Not Trampis

Wednesday, 1 January 2020

The Long Hot Summer

This summer and well before it has simply been dreadful because of bushfires.

Here is Sydanee I have never experienced such smoke nor dust for such a long period.
You can wake up in the morning and see brown dust on your car.

however never in my life have I ever seen signs as this simmer has brought.

People in the sea to avoid a bushfire, transport unable to move on major highways, towns running out of food, water and electricity.

It is simply horrendous and here in Australia we are front page news right around the world.

It should also be immediately apparent that no array of hazard reduction would have averted this catastrophe. We are in our second once in a hundred year drought within 20 years! The ground is bitterly dry. It is tinderbox conditions.
Once a fire is raging it will go like the clappers more so when the wind is strong.

New techniques are obviously needed.

There is too much done by volunteers. to fight they take rec leave. They use it all up and then have no money to carry on. What is worse they go back to work in a poor condition such is the physical, mental and psychological effects of fighting fires..
We are one of the few countries to rely on volunteers. We should investigate whether this needs to continue as much as it needs to mow.

All these people in these ares need our prayers and thoughts.

Postscript:

I forgot talking about the economic consequences. They will be far greater then even previously thought/ Infrastructure needs to be repaired very quickly. although this is mainly a state responsibility my guess is hands be be directed at Canberra given the level of the problems.

John Quiggin has a good article on the health problems of bushfires

Tuesday, 31 December 2019

Comparing the Star Trek series

It is so awful here is Australia with the bushfires.I need to write about something else and why not Star Trek.
I have been a trekkie since I saw my first star Trek episode so here goes.

1) The Original Star Trek

Naturally with Kirk , Mr Spock, Scottie and the rest. Made a long time ago but still holds up as great entertainment. Important to note absolute values ruled here. There was good and bad.

2) Deep Space Nine

Once you get into this it was a great series. all the characters were enthralling .Two lots of baddies where the name the Obsidian order that Brad De Long loves so much originated. I have to admit when Jadzia Dax left some of me did as well.

3) Star Trek The Nest Generation

Should have been the best however relative values ruled here. No good or bad. Respect the culture stupid! Characters were great and we meet the Borg.

4) Voyager

Quite easily the worst. Very hard to have a captain as a female. romantic interest thus dissipates. Give her a whiny voice makes it worse. Seven of Nine almost helped but few characters were interesting and the ones that were rarely were given enough lines to shine.

Monday, 30 December 2019

Some Very Bad TV shows

My wife and two sons return to Australia after being in Europe for 6 weeks. The boys are happy they saw 4 EPL games!.

Given I would be home alone I decided to watch some shows I normally wouldn't as I would have a lot of time during Christmas.

I decided to revisit FRIENDS. I had been told a long time ago to look at it and id. Asked for my response the next morning I said it wasn't funny which was par for the course for Yank shows. But what about the Babes My mates shouted? What babes. They were average to worse. Every girl working here is more attractive than they are. I didn't watch this very long. It is still not funny.

THE FIX is on Nein. I still do not know where this is an updated version of the Postman rings twice because again I watch very little. Badly acted and written the only reason I watched it was because the lady from the Mentalist was in it. Not good. No Simon Baker to overlook her deficiencies

PEARSON could well be the worst program I have ever attempted to watch. She was head of a legal firm who decides to work for the Mayor sounds interesting but those yank writers can kill any decent idea and the acting was woeful. The lead actress unfortunately has an old face so looked over 60

NCIS had the unfortunate experience of attempting to portray almost any actress as beautiful when they are simply average looking. None of the charters really stuck to me either.
.
LA FINEST is another disaster. Yet again tow beautiful women who are not are detectives in the LAPD. It is to melodramatic with some absurd plot lines

Whoopsy I forgot Hawaii Five-0. A series so poorly acted and written I wonder how it ever got on TV.

It is just as well I got a head cold from the change in temperatures last Saturday. Since I was in bed I did not need to view anything.

Sunday, 29 December 2019

Trump and tariffs an unmitigated disaster

Courtesy of Brad DE Long I link this really good study on Trump hiking tariffs and manufacturing activity from two economists at the Fed.

Enjoy. It is rather long but it is worth it.

Saturday, 28 December 2019

The Best Jazz ever

My next door neighbour calls jazz intellectual.

I like that and it certainly applies to the wonderful Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

The unmistakable So What