The totally off-topic thread

[Viridianne]

Agreed on all counts. My favourite name pronunciation is Featherstonhaugh

https://pocketbookuk.com/2013/11/30/pronouncing-surnames/

I was recently taught how to say "worchestershire" properly :mrgreen:

One of the worst traffic jams I've witnessed in Sydney, linked to bus catching fire on harbour bridge:

Bus fire closes all lanes on Sydney Harbour Bridge

We get a good view of the bridge at the office and we've seen smoke from there twice now!

 

[drron]

I love the press report from Hilary Clinton's physician-"she is suffering from non-contagious bacterial pneumonia."
I wonder how she got it.

 

[Pushka]

I love the press report from Hilary Clinton's physician-"she is suffering from non-contagious bacterial pneumonia."
I wonder how she got it.

Bit like her husbands definition of sex.

 

[blackcat20]

Melbourne was not a whole lot of fun this afternoon either. Two train lines out of action and extensive delays over the Westgate Bridge. It took me 15 min to do 2 km from Kings way exit to the exit I needed.

My usually 30 minute drive took an hour...people just dont know how to drive in the rain.

 

[Bindibuys]

And all this time he thought the "travel fairies" made it happen.

Our husbands are related.....

 

[RooFlyer]

Another round of heavy rain Saturday and worse Tuesday. Dams are overflowing. So much damage all over the city. Hope our Waterfall Gully residents are ok.

Same here in Tas. Second wettest winter I think; another 2-3 inches here on the 'dry' east coast in the last 36 hours.

Never mind. To cheer myself up I just remember Tim Flannery's repeated predictions in between 2003 and 2008-odd. Remember the predicted 'permanent' droughts, and "So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems.", and so on? Ta-ta Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide.

And to think a couple of state governments were sucked in enough to build billion-dollar desalination plants .. none of which - someone correct me if I'm wrong - have never operated in earnest?

 

[drron]

But Dan the Man is determined to operate Victoria's one this summer despite the floods.

 

[Pushka]

Flannery said Adelaide may run out of water by 2009.

Our desal plant did need to be built. We were dependent on a river supply that was being sucked up by farmers upstream in areas that were desert. Hay plains and open irrigation channels and such. Trouble is, it was a Rolls Royce version and has never needed to be operated at full tilt.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Did anyone manage to see Blood, Sweat & Tears on their recent Australian tour? I've heard the new band is a very tight unit with great brass section and stage presence...

 

[JohnM]

Same here in Tas. Second wettest winter I think; another 2-3 inches here on the 'dry' east coast in the last 36 hours.

Never mind. To cheer myself up I just remember Tim Flannery's repeated predictions in between 2003 and 2008-odd. Remember the predicted 'permanent' droughts, and "So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems.", and so on? Ta-ta Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide.

And to think a couple of state governments were sucked in enough to build billion-dollar desalination plants .. none of which - someone correct me if I'm wrong - have never operated in earnest?

The two (one near Perth, the other near Bunbury) in WA are going flat out and we're sucking groundwater hard. The Perth one has been operating for quite some time; the Bunbury one is newer but late in construction it was decided to double its capacity while the contractors and their expertise were still on site.

Our Perth hills dams are cactus. SW rainfall has declined c. 30% since before the 1970s when the decline, bizarrely, pretty much occurred as a step-down in that decade (couldn't be detected statistically at the time, but now very clearly evident and well-documented). The unfortunate, and not widely understood, consequence is that runoff has dropped very disproportionately by c. 65% because the ground does not get saturated to the degree it once did and thereby doesn't yield the previous good late winter flow into the dams. The Perth hills dams are down to around 25-30% capacity IIRC and have been for some time. This winter has only a little over recovered last summer's usage.

While this winter's rainfall in SWA has been good for farmers, that is more by dint of its regularity and wide geographic spread than the total being greatly above average.

This is a statement of the reality in the region - not a comment on what may have led to it.

I've just put up with wet (and very cold with it, I might add!) conditions on the Eyre Peninsula in SA and now there's complaining that waterlogging will reduce the harvest in SE Australia.

 

[Steady]

the Bunbury one is newer but late in construction it was decided to double its capacity while the contractors and their expertise were still on site.

Stage 1 of the Binningup Desal was fully completed and contractors were demobilised - Stage 2 was put out for tender and a different mix of contractors (some original, some new) constructed it.

 

[serfty]

Now we all know there are two ways to say "tomato".

There are also two ways to say "memo", i.e. the short form of the word "memorandum". Which do you prefer - MEE-moh, or MEH-moh?

Trying to settle an argument here...

The first is Sheldon Cooper's reference to a parental icon, the second refers to a short note or notice ...

 

[serfty]

But Dan the Man is determined to operate Victoria's one this summer despite the floods.

He does what he is told... check out who owns "Aquasure" (The Delsal plant operators)... ($27,000,000 or $12 per household next year - needlessly).

 

[whatmeworry]

He does what he is told... check out who owns "Aquasure" (The Delsal plant operators)... ($27,000,000 or $12 per household next year - needlessly).

A bit like when Matthew Guy was told by the Liberal Donors/party members to rezone Fishermen's Bend to make them extremely rich overnight?

 

[RAM]

Same here in Tas. Second wettest winter I think; another 2-3 inches here on the 'dry' east coast in the last 36 hours.

Never mind. To cheer myself up I just remember Tim Flannery's repeated predictions in between 2003 and 2008-odd. Remember the predicted 'permanent' droughts, and "So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems.", and so on? Ta-ta Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide.

And to think a couple of state governments were sucked in enough to build billion-dollar desalination plants .. none of which - someone correct me if I'm wrong - have never operated in earnest?

We pay somewhat over $260m a year for the Sydney desalination plant to sit idle.

But what is more outrageous - the tornado that hit Kurnell (where the plant is) actually severely damaged the plant to the point it has not operated since -so technically it is in breach of contract.

Coincidentally parties involved in the project are also donors to both major political parties.

The NSW State continues to pay over $5m a week for a desal plant that is non-functional.

[h=3]Sydney tornado: Kurnell desalination plant suffers 'significant' damage[/h]Australian Breaking News Headlines & World News Online | SMH.com.au › News › Environment


The Sydney Morning Herald


Dec 17, 2015 - Sydney tornado: Kurnell desalination plant suffers 'significant' damage .... Mr Davies said it was too early to assess the cost of the damage.

The security fence around it was torn up by the tornado, as was most of its roof, the covering over the power transformers, security building etc. Nothing has been repaired - the security building has several tarpaulins over it, some hire fencing is leaning against the most damaged parts of the fence and the power transformers are turned off.

No truth to the rumours that State Govt mps and bureaucrats involved in the project ended up as directors, for periods of 1-3 years at up to $65,000/yr for 4 board meetings taking a total of 45 minutes, on shelf companies belonging to companies involved in the project, nor the ex-Premier started work the as a consultant to one well-known investment bank involved in the project, amongst others. Not that they made 7 figures from the desal plant or anything... that is 5 years before the project was completed...

Or are they not rumours...

[h=3]Bob Carr: Cynical departure sends his reputation up in smoke[/h]Australian Breaking News Headlines & World News Online | SMH.com.au › Comment


The Sydney Morning Herald


Oct 23, 2013 - Bob Carr clearly regards himself as too important to serve in ... After leaving politics, he set up a lucrative consultancy with Macquarie Bank.

[h=3]Carr in advisory role to packaging giant - National - smh.com.au[/h]Australian Breaking News Headlines & World News Online | SMH.com.au › NationalThe Sydney Morning Herald


Mar 11, 2006 - BOB CARR has signed another lucrative corporate contract. ... Richard Pratt's Visy said Mr Carr was a consultant to its recycling division, advising on ... Mr Carr took his Macquarie Bank job two months after leaving office.

 

[JessicaTam]

The first is Sheldon Cooper's reference to a parental icon, the second refers to a short note or notice ...

Except I think it is MEE-maw not MEE-moh.

 

[JohnK]

Last line says it all.

She slept all day yesterday and has now woken up 3 times in less than 2 hours. It hurts to see her cry. Still worth it.

She is definitely your daughter.

So many of her mannerisms are similar to daddy's. She looks more and more like my mum. Grandma and grandpa cannot wait to meet her. My brother says I have made 2 old people very very happy.

I leave in the morning and back in 3 days for 3 days only until end of month. Don't know how I will cope without her.

 

[drron]

Great to hear the progress JohnK.Obviously we will miss you arriving in BKK early Sunday morning for 6 days but Bangkok only.
All the very best.

 

[JohnK]

Great to hear the progress JohnK.Obviously we will miss you arriving in BKK early Sunday morning for 6 days but Bangkok only.
All the very best.

She has finally gone to sleep.

I was going to spend the day in Bangkok next Thursday but her birth certificate may not be ready and translated by then so will defer citizenship application until end of month.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[JohnM]

Stage 1 of the Binningup Desal was fully completed and contractors were demobilised - Stage 2 was put out for tender and a different mix of contractors (some original, some new) constructed it.

Thanks, Steady.