Good for Toowoomba (and some autobiographic details)

Toowoomba is a lovely, lively regional town, and it's great to see that it will be a hub for training of this kind:

Qantas has chosen Toowoomba as the location for its first pilot training school, which it says will eventually turn out 250 pilots a year to help address a global shortage of skilled aviators.

The airline said on Thursday that Toowoomba, in Queensland’s Darling Downs, beat a shortlist of other regional towns thanks to its favourable environment and infrastructure, and students and trainers' willingness to live in the area.

The shortage of pilots predicted internationally is huge:

Qantas says an estimated 790,000 extra pilots will be needed globally over the next 20 years - about a third of those in the Asia Pacific - as population growth and burgeoning middle classes see more people take to the sky.

As for why this is of personal interest:   as a kid, I always fancied the idea of being a pilot.   Not coming from a rich family, however, paying a private pilot school was never a possibility.

I was reminded of this a couple of years ago when going through some old personal papers at home, with the kids around.   I found a letter, written to me in (I think) 1974, from QANTAS thanking me for the enquiry, but advising that they did not conduct their own pilot training.   "See!"  I said to my I-don't-have-any-idea-how-I-would-like-to-make-a-living high school age children "at 14 I was writing to a company asking about how I might get to work for them - and they were taking me seriously enough to write back!"   (I like to complain about young people today taking far, far too long to work out what they might like to do work-wise:  I am particularly encouraging my kids to not waste time accumulating HECS debt on courses they start but don't finish.)

A consequence of the QANTAS letter was that I knew the only prospect I had to be a pilot would be via RAAF entry.  But then, around age 15 I think, I realised that my left eye was considerably weaker than my right.   This led to me dropping in one day at the Defence Force Recruiting centre in the city, and asking whether it could be checked so that I would know whether pilot entry was a possibility.  They did, and the answer was "no, sorry". 

Hence, I knew that pilot as a career was not an option, and I started thinking about other things.

As it happens, go forward a few years and I was learning to drive and finding it a much more stressful experience than I expected.  (I really did not like the first driving instructor I had.)  It made me realise, though, that the weaker eye sight in one eye may have been a blessing in disguise - I think I would have found RAAF pilot training a bit too stressful.

As it happens, the path I chose ended up with spending years in the RAAF anyway, with the occasional joy ride in jets (including one in an F-18 - but for which I ended up with no documentary proof.  There is a photo of me about to get into it, but I don't even know where that is at the moment.  My son likes to annoy me by saying that I probably dreamt it all.)

I also tried learning to fly in gliders, but I found landings a bit of a worry, including once landing roughly with the gear still retracted!  (My instructor kicked himself for missing it.)   My Dad took terminally ill in this period anyway, causing me to lose interest and did not go back to it.

But, yeah, perhaps a good thing the pilot career option was abandoned at an early age...:)  

Sweden and China go to war...

...well, at least to PR war.

It's a pretty funny situation, explained at the BBC.

Cultists think this press conference went fine

In other, uh, highlights (from Axios): 

On the media: "I think ABC, CBS, NBC, The [New York] Times, The Washington Post, they're all going to endorse me, because if they don't, they're going out of business. Can you imagine if you didn't have me?"

On North Korea and Kim Jong-un: "If I wasn't elected, you'd be in a war....You would've had a war and you would've lost millions, not thousands, millions of people."

On United Nations members laughing at him: "That's fake news, that's fake news. It was covered that way...They were not laughing at me, they were laughing with me."

On soybeans and farmers: Trump called farmers "patriots" and said his policies are creating growth for the soybean industry, but they've fallen 12% year to year.

Oh, and by the way, Axios also has the full prepared testimony of that Christine Ford, re rich, drunk kid Kavanaugh, and it's pretty persuasive.  

Rambling on about retail woes

Oh good - an ABC report talking about the worrying decline in retail in Australia.

I almost daily walk through 2 suburban shopping centres - one a major sized one, with 3 supermarkets and 3 of the big retailers; and the other a smaller, local one with one supermarket and maybe 20 other small shops and food outlets.

Both were substantially renovated and extended about (I think) 7 or so years ago.

Walking around them these days, you just get the unavoidable feeling that the centre owners expanded too far - they just can't fill all of the space that is now available.  In the last year or so it has become clearly worse in the bigger centre - new tenants who took up leases for 5 or 6 years in the expansion just aren't renewing.

People blame on line shopping for the downturn, but I am not sure it can account for too much of the problem.  (Or is that just my bias because I buy very little on line as I actually want to support retail on the ground?   For some things, though, on line is ridiculously cheaper.   I am astounded at the almost throw away price of some electronics coming out of China.   For example, my car is old enough that it does not have Bluetooth built in, but a device that plugs into the cigarette lighter works fine by rebroadcasting from my phone to the FM radio.  That hi tech, tiny device cost all of $15.)

And the problem is just not Australia.   One of the very, very few useful things  I learn from reading the madhouse comments at Catallaxy is that even in NYC, retail in former swanky retail areas is emptying out.

Another old commenter at that blog was saying recently that he thinks people might just have reached a realisation that they have everything they need.    And I am feeling inclined to agree.  For some electronics stuff (big screen TVs for example), the quality has become so good that you can't imagine needing to upgrade for increased viewing pleasure;  and the build is such that they would seem to have many years of life in them.   I guess TVs always were a bit that way - you never bought one not expecting it to last a long time - but there used to be room for improvement in the basic function in a way that is hard to imagine now.   Other technological changes make some items hardly necessary - DVDs and DVD players are being replaced by streaming services; I hardly ever bother trying to record something off free to air TV now, even with higher definition broadcast.  

Clothes tend to mostly last a long time,  and if I go to DFO I can buy a good business shirt for all of $30 any day of the year.   Any purely cotton item is more likely to need to be replaced more for being completely outdated in fashion terms  rather than for developing holes.  (Except in pockets - that remains the weak spot in pants.)

So, yeah, I am feeling a bit lately like I do have everything I need.   I couldn't think of anything to ask for from my family for my recent birthday.   Or is this just a function of older age?   And busy-ness generally?

Anyway, failing retail feels bad, because of the knock on effect on investment in retail space.   Mind you, maybe part of the problem is ridiculously greedy landlords, too.

A busy marketplace makes everyone feel good, and confident in the economy.   I would like to see retail on the ground at more confident levels than it is now, but I am sure how that is going to happen in current circumstances.... 

Rich kids and acting

Somewhat interesting article about the serious faced young actor Will Poulter in The Guardian, notable because it talks about a disproportionate number of British actors coming from rich kids' schools:

...he was a pupil at the Harrodian School in west London (current fees: upwards of £6,000 per term), whose alumni also include Robert Pattinson, Jack Whitehall, Tom Sturridge and George Mackay....

I wonder how it felt to hear Daniel Mays observe, in 2016, that the industry was “awash” with privately educated actors, or to read the Sutton report’s findings that the same group takes a disproportionately high share of awards (42% of British Bafta winners and 67% of British Oscar winners). Is it like being under attack? “No, no. Not at all. I’ve undoubtedly benefited from my middle-class environment. I hold my hands up to that. And I know that unless we try to make pathways into the industry more open and accessible, then we can’t expect it to reflect society.”

I wonder how that compares with the backgrounds of Australian (and American) actors.  Not something I have thought about all that much...

A bigger problem than we knew at the ABC

This story has legs, surely:  

ABC chairman Justin Milne told former managing director Michelle Guthrie to sack high-profile presenter Emma Alberici following a complaint from then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

In an extraordinary intervention that underlines the political pressure on Ms Guthrie before she was axed on Monday, Mr Milne appeared to acquiesce to government complaints about “bias” by calling for the chief economics correspondent to be fired because she was damaging the public broadcaster's standing with Coalition MPs.

Also, it shows Turnbull in a bad light for having made such a song and dance about the report, too.

So, all we need now is a change of government, a new ABC Chairperson, and a new ABC managing direction.

About Kavanaugh

I said a few days ago that I don't get that much into the minutiae of things like the odd, highly politicised way America goes about appointing Supreme Court judges.  But this Kavanaugh case is very strange in more ways than one.  

Isn't it unseemly for him to be going on Fox News to talk about his (lack of) a sex life at high school/college?   Have previous nominees treated it all as a big PR war that have engaged in outside of the hearing room? 

And the evidence seems clear from several people that he was a young, obnoxious drunk.  Take this statement:

It seems entirely plausible that he would make a drunken grope at a woman, or expose himself, and not remember the next morning.   Being a repeat, aggro, young drunk doesn't mean he did do those things - but it does tend to raise questions about how much to trust his recall and denials as to what he may have done.

His sycophantic suck up to Trump too was really remarkable (and not in a good way):

Brett M. Kavanaugh thanked President Trump for his nomination to the Supreme Court on Monday night. Almost immediately, he made a thoroughly strange and quite possibly bogus claim.

“No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination,” Kavanaugh said.

It may seem like a throwaway line — a bit of harmless political hyperbole. But this was also the first public claim from a potential Supreme Court justice who will be tasked with interpreting and parsing the law down to the letter. Specificity and precision are the name of the game in Kavanaugh's chosen profession. How on earth could he be so sure?

On the other hand, oddly for a conservative, he seems to be on record for saying that climate change is real and man made and is a serious policy issue.   But apparently there is still such concern about his narrow view as to the limits of government power that he will be very bad for climate  action anyway.

Isn't it time America put its mind to a less politicised way of getting its Supreme Court chosen?  I don't know - let there be a panel selected and then a random draw, or something.   And compulsory retirement ages.  

It's too weird the way it is...


 

Stupid solar / good solar

Why would anyone have ever taken solar cells embedded in roads seriously?   The problems are obvious - and are set out in this article about a couple of tests of the concept that gave very underwhelming results.

On the other hand, why is no one in Australia talking about floating solar on our dams and lakes? :

....installing Solar PV system on water bodies like oceans, lakes, lagoons, reservoir, irrigation ponds, waste water treatment plants, wineries, fish farms, dams and canals can be an attractive option. Floating type solar photovoltaic panels have numerous advantages compared to overland installed solar panels, including fewer obstacles to block sunlight , convenient, energy efficiency, higher power generation efficiency owing to its lower temperature underneath the panels . Additionally, the aquatic environment profits by the solar installation because the shading of the plant prevents excessive water evaporation, limits algae growth and potentially improving water quality.
Floating photo voltaic power plant:A review | Request PDF. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307540858_Floating_photo_voltaic_power_plantA_review [accessed Sep 25 2018].

My Rules for Life (updated)

As indicated in a previous post, I have two firm rules already.   But sometimes I think of a new one, and unless I get it down quick, it may be forgotten.   So I might just keep updating them here, when inspiration strikes.  So, the list now:

1.  Always carry a clean, ironed handkerchief in your pocket.  Always.
2.  Never buy into timeshare apartments or holiday schemes. 

And now:

3.  If you have a choice, buy the washing machine with a 15 minute "fast wash" option.   

More as they occur to me.

Pretty much agree

I wonder if this anecdote is true

I haven't followed the Guthrie story with any great care, but I never felt she seemed particularly impressive, and certainly seemed to be a bit all over the shop in terms of defence of the organisation at a time it needed strong pushback against culture war idiots in the Coalition.

I don't really like the changes that have taken place in ABC content under her leadership.   But if she had any hand in the cancellation of Tonightly, I'll give her credit for that...

Aldi's big adventure

I didn't read about this before:   a 19 year old gets stuck aboard a floating "fishing hut" and drifts from Indonesia to Guam before rescue:

Sort of cool, actually.  Read about it at NPR.

O M G

Bernard Keane is a TMBG fan too?:

I shouldn't be surprised:  I can imagine him liking Hopeless Bleak Despair, for example.   (It is a great song, typical of TMGB unique ability to make you feel happy about darkness.   Come to think of it - by rights they should be big in Mexico.   That Day of the Dead stuff is along similar lines.)

Netflix update

I'm sure readers are fascinated to know what I've been watching on Netflix recently:

*  Grimm:   a long running crime/fantasy series which I had never watched before, although I have a feeling it used to be on free to air TV.    (I can't be bothered watching  this type of show on commercial television any more - the week to week changeability of programming that's become its hallmark over the last couple of decades just means you can't get into a set weekly pattern of viewing like you used to.)

Anyhow,  I find this a pleasing enough show - the acting can be a little hammy, but its got a light touch and I see that it's actually filmed in the town where it is set - Portland, Oregon.  The frequent trips it makes into green forests and quaint looking suburban streets and houses do make it look like a nice part of the States.  (I half expected it would turn out to be shot in Canada, but no.)    Only into the first season so far:  it's not earth shattering but it's good enough to keep watching.

*  Fargo:   because my son started watching the first season without me, we've started watching together season 2.   Quite a lot to like - visually very cinematic, good acting and the same, dry sort of approach to character and humour as I recall from the movie.  (Which, incidentally, I never held in particularly high regard.  It was more-or-less harmless, but I never understood the strong critical enthusiasm.  I have only seen it once and have little interest in re-watching.)   It seems to me this show, or this season, is more enjoyable than the movie.  Good.

* Godless:  I had trouble convincing my son to watch it - he's not the biggest fan of the Western.  But the first episode last night was really impressive - again, the cinematic looks and fine acting (and some unexpected scenes - riding the horse into the church service was something you don't see in Westerns every day) all worked a treat.   Very happy so far.

*  American Horror Story:   I know it's a different story every series, but the season I first tried is unimpressive.   Won't continue after 2 episodes.

Returning soon:    The Good Place (yay!), and (I saw by accident last night) another series of the very under-watched Norsemen (comedy Vikings from Norway.  I don't know why it doesn't seem to be better known.) 

Yay for solar in hurricanes (and why aren't we floating solar?)

David Roberts has linked to two renewable stories that impress:

*  A report that despite having quite a lot of solar farms installed in North Carolina (again - a bit of a surprise that a conservative region in the US has been quietly going about installing renewables - would Judith Sloan and Alan Moran care to explain why it's happening in those parts of the US?), the solar farms seem to have come out of Hurricane Florence with little damage.

*    California is building some floating solar farms on water reservoirs.   Why aren't we?   Especially in South East Queensland, where the water cooling effect in summer may be welcome as a side effect.

More about Lachlan

I noted recently that I was surprised to read somewhere that Lachlan Murdoch was actually more conservative than his Dad Rupert. 

More detail on this is provided in The Guardian today.

I'm pretty sure, now that my memory is refreshed, that I had assumed he was not like his Dad because he had seemed to act with great haste on sacking Roger Ailes, the late sleazy head of Fox News.

But as The Guardian explains, there was likely bad blood between them going back years.  In fact, the article suggests that people think Lachlan is not one for overtly taking revenge, but take revenge he does.

So, I used to think things would improve re Fox News when Rupert died.   Now, all we have to hope for is some family wide tragedy instead.   Do Lachlan and Rupert ever take the same flight, I wonder?

Amateur, defaming detective at work

This really is a remarkably inane thing to do - but we're talking a Republican attorney here:  he's from a group that has hardly been showering itself in glory with its defence of all things Trump. 

I read the Tweet thread concerned because Jonathan Swan re-tweeted it, saying that lots of people in the White House were giving it close attention.  Then Swan realised that it was a ridiculously defaming thing to do (well,he called it irresponsible) and deleted it.   As did that NYT journo whose name I forget.

But Whelan has left them up.   It's like he's riding around Washington in the back of a pick up truck yelling through a bullhorn "So sue me!  I mean it - you, Sir, give me name so I can accuse you of attempted rape, and you'll be a million bucks richer!" 

  

China and privacy

A short article at MIT Technology Review tries to make the case that China's "big data" interest in social control may actually be a bit better than the more ultra-local forms of social control they used to be known for:

Better or worse than what?

China’s surveillance culture existed long before the rise of big data. In his book The Government Next Door, Luigi Tomba details how Chinese politics have been micromanaged at the neighborhood level. Residential communities are monitored by neighborhood committees performing semigovernmental functions: reporting dissent, resolving conflicts, and managing both petitions to the government and protests against it. These functions used to be the task of retired elderly women, whom the former Wall Street Journal reporter Adi Ignatius memorably called the “small-feet KGB.” (In traditional China, women had their feet bound at birth.) The question is whether monitoring and repression through impersonal technology is better or worse than these personal intrusions.

One of the most important roles of the small-feet KGB was to enforce China’s one-child policy. The Chinese fertility rate fell dramatically while the policy applied, from 1979 to 2015—a testament to the effectiveness of these personal surveillance tactics.

In ancient China, there was a joint liability system under which three to five households were linked together. If a member of one household committed an offense, all the households were punished. During the Cultural Revolution, punishments for political dissenters were routinely meted out to their immediate family members. The political system compensated for a lack of data on individual activities by deterring dissent broadly and harshly.

Big data would be a threat if Chinese citizens could be expected to have an abundance of political and civil liberties in its absence. But China is a repressive, authoritarian society with or without big data. Technology has made the repression more precise, but precise repression might be an improvement over indiscriminate repression.

The article also talks about how the Chinese have traditionally distrusted privacy as a concept:

One reason Chinese attitudes are different is that as recently as the 1980s, the word “privacy” had negative connotations in China. Chinese norms are anchored in 2,000 years of a Confucian culture that values the intensity of interpersonal relationships. One way to solidify those relationships is through transparency and full disclosure. A circumstance that triggers secrecy is typically an unsavory one. If something is good, why not tell us? Privacy in this context was equated with preserving a dirty secret. To be private was to be antisocial.

 The point is made that the wide surveillance now underway may be changing that.

Message for monty

I don't even know that you drop in here much anymore, but I see you are trying to have a debate with someone who thinks that the world is about to be saved by energy to be mined from the quantum vacuum or some such, who seemingly thinks that the Kansas Laffer experiment was not a failure - despite the fact that Republicans themselves reversed it.   Could you ask him why that happened? 

I am also dying for someone - anyone - amongst Lizzie's myriad admirers to raise the slightest doubt about the wisdom of repeatedly  leaving her children to the care of nannies (or whoever) in Australia while she and her rich husband take extended overseas holidays - this one for 3 months.  Parenting over Skype is not quite the same as being there...

A word that makes me reach for my (imaginary) revolver

An article in the SMH by the NSW education minister (a Liberal too!) talking about concerns regarding teacher education standards (my bold):

Both the government (as the largest employer of teachers in the state) and current teachers and principals (as guardians of the profession) have a legitimate expectation that universities produce graduates who are capable of making significant contributions to the pedagogical landscape.

Hey Minister:  you could improve the public's confidence that you are on the right path by not adopting the professional jargon by which self serving (and Left leaning) teachers who teach teachers have sought to increase their status.