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BACK SOON

Just as well Bolty is back, because I’m out of here until mid-August.

(Not entirely; there’ll be occasional posts meantime, and the column never sleeps.)

(Admin note, July 31, 2007: sorry folks, forgot I had set comments to close after five days. Since you all (well, most of you all) seemed to be having such fun, I’ve extended the comment expiration to ten days. Andrea Harris, Administrator.)

Posted by Tim B. on 07/26/2007 at 10:21 AM
  1. Egg_ heads off to mow the trailer park lawn ... first gotta find whereabouts the mower is buried in the long grass ...
    :)

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:28 PM • permalink

  2. They do like their deviations, don’t they?

    Posted by Dminor on 2007 08 03 at 07:29 PM • permalink

  3. Jack!
    Dam design.
    I think that your services may be required back here in OZ.
    Queensland is in dire need of a dam proposed 30 years ago.
    Beattie is toast. I hope.

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 03 at 07:30 PM • permalink

  4. But fisrt, some musical accompaniment ... which platter that matters from the stacks of wax ...?

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:30 PM • permalink

  5. #1
    Egg! Don’t forget your GPS, and your Hound Guide!

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 03 at 07:31 PM • permalink

  6. #1 If you can’t find it Egg, you can borrow my mower.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:32 PM • permalink

  7. Meanwhile,

    Those of us who are unwilling to allow the Iraq war to become another in a series of anti-military “object lessons” to be wielded in the future like a rhetorical cudgel owe it to those fighting this war to make sure their sacrifices aren’t minimized or marginalized — and owe to those who have remained steadfast in their support of the mission (if not the actual tactics or specific strategies) to refuse to have their idealism reduced to barbarism, racism, imperialism, or some other putative evil that represents the exact opposite of their motivations and beliefs for lending support to the overall strategy to beat back Islamic terrorism and the fevered dreams of Islamists for pan Arabism or a new Caliphate.

    Protein Wisdom

    Posted by guinsPen on 2007 08 03 at 07:33 PM • permalink

  8. Ahhh something to stop the dogs baching ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:42 PM • permalink

  9. #5 kae
    I left the GPS with the mower, so I wouldn’t get lost ... wait a minute?!

    #6
    Thanks Ash, I might have to ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:45 PM • permalink

  10. #9

    RAOTFLMAO! Good luck dude… ur gonna need it!
    Don’t fall in the spa!

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 03 at 07:47 PM • permalink

  11. #9 Well, we have to find you somehow, and I ain’t going into that forest of grass.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:48 PM • permalink

  12. Just read some great news. One less arsehole in the world. Not only does hell await you Kafeel Ahmed but may all your 72 virgins have the clap.

    Posted by jon crow on 2007 08 03 at 07:48 PM • permalink

  13. #10
    S’OK, they’re <strike>swimming in</strike> brewing up a new batch of mead in the spa.

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:49 PM • permalink

  14. #13
    Ahh, like I said, don’t fall in the spa…

    ...how many times you wanna come up for air before we get you out?

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 03 at 07:52 PM • permalink

  15. #8
    Similarly inspired

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 07:56 PM • permalink

  16. #14
    Let ‘em play [they’ve got snorkels], Egg’s found the mower ... :)

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 08:08 PM • permalink

  17. #16 I’ll put mine back in the shed again then.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 03 at 08:11 PM • permalink

  18. #17 Tks Ash, I’ll give you a holler if I can’t get it started, OK?

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 08:32 PM • permalink

  19. Sure thing Egg. I hope the ground there is flat, because I know mowing my backyard is my idea of hell. It’s a reasonably steep hill. Yuk.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 03 at 08:39 PM • permalink

  20. Let’s Get Loud and get this work done

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 08:39 PM • permalink

  21. Great job on the lawn Egg! It looks great!

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 03 at 09:53 PM • permalink

  22. Tks Ash, it’s pretty good lookin’ out my backdoor ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 10:04 PM • permalink

  23. Shock, horror, Phatty talks guns ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 10:13 PM • permalink

  24. Now that the lawn’s done, granny can get some target practice in ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 03 at 11:45 PM • permalink

  25. Well, whaddayaknow? Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture settles the baby. Didn’t imagine that for a second.

    Anyone know of any other good classical tunes?

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 12:02 AM • permalink

  26. #25 Hmmm ... peaceful for bubs?

    Beethoven’s 6th (Pastoral)
    Bach Cello (e.g. Suite No.1, Prelude)
    Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 (e.g. Mvt 1)

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 12:55 AM • permalink

  27. Khachaturian’s Gayneh.  Or Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 08 04 at 01:23 AM • permalink

  28. #26, #27 Thanks Egg and Richard. I’ll look them up.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 01:27 AM • permalink

  29. Baby Einstein have a good range of CD’s featuring well known classics arranged cutely, but not too cutely. Being a bit of an anal retentive purist, I didn’t think I’d like them, but they’re actually quite good, and bub loves them.

    If you prefer, however, the proper stuff, may I suggest the Brandenburg concertos by Bach, Concerto Grosso Opus 6 by Handel, virtually any collection of symphonies by Mozart, Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, the Beethoven, Bruch and Mendelssohn violin concertos, the Schumann and Grieg piano concertos and, arh, natch, that’s enough.

    Posted by Dminor on 2007 08 04 at 02:56 AM • permalink

  30. #29 Tks DM
    Cello Rondo

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 03:14 AM • permalink

  31. #29 Thanks Dminor, I’ll definitely look for those tomorrow.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 03:17 AM • permalink

  32. You’ve just gotta read this story to believe it.
    Murder and mayhem going on year after year around Your Black Muslim Bakery and no one seems to have joined the dots (ahem!). Murder of Chauncey Bailey

    Posted by SandiM on 2007 08 04 at 05:46 AM • permalink

  33. To change the tone entirely - some Saturday night party music.
    You Know My Name
    Best song for a 007 flick since Diamonds Are Forever.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 04 at 06:15 AM • permalink

  34. Pity the vision here is crap, though. Looks like it was done on a mobile phone in the cinema.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 04 at 06:20 AM • permalink

  35. It still sounded good Swinish.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 06:23 AM • permalink

  36. Glad you liked it, Ash. The credit sequence is quite impressive on the big screen.
    And since I’ve mentioned it…
    Shirley does Diamonds

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 04 at 06:42 AM • permalink

  37. Later, folks, I can’t linger tonight. Be good.

    But I can’t leave without leaving something for Miranda.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 04 at 06:52 AM • permalink

  38. I love an impressive credit sequence Swinish. When I remember the name of the movie, I’ll link to a credit sequence that had me captivated.

    Shirley is excellent at Diamonds.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 06:53 AM • permalink

  39. I’m always good Swinish. And when I’m being bad, I’m very, very good at it.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 06:54 AM • permalink

  40. #238 I read about the UK lawsuit awhile ago. very nasty stuff.
    Hopefully the people who write these valuable books will publish them on the web for all to see.

    In other sad news, here is something from the blog One Jerusalem.com
    July 31st, 2007 Maurice
    Israel’s anguish regarding its two captured soldiers by the Hezbollah, has become more intense following the revelation of an article in a Lebanese newspaper that one captive is alive but the other is “no longer among the living”.

    Posted by carpefraise on 2007 08 04 at 08:59 AM • permalink

  41. Kae,

    I was involved in the Burnett River (Paradise) dam on the Burnett (surprise!) completed in 2006.

    So few dams have been built in Oz in the past 25 years that they have to bring us expats back to help out.

    problem is not really beattie or the other labor premiers, it’s the unelected ecofascists who are controlling the agenda

    Posted by Jack from Montreal on 2007 08 04 at 11:58 AM • permalink

  42. #41
    The price we have to pay for the Labor state Govts kow towing to their assemblage of minorities.

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 12:33 PM • permalink

  43. Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Bach): graphical display

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 12:39 PM • permalink

  44. Guys, don’t worry about cleaning up around here.  What are the odds Blair ever reads this site?

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 08 04 at 12:45 PM • permalink

  45. Earl Scruggs & Steve Martin

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 01:01 PM • permalink

  46. #41 Jack: about 25 years ago, when I was a bank examiner living and working in Miami, I got to talking with an elderly bank guard about his background. He mentioned that, when a young man, he had been one of the laborers who had worked on the Hoover Dam. He told me some fascinating stories, and the basic facts of the technology involved were very interesting, indeed. It was from this old gentleman that I learned about the necessity of piping in cold water to remove some of the heat from the drying concrete (otherwise, it would have taken over a hundred years for the stuff to completely harden). Old news to an engineer such as you, but I remember being spellbound by the science involved.

    Posted by paco on 2007 08 04 at 01:50 PM • permalink

  47. #43, egg, that was marvelous.  I admit to some personal weirdness, but that piece is one of my all-time favorite bits of classical music.  Dracula and Captain Nemo notwithstanding.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2007 08 04 at 03:07 PM • permalink

  48. 32. SandiM—The Libs are on the warpath now that hoodlums have murdered a Journo.

    Before that, the city was subsidizing the operation, while ignoring years of rumors of thuggery.  San Francisco Bay is a fine model of the future of Liberalism

    Posted by Harry Bergeron on 2007 08 04 at 04:09 PM • permalink

  49. Paco - Hoover dam is an amazing piece of work and one of my inspirations.  It is truly a tribute to the enterprise and resourcefulness of American engineers, contractor and workers back in the ‘30s.

    Like the later Snowy Mountains scheme in Australia (initiated with support from USBR engineers), it would not be possible to construct today.

    When we do build concrete dams these days, we use much less cement and use earthmoving techniques to place. i.e roller compacted concrete (RCC).  Using this approach, we can avoid the need for forced cooling (circulating chilled water through the structure) and produce a cheaper (but not better product).

    Needless to say, RCC techniques were developed in the US and are now used worldwide with no attribution to the Great Satan.

    Posted by Jack from Montreal on 2007 08 04 at 04:53 PM • permalink

  50. Jack from Montreal
    Yes, the greens unelected ecofascists have a lot to answer for, however, the governments of all stripes are to blame for pandering to them and halting infrastructure development. On something vital as water it is absolute foolishness, espeically in a country where drought is not uncommon*.

    Jack f. M. & Paco
    My first job was with British General Electric (GEC) in their Construction Division in Sydney. GEC Construction built power stations.
    I was the office junior, fresh out of school. It was fascinating working there, learning little things about power stations and their construction. Every Easter break we’d be back working to complete a tender to one of the east coast electricity commissions (the only one I can remember was ECNSW at the moment). When I hear the name of power stations now I am a bit proud that I worked for that company all those years ago.


    *unless you believe the AGW idiots who imply that drought is unheard of in Australia, as are floods and cyclones, except for the last thirty years or so.

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 04 at 05:13 PM • permalink

  51. Paco et al,

    Boulder Dam by Zane Grey.

    Cheers

    Posted by J.M. Heinrichs on 2007 08 04 at 06:18 PM • permalink

  52. Paco, there’s a marvellouse BBC doco serious, Seven Wonders of the Industrial World,which covers the Hoover in one episode.

    It’s fascinating and favourite viewing in my house, and one I love recommending to all and sundry.

    Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2007 08 04 at 08:15 PM • permalink

  53. #52: Nilknarf: Thanks; I’ll have to see if I can’t get it on DVD, or catch it on one of the educational channels.

    And as Cap’n Hendricks points out, it’s also known as Boulder Dam.

    Posted by paco on 2007 08 04 at 08:31 PM • permalink

  54. #52, #53 There’s also a book based on the series, of the same name. It’s quite an interesting read.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 04 at 08:38 PM • permalink

  55. I watched the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World on ABC when it came out, it was amazing!

    The lighthouse amazed me most.

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 04 at 08:42 PM • permalink

  56. #47 rebecca
    Me too, I guess J.S. makes good use of the pipe organ’s scale range (which the graphic helps to display).
    Hope it aids your recovery! :)

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 08:56 PM • permalink

  57. Interesting the Hoover dam rock face drillers, suspended on ropes, were apparently ex circus (high wire) performers.

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 08 04 at 08:59 PM • permalink

  58. Do you think Tim will be proud of this thread?

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 12:48 AM • permalink

  59. Paco, I’ve got it here, I can burn you a copy if you like.

    Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2007 08 05 at 12:56 AM • permalink

  60. And now for something completely different, Barry Bonds ties the home run record.

    Yay!

    Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2007 08 05 at 12:58 AM • permalink

  61. What zone is it Nilk? It may not work on his equipment.

    Funny name for it. Equipment.

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 01:04 AM • permalink

  62. Good point. It’s our zone, region 4.

    Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2007 08 05 at 01:19 AM • permalink

  63. Amazon UK has it, I haven’t looked farther than that. The region 4 one will not play unless he’s got a player which will play all regions.

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 01:23 AM • permalink

  64. It’s a great series, Kae. I like to put it on and rewatch it every couple of months - especially the Bell Rock Lighthouse and the Hoover Dam.

    Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2007 08 05 at 01:31 AM • permalink

  65. #58 Ash, I don’t know, but at the thread above us, they’re being very serious, discussing how rape is bad. (Of course it is, why does it need a lot of discussion?) Count me among the Deltas.

    Posted by dean martin on 2007 08 05 at 04:50 AM • permalink

  66. #65 A truly excellent song Dean. I love that movie too.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 05:30 AM • permalink

  67. Sunday afternoon.
    I spent half the day digging holes in the front yard to find the holes I put in the retic pipe while aerating the lawn with a pitchfork. Well I only hit ‘gold’ four times, three if you count the two that were really close together.
    Went to Bunnings, bought hacksaw, priming fluid and glue, joiners… AND I COULD NOT PUT THE %$#%$%&&%^%$#%^^%S TOGETHER NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED.
    In utter frustration I rang the landlady. She said, ‘Don’t worry about it hon!’ Her husband’s a housebuilder and he can do this PVC pipe repair with his eyes closed. Or with one hand tied behind his back. Whatever. It’s not my job any more. YAY!
    Still I was feeling deflated, so I dug into the collection for one of my guilty pleasures - Bobby Goldsboro’s Greatest Hits. And when he started singing Honey, I found myself thinking of youtube…

    Sundae Girl Does Honey.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 05:45 AM • permalink

  68. LOL
    Swinish, a bad day turned good.
    I seemed to have a blocked pipe to the septic tank yesterday. After a phonecall to the local ex-pumper, a friend who still slashes my acreage, and two buckets of water down the dunny (ok, one and three quarters, I’m not a good shot), blockage gorn.
    Yay

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 05:51 AM • permalink

  69. Is ‘slashes my acreage’ some kind of code? Are you using girl talk here, kae?
    Sounds kind of… salacious.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 05:54 AM • permalink

  70. HA! Swinish, I love it!

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 05:55 AM • permalink

  71. ||||||||

    ————

    ,,,,,,,,

    “Please Timtam slash my acerage!”
          - Another original faux 1.618. Thank you, thank you - no, really! You’re too kind!

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 05:58 AM • permalink

  72. I’m big, but I’m not that big.

    A slasher.

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 05:59 AM • permalink

  73. Watch out you don’t get OJ, you might get more than you bargained for!

    / / \ escape

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 06:00 AM • permalink

  74. #1,pg1 Paco, just read your comment in its entirety.

    “sheer lawlessness”, hm?

    Prefer the opaque kind myself.

    Just thought of a cheer song
    (to tune of Hey Mickey)
    hey Paco, prose so fine
    prose so fine it blows our minds hey Paco!
    do do hey Paco!
    hey Paco plots sublime
    You hit the story arc each time hey Paco
    ooh ooh ooh ooH…
    Oh Paco
    You’re no slacko
    make a lotta tales
    you drag us by the eyes
    and it never ever fails.
    Your stories
    full of danger
    constantly enthral
    it’s guys like you Paco -
    oh whatcha do Paco, do Paco
    it’s in your typing Paco!
    do do do do etc.

    Gee, where did THAT come from?
    *humming happily*

    Posted by carpefraise on 2007 08 05 at 06:01 AM • permalink

  75. Are we getting ready to close the doors on this one?

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 06:25 AM • permalink

  76. We are if the ten days are nearly up Swinish.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 06:36 AM • permalink

  77. 2700+ comments is not a bad run, Ash. And this time hardly any of them came from me.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 06:51 AM • permalink

  78. Now you’re just being melancholy, baby!

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 06:55 AM • permalink

  79. True…

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:01 AM • permalink

  80. boop-boop-a-doop

    Posted by kae on 2007 08 05 at 07:04 AM • permalink

  81. By the way,
    Can anyone spot the car in this picture?
    I’ve been looking for days, and I swear I haven’t found it yet.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:09 AM • permalink

  82. #77 2700+ is pretty good, I’ll admit that.

    It’ll be a long time before this number is beaten.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 07:10 AM • permalink

  83. #81 I’m usually pretty good at spotting things, but I don’t believe you when you say there’s a car in that picture. I sure can’t see it.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 07:12 AM • permalink

  84. So, I don’t need glasses!
    Great. I’ll go on drinking straight from the bottle.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:19 AM • permalink

  85. #84 What’s in the bottle?

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 07:19 AM • permalink

  86. What’s in the bottle?
    As of two minutes ago… nothing.
    Bombs Away!

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:28 AM • permalink

  87. What used to be in the bottle?

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 07:28 AM • permalink

  88. testing….

    Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2007 08 05 at 07:46 AM • permalink

  89. Tanqueray - excuse me, Ash, it’s very difficult to drink, type, and polish shoes. Especially when you’ve done all the drinking first.
    Tell me about this house you might be buying. Which suburb is it in?

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:47 AM • permalink

  90. Uh-uh, sounds like Andrea’s warming up for the closing song.
    How did your move work out, AHA?

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:49 AM • permalink

  91. WTF? I’m the one who emptied the bottle and it’s Ash who fell asleep at the keyboard?
    Time to say Goodnight, Dick.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 08 05 at 07:50 AM • permalink

  92. I’d rather not say which suburb, Swinish dear.

    Goodnight Swinish.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 07:51 AM • permalink

  93. There seems to be a lull - I would say we have approx 3 hours left. It has been a very random blog, coming back to a central theme. And I haven’t yet gone to the blog above. I know there was a small flurry of activity with a promise of pictures, but…....

    Posted by Pa Feral on 2007 08 05 at 07:53 AM • permalink

  94. The above thread is quite interesting, Pa Feral.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 07:55 AM • permalink

  95. #74: Thank you, Carpefraise, for that fine tribute.

    Posted by paco on 2007 08 05 at 09:40 AM • permalink

  96. Is the party over???

    Posted by Pogria on 2007 08 05 at 09:44 AM • permalink

  97. It is for me for the night Pogria.

    Night y’all.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2007 08 05 at 09:55 AM • permalink

  98. Night Ash,

    I’ll turn out the lights when I leave.

    Posted by Pogria on 2007 08 05 at 10:07 AM • permalink

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