Still charming to read comments from a real von Trapp

BBC News - The truth about the Sound of Music family

I think most people know by now that the film bears scant resemblance to the way the real life story unfolded, but the family was not terribly unhappy with the way it was portrayed.  They wished the father had been shown differently, though:

Far from being the distant rather domineering father of the Sound of
Music, Johannes says he was "a very charming man, generous, open, and
not the martinet he was made out to be both in the stage play and in the
film. My mother did try to alter that portrayal for the film, but she
was not successful."

Is it really that bright?

'Bright Spot' on Ceres Has Dimmer Companion | NASA

I have been wondering whether the intensity of the bright spot(s) on the photo of Ceres is at least partly due to image processing.  They do say that the brightest spot is "too small to resolve with our camera".

It certainly looks odd. 

Possibly the stupidest Comment is Free column I have ever read

Give me cheap beer, or give me sobriety. Just stop this craft beer 'revolution' | Eleanor Robertson | Comment is free | The Guardian

I think it's just clickbait, actually.   No sensible person regrets the arrival of interesting variety in beer.  (She's right about the hops, though.)

Gift comparison

What Gillian Triggs has received in her office...

What George Brandis deserves in his:

(Nice bookshelf, incidentally...)

A tale of Tims

One of these commissioners from the Human Rights Commission was conspicuously at the Senate Estimates inquisition hearing this week behind Gillian Triggs in what was clearly a supportive role.

One of these Commissioners was appointed by George Brandis directly into the job, and went to the Opera with him in January this year.

One of these commissioners, according to one of his close friends, would become acting President of the Commission if Triggs were to resign.

George Brandis is claiming that he had information from inside the Commission that Triggs was considering resigning and wondering if the government would give her another job.  Triggs categorically denies instigating inquiries as to that possibility.

All very curious....

If Freedom Boy makes a clear denial of any involvement in this, I am happy to publish it...

Update:  it remains possible that this has all been a comedy of errors, with someone clearly supportive of Triggs within the Commission talking to Brandis about her feelings and accidentally giving the impression to him that a job offer would be welcome.   But it speaks a lot to Brandis' competency that he would in fact authorise any proposal be put to her before she resigned, because of how incredibly damaging it would look if it was rejected and leaked, but also, even if it was accepted it would raise eyebrows.   

And as for Wilson - I don't see why journalists should not be asking him to clarify, as a known friend of Brandis, whether he has been acting as his Deep Throat* from inside the Commission.    

* sorry, irresistible historical quasi pun.  No implication of actual, you know, intended...

Update 2:  Triggs has issued an emphatic denial of the version of events being circulated by Brandis, Bishop and their News Corp lickspittle Chris Kenny in the Australian this morning.

Brandis' statement at the hearing was this:

"I was informed on condition of anonymity, by numerous sources within the Human Rights Commission that that was so, and that Professor Triggs was taking counsel from individuals about her position and about what she should do. In particular, I was told that she was concerned and had raised concerns with an individual about the reputational damage she may suffer if she resigned or stood aside as president of the commission." 

Frankly, this does not sound all that plausible to me - that several people from the Commission would be telling Brandis what was going on in the Commission, on condition of anonymity.   The former Disability Discrimination Commissioner was on the radio today (and in the press) putting the boot into Brandis - and given the way Wilson was parachuted in, I would think it very likely that everyone who works there (apart from his opera guest) holds the AG in moderate to high disdain.     

Something weird is going on,  that's for sure.   Oh for access to some metadata, hey?

And here's Andrew Bolt, joining us yet again on the topic of Malcolm Turnbull as possible Prime Minister

Another Thursday, another Savva attack on Credlin

Isn't it fun watching Niki Savva explain in more and more explicit detail why Peta Credlin has caused deep unhappiness within the Abbott government? 

Something's got to give, Captain Australia.   Preferably, you and Peta.

Back to the 70's

Men's shorts are getting shorter and should be worn with pride

Apparently, men will be wearing short shorts again, everywhere, soon.

It puts me in mind of how short Stubbies were in the 70's and into the 80's.  It's funny how what looks normal in fashion at the time looks weird and embarrassing 20 years later.

What next?  Women to deem chest carpet sexy again? 

Would love to know if this is true

TRUSTED SOURCES have stated to me that Wilson was actually promised the presidency several years ago as an inducement to leave his role as a director of the Institute of Public Affairs, often described as a conservative think tank by some, a non-think tank by others.

That promise was also allegedly more recently affirmed in secret discussions held at the behest of the Attorney General George Brandis, himself acting on direct instruction from besieged Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Problem is, I certainly don't trust Independent Australia as being the most reliable publication for matters like this.

Still, I do note that Abbott has not answered the question in Parliament as to whether he knew the offer was being made to Triggs.  I think it certainly likely it was discussed with Brandis, in which case the role of Wilson may well have come up.
 

Some commentary on "inducement"

Gillian Triggs 'inducement'? George Brandis, Chris Moraitis probe

I think Moraitis should simply have refused to pass on such a legally dangerous message in the absence of his boss.

As for the commentator in the article who says that Brandis will now ignore everything that comes from Triggs:  what difference will that make?  The government is completely ignoring everything from Tim Wilson too.

A very good Last Dog

Last Dog on the Moon's take on the Triggs matter is particularly funny.  I like the accurate depiction of Peter Dutton:

The asterisks besides "No need to call the police"  lead to "Call the police" at the bottom of the cartoon.

On a more serious note:  the Abbott government attack on Triggs in Senate Committee and under parliamentary privilege is a truly sickening act of a shockingly bad Prime Minister.   He genuinely has become repulsive.  

Last chance to nude up

Well, looks like if I go mad and want to turn this into a exhibitionist's porn blog, I only have a month in which to do it.  Although, it does seems I could still appear if tastefully nude. 

I think a certain other blogging style service starting with T has cornered the market for pornography anyway, hasn't it?   This is good - stopping pornography on certain domains helps with filtering.   If you ask me, the world should all agree to shove adult, explicit pornography off to a special .xxx domain.   Both the porn industry and Stephen Conroy (Labor's most gormless Minister in the last government) oppose it, so it is almost certainly a good idea.

As I have said before - people would take a dim view of Adult shop style porn magazines being on open display at the newsagent or supermarket checkout next to New Idea.   The internet is now just as an essential service as the local supermarket, even for kids, and just as you don't want them stumbling across copulating couples at Coles, the internet should be set up to make it easy to filter it such material too.  Nothing to do with preventing adults seeing it - just a sensible bit of organisation.

Some history to remember

Exxon-Mobil, Bush, and global warming.

Just a reminder to anyone who thinks the IPCC Pachauri scandal is all a Lefty affair (so to speak):  Pachauri was the favoured pick of George W Bush for the job, with some suspecting at the time that it was because Exxon thought he would not be effective.

In other "libertarians who fail to impress" news

I don't think it is really worth anyone's effort to watch Helen Dale's video of a speech she gave to the recent, widely ignored, LDP conference (from which I gathered that the party's plan is to ensure that all married "queers"* who want to carry a gun for self protection can do so), but if you do, I defy anyone to claim she made a legitimate point about gun control and suicide.

She made a ridiculous connection between those who want gun control (partly) out of concern of an increased suicide rate from guns with a desire to made suicide illegal.

A patently absurd suggestion.   People do not want to see gun suicide because, nearly all of the time, suicide is an act (often implusive) by people who are depressed or falsely believe there is no alternative, and which devastates the deceased's family and friends.   Guns provide a particularly easy way to act on an impulse.  I have linked before (although I cannot find it now) to articles about how research shows that reducing people's ability to act impulsively on suicidal thoughts reduces suicide.  Indeed, Helen says that there is "some" evidence that tight gun control does have an effect on suicide rates.

It's common sense - and it obviously has nothing at all to do with any thought that it would be a good idea to make suicide a criminal act.

*  Incidentally, I note that Helen self identifies as such now.  Not entirely sure what that means in practice, but whatever.  

Nomination for one of those "You had one job" posters

Here's the start of a report in The Australian:

HUMAN Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson is “seriously concerned” Australia is going backwards in its support of free speech

Seems clear to everyone, doesn't it, that Wilson is having no effect on the government at all in terms of a "freedom agenda".  

If anyone should resign from the HRC for general uselessness, it's him.

Oh look - Triggs being silent during Labor's term [not]

PM - Commission slams conditions on Christmas Island 12/12/2012

Another great IPA pick

I see the IPA is bringing out another person to tell them what they already think they know.  Normally, it's "climate change - rubbish", this time, it's "taxes - who needs taxes!" from Arthur Laffer, of Laffer curve fame.

Funny thing is, the latest Laffer inspired experiment is going spectacularly poorly:

Back in August 2012, Laffer told a crowd at the Johnson County Community College, if Kansas would slash its income tax rates, it would result in “enormous prosperity.”

He told a reporter at the time that he had not produced an economic model on when Kansas will notice meaningful economic growth.

Two-and-a-half years later, Kansas is staring at a budget crisis, with more than a billion dollar gap between revenues and expenses projected in the current and next budget years. The state is also experiencing a low private job growth rate, as well as a slow-growing economy.

In a 45-minute phone interview, Laffer said while he is “not surprised,” he didn’t know why the deficits have occurred. He still believes adamantly in his supply-side economic theory: If you reduce income taxes, you will raise more revenue, not less.

Just when the revenue starts to rise is another matter.

“You have to view this over 10 years,” Laffer said. “It will work in Kansas.”

10 years!   Looks like his experiment is going to have to be terminated before then.

It's rather peculiar that Laffer is said to be influential amongst Republicans again, when the Kansas experiment isn't working.   All a matter of ideology not caring about evidence, just like in climate change.  (Although it appears Laffer may be somewhat more sensible about a carbon tax than most Republicans.)

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/steve-rose/article7024256.html#storylink=cpy

Blowhard-ing a gale

Holy heck:   Andrew Bolt's blowhardery (to coin a term) is at Cat 5 cyclonic strength lately, even if it turns out Marcia might have been a Cat 4.  (What sort of idiot does a song and dance about whether a cyclone was really a Cat 5 or 4?   Of course it's not a totally precise assessment at the time.  Jennifer Marohasy and Jonova are climate change denying clowns.)

Question time should be interesting today...

I assume that Labor will ask the PM if he was aware of the Attorney General's attempt to get Triggs to resign, and authorised it.

Triggs is telling the committee the secretary of AGD suggested to her a new position would be found if she’d vacate her spot at the Human Rights Commission.
Triggs:

It was definitely said to me that an offer would be made for me to provide work for the government in areas of my expertise in international law.

(This is amazing. Truly.)

I cannot see how this extraordinary episode cannot hurt the government...

Update:  plot thickening - Secretary says Triggs called the meeting to ask about Brandis' view of her.

Brandis says he had heard from "others in the HRC" that she was considering her position.

My hunch about the involvement of blatant political appointee and Brandis friend "Freedom Boy" Wilson looks like it might have some legs....

Update 2:   Triggs' counter explanation of the meetings went pretty well. 

Abbott refused to answer question in Parliament as to whether he knew Brandis was going to offer her another job.  Not a good look, to put it mildly.

The government is leaking like a sieve, and from Cabinet too.

It made for a very glum looking lot on the government benches in Parliament during question time today, particularly when listening to what Abbott was going to say about the Triggs affair.  They then sat in unhappy silence while a string of questions quoting leaks consumed the rest of the session.

Hiatus that's not much of a hiatus might continue for a while yet

Quantifying the likelihood of a continued hiatus in global warming : Nature Climate Change : Nature Publishing Group

Interesting sounding paper here, and I'll just cut and paste the abstract:

Since the end of the twentieth century, global mean surface temperature
has not risen as rapidly as predicted by global climate models^{1, 2, 3} (GCMs). This discrepancy has become known as the global warming ‘hiatus’ and a variety of mechanisms^{1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17}
have been proposed to explain the observed slowdown in warming.
Focusing on internally generated variability, we use pre-industrial
control simulations from an observationally constrained ensemble of GCMs
and a statistical approach to evaluate the expected frequency and
characteristics of variability-driven hiatus periods and their
likelihood of future continuation. Given an expected forced warming
trend of ~0.2 K per decade, our constrained ensemble of GCMs implies
that the probability of a variability-driven 10-year hiatus is ~10%, but
less than 1% for a 20-year hiatus. Although the absolute probability of
a 20-year hiatus is small, the probability that an existing 15-year
hiatus will continue another five years is much higher (up to 25%).
Therefore, given the recognized contribution of internal climate
variability to the reduced rate of global warming during the past 15
years, we should not be surprised if the current hiatus continues until
the end of the decade. Following the termination of a variability-driven
hiatus, we also show that there is an increased likelihood of
accelerated global warming associated with release of heat from the
sub-surface ocean and a reversal of the phase of decadal variability in
the Pacific Ocean.