuse that putin needs to tighten up internal security and crack down, even harder, on dissent.

No surprise if putin himself organised the attack.

Now for an excuse to kill more people in Ukraine: a Ukrainian soldier will be shot and killed in Moscow, "resisting arrest" no surprise if that soldier was captured in Ukraine a month ago. kept on ice till needed as "evidence"

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

peace for a time

The general public are tired of listening to the endless childish sniping and bickering over GST redistribution.

Let the Federal government decide the total amount that they will return to the states.

Meanwhile lock the Premiers from each State into a fancy hotel. They talk to each other but have no communication with the outside, real, world -- until they all come out with an agreed percentage breakdown of GST payments. That is, an agreed list of the percentage that each state will receive of the total amount.

This will lead to a very fast and well-supported agreement.

Or, like a deadlocked jury -- at least we will have some peace and quiet while the Premiers are locked away.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

===

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

fact check fable

an ABC fact check report says that in 2021, four countries met 100% of their energy needs through renewable energy (wind, water, solar). these countries are : Albania, Bhutan, Nepal and Paraguay. Those for do not sound like high tech producers, so...

 where did those countries source the equipment, eg solar collectors, which provide the power.Probably from some energy hungry, high polluting country such as China.

Does Albania, for example, produce enough wind power to mine, smelt, refine, etc all the material that will be needed when they need to expand their energy production?

they may produce worth energy for today but...

unfortunately, politicians listen to economists who demand constant growth... and more growth.

As soon as Albania's economy grows -- they will need more energy. They will need to import more solar collectors... manufactured in one of the other 96 countries of the world -- from a country which will not be depending 100% on renewable energy.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

death by stealth

a man takes a lunch break and rests in a park. and is run down by a car, a Tesla.

there are important lessons here.

if you are resting -- do not believe that cars drive only on roads.

if you are blind, or resting, do not expect any warning sounds before an EV runs you down.

do not expect a Tesla driver to look where they are driving.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

flaming idiots

a man uses an angle grinder. sparks start a destructive bushfire. the man is fined and hounded to hell n gone.

an idiot lights a campfire. it escapes and starts a destructive bush fire. this is determined to be accidental, no follow-up needed

WTF?

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

school force

23mar24: printed in The West as Part of that job, anyway

school teachers should quit teaching and join the police.

The pay is just as bad. public respect is still non existent. but at least as a police officer they know that being a target for unprovoked violence is a formal part of the job description.

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

===

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

Trump for Australia?

Trump has heard that Kevin Rudd is a bit nasty and not the brightest bulb...yes, that's what I've heard too.

There's a possible benefit for Australia from the US election: If Trump wins, he may get rudd to leave... It could mean the end of the embarrassment of having rudd as our ambassador to the US. We can but hope.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

balance of loss

Josh Zimmerman 20mar tells us to expect more government cash bribes thanks to the spoils of six successive surpluses. On the same day the government is said to be needing more than a billion extra dollars to cover its over-spending.

Whatever happened to those budget surpluses?

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

buy my vote

the government is offering cash to parents of schoolchildren.

Forget that the money could have gone directly to each State School to, for example, subsidise a school uniform for each student. This cash bribe is similar to the cash for your vote offer to Seniors.

To get the Seniors cash, first provide a massive amount of personal data. Enough data, including proof of identity and full bank details, to allow even a moderately competent criminal to steal your identity.

All this personal data will then be stored on a government server. Which may as well have a "hack me" target painted on the side.

Expect to receive your bribe... closely followed by notification that your entire bank balance has been transferred to an unknown overseas destination.

btw: money to subsidise a school uniform would also buy the vote of Seniors with a grandchild at school.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

lacking logic

today's paper has two letters which end, "i rest my case". coincidence? or one letter writer and two false names? (no, neither is me).

one letter rests the case without actually presenting a case. they fail to make any point at all.

the other letter seems to argue in favour of first past the post elections, rather than proportional voting. they don't seem to understand the point behind our proportional voting.

but what is clear is that the letters editor needs my letters, to raise the standard of logical opinion.

i rest my case.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

funny no business

CCIWA surveyed WA businesses which plan to scale back, or close, in 2024.

40 percent of those businesses blamed declining customer demand.

Do they expect sympathy for their own ignorance of free-market economics?

Here's some advice for those 40%: When there is no customer demand -- there is no need for your business.

Just ask the people who used to repair typewriters. When typewriters disappeared, typewriter repair businesses also disappeared.

When their is no market demand then yes, your business should close.

Find a new business -- where there is actual customer demand.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

Referendum required

As Mark Riley explains, March 15, the High Court has ruled that indefinite detention is unConstitutional.

. I can't believe that even the most rabid of glory-seeking "advocates" really wants murderers, rapists, paedophiles and drug runners to be freely released into the community. Nor is it the fault of lawyers who are paid big money to find the legal loopholes which allow their criminal clients to walk free.

The problem is with our Constitution, which is clearly well past its use-by date.

We need a Referendum -- to change our Constitution so that it is fit for purpose in protecting Australian citizens from new generations of wealthy and well-connected international criminals.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

===

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

Paris parking oui

Paris, France: parking fees will be trebled for large SUVs. Great decision. It won't worry me. Even if I did live in France.

We own a medium-large 4WD. It is for comfortable driving in the country. There is no way we would attempt to park it amongst the packed and fuming traffic of The Big Smoke.

Yet if desperate times did lead to desperate driving, well... three times the cost for very short-term parking would be a small and fair cost to pay.

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


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood
   

dig, destroy, profit

printed in The West on 13 March, as Lack of protection

The West Editorial 12mar is critical of the speed and secrecy of rewriting Environmental Protection laws.

The Editorial states that, the public will bear the costs if things go wrong. There are several obvious problems:

The resultant Act will not be about environmental protection. It will define lots of ways in which miners and other industries can justify destruction of yet more natural environment.

It will be an attempt to allow every powerful stakeholder group to gain profit from the inevitable destruction.

And it's not just the public which will bear the costs. It's the public -- and every future generation.

There is no if. It is When things go wrong.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

basil for nukes and coffee

basil Zempilas really should stick to sport. when he waxes lyrical over Italian soccer teams (8th March) i can just roll my eyes and smile tolerantly.

when he gets hot and sweaty over a coffee chain expanding to perth, well, commercial sponsorship does pay his wages.

But his ignorant bias shines too brightly when he quotes his political masters in an effort to justify nuclear power.

"trust the science" he chants -- with no indication that he (or his masters) have ever read any of the science. either for or against.

nuclear is safe, he claims. with a passing joke his only reference to fukushima. and no mention at all of three mile island. nor of Chernobyl, which is still bubbling away under tonnes of cement. oh, but my political lord and master has more than the nuclear egg in his basket of bribes. you name it, we will pretend to support it, basil concludes.

basil really should stick to sport. at least he is right if he believes that even a drunk but oh so famous footballer is not likely to reduce perth to a nuclear wasteland.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

stupid white bastard

Kate Emery (8 March) believes that "stupid white bastard" -- directed at a policeman doing his duty -- is not racist.

Try calling an indigenous australian a stupid black bastard -- you will be in court, or hospital, before you can blink.

in America even black is considered racist, as in, do not order a "black" coffee.

What is it, Kate? one law for rich, famous, drunk sports stars -- and another law for the rest of us. Stupid white bitch (no racist insult intended)

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

ornamental Opinion 7/3

The West uses a comic strip about wrestlers.

A key female character is independent, strong and a nurse.

Last week she was ordered to wrestle in a skin tight costume. The response of the male characters was a loud Phwoar!. Is that really how we see nurses?

Not while they are wiping our bums and changing our catheters, I hope.

Perhaps we all need to lighten up a little.And accept that men like to look at attractive women. And, if movies have it right, vice versa.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

power pole play

Laura Newell is half right (opinion,5/3). Western Power would not approve Aunt Gladys using her feather duster. the known and approved method is to clean dust off power poles with a high pressure hose. But that is preventative maintenance -- and costs money.

Far better to save money and let customers get by with interrupted power.

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

democratic action needed

dear Mr Burke,

i have decided to enter parliament. i calculate that two million dollars will buy a suitable seat. please arrange for the government to pay me this amount. i will then pay your ten percent lobby fee with a cheque made out to Cash

while in parliament i will continue to accept bribes in exchange for policy changes.

thank you in anticipation

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

old is new

Gary Martin and various Letters writers object to being labeled as old.

I don't mind if some people label me as a crazy old fool.

What they don't realise is that only the old is new.

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

need feeds greed

some members of our society are needy. The government provides money to help the needy.

then we have the greedy. they have no need for the money but take it anyway.

also, there are the seedy. they charge for advice to the greedy on how to get even more of the money that they do not need.

it's like the beggars who cut off one leg in order to get more handouts.

Then we have APM. a company whose business is to grab a much government money as possible. because they are greedy and seedy they will stand between the government and the needy. APM takes its cut, then fails to provide the necessary services to the needy.

so those in real need get nothing. and the rich investors get sympathetic reports in the paper 20/2

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

here we go again

the grattan institute wants to provide teachers with the latest method to teach reading.

after decades of academic twaddle there is still no agreed best method. each year a new self-serving expert pushes a new method. worse, they claim that last year's methods are wrong and must be thrown out.

now grattan wants to provide regular updates on the latest evidence. with teachers forced to change their teaching as grattan picks a new favourite theory.

the teachers will be kept busy learning to apply this week's latest evidence.

no wonder students fail to learn to read. the teachers have no time to teach.

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

====

printed in The West on 13 Feb 24

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

manage managers

gary martin is wrong.

he claims, 12 Feb, that employers allow personal phone calls at work in the expectation that employees will make up the time outside work hours.

an effective employer only expects that the work will be done.

micro time management may be true for the worst of the bureaucratic micro managers.

realistic managers accept that the employee is trapped inside the office all day.

the managers allow some flexibility at work or accept time spent pretending to work while planning private activities. or extended visits to the toilet, carrying a mobile phone. or nipping out for a cigarette... via the doctor's office.

an effective manager requires only that the work is done. an effective manager does not have nightly panic attacks. nor "urgent" work that cannot be rescheduled for the next work day.

an effective manager manages their own time, even more that they manage each employee's time.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

brutally apt

the hale school hall is built in the brutalist style. this is an excellent match to my memories of one year at the school. 

bullying was standard. violence was common. teachers were disinterested.

it was a brutalist hall for a brutal school.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

cciwa**

If you had asked me about the key concerns of local businesses I would have said, offering good service while remaining profitable in an increasingly tough economy.

according to Chris Rodwell, CEO of CCIWA (Opinion 8/2) they are dedicated to creating contemporary values-based work environments.

no wonder they have no time to disconnect

... nick lethbridge, churchlands

====

This was printed in The West on 9th Feb, as Busy doing something.

The Letters Editor did a good job of tidying my hasty typing. I still prefer my own subject line... which relates to what made me notice the article

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

environmental costs

Pliberstek, environment minister, will shift final environmental approvals from the Minister to a panel. Industry objects.

"ministers can balance environmental impacts against economic and social factors." says industry.

What they mean is, It's cheaper to buy one minister than to buy an entire panel.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

not fine to disconnect

the government was going to fine companies which sent out of hours emails to employees. Staff, they felt, had the right to go home and disconnect from work.

Shock, horror, screamed businesses. We bought the slaves, we have paid for the right to work them to death.

The ever-responsive pollies backed down. They will not fine companies.

Instead, employees will be given the legal right to not respond.

An employee will not be required to respond to work emails, not until they are back at work.

This will allow what is referred to as a CLM. A Career Limiting Move. Legal but suicidal.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

not so crazy

Bethesda opened a private nut-house. A year later, it's closed, for not making enough money.

The closing statement blames private health funds for not refunding enough. Potential patients, Bethesda say, are not willing to pay the full cost of private treatment. Not from their own pockets.

These crazy people are not so crazy after all.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

nowhere to live

How do I vote for Albanese? Or are we stuck with Cook.

Cook, the idiot who wants to bring more migrants to WA. Cafe and restaurant managers no less. So we can all have a cafe latte with a twist of lemon. While saving for a deposit to live in a tent. If one is available.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

===

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

Birds stop traffic

in Sydney Harbour Tunnel a pigeon set off an over-weight alarm. (sensors flap out wrong 3 Feb)

The pigeon was flying. Above a multi-tonne truck.

The extra weight of the pigeon was enough to trigger the overweight alarm. Causing the tunnel to be closed. That is one very heavy bird.

Unless, of course, the real story was about an over height sensor.

Tell Alfred Hitchcock to relax.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

invest with insider knowledge

It's a remarkably short but profitable path from political donation to government handout (Burke link to ALP donation 2 Feb). All you need is a corrupt ex-premier to wave you through the short-cuts.

...Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

travel to home

J M Gordon suggests that the government should put money towards building houses rather than free public transport. Letters 31 Jan

He or she misses the point. Homeless families can now afford to sleep on the buses and trains

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

fake friends

there's a scam where a Facebook friend can't get to a taylor swift concert. so, reluctantly, they use FB to sell their tickets.

except that the tickets don't exist.

perhaps the "friend" does not exist.

FB encourages people to "friend" people they have never met. who can lie, or not, with no chance to discover the truth. friends' motives are equally hidden. the key measure is numbers, fb wants you to have as many friends as possible. more friends equals more advertising revenue for fb.

then a "friend" turns out to be a crook.

perhaps Facebook needs a new category:

a friend is someone who you can physically verify... that is, you can see them. or at least phone them. *talk* to them. ask them why they can't get to the concert.

Any other FB link becomes a "stalker".

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

PM is for real

thank goodness. there i was thinking that albanese was elected as PM on the strength of his ability to fake an aussie accent. a pretence that he is just one of us.

now it turns out that he is also able to... lie. to break promises and make dramatic and arbitrary changes, all for political opportunism.

thank goodness. it turns out that he is a *real* politician after all.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

regrets suck

"when told of a serious diagnosis" a man will wish he had lived a better life (letters 23/1). Really? Does impending death teach nothing?

When I was told that my cancer is incurable and terminal, I set my mind to a positive future.

Yes, it took a while. And some effort. I told my wife that we had perhaps two more years. So we set out to enjoy life. Okay, to continue to enjoy life.

It is not all good, no life is. I am not going to spoil it with useless regrets.

The past is done. There is still the present and the future to be improved and enjoyed. Don't just wish. Do good now.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

printed in The West a few days later

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

future cringe

Gary Martin suggests (cringe-worthy 22 Jan) that today's thinking needs to consider future attitudes. He cites current activities that already make some people cringe. 

This argument is already in common use.

Our grandchildren will blame us for destruction of the natural environment. Future generations will be horrified at our attitude to same-sex marriage. Future society will be aghast at our naive belief that influencers speak only the truth.

What Martin fails to do, because it is impossible, is to predict the future.

Perhaps our impoverished grandchildren will curse us for the potential wealth that we refused to dig out from under renewable trees.

Will future generations laugh in disbelief because we allow couples to be openly heterosexual. Will they cringe when old people tell them of the days when murderers, white-collar criminals and rapists of children are allowed to live freely in our society.

We must make the best possible decisions for what we know today. And hope that tomorrow will be able to live, despite our most egregious mistakes.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

schools use various methods to teach reading. academics argue over which "best practice" method is the best, best practice. 

Each change of method costs time, money and teaching effort.The paper hopes to scare parents into making newsworthy protests. (hopping mad, 22 Jan)

As a parent I don't care about academic point-sorting. I just want little Johnny to learn to read.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

short-listing suspects

"police hunt burswood sex attacker". they provide a physical description.

To speed up the hunt they may as well  provide a list of all convicted rapists who have recently been released on parole.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

social standard

the paper reports that some young people are drinking less -- because they do not want to see their drunken ramblings being viewed all over the Internet.

thank goodness. At last, a victory for social peer pressure.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

Test of power

Cricket Australia has made the correct decision. There will be no reference to an "Australia Day" Test.

What would you prefer to watch on TV: a game of cricket, or a mob of anti-Australia blaks shouting obscenities.

When the threat of violent protest is more powerful than voting -- democracy is dead. Another victory for blak mob power.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

who are the fools

i hope that the west will publish more of trumps nomination speeches. will they be similar ramblings of an old fool, as his detractors would have us believe. or will we see him continue to build a powerful argument for his election.

he begins with praise for friend and foe alike. don't we all look petty when we respond with personal attacks on his hair style.

trump continues with calls for unity. what, you would rather divide our country?

then he hits the emotional hot buttons. he will give Americans what they want, with no detail of how.

keep out illegal immigrants, that would also be a big winner in Australia. deport illegals who are also criminals. that gets my vote. build the economy and defeat terrorism, who can object.

trump will fight crime. no details of how. he leaves it to his opponents to support crime, or to support trump.

he claims friendship with various world leaders. our own politicians brag about a carefully choreographed smile from a Chinese dictator. they all pretend that supposed friendship equates to actual influence

trump is supported by fools who follow their emotions rather than facts. he is opposed by fools who think that trump himself is a fool.

with all the fools either for him or not treating him seriously, Trump has a large enough majority in any country.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

.

power or principle

Tony Burke is a federal labor politician. dp world is a multinational port management company. mwu is an Australian union wanting more money for its workers.

while dpw fights mwu, dpw is unable to keep ports managed. perhaps they should not have signed to an unworkable contact.

now dpw wants tb to interfere. presumably to use government powers to push mwu into line. tb refuses to interfere. there is a suggestion that tb had a history of support for unions against business.

congratulations!

Labor is supposed to represent "the workers". standard political practice is to support whichever group offers the best "incentives".

If Tony Burke really does preference unions... he is very close to being a politician with principles.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

reject colonialism

our foreign minister is prancing round the middle east, spruiking the benefits of australian colonialism. listen to us. follow our example, she says. you will be so much better off.

this is in a part of the world where barbarians exist with the sole aim of slaughtering their traditional enemies. and any new atrocity brings out fresh shouts that mine is bigger than yours and new threats to keep on killing till all opposition is exterminated.

this is their culture. perhaps this is what they enjoy? certainly neither side... none of the sides... shows any signs of wanting to implement australian standards of civilised behaviour.

their barbarian cultures support eternal warfare. if it overflows, Australia has the right to defend itself. other than that, the people of the middle east have the right to live, and to die,  in whatever way their culture requires.

many Australians have rejected British colonialism. we have damned its effects on indigenous cultures. we have no right to now claim that australian colonialism is any better.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

pick one day

Jenna Woods is happy to throw fuel on the Australia Day debate.

she cites past injustice against Blaks. She offers nothing positive on Australia's advances since the 1960s.She proclaims her own tribal allegiances, which will immediately put her at odds with eastern states tribes.

She wants a day on which we can all reflect and celebrate.  What she fails to offer is any alternative date.

Let us accept that Jan 26th is too Whyt. That leaves May 21st or June 9th. Listen to all objections -- then pick one, Put past hatreds aside, Pick one date. Then move forward. So we can all celebrate an Australia Day together.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

too fit for work

researchers have found that light exercise can improve creativity. so avoid it.

do you want a promotion? avoid creativity. just agree with the boss.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

we won't f*** with the jew

lesbian couple reject donor sperm for being Jewish, 15 Jan

who'd have guessed. lesbians can be just as stupid as anyone else.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

not allege to stand on

i guess the placement was deliberate. on page six (15 Jan) we have a magistrate who wants every alleged criminal released on bail. Mr gluestein gets so very tired having to do what he is paid to do.

then on page seven we have an alleged criminal allegedly on bail, who allegedly raped an alleged teenage girl in an alleged toilet.

the alleged magistrate appears to give his lunch break more importance than public safety. allegedly.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

welcome to greyville

i have to admire casino boss David tsai. he wants to remove the dullsville tag from perth.

he stands with his shiny white smile on his plasticised smooth face, topped by his number two buzz cut hair style. looking so very cool in his bland grey suit.

but with a coloured hankie in his jacket pocket!

oh my goodness me. i can barely imagine the thrill of excitement that this grey corporate drone could bring to our city.

will a coloured hankie be compulsory? wow.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

quotable inspiration

Langer (Jan 13) seems to be inspired by reading, on the wall of his private office at the WACA, "Life is difficult."

I prefer my inspiration to be more positive.

"Live life to the full but leave room for dessert". thanks Ginger Meggs

Or if I'm seeking sympathy, " Life is easy, death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome." (Asimov)

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

racial suicide

Generations of Blak people are being destroyed by alcohol (8 Jan). No news there. what is wrong is to blame the government.

There is a major industry of I'm-so-Blak people growing fat by standing between "their" people and help.

Every attempt at support must be deemed as self-managed and culturally appropriate by these self appointed leeches. Anything else is damned as being paternalistic or, worse, colonialism.

Is there a word for racial suicide?

====

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you